Proposition Eight, the California ballot initiative that declared marriage exists solely between one man and one woman, has been struck down by a federal court. President Obama is planning to compel religious institutions to pay for abortifacients and other contraceptives as part of their health insurance programs. New York City is about to prohibit churches from meeting in public schools.

Is the sky falling? Are the nation’s moral foundations so eroded that they are on the verge of collapse?

For two reasons, I will answer no. In the past year, in states across the country, there have been wonderful wins for the cause of life and family. Ultra-sound bills and abortion clinic regulations have been enacted and polls show that Americans are more troubled than ever by abortion-on-demand. There have even been some Supreme Court judicial rulings (e.g., Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. EEOC and Spencer v. World Vision) favorable to religious liberty.

These things should inspire us to keep working for faith, family, and freedom in the public square. Although the assaults on the Judeo-Christian moral tradition, the very nature of the family, and the religious and economic liberty we cherish are manifold, not to fight them would be to surrender our biblical obligation to work for justice and stand for the oppressed (Proverbs 31:8-9). For the sake of the Just One Himself, this we must never do.

Second, Jesus Christ is Lord of time and eternity. He is Lord when we rejoice and when we weep. He is the sovereign before Whom every knee shall bow (Philippians 2:9-11). Who sustains all things by the word of His power (Hebrews 1:2). And according to the Psalmist, God is unthreatened by the machinations of political man: “(Though) the kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed … He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them” (2:2-4).

In other words, God is accomplishing His will in ways our limited human understanding might find puzzling but which are fully commensurate with His character and plan for humanity.

“The Most High rules in the realm of mankind,” we read in Daniel’s prophecy (4:2). He has called us to stand for righteousness and human dignity in every sphere of life. Whatever external wins or losses we might experience in the moment, these truths should sustain us in our efforts at all times.

Tags: Abortion, California, New York, Proposition 8, Religious Liberty

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In a recent article on Fox News, Christian student organizations may be forced to meet in secret at Vanderbilt University, as college officials are enforcing a nondiscrimination policy that bans organization leaders from holding specific beliefs.

So far, four Christian organizations on campus have been told by the university that they are in violation of the policy, and they are in danger of losing their registered student group status.  This comes after Vanderbilt University conducted an investigation of a Christian fraternity, Beta Upsilon Chi, and found the organization discriminated against a student based on sexual orientation.  Additionally, another group, the Christian Legal Society, was asked to remove Bible verses and the words, “Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior” from their constitution.

The real issue at stake here is religious liberty.  Denying an organization the right to worship freely or being able to stand up for what their faith teaches them is wrong, and it is persecution.  According to Professor Carol Swain, who advises the Christian Legal Society:

“There are people on campus who are very threatened by the idea of religious freedom and they would like to create an environment where no one hurts anyone else’s feelings – unless it’s Christians.”

What would our founding fathers think of what is happening at Vanderbilt?  They would probably think this is a travesty.  After all, they fled from the religious persecution in England by coming to America, where they could worship freely without being forced to attend the King’s church.

In fact, when our founding fathers drafted the Constitution, they made certain that religious liberty would be protected in our country.  The First Amendment of the United States Constitution states:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” (Bold, emphasis mine)

Vanderbilt’s decision to ban student religious organizations is a violation of the First Amendment, but it is limiting the group’s ability to worship freely, as our founding fathers envisioned.

Tags: Religious Freedom, Religious Liberty, Vanderbilt University

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Do we think it will stop with banning crosses by the side of remote highways in the Utah desert? It will not. The atheizers will not rest until they have sandblasted all the crosses in American public life and bulldozed all references to Jesus on federal property.

I thought of this yesterday when I served as an usher at the Naval Academy Chapel. A dear friend had passed away suddenly.

Standing by the elevator, I could really study the stained glass windows in the chapel. The sun streamed through, brilliantly lighting the figure of Admiral David Glasgow Farragut. The 64-year old Farragut is shown lashed to the rigging of his ship, the USS Hartford, at the Battle of Mobile Bay. Fearless as he was, he suffered from vertigo. He is known to history for one great saying; “Da-n the torpedoes, full speed ahead.” Farragut’s family wanted us to know that, salty sailor that he was, he was also a man of deep faith. So the well-thumbed prayer book of Admiral Farragut is encased in this Chapel.

Continue reading »

Tags: Religious Liberty, US Naval Academy

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 31, 2011
CONTACT: J.P. Duffy or Darin Miller, (866) FRC-NEWS or (866) 372-6397

FRC Blasts Supreme Court for Allowing Decision to Stand that Removes Roadside Crosses in Six States
October 31, 2011

SCOTUS Lets Stand One of Worst Religious Liberty Assaults in American History

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Family Research Council (FRC) strongly criticized the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision today to let stand one of the worst religious assaults in all of American history. The Supreme Court’s refusal to hear Davenport vs. American Atheists will now result in the removal of 14 crosses bearing the names of fallen Utah state troopers that have been placed at roadside locations. In addition to Utah, the cross removal order will affect five other states including Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Wyoming.

The Supreme Court’s refusal to hear the case could have significant implications for national memorials and monuments across the nation, including, but not limited to, the crosses on headstones in Arlington Cemetery.

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins responded with these comments:

“The Supreme Court has failed to recognize that religious liberty is a fundamental right given to us by God and protected in the Constitution. I find it tragic that our freedoms are now at greater risk from our own courts than from the foreign or domestic enemies we’ve faced,” concluded Perkins.

Director of the Center for Religious Liberty at the Family Research Council Ken Klukowski co-authored FRC’s brief in the case with Professor Nelson Lund. Of the case, Klukowski said:

“The U.S. Supreme Court decided today to let stand one of the worst court decisions on religious liberty in American history. The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered removal of roadside crosses in six states is the worst example yet of the Establishment Clause being turned on its head to sterilize the public square of references to faith.

“Freedom of religion means, in part, that no government should discriminate against those who, using their own funds, wish to erect a non-invasive religious display on public property,” concluded Klukowski.

To read FRC’s amicus brief, click here: http://www.frc.org/davenport

-30-

Tags: Religious Freedom, Religious Liberty

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Yesterday here at FRC headquarters, a sobering panel of religious freedom & foreign policy experts looked at the past, current, and potential impact of U.S. foreign policy upon religious freedom around the world.

Watch the panel below, or visit the event page for audio and embed code.

Participants included:

• Elyse Anderson, Foreign Policy Director for Congressman Frank Wolf (R-Va.)
• Ann Buwalda, Executive Director, Jubilee Campaign
• Dr. Thomas Farr, first Director of the State Department’s office of international religious freedom and Director of the Religious Freedom Project at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs and Visiting Associate Professor of Religion and International Affairs at Georgetown’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service
• Emmanuel Ogebe, Nigerian attorney and human rights leader
• Tina Ramirez, Director of International and Government Relations, The Becket Fund

Tags: International Religious Liberty, Religious Freedom, Religious Liberty, Religious Persecution

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In good news for all who cherish religious liberty, the Supreme Court has decided to let stand a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that the Christian charity World Vision was within its legal rights to fire three employees who, after signing the ministry’s doctrinal statement, admitted to denying the Deity of Christ.

The importance of this ruling is obvious and profound: If an explicitly religious organization requires employees to sign a doctrinal statement, and they do so of their own free will, that organization has every right to terminate the employment of those who no longer subscribe to the beliefs articulated in the group’s own statement of faith. In the words of World Vision president Richard Stearns, “our Christian faith has been the foundation of your work since the organization was established in 1950, and our hiring policy is vital to the integrity of our mission to serve the poor as followers of Jesus Christ”.

World Vision’s principled stand was stated by its VP and Chief Legal Officer, Steve McFarland, who noted that WV would stop taking federal funds before employing anyone who could not, in good conscience, support its doctrinal positions.

Secularists don’t understand the integrated nature of all faith-based activities: In any ministry, a person who welcomes guests at a reception desk is representing Christ as surely as the ordained minister behind the pulpit. Sacred and secular are not, for Christians, distinct domains. Jesus claims Lordship over all of life, and ministries recognizing this know they cannot but weaken their missions and ministries if they hire those who disagree with their beliefs.

Tags: Religious Liberty, US Supreme Court, World Vision

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In late June, FRC reported on the story of Iranian pastor Yousef Nadarkhani, who has been sentenced to death because of his “apostasy” — he left Islam and has become a Christian and house church leader.

Now, according to Compass Direct news, Pastor Nadarkhani “awaits the outcome of a judicial investigation into his spiritual background to see if he will be executed or, if possible, forced to become a Muslim, according to Christian groups with ties in Iran.” Yet “even if the investigation releases him from the charge of apostasy, it is likely the charge of evangelizing Muslims will still carry a lengthy prison sentence, sources said.”

In other words, the Iranian judicial system is trying to manipulate the pastor into saying he was forced to convert to Christianity as a teenager. Here’s what the Iranian court said about his appeal to his death sentence: “According to Part 2 of Article 265 of the Islamic Republic Criminal Law, this case was received by and must be returned to the state court of Gilan Section 11, and further investigated to prove that from puberty (15 years) to 19 he was not Muslim by his acquaintances, relatives, local elders, and Muslims he frequented. He must repent [of] his Christian faith if this is the case. No research has been done to prove this; if it can be proved that he was a practicing Muslim as an adult and has not repented, the execution will be carried out.”

The death sentence was issued even though there “is no Iranian criminal statute requiring the execution of those who abandon Islam. In September 2008 members of the Iranian parliament began writing a law instituting the death penalty for men, and life imprisonment for women, who leave Islam.” Instead, according to Jason DeMars, president of a ministry that works with Iranian believers, “the judges who issued the ruling appear to be relying on at least one fatwa, or religious edict, written by the Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution, and on edicts issued by Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi, a current religious leader in Iran. The edicts are based upon Shiite interpretations of the Quran and Hadith, a written record of the sayings and actions of Muhammad.”

Thankfully, Christians around the world are praying for Pastor Nadarkhani, his family, and for the hearts and minds of those making a decision about his fate (for example, see the Swedish Christian site World Today). We can be assured that the God Who knows the hairs of our heads is in control, even as we petition Him to strengthen this courageous brother in Christ and deliver him from his persecutors.

In addition to praying, call the Iranian Interest Section at the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington, DC at (202) 965-4990. You can also contact the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran at the United Nations: Email — iran@un.int; Phone — (212) 687-2020.

Tags: Iran, Religious Liberty, Religious Persecution, Yousef Nadarkhani

Comments: 7 |

Marcia Walden, a licensed counselor in Georgia, explains why she was fired after referring a homosexual client to a colleague. Marcia referred the client to another colleague because offering counseling services would conflict with her Christian beliefs on homosexuality. Under ENDA legislation currently before Congress, Christian employers and employees across the nation would experience similar attacks on their Constitutional right to freedom of religion, speech and association.

For more on how you can protect the religious liberties of employers and employees, visit FightEnda.org.

Tags: Congress, ENDA, Marcia Walden, Religious Liberty

Comments: 2 |

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**Read FRC Action Board Member Rick Santorum’s remarks at the University of St. Thomas, “A Charge to Revive the Role of Faith in the Public Square.”

Educational Freedom and Reform

• “Education Reform Has Jumped the Shark,” Anthony Cody, Education Week
• “Home schooling an option with many aspects,” Laurel L. Scott, San Angelo Standard-Times
• “An Omen For Education Reform?,” The Atlantic
• “Like everything else in TX, home schooling big,” Bill Bumpas, OneNewsNow
• “Politics, not evidence, drive education reform,” Bruce Fuller, San Francisco Chronicle
• “Rhee-Forms Worthy of Imitation,” Lindsay Burke, The Heritage Foundation
• “We Have Too Many Teachers Already!,” Andrew J. Coulson, Cato Institute
• “Helena School Board releases revised sex-ed plan ,” Marnee Banks, KRTV

Environmental Issues

• “Religion Has Scant Effect on Environmental Views, Poll Suggests,” Leslie Kaufman, New York Times
• “Pollution Takes its Toll on the Heart,” PRWeb
• “Iowa measure would create environmental trust fund,” Courtney Blanchard, Telegraph Herald
• “Farmers fear dust rules won’t reflect rural life,” Rick Callahan, The State
• “Environmental Hazards,” Steven F. Hayward, The Weekly Standard
• “Cap-and-trade Opinion Missing a Lot,” Jim Johnston, Environment & Climate News
• “Eco-terrorism an ignored threat,” Chris Woodward, OneNewsNow
• “On the Debunking of Spencer’s Feedback Ideas: An Appeal to Physical Scientists Everywhere,” Roy W. Spencer, Ph.D.

Faith and Policy

• “Leaving out God,” Ken Blackwell, WORLD Magazine
• “Religion and politics really don’t mix,” James Murr, Santa Maria Times
• “JFK’s ‘Religion Speech’,” Fred Schwarz, National Review Online
• “Shariah a danger to U.S., security pros say,” Bill Gertz, The Washington Times
• “Faith and policy: Respect others’ rights, but also their values,” Rev. Robert Sirico, The Detroit News
• “Fear,” Bruce Bawer, City Journal
• “Flights of Fancy: A Review of The Icarus Syndrome by Peter Beinart,” Steven F. Hayward, The Claremont Review of Books
• “The Money of Fools: Cheap political rhetoric like ‘social justice’ has a long, expensive history,” Thomas Sowell, National Review Online
• “Imagining Islam: Wishful thinking will not bring success or security,” Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review Online
• “Islam and Moral Nuance: In general, the Left hates the Right more than it hates bigotry,” Dennis Prager, National Review Online
• “Holy War Over Ground Zero,” Joseph Bottum, First Things
• “Founding Believers,” Joe Carter, First Things

Health Care

• “The Stakes of Obamacare,” Charles Kesler, The Claremont Review of Books
• “Health Insurers Drop Coverage For Children Ahead Of New Rules,” Julian Pecquet, The Hill
• “How ObamaCare Guts Medicare,” Peter Ferrara and Larry Hunter,” The Wall Street Journal
• “Gov’t: Spending to rise under health care overhaul,” Ricardo Alonzo-Zaldivar, The Washington Post
• “Sebelius Has a List,” Opinion, The Wall Street Journal
• “Data on Teachers: Lessons From Health Care,” Kati Haycock, The Huffington Post
• “USCCB Officials Urge HHS Not to Require Coverage of Contraception and Sterilization,” U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
• “Congressman Bart Stupak Claims Obama Has Upheld Order on Abortion Funding in Health Care ,” Steven Ertelt, LifeNews

Homosexuals in the Military

• “Opposing view on gays in the military: Keep the law in place,” Tony Perkins, USA Today
• “FRC Praises Senate for Stopping Liberal Social Agenda in Defense Authorization Bill,” Press Release, Family Research Council
• “Don’t Ask, I’ll Just Tell You What the Law Should Be: Log Cabin Republicans v. United States,” Hans A. von Spokovsky, The Heritage Foundation
• “Judicial assault on ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’” Editorial, The Washington Times
• “Senate repeal of ban on gays in military falters,” MSNBC
• “Risky health maneuvers,” Dr. Robert J. Labutta, The Washington Times
• “Bid to Repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Stalls in Senate,” Julian E. Barnes, Naftali Bendavid, and Adam Entous, The Wall Street Journal
• “The Re-Hollowing of the Military,” Arthur Herman, Commentary Magazine
• “Man chosen to lead Marines against lifting gay ban,” Anne Flaherty, Associated Press

Judiciary

• “Why Constitution Day Matters,” Senator Orrin Hatch, National Review Online
• “Remembering the Anti-Federalists,” John C. Pinheiro, The Acton Institute
• “There Really Is Something Rotten in the Justice Department,” Hans von Spakovsky, The Heritage Foundation
• “Can Stephen Breyer save the Obama agenda in the Supreme Court?,” Jeffrey Toobin, The Wall Street Journal
• “The Rule of Law and the Law of Nature,” Russell Hittinger, First Principles
• “Public Opinion on the Supreme Court, 2010,” Karlyn Bowman and Andrew Rugg, American Enterprise Institute

Marriage and Family

Family Economics

• “After Almost 50 Years, the Gender gap in Pay Still Resonates” Diana Furchtgott-Roth, The Washington Post
• “A Tale of Two Recoveries,” Opinion, The Wall Street Journal
• “The Failure of the Liberal Economic Experiment?” James K. Glassman, Commentary Magazine
• “How Obama Thinks,” Dinesh D’Souza, Forbes
• “Work and the Two Great Love Commandments,” Jordan Ballor, The Acton Institute
• “Is the U.S. Still the Land of Opportunity?,” Karen Campbell, The Heritage Foundation
• “Social conservatives stay in fray,” Ralph Z. Hallow, The Washington Times
• “A Poverty of Statistics,” Nicholas Eberstadt, The American

Marriage

• “Briefs quote Obama in calling for ‘morality’ in Prop 8 case,” Bob Unruh, WorldNetDaily
• “The Case for Marriage,” The Editors, National Review Online
• “Defending Prop. 8: California’s Top Public Lawyer and Its Chief Executive Have an Obligation to Defend the Laws of the State Whether They Like Them or Not, and That Includes Proposition 8,” Editorial, Los Angeles Times
• “NY law lets unmarried adults jointly adopt child,” Associated Press
• “How should schools handle transgender kids?,” Denise-Marie Balona, The Orlando Sentinel
• “Study Finds Wider View of ‘Family’,” Sam Roberts, New York Times
• “Federal family leave without pay policy extends to same-sex partners,” Ed O’Keefe, The Washington Post
• “Study breaks down divorce rates by occupation,” Ellen McCarthy, The Washington Post

Pornography

• “Sex is Everywhere,” Marcia Seegelstein, OneNewsNow
• “Child porn law, when misapplied, can victimize kids,” Peter McKnight, The Vancouver Sun
• “Special Report: Confronting the Pornography Epidemic,” Peter C. Kleponis, Ph.D., Catholic Online
• “Pure Hope for porn addicts,” Charlie Butts, OneNewsNow
• “Craigslist to appear before House hearing on sex trafficking,” Cecelia Kang, The Washington Post

Religious Liberty

• “Prop 8 Judge’s Attack on Parental Rights and Religious Liberty,” Peter Sprigg, The Christian Post
• “Rifqa Bary Obtains Permanent Resident Status in the U.S.,” Chris Gacek, Family Research Council
• “Culturally Focusing on the Family,” Matthew Lee Anderson, Christianity Today
• “Fired, in a Crowded Theater,” Meghan Duke, First Things
• “Gay couple awarded $13.4K for rental refusal; Landlord feared God’s wrath if he rented apartment in his house,” CBC News
• “Under Which God?,” Joe Carter, First Things
• “Americans United, allies urge federal appeals court to rehear case challenging religiously based hiring bias,” Alliance Defense Fund
• “Despite Fiscal Concerns, Cultural Issues Still Resonate in Evangelical Epicenters,” Dante Chinni, PBS NewsHour
• “Crippling Our Faith-Based Groups,” Craig L. Parshall, NRB

Sanctity of Life

Abortion

• “Legal Abortion Does Not Always Equal Safe Abortion,” Jeanne Monahan, Family Research Council
• “The right to opinions on abortion,” Deidre McQuade, The Washington Post
• “Women, Abortion, and the Brain,” Evelyn Birge Vitz and Paul C. Vitz, The Public Discourse
• “Abortion does not further children’s health,” Chris Smith, The Washington Post
• “A nation turns away from abortion — It’s not true that abortion statistics are irreversible. Italy proves it,” Vincenzina Santoro, MercatorNet
• “Abortion Groups Praise Newly Named Head of UN Women’s Agency,” C-FAM
• “Young People Launch Pro-Life/Pro-Family “Statement to the UN and the World,” C-FAM
• “Neb. abortion docs to file fetus’ age with state,” Timberly Ross, BusinessWeek

Adoption

• “Appeals court: Florida ban on gay adoption unconstitutional,” Susan Spencer-Wendel, The Palm Beach Post
• “NY law lets unmarried adults jointly adopt,” Associated Press

Bioethics

• “Human Embryos in the Age of Obama,” John Neuhaus, First Things
• “The Predicament: Francis Collins, Human Embryos, Evolution, and the Sanctity of Human Life,” Albert Mohler, Crosswalk
• “A Bulwark Against Barbarism,” By Jennifer Lahl and Elaine Petty, Center for Bioethics and Culture

Cloning

• “Moderate Extremists,” Terence P. Jeffrey, The Patriot Post
• “Gene-Altered Fish Closer to Approval,” Gautam Naik, The Wall Street Journal

Stem Cell Research

• “Stem Cell Ruling Could Focus Funding on Treatments,” Dr. David Prentice, Ph.D. and David Christensen, Human Events
• “Stem-Cell Plaintiffs Cite Ethical Motivation,” Laura Meckler and Janet Adamy, Wall Street Journal
• “Stem cell plaintiffs blast NIH chief, question total funding freeze,” Ivan Semeniuk, Nature
• “Stem cell research is the best-kept secret in the galaxy,” Dr. Jean Peduzzi Nelson, The Hill
• “Poll Shows Opposition to Fed Funds for Stem-cell Research,” Catholic News Service
• “Senator pushes bill legalizing stem cell research,” Jim Abrams, Associated Press
• “The Halting of Stem Cell Research Is the Culmination of a Decade-Long Legal Effort,” Eli Y. Adashi and I. Glenn Cohen, The Huffington Post
• “Stem cells: A legal round table,” Meredith Wadman, Nature

