Habitat for Inhumanity

By Rick Pearcey

This story says so much: Christian Ministry "Habitat for Humanity" Agrees to Work With Abortion Giant Planned Parenthood." The report begins:

Habitat for Humanity has verbally agreed to an arrangement that would help Planned Parenthood open an abortion facility in Sarasota, Florida. The agreement, which reportedly has not been finalized, would fulfill a city requirement that would allow Planned Parenthood to acquire the occupancy permit it needs to open.

“According to zoning regulations, Planned Parenthood cannot build their abortion facility in the planned location without the presence of a multifamily liner building,” said Jim Sedlak, vice-president of American Life League. “Unfortunately, Planned Parenthood found a creative solution to its problem and is using Habitat for Humanity to achieve its objective. Planned Parenthood plans to sell land to Habitat for $10 so it can meet city requirements.”

The Sarasota City Commission approved a plan on May 5, based on the agreement with Habitat that would allow Planned Parenthood to open their facility. A letter that Planned Parenthood filed with the city before the meeting said, "We are excited to have Habitat be a part of the Planned Parenthood team."

“Habitat for Humanity, which claims to be a Christian ministry, says that this was only a real estate transaction,” said Sedlak. “However, Planned Parenthood could not open its abortion facility without Habitat’s help." . . .

An erstwhile supporter of Habitat explains his disillusionment in "Why I Can No Longer Support Habitat for Humanity."

Another observer is subtle: "Talk about dealing with the devil."

A 4:09 p.m. search of the Habitat website yields no results for "Planned Parenthood." One wonders -- Where is the press release announcing this intriguing development, this brave partnership, this wondrous event?

While Habitat falls silent, Planned Parenthood unashamedly leads the way forward: The abortion industry giant reportedly is "excited to have Habitat be a part of the Planned Parenthood team."

But enabling abortion -- what journalist and author Peter Hitchens (atheist Christopher's brother) just two days ago calls a "massacre to suit the selfish" -- hardly seems consistent with the humane thought and practice that accompanies the proper application of Christian thoughtforms across the whole of life.

One might also ask, paraphrasing, What does it profit an organization, a volunteer, a "Christian," a "ministry" to build houses for the whole world, but lose its own soul?

Then again, if church-state separationists are correct, transactions such as real estate deals and other acts in the public sphere have nothing to do with the Gospel in the first place. For the secularist and bifurcated "believer," holiness and its attendant humanity stop at the church door.

For an alternative to the problem of an inhumane secularism and its echo in a fragmented spirituality alienated from the concreteness and wholeness of life, consider this.

* Update
Here are the Sarasota City Commission minutes, May 5, 2008. See page 10, item 12. ht: Kevin Bussey

* See Also
Abortofascism and Free-Market Homicide
Fascism Is Back
Square Circle Watch: Pro-Life Christians for Obama?

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Rick Pearcey is editor and publisher of The Pearcey Report (articles).