WESTERN NEW YORKERS CELEBRATED
PALM SUNDAY TODAY, AND
SOME AREA CHURCHES USED THE DAY
TO ADDRESS SOME OF THEIR
CONCERNS - SPECIFICALLY WHEN IT
COMES TO RECENT LAWS THE STATE
RECENTLY PASSED.
NEWS 4'S MARLEE TUSKES SHOWS US
WHY SOME CHURCH LEADERS ARE
ASKING
FOR FORGIVENESS.
ERICA, TODAY LEADERS FROM MORE
THAN 70 CHURCHES ACROSS NEW YORK
STATE HELD GATHERINGS TO ASK
FORGIVENESS ON BEHALF OF THE
STATE
FOR IT'S NEW ABORTION-RELATED
LAW.
ACCORDING TO ORGANIZERS, THIS IS
THE FIRST TIME THEY'VE DONE
SOMETHING LIKE THIS, BUT FELT IT
WAS NECESSARY AFTER THE RECENTLY
PASSED REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH ACT.
MAJORITY OF THOSE CHURCHES WERE
HERE LOCALLY - INCLDUING THE
BUFFALO DREAM CENTER ON
LAFAYETTE AVENUE.
PASTOR ERIC JOHNS SAYS HE CAME
UP WITH THE IDEA TO HOLD THIS
EVENT
BACK IN JANUARY AFTER THE
STATE'S LEGISLATURE PASSED THE
REPRODUCTIVE
HEALTH ACT.
THE LAW CODIFIES THE SUPREME
COURT'S RULING ON ROE VERSUS
WADE
AND ALLOWS WOMEN TO ACCESS
ABORTIONS PAST THE 24TH WEEK
MARK IF
IT'S NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE
MOTHER'S LIFE OR HEALTH - OR IF
TESTS
SHOW THE FETUS WON'T SURVIVE.
BUT JOHNS SAYS IT'S NECESSARY
FOR THE CHURCHES INVOLVED TO
TAKE A STAND
AGAINST THIS RULING.
((YOU KNOW YOUR STATE'S IN
TROUBLE
WHEN THE GOVERNOR CARES MORE
ABOUT PLASTIC BAGS THAN HE IS
ABOUT THE LIFE OF
BABIES. SO WE THINK OUR STATE'S
IN TROUBLE WITH GOD AND WE'RE
COMING TOGETHER TODAY - 75
CHURCHES, WITH ONE VOICE - AND
ASKING GOD TO FORGIVE US AND
THIS ATROCITY IN NEW YORK
STATE.))
JOHNS ALSO SAYS THEY'RE USING
TODAY TO ASK THE STATE LEADERS
WHO VOTED
FOR THE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH ACT
TO HAVE A CHANGE OF HEART
AND LOOK INTO ENDING THIS LAW.
THOSE THAT ARE IN FAVOR SAY THIS
ULTIMATELY SAVES WOMEN FROM
POTENTIALLY HARMFUL SITUATIONS
AND ENSURES SAFE ACCESS TO
ABORTIONS IN THE STATE, EVEN IF
