Last Abortion Clinic in South Dakota Closes
Thanks to Kevin Tracy I found this article about the last abortion clinic in South Dakota closing. This gives me hope though I don't expect the abortionist to give up in South Dakota.
It remains unclear if the Planned Parenthood office has permanently ceased the practice of abortion. However, several women who were scheduled for abortions this week went to a pro-life center instead, where some have reportedly changed their minds about having abortions.
"It didn't take the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and it didn't take a new President or a new Supreme Court. It took the courageous determination of pro-life heroes like Mr. Cassidy and the Unruhs who saw an opportunity to save lives and pressed on until their dream became victory."
I agree. Let's all do what we can where we are.
WIC and Planned Parenthood
Dawn Eden at The Dawn Patrol has pointed out a promonent link on the WIC site directing clients to Planned Parenthood. I already disliked WIC for pushing formula. Now I am disgusted.
Parenting Parachute
Premeditated Parenting has a recent article called "Parenting Parachute". Following God's principles is not just a matter of personal preference. It's not like you can just do whatever you want as a parent or spouse and get the outcome you desire with your family. That is just wishful thinking (or maybe it's not thinking at all)! Following God's principles in parenting and marriage (and life for that matter) is your best opportunity for a great outcome.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
Parental Rights Amendment
Relating to my post from yesterday, I encourage you all to contact your representative about the Parental Rights Amendment. Here is the joint resolution for you to read before you do.
HJ 97 IH
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. J. RES. 97
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to parental rights .
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 26, 2008
Mr. HOEKSTRA introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
JOINT RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to parental rights .
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled (two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the following article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years after the date of its submission for ratification:
`Article --
`Section 1. The liberty of parents to direct the upbringing and education of their children is a fundamental right.
`Section 2. Neither the United States nor any State shall infringe upon this right without demonstrating that its governmental interest as applied to the person is of the highest order and not otherwise served.
`Section 3. No treaty may be adopted nor shall any source of international law be employed to supersede, modify, interpret, or apply to the rights guaranteed by this article.'.
If you would like to see all of my previous posts about parental rights, click here. http://www.parentalrights.org/, is a great resource for information dangers looming in this country. Many people in our government see your children as wards (property?) of the State. The international law section is refers to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child among other internation statues.
To find your representative, click here.
God has place children in the hands of parents, not governments. Parents will be held responsible by Him. God has given governments power and authority, but their sphere is limited. God has given parents the honor of raising and educating children.
Deuteronomy 4:9
Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.
Deuteronomy 6:7
Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
There are other examples in Scripture. Nowhere does he command that you listen to the king about how to raise your children.
HJ 97 IH
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. J. RES. 97
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to parental rights .
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 26, 2008
Mr. HOEKSTRA introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
JOINT RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to parental rights .
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled (two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the following article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years after the date of its submission for ratification:
`Article --
`Section 1. The liberty of parents to direct the upbringing and education of their children is a fundamental right.
`Section 2. Neither the United States nor any State shall infringe upon this right without demonstrating that its governmental interest as applied to the person is of the highest order and not otherwise served.
`Section 3. No treaty may be adopted nor shall any source of international law be employed to supersede, modify, interpret, or apply to the rights guaranteed by this article.'.
If you would like to see all of my previous posts about parental rights, click here. http://www.parentalrights.org/, is a great resource for information dangers looming in this country. Many people in our government see your children as wards (property?) of the State. The international law section is refers to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child among other internation statues.
To find your representative, click here.
God has place children in the hands of parents, not governments. Parents will be held responsible by Him. God has given governments power and authority, but their sphere is limited. God has given parents the honor of raising and educating children.
Deuteronomy 4:9
Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.
Deuteronomy 6:7
Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
There are other examples in Scripture. Nowhere does he command that you listen to the king about how to raise your children.
Tidbits from Here and There
A gun-toting missionary has saved lives for the second time. Read the story on OneNewsNow.
DC increases homeschooling restrictions. Among other things, the new regulations require annual notification of a parent’s intent to homeschool on a future form developed by OSSE (Office of the State Superintendent of Education), maintenance of a portfolio of schoolwork, and up to two annual portfolio reviews by the OSSE to determine whether a homeschool program, in OSSE’s opinion, is providing “regular, thorough instruction” in the required subjects. No guidelines are provided by the Board giving the OSSE arbitrary discretion to implement these provisions. Read the full story at HSLDA.
God's design in the whale inspires new turbine design. See the ICR article here. A whale flipper has a bumpy edge. After incorporating some bumpy, irregular features into experimental fan blades, Dr. Frank Fish of West Chester University observed, “This design has been shown to be more efficient and also quieter, but defies traditional engineering theories.”
DC increases homeschooling restrictions. Among other things, the new regulations require annual notification of a parent’s intent to homeschool on a future form developed by OSSE (Office of the State Superintendent of Education), maintenance of a portfolio of schoolwork, and up to two annual portfolio reviews by the OSSE to determine whether a homeschool program, in OSSE’s opinion, is providing “regular, thorough instruction” in the required subjects. No guidelines are provided by the Board giving the OSSE arbitrary discretion to implement these provisions. Read the full story at HSLDA.
God's design in the whale inspires new turbine design. See the ICR article here. A whale flipper has a bumpy edge. After incorporating some bumpy, irregular features into experimental fan blades, Dr. Frank Fish of West Chester University observed, “This design has been shown to be more efficient and also quieter, but defies traditional engineering theories.”
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Guard Your Children
WorldNetDaily had a very disturbing story today.
'Education Begins at Home Act' – HR 2343
HR 2343 is sponsored by Reb. Danny Davis (D-IL), and cosponsored by 55 Democrats and 11 Republicans. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that implementing the Education Begins at Home Act would cost taxpayers $190 million for state home visiting plus "such sums as may be necessary" for in-hospital parent education.
"The federal definition of developmental screening for special education also includes what they call socioemotional screening, which is mental health screening," Effrem said. "Mental health screening is very subjective no matter what age you do it. Obviously it is incredibly subjective when we are talking about very young children."
While the program may not be mandatory for low-income and military families, there is no wording in the Education Begins at Home Act requiring parental permission for treatment or ongoing care once the family is enrolled – a point that leads some to ask where parental rights end and the government takes over. Also, critics ask how agents of the government plan to acquire private medical and financial records to offer the home visiting program.
I can just imagine the "socioemotional screening" including questions about Jesus or lesbians or miracles and then using and Judeo-Christian leaning answers as grounds for CPS to sweep in. Call me pessimistic, but the fact that no parental permission is required once you enroll is telling.
. . . when home visitors come into the home they assess everything about the family: Their financial situation, social situation, parenting practices, everything. All of that is put into a database."
Notice parenting practices are included. If you swat your kids, watch out. And is that "social situation" a bridge to the persistent homeschooling question of socialization?
"There's some blather in the language of the bill about having cultural awareness of the differences in parenting practices, but it seems like that never applies to Christian parents."
Now on to the second bill mentioned in the article.
The Pre-K Act, or HR 3289, is sponsored by Rep. Mazie Hirono (D HI), and cosponsored by 116 Democrats and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla. Estimated to cost $500 million for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2013, the bill provides funds for state-approved education. Government workers would reach mothers and fathers in the hospital after a baby has been delivered to promote Pre-K programs.
As a side note, this is one more reason I would opt for an out-of-hospital birth. Now about this Pre-K Act.
"They give them information about Child Care Resource and Referral Network so they can get the child into a preschool or daycare that follows the state standards and get the mom working as quickly as possible."
If you aren't already aware of how detremental day care can be, please investigate DayCaresDon'tCare. Or you can read my pleas to parents here, here, and here.
And what are these state approved schools likely to teach? I would bet on gender confusing, morality blurring, evolutionist blather.
