Quotes from the DCIST January 10, 2017 – More than 20 local faith leaders came together to bless the organization’s newest health clinic in D.C. on Tuesday.
Then the formal event began, featuring leaders from different Christian denominations, a rabbi, abortion providers, a Planned Parenthood patient, Hindu priests, an Imam over Skype, visual art, and a liturgical dance.
“In almost every message to our staff, I talk about our doing sacred work,” says Dr. Laura Meyers, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington. “This confirms the sacredness of the work we do.”
The NoMa health facility, which opened in September, rang with the sound of drums as visitors entered, courtesy of all-female percussion troupe Batala Washington. Erin Schmieder, a Batala member, says the group chose to participate in the event organized by the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice because “there are a lot of us throughout our lives who have benefited from Planned Parenthood.”
Before the ceremony kicked off, religious leaders gathered upstairs for their own prayer circle, led by Rabbi Michael Namath. The program director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism called upon their obligation to the world to “make it whole and holy.”
“I’ve been a Christian longer than I’ve been an abortion provider,” said Willie Parker, who is about as close as the reproductive choice movement gets to a rock star. “Women have been made to think that this [clinic] is some evil place, where God is not,” he continued, pointing out the people “cursing [women] for making sacred decisions. Our answer to the curse is to bless.”
Reverend Doctors Christine and Dennis Wiley of Baptist United Church of Christ organized the event with RCRC and PPMW, and acknowledge that anti- abortion perspectives dominate many religious institutions. “The conservative voices are big,” says Christine. “It drowns out the progressive voices, but it’s not that progressive voices aren’t there.”
For many of the speakers at the ceremony, their religious faith was precisely why they stood in solidarity with Planned Parenthood.
Rabbi Namath spoke of the belief in Jewish tradition that making healthful decisions about one’s body is a way to honor God.
“May the ones who bless our ancestors bring healing on all in need,” said Namath in prayer after reciting Hebrew. “God, let your spirit rest upon these caregivers, who serve as instruments of your hands.”
Dr. Serina Floyd, the medical director at Planned Parenthood described how “patients express shame, guilt, or fear about how God will perceive them. Having an abortion does not make you unlovable in God’s eyes,” she said. “Now I can tell patients that this is a blessed space.”
Imam Daayiee Abdullah, America’s first openly gay imam, is normally based in D.C. but joined the ceremony over Skype from Thailand.
Hindu priests Venkatesh Vadhyar and Bragadeesh Balasubramanian of Sri Bhaktha Anjaneya Temple in Frederick chanted a mantra, which Balasubramanian explained “gives a good vibration to the building and anyone who comes in will be healed soon.”
Later, once the ceremony was over and people were cleaning up the chairs, the two remained to flick holy water around the downstairs space because “when we chant mantras, vibrations go through the water,” Balasubramanian says, leaving the negative energy behind.
To cap off the ceremony, people wrote what they needed to get rid of on a stone, which they tossed and replaced with another stone that had a word of blessing—like courage or peace—on it. “Allow yourself to be blessed as you put it under the water and take it with you,” said Christine Wiley, as the group sang “This Little Light of Mine” together.
If you go to the store to buy Meat, don't run to the Milk section or the Junk Food aisle looking for it!!
The Meat Section is the True Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Milk Section is likened to those who will not preach on sin and Hell, just a feel good message, the Social gospel.
The Junk Food Isle is the outright false doctrine AKA the prosperity gospel, name it and claim it, the Hebraic Roots movement and other false teachings!!
Feasting on just Milk and Junk will eventually cause you great harm, you can count on it!!
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