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Engaging Weekend: Ravens Player Declines White House Visit Over Abortion, Pastors Stand Against IRS Intimidation, Christian Baker Sued For Discrimination

June 10, 2013 By Nathan Cherry

Engaging Weekend is a collection of articles you might have missed over the weekend. But we though they were important and wanted to make sure you had a chance to read them.

Baltimore Ravens Player Skips White House Visit Because Obama Backs Abortion

Matt Birk is a Super Bowl champion lineman with the Baltimore Ravens. Birk is also an outspoken advocate for life. So when the time came for the Ravens to go to the White House and be congratulated by President Obama, Birk declined. His decision not to attend the meeting is making headlines as Birk takes the opportunity to share why he refused to go: “I wasn’t there…I would say this, I would say that I have great respect for the office of the Presidency but about five or six weeks ago, our president made a comment in a speech and he said, ‘God bless Planned Parenthood.’ Planned Parenthood performs about 330,000 abortions a year. I am Catholic, I am active in the Pro-Life movement and I just felt like I couldn’t deal with that. I couldn’t endorse that in any way…I’m very confused by [the President's] statement. For God to bless a place where they’re ending 330,000 lives a year? I just chose not to attend.” It’s no secret that President Obama is the most pro-abortion president in U.S. history. He has done more to advance abortion, given more money toward abortion in the U.S. and worldwide, and continued to ignore the wishes of the American people to defund abortion of all taxpayer money. The actions of a man like Birk matter because the media pays attention to what professional athletes say. And while it can no doubt be a lonely stage to stand on, Birk has boldly stood in defense of life as a result of his faith. We applaud Birk and hope more people with a stage such as Birk will be vocal in their opposition to abortion. Click here for original article.

Pastors to Stand Again for Pulpit Freedom this Weekend [Read more...]

About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.

Filed Under: Engaging Weekend Tagged With: abortion, ADF, baker, Boy Scouts, cake, change, Colorado, defend, discrimination, Erik Stanley, Life, Marriage, Matt Birk, Obama, pastors, policy, Pulpit Freedom, Ravens, same-sex, traditional, wedding, White House

Young Evangelicals Supporting Traditional Marriage Are Not A Myth

June 6, 2013 By Nathan Cherry

A key component to the marriage conversation that many would like to pretend does not exist is young evangelicals; or for that matter, millennials of any age. It has been propagated more than once that opposition to legalizing same-sex “marriage” comes mostly from old, white people. And, that increasingly diverse generation of young millennials overwhelmingly embraces marriage redefinition.

I guess that makes me an anomaly. Or perhaps it’s further support for my mother’s belief that I am “special.” Either way, I am the guy homosexual advocates don’t want to admit exists: a young, evangelical opposed to marriage redefinition.

Frankly, I think what the defense of marriage needs is a young evangelical like myself. Not that the other guys aren’t doing a bang-up job. It’s just that they have a hard time ducking the criticism that supporting traditional marriage is for “old, white guys” and a dying trend. So when liberals and activists see me coming I am sure it turns their smile upside-down to know that there does exist a young evangelical that is both theologically and politically conservative opposing marriage redefinition.

The good news is, I’m not alone. As Andrew Walker and Ryan Anderson point out in a recent article they penned for Citizenlink, media claims that there’s no such thing as a Millennial that doesn’t support marriage redefinition is a “slight exaggeration.” But Walker and Anderson do admit that the trend toward supporting same-sex “marriage” on the part of millennials makes sense in light of the cultural shift over the past 50 years: [Read more...]

About Nathan Cherry

Filed Under: Marriage Tagged With: church, debate, Evangelical, Marriage, pastor, preach, redefinition, same-sex, teach, traditional, young

Let’s Not Celebrate Mother’s and Father’s Anymore

May 23, 2013 By Nathan Cherry

TheBlaze.com: “An elementary school in Nova Scotia has made a curious decision to cancel Mother’s Day and Father’s Day celebrations and to, instead, replace them with a more benign ‘Family Day’ commemoration. The full name of the holiday the school has chosen to observe is the International Day of Families, an annual event that is recognized by the United Nations (it falls on May 15). Astral Drive Elementary School has caught the ire of some parents, though, who see the change in celebration as unneeded and over-the-top. While the change has been on the books for a few years, it’s just now gaining media attention.”

Yes, let’s not celebrate mother’s and father’s anymore. Sure, without a mother or a father no one would actually exist, because it takes both a mother and a father to create a human being. But that should not be any reason to celebrate them. Sure we’ve celebrated mother’s and father’s in various ways worldwide for generations, but that’s no reason to keep doing it. Let’s top celebrating mother’s and father’s and instead just celebrate families. Just another attempt at undermining the traditional family. Click here for original article.

About Nathan Cherry

Filed Under: Marriage Tagged With: celebrate, families, family, fathers, kids, mother's, school, traditional

Homosexual Activist Comes Clean About Intentions

May 8, 2013 By Tom Stark

President Obama famously remarked that “the only people that lie are people who have something to hide.” Yes, that’s rich coming from him, but that’s an argument for another day. What he said was very true, though. When you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember what you said, or make excuses for it.

Not so, with those within the homosexual activist community that is driving hard to force a redefinition of marriage onto a world that has consistently defined marriage as the relationship between one man and one woman that has existed since the Garden of Eden and is the only such relationship that God ordains and blesses. It has served mankind quite well for thousands of years.

It is only in the past 60-odd years that modern man in his ultimate arrogance has decided that marriage does not fit the narcissism of today which has become “all about me.” (The “me” being everyone who thinks that self-indulgence is more important than honesty and commitment).

In the short span of 60 years, we have seen divorce rates skyrocket to where they are today. We have seen the reasons for divorce expand from adultery or desertion (the norm, for example, in Virginia as late as the 1970s or later) to not even having to have a reason – so-called, “no fault” divorce – which understandably made divorce so commonplace today.

When something is easy, it is typically more common. It’s as simple as that. Without commitment, nothing lasts very long. [Read more...]

About Tom Stark

Tom Stark began writing for the Engage Family Minute blog in February 2012. As a small business owner Tom is passionate about the intersection of faith and politics in the life of Christians and the community around him. Having been touched by both the abortion issue and the issue of homosexuality in his own family, Tom is passionate about defending the lives of the unborn and upholding Biblical Truth. Tom also writes for www.westvirginiaconservative.com

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Filed Under: Marriage Tagged With: activist, clean, homosexual, intentions, Marriage, Obama, redefine, same-sex, traditional

13 Year Old Student Pens Essay Defending Marriage – And It’s Excellent

April 18, 2013 By Nathan Cherry

Amelia Summerhays recently gave a speech and wrote an essay on marriage in which she said: “…[R]edefining marriage…sets up a new ideal where adults’ needs come first and children’s needs come second. Same-sex marriage is unfair to children because it becomes the tool that separates children from at least one of their parents. When, in reality, marriage is supposed to be connecting children to both of their parents. When a child is separated from a parent through death or divorce, it is a tragedy that changes their whole life. Gay marriage is another thing that can separate children from one of their parents. Why should the government encourage that separation?”

At just 13 years old she shows more wisdom than many two and three times her age. It’s no wonder she was attacked over Facebook and other social media for her views. The liberal left and others seeking to redefine marriage don’t want adults thinking or saying such things, and they certainly don’t want teenagers saying or thinking these things. The push to accept homosexuality and same-sex “marriage” has invaded our public schools in an effort to indoctrinate children to the politically correct view. Obviously Amelia didn’t get the memo. Good for you Amelia. Click here for original article.

About Nathan Cherry

Filed Under: Marriage Tagged With: Amelia Summerhays, defending, essay, homosexual, Marriage, same-sex, student, traditional

Starbucks Says If You Support Traditional Marriage – Get Coffee Somewhere Else

March 26, 2013 By Nathan Cherry

At a shareholder meeting recently, a shareholder brought up the issue of Starbucks’ decision to support same-sex “marriage” and the boycott that resulted. The shareholder stated that stocks had dipped in light of the boycott as a result of the decision and asked if the company should take a step back. The response? CEO Howard Schultz launched into a defense of the company’s position and said if someone didn’t like it they were free to take their business elsewhere.

Personally, I support the right of Starbucks to support whatever cause they choose. That is the beauty of America, we are free to do business according to our conscience. Well, most of us. It seems lately that if you support the liberal social agenda you are free, but if you support traditional, conservative, Christian values that you are not. The HHS mandate is a good example of that. However, I also support the right of every citizen to decide where they will and will not spend money. Since Starbucks doesn’t care if I take my money elsewhere, and since they support causes that violate my religious convictions, I will do as they have asked and go somewhere else.

I hope more Christians will do the same. Hopefully Christians will care more about standing for their beliefs than where they get their coffee. After all, it’s just coffee. Click here for original article.

About Nathan Cherry

Filed Under: Marriage Tagged With: business, CEO, coffee, elsewhere, Marriage, same-sex, Starbucks, support, traditional

Great Commission Politics: Make Marriage Worth Defending!

March 3, 2013 By Guest Blogger

healthy marriage In the last fifteen years thirty-one states have passed state constitutional amendments to protect marriage by defining it as being between a man and a woman. A number of years ago a group of men sat around a table at a restaurant just off the Winfield exit of I-64 discussing how West Virginia might become part of that group, and the vision for the Family Policy Council of West Virginia began to take shape. As of today, West Virginia still has not joined the group of states that have passed a marriage amendment. Hopefully, someday we will. We believe this is what the majority of West Virginians want. Is this frustrating? A little. Are we giving up? Absolutely not! A constitutional amendment protecting marriage is crucial for the protection of our families, values, and way of life. However, to strengthen marriage, we need to do more than just amend our constitution. We need to amend our marriages.

The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines amend as “to put right; to change or modify for the better; improve.” The rate of failed marriages in our society has climbed so high that each time a young couple ties the knot; they have a fifty-fifty chance of experiencing a divorce. Ten percent of marriages fail within the first five years. Could it be that the reason marriage is so undervalued, mis-defined, and attacked is because models of good marriages are so hard to find? Perhaps, while certainly not neglecting the definition of marriage, we also need to be giving equal focus to the illustration of marriage. [Read more...]

About Guest Blogger

Filed Under: Marriage Tagged With: active, amendment, constitutional, defend, home, Marriage, politics, traditional

West Virginia Targeted in Plan to Get Christians to Vote

February 28, 2013 By Nathan Cherry

We talk often here about the responsibility Christians have to steward the government that we have been entrusted with. Part of that responsibility is to vote. But to vote according to our religious convictions and not just our wallets. Now, a new campaign has been launched in an effort to get pastors and Christians to engage the political process and vote for traditional values by supporting candidates with traditional views. West Virginia is one of 12 states being targeted by the group, the American Renewal Project. A recent article shares the goal of the group:

“The strategy was profiled Monday by David Brody of CBN News. Brody said the groups – led by the American Renewal Project – are planning briefings for evangelical pastors, voter-registration drives and other events in an attempt ‘to restore American to its Judeo-Christian heritage. Their goal is to engage pastors around issues so they will get their congregations to participate in the political process and flock to voting booths,’ he reported.” Click here for original article.

About Nathan Cherry

Filed Under: Religious Freedom Tagged With: America, christians, pastors, plan, policy, political, position, process, traditional, vote

Obama Says Boy Scouts Should Admit Homosexuals

February 5, 2013 By Nathan Cherry

While USA Today ran an ad supporting the Boy Scouts current position, and while dozens of national leaders are voicing their support for the religious freedom and timeless principles the Boy Scouts have traditionally held; President Obama is disagreeing. Obama recently told a pre-super bowl reporter that he thinks the Boy Scouts should allow homosexuals. Of course, his arguments center on homosexuals rather than the views and beliefs of the Boy Scouts and those involved with religious objections. A recent article reports:

“With the venerable national organization weighing whether to lift its prohibition of gays, Obama was asked in a ‘Super Bowl’ pre-game interview with CBS’s Scott Pelley whether the Boy Scouts should be open to gays. Obama gave a one-word answer: ‘Yes.’ Pressed to elaborate, Obama said, ‘I think that my attitude is that gays and lesbians should have access and opportunity the same way everybody else does in every institution and walk of life.’ Last August, the White House said Obama disagreed with the Boy Scouts’ ban on gay members, but Sunday’s interview was the first time Obama publicly addressed the issue since the Boy Scouts said last week it would consider lifting the ban.” Click here for original article.

About Nathan Cherry

Filed Under: Religious Freedom Tagged With: ban, Boy Scouts, change, homosexuals, Marriage, Obama, policy, traditional, values

ADF: New Video Shows Purpose of Defending DOMA

January 23, 2013 By Nathan Cherry

This new video shows how our government is seeking to undermine marriage and push redefinition. But national groups like Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) and state groups like the Family Policy Council of West Virginia (FPCWV) are actively defending traditional marriage. Watch the video below. If the video doesn’t appear automatically, please refresh your browser.