Daly Focus Blog
When news broke this past Friday night of President George H.W. Bush’s passing at the age of 94, press reports were quick to mention his “patrician” pedigree. The son of a United States senator, the New England-bred Mr. Bush attended an elite prep school and later Yale University.
Implied in such a reference is the insinuation that George Herbert Walker Bush began life with a lot compared to the average American, which wouldn’t be entirely untrue.
“Our nation’s forty-first president, George H.W. Bush, was the embodiment of human decency, an honorable gentleman of great manners, class and grace. He was a man who exemplified the importance of faith, family and freedom. He selflessly dedicated his years to the service of his nation. He was a man who saw life in terms of missions to tackle and promises to keep. He was faithful to the end. His death yesterday in Texas at the age of 94 marks the completion of his earthly journey and the beginning of life eternal.In the passing of President Bush, America has lost a champion and the world has lost a friend.”
Despite the seemingly unprecedented animosity directed towards people of Christian faith these days, religious persecution is not a new concept.
The Pilgrims who first established the Plymouth Colony in 1620 had encountered more than their fair share of religious bias prior to leaving England. They came here seeking religious liberty—one of the very same principles that would later be enshrined in our Constitution.
I recently had the opportunity to interview an expert on the Pilgrims for the Focus on the Family Broadcast.
CBS Sunday Morning recently ran a story about what they called “conversion therapy” – a vague, broad term used by opponents of professional therapy or spiritual support for those with unwanted homosexuality.
They depicted some pretty extreme and even abusive practices. They also interviewed our staff member Jeff Johnston. Unfortunately, they left out an important detail about his background. Let me allow him to explain:
You’d think that a segment critical of therapy for unwanted homosexual attraction would at least acknowledge there’s another side to the story – especially when one of the people you’re interviewing has a powerful testimony about how counseling for his unwanted same-sex attraction did, in fact, contribute to his journey away from homosexuality.
By: Tim Goeglein
The late/great novelist Tom Wolfe once posited that there would arrive a moment where fiction would lose its relevance because the reality of American life was so much more compelling and, at turns, unbelievable.
Such was the week or so after the midterm elections in Washington DC. It was a little like living inside a dynamic, almost surreal novel.
On Capitol Hill, the balance of power shifted from red to blue in the House of Representatives.
The dust is beginning to settle after yesterday’s historic mid-term election. Politicos and pundits have been analyzing and dissecting the results, some of which are not yet final as ballots continue to be tallied. Earlier today, President Trump conducted a dramatic, combative and at times, explosive press conference from the East Room of the White House where he weighed in on the “split decision” rendered by the American people.
As I mentioned in my initial statement last evening, the outcome included both good news and bad news for Christians concerned about the family, the sanctity of life, religious freedom and free speech.
It appears that many of the pundits were correct when they predicted that Republicans would hold their majority in the U.S. Senate while Democrats would gain control of the U.S. House of Representatives. This result is both good news and bad news for Americans concerned about the family, the sanctity of life, religious freedom and free speech.
The very good news is that it appears the U.S. Senate can continue to forge ahead with confirming the excellent judges the President has been nominating for the federal bench, almost all of whom have been constitutionalists, such as Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.
The midterm elections are upon us, and once again issues that Christians care about are front and center, reflected in the positions of candidates and their political parties.
Voters of all political persuasions are motivated to vote this year, and polls suggest many races are so close that no one can predict what will happen.
As the experts always note, turnout will be key.
If you haven’t already early-voted yet, I urge you to make sure your voice is heard tomorrow.
Outside of the Bluegrass State, the death of former Kentucky United States Senator Walter D. Huddleston earlier this month didn’t register many headlines. The 92-year-old broadcaster-turned-legislator, ill for several years, passed away quietly in his sleep.
First elected to the United States Senate in 1972, Huddleston, a moderate Democrat, eventually lost his bid for reelection in 1984 when a 44-year-old Republican judge named Mitch McConnell narrowly defeated him in a hotly fought contest.
Narrowly defeated is an understatement.
Does your family go trick-or-treating?
It’s one of those issues good Christians can (and sometimes do) disagree on. In previous years, I’ve written about how Christians tend to think about Halloween in one of three ways:
They enjoy it, focusing on the fun and candy part of it.
They amend it, so their children can enjoy activities like a “harvest festival” or “trunk or treating” at church.
They ignore it by not acknowledging the day in order to remain true to their convictions.
Jim Daly is a husband, father and President of Focus on the Family and host of its National Radio Hall of Fame broadcast. His blog, Daly Focus, is full of timely commentary and wisdom designed to help you navigate and understand today’s culture. His latest book is Marriage Done Right.
