Current Events Archives

To Reduce Poverty, Reduce Divorce

I returned late last night from speaking at Georgetown University’s Catholic-Evangelical Leadership Summit on Overcoming Poverty (#povertysummit on Twitter). While I still have to digest everything that took place, I want to share a bit about the experience with you.

It was an honor to speak to the more than 700 people who attended the conference. At the event, I was part of a panel responding to the thoughts Harvard Professor Robert Putnam presents in his book, “Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis.”

In his book, Dr.

Topics: Current Events Tags: family, policy, pro-life May 13, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Kid President Is Pretty Awesome. So Is His Mom.

Have you heard of Kid President?

If you haven’t, I want to introduce you to him. His real name is Robby Novak, and he’s 11 years old. He stars in a series of inspirational and lighthearted YouTube videos, which have collectively been viewed tens of millions of times. I want to share one, “An Open Letter to Moms,” with you today in honor of Mother’s Day.

Robby has good reason to praise moms. His own mother, Laurie Novak, is a pretty incredible lady.

Topics: Current Events Tags: family, parenting May 8, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Mother from Baltimore

By now you’ve likely seen the video of Toya Graham, the Baltimore mother who forcibly removed her teenage son from the Maryland rioting.

Ms. Graham is being applauded far and wide on social media – and even by the city’s police commissioner.

To be sure, it’s a gritty video. And while many of us may not necessarily advocate her choice of technique or language, there’s no question some tough love was certainly warranted.

In an interview following the incident, Ms.

Topics: Current Events Tags: news, parenting April 30, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

What I Saw at Yesterday’s Supreme Court Hearing

I had the privilege of being at the United States Supreme Court yesterday during the two-and-half hours of oral arguments on the Obergefell v. Hodges marriage case.

Yesterday I gave my “first impressions,” and today I want to share in more detail with you what I saw and heard during this historic day.

As you can imagine, the scene outside the Court was filled with energy and emotion, with lots of individuals representing both sides of the debate.

Topics: Current Events Tags: homosexuality, marriage, news, policy, religious liberty April 29, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Focus on the Family President Reacts to Oral Arguments in SCOTUS Marriage Case

Focus on the Family President Jim Daly was at the Supreme Court today listening to oral arguments on the historic marriage case, Obergefell v. Hodges.
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“Sadly, civil discourse in America has deteriorated over the past few years. Where once our nation produced a robust exchange of ideas, we now see attempts to silence people of faith and those who support traditional marriage. Yet that silencing can’t erase the fact that an overwhelming majority of those who have voted on the issue—more than 51 million Americans—have cast their vote to maintain one man, one woman marriage in their states.

Topics: Current Events Tags: marriage, news, policy, religious liberty April 28, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Oregon Bakers Fined $135,000 for Supporting Marriage

Late last week it was announced that Aaron and Melissa Klein, owners of a bakery in Gresham, Oregon called “Sweet Cakes by Melissa,” had been fined $135,000.

Why?

Because they exercised their right of conscience and declined baking and decorating a wedding cake for a same-sex ceremony.

This Christian couple with five children have been guests on our broadcast as they told their story of how their faith came under fire when they were confronted by a choice they thought would never come: obey God or obey an unjust law.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, homosexuality, religious liberty April 27, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Transgenderism in the News and Other Stories You Need to Know

A news summary on issues that matter.

Christians continue to be martyred around the world
The horrific scene is all too familiar: Christian men walking blindfolded across a beach, held by Islamic State militants. A new video shows two groups of Ethiopian Christians being shot and beheaded at the hands of ISIS. This comes just days after Christians were thrown overboard on a ship, drowned at sea, “for praying to Jesus.”

Please continue to pray for the persecuted Church around the world.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, homosexuality, policy, pop culture, religious liberty April 24, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Focus on the Family Amicus Brief Gives YOU a Voice at the Supreme Court

Despite the perception one might get after browsing social media, the fact remains that millions of people in the U.S. support God’s design for marriage. After all, it’s common sense to understand that marriage serves an important purpose: to bring together the two halves of humanity — male and female — to form a family.

It can be frustrating, then, when it seems that our view is drowned out in the culture. But while Hollywood, academia and the media can try their best to muffle pleas for civil discourse on how we as a nation should define marriage, thanks to an amicus brief Focus on the Family and nearly 45 pro-family groups and scholars submitted to the U.S.

Topics: Current Events Tags: marriage, news, policy April 21, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

How Young is Too Young to Walk to the Park Alone?

Do you or will you allow your children to walk to school or to the park alone?

If you said “yes” and happen to live in the state of Maryland, you could find yourself on the wrong side of the law.

Danielle and Alexander Meitiv of Silver Spring, Maryland, learned that the hard away.

Mr. and Mrs. Meitiv practice “free-range parenting,” a philosophy where moms and dads give their children a great degree of independence. So when they allowed their two children, Rafi and Dvora, ages 10 and 6, to walk home alone from the park, the police got involved.

Topics: Current Events Tags: news, parenting April 15, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Remembering Terri Schiavo with Jeb Bush on Today’s Broadcast

It was ten years ago, on March 31, 2005, when Terri Schiavo drew her last breath. The nation followed her final days, which were marked by an army of people doing everything possible to preserve her life.

You likely remember the uproar.

Terri was not dying or terminally ill. She was not brain-dead or in a coma. She was a mentally disabled woman able to breathe on her own; her only dependency was on a feeding tube into her stomach for liquids and nourishment.

Topics: Current Events Tags: broadcast, news, pro-life April 13, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura