Social Conservative Review - November 1, 2018

November 1, 2018

Dear Friends,

As our country grapples with yet another senseless, brutal, and evil act of violence, this time perpetrated against Jews worshipping in a synagogue in Pittsburgh, the media is predictably churning out an avalanche of breathless accounts of who is to blame. Our collective energy as a nation would be much more valuably spent in reflection and prayer.

In the aftermath of such horrendous violence being perpetrated by one human being against fellow human beings, many rightly ask: how could someone do this? Only God knows the full answer to this question, but we can be certain of one thing: the attacker lacked empathy for his fellow man. Therefore, it is critical that our society spend more time pondering the concept of empathy, and increasingly put it into practice in our daily lives.

Empathy is the mental practice of putting oneself in the shoes of another in order to better understand what life must be like for that person. This practice seems relatively straightforward, but for most of us, it is difficult to do, because we human beings have a fallen natural tendency for selfishness and snap judgments. Just like everything else in life that is difficult yet worthwhile, we must work at practicing empathy. When we witness behavior from a person that we consider offensive, we must refrain from stereotyping the person based on their outward appearance. Similarly, we must refrain from making rash generalizations about groups of people based on ethnicity, religion, political views, etc. Instead, we must seek to better understand other people and avoid instant judgments of character.

When thinking about the actions and motivations of others, we must take into account a whole host of information before we can come to any fair conclusions. For the person in question, we must ask ourselves: What is the broader culture like where this person came from and how were they influenced by it? How was this person raised by their parents? Were they mistreated or abused as a child? What beliefs were taught to them growing up? And on and on. Obviously, we can’t know the answers to many of these questions without either research or first-hand knowledge. But we must make the effort so that we can better understand the reasons behind particular actions or words, and thereby have a better capacity for true empathy.

Jesus displayed empathy all over Scripture. When coming upon Matthew, a tax collector who was widely reviled, Jesus did not judge him by his place in society or apparent misdeeds of extortion. He saw the goodness in Matthew and his need for salvation, and invited him to become a disciple (Matthew 9:9). Similarly, rather than condemning the woman caught in adultery, Jesus rebuked those who were condemning her and invited her to “go, and sin no more” (John 8:1-11). All over Scripture, Jesus is said to have spent time in the company of sinners, which the Pharisees reviled Him for. Jesus displays a crucial trait here: His first instinct is mercy rather than condemnation, which shows that He empathizes with those He meets and responds to them with love.

We are called to do likewise. The more we make empathy our first reaction, the better chance we have of making it a habit rather than falling into the bad habit of snap judgments. When we fail to empathize with others, and instead burrow down the rabbit hole of stereotypes and prejudice based on outward appearances, the more we are prone to hate and dehumanize other people. The more we see others with empathetic eyes, as Christ did, the more we will grow in love and the more our world will flourish in peace and unity.

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

We Must Turn to God to Find Healing, Unity and Restoration – Tony Perkins

HHS should put a stop to ObamaCare's hidden abortion surcharge – Marjorie Dannenfelser and Tony Perkins

Trump transgender policy is simple and scientific: 'Sex' means biological sex – Peter Sprigg

Why Evangelicals Will Vote (It's Not What You Think) – Tony Perkins

The Attack on Faith-Based Adoption Agencies – David Closson

Pastor Brunson's Release: A View From the Courtroom – Travis Weber

Pastor Andrew Brunson's release illustrates power and potential of Trump's foreign policy – Tony Perkins

Pray Tell: Atheist Sues to Lead Legislative Prayer – Alexandra McPhee

Ala. Supreme Court Justice: Roe Cuts Off the Unborn’s Full Right to Life – Alexandra McPhee

The Gosnell Story: America Deserves to Know – Alyssa Grasinski

How Shall We Engage Politically? A Response to Tim Keller and Kevin DeYoung – David Closson

Christianity’s Blessings to Society – Travis Weber

Pro-Life Law Upheld By Another Federal Court: Dare We Say “Momentum”? – Cathy Ruse

Our Moralized Social Tyranny and What Conservatives Can Do About It – Caleb Sutherlin

Our Gifts Received through Child Loss – Katy Downey

Atlanta’s Kelvin Cochran Settles the Score – Alexandra McPhee

 

Religious Liberty

Religious Liberty in the Public Square

School Bans Christmas Songs That Mention Jesus – ToddStarnes.com

'Gosnell' Filmmakers: Theaters Dropping Movie, Preventing People From Buying Tickets – Stoyan Zaimov, The Christian Post

Bakers Fined $135K Over Wedding Cake Appeal to Supreme Court – Kelsey Harkness, The Daily Signal

Jack Phillips of Masterpiece Cakeshop Asks Court to Halt New Civil Rights Prosecution – Kevin Daley, The Daily Caller

ABC, NBC, CBS Ignore GOP Candidates Allegedly Assaulted by Left-Wing ‘Protesters’ – Kristine Marsh, NewsBusters

Atheists Put an End to Police Prayer Vigils, but Fail to Stop 'Pastors on Patrol' – Samuel Smith, The Christian Post

School Bans Christian Athletes From Meeting on Campus – Jeremiah Poff, ToddStarnes.com

Faith-Based Adoption Agencies Are Under Siege in the US – Emily Jones, CBN News

Lawsuit challenges tax perks available to America's pastors – Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News

Pensacola cross: Does Kavanaugh’s rise change the stakes? – Alabama.com

International Religious Freedom

China Must End Its Campaign of Religious Persecution – Sen. Chuck Grassley, Politico

The Secret and Surprising Ways Christians Worship in North Korea – Lindy Lowry, Open Doors USA

Asia Bibi: Pakistan acquits Christian woman on death row – BBC News

Oxford Students Vote to Ban Christian Group Over LGBT Claims of 'Threat to Physical, Mental Safety' – Stoyan Zaimov, The Christian Post

Turkey Arrests Another Pastor Just Days after Pastor Brunson is Released – Kayla Koslosky, ChristianHeadlines.com

Big Victory for Medical Conscience in Norway – Wesley J. Smith, National Review

Imprisoned Iranian Pastor Got Help From Unlikely Source to Spread Gospel – Mark Ellis, The Christian Post

American missionary shot and killed in ‘targeted’ attack weeks after moving family to Cameroon – Lucia I. Suarez Sang, Fox News

Over 20 Chinese Christians Arrested for Sharing Gospel, Holding Public Worship Service – Samuel Smith, The Christian Post

 

Life

Abortion

Alabama top court judge urges Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade – Gualberto Garcia Jones, LifeSiteNews

Nearly 60% of Millennials consider abortion a sin: new poll – James Risdon, LifeSiteNews

Abortion has been decriminalised in Queensland – SBS News

NIH Spends $13.5 Million on Aborted Baby Parts to Transplant Their Brain Tissue Into Mice – Micaiah Bilger, LifeNews

Is It Possible to Be an Anti-Abortion Democrat? One Woman Tried to Find Out – Sabrina Tavernise, The New York Times

65-year-old pro-lifer in hospital after being punched outside Florida Planned Parenthood – Calvin Freiburger, LifeNews

Abortion pills now available by mail in US -- but FDA is investigating – Jessica Ravitz, CNN

Watching ‘Gosnell’ Shattered My Agnosticism On Abortion – Adam Mill, The Federalist

Adoption

After two generations of adoption, family finds incredible way to give back – Anna Reynolds, Live Action

Why adoption isn’t Plan A or B – Jenn Hesse, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission

Parents told they cannot do foster care due to Christian beliefs – The Bridgehead

Bioethics

The Dangerous Effects of Surrogacy: A Review of A Transnational Feminist View of Surrogacy Biomarkets in India – K. Blaine, Public Discourse

 

Family

Marriage

Love Has A Source – Fr. Billy Swan, Word on Fire

How All Relationships Prepare Us For MarriageVerily

Premarital Cohabitation Is Still Associated With Greater Odds of Divorce – Scott Stanley, Family Studies

Dear Husband, Having Kids Together Has Only Made Me Love You More – Celeste, HerViewFromHome

Why Does Graduate School Kill So Many Marriages? – Kathryn R. Wedemeyer-Strombel, The Chronicle of Higher Education

Does Sexual History Affect Marital Happiness? – Nicholas H. Wolfinger, Family Studies

Parenting

Your Kids Are Not Projects or Burdens. They Are Gifts. – Cameron Cole, The Gospel Coalition

Getting Your Kids to Really Listen – Justin Coulson, Family Studies

Why it’s important to teach modern kids to “mind their manners” – Calah Alexander, Aleteia

Helping Low-Income Fathers Form Loving Relationships With Their Children – Natasha J. Cabrera, Family Studies

Silicon Valley Execs Get Your Kids Hooked On Their Gadgets, But Not Their Kids – Jessica Burke, The Federalist

Economics/Education

The Family Geography of the American Dream: New Neighborhood Data on Single Parenthood, Prisons, and Poverty – W. Bradford Wilcox, Family Studies

From the Great Recession to the Great Divide: Business and Economics in the Last Decade – Kelly Hanlon, Public Discourse

Tax-Cut Repeal Could Cost Americans $27K in Pay Over 10 Years, Study Says – Rachel del Guidice, The Daily Signal

Why America desperately needs another baby boom – Steven W. Mosher, New York Post

How Public Schools Indoctrinate Kids Without Almost Anyone Noticing – Auguste Meyrat, The Federalist

Faith/Character/Culture

The Joy We Know Only in Suffering – Marshall Segal, Desiring God

Where Is God? The Problem of Divine Hiddenness – Matt Nelson, Word on Fire

What Makes a Woman Strong – Kathleen Nielson, Desiring God

Rage Makes You Stupid – Kevin D. Williamson, National Review

Human Dignity Is Not a Political Platform – Tina Boesch, The Gospel Coalition

Are Siblings More Important Than Parents? – Ben Healy, The Atlantic

Human Sexuality

The Future of American Sexuality and Family: Five Key Trends – Mark Regnerus, Public Discourse

Satisfied in the Arms of Another – Christopher Asmus, Desiring God

Video: Understanding Sexual Exploitation – What Drives Our Objectification Culture? – Lisa L. Thompson, National Center on Sexual Exploitation

Transing California Foster Children & Why Doctors Like Us Opposed It – Andre Van Mol, Public Discourse

The new taboo: More people regret sex change and want to ‘detransition’, surgeon says – Joe Shute, The Telegraph

Did Transgenderism End Political Correctness? – Jacob Airey, The Daily Wire

On Sex, the Trump Administration Returns to Reality and the Law – Ben Shapiro, National Review

Teacher Faces Punishment Over Objections to Girls Taking Showers With Boys – ToddStarnes.com

Trump’s Proposed Rollback of Transgender Policy Is Good News for Many Who Are Suffering – Walt Heyer, The Daily Signal

Pornography

How Pornography Prevents Intimacy in Your Marriage – Jonathan Daugherty, Focus on the Family

Porn problem is so serious that British MPs want to address it with public health campaign – James Risdon, LifeSiteNews

Beating the Odds: 10 indicators your marriage will survive porn addiction – Rob Jackson, Focus on the Family

Nepal Bans Pornography to Stem High Rate of Sexual AssaultNational Catholic Register