Dear Friends,
FRC recently published a pivotal brochure, “How to Respond to the LGBT Movement” by Peter Sprigg. In this timely publication, Peter lays out the empirical evidence that refutes seven common claims made by homosexual activists and eight common claims made by transgender activists. As he notes, the claims that LGBT activists make have become a paradigm of assumptions that declare “that for someone to believe that heterosexuality is preferable to homosexuality is equivalent to believing that one race is superior to another, and therefore represents a form of bigotry and even ‘hate’ toward individuals who identify as homosexual.”
The problem with making this claim is that it is based on the assumption that sexual orientation is in fact “inborn.” As this brochure makes clear, this assumption is empirically false based on observable human behavior and scientific evidence. Therefore, it is fundamentally dishonest and counterproductive to label social conservatives as “bigots” based on this assumption because social conservatives do not accept the faulty premises of this argument.
Perhaps the most important idea that this publication conveys is this: in the cultural battles that continue to be fought around LGBT issues, social conservatives “ha[ve] consistently said that they love their neighbor; and ha[ve] consistently pursued policies which they sincerely believe will preserve the life and health and improve the well-being of those involved.”
The brochure concludes with this stirring thought: “If anything should be clear from the information shared here, it is that there are legitimate grounds for debate on the origin, nature, and consequences of both homosexuality and gender dysphoria. Let all people of goodwill—regardless of their politics, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity—agree that the debate should continue, with a respect for honest research and for the freedom of thought, speech, and religion.”
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
Billy Graham — faithful to the end and still leading us behind him – Tony Perkins
Billy Graham’s Legacy — Faith Looming Large in Public Life – Travis Weber
Despite Leftist Outcry, Americans Don’t Want Federally Funded Pornographic Sex Ed – Kelly Marcum
Democrats have moved far to the nation's left on abortion – Ken Blackwell
Receiving the Love That We Need: How to Find Healing from Past Wounds
Andrew Sullivan on Opioids: Pointing Us Toward God – Travis Weber
Thank you, Billy Graham – Patrina Mosley
Billy Graham’s Stand on Religious Liberty, Life, and Marriage and Family
How Billy Graham’s Invitation Forever Changed My Life – Peter Sprigg
#MeToo Ignores an Obvious Source of Sexual Aggression: Porn – David Krayden
Religious Liberty
Religious Liberty in the Public Square
New HHS office that enforces health workers' religious rights received 300 complaints in a month – Jessie Hellmann, The Hill
Parents Battle Court to Stop Transgender Teen’s Hormone Treatment – Grace Carr, The Daily Signal
Forced To Resign For Her Faith, This Magistrate Sued The State And Won – Bre Payton, The Federalist
Illinois nurse fights firing over pro-life views – Bonnie Pritchett, WORLD
YouTube Secretly Using SPLC To Police Videos – Peter Hasson, The Daily Caller
Wheaton’s Win Over The Contraceptive Mandate Is A Huge Step Forward For Religious Freedom – Nicole Fisher, The Federalist
University Re-Invites Christian Speaker Who Triggered LGBT Students – ToddStarnes.com
When a University Group Rescinds Freedom of Speech – Ken Ham, The Christian Post
Florida House bill requires schools to display 'In God We Trust' – Kevin Tampone, Syracuse.com
Religious Liberty Is a Powerful Anti-Gang Weapon – Noel Sterett, Alliance Defending Freedom
International Religious Freedom
A suspicious and sudden death in China – Mindy Belz, WORLD
Why Don’t We Care About the Slaughter of Nigerian Christians? – Michael Brown, The Stream
Abandoned by the U.S., Syrian Christians and Kurds Seek Help from Pro-Iran Militias – John Zmirak, The Stream
ERLC religious freedom advocacy encouraged by major court decision in Malaysia – Palmer Williams, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission
Attacks Against India’s Christians Doubled in 2017 – National Catholic Register
Praying for the persecuted church: Jordan – Chase Stevens, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission
Life
Abortion
Good luck explaining your abortion vote high-fives to your constituents, senators – Ashley McGuire, USA Today
Incredible Surgery in the Womb Corrects Baby’s Spina Bifida After Her Parents Reject Abortion – Micaiah Bilger, LifeNews
Why an unwanted pregnancy is about the baby and the father, too – Garrett Kell, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission
Dishonoring the Dead: Moral and Constitutional Considerations on Fetal Disposition – Deirdre Cooper and Kody W. Cooper, Public Discourse
The Ostrich Defense of Abortion – Christopher Kaczor, Public Discourse
California Students Are Fighting to Keep Abortion Pills Off Their Campus – Grace Carr, The Daily Signal
Vice President Mike Pence: ‘Abortion Will End in Our Time’ – Amy Furr, Townhall
Adoption
Bipartisan effort to fix Kentucky's troubled adoption and foster care system moves forward – Deborah Yetter, Louisville Courier Journal
Bioethics
Pro-lifers dismayed over Oregon starvation bill’s return – Samantha Gobba, WORLD
How would you counsel someone interested in assisted suicide? – Matthew Arbo, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission
Scientists Make Human-Animal Hybrids That are Part Animal and Part Human Being – Wesley Smith, LifeNews
British Judge Allows Toddler’s Life Support Switched Off, Despite Parents’ Wishes – National Catholic Register
Family
Economics/Education
Does God Care Where You Go to College? – D. Michael Lindsay, The Gospel Coalition
Research Keeps Showing This Kind Of Teaching Is Very Effective. So Why Won’t Schools Use It? – Joy Pullmann, The Federalist
How to Raise Devoted Catholic Kids When They Attend Public School – Sabrina Arena Ferrisi, National Catholic Register
Marriage
Billy Graham’s Incredible Ministry … and His Incredible Marriage – Dave Boehi, Family Life
A Man’s Place Is in the Home – Trevin Wax, The Gospel Coalition
Build Your Marriage on the Beatitudes – Austin Bonds, Relevant
A Photographer Asked 20 Couples For The Secret To A Long Marriage – Brittany Wong, HuffPost
CDC: U.S. Fertility Rate Below Replacement for 9th Straight Year – Terence P. Jeffrey, CNS News
Faith/Character/Culture
How Do I Know If I Really Love Jesus? – Jon Bloom, Desiring God
The desperate cry of America's boys – Suzanne Venker, Fox News
The Death of an Evangelical Titan – Bishop Robert Barron, Word On Fire
A Better Mom Is a Broken Mom – Kristen Wetherell, Desiring God
The Joy of an Unaccomplished Life – Chad Bird, The Gospel Coalition
'It takes a village': 3 P.E.I. grandmothers help exhausted mom care for triplets – Pat Martel, CBC News
Villains and Heroes Among So Much Tragedy – Jared Zimmerer, Word On Fire
The Hard Truth About Mr. Right – Joy Beth Smith, Christianity Today
Longing for likes: How to capture the hearts of Gen Z with a greater love – Jared Kennedy, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission
Human Sexuality
Why Transgenderism Threatens Parental Rights – Joe Carter, The Gospel Coalition
Too Much Netflix, Not Enough Chill: Why Young Americans Are Having Less Sex – W. Bradford Wilcox and Samuel Sturgeon, Politico
Sexual Exploitation in the Sports Industry: An Abuse of Power – Mary Urie, National Center on Sexual Exploitation
Pressing Pause on the "Transgender Moment": Ryan T. Anderson's When Harry Became Sally – Matthew J. Franck, Public Discourse
Transgender Activists Conduct ‘Giant Experiment’ on Children, Author Says – Kyle Perisic, The Daily Signal
Human Trafficking
House passes anti-sex trafficking bill in defeat for tech industry – Steven Overly and Ashley Gold, Politico
The Combined Crisis of Online Sex Trafficking and Pornography – Patrick A. Trueman, National Center on Sexual Exploitation
Shining A Light On Slavery: Who Are Sex Traffickers, And Why Do They Exploit Other Humans? – Fight the New Drug
Pornography
Pornography Addicts Might Be Avoiding True Intimacy – Michelle Habel, Focus on the Family
In the massive global scourge that is pornography, men are not the only addicts – Jamie Dean, WORLD
Florida declares pornography a ‘public health risk’ – Lisa Bourne, LifeSiteNews
Is Reading Erotica As Harmful As Watching Porn? – Fight the New Drug
Porn’s “Butterfly Effect”: A New Podcast Exposes Porn’s Unexpected Consequences – Mary Rose Somarriba, Family Studies
