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Whitworth University, a Christian university in Spokane, WA. has announced it is cutting all ties, including academic ties, with Planned Parenthood.
Which begs the question, "Why would a Christian university have a relationship with the world's largest abortion business in the first place?"
The decision has come as a result of people---students, alumni, parents and donors taking a stand for what is right---in this case for life.
Also, some thoughts following the so-called "March for Science" this past weekend. A leading scientist says it was more about religion than science.
Last fall, Whitworth University student James Silberman contacted me and asked if we would help publicize the fact that Whitworth University had a working relationship with Planned Parenthood---actually giving credit to students working as interns at Planned Parenthood.
Most of the student involvement was volunteer opportunities or student learning.
James felt it was highly inappropriate for a "Christian" university to have a working relationship with Planned Parenthood.
I agreed and told him we would publicize it to our readers and the listeners on our daily live radio program.
Which we did, with an article about it and discussion on our radio program Straight Talk.
I personally received a variety of responses from shock, to people being grateful that the matter was made public, to former students who said they struggled with it while attending Whitworth.
Last October, James published his well-documented article, "Whitworth: Cut Ties With Planned Parenthood" in the school newspaper, "The Whitworthian."
He wrote, "In a WSG [Women's and Gender Studies] 201 textbook 'Women's voices Feminist Visions', there's a section devoted to abortion. There's an essay from 'MS. Magazine' in the book called 'The Abortion-Clinic Across the Street', which depicts pro-life people as violent misogynists. The hatred Kathryn Joyce, author of the essay, feels toward pro-life individuals is palpable. Two other essays and commentary from the book's authors reinforce this narrative."
He said it isn't only this textbook, but others as well---such as the textbook for "Health Science 385, Sexuality and Society".
He noted that "The most egregious example is on page 310 where the book claims that women who have an abortion before the age of 21 fares better in life than those who don't."
He said, "This willful blindness to the realities of abortion in a university textbook is astonishing."
"What's truly tragic," he said "is that students in these classes are being fed malicious lies. Study after study on abortion trauma shows that abortion harms women."
His article is rather lengthy, and very well sourced, including both Whitworth's relationship with PP and affirmative textbooks, but the history of Margaret Sanger, the founder of the murderous Planned Parenthood organization. I recommend you read it.
He concluded with a strong call to his own university, Whitworth, to separate themselves from PP and classroom teaching that affirms abortion. Then said this: "The only mitigating factor of my distaste towards the actions of the school in regard to Planned Parenthood and abortion is the fact that I know this isn't just a Whitworth problem," encouraging students to everywhere to "look into whether your school is supporting the abortion industry," and if so, "bring it into the light."
That was last October.
Last Thursday afternoon KREM TV 2 in Spokane ran a news story titled, "Whitworth cuts ties with Planned Parenthood."
The story began with this: "The president of Whitworth University will cut all formal ties with Planned Parenthood starting in the fall of 2017."
President Beck Taylor sent out a letter to the Whitworth community stating that "the university will no longer offer credit-bearing service-learning placements or internships with the organization."
Taylor's letter said in part:
“Given the prominent place that Planned Parenthood holds in our nation’s discourse on issues of freedom of choice and sanctity of life, I have decided that Whitworth’s relationship with the organization, even as limited and tangential as it currently is and has been, sends a confusing signal to many of our constituencies. My hope is that Whitworth will always support both women and gender-related issues and affirm God’s love for all life."
Planned Parenthood's response was equally benign but hopeful and confident that "this generation will create a world where it's no longer acceptable to treat a person's reproductive health and decisions as a political bargaining chip. Instead ...it will be regarded as what it actually is: A critical, basic human right that is central to every person's ability to be healthy, live a fulfilling life, and build a bright future."
And the Planned Parenthood lie continues.
Thank God for kids like James Silberman. And there is a growing number of them.
How does a college or university founded by Christians to advance a biblical worldview--- with their money, sweat and most likely some blood, get from that kind of birth, to this kind of compromise?
George F. Whitworth, a Presbyterian missionary and educator founded Whitworth--- as well as helping found the first church in Grand Mound, Washington.
Ironically, KREM TV 2 broadcast another story about Whitworth last month, noting that it was ranked top in Christian colleges in the West, in a number of categories.
KREM also reported that:
"Whitworth University was founded in 1883 as Sumner University. It was renamed Whitworth College in 1890 then moved to Tacoma, Washington. In 1914, Whitworth College found its new home in Spokane. Finally in 2006, the name was changed to Whitworth University in order to reflect the school’s expanded academic offerings. Whitworth’s mission statement reads, “Education of mind and heart, equipping its graduates to honor God, follow Christ, and serve humanity.”
This recent baptism of secularism administered by Planned Parenthood, with Whitworth administration assisting, certainly is a departure from what Rev. Whitworth and others had in mind when they stated the mission of the school was to equip students to "honor God, follow Christ and serve humanity."
Abortion accomplishes none of that.
While Whitworth still claims their founding mission statement, they have obviously not been practicing what they preach.
Private, including church-related education in America, has a history of "back-sliding." Our first college, Harvard, was founded by a pastor for the purpose of "biblically educating our young for ministry..." In fact, the first 120 colleges in America were founded by Christians for Christian purposes.
Parents and students must be vigilant regarding education---including so-called "Christian" education.
Today on our live radio program I will be talking more about this---and some Monday morning thoughts about the mighty "March for Science" this weekend.
One scientist, Joe Bastardi, chief forecaster at WeatherBell Analytics is saying the event was more about "religion" than science.
Be Vigilant. Be Informed. Be Discerning. Be Prayerful. Be Blessed.