Roundup: Clinic Protest; Roeder Bible Study; Australian Woman Threatened by Complicated Pregnancy Waits for Government to Act

Aug 31, 2009, 12:00pm

Jodi Jacobson

The clinic protest that was not: Pro-choice advocates far outnumber those seeking to disrupt services in Nebraska; Scott Roeder attended bible study group with "anti-government" philosophy; Queensland woman with serious pregnancy complications denied access to safe abortion unless government officials act.

Pro-choice clinic defenders outnumbered anti-choice protestors at Bellevue Clinic on Saturday.

Rewire reporter Wendy Norristwittered and wrote from the scene of the protests, reporting that the scene was relatively peaceful and few protestors actually turned out in response to the call by Operation Rescue. Wendy’s reports and an article on the Nebraska Attorney General can be found here. Look for forthcoming articles and an interview with Dr. Carhart this week.

Roeder belonged to Messianic sect opposed to government “interference” and to choice

The Kansas City Start reported last night that the FBI is investigating a bible study group attended regularly by Scott Roeder, members of which held anti-government views.

Among the topics: The Old Testament, their Hebrew roots and the “secret societies” attempting to control government and culture.

They met in one another’s homes on Saturdays, their Sabbath, for potluck dinners and scripture study sessions.

As
the investigation continues into whether Roeder acted alone in Tiller’s
May 31 death, members of the study group have found themselves in the
spotlight, showing up on the witness list for the prosecution and being
interviewed by the FBI.

The group does help explain the
foundation of some of Roeder’s beliefs, which included distrust of
government and opposition to abortion.

Those attending the study
group, reports the Star:

describe themselves as Messianic Jews who, unlike mainstream
Jews, believe that Jesus was the Messiah. Some people who call
themselves Messianic Jews, such as Roeder, are not Jewish.

Roeder is reported to have said that he:

converted, born again to Christianity.” “I guess you could say
Messianic, or turned to Jesus, Yeshua, as my Savior.” He said Messianic
believers such as himself had gone “back to our Hebrew roots.”

Roeder said he preferred going to a study group instead of a more
formal religious setting because “organized religion is 501(c)3
tax-exempt organizations, which are businesses.”

The Star story continues:

Roeder and other members of the Bible study used
to attend the Or HaOlam Messianic Congregation in Overland Park but
split off, some said, because the leaders did not want to hear their
talk about Freemasons and other “secret societies.”

They also didn’t approve of Or HaOlam being registered as a nonprofit corporation with the state of Kansas.

Rabbi
Shmuel Wolkenfeld of the Or HaOlam congregation confirmed that Roeder
and the others left over disagreements. Wolkenfeld said he hadn’t seen
them for several years.

“We had such divisive conversations
with them,” he said. “Scott became displeased with us because we were
an incorporated Kansas charity.”

He said the group also espoused
conspiracy theories — including an assertion that Prince Charles is the
Antichrist — and that eventually, he and the elders had to “uninvite”
two of Roeder’s friends.

Government policy in Australia puts woman’s health at risk.

A pregnant
woman at the centre of Queensland’s abortion law standoff is pinning her hopes
on legislation being fast-tracked into state parliament to allay doctors’
concerns about performing drug-induced terminations.

According to the The Australian, the woman, whose unborn child is so
severely malformed as to have no prospect of survival, has been told
the pregnancy must be aborted for the sake of her health.

But with medical abortion services suspended due to the impasse
between doctors and the state government over the legality of the
procedure, no hospital will admit her.

“This is not a moral issue, it is to save someone’s health,” her father, Gary, told The Australian.

“Everyone should get off their high horse and get my daughter into theatre. Every day that goes by is a day too long for her.”

According to the report:

The predicament of 19 weeks pregnant Shay, 24, has added an
intensely personal dimension to the legal and political imbroglio that
erupted after police moved to prosecute a couple in Cairns for
illegally procuring a medical abortion, prompting obstetricians to
demand the scrapping of criminal sanctions on abortion.

The government will amend a section of the criminal code, exempting
doctors from prosecution for performing otherwise illegal abortions, to
cover recently developed medical techniques involving drugs such as
RU486 and misoprostol.

Shay has been told a conventional surgical abortion would increase
her chances of experiencing future pregnancy and birth complications.

Three Queensland women have been referred interstate for treatment
since Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital stopped medical abortions
last week and other hospitals followed suit, but Shay wants to be near
her family for support. Brisbane obstetrician Adrienne Freeman has
offered to perform a medical abortion at Shay’s home or in a hotel room
but the young woman says she would feel safer having it done in a
hospital.

Other News to Note:

August 31:

News Miner: New name, same mission for pregnancy center

Beacon News: Alternative to Planned Parenthood moves in

Courier Mail: Abortion laws fast-tracked

LA Times: Crazy ‘death panel’ claims? Thank Roe vs. Wade

ABC News Australia: Qld women forced interstate for abortions

Telegraph: Cherie Blair attacks Catholic Church for holding back career women

Fact Check: Abortion: Which Side Is Fabricating?

Fredericksburg: Economy impacts adoption numbers

Helena IR: (Letter) Is pro choice issue eclipsing Catholic Church’s roots?

Kansas City Star: FBI traces members of abortion murder suspect’s study group