Dear Friends,
In an age when assisted suicide has been deemed acceptable public policy, it becomes necessary for Christians to unapologetically stand up for the dignity and worth of every human being, no matter what stage of life they are in or what occupation they have.
In the professional world, it’s easy to view jobs through the prism of worldly prestige and monetary worth—a film actor in Hollywood is seen as a much more important person than the cashier behind the counter at a grocery store. As Christians, however, we see these two jobs as equal in dignity and value, because God makes no distinction in worth between them. The actor is called to use his or her skills to further truth, goodness, and beauty through the art form of their acting abilities, thereby imparting new and cathartic insights about the mysteries of existence to the public. In a different but no less valuable way, the grocery store cashier is called to further truth, goodness, and beauty by being knowledgeable, kind, and helpful to his or her customers, thereby creating a life-giving and positive experience to every individual they serve.
Analogously, all people, no matter how old or young, have a role to play in furthering the kingdom of God on earth. As Chris Hazell has written, we discover our role primarily by living in community with others. One of the great tragedies of modern times is the increased isolation that many in our society live in. What we often fail to understand is that instead of taking away our freedom and autonomy, living in community with others actually strengthens our sense of self. God created us for communion, declaring that “it is not good that man should be alone” (Gen 2:18). In the above referenced article, Hazel relates a beautiful quote from Henri J.M. Nouwen: “That is the great joy of being chosen: the discovery that others are chosen as well. In the house of God there are many mansions. There is a place for everyone - a unique, special place.”
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
Trump's right: Transgender patriotism isn't the issue — military readiness is – Tony Perkins
Why We Were Right to Pray for President Trump – Tony Perkins
6 Ways Governor Brownback Can Prioritize International Religious Freedom – Travis Weber
11 Reasons Why Assisted Suicide Must End – Dan Hart
Backpage.com and Human Trafficking: What is Christian America’s Response? – Mary Beasley
No, Rev. Barber, Prayer for a President Is Not “Heresy” – Travis Weber
Religious Liberty
"Free to Believe"
Bible verse plaque displayed at Tennessee police department to be moved – Fox News
Police officer disciplined for refusing to call a ‘transgender’ man a woman – Fr. Mark Hodges, LifeSiteNews
Lesbian mom asks Christian judge to recuse himself from her divorce case citing his stance against homosexuality – Megan Cerullo, NY Daily News
Religious Liberty in the Public Square
FRC Speaker Series: Four Objections to Religious Liberty... and some Possible Answers! with Michael Stokes Paulsen
A Demagogic Bully – Mark Pulliam, City Journal
Indiana school district kowtows to atheist group, promises to end graduation prayers – Tré Goins-Phillips, TheBlaze
Ultra-Rich Gay Activist On Targeting Christians: It’s Time To ‘Punish The Wicked’ – Bre Payton, The Federalist
Students sue school for hushing pro-life speech – Bonnie Pritchett, WORLD
Conservative Students More Afraid to Speak Up on Campus Than Liberals, Study Finds – Michael Gryboski, The Christian Post
Christie Signs Bill Requiring NJ Schools Use Preferred Pronouns for Transgender Kids – Rob Shimshock, The Daily Signal
State Directs Schools To 'Segregate' Students Uncomfortable With Transgender Bathrooms – Amanda Prestigiacomo, The Daily Wire
Millennials approve of religious freedom as a choice, but don't know what it means – Scott Taylor, Deseret News
International Religious Freedom
8 Churches Close in Baghdad Amid Shrinking Iraqi Christian Population – Samuel Smith, The Christian Post
China’s Censorship Powers Are Bigger And More Dangerous Than You Know – Helen Raleigh, The Federalist
Spanish Cathedral Targeted for Reversing the Reconquista – Matthew E. Bunson, National Catholic Register
Pakistani Christians Fear Rise in Persecution After Ouster of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif – Anugrah Kumar, The Christian Post
Google’s New Hate Speech Algorithm Has a Problem With Jews – Liel Leibovitz, Tablet
4 Surprising Facts About ISIS – Joshua Pease, Open Doors
Military Religious Freedom
Why Trump Keeping Trans People From The Military Is A Good Decision – Walt Heyer, The Federalist
Life
Abortion
Hawaii pro-life centers sue over abortion promotion law – Samantha Gobba, WORLD
An Effective Weapon to Reach Pro-Abortion Advocates – Patti Armstrong, National Catholic Register
Melinda Gates Commits $375 Million to Global Family Planning to Counter Trump’s Pro-Life Policy – Dr. Susan Berry, Breitbart
Why 'Sidewalk Counselors' Are Crucial to the Pro-Life Movement – Patty Knap, National Catholic Register
I was told abortion would make my life more complete. But it left the biggest hole in my heart… – Bettina di Fiore, LifeSiteNews
Pregnancy Center Saves LA Babies from Abortion – Jim Graves, National Catholic Register
Dem campaign chief vows no litmus test on abortion – Ben Kamisar and Reid Wilson, The Hill
Kentucky Could Be The First Abortion Free-State By 2018 – Jeremiah Keenan, The Federalist
Adoption
Adoption: The good and hard lessons – Micah and Tracy Fries, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission
Why Christians Are Abandoning the Orphanage – Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra, Christianity Today
How you can learn to love your birth mom – Ashton Morgan, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission
Bioethics
Republicans in Congress attempt to repeal D.C. assisted suicide law – Emma Kinery, USA Today
How Much Longer Do We Have? Living by Faith While Our Son Is Dying – Allison Muedder, Desiring God
Charlie Gard Dies After Life Support is Switched Off: Mother Says “Our Beautiful Boy is Gone” – Steven Ertelt, LifeNews
Charlie Gard’s Case Delivers Déjà Vu Of Twentieth-Century Eugenics – Caroline D'Agati, The Federalist
Scientists Kill Unborn Children in Human Genetic Engineering Experiments – Wesley Smith, LifeNews
Mother says adult, disabled daughter traumatized by doctor’s suggestion of assisted suicide – John Burger, Aleteia
What Charlie Gard Has Taught Us – Michael Brown, Townhall
Obamacare
41-Year-Old Father: ‘Obamacare Won’t Pay For My Back Surgery, But It Will Pay For Opioids’ – John Daniel Davidson, The Federalist
Congress Needs to Go Right Back to Work on Health Care Reform – Robert Moffit, The Daily Signal
Bipartisan Group: We Need To Break The Law To Make Obamacare Too Big To Fail – Christopher Jacobs, The Federalist
Family
Economics/Education
Why Melinda Gates Is Wrong About Contraception – John Clark, National Catholic Register
Capitalism and the Quest for Community – Brian Jones, Public Discourse
The American Dream Is in Crisis – J.D. Vance, The Daily Signal
Dodd-Frank Has Held Down the US Economy for Too Long – Rep. Jeb Hensarling, The Daily Signal
Our Cultural Waterloo – Carl R. Trueman, First Things
Conservatives are increasingly hostile to higher ed. Who can blame them? – Noah Rothman, USA Today
This Is the Way the College ‘Bubble’ Ends – Derek Thompson, The Atlantic
Marriage
Long marriage, beautiful life – Caryn Rivadeneira, Aleteia
Establishing the facts about family breakdown transforming the debate about marriage – Harry Benson, Marriage Foundation
Paper, silver and gold: How marriage shapes us – Tom Hoopes, Aleteia
The Children of Divorce Speak Out – Rachel Lu, Crisis
Staying Married Is Not About Staying in Love – John Piper, Desiring God
Young men giving up on marriage: ‘Women aren’t women anymore’ – Hilary White, LifeSiteNews
Marriage Matters – W. Bradford Wilcox, Family Studies
Faith/Character/Culture
FRC Speaker Series: Not a Day Care: The Devastating Consequences of Abandoning Truth with Dr. Everett Piper
‘Game Of Thrones’ Is The Ugliest Show On Television. That’s Why We Love It – Titus Techera, The Federalist
Children are Never a Burden – Mattias A. Caro, Ethika Politika
Limping Along the Way of Truth – Word On Fire
The Democrats’ Anthropological Field Trip to Study Americans – Kyle Smith, National Review
Podcast: Race and human flourishing; Embracing diversity for the good of all people – Glenn Packiam, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission
Crude Language, Coarse Culture: We Need to Do Better – Rob Schwarzwalder, The Stream
Human Sexuality
Why Premarital Sex Is Wrong – Nathan Smith, Public Discourse
Sen. Patty Murray Calls For Resignation of Trump Official Over Accurate Campus Rape Comments – Joy Pullmann, The Federalist
'I felt really humiliated:' Teen blasts school district's transgender bathroom policy – Matt Miller, PennLive
Activist Mommy Starts 'Operation Pull Teen Vogue' After Mag Peddles Sexual Perversion to Minors – Charlene Aaron, CBN News
Trump Cuts Wildly Ineffective Teen Pregnancy Program, Media Flip Out – Mollie Hemingway, The Federalist
Sex Robots Are (Almost) Here. How Will We Respond? – Jay Richards, The Stream
How Embedding Women With Contraception May Keep Them In Poverty – Elizabeth Bauer, The Federalist
Human Trafficking
FRC Speaker Series: The Battle for Humanity: How Conservatives Can Fight Human Trafficking with Rep. Ann Wagner
Pornography
Twelve Days of Action: Half-Way Through This Year’s Dirty Dozen List – Ben Forsgren, National Center On Sexual Exploitation
You’d Be Surprised to Hear What Porn Is Doing to Sex – Gail Dines and Liz Walker, Verily
After 10 Years, My Partner Won His Struggle With Porn Addiction – Fight The New Drug
