Daly Focus Blog
We recently finished airing a compelling, two-day Focus on the Family broadcast with Abby Johnson, the former director of a Texas Planned Parenthood clinic. While I first blogged about Abby back in November, this is one of those life-changing conversations you won’t want to miss. (Click here for PART 1 and PART 2).
In 2008, Abby was given the dubious honor of “Employee of the Year” for the Southeast Texas region having counseled thousands of women to have an abortion.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, family, pro-life by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
It’s been said, “You can please some of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.” That axiom is certainly true as we move closer to the debut of our Pam and Tim Tebow commercial in the Super Bowl. While the spot has yet to air, the overwhelming reaction to our theme of “Celebrate Family, Celebrate Life” has been positive.
I’m not surprised. Tim Tebow’s story is inspiring.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: news, pop culture, pro-life by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
If you toss a pebble into the still, glass-like water of a pond, what do you get? Ripples scurrying across the surface of the water constantly moving in an outward, circular fashion from the point of impact. These gentle ridges of water form an ever expanding ring of motion as each wavelet multiplies the reach of the initial splash.
Since we’re in the middle of the Sanctity of Human Life week, let me apply that pebble-in-the-pond phenomenon to our pro-life work here at Focus on the Family.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: church, faith, pro-life by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
With the national unemployment rate hitting 10.2%, the highest level in 26 years, it’s the rare individual who willingly quits a job without having another to take its place. But Abby Johnson said she really had no choice. And Abby Johnson didn’t have a run-of-the-mill job, either.
Abby is 29 years old and lives in Bryan, Texas. After she left the organization she had worked at for nine years, her employer filed what’s called a “restraining order of disclosure” against her, suspicious that she had absconded with confidential files.
Topics: Current Events Tags: news, pro-life by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
There was some new research out last week that is good news for those committed to the preservation of life.
According to the Pew Research Center, Americans are now evenly divided on whether or not abortion should be legal “in all or most circumstances.” A year ago, abortion advocates outnumbered pro-lifers by a margin of 54-41 percent. Today, that gap has narrowed to 47-45 percent, a difference within the poll’s margin of error.
In May, Gallup released similar findings, indicating that 51% of Americans identified themselves as “pro-life.” Some media reports have attempted to downplay this latest round of news, suggesting that historical data reflects a stronger or steadier level of support for legalized abortion.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: news, pro-life by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
There are two things that will drive a debate to the point of a decision: Pain and partisan politics, though not necessarily in that order.
The legislative wrangling regarding health care reform is raging red hot these days. Admittedly, it’s a complex issue. For some, there is a genuine and sincere appeal to its passage, centered on a desire to help those families least able to help themselves. Few would fail to acknowledge the real pain of those most in need; those who are unable to access necessary health care for themselves and their loved ones.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: policy, pro-life by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
Thursday’s broadcast last week featured a conversation between Tony Perkins (president of Family Research Council), our own Senior Vice President Tom Minnery and myself on the topic of managing the nation’s healthcare. As you may know, the nation is engaged in a vigorous debate whether or not the government should step into the health care arena—or leave health coverage to private providers.
It strikes me that regardless of whether you come down on the side of handing the healthcare system to the government or keeping it privatized, we need to acknowledge there aspects of the current system that require our attention.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, news, policy, pro-life by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
In my last post I spent some time talking about the 40th anniversary of the first lunar landing. I just came across a terrific advertisement crafted by the organization called CatholicVote.com.
I love the creative way they cast the pro-life message in light of a man walking on the moon. We applaud these good folks with whom we share our devotion for the defense and celebration of life.
Click here to enjoy the brief yet powerful video, and consider sharing it with a friend.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: pro-life by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
A remarkable event happened recently which was largely ignored by the media. Earlier this year Secretary of State Hillary Clinton accepted the 2009 Margaret Sanger Award, the highest honor offered by Planned Parenthood, named after their founder, a noted eugenicist. If you’re unfamiliar with eugenics, it’s an approach to “improving” the human race through the process of “selective breeding.” Yes, for those who know about World War II, this was one of many theories embraced by the Nazis.
Topics: Current Events Tags: events, family, news, pro-life by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
Just when I thought I’d heard every positive spin used to justify the practice of aborting babies, I cracked open this week’s edition of WORLD magazine. Marvin Olasky’s article, “The ‘Blessing’ of Abortion,” left me speechless. Olasky presented several excerpts from a speech given by Rev. Katherine Hancock Ragsdale in Alabama. I think you’ll agree Ms. Ragsdale is about as far to the political left of the spectrum as is humanly possible.
For starters, Ragsdale doesn’t agree with Hillary Clinton’s popular pro-choice worldview that believes abortion should be “safe, legal, and rare.” Far from it.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: pro-life by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
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.