Dear Friends,
The other day, I walked into an Asian stir-fry eatery and was met with a row of touchscreens lined up in front of the kitchen area where employees were preparing the food. The normal conversation one would usually hear between customers and the person behind the counter was strangely absent. Instead, I found myself and two or three millennial-types silently staring down at the touchscreens and ordering our food with a series of finger taps. We even swiped our own credit cards on a little console that also printed out our receipts. Similarly, instead of going to the bank with a check to deposit and having a friendly interaction with the bank teller, we can now deposit our checks ourselves with the cameras on our phones.
All of this technology has certainly made our lives more convenient in certain ways, but it also has a weird way of making everyday life seem robotic. We aren’t being “old-fashioned” when we feel that something vital is missing from our lives when the opportunities for friendly chit-chat are systematically removed from commonplace societal activities.
The desire for genuine human contact isn’t merely a “nicety” that some of us choose to do from time to time. This desire was placed in all human hearts by our Creator. Think of how Jesus interacted with those around him. He didn’t sit on pedestal and heal people from afar—rather, he did not hesitate in holding children in his lap, touching lepers, and even spitting on a blind man’s eyes to heal them. This is the kind of God we have, one whose deepest desire is to reach out and touch us. We in turn desire to give and receive genuine touch. Never underestimate the power that a warm handshake or a friendly pat on the back can have. A sincere embrace of someone who is struggling can have an enormous impact. Even something as seemingly insignificant as a smile and a friendly “hello” has the power to immediately lift our spirits.
It’s particularly important to not miss an opportunity to be both verbally and physically affectionate with our spouses and children, which strengthens the bond of our family units. 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
New Brochure: How to Respond to the LGBT Movement – Peter Sprigg
The SPLC’s Incursion into Education
With vote against Brownback, Democrats abandon religious freedom – Travis Weber
President is keeping his promises – Tony Perkins
Fact-Checking Jimmy Kimmel on Christian Bakers: Two Big Errors, But Props for Trying – Travis Weber
Generation Z – Seeking Answers to Good and Evil – Travis Weber
An Ode to the Lincoln Memorial – Brynne Krispin
Pain-Capable Senate Vote: The One Percenters’ Club – Jay Sappington
4 Unforgettable Thoughts On Marriage – Dan Hart
With Cecile Richards’ Resignation, It’s Time for Planned Parenthood to Come Clean – Jay Sappington
Religious Liberty
Religious Liberty in the Public Square
Judge Rules Bakeshop Owner Doesn’t Have to Bake Wedding Cake for Gay Couple – Grace Carr, The Daily Signal
North Carolina Settles With Magistrate It Forced Out for Not Doing Gay Marriages – Ken McIntyre, The Daily Signal
Michigan Pastor Facing Death Threats for Offering Workshops to Teens Struggling with Homosexuality – Charlene Aaron, CBN News
Governor Cuomo Signs Executive Order Banning State Agencies From Doing Business With Companies That Promote, Tolerate Discrimination – LongIsland.com
California Moves To Force Public Universities To Administer Abortion Pills – Kristan Hawkins, The Federalist
Maryland city to church: Stop worship services or leave – Alliance Defending Freedom
Ohio high school rallies around prayer after outside group tries to ban it at events – Caleb Parke and Michelle Chavez, Fox News
International Religious Freedom
16,000 Christians Dead in Less Than 3 Years: Report Reveals Extent of Violence in Nigeria – Stoyan Zaimov, The Christian Post
Impressions of persecution – June Cheng, WORLD
Sudan government demolishes church just hours after service – J-P Mauro, Aleteia
Religious Discrimination in Canada – Derek Ross, Public Discourse
US Pastor Andrew Brunson Writes Heartbreaking Message to Wife From Turkish Prison – Stoyan Zaimov, The Christian Post
Open Doors Rebuilds Nearly 700 Christian Homes Destroyed by ISIS in Nineveh Plains – Samuel Smith, The Christian Post
Life
Abortion
Beyond Roe: A Global Roadmap for the Pro-Life Movement – Stefano Gennarini, Public Discourse
Brother of woman who died from abortion at Planned Parenthood: Abortion is not a safe procedure – Live Action
Only Pro-Lifers Address Abortion’s Core Moral Question – Mene Ukueberuwa, National Review
The Emerging Pro-Life Majority – Rob Schwarzwalder, The Stream
'Fetal heartbeat' abortion bill advances in Iowa Senate after contentious hearing – William Petroski, Des Moines Register
Missouri House Passes Pro-Life Bill Requiring Parental Notification Before a Teen’s Abortion – Micaiah Bilger, LifeNews
Adoption
Five Reasons Adoption Shouldn’t be a Backup Plan – John Prather, The Stream
Pro-Life Advocates Celebrate: Lawmakers Pass Funding for Florida Pregnancy Support Network – Leon Aprile, Orlando Political Observer
Bioethics
Euthanizing The Mentally Ill Just Lets Their Illness Win – A.D.P. Efferson, The Federalist
Family
Economics/Education
Tax Revenues Up Big After GOP Tax Cut – James Barrett, The Daily Wire
Sorry, NYT: For Child Poverty, Family Structure Still Matters – W. Bradford Wilcox, Family Studies
The Left Is Conditioning College Students To Hate Free Speech – John Daniel Davidson, The Federalist
Campus Madness: Amid Uproar, Princeton's Class on Free Speech Issues Has Been Canceled – Guy Benson, Townhall
Marriage
The Profound Spiritual Truth of Marriage – Dorothy Greco, Relevant
How To Prepare For Marriage And Make It Good Once You Get There – Melissa Langsam Braunstein, The Federalist
She Was Repulsed by Her Husband – Lisa Lakey, Family Life
Jordan Peterson’s Radical Take on Marriage – Ashley McGuire, Family Studies
The Eschatological Hope of Bearing Children – Ian Caveny, First Things
The Lost Decade – Mary May Larmoyeux, Family Life
The Long-Term Benefits of Marriage: Evidence from the UK – Harry Benson, Family Studies
No Matter How Anyone Tries To Glam It Up Or Brush It Off, Divorce Is Never ‘Over Easy’ – The Federalist
We Lost Our Baby, but We Didn't Want to Lose Our Marriage – Tanisha Garnier, Christianity Today
How to Restore a Marriage Norm – Lawrence M. Mead, Family Studies
Rankin finally pulls the plug on gay marriage – Jonathan Bell, The Royal Gazette
Faith/Character/Culture
Raising Gentlemen in a #MeToo World: Advice for Fathers – Patrick Fagan, Family Studies
Why ‘Progressives’ Cannot Abide Dissent – Trevin Wax, The Gospel Coalition
The Burdensome Myth of Romantic Love – David C. Dollahite and Betsy VanDenBerghe, First Things
Is Life Ultimately Pointless? – Matt Nelson, Word On Fire
Human Sexuality
Is America Running Out of Patience with LGBT Activism? – Glenn Stanton, Public Discourse
Nine Decades of Promiscuity – Nicholas H. Wolfinger, Family Studies
Walgreens now allows bathroom use corresponding with gender identity – Rebecca Savransky, The Hill
Staggering Statistic Reveals How Many High Schoolers Now Identify as Transgender – Jason Hopkins, The Western Journal
Five Paradoxes of the Sexual Revolution, Part I – Mary Eberstadt, The Catholic Thing
‘Dirty Dozen’ List Sheds Light on Sexualized Corporate Culture – CBN News
Human Trafficking
510 Arrested in Sex Trafficking Sting; 56 Victims Rescued – Donald Kaufman, truthdig
Pornography
Let’s Ban Porn – Ross Douthat, The New York Times
Ammunition for the Fight Against Porn – Dieudonné Tamfu, Desiring God
5 Ways Intimacy Will Suffer if You Watch Porn Together – Mary Rose Somarriba, Verily
How One Family Is Taking A Stand Against Pornography and Sexual Exploitation in America’s Schools – Robin Paterson, National Center on Sexual Exploitation