Other News for Social Conservatives

• “Modernity’s Uninvited Guest,” Theodore Dalrymple, City Journal
• “OIG: FBI Inappropriately Tracked Domestic Advocacy Groups,” Andrew Cohen, The Atlantic
• “Will God Save the Democrats?” Wendy Kaminer, The Atlantic
• “Immigration Doublespeak,” W. James Antle, The American Spectator
• “Darwin’s World of Pain and Wonder,” Algis Valiunas, The New Atlantis
• “A Big Tent on the Right: The multiplier effect of adding Tea Partiers to social–conservatives,” Jeffrey Bell, The Weekly Standard
• “Rebranding Conservatism: A Localist Alternative to Babylon on the Potomac ,” Craig Shirley, The Washington Times
• “Creeping Islamic Fundamentalist Law Threatens Human Rights ,” Deborah Weiss,  The Washington Times
• “I.R.S. Looks at Finances of Bay Area Clinic ,” Katharine Mieszkowski, New York Times
• “Compassionand Choices Uses Murder/Suicide to Advertise Doctor Prescribed Death in Montana,” Wesley J. Smith, First Things
• “America’s One-Child Policy: What China imposed on its population, we’re adopting voluntarily,” Jonathan V. Last, The Weekly Standard
• “The Sources of Liberal Intolerance,” Carson Holloway, The Public Discourse
• “What Do Social Conservatives Want,” David Boaz, Cato Institute
• “Spartacus All,” T.M. Moore, The Colson Center

Tags: Abortion, Economics, Education Reform, Environmental Issues, Faith, Marriage, Religious Liberty, Social Conservative Review, Stem Cell Research

Comments: - |

Sign up for our newest publication: The Social Conservative Review.

The Social Conservative Review:
The Insider’s Guide to Pro-Family News
June 24, 2010

FRC has recently published a comprehensive study of President Obama’s efforts to repeal the historic ban on homosexuals in the Armed Forces. Written by respected military analyst Lt. Col. (ret) Robert Maginnis, “Mission Compromised: How the Obama Administration is Drafting the Military into the Culture War” is an important contribution to the debate over this critical issue.

After over 30 years in the Marine Corps, including service as the senior military attorney, I know the serious risks present if the current “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy and law are repealed. I am compelled to speak out since those currently on active duty cannot voice their opinions. Robert Maginnis uses facts, the law, and a dose of military perspective to debunk the myths put forward by those seeking change from the current law. James C. Walker, Brig.Gen. U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.)

The free PDF of this compelling study can be downloaded here.

Educational Freedom and Reform

• “Christian churches oppose Race to the Top, Obama blueprint,” Valerie Strauss, The Washington Post
• “States of Dishonesty,” Mark Schneider, The American
• “Has Homeschooling Ruined My Son’s Life?,” Timothy Pella, Crosswalk
• “A “Crisis,” More Hype, and Another Call for Bailouts,” Bethany Aronhalt, The Heritage Foundation

Environmental Issues

• “Miracle at the New York Times, Trouble for America,” Rob Schwarzwalder, Family Research Council
• “EPA Backs Reinstating Superfund ‘Polluter Pays’ Tax,” Jim Efstathiou, Jr., Bloomberg
• “Couple Raises Money For Their Wedding Through Aluminum Can Recycling,” MarketWatch
• “Environmentalists as Battered Spouses,” Steven F. Hayward, The American
• “A Tale of Two Disasters,” Paul H. Rubin, The Wall Street Journal

Faith and Policy

• “Obama and Pelosi Hijack “The Word”,” Ken Blackwell and Ken Klukowski, The Huffington Post
• “Islam: Antithetical to Religious Freedom,” Janet Levy, American Thinker
• “Unity or Unanimity at Reformed Council?,” Jordan Ballor, The Acton Institute
• “Retired Bishop: Biden’s Kenya Constitution Support ‘Invites Canonical Censure’,” Kathleen Gilbert, LifeSiteNews.com

Health Care

• “Health Care Law at Odds With Constitution,” Jay Sekulow, American Center for Law and Justice
• “U.S. rules for Medicaid could cause trouble for Va. Budget,” Tyler Whitley, Richmond Times-Dispatch
• “The Bad News About ObamaCare Keeps Piling Up,” Karl Rove, The Wall Street Journal
• “The Road to Price Controls,” Scott Gottlieb, The American
• “Farewell, Medicare Advantage,” Editorial, The Wall Street Journal
• “Defiant Obama defends health care overhaul,” Associated Press

Homosexuality in the Military

• “A Charade with Consequences,” Tony Perkins, The Politico
• “A ban on the procedure could be lifted by an amendment hidden in the attempt to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”,” Anna Clark, Salon

Judiciary

• “From the Hill: Sessions Reprimands White House for Misleading Statements on Kagan’s Harvard Controversy,” Tom McClusky, The Cloakroom
• “Kagan Casuistry: Hypocrisy Surrounds Dems in Kagan Hearings,” Tom McClusky, The Cloakroom
• “Kagan Unqualified To Be on Court,” Rep. Ted Poe, Human Events
• “Kagan and Shariah,” Editorial, The Washington Times
• “Transcript of closing arguments in Proposition 8 trial,” Alliance Defense Fund
• “Kagan “Loved” the Bork Hearings,” Brian Darling, RedState

Marriage and Family

Family Economics

• “Markets and Morals,” Ken Blackwell, Family Research Council
• “The New New Deal,” Charles R. Kesler, Imprimis
• “Hoyer: Permanent middle class tax cuts too costly,” Associated Press

Marriage

• “President Obama’s Homosexual Benefits Order Ignores the Law and the Constitution,” Family Research Council
• “Dating for a decade? Young adults aren’t rushing marriage,” Sharon Jayson, USA Today
• “The Tragedy of Absent Fathers,” Chuck Donovan, The Heritage Foundation
• “Father involvement in pregnancy could reduce infant mortality,” Physorg.com
• “Labor Dept. to order businesses to give “gay employees equal treatment,” Associated Press

Pornography

• “Porn Harms Capitol Hill Briefing,” Chris Gacek, Family Research Council
• “Video from Pornography Harms Briefing today in Washington, D.C.,” Carrie Russell, Family Research Council
• “Pornography — The Difference Being a Parent Makes,” Albert Mohler, Crosswalk
• “Not Just a Guy Issue,” Katelyn Beaty, Christianity Today
• “Parents furious after students shown ‘inappropriate’ sex acts simulated on stuffed animals: report,” Rosemary Black, New York Daily News

Religious Liberty

Check out Persecution.com, one of the best websites regarding Christian persecution throughout the world.

