August 2008

The pro-life movement has long needed an eloquent spokeswoman on the national stage. In Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, we appear to have been given that gift.

For this reason and more, we wholeheartedly endorse this historic selection by Sen. John McCain.

Embryonic Stem Cell Research has long been one of my hot button issues. Despite all the promises its supporters that the cures are worth the ethical implications, they’ve never been able to produce any credible evidence that this approach is the best way to go. In fact, research has shown that non-embryonic stem cell sources actually deliver on the promise of their child-destroying variant, having delivered over 70+ cures currently in testing, with more being discovered all the time. This dilemma-free source for stem cells works by “reprogramming” somatic, or body, cells (e.g., adult skin cells) to act like embryonic stem cells. As amazing (and effective) as the discovery of the technique was, researchers may have found a way to achieve the same goals without even requiring stem cells at all!

A team at Harvard has succeeded in directly reprogramming one type of adult cell into another, without even the need for the intermediary step of reprogramming to a pseudo-embryonic state and only then differentiating to a new developed cell type. In other words, not only do they not need embryos, they don’t even need stem cells at all; they can just turn one type of cell into another directly. What’s more, they’ve done this inside a living animal (a mouse), and not just in a laboratory dish.

Yuval Levin has more on this amazing discovery.  Could this signal the end of embryo-destroying research and the accompanying, non-sensical cry for government funding?  We can only hope.

Friends, there are two upcoming opportunities in central Oklahoma to take a stand for life.

(1) A Walk for Life in Norman, Oklahoma, on Saturday, September 27. You may find information about this walk, which benefits the crisis pregnancy center in Norman, by clicking here. Or you could always sponsor yours truly, Brian Hobbs, who will be walking for life, by clicking here.

(2) 40 Days for Life… is a peaceful prayer vigil held in the Oklahoma City area, praying for an end to abortion. Check out this national effort, which has been endorsed by heavyweights like Fr. Frank Pavone, here.

Thanks for taking a stand for life.

Have we posted enough commentary about Rick Warren’s Faith Forum?

I am thinking more and more that Pastor Warren’s table talk is the pivotal point of this presidential campaign. I read a great op-ed from the Wall Street Journal outlining some of the heavy questions featured in Warren’s oral quiz.

Also, regarding the Democrats featuring “faith” at their convention this year, Pew Forum’s Michael Cromarty says it does not have an effect on Evangelicals due to the fact that Evangelicals are “interested in policy not just language.” Obama’s usage of “church speak” will not hold as much clout until he changes his position on non-negotiable issues such as abortion.

Next month, the greatest professor in Oklahoma (and the country for that matter) will be delivering five lectures on America’s Legacy of Freedom. “Internationally distinguished scholar and author, Dr. J. Rufus Fears, will present the series beginning Sept. 8.” Click here to read more.

Just a quick technical note for the curious: I just noticed this morning that comments were disabled, a mistake I have rectified. The blame for the disabled comments is probably mine, as I’m pretty sure I unchecked one too many boxes during our migration from wordpress.com. Sorry about that.

My friend Brian Hobbs has done an excellent job of promoting Rick Warren’s recent forum with the two presidential candidates. Warren was phenomenal with his line of questioning.

Personally, I expected the typical shallow dialogue that was featured in the primary debates. Warren’s questions were well-phrased with no vague political slant.

The question of the night was “At what point is a baby entitled to human rights?” Of course, McCain was spot on with his answer, “At the moment of conception.”

Obama, however, failed miserably with his answer: “I think that whether you’re looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that quesiton with specificity, you know, is above my pay grade.”

I watched Warren in a follow-up interview on Fox News’ Hannity and Colmes. The man gained my confidence again after his exchange with liberal commentator Alan Colmes:

Colmes: And “above my pay grade,” he’s coming under fire for that as if to say — I interpreted — to me, you know, that’s really between a person and God, that’s really higher than any of us.

Warren: Yeah. Well, you know what? He is right in the fact that it isn’t his decision, it’s God’s decision. If you believe Psalm 139 where — as a pastor I do — it says I formed you in your mother’s womb and I planned all your days before you were born, so obviously to me, that was — an answer that I wasn’t comfortable with, but I thought that he shared his view and people know where he stands.

Excellent Pastor Warren! May all future debate moderators follow your lead!

I have heard it said that (in addition to reading the Bible), one should always be starting, in the middle-of, or finishing a good book.

Today, I began reading, Creating the Better Hour: Lessons from William Wilberfoce. The work–which is a collection of essays on the man–is so far superb. As a bonus, it contains a brief foreword from Pastor Rick Warren, who once again, did a stand-up job during the recent presidential forum.

In this article, new Pilgrim’s Progress contributor Derek McCarver, Pharm D., discusses the “so-called emergency contraceptive.”  Read on for a pharmacists perspective on this controversial drug. Read the rest of this entry »

John McCain and Barack Obama will be on stage for the first time in a live forum moderated by Pastor Rick Warren.

Tune in to CNN on Saturday night 7 p.m. (CST).

Any predictions on what questions Warren will ask?

Update: Well, did you get to watch the debate? If not, here are some hightlihghts. Rick Warren came through, as he brought up the most seminal policy debate in Amercia: the pro-life question. From all I can tell, McCain won over the audience and, in this blogger’s opinion, the forum.

Mosab Hassan Yousef is an Arab, and his father is one the most influential leaders in Hamas, yet Mosab Hassan Yousef has become a Believer.  All new Believers need the prayers of their brothers and sisters in Christ as they grow, but this man needs them more than most.  Read more about his remarkable embrace of the Christian faith here.

One of my favorite conservatives from one of my favorite, though least well-known, think tanks has an important piece this week. Ken Connor (formerly of the Family Research Council) and his Center for a Just Society have distributed, “How to Produce Real Change.” It begins:

“Change! It’s the mantra of the political season.  But what kind of change—from what to what?”

Connor then pulls lessons from one of the greatest reformers of all time, William Wilberforce. Click here to read the piece. You’ll be very glad you did.

Dear Readers,

You may already be aware that over the weekend, one of the greatest writers, thinkers and Christians–Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn–passed away. All the free world owes a great debt of gratitude to this man, whose abounding contributions brought freedom and honored God. Here is a sampling of his genius, a speech he delivered at Harvard University nearly 20 years ago.

Update: Chuck Colson here offers a must-read about this giant, “Jeremiah at Harvard: Three decades after Solzhenitsyn’s speech, where do we find ourselves?”