Let your representative know that you are against these bills.
'Education Begins at Home Act' – HR 2343
HR 2343 is sponsored by Reb. Danny Davis (D-IL), and cosponsored by 55 Democrats and 11 Republicans. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that implementing the Education Begins at Home Act would cost taxpayers $190 million for state home visiting plus "such sums as may be necessary" for in-hospital parent education.
"The federal definition of developmental screening for special education also includes what they call socioemotional screening, which is mental health screening," Effrem said. "Mental health screening is very subjective no matter what age you do it. Obviously it is incredibly subjective when we are talking about very young children."
While the program may not be mandatory for low-income and military families, there is no wording in the Education Begins at Home Act requiring parental permission for treatment or ongoing care once the family is enrolled – a point that leads some to ask where parental rights end and the government takes over. Also, critics ask how agents of the government plan to acquire private medical and financial records to offer the home visiting program.
I can just imagine the "socioemotional screening" including questions about Jesus or lesbians or miracles and then using and Judeo-Christian leaning answers as grounds for CPS to sweep in. Call me pessimistic, but the fact that no parental permission is required once you enroll is telling.
. . . when home visitors come into the home they assess everything about the family: Their financial situation, social situation, parenting practices, everything. All of that is put into a database."
Notice parenting practices are included. If you swat your kids, watch out. And is that "social situation" a bridge to the persistent homeschooling question of socialization?
"There's some blather in the language of the bill about having cultural awareness of the differences in parenting practices, but it seems like that never applies to Christian parents."
Now on to the second bill mentioned in the article.
The Pre-K Act, or HR 3289, is sponsored by Rep. Mazie Hirono (D HI), and cosponsored by 116 Democrats and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla. Estimated to cost $500 million for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2013, the bill provides funds for state-approved education. Government workers would reach mothers and fathers in the hospital after a baby has been delivered to promote Pre-K programs.
As a side note, this is one more reason I would opt for an out-of-hospital birth. Now about this Pre-K Act.
"They give them information about Child Care Resource and Referral Network so they can get the child into a preschool or daycare that follows the state standards and get the mom working as quickly as possible."
If you aren't already aware of how detremental day care can be, please investigate DayCaresDon'tCare. Or you can read my pleas to parents here, here, and here.
And what are these state approved schools likely to teach? I would bet on gender confusing, morality blurring, evolutionist blather.
Let your representative know that you are against these bills.
Report on Defending Your Faith Conference
Scott at By Grace Alone has added several posts about his experiences at the Defending Your Faith Family Conference. I thought it was very interesting (wish I could have been there). After the initial post (linked above), there are three more.
Ham Hit It On the Head
Much of what Ken Ham said during this past week focused on this same idea of dealing with the “millions of years.” Again, many people, blinded by bad science and un-founded theories, have bough[t] into this idea and see no real problem trying to make the Bible “fit.” But, as Ham points out, the real issue is very basic: Is the Bible true? This is what our Convention [Southern Baptist] was fighting over, and this is what we need to continue to fight for.
I totally agree with this. If the first 11 chapters of Genesis are parables though they are written as history, where does the parable stop. Was Abraham really that old when Isaac was born? Did Joseph really interpret Pharoh's dream? Was Jesus really sinless?
The Desert Island Challenge
For years now, people like Doug Phillips, and Voddie Baucham’s Family Driven Faith, and Tom Eldredge’s Safely Home and others have been calling into question how our families operate in today’s world. And the unanimous verdict is that we have given in to culture way more than we want to admit; in everything from the size of our families, to how we educate them, to how we disciple them, etc.
But what if we had nothing but God’s Word to guide us? Wouldn’t we see children as a blessing and desire a “quiver full” of them? Wouldn’t we realize that it is our responsibility as parents to disciple our children, not just the Sunday School teacher’s? And would we ever send them off to “fools” to be educated the way we do now?
The last post is a clip (from a different conference) of Voddie Baucham. I liked the clip and have posted it below.
So, head on over to Scott's blog and see what else he has to say.
Ham Hit It On the Head
Much of what Ken Ham said during this past week focused on this same idea of dealing with the “millions of years.” Again, many people, blinded by bad science and un-founded theories, have bough[t] into this idea and see no real problem trying to make the Bible “fit.” But, as Ham points out, the real issue is very basic: Is the Bible true? This is what our Convention [Southern Baptist] was fighting over, and this is what we need to continue to fight for.
I totally agree with this. If the first 11 chapters of Genesis are parables though they are written as history, where does the parable stop. Was Abraham really that old when Isaac was born? Did Joseph really interpret Pharoh's dream? Was Jesus really sinless?
The Desert Island Challenge
For years now, people like Doug Phillips, and Voddie Baucham’s Family Driven Faith, and Tom Eldredge’s Safely Home and others have been calling into question how our families operate in today’s world. And the unanimous verdict is that we have given in to culture way more than we want to admit; in everything from the size of our families, to how we educate them, to how we disciple them, etc.
But what if we had nothing but God’s Word to guide us? Wouldn’t we see children as a blessing and desire a “quiver full” of them? Wouldn’t we realize that it is our responsibility as parents to disciple our children, not just the Sunday School teacher’s? And would we ever send them off to “fools” to be educated the way we do now?
The last post is a clip (from a different conference) of Voddie Baucham. I liked the clip and have posted it below.
So, head on over to Scott's blog and see what else he has to say.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Excelling in the Welfare State
Walter Williams has an interesting article out today that speaks on black urban education. While this is the focus of the article, I think that the principles apply to us all.
Douglass High School teachers and staff appeared to be concerned and caring people, but the poor quality educational outcomes (The stats he gives for the school are atrocious. I will get to them in a minute.) demonstrate that concern and caring is not enough. The virtually empty classrooms, filmed on back-to-school night, suggested little parental interest in their children's education. School day behavior demonstrated little student interest. Some students spent class time laughing, joking and tussling with one another. Others had their heads lying on their desks or appeared uninterested in the teacher's discussion. Many of those engaged in student-teacher exchange on academic topics showed very limited reasoning ability.
I think the Dr. Williams is right. Caring teachers are not enough to provide a child with education (even if all you mean by education is the ability to read well and cipher well). Parents play a major role; parents that don't care usually produce students that don't care. Students that accept the low expectations of society internalize them and follow through on them. (This is one of the reasons I love www.therebelution.com.)
Politicians and the teaching establishment say more money, smaller classes and newer buildings are necessary for black academic excellence. At Frederick Douglass' founding (in 1883), it didn't have the resources available today. If blacks can achieve at a time when there was far greater poverty, gross discrimination and fewer opportunities, what says blacks cannot achieve today? Whether we want to own up to it or not, the welfare state has done what Jim Crow, gross discrimination and poverty could not have done. It has contributed to the breakdown of the black family structure and has helped establish a set of values alien to traditional values of high moral standards, hard work and achievement.
He is so right that the breakdown of the family has been a leading factor to the decay of this nation. I would take it a step further and say that people have step further and say that when people stop being governed internally by the Spirit and self-discipline moral decline is inevitable.
And now to the stats of this school. . . Here is a small sample.
Douglass' students are four to five years below grade level. Most of its ninth-graders read at the third-, fourth- or fifth-grade levels.
How does society benefit by promoting people who are not proficient in reading? With each grade level, the text books move up a notch in reading difficulty. So if you are continuously promoted but don't have the reading skills, you will understand less and less of your textbooks. Wouldn't a fourth grader be frustrated if all of their textbooks were written at a 11th grade level of literacy? I wish we had a system that only passed children when they had achieved the standards for that grade. Why are we so certain that age homogeneous groupings are best? Why don't we have ability homogeneous groups? Why can't a student be third grade in reading, 5th grade in math, and 4th grade in history? I suppose the logistics of that wouldn't work at government schools, but really I think that age homogeneous groupings do a disservice to our government school kids.
Douglass High School teachers and staff appeared to be concerned and caring people, but the poor quality educational outcomes (The stats he gives for the school are atrocious. I will get to them in a minute.) demonstrate that concern and caring is not enough. The virtually empty classrooms, filmed on back-to-school night, suggested little parental interest in their children's education. School day behavior demonstrated little student interest. Some students spent class time laughing, joking and tussling with one another. Others had their heads lying on their desks or appeared uninterested in the teacher's discussion. Many of those engaged in student-teacher exchange on academic topics showed very limited reasoning ability.
I think the Dr. Williams is right. Caring teachers are not enough to provide a child with education (even if all you mean by education is the ability to read well and cipher well). Parents play a major role; parents that don't care usually produce students that don't care. Students that accept the low expectations of society internalize them and follow through on them. (This is one of the reasons I love www.therebelution.com.)
Politicians and the teaching establishment say more money, smaller classes and newer buildings are necessary for black academic excellence. At Frederick Douglass' founding (in 1883), it didn't have the resources available today. If blacks can achieve at a time when there was far greater poverty, gross discrimination and fewer opportunities, what says blacks cannot achieve today? Whether we want to own up to it or not, the welfare state has done what Jim Crow, gross discrimination and poverty could not have done. It has contributed to the breakdown of the black family structure and has helped establish a set of values alien to traditional values of high moral standards, hard work and achievement.
He is so right that the breakdown of the family has been a leading factor to the decay of this nation. I would take it a step further and say that people have step further and say that when people stop being governed internally by the Spirit and self-discipline moral decline is inevitable.
And now to the stats of this school. . . Here is a small sample.
Douglass' students are four to five years below grade level. Most of its ninth-graders read at the third-, fourth- or fifth-grade levels.
How does society benefit by promoting people who are not proficient in reading? With each grade level, the text books move up a notch in reading difficulty. So if you are continuously promoted but don't have the reading skills, you will understand less and less of your textbooks. Wouldn't a fourth grader be frustrated if all of their textbooks were written at a 11th grade level of literacy? I wish we had a system that only passed children when they had achieved the standards for that grade. Why are we so certain that age homogeneous groupings are best? Why don't we have ability homogeneous groups? Why can't a student be third grade in reading, 5th grade in math, and 4th grade in history? I suppose the logistics of that wouldn't work at government schools, but really I think that age homogeneous groupings do a disservice to our government school kids.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Dobson the Flip-flopper?
This is Dr. Dobson's Values Voter Pledge found on this webpage.
As a concerned citizen, I am signing this Values Voter Pledge for 2008 indicating my commitment to stand for the values of life, faith and family during this election year. I am pledging to support candidates who uphold these bedrock values of:
•Life -- I will only vote for candidates who have committed to defend sanctity of life from conception to natural death.
•Family -- I will only vote for candidates who stand for one-man, one-woman marriage and oppose efforts to undermine the nuclear family.
•Faith -- I will only vote for candidates who support the public acknowledgement of God and affirm the religious liberties of all Americans. I also oppose any and all efforts by the media, organizations or candidates to diminish the role that Values Voters are playing in this year’s election. I authorize Focus on the Family Action to represent my Values Voter Pledge before the media, political candidates or other suitable forums as a demonstration of the strength and seriousness of Values Voters in this election cycle.
Now he says that he might endorse John McCain.
Conservative Christian leader James Dobson has softened his stance against Republican presidential hopeful John McCain, saying he could reverse his position and endorse the Arizona senator despite serious misgivings. "I never thought I would hear myself saying this," Dobson said in a pre-taped radio broadcast "...While I am not endorsing Senator John McCain, the possibility is there that I might."
Now let's look at how McCain lines up with the Values Voter Pledge (that I assume Dr. Dobson pledged).
Life
Family
To me, voting for McCain or endorsing him is going back on this pledge. It is not like he has to endorse/vote for only McCain or Obama. There is always Chuck Baldwin or some other third party candidate. Is it right to go back on a pledge made before God? I think not.
Now I suppose that you could say, well McCain has been saying all of the right things here of late. He reminds me of Bill Clinton; he says whatever is most expedient for the crowd or at that time.
This whole election is making me rather disgusted.
As a concerned citizen, I am signing this Values Voter Pledge for 2008 indicating my commitment to stand for the values of life, faith and family during this election year. I am pledging to support candidates who uphold these bedrock values of:
•Life -- I will only vote for candidates who have committed to defend sanctity of life from conception to natural death.
•Family -- I will only vote for candidates who stand for one-man, one-woman marriage and oppose efforts to undermine the nuclear family.
•Faith -- I will only vote for candidates who support the public acknowledgement of God and affirm the religious liberties of all Americans. I also oppose any and all efforts by the media, organizations or candidates to diminish the role that Values Voters are playing in this year’s election. I authorize Focus on the Family Action to represent my Values Voter Pledge before the media, political candidates or other suitable forums as a demonstration of the strength and seriousness of Values Voters in this election cycle.
Now he says that he might endorse John McCain.
Conservative Christian leader James Dobson has softened his stance against Republican presidential hopeful John McCain, saying he could reverse his position and endorse the Arizona senator despite serious misgivings. "I never thought I would hear myself saying this," Dobson said in a pre-taped radio broadcast "...While I am not endorsing Senator John McCain, the possibility is there that I might."
Now let's look at how McCain lines up with the Values Voter Pledge (that I assume Dr. Dobson pledged).
Life
Family
To me, voting for McCain or endorsing him is going back on this pledge. It is not like he has to endorse/vote for only McCain or Obama. There is always Chuck Baldwin or some other third party candidate. Is it right to go back on a pledge made before God? I think not.
Now I suppose that you could say, well McCain has been saying all of the right things here of late. He reminds me of Bill Clinton; he says whatever is most expedient for the crowd or at that time.
This whole election is making me rather disgusted.
Homeschool Registration
I was forwarded an article about a proposed Michigan law that would require homeschoolers to register. To me, registering any group of people generally leads to their mistreatment in the not to distant future. It is rather like disarming them.
In Michigan, HB5912, introduced by state Rep. Brenda Clack, seems to be a logical compromise. It does not interfere with a parent's right to homeschool, but merely requires parents to register. Where the bill goes wrong is in requiring them to register with their already overburdened school district. The registration should be handled by the state.
In Michigan, HB5912, introduced by state Rep. Brenda Clack, seems to be a logical compromise. It does not interfere with a parent's right to homeschool, but merely requires parents to register. Where the bill goes wrong is in requiring them to register with their already overburdened school district. The registration should be handled by the state.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Are We Really This Shallow?
I was reading this article about the possible VPs for Obama and McCain. This paragraph caught my eye.
But it is calculated and does provide a chance for the candidates and their aides to assess how they and their prospective running mates look as a ticket, in the newspaper photographs and television images these events are producing. That is no small thing, as could arguably be seen in Bayh's eyes last week as he cast a vice-presidential gaze at Obama.
This reminds me of twittering high school girls trying to decide who to go to prom with based on who looks best in a tux. Are we really this shallow as a nation? What has happened to ideals and character and who people are on the inside?
But it is calculated and does provide a chance for the candidates and their aides to assess how they and their prospective running mates look as a ticket, in the newspaper photographs and television images these events are producing. That is no small thing, as could arguably be seen in Bayh's eyes last week as he cast a vice-presidential gaze at Obama.
This reminds me of twittering high school girls trying to decide who to go to prom with based on who looks best in a tux. Are we really this shallow as a nation? What has happened to ideals and character and who people are on the inside?
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