Dear Friends,
Over the past few years, it has been clear that the mainstream media does not have a clue about the real world implications of the attacks on religious liberty that believers, particularly Christians, have been suffering. People like Donald Vander Boon and groups like the Little Sisters of the Poor have been repeatedly bullied by their own government into forced participation of an extreme LGBT and abortion agenda. For too long, the media has either ignored these stories or falsely portrayed believers as the “extremists.”
Now, a few cracks in this one-sided façade are starting to appear. A recent New Yorker article about Rod Dreher (author of The Benedict Option) quotes Andrew Sullivan, a Catholic writer who identifies as homosexual: “‘There is simply no way for an orthodox Catholic to embrace same-sex marriage,’ he said. ‘The attempt to conflate that with homophobia is a sign of the unthinking nature of some liberal responses to religion’ … ‘Rod forces you to understand what real pluralism is: actually accepting people with completely different world views than your own.’” The author goes on to restate Rod Dreher’s position: “You [progressives] wouldn’t sue Orthodox Jews or observant Muslims. Please don’t sue us, either.”
This echoes the point that believers have been making for years: that “tolerance” and “equality” must apply to those with sincerely held religious beliefs in a free society. In view of the vast number of people and organizations that have been persecuted for their beliefs, the highest levels of government must take action to protect their First Amendment rights. That is why FRC is hosting a special program “Free to Believe: Religious Liberty in the Land of the Free” that will be webcast on May 2nd at 2 pm EDT to discuss the need for positive protections for religious freedom, and steps that can be taken to secure religious liberty for all Americans.
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
4 Entertaining Moments During Oral Arguments Over Banning Churches From Public Funds – Travis Weber
The First 100 Days to Securing America – Ken Blackwell
Students for Life Holds #Sockit2PP Rally Outside U.S. Capitol – Joshua Denton
Where Are the “Equal Rights” of Unborn Babies? – Dan Hart
Religious Liberty
Religious Liberty in the Public Square
Protecting Religious Liberty Safeguards All Children on the Playground Equally – Nathaniel Bruno, Public Discourse
Florida Teacher Bans Cross Necklaces in Class, Promotes LGBT Day of Silence – Samuel Smith, The Christian Post
A popular public school Bible class in West Virginia faces legal challenge – Joe Heim, The Washington Post
At Berkeley, the Mob Wins Again – David French, National Review
Religious liberty still at risk under Trump – Nick Eicher, WORLD
International Religious Freedom
Forgiveness: Muslims Moved as Coptic Christians Do the Unimaginable – Jayson Casper, Christianity Today
Nearly One Christian Killed Every Hour for Practicing Faith – Edwin Mora, Breitbart
Anti-Christianity In France – Jean Duchesne, First Things
Religious Freedom Watchdog For the First Time Urges Blacklisting for Russia – Patrick Goodenough, CNS News
USCIRF names China flagrant religious freedom abuser in annual report – ChinaAid
Military Religious Freedom
Military Chaplains Turn 100 Years Old as 'Attacks' on Service Rise – CBN News
House Dems Push To Derail Mark Green For Army Secretary, Call Him ‘Homophobic’ – Jonah Bennett, The Daily Caller
Life
Abortion
New study finds preborn babies may feel pain in the first trimester – Cassy Fiano, Live Action News
Planned Parenthood honors abortion “champions” – Nick Eicher, WORLD
Video: Abortions increasing, services decreasing at Planned Parenthood – Live Action
Trump Admin Looking at Stopping Obama Ruling Forcing California Churches to Pay for Abortions – Steven Ertelt, LifeNews
10 Reasons Congress Should Defund Planned Parenthood, From Women Who Have Been There – Theresa Bonopartis, The Federalist
Adoption
Girl adopted with all 5 siblings: 'This is just what I wanted' – Kevin Grasha, USA Today
As Number of Adoptions Drops, Many US Agencies Face Strains – David Crary, Associated Press
Bioethics
Shocking Report Shows Almost 6,100 People Were Killed in Assisted Suicide in the Netherlands Last Year – Alex Schadenberg, LifeNews
Trading on the Female Body: Surrogacy, Exploitation, and Collusion by the US Government – Kathleen Sloan, Public Discourse
970 People Were Killed Killed in Canada Last Year in Euthanasia or Assisted Suicide – Alex Schadenberg, LifeNews
Obamacare
Running The Numbers On Mortality Rates Suggests Obamacare Could Be Killing People – Brian Frankie, The Federalist
Family
Economics/Education
On Tax Day, Let’s Work Toward More Family-Friendly Tax Policies – Alysse ElHage, Family Studies
Education Is A Market Whether Liberals Like It Or Not – Joy Pullmann, The Federalist
A Bipartisan Case for School Choice – Melissa Moschella, Public Discourse
Putting First Things First in a College Education – Michael Scaperlanda, Crisis
Should Mothers’ Labor Force Participation Be a Policy Goal? – Amber Lapp, Family Studies
Millennials Are Embracing Traditional Gender Roles in Record Numbers – Relevant
More education means less religious commitment — unless you’re Christian – Emily McFarlan Miller, Religion News Service
Marriage
Why Millennial Women Delay Marriage – Jennifer Murff, The Christian Post
Census: More Americans 18-to-34 Now Live With Parents Than With Spouse – Terence P. Jeffrey, CNS News
Marriage is still the gold standard of family stability – Kiley Crossland, WORLD
Who is at Risk for a Gray Divorce? It Depends – Naomi Cahn, Family Studies
Faith/Character/Culture
Is this the most destructive element in human nature? – David Mills, Aleteia
The Too-Small Story of Home – Jen Pollock Michel, The Gospel Coalition
Why Isn’t There More Evidence For God? – Fredric Heidemann, Word On Fire
Human Sexuality
Harvard: Students can change gender daily, saying otherwise is ‘violence’ – Fr. Mark Hodges, LifeSiteNews
Why Are So Many Lesbians Getting Pregnant? – Glenn Stanton, Public Discourse
Bravo to the Truth: What’s Wrong with Transgender Ideology – Walt Heyer, Public Discourse
Sex Education in California Sparks Culture Clash – Joan Frawley Desmond, National Catholic Register
Why Is Female Genital Mutilation Still Happening in the U.S.? – Phyllis Chesler, Middle East Forum
Transgender Kids: Are We Doing More Harm Than Good? – Todd A. Whitworth, First, Do No Harm: Youth Gender Professionals
Human Trafficking
The Battle against Sex Trafficking of Minors – George Will, National Review
Mom’s story of ‘attempted sex trafficking’ goes viral — but is it the whole story? – Ashley Jonkman, Aleteia
U.S. Lawmakers Seek to End Impunity for Online Sale of Children – Lisa Correnti, C-Fam
India’s human trafficking and rape survivors make their own justice – Calah Alexander, Aleteia
Pornography
In War on Child Porn, US Turns Wounded Soldiers Into Hunters – Victoria Macchi, VOA News
Group pushes back on pornography with science – Rob Rogers, Billings Gazette
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