Dear Friends,
A week from today is Election Day. In an FRC brochure about the importance of Christian involvement in the government, author Wayne Grudem had this to say about voting: “I believe that every Christian citizen who lives in a democracy has at the very least a minimal obligation to be well-informed and to vote for candidates and policies that are most consistent with biblical principles. The opportunity to help select the kind of government we will have is a stewardship that God entrusts to citizens in a democracy, a stewardship that we should not neglect or fail to appreciate.”
Grudem further argues that authentic Christian citizenship doesn’t stop at voting: “All told, hundreds of thousands of men (and many women as well) sacrificed their lives to protect the nation and preserve the freedoms we enjoy today. Is it right that we simply enjoy these freedoms while giving back to our nation nothing in return? Should we not participate at least at some level in giving money or giving time to support specific candidates and issues? Or writing letters or helping to distribute literature? Or even running for office or volunteering to serve in the military? Is it not right that all of us at least do something more than merely voting to preserve and protect this nation?”
It is clear that our country is headed into particularly uncertain times. That is why believers need to not only vote for their values, but to pray with renewed fervor for a significant increase of wisdom and virtue in our leaders. But that’s not all. As Grudem points out, we need to do all we possibly can to redeem the culture through lives of service to our country. There are different ways to serve, so pray about what your particular role may be. Make no mistake—everyone has a role to play. As a great leader of the last century once implored: Be the change that you wish to see in the world.
Thank you for your prayers and for your continued support of FRC and the family.
Sincerely,
Dan Hart
Managing Editor for Publications
Family Research Council
FRC Articles
Georgia Still Needs to Remedy the Wrong Done to Eric Walsh – Travis Weber
Therapists Addressing Same-Sex Attractions are Joining the SAFE-T Patrol – Peter Sprigg
The Real Margaret Sanger – Arina Grossu
Religious Liberty
Religious Liberty in the Public Square
Massachusetts Moves to Regulate Church Belief and Operation – Alliance Defending Freedom
Bureaucrats have no business deciding whether Iowa church activities are religious – LifeSiteNews
State of Georgia Demands Pastor Turn Over Sermons – ToddStarnes.com
International Religious Freedom
United Nations Pushes Abortion on Unborn Children of Refugees and Migrants – Marie Smith, Life News
Federal Judge Asks Why Obama Administration Isn’t Admitting Christian Syrian Refugees – Hans von Spakovsky, The Daily Signal
Jews, Christians and UNESCO's Jerusalem resolution – Lela Gilbert, Fox News
Military Religious Freedom
Obama Threatens to Veto Military Bill Because It Protects Religious Groups – Roger Severino, The Daily Signal
Life
Abortion
What To Do About Your Pro-Choice Neighbor – Ardee Coolidge, Care Net
The Future of Pro-Life Legislation and Litigation – Gerard V. Bradley, Public Discourse
What One Woman Is Doing to Take Down Planned Parenthood – Rachel del Guidice, The Daily Signal
Abortion Is Not The Answer For People With Heart Defects, Like Me – Jaci Greggs, The Federalist
Life Worthy of Life: Down Syndrome, Equality, and My Son Silas – Robert L. McFarland, Public Discourse
527 Babies Saved From Abortion During 40 Days for Life With One Week Left to Go – Shawn Carney, Life News
Adoption
Almost a Half Million Children Are in the Foster Care System – Ginny Graves, Good Housekeeping
The Obama Administration Is About To Make International Adoption A Lot Harder – Jayme Metzgar, The Federalist
Bioethics
New Documentary Reveals Bad Effects of Assisted Suicide Legalization on Those Who Want to Live – Life News
Insurance denied her chemo treatment. But it covered drugs for suicide. – Catholic News Agency
Reports of ‘three-parent babies’ multiply – Sara Reardon, Nature
Why Are African-Americans Strongly Opposed to Assisted Suicide? – Eric Metaxas, The Christian Post
DC city council approves assisted suicide – Claire Chretien, LifeSiteNews
Obamacare
In Desperate Push to Save Dying Obamacare, President Wants to Bail Out Insurers – William Wolfe, The Daily Signal
Obama’s Obamacare Speech Proves He’s As Authoritarian As Donald Trump – Christopher Jacobs, The Federalist
When Will Liberals Answer For Obamacare’s Failures? – David Harsanyi, The Federalist
Obamacare Benchmark Premiums to Rise 25% in Sharpest Jump Yet – Zachary Tracer, Bloomberg
Family
Economics
Why Economic Growth Is So Lackluster – Alana Semuels, The Atlantic
Within a Generation, Our National Debt Will Cost the Typical Family $12,000 – Lauren Bowman and Romina Boccia, The Daily Signal
The Trust Divide: Why Some Low-Income Families Avoid Help – Amber Lapp, Family Studies
Marriage
Masters of Love – Emily Esfahani Smith, The Atlantic
A father’s role matters just as much as a mother’s, intellectually speaking – Paige Kellerman, Aleteia
Marriage counseling: the best investment we ever made – Katherine Willis Pershey, Aleteia
Faith/Character/Culture
We Abandon Social Conservatism at Our Own Peril – Carlos D. Flores, Public Discourse
As America Goes, So Goes the World – Michael Brown, The Stream
The Key to Evangelism in the 21st Century – David Mathis, The Gospel Coalition
A Call to Millennials: It’s Up to Us to Change Culture – Liberty McArtor, The Stream
Human Sexuality
Legal Sex: Exchanging the Truth of Sex for the Lie of Gender – Daniel Moody, Public Discourse
Love Your Neighbor Enough to Speak Truth – Rosaria Butterfield, The Gospel Coalition
Supreme Court Enters Legal Battle Over Gender Identity and the Purpose of Restrooms – Matt Sharp, The Daily Signal
Pronouns, Ordinary People, and the War over Reality – Anthony Esolen, Public Discourse
Judge reaffirms nationwide ban on Obama transgender school bathroom policy – Josh Gerstein, Politico
Pornography
How Two Catholics Are Fighting Military Porn Addiction – Dustin Siggins, The Stream
Famed liberal novelist visited porn sets: what he saw left him in disbelief – Jonathon Van Maren, LifeSiteNews
A mother’s letter to her son about porn – Becky Hunter, Aleteia
