Banning Gay Marriage Is A Big Deal....

It may not be a big issue for McCain or Obama, but it is the biggest social issue facing voters this fall.

And here is the question: will our nation allow homosexuals to marry?

California is ground zero. This fall, voters will decide whether current court ordered homosexual marriages will stand. We hope its overturned. We also hope that Californians will reject this latest overreach by a court and preserve the definition of marriage

We wish McCain was more vocal on this issue. Barack Obama has been pretty quite too. McCain states that he will support homosexual marriage bans while Obama will not.

Here is the latest on this key issue.

The Fraud of Abortion

Abortion is one of the great evils of our time.

It robs the life given by God of an unborn child, extinguishing whatever potential and accomplishments that child would achieve with their life.

Not only does abortion kill unborn children but it emotionally scars those who have one and who perform this procedure. Yet, abortionists believe that freeing a woman from an unintended pregnancy is a higher choice irregardless of the corresponding death of her unborn child.

Participating in the death of another human being tarnishes the soul. Today's abortion ethos of "giving the mother choice" is akin to Nazi Germany's dogma of the 1940's. Hitler believed that he could choose who would live or die in his "final solution to the Jewish problem."

This warped mentality is alive and well today. Case in point is this death view of life by a group of Canadian "doctors."

Check out this incredible story here.

This is a scary anti-God view. No human has the right to decide who lives or dies.

Sacrifice and 911

Sacrifice and 9-11


Most of us can remember where we were on the morning of September 11, 2001. I was driving to a meeting when a work colleague of mine called me and told me to turn on the radio. The news stunned me. Like the Pearl Harbor generation, Americans were dumbfounded that our nation had again been brazenly attacked without warning.

Shortly afterwards, President Bush would declare the war on terror. Seven years have passed since that fateful day. It has been a costly struggle. Thousands of American soldiers, marines, airmen and sailors have either given their lives or have been injured. Their sacrifices have kept our nation safe.

But there is an ongoing spiritual war which embraces humanity and is far more deadly. Ephesians 6:12 teaches that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Satan is the ultimate terrorist. His goal: to force spiritual darkness and bondage upon every human.

To win this war requires sacrifice too. Scripture teaches that Christ’s sacrifice has saved us from this spiritual darkness (1 John 2:2). Without it, we are outside of God’s Kingdom. While our national sacrifice is great and mounting, it does not compare to the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. The good news is that sacrifice always births freedom whether it is the war on terror or the great spiritual war of good versus evil.

This year, in light of 9-11, are you willing to accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for your spiritual freedom?

Sex By The Numbers

Here is the sex update from the June 2008 USA Today survey...

-5 million opposite-sex umarried couples live together, up from half-a-million in 1970. Our view:This trend has been building for years. Our divorce culture has spawned a generation of young skepketical adults who are leery of a life-long commitment. This "psudo-marriage" gives them the near benefits of marriage without the commitment. Howedver, nearly 70 percent of co-habitors divorce if they marry.

-10% of American couples are cohabitating while that number is 30% in Western Europe and Canada. There are enough of these couples now to call their relationships "mainstream." Our view: See above. Faith plays a large part in marital formation for many couples. There will be some restraint of cohabitation in America due to our ongoing religious beliefs. Yet, many younger Christians see no problem with it.

-20% fewer marriages were reported in the U.S. in 2005 than in 1995. Our view:This is a disburbing trend. What it means is that more children will be born out of wedlock than to intact two-parent homes. This trends needs to be reversed.

-63% of Americans say that homosexual marriage should be permissible and that the government should not ban it. At the same time, more than 50% of churchgoers believe that gay marriage should be prohibited. Our view:We would take issue with this number since most marriage-definition amendments pass at the state level. However, there is a growing cultural sentiment that homosexuals should have a equal partnership incumbent of the same rights and rewards of marriage.

-55,000 homosexual couples from other states will legally wed in California. Our view: It is likely that the voters of California will repeal this misguided court decision in November. In 2000 more than 60 percent of the California electorate voted for a law defining marriage between one man and one woman. We believe a majority sentiment towwards this position still exists.

9-year-old boy told he's too good to pitch

This one comes from the "hard to believe file"....

Jericho Scott is nine years old and plays baseball. He possesses a blazing fastball and is so good that local little league officials in New Haven, Connecticut have told him that he cannot pitch anymore.

Here's the story.

Playing sports is about winning and unfortunately losing. Banishing a stand out athlete sends a powerful message that mediocrity is more important than excellence.

Let's hope this call gets over turned.

The Pelosi Deception

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is at it again.

Now I will cut the esteemed Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives a break as to her intentions and grant her a naviete pass on this one.

Here's what Pelosi said on Sunday's Meet the Press....""doctors of the church" have not been able to define when life begins and that "over the history of the church, this is an issue of controversy."

Really. Nancy Pelosi self-describes herself as "an ardent, practicing Catholic." One would then assume that she would be very knowledgeable about the teachings of her church. Apparently, for whatever reasons, she is not. Now again, I don't want to accuse her of untruth, but only hold her accountable for her words...

The Catholic Church for a millenium has held the view that life begins at conception. Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput added that "Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is a gifted public servant of strong convictions and many professional skills. Regrettably, knowledge of Catholic history and teaching does not seem to be one of them."

He adds the punchline: "Abortion kills unborn, developing life. Its is always evil, and so are the evasions employed to justify it. Catholics who make excuses for it- whether they're famous or not-fool only themselves and abuse the fidelity of those Catholics who do sincerely seek to follow the Gospel and live their Catholic faith.


Could Pelosi's statement be more about politics than intellectual honesty?

Archbishop Chaput Nails the Abortion Issue

Hoorahs again to Denver's Archbishop Charles Chaput and his clairvoyant column on abortion.

With the backdrop of this week's Democratic National Convention looming, Chaput issued a clear and concise statement on life and abortion.

Here it is. You don't want to miss this one.

Finding Life in Death

This very powerful. It was written by a man who died last month. Copy and keep this one....


Tony Snow was a television commentator who eventually became President Bush's press secretary. He had several bouts with cancer and he recently lost his battle with the disease. Last October, during the midst of his illness, Tony Snow shared what spiritual lessons he had been learning through his ordeal. Here are Tony Snow's own words:

Blessings arrive in unexpected packages--in my case, cancer. Those of us with potentially fatal diseases--and there are millions in America today--find ourselves in the odd position of coping with our mortality while trying to fathom God's will. Although it would be the height of presumption to declare with confidence "What It All Means," Scripture provides powerful hints and consolations.

The first is that we shouldn't spend too much time trying to answer the "why" questions: Why me? Why must people suffer? Why can't someone else get sick? We can't answer such things, and the questions themselves often are designed more to express our anguish than to solicit an answer.

I don't know why I have cancer, and I don't much care. It is what it is, a plain and indisputable fact. Yet even while staring into a mirror darkly, great and stunning truths begin to take shape. Our maladies define a central feature of our existence: We are fallen. We are imperfect. Our bodies give out.

But despite this--or because of it--God offers the possibility of salvation and grace. We don't know how the narrative of our lives will end, but we get to choose how to use the interval between now and the moment we meet our Creator face-to-face.

Second, we need to get past the anxiety. The mere thought of dying can send adrenaline flooding through your system. A dizzy, unfocused panic seizes you. Your heart thumps; your head swims . You think of nothingness and swoon. You fear partings; you worry about the impact on family & friends. You fidget and get nowhere.

To regain footing, remember that we were born not into death, but into life--and that the journey continues after we have finished our days on this earth. We accept this on faith, but that faith is nourished by a conviction that stirs even within many non believing hearts--an intuition that the gift of life, once given, cannot be taken away. Those who have been stricken enjoy the special privilege of being able to fight with their might, main, and faith to live fully, richly, and exuberantly--no matter how their days may be numbered.

Third, we can open our eyes and hearts. God relishes surprise. We want lives of simple, predictable ease--smooth, even trails as far as the eye can see--but God likes to go off-road. He provokes us with twists and turns. He places us in predicaments that seem to defy our endurance; and comprehension--and yet don't. By His love and grace, we persevere. The challenges that make our hearts leap and stomachs churn invariably strengthen our faith and grant measures of wisdom and joy we would not experience otherwise.

'You Have Been Called'. Picture yourself in a hospital bed. The fog of anesthesia has begun to wear away. A doctor stands at your feet; a loved one holds your hand at the side. "It's cancer," the healer announces.

The natural reaction is to turn to God and ask him to serve as a cosmic Santa. "Dear God, make it all go away. Make everything simpler." But another voice whispers: "You have been called." Your quandary has drawn you closer to God, closer to those you love, closer to the issues that matter--and has dragged into insignificance the banal concerns that occupy our "normal time."

There's another kind of response, although usually short-lived a n inexplicable shudder of excitement, as if a clarifying moment of calamity has swept away everything trivial and tiny, and placed before us the challenge of important questions.

The moment you enter the Valley of the Shadow of Death, things change. You discover that Christianity is not something doughy, passive, pious, and soft. Faith may be the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. But it also draws you into a world shorn of fearful caution. The life of belief teems with thrills, boldness, danger, shocks, reversals, triumphs, and epiphanies. Think of Paul, traipsing though the known world and contemplating trips to what must have seemed the antipodes (Spain), shaking the dust from his sandals, worrying not about the morrow, but only about the moment.

There's nothing wilder than a life of humble virtue--for it is through selflessness and service that God wrings from our bodies and spirits the most we ever cou ld give, the most we ever could offer, and the most we ever could do.

Finally, we can let love change everything. When Jesus was faced with the prospect of crucifixion, he grieved not for himself, but for us. He cried for Jerusalem before entering the holy city. From the Cross, he took on the cumulative burden of human sin and weakness, and begged for forgiveness on our behalf.

We get repeated chances to learn that life is not about us, that we acquire purpose and satisfaction by sharing in God's love for others. Sickness gets us part way there. It reminds us of our limitations and dependence. But it also gives us a chance to serve the healthy. A minister friend of mine observes that people suffering grave afflictions often acquire the faith of two people, while loved ones accept the burden of two peoples' worries and fears.

'Learning How to Live'. Most of us have watched friends as they drifted toward God's arms, not with resignation, but with peace and hope. In so doing, they have taught us not how to die, but how to live. They have emulated Christ by transmitting the power & authority of love.

I sat by my best friend's bedside a few years ago as a wasting cancer took him away. He kept at his table a worn Bible and a 1928 edition of the Book of Common Prayer. A shattering grief disabled his family, many of his old friends, and at least one priest. Here was an humble and very good guy, someone who apologized when he winced with pain because he thought it made his guest uncomfortable. He retained his equanimity and good humor literally until his last conscious moment. "I'm going to try to beat [this cancer]," he told me several months before he died. "But if I don't, I'll see you on the other side."

His gift was to remind everyone around him that even though God doesn't promise us tomorrow, he does promise us eternity--filled with life and love we cannot comprehend--and that one can in the throes of sickness point the rest of us toward timeless truths that will help us weather future storms.

Through such trials, God bids us to choose: Do we believe, or do we not? Will we be bold enough to love, daring enough to serve, humble enough to submit, and strong enough to acknowledge our limitations? Can we surrender our concern in things that don't matter so that we devote our remaining days to things that do?

When our faith flags, he throws reminders in our way. Think of the prayer warriors in our midst. They change things, and those of us who have been on the receiving end of their petitions and intercessions know it. It is hard to describe, but there are times when suddenly the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, and you feel a surge of the Spirit. Somehow you just know: Others have chosen, when talking to the Author of all creation, to lift us up--to speak of us!

This is love of a very special order. But so is the ability to sit back & appreciate the wonder of every created thing. The mere thought of death somehow makes every blessing vivid, every happiness more luminous and intense. We may not know how our contest with sickness will end, but we have felt the ineluctable touch of God.

What is man that Thou art mindful of him? We don't know much, but we know this: No matter where we are, no matter what we do, no matter how bleak or frightening our prospects, each and every one of us who believe, each and every day, lies in the same safe and impregnable place, in the hollow of God's hand.

The New Purity Tidal Wave

All over our nation, parents and their daughters are taking up the cross of personal purity. Reacting to a teen culture that is in the gutter regarding sexual purity, father-daughter purity balls are sweeping across our country.

Check out this great story and be encouraged!

The Latest Batman Flop...

I am not sure whether to laugh or cry about this movie...We are all familiar with the genre of the ongoing Batman saga. Unfortunately, today's movie writers tend to delve into the dark and sublime of the Batman character, portraying him as being just a touch above the criminals he pursues in Gotham City.

The latest installment surely fits this bill.

While some will tout its value as a morality play between good and evil, this is one you and your family need to skip.

Children need to see evil as evil and good as good. This is an adult movie where these differences get blurry.

While Batman retains a certain altruistic fascination by many, this one flops.

Philippians 1:10 tells us "to discern what is best in order to be pure and blameless until the day of Christ."

Bad News for the Brits- More Babies Out of Wedlock

This might be a blip on the radar for most but its big news...British media is now reporting that the new D-Day in Britain has arrived- where more babies are born out of wedlock than in marriage.

While some will hail this as a breaktrhough to a whole new world, in reality its a tragedy that will eventually redefine Great Britain.

Americans need to be careful. This virus is already on our shores....

The Righteous Will Live By Faith

“The righteous will live by faith.” Eight of the most important words for believers are found in the Old Testament book of Habakkuk (verse 2:4). This verse seems straight forward and pretty easy to do. But, the idea of trusting God when everything else is going wrong is often tough and counter-intuitive to how most of us think. If anything, our strongest urge may be to grab the wheel of life and start steering. Yet, that conversion of thought is an ongoing and compelling message of Christianity.

In Habakkuk’s era, the Jewish nation was coming to an end. Corruption and religious hypocrisy were at their zenith. God tells the prophet that He would not only bring swift judgment on Israel soon but it would be delivered by the hands of the Babylonians, the renowned cruel and barbaric warriors of that age. Habakkuk was stunned. From his perspective, his people deserved God’s judgment but not to the level that would be inflicted by the Babylonian army. Yet, somewhere within the fabric of his being, Habakkuk finds the answer to the imminent storm of destruction and judgment- “the righteous shall live by faith.”

Life is not storm-less. Most of us will not experience the brutal end of our nation or a terrifying end of the life we know each day. But, there are still major challenges that will come through our lives- illness and death, loss of a job, the rebellion of a child, a failed relationship, etc. Christians have never been immune from suffering, illness, poverty or any of the deprivations of life. For many believers, there seems to be an extra portion of these pestilences at times.

Noted Christian author Francis Schaffer posed the question that we must each answer- how then should we live?

Habakkuk got it right. Will you?

Unmarried Men A Growing Threat in China

Today's post comes from our good friend Chuck Colson and his Breakpoint commentary. Here is the link to the article....


In late June an angry crowd, estimated at 10,000 people, set fire to a government building and police cars in southwestern China. More than 150 people were injured, and it took 1,500 paramilitary and riot police to restore a semblance of order.

The crowd was protesting the “alleged cover-up of a teenage girl’s rape and murder” by three young men, including the “son of a local politician.”

While news agencies cited the incident as an example of unrest over corruption and injustices, there is another Chinese problem highlighted in this story: “China’s testosterone problem.”

That’s the term the New Republic used to characterize the social problems caused by the male-female imbalance in China. As writer Mara Hvistendahl tells us, China “has the largest gender imbalance in the world . . .” There are 37 million more men than women in China; and “almost 20 percent more newborn boys than girls nationwide.” In some parts of China, there are 60 percent more male children than female!

The imbalance is the product of China’s infamous “one-child policy,” in which the government told villagers, and I quote, “YOU CAN BEAT IT OUT! YOU CAN MAKE IT FALL OUT! YOU CAN ABORT IT! BUT YOU CANNOT GIVE BIRTH TO IT!”

Many villagers complied, but with a twist: They made sure that the “one child” would be a boy, who could earn more than girls could. As a result, a researcher at the Chinese Institute for Social Sciences estimates that 10 percent of Chinese men will be unable to find wives.

Of course, frustrated men will make their presence felt, as Beijing is learning. After the first generation of “one child” boys hit adolescence, China’s juvenile crime rate more than doubled. Chinese officials complained about young men committing crimes “without specific motives, often without forethought.”

Sound familiar? History teaches us that unattached, unmarriageable males are “disproportionately responsible for drug abuse, looting, vandalism, and violent crime.” This was true of “frontier towns,” “immigrant ghettos,” and our own inner-cities. There is no reason to think that China will be any different.

And the worst is yet to come as the imbalance grows larger. Government officials worry about the “hidden threat to social stability” posed by a cohort of “hopeless, volatile men.” Wars have often started, historically, when men tried to find wives elsewhere.

But the best the government can come up with are slogans like, “Boys and Girls are both treasures.” Meanwhile young Chinese men gather in bars where they pay $15 a minute to assault the waiters. Yes, you heard me correctly. Even more ominously, if the customer prefers, the waiter will dress in women’s clothing. No wonder ordinary Chinese are worried for the safety of their daughters!

It is hard to find a better example of the consequences that arise from defying the moral order that God has written into His creation. China thought it could create a harmonious society where every child was wanted; now unwanted men threaten its very stability.

China fears its own sons and worries about its daughters all because it followed a false worldview, ignoring God’s design.

The Obama's on Homosexual Marriage

They're for it. At least they are today. Here's the link to Michelle Obama's speech to a Gay and Lesbian group...

If elected, Barack Obama and his legislative cronies and judges could overturn 3,000 years of human law and history on marriage. I am not trying to scare anyone, but marriage as a the human icon of relationships would be changed forever.

In a blog last week, I mentioned what a vote for Obama would mean. One of those prognostications would be the advent of (and your acceptance of)gay marriage nation wide. Michelle Obama's statements confirm this troubling notion.

Arizona Legislature Vetoes Marriage Amendment

What's up in Arizona? Attempts to get a marriage amendment on the AZ state ballot was defeated yesterday.

Seems as though a key supporter of it was on vacation...Keep your fingers crossed that it will come back again. In light of the judicial fiat in California re gay marriage, state constitutional amendments are the firewall against homosexual marriages...

