SPOTLIGHT: John Stonestreet on our Cultural Revolution

Written by John Biver

Monte Larrick interviewed John Stonestreet at Illinois Family Institute’s Fourth Annual Worldview Conference. Stonestreet is the president of the Chuck Colson Center and BreakPoint Radio co-host. They discuss why Christians should be concerned about the Culture when we have seemingly lost; the next major cultural shift after the Sexual Revolution; the continued attacks on religious freedom; and when it is right for Christians to engage in civil disobedience.

Monte and John also discuss the cost of following Jesus, and legalization of recreational marijuana.… Continue Reading

Fear of the Left: The Most Powerful Force in America Today

Written by Dennis Prager

The dominant force in America and many other Western countries today is fear of the left.

This is a result of the fact that the most dynamic religion of the past 100 years has been neither Christianity nor Islam. It has been leftism. Whoever does not recognize this does not understand the contemporary world.

What is Leftism?

Leftism — in its incarnations, such as Marxism, communism and socialism; expressed through egalitarianism, environmentalism and feminism; in its denigration of capitalism and Western civilization, especially America and Israel; in its supplanting of Christianity and Judaism; through its influence on Christianity and Judaism; in its celebration of race; and in its replacing of reason with romanticism — has almost completely taken over the news and entertainment media and institutions of education.… Continue Reading

Candidate Burt Minor’s Answers to Pro-Family Questions Raises Concerns

Written by John Biver

Keeping a candidate’s policy positions straight isn’t easy when the candidate appears to come out on both sides of an issue. Sometimes it is due to a simple mistake, as people can misspeak without even realizing it.

When the issue is taxpayer funding of abortion, however, a person is either for it or against it. The same comes to religious liberty and conscience rights. There is no middle ground, even though some candidates would love for there to be some.… Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: A Creche on Display in the Illinois Rotunda

Written by David E. Smith

The Springfield Nativity Scene Committee* (SNSC) recently held its annual opening day ceremony for their privately sponsored and funded display depicting the birth of Jesus Christ.  This display marks the 10th straight year that this display has had a place in the center of the State Capitol Rotunda.  This is possible, thanks in large part to the help of the Thomas More Society, including our guest Tom Brejcha. … Continue Reading

Congress Fails to Repeal Johnson Amendment in Tax Bill

Written by Michael Gryboski

A measure within the federal tax overhaul bill that would end the IRS regulation barring churches from endorsing political candidates has been removed from the proposed legislation.

The U.S. Senate’s parliamentarian struck out the language overturning the Johnson Amendment, with the Hill reporting last week that the reason was because it “did not meet Senate rules that require elements of the tax bill to have something to do with the budget.”

“The Senate is seeking to move a House-Senate conference report under special budgetary rules that prevent Democrats from using a filibuster,” explained The Hill.… Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: David Barton on the Constitution, Federal Courts and Higher Ed

Written by David E. Smith

Last month, Illinois Family Institute teamed up with Restore Our Constitution to host a special event with historian David Barton in Decatur. Mr. Barton is the founder and president of Wall Builders, and an author of a number of best selling books.

David Barton touched on a number of topics in his presentation, including the push for a Convention of the States, the problem of rouge federal judges and indoctrination centers known as colleges and universities — pointing out that only 27 percent of college graduates get a job related to their major.… Continue Reading

What Can Religious Liberty Movement Learn From Success of Pro-Lifers?

Written by Samuel Smith

As conservative Christians continue to push for religious freedom protections in the wake of the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage, there might be lessons religious freedom advocates can take away from the successes of the pro-life movement.

Two pro-life leaders and a religious liberty scholar participated in a panel discussion on Saturday titled “What the Religious Liberty Movement Can Learn From the Victories of the Pro-Life Movement” at the Family Research Council’s Values Voters Summit.… Continue Reading

Please Join the Movement to Free America’s Pulpits

Written by John Biver

The Alliance Defending Freedom has been doing important work to free America’s pulpits from government censorship. The organization is now pushing Congress “to fix the unconstitutional Johnson Amendment through the Free Speech Fairness Act (FSFA)”:

The FSFA restores free speech to churches and other nonprofits by allowing them to freely speak on current cultural and political issues without jeopardizing their tax-exempt status.

How can you help? Congress needs to know that America’s pastors want this legislative fix.

Dick Durbin Joins Leftist Colleagues Seeking to Impose a Religious Test on Court Nominee

Written by John Biver

A few Democrat U.S. Senators, including Illinois’ own Dick Durbin, have been criticized for their questioning of 7th Circuit Court of Appeals nominee Amy Coney Barrett on the grounds that they were attempting to impose a religious test in contravention of the U.S. Constitution.

The National Review’s Alexandra DeSanctis provides the background:

Barrett is a law professor at the University of Notre Dame who has written about the role of religion in public life and delivered academic lectures to Christian legal groups.

U.S. Senate Democrats Grill Appointee Over Catholic Faith

Written by Michael Gryboski

A few U.S. Senate Democrats recently grilled a judicial nominee to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals over her Roman Catholic beliefs.

During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing for Notre Dame Law School Professor Amy Coney Barrett held Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., expressed concern over the nominee being too religious.

At issue were comments made by Professor Barrett going as far back as 1998, which some have interpreted as saying that Catholic teaching should take precedence over the law.… Continue Reading