• “Who Are Americans?,” Chuck Colson, Christianity Today
• “Greater religiosity during adolescence may protect against developing problem alcohol use,” Physorg.com
• “National security without religious liberty?,” Thomas Farr, The Washington Post
• “Christian ministers challenge arrests at Arab fest ,” Micki Steele, The Detroit News

Sanctity of Life

Abortion

• “A Woman’s ‘Choice’ That Affects Men: Post-Abortion Trauma,” Jeanne Monahan, Family Research Council
• “FDA Places Politics Above Science, Women’s Health, and Informed Consent,” Family Research Council
• “Video: Capitol Hill News Conference on Federal Funding for Abortion Advocates,” Carrie Russell, Family Research Council
• “Dr. Donna Harrison’s Remarks to FDA on Drug Application for Ulipristal,” Chris Gacek, Family Research Council
• “November’s Pro-Life Women Candidates,” George J. Marlin, The Catholic Thing
• “Congress, Obama, and Taxpayer Funding of Abortion,” Rep. John Boehner, National Review
• “Over $1 Billion in Federal Funding to Pro-Abortion Groups Since 2002,” Dave Bohon, The New American
• “Louisiana To Require Ultrasounds Before Abortions,” Associated Press
• “Planned Parenthood’s missing millions,” Rita Diller, The Washington Times

Adoption

• “Campaigning for Common Ground in Abortion Debate,” Susan Dominus, New York Times
• “Russia, US officials near adoption accord,” Gary Peach, Associated Press

Bioethics

• “Presumptuous Consent,” Jennifer Lahl, CBC
• “A Decade Later, Human Gene Map Yields Few New Cures,” Nicholas Wade, New York Times
• “In the Singularity Movement, Humans Are So Yesterday,” Ashlee Vance, New York Times

Stem Cell Research

• “Sight Restored to Blinded Patients using Their Own Adult Stem Cells,” David Prentice, Family Research Council
• “Gene-Engineered Adult Stem Cells to Fight HIV,” David Prentice, Family Research Council
• “Building Bone for Wounded Warriors,” David Prentice, Family Research Council
• “NIH Working Group Recommends More Embryonic Stem Cell Lines, Rejects Some,” David Prentice, Family Research Council
• “NIH Director Approves 8 More Human Embryonic Stem Cell Lines for Taxpayer Funding, No Patients Helped,” David Prentice, Family Research Council
• “CIRM to People of California: Give Us Your Money and Mind Your Own Business!,” Wesley Smith, Secondhand Smoke

Other Articles of Note for Social Conservatives

• “More Croaking from Prince Charles,” Robert Morrison, Family Research Council
• “Before the Tea Party,” Robert Morrison, Family Research Council
• “Europe: The Unjust Continent,” Samuel Gregg, The Acton Institute
• “Assisted Suicide: why now?,” Wesley J. Smith, Legatus Magazine
• ” A feminism that spans from Palin to Pelosi,” Kathleen Parker, The Washington Post
• ” No Kumbaya in Kabul,” George H. Wittman, American Spectator
• “Obama Cracks Down,” W. James Antle, III, American Spectator
• “Forgotten, but Honorable, Presidents,” Alan Snyder, Big Government
• “Confidence Waning in Obama, U.S. Outlook,” Peter Wallsten and Eliza Gray, The Wall Street Journal

Tags: Abortion, Economy, Education, Environment, Policy, Religious Liberty, Social Conservative Review

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Official Washington is all atwitter about the state dinner to be given tonight to India’s Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh.  There have been newspaper articles filled with stories of guest lists, menus and the anecdotes of past dinner attendees.

India is a large nation, in geography and population.  Its friendship with the United States benefits both countries, and all Americans should welcome its respected PM to our shores.

India is also a nation rife with problems that dwarf those in our own: Massive corruption that stultifies economic growth and robs the poor of needed resources; endemic poverty affecting tens of millions; a weak educational system, fraught with caste-system bias; nearly 300 million Dalits, or “untouchables,” viewed in Hindu theology as sub-human and treated with contempt by their own society.  Sexual slavery and human trafficking also present profound and enduring challenges to all conscientious Indian political leaders.

Religious persecution in India is also on the rise.  Such Web sites as Open Doors, Catholic Online and Voice of the Martyrs provide chilling descriptions of what happens to Christians who stand for their faith in areas where devout Hindu and Muslim activists are determined to squash Christian faith violently.

Consider just one example, this one detailed in the UK’s Guardian newspaper:

“We cannot now return to the village as the murderers would be on the streets with more hatred and anger for us.” So said a witness after testifying last month in a courtroom in Kandhamal district in India’s eastern state of Orissa, which was the scene last year of ferocious violence against Christians carried out by mobs incited by extremist Hindu nationalists. The case saw three men acquitted of hacking to death a non-Christian tribal leader who tried to stand up to the mobs, and burning to death an elderly widow. They were convicted for destroying evidence, but sent home on bail, pending appeal. (“Orissa’s Forgotten Victims,” November 23, 2009).

Family Research Council hopes that President Obama will raise the issue of anti-Christian persecution with Prime Minister Singh.  To PM Singh’s credit, he has made strong statements against anti-Christian violence, noting that “Christianity is part of India’s national heritage” (www.oikumen.org/gr/news, October 20, 2008) and condemned the anti-Christian assaults in the province of Orissa (www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com, August 29, 2008).

