Current Events Archives

Tiger Woods and Billy Payne

Yesterday marked the opening of the famed Masters golf tournament at Augusta National and, more precisely, the official return of Tiger Woods to the PGA Tour.

Augusta National is a beautiful slice of the American South, but for lovers of the game, it’s more than just a picturesque course. In fact, it’s been called golf’s Garden of Eden. “If there’s a golf course in heaven,” Gary Player once remarked, “I hope it’s like Augusta National.” But then he added dryly, “I just don’t want an early tee time.”

How four-time Masters champion Tiger Woods will ultimately fare against the competition is anyone’s guess.

Topics: Current Events Tags: entertainment, events, marriage, news, pop culture April 9, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Serfdom vs. The Mother of Invention

Townhall columnist John Stossel penned an insightful and unsettling article yesterday entitled, “Hurtling Down the Road to Serfdom.” Here’s what caught my eye. Stossel’s premise is that “we are changing from independent, self-responsible people into a submissive flock. The welfare state kills the creative spirit.”

That’s a strong statement. But Stossel cites data released by the Tax Foundation which documents “60% of the population now gets more in government benefits than it pays in taxes.” Better read that again—it’s unreal!

Topics: Current Events Tags: news, policy February 11, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Virgin Territory

During the SEC Media Day last summer, Tim Tebow was fielding questions from journalists when he said something that shocked the press. In between tackling questions about future aspirations, strategy, training, and using his platform to share his faith, Tebow was asked, “Are you saving yourself for marriage?”

Without missing a beat, Tebow answered, “Yes, I am.”

Silence. No follow up question.

Writing for the Washington Post, Sports Columnist Sally Jenkins said, “The room fell into a hush, followed by tittering: The best college football player in the country had just announced he was a virgin.

Topics: Current Events Tags: news, pop culture February 9, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

If Not Me, Who?

When I, as a parent, hear about a disaster on the scale of what’s happening in Haiti, I immediately think about the kids affected by the largest earthquake recorded in Haiti. My heart goes out to the three-year-old who suddenly doesn’t have a mom or a dad. For reasons he cannot comprehend, one minute his parents were caring for him, the next minute they’re just gone. Now what?

Or the ten-year-old who, having lost her parents, finds herself becoming the parent to her younger siblings out-of-necessity.

Topics: Current Events Tags: events, faith, news January 19, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Help for Haiti

Assigning adjectives to the devastation brought on by the Haitian earthquake threatens to bankrupt the English language. Currently, reports are circulating that thousands are dead. Morgues are full and bodies are piled high along the debris-strewn streets. Scores more are likely still trapped, and hundreds of thousands of the country’s island residents are without the basic necessities of life.

The needs are breathtaking and nearly endless in scope and size. But along with our prayers, we might offer a very tangible contribution to the relief efforts by making a monetary contribution to one of the many excellent organizations on the ground in Haiti.

Topics: Current Events Tags: events, faith, news January 15, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Brit Hume and Tiger Woods

FOX News political commentator Brit Hume shocked some people over the weekend by offering the following advice to golfing legend Tiger Woods:

The extent to which he (Woods) can recover (from his extramarital affairs) seems to me depends on his faith. He is said to be a Buddhist. I don’t think that faith offers the kind of forgiveness and redemption that is offered by the Christian faith. My message to Tiger would be, “Tiger, turn to the Christian faith and you can make a total recovery and be a great example to the world.”

Not surprisingly, public reaction was swift, mixed and spirited.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, news, pop culture January 11, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Why Sign the Manhattan Declaration?

It’s been several short weeks since the unveiling of the Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience, which initially had about 120 co-signers. I’m thrilled to report more than 275,500 have added their signature to this important document. If you’re unfamiliar with the Manhattan Declaration, let me encourage you to read the entire proclamation and then consider lending your support, too.

In short the Manhattan Declaration is both a celebration of, and a commitment to, preserving life, marriage, and religious liberty in America.

Topics: Current Events Tags: marriage, policy, religious liberty December 9, 2009 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Tiger Woods

A little more than a week removed from his now-infamous one-car crash on Thanksgiving night, golf legend Tiger Woods remains front page news, but for all the wrong and sad reasons.

Like most of you, I’m not one to follow the latest Hollywood gossip or eagerly peel through the pages of People Magazine. But it’s hard to miss hearing about the sordid details and accusations surrounding the alleged infidelity of the golfing great. Earlier this week, in an attempt to quell the rumors, Tiger released a statement acknowledging personal “transgressions” but didn’t elaborate and pleaded for privacy.

Topics: Current Events Tags: events, marriage, pop culture December 7, 2009 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Power of Ultrasound

With the national unemployment rate hitting 10.2%, the highest level in 26 years, it’s the rare individual who willingly quits a job without having another to take its place. But Abby Johnson said she really had no choice. And Abby Johnson didn’t have a run-of-the-mill job, either.

Abby is 29 years old and lives in Bryan, Texas. After she left the organization she had worked at for nine years, her employer filed what’s called a “restraining order of disclosure” against her, suspicious that she had absconded with confidential files.

Topics: Current Events Tags: news, pro-life November 10, 2009 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

On Michael Vick

Former NFL quarterback Michael Vick is back in the news. After having served 19 months in a federal prison and several months under house arrest for charges related to running a dog fighting ring, the suspended star of the Atlanta Falcons is a free man. But the fate of the 29-year-old Vick’s career rests in the hands of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. When asked last week how he planned to rule, Goodell was non-committal. The two men met last Wednesday to discuss the possibility of reinstatement.

Topics: Current Events Tags: events, news, pop culture July 27, 2009 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura