Here is a sample of the comments on the Kelly File Facebook page after the interview:

The political leadership of the LGBT movement wants to convince the world that the debate over conscience rights and religious freedom is a debate between those who hate gay people and those who don’t. In reality, its a debate between those who hate freedom and those who don’t.

(This contentby Joseph Backholm originally appeared on the Family Policy Institute of Washington blog.)

The post LGBT Community Defends Arlene’s Flowers appeared first on FFV.

Today (Friday, January 16, 2015) the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) announced it would take up a historic same-sex marriage case on whether states have a right to define marriage.  According to the official SCOTUS Blog:  “The Court said it would rule on the power of the states to ban same-sex marriages and to refuse to recognize such marriages performed in another state. A total of two-and-a-half hours was allocated for the hearings, likely in the April sitting.  A final ruling is expected by early next summer, probably in late June.”

Florida Family Policy Council President John Stemberger issued the following statement in response to the announcement:

“The issue is still very much an open question until the United States Supreme Court weighs in and determines whether states have a right to define marriage.  It is very possible a five vote majority exists in favor of state’s rights and a decision of this nature would immediately reinvigorate the authority and enforceability of the Florida marriage amendment passed by just under five million voters.  People should have the right to vote on defining marriage and we are very hopeful the high court will uphold that right.”

# # #

For more information or for media interviews contact:  Media@FLfamily.org or call 407-251-5130

The post Breaking News: US Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Same-Sex Marriage Case in Conflict Between Two Federal Circuits appeared first on FFV.

2014 was a year of some pretty bad news.  Between Ebola, ISIS, race relations, cyber-attacks, airline crashes, Obama’s executive orders “gone wild” and the attacks on marriage, it’s easy to become discouraged.  Further, our own society is in moral free-fall and the country we know and love is in dire economic, spiritual, political, and social straits. If you’re like me, you hear so much bad news that it’s easy to become negative and jaded, overlooking the positive and powerful things happening in the midst of all the depravity. So to help you restore hope in the New Year, and give a more realistic perspective, here are ten really great (even amazing) things happening in our world right now.

1. We are steadily winning the pro-life battle on many fronts. In 2010, I wrote an article entitled “The Beginning of the End of Abortion in America.” I made the case for why we are winning the hearts and souls of Americans on this issue in so many ways. Even though we are not able to legally ban all abortions because of Roe v Wade, we are still able to wage a cultural battle of ideas and we are making great strides. The ultimate proof is that there has been a steady decline in the number of abortion clinics and the number of abortions performed in America.  In 2014 alone, 73 abortion clinics have been closed!  Between 2008 and 2011, there has been a 4% decline in abortions nationwide. Since 2009, Americans have shifted their view of abortion and the number of people identifying as “pro-life” now exceeds those who are “pro-choice”. Among the reasons we are winning this battle are crisis pregnancy centers, technology and ultrasound, pro-life movies, side walk counselors, pro-life legislation, and many more Black and Hispanic pro-life leaders. Given the number of young people who are pro-life, we may reach a cultural consensus on this issue in the next generation. We will not rest until every baby is protected and cherished, but it should encourage us that on the single most important moral issue of our day, we are winning.
2. Among church-going couples, the divorce rate is much lower than the rest of the country. It is commonly repeated by Christian leaders and even some gay-rights activists that “One out of two marriages end in divorce, and the divorce rate is just as high among Christians as it is in society at large.” Yet, this is simply not true. Harvard-trained researcher Shaunti Feldhahn spent the better part of eight years studying this question and found the overall divorce rate to be significantly below 50%, and even much lower for those who go to church. Feldhahn estimates the actual divorce rate across America is around 31%. The studies of people who regularly attend church show even a much lower divorce rate of “15%, maybe 20% for all marriages, [including] first marriages, second marriages, third marriages.” She cites one study where a pastor tracked 143 couples who he personally married. “It was 25, 27 years later. Less than 10% had been divorced.” There is no question the marriage rate is rapidly declining, but it is great news that for those who do marry, the context of a local church clearly strengthens the longevity and success rate of marriages.  This is good news!
3. More movies promote Christian messages and values than ever before. Bella, Amazing Grace, Facing the Giants, Fireproof, the Narnia series, Grace Unplugged, Courageous, Grace Card, Alone Yet Not Alone, God’s Not Dead, October Baby, Heaven is for Real, Letters to God, The Passion of the Christ, Son of God, Unconditional, The Nativity Story, End of the Spear, Persecuted, and The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry are only a small sampling of the movies with unapologetic Christian values and messages that played in theatres in the last ten years alone. This does not even consider the hundreds of Christian documentaries, educational presentations, and entertainment videos for children.  Even secular movie producers are trying to cash in on the demand for Christian programing at the box office as evidenced by the recent Noah and Exodus films. There is a strong connection between entertainment, culture, ideas, world-view and the Gospel, so this is a very exciting development.
4. Christianity is exploding in atheist China with a historic revival. Even though it is officially an atheist country, Christianity is exploding in China. Some sociologists believe that in less than a generation China will become the largest Christian nation in the world. In spite of persecution by the Chinese government, by 2025 China is expected to have over 160 million Christians, putting it ahead of the United States. The irony of all this is that Chairman Mao set out to end religion in China and he thought he accomplished it. The reality is that exactly the opposite has occurred. There are so many Christians in China that the hostile government has to respect them more than in the past just because of their vast numbers.  Some leaders believe that China could eventually experience a historical and peaceful revolution, similar to what Poland experienced with the Catholic Church.  This is one really, really, bright light in a world of darkness.
5. Trail Life USA, the new Christian scouting movement in America continues to grow. After the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) changed their membership policy to allow open and avowed homosexuality to be expressed among its youth members in 2013, thousands of BSA members could no longer trust the program to be faithful to its own oath to be “morally straight.” Those men and their sons, along with thousands of others, have charted a new course with a Christ-centered scouting movement called Trail Life USA (TLUSA). After its first full year of operation, TLUSA has 524 troops in 48 states and just under 20,000 members. Another 300 troops are in the process of becoming officially chartered. The Florida Family Policy Council was a major force in providing financial support and leadership for launching this new program, and spent an entire year focused on the project. TLUSA has also closely partnered with the American Heritage Girls (AHG) who formerly associated with the BSA, and together these programs can provide a Christian outdoor adventure program that focuses on character and leadership for the whole family. Hundreds of churches across America have abandoned their affiliation with the BSA and are now chartering TLUSA troops. The future is very bright for the young men of Trail Life USA.
6. The homeschool and school choice movements continue to grow. As more parents become dissatisfied and alarmed by the blatant immorality, disrespect for parental rights, shootings, secularism, and lack of educational quality in government-run schools, home education and other alternatives continue to grow steadily. In fact, homeschooling is growing at an estimated rate of 7-15% annually. Approximately two million children are homeschooled today in America-far more than those in private schools. Home education is also on the rise internationally in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Japan. Homeschoolers continue to score above the national average on SATs and ACTs, and leading colleges actively recruit home-educated students. Other alternatives to traditional public schools in America are also on the rise, including charter schools, magnet schools, private schools, and online academies. Educational choice breaks the monopoly grip of government-run schools which have become the “brain factories” for the left and secularists. School choice options have undermined this institution’s ability to influence America’s children. There is good reason to believe the trend toward alternative schooling will continue increasing in the future. This development is restoring hope, especially for Black and Hispanic families or those living in dangerous or underperforming school zones.
7. Mainstream American voters are catching on to the extreme agenda of liberals.  President Obama is without question is the most philosophically and morally radical president in our nation’s history. This is not hyperbole and can be easily documented. Obamacare, the rapid pushing of gay rights, the immigration crisis, out-of-control judges, and a host of other abuses of power by the President’s administration is causing mainstream America to wake up and pay attention. The 2014 landslide midterm election is certainly evidence of this and (other than Sen. Bill Nelson in Florida) there are currently no Democratic U.S. Senators or Governors in any southern state. This says a lot about the future of the liberal political party in America and about the American people.
8. Internet, social media, and cable TV allow conservative and Christian views to be presented and spread. Technology has presented a number of never-before-faced challenges. The immediate access to internet, smartphones, social media, and cable television are probably the most significant changes in the way human beings live in the history of the world. The effect of this is a mixed bag. However, one great benefit from the advancement is the free flow of Christian programming and conservative political viewpoints. Just a generation ago, there were mainly three major networks doing nightly news and a handful of radio news outlets. There are now hundreds, if not thousands, of news and information sources making it much easier for conservative views to flourish. For example, conservative talk radio has no rival on the left and in a free market of ideas, truth has a way of winning the day. Like with public schools, the free market of media breaks up the news monopoly and allows other viewpoints to compete and flourish.
9. Fathers are spending more time with their children than ever before. While fatherlessness continues to be epidemic in America, for those children who do have fathers, the dads are spending more time with their children and families. In a 2012 Pew Research Center survey, 46% of fathers said they personally spend more time with their children than their own parents spent with them. Very few said they spend less time with their children than their parents did. The data is crystal clear on the fact that children do better in every category of human flourishing when they are able to have both a natural father and mother in their lives.  All of this contributes to healthier and well-adjusted children.
10. The God of the universe is still sovereign and that is no small thing to help cure anxiety and maintain a positive outlook on the future. God is sovereign. While we often hear these words in the Christian world, we must never allow them to become commonplace in our hearts. As theologian Dr. R.C. Sproul says, “There are no maverick molecules in the universe.”  Even the concept of prophecy assumes God’s providential hand is guiding the history of the world.  Somehow in the mystery of his purposes, he is guiding all things, even evil, and causing it to be used for his greater purposes.  This can be hard to understand and even harder to accept.  But let’s not forget that in God’s economy, even the worst day on the face of the earth, became the best day.  We call it “Good Friday.”  All of us need to do our part to be responsible citizens in this extraordinary form of government that requires us to participate in order for it to work properly.  But in the end, God calls us merely to be faithful.  The final results are in His hands. And this is the best news for an anxious believer in 2015.

The post Good News for Anxious Believers in 2015: Ten Positive Things We Can Be Thankful For appeared first on FFV.

There are several developments that have taken place just in the last several days before, during, and after the holidays regarding the attack on Florida’s marriage laws. I want to update you on this matter because there are almost daily developments that have occurred.

Tuesday, December, 23, 2015
State Attorney Jeff Ashton announced he will not prosecute Clerks of Courts who violate the law and marry same-sex couples. As a result of that announcement, Osceola County Clerk of Court Armando Ramirez announced he would start issuing same-sex marriage licenses in direct violation of the law starting at midnight, Tuesday, January 6, 2015. With assurance from the State Attorney that he would not be prosecuted, this was all that Ramirez needed to openly defy the law.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014
It was big news on this day as our own Florida Family Action announced the filing of lawsuits against Orange County Mayor Buddy Dyer, Osceola County Clerk of Court Armando Ramirez and Circuit Court Judge Robert LaBlanc. The two lawsuits were basically asking the court to require these elected officials to obey the law in Florida and not issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples or oversee same-sex marriage ceremonies.

Wednesday, December 31, 2014
The next day Liberal Democrat and Orange County Circuit Court Judge Tim Shae (who was elected and not appointed by the Governor) issued a ruling that the Orlando Clerk of Court Tiffany Moore Russell was being ordered to start issuing same-sex marriage licenses. The Orlando Sentinel reported that Moore Russell was coordinating with gay-rights activists behind the scenes and actually filed a petition, not with a random judge picked on a rotating basis, but she asked the most liberal judge in Orange County for “clarity” regarding what to do. This is in spite of the fact that lawyers with the respected law firm of Greenburg Traurig, representing the state Association of Clerks, issued a legal opinion advising that clerks should not issue samesex licenses. Apparently that clarity was not good enough for her.

Thursday, January 1, 2015
Federal Circuit Court Judge Robert Hinkle of Tallahassee (another liberal judge) issued a confusing order which indicated that his prior ruling only applied to Washington County, and then only to the two persons who were plaintiff’s in that case. In reading the slippery decision it almost appears he just let a couple of liberal law clerks do their double speak magic because of how it says opposite things. After saying it only applies to the two persons in Washington County, the ruling then goes on to encourage clerks of the court to violate the law, because if they did not, they would be sued by folks (like us) trying to enforce the law. The Associated Press along with virtually every other news agency misunderstood the decision and headlines and articles everywhere read that Hinkle “cleared the way for all 67 County Clerks to start issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.” No one has mentioned the clear legal fact, including the courts own ruling, that Judge Hinkle has no jurisdiction to rule anything unconstitutional in a binding way outside of the Northern District of Florida.

Friday, January 2, 2015
Circuit Court Judge Leticia Marquis issued an order dismissing one of the two lawsuits by Florida Family Action-this one against the Osceola County Clerk, based primarily on a misreading of Judge Hinkle’s ruling. It was reported on this day that following a statewide conference call, all county clerks in the state of Florida “announced” they will follow Judge Robert Hinkle’s New Year’s Day ruling and will begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples starting Tuesday morning, January 6, 2015. This report may not be accurate and there may be some clerks that push back on this.

Saturday, January 3, 2015
The Miami Herald reports that down in Miami-Dade County homosexual activists have also petitioned for the stay on that state case to be lifted immediately. That hearing is scheduled for today Monday January 5, 2015. It appears the plan here is for Miami to beat the January 6th deadline so they can have a major media event by saying they were the very first to be married and “make history.”

Answering other questions:

Can anything else be done at this point?
Not much. Our lawyers with Liberty Counsel have asked the judge’s office assigned to the Orange County lawsuit for an emergency hearing, so it is possible, but unlikely that any judge at this point would have the courage to do the right thing and rule in our favor to uphold the law. The peer pressure within the bar and judicial circles is quite heavy and few judges have the backbone to do what is legally and morally right on these issues. As C.S. Lewis said, “We make men without chests, and expect from them virtue and enterprise.”

What about the United States Supreme Court?
Currently there is a conflict between at least two federal circuits. The Sixth Circuit (Michigan, Kentucky and Ohio) has affirmed natural marriage and the state’s rights to define marriage. The Fourth, Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Circuits have all found some new right to same-sex marriage that never existed before in the law. This conflict provides the basis for an automatic appeal to the US Supreme Court. (SCOTUS) The court however does not need to hear the case and may deny the appeal or just choose not to rule in a case as they have done recently. There appears to be a four to four conservative – liberal split in the SCOTUS. The swing vote is Justice Kennedy.

What does Justice Kennedy believe?
While it is not clear where Kennedy will come down on this issue, in Windsor, the last major SCOTUS marriage case, he used very hostile and frankly offensive language to describe people who have a traditional or natural view of marriage. But he also took a state’s rights position in that case, so it is possible that he could give the SCOTUS a majority vote for upholding Florida’s marriage law. A state’s rights decision would immediately reinvigorate the authority of Florida’s Marriage Amendment. On the other hand, it is also possible Kennedy could find a new right to marry under the Equal Protection Clause, which would result in a Roe vs Wade-like marriage decision, which would block any further changes in the law for decades to come.

If SCOTUS did come out with a state’s rights ruling then this would create a further confused patchwork of case law and precedent with three categories, legitimate marriages, same sex marriages which are now in question because of the new decision under the newly authoritative marriage amendment and then same sex couples who want to be married and now cannot. But this is precisely the type of confusion the left wants.

So what will end up happening this Tuesday, January 6th?
Apart from an unexpected legal miracle, it appears that county clerks in all 67 Florida counties will begin to issue same-sex marriage licenses on this date. We do know that the clerks in Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties, meanwhile, have joined clerks in Baker, Clay, and Duval counties in discontinuing all courthouse wedding ceremonies – rather than allow “gay” couples to use that service for their weddings. In other words, the clerks will take the first step of issuing the license forms but they will not conduct courthouse ceremonies solemnizing those same-sex marriages (or any other marriages) in order to respect the rights of conscience of those clerks and their employees from having to officiate over these very controversial same-sex unions.

Final Thoughts and Perspective:

It is one thing for a governmental body to produce bad policy. But when government produces a bad policy using an illegitimate process, it just undermines the legitimacy of the government all the more-in this case the legitimacy of the courts. Out of the 35 states that have currently enacted same-sex marriages, only 11 have done it with a legitimate process of either a popular vote or a legislative enactment from duly elected officials. The other 24 states, and soon Florida, will have used an illegitimate process of courts which have overstepped their bounds with judges who have acted outside the proper scope of a judge.

