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| Thrivent should have its own creepy shrine. |
http://daringlutheran.net/2014/01/29/thrivents-funding-of-abortion-organizations-by-the-numbers/
THRIVENT’S FUNDING OF ABORTION ORGANIZATIONS: BY THE NUMBERS
Two weeks ago I reported that Thrivent had been granting funds to several pro-abortion organizations. The funds were granted through Thrivent’s employee gift-matching program, Gift Multiplier.
Today I can add to that report. Since at least 2006, Thrivent has been providing funds yearly through Gift Multiplier to pro-abortion groups including Planned Parenthood Federation of America, several Planned Parenthood affiliates, NARAL Pro-Choice Foundation of Minnesota, and the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice.
In 2012 (the most recent year for which information is available), Thrivent matched at least$2,700 of donations to pro-abortion organizations. This means that Thrivent gave $2,700, and Thrivent employees donated $2,700 for a total of $5,400 given.
In 2011, Thrivent matched at least $1,373 of employee gifts to pro-abortion orgs. In 2010, at least $1,521.
Prior to 2010, Thrivent’s giving to pro-abortion organizations was in smaller amounts: 2009, at least $830; 2008, at least $450; 2007, at least $800; 2006, at least $810.
The financial gifts provided by Thrivent to these organizations are public knowledge. Certain federal-tax-exempt organizations are required to file an IRS Form 990, which is publicly available for any interested parties either from the IRS, the organizations themselves, or from certain 3rd-party firms that collect this information.
It will be argued that Thrivent’s giving to these pro-abortion organizations is relatively minimal, especially compared to the rest of Thrivent’s contributions throughout each year. If we consider only percentages, this is a valid point.
But this is assuming that all gifts are equally neutral. They are in fact not. Here’s why:
Every dollar of the at-least $8,484 that Thrivent has matched (for a total of $16,968) has contributed to the ending of the lives of unborn children in this country. Thrivent is culpable for this.
Every dollar that Thrivent is now withholding from pro-life organizations, such as pro-life advocacy groups and crisis pregnancy centers, goes to help mothers carry their pregnancies to term and children live healthy, productive, joyful lives.
Every dollar of that $16,968 would not be in the hands of pro-abortion organizations if Thrivent was not willingly matching their employee’s donations to any and every 501(c)(3) organization.
The cost of a typical abortion, according to Planned Parenthood, ranges from $400 to $600 depending on circumstance. Assuming an average cost of $500 per abortion, Thrivent enabled just short of 34 abortions between 2006 and 2012. Given the now prevalent use of medical abortions via abortifacient medications, and the significantly lower average cost of these types of abortions, the number of abortions funded by Thrivent is likely significantly higher.
Here is a breakdown of Thrivent giving, per-year, per-organization, per match, as I was able to find in my research:
2012 ($2700 total): Planned Parenthood Federation of America – $150, $525, $100; Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota – $100, $30, $223, $370, $432, $370, $400
2011 ($1373 total): Planned Parenthood Federation of America – $300, $60, $200; Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota – $50, $100, $133, $100, $120, $50, $100; Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin – $85; NARAL Pro-Choice Foundation of Minnesota – $75
2010 ($1521 total): Planned Parenthood Federation of America – $150; Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota – $150, $200, $786, $150; Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin – $85
2009 ($830 total): Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota – $400, $250, $100; Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin – $80
2008 ($450 total): Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota – $100, $100, $250
2007 ($800 total): Planned Parenthood Federation of America – $105; Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota – $330, $225; Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin – $80; Planned Parenthood (location unnamed) – $25; Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice – $35
2006 ($810 total): Planned Parenthood Federation of America – $100; Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota – $380, $100, $125; Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio – $25; Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin – $80
For those who care to peruse the tax paperwork themselves and verify the information (or perhaps to discover something which I overlooked), here are copies of each year’s 990PF for the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation in PDF:
Thrivent Foundation 2006 IRS 990PFThrivent Foundation 2007 IRS 990PFThrivent Foundation 2008 IRS 990PFThrivent Foundation 2009 IRS 990PFThrivent Foundation 2010 IRS 990PFThrivent Foundation 2011 IRS 990PFThrivent Foundation 2012 IRS 990PF
