Current Events Archives

Five Ways You Can Help the Persecuted Church

“Conscience is the most sacred of all property.” – James Madison

Have you heard about “Deflategate”? That’s the ongoing story involving NFL quarterback Tom Brady and whether he ordered air to be let out of footballs last season. Not long ago, it was the lead story on the evening news almost every night, and it’s still regularly covered in the news cycle.

The fact that the number of pounds of air per square inch in a football is so newsworthy is shameful in my opinion based on what the national media hasn’t considered worthy of airtime.

Topics: Current Events Tags: broadcast, church, religious liberty September 1, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

How Does Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage Impact Students’ Rights in Schools?

In a recent blog post, Focus on the Family Education Analyst Candi Cushman discussed how the Supreme Court’s sweeping redefinition of marriage will impact parental rights in our schools. In today’s blog post, she addresses some commonly asked questions we receive pertaining to its effect on students’ religious freedoms. –JD

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Q: Do you think Obergefell v. Hodges endangers students’ rights to express a biblical point of view at school?
The short answer is yes.

Topics: Current Events Tags: homosexuality, policy, religious liberty August 26, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Why Ashley Madison Subscribers Are Chasing a Lie

Owners of Ashley Madison, the infamous adultery-facilitating website, bill themselves as being a source of “online personals & [a] dating destination for casual encounters.”

They’re also a site and source of misery and lies. And now, thanks to hackers, millions of their users have had their private sins made public.

During my career as a minister and clinical psychologist, I’ve worked with hundreds of couples grappling with the excruciating pain and heartbreak of infidelity. The reality is there’s nothing new about sexual sin.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, husband, marriage, news, wife August 25, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Stand for Life this Weekend at #ProtestPP

This summer, as we have seen seven videos exposing Planned Parenthood’s harvesting of organs from preborn babies for possible profit, we’ve talked a lot about the evil of abortion on the blog. Today I want to share with you something you can do to shine a light on this darkness, and to stand for life in a positive way.

Tomorrow, Saturday, Aug. 22, several pro-life groups are sponsoring a National Day of Protest at Planned Parenthood facilities around the nation to raise awareness of what’s going on behind closed doors.

Topics: Current Events Tags: events, policy, pro-life August 21, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Kathie Lee Gifford Shares the Gospel on the Today Show

Kathie Lee Gifford returned to her role as co-host of the Today Show yesterday after the Aug. 9 death of her husband, the NFL Hall of Famer and broadcaster, Frank Gifford. On her first day back, she shared a bit about “the private Frank,” including stories of his impoverished upbringing during the Great Depression and his lifelong faith.

In doing so, Kathie Lee shared the Gospel.

Mrs. Gifford took an opportunity to remember her husband and used it to interweave the essentials of Christianity.

Topics: Current Events Tags: broadcast, events, faith, pop culture August 18, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Does American Christianity Have a Future?

On today’s program I ask Dr. Ed Stetzer, the executive director of LifeWay Research, a very straight-forward question: Is Christianity in America dying?

Based on some of the headlines in the media, you might believe that it’s on the brink of extinction.

Most of the news reports in recent months were based on a study by the Pew Research Center, which asserted that American Christianity is in decline. Not surprisingly, the secular media latched on to the story and offered dozens of interpretations and theories about Pew’s findings – most of them negative.

Topics: Current Events Tags: broadcast, church August 14, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

How to Respond When Your Child Notices Magazine Covers at the Supermarket

The “sex sells” mantra is obvious at the grocery checkout line where magazine covers featuring sexually provocative images are displayed eye-level to impressionable children.

What’s a parent to do?

That was the dilemma Joann Condie recently faced. A registered nurse and licensed professional counselor with Focus on the Family’s counseling department, Joann was at the supermarket with her elementary school-aged grandson and his friend. As the cashier rang up their groceries, Joann noticed the boys looking at the scantily clad brunette on the cover of Cosmopolitan magazine.

Topics: Current Events Tags: parenting, pop culture August 12, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Are Pro-Lifers the Abolitionists of Today?

Although Monday’s vote in the United States Senate to defund Planned Parenthood fell seven votes short of the necessary 60 to move forward with cloture, pro-life leaders are vowing the fight has only just begun.

I wholeheartedly agree.

Although tremendously disappointing, Monday’s vote marked the first time since the partial-birth abortion debates of the late 1990s and early 2000s that we’ve had an open debate on the Senate floor about what happens during abortion.

I want to applaud strong pro-life women like Iowa’s Sen.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, policy, pro-life August 5, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Guest Post: Help Defund Planned Parenthood By Doing This

How did Planned Parenthood become a billion-dollar-a-year non-profit?

Why did U.S. taxpayers provide $528 million in grants and reimbursements to the organization in 2014 alone?

The answer is partly because Planned Parenthood is very good at marketing its products.

For instance, Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards recently posted a meme to her Facebook page touting the services the group provides. The meme enumerated the number of pap tests, breast exams and STI tests conducted by the organization.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, policy, pro-life July 30, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

How Does Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage Impact Our Schools?

We’re about to enter the first school year after the Supreme Court’s sweeping redefinition of marriage, a decision that will deeply impact our children’s schools and education. Today I want to share a Q&A with Focus on the Family’s Education Analyst, Candi Cushman, where she’ll help explain how the legalization of same-sex marriage will affect the way we educate our children. –JD

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Q. Give us the big picture: How will this court decision change the environment in our schools?

Topics: Current Events Tags: family, kids, parenting, policy, religious liberty July 29, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura