CBN Blogs

Nebraska GOP Senate Primary Reveals The Tea Party Conundrum

David Brody — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:30:26 GMT

Deb Fischer’s victory in Nebraska’s GOP Senate Primary is a great example of how the Tea Party movement hasn’t quite got its act together and is simply not all on the same page.

Tea Party stalwart Sarah Palin backed Fischer but Tea Partier Jim DeMint backed her challenger Don Stenberg. Meanwhile, Tea Party fan Mike Huckabee backed Jon Bruning along with Tea Party Express. It was a total Tea Party hodgepodge. Everybody was on a different page. What we saw in Nebraska is one of the big inherent dangers for the Tea Party. How does an organic, bottom up movement continue to increase in power if they are not all pulling in the same direction? Oh sure, they ALL want more constitutional conservatives elected but they dilute their effectiveness if they can’t all march to the same beat WITH the same candidate.

This is the big conundrum for the Tea Party. At the national level, you have different factions within the Tea Party movement that don’t see the political landscape the same way. From a utopian standpoint, it would be wonderful to see all these groups (Freedom Works, Tea Party Express, Club For Growth, Americans For Prosperity, Tea Party Patriots, Jim DeMint’s PAC, Mike Huckabee’s PAC and Sarah Palin’s PAC and many others) all come together under one banner and get behind one single candidate in the primaries. Imagine the power in that! The problem is it won't happen because not only do those groups have slightly different goals and priorities but the actual patriotic Americans who make up the Tea Party in the first place wouldn’t take kind to that sort of national consolidation. It would feel like an establishment group and in many ways, that’s exactly what the Tea Party is against.

The folks who make up the Tea Party will be the first to tell you that this type of competition (even among Tea Party backed candidates) is good for the system. And that may well be true but the larger issue remains. How can ALL these national Tea Party groups and PACS pull in one direction to affect systematic change? The lack of cohesion could lead to a lack of political power.

Stakelbeck on Terror Show: Islamization in America

Erick Stakelbeck — Tue, 15 May 2012 23:11:27 GMT

On this week's edition of the Stakelbeck on Terror show, Robert Spencer and Pamela Geller--two leading voices in the fight against the Islamization of the West--join me to discuss Islamic honor killings in America, Sharia law in your backyard, and the latest on the Ground Zero mega-mosque.

Plus, we go inside Spencer's eye-opening new book, Did Muhammed Exist?

The politically correct need not apply. Click on the viewer below to watch.

Slowing Down Your Emotions

Dr. David Hawkins — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:58:09 GMT

Emotions can feel like a freight train bearing down on us at 200 miles per hour. The sheer force of them is often enough to knock us down, causing us to gasp for breath if not struggle to think straight. In this state of rampant emotion, we often make decisions, say things and act in ways not conducive with our core values.

During a recent Marriage Intensive, the husband, Dan, stomped out of the room several times when his anger surged to the surface.

“I just have to get out of here,” he said, leaping off the couch and heading for the door.

His wife, Candace, shouted at him to stay, but he ignored her request. Our attempts to slow him down or dissuade him from leaving were ignored. He was mad and there was no way he could sit and talk about his feelings.

Candace had her own version of feelings gone wild. While she didn’t leap out of her chair in anger, she did bury her face in her hands with despair. Her feelings, too, had a force of their own. She distorted the present situation, only able to hear truth when she calmed down and listened carefully.

While not feeling enraged or despair, I can relate with both Candace and Dan. I’ve had episodes of grief in the past two years as my mother passed away, my mother-in-law has had serious health issues and my good friend fought a victorious battle against cancer twice. There were times when the situation looked bleak, when I sobbed uncontrollably at surprising moments.

Emotions—energy in motion—seem to have a life of their own. We’re never sure what will trigger them or how they will be expressed. If we haven’t cultivated the art of understanding our emotions, they can take us by surprise. If we haven’t come to understand our emotions, they can be denied and then well up within us, bursting onto the scene in awkward moments. Sometimes we deny them for so long we hardly know they are there, causing another set of problems—primarily a disconnection from ourselves and others.

As I talked to Dan about his anger, he clearly had little understanding of the triggers to his outbursts, nor any way of effectively talking about it.

“The only training I have is from my dad,” he said. “Dad would get mad and stomp around the house. We never knew what was going to set him off. He sure never learned to sit down and tell us what was really bothering him.”

Candace was equally uncomfortable with her despair.

“I shouldn’t be feeling this way,” she said. “I’m just feeling sorry for myself. I don’t know why these feelings come over me the way they do.”

I’ve become more familiar and kind to my feelings. I have embraced my feelings of grief for my mother and the illness of my good friend. I’m not ashamed or embarrassed by my tears. In fact, I like to be comforted when I’m in a ‘blue mood’ from my losses. But it has taken me time to tend to these feelings, and many are not as kind to their emotions.

Let’s consider some ways to slow down your feelings so you can accept, understand and tend to these integral parts of your nature.

1. Accept that feelings are a natural part of our nature.

We have been created with emotions and they are good. God created us in His image, and we know that Christ had a full range of emotions. Emotions play an important function in our lives and must be accepted.

2. Our emotions are instructive.

Different emotions offer us different information. For example, sadness often suggests we have losses that must be grieved. Anger, usually considered a secondary emotion, suggests we are threatened in some way and need to make changes in our life. Fear suggests we may be experiencing some danger and must be more alert to what is happening.

3. We must be aware of the triggers to our feelings.

While it may seem like our emotions erupt out of thin air, that is not usually the case. Our feelings are a response to some triggering event and a way of interpreting those events. Pay close attention to understand your emotions better. Begin journaling or spend times in reflection to gain a deeper understanding of what is happening to cause your specific emotions. Attend to your thoughts, considering how you are interpreting events in your life.

4. Embrace your feelings.

As you accept your feelings, you will begin to notice subtle changes in them. You will gain greater clarity and awareness of what situations cause what feelings. You will actually gain greater mastery over your emotions as you tend to them, discovering ways of expressing them in a healthy manner.

5. Practice the tool of ‘slicing it thinner.’

This means taking your feelings and looking below the surface. Ask yourself, “What else might I be feeling?” Gently ask yourself, “Why am I feeling this way?” Sit with your feelings and allow yourself to simmer in them. They will gain greater clarity as you do this. Calm yourself by sitting quietly, reflecting on what is happening. Examine your thoughts to ensure you are seeing things accurately.

6. Share your feelings with others.

There is something powerful about acknowledging, owning and sharing your feelings. As you stop labeling them as ‘bad’ or something to be pushed away, you give them permission to be. This takes the shame out of having them. Sharing them with others helps you feel less isolated, more understood and helps you make better choices about how to express them.

Share your feedback or send a confidential note to me at therelationshipdoctor@gmail.com and read more about The Marriage Recovery Center on my website www.marriagerecoverycenter.com and yourrelationshipdoctor.com. You’ll find videos and podcasts on saving a troubled marriage, codependency and affair-proofing your marriage.

The Value of Honest Work

Erin James — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:40:24 GMT

The first time I set my feet to the pavement during my weight loss journey, I made it barely half a mile walking. I felt so discouraged. I remember my younger brother who has always been an athlete telling me that this was just the beginning of my change that there was a long road ahead and not to get so disheartened after one day. That was what scared me; I wanted instant satisfaction.

These days, we experience instant gratification so often that we can become impatient easily. I would cry when my scale didn’t go down after one day. I would expect my clothes to fit better after one small step and I began to believe that it was not going to happen.

This transformation of mine took a year and I am still working at it. When the changes finally came, I quickly forgot about the agony I felt while I waited to see results.

Now, running five miles and fitting into clothes I love is not a struggle. Still, I should never forget the work, the waiting and the sheer determination that got me to this point.

Working hard to reach a goal is one of the most satisfying feelings you can have. The payoff is not always apparent, but give it time and you may be surprised.

It seems my children instantly expect to be rewarded for nearly everything. I remember when I was a little girl my father had me help him in the yard one day. It was rainy and cold outside, but we worked hard together moving things into the garage. I told him I could not wait to get warm, dry clothes on when we were finished. He looked at me, smiled and said, “Yes, it’s one of the best feelings after being out in the cold rain, almost a reward for a job well done.”

At that moment even at that young age, I remember thinking that my reward was truly that I was able to spend that time with my dad. The hard work and the time with him made me happy. I did not expect to be rewarded the moment we went inside for doing a job that needed to be done. In fact, I didn’t even expect him to thank me. It was my job to help my parents when they needed it. I was happy to help, happy to work hard and to be a part of something. My own children do not seem to know the value of this.

My oldest daughter has informed us that she needs to be paid to clean up her toy room. I will not give in, but the fact that this is expected by a seven year old worries me.

The satisfaction of a job well done does not stand much these days. Some kids must be bribed get up from their video games to carry out the garbage. While it is good to show your children that they are appreciated, it is also important that you show them that sometimes hard work does not come with instant reward. I want my children to see that the payoff is not always immediate or sometimes even visible.

As Christians, we work daily at doing the things we feel will please the Lord. When we pray to God for something to happen in our lives, we understand that He cannot just hand us our desires immediately.

To teach my children about honest work versus reward, I have been having them do their chores for a week with the possibility (not the guarantee) of getting a little something.

We know our reward is in Heaven at the end of our journeys here on Earth. If our children do not understand that sometimes the finish line and reward are not seen with our earthly eyes, it can cause them to stray.

How do you teach your children about honest work and following the rules without instant reward?

Pal. Authority: Bethlehem First Baptist Church Illegitimate

Gary Lane — Mon, 14 May 2012 09:05:10 GMT

Imagine applying for a copy of your marriage certificate at the local government office and& the clerk tells you that your marriage and children are illegitimate all because you were married in a church not officially "recognized" by the government.

That has happened to some members of the First Baptist Church of Bethlehem. While the church has been a part of the Bethlehem community since 1978, recently the Palestinian Authority proclaimed it "illegitimate."

Why is that significant? When former Muslims or Orthodox Christians become members of First Baptist and get married in the church, their marriages are not recoginzed by the P.A., they become "second class" citizens. If they then have children, their kids are considered "non-citizens." They have few rights as Palestinians, they and the church are marginalized in the society.

At the same time in East Jerusalem, some Muslim neighbors of Khoury's Calvary Church have pressured the landlord of the building that houses the church to evict the evangelical congregation within 30 days.

This is not the first eviction for Khoury and his church members. They've been forced to vacate other church buildings in the city. Seems some Muslims think the right to religious assembly only applies to them in the Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusalem.

Last month, President Obama issued an executive waiver so $192 million in aid could be resumed to the Palestinian Authority. Perhaps his administration should use America's financial leverage to convince the P.A. to ease up on Palestinian Christians. Under threat of losing U.S. financial help, it may force them to re-evaluate that "illegitimate" designation for the First Baptist Church of Bethlehem Christians. Maybe they'd be convinced to help Calvary Church find a suitable building in East Jerusalem.

A web site called Bethlehem Freedom has been established for those who want to help.

Also, for more on the plight of Palestinian Christians, watch my recent interview with Pastor Steve Khoury below.

Exclusive: Romney Says He Needs to Make Sure Voters Understand What His Views Are

David Brody — Sat, 12 May 2012 17:11:42 GMT

From Brody File Executive Producer Dana Ritter on site at Liberty University:

GOP Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney gave what could be considered the biggest speech of his political career Saturday at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. Liberty University is the biggest evangelical Christian university in the world and the crowd was 34,000 people.

After his big speech, Romney sat down with Jennifer Wishon, White House Correspondent for CBN News. David Brody was planning to do the interview but a last second family emergency made that impossible.

She asked him about how he is going to court evangelical voters.

MANDATORY COURTESY: CBN News/The Brody File

Jennifer Wishon: Governor, we are at the world’s largest evangelical Christian university. How do you plan to actively court evangelical voters and also energize them to get out the vote? Or do you think that you don’t necessarily have to do anything special to make that happen?

Mitt Romney: I think I have to make a real effort to get every voter in this country. Those people who are inclined to my views of the issues of the day, whether they are economic issues, foreign policy issues, social issues, I need to make sure they understand what my views are. Encourage them to get involved in the process, because this president is taking the country in a very different direction than most people would like to see it go. And I need them to understand how we can get it back on track, and how if we work together, we can do that.

Exclusive: Mitt Romney's Message to Evangelical Christians

David Brody — Sat, 12 May 2012 17:08:30 GMT

From Brody File Executive Producer Dana Ritter on site at Liberty University

She asked him what he would say if he could speak directly to American Christians. Video and transcription below.

MANDATORY COURTESY: CBN News/The Brody File

Jennifer Wishon: I just wonder what you want Christian viewers of this broadcast, and Christians in America in general to know about you that maybe you feel like they don’t know. Or maybe what they can expect from you going forward? Anything that you would like to say directly to American Christians?

Mitt Romney: My view is that this is not a time for us to do what the president says, which is to transform America. I want to restore to America the values and principles that made us the greatest nation in the history of the earth. These values include some of our foundational elements.

I believe that we should respect our first liberty, which is religious liberty. I believe we should protect the family. I stand for traditional marriage. I stand for the sanctity of life. These things I think people understand about me.

At the same time, I believe that when the Declaration of Independence was crafted, the Founders were very careful in saying that we were endowed by our Creator with our rights. Not the state, not the king, but our Creator. And among those rights were life, and liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Our nation’s economy is driven by free people pursuing happiness as they choose, not as government directs. And as government becomes larger and larger and more intrusive in the lives of citizens and their enterprises, it makes it harder for America’s economy to work.

I want to bring the values of the Founders, adapted to a 21st century world to take advantage of the extraordinary opportunities that we have in trade, energy, and productivity. We can lead the world again in a very powerful way as a beacon of hope, as a powerful economic engine, making sure that our kids know that the future is brighter than the past.

This is what my campaign presents. It’s what I’m going to campaign on, and I believe that people across the nation will warm to my campaign as they understand those principles.

Exclusive: Heroic Romney Explains Lake Rescue

David Brody — Sat, 12 May 2012 16:56:13 GMT

From Brody File Executive Producer Dana Ritter on site at Liberty University:

She asked him about a time he rescued a family in trouble on the water in New Hampshire, a story he doesn't often talk about. Video and transcription below.

MANDATORY COURTESY: CBN News/The Brody File

Jennifer Wishon: A moment ago, you mentioned pushing people off the boat, you actually helped rescue some folks who were in the water in New Hampshire. It’s not something that you often talk about, but I wonder if you could share a little bit about what happened, and what that meant to you?

Mitt Romney: Well, you know when you’re on the water, things can be a little dangerous. And apparently a family and friends were going across Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire and something happened in the drive shaft of their boat, it was a classic wooden boat, and suddenly it began filling with water. It broke a hole in the bottom, filled with water, sunk quickly.

They had a little dog with them, they were out there yelling, but it was dark and they couldn’t be seen and boats would go by, but the boats were so loud that they couldn’t hear people yelling. But we were by the shore, and we heard some people screaming and we went down to the beach, and I asked my son could he see anything. And he said, you know, I think there’s something out there.

And so we got on a couple of wave runners, these little jet skis that we had, and went out to the center of the lake. It was, I don’t know, a quarter of a mile or so out there, and sure enough there was a group of people that was struggling to take care of their dog and also get to shore, and we were able to load them up with a few trips and take them back and forth to shore, and get them cared for. That’s the sort of thing that happens, of course, we have to watch out for one another.

Wishon: That story, does that experience you had tell voters anything about Mitt Romney?

Romney: Well, I think it tells something about people in this country. Americans are quick to turn to aid someone who has a need, and I don’t think it’s particularly unusual. I think when you see an accident on the side of the road, for instance, people stop in large numbers to see if they can do something to help.

We’re a very caring, very generous nation and I count myself as an American probably no better, and hopefully not a lot worse than the average of this great country.

Exclusive: Mitt Romney Reveals His Wild and Crazy Side

David Brody — Sat, 12 May 2012 16:39:23 GMT

From Brody File Executive Producer Dana Ritter on site at Liberty University:

Ann Romney has said there is a "wild and crazy" side of Mitt Romney. Jennifer asked him about his wild and crazy side. Video and transcription below.

MANDATORY COURTESY: CBN News/The Brody File

Jennifer Wishon: Your wife says that there is a wild and crazy guy inside of Gov. Mitt Romney. Can you give us some examples of incidents that illustrate that?

Mitt Romney: Well, we have in our family of course, a number of things that we do like pushing people out of a boat, short sheeting their bed, putting corn flakes in their bed, a lot of jokes and tricks that we play among ourselves. But even among some others.

I once had a state trooper who kept on playing jokes on me, and I played tricks back on him. One day he short sheeted my bed. We were at a very fancy hotel. I went to go to bed, and I couldn’t get in, because he had actually come in before I got to the hotel and short sheeted the bed. And the next morning when I came down to breakfast, he of course had a big smile because he was going to see how I reacted.

I pretended not to notice. And I got some stationary from the general manager of the hotel, and I had it typed up, as addressed a letter to me, saying we are so sorry that your bed was improperly made, Mr. Romney, and we have fired the maid who did it. And then that letter arrived in our office.

My secretary picked it up and showed it to him. He was so upset. His boss told him he had to call the hotel and explain to the manager that he was the one that had messed up, not the person that they had fired. He got on the phone all red faced, and then finally, of course, when the manager had no idea what he was talking about, he realized the joke was on him.

So, we play tricks even with the people I work with.

Wishon: Like to have fun.

Romney: You bet.

Exclusive: Romney Says He's Not Running to Be 'Pastor-in-Chief'

David Brody — Sat, 12 May 2012 16:34:40 GMT

From Brody File Executive Producer Dana Ritter on site at Liberty University:

She asked him about what might be perceived as misconceptions about his Mormon faith. Video and transcription below.

MANDATORY COURTESY: CBN News/The Brody File

Jennifer Wishon: Your visit here today again to the largest evangelical Christian university in the world. A lot of talk about faith. I’m wondering what do you think is one of the biggest misconceptions about your Mormon faith?

Mitt Romney: I don’t know that I’m qualified to be able to characterize the views of other people with regards to my faith, but I can say that I know that there are very significant differences in creeds and theologies between religions, and certainly between my faith and the faith of people here at Liberty University.

And yet, we find common ground, and common purpose in service, in values that we share, and I think also in our worldview as it relates to what it takes to have a strong America, to preserve our freedoms, to protect the institution of family.

These causes bring us together and allow us to lock arms despite the different theological views that we have. And I think as Dr. Falwell has said today, we care very deeply about finding people who share our values and our views, and work for a person who can become our Commander in Chief but perhaps not our Pastor in Chief.

Exclusive: Romney Says 'Time Will Tell' Whether He'll Discuss Same-Sex Marriage in Fall Campaign

David Brody — Sat, 12 May 2012 16:25:57 GMT

From Brody File Executive Producer Dana Ritter on site at Liberty University:

Jennifer asked him about President Obama's recent change in his stance on same sex marriage. Video and transcription below.

MANDATORY COURTESY: CBN News/The Brody File

Jennifer Wishon: Regarding President Obama’s recent revelation on his personal feelings on same sex marriage. Tony Perkins, the president of Family Research Council says – quote - It doesn’t need to be the hood ornament of your campaign, but it does need to be in the vehicle, and you need to talk about it. I know you did talk about it at Liberty’s commencement. Is that something that you intend to continue talking about?

Mitt Romney: I think people of different backgrounds have different issues that they find to be the most compelling, and interesting. So I’m asked about social issues as well as foreign policy issues and economic issues. And, of course I’ll describe my views on those issues to people that have interest.

You know, I’ll do my very best to connect with the American people on the issues that they care most about. What I speak about day to day in some respects reflects what I’m being asked about. And so those issues, by virtue of the president’s change of view on this topic, has become more current today.

How important it is to the people a few months from now, time will tell. But my positions are, I think, out there for people to see and hopefully I will attract the kind of support that I need to be successful in November.

Mitt Romney’s Winning Effort to Break Bread With Evangelicals

David Brody — Sat, 12 May 2012 12:26:27 GMT

He did it. Mitt Romney accomplished the “Daily Double.” Not only did his speech at the evangelical Liberty University encourage students and offer sound advice for the future, but he also made the subtle case that his worldview comports with those of evangelical Christians. In short, Mitt Romney’s speech should be seen as a successful and important bridge to evangelicals.

A few parts of the speech stood out. First of all, I thought it was interesting how he made sure to mention and applaud certain evangelical figures like Chuck Colson, Rick Santorum, Jerry Falwell, C.S. Lewis, etc. He even had a Chick-Fil-A reference! But I didn’t get the sense that this was a pandering speech at all. Instead, it was just a smart move and a nice touch to mention all of these important figures.

Secondly, Romney made the case that the culture we live in is vitally important. If Romney can position himself and continue to speak forcefully as the candidate who champions the principles of sustaining America’s Judeo-Christian culture then evangelical Christians will sign up for that. Here’s what Romney said about the culture that was memorable:

“You enter a world with civilizations and economies that are far from equal. Harvard historian David Landes devoted his lifelong study to understanding why some civilizations rise, and why others falter. His conclusion: Culture makes all the difference. Not natural resources, not geography, but what people believe and value. Central to America’s rise to global leadership is our Judeo-Christian tradition, with its vision of the goodness and possibilities of every life. The American culture promotes personal responsibility, the dignity of work, the value of education, the merit of service, devotion to a purpose greater than self, and, at the foundation, the pre-eminence of the family.

The power of these values is evidenced by a Brookings Institution study that Senator Rick Santorum brought to my attention. For those who graduate from high school, get a full-time job, and marry before they have their first child, the probability that they will be poor is 2%. But, if those things are absent, 76% will be poor. Culture matters. As fundamental as these principles are, they may become topics of democratic debate. So it is today with the enduring institution of marriage. Marriage is a relationship between one man and one woman."

Through those lines, you could see him channeling Rick Santorum and the more he does that the better with regard to courting evangelicals. Preserving the culture does matter to evangelical Christians. There’s been an attempt by many to hijack this country’s Judeo-Christian heritage. If Romney positions himself as the guy who sets out to reclaim that then it’s a winning proposition with evangelicals in the fall.

Finally, I thought Romney did a masterful job of making the case that although he’s Mormon he still shares the “moral convictions” and same worldview as evangelicals. Here’s what he said:

"People of different faiths, like yours and mine, sometimes wonder where we can meet in common purpose, when there are so many differences in creed and theology. Surely the answer is that we can meet in service, in shared moral convictions about our nation stemming from a common worldview.”

Look, here’s the deal. The question evangelical Christians need to ask themselves is this: If Romney holds your same worldview and wants to preserve a Judeo-Christian culture isn’t that good enough? Is his Mormon faith that much of a deal breaker? Why isn’t a squeaky clean, moral president with a great family good enough? Just asking. It’s time to go into deep thought about that.

Romney’s speech at Liberty was a launching pad to what can be a great relationship with evangelical Christians. However it will require two important elements: The ability of evangelicals to get past certain hang-ups and the capacity of Romney and his campaign to engage with evangelicals throughout the General Election rather than just providing lip service. Saturday’s speech was a great first step in that direction.

President Obama's Gift To Mitt Romney

David Brody — Fri, 11 May 2012 22:46:58 GMT

President Obama beware: You may have woken up a sleeping giant. Pastors in key swing states are ready to speak out against Obama’s endorsement of same-sex marriage. The President may have done Mitt Romney a favor because this issue may be the one to get those truly skeptical Romney evangelical voters off the couch and into his corner. Romney should send Obama a thank you note. One evangelical leader told me his job will be a lot easier of a lift regarding getting voters mobilized for Romney now that the president has given them fresh ammunition.

Read below from The Washington post:

Pastors in Ohio, North Carolina, Florida and other swing states are readying Sunday sermons inveighing against same-sex unions, while activist groups have begun laying plans for social media campaigns, leaflet drives and other get-out-the-vote efforts centered on the same-sex marriage issue. Romney could benefit from a strong turnout among evangelicals and other social conservatives, many of whom remain skeptical of his commitment to their causes.

“So many people were rather lukewarm toward Governor Romney and were really looking for some more tangible reasons to support him,” said Phil Burress, president of Citizens for Community Values, who led the ballot drive that banned gay marriage in Ohio in 2004. “Then lo and behold, it just fell out of the sky when Obama came out and endorsed same-sex marriage. . . . We are going to make this our key issue: the attack on marriage.”

More here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-gay-marriage-endorsement-mobilizes-christian-conservatives/2012/05/11/gIQAT8x5IU_story.html?tid=sm_twitter_washingtonpost

The Christian Battle Over Same-Sex Marriage

David Brody — Fri, 11 May 2012 11:53:49 GMT

The controversy of President Obama’s decision to endorse same-sex marriage is grabbing all of the headlines and that makes sense but there is a larger issue of faith here.

When President Obama invoked Jesus Christ, The Holy Bible, and the Golden Rule during his conversation with ABC News' Robin Roberts about gay marriage, he opened up a huge can of worms that has been surfacing for a while. First have a look at his comments and then we’ll discuss the broader implications:

“[Michelle and I] are both practicing Christians and obviously this position may be considered to put us at odds with the views of others but, you know, when we think about our faith, the thing at root that we think about is not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it’s also the Golden Rule, you know, treat others the way you would want to be treated. And I think that’s what we try to impart to our kids and that’s what motivates me as president and I figure the most consistent I can be in being true to those precepts, the better I’ll be as a dad and a husband and hopefully the better I’ll be as president.”

President Obama loves to invoke the Golden Rule in nearly every conversation he has about his faith. It’s never JUST about Jesus dying for our sins. There is always a “but” or an “also.” This leads to The Brody File’s main point, which is for years there has been a pseudo-public relations war going on over how Christianity should be seen from a political perspective.

Conservative evangelicals see a world of biblical absolutes and the belief that homosexuality is sinful because God said so (it does say that in the Bible). They also see plenty of scriptural references to back up the claim that same-sex marriage is not what God intended (Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, 1 Timothy 1:9-10, Matthew 19:4, Mark 10:6, Genesis 1:27, Genesis 2:18-25).

Liberal Christians (some will say there’s no such thing as a liberal Christian-that the two terms do not comport) see the compassion of Jesus and translate that into this idea that he is accepting of all people. (Including being okay with gay marriage).

God loves all people for sure, but he does not accept all behavior. Just read the Bible. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out.

Anyhow, the point here is that within the Christian community there is a battle going on to politically define Jesus and take His teachings to fit either a liberal or conservative Christian philosophy. While liberal Christians may think that conservative evangelicals have always tried to push their brand of Christianity on the nation, the truth of the matter is liberal Christians are doing the same exact thing…and they’ve been very aggressive about it in recent years.

This has especially escalated over the last decade. Liberal Christians want to redefine Christianity into something that fits their view of the world and they are taking Jesus’s words in whatever context they like in an attempt to do this. Conservative evangelicals far outnumber the liberal Christian community but that doesn’t mean they’ll win the argument.

Liberals are up for the fight on this because they believe passionately about their view of the Bible. The outstanding question for conservative evangelicals is not whether they are passionate about their beliefs in biblical absolutes, but rather whether they’re up for the fight?

The debate over same-sex marriage is a proxy fight on this deep more complicated issue.

Joe The Plumber on Latest Brody File Show

David Brody — Fri, 11 May 2012 10:35:14 GMT

This week on The Brody File show: one-on-one with Joe the Plumber.

Plus, Rick Santorum's reluctant endorsement of Mitt Romney makes the Brody File scratch its head, and more. Watch below.

The Brody File Team to Interview Mitt Romney this Saturday at Liberty University

David Brody — Fri, 11 May 2012 09:38:23 GMT

Gov. Mitt Romney will sit down with The Brody File crew this Saturday at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. Romney will give the commencement address at Liberty, which is the largest Christian university in the country.

Video clips will move on The Brody File Saturday evening and a full report will air on "The 700 Club" this coming Monday, May 14.

A quick note: Due to a last second family emergency, unfortunately I won't be able to do the interview (A deeply close family relative is very sick in the hospital and I need to be there for my family).

The good news is that The Brody File team is oozing with talent and so reporter extraordinaire Jennifer Wishon will be filling in for me down in Lynchburg. In addition, the multi-talented Brody File producer Dana Ritter will be on hand as well.

Anti-Semites Threaten Ahead of My May 14 Speech at Portland State University

Erick Stakelbeck — Fri, 11 May 2012 09:18:14 GMT

The Portland State University chapter of Christians United for Israel (CUFI) has graciously invited me to give a speech this Monday night, May 14, addressing the latest developments in the Middle East and the threats gathering against Israel.

Over the past four years, I've been privileged to give countless similar talks around the country, including many for CUFI. Yet the upcoming Portland State event is the first in which I've actually received a threat in advance: and a viciously anti-Semitic one at that.

PSU's CUFI chapter has put up posters around campus to promote the event, which is open to the public. The posters feature the American and Israeli flags, plus my picture and bio. Well, as you can see below, vandals defaced the posters, drawing swastikas over the Star of David and scrawling pro-Palestinian slogans. Here is one example:

Where to begin? First off, a Christian student initially discovered the defaced flyers. But imagine the anger, shock, and revulsion Jewish students must have felt to see the symbol of Nazi Germany--perpetrator of a Holocaust that nearly eliminated their people from the face of the earth--superimposed over the Star of David. What did every Jewish student on the Portland State campus feel when they were greeted by such a menacing image?

They have clearly been marked for harassment and intimidation, if not worse. It also sends a chilling message to Christian supporters of Israel, including myself, to watch their backs: "You are not welcome here."

Second, this kind of vandalism and anti-Semitic rhetoric has become commonplace on college campuses throughout the country, as has open support for jihadist genocide against the Jews.

How bad is it? This bad. Comparing Israel to Nazi Germany due to Israel's supposed oppression of the Palestinians (a "genocide" that is "worse than the Holocaust," as some pro-Palestinian fanatics have told me in the past) is a favorite tactic of radical Islamists and their allies on the radical left.

Notice the slogan scrawled on the poster above: "Never again includes Palestinians." The term "never again" is commonly used by Jews as a reminder that the days of pogroms, genocides and forced expulsions are over--thanks in large part to the existence of Israel--and can never be allowed to return. For pro-Palestinian radicals to co-opt it and suggest that Israelis are the equivalent of the greatest Jew-hating machine of all time is not just insensitive and absurd: it's pure evil.

My third thought: who was behind the vandalism? I don't have that answer, but based on history, my best guess is that it was either elements of the radical left or Islamists on campus, or perhaps a combination of both. I've long documented the work of Muslim Brotherhood-tied groups at American universities. And with Portland State offering courses like this, it's not surprising that good little Leftists--who are invariably hostile to Israel--are being produced.

Portland State University administrators and campus police have been notified about the threats and I'm fully expecting that they will launch an investigation and have ample security on hand for Monday night's event. If they do not, and if they allow anti-Semitic radicals to disrupt my speech, run amok during the Q and A, or intimidate others in the audience (click here to watch a particularly egregious 2010 example from UC Irvine) you will surely hear about it in this space come Tuesday morning.

Islamists attempted--and failed--to hijack my last speech for CUFI on a college campus. And if they attempt a repeat at Portland State, they will fail again.

Anti-Semites beware: This is not 1944. Bible-believing Christians will not sit idly by in shameful silence and watch as Jews are threatened, once again, with extinction. As my friends at CUFI so often say, quoting the Book of Isaiah, "For Zion's sake, I will not remain silent."

No matter how many threats are thrown our way, we will continue to stand strong and speak the truth with boldness. There are already untold millions of us. As we continue to educate people around the world about what Israel is really all about (here is a great example), our numbers will only grow. And we will prevail.

In the meantime, I strongly encourage you to support the brave and vital work of CUFI on Campus. More details to come here after the speech.

The Arab Spring Leads to Jerusalem

Chris Mitchell — Fri, 11 May 2012 09:03:31 GMT

More than one year after the dawn of the “Arab Spring,” the dream of democracy is fading. Consider this rally on May 1 launching the Egyptian Presidential campaign of the Muslim Brotherhood’s candidate Muhammad Mursi. You can watch a video clip from the rally on MEMRI .

Here’s a partial transcript of what the Egyptian cleric Safwat Higazi said introducing Mursi:

“We can see how the dream of the Islamic Caliphate is being realized, Allah willing, by Dr. Muhammad Mursi and his brothers, his supporters, and his political party. We can see how the great dream, shared by us all - that of the United States of the Arabs ... The United States of the Arabs will be restored, Allah willing. The United States of the Arabs will be restored by this man and his supporters. The capital of the Caliphate - the capital of the United States of the Arabs - will be Jerusalem, Allah willing".

Higazi goes on to stir the crowd with a chant “Millions of martyrs march toward Jerusalem.” On the way, they plan to liberate Gaza.

The Jerusalem Post’s Caroline Glick commented on this rally and sounded an alarm:

“Our enemies are on the march. We must embrace the only military doctrine that has ever really worked -- preempt them by initiating the war on their territory. We need at least another full active duty division - preferably mechanized infantry -- in the Southern Command. Stop spending money on defense. We need tanks, APCs, MLRS battalions, the works. We can't afford to be taken by surprise.”

As someone said, the “Arab Spring” doesn’t lead to democracy, it leads to Jerusalem.

Mothers and Daughters: Negotiating Boundaries and Expectations

Dr. Linda Mintle — Thu, 10 May 2012 16:14:07 GMT

I am a mom and will be celebrating Mother’s Day with my immediate family. It will be a good day. But when your mom has passed, Mother’s Day isn’t quite the same. I will still miss calling my mom, sending her flowers and being together.

Between the moments of sadness, I do have a peace that I worked hard at our relationship and made it the best I could. I wish that for all of you. When your mother is no longer with you, I hope every one of you can say you worked it hard to make it the best relationship possible.

If you are not quite there yet, let me offer a little advice taken from my I Love My Mother But… book.

One of the common areas of tension involves boundaries between mothers and daughters. Boundaries are important because mothers and daughters often have different expectations about their relationship. Mothers tend to want more time and attention than their adults daughters can or are willing to give. Therefore, boundaries need to be negotiated and set.

Establish a time to have a conversation with your mom that begins like this, “Mom, let’s talk about what you expect from me and what I expect from you, given our lives and all that is in them.” Try to come to an agreement and then work on putting that agreement into practice.

Instead of becoming angry and defensive when the agreement is broken, revisit it. For example, “Mom, remember, you weren’t going to do that.” Then, when the agreement works, positively note the change and willingness to work together. It takes time and intention to change family behaviors and patterns.

When an expectation seems unrealistic, you will need to be assertive and clarify the expectation. Keep in mind that daughters often have unrealistic expectations of their mothers. Daughters want moms to be all-knowing, all nurturing and meet every need. When moms fall short (and they will because these are impossible tasks), daughters become upset and irritable. Rather than complain and feel bad, ask yourself, are you expecting too much? It may be that only God can meet your expectation of complete unconditional love, anticipating your needs every day.

Clarifying expectations and setting boundaries go a long way to establishing a healthy mother-daughter relationship. It takes conversation and negotiating but is so worth the effort. When the mother-daughter relationship is healthy, it can be one of the most enjoyable relationships in your life!

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

Dr. Linda Mintle is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the author of 15 books including, I Love My Mother But…. For more advice on mothers and daughters, get a copy of her book. It is filled with practical help to strengthen this important relationship.

"Courageous" Reaches Police Officers Worldwide

Hannah Goodwyn — Wed, 09 May 2012 15:52:55 GMT

Sherwood Pictures’ Courageous is having life-changing effects on police officers in the United States and around the globe. From the makers of Facing the Giants and Fireproof, this film, now on DVD, is about a group of officers who protect and serve their communities yet struggle to be good fathers and husbands at home.

Courageous’ message of redemption and fatherhood is hitting home with the police community, according to a recent news release.

In the Philippines, 1,000 officers dedicated their lives to Christ following a screening of Courageous that drew 4,000 people.

In Ecuador, 300 police officers publicly proclaimed “The Resolution,” as in the scene from the film in which officers do the same.

In Panama, 700 police officers drove four hours to see the film.

In Baton Rouge, La., the chief of police offered to personally cover the cost for any of the city’s 630 officers wanting to see Courageous.

In San Angelo, Texas, Downtown San Angelo Inc. will offer a free showing of Courageous on May 18, in honor of Police Week. The screening is part of the city’s slate of Downtown Movie Nights, with films showing throughout the summer.

First Baptist Church in Orlando, Fla., bought 2,000 copies of the Courageous DVD with a commitment to give one to each law enforcement officer in the city. "We wanted a way to personally show every officer and their family that we love and appreciate what they give to us,” said Dr. David Uth, First Baptist Orlando pastor. “Giving them a fun and entertaining movie with a message will encourage and inspire them to always be Courageous.”

After premiering last September at No. 4 at the box office, Courageous remained in the top 10 for four weeks. The DVD released on January 17, 2012, as the No. 1 DVD in the country and has sold more than one million copies.

Learn more about law enforcement reaction to Courageous.

Watch the official movie trailer:

Obama's Evolution on Gay Marriage Ends

CBN News — Wed, 09 May 2012 15:41:57 GMT

Over the past few years President Obama has been doing lots of thinking about gay marriage. In an interview with ABC News, the president says he now believes same sex couples should be allowed to wed.

"At a certain point I've just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married," he says.

Mr. Obama is the first president to endorse homosexual marriage. It's a major shift for him. The last time he ran for the White House he was opposed to it. He offered ABC News' Robin Roberts a glimpse into his evolution, saying he has "hesitated on gay marriage in part because I thought that civil unions would be sufficient."

He added that he is "sensitive to the fact that for a lot of people the word 'marriage' was something that evokes very powerful traditions, religious beliefs and so forth."

He's right. Matt Smith, president of Catholic Advocate says, "Marriage was created long before any government came into existence. It is a settled issue in the eyes of the Catholic Church and should not be redefined."

President Obama told Roberts he's been affected by the gay and lesbian people he's met.

"When I think members of my own staff," he says, "who are in incredibly committed, monogamous same sex relationships who are raising kids together. When I think about those soldiers, or airmen or marines of sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that "don't ask, don't tell" is gone because they're not able to commit themselves in a marriage."

Gay marriage was already a major issue in the upcoming presidential race among a number of voting blocs. Now it's amplified. The president's stance on it is something he was expected to clarify during the course of the race. It was sped up when his vice president spoke out on Sunday, saying men should be allowed to marry men and women should be allowed to marry women.

Mr. Obama's interview with Ms. Roberts was only scheduled yesterday late in the afternoon. Soon-to-be-GOP nominee Mitt Romney is opposed to gay marriage. Both candidates have said this election will present two separate visions, the issue of gay marriage sharpens that reality.

Smith says, "Many faithful Catholics were fooled by clever political rhetoric in 2008. This year, the anti-Catholic record of the Obama administration should inform their vote."

The Game of Risk: President Obama's Support for Same-Sex Marriage

David Brody — Wed, 09 May 2012 15:27:48 GMT

President Obama now says he supports same-sex marriage. We’ll see what the American people have to say come November. It sure fits with his “Forward” campaign theme.

Let’s begin with this: This comes as no surprise. The fact that the President’s views were “evolving” on this for a couple years simply was code for, ‘Let me figure out when best to drop the bombshell.’ Well Vice-President Biden seemed to take care of the timing on all that with his appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" this past Sunday. Watching Jay Carney duck incoming fire didn’t help.

However, with this move, he will have re-energized his left wing base. President Obama is no dummy. He knows he’s going to need to fire up ALL the troops to win a second term. Political experts can talk all they want about crucial independent voters but unless you have a base that will actually turn out it doesn’t mean squat.

Mitt Romney might actually want to take a play from Obama’s playbook. What will he say or do to fire up the evangelical social conservative base that he so desperately needs to win?

There are now two groups to keep your eyes on. First of all, you still need to look at how this will play with Independent voters. They are important in order for Obama to win a second term (Romney is ahead in this key constituency right now). While a Gallup poll shows that 57 percent of Independents support same-sex marriage, that doesn’t necessarily translate into automatic support for his decision to “come out” for same-sex marriage.

It bears watching since Independents have grown skeptical about him over the last couple years. The GOP has always painted Obama as an out-of-touch, big government liberal and that has hurt Obama with Independent voters so it’ll be interesting to see if and how Republicans try and play this. They could make the case that this is yet another notch in President Obama’s out of touch liberal belt.

But it also wouldn’t surprise me to see the GOP establishment figures to stay relatively silent on this issue because it’s toxic and they want to stay laser-focused on the poor state of the economy and Obama’s big government agenda.

The other group that bears watching is black ministers in this country. Most African-Americans are solidly opposed to gay marriage and the last thing Obama needs is for ministers to start making problems for the president since they help get parishioners out to the polls in the first place.

It’s not that Obama is going to lose the black vote but he needs them to turn out in force just like 2008 and he doesn’t need a huge sub-plot full of drama that would cause negative media headlines.

Finally, let me just say this about the electoral battleground map quest to get to 270. I’m not a campaign manager but President Obama’s decision to back same-sex marriage could cost him some states that he won in 2008 (North Carolina, Indiana, Virginia, Iowa, etc).

Christians in these states who were on the fence but voted for him in 2008 may be a bit more reluctant this time around. I’m sure the Obama campaign has thought of many scenarios that get them to 270 without these states, but the point is that Obama’s decision on same-sex marriage makes the electoral playing field looser.

So what does Mitt Romney do? Clearly, the smart political move is to go into red states that Obama won in 2008 and play up the fact that he is FOR traditional marriage. He could also play this difference up within the Hispanic community, which typically supports traditional marriage and conservative family values.

He needs to appeal to Hispanics somehow, someway. However, I’m not convinced he’s going to do that because the campaign doesn’t want to get off message, so I don’t think Romney is going to be able to FULLY capitalize on this.

Bottom line: Obama has given his liberal base a solid six month-energy drink that should last them through the General Election. The question for Romney is what can he say or do with the evangelical/Tea Party base to fire them up for the General? It’s an open question.

One thing’s for sure, Obama’s support of same-sex marriage just made the electoral map a little dicier.

Letter From Iranian Pastor Youcef

Gary Lane — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:47:20 GMT

I just received this email from Present Truth Ministries. It's a letter they received from imprisoned Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani. He's the Christian house church pastor facing execution in Iran for leaving Isalm. Pastor Youcef maintains he was never a Muslim and therefore could not be guilty of apostasy.

In the letter, the Iranian pastor says his trial has been so long that he wishes "these days to end."

He praises the support he has received from churches and politicians and says he believes the international human rights campaign to free him "can bring positive results."

However, he suggests Koran burnings like those led by a Florida pastor "cause stress and trouble."

Pastor Youcef asks for our continued prayers and support.

Here's the text of the full letter translated by Present Truth Ministries. A big thanks to Jason DeMars for passing it along:

07 May 2012

Greetings from your servant and younger brother in Christ, Youcef Nadarkhani.

To: All those who are concerned and worried about my current situation.

First, I would like to inform all of my beloved brothers and sisters that I am in perfect health in the flesh and spirit. And I try to have a little different approach from others to these days, and consider it as the day of exam and trial of my faith. And during these days which are hard in order to prove your loyalty and sincerity to God, I am trying to do the best in my power to stay right with what I have learned from God’s commandments.

I need to remind my beloveds, though my trial due has been so long, and as in the flesh I wish these days to end, yet I have surrendered myself to God’s will.

I am neither a political person nor do I know about political complicity, but I know that while there are many things in common between different cultures, there are also differences between these cultures around the world which can result in criticism, which most of the times response to this criticisms will be harsh and as a result will lengthen our problems.

From time to time I am informed about the news which is spreading in the media about my current situation, for instance being supported by various churches and famous politicians who have asked for my release, or campaigns and human rights activities which are going on against the charges which are applied to me. I do believe that these kind of activities can be very helpful in order to reach freedom, and respecting human rights in a right way can bring forth positive results.

I want to appreciate all those are trying to reach this goal. But at the other hand, I’d like to announce my disagreement with the insulting activities which cause stress and trouble, which unfortunately are done with the justification (excuse) of defending human rights and freedom, for the results are so clear and obvious for me.

I try to be humble and obedient to those who are in power, obedience to those in authority which God has granted to the officials of my country, and pray for them to rule the country according to the will of God and be successful in doing this. For I know in this way I have obeyed God’s word. I try to obey along with those whom I see in a common situation with me. They never had any complaint, but just let the power of God be manifested in their lives, and though sometimes we read that they have used this right to defend themselves, for they had this right, I am not an exception as well and have used all possibilities and so forth and am waiting for the final result.

So I ask all the beloved ones to pray for me as the holy word has said. At the end I hope my freedom will be prepared as soon as possible, as the authorities of my country will do with free will according to their law and commandments which are answerable to.

May God’s Grace and Mercy be upon you now and forever. Amen.

Youcef Nadarkhani

Stakelbeck on Terror Show: A Conversation with Geert Wilders

Erick Stakelbeck — Tue, 08 May 2012 22:19:55 GMT

On this week's edition of Stakelbeck on Terror, we sit down for a wide-ranging interview with Dutch Parliamentarian Geert Wilders.

Al Qaeda wants him dead. The British government once labeled him a security risk. Even in his own country, some want him thrown in prison--or worse.

Such is the price today for speaking out against Islamic jihadists.

Wilders, who leads the Freedom Party, Holland's third largest, has been called "Islam's Public Enemy Number One" because of his bold stance against the Islamization of Europe.

In his new book, Marked for Death: Islam's War Against the West and Me, he describes his personal ordeal and lays out his case against Islam and multiculturalism.

Click on the viewer below to watch our hard-hitting conversation.

Hugo Chavez's Spiritual Awakening?

Gary Lane — Tue, 08 May 2012 16:37:06 GMT

It seems the closer Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez gets to eternity, the more he talks (and maybe thinks) about Jesus Christ.

Chavez has ruled Venezuela with an iron fist for the past 13 years and is an admitted follower of atheists Karl Marx and Fidel Castro. He is struggling with cancer and has undergone chemotherapy and two surgeries to remove tumors. He is back in Cuba where he is currently undergoing radiation therapy.

Some Venezuelans doubt he will survive the illness to run for re-election in October.

The former Catholic altar boy is attending mass more often these days and he talks more frequently about God and Jesus when he appears on television. Chavez even wept last month during a televised mass and he was overheard praying that Jesus (he calls him the greatest socialist who ever lived) will, "give me life because I still have things to do."

He says his battle with cancer has made him "more Christian."

Linda Aguirre, president of the Council of Christian Public Employees says God has begun a work in the Venezuelan president.

Is this a sincere spiritual awakening, or just another poltiical ploy by Chavez to win over Catholic and Evangelical voters?

Watch the following video clip of Chavez, which includes a comment from him as he holds a crucifix in his hand. He says it's the same one he clutched when he was left to die on the seashore during the April 2002 coup. He says God did a miracle that day and spared his life.

In the video, Chavez kisses the crucifix exclaiming, "I'm sure our Christ will do it again, continuing making the miracle!"

Also in the video clip, nurse Herminda Farfan says she doubts Chavez's sincerity about his Christian faith. She says, "Lucifer did what he (Chavez) does, he kissed Christ, and Jesus said: 'go down, because this is not your kingdom.' That's what Jesus said to Satan and that is what Hugo Chavez is doing. He also cheated the people, saying they are the force. The force is God and God does not want him (Chavez) to continue in power."

CCPE President Aguirre refers to Romans 13 in the video. She says "the president has been put here by God because all authority is placed by God and we will continue praying and support him."

Only God knows if Hugo Chavez will overcome the cancer and continue in power after the October election. Let's pray the Venezuelan president has experienced a true conversion. If he has, both he and Venezuela will never be the same.

Georgetown Asked to Disinvite Secretary Sebelius

CBN News — Tue, 08 May 2012 15:57:42 GMT

The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty is asking Georgetown University to rescind an invitation to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to speak at one of the commencement ceremonies for the university's Public Policy Institute.

To quell fears, President Obama and Secretary Sebelius have offered a work-around in which employees at religious affiliated organizations can get contraception coverage directly from their insurance providers, thus bypassing their employers. However, critics of the rule say that's not good enough.

The Becket Fund is a public interest law firm that filed the first lawsuit against the Obama administration for its controversial decision to require religiously affiliated organizations, like certain colleges and universities, to provide insurance coverage for contraceptives (birth control, sterilization and the morning after pill), even if it goes against their organization's religious teachings. Georgetown University is America's oldest Catholic and Jesuit university.

The Becket Fund and other organizations, including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, argue that the new rule promulgated by Sebelius' secretariat, violates religious liberty, calling it "the height of religious intolerance." The same religious liberty that allowed for the founding of Georgetown University in 1789.

The Becket Fund has created a petition to disinvite Sebelius that it's sending to the university. It reads, in part, "Secretary Sebelius has declared that she is 'in a war' with those whose religious beliefs about abortion and contraception are different from her own. Georgetown should not associate itself with this attack on religious liberty."

The administration is still working on a "fix" for organizations that self insure.

No Such Thing as a Perfect Mom

Erin James — Tue, 08 May 2012 15:18:23 GMT

With Mother’s Day this Sunday, I cannot help but reflect on my parenting years thus far. It makes me think back to when my oldest was born. I had these unachievable notions of the perfect mother. I would do everything right and she would be the perfect child.

Naively, I believed I had it all figured out. I see many first-time moms do this. There is nothing wrong with it; they are excited and take their new role as “mommy” seriously. You cannot fault somebody for wanting to do everything right. But, it is impossible. No mother is perfect. Not one mother in the Bible was perfect and not one mother today does everything right.

Motherhood is sticky fingers, messes, chaos and love. The later is really what matters most.

Moms need a break. We need to have time to do things for themselves. I kid you not; for about seven years, I refused to take time for myself.

Having some peace and quiet once in a while makes my home much more calm. It is not that I want to get away from my children. I just need a moment for me without so much noise.

Years ago, I would have thought this was horrible! I am not really sure what changed, but I am glad that it did. I hate to admit I would judge other moms so freely, but I wondered about their lives and how they were raising their children.

In some ways, I was jealous of moms who were able to take a break and release their white-knuckle grip off of their children’s lives. I was jealous of them presenting themselves well.

You can get caught up in the frumpy mom cliché much too easily. I sure did. I would never care about how I looked as long as my children were dressed perfectly.

Your energy and focus should fall on the Lord first, then your family and in my opinion then yourself. Your children do come before any selfish needs you may have, but that does not mean you do not deserve or need time for you.

As my oldest daughter grew, I noticed I was getting burnt out. By the time we had our second child, it was exhausting to be so rigid on myself 24/7 that I did begin to let go a little. When I say let go, I mean maybe let my three year old play in her bedroom without me hovering over her.

We did not have a babysitter until my daughter was almost seven! I would get this panicy feeling that would well up inside of me, as if I was the only one capable of taking care of my kids. This panic lessened when my third was born. Yet again, it was not as much as I needed for my own sanity.

I had a hard time letting God show me that He was watching over my kids. Almost like an armed guard protecting precious jewels I would keep watch constantly. I felt bad limiting what they could do, but my own fear prevented me from letting them experience life.

So how did I learn to let go? I finally realized that God has me here to take care of them, not smother them. He wants our children to be able to learn lessons; they cannot, if we are constantly looking over their shoulder.

I am happy to report that my children are babysat and my oldest even slept over her grandma’s house! She loved it and I was so happy that she did.

Motherhood is serious business; but be sure not to take yourself too seriously. Enjoy every little moment without over stressing about it. God does not expect us to be perfect mothers. Love your children as He loves you and that in itself makes you a great mom!

Happy Mother’s Day to all!

The Language Barrier in Your Marriage

Dr. David Hawkins — Mon, 07 May 2012 15:25:04 GMT

Dale was gruff, a hard-working man who operated his own construction company. Highly successful as a businessman, he was also able to run any piece of equipment. Sixty-hour work weeks were not unusual for him, especially in the early years of building his business.

However, in the meantime Dale let something very critical slip by him—his relationship to his wife, Elizabeth.

A friendly man, Dale stands over six feet tall, is muscular and has hands like baseball mitts, calloused and rough.

“Flew all the way across the country to meet you,” Dale said, grabbing my hand as they walked up to The Marriage Recovery Center. “I wanted to meet this guy who’s going to save my marriage.”

“I’m not so sure I’m going to do the work, Dale,” I said. “But, I’ll help you.”

“Ah, c’mon,” he continued, smiling. “I’ll give you anything if you can make her like me again.”

We went into the Marriage Recovery Center cottage and began our work.

“As you can see,” Elizabeth began, “Dale’s a wise guy. He is able to solve any problem. I can bring him any issue having to do with machinery and he’ll have it fixed in minutes.”

“Everything except one piece of machinery,” Dale said with a grin. I should have seen it coming, but didn’t.

“Women,” he said. “Actually, one in particular. I can’t seem to learn to speak ‘Chick’. That’s why we’ve come to you.”

I stopped and pondered what Dale had said. Was there really a different language between men and women as some authors have suggested? Are women’s needs really that different from men’s? I decided to pursue the question to both Dale and Elizabeth.

“Absolutely, there is a difference,” Dale asserted. “The guys at my shop don’t talk anything like the stuff my wife reads out of your books. I’ve got to learn to speak ‘Chick,’ and I’m sure you can help me.”

“Well,” I said. “I’ll sure give it my best.”

With that, I asked why they had flown across the country to Seattle to work with me. After their initial friendliness, they got down to business. It seemed that Dale and Elizabeth really were in marriage trouble and much of it had to do with Dale not speaking her language—or she speaking his.

As I took a history of their marriage, it became apparent that Dale spent most of his day barking out orders—and his men were rarely offended by it. That style, however, didn’t work in his marriage. He raged and let his temper fly at work; this again didn’t go well at home. Dale rarely shared his more tender emotions, the emotional currency Elizabeth treasured and longed to share with her husband. We began our work of learning to speak ‘Chick.’

For those of you wanting to learn this language, here are a few thoughts I have on the topic.

1. Learning ‘Chick’ is learning to share about our most vulnerable self.

We have a place within where we feel emotions. Whether we call this our heart or core self doesn’t really matter. What matters is that we become familiar with our vulnerable feelings, such as sadness, hurt, fear, loneliness and inadequacy to name a few.

2. We all have these feelings.

Whether we work on a construction site, business office or in the home, we all have a wide range of feelings. We may have stifled them in favor of feeling safe, rather than vulnerable, but we have those feelings nonetheless. Often these feelings are covered beneath resentment, anger outbursts and even humor.

3. Some places are not safe for sharing vulnerable feelings.

Not everyone wants to hear about our feelings of inadequacy or loneliness. Some families, job sites and marriages are inhospitable places for these vulnerable feelings. Denying those feelings makes us feel safe, for the time being, but renders us unbalanced in the longer run.

4. Vulnerable feelings are God-given and useful.

Our feelings are part of our human nature and were actually a part of Christ’s character. Scripture is replete with Jesus having feelings for others (empathy) as well as having His own feelings of agony, discouragement, betrayal, anger and sadness. Feelings aren’t necessarily good or bad, but rather what we do with them that is the critical issue. We must learn to understand our feelings and make healthy choices from them.

5. The language of feelings is one of the primary ways we connect to others, especially our close interpersonal relationships.

Sharing facts about our day can be one way to connect. Sharing feelings about those events is a deeper, more intimate way to connect to others. Being vulnerable, open and sensitive to our mate creates a powerful connection. Learning this language is a great way to connect to your mate.

VIDEO: Why Sarkozy Lost

Dale Hurd — Mon, 07 May 2012 12:28:33 GMT

Why did Nicholas Sarkozy lose the French presidency? Lots of reasons, but the London Telegraph’s Anne-Elisabeth Moutet points to two things: public dislike for Sarko's personal style, and being “Palin-ized” in the media as a "friend of the rich."

These two factors would help doom his re-election bid. I conducted this interview in Paris during the campaign.

Help for Back Pain

Lorie Johnson — Mon, 07 May 2012 10:37:40 GMT

One of the cheapest and simplest ways to alleviate back pain is also the hardest: lose weight.

Please note that things that are simple, that is, easy to understand, are often difficult because of the enormous amount of self-discipline involved. Resisting temptation, whether gluttony or anything else, requires denying momentary pleasure in exchange for a reward that will come later.

I think we all struggle with this. "Just Say No" is easy to understand, it is hard to do.

People who are successful, whether with weight loss or anything else, will say one of the most effective techniques is to visualize the reward. Therefore, if you are overweight and your back hurts, when you are tempted to overeat, visualize how great you're going to feel when you lose weight.

God designed our bodies with perfect precision. Our spines are not made to withstand too much weight. I heard a pastor once say, "When God says 'Don't' he is really saying, 'Don't hurt yourself." The point is, God loves us, and when he commands us to avoid sin it's for our own good.

God did not intend for us to engage in a gluttonous lifestyle. When we step outside of his will and eat more than we should and pack on too much weight, we hurt ourselves in many ways.

For one thing, we hurt our back.

Obesity strains the ligaments and muscles in the back and causes the spine to twist out of shape so that it no longer can support the body properly. For example, excess stomach weight leads to the unnatural pulling-forward of the pelvic area. This, as you can imagine, puts pressure on the lower back and is very painful.

The spinal discs are often damaged from the undue pressure of overcompensating from the undue pressure put upon them from having to support extra pounds. Pinched nerves are often the result of too much weight, and we all know how excruciating that can be.

I recently learned of a man who struggled with a pinched nerve in his back that caused shooting pain down his left leg and into his foot. He noticed that after losing 35 pounds, the pain went away. The pressure on that nerve lifted and he no longer has to take pain medication and is done with all the associated anxiety with chronic pain.

He admits that denying himself all the yummy foods he desires is very disappointing. But he reminds himself that the pleasure of indulging in an abundance of delicious food is not nearly as wonderful as living pain free

Good for him. In his case, he learned that he must stay away from restaurant food in order to maintain a healthy weight. Smart guy.

I don't think I need to go into detail about how to lose weight. Most of us understand the calories in, calories out equation. As I mentioned earlier, it's not complicated. The hard part isn't understanding it, it's implementing it. But one thing weight loss experts will advise is to find the plan that works for you. Often that means customizing a routine that fits your lifestyle.

Lack of exercise is also directly linked to back pain. When we exercise, blood flows to the muscles, joints, discs, and ligaments in the back. Blood carries with it wonderful nutrients. So if you fail to exercise, over time, the back becomes weak, and susceptible to pain. That's extra bad because when our back hurts, we don't want to exercise, and so begins a downward spiral.

So get moving! Again, easier said than done. And while you're at it, strengthen your back, not just with cardiovascular exercise, but also resistance training. Strong back muscles will help prevent back injuries.

Also, don't forget your abs! Strong abdominal muscles also protect the back.

I know it's hard. For many of us, it's a daily challenge. But let's remember how taking care of our bodies will pay off in so many ways. We will be more comfortable, look better, and will save money on food and medical costs.

Plus, the greatest motivation to achieve the proper weight and to exercise is because it is God's will for us to take care of our bodies.

Exclusive: Sen. Lugar Defends Votes on Stimulus, TARP and Supreme Court Justices

David Brody — Mon, 07 May 2012 08:27:43 GMT

In an exclusive interview with The Brody File, Sen. Richard Lugar defends his votes for the stimulus, TARP. and President Obama’s Supreme Court Justices, saying, “I believe I passed the best vote on the basis of the information that I had.”

Lugar is in serious danger of losing to Richard Mourdock in the Indiana GOP primary tomorrow.

Mandatory Courtesy: CBN News/The Brody File

David Brody: I want you to address your critics who go to look at the TARP vote, they look at the vote for the stimulus, they look at votes for Sotomayor and Kagan, what do you say? Do you regret any of those votes at all? Those four at all? Those are the ones they typically bring up: TARP, stimulus, and the two Supreme Court nominees.

Sen. Richard Lugar: I believe I passed the best vote on the basis of the information that I had, and I would say sort of taking these in order, on the TARP vote, I rejected some of the stimulus packages even back in the Bush administration. But, the Bush people came as ... the head of the Federal Reserve board, and said this is really a cataclysmic problem with regard to our banking system. It's likely to cave in. You can have your philosophical thoughts about this, but help us.

