Jim Daly

Chick-fil-A Banned

Indiana University has banned Chick-fil-A from its South Bend campus.

Why?

It’s all because one of the popular company’s restaurants in Pennsylvania has announced plans to donate food to the Pennsylvania Family Institute and Family Life for The Art of Marriage: Getting to the Heart of God’s Design conference.

Translation: According to Indiana University, those who support (or even hint at supporting) traditional marriage are not welcome, and by association, neither are their chicken sandwiches, waffle fries or handspun milkshakes.

Continue ReadingTopics: Current Events Tags: family, homosexuality, marriage, policy, pop culture

Don’t Buy an Airline Ticket On . . .

Earlier this week we were talking with financial guru Dave Ramsey. Dave is an expert at helping families get – and stay – out of debt. In case you missed it, simply click here to listen to our discussion.

In the spirit of helping with family finances, the Wall Street Journal is out today with some interesting news.

Did you know that the very worst time of the week to buy airline tickets is over the weekend?

Continue ReadingTopics: Focus Events Tags: broadcast, family, technology

WANTED: Your Family Photos!

You probably know Focus on the Family’s motto is “Helping families thrive.”

What you may not know is that our Colorado Springs campus is a significant tourist destination – we’ve had more than 200,000 visitors come through our doors annually for many years running. They come to learn more about who we are and what we do and to share with us how our radio programs and resources have helped them. There is plenty for them to enjoy as they walk through our facility, but one thing is missing.

Continue ReadingTopics: Focus Events Tags: faith, family, kids, marriage, parenting

You Can Find Hope in Troubled Times

I was recently talking with a friend, and he began to draw a parallel between a mutual acquaintance of ours and my childhood. The person in question is a real survivor and currently managing a rather chaotic existence. He said it reminded him of me and the untraditional life of my youth.

While there are similarities, I suggested there was a significant distinction between the two. Unlike this friend of ours who appears content with his troubled lot, I managed to survive abandonment and loneliness because of one main thing: I lived in a constant state of hope, always praying and dreaming that I might someday, someway, trade chaos for order and an unconventional family life for a traditional home.

Continue ReadingTopics: Focus Events Tags: broadcast, husband, marriage, wife

Would You Walk Away from $12 Million?

Would you walk away from a guaranteed salary of $12 million?

Kansas City Royals pitcher Gil Meche did – all because he thought he wouldn’t be ready to play in 2011.

Plagued by chronic shoulder problems, the 31-year-old righthander’s status for the upcoming season was a question mark – but his salary was not. Under the terms of a five-year deal, Meche had one year remaining on his contract. Yet, Meche decided to retire for no other reason than he thought it was the right thing to do.

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: faith, finances

Philadelphia Grief

When a tape of an Oval Office conversation from January 23, 1973, was released in 2009, many were surprised that President Nixon expressed ambivalence when talking about the Supreme Court’s decision the day before that legalized abortion.

The White House issued no statement on the day Roe v. Wade was decided. On the tapes, Nixon expressed concern that broader access to abortion would foster “permissiveness” and that it “breaks the family.” Yet, he also said he saw reasons why it might be necessary, such as – shockingly and offensively – in cases of interracial pregnancies.

Continue ReadingTopics: Current Events Tags: kids, news, pro-life

MTV’s Obsession with Child Abuse

On December 29th, the Miami Herald ran a startling headline:

MTV’s Every Detail Etched on Children’s Minds

The article’s author, Ellen Livingston, spoke with myriad teachers and students about the network’s massive influence, almost all negative. John Anderson, a teacher at a private Lutheran School, said he’s worried kids are obsessed with it. He cited the fact that creative assignments often include MTV references.

Livingston asked the question: Knowing that the programming gets “its force from sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll” do parents mind their children spending the best years of their youth in front of MTV?

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

Thirty Years Ago Today

It was as if the day were scripted in Hollywood by the pen of Frank Capra, inclusive of pomp and pageantry, dreams and high drama, culminating at high noon, no less, all as the world watched.

In Washington, D.C., January 20, 1981, was cold and cloudy, but as Ronald Wilson Reagan took the oath, the overcast sky parted and a ray of sunshine fell upon the western front of our nation’s Capitol. Across the globe in Iran, 52 Americans hostages were loaded onto a plane and finally released following 444 days of captivity.

Continue ReadingTopics: Current Events Tags: events, news, policy

Regis Philbin’s Secret

By now, if you care or pay attention to such things, you know Regis Philbin has announced his retirement from morning television.

In the interest of full disclosure, as I’ve mentioned before, I don’t watch much television, including Regis, but I find elements of his life instructive and thought you might as well.

When most people think of Regis Philbin, they see success. He is one of television’s good guys, quick-witted and kindly humored. But Regis’ life has not been a one-act play whose star always shined strong and bright.

Continue ReadingTopics: Current Events Tags: entertainment, pop culture

Are Babies Better than Abortion?

Writing in today’s Wall Street Journal, William McGurn asks a serious question:

Are babies better than abortion?

Mr. McGurn is responding to a sobering new study recently released from the Chiaroscuro Foundation, a private nonprofit organization. He writes:

After crunching the latest statistics from New York City’s Health Department, the foundation reported that 41% of pregnancies (excluding miscarriage) in New York ended in abortion. That’s double the national rate.

As a society, does this figure say anything about the choice between a baby and abortion?

Continue ReadingTopics: Current Events Tags: kids, policy, pro-life