by
Forerunner, "WorldWatch," July 2002

Catholic Church

According to Time, the U.S. Catholic Church collects annual revenues totaling about $7.5 billion. Even more impressive are its immense property holdings—everything from cathedrals and schools to beachfront retreats, mansions, golf courses, and television and radio stations. The secret of the church's financial strength is that each of the 178 U.S. Roman Catholic dioceses organizes its affairs separately. Nearly all employ a complex and decentralized legal structure that has effectively shielded their assets from legal claims brought against homosexual priests. Unlike a public corporation, a church is not required to publicize its assets or overall revenue. Moreover, diocese officials, citing their right to religious freedom, often decline to disclose details about church finances. Several dioceses have even persuaded plaintiffs to accept reduced settlements because the church could not afford to pay more. Even though Catholic dioceses across the U.S. face staggering claims, above what has already been paid out, it is highly unlikely the current pederasty scandal will significantly damage the church's finances. Its reputation, however, will take years to rehabilitate.

Homosexuality

Homosexuality has a drastic effect on lifespan. In a study of obituaries reported by the Family Research Institute, the median age of death of married men was 75, and 80% of them died old (defined as age 65 or older). For unmarried or divorced men, the median age of death was 57, and 32% of them died old. Married women averaged age 79 at death, and 85% died old. Unmarried and divorced women averaged age 71, and 60% of them died old. In stark contrast, overall, less than 2% of homosexuals survive to old age. If AIDS was the cause of death, the median age was 39. For homosexuals who died of something other than AIDS, the median age of death was 42, and 9% died old. The study's 163 lesbians had a median age of death of 44, and 20% died old.

The same study showed that 2.8% of homosexuals died violently. They were 116 times more apt to be murdered and 24 times more likely to commit suicide than comparably-aged white males. Twenty percent of lesbians died of murder, suicide, or accident—a rate 487 times higher than that of white females aged 25-44.

Abortion

» According to Planned Parenthood, when it comes to pregnant women deciding between abortion and adoption, more than 98% of women seeking counsel from Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) in 2000 ended their pregnancies with abortion. Meanwhile, the number of adoption referrals by PPFA fell to fewer than 2,500. During the same year, Planned Parenthood clinics around the U.S. performed almost 200,000 abortions, meaning that abortions outpaced adoptions by 80-1.

» Cybercast News Service reports that the American Life League estimates PPFA has made $815 million from an estimated three million abortions since 1977. Ed Szymkowiak, a spokesman for STOPP International, a subsidiary of the American Life League, says, "Abortion and contraception mean big business for Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood's entire business relies upon sex education, which corrupts young minds and increases youth promiscuity. This in turn establishes a customer base of contraception users, and eventually abortion clients."

Drugs

The price of illicit drugs in the United Kingdom has dropped so low that drug dealers can sell the average dose of ecstasy and LSD cheaper than beer and cigarettes. Britain's National Criminal Intelligence Service conducted a study documenting the street price of the six main illegal drugs since 1990. The most startling price decline is that of ecstasy, which fell 34%. Heroin and cocaine prices both fell by 30% over the same period. Ten years ago, the price of one ecstasy pill would have bought 14 pints of beer or 222 cigarettes. Today, a tablet of ecstasy equals 3.5 pints of beer or 34 cigarettes. These trends suggest that either demand has drastically decreased—which is highly unlikely—or that supply has skyrocketed.