The Reformed Advisor

Month: April 2014

Historian Says No One is Born Gay or Straight – Society Does That

Posted on April 8, 2014 in Sexuality by

There is no such thing as a “gay gene” and no one is “born that way.”

Oh, by the way, no one is born heterosexual either.

In fact, being heterosexual or homosexual is nothing but a social construct developed in the 19th century in response to the pathologization of homosexual experiences by doctors.

That is the essence of a recent article by David Benkof at The Daily Caller in which he explains that LGBT historians are fighting the idea that anyone is born gay. Benkof’s purpose for the article is difficult to determine as he at times seems to call into question the idea that homosexuals don’t choose their sexuality due to a “gay gene.” But then he immediately asserts that sexuality in general is in part biological and mainly a social construct developed only in the last 150 years.

The following paragraph will give an idea of how difficult to follow this article is:

Shock Report: Bodies of Babies Used As Fuel to Heat Hospitals

Posted on April 7, 2014 in Life by

A disturbing report from the United Kingdom is causing an uproar all the way across the pond here in the United States. An investigation has led to the conclusion that thousands of unborn and miscarried babies were used as fuel in incinerators to heat hospitals. LifeNews.com reports:

“One of the country’s leading hospitals, Addenbrooke’s in Cambridge, incinerated 797 babies below 13 weeks gestation at their own ‘waste to energy’ plant. The mothers were told the remains had been ‘cremated.’ Another ‘waste to energy’ facility at Ipswich Hospital, operated by a private contractor, incinerated 1,101 foetal remains between 2011 and 2013. They were brought in from another hospital before being burned, generating energy for the hospital site.”

The shock and disgust has come mostly from pro-life camps as the pro-abortion crowd seems strangely silent. Then again, if you approve of ripping unborn babies apart limb from limb then what is the big deal about using their body parts to heat a hospital?

Is There a Connection Between Planned Parenthood and the Girl Scouts?

Posted on April 5, 2014 in Life by

That question has been asked a lot more in recent years and evidence surfaces of what appears to be a connection between the nation’s largest abortion merchant and the respected girls organization.

In this video clip LifeNews.com founder Steven Ertelt discusses the question of whether there really is a link between Planned Parenthood and the Girl Scouts. Ertelt talks about everything from former Girl Scouts CEO Cathy Cloninger’s statement that the Girl Scouts works with Planned Parenthood to the fact that the two groups hosting events together. Ertelt also talks about the women the Girl Scouts choose to honor, including Wendy Davis, Gloria Steinem, and Kathleen Sebelius.

If you are unsure of whether these two groups are in any way linked, this video should clear the question up. If the video doesn’t appear automatically, please refresh your browser.

Governor Signs 20 Week Abortion Ban – in Mississippi

Posted on April 4, 2014 in Life by

Fox News: “Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant said Tuesday that he looks forward to quickly signing a bill that would ban abortion at 20 weeks, the midpoint of a full-term pregnancy. ‘This measure represents a great effort to protect the unborn in Mississippi,’ Bryant said in a statement after House Bill 1400 passed the House 91-20 and the Senate 41-10.”

Just days after West Virginia governor Earl Ray Tomblin decided to veto a 20 week abortion ban because his legal team said it was “unconstitutional,” Mississippi governor Phil Bryant is preparing to sign one into law. Apparently Gov. Bryant did not consult Gov. Tomblin’s legal team to know such bills are unconstitutional. Apparently the other dozen states and the U.S. House of Representatives did not consult Gov. Tomblin’s legal team to know such bill are unconstitutional.

Or maybe Gov. Tomblin is playing political games to protect vulnerable Democrat lawmakers up for re-election in 2014.

Perhaps Gov. Tomblin is is signaling to national Democrats that he is with them on this issue in order to gain favor as he seeks federal office.

It could be that Gov. Tomblin’s claim to be “pro-life” is nothing more than empty words since his voting record does not reflect such a claim.

Whatever the reasons, one thing is clear, Gov. Tomblin’s legal team gave bad advice, and Gov. Tomblin should have signed the bill in order to show West Virginians that he truly is pro-life. The fact that he vetoed the bill while claiming to be pro-life is hypocrisy at its worst and West Virginia can do better.

Our Culture is Starving for Bold Pastors Willing to Speak Up

Posted on April 4, 2014 in Religious Freedom by

Pastor, let me ask you a question. Does your congregation know their religious rights? I’m not trying to be funny, it’s a serious question. And I am willing to bet that not only does many in your congregation not know their rights, but neither do you.

My friend Erik Stanley has been leading the charge to educate churches and pastors on their religious rights for a long time. As a religious freedom litigator with Alliance Defending Freedom he is on the front lines ensuring our constitutional rights are protected and defended. Part of his work has been the “Pulpit Freedom Sunday” project which aims to challenge the unconstitutional Johnson Amendment in the IRS code. Erik recently wrote:

“Why is it that Christians have a sense that our faith is under attack and that we are a disfavored minority on the road to sure persecution? One reason is because of the stories we see of fellow believers who are currently undergoing trials and tribulations for simply exercising their faith… Pastor, what are you doing to prepare your congregation to live in a culture that seems bent on denying them the right to live out their faith and to share their faith with others around them? Are they aware of the increasing attacks on people of faith?”

By now many people know of the florist in Washington, the baker in Colorado, and the photographer in New Mexico facing lawsuits for adhering to their religious convictions. What you might not know is that these are just three of the hundreds of cases wherein people of faith are facing legal action for their convictions. The reality is that these stories are growing in number.

West Virginia Lawmakers Making National News for All the Wrong Reasons

Posted on April 3, 2014 in Life by

Over the last few days West Virginia governor Earl Ray Tomblin has been in the news quite a bit. His claim to fame is that he vetoed the 20 week abortion ban last Friday. Tomblin, a “pro-life” governor said the bill was unconstitutional. I guess the other states and the U.S. House of Representatives that passed similar bills should have consulted with Tomblin’s legal team.

Joining Gov. Tomblin in the halls of shame this week is West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin. Manchin is also a self-proclaimed “pro-life” politician that is coming under fire for not becoming a sponsor of the federal 20 week abortion ban. An article at LifeNews.com explains:

“To put pressure on Manchin to support the bill, the SBA List today informed LifeNews of a $20,000 radio ad buy encouraging Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia to become the first Democratic senator to cosponsor the federal Pain Capable Unborn Child Act. The legislation would protect unborn children beginning at 20 weeks – more than halfway through pregnancy. Similar laws have been passed in 13 states. The federal bill passed the U.S. House and has more than 40 Senate cosponsors.”

Having more than 40 co-sponsors in the Senate is encouraging and gives hope for the bills hearing and passage. But it does not guarantee anything will come of it. Gov. Tomblin proved that when the West Virginia bill gained an overwhelming bi-partisan support only to have Tomblin veto the bill.

Once again West Virginia finds itself in the un-enviable position of having lawmakers in the news for all the wrong reasons. Republicans and Democrats came together to pass a life saving bill only to have our “pro-life” governor veto it. And our “pro-life” Senator won’t sign on to another life saving bill in the Senate. At some point we have to stop listening to what our candidates say and start paying attention to what they do. The next time Tomblin and Manchin claim to be pro-life the audience needs to laugh and remind them of their voting records.

Why Did “Pro Life” Gov. Tomblin Veto a Bill Banning Abortion?

Posted on April 3, 2014 in Life by

Governor Earl Ray Tomblin will have a hard time convincing anyone that he’s pro-life from this point forward. News broke late last night that Gov. Tomblin vetoed the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act after he doubted the bills constitutionality.

This bill, HB 4588, also known as the 20 week abortion ban, would have made it illegal to perform an abortion after 20 weeks gestation. That is the point at which most doctors and scientists agree that an unborn child can certainly feel pain. This fact means that abortion after 20 weeks is nothing short of torture as the pain capable unborn child is being torn limb from limb and can feel everything.

It was a surprise that the bill even made it out of committee and found a hearing in the legislature considering the Democratic majority and the hurdles placed before it. Nonetheless HB 4588 was voted on and passed in the house and senate by overwhelming bi-partisan majorities. This should have made the bill very easy for Gov. Tomblin to sign, considering the super-majority of state senators and delegates that supported it.

If This Photo Shows “Gay Pride” Then Gays Should Be Ashamed of Themselves

Posted on April 2, 2014 in Sexuality by

Warning: Graphic image below that some might find disturbing.

Let’s suppose you are walking in the park with your children enjoying a beautiful day. The kids are running and laughing while you stroll along and everyone is enjoying themselves. Suddenly a most disturbing image reveals itself as a completely nude man strolls down the sidewalk toward your children.

What would you do?

Like nearly every parent you would most like grab your kids and run in the opposite direction seeking shelter from the offensive image. You would do everything in your power to keep your kids from seeing the image and perhaps call the police to report the indecency.

Why would you do that?

I suspect that you would react in that way because you inherently know that it is not right for someone, man or woman, to be walking around the park naked. We have laws against public nudity that forbid such things. We have those laws not only to protect the innocence of children, but to protect the moral conscience of people in general. Decency an nudity laws protect innocence, conscience, order, and the morals of people that would otherwise be susceptible to diverse forms of crude, lascivious behaviors.

Governor Tomblin Playing Political Games with Unborn Children

Posted on April 1, 2014 in Life by

Last week Gov. Tomblin vetoed the Unborn Pain Capable Child Protection Bill (HB 4588) saying it was unconstitutional. Never mind that the bill passed in 10 other states and even the U.S. House of Representatives, Tomblin’s legal team advised him that the bill was problematic.

And article this morning at the Daily Caller quotes Susan B. Anthony List president Marjorie Dannenfelser regarding the incident:

“This high profile hypocrisy is producing justified outrage in West Virginia and across the nation. Shame on Governor Tomblin for turning his back on unborn children and women by vetoing a compassionate, common sense limit passed with overwhelming bipartisan support…This bill has passed in 10 other states and even the U.S. House of Representatives – none of which considered the bill to be unconstitutional, as the Governor claimed. I believe this was the plan of the Democratic Leadership in West Virginia all along, to allow the bill to pass so their vulnerable Democrat members could vote pro-life before an important election and then have lame-duck Governor veto the bill. That’s not leadership.”

I couldn’t agree more with that assessment as the only plausible explanation for the weak, barely there “unconstitutional” reason for the veto. My contention is simple, if Gov. Tomblin was truly pro-life he would eagerly sign the bill and let the courts decide if it was constitutional or not. His primary goal would be protecting the unborn. If his primary goal is his own career, and creating a sound bite for fellow Democrats up for re-election, veto the bill. By doing so he tells national Democrats – of which I believe Tomblin wants to join in Washington – that he will be a “team player” on the issue. He gives Democrats in the state legislature a good talking point on the campaign trail and once again the desires of the people of West Virginia are ignored.

Tell Gov. Tomblin if you agree with his decision. Let him know if you will or will not support him should he decide to run for federal office. Personally, if he won’t defend the unborn here in West Virginia there is no reason to believe he will do so in Washington. That’s not a candidate I can support.

Contact the Office of Gov. Tomblin.

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