I write letters

Habitat for Humanity happens to be one of my favorite charities, right up there with Heifer International, Médecins Sans Frontières, and the United Jewish Philanthropies. I really respect what they do, and why they do it; to me, they represent the true meaning of Christian charity. So, when I heard that anti-abortion groups bullied Habitat for Humanity into refusing the donation of three plots of land from Planned Parenthood, well, I was more than a bit disappointed in them. So I wrote them a letter.

Regarding the Sarasota, FL donation of land from Planned Parenthood, and your organization's subsequent refusal of this donation due to pressure by anti-abortion groups:

I have been a longtime admirer and supporter of your cause, as I believe you do holy work. Your courage and dedication in upholding the true spirit of Christian charity is uplifting and ennobling to people of all faiths.

I am therefor very disappointed to discover that you have chosen to cave to the wishes of the domestic fundamentalist terrorists who call themselves the American Life League, Operation Rescue, and the like, and refuse a needed gift from Planned Parenthood.

There is no moral justification for refusing this donation, and doing so only emboldens these people who blaspheme God's name by attributing their evil intent to divine will. I urge you therefor to reconsider.

I don't often use the word "blasphemy". My belief, as a liberal Jew, is that there really is only one way to truly blaspheme: to attribute evil intent to God's will. Dressing up evil as "what God wants" is the only thing that truly makes me scream "NO! WRONG! BAD religion!"

Still, perhaps I was too harsh?