Daly Focus Blog
“I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”
Quick. Who said that?
If you don’t know the answer, here’s a clue: He was an American Patriot who said those words at the age of twenty-one, just before he was hanged.
Still no guesses?
Don’t feel bad. You’re not alone. That kind of rich history hasn’t been taught very well for decades. It’s alarming, frankly.
Knowing our history is important, for reasons far deeper than memorizing a sea of dates and names.
Our hearts break for what the country is experiencing. From Monday’s Supreme Court ruling that added sexual orientation and gender identity to a list of protected classes in the 1964 Civil Rights Act, to ongoing racial tensions and continued physical and economic suffering related to COVID-19, we’re living through difficult days.
As president of a world-wide organization dedicated to the preservation of the home, and setting apart things like a virus, which are outside our control, I want to address what I believe is a major part of our problem – the breakdown of the nuclear family.
I’m extremely disappointed to learn that the U.S. Supreme Court today took it upon itself to brazenly rewrite a federal employment statute to add sexual orientation and gender identity to a list of protected classes contained in the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
When that landmark civil rights statute was enacted by duly elected representatives of the people, Congress never imagined or intended that “sex” meant anything other than biological males and females.
Yet in this opinion six justices have done what Congress never intended to do and has explicitly rejected many times over the years since 1964.
As heated protests continue to roil and rock America in the aftermath of the heartbreaking George Floyd killing, what does the pathway toward peace and healing look like?
A lot like America, I hope – a broad array of races, diverse in ethnicity but united in belief that our nation’s motto means what it says – E pluribus unum – out of many, one.
In other words, though a melting pot in both background and ideology, our survival as a country is dependent upon our ability to work together.
In the aftermath of George Floyd’s tragic death and multiple days of rioting and looting across America, I could think of no better person to join us on the Focus on the Family Broadcast today than my friend Senator Tim Scott (R-SC).
I’ve long felt a special connection with South Carolina’s junior senator, but not only because he is a fellow believer in Christ. We have something else in common. Growing up poor in the Palmetto State, Tim Scott never had a father in his life.
The terrible circumstances of George Floyd’s death last week in Minneapolis while in police custody, along with the accompanying multi-city protests and riots of the last few days and nights, leaves many more questions than answers.
Progress in the area of race relations all too often seems painfully slow.
How can we move forward – boldly, swiftly and thoughtfully, helping the disenfranchised remain both hopeful and encouraged?
We look at the headlines and the images on television and the internet and have to think, surely there is a better way.
There is news out of Chicago that Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker will be imposing fines on three churches for meeting for worship services this past weekend.
According to the statewide stay-at-home order, churches are considered “nonessential.”
I understand that believers can worship everywhere, anywhere and at any time – but why are churches considered “nonessential” but liquor stores and pot shops deemed essential?
Illinois isn’t the first state to be so heavy handed and employ a double standard when dealing with people of faith.
As all but a handful of states begin the long and careful process of reopening their economies in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, strong opinions abound on both sides of the aisle.
Prudence dictated widespread closures early in the crisis, especially given the horrific death toll projections. But as the economy has cratered resulting in over 36 million people out of work, a rising suicide rate and the deaths of people who are forgoing healthcare out of fear of leaving their homes, it makes good sense to find our way forward in a responsible and measured manner.
Are you a member of a small church congregation?
Every house of worship is feeling the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, of course, but the extended closure and quarantine has put many smaller churches on the brink of closing their doors for good.
I spoke with my friend Benjamin Watson a few weeks ago about his efforts to help raise funds for these congregations. The former NFL star has a real heart for helping those on the margins.
This COVID-19 Church Relief Fund is being administered by the National Christian Foundation (NCF), a trusted organization that Focus on the Family has collaborated with for decades. Through this campaign, 100% of proceeds will go to churches that are the most at risk. NCF is distributing $3,000 grants to churches as funds are available.
There’s a lot that we don’t yet know about the chilling and tragic story surrounding the violent death of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery of Brunswick, Georgia.
But here’s what we do know.
On February 23rd Ahmaud Arbery was killed in broad daylight while running on a suburban street following an altercation with Gregory and Travis McMichael.
According to a press release from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the McMichaels – who are father and son – “confronted Arbery with two firearms.
Jim Daly is a husband, father and President of Focus on the Family and host of its National Radio Hall of Fame broadcast. His blog, Daly Focus, is full of timely commentary and wisdom designed to help you navigate and understand today’s culture. His latest book is Marriage Done Right.
