The Reformed Advisor

The Top 10 Pro-Life Pro-Family Stories of 2013

Posted on January 5, 2014 in Family, Life by

LifeSiteNews has posted their top pro-life and pro-family articles from 2013. Check out the list and see how many of these stories you heard about over the year. If you are not getting your news from some alternative media sources besides the mainstream outlets, there is a good chance you are not aware of these and other critical stories.

These articles struck a chord with LifeSiteNews readers for their affront to pro-life or pro-family values. These values are shared by the vast majority of people not just in the U.S., but around the world. And yet they are being attacked vigorously by those who would seek to undermine them. Read these stories and share with others. Only by staying informed can be we hope to combat the onslaught of attacks from those who would like to destroy the values that made America great.

The top-10 pro-life and pro-family stories of 2013 that made you weep, shout, curse…and share

10) Why my support for abortion was based on love…and lies – Jan. 24, 2013

Jennifer Fulwiler’s account of her conversion to the pro-life position was shared over 40,000 times on Facebook.

When I was younger, I was always particularly shocked when I heard about societies where it was common to abandon or kill unwanted newborns. In college I once read a particularly graphic description of a family in ancient Greece “discarding” a newborn baby girl. I was shocked to the point of breathlessness. I was also horribly confused: How could normal people be okay with this, let alone participate in it? Nobody I knew would do that! Were people that different back then?! Continue reading…

West Virginia: Attack on Marriage Intensifies

Posted on January 4, 2014 in Marriage by

In case you didn’t know already, a lawsuit has been brought to challenge West Virginia’s DOMA law. The warning that having just a DOMA law and not a constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman was sounded long ago. Many West Virginian’s spoke up to say they wanted to exercise their right to vote on such a constitutional amendment. But our elected lawmakers refused to give us the right to vote and have ever since held our own state constitution hostage from us.

While they held our constitution hostage they told us repeatedly that marriage in West Virginia was safe, but that if anyone ever challenged our DOMA law that they would be the first to take up the fight to defend it. Well, this lawsuit was first filed in October of 2013. Have you heard one peep from a single lawmaker about it or the need to defend marriage? Me neither. But Lambda Legal is moving full steam ahead with their lawsuit and has recently asked for summary judgment in favor of their case:

“In the lawsuit, Lambda Legal argues that West Virginia’s marriage ban unfairly discriminates against same-sex couples and their children and sends a purposeful message that lesbians, gay men, and their children are undeserving of the legal sanction, respect, protections, and support that different-sex couples and their families are able to enjoy through marriage. Today Lambda Legal filed a motion for summary judgment, which includes testimony from the three plaintiff couples and argues that the time to grant the freedom to marry for West Virginia same-sex couples is now.”

The bottom line is that marriage in West Virginia is now under attack. There is a very real danger that our don’t-rock-the-boat lawmakers will do nothing and watch as marriage and family are redefined in our state. You cannot continue to sit on the sidelines and pretend that this issue “doesn’t affect” you. Now is the time to make sure our lawmakers know where we stand.

SCOTUS Justice Starts New Year Off Right…for Pro-Lifers!

Posted on January 3, 2014 in Life, Public Policy by

SotomayorIn your eagerness to celebrate New Year’s last week you might have missed some incredible news that made headlines across the nation. The news is so astonishing that it has liberal pundits and talking heads baffled and conservatives rejoicing for the decision handed down by Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor.

An AP article explains:

“Justice Sonia Sotomayor late Tuesday night decided to block implementation of the contraceptive coverage requirement, only hours before the law’s insurance coverage went into effect on New Year’s Day. Her decision, which came after federal court filings by Catholic-affiliated groups from around the nation in hopes of delaying the requirements, throws a part of the president’s signature law into temporary disarray. At least one federal appeals court agreed with Sotomayor, issuing its own stay against part of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.”

What this means, presently, is that the Obama administration must now respond to the temporary injunction by making it permanent or absolving it entirely. A decision is expected sometime today.

This is good news for a couple of reasons. First is obviously that it prevents religiously affiliated non-profit groups, charities, and hospitals from being forced to provide contraceptives and others services against their religious convictions. The government has no business forcing Americans to buy anything, much less those things which violate their religious convictions. For this reason the decision by Justice Sotomayor is a blessing. Continue reading…

The Best of the “Top Lists” of 2013 for Your Reading Enjoyment

Posted on January 1, 2014 in Public Policy by

2014I’m spending the first moments of 2014 by reviewing 2013 to see how I might be able to help improve things this year. Not because I think I can do it all by myself, but because if every person fights apathy and is willing to do something we can see significant changes happen this year. Part of my effort is to review some of the best “top lists” from 2013 to see what went right and what went wrong.

I thought it would be fun and helpful to share some of these lists with you. So after scouring the Interwebs for the best “top lists,” I have several I’d like to share.

Top 8 Things Planned Parenthood Wants To Forget In 2013

This is an excellent list of reminders of how the fight to defend life went in 2013. Everything from fraud, Wendy Davis, and Timothy Liveright is mentioned here; the biggest stories from 2013 concerning Planned Parenthood. Of course Kermit Gosnell, though not directly affiliated with Planned Parenthood, is certainly something they would like to forget and keep their distance from. They call Gosnell an outlier when the truth is that he is representative of abortionists and the industry built around killing.

And let’s not forget that in West Virginia, my home state, the effort to bring the abortion industry under common sense health and safety regulations is ongoing. Planned Parenthood opposes such health and safety regulations but continues to accuse pro-lifers of a “war on women.”

Biblical Archaeology’s Top Ten Discoveries of 2013 Continue reading…

Ring In The New Year With This Top 10 List

Posted on December 31, 2013 in Public Policy by

ObamaAs 2013 comes to a close it serves us well to look back and see what we can learn from the past year in an effort to make 2014 better. No doubt many will spend some time thinking about “new years resolutions” and work hard to become better husbands, mothers, workers, or even mentally and physically fit. But as we gaze back on 2013 anxious for the upcoming year, let’s take a moment to determine whether our country is better now than it was when 2013 began.

The most logical place to start is with the president. Since he is the president, the commander-in-chief, the buck stops with him. So how did President Obama make America better in 2013?

Well, according to Ilya Shapiro, writing at Forbes, he didn’t. In fact, Shapiro has written an op-ed which lays out the top 10 constitutional violations of the president in 2013. The list is worth looking at because unless the American people begin demanding accountability we can only expect things to get worse. The best way to hold people accountable is to stay informed and know what is going on around us. So, with that in mind, I am posting this horrible top 10 list here for you to take a look at. Continue reading…

Bible Verses to Back Up the Pro-Life Position

Posted on December 30, 2013 in Life by

BibleWriting at March For Life, Tom McClusky made a list of 16 Bible verses that bolster the pro-life position against abortion. This isn’t an exhaustive list by any means, but it is a great place to start in understanding what the Bible says.

What I particularly enjoy about this list is that it shows the humanity of the unborn. It should be enough to simply say “don’t kill” and leave it at that. Somehow that’s not enough for some who believe unborn children are not human, or not alive until the mother says they are. These verses however show that life begins in the womb and unborn children are just as alive as any others.

Take a look at this list and consider making a new year’s resolution to stand for life against those that seek to kill the unborn. Truly the Gospel of Jesus Christ is one of life, not death. And we who claim the name of Christ should be most vocal about that life He has come to give us all.

“God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27) Continue reading…

Amazing Pictures: Photog Captures First Moments of Life

Posted on December 30, 2013 in Life by

Image courtesy of Caters News Agency

Image courtesy of Caters News Agency

Some contend that life begins “when the mother decides life begins.” This is not just a patently false position it is logically absurd. The argument is a weak attempt to justify abortion. The lack of logic and rational thought behind the position is so obvious that few dare use it. But for those who do try and use this silly position they should take a look at the images captured by a photographer at a university hospital in Europe.

A recent article says of the images:

“A photographer has captured the wondrous, miraculous moment of birth – in all its raw and unglamourised glory. Taken before a mother has seen her baby for the first time these amazing photographs show the reality of how we all enter this world. The warts and all pictures are the work of respected Danish photographer Suste Bonnen who was given unprecedented access to mothers while they were in labour.”

The images are so magnificent in that they are raw and unedited. They present the reality of how life begins for each person that is given the chance to live. Complete with blood and umbilical cords, these images remind us of exactly what we looked like moments before we were born. And that’s the point. Continue reading…

Major Victory: A&E Reinstates Phil Robertson Amid Public outcry

Posted on December 29, 2013 in Religious Freedom by

Duck DynastyAs many people predicted, A&E grossly underestimated how deeply held the Robertson family values are. A&E foolishly assumed they could strong arm the most popular family in America by firing the family patriarch. Now, with egg on their face and eating humble pie, they have reversed their decision and reinstated Phil after one of the largest public outcries I’ve ever seen.

A statement issued by A&E reads:

“While Phil’s comments made in the interview reflect his personal views based on his own beliefs and his own personal journey, he and his family have publicly stated they regret the ‘coarse language’ he used and the misinterpretation of his core beliefs based only on the article. He also made it clear he would ‘never incite or encourage hate.’ We at A+E Networks expressed our disappointment with his statements in the article and reiterate that they are not views we hold.

But Duck Dynasty is not a show about one man’s views. It resonates with a large audience because it is a show about family … a family that America has come to love. As you might have seen in many episodes, they come together to reflect and pray for unity, tolerance and forgiveness. These are three values that we at A+E Networks also feel strongly about.

So after discussions with the Robertson family, as well as consulting with numerous advocacy groups, A&E has decided to resume filming Duck Dynasty later this spring with the entire Robertson family.”

Well that is really nice of A&E to acknowledge those crucial comments by Phil. I can’t help but wonder why A&E forgot to do so, while respecting them, in their previous comments. Oh, that’s right, because A&E thought they had the upper hand. Oops. Continue reading…

Will You Be At Chick-Phil-A Day?

Posted on December 28, 2013 in Religious Freedom by

I am quite positive that A&E thought they would have some sort of leverage when they decided to suspend and then fire Phil Robertson from his own very successful show. Yeah, that didn’t happen. A&E has since been scrambling to minimize the damage and keep the Robertsons from leaving A&E to go to another network.

Meanwhile, Americans from coast to coast have been showing incredible support for Phil and his right to free speech. Most notably, well-known homosexuals like CNN’s Don Lemon have defended Phil Robertson and his right to hold views not considered “politically correct.”

But many want to show a more tangible support for Phil Robertson than just signing a petition or hitting “like” on a Facebook page. So one social media savvy person created the Chick-Phil-A day event to give people an outlet to support the Robertsons. A recent article explains:

“The invitation tells supporters; ‘Stand For Free Speech. Sit For Good Food.’ It goes on to include a couple of simple instructions on what to do on the day: 1. Wear your Duck Commander or camouflage gear. 2. Eat at Chick-fil-A. The event page connected to the Chick-Phil-A Day post about the January 21 dine-in already has tabulated more than 42,000 RSVPs.”

The Facebook announcement for the eat-in makes clear that the event is not being sponsored or driven by Chick-Fil-A. But the creator saw such similarity in what happened to Dan Cathy and Phil Robertson that it seemed like a logic thing to do. Whether or not the upcoming support day will be as popular as the 2012 support day for Chick-Fil-A remains unclear. But with more than 40,000 people nationwide planning to attend already I’d say it is well on its way.

I wonder if any A&E executives will be at Chick-Phil-A day?

I Don’t Want to Fall Into the Category of “Man Fail”

Posted on December 27, 2013 in Family by

dad teachingBeing a father in today’s world is one of the hardest things I have ever done. I’ve wore a number of hats including, worship leader, teacher, laborer, store clerk, writer, administrator, graphic designer, and musician. But being a husband and father as the Bible describes is by far one of the most challenging things I have ever undertaken.

I will confess that I don’t think I am a great father. I have happy, healthy kids that other people often compliment. My kids are smart and articulate – just ask their doctor. But despite the outward appearance I daily wrestle with my own feelings of inadequacy and guilt for what I perceive to be shortcomings.

There is plenty that I don’t know about being a father, but one thing I do know is that fathers are one of the most critical parts to a family. Now, this isn’t to diminish the importance and need for a Godly mother, but rather it’s to highlight the God-ordained role fathers were called to carry out in the life of their family.

The Bible mentions children and parents in the same verse several times; two specific verses share God’s command for children to obey their parents. Continue reading…

Archives

↑ Back To Top ↑