News features from a Biblical perspective.
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Election Aftermath: What kind of Government will result from last week's vote in NY and PA ? How “Christians Engaged” helped Influence the vote NY's Prop 1's impact for religious organizations, women's/girls' sports, and more Family Life's Capital Connection connects you each Friday with a pair of Christian watchdogs from the state capitals of Albany and Harrisburg. This week, our guests are Jason McGuire of the New York Families Foundation and Dan Bartkowiak from the Pennsylvania Family Institute.
Abortion on the ballot - a few Pro-Life victories The "Faith Under Fire" podcast from Family Life News Ten states decided proposed amendments to their constitutions in the October and November voting, a little more than two years after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the national Constitution does not include rights to abortions, leaving the decision on any limits (and taxpayer funding) to each individual state. Seven of those state approved pro-abortion ballot measures, but three did not. Family Life News asked Kelsey Pritchard of Susan B. Anthony Prolife America to offer a pro-life perspective on the election results. Pritchard is the public affairs director for SBA Prolife is South Dakota, one of the three states that turned aside constitutional protections for this practice of ending pregnancies. She also notes that the states where abortion proposals were approved by majorities of voters, abortion is already legal and accessible in each of those states. She not only points to the example of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, but other ways that public opinion was swayed. In this expanded conversation, she also talks about lessons from Florida, South Dakota and Nebraska that can be used to protect preborn babies elsewhere when legislatures and electorates make their future determinations. If you are interested in further information: SBA Prolife offers analysis on related issues: The heart of the movement in Pennsylvania Kelsey Pritchard's blog post about what she calls biased media coverage of pro-abortion measures Florida's 2024 success as a blueprint for elsewhere Dr. Ingrid Skop reacting to infant mortality statistics since Dobbs, saying limits on abortion practices are not the root cause "Faith Under Fire" invites you to listen to the voices from religious battlegrounds in this nation. Our weekly Thursday interviews delve into social, religious and political matters from health to freedom to faith practices. This feature airs on the Family Life Noon Report and 5 O'Clock Report, and bonus content is also included in many of our podcast versions as well. You can subscribe to be notified when new episodes of this podcast and our other features are posted. The podcast player here also gives you options to download the audio and share recommendations with friends. #FaithUnderFire 11/14/2024
Holidays and Dementia Family Life's "Inside Out" podcast with Martha Manikas-Foster If someone you love is living with dementia, simplifying how you celebrate the holidays could create a more enjoyable time for everyone. Phil Shippers of the Rochester and Finger Lakes chapter of the Alzheimer's Association offers practical help in this Inside Out news podcast. One in ten older Americans lives with dementia. Maybe this includes people you love. If so, being flexible and even making a few changes to the way you celebrate the holidays could help everyone feel more comfortable around the table this year. “We have to realize that due to the changes in the brain, the person is trying to interpret their environment. So, being part of a social event may be upsetting or confusing or stressful,” says Phil Shippers, program director for the Rochester & Finger Lakes Region of the Alzheimer's Association. “I think the biggest thing is to be flexible, and perhaps to change our expectations,” he says. “Maybe we try new things. And we want to do this to reduce commotion, to reduce noise and activity, to make the person living with dementia feel more comfortable.” Even if we're not organizing the gathering, Shippers says there are practical things we can do to help our loved one living with dementia enjoy the time together. “One of the suggestions that we make is that when people approach the person living with Alzheimer's or dementia, that they introduce themselves,” he says. “And it doesn't have to be formal or stuffy. You can just make light of it, saying, ‘Oh, this is your favorite grandson Patrick.'” We want to preserve each person's dignity and demonstrate our love. Along the way, Shippers points out, we will make mistakes. “Give yourself some grace as well,” he says. “And just be as positive and really enjoy the moment as much as you can.” Listen to our Inside Out podcast, where Phil Shippers lists a number of practical ways to make gatherings more comfortable. For additional help, the Alzheimer's Association offers support and resources 24/7 through its Help Line at 800-272-3900. You can also contact the Alzheimer's Association at Alz.org. That website offers six recommendations for households where the attendees include someone who is dealing with these types of memory loss and limitations. #InsideOut 11/13/2024
Hometown Heroes - Christian mission in Central America (and a bonus Love Story!) Peter and Tyanne Jurka are Mark Webster's guests on this week's "Hometown Heroes" feature. The Jurkas are longtime Christian mission workers, serving in Central America. She is from western Pennsylvania, and he grew up in western New York. Their children and grandchildren are also part of their ongoing ministry. Their story -- in their personal lives and the ways they have served people in international mission -- are fascinating and heartwarming. A video highlighting the results of their life-enhancing work is available from StorehouseMission.org. #HometownHeroes 11/12/2024
Major Overhaul Coming to Public Education in New York Family Life's "Issues in Education" podcast Did you know the Regents exams have been a staple in NY public schools since 1865? They won't be much longer. The state is in the process of “phasing out” the tests as a required part of teens' education. Dr. Ralph Kerr with the Teaching and Learning Institute explains why and what's next, on this week's edition of “Issues in Education”.
Family Life's "Capital Connection" Implications and Effects of Election 2024 Our Christian watchdogs in the state capitals of Pennsylvania and New York are back to recap the biggest stories of Election 2024. This is our weekly roundtable for commentary and analysis with Jason McGuire in Albany and Michael Geer in Harrisburg. Family Life Noon Report anchor Bob Price guides this discussion, reviewing election results from early voting, ballots cast on November 5, and the decisions still pending as the week ends: The significance of the "red wave" in presidential and congressional voting How voters in our two states chose their legislative leaders, statewide and national Did voters who are Christian turn out better than expected? Amendment One passes in NY, and other states decide abortion-related ballot issues Trends from this week which will carry over into the new year Michael Geer (president of the Pennsylvania Family Institute) and Jason McGuire (executive director of the New York Family Foundation and New York Family Action) were also on the air with us election night for analysis of the news as it was happening. You can listen to or share those special reports from these two Family Life News podcasts: Election Night 8/9/10 Election Night 11/12
Trail Life USA - Mentoring Boys to become strong and faithful young men Raising boys and young men, in a gender-confused generation.... offering them a deep sense of values, character, and a sense of adventure. Trail Life USA is carrying out a mission to mentor boys who are elementary, middle school and high school ages. This is our second conversation with Trail Life's CEO Mark Hancock. He talks about the Christian emphasis which undergirds this nationwide program which wants to give boys and their families good role models and positive versions of masculinity. Mark Hancock, TrailLifeUSA.org Family Life Newsmaker interview, 11/07/2024 Our previous conversation with Mark Hancock is here: FLN 7/01/2024 Hancock also talks about the uniquely Christian outreach which is a core value for shaping the lives of young men. That two-part podcast with interviewer Gary Bauer is linked from the Trail Life USA website.
People of Faith: When you win, When you lose Noon News Feature - 11/06/24 For a faith-based perspective on political and social issues, Family Life News often turns to NY Southern Tier minister Dave Bretch. Noon Report anchor Bob Price asked the Painted Post pastor about how Christians on both sides of the political aisle should respond to election results, whether your "team" won or lost. This special news feature also includes analysis from Christian counselor Christopher Anderson. We got his reaction to one university's move to help its young adults cope with this week's election results by scheduling a day of Legos, coloring and ways to decompress. The Rev. Dave Brecht is lead pastor of Beartown Road Alliance Church. (His sermon based in the nation's capitol which he mentioned during this interview is available from the congregation's website.) Christopher Anderson is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in private practice, based in Olean, New York. He offers insights on individual and family challenges in the Family Life radio feature "Real Answers", heard each month within Noon Report and on our Family Life News podcasts.
Election Night Coverage - 11/05/24 - Family Life News 11pm/12midnight
Election Night Coverage - 11/05/24 - Family Life News 8pm/9pm/10pm
The Presidency: A Conversation a Family Life News Feature As two candidates race toward the end of this year's campaign for the White House, what can we learn from all the Chief Executives who came before? In this podcast from Family Life News, you'll hear from a best-selling author and presidential historian. David M. Rubenstein has compiled stories, records and reflections on all 46 presidents so far, and says the American presidency is "The Highest Calling" in the world. Rubenstein tells interviewer Greg Gillispie about how the presidency has been reshaped across U.S. history, the uniqueness of Americans choosing their own leaders, and how his broad scope across history provides insights into the 2024 election. He is concerned that 80 million citizens who are eligible to vote and shape their governance choose not to take part. David M. Rubenstein is a lawyer, businessman, philanthropist, author and host of a history program on television. He has served as a government official, and is a co-owner of the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball. His book The Highest Calling: Conversations on the American Presidency includes interviews with most of the living presidents, essays by other commentators and journalists, and anecdotes about the people who were chosen to lead their nation. 10/31/2024
10/30/24 Real Answers with Chris Anderson. In today's segment, Family Life News Anchor Sarah Harnisch asks Christian Counselor Chris Anderson how to process the upcoming general election. What do you do if you don't like any candidate? What does the Bible say about sitting out on the vote? And how do you process your own emotions when you see inflammatory comments online or in the news? Anderson breaks it down.
Vote Maximizer - Where the most voters have the most influence A Family Life Newsmaker Interview - 10/30/2024 The developer of a web-based tool to evaluate action plans based on political polls and populations says control of Congress runs through Pennsylvania and New York again this year: Dr. Sam Wang and his team created the "Vote Maximizer" website which shows statewide and national trends to measure how and where individuals and groups have the largest influence on government through their votes and other political activities. VoteMaximizer.org shows several Pennsylvania counties where an individual voter has the most influence on their state government: Centre, Erie, Mercer, Luzerne, Lackawanna and Allegheny. The biggest influence this year for New York voters is on some Congressional seats from Syracuse and Utica toward New York City, including Districts 19 and 22. Sam Wang is an Ivy League professor, as well as the founding director of the Electoral Innovation Lab. Princeton University's Neuroscience Lab is named after him. Their website is VoteMaximizer.org. An introductory video is here. He has an interest in improving the government through the ways voting districts are mapped. He gave a TED Talk this fall on "Using Math to Repair Democracy". www.familylife.org/newspodcasts
The Cost of Freedom - A place for wellness for military veterans Part 2 of this Hometown Heroes feature from Family Life News We continue our “Hometown Heroes” conversation about an effort to create a safe and healing place for people carrying the weight of the battles of war. Dave Miller-Martini -- a military veteran himself -- is a board member for "The Cost of Freedom" Foundation, which commits itself to creating a veterans' wellness and recovery retreat. Phase 2 of creating that retreat center is now underway at Tionesta, Pennsylvania. For more information: The Cost of Freedom website is TheCostOfFreedom.org How faith plays into their plans to support veterans Their Mission Statement: The foundation "supports development and delivery of innovative holistic healthcare models that integrate faith, nature, mind, body, and spirit to produce individualized treatment care plans." Part 1 of this Family Life News interview is available here: Hometown Heroes 10/22/2024 #HometownHeroes #FamilyLifeNews
Family Life 5 O'Clock Report 10/28/2024
Indoctrination versus Education when it comes to Talking Politics at School Recently, the “League of Women Voters” put on high school assemblies in NY encouraging students to vote “yes” on Prop 1. Dr. Ralph Kerr with the “Teaching and Learning Institute” says that crosses a line between teaching students “how” to think and not “what” to think. He discusses more this controversy in the latest installment of “Issues in Education” from Family Life News #IssuesInEducation 10/28/2024
Should Pastors talk about Politics from the Pulpit ? If so, how and why ? Paul Batura, editor-in-chief of “Daily Citizen”, weighs in on how much church leaders should discuss elections in our houses of worship. This interview was included in the Family Life Noon Report on October 24, 2024. - - - - Paul Batura is a best-selling author, essayist and consultant on faith and values, cultural debates, and family matters. He says his mission while leading the online news source Daily Citizen is to "help Christians analyze the news and current cultural issues through the principles of truth, moral objectivity and inherent, innate natural rights.” He also has hosted dozens of podcasts in a series "What a Life! Lessons from Legends", gleaning wisdom from a full range of Christian leaders and influential celebrities. His recent post on Daily Citizen: "Think Critically. Vote Biblically" #NoonReport
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