Director of Planned Parenthood abortuary flees for her life and angels rejoice...

(Tim: This post is by Bill Mouser) At first, I thought I was seeing things. On an obscure blog, an entry was headlined “Planned Parenthood Director Leaves, Has Change of Heart.” Clicking on the link brought me to a page at the web site for KBTX, a television station in the Bryan/College Station area of Texas where Texas A&M has its campus. The headline was still ambiguous, but the story certainly was not: Abby Johnson, who worked for Planned Parenthood for eight years, the last two as the director of the Planned Parenthood abortuary, had resigned her post on October 8, because she found herself participating in an ultra-sound assisted abortion in the Planned Parenthood “clinic.”

The story has been growing some legs for a while. For several hours it was featured on the front page of the Drudge Report, which linked to a video report archived at Breitbart.com. Breitbart's headline was far less ambiguous: “Planned Parenthood Leader Resigns After Watching Ultrasound of Abortion Procedure.” As of mid-afternoon on November 3, Google News had archived 65 versions of the story.

Two things are prominent in the story of Abby Johnson's change of heart...

First, Planned Parenthood is a business financed by abortions. In the KXTB report, “[Abby Johnson] said she thought the nonprofit was changing its business model because it took a hit in the rough economy. 'The money wasn't in family planning, the money wasn't in prevention, the money was in abortion and so I had a problem with that,' said Johnson. Johnson says she was told to focus on getting more abortions in the door, something she recently became convicted about.”

Fox News' reported that “without a doctor in residence, [Johnson] said, her clinic offered abortions only two days a month, but the doctor could perform 30 to 40 procedures on each day he was there. Johnson estimated that each abortion could net the branch about $350, adding up to more than $10,000 a month.”

Second, Abby Johnson's testimony of her conversion turns on the authentic humanity of the baby who is murdered. What sealed Abby Johnson's changed conviction was an unexpected participation in an ultra-sound assisted abortion. The abortuary was short on staff that day, and she was recruited to join a physician from Austin by holding an ultra-sound wand on the pregnant woman's belly to assist the physician in the abortion. Abby was able to watch what was happening on the ultrasound screen; and what she saw was a baby struggling to get away from the doctor's instruments which were tearing his body into small pieces.

As soon as the murder of the baby was completed, Abby left the clinic and went immediately across the street to the office of the Brazos Valley Coaltion for Life where she broke down in tears.

Planned Parenthood has filed temporary restraining orders against both Johnson and the Coalition for Life. A prepared statement released by Planned Parenthood says “We regret being forced to turn to the courts to protect the safety and confidentiality of our clients and staff, however, in this instance it is absolutely necessary.” Note the ironic claim of victimhood by an organization which daily murders and disposes of hundreds of baby boys and girls. A hearing on the TRO is set for November 10

Comments

[Joshua Butcher]

There is some skepticism regarding Mrs. Johnson's "conversion":

First, there is suspicion that she was under performance review from Planned Parenthood, and that she is experiencing financial difficulties.

Second, she reported to Salon that she witnessed the ultrasound the day before she interviewed on "Fair and Feminist" (a local radio show) where she made no mention of the event and spoke disparagingly of protestors.

Oddities of oddities, one of my office mates is a host of that radio show, and she has also voiced skepticism of Mrs. Johnson, thinking that she is lying about her conversion.

Sources:
http://www.salon.com/news/abortion/index.html?story=/mwt/broadsheet/feature/2009/11/03/planned_parenthood
http://www.burntorangereport.com/diary/9572/prochoice-to-prolife-an-insiders-look-into-the-conversion-of-a-planned-parenthood-employee

I want to be clear that I'm NOT arguing that Mrs. Johnson is lying, nor that her motives are disingenuous. I don't have enough of the fact to draw that conclusion. However, I think it would be good to remain wary considering some of the sources with the most access are questioning Johnson's claims. It may simply be a case of blind hatred on the part of those who are making such accusations. Or, it may be that Mrs. Johnson is a less glorious story that first reported.

~Joshua

[Truth Unites... and Divides]

"Abby was able to watch what was happening on the ultrasound screen; and what she saw was a baby struggling to get away from the doctor's instruments which were tearing his body into small pieces."

My heart breaks and my eyes cry and I weep, weep, weep when I read this sentence.

It hurts, it hurts, it hurts.

[Adam J. Myer]

Joshua, why play the skeptic? You admitted that you don't have enough "facts" to know her motives (as if Scripture is not already clear enough that understanding the motives of the heart is something that only God really knows).

Would it not be better to rejoice with her until there is clear admission otherwise? Have you not thought that there are plenty of people who would love to see this testimony discredited, even if it required them to put their on spin on the story? Could you be one of those? Pray it not be so.

[Craig French]

Joshua,
the performance review could have been related to her disagreement with the business model to get more women in the door for abortions...I dunno, but it is a reasonable possibility. It is disconcerting that her time lines may not seem to agree.

I'm a bit suspicious of this woman as well. I saw it reported on Fox News the other day, and this snippet caused my ear to twitch:
"Johnson hasn't found a job since she quit on Oct. 6, but she said she's enjoying the time off to be with her 3-year-old daughter.

'It's been great just to spend some time at home and get a break,' she [Abby Johnson] said."

Why did my ear twitch? If I had a radical conversion from escorting women into an abortion clinic to being anti abortion...seeing my 3 year old girl would make me think about all the little girls that didn't make it to age 3 as a result of my efforts. Would things be "just great" for any of us in this circumstance? Bitter-sweet, maybe.

This is purely subjective on my part, I realize...but I wouldn't call on her to speak at anti-abortion rallies just yet.

[Mahoney]

"I feel so pure in heart (since leaving). I don't have this guilt, I don't have this burden on me anymore that's how I know this conversion was a spiritual conversion."

This is a quote made by Abby Johnson.

While we cannot discern her heart and whether this "spiritual conversion" is truly one of repentance and complete trust in Jesus Christ as her Savior we do have reason to hope. Only Christ can take away our guilt and only time will tell as she either bears fruit in keeping with repentance and a life given to God or turns back to her evil ways.

Your right, TUAD, as I read the words about what this baby went through I also wept. We should all be weeping.

Hopefully this will help reveal the horrible truth about what abortion really is. Let's all pray for Abby Johnson and for this situation- that God will use it mightily.

-Ginger

[Bike Bubba]

OK, if her witness is that she fled on the 26th, but gave a pro-choice interview on the 27th, then.....I hate to say it, but to a degree, we've been had. There is also the little issue of staying there into October.

Not that PP smells like a rose here, either. Generally, you don't release confidential employee data until the court is in session, and definitely not to the press. So they're clearly trying to fight this one out of court.

Maybe those links will be debunked, but if not, we simply have a big stinky, not a real thing to rejoice over.

Note also that the rest of the family seems to be Southern Baptist. Like our gracious host says, sometimes "evangelical" doesn't mean evangelical anymore.

[Pilgrim]

Been had by whom, and for what purpose? I can't figure out what Johnson gains by pretending to have a conversion, nor can I see what shame/loss the Prolife crowd suffers if her story is false.

[Joshua Butcher]

Adam said: Joshua, why play the skeptic? You admitted that you don't have enough "facts" to know her motives (as if Scripture is not already clear enough that understanding the motives of the heart is something that only God really knows).

I say: I'm not "playing the skeptic" so much as I'm genuinely wary of the way in which these dramatic conversions get popularized before all of the relevant facts have been discovered. Yellow journalism is alive and well and I would hate to see Christians played the fool (yet again) because of an unquestioning acceptance of initial reports.

Adam said: Would it not be better to rejoice with her until there is clear admission otherwise? Have you not thought that there are plenty of people who would love to see this testimony discredited, even if it required them to put their on spin on the story? Could you be one of those? Pray it not be so.

I say: I am glad that her stepping down has brought attention to the evils of abortion. I will be extremely grieved if it turns out that she was playing the political issue for disingenous reasons. I admitted plainly in the original post that the motivation of the sources I use may be hatred rather than exposing the truth, so yes, I have considered the possibility of false discrediting of Johnson's story. For you to question whether I am among those who would glory in discrediting Johnson is evidence of careless reading on your part. I'm interested in protecting Christians from being made into fools, not protecting murderers from promoting their evil causes.

[Adam J. Myer]

Josh,

I'm interested Christian folk who should know better keeping their admittedly ungrounded skepticism to themselves, and instead praying for such people if you feel there is need.

It's not too much different from showing up at a wedding, and whispering to random guests that you hope they make it, because you know he used to date so and so, and you just have this hunch that he might still have a thing for her, etc, etc.

It is unhelpful, skeptical, and falls right in line with the tenor of our age. Please stop.

[Adam J. Myer]

And, btw, Christians will look like fools to the world whether or not such a story were to prove free of all exterior motives. The world will find a way to discredit and hate us regardless. Christ assured us of this.

[Kamilla]

With the understanding that i haven't closely read all the replies here, may I just say . . .

You *have* to be skeptical of an organization that releases confidential information regarding one of their employees, *after* the employee resigns her position. It's like pulling teeth to get most employers to even admit to dates of employment let alone any details for fear of being sued.

PP seems to think Johnson is telling the truth or why would they sue her to "protect" their employees and victims?

I wouldn't base too much on Johnson's interview the day after. It was previously scheduled (right? and she likely felt the obligation to go through with it. Having been through a theological change of heart of similar magnitude myself, I can tell you it takes a while to:

1) process things

2) trust

3) be cosistent in epressing your newly embraced views.

FWIW,

Kamilla

[Bike Bubba]

Pilgrim; I don't know by whom and for what purpose we've been had, if indeed we have--there are a lot of "ifs" here, and Kamilla graciously adds another one.

Praying for this woman for the reasons Kamilla states well; she's going to be the target of a massive character assassination program.

[Mrs. J]

"First, Planned Parenthood is a business financed by abortions."

That is so telling. As Chesterton said, in speaking of the fall of Carthage, "Carthage fell because she was faithful to her own philosophy and had followed out to its logical conclusion her own vision of the universe. Moloch had eaten his children...There still remained the inner working of an element strong in all successful commercial states...there was still the advice of the best financial experts;...But the worshipers of Moloch were not gross or primitive. They were members of a mature and polished civilisation, abounding in refinements and luxuries;...And Moloch was not a myth; or at any rate his meal was not a myth. These highly civilised people really met together to invoke the blessing of heaven on their empire by throwing hudnreds of their infants into a large furnace...and Carthage fell as nothing has fallen since Satan...Only men digging in its deep foundation centuries after found a heap of hundreds of little skeletons...

It gives me the chills; the resemblances are too close.

[Michael McMillan]

> [Joshua:] I think it would be good to remain wary considering some of the sources with the most access are questioning Johnson's claims.

> [Craig:] Why did my ear twitch? If I had a radical conversion from escorting women into an abortion clinic to being anti abortion...seeing my 3 year old girl would make me think about all the little girls that didn't make it to age 3 as a result of my efforts. ...This is purely subjective on my part, I realize...but I wouldn't call on her to speak at anti-abortion rallies just yet.

Sounds like she's be out on the sidewalk:

"Johnson said she will now work with the Coalition For Life and has been meeting with [Shawn] Carney [the Director] and been seen outside the Planned Parenthood helping women find alternatives."

Planned Parenthood Attempting to Silence Ex-Director Who Quit Abortion Business
http://lifenews.com/state4545.html

[Michael McMillan]

In case you are not yet keeping up with WND, they interviewed Abby Johnson:

Planned Parenthood's abortion quotas exposed
Ex-director: We'd have client goal every month
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=115000

[Michael Foster]

"It is unhelpful, skeptical, and falls right in line with the tenor of our age. Please stop."

Adam,

Lack of discernment is also in line with the tenor of our age. Give Josh a break. He is clearly a friend.

