“Those with Gender Dysphoria Can Find Healing”

Last month, it was my privilege to attend the annual conference of the Restored Hope Network (RHN) in San Diego. The Restored Hope Network is the nation’s largest umbrella organization for Christian organizations engaged in “transformational ministry” with those who suffer from unwanted same-sex attractions (SSA)…

I was struck, however, by the sharp disconnect between what the protesters assumed was actually happening in the conference and what was actually happening there. As just one example, critics of “sexual orientation change efforts” (SOCE)…often charge that such programs damage participants by instilling “shame” in them. The truth is the exact opposite—participants come into SOCE with shame, and a key goal of the counselling is to overcome and remove that sense of shame…

Our maleness or femaleness, and Read more

Marine Killed in Crash Remembered as Servant, Warrior

US Marine Sgt Joseph Murray was one of 16 killed in last week’s crash of a KC-130T in Mississippi.  From the local news:

“Everyone knew him as a family man. He would do anything for me and our kids. He loved to play his guitar and ukulele for us. What he wanted most in the world besides our happiness was to destroy evil on this earth…”

As a Christian, Murray lived to serve others, whether it was in the Marines, at church or simply providing a better life for his family.

“Joseph joined the military to serve, Read more

The Importance of American Christians Publicly Speaking Out

Todd Starnes of FoxNews recently celebrated the reversal of Oklahoma’s East Central University plans to remove Bibles, crosses and other religious items from their campus chapel. The University made the initial decision after receiving a legal threat from Americans United for the Separation of Church and State.

Starnes attributed the change of mind to his readers contacting the University to express their disagreement. It appears the University had made its decision based on the “loudest voice in the room,” and only after Starnes’ column was published and other voices spoke up did they consider that the heckler need not be granted a universal veto.

The power of the American citizen’s voice should not be underestimated — and the impact of the absence of the Christian citizen’s voice cannot be overstated.

Just a couple of months ago Tennessee Read more

RAdm Robert Sharp: Diversity Just Makes Sense. Until it Doesn’t.

RAdm Robert Sharp, director of the National Maritime Intelligence-Integration Office and commander of Office of Naval Intelligence, recently made a fascinating statement in support of the LGBT community [emphasis added]:

[Sharp] said his commitment comes from the important role diversity and inclusion play in building a strong Navy. It not only the right thing to do, he said, it is a warfighting readiness imperative…

Nowhere is that more important than in the intelligence community, he said.

“It’s our job to go out there and understand adversaries. We need to be looking at threats from every different angle, and if we can’t bring in diversity of experience, diversity of expertise, diversity of thought, we will not be as good as we need to be for our nation.”

That begs two important questions: Read more

Military Chaplain Inspires Young Cadet to Teach the Faith

An article at CatholicPhilly has an interesting story about the small things that can have a big impact on a young military troop’s walk of faith.

Miguel Melendez was cadet at the US Coast Guard Academy when he saw the example of other Catholic cadets:

One of the Catholic cadets stood up at lunch and announced that a group of students would pray the rosary every Monday.

The announcement piqued Miguel Melendez’s interest.

“I was like, ‘I want to do that, I want to meet Read more

Navy Commander’s Awkward Comments on LGBT Pride

CAPT Mark Melson, commanding officer, USS Makin Island, speaking at his ship’s LGBT pride event:

“Pride Month shows the importance of diversity in our Navy, and how that diversity makes us stronger.”

How, precisely, does diversity in sexual behavior make the Navy stronger?  “Pride month” doesn’t make that explicit (no pun intended), and the Department of Defense has not said homosexuality has improved the ability of the military to accomplish its mission.

If diversity in itself is what “makes [the military] stronger,” the US military is doing it wrong with Read more

US Soldier Arrested for Supporting ISIS. Mikey Weinstein Silent.

Update: Kang’s court documents unsealed.

A US Soldier was arrested over the weekend after a yearlong operation in which he was alleged to have tried to materially support the Islamic State.

Among the charges was that Kang copied military secret documents in 2015 and wanted to provide them to [ISIS], according to the affidavit. It also Kang says admitted that he voluntarily pledged loyalty to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

SFC Ikaika Kang was highlighted to the FBI by the US military:  Read more

1 … 61 62 63 64 65 … 608