The phrase “family matters” is an intentional double-meaning of words. We are the example to the world when it needs to be reminded that the bonds of our earthly “family” do indeed matter. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit represent the greatest example of family — coexisting in mutual respect, purpose, and communication with One another. Our extended spiritual “family” offers additional opportunity to demonstrate wisdom, selflessness, peace and unity within and without the borders of our meeting places. I pray that within each of our “families,” we may demonstrate Father God’s heart and love. Both families are currently under attack and misrepresentation. The links below discuss both victories and defeats, trends and issues worth our prayer.
CURRENT ARTICLES:
September 30, 2021: Documentary Shows Political ‘Wokeness’ Infiltrating Churches
According to christiannewswire.com, D. James Kennedy Ministries has created a documentary demonstrating “the Left’s growing influence inside the evangelical church” and is entitled “How the Left is Stealing Your Church: the Invasion of the Gospel of Woke.”
According to the release, the documentary “also exposes the flow of funding from the Left“, as well as how woke Marxism “is now being smuggled into Bible-believing churches.”
September 2, 2021: Government Integrity Projects Offers Help for Parents Wrestling with Tough School Boards
This article discusses laws RSA 197:2 and RSA 195:134 regarding calling a special meeting, plus explaining how to use a School District Petition. Learn the steps to make a significant impact on decisions being made by your School Board. Downloads included.
August 12, 2021: Revisiting How Service Members Can Apply for Religious Exemptions
This is an article almost a year old, but could not be more relevant, today.
According to childrenshealthdefense.org, “The military has a 4-step formal process for requesting a religious exemption. If the exemption is denied, there is also a process for overturning the decision.”
The process is described as taking 30-60 days, but is outlined in the article.
July 29, 2021: Converse Substitutes Pentagram for Trademark Star in Special Edition Shoe
Oh yeah, that pentagram makes them “special,” all right. I certainly won’t be buying these shoes for any grandkids!
Faithwire.com shares that Converse has been working with a fashion designer, Rick Owens, who is fond of using pentagram logos on his gear “because, obviously, it has adolescent occult associations.”
Oh, but his quote doesn’t stop there…this appears to be a man with a distinct agenda on his mind, as her further explains: “A pentagram, in this day and age, with all of its associations….I like the fact it refers to an alternative system. And that suggests empathy and openness. It suggests the pursuit of pleasure, this pursuit of sensation…a consideration of systems of living that might not be standard.”
Wow. A pursuit of pleasure in a system of living that might not be “standard.” Just what our society is short of, right now.
July 19, 2021: “1619 Project” Creator Praises Cuban Dictatorship
This is pretty much a self-explanatory statement. You know the statement, you know the agenda. Disgraceful.
According to theblaze.com, 1619 Project creator Nikole Hannah-Jones praised the Cuban dictatorship in 2019 as “the ‘most equal country’ in the Western Hemisphere,” attributing that title “largely due to socialism.” She also described race relations as “the most equal, multiracial country in our hemisphere,” as reported by breitbart.com.
Has she said anything recently? At the moment, “mum’s the word”.……..
July 9, 2021: “We’re Coming for Your Children” — Ironic Humor? Really?
This is just sick. It reminds me of the old saying, ‘many a truth is said in jest.’ But I find it hard to believe there are any jesters in this bunch. Entire lyrics to the disturbing “humorous” song are included in the article.
As reported by resistthemainstream.org, “The San Francisco Gay Men’s Choir, which triggered mounting backlash with its song about the “gay agenda,” claims that the song is ironic humor.” The Choir itself “issued a lengthy statement….arguing that the ‘tongue-in-cheek humor is lost on many.'”
Three repetitions of “We’ll convert your children” and five repetitions of “we’re coming for your children” or “we’re coming for them” — all in the name of good-hearted humor? I think not.
“You think we’ll corrupt your kids if our agenda goes unchecked…funny, just this once, you’re correct.”
Now there’s the truth.
June 16, 2021: Cameras in the Classroom? National Discussion is Starting
I caught a brief blurb on this on christiannewswire.com concerning Nevada classrooms. I didn’t realize it was becoming a national discussion.
Christiannewswire.com stated, “Since we released our call for body cameras in a Nevada school district, a nationwide outcry over political speech in the classroom has led us to join the fight on a national level.”
Karen England, Executive Director and Founder of the Nevada Family Alliance, is quoted as saying, “Teachers are increasingly imposing their own political views and are undermining parental views and values…creating a record that could be viewed by appropriate parties, if necessary, might be the best way to urge teachers to stick to traditional teaching.”
Thomas Lifson, authoring a piece for americanthinker.com, points out that teachers’ unions will likely object with great fervor and publicity, utilizing terms such as “academic freedom.” Lifson notes, “There is no such right for government employees teaching primary and secondary School children…they are instructors following curricula imposed on them by school boards.” Lifson also quotes retired journalist Don Surber, who encouraged, “When it comes to teachers, trust but verify. Bodycams would protect them from false accusations, while protecting our children from abuse.”
The Nevada Family Alliance website entitled reclaimingourschools.com states that in Washoe County School District, “We have fund Critical Race Theory in our public schools as early as kindergarten.” Westernjournal.com analyzed the Washoe County situation and surmised, “The teaching materials certainly lean hard left and are needlessly woke…but the lack of clear perspective of where this fits in the curriculum makes it difficult to judge whether it constitutes critical race theory.”
In a May 6, 2021 article, Tony Perkins of frc.org (Family Research Council) shared the story of Southlake, Texas parents who discovered their school district “started floating the idea of a new Critical Race Curriculum” — and responded against it with great passion. The main lesson to be learned, according to the article, is that “Moms and dads are the first line of defense between their children and what’s coming through the education system.” The article includes steps and action to take when you recognize CRT terms and concepts moving in on your local school curriculum.
June 15, 2021: DeSantis Signs Bill….Requiring A Moment for Prayer?
I am blown away by this. After decade of news reporting how schools are banning prayer, a bright light on the horizon.
As reported by amp.miamiherald.com, Governor DeSantis recently signed into law the legislation to make Florida “one of at least 15 states, a legislative analysis said, that would compel schools to hold moments of silence at public schools.”
The Governor is reported as saying, “It’s something that’s important to be able to provide each student the ability, each day, to be able to reflect and to be able to pray as they see fit. The idea that you can just push God out of every institution, and be successful — I’m sorry our founding fathers did not believe that.”
Bravo, Governor DeSantis!
May 4, 2021: Expose on the Teaching of Critical Race Theory in the Schools
According to dailysignal.com, Christopher Rufo, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, states that “critical race theory is an academic discipline…that holds that racism is the driving force in society, that in order to understand power relations, in order to understand institutions such as the law, education, the Constitution, (and) social relations, you have to understand that through the lens of race.”
Hear the video explanation here.
March 8, 2021: Trafficking, Forced Marriage on the Rise
I guess this shouldn’t be surprising, but I am always caught by surprise at the depth, scope, and commonality of human trafficking. How revolting and repugnant can this level of illegal action be?
Christiannewswire.com reports on an Open Doors USA report that states “there is a growing, hidden, ‘shadow pandemic’ of violence, abduction, and trafficking directed towards Christian women and girls around the world.” The report explored “gender-specific religious persecution” in the months October 2019 through September 2020. The report specifies that forced-marriages are up 16% and “17 countries reporting incidents with trafficking women and girls (up from 10 the previous year).”
March 3, 2021: Legal Penalties Approved for Performing Minor Transgender Therapies
I have never given much thought to Alabama’s “contributions to America.” But I am rapidly becoming quite impressed with its outstanding fights-for-life-and-normality stances the Alabama lawmakers have taken over the last year.
As stated by nationalfile.com, the “Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act” has banned “the prescription of puberty-blocking drugs, the use of hormone therapy, or sex-change therapy, from being performed on minors.” Alabama State Senator Shay Shelnutt is quoted as stating, “Children aren’t mature enough to make these decisions on surgeries and drugs.” Anyone acting in noncompliance of the bill “could face a 10 year prison sentence, or a $15,000 fine.”
The article also points out that “mainstream news reports made sure to include condemnation of the bill….claiming the bill would somehow ‘endanger’ transgender children.” Very true. Cbsnews.com skewed the situation by stating “The two bills would make it a felony for medical professionals to treat transgender minors under the age of 19 with gender-affirming care.”
“Gender-affirming care.” Wow. Reportedly, seven other states are considering or drafting a similar law.
February 25, 2021: Biden’s DOJ Steps Away from Supporting Women Athletes
I find this so troublesome on many levels. I remember talking about transgender interference in women/girls’ sporting events a few years ago. Now it’s back — and public defenders of the girls appear to be in scarce supply. As covered by dailycaller.com, the current DOJ has made the decision to “withdraw its statement of interest in the case.”
Christiana Holcomb, lawyer with Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), is quoted as stating that the decision was “defying common sense.” She continued that “the Biden administration has abandoned its support for the deserving female athletes who have been sidelined and outpaced by males dominating girls’ sports.”
Nypost.com noted in a 2/12/21 article that “A ban on transgender girls competing in female high school sports is one step closer in North Dakota, Mississippi, Utah and Tennessee–as other states weigh similar measures.”
February 22, 2021: Dr. Richard/Rachel Levine Submitted as Assistant Secretary for the Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS)
According to thenationalpulse.com, openly transgender HHS Assistant Secretary Rachel Levine has a rare resume he/she would bring to the roll: while employed as Pennsylvania’s Secretary of the Pennsylvania Dept. of Health, Levine engaged “in a draconian campaign of threats against counties that questioned COVID-19 guidelines” as businesses wished to reopen; in addition, Levine (like Andrew Cuomo) insisted COVID-19 elders were moved from hospitals into nursing homes.
And after participating in all that collateral human damage, Levine now advocates sex changes and gender therapies for children pre-puberty.
February 22, 2021: Biden Promotes Un-‘Equality Bill’ That Endangers Girls’ Sports Nationwide
This is a really ridiculous agenda that I hope ends challenged and destroyed, soon. As pointed out by christianheadlines.com, Joe Biden is “urging swift passage of a far-reaching LGBTQ rights bill that critics say would impair religious freedom and destroy hard-fought legal protections for women, including the right to play on female-only teams.”
In addition to adding gender identity/sexual orientation to “protected classes for education, federal funding, employment, housing, public accommodations and facilities,” the bill also amends the Civil Rights Acts of 1964. According to the Alliance Defending Freedom, the Equality Act would “forbid churches and religious nonprofits from requiring their employees to live out their religious beliefs about marriage, sexual morality, and the distinction between sexes.”
February 13, 2021: Tennessee Fathers May Be Able to Prevent Abortion with New Legislation
As covered by oann.com, GOP Senator Mark Pody and GOP Representative Jerry Sexton have introduced a bill “which would give fathers the power to order a legal injunction to prohibit an abortion.” Their argument, logically enough, is that “it took the two of them to create this human being” and the two men are hoping the legislation might end up by saving lives.
February 13, 2021: Judicial Watch Defends Dad Who Lost Job After Criticizing Left-Wing Curriculum at Daughter’s School
According to theblaze.com, Massachusetts parent David Flynn was fired from his job for exercising his First Amendment right of free speech. Flynn, “who became Dedham High School’s head football coach in 2011 and attended the school himself — raised issues last fall about his seventh-grade daughter’s World Geography and Ancient History class….instead, the instruction concerned issues of race, gender, stereotypes, prejudices, discrimination, and politics, among others….”
The lawsuit is demanding “compensatory and punitive damages, attorneys’ fees and costs, and a jury trial.”
February 12, 2021: New Book Explains BLM Curriculum in Classrooms
As stated by dailysignal.com, “A new book, Black Lives Matter at School, lays out how the entire system of K-12 education in America could be transformed to carry out the agenda of the Black Lives Matter movement.” The book reportedly “gives a framework for how the movement aims how to shape public education in the coming years.”
February 11, 2021: “Day of Tears” Commemoration Resolution Passes in Alabama
Will other states follow suit? Very interesting designation. According to christiannewswire.com, the Alabama House of Representatives has passed a resolution proclaiming January 22 as “Day of Tears” day. “This resolution calls for private citizens in Alabama to lower their flags on January 22, in honor and remembrance of the over 61 million who have lost their lives to abortion.”
The article also notes that “Alabama has long been a leader in passing laws providing protections for the unborn.”
January 22, 2021: White House Moves Rapidly to “Codify” Roe vs. Wade
What in the world does that mean? Well, coming from Unofficial Resident Biden, nothing good for Americans and their families, I suspect…..sure enough, terrified that the Supreme Court might somehow be granted the opportunity to revisit Roe vs. Wade and either delegitimize it or severely restrict its application, Biden seeks to create a law which would “allow for legal abortions even in the event the Supreme Court overturns the 1973 ruling,” according to an article released by mbncnews.com.
That means, it seems to me, that this “codified law” would be a singular category of law set above the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, accountable to no one and nothing.
Really? Is this dangerous precedent really a direction that we, as Americans, want to see taken, overriding individual state legislation?
I shudder to think so.
January 18, 2021: A Clarion Call from President Trump to Protect the Dignity of Every Human Life
I heard this speech, and it was inspiring. As reported by breakingchristiannews.com, to commemorate the National Sanctity of Human Life Day on January 21, President Trump gave a before-Biden-inauguration speech encouraging lawmakers, courts, and the society as a whole to defend “the dignity of every human life, including those not yet born.” He encouraged the “support” of both adoption and foster care “in a more meaningful way.\,” referring to the Roe v. Wade decision of almost fifty years ago as a “constitutionally flawed ruling.”
January 14, 2021: “Missouri Becomes First ‘Abortion-Free-State”.
January 12, 2021: “Critical Race Theory Infiltrates Government, Classroom”
January 1, 2021: “Democrats Propose Major Change to House Rules, Eliminating Family Language for ‘Gender-Inclusive’ Alternatives” .
December 29, 2020: Democrat Legislature Overturns Republican Governor’s Veto of Lower Abortion Age
According to foxnewscom, “Massachusetts’ legislature overrode its Republican governor’s veto of a bill on Tuesday that expanded abortion access in a variety of ways, including allowing 16-year-old girls to obtain abortions without parental consent.”
Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser is quoted as stating, “This dangerous new law allows for late-term abortion on-demand across Massachusetts, and secret abortions for minor girls as young as 16.”
December 12, 2020: ASCI Reports Nearly 90% of Christian Schools Opened to In-School Instruction
This is a very interesting little article. As reported by breitbart.com, the Association of Christian Schools International “delivered on their promises to open with in-person instruction for the 2020-2021 school year.” Breitbart also shared a tweet from the American Academy of Pediatric journal which recommended on July 19, 2020, that “Children rarely transmit the coronavirus,” concluding that “schools should reopen, albeit with certain safety protocols.”
The article also stated that “over 80%” of private schools gained enrollment as private schools continued to remain closed, and that the ASCI summarized, “Most schools reported zero to minimal disruption from the spread of coronavirus in their school community.”
Betsy DeVos was quoted as stating, “The only reason kids are not back to school in person in too many places is because the teachers’ unions have been standing in the way and playing politics with children’s lives.”
October 30, 2020: International Declaration Signed States There is No Inherent “Right to Abortion”
According to theblaze.com, “The U.S. and 32 other nations signed a declaration last week that made clear that ‘there is no international right to abortion,’ and highlighted the foundational importance of the family unit to society.” The document is formally named the “Geneva Consensus Declaration On Promoting Women’s Health and Strengthening the Family.”
The virtually–signed document reportedly included the belief in “the inherent ‘dignity and worth’ of the human person,” that “every human being has the inherent right to life,” and a “commitment ‘to enable women to go safely through pregnancy and childbirth and provide couples with the best chance of having a healthy infant.”
Secretary of State Michael Pompeo “touted the agreement” and gave credit to President Trump: “Under President Trump’s leadership, the United States has defended the dignity of human life everywhere and always.”
October 23, 2020: President Trump Signs National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking
The presidentialprayerteam.org has released information on President Trump’s National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking, stating that the plan “builds on the ‘three pillars’ of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000: prevention, protection and prosecution.” The Action Plan signing was timed to coincide with the opening announcement of the DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking.
The plan states that “Human trafficking, a crime of exploiting a person for compelled labor or commercial sex, has no place in a society that values freedom and the rule of law.” Also stated is that “The United States Government is committed to eradicating human trafficking…in all its forms.”
October 6, 2020: Supreme Court Expected to Rule on At-Home Abortion Pill Before Barrett Confirmation/update Oct. 9
According to lifesitenews.com, the Supreme Court “could be days away from issuing a decision on federal regulations banning the abortion pill from being administered without an in-person doctor’s visit,” even without a full court.
In July, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration appealed a ruling allowing the first-step abortion drug mifepristone to be prescribed and taken at home with no medical supervision. The FDA appealed based on their statement that “The risks to patients, and any harms that materialized, cannot be undone.”
Oct. 9, 2020: As reported by foxnews.com, “The Supreme Court on Thursday blocked enforcement of federal government restrictions on women seeking access to an abortion drug during coronavirus pandemic…the ruling would, for now, continue to allow women to obtain an abortion pill by mail during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
July 27, 2020: Tom Cotton Introduces Legislation to Defund Schools Teaching “Fake History”
Thefederalist.com reports that Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AK) has introduced legislation “that would bar federal funding from schools that incorporate the New York Times’ ‘1619 Project’ into their curriculum.” The bill is titled “Saving American History Act of 2020,” and is specifically designed to counter the “racially divisive, revisionist account of history.”
While 1619 Project author Nikole Hannah-Jones has stated that “I’ve always said that the 1619 Project is not a history. It is a work of journalism,” pjmedia.com points out that her claim to merely “challenge the national narrative” involves redefining “America’s past, claiming the country’s true founding occurred in 1619 with the arrival of the first black slaves to Jamestown, rather than 1776 with the Declaration of Independence.”
Senator Cotton is quoted as saying, “Not a single cent of federal funding should go to indoctrinate young Americans with this left-wing garbage.”
July 8, 2020: Black Lives Matter Curriculum in Classrooms?
This is one of those you-can’t-be-serious situations: thefederalist.com shares that “New York City is one of the many school systems in the United States set to roll out Black Lives Matter (BLM)-themed lesson plans this fall.”
OK, New York City is doing crazy things from top to bottom right now. But the article goes on to list that far more conservative North Carolina has taken even a quicker step forward: Reportedly, North Carolina’s largest school district has “launched a website this summer that provides BLM lessons for teachers to use in classrooms.”
And that’s what makes this tremendously concerning. Announcements about BLM curriculum entering school curriculum have not simply occurred in the last month or two. A full year ago in August, 2019, nypost.com ran an article entitled, “How Black Lives Matter is Moving Into the Schools.”
Before COVID. Before George Floyd. Before weeks and weeks of destructive “police brutality” rioting. Before-before-before.
The article starts off by pointing out, “Now, through the efforts of activist teachers, BLM is moving beyond street protests to establish a growing presence in the nation’s public schools.” The article also cites that “The initiative began in Seattle, where teachers organized a ‘Black Lives Matter at School’ Day.” That occurred in October, 2016.
Rewind the clock just a little farther back. City-journal.org makes a 2019 statement that “What began in 2013 as a hashtag propagated by a few activists and academics rapidly grew into a nationwide protest movement and then an institutional establishment, with local chapters around the U.S. and even a few abroad.” The article from City-journal also points out that “The present venture is akin to a franchising operation, with local cells of teacher’s union activists as the operators. K-12 educators sympathetic with the movement have successfully promoted the ‘Black Lives Matter at School’ program, bringing its activist spirit and ideology into a growing number of secondary and even elementary programs.”
Let me return to thefederalist.com. It summarizes Wake County’s BLM curriculum in this manner: The program is “dressed up as a legitimate civics education resource,” but declares that “the site lays out a cult-like recruiting process for students to follow: “Step one — recognize your white privilege. Step two — learn the do’s and don’ts of being an ally. Step three — recruit more members to learn steps one and two. Step three posits, ‘Racial equity accountability must be tied to specific outcomes. What, exactly, are those outcomes? The obvious answer is activism on behalf of the BLM movement.” For additional reading, check out the 6-23-20 entry of Political Juggernaut.
July 3, 2020: Polyamory Redefines “Family” in Somerville, Massachusetts
The bostonherald.com reports that Somerville, Massachusetts, has approved “a domestic partnership ordinance that has no limit to the number of people in the relationship.” Chosen Family Law Center representative Andy Izenson is quoted as stating, “This has done something really amazing in the discourse of family relationships, and the possibilities that it has opened up.”
“Possibilities”? Seriously?
The article quotes Somerville City Councilman J.T. Scott as saying, “I asked, why only two people?” He added, “Families in Somerville come in all shapes and sizes.” This is a huge change in the city’s ordinances, as Somerville had not yet recognized domestic partnerships, unlike its neighboring Boston and Cambridge. Moreover, it is the first domestic partnership ordinance in the county allowing a potentially unlimited number of people to be considered “domestic partners.”
Lifesitenews.com commented a July 3 article that “Once marriage was redefined and placed in a panoply of morally acceptable romantic arrangements, it was only a matter of time before the number of partners would mean as much as the sex of the partners. Which is to say, nothing.” Any number of outlandish “arrangements” can be formulated, with the expectation “the government endorse and financially support their sexual arrangements.”
June 28, 2020: President Trump Declares Unborn Babies “Have a Right to Life”
Lifenews.com reported on President Trump’s address to the National Right to Life Convention. The President is quoted as saying, “We all have a duty to defend the most basic and fundamental human right — the right to life. As President I am dedicated to protecting the lives of every American including the unborn.”
President Trump also referenced the many acts of pro-life legislation he had created or supported over the last 4 years.
June 25, 2020: #AllBlackLivesMatter Invites Blacks to Unify Around Faith, Pro-Life Principles
This is a really interesting article. I also found it interesting that I could NOT find any reference to anything titled “All Black Lives Matter” in American publications, except for an latimes.com reference to a LGBTQ march by that name held earlier in the month.
According to breakingisraelnews.com, however, “An alternative grassroots movement is rising up…calling for an end to the greatest killer of black people in America: abortion.”
According to the article, “Melissa Tate” describes herself as “Conservative Trumpublican, Wife, mother and Child of the Most High God, Retweeted by President Trump.” She shared in her tweet that “We are starting a new movement. It’s #AllBlackLivesMatter, not just the ones the left wants to use for political gain.” Her tweet also shared the statistic that “94% of black men are murdered by other black men,” and on another occasion, shared a graph showing the appalling quantity of abortion-deaths in the black community, versus heart disease, cancer, and homicide.
The article also details that the faith-based organization Issues4Life Foundation recommended to the Congressional Black Caucus that Planned Parenthood be defunded. In 2012, the organization Protecting Black Lives “found that seventy-nine percent of Planned Parenthood’s surgical abortion procedures are located in walking distance of minority communities.”
June 15, 2020: SpongeBob SquarePants Comes Out of the Sink (Or Closet) as Gay, According to Interpretation of Nickelodian Photo
Well, I think this is just a cheap shot to generate publicity; perhaps ole’ SpongeBob isn’t bringing in the cleanser like he used to. However, headlines regarding the alleged shift in sexuality for SpongeBob appears to be mob perception, rather than actual statement on the part of Nickelodian. Do I actually care? No. We’re talking about a sponge, for heaven’s sake — wipe the sink and move on. If “Spongebob Gay” figures now wear a rainbow tie, then purchase “Spongebob Classic” figures with the traditional black tie. And move on.
According to time.com, “the network did not specify whether SpongeBob was a member of the community or an ally,” though Twitter followers apparently began a furious storm with “evidence” provided through the years for each side of the case. Among the quotes was one dating back to 2005, in which “the show’s creator…stated that Spongebob was, in fact, asexual.”
While the non-announcement took place this month, June — Gay Pride Month — rt.com points out, “SpongeBob SquarePants has long been something of a gay icon, and the show is littered with innuendos and references to back this up. After the character’s popularity with gay men grew in the early 2000s, creator Stephen Hillenburg threw cold water on the debate…Hillenburg died in 2018, leaving Nickelodean in charge of SpongeBob’s sexuality.”
Even more potentially alarming, however, is the fact that in October, 2019, Anthropology professor Holly M. Barker at the University of Washington declared that SpongeBob and his friends “play a role in normalizing the settler colonial takings of indigenous lands while erasing the ancestral Bikinian people from their nonfictional homeland.”
Say, what?
I looked into her subject and was quite surprised to discover that the basis for Professor Barker’s outrage was the U.S. dropping of nuclear weapons on the Bikini Atoll in 1946 and for several years afterwards. As described by smithsonianmag.com, “The goal of the tests was to see what happened to naval warships when a nuclear weapon went off.”
The article details that “more than 90 vessels…were placed in the target area of the bomb.” Many of the vessels carried live animals “such as pigs and rats,” to collect data on radioactive fallout. Additionally, researchers today continue to study the environmental and mutation effects of the 67 nuclear tests conducted on the Bikini Atoll-Marshall Islands from years 1946 through 1954. In l954, “the largest nuclear device the U.S ever exploded” was set off. In all, 167 Marshallese people were displaced and have since been unable to return to their former land due to the radioactive toxicity.
June 12, 2020: President Trump Finalizes Regulation that Defines Gender
According to washingtontimes.com, President Trump has “finalized a regulation that defines gender as a persons biological sex.” The article states that the President’s regulation was “reversing” former President Obama’s regulation which “defined gender as a person’s internal sense of being male, female, neither or a combination.”
The LGBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders has already stated that it will “test the new rule in an ongoing lawsuit.” A representative from the group is quoted as saying Trump’s regulation is “contrary to established case law,” as well as being “dangerous to transgender people.”
Dr. Grazie Pozo Christie of The Catholic Association is quoted as describing the move as “getting the government out of the business of social engineering.”
May 9, 2020: Kroger Invigorates Dairy Rescue Program, Processes Milk for Food Banks
According to goodnewsnetwork.org, Kroger grocery chain’s Dairy Rescue Program “takes donated excess raw milk normally sold in restaurants or hotels, which is now going to waste, and pays for the packaging and processing” in order to donate the finished product “to Feeding America food banks and community organizations through the end of August.”
March 16, 2020: Minno App Offers Faith-Based Learning Entertainment for At-Home Kids
I am a little late in sharing this, as I did scan it a few days ago and forgot to “go back” to post. But with schools likely out for a little while longer, I’m hoping it will be of assistance now, and even after, school resumes. According to christiannewswire.com, Nashville-based Minno rolled out the end of last year and offers “one of the world’s greatest collection of Classic VeggieTales,” as well as a substantial collection of “media choices for Christian families.” For general information, check out press.gominno.com.
March 11, 2020: UK’s National Health Service Gender Clinic to be Sued by Former Patient
According to theblaze.com, Keira Bell considered herself “a tomboy” who read information about transitioning into a male and decided that should be her course of action. At 16, she went to a clinic for three one-hour appointments, at which time she was started on puberty blocking drugs. Another twelve months down the road, and she began receiving testosterone; three years after that, she had her breasts removed.
At 22, she decided to stop taking the male hormones. Now 23, Bell is quoted as saying that “others” should have challenged her 16-year-old mindset, which she now calls “a fantasy.” In an interview with the BBC, she is quoted as stating, “When you are that young, you really don’t want to listen. So I think it’s up to these institutions…to step in and make children reconsider what they are saying, because it is a life-altering path.”
The lawsuit is expected to occur during summer, 2020.
March 5, 2020: CDC Cannot Produce Documentation Regarding Vaccines and Autism
OK, I admit it up front — I have “heard” both sides of this discussion and other than noting both positions, I’m not sure I have an opinion. But this short article from Informed Consent Action Network really caught my attention.
According to icandecide.org, a lawsuit has revealed, “The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has failed to produce scientific studies that back up its long-declared assertion that vaccines given to babies in in the first six months of life do not cause autism.” If this is an issue of interest to you, check out the link.
March 4, 2020: Will Arizona Start the Ball Rolling on Banning Transgenders from Competing in Women’s Sports?
I remember writing about transgenderism impacting the realm of sports competition a couple of years ago. In January of this year, christianheadlines.com reported, “Legislators in at least five states have introduced bills in recent weeks that would require athletes in high school and lower grades to compete on teams that correspond with the gender on their birth certificate.”
foxnews.com now reports that the Arizona House Republicans have passed the “Save Women’s Sports Act,” designed to “prevent young girls and women in K-12 schools. community colleges, and state universities from being forced to compete against biological males…” It is now headed to the state Senate, where it is strongly opposed by Democrats. Alliance Defending Freedom attorney Christiana Holcomb is quoted as saying, “Having separate girls’ and boys’ sports has always been based on biological differences, not what people believe about their gender…”
I will keep tuned…Arizona’s Governor, Doug Ducey, has remained noncommittal as to whether he will sign the bill, if it passes the Arizona Senate.
February 14, 2020: Under-18 Youth Legally Protected from Transgender Transition in Growing Number of States
According to dailysignal.com, primarily conservative legislators throughout a number of states are proposing legislation to ban sex-change therapy drugs from being utilized in youth under 18 years old. The article names South Dakota as the newest state to work such legislation through its government. Other states listed include Kentucky, Illinois, South Carolina, Florida, Missouri, Oklahoma, West Virginia and Colorado. Colorado’s governor, in fact, signed a sex conversion ban protecting minors in May, 2019, at the same time it affirmed “a bill making it much easier for transgender Coloradans to update the gender on their birth certificates, identification documents, and driver’s licenses.”
February 13, 2020: Colorado Senate Votes Down Abortion-Survivor Bill
The transformation of Colorado from a conservative-leaning to a liberal-leaning state did not thoroughly occur until the 2008 election of Barack Obama. Read more on Considering Colorado.
February 12, 2020: West Virginia Passes “Born Alive” Abortion-Survivor Bill While Hawaii’s Senator Hirono Denies Infanticide Exists
According to washingtonexaminer.com, West Virginia has passed legislation which will penalize doctors and other medical personnel for failing to “provide proper care to babies who survive abortions.” Meanwhile, Senator Mazie Hirono is arguing that the federal Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act is addressing “a problem that does not exist,” according to theblaze.com. Author of the legislation, Senator Ben Sasse, responded that while 2002 legislation protecting the abortion-surviving infant does exist, “In half the states, there is no criminalization of walking away from the baby and letting it die by exposure.” A similar measure to the Protection Act was narrowly voted down in 2019.
February 3, 2020: Six States Sue the Trump Administration for Hindering “Constitutionally Protected Reproductive Rights”
Here it comes…Deb’s prediction…this lawsuit (or others ones like it) will be requiring the Supreme Court to re-examine Roe vs. Wade….the very thing the pro-abortion community is loathe to do….
According to christianheadlines.com, the states of Vermont, Maryland, Maine, New York, District of Columbia, plus West Coast California and Oregon are protesting and suing the government over “A new rule requiring insurance plans within the Obamacare’s state-based exchanges to issue two separate bills to enrollees – one for the monthly premium and one for abortion coverage, if applicable.”
Pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List takes the position that the HHS-department that created the new separation of fees, “blocks Obamacare’s ‘hidden abortion charges.'” The six states, in their lawsuit, claims the new requirement is an “onerous and unnecessary regulation designed to restrict women’s constitutionally protected reproductive rights by creating barriers to abortion coverage.”
Yep, I think this issue will be headed to court….keep tuned in….
January 2, 2020: First Official “Non-Binary” Person Calls Category “Psychologically Harmful Legal Fiction”
This is a really fascinating article. According to pjmedia.com, James Shupe “began to identify as a transgender woman” in 2013, but by 2015, had rejected his female identity for another — that of “non-binary,” which he formally changed on his birth certificate gender to an “X.” In a 2016 interview posted by oregonlive.com, Shupe explained, “I was assigned male at birth due to biology. I’m stuck with that for life. My gender identity has never been male…being non-binary allows me to do that. I’m a mixture of both. I consider myself as a third sex.”
His “third sex” perception became a walk through a nightmare, as outlined in the PJ Media article, and he began to “question the damage the transgender movement has caused in society.” At the time of initial hormonal treatment, no consideration had been given to his struggles with mental illness, as he was assured that a transgender transition would “fix” his mental health problems. He now believes that “he had embraced the lie of transgender identity as a crutch while struggling with deep psychological issues.”
Part of my interest in this article is Shupe’s description of the multi-level challenges he faced to legally return to the gender of his birth. This really is a fascinating picture of the ease with which the radical is embraced…and how a return to “normalcy” is often resisted.
November 12, 2019: Abortion Survivor Who Lost Twin Sibling Continues to Share the Choose Life Message
I did not recognize the name Claire Culwell, but her story is fascinating. According to dailysignal.com, Culwell’s opportunity to meet her birth mother when she was 21 changed her life forever: buying a gift and wanting to thank her birth-mother for “choosing life,” Culwell was shocked to find out that her mother, a mere 13-year-old-teen at the time of her pregnancy, had had her mother insist on taking her to an abortion clinic, where a baby was indeed, aborted…however, a few weeks later it became apparent that a twin sibling had been aborted, not Claire, herself. That revelation, according to the article, “changed her life.” She is quoted as stating, “I knew that I couldn’t stand for what abortion does. And so, I chose to take a stance and to speak out.”
October 15, 2019: List of Non-child-Labor Chocolate Manufacturers Grows
This is a quick little article worth reading as you buy chocolate for Halloween and the Thanksgiving/Christmas season. Although I don’t think the list of “big time” manufacturers purchasing cocao from child-labor-using institutions has reduced, I believe the list of cocao providers “who have made an intentional effort to avoid benefitting from the cruelty of child slave labor” has increased. Newman’s Own Organics and Clif Bar are familiar to me; L.A. Burdick Chocolates seem like a “familiar” name to me, as does “Cloud Nine.” I did a litte digging and was impressed with what I discovered:
Newman’s Own Organics needs little introduction, although the website is pretty interesting, overall. Member of the Fair Trade marketkplace for Organic Cocoa Beans. Newman’s can be found at Safeway or online at Amazon. Clif Bar: Although Clif Bar does not produce an end-product “chocolate” like a bonbon or truffle, they are still quite tasty and include this in the “Responsible Sourcing” section of their website: “absence of forced labor, human trafficking and discrimination in the workplace…”
Cloud Nine Chocolate: Cocoa beans grown in St. Mary, Jamaica. Website states, “This woman-owned and operated business is run by single Jamaican mothers trained by a world-renowned chocolatier.” Green & Black’s includes on their website that they are committed to “ethically sourced chocolate.” Started in 2012, Green & Black’s utilizes “Cocoa Life,” which will “invest over $400 million by 2022 to empower 200,000 cocoa farmers…” Their products are available through Amazon and bars are available through walmart.com.
Omanhene Cocoa Bean Company: Started in 1991 by an outsider (Steven Wallace) to the cocoa-producing world, the website states, “Years before the terms ‘fair trade’ or ‘corporate social responsibility’ held any currency, our founder started a modest cocoa company named after the Ghanaian word for ‘paramount king.’ He named the company Omanhene.” The company states the products “are manufactured entirely in Ghana.” Based in Britain, Montezuma’s Chocolates began in 2000 when husband and wife team Simon and Helen Pattinson left the law field to “bring chocolate innovation to a boring and staid British chocolate market.” Their ethics statement includes, “Our Trading Fairly Policy sweeps a path of ethics covering everything from how we work with suppliers, how much packaging we use, how we dispose of rubbish, to how ingredients are farmed.”
As might be expected by the name, Endangered Species Chocolate Company is part of Fairtrade International, and states, “We source our cocoa with farmers in mind,” stating they follow “labor rights principles for all their workers.”
August 15, 2019: This Back To School, Look Out For “The Gender Unicorn”
I’m guessing that anyone reading the above title will have at least one red flag already flying high. And I would encourage you to keep a sharp eye on science/human sexuality handouts being distributed to your student, with the start of the new school year. Colorado legislation is becoming increasingly pro-LGBT in terms of the lens through which sexuality is being taught to students. Christianpost.com references a northern California school in which the him/he biologically male science teacher is requesting he is addressed by “Mx.” as opposed to “Mr.” and explains his position by way of The Gender Unicorn. The handout, created by the group Trans Student Educational Resources, encourages transgender identity exploration. It’s almost easy to write this off as more California-nonsense…but then I came across an article regarding “A North Carolina school district’s pro-LGBT character ‘the gender unicorn’ is being used for a training session in which the faculty are told parental involvement may not be required for students struggling with gender identity issues,” according to a 8-6-19 article published on christianpost.com. (boldface added) UPDATE: INTERVIEW WITH 2 CALIFORNIA MOMS ON WHAT THEY LABEL “LEWD SEX ED” COMING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
July 1, 2019: “DeepNude” App — Windows Offered for $99, Temporarily Off the Market, Quick Overview of Deepfake Technology
The rest of my headline should read, “However, image or video ‘deepfakes’ appear to be here to stay.” OK, I admit it — I haven’t had a clear grasp regarding the concept of “deepfake” when I have heard the word referenced on the news–but apparently this is a growing trend. This particular application fits into the general category of enabling “revenge porn.” I am actually aghast that Windows chose to sell this app as if it had the commonality of an interactive crossword puzzle. According to faithwire.com, the DeepNude app is “An AI powered software tool that creates realistic nude images of women based off of photographs” that are either taken from the internet or provided from another source. Once provided the images, the AI-powered app then “uses algorithms to create realistic-looking nude photos of the targeted females.” Katelyn Bowden, founder of an organization combating revenge porn activity, is quoted as saying that with this app or one similar, “Anyone could find themselves a victim of revenge porn.”
However, this specific software portrays only one small segment of the overall threat of deepfake fraud. This still-developing, new technology possesses hugely dangerous implications that stretches well beyond revenge porn. The technology can be wielded as a formidable and difficult-to-challenge weapon in the tool belt of those who manipulate public perception of news, events, culture and morality to match their own worldviews.
Herein is a precarious balance to maintain, statements made centuries apart: Benjamin Franklin is quoted as saying, “Freedom of press is a principal pillar of a free government; when this support is taken away, the constitution of a free society is dissolved, and tyranny is erected on its ruins. Republics and limited monarchies derive their strength and vigor from a popular examination into the actions of the magistrates.” Franklin D. Roosevelt stated in the last century, “Freedom of the press is essential to the preservation of a democracy; but there is a difference between freedom and license. Editorialists who tell downright lies in order to advance their own agendas do more to discredit the press than all the censors in the world.”
And both statements are true. While President Roosevelt focused his point on potential censorship of the press, it is noteworthy to remember that one of the current struggles facing today’s American citizens is determining the credibility of the information the press establishment currently releases. It is not the “viewpoint of the press” necessarily being misrepresented, but rather the viewpoints of those they cover…or ignore.
Through this doorway enters the bully of deepfake images/videos, created to persuade people into believing whichever “reality” is desired. The January 2019, issue of fortune.com started off its article on this topic, “Thanks to advances in artificial intelligence, misinformation and social media-hoaxes are about to get a lot weirder.” I encourage you to give this informative article a read.
June 15, 2019: Fatherlessness and Mental Health Issues in the Black Community Under Scrutiny at Discussion Panel
According to dailysignal.com, the Detroit Police Athletic League and the National Association of Black Journalists partnered to hold a public discussion focused on the effect of fatherlessness and mental health in the Black Community. Panelist Dr. Karlin J. Tichenor is quoted as saying, “There’s an overwhelming impact of fatherlessness on the emotional level.” The NABJ hosts forums each year with the intent of creating “a fresh and real view of black men in America” while generating training and opportunity for black men in journalism and media.
June 13, 2019: Abortion Survivor Praises God and Declares the Unborn have Rights, Too
I find this article to be inspirational for several reasons: Gianna Jessen chooses to praise God for her survival, rather than being bitter at her ordeal; she boldly proclaims her message in both private and public settings. The well-known verses of Psalm 139 teach “You have enclosed me behind and before; and laid your hand upon me…For You formed my inward parts, You wove me in my mother’s womb…Your eyes have seen my unformed substance, And in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them…” (Psa. 139:5,13,16) Now 42, saline-abortion survivor Gianna Jessen points out in an interview published by faithlit.com, “‘I should be blind, burned, and dead. Had the doctor been there, he would have ended my life with strangulation suffocation, or leaving me to die without a thought.'” Think about that: if a doctor had been present, she would not have survived. What an outrageous reversal for the traditional role of life-saving medicine.
May 12, 2019: Potential Reversal of Transgender Sports Policies?
I read this with intent interest. Having followed the him-to-her transgender-ites who have subsequently competed in women’s sporting events over the last couple of years, it seems to me that this might be the first of numerous rulings regarding birth-gender or completed gender-change in order for athletes to compete. dailywire.com reports, “Male-to-female transgender powerlifter Mary Gregory has been stripped of several women’s championship titles after the PowerLifting Federation determined that Gregory was not eligible to compete as a female…our rules, and the basis of separating genders for competition, are based on physiological classification rather than identification….”
May 6, 2019: Born Lifeless, Then Revived — College Student Just Received Bachelor’s Degree
This is an amazing and uplifting story. It is shared by faithwire.com as this young man (who was born lifeless but medically revived) continued to grow up while suffering from the side effect of cerebral palsy. In this political climate of healthy babies being potentially subject to post-birth murder, I have to ask — in this culture of 2019, would this young man have ever survived to receive his Bachelor Degree? It is also an inspiring story that demonstrates the how God wove the threads of two peoples’ lives together in a unique statement declaring both the intrinsic value of the individual, as well as the amazing rewards of serving another.
April 5, 2019: Non-Profit Organization Offers $3,000 to Financially Challenged Pregnant Women Considering Abortion but Willing to Carry Child Full-Term
OK, I had to read this from their own website to believe it. Will its mission be financially sustainable over a “long haul”? I don’t know…but I sure would like to see it succeed! According to christiannewswire.com, “Jennifer O’Neill the actress and Cover Girl” is the spokesperson for Save Unborn Life. The Unborn Life section entitled “A Story” shares testimony from Nicholas Marquis who declares himself an “abortion survivor,” and he states: “Every life, big or small, deserves the equal right to thrive outside of the womb.”
March 13, 2019: Thoughts on Middle Schoolers and Social Media
Journalist Adrian Wood poses an interest list of why social media is not appropriate for Middle Schoolers. Give it a read!
March 4, 2019: I Have a Girl Brain But a Boy Body. This is Called Transgender…No, This is Called Deception and Indoctrination
“Jazz and Friends National Day of School & Community Readings” on February 28…how in the world did this one slip by me? More importantly, I am thinking it has slipped by a LOT of Christian parents…and probably not by accident or coincidence. According to christianheadlines.com, “Public schools across the country participated in an annual event to support transgender and gender-expansive students Thursday (2/28) by reading “I am Jazz,” a book that tells the real-life story of Jazz Jennings, who was a transgender child.” Did YOU hear anything about a Jazz and Friends reading at YOUR school? Huh, wonder why there wasn’t much publicity regarding this “annual” push of indoctrination. As pointed out in this article, the sponsors of this “event” are HRC, a gay-rights group and, disappointingly, the National Educational Association, described as “the nation’s largest teachers union.”
February 15, 2019: Marriage Success Statistics Have Been Misquoted/Minimized for Years
I found this little article to be both encouraging and interesting. According to breakingchristiannews.com, “A leading researcher is announcing the true divorce rate is much lower and always has been…the divorce rate has been dropping,” stated Shaunti Feldhahn, author and marriage stat researcher. One positive result, according to Feldhahn? “It will give people hope….hopelessness itself can lead to divorce…”
February 10, 2019: Choosing to Carry Baby Whose Death Enables Life to Two Others
This is an amazing story, and such a thought-provoking contrast to the current political discussions most likely heard throughout the mainstream media. According to theblaze.com, a Tennessee couple chose to carry their dying baby full term despite the act she suffered with the rare disorder Anencephaly. Their the intention was that they, as parents, could spend whatever time with her that was allotted to them…and subsequently donate her organs to save the lives of others. The Lord gave them a full week with her, despite predictions she would survive only 30 minutes. The baby’s dad stated these profound words: “We were able to fit an entire lifetime of love into that one week with her that wasn’t promised to begin with.”
January 30, 2019: A View of Transgender Medicalization You Don’t Often See
This is really quite awful, and seldom written about. This is a side of transgender risk that is not being covered by the discover-your-own-gender-preference crowd. Of interest to me is that these self-proclaimed “femininist activists” allegedly could not find a liberal source to share their stories and warnings.
January 28, 2019: Trump Administration Standing Up for Faith-Based Adoption Agency Rights
I have not heard anything about this situation, but thought it was worth passing on. According to newsmax.com, “The Trump administration agreed that religious partners are vital for caring for children” and is not subjecting faith-based adoption agencies to HHS regulations that could potentially force them to violate the principles of their faith.
December 28, 2018: Ohio Heartbeat Bill Misses Veto Override by One Vote; However, Ban on Late-Term Abortion Dismemberment Does Pass
This strikes me as a prime example of politic-ing with the unborn — refusing to protect the life altogether, but banning the cruelest of abortion procedures. Although the “heartbeat bill” for Ohio passed both the state Senate and House, Governor Kasich held fast to his statement he would veto its passage. The peoples’ representatives fell one vote short of overriding the governor’s veto. So close…my prediction is that this will be an election issue next time around. In the meantime, the governor did sign a bill banning “dismemberment abortions,” making Ohio the tenth state to do so.
December 27, 2018: Ministry-Based Ex-Gay App Pulled by Apple and Microsoft
Freedom of thought, freedom of expression, freedom of information — are those concepts being allowed to stand firm in any area of our community life? A pro-LGBT group ironically named “Truth Wins Out” complained that the Texas-based Living Hope Ministries’ ex-gay app was “dangerous,” “bigoted” and “hateful” according to christianpost.com. This complaint resulted in both Apple and Microsoft pulling the apps from being available. Living Hope responded that for thirty years they had “helped individuals resolve their feelings they deem incongruent with their faith.” The group should be renamed “Our Truth Suffocates Yours.” Really disturbing.
December 5, 2018: List of Best Foods to Support Memory and Brain Health
I do not believe that food choices control all aspects of health, but I do think there is abundant research to collaborate that certain nutrients/enzymes/whatever found in particular foods can support better overall body function. easyhealthoptions.com offers this interesting list of brain/memory health foods.
November 6, 2018: New Bible Study Materials Aim to “Start New Conversation” Regarding Gays
OK, here’s my disclaimer up front: I have not read this book. This headline flashed through my emails and I found it interesting enough to stop and read the promotional material. If you or a friend might benefit from this book, I wanted to bring up its availability.
November 1, 2018: New Pro-Life Bill Considers if Baby Heartbeat Can Be Detected
This is really a fascinating development and may end up going nowhere. According to lifesitenews.com, Rep. Steve King of Iowa has introduced legislation requiring an abortionist to “first test whether a fetal heartbeat can be detected, and then forbid committing an abortion if the answer is ‘yes.'” It is named the “Heartbeat Protection Act.” According to americanpregnancy.org, 6 1/2-7 weeks into development is the time frame a fetal heartbeat can usually be detected.
October 8, 2018: Blisters on Baby’s Head? Could be Herpes Simplex Virus
Hey, moms, dads, caretakers and nursery workers: check out this article from faithlit.com. A preliminary diagosis of “eczema” ended up being terribly inaccurate–pictures included in this article.
October 7, 2018: Ben Shapiro Gives Amazing Pro-Life Monologue
Yes, I actually got to watch this particular program. After a rocky start to this “Election Special” with a won’t-stop-talking, confrontational Tom Arnold, Shapiro gave an amazing “this is a baby” monologue complete with photos. Awesome!
October 3, 2018: President Trump Issues Amazing Statement on Down Syndrome Kids
Well I sure never heard about this in the mainstream media. Very interesting. According to lifesitenews.com, “The Trump administration will continue to affirm the equal rights and dignity of children with Down Syndrome, against ‘persistent myths and stigmas’.” Other statements by President Trump include, “…our Nation strongly embraces the undeniable truth that a Down syndrome diagnosis is an opportunity to embrace God’s gifts.”
September 18, 2018: Watch Out for Steam Video Game Streaming
Jenny Rapson with foreverymom.com reports that the game livestreamer Steam, “offers tons of games with adult content and very little filtering or parental controls.” Steam is also on the “Dirty Dozen list” created by the National Center to End Sexual Exploitation.
August 31, 2018: Why Is This Billboard Not Considered a Racist Disgrace?
I read the article…looked at the picture of the billboard…and still can’t believe it. Really? A pro-abortion billboard with the phrase “Black women take care of their families by taking care of themselves…abortion is self-care” — and no one is screaming this is a racist campaign? At the very least, someone should be protesting the headquarters of sponsor Afiya Center that this is stereotyping at its worst. Why wouldn’t the phrase “Black women take care of their families by taking care of themselves” be the lead in to… receiving higher education? Special work training? Opportunities in various high-powered occupations? Even opportunities for self-enrichment through serving the community and others via various organizations? Exploring better-housing opportunities, or starting childcare/afterschool opportunities to strengthen families or keep youngsters in safe environments? Promoting personal artistic development, receiving entrepreneurial assistance, and so on. I consider it a disgrace to openly proclaim that the best way a black woman can “take care of their families” is by destroying the next potential generation. Right to Life of Michigan reports that overall abortion statistics show that for every 1,000 live births, “non-Hispanic Black women had 391 abortions. Non-Hispanic White women had 120 abortions/1,000 live births.”
August 28, 2018: No Place for Providers Who Choose Not To Follow the Law
And what is the law in question? The state of New York’s requirement for registered adoption and foster care placement services to have no “discrimination” between placing children with same-sex couples or traditional male-husband and female-wife households. According to christianheadlines.com, Catholic Charities of Buffalo, therefore, are ending its foster care and adoption services, referring existing cases to other placement agencies. Although Catholic Charities currently has a small number of children it is overseeing (34 children in 24 homes), I find the necessity of them having to do this this deeply disturbing.
August 23, 2018: Reflections on Autism from a Loving Mother
Faithlit.com reprinted this reflection from blogger/journalist Carrie Cariello. I found it both touching and endearing. I hope you enjoy it.
August 1, 2018: ‘Dragon’s Breath’ Snack Toxic to Many with Breathing Problems
I have not heard of “Dragon’s Breath snacks” and I would actually be surprised if they are not banned from malls, etc., where youth often hang out with friends. This is an account from a woman whose son nearly died from sharing the snack with his sister; this particular boy had asthma and related breathing issues.
July 6, 2018: Gallup Values and Beliefs Poll Brings Surprises
The publication of this poll dates back to May 1-10 (2018), but results were published a bit later and I just came across it this morning. This is really interesting. Online faithwire.com published, “From May 1-10 Gallup ran their annual Values and Beliefs poll, where they found that a majority of Americans believed that pornography and polygamy are morally right, but surprisingly a majority stated that they believe abortion is morally wrong…the Gallup poll detailed that 53% of Americans believe abortion should be illegal in all or most situations.”
July 2, 2018: Bible-Centered Places to Visit This Summer…or Beyond
School scheduled “summer vacation” is quickly reaching the halfway point, but the museums and locations listed in this christianheadlines.com article would be worth visiting any time of the year. To my surprise, Ark Encounter is not included, but I have added the website link here.
June 15, 2018: “We Need Fathers to Teach Manliness” — a Ben Shapiro Opinion Piece
You may or may not agree with Ben Shapiro’s politics, but this thought-provoking article on the importance of fathering, modeling, and teaching masculinity is well worth reading. “The social science on the necessity of fatherhood is absolutely clear. According to a recent massive Harvard study, the most powerful factor putting young men at risk of criminal behavior and poverty is lack of fathers in the neighborhood — not even fathers in the home, fathers in the neighborhood more generally. A prevalence of responsible men can even help compensate for lack of fathers in the home…men either build and protect, or they destroy. Good men must teach their sons the art of manliness, or societies crumble…”
June 13: Talking to an Eight Year Old About Porn and Sex?
Kris Vallotton hosts Cole Zick from Vallotton’s organization, Moral Revolution, for his 6-13 blog. Cole discusses practical approaches and wording for discussing sex and pornography with young children who bring your their questions.
May 21, 2018: Three Rules to Keep Your Daughters Safe at College
I thought the core of this article was quite interesting and worth thinking about. With a granddaughter off to college in a couple years, articles that come my way will likely be shared!
May 9, 2018: Two Words in Avoid in Discussing the Future with Young Parents
This quick article from foreverymom.com is really great — and reminds me that the Holy Spirit zipped my lips from using these two words, years ago. A conversation we often start to encourage someone can turn into a fear-inducing warning way too quickly after these two words slip out!
May 6, 2018: “Kid Friendly” Sunscreen Can Cause Allergic Reaction, Check These Lists
This article from faithit.com lists highly recommended sunscreens for youngsters, as well as not-recommended sunscreens also labeled “kid friendly.” Some of the additives are more likely to lead to allergic reaction. Worth checking out!
May 1, 2018: Homeschooling Parents Stand Together to Fight Potential California Legislation
Whether you homeschool or not, this is an encouraging article highlighting how unity and commitment can still impact the potential passage of legislation. The State of California proposed a bill that seriously violated the privacy of homeschooling parents — and honeschooling parents responded “by the hundreds, perhaps thousands.”
April 16, 2018: Four Serious Pitfalls of Growing Up Male in America Right Now
OK, a bit of a warning — this article is rather depressing to read. I don’t know anything about the author, Matt Walsh, but he actually titles this “The four terrible things that are destroying boys in our culture.” He does not offer answers, Christian or otherwise. But I found his points to be significantly thought-provoking that I naturally prayed, God, what can I do to help encourage and affirm the boys in my life as they deal with the unreasonable culture they face? My hope is that it will inspire you to do the same.
April 12, 2018: Unmet Expectations Not Just a Marriage Problem, but a Life Problem
I actually wish this little piece were a little more comprehensive. I was surprised to see a quote from actor Antonio Banderas, who apparently stated, “Expectation is the mother of all frustration.” While I have never considered Banderas a sage of wisdom, this article draws a sharp contrast between “ideal life” (where our sense of expectation is often formed) and “real life”, focusing on a balancing act between expectation and observation of reality. Worth taking a couple of minutes to peruse and see how many frustrating situations can be softened and redeemed by changing point of view.
April 11, 2018: Legal Breakthrough or Just Continuation of the Double Standard? Maddening!
I got all excited about this new law in Indiana…then I remembered that double-standards for this definition have been with us a long time. Nevertheless, it is encouraging to find any references to a law that upholds any sanctity of life position. Indiana has just adopted a law that allows prosecution for murder to anyone who carried out “harm (to a) pregnant woman” that results in the death of the unborn child. And now the double-standard: “The law, however, does not apply to legally obtained abortions.” How is this possible??? I have asked this question for years and the answer is still as clear to me, now, as it always has been — nothing can both “be” and “not be” at the same time. One position is a fraud, a lie, a misrepresentation, a deception. Nothing is both round and square. Short and tall. There are no simultaneously dry and wet rainstorms. Another state, Mississippi, continues to shorten the time allowed during which abortions in that state are legal. In March, Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant stated that he wanted his state to be “the safest place in America for an unborn child” and signed a 15-week abortion ban into law. The bill reduces the allowable abortion time by five weeks.
April 9, 2018: Former Disney Princess Responds to Provocative Planned Parenthood Tweet
It had to happen. When I read that Planned Parenthood had rudely proclaimed “We need a Disney Princess Who’s Had an Abortion,” I wondered how long it would be before someone spoke up. It wasn’t long, at all. How could a Planned Parenthood rep actually possess such a fairy-tale perspective as to actually tweet out the question and not expect an answer? christianheadlines.com shares the story of Deanna Falchook who not only was a Disney princess at the time of her unexpected pregnancy, but had the abortion specifically to keep her Disney princess job, and the regret that followed. A heartfelt testimony.
April 6, 2018: Texas Church Gives $10-Million Gift to Local Community
This link could just as easily have been shared under the Ambassadors section. However, the family-impacting aspect of this action captured my heart and imagination with its generosity and core message: God loves you. Rather than spend money on advertising Easter activities at Covenant Church, Pastor Stephen Hayes donated over $10-million dollars to pay off over 4,000 families’ medical bills.
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