policy Archives

Millennial Support for Marriage is #NotDeadYet

The media loves a “narrative,” the familiar storyline they tell and tell again. And in light of yesterday’s deeply disappointing Supreme Court decisions regarding marriage, one such narrative that we see again and again is that the younger crowd, the millennial generation, doesn’t care about preserving marriage. If you’re a believer in natural marriage, that’s a tough thing to swallow. Fortunately, however, that’s not the complete picture.

Millions of teens and twenty-somethings are standing firm for marriage.

Topics: Current Events Tags: homosexuality, marriage, news, policy June 27, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Why I’m Not Despairing Over the Marriage Rulings

The family and I have, ironically, just landed in Washington D.C. for a tour of historic Williamsburg. From the small television in the back of the seat on the airplane, I watched the proceedings from the steps of the Supreme Court as reporters analyzed the news coming from inside the historic building.

Today’s Supreme Court rulings overturning part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act and failing to rule on California’s Proposition 8 case are deeply disappointing.

Topics: Current Events Tags: homosexuality, marriage, policy June 26, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Five Questions and Answers About the Same-Sex Marriage Issue

The Supreme Court is expected to rule on two key marriage cases before the end of June. And as the nation awaits the decisions to the Prop 8 and DOMA and cases, good people are asking thoughtful questions on why marriage matters. However, it’s not always easy to wade through the research and pundit talking points to get trustworthy information on this important issue. You might even find yourself in a conversation with a friend who might see things differently than you.

Topics: Current Events Tags: homosexuality, marriage, policy, religious liberty June 18, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

President Obama’s Prayer Proclamation 2013

NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER, 2013
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION

Americans have long turned to prayer both in times of joy and times of sorrow. On their voyage to the New World, the earliest settlers prayed that they would “rejoice together, mourn together, labor, and suffer together, always having before our eyes our commission and community in the work.” From that day forward, Americans have prayed as a means of uniting, guiding, and healing.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, news, policy, religious liberty May 2, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

This Photo is Worth More Than a Thousand Words

Did you catch the dedication of the Bush Library yesterday?

The NBC News Facebook page ran this photo along with the following caption:

For the first time since the 2006 funeral of Gerald Ford all the nation’s former living presidents came together with the current commander in chief to honor one of their own Thursday at the Bush Library dedication.

To be sure, these five men represent very different views and ideologies. As evangelical Christians, we’ve applauded some of the things they’ve done and decried others.

Topics: Current Events Tags: news, policy April 26, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Solution to the Gun Debate

Let me be candid.

I’m not a gun enthusiast. It wasn’t part of my heritage or upbringing. Even though I know how to use various firearms now, I’m still something of an amateur on the subject.

Even so, I feel the need to comment on the discussions in Washington and throughout the media recently calling for increased gun control legislation.

From my viewpoint, attention is being focused in the wrong direction.

I don’t claim to be an expert on the specifics of the gun control debate.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, news, policy April 24, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

If the Supreme Court Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage…

This was the question posed to me by the editors of Christianity Today recently:

If the Supreme Court legalizes same-sex marriage, what next?

Hypothetical questions are not always productive, but in this case, I was privileged to participate in the panel, which featured answers from two other individuals. The panel of three also included Elodie Ballantine Emig, instructor of Greek at Denver Seminary and Timothy Dalrymple, managing editor at Patheos.com.

You can read the entire exchange by clicking here.

Topics: Current Events Tags: homosexuality, marriage, news, policy April 15, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Four Things You Can Do to Preserve Traditional Marriage

Today’s Focus on the Family broadcast features two of the brightest minds in the country discussing the Supreme Court’s recent oral arguments on the matter of same-sex marriage.

Joining John Fuller and me is Dr. Helen Alvare, a professor of law at George Mason University, and Dr. Al Mohler, the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

By clicking here you can hear the entire program, which includes audio clips from the actual proceedings inside the Supreme Court chamber.

Topics: Current Events Tags: broadcast, homosexuality, marriage, news, policy April 10, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Missing Piece in the Gun Debate

Do you ever get the sense that fewer and fewer people are willing to address the root cause of big problems?

Take for example the fiscal state of America. Instead of cutting spending and tackling the crippling national debt, lawmakers raise taxes.

When it comes to education and struggling schools, rather than examining the curriculum or expanding parental choice, the immediate response is usually a call to increase the school district’s budget.

Abortion or sexually transmitted disease rates rise – and there’s a chorus of individuals championing the free distribution of condoms in public schools.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, news, policy January 18, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Have You Heard About What’s Going on in France?

At first glance it seems like a somewhat inconceivable notion: nearly 800,000 French citizens taking to the streets to protest the legalization of same-sex marriage.

Yet, that’s exactly what happened over this past weekend in Paris.

France’s socialist government plans to vote this year on a bill that would redefine marriage, but many of its citizens, both liberal and conservative, would rather the vote be put to the people, not left in the hands of a select few lawmakers.

Topics: Current Events Tags: events, news, policy January 15, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura