In 1996, Congress passed the “Defense of Marriage Act.” This law defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman. The law also says that no state, territory, or possession of the United States is required to treat as a marriage a same-sex relationship considered a marriage in another state. The “Defense of Marriage Act” is an act of Congress, and it is the law of the land.
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Tim Keller on “Morning Joeâ€
“Morning Joe” is my favorite talking-head program, and Tim Keller is one of my favorite pastors. So I was glad to see that Keller made an appearance on the program Friday morning. Keller discussed idolatry and the sermon that he is preparing for Sunday morning. One interesting tidbit: Scarborough is a Southern Baptist by tradition (as I am), but he reveals in the clip above that he attends Keller’s Presbyterian church from time to time. I am grateful for Keller’s faithful ministry in NYC. God is using him in a difficult field. [Keller appeared at least one other time on “Morning Joe.” It was two years ago, and you can…
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Bush’s Liberal Legacy
Der Spiegel has a fascinating column about “George W. Bush’s Liberal Legacy.” In short, the column argues that liberals were wrong for excoriating President Bush for his desire to see democracy spread in the middle east. In fact, Bush’s ideals seem to be coming to reality. “It was actually former President George W. Bush who always believed in the democratization of the Muslim world and was broadly ridiculed by the Left for his convictions…
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Revolution in Egypt
NBC News (Feb 11): Crowds in Tahrir Square erupted in jubilant cheers on Friday after Vice President Suleiman, appearing briefly on Egypt state TV, announced that President Mubarak has stepped down from presidency.
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Fetal Surgery and Abortion
A moral schizophrenia afflicts our culture on the issue of abortion. There are inconsistencies both in our nation’s laws and in people’s attitudes about the moral status of the unborn. Nevertheless, too many people still seem unable to see the contradictions. A case in point appears in today’s New York Times. Pam Belluck reports on a new study appearing in the The New England Journal of Medicine. A rigorous clinical trial has shown that fetal surgery can help babies with spina bifida to walk and experience fewer neurological problems if operated on before being born rather than afterward. Here’s a summary of the study’s findings:
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Politics and Roman Catholicism
Michael Gerson has a thoughtful column in The Washington Post about Roman Catholicism’s impact on American politics. He writes: “There is certainly a distinctive Catholic teaching on politics – a highly developed and coherent tradition that has influenced many non-Catholics, myself included. Human life and dignity, in this view, are primary. The common good takes precedence over selfish interests. Local institutions – families, churches, unions, religious schools – should be respected, not undermined, by government. The justice of a society is measured by its treatment of the poor and vulnerable. “These distinctive commitments have created tensions with liberal Catholic politicians who elevate autonomy and choice as the highest political values…
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The Social Costs of Pornography
Anthony Bradley has posted a summary of a little book titled, The Social Costs of Pornography: A Statement of Findings and Recommendations. The book is a summary of a 2008 symposium sponsored by the Witherspoon Institute, and here are some of the findings highlighted by Bradley. 1. More people than ever before–children, adolescents, adults–are consuming pornography with powerful effects on them and on the entire society (p. 15).
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Obama Administration Suppresses Abortion Stats
Steven Ertelt reports that the Obama administration is being accused of suppressing U.S. abortion statistics. The CDC normally publishes these figures, but apparently that has changed. Ertelt writes: “The Obama administration’s decision to stop publishing abortion statistics is nothing short of outrageous. Even the rabidly pro-choice Clinton administration allowed the CDC to publish abortion statistics on an annual basis. Perhaps the Obama administration wants to squelch evidence that health care reform increased the abortion rate. Perhaps, seeing the momentum of pro-lifers, they do not want to be blamed if abortion numbers increase. Regardless, research and human knowledge will not advance without access to good and reliable data. As such, the…
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President Obama Defends His Faith at Prayer Breakfast
Elizabeth Tenety has the full report, but here’s the relevant excerpt in which the President defends his faith against critics who doubt his sincerity. “These past two years they have deepened my faith. My Christian faith then has been a sustaining force for me over these last few years, all the more so when Michelle and I hear our faith questioned from time to time. We are reminded that ultimately what matters is not what other people say about us, but whether we’re being true to our conscience and true to our God.” Read the rest of Tenety’s coverage here.
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Planned Parenthood Aids “Sex-Traffickersâ€
Planned Parenthood is the largest abortion provider in the U.S. Their business is death, and their abortion mills are a moral outrage. Lila Rose’s “Live Action” group has released more than a dozen hidden camera videos from ten states that show the alarming trend of illegal Planned Parenthood activity: cover-up of sexual abuse of minors, the skirting of parental consent laws, citing unscientific and fabricated medical information to convince women to have abortions, and Planned Parenthood’s willingness to accept donations earmarked to abort African-American babies. The video above shows a Planned Parenthood manager in New Jersey coaching a man and a woman posing as sex traffickers how to secure secret…