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. WRAL: Members of Congress ask Supreme
Court to 'reconsider' landmark Roe v. Wade abortion ruling
"More than 200 members of Congress are
urging the Supreme Court to reconsider -- if not overrule -- the
landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which legalized abortion
nationwide.
Thirty-nine Republican senators and 168
members of the House of Representatives, almost all of them
Republicans, signed a so-called "friend of the court" brief filed on
Thursday by the national anti-abortion group Americans United for Life
in connection with a challenge to a Louisiana abortion access law due
to be heard in March."
2. WRAL: Federal judge blocks voter ID
in North Carolina
"A federal judge blocked North Carolina's
voter photo identification requirement as promised Tuesday, saying in
a lengthy filing that the law was likely "motivated, at least in part,
by racially discriminatory intent."
U.S. District Judge Loretta Biggs'
preliminary injunction means North Carolina can't require photo ID at
the polls in the coming elections without further notice from the
court. A full trial on the state's voter ID law is planned in the
coming months, but for now, it's up to Attorney General Josh Stein
whether and how to fight the judge's order."
3. AP: US kills Iran’s most powerful
general in Baghdad airstrike
"The United States killed Iran’s top
general and the architect of Tehran’s proxy wars in the Middle East in
an airstrike at Baghdad’s international airport early on Friday, an
attack that threatens to dramatically ratchet up tensions in the
region.
The targeted killing of Gen. Qassem
Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, could draw forceful
Iranian retaliation against American interests in the region and
spiral into a far larger conflict between the U.S. and Iran,
endangering U.S. troops in Iraq, Syria and beyond.
The Defense Department said it killed
Soleimani because he “was actively developing plans to attack American
diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region.” It
also accused Soleimani of approving the attacks on the U.S. Embassy in
Baghdad earlier this week."
4. USA TODAY: Decade in review:
Marital norms erode
"Same-sex marriage advocates told the
public that they sought only the “freedom to marry.” Same-sex couples
were already free to live as they chose, but legal recognition was
about the definition of marriage for all of society. It was about
affirmation — by the government and everyone else.
It’s unsurprising that once a campaign
that used to cry “live and let live” prevailed, it began working to
shut down Catholic adoption agencies and harass evangelical bakers and
florists. This shows it was never really about “live and let live” —
that was a merely tactical stance."
5. SHIFT NC: The organization behind
LGBTQ curriculums in our schools is teaming up with the LGBTQ center
of Durham for a drag queen fundraiser
Shift NC (the main proponent of LGBTQ
public school sex-ed) is teaming up with the LGBTQ Center of Durham to
offer a Drag Queen performance as a joint fundraiser for the two
groups. SHIFT NC, who charades as a “comprehensive” sex ed group, has
aligned itself with LGBT activists in order to raise money to fund
their sex-ed programs for public schools.
You
can read an interview with one of the drag queens attending tomorrow
on why 'drag shows are good for kids' here.
WEEKLY PRAYER: LIFE
LORD, we recognize that you are Sovereign over all creation. We
recognize you made man from the dust, and in your mercy crowned
creation with man and woman made in your image. What a wonder it is
that you would bestow upon us this blessing and
responsibility!
We pray LORD that we would not take this for granted. We pray
that both this great responsibility, and this great dignity, may
motivate us to love you more, love our neighbor more, and love
ourselves more
LORD, we also want to pray for peace. You have appointed the
government and its sword to check evil and bring about an earthly
justice (Romans 13). We confide in and cherish your wisdom to appoint
such an institution that keeps the worst of man's violent and depraved
tendencies at bay. We also are called to be peacekeepers, and whenever
we see the usage of force we pray that justice and peace may prevail.
May our conflict with Iran find a peaceful resolution. LORD, keep the
innocents safe in the Middle East, and prevent our nation's enemies
from doing us harm. We also pray a special protection over the
soldiers who have left Fort Bragg for a deployment in Baghdad. Keep
them safe, and provide for their families.
"Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from
him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s
youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not
be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court."
(Psalm 127:3-5)
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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