EU Parliament targets Christian groups in pro-abortion crusade

EU Parliament targets Christian groups in pro-abortion crusade

Last month, the  European Parliament (EPF) passed a resolution declaring that abortion was a “human right.” Though it passed, the resolution was highly divisive, with 378 MEPs voting in favor and 255 voting against. The resolution allows for late-term abortions and includes a  “conscience clause,” criticizing doctors who withholding abortions “on grounds of religion or conscience,” which. the text says, “endangers women’s lives and rights.”

Tip of the Iceberg: Targeting Christian groups

 In the wake of the resolution, the EU Parliament released a report titled “Tip of the Iceberg: Religious extremist – Funders against Human Rights for Sexuality & Reproductive Health in Europe” which claimed to “paint a transnational picture of the clandestine funding system which supports the anti-gender actors’ deliberate strategy to roll back human rights in Europe”. As its name implies, the 108-page report targets  54 “anti-gender groups operating in Europe.” The EPF defines “anti-gender” to include being against the right to abortion, against LGBT rights including the right to same-sex marriage, and against children’s rights. The resolution also called for sex education for all children in primary and secondary schools.

The report specifically underlines how “like-minded religious extremists” are working to facilitate “the rise of ultra-conservatism.” The report states early on that the targeted groups are all Christian and object to abortions and are “anti-gay marriage.” It also cites the “rain of roubles from the East,” referring to Orthodox influence of Russia and “minority Protestant communities.” teh report identified $186 million as coming from Russia which the report claimed was funneled through ‘laundromats’, moving illicit money from the Russian Federation to Europe.

France, Italy, Germany, Spain and Poland are identified in the report as the European countries where the pro-life organizations have the strongest support, but one of the groups on the blacklist is the Billy Graham Evangelistic Organisation.

Among the two dozen large organizations listed as donors of the EPF are: the World Health Organization, the United Nations Population Fund, the European Commission, International Planned Parenthood Federation, and the Open Society Foundations. The report claimed that many of the European “extremist” organizations are funded from the US, dedicating a section of the document to the “dark money from the US Christian right.” 

“The US financing comes mainly from ten key Christian Right organizations, usually funded by private individuals linked to far-right and libertarian causes in the US.” the report claimed. “They seek to actively influence European institutions and their presence in Europe has become significant.

A disturbing aspect of the report was its claim that these “anti-gender” powers were working on “Infiltration of positions of power in member states” in order to implement “regressive law-making”.

It should be noted that abortion explicitly violates the Noahide prohibition against spilling blood. The Noahide laws are incumbent upon all of mankind.

One of the targeted organizations, the Alliance Defending Freedom International (ADF), is quoted frequently by the EPF as an important actor in the area of legal advocacy. Reacting to the report, Adina Portaru, Senior Counsel in Europe, told Evangelical Focus: “While we support open debate and discussion on the topics related to our work, the European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights (EPF) has sought to shut down conversations about human rights through a targeted smear campaign”.

Adina Portaru added: “ADF International is a human rights organization that protects the fundamental freedoms and promotes the inherent dignity of all people. We defend persecuted religious minorities across the globe and support the right to life. Our ‘Vanishing Girls’ campaign in southeast Asia, for example, defends girls against sex-based discrimination both before as well as after birth”. 

“All our work for clients is pro bono [without charge]. We receive funds from private donors who believe in our vision”, she concluded. 

Biden opened up funding 

It seems that the timing of the resolution is connected to the new administration in the White House. One month after entering office, President Biden rescinded the Mexico City Policy which prohibited federal funds from going to international aid groups that perform or inform about abortions.