But as events of recent days indicate, much more must be done.  It is in America’s interest for us to press our friends to live to the principles of human dignity and religious liberty to which they are sworn.  By doing so, we are standing true to our own principles, and standing with those suffering for owning the Name of Jesus.

Tags: India, Religious Liberty

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Here’s some articles of interest.

• “N.Y. Senate Delays Gay Marriage Vote,” Jeremy W. Peters, The New York Times
• “AMA votes to seek repeal of ‘don’t ask,don’t-tell’,” Associated Press
• “The Politics of Loosening Healthcare’s Abortion Restrictions,” Dan Gilgoff, U.S. News and World Report
• “House Health-Care Bill Does Not Prohibit Paying Federal Funds to Health Providers Who Withhold Food and Water From Patients,” Karen Schuberg, CNSNews.com
• “Federal judge nixes SC license tag with cross,” Jim Davenport, Associated Press
• “Cord Blood Reverses Cerebral Palsy in Colorado Girl,” Jessica Ryen Doyle, Fox News
• “UK starts study on using human DNA in animals,” Associated Press
• “D.C. council committee approves same-sex marriage bill,” Tim Craig, The Washington Post

Tags: Abortion, Health Care, Religious Liberty, Same-sex marriage, Stem Cells

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Here’s some interesting articles for your reading enjoyment this morning.

• “Duke Studies New Approach in Fetal Transplants for Metabolic Disorders,” PhysOrg.org
• “Catholic bishops bemoan condoms, gays as threats to marriage,” Daniel Burke, Religion News Service
• “Maine gay marriage campaigns report donations,” Glenn Adams, Associated Press
• “UMD Debates New Anti-Pornography Policy,” News Channel 8
• “Study: Abortions decline, but unsafe procedures still kill 70,000 women,” Michael Winter, USA Today
• “Between lines on poster ban,” Marybeth Hicks, The Washington Times
• “Church wins fight for homeless ministry,” Ed Blazina and Amy McConnell Schaarsmith, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
• “Faith-Based Discrimination,” Editorial, The New York Times

Tags: Abortion, Religious Liberty, Same-sex marriage, Stem Cells

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Here’s some articles of interest for today.

• “High Court Takes Up Case of Cross on Public Land,” Associated Press
• “Texas Battle on Gay Marriage Looms,” James C. McKinley, Jr., The New York Times
• “Gays and lesbians set to march on D.C. after months of Obama disappointment,” Lee-Anne Goodman, The Canadian Press
• “Md. university system devising policy on student displays of porn films,” Childs Walker, The Baltimore Sun
• “Pro-lifers want Calif. abortion mill investigated,” Charlie Butts, OneNewsNow
• “Campaign Launched to Protect Christians from U.N. Resolution,” Ethan Cole, The Christian Post
• “Russia Court Throws Out Lesbian Couple Marriage Request,” Reuters
• “Capitol Christmas tree controversy,” Marcia Segelstein, WORLD Magazine

Tags: Pornography, Religion, Religious Liberty, Same-sex marriage

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Here’s some articles of interest for your morning.

• “Child-porn arrests: `Shooting fish in a barrel’,” Mitch Stacy, Associated Press
• ” Texas Gay Couple’s Divorce Lawsuit Draws National Spotlight,” Nathan Black, The Christian Post
• “D.C. gay marriage bill could find tough going late,” Michael Neibauer, The Washington Examiner
• “Americans Don’t Want Government-Funded Abortions In Health Reform,” Marjorie Dannenfelser, Fox News
• “Abortion foes fail in bid for ‘Choose Life’ plate loses,” Dave McKinney, Chicago Sun-Times
• “Ban on religious signs at football games roils Georgia community,” Bob Allen, Associated Baptist Press
• “Ga. bone marrow donor meets recipient in Ill.,” Associated Press
• “Texas Judge Declares State Marriage Law, DOMA Unconstitutional,” LifeSiteNews.com
• “Useful Pew backgrounder on faith and U.S. healthcare debate,” Ed Stoddard, Reuters
• “Issues which “may frankly be too dangerous for pro-choice movements to acknowledge”,” JivinJehoshaphat

Tags: Abortion, DOMA, Pornography, Religious Liberty, Same-sex marriage

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Wednesday night, the Empire State Building in Manhattan shone red and yellow as a tribute to the sixtieth anniversary of the Communist takeover of China.

When lit, the Empire State is a lovely sight.  Yet last night’s display cast a rather ugly glow.  Why?  Because given the nation it is honoring, we must ask the sponsors of this celebration which highlights of China’s history during those sixty years they especially want to honor.

Might it be the murder of Christian missionaries in the late 40s and 50s?  How about the killing of millions of Chinese during Chairman Mao’s “Great Leap Forward” campaign of the mid-fifties? During those years, Communist authorities pressed rural Chinese to modernize, demanding such insanities as backyard steel mills.

China enveloped Tibet in the late 50s. That ancient Buddhist land is still being suppressed and its unique culture eradicated fifty years later. The Dalai Lama and many other Tibetans still live in exile.

In the mid-60s, Chairman Mao initiated the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution which left more millions dead. Fanatical Red Guards beat and brutalized anyone who had exposure to Western Culture—and even trashed China’s revered cultural heritage.

Continue reading »

Tags: China, Human Rights, Religious Liberty

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Here’s some articles of interest this morning.

