Christianity Today

Note: This is the second Weblog posted on Thursday, August 24. The first highlighted religious freedom in Malaysia, a church attack in India, a horrible story of a church member's expulsion in Mississippi, and many other stories.

Today's Top Five

1. Plan B goes over the counter
After today's FDA ruling, the morning-after pill Plan B will be available without a prescription, but only with proof that the buyer is 18 or older. While the pill may prevent a fertilized ovum from implanting in the uterus, the pill is not (though it is often confused with) an abortion pill like RU-486. Notably, the pill has no effect on an implanted embryo. Religious conservatives say the age restriction isn't good enough.

"The FDA has sacrificed women's health in the name of politics," says Family Research Council president Tony Perkins. The press release does not say how women's health will be endangered by the pill, but the organization does have a backgrounder on the subject, and last month it said the drug can encourage sexual abuse and says long-term effects have not been studied.

Focus on the Family has not yet issued a press release on the FDA's approval, but on Tuesday criticized Bush's support for over-the-counter (OTC) status. "Selling this drug over the counter to any adult who wants to buy it virtually guarantees that it will end up in the hands of teenage girls without their parents' knowledge or their doctor's supervision," Focus's Carrie Gordon Earll said in a press release. "Over-the-counter status for Plan B—regardless of the age requirement—is an invitation for adult men to pressure underage girls to have sex with the promise of an easily accessible magic pill to prevent or abort a pregnancy."

"The FDA has overstepped its ...

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