Current Events Archives

From Boston to Aurora to Sandy Hook, a Problem that Has a Name: Sin

The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children. – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

The headlines have been gruesome and the facts behind the stories are difficult to even read. We recoil at the horrors that seem to be present at every turn these days. The Boston Marathon bombings, the agonizing trial of Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell, the shootings at Sandy Hook and the Aurora theater come readily to mind.

Sadly, this road of national tragedy is growing increasingly familiar.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, news, pro-life April 30, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

This Photo is Worth More Than a Thousand Words

Did you catch the dedication of the Bush Library yesterday?

The NBC News Facebook page ran this photo along with the following caption:

For the first time since the 2006 funeral of Gerald Ford all the nation’s former living presidents came together with the current commander in chief to honor one of their own Thursday at the Bush Library dedication.

To be sure, these five men represent very different views and ideologies. As evangelical Christians, we’ve applauded some of the things they’ve done and decried others.

Topics: Current Events Tags: news, policy April 26, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Would You Save a Murderer?

What does grace look like to you?

Grace often shines brightest when the circumstances surrounding it are at their darkest. It’s a person forgiving their spouse the betrayal of their infidelity. It’s extending love to someone who has spewed harsh words and hatred at you. In certain cases, it’s the skilled hands of a doctor rescuing the life of a murderer.

I was struck by that exact imagery recently in the hours following the manhunt of the young man accused of the Boston Marathon bombing.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, news April 25, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Solution to the Gun Debate

Let me be candid.

I’m not a gun enthusiast. It wasn’t part of my heritage or upbringing. Even though I know how to use various firearms now, I’m still something of an amateur on the subject.

Even so, I feel the need to comment on the discussions in Washington and throughout the media recently calling for increased gun control legislation.

From my viewpoint, attention is being focused in the wrong direction.

I don’t claim to be an expert on the specifics of the gun control debate.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, news, policy April 24, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

My Conversation with Kirsten Powers

I mentioned last Friday how Kirsten Powers (pictured left), a regular contributor to FOX News and a highly respected journalist, had the nerve to write a column in USA Today detailing the horrific case of Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell.His trial, which is now in its fifth week, had, up until that point, earned surprisingly little attention from the mainstream news media, despite the fact that the details of the case are so shocking and so horrifying that they deserve to be a major national news story.

Topics: Current Events Tags: broadcast, news, pro-life April 19, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

If the Supreme Court Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage…

This was the question posed to me by the editors of Christianity Today recently:

If the Supreme Court legalizes same-sex marriage, what next?

Hypothetical questions are not always productive, but in this case, I was privileged to participate in the panel, which featured answers from two other individuals. The panel of three also included Elodie Ballantine Emig, instructor of Greek at Denver Seminary and Timothy Dalrymple, managing editor at Patheos.com.

You can read the entire exchange by clicking here.

Topics: Current Events Tags: homosexuality, marriage, news, policy April 15, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Why the Media Blackout Over the Gosnell Trial?

Yesterday’s USA Today ran a piece by Kirsten Powers, a columnist and political commentator, that questioned why the trial of Kermit Gosnell isn’t making front page news.

That’s a good question.

Mr. Gosnell is an abortionist who allegedly performed illegal and horrific late-term “abortions” in deplorable conditions that, in addition to killing the babies, also cost at least one women her life. The grand jury report can be accessed here.

I’m putting the word abortion in quotes because Mr.

Topics: Current Events Tags: news, pro-life April 12, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Dare to Dream Again

“When it comes to a professional career, what percentage of people do you think are doing what they really want to do?”

A colleague of mine recently posed that question to Kurt Warner, the former NFL quarterback and host of a new reality show titled “The Moment.”

What would you guess was his answer?

According to Kurt, it’s between 25 and 30 percent. Put another way, nearly three-quarters of Americans would rather be doing something else for a living.

Topics: Current Events Tags: entertainment, faith, pop culture April 11, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Four Things You Can Do to Preserve Traditional Marriage

Today’s Focus on the Family broadcast features two of the brightest minds in the country discussing the Supreme Court’s recent oral arguments on the matter of same-sex marriage.

Joining John Fuller and me is Dr. Helen Alvare, a professor of law at George Mason University, and Dr. Al Mohler, the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

By clicking here you can hear the entire program, which includes audio clips from the actual proceedings inside the Supreme Court chamber.

Topics: Current Events Tags: broadcast, homosexuality, marriage, news, policy April 10, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

A Football Video that Will Give You Goosebumps

April 22, 2011 was an ordinary day for Andy and Bri Hoffman until they found their five-year-old son, Jack, sitting nearly comatose in their kitchen. He was rushed to the hospital and eventually diagnosed with pediatric cancer.

Months of treatment followed along with many tears and sleepless nights.

“It just tipped our life upside down,” Andy’s father told the USA Today.

But through a series of conversations and connections little Jack was given an opportunity to meet some of his heroes on his favorite football team: the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Topics: Current Events Tags: kids, news, parenting April 9, 2013 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura