American consumers were expected to spend more than $26 billion this Valentine’s Day on everything from roses and chocolate to flowers and romantic escapes, solidifying the holiday as a major boon to retailers in an otherwise quiet time on the calendar.
American consumers were expected to spend more than $26 billion this Valentine’s Day on everything from roses and chocolate to flowers and romantic escapes, solidifying the holiday as a major boon to retailers in an otherwise quiet time on the calendar.
It was Sir William Gilbert, the English dramatist and poet of the 19th century who was credited with coining the phrase, “It’s love that makes the world go round” — but that’s been the case since the beginning of time.
Romance and marriage have literally populated and stabilized life on earth. History shows that where cultures have embraced and respected marriage, fate and fortunes rise. Conversely, civilizations that mock or disregard the sacred institution falter and fail.
“There is no more lovely, friendly, and charming relationship, communion, or company than a good marriage,” said the reformer, Martin Luther. Indeed, marriage provides purpose, significance, incentive and pleasure.
Iowa lawmakers are advancing a “Women’s Bill of Rights” protecting women from men identifying as women.
Iowa’s HSB 649 would define “men” and “women” in law based on biology and codify the definition of “sex” as “a person’s biological sex, either male or female, at birth.”
The bill continues:
“A ‘female’ is a person whose biological reproductive system is developed to produce ova and a ‘male’ is a person whose biological reproductive system is developed to fertilize the ova of a female.”
The bill is designed to prohibit men from entering women’s spaces like dressing rooms, locker rooms and domestic violence shelters — even if they claim they are a woman.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds published a post on X, explaining what the “Women’s Bill of Rights” would do.
The Iowa House of Representatives’ Education Committee recommended the bill 15-8 on Feb. 6, sending the bill to the full House for consideration.
Gov. Reynolds issued a press release on Feb 1. regarding HSB 649.
“Women and men are not identical; they possess unique biological differences. That’s not controversial, it’s common sense,” Gov. Reynolds said. “Just like we did with girls’ sports, this bill protects women’s spaces and rights afforded to us by Iowa law and the constitution.”
Students’ test scores fell abysmally low after one California elementary school implemented curriculum from a progressive teaching company, The San Francisco Chronicle reported this week.
The Bay Area’s Glassbrook Elementary spent three years on a California watchlist for underperforming schools before contracting with Woke Kindergarten — a self-described “global, abolitionist early childhood ecosystem & visionary creative portal.”
Glassbrook paid Woke Kindergarten $250,000 federal grant money for a three-year consulting contract, the Chronicle reports. Two years in, almost none of Glassbrook’s students can read and write.
Test Scores
The chart below shows Glassbrook’s students’ progressive inability to read, write and do math at grade level. The school implemented Woke Kindergarten’s material school-wide in 2022.
Curriculum
Woke Kindergarten’s founder, Akeia Gross, self-identifies as neither male nor female, and describes herself as an “abolitionist educator.” She claims to use Woke Kindergarten to “support children, families, educators and organizations in their commitment to abolitionist early education and pro-black and queer and trans liberation.”
Abolitionist education isn’t “about indoctrinating or imposing politics,” claimed one Berkely education teacher interviewed by the Chronicle, “but making politics apart of the framework of teaching.”
Protect Kids California has launched a petition drive for a ballot initiative that would protect parental rights, girls’ sports and children in the Golden State.
The campaign is already under fire from LGBT activists and their allies, who label these protections “anti-transgender.”
To place the “Protect Kids of California Act of 2024” on November’s ballot, the organization needs almost 550,000 certified signatures from registered California voters by the end of April 2024.
It’s time for Christians and conservatives to step up to the plate and support this important act — the Daily Citizen lists some ways you can help at the end of this article.
Protect Kids says, “We are parents on a mission to protect children. We are advocating for policies that promote all children’s rights and well-being.”
The organization explains that the ballot initiative:
Requires schools to notify parents regarding children’s mental health concerns identified in school settings, including gender identification issues.
Protects girls’ competitive sports and school spaces to be for biological girls only.
Prevents the sterilization of children by prohibiting the use of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, mastectomies and genital surgeries for minors.
The fourth season of The Chosen met instant success after being released at the box office last week. The first three episodes of The Chosen’s season four are now playing in over 2,000 theaters nationwide.
From Feb. 1 through Feb. 6, The Chosen has garnered $8,623,991 in theaters, becoming the second top-grossing movie last weekend. The series was beaten only by Universal Picture’s Argylle, which brought in $37,343,215 since its release on Feb. 2.
Season four of The Chosen is debuting in theaters via Fathom Events in three separate releases. Episodes 1-3 are being released to theaters from Feb. 1-14; Episodes 4-6 are being screened from Feb. 15-28; while Episodes 7-8 will screen from Feb. 29 through March 10. Season four of the series will then be available to stream on The Chosen App later this spring.
The Chosen is described as a “groundbreaking historical drama based on the life of Jesus Christ (Jonathan Roumie), seen through the eyes of those who knew him. Set against the backdrop of Roman oppression in first-century Israel, the seven-season show shares an authentic and intimate look at Jesus’ revolutionary life and teachings.”
The series is created and directed by film writer and actor Dallas Jenkins. While Jenkin’s has taken creative liberties with The Chosen by altering locations and timelines, adding extrabiblical backstories for some characters and adding dialogue, the series website states that “all the bible and historical context and any artistic imagination are designed to support the truth and intention of the Scriptures.”
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