Planned Parenthood’s Publicity – er, Pastoral Staff
Many people were shocked when I shared the discovery of why Planned Parenthood’s atrocities recently revealed in undercover interviews have gotten little (if any) notice in the media. Most didn’t realize just how sophisticated their strategy is for silencing their critics and generating positive PR. But now, World Magazine reports that there’s more. James Bruce writes in World that Planned Parenthood has a “Clergy Advocacy Board” that helps them promote abortion to the church community.
Bruce quotes Advocacy Board member and Presbyterian Church (USA) minister Andrew Kukla: “I love Planned Parenthood. I love the people that are Planned Parenthood. I love their ministry. I love that they live resurrection in a way I only talk about it.”
He continues with Katherine Hancock Ragsdale—a lesbian Episcopal priest, “Who infamously chanted “abortion is a blessing and our work is not done” in 2007.”
It’s really a fairly simple but effective PR strategy. Knowing that your most vocal critics will be from the Church, then assemble a group of church leaders to endorse what you’re doing.
Between handing out media awards to journalists who should be objective in their reporting, and hiring a team of ministry leaders who are willing to deny the Bible’s teaching, makes a pretty powerful combination.
The question is, when will we stop just complaining, and get as sophisticated in our response?
You are right. We have not lost the “content war”. There are strong reasons for faith. We have lost the PR war. Or it would would be more accurate we are losing the PR war. Stop whining. Do better story telling that skillfully communicates the view of Faith. And do better positioning. Everything today is decided in the gut, everything from Faith issues to politics.
We need to get better at understanding Jesus’ warning in Matthew 10:16: “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.”