I voted for the TARP bill and the controversial portions that really saved the automobile industry in our country, and specifically the automobile industry in Indiana. Now, one can say, 'Well you shouldn't play favorites.' I wasn't playing favorites, I was trying to keep our economy in Indiana going and keep people employed.

Much as I did when I was a junior Senator, a rescue of Chrysler in 1978-79. At that time, President Carter wanted to just loan them $150 million, and I said no, we're going to have stipulations and they're going to have to do this, this, and this and likewise the UAW. The UAW came to me and said we've never had to consider something such as this, and I said well, consider it now.

Paul, the late Paul Tsongas of Massachusetts - We had a bi-partisan situation, overriding the chairman of the committee, then Senator Proxmire, or even Senator Garn, the ranking member. But, it did lead to Chrysler being saved, and paying off all the loan, and a nice celebration downtown at the Mayflower Hotel.

And I mention that because, pragmatically it appeared to me that if we were serious about jobs in our state and the automobile industry, we better do something about it in a practical way, and put stipulations on it that would lead to repayment of the money as the auto companies, or whoever, the banks would begin to prosper again.

Brody: Okay. Real quick on the judges?

Sen. Lugar: On the judges. Here was a question after Judge Bork, the conservative was shot down by the Democrats, then the next nominee. So Republicans came to me and said will you go before the Judiciary Committee? Because Judge Roberts is a Hoosier, and he had a Hoosier background. And so I did some research, and I went all the way back constitutionally, how people in the past had looked at what the role of the Senate was in these confirmations. And essentially, it was taking a look at whether the person had moral integrity, and whether there was judicial experience comparable to what was required.

And, I argued that for instance, Sherman Minton from Indiana, who was a Supreme Court Justice in 1936, did not even need a hearing before a Judiciary Committee in those days. But, in any event, whether my argument was that persuasive or not, Justice Roberts got 70 something votes, not all of them, but he got across the finish line. And then so did several other Republican nominees. As a practical matter, this is everybody's call, but there has been a so-called conservative majority on the Court in recent years.

And it didn’t come about by chance. And I would just say without really working together with other Senators and in some cases, although people reject bipartisanship almost as an evil, I would say at that point we didn't have a majority. We could have lost all of these nominees as a matter of fact, through a filibuster or through other means, but we won them.

Now, suddenly a Democrat is elected President of the United States, alas. And he nominates two people, Kagan and Sotomayor. I use the same criteria that I asked my Republican and Democratic friends to use with regard to the Republican judges, starting with Roberts. I voted in favor of both of them.

Some would say, well, you've got to analyze, are they a liberal? Or how far liberal on a scale of 1-10 or something like that? If we get back to that, after we elect a Republican president this time, and there are a couple of fairly elderly types on the Court, and we have a couple more nominees, we are back to the races again.

What I'm saying is sauce for the goose, is sauce for the gander. If we're really serious about the Supreme Court and the Constitution, I think the course that I followed was the right one.

Exclusive: Sen. Lugar Says Tea Party Has Been Good for America

David Brody — Mon, 07 May 2012 08:24:00 GMT

In an exclusive interview with The Brody File, Sen. Richard Lugar says the Tea Party has been good for America but understands that he’s in danger of losing because he’s an incumbent politician.

“Some take the position that if you stripped all of the members of Congress out, that would be good riddance, just start from scratch. Surely somebody else could do better. It's rather indiscriminate, in terms of anti-incumbancy. And I understand that.“

Mandatory Courtesy: CBN News/The Brody File

David Brody: What do you make the Tea Party? I know there are some Tea Party groups that are supporting you. There are others that are not. Not about these groups, what about the movement itself? We saw with the debt ceiling that there wasn't much budging at all when it came to the debt ceiling and some of the new Tea Party freshmen in the House. What is your sense about the movement of the Tea Party? Is it good for America?

Sen. Richard Lugar: I think it has been. I would just say that as Tea Party would say to you, and maybe have, there is no 'Tea Party movement,' there is no coordinated effort. There is no Indiana Tea Party. In fact, in many counties, there is not even a county Tea Party.

There are groups of people who are very disturbed, very angry as a matter of fact, over usually the loss of jobs in their communities, or in their families or with their young people who have found life impossible. This is a very tough period and they're angry.

They're angry furthermore at the spending of government, whether it be this year or last year, or sizable $15 trillion debt that has been accumulated and they're saying we're just heading over the brink. So, as a result, we've got to stop all of this.

Some take the position that if you stripped all of the members of Congress out, that would be good riddance, just start from scratch. Surely somebody else could do better. It's rather indiscriminate, in terms of anti-incumbancy. And I understand that.

Exclusive: Sen. Lugar Says He Understands The Constitution

David Brody — Mon, 07 May 2012 08:19:46 GMT

In an exclusive interview with The Brody File, Sen. Richard Lugar says that the national Tea Party groups who are trying to oust him have some nerve to call themselves “political philosophers.” He goes on to say that he understands, “the Constitution I think as well as my opponent, maybe even more.”

Lugar is in big trouble in Indiana. His 36 year tenure as a United States senator may come to an end if he loses to his GOP primary opponent Richard Mourdock.

Mandatory Courtesy: CBN News/The Brody File

David Brody: What do you think is going on exactly? Because Club for Growth and all of these groups that you're mentioning, FreedomWorks, and there's a few others. They talk about wanting to have a constitutionally conservative Senate rather than just a Republican Senate. There seems to be a serious shift to ideological conservative brand of Republicanism, if you will. What is your sense as to what's going on in the Republican party right now? And do you feel like you're getting caught up in that a little bit?

Sen. Richard Lugar: Well some of those groups that you have mentioned have their own definition of conservative, their own definition of the Constitution. In other words, they take the position that they are the Constitution. They are conservatives.

Now, correspondingly, the National Chamber of Commerce, and the Indiana Chamber. Likewise, the National Association of Manufacturers and the Indiana Manufacturers, the National Federation of Independent Businesspeople, one group after another actually involved in business, creation of jobs, market economy, the supply and demand of our country, quite apart from the Farm Bureau, which I'm close to because I'm a farmer and I look at the corn and bean prices everyday.

I'm a conservative, because I have been a businessman. I've been involved in running a business and creating new jobs with my brother, manufacturing food machinery. I've managed a 604-acre farm successfully with a profit every year for over 50 years. I am market-oriented, I understand the Constitution I think as well as my opponent, maybe even more. Maybe we've studied it a little bit tighter. All I'm saying is essentially, groups come into Indiana saying 'We are the Constitution, we are the conservatives, but we have very specific things in mind as to what a conservative ought to be.'

And in some cases they say it's not like the Chamber of Commerce. They say, 'They're the establishment.' These are actually people who are in business, who are doing the job creation, who have to understand supply and demand, who have to live with the Constitution every day and course of law. But these people have the temerity to come in as political philosophers, or whatever they are, and say, 'We are the future.'

New Issue of Al Qaeda Magazine Encourages Forest Fire Attacks

Erick Stakelbeck — Fri, 04 May 2012 15:51:24 GMT

My CBN colleague George Thomas put together an excellent report yesterday about the new issue of Al Qaeda's Inspire magazine, which features a highly detailed article instructing jihadists to set forest fires in the United States to cause havoc.

ome of my thoughts on the matter are featured in George's report. Click on the viewer below to watch it.

Lifting Up Prayer at the Capitol

CBN News — Fri, 04 May 2012 15:41:47 GMT

Christians across the country gathered this week for the annual National Day of Prayer, the day set aside by Congress in 1952.

The main event took place in the marble-lined halls of the U.S. Capitol, where people prayed for America, the Church, the military, and the economy. The event drew lawyers, judges, members of the Armed Forces, lawmakers, and religious leaders from various denominations.

Watch John Jessup's report below, which includes this year's keynote speaker Dr. David Jeremiah's remarks.

In conjunction with the National Day of Prayer, Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert is sponsoring an event for members of Congress and their staff in the U.S. Capitol's grand Statuary Hall.

Designed to mark the 223rd anniversary of the inauguration of George Washington, the event focuses on the nation's first President as a man of faith and a man of prayer. A public bulletin about the event notes that "Washington's first act as President was to offer a prayer of dedication to God on behalf of the new Republic."

Organizers of "Washington - A Man of Prayer" are asking all Christians to pray for America, spiritual awakening and revival.

Speakers include David Barton (WallBuilders), Doug Stringer (Somebody Cares International), Harry Jackson (High Impact Leadership), and the event organizer Dan Cummins (Come Pray with Me).

Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, approved the use of Stat Hall for the gathering, scheduled for Tuesday, May 8, 2012 at 5 p.m. You can see the broadcast on CBN.com.

Watch Rep. Louie Gohmert discuss the significance of "Washington - A Man of Prayer."