Here's the AZ story.

Colorado Dems Explain SB 200

State Rep. Bernie Buescher has a problem. You see, Rep. Buescher is a liberal Democrat representing a Republican state house district in Grand Junction. How he got into this position is another story. Often, Bernie will tell his constituents one thing in Grand Junction, yet will vote much differently with liberal Front Range Democrats at the Statehouse in Denver.

You might be interested to hear how Rep. Buescher explained his vote for SB 200, the new law the gives men the right to be in women's bathrooms....

Men using the women's bathroom?
Business owners believe discrimination bill crosses line
By By Emily Anderson
Grand Junction, CO Colorado,
GRAND JUNCTION — Allowing men in women’s bathrooms is not what Rep. Bernie Buescher, D-Grand Junction, envisioned when he voted for Senate Bill 200 in May.

A sign in front of Mike’s Auto has been telling drivers on North Avenue differently for more than a week.

The sign, reading “Bernie Buescher, Shame on you, Men in girl’s bathrooms,” refers to a new state law designed to prohibit discrimination based on a person’s religion or sexual orientation in several places, including “facilities.” “Facilities” include hotel and public accommodations, not bathrooms, Buescher said.

“It prohibits discrimination — it says nothing about men using women’s bathrooms,” Buescher said. “Should it be interpreted that way, I’d be the first to lead an effort to modify it.

“The use by the wrong person of a bathroom is illegal, it is still.”

The owners of Mike’s Auto, Mike and Susan Gregg, said they read about the bill on a citizen link on Focus on the Family’s Web site and believe “facilities” include bathrooms. Susan Gregg said she was outraged a transgender man might be allowed to use the same bathroom as her granddaughters.

“It opens the door to men that are transvestites, cross dressers, whatever,” Gregg said.

The sign went up June 11 and has already prompted a few phone calls, messages and caused a few people to pull over and drop into the store. Most of the comments are positive, said Gregg.

Orville Powders, a Mike’s Auto employee, said he’s taken about four calls a week since the sign went up. Callers are evenly split on the issue, Powders said.

“The ones that like it really like it, the ones that don’t like it really don’t like it,” he said.

Senate Bill 200 became law May 29. It passed the state House with a 38-26-1 vote and the Senate with a 20-15-0 vote. Grand Junction Republicans Rep. Steve King and Sen. Josh Penry voted against the act.

Jonah and Reaching Today's Ninevites

We all know about the fish that ate Jonah.

But there is much more to this fish story. Its a story that has a lot of modern-day application to the public square.

At the heart of the legendary Old Testament story is the ministry of Jonah. Other OT passages refer to Jonah as a prophet who lived around 750 B.C. The Jewish nation was divided between the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah. The ruling Israelite king was likely Jereboam II and it was time of prosperity and international influence. Yet, storm clouds were on the horizon. The rising power was the Assyrian Empire, home-based in Ninevah in modern day northern Iraq.

Throughout the entire saga of Jonah catching a ship for the far-side of world and being thrown overboard and swallowed by a fish, a couple of salient facts emerge which are relevant for us today in the public square. The story may be from antiquity but these principles are timeless.

First, God is creator of all. He has made the rightous and the unrightous. He brings rain and sun on them equally.

Second, as creator, He alone will determine each human's fate. To assume that God wants to eliminate someone for their political or social beliefs is presumptive.

Third, as creator, God has allowed human wickedness for centuries. While the issues are different, today's immoral and unrightous humans are no different than the Ninevites of Jonah's time.

Fourth, like Jonah, we need to be reminded that God's priority is not politics. God did not call Jonah to be a spectator at the destruction of Ninevah. Instead he called him to instigate a revival. God is not that concerned about one's political equation. He is more interested in one's spiritual condition.

Jonah's problem was inside of him. Like many Jews of the time, he believed that Yahweh God was Israel's alone, relegating wicked people like the Ninevites to destruction. God wanted to dismiss that prejudicial view.

There is an election in 4 months or so. Americans will line up on the right, left or in the middle. It is tempting to go down the path of wishing ill for our political opponents.

But would that be what God would want? In light of Jonah, the answer would be no.

More on SB 200-Its Bad!

Over the last several weeks, I have chronicled and commented on the signing and implementation of Senate Bill 200, soon to be the law in Colorado.

This is the worst piece of social legislation that I have seen in my years as a lobbyist at the state legislature.

Below are comments about SB 200 from my good friend, State Rep. Kevin Lundberg from Berthoud. Read it and weep. This law infuriates me....

"SB 200, which the governor signed despite thousands of calls urging a veto, adds sexual orientation to the list of groups covered under civil rights legislation. Governor Ritter has given assurances that SB200 will not force businesses to accept clients that compromise their moral standards, but from what I learned when we debated this bill in the House I know he is completely wrong. That is the very purpose of this far-reaching legislation!


Another troubling part of this law is the censorship it imposes on printed materials. The section banning anything published that condemns homosexual behavior could be applied to anything, even the Bible. I don't expect anyone to force this conclusion soon, but the law is so open-ended that a judge could use this law to censor the Bible and any other published information he finds objectionable.


Finally, SB200 stripped away the people's constitutional right to review this bill at the ballot box. They included a "safety clause", declaring that it was necessary for the law to take effect immediately for the "preservation of the public peace, health, and safety." This removes the people's constitutional right to demand a vote on the legislation. In my opinion this abuse of the constitutional rules for lawmaking should on its own make this law illegal. We might see if any judge has the courage to agree"

Pro-Life Plans to Demonstrate at DNC..

Its starting to heat up, that is with pro-life demonstrators. It will be interesting to see how Denver handles these protestors.

Here's the story.

Pray.

A Vote For Obama....

There is no need to wait any longer. Normally, I don't chime in about the presidential election until the dust settles from the conventions in September, the candidates pick their veeps and the 2 month, 24 hour a day sprint to the election begins.

But, here is my summary of what a vote for Obama will mean:

-More abortions.

-Lose the war in Iraq (so much for the 4100 or so Americans who died there).

-Higher taxes.

-Advocacy for gay marriage nationwide under the guise of civil rights.

-More government including government run health care.

-Higher gas prices.

-More intolerance of Christianity in the public square.

-More international confusion, ie will USA talk directly with the thugs in Havana, Tehran, etc?

-Unprecedented clout to the labor, education and other unions.

-Repeal of the Bush tax breaks.

And the best for last---daily doses of Obama's messianic commentary of "change we can believe in."

The Belly-Button Factor

For all the things that separate us as humans, one small item unites every human being- your belly button.

This year, Colorado voters will have a historic opportunity to define the beginning of life in the November election. Recently, our friends at Colorado Equal Rightssuccessfully placed a proposed constitutional amendment defining life on the November ballot.

Their goal: To see that the Colorado's state constitution is amended to include pre-born from the moment of fertilization as having their "person hood" clearly established, so that they may enjoy equal protection under the law.

We heartily endorse this measure for many reasons. The one that stands out though is this- life begets life. When life becomes cheap, society suffers. Recognizing and conferring person hood status on unborn humans validates life.

By the way, Psalms affirms unborn person hood. Check out Psalm 139:14-16...For you created my inmost being: you knit me together in my mother's womb. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. Your eyes saw my unformed body."

Teenage Disaster!

This story breaks my heart.

Rersearchers at the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released a new report that one in four teenage girls has a sexually transmitted disease. Here's the report. Read it and weep.

This report alone should stoke a parent uprising in our nation. What are we doing? What are we allowing our young people to do and experience? A generation ago, people winked and patted you on the back if you and your girlfriend visited the local "overlook" on Friday night. But, back then, there were very few nasty diseases one could catch. Today, the price for premarital sex could be your life.

Despite the self-promoting comments by abortion providers like Planned Parenthood, stating that the numbers reflect a failure of abstinence only education, the fact remains that a lot of young girls will be scarred for life.

What the reports fails to mention is the importance of parents in this battle. Parents need to be the main provider of sex information for their kids.

Obviously we are failing at this important issue.

California Gay Marriage Polls

The first of many polls measuring voter support for the California gay-marriage ban is in. With no surprises, the results are mixed.

I could be wrong, but I still believe that this voter referendum to reverse the California state supreme court's ruling last week to legalize gay marriage, will be successful in November.

You can bet though that we will see a lot of opposition to this citizen initiative from Hollywood and other anti-marriage forces in California as we head towards the election.

FYI. In California in 2000, 61 percent of the voters approved Proposition 22 which defined marriage between a man and a woman.

Your thoughts?

Great New Movie-Coming Soon

Facing the Giants in 2007 was one of our favorite movies.

Now, there is a new one coming soon, Fireproof.

Check it out here...

Why Gay Marriage Will Not End

Some conservative pro-marriage allies are thinking out loud now that the fight for traditional marriage is lost. Their rationale goes something like this: we lost so let's cut our losses and run. Perhaps this will appease the gay marriage freight train. I don't think so.

Here's a link to one of the best op-ed's written about this issue. I think the author nails it.

Your thoughts?

California Gay Marriage Decision Threatens Nation

Hold on pro-marriage Coloradans, the fight may not be over yet for the definition of marriage in our state.

Here's why. Unlike Massachusetts, California has no law restricting marriage to state residents. There's no waiting period or residency requirement.

Here's a link to Judge Baxter's of the California State Supreme Court minority opinion.

In wake of last week's outrageous court decision in California legalizing gay marriage, homosexuals from all over the nation will soon flock to the Golden State to acquire marriage licenses and then return home. Their intent: to sue in their home state for court rulings which will uphold their California-granted marriage license.

Stay tuned. The fight for marriage is not over yet.

FRC Hits Nail on Head about Calif Gay Marriage

My good friend Tony Perkins from the Family Research Council in Washington, DC, hits the nail on the head regarding recent court action last week on gay marriage.

Read his article here.

Eight years ago, California voters overwhelmingly (61 percent) approved a law defining marriage
between one man and one woman. Known as the California Defense of Marriage Act, California voters sent a clear message about their intent. Obviously, the California State Supreme Court didn't get the message.

Fortunately, relief from this outrageous decision may come this fall in California. A major grass root effort to place a constitutional referendum on the November ballot for California voters on the definition of marriage is gaining steam.

Last week's court decision throws mud in the face of California voters.

Your thoughts?

Homosexual Marriage OK in California- For Now...

They say that what happens in California eventually spreads nation wide. This is one trend that we hope stops at the Nevada border.

Today, the California State Supreme Court ruled that gay marriage is legal. For now.

Here's the story.

Remember, California does not have a constitutional amendment defining marriage. Colorado does (passed in 2006). This ruling will have little legal impact here other than to fuel local homosexual-activists to grind their axes.

The good news is that there is a large grass-roots effort in the Golden State to pass such an amendment this fall.

Your thoughts?

Better Public Education?

On Wednesday, Governor Bill Ritter signed into law what he calls "better" laws for public education.

The gist of these bills is to change how students are taught and tested to measure their academic progress.

The report card for Colorado public education is not pretty. Our state ranks near the bottom nationally in pupil educational achievement and low in the number of students who acquire college degrees.

Here is the story.

We have always applauded steps that strengthen public education. Well-educated children portend for good jobs, positive lifestyles and healthier communities. What we are concerned about is that reform dollars will be sucked into administrative or bureaucratic educational entities and never reach the desks of our kids.

Your thoughts?

Marriage Does Matter

Does marriage really matter to you?

A new study reveals that your political, religious and cultural views could determine your chance for a happy marriage.

The good news is that the majority of Americans still get married at some point in time in their life. The bad news is that most Americans have become comfortable with the notion of divorce. More than one-third of all Americans (33%) get divorced at least once. The most prolific divorcees are "downscale" adults at 38%, African-Americans at 36% and those who consider themselves politically liberal at 37%.

The news really does get much better with younger Americans. By a large margin, Americans under the age of 30 remain optimistic about getting married at some point. However, they have little confidence that they will remain married.

By the way, the population with the lowest divorce rate are Catholics at 28%, evangelical Christians at 26%, "upscale" adults at 22% and those who consider themselves conservative politically at 28%.

One could safely say that faith matters in marriage.

Tax Everyone for the Foibles of the Few

Today's thoughts are about Colorado public policy "101"...

Every year, there are a few bad ideas which gain traction at our state legislature. One of the hot ones this year is the marriage tax proposal.

Democratic senator Jon Morse from Colorado Springs has proposed a $25 surcharge on Colorado marriage licenses (current fee is $10) to fund the court appointed child advocate program, known as CASA.

While we believe in the mission of CASA and its advocacy in child abuse cases, taxing couples who are getting a license to marry is bad policy. Colorado lawmakers should be doing whatever it takes to encourage couples to marry, not pass laws that de-incentivize marriage. Colorado already has one of the lowest marriage rates in the nation.

There are other ways to fund CASA. Taxing everyone for the foibles of a few is wrong-headed.

For more information on SB 47, visit this link.

Divorce is Costly

Divorce is costing American taxpayers a ton of money. The old saying that one never ever solves their problems but only trades them in for new ones, certainly applies here.

Here's the link to a new national study tracking the cost of divorce and family fragmentation to our nation.

More Evidence That Kids Need Marriage

These articles reinforce what we all knew already.

This was sent to us and its good. It's a timely reminder that marriage was intentionally created by God to bless adults and children. Our culture has lost that grip...

Marriage Matters to Children
April 10, 2008 on 12:00 am In Marriage, Children
The Claremont Institute (http://www.claremont.org/) recently published two book reviews having to do with the significance of marriage to the well-being of children, and the cohesiveness of society in general. The books reviewed are: “Marriage and Caste in America: Separate and Unequal Families in a Post-Marital Age,” by Kay S. Hymowitz, and “The Future of Marriage,” by David Blankenhorn.
These are two fascinating and informational books that you ought to read. The reviewer, F. Carolyn Graglia, writes: “Over the past four decades, American adults have seemed more concerned with enjoying their own existence than with the generation and welfare of children.” And in her book, Hymowitz writes: “Children of single mothers are less successful on just about every measure than children growing up with their married parents regardless of their income, race, or educational levels: they are more prone to drug and alcohol abuse, to crime, and to school failure; they are less likely to graduate from college; they are more likelyl to have children at a young age, and more likely to do so when they are unmarried. Soaring divorce rates and out-of-wedlock births (37% of U. S. births are illegitimate) have made ours a nation of separate and unequal families.”
The propensity to divorce is apparently correlated with two-income families. Hymowitz notes that the “traditional families, with breadwinner husband and stay-at-home wife had the lowest rate of divorce.” Women employed 80% of the time since the birth of their first child are twice as likely to be divorced as stay-at-home moms.
Today, more than 40% of all first marriages end in divorce (the rates for second and third marriages are higher), and more than half of all U.S. children will spend “at least a significant part of their childhood living apart from their father.”
Shacking up, having babies out of wedlock as an entitlement for working women who don’t have the time or inclination to create a marriage, having babies out of wedlock because of irresponsible sexual behavior (and not considering adoption to a two-parent mom and dad)…all of these now-normalized behaviors reek of narcissism and indicate that we worry less about children and more about adults being unfettered by morality, good sense, or compassion to the needs of children.
Strong Marriages = Strong Communities
April 9, 2008 on 12:00 am In Marriage
Pastor Alexander Hardy, Jr. of the New Dimension Worship Center in Frederick, Maryland banded together with 16 other churches to present Families United ‘08 two weekends ago. This was a three-day conference for children and adults, including workshops and fun and games. Sunday was even declared Marriage Day in Frederick, by way of a proclamation from the mayor and aldermen.
The point of this effort was to send a message of hope and perseverance to younger adults. The religious aspect was not incidental: one participant said that building a relationship with God has made all the difference in building relationships with his wife and children: “When we got married, we didn’t know God. God has taught us to be humble; taught us we don’t always have to be right or have it our way.”
All together, about 350 people attended this event, with six couples renewing their vows in front of their children and community. Inspiring!

New Survey Supports Evangelical Marriages

George Barna (noted Christian researcher) just released his latest work on the state of marriage in the U.S.

The good news is that people of faith, particularly evangelical Christians, have a high rate of marriage and remain married too.

The bad news is that our culture continues to twist away from traditional life long marriage. Young people, who were surveyed, reported that while they would like a life long marriage, they were pessimistic that that goal could be realistically achieved. In fact, most expected to be married several times during their life.

For more info, click here for the report.

Easter Is About Forgiveness

Forgiveness is the heart of the Easter message. Through his death on a Roman cross, Christ made it possible to forgive us. In turn, we are to forgive others. Jesus taught that "if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your father will not forgive your sins" (Matt. 6:14-15).

Many of us need forgiveness this day or we need to forgive someone who has transgressed us. A lack of forgiveness is the root cause for so much of the human "heart break" in our world today.

Here's a great story penned by Jean Torkelson in today's Rocky Mountain News which hits this nail on the head.

Forgiveness is not only an act of spirit and will but an act of the heart. This Easter, who do you need to forgive or ask for forgiveness?

Abortion Bad for Women's Health

A badly needed debate is underway in Great Britain. New research shows a causal link between abortion and psychological problems for women.

A recently released report by the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Great Britain sounded the alarm. The report recommends that women should not be allowed an abortion until they have been informed of the possible risks to their mental health.

Find out more at this link.

We need this debate in America.

California Challenges Homeschoolers

California homeschoolers were slapped in the face by a recent court ruling of the state's second district court of appeals. The court said all children ages 6 to 18 must attend public or private school full time until they graduate from high school or must be tutored by a credentialed teacher.

On Saturday, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger weighed in vowing to reverse the court's decision. ""Every California child deserves a quality education, and parents should have the right to decide what's best for their children. Parents should not be penalized for acting in the best interests of their children's education. This outrageous ruling must be overturned by the courts, and if the courts don't protect parents' rights then, as elected officials, we will."

There is no provision in the California Education Code or elsewhere in state law that addresses the issue of homeschooling. Homeschool advocates want to keep it that way, despite the governor's support for a new law to help them. They believe current code supports their practices and that new laws would include regulations and possibly restrictions on homeschooling. "We just want to leave it alone because it's good the way it is," said Loren Mavromati, who homeschools her two children and volunteers with the California Homeschool Network, an advocacy organization made up mostly of homeschooling parents. "The law as it stands is working well in California."

A legislative remedy is unlikely despite Schwarzenegger's stance. The California State Assembly is controlled by Democrats who have little support or sympathy for homeschooling.

Read the full story here.

The Potter's Wheel

In the Hands of the Potter

For most of us, the idea of being clay is not real appealing. We live in a time in which we are told to be the masters of our own lives, the captain’s of our destiny. The idea that we would willingly surrender our fame, fortune and future for some unseen master or world seems ludicrous to most. But, the bible teaches us this way.

Eternal shaping is God’s main business for each of us. Scripture witnesses to this fact over and over again. The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah had this notion that we are all on the potter’s wheel (Jeremiah 18), being shaped for eternity. Jeremiah saw the potter as God, molding His followers into beautiful eternal vessels. Jesus taught that we are to pursue the Kingdom of Heaven and the work of the potter (Matthew 6) above everything else, irregardless of the cost. His bottom-line: we are to place our lives, fame and fortune into God’s formative hands. Being soft and moldable clay is one of the great secrets of a successful Christian life.

The question of that time, and one which is still very applicable today, is whether or not you will allow God to shape you for eternity. To do so will require you to swim against the popular currents of our culture. How moldable are you? Take a visit to the Potter’s house soon. The bottom-line: take your hands off the wheel and get onto the potter’s wheel.

The Pulpit and the Culture Intersection

More and more, pastors are asked or are pressured to preach "on the culture." For some pastors, this is dangerous turf fraught with landmines. For others, it is as natural as breathing.

From my view, there is a balance point.

At issue for most pastors who preach regularly is a reasonable balance. Many pastors do not see themselves as political advocates or operatives. More often than not, they see their ministry as being above the political fray.

In 2008, politics are front and center for many parishioners. Pastors are in a unique position to influence the hearts and minds of voters towards Kingdom perspectives.

While Scripture is not an inherently political document, there are verses that guide believers and their interactions with rulers and the government. For example-Romans 13:1-7 and Luke 20:25 to name a few.

These need to be preached on.

Republicans Take the Lead in Bad Behavior

Republicans 2 Democrats 1. That's the current tally for bad legislative behavior this year.

You may not believe this latest installment of bad behavior.

The latest gaffe or "foot in the mouth" award goes to Republican house representative Larry Liston from Colorado Springs. On Wednesday, Rep. Liston called unmarried teen parents "sluts" at a caucus meeting.

Here's the story.

Chagrined, and to his credit, Rep. Liston apologized for his remarks. While Liston felt the weight of appropriate condemnation from his collegues, his greatest pain likely came from his wife- "she made it very clear that I could have said something far different and that was at 6:50 a.m."

Stay tuned.

It's Not Suppose to Be This Way

Everyday, the news is filled with a story of people behaving badly. The latest installment was the tragic shooting Thursday in Kirkwood, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis.

The latest episode involved a deranged man opening fire at the local city council meeting, killing two police officers and three city officials before being shot dead by other policemen. Here's the story.

It's not suppose to be this way. But more and more, people who have dead-ends in their lives appear to only be able to solve their problems through violence on others.

A decade ago, news like this would have shocked our nation to its core. Not now. In a culture satiated with crime, violence and ugliness, its just another day....

Democrats Bask in Capital Sunshine

Colorado Democrats basked in the sun of political power and momentum during Thursday's annual state of the state speech by Governor Bill Ritter. Their ascent to almost total political power in Colorado in the last ten years is stunning by any account.

In 1998, the political power shoe was on the foot of Republicans. Bill Owens was in his first term as Colorado's first Republican governor in nearly 25 years. The "R's" held majorities in both state houses. Their where whispers that a Republican hegemony could rule Colorado fo 20 years. But then things began to slowly change for the "woe-be-gone" Democrats.

Their secret recipe: they found a message which resonated with the electorate (health care, green energy, strong education); they discovered a band of rich Democratic political billionaire underwriters (you know these names-Tim Gill,Patricia Stryker and Jared Polis); they enlisted the help of a sympathetic media; and they began an incremental plan of slowly grabbing legislative seats in competitive districts. They also had a bunch of help from an overly confident and somewhat obtuse Republican party who lost their governing compass.

Fast forward to January 10th, 2008. The Democrats have all the political and idea momentum in Colorado. You could just feel their collective energy, their confidence and smug dismissal of their now "wo-be-gone" Republican counterparts. They are the masters of the public agenda. Will they fumble the ball away as the Republicans did in the early 2000's? Time will tell. Its hard to imagine Team Democrat losing much ground in the future. And, Colorado voters may change their allegiance down the road again. But for now, they are the ones in the sun...

The Right Position for 2008

At the beginning of each new year my mailbox is stuffed with mailers offering to maximize my talents and to position me professionally, personally and financially. They all tout that I can achieve the success and happiness I need if I follow their advice and purchase their material.

I have no doubt that God wants me to utilize my gifts to their utmost for His kingdom. Being sharp in these key areas will benefit me. But here’s where the subtle trap comes in- it would be very easy to twist my gifting and promote my abilities for my own gain, ignoring what God has given me for now. God gifts all of us with unique abilities to further His Kingdom. My gifting is a means to and end, not the endgame. We tread on thin ice when we alone attempt to position ourselves by championing our abilities.

A good biblical reminder is Abraham. Here was a man who experienced spiritual highs and lows. On the one hand, God exercised a covenant with him, promising him that his descendants would be more numerous than the dust of the desert (Gen. 13:16). Yet, on the other hand, his faith wobbled when he could not see how God could accomplish this covenant and he conceived an illegitimate son with his wife’s female servant (Gen. 16:4).Through these mistakes, Abraham still emerged as one of the pillars of the Old Testament, a man whose heart was for God and who realized that God would position and provide everything he needed, even if it meant losing his promised son (Gen. 22).

Abraham learned a vital lesson, one which is applicable today. What God desires most from us is not our position in life but a heart bent towards him.

As 2008 unfolds, trust in God to position you and your family. Don’t ignore sharpening your unique gifts or skills. Just be wary that you don’t make yourself the endgame. God is at work in your life, profession and family (Rom. 8:28). Instead, trust God to continue to place you exactly where He wants you to be.

As RMFC moves forward in 2008, our desire is to be rightly positioned by God. We believe that it’s the season now for building a strong marriage culture in our region. Please note all of the excellent resources in this newsletter, including our 2008 Colorado Legislative Preview and our upcoming marriage and family seminars. These seminars are taught by great communicators and are designed to enrich your relationship. Happy New Year!

Your Position in 2008

Happy New Year!

The older I get the faster the years go by. I am convinced of thus fact. But I have also noticed that the older I get the more concerned I am about being in a good position, whether it be financial, professional, spiritual or relational.

But as I think about it, I don't think that's what God wants first from me, at least not at the start. A shift in the "winds of life" could change my position(s) pretty quick.

A subtle danger lurks when we attempt to position ourselves by promoting our own merits and abilities. Overtly, it sets up a dangerous trap for us- to make the "means to an end" the endgame when it shouldn't be so. Covertly, it takes God out of the equation. There is nothing wrong in using our God-given gifts and skills to accomplish the mission God has given each of us in life. But it can be subtly twisted.

I have come to believe that God doesn't care about our position in this life. What matters most to God is our heart. What wants from us is a position based on Him, that is a by product of our life and not a way to promote ourselves without God.

Check out Proverbs 27:2.."let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips."

Your thoughts.

A Time for Hope

Merry Christmas! I hope that you and your family will experience a blessed and peaceful season. Unfortunately, for some of our neighbors, this Christmas will be a tough time, devoid of much hope.

The recent story of Denver's Aurilia Cisneros, the ten- year-old girl who was the victim of a gang-style shooting, reflects this fact. Then there is a good and godly friend of mine who recently and unexpectedly lost his wife of many years to a sudden illness.

Crime. Illness. Shootings. The list goes on and on. There seems to be no limit to the extent and depth of human tragedy. Where then in the midst of human tragedies is hope? For many, tragedy and hopelessness are an arbitrary definer of the human experience.

When God intervened into human history more than two thousand years ago, it was a tough neighborhood too. God knew what was on the line. Eventually, His own Son would go to a rugged Roman cross and die an unbearable death in a dark world similar to our time. As God's Son hung dying on a cross, all hope seemingly crashed around his disciples and other followers. But in reality, Jesus Christ's death injected a fiery splinter of new hope into the human equation-- and it goes like this.

There is a God who cares. This same God has given away His Son to die for us and to give us eternal hope. And this same God is both in control and available to comfort us in our afflictions. For those who seek God in the midst of tragedy they will find solace, hope and peace. Recently, I read a great verse out of Isaiah 40:31, "but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

Christmas is about such hope. "The Lord delights in those who put their hope in his unfailing love" (Psalm 147:11). Seek out God and His hope this Christmas. He will light your path

"Me, I Still Believe in a Loving God..."

Like many Coloradans, I am still trying to make sense of the church killings on Sunday. In times like this, we all wonder how these things fit into God's plan.

Matthew Murray was a troubled soul who satiated himself on hating Christians. But this is just the cover for a far deeper problem. Here's what Murray penned before his rampage:

"Me, I still believe in a loving God, but not the christian god who is full of hate.."

Scary thoughts from a kid who then went out and killed people in cold blood.

There are many angles to the Colorado church tragedy. But a key one that is just starting to get some discussion is the apparent connection that Matthew Murray had with the writing of the dead Columbine murderer Eric Harris.

Today's edition of the Denver Post offers a solution.

In retrospect, releasing all of the Columbine tapes and letters might have defused the mystery around the writings of Klebold and Harris. Possibly.

But, the deeper issue here for all Colorado adults is the toxicity of our culture and what it is doing to our kids. Murray's comments about a "hateful christian god" offers a peek into a troubled soul.

Obviously, his soul tipped the wrong way.

Your thoughts?

Understanding Tragedy

Tragedies happen.

I know that this fact fails to soothe the afflicted. But inevitably, when tragedy occurs, and particularly when it appears random and vicious, people always ask the "question"- WHY WOULD GOD ALLOW SUCH THINGS TO HAPPEN?

For centuries, people of faith have tried to answer this profound and difficult question. I am not sure if any of their answers really scratch the itch.

Matthew Murray, the latest perpetrator of violence, came from a good home. Most of the reports paint this kid as one you would expect to succeed. No one expected him to be on the trigger hand of a weapon, killing people in cold blood...He too is part of this tragedy.

We live in a fallen world, filled with evil people. Its a result of human sin. God can and does intervene in our world. Christmas is such a reminder of His greatest intervention. Yet, there are many times when God does not intervene as we think He should or could. To this, there is no answer.

All I know is that scripture teaches that God is the Lord of the universe. Yet, in that role He is very personal. If allowed, He will fill this terrible void and good will come out of the wreckage of Sunday's events...

Your thoughts?

New Report Sheds Discouraging Light on Teen Sex

Fo several years now, pro-abstinence groups have hailed reports which have showed a slow decline in the number of teen births.

Unfortunately, and as we suspected, their optomism may be misplaced.

Here's the report...



U.S. teen births rise for first time since 1991
In 2006 birth rate overall climbed to highest level since 1971, report finds
ASSOCIATED PRESS
December 5, 2007

ATLANTA - In a troubling reversal, the nation's teen birth rate rose for the first time in 15 years, surprising government health officials who had no immediate explanation.

The birth rate had been dropping since its peak in 1991, although the decline had slowed in recent years. On Wednesday, government statisticians said it rose 3 percent from 2005 to 2006.

U.S. health officials said it was possibly a one-year statistical blip and not the beginning of a new upward trend.

But several experts said they have been expecting a jump. They blame the increase on increased federal funding for abstinence-only health education programs that do not teach how to use condoms and other contraception.

Some key sexually transmitted disease rates have been rising, including syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. The rising teen pregnancy rate is part of the same phenomenon, said Dr. Carol Hogue, an Emory University professor of maternal and child health.

"It's not rocket science," she said.

The new report is based on a review of more than 99 percent of the birth certificates from last year by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A final report is due out next year, but the findings are not expected to change significantly, CDC officials said.

The new teen birth numbers are based on the 15-19 age group, which accounted for about 99 percent of the more than 440,000 births to teens in 2006.

The rate rose to nearly 42 births per 1,000 women in that age group, up from 40.5 in 2005. That translates to an extra 20,000 births to teen mothers in 2006, according to CDC data.

The CDC also reported that births to unwed mothers reached an all-time high in 2006, but that is part of a continuing upward trend and was expected.

Health officials cautioned that the rise in teen births is not the chief cause of births to unwed mothers, however. Teens account for fewer than a quarter of unwed mothers, said Stephanie Ventura, head of the CDC's Reproductive Statistics Branch

About thirty years ago, more than half of unwed mothers were teenagers.

Women in their 20s and 30s represent the largest proportion of unwed mothers, Ventura said.

New Report Sheds Discouraging Light on Teen Sex

This is bad news but not surprising.

Many pro-abstinence folks have hailed recent reports which showed a downward trend in unmarried teen births. However, we have always suspected that these optomistic reports were somewhat inaccurate.

The truth of the matter is that American teens remain sexually active. How can you blame them? They live in a culture filled with mixed messages about sex. On the one hand, the teen culture and their music is satiated with sex-filled messages. And on the other hand, their parents and other adult figures are telling them to abstain.

If I was a teenager in 2007, I would be confused too!

Here's the new report...


1) NEWS: U.S. Teen Births Rise For First Time Since 1991
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Report at:
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001kC2UyYjRcrUl9JtzGmadPlVnoaI9w-LtTlGYPPGf_beoq9ypOQyQwP4K6aTUUg14NrJsOPneQ-oAOEga-ssCsgUvL1ZXFBA4_bAPByeKbEbAR3dlJNKyJlRrsvFq7swVnEm8z2hOZVtBI7GkARGiewZ0-citdG9cwZEJjZAU1u4=
U.S. teen births rise for first time since 1991
In 2006 birth rate overall climbed to highest level since 1971, report finds
ASSOCIATED PRESS
December 5, 2007

ATLANTA - In a troubling reversal, the nation's teen birth rate rose for the first time in 15 years, surprising government health officials who had no immediate explanation.

The birth rate had been dropping since its peak in 1991, although the decline had slowed in recent years. On Wednesday, government statisticians said it rose 3 percent from 2005 to 2006.

U.S. health officials said it was possibly a one-year statistical blip and not the beginning of a new upward trend.

But several experts said they have been expecting a jump. They blame the increase on increased federal funding for abstinence-only health education programs that do not teach how to use condoms and other contraception.

Some key sexually transmitted disease rates have been rising, including syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. The rising teen pregnancy rate is part of the same phenomenon, said Dr. Carol Hogue, an Emory University professor of maternal and child health.

"It's not rocket science," she said.

The new report is based on a review of more than 99 percent of the birth certificates from last year by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A final report is due out next year, but the findings are not expected to change significantly, CDC officials said.

The new teen birth numbers are based on the 15-19 age group, which accounted for about 99 percent of the more than 440,000 births to teens in 2006.

The rate rose to nearly 42 births per 1,000 women in that age group, up from 40.5 in 2005. That translates to an extra 20,000 births to teen mothers in 2006, according to CDC data.

The CDC also reported that births to unwed mothers reached an all-time high in 2006, but that is part of a continuing upward trend and was expected.

Health officials cautioned that the rise in teen births is not the chief cause of births to unwed mothers, however. Teens account for fewer than a quarter of unwed mothers, said Stephanie Ventura, head of the CDC's Reproductive Statistics Branch

About thirty years ago, more than half of unwed mothers were teenagers.

Women in their 20s and 30s represent the largest proportion of unwed mothers, Ventura said.

Hope in the Midst of Hopelessness

Merry Christmas! I hope that you and your family will experience a blessed and peaceful season. Unfortunately, for some of our neighbors, this Christmas will be a tough time, devoid of much hope. The recent story of Denver’s Aurilia Cisneros, the ten year old girl who was the victim of a gang-style shooting, reflects this fact. Then there is a good and godly friend of mine who recently and unexpectedly lost his wife of many years to a sudden illness. Crime. Pornography. Illness. The list goes on and on. There seems to be no limit to the extent and depth of human tragedy. Where then in the midst of human tragedies is hope? For many, tragedy and hopeless is an arbitrary definer of the human experience

When God intervened into human history more than two thousand years ago, it was a tough neighborhood too. God knew what was on the line. Eventually, His own Son would go to a rugged Roman cross and die an unbearable death in a dark world similar to our time. As God’s Son hung dying on a cross, all hope seemingly crashed around his disciples and other followers. But in reality, Jesus Christ’s death injected a fiery splinter of new hope into the human equation-and it goes like this. There is a God who cares. This same God has given away His Son to die for us and to give us eternal hope. And this same God is both in control and available to comfort us in our afflictions. For those who seek God in the midst of tragedy they will find solace, hope and peace. Recently, I read a great verse out of Isaiah 40:31, “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Christmas is about such hope. “The Lord delights in those who put their hope in his unfailing love”-Psalm 147:11. Seek out God’s and His hope this Christmas. He will light your path.

Family Tragedy

Today's (Friday 11-30) edition of the Rocky Mtn News carries pictures of the Cisneros family tragedy. There are a couple of images that I want you to notice...Look at the kid with the joint in her mouth. Or how about Dad's picture pointing a handgun into the camera?

Most of us are aware of the ongoing saga of now-deceased 10 year old Aurilia Cisneros and her family. I for one am outraged. Its one thing for clueless teenagers to be in gangs. But it is quite another thing for parents to be playing the same game.

This story is the face of tragedy. Not only for Aurilia, but for her clueless family. Any way you slice it, "gangsta life" has one ending- death or jail.

Applause is due to Denver's Department of Human Services who have launched an investigation. My question would be this: are there other endangered children in this family?

I have another idea. How about removing any other kids from this troubled family?

Your thoughts...

An Ode to Thanksgiving!

If you turned on the news today, you would have thought doom and gloom was gripping America. There's a mortgage crisis (a bunch of people who could not afford loans got loans anyway from an over zealous mortgage market-the market will take care of it), high gas prices, crisis' in Iraq and Pakistan (p.s- where winning in Iraq right now) and a stand off with Iraq (most Americans cannot find any of these countries on a map!).

Yikes. My day would be pretty gray too if I listened to this stuff. Frankly, I don't think its that bad. Most Americans are not worried about these things- at least not on Thanksgiving..

But, in reality, most Americans are not letting this "bad news" slow them down! Here's a great story about Thanksgiving 2007.

I don't know about you, but there's always something wrong or needed. If we would pause a bit and look back in our wake, we would all have much to be thankful for this year!

When the Pilgrims held their first thanksgiving, their were a lot of problems in their world too. Click here to read the first Thanksgiving proclamation by Governor William Bradford...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Return of the Mice Catcher and Plunger Man!

I guess I am the ultimate family man! You know that your family has missed you, when upon your return home from a 10 day business trip, you are met at the door with a passing hello, a toilet plunger and a box to catch mice.

Yes, I can report success on both fronts. I also fixed an errant window alarm to boot!

Now, I know that my family appreciates me but I have to wonder what they think I am really good for?

Rejoice in the subtles of life. At least some one cares....

DOMA Under Siege

Just when you thought that the definition of marriage was safe? Here's a story that will remind us to stay vigilant. Our opponents will not give up. They are masters at the art of incrementalism...

Today's Boston Globe reports that the homosexual advocacy group GLAD is developing strategies to overturn the 1996 federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Passed by large margins in the Congress and signed into law by former President Bill Clinton. gay activists are looking to either have this law ruled unconstitutional or have it rolled back.

Keep in mind that the federal DOMA is a law and is subject to a court's interpretation.

In 2006, Colorado voters by an overwhelming margin passed our defense of marriage act, an amendment to our state's constitution. Our current Governor opposed this measure.

Your thoughts?

Actions Have Consequences

As a parent, one of my top chores in shaping my kids is to teach them one of life's unalienable truths- actions always have consequences.

As a preface, let me say that everyone makes mistakes in life. However, some can be really costly down the road. Proverbs 14:8 offers this wise counsel---"the wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception."

Unfortunately, you come across stories where some one's action long ago have crippled their plans for today.

Check out such a story about former University Nebraska Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rogers.

God's Harvard and the Skepticism of Scularlism

Throughout the history of our blog, we have occasionally touched upon the issue of secularism and its pervasive growth in our culture.

I want to come back to this issue today, framed in the context of a new book by Hanna Rosin, God's Harvard: A Christian College on a Mission to Save America.

A Christian college on a mission. Wow, is that ever politically incorrect. For some it sounds like the Crusades all over again. Today's secularists scoff at such a narrow minded notion. They see it as uninformed lacking any intellectual or rational basis. You can feel the skepticism of Hann Rosin seeping off the pages of her book.
But, little do they know but most of America's prominent colleges and universities (even Yale and Harvard) at one time in their hallowed histories espoused such a mission. In their early years, both Harvard and Yale were renowned schools for producing pastors!

Most secularists, like the author of this book Hanna Rosin, know no better. Their world view is shaped by a far different perspective.

If anything is true, we are to remind ourselves as believers, that we live in a culture that increasingly does not share our values and principles.

Your thoughts?

SCHIP Solutions

Here are some solutions we think would fill the current gaps in health care for poor families:

-Fix the tax code as it related to health insurance. Remove the distortion of the tax code with regard to the tax treatment of health insurance. Offer refundable, advanceable tax credits.

-Promote an alternative to traditional employer health coverage. Not all families fit into the employer-based system. Instead, lawmakers need to look for ways to facilitate individual purchases of health care products and stimulate a robust non-employer marketplace.

-Add greater personal choice. Enrol lees should have more coverage choices. Give them the option to use their existing public program allocations to purchase private coverage through the market

These are some of our ideas. What are yours?

SCHIP-Do We Need It?

Today's hot issue...

One of the core values of the Rocky Mountain Family Council is affordable health care for our Rocky Mountain region families.

Having a family health-care package is a valuable but less common employment benefit. Many employers have cut this area of their employee costs by either eliminating coverage for employee family members altogether or requiring the employee to bare some if not all of the cost.

For families at the Federal poverty line ($41,000 for a family of four), buying private health care is often unreachable. The SCHIP (State Children's Health Insurance Program) funds insurance for 4 million children in families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but too little to buy private insurance.

In Colorado, the SCIP Program offers families whose income falls between 151 and 185 percent of the federal poverty level, a one-time registration fee of $25 for one child or a $35 fee for their entire family.

Founded in 1997 as part to the Balanced Budget Act, it originally authorized $20 billion over ten years to assist states in purchasing health care for children from poor families. The law authorizes states to provide health care for targeted low-income children who are not eligible for Medicaid or are not insured.

According to some advocate groups, there may be more than 9 million children nationally without medical insurance. Recently, Congress voted an additional $35 billion over five years to extend the SCHIP coverage to millions of these kids.

This is a sensible program. It legitimately helps poor families and their kids. But like most federal entitlement programs, the DNA of these programs is to grow and expand. And the price tag will grow too. The bump in the road on this one is how large this program should be. Democrats in Congress want to expand this program's coverage while President Bush is seeking to keep it smallish.

Our solution: Provide SCHIP coverage for families who income falls below the federal poverty level. Also, looks for ways to enable insurance companies to offer reduced premiums to families.

Successful Life Prescriptions

We are all familiar with the Beatitudes that Jesus taught his disciples in Matthew 5.

We have come up with a set of similar life prescriptions which contain some powerful teachings from scriptures.

Here they are:

*Blessed are those who live each day with eternity in view. For in looking back o life there will be no regrets.

*Blessed are those who embrace a vision greater than themselves, for if that vision is the Kingdom of God, their work will endure forever.

*Blessed are those who treat others as they want to be treated- with mercy, grace, forgiveness, reconciliation, love and patience.

*Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall sow seeds for peace.

*Blessed are those who endure temporary trials, persecutions, hardships and illness, knowing that God uses all things to shape them for eternity.

*Blessed aer those who take every opportunity to be salt and light, giving a reasoned answer for their faith to all who ask.

*Blessed are those who love and pray for their enemies irregardless of their response, knowing that few have ever been argued into the Kingdom of God while many have gained entrance because of love.

*Blessed are those who sacrificially meet the needs of others, holding loosely to the temporary material blessings they possess.

*Blessed are those who invest in heaven.

A Happy Marriage Kills Stress

Bristish researchers have reported that a lousy marriage will make you sick. They also found that marital strife can raise your risk for heart disease too. Are you surprised?

Those with the worst close relationships were 34 percent more likely to have heart attacks or other heart related problems.

Their conclusion- stress is often a byproduct of troubled relationships which can lead to health problems.

Our bottomline- Invest some time into your marriage. Maintain it like you would any other valuable possession you have. Don't take it for granted...

Your thoughts?

The Bulwark of Liberty/Fighting off Leviathan

"The natural family, not the individual, is the source of ordered liberty, the fountain of real democracy, the seedbed of virtue for the nation." That according to a new book by Allan Carlson and Paul Mero. In their book they point to a large body of scientific information that shows that children who grow up in a two parent household with a mom and dad make markedly better citizens. A recent National Institute of Child Health and Human Development found that juvenile delinquency was lowest among children from intact married families. The list of advantages go on and on.

Rescuing trouble marriages and families fights off the leviathan. As the family breaks down, leviathan emerges as the state steps in to establish order and supply social services.

The bottomline-marriage and the natural family is great for our culture and nation. Its an antidote to many of the ills we suffer.

Your thoughts?

Daily Humility

When I back my car out of my driveway every morning and head to the office, my own level of personal humility for that day is not often on my mind. I must admit that I am thinking about "my ministries", work, finances et al.

But today's personal devotion hit me between the eyes. You guessed it-personal humility.

I must admit that while I have studied and reflected upon the issue of humility, its one that more often than not slips by me. Its not that I am an egostic or self-absorbed too much; I just don't think about it much.

But that's not how God would have it.

1 Peter 5:5 and following declares that we are to "cloth ourselves with humility." That seems to be pretty encompassing. I am to wrap myself in God's humility towards others. What kind of a world would it be if everyone acted this way? A lot different.

It just seems to me that there's a deep power and peace that comes with humility. Mother Teresa (who I have blogged about before) exemplified this notion of humility. She lived it. She poured it out on those around her. She was a powerful woman in a different way. She watered the dry ground around her with humility, service and grace.

Let's be spigots of humility today. The ground is really thirsty.

Your thoughts?

More People of Faith Are Coming...Soon

I have a good friend who has 11 kids!

Now, some may call it a plot while others would say that its a love of kids. My good friend and his wife are strong Christians too. And there is a very good chance that each of their kids will share their faith and transmit it onto their future families.

While its easy to be frustrated with ideas and beliefs which run counter to Christian values, their is hope in the future- more kids from Christian families.

Chuck Colson (one of my favorite authors and Christian thinkers)calls it the "fertility gap." You need to read his commentary here.

Your thoughts?

No Rush to Get Married in Colorado?

Young couples are avoiding marriage in Colorado, according to a Rocky Mountain News story in today's edition.

Based on US census data, young Colorado couples are fearful of marriage, not wanting to experience their boomer parents broken marriages. And whose to blame them?

If this trend is true and holds, the future for families and children is chilly.

There is a lot of work to be done to turn our state and region into a strong marriage and family culture..

Your thoughts?

Thank you Mother Teresa...

Thank you Mother Teresa. Even in your death, your life continues to teach us humility and service to the poorest of the poor. Your life also illuminated Christ's poignant teaching in Matthew 25, where Jesus instructed his disciples to care for the poor as though they were caring for him.

Today marks the 10 year anniversary of this diminutive yet peerless champion of the poor. In 1950, Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity, located a stone's throw away from the meanest streets in Calcutta.

When it is all said and done, one's legacy matters the most. Her work continues to shine through the hands of other disciples. Missionaries of Charity has expanded to more than 4800 sisters and 750 homes worldwide.

Thank you for reminding us what is really important.

The Curse of Immodesty

This one may get me in trouble with a whole lot of women, but I have had enough of it!

Let me preface my comments by saying that I am the father of one and nearly another one. But, today was the last straw.

As a colleague and I were having lunch in the local Chipotle, in walked examples "a, b and c." Let me give you the profile: 1- teenage girls; 2- age 14 to 16; 3-immodestly dressed (defined as painted on clothing with more private parts showing than not); and 4, clueless to their standing.

A generation ago, examples a, b and c would have been given a t-shirt by the restaurant owner and their parents would have been called. Today, this is the norm!

As a father of a teenage girl, I am appalled. I would no more allow my daughter to dress this way than I would become an astronaut! Where are our parents, and in particular the parents of these girls?

The answer- likely, either their moms don't care or they dress and act as they do.

Your thoughts?

Sex and Christian Teenagers

Are you feeling smug about your "Christian" teens sexuality? Read on...

Several weeks ago, WORLD magazine writer Gene Edward Vieth, hit a subject that should worry all of us who care about our kid's sexuality.

Its a great piece titled "Sex and the evangelical teen."It is a must read.

Vieth hits the nail on the head. "Churches used to teach and exempplify self-control, the necessity of keeping one's emotions in check, the discipline of self-denial and mortification of the flesh." He adds that today's church "cultivates letting go, emotionalism, self-fulfillment, and an odd religious sensuality."

Bingo. But I would add one other piece. Parents are charged to raise their kids and teach them purity and sexual wholeness. The fact that "Christian" teens may be more immoral than non-Christians is awful and it should serve as a wake up call to all of us parents of teenagers.

Your thoughts?

Good Bye Churchill

Finally, CU did something right.

With great "fear and trepidation" the CU Regents finally unloaded Professor Ward Churchill, firing him on Tuesday.

Don't be conned by Churchill or his disingenious attorney, David Lane. This whole episode is not about Churchhill's right to freedom of speech but about his lack of scholarly professionalism and overt plagarism. Here's the Rocky Mountain News take on it...

Your thoughts!

Teenagers Having Less Sex, Study Shows...

Okay, some good news sort of.

The National Center for Health Statistics has released a new report about teens and sex....

Teenagers are having less sex! Yahoo. Less sex, huh? How about no sex? I know that I am a prude from the twentieth century and little appreciation for today's enlightened postmodern teen culture. But hey, catching an STD today is a whole lot worse than the sex bugs from my teen years. And your chance of getting something is whole lot higher too today.

Here's the study.

Your thoughts....

A Good Name Is More Desirable Than Riches...

Proverbs 22:1 states that, a good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.

When you are young, you often do things that you regret later. Right about now, the new beauty queen of New Jersey might be regretting her actions from years gone by. Here is the story. Understandably, this young lady and her family are victims of an extortion scheme. But, a better choice in years past could have avoided this current embarassment.

I only make light of this story to make the point that Proverbs 22:1 does. When one's life is all said and done, our most valued treasures will be our name, reputation and the relationships we have.

Bad ways always has a way of showing up when it is least expected.

Colorado's Sinking Marriage Culture

Boy, I hate bad news. But, recent statistics from Colorado's Department of Public Health and the Environment paint a cloudy picture of our state's marriage culture. Colorado has a low marriage rate (and dropping) of 7.4 per thousand; a divorce rate of nearly 50 percent and a booming cohabitation trend.

You may ask why anyone should care (a common sentiment from our libertarian friends)? A fair enough question particularly if you are coming from the view that people's private conduct (and relationships) is no one's business. As we have all heard the worn out excuse which sounds something like this-"what one does in private has no bearing on their public demeanor."

Well, that comment is simply that- a poorly thought our excuse for poor behavior. Most baby boomers have rebelled against the notion of cause and effect. For example, it you light a match and put your finger in it, you will get burned. Or, if you nose-dive off a building you will hit the ground....

But what we do in private has much bearing on the greater culture which surrounds us. These marriage and divorce numbers paint a grim future not only for the adults involved but their children. And these trends also indoctrinate a new generation who will see marriage as only one of many equal adult relationships...

Your thoughts?

Thinking About 'Evan Almighty'

Touted by some media commentators as a great summer comedy, Evan Almighty is a dud.

I will spare you the pain of having to set through this movie to know the plot- here it is in a nutshell.

God (played by Morgan Freeman)tells anchorman-turned congressman Evan to leave everything behind a build an ark. This modern-day Noah's mission is to save all of the earth's animals. Sound vaguely familiar? Well, its at that point that this sequel-story line goes down hill with a major divergence from the original.

Most critics are giving this klunker 1 star and maybe, generously another half-star for sympathy.

I am not Siskel and Ebert, but I know a stinker when I see one. Spare your family and kids this one. Go rent a good movie like Facing the Giants....

Fathers Becoming Dads...

Its not hard to father a child. But its a lot tougher to be a dad to a child...

There is no quicker way to break down a community than to allow men to be fathers but then absolve them of any responsibility to be a dad.

Here's a great story about a new wave of fathers becoming dads...

I am cheering for all of us dads who believe that household labor is good for the male soul!

Having A Good Name

When you ask someone "what's most important to you?", you can expect a lot of different answers. Some will respond with wanting "things"-cars, houses or more money. Others wish for good health, long life or happiness...

But here's a thought- how about a good name? Can you imagine standing before all of your friends, business colleagues and family and asking all of them if there are any debts, grudges or issues any of them have with you? Wow, I shudder at what my group might say to me.

The Old Testament prophet Samuel gathered the entire nation of Israel together at the end of his life and asked them to bring forth any complaints they had towards him. Not a soul stood forth (1 Sam. 12:3-5)!

Here's my point. A good name is priceless. You can't buy it. It comes with a heart that is right before God.

Each of us have been given "land" by God. Its your sphere of influence. Do the people in your sphere see you as having a good name?

Thanks Dad

My dad died on July 5, 2003. I knew he was sick, but I really never thought he could or would die. He was a superman in my eyes. Of course, a 74 year old man with diabetes, nearly blind with heart fibrillation has little hope. But still, he was my dad. I remember him not as the frail old man but the 45 year old school teacher, naval officer who could still run me down if I dared challenge him...He took me to church too. And every summer, he and my mom would pack up our station wagon and our family would embark on three great weeks of camping somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. Even though he was never eloquent about God or Christianity, he lived it. My dad was from that generation that never said much from their soul. They showed their love by working hard, being home most nights, loving my mom and paying for most of my college education. He was no sentimental fool. He loved USC football (unfortunately he missed the championships), collecting stamps and traveling all over the world.

The last time I saw him, he held my arm and wobbled into the care house he was staying at. I will never forget him.

Rest in peace.

Thanks Dad.

Colorado Right to Life Gets the National Boot

Colorado Right to Life is no more, at least from the viewpoint of the National Right to Life. Several weeks ago, Colorado Right to Life (CRTL) took out newspaper ads criticizing Focus on the Family founder James Dobson. Here's the story.

From our view, CRTL has always been strong on principle but unwise in their "public sense." Their latest capstone (and headstone) was their criticism of Dr. Dobson. Their recent salvo is nothing new. CRTL has historically burned many bridges with friends and potential allies in Colorado's fight for Life.

RMFC applauds the birth of a new principled pro-life group in Colorado headed by Pat Miller. Pat Miller will bring strong principles plus a winsome approach to the public square.

This is the right move for life in Colorado.

Fighting Through Fear

Here's something different. I think many of us can relate to it- fear. I battle fear every day. For most of us its a normal human emotion. But, it can severly cripple a Christian too.

Scripture tells us to fear God only (Deut. 6:13 et al). This "fear" can be synonimously described as respect, love or obedience. As Christians we are to only fear God but to use it as a catapault towards a loving heavenly father.

Unfortunately, Satan twists this godly. The Devil wants believers to not only lose their fear of God but to become fearful of life itself. His aim is to infect believers with fears of this life, changing their focus from God on to themselves. Fear of anything other than God leads one into selfishness.

The next time something comes through your life which causes fear, step back determine the source. Chances are that its not from God. Your human fears do not originate with our Heavenly Father but conduit their way into our lives by the Devil.