Two religious organizations have called on the Family Research Council and other anti-abortion groups to shut down a television ad and Web site that contain “massive misinformation” related to the national discussion on health care reform.

The site in question, “Stop the Abortion Mandate,” kicked off with a July 23 webcast that included spokespeople for more than 15 anti-abortion organizations and two Republican members of Congress. As The Iowa Independent previously reported, speakers who took part in the webcast painted a grim picture for those who oppose abortion: Passage of health care reform not containing a specific exclusion for reproductive health services will result in the closure of Catholic hospitals, the refusal of “pro-life” individuals to enter the medical field and the collapse of Crisis Pregnancy Centers due to the lack of medical personnel who oppose abortion.

“This is quite literally a defining moment for us,” said Charmaine Yoest, president and chief executive of Americans United for Life. “If the abortion lobby succeeds in defining abortion as health care, it will have shifted the entire debate.”

The television ad, which has been playing in Iowa, portrays the conversation of a husband and wife, claiming that current health care proposals would deny funding for essential treatments while providing public funding for abortions. It is entitled “After a Government Takeover.”

Rev. Dr. Carlton W. Veasey, president and chief executive of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, said the politicians and activists who have put their names and reputations behind this campaign are misleading their constituents.

“The Family Research Council and its allies in this campaign have consistently and repeatedly twisted the truth to promote their agenda and bring down health care reform,” Veasey said. “Because abortion is a critical component of women’s reproductive health care, it should be included in a health care package. But the fact is that there is no ‘mandate.’”

Chris Korzen, executive director of Catholics United, said his organization is mobilizing membership to e-mail the Family Research Council’s offices and urge the organization to suspend its misinformation campaign. In addition, Catholics United have planned a series of actions throughout the August Congressional recess to set the record straight about the current health care reform proposal and the truth behind the Family Research Council’s activities.

“Either the Family Research Council is seriously misinformed, or it is intentionally distorting the truth in order to derail health care reform,” Korzen said. “If the Family Research Council was truly committed to human life it would focus its efforts on ensuring that the tens of millions of Americans who currently lack health insurance can get the care they need. This attack … is unhelpful, untruthful and not at all pro-life.”

Veasey admits that “honest people” can and do have “profound disagreements” about when and if abortion should be permissable.

“But this issue should not be used to manipulate public opinion on health care reform,” he said. “Leaders of public opinion have a responsibility to engage in honest discourse and to respect diverse views. In this case, that can best be achieved by shutting down this Web site and pulling the Family Research Council television ads set to run in five states and any other media that distorts the facts.”

The Senate Finance Committee, led by chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) and ranking Republican Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and , has yet to publicly present a health care reform bill. The bill that was approved Friday by the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Finance, however, includes specific language that would require abortion services to continue with the existing status quo. That is, the only abortion services that could be paid for with government funds would be those in which the mother’s life was endangered or in cases of rape or incest.