"Why are church groups denouncing budget cuts for reputedly hurting the poor but SILENT about public funding for Planned Parenthood and Medicaid abortions in D.C.?" -- Mark Tooley, IRD President

Contact: Jeff Walton, Institute on Religion and Democracy, 202-682-4131, 202-413-5639 cell, jwalton@TheIRD.org

WASHINGTON, April 13, 2011 /Standard Newswire/ -- In announcing a Lenten fast "for a moral budget," many Religious Left officials are arguing against federal budget cuts but are silent about ongoing federal support for organizations like abortion provider Planned Parenthood.

According to Democratic and Republican sources quoted by the Washington Post, both the Planned Parenthood funding, as well as Medicaid funds for abortions in the District of Columbia, figured prominently in budget negotiations.

Religious groups participating in the "budget fast" include the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Hunger Program, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Lutheran World Relief, Sojourners and World Vision.

IRD President Mark Tooley commented:

"While fasting to protest federal budget cuts that supposedly harm 'the least of these,' many left-leaning religious officials' seem uninterested in defunding abortion providers like Planned Parenthood. Cutting federal funding for Planned Parenthood presumably would permit fewer cuts elsewhere while protecting vulnerable unborn children.

"These church groups, citing Christian compassion and exploiting the Lenten season leading to Easter, profess moral outrage over federal cuts in social welfare programs but show no interest in defending the unborn from government facilitated abortion.

"Why are church groups denouncing budget cuts for reputedly hurting the poor but SILENT about public funding for Planned Parenthood and Medicaid abortions in D.C.?"