• “Catania to introduce same-sex marriage bill,” Melissa Castro, Washington Business Journal
• “To heaven from Times Square,” Julia Duin, The Washington Times
• “Abortion and Health Care Reform,” Editorial, New York Times
• “Chicago City Council panel backs plan to limit anti-abortion activists,” Hal Dardick, Chicago Tribune
• “Senate committee restores $50 million in abstinence ed funding,” Catholic News Agency
• “When is a cross not a Christian symbol?,” Erwin Chemerinsky and Joseph Infranco, Los Angeles Times
• “‘Imagine No Religion’ Billboards Hit Detroit,” Jennifer Riley, The Christian Post
• “Spiritual spirit squad squelched,” Pete Chagnon, OneNewsNow.com
• “Planned Parenthood Says Pro-Lifers Winning, Misleads on Insurance, Abortion,” Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com
• “Personal Stories Reveal How Pregnancy Resource Centers Empower Women, Help Families,” Penny Starr, CNSNews.com
• “Most Stay-at-Home Moms Start That Way, Study Finds,” Donna St. George, The Washington Post

Tags: Abortion, Health Care, Religion, Religious Liberty, Same-sex marriage

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Here’s some news articles of interest for your afternoon.

• “Dallas leads nation in repeat teen births, study finds,” Robert T. Garrett, Dallas Morning News (September 1, 2009)
• “A push for abstinence over abortion availability,” Charlie Butts, OneNewsNow (September 1, 2009)
• “‘Condom Olympics’ producer says abstinence not ‘right message’ for trafficked or drugged women,” Catholic News Agency (August 30, 2009)
• “Same-sex marriages begin in Vermont,” John Curran, Associated Press (September 1, 2009)
• “Ballot Initiative Requested on Same-Sex Marriage,” Tim Craig, The Washington Post (September 1, 2009)
• “Montana Supreme Court Will Take Up Case Wednesday to Allow Assisted Suicide,” Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com (September 1, 2009)
• “Iowa School District Plans to Revise Religious Liberty Policy,” Nathan Black, The Christian Post (August 28, 2009)

Tags: Abortion, Abstinence, Euthanasia, Religious Liberty, Same-sex marriage

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After a long hiatus, the Daily Buzz is back. Here are some news articles that I found particularly interesting today.

• The Obama Administration has been fairly silent about the provisions for abortion in the health care bill. The Baptist Press has a great article about the Administration’s silence on the provisions.
• Kansas is back in the news again. This time, The Wichita Eagle reports that the Governor and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment has stripped funding from a program that gives state money to groups who provide alternatives to abortion.
• This morning, I came across an interesting article by Eric Gorski of the Associated Press that discussed the conflict of young Evangelical Christians torn between premarital sex and waiting for marriage. Continue reading…
• The controversial health care bill that will be debated in Congress will provide doctors incentive to push euthanasia. Read more about this on LifeNews.com.
• The Christian Post reports that homeschoolers are scoring well above those attending public schools in reading, math, social studies, and language.
• If you haven’t already done so, read Nonie Darwish’s article in FrontPage Magazine about Islam.

Tags: Abortion, Abstinence, Euthanasia, News, Religion, Religious Liberty

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Here’s what we are reading today.

• “Pro-gay marriage group spent big in Vermont,” John Curran, Chicago Tribune (July 27, 2009)

“The leading proponent of Vermont’s gay marriage bill spent about $294,000 on lobbying and advertising in advance of the Legislature’s vote — more than seven times as much as opponents did, according to disclosure forms filed Monday.

Through its task force and an action committee, Vermont Freedom to Marry spent $65,866 of that in the week before the April 7 vote by the Democrat-controlled Vermont house, which passed the bill in a 100-49 vote to override the veto of Republican Gov. Jim Douglas.”

• “Will proposal promote euthanasia?,” Carrie Budoff Brown, The Politico (July 28, 2009)
• “Backers of Gay Marriage Rethink California Push,” Jesse McKinley, The New York Times (July 27, 2009)

“Discouraged by stubborn poll numbers and pessimistic political consultants, major financial backers of same-sex marriage are cautioning gay rights groups to delay a campaign to overturn California’s ban on such unions until at least 2012.”

• “Clash of worldviews – coming to a wedding near you,” Charlie Butts, OneNewsNow (July 29, 2009)

“That’s why this, I believe, is going to be the biggest threat to our religious liberty in our near future,” the Christian attorney remarks. “We are facing a clash of worldviews; a collision between the same-sex agenda and a moral and religious worldview. Those two are incompatible in these kinds of conflicts. If we go down this road of same-sex unions, [it] will continue to escalate.”

• “Obama’s Science Czar: Babies Aren’t Human Until They’ve Been Socialized,” Van Helsing, Right Wing News (July 29, 2009)

“A large part of the horror of abortion lies in the monstrous presumption of liberals declaring that human life begins not at conception, but whenever they say it does. Maybe that’s six weeks, maybe six months. Maybe it’s years. Obama’s Science Czar John Holdren (the guy who wanted to put a sterilizing agent in our drinking water) gives us an idea of how slippery this slope can get. From his book Human Ecology: Problems and Solutions, via Patterico’s Pontifications:

The fetus, given the opportunity to develop properly before birth, and given the essential early socializing experiences and sufficient nourishing food during the crucial early years after birth, will ultimately develop into a human being.”

• “States with more Catholics more favor gay rights,” Cathy Lynn Grossman, USA Today (July 29, 2009)

“The bishops have campaigned long, loudly and clearly against same-sex marriage but the Catholic Church also offers a pervasive message of social justice, an umbrella many liberal Catholics stand under when they argue for marriage equality or life issues such as abortion, contraception and end-of-life decisions.”

Tags: Abortion, Euthanasia, News, Religious Liberty, Same-sex marriage

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