Friend,
Welcome to the Friday Five! Every Friday we share our top five
articles, stories, and quotes for you to read and share with your
friends and church families.
We
would be very grateful if you could make a donation of $100, $50, $25,
or $10 today towards our work producing these Friday Fives and
fighting for your values on the public square!
1. NC VALUES: At NC Values, we
❤️ protecting the unborn.
Just this year, we have worked with key
members of the General Assembly to legislatively champion pro-life
initiatives such as:
-
Human Life Non-Discrimination Act (HB453):
Ban on eugenic abortions for race & Down Syndrome.
(Vetoed by Governor; awaiting veto override in both chambers)
-
Born Alive Abortion Survivors Act— SB405
Requires healthcare professionals to provide life-saving medical
treatment to babies born alive as the result of an abortion.
(Passed the Senate; awaiting action in House)
-
Second Chance for Life— SB404
Requires abortion providers to give abortion-minded women information
about abortion pill reversal & the abortion-reversal hotline
number. Increases the criminal penalty for anyone other than a
qualified physician who provides abortion pills to abortion-minded
women (intended to prohibit mail-order abortion pills). (No
action)
-
Dignity for Women Who are Incarcerated (H608):
Limits the use of restraints for pregnant incarcerated women
during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy; mandates care for
pregnant incarcerated women; and requires post-partum care.
(Signed into law by Governor 9/10)
-
Detected Heartbeat/Prohibit Abortion—H31 Prohibits
abortion when a heartbeat is detected in the unborn child. (No
action)
-
Constitutional Amendment/Life at Fertilization—H158 A
bill to vote on a constitutional amendment that will recognize that a
distinct and separate human life begins at the moment of
fertilization, is recognized as a person by the State, and is entitled
to protection by the laws of the State. (No action)
We have been championing pro-life values
now for 10 years. On September 30th, you're invited to share in the
celebration of our pro-life, pro-family, and pro-liberty work by
joining us for our special upcoming
Celebration of Carolina Values event with special
guests Lt. Governor Mark Robinson and retired Army Ranger and new CEO
of Samaritan's Purse Edward Graham.
2. RYAN T. ANDERSON: Called to
Courage
"We live in a society that largely avoids
thinking seriously about callings. We live in a society of
individualism and relativism, where man is the measure of all things.
We hear people speak of human rights, for example, but rarely of human
goods, or human nature, or nature’s Author. We hear people appeal to
natural rights, but rarely to natural law, or the Natural
Lawgiver.
So, the first thing to say about vocation is that it
is intimately connected with truth—both metaphysical and moral truth.
We have it on good authority that each of us has a calling in
imitation of the Master who gave his life bearing witness to the
truth. We will face this challenge everywhere our lives take us: in
the courtroom, in government service, in the marketplace, in our
families, and in service to the Church.
Bearing witness to the
truth will require us to think seriously as Christians. For me, this
first really happened as an undergraduate, when I came to see that
there’s no conflict between faith and reason. I came to understand
more deeply the reasons for the hope I have."
3. CHRISTIANA HOLCOMB: To Save
Women’s Sports, We Must See The Truth First
"In 2016, Telfer ranked 200th in NCAA
Division II Outdoor Track and Field. The following year, Telfer ranked
390th. In 2019, Telfer blew past the competition to win the Division
II national title in the 400-meter hurdles and was named All-American.
What caused the sudden improvement?
In 2016 and 2017, Telfer
competed in men’s track and field before identifying as a woman and
competing with women in 2019. The biological advantage men have
over women in athletics is indisputable; it’s the reason why we have
separate sports for men and women."
4. WASHINGTON FREE
BEACON: Virginia Supreme Court Backs Teacher Ousted for Rejecting
Trans Policies
"The Virginia Supreme Court ruled in favor of an elementary
school teacher who was suspended for criticizing the district's
proposed transgender policies.
The commonwealth's highest court on Monday rejected Loudoun
County Public Schools' appeal to suspend Tanner Cross, a physical
education teacher who was placed on administrative leave in May for
criticizing the district's proposed policies for transgender students.
Cross won a temporary injunction in the state's 12th circuit court in
June and subsequently was allowed to return to the classroom."
5. DAILY MAIL: TikTok's
algorithm is promoting sexual content, drugs and alcohol to children
as young as 13, shocking investigation reveals
"The algorithm TikTok uses to decide what videos users will see
is promoting sexual content, drugs and alcohol to children as young as
13, an investigation revealed.
As part of the Wall Street Journal investigation, a '13-year-old
user' searched for 'onlyfans' and watched a handful of videos
including two selling pornography on the China-based social media
app.
When viewing the for you page, the TikTok version of the Twitter
feed, the same teenage user was shown a series of sexually oriented
videos."
WEEKLY PRAYER: FAMILY
LORD, we cry out to you as Father. You are a model of the love,
mercy, and authority of the perfect parent. We thank you for modeling
for us what every parent should strive for, and for creating this
wonderful institution called family.
LORD, we thank you for creating us with a basic nature designed
to not be alone. You made us to desire the intimacy of relationships,
and it is here where we experience joys indescribable: the joys of
marriage, the joys of having children; the joys of seeing our children
have children. What a blessing and mercy you gave us in the family! In
it we find our first teachers, our first guardians, and our first
authorities.
LORD, we recognize how deeply you love your children, and how
deeply it pains you when they go astray. Alongside our adoration and
thanksgiving, we pray in confession—as individuals and as members of
larger communities—over any sins we may have committed that undermine
your beloved institution. Forgive us when we endanger your institution
through selfishness and arrogance. Forgive our communities and nation
for attempting to redefine some of the most basic and deepest parts of
being human—being made male and female, having lifelong marriage vows
and responsibilities, and having parental rights over educating one's
children.
"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved,
compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13
bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another,
forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must
forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything
together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your
hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing
one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do,
in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving
thanks to God the Father through him." (Colossians 3:12-17)
Amen
Will you chip in $100, $50, $25, or even $10 to help
the NC Values Coalition continue to fight for your rights? You can
donate by clicking here.
Sincerely,
North Carolina Values Coalition
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