Current Events Archives

What the Historically Low Abortion Numbers Mean

You may have heard the news: abortion rates are at the lowest they’ve been since Roe v. Wade legalized the act in all 50 states 41 years ago.

Two separate sources confirm this statement: the most recent report by Planned Parenthood’s research arm, the Guttmacher Institute, and the government’s Center for Disease Control 2010 report.

It’s actually not a surprise we’re at these “lowest ever” abortion numbers, because we’ve been seeing years of declining trends.

Topics: Current Events Tags: adoption, news, pro-life February 20, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Disney’s Two Mommies and Teaching Kids About Marriage

The Disney Channel recently introduced a subplot involving a lesbian couple to its popular children’s show, “Good Luck Charlie.” The storyline involved Charlie’s parents trying to remember the name of their daughter’s friend’s mom. The father remembered the mom’s name as Cheryl, and the mother remembered the name as Susan.

Turns out they were both right, because the little girl coming over to play had twomommies. (You can watch the minute-long scene online.)

The Disney Channel is immensely popular with its target demographic, children.

Topics: Current Events Tags: entertainment, homosexuality, news, pop culture February 19, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Will Child Euthanasia Ever Be Legalized in the U.S.?

You may have already heard the heartbreaking news: Belgium’s parliament voted in favor of a bill allowing euthanasia for terminally ill children without any age limit. Experts expect King Philippe to sign the bill into law.

The move comes only 12 years after Belgium legalized euthanasia for adults. It was a fast tumble down the slippery slope.

As Americans, there’s a certain temptation to read news like this and though we gulp and sigh, we think this sort of thing only happens in Europe, not the United States.

Topics: Current Events Tags: kids, news, pro-life February 18, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

This Olympian’s Inspiration is His Brother with Cerebral Palsy

Get the tissues out, because this story will tug at your heartstrings.

Canadian freestyle skier Alex Bilodeau won gold at the Sochi Winter Olympics yesterday, the second of his career. And right there cheering him on was his older brother, Frederic. After the big win Monday, the brothers hugged, with Alex lifting Frederic over the fence so they could celebrate together.

Frederic’s support, and the manner with which he has dealt with his physical impediments have inspired Alex throughout his many years of training.

Topics: Current Events Tags: friendship, news, pop culture February 11, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Olympic Commercial Shows a Parenting Truth

Have you caught Olympic fever yet?

Here at Focus we have. Our staff is celebrating “Olympic Fridays” by wearing the red, white and blue. We watch and marvel at the athletes’ prowess – their talent, tenacity, discipline and courage.

And behind these dedicated men and women stand families who helped them achieve their dreams of representing their respective countries on a world stage after a seeming lifetime of training.

I want to share with you a commercial from Proctor and Gamble (P&G) that highlights some of the sacrifices these athletes’ mothers went through to see their children compete at the Olympic level.

Topics: Current Events Tags: kids, news, parenting February 7, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

5 SCOTUS Cases to Watch

History tells us U.S. Supreme Court decisions often have a far-reaching impact on issues we care about – things like life, marriage and religious liberties.

To that end, I wanted to provide you with a list our experts compiled of SCOTUS court cases to watch. I hope this short summary will help you navigate the news.

As always, we encourage Christians to pray for the things that go on in our government. Pray for our Supreme Court justices, that God would grant them wisdom as they hear these cases.

Topics: Current Events Tags: homosexuality, news, policy, pro-life, religious liberty February 6, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Super Bowl’s Top 5 Most Family-Friendly Ads

As I mentioned in Friday’s post, the team here at Focus thought it would be fun to create a countdown of the night’s most family-friendly ads. After all, we love to celebrate all things that elevate family – even commercials!

It was also nice for us, as Broncos fans, to find a source of distraction as the contest deteriorated on the field. Nevertheless, a big “congratulations!” to all you Seahawks fans out there – it was a well-earned win.

Topics: Current Events Tags: entertainment, kids, marriage, parenting, pop culture February 3, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

One of the Most Controversial Super Bowl Ads of All Time?

Amid all the hoopla surrounding this Sunday’s Super Bowl, I can’t help but think back to the 2010 game. That’s the year Focus on the Family debuted its now-famous ad featuring Pam and Tim Tebow. It still gives me a chuckle to think how some groups branded our innocuous commercial “inappropriate,” “offensive” and “hate masquerading as love” – all without ever seeing it!

These allegations led to an intense media blitz leading up to the game that had me speaking with and appearing on what seemed an endless number of media outlets.

Topics: Current Events Tags: news, parenting, pop culture, pro-life January 31, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Did You Know About This Scandal at the Super Bowl?

Here in Colorado, we’re still basking in the glory of Jan. 19 AFC Championship game victory that bought our beloved Broncos a trip to this Sunday’s Super Bowl.

Unfortunately, it won’t all be fun and games in New Jersey this weekend. Beyond the talent of the players on the field and the glitz of the halftime show, the sad reality is that the Super Bowl is, according to Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, “the single largest human trafficking incident in the United States.”

Human traffickers are ready to exploit the party atmosphere and lowered inhibitions of the thousands of men who will be checking into local hotels.

Topics: Current Events Tags: broadcast, news, pop culture January 28, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

3 Lessons Christians Can Learn From the Grammys’ Wedding Ceremony

I’m the type who turns on the TV to watch a football game, not an awards show, but I did hear about the mass wedding at the Grammys last night.

Here’s a recap: actress and rapper Queen Latifah officiated a marriage ceremony for 33 same-sex and straight couples. The ceremony was part of a performance of the song “Same Love” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.

“Same Love” came to prominence during Washington’s Referendum 74 campaign, which ultimately legalized same-sex marriage in the state.

Topics: Current Events Tags: entertainment, homosexuality, news, pop culture January 27, 2014 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura