I’m Definitely Not Abraham. Are you?
Posted on January 28, 2014 in Family by Nathan Cherry
I, like many people watched the History Channel mini-series “The Bible” when it aired nearly a year ago. I have not often been excited about biblically themed television shows. They tend to veer towards blatant misrepresentations after relying more on extra-biblical sources than the Bible itself. But this series, from husband and wife producers Mark Burnett (Survivor) and Roma Downey (Touched By An Angel) received much media attention and hype prior to the first episode for what critics said was careful attention to detail in staying true to Scripture.
As I watched the first episode I was pleasantly surprised and filled with promise that this could be worthy of the adjective used frequently to describe it on social media: epic. Of course it will be necessary to overlook the fact that everyone is speaking in a British accent. But I’m more interested in the series being biblically and historically accurate than employing the proper accent. (I do realize the historical inaccuracy of everyone speaking in the wrong accent. it’s just a detail that doesn’t bother me.)
As the first episode portrayed the life of Abraham, it came to the part when Abraham takes Isaac up on the mountain to offer a sacrifice. We all know the story; we’ve heard it a thousand times and can recite it in our sleep. But to watch it played out in “real life” was incredibly moving. To see a father torn by his desire to obey his God and at the same time to protect his child was heart-wrenching. We don’t often talk about how Isaac might have responded, but it seems appropriate to think he was scared, wondering what was going on, and like the movie portrayed, pleaded with his father. Continue reading…
H.R. 7: No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act
Posted on January 27, 2014 in Life, Public Policy by Nathan Cherry
Autumn Christensen with the Congressional Pro Life Caucus reminded pro-life defenders that H.R. 7, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, will be coming up in the House of Representatives very soon, perhaps this week. This very important piece of legislation would ensure that no tax dollars are spent to fund abortion.
Unfortunately, not only is abortion funded through our tax dollars at the federal level but, in some states, such as my home state of West Virginia, taxes are used to fund abortion at the state level. So this legislation would help protect the conscience rights of people opposed to abortion. A memo from the Congressional Pro Life Caucus says:
“At the March for Life yesterday, Rep. Eric Cantor announced that the House of Representatives will consider H.R. 7, the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act” next week. This legislation will make the Hyde amendment permanent and government-wide and will remove funding for insurance plans that include abortion from the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Since the exchanges created by the ACA have gone into effect, the bill required several updates. The text of H.R. 7 as it will be considered on the floor is available here. The notable changes to the bill are: Continue reading…
States, Educators, Parents Abandon Common Core For Being Dumb
Posted on January 27, 2014 in Home School, Public Policy by Nathan Cherry
When Common Core was announced it was touted as the “fix” to an American education system that has been in decline for years. Without much review or investigation into the privately funded, federally promoted standards and curriculum, school boards began approving its implementation. That snowballed into entire states “opting in” to statewide use of Common Core. (It didn’t hurt that the federal government offered millions in monetary enticements to join the program.)
What has been the result of all the pomp and fanfare rolling out Common Core?
Parents are learning that Common Core is rotten to the core.
A history professor at Hillsdale College, Terrence Moore, is writing a new book called “The Story Killers.” This book was prompted by Moore’s review of the English Language Arts curriculum found in the Common Core Standards. Here is what Moore says about those “standards” and what they will do to our kids:
“…imagine the national takeover of the American minds and souls? That’s what Common Core is. Because once you control the curriculum in the schools, then you can dictate what students are supposed to think and feel, and how they are supposed to look at the world…This is a political issue.”
This video interview (posted below) with Terrence Moore is worth the few minutes it takes to watch. Moore expounds on how Common Core will seek to inject a specific political ideology into public education intended to produce kids that simply spit out rhetoric rather than actually know how to learn. Moore goes on to share insight into the progressive ideal of education and how those ideals will be detrimental to kids. Specifically, traditional ideas regarding gender roles, family, and marriage will be replaced with progressive ideas. Continue reading…
Video: March for Life Participants In Their Own Words
Posted on January 26, 2014 in Life by Nathan Cherry
If there is no fundamental, basic right to life, can any other rights really exist? That is a question that all people should ask when discussing the issue of abortion. If we as humans have the “right” to kill another living human being what other rights do we really have?
Every year on the anniversary of the infamous Roe V. Wade decision the March 4 Life takes place in Washington, D.C. Despite nearly non-existent media coverage the March 4 Life is the largest protest march in our nation’s capitol every year.
While the media tries to portray pro-lifers as old, cranky men trying to wage a “war on women,” the face of the pro-life movement is composed of young men and women that understand the evil of abortion. To get a better idea of why so many people would brave freezing temperatures each year to participate in the March 4 Life, take a look at this short video. You will hear from participants as they explain in their own words why they march.
If the video doesn’t appear automatically, please refresh your browser.
Photos of March for Life Reveal the Face of the Pro-Life Movement
Posted on January 26, 2014 in Life, Public Policy by Nathan Cherry
Maybe you missed the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. last week. It certainly did not gain a lot of media attention as they continue their complicit partnership with the abortion industry. But hundreds of thousands of people braved cold temperatures to march in the nation’s capitol showing their support for life.
The photos below show one striking feature about the force behind the pro-life movement. While the media tries to claim it is old men seeking to “oppress women,” these photos reveal an enormous number of young people, and women. In other words, those driving the pro-life movement are young people and women that have been impacted by abortion in some way.
Doug Mainwaring recently wrote the following statement about this year’s March for Life, and shared the photos you will see below:
“It’s no wonder the legacy media does the best it can to ignore the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. They would like to preserve the perception they’ve cultivated over the years of “right to lifers” as a bunch of crotchety, backwards, sexually uptight old folks. Images of the January 22, 2014 March for Life present a completely different picture, demolishing the pro-abortion media’s false narrative about who today’s pro-life activists really are. This year’s March was dominated by young people — overwhelmingly so! With more than 60% of Americans now asserting that abortion is morally wrong, perhaps the tide of adult selfishness, resulting in 55 million child lives aborted, is turning. Maybe with this rising generation, we’ll discover that unconditional love for children isn’t dead after all.”
Think Abstinence Doesn’t Matter? Look At This Graph!
Posted on January 25, 2014 in Life by Nathan Cherry
Why does Planned Parenthood push so hard to get explicit sex-education in schools? Why do pro-abortion groups want to get condoms and birth control in the hands of middle and high school students? The graph below answers these questions.
According to this graph the younger a girl is when she first has sex, the more likely she is to have an abortion. The rates are so dramatically different by age that the actions of pro-abortion groups make much more sense. Abortion groups know that women that are at least 20 years old have learned about the harms of abortion and are more likely to choose life. So, these groups are targeting young, impressionable girls. Look at the chart to get a better understanding of how a first sexual encounter can affect a young woman.
The graph was create by the Family Research Council’s Marriage and Religion Research Institute (MARRI). A recent article comments on the study that helped produce this graph: Continue reading…
Can You Share the Gospel With a Gay Friend?
Posted on January 24, 2014 in Sexuality, Theology by Nathan Cherry
One thing many Christians struggle with is sharing the Gospel with their lost friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Many feel unprepared, insecure, or fear they will be yelled at by people that don’t want to hear about Jesus. Regardless of the reasons why we often don’t share the good news with others, the fact remains that we are called to do so an need to intentionally find ways to witness to others.
As the homosexual movement becomes a more prominent issue in our society Christians need to be prepared to share the Gospel with those identifying as gay. Every person, created in the image of God, is lost in their sin without the redemptive, saving grace of Christ. That means that whether someone is a drug addict, a thief, homosexual, or a really nice person that simply doesn’t know Jesus; all are lost and in need of the Gospel.
For anyone that is wondering where to start or how to go about sharing the Gospel with someone that is gay, help is on the way. The reality is that you really only need to be honest, loving, and allow the grace and truth is Scripture to speak through you. You don’t need a theological education, or be skilled in debate, you just need to care enough to speak and be willing to allow God to use you.
But in case you need a little something extra to serve as a confidence booster, The Gospel Coalition has posted an article to their blog with some practical ideas. Here’s the seven things the article says to remember: Continue reading…
The last couple of weeks have reiterated the importance of father’s being actively engaged in the life of their kids. Unfortunately most dads are simply present, doing the necessary things, but never truly becoming fully engaged and involved in the lives of their kids. The effect of this terrible pattern is astounding. It has been proven time and again that absent father’s contribute to poor academic performance, the likelihood of drug and alcohol use and abuse, sexual immorality and trouble with the law.
For an in-depth analysis of the family as it stands today check out www.familyfacts.org.
The fact remains that it is absolutely critical to the development of every child that their father be actively involved in their life. If a biological father is not present or able to be involved a good “father figure” should be sought. The devastating effects of no father figure in the life of a developing child will be felt long into their adult years.
In order to be an effective influence in the life of his child, a father needs to know several key things about his daughter and his son. I would recommend reading the article “What Every Dad Should Know About His Daughter” by Gina McClain, and “What Every Son Needs from His Dad” by Carey Nieuwhof.
These articles are a great start to figuring out just what your son or daughter needs from you as a father, and believe me, they need specific and very different things. Just as men and women are very different so too are your son and daughter and each needs specialized attention from you, dad. Continue reading…
You Are “One in 7 Billion”
Posted on January 23, 2014 in Life by Nathan Cherry
Ryan Bomberger, founder of The Radiance Foundation, is passionate about ending abortion, defending life, and promoting adoption. As an adopted son he has firsthand knowledge of the difference adoption can make in a persons life. Ryan and his organization now seek to spread the message that every life is beautiful and worth defending from the moment of conception.
To that end The Radiance Foundation has created an awesome video that simply reminds people that they are just “One in 7 Billion.” This reminder is that we are all unique creations with a beautiful purpose in this life. Take a moment to watch the video (posted below) and share it. If the video doesn’t appear automatically please refresh your browser.
Have You Seen The Awesome Pics of Unborn Animals? Amazing!
Posted on January 23, 2014 in Life by Nathan Cherry
I love photography. Especially photography of things that we can’t normally see, such as space and underwater images. For this reason the images below of unborn animals is an amazing sight that we all need to take a moment to see and share.
What is so unbelievable is that each of these unborn animals looks just like the adult, born, version. perhaps you thought that animals somehow looked strange and unrecognizable before they were born. These images will show without a doubt that they in fact look exactly as they do when they are born.
Please take a moment to look at these amazing images and then share them with others. Be sure to pay attention to the last image, it is particularly special and important.
