3 - AL Supreme Court: state does not have to recognize lesbian adoption
The Alabama Supreme Court has refused to recognize a lesbian adoption from Georgia, according to a story on The Daily Caller website, which reports that this is a case centered around a lesbian couple who shared custody of three children but later split up. One of them actually gave birth to the children, and her partner later adopted the children while living in Georgia, so they could both be the official, legal parents.
The biological mother, who now lives in Alabama, had tried to keep the children from the adoptive mother after the couple split. The Alabama high court ruled that the state did not have to recognize the adoption made in Georgia, stripping the adoptive mother of her rights to the children.
In its decision, the court reasoned that Georgia did not properly rule on its own laws regarding same-sex adoption and that the state has a vested interest in making sure adopted children have good homes. That is a contention that the Daily Caller points out that gay rights groups have issues with.
2 - U.S. House passes 2 pro-life bills, including legislation to defund Planned Parenthood
On Friday, the U.S. House of Representatives took action on 2 pro-life bills, both of which passed the chamber. LifeNews.com reported that the House voted 241 to 187 for a bill that would freeze Planned Parenthood funding for one year while Congress conducts an investigation into its sales of aborted babies and their body parts.
239 Republicans and 3 Democrats voted for the bill. 183 Democrats and 3 Republicans voted against it, with one Republican voting "present." Rep. Diane Black, a Tennessee Republican, is the pro-life lawmaker sponsoring the legislation and a nurse for more than 40 years.
LifeSiteNews.com reported that the estimated $235 million of savings would be invested into Federally Qualified Health Centers.
LifeNews.com also reported that the House, by a vote of 248-177, passed the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, sponsored by pro-life Congressman Trent Franks, which would make failure to provide standard medical care to children born alive during an abortion a federal crime. It would also apply stronger penalties in cases where an overt act is taken to kill the abortion survivor.
1 - Faith and Presidential politics: 2nd Republican debate, Sanders at Liberty U.
A county clerk in Kentucky, the Planned Parenthood videos, and even casino gambling, were issues that were addressed on the debate stage on Wednesday, the second debate featuring Republican candidates.
Rachel Alexander, Senior Editor of The Stream was a guest on my radio program and offered some analysis. Click here to access.
In her article for The Stream, she wrote:
Bush was challenged for disagreeing with Mike Huckabee that the jailing of Kentucky clerk Kim Davis represented the “criminalization of Christianity.” Bush responded by insisting that didn’t accurately represent his viewpoint and that he believes there should be an accommodation for religious freedom at the local level.
The Planned Parenthood issue was also addressed by some candidates. Alexander wrote:
Cruz and Kasich also disagreed about stripping Planned Parenthood of funding if it were to result in shutting down government for two weeks. Kasich explained that as long as Obama is president, he won’t sign the legislation. Cruz responded in part, “We shouldn’t send millions of dollars to funding criminal enterprises. Republicans surrender, unlike Obama who sticks with his principles.”
Fiorina may have gotten the most applause of the evening when she added, “Anyone who has watched this video, I dare anyone to watch a fully formed fetus on the table, its heart beating, its leg kicking, while someone wants to harvest its brain. This is about the character of this nation, and if we will not force Obama to veto this bill, shame on us.”
Alexander also referred to a skirmish between Donald Trump and Jeb Bush over the topic of casino gambling:
At one point, Trump and Bush got into an argument over whether Trump ever attempted to put casinos in Florida. Bush said he stopped him from bringing casino gambling to the state, and Trump said that wasn’t true and that if he’d wanted to put casinos there he would have made it happen. Which candidate was lying? It was hard to tell from the debate, but it was Trump who apparently was playing fast and loose with the truth...
Alexander referred to a Business Insider fact check on that issue.
Meanwhile, on the same university campus where Republican Ted Cruz announced his candidacy for the Presidency, Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders spoke this past week. It was at a convocation at Liberty University, and according to a piece on the WORLD Magazine website by News Editor Jamie Dean:
Sanders’ message at Liberty stuck with his usual talking points, but offered a biblical twist. The candidate called on students to pursue justice for others, based on Jesus’ teaching on the Golden Rule and lesson from the book of Amos.
Christians agree with Sanders on the importance of helping the needy, but instead of the church, Sanders wants the U.S. government to fill that role. The Wall Street Journal estimates his plans for universal healthcare, free tuition at public colleges, and other massive programs would cost $18 trillion.
Dean also pointed out about Sanders: "After thanking Liberty for the invitation to speak, he quickly acknowledged Christians disagree with him on important issues and declared his own creed of sorts." He said in the event, "I believe in women’s rights and the rights of a woman to control her own body," adding, “I believe in gay rights and gay marriage. Those are my beliefs, and it is no secret."
No comments:
Post a Comment