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December 19, 2008                                                                

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HLI Challenges Pastor's Participation

In Obama Inauguration

FRONT ROYAL, VA - The Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer, STL, president of Human Life International (HLI), today challenged Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA to reconsider his participation in the upcoming inaugural ceremonies for President-elect Barack Obama.

"We applaud Pastor Warren's support of pro-life causes as well as his defense of traditional marriage," said Father Euteneuer. "This is why we are concerned that his high-profile and explicitly Christian prayerful invocation at President-elect Obama's inauguration may be perceived as an endorsement, even a blessing, of what will likely be the most anti-life administration in the history of this country."

President-elect Obama has promised to sign into law the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), a massive assault on the dignity of life. He is also widely expected to reverse President George W. Bush's executive order reinstating the Mexico City Policy, which prevents funding of international groups and programs that advocate abortion, as well as funding to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) which, among other assaults on life, has been demonstrated to support coercive "family planning" measures in China, including forced abortions and sterilizations.

 "President-elect Obama has given every indication that he has no respect for the lives of the unborn, and whenever given the opportunity, has promised to enforce the most extreme demands of anti-life groups," said Father Euteneuer. "This extremist agenda should not be seen to have the endorsement of pro-life leaders such as Pastor Warren."

 "I respect the personal relationship that Pastor Warren has with Mr. Obama," said Father Euteneuer. "But such a public and explicitly Christian endorsement as this invocation is certainly confusing to those who know Mr. Obama's record on life issues. We respectfully ask Pastor Warren to reconsider his participation in the inaugural ceremonies, given Mr. Obama's extremist anti-life views."

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Human Life International: Creating effective opposition to the culture of death around the world.

Founded in 1981, HLI is the world's largest international pro-life organization and has affiliates in over 87 countries on six continents.