news Archives

The Royal Wedding

Come April 29th, the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton will be televised by every major network and cable news channel. It will be viewed all over the world. Over one million people are expected to travel to London, if only to catch a glimpse and play their part.

Why? What is it about the royal wedding that pulls so many people in?

To some degree, it is, of course, the substance of the classic fairy tale: beauty, romance, nobility and prestige, not to mention the hope and expectation of a happy marriage and life.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: marriage, news April 29, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Public Library Pornography

Have you ever been to the New York City Public Library?

It’s been in the national news this week after its spokesperson announced they’ll be making pornography available to any and all of its patrons. This comes as a shock on many levels, especially since adults and children share the same space inside its walls.

This national landmark sits at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street. Even if your travels haven’t brought you there, you’ve probably seen it on television or in the movies.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: news, pop culture April 27, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

A Visit with Presidents Carter, Bush (41 & 43) and Clinton – And Kid Rock

Sometimes I just have to wonder: How does someone who is really just an average guy end up at an event with four living presidents?

Only in America.

I’ll tell you how it came to be.

Some of you are familiar with the Points of Light Institute, a bipartisan organization dedicated to encouraging and promoting volunteerism in America. The inspiration for its founding comes from President George H.W. Bush who, in 1991, offered the following challenge during his first State of the Union Address:

We can find meaning and reward by serving some higher purpose than ourselves, a shining purpose, the illumination of a thousand points of light… We all have something to give… What government can do alone is limited, but the potential of the American people knows no limits.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: news March 28, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Finding Hope in the Japanese Quake and Tsunami

To watch the news reports, read the wire stories and listen to radio updates, it’s easy to conclude that Japan is fighting for its life.

The devastation is heartbreaking. By Monday morning thousands of bodies were beginning to wash up on shore, overwhelming relief efforts. Any estimate at the death toll is a calculated guess, but it will likely be in the tens of thousands. The long range impact of the nuclear fallout is also unknown.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: news March 14, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

As Seen in The Washington Post

As many of you know, I am honored to serve as a panelist on the Washington Post’s On Faith blog. I thought I would share this week’s contribution with you.

Here is the question that was posed to me:

The U.S. House of Representatives voted last week to eliminate federal funding for Planned Parenthood, which provides abortions, along with a variety of health care services for women. The Virginia General Assembly last week approved legislation that requires abortion clinics to be regulated as hospitals, and providers say the stricter regulations will force many of them out of business.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: news, policy, pro-life March 8, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

A Startling Photo

I received an email today from a Christian friend who lives in China. Attached to the note was the photo you see, which he took while walking on a busy city sidewalk.

Ironically, my friend is visiting the United States, and the photo was taken not on a Beijing street but in Washington, D.C.

The $50,000 bus billboard campaign is the work of a group called the Center for Inquiry. On their website they purport that they’re not arguing the existence of God in this ad, just His relevance in our lives.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, news March 7, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Bounced By BYU’s Honor Code

On the brink of March Madness, college basketball’s high season, we learn that Brigham Young University’s star forward, Brandon Davies, has been removed from the team for an “Honor Code” violation. According to last night’s Salt Lake City Tribune, Davies admitted to engaging in premarital sex.

BYU is currently ranked #3 in the nation, and the Davies suspension deals a severe blow to the Cougar’s chance at competing for a national championship.

Across the sports spectrum, from ESPN to talk radio to the blogosphere, the debate has begun:

Is it fair to kick a guy off a winning team for a violation of this nature?

Topics: Family and Home Tags: news, pop culture, sex March 3, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Will Christian Adoption Be Banned?

I want you to meet Eunice and Owen Johns.

Mrs. Johns, 62, and Mr. Johns, 65, live in the United Kingdom. They’ve raised four children and have been foster parents to a total of 15. By every measure they’ve done a terrific job. From the beginning of their fostering adventure, they’ve seen their noble calling rooted in Christian conviction. They have epitomized and embraced the words of James: “to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27).

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, homosexuality, news, policy March 2, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Is This Billboard Offensive?

Take a look at the picture of this billboard.

Do you find it offensive?

Not surprisingly, the Reverend Al Sharpton, a flashpoint figure and known agitator, does, saying it “demonizes women.” He demanded it be taken down. Planned Parenthood agreed, calling it a “condescending effort to stigmatize and shame African-American women.”

The controversy surrounding the billboard created a predictable circus like atmosphere in New York, with Reverend Sharpton threatening a protest in front of the building.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: news, policy, pro-life February 25, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Justin Bieber’s Scandal

Are any of your kids “Beliebers” – i.e. fans of singer Justin Bieber?

In pop music circles, Mr. Bieber is a big deal. An overnight sensation whose music was first posted online, the sixteen year-old also has a new movie out. Opening two weeks ago, the film has already grossed nearly $50 million.

But according to the New York Times art critic Jon Caramanica, Mr. Bieber has big-time trouble brewing.

A scandal? Drugs? Sex? A family feud?

Topics: Current Events Tags: entertainment, news, pop culture, pro-life February 22, 2011 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura