Current Events Archives

Good News: The U.S. Will Have a Religious Freedom Ambassador Again

Over the past few years, I’ve written again and again about the plight of the persecuted Church around the world. Our brothers and sisters in the faith are facing increasing violence and oppression internationally, especially in the Middle East, where many have been killed at the hands of ISIS. Beyond Christians, the genocide perpetuated by ISIS has also ravaged the Yezidi and Shia Muslim communities.

This is why the State Department’s position of United States Ambassador-at-Large International Religious Freedom position is so important.

Topics: Current Events Tags: news, religious liberty August 1, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Marriage, then Baby. Why it Matters

It’s been called “the success sequence.”

That’s the order young people should reach major life milestones if they want to increase their odds of financial stability and success.

Here what the success sequence looks like: Get at least a high school education, work full-time, get married, have children – in that order.

Sadly, a new analysis of federal data finds that that’s not the order many millennials are doing things – and they’re paying the price.

Topics: Current Events Tags: family, marriage, news July 27, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

According to the Media, I Attended a Hate Group Conference Last Week

A few Focus colleagues and I spent some time in California last week at a conference put on by our friends at Alliance Defending Freedom, the religious liberty legal defense nonprofit organization that, just last month, won the most important religious liberty case at the Supreme Court in recent history.

You can imagine my surprise, then, when a couple of days later some news outlets were reporting that ADF is a “hate group.”

Here are the headlines of the articles I’m referring to:

ABC News: Jeff Sessions addresses ‘anti-LGBT hate group,’ but DOJ won’t release his remarks
NBC News: Jeff Sessions Tells ‘Hate Group’ DOJ Will Issue Religious Freedom Guidance

The Supreme Court’s 7-2 decision in the Trinity Lutheran case marked ADF’s seventh win in seven years at the nation’s highest court.

Topics: Current Events Tags: family, homosexuality, news, religious liberty July 20, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Baby Charlie and the Chilling Consequences of Socialized Medicine

By now you’ve surely heard about Charlie Gard, the 11-month-old British baby boy. This little fellow is at the center of a controversial court struggle over who should make his medical decisions: his doctors, or his parents?

Charlie was born healthy to first-time parents Chris Gard and Connie Yates, but was soon diagnosed with mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome (MDDS) – an inherited disease that causes progressive muscle weakness and brain damage.

Charlie shares this condition with only 16 other people in the world.

Topics: Current Events Tags: news, parenting, pro-life July 14, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

After the Death of a Spouse, Is it Ever ‘Too Soon’ for Love?

When actor and comedian Patton Oswalt suddenly lost his wife, Michelle, in April 2016, he went public with his grief.

“She hasn’t left a void. She’s left a blast crater,” the heartbroken widower wrote in an open letter, where he also talked about the impact his wife’s death has had on their 7-year-old daughter, Alice.

And his public, palpable grief may be why some people have reacted with surprise – and even criticism – when news broke of Patton’s recent engagement last week.

Topics: Current Events Tags: entertainment, faith, marriage July 12, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Planned Parenthood Thinks It Will Win. I Don’t.

Lately, Planned Parenthood has been making it crystal clear what it’s all about – abortion.

That’s the big takeaway from a recent interview Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards gave to The Atlantic last week.

The piece looks at the existential threat looming over it: the United States Congress’ repeated attempts, backed by the White House, to defund the nation’s top abortion provider.

“This has led some to wonder why Planned Parenthood doesn’t just spin off its abortion services into a separate organization,” The Atlantic explains.

Topics: Current Events Tags: pro-life July 5, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Supreme Court’s Decision in Trinity Lutheran Case is a Win for All Americans

Here’s the media statement our public relations team sent to reporters concerning today. You can learn more about the case from our friends at Alliance Defending Freedom by visiting www.adflegal.org/the-playground-case. – J.D.

_____

For Immediate Release
June 26, 2017

Focus on the Family President Reacts to SCOTUS Trinity Lutheran Decision:
‘A win for all Americans’

Colorado Springs, Colo. – Focus on the Family President Jim Daly issued this statement today reacting to the Supreme Court’s 7-2 decision in the Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia v.

Topics: Current Events Tags: news, religious liberty June 26, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Vice President Mike Pence to Speak at Focus’ 40th Anniversary Chapel Friday

As soon as we announced that Vice President Mike Pence was planning to speak at our 40th anniversary chapel this coming Friday, reporters began asking why.

Focus on the Family has had a friendly relationship with Vice President Pence, who is an outspoken Christian, for years. His commitment to families and the preborn has been evident since his early days as an Indiana state representative, during his tenure as governor of the Hoosier State – and it’s remained steadfast in the White House.

Topics: Current Events Tags: events, faith, family, policy, promos June 21, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

New Discovery Affirms the Pro-Life Teachings of the Bible

Science continues to confirm and reconfirm the humanity of the preborn child.

Case in point:

It was reported the other day that babies in the womb can see – and that they respond to face-like patterns.

According to the USA Today:

“We have shown the fetus can distinguish between different shapes, preferring to track face-like over non-face-like shapes,” said psychologist Vincent Reid of Lancaster University in the United Kingdom, a co-author of the study. “This preference has been recognized in babies for many decades, but until now exploring fetal vision has not been attempted … It turned out that they responded in a way that was very similar to infants.”

Of course, that’s because the preborn child is a developing infant.

Topics: Current Events Tags: news, pro-life June 14, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

One Dad’s $2 Million Sacrifice for His Daughter

Would you give up a potential $2 million payday to see your daughter graduate from high school?

Professional golfer Phil Mickelson is doing just that.

Because the opening round of the U.S. Open falls on the same day as his oldest daughter’s high school graduation, Phil has announced plans to withdraw from this year’s event.

It’s not the first time Mickelson has chosen family over work.

Back in 1999, Mickelson was competing at the U.S. Open in North Carolina just as his wife, Amy, stayed in their home back in Arizona.

Topics: Current Events Tags: family, news, pop culture June 7, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura