Jim Daly

Miley Cyrus Thinks All You Need is This

I want to draw your attention to an insightful post on Plugged In’s blog that explores the growing view in today’s culture that, when it comes to sex, consent is the only thing needed to make a sexual relationship appropriate: “as long as there’s consent, there need be no other questions.”

In “Miley Cyrus Has Become the Poster Child for Consent,” Focus’ own blogger and movie critic Adam Holtz examines this troubling perspective by comparing it to historic Christian teaching on sexuality:

“To deal with the consent-only sexuality worldview that Miley Cyrus represents, we must ask a couple of simple but crucially important questions: What is the purpose of sexuality?

Continue ReadingTopics: Current Events Tags: entertainment, pop culture, sex

The Cost of Independence

When it comes to America’s sovereignty, freedom has never been free. Dating back to the Revolutionary War, more than 1.3 million Americans have died in combat. It’s important to remember that each of these deaths is not an isolated incident; no man is an island. When a soldier falls, life within a family unit is irrevocably and permanently changed. Those deaths represent a lot of tears over the course of 235 years.

Yes, freedom in the U.S.A.

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: religious liberty

Bringing Balance to a Busy Mom’s Life

Women face a lot of pressure.

Many are trying to maintain a career or an otherwise busy outside schedule while being a wife and mother and caring for the family home. The demands on their time are immense.

That’s how it is for my wife, Jean. Our boys are in those middle, “tweener” years, so she always seems to be running from one activity to another.

But, as many women discover, too much responsibility makes it easy to get out of balance.

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home

The Court Rules: Now Do These Four Things

For Christians, the emotional response to the Supreme Court’s decision on marriage has run the gamut, and understandably so. It would be impossible to overstate the significance of Friday’s announcement.

In my statement to the media, I urged believers to continue engaging the culture with loving kindness and to be a light in these dark times. I joined many other Christian leaders in signing the “Here We Stand” evangelical declaration that, among other things, cautions against responding in panic to this ruling.

Continue ReadingTopics: Current Events Tags: marriage, news, pastors, religious liberty

Why Is Relational Intimacy So Scary?

It’s been said that fear is the enemy of intimacy. I think that’s right.

Our guest on today and tomorrow’s program, author Donald Miller, agrees as well. He compares intimacy with standing on the edge of a cliff, fighting through anxiety and fear to jump into the water.

We don’t often equate fear with lack of intimacy because we don’t recognize all the ways we avoid vulnerability with the people closest to us. We rely on our humor, beauty, social status, or whatever identity we’d rather people see than our deepest, truest selves.

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home

This Question on Same-Sex Marriage from a Journalist Surprised Me

News of the Supreme Court’s decision to impose same-sex marriage on all 50 states spread quickly on Friday.

Unpacking what this decision means, and its implications, will take a lot longer.

We’re starting that process of better understanding what the redefinition of marriage means to our country and our religious liberties on today’s Focus on the Family broadcast. We discuss this important topic with two noteworthy guests: former Focus board member Dr. Al Mohler, the president of the Southern Baptist Theology Seminary, and Dr.

Continue ReadingTopics: Current Events Tags: marriage, news, policy, religious liberty

No Court Can Change What Marriage Is

Statement by Focus on the Family President Jim Daly on the decision in the Obergefell v. Hodges marriage case:

“Today the Supreme Court issued a disappointing decision that imposes same-sex marriage on all 50 states.

“Although this result was predicted by many observers, the action of the Court is nonetheless startling in its rejection of a societal understanding of marriage that goes back to the dawn of civilization. It tramples on the democratic process by overturning the will of more than 60 percent of Americans who voted on the issue and creates a new federal constitutional right in an area where our founding document is silent.

Continue ReadingTopics: Current Events Tags: events, marriage, news, policy, religious liberty

Is Your Christianity Born of Convenience or Conviction?

All eyes are on the Supreme Court this week as we await the historic decision in the Obergefell v. Hodges case. Seven cases remain on their docket. The justices will be issuing rulings tomorrow and Friday and possibly again on Monday. It’s impossible for us to know exactly when the decision will be announced, but this much is certain:

By this time next week we’ll know whether or not five or more justices have found a constitutional right to same-sex “marriage” in all 50 states.

Continue ReadingTopics: Current Events Tags: homosexuality, marriage, policy, religious liberty

Authentic Christianity in Charleston

When I first blogged about the horrific shooting at Charleston’s historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, authorities were still piecing together what had happened. What we’ve learned since then makes the tragedy all the more awful.

The pastor and eight congregants killed on last Wednesday night were targeted because the suspected shooter, 21-year-old Dylan Roof, wanted to start a race war.

By all accounts, this young man was filled with hate. Friends say he talked of the “need for whites and blacks to be segregated,” and that “he wanted to hurt lots of people.” An online manifesto that authorities say appears to be written by Roof is laced with racism, including statements that blacks are inferior to whites.

Continue ReadingTopics: Current Events Tags: church, faith, news, pro-life

Sex and Love: Do Husbands Know the Difference?

Do most men know the difference between love and sex?

A lot of men assume they have that distinction pretty well settled – until they realize the lines are more blurred than they thought, and their marriage suffers because of it.

The fact is, struggles related to sex and intimacy within a marriage are one of the top reasons we’re contacted here at Focus on the Family. So it’s an important issue for us to address.

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, husband, intimacy, marriage, wife