Sincerely,

[Joshua Butcher]

Adam,

First, I don't think my reservations are ungrounded. I only admitted that I didn't have all the facts to draw a firm conclusion. That doesn't mean I shouldn't close my eyes to information that has not yet been reported widely.

In fact, you've made stronger insinuations about my character upon far less information than my hesitant warnings regarding Johnson.

Second, your analogy is entirely unwarranted. Even the apostles were hesitant about Paul's conversion, and with good reason, because if his conversion had been false, he could have undermined their mission further. Abby Johnson will, I hope and pray, will reveal herself to be a believer. But until she demonstrates the veracity of her confession, I think it is wise to rejoice with our eyes open. That isn't skepticism, it is wisdom.

Finally, a Christian's foolishness in the eyes of the world should be regarding the truths of the faith being rejected, and not because Christians make foolish mistakes where they should have been wiser. So rejoice, please, rejoice! But do so without ignoring the facts. As others have said, the facts may not mean anything, but that is no reason to admonish me for presenting them for evaluation.

I'm encouraged by the posts Michael McMillan has posted, and I hope to see more along those lines in the future.

[Jessica Woods]

Putting all of the "ifs" aside, there is one sentence in this post that really tore open my heart:

"Abby was able to watch what was happening on the ultrasound screen; and what she saw was a baby struggling to get away from the doctor's instruments which were tearing his body into small pieces."

We are killing precious babies, over one million a year, and these GRUESOME deaths need to stop.

[Michael McMillan]

> Even the apostles were hesitant about Paul's conversion
> Abby Johnson will, I hope and pray, will reveal herself to be a believer.

It seems like she has at least converted from being pro-Death to pro-Life, which is a major hurdle -- and testimony. A spiritual conversion to faith in Christ is perhaps not as clear at this point. At least not from the little I've read. If so, I wouldn't be surprised if that isn't played down on purpose.

[Scott Tibbs]

We could argue about whether the conversion is genuine, and PP and their allies will be pulling out all the stops to destroy this woman personally.

Putting aside whether the conversion is genuine, we should rejoice that the story has put the focus back on the baby, again. What people have on their minds is the image of the image of a baby being ripped apart on ultrasound.

Finally, please think about this analogy when it comes to Planned Parenthood.

When I was a young teenager, maybe 13, I remember seeing a story in the news about how some serial killer claimed to be molested as a child. (I don't remember the name or details.)

The first thing that popped into my mind was, how stupid are people? He's clearly a monster. He has clearly shown what kind of person he is by murdering people. Do you really think he is above lying to get sympathy or mercy? Sorry, but if you've been found to commit horrible atrocities, I don't believe a word that comes out of your mouth.

Remember, Planned Parenthood kills babies by dismemberment for profit. They're not above lying.

[Jessica Woods]

My husband Michael and I just left a rally protesting the plans for a new Planned Parenthood Abortion Center in Houston (http://www.lifenews.com/state4718.html) and he asked me to post a comment.

There has been some skepticism about Abby Johnson's repentance and we wanted to share with you that Ms. Johnson was one of the speakers at this rally and she made some pretty strong statements toward the Church. She said that 80% of women getting abortions are "Christians," and that many of the people who work at Planned Parenthood also claim to be Christians! She pointed the finger back at us (including herself; she thought she was a Christian while she served as their Director and thanked God for her conversion) and urged all of us to be working daily to appeal to the consciences of not only those who are getting abortions, but also to those whose work facilitates them. This means that we should be there witnessing as they are walking into work every single morning.

I wish I had the memory to give you Ms. Johnson's speech verbatim, but these are the points that stood out. We can't say for sure the true state of her heart, for only God knows that, but she said some good stuff this morning, and it appeared to be genuine.

[Philip M.]

Thanks for your comment Jessica. When I looked on the website that you linked I found this from Martin Luther King's niece:

"As we celebrate the life of Uncle Martin, let us renew our hearts and commit our lives to treating each other, whatever our race, status, or stage of life, as we would want to be treated. Let us let each other live."

King had an abortion but now speaks out for protecting human life. She has called abortion and racism "evil twins."