Finally, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and other pro-gay politicians around the state are pandering to these activists and planning mass “gay” marriage ceremonies on Tuesday. But there is a major legal problem. Florida’s marriage law requires a -three-day waiting period before the marriage license can be made final. This waiting period can be waived only if the couple provides certification of a four-hour marriage education course. Also hardship waivers can be given, but only to out-of-state applicants and not to Florida residents. Query how many homosexual couples are really going to do four hours of marital preparation and how many officials marrying them are really going to follow the law and require documentation of this in order to be married on the same day at the license is issued. This all underscores the lawlessness and disrespect for the rule of law from the President of the United States, to federal judges, to state attorneys, to local politicians. And that is frankly outrageous.

Also on Tuesday, Governor Rick Scott will be inaugurated in Tallahassee as Florida’s 45th Governor. I am a Co-Chair of the Governor’s Inaugural Prayer Breakfast and will be attending Governor Scott’s swearing-in ceremony. It will be interesting to see how the media even covers the Governor’s solemn events with all the media frenzy of these same-sex marriages going down across the state.

For those looking for some perspective on all this I would redirect you to an editorial piece I wrote a couple years ago entitled “A Perspective on Winning and Losing Elections.” It has some timeless perspective. Thank you again for your faithfulness and know that we will never give up on this issue. Like with the abortion issue, when Roe v Wade was decided in 1973, it may take us 40 years or more to turn the tide, but we will continue to work to have the culture first, and then the state, define, protect and promote marriage and family. We will continue after this ordeal is over with the start of a long term strategy and a plan to rebuild a culture of marriage in Florida and beyond. More on that later.

Peace,
John Stemberger

The post Special Report: Update on the Attack on Florida’s Marriage Laws appeared first on FFV.

FLORIDA FAMILY ACTION FILES LAWSUITS AGAINST ORLANDO MAYOR BUDDY DYER, OSCEOLA COUNTY CLERK OF COURT ARMANDO RAMIREZ AND CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE ROBERT LEBLANC

FFA suits request that Circuit Court order elected officials to obey the law after making public statements they will participate in issuing or officiating over same-sex marriage license ceremonies

(Orlando, FL)  Florida Family Action (FFA) announced today the filing of two lawsuits against three elected officials in Central Florida who have made clear public statements of their intentions to defy Florida law and either issue same-sex marriage licenses or officiate over same-sex marriage ceremonies on or after January 6, 2015.

Florida Family Action is being represented by Liberty Counsel a leading constitutional advocacy group in the lawsuits which are filed in the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida covering Orange and Osceola counties.  One lawsuit was filed against Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Ninth Judicial Circuit Court Judge Bob LeBlanc, and a separate second lawsuit against Osceola County Clerk of Court Armando Ramirez.

Local Fox News WOFL has reported that Osceola County Clerk of the Court Armando Ramirez claimed at midnight on January 6, he will open the courthouse for same-sex couples wanting to apply for a license.  Specifically, Ramirez said, “I will open the office for 2 hours as a symbolic jester [sic] to the gay community … to be able to be legally married.”  “We won’t waste any time.”  The taxpayer funded official website for the Osceola Clerk also announces the same indicating, “The Clerk’s office is proud to support marriage equality.”

The Orlando Sentinel reported that Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer will “officiate” at a mass same-sex marriage ceremony on Tuesday morning January 6, 2015.  The Metropolitan Business Association newsletter, a chamber of commerce of sorts for gay-identified persons, announced the “Vowed and Proud” event involving Dyer was “in partnership with the City of Orlando.”

WFTV Eyewitness News quotes Circuit Judge Bob LeBlanc as saying, “I am prepared to officiate the ceremony…If the clerk issues the licenses I am prepared to carry out the ceremony.”  Notices indicate LeBlanc will officiate over some “mass” marriage ceremony on the evening of January 6, 2015.

John Stemberger, president of the Florida Family Action organization issued the following statement regarding the lawsuits:

“All three of these officials have shown great contempt and disrespect for the rule of law and are behaving irresponsibly and unprofessionally.  The federal court decision is clear that it only applies narrowly to the two plaintiffs and only in Washington County.  Elected officials must be held accountable to the law and to the constitution they have sworn to uphold.  Part of the reason for the recent landslide mid-term election was the utter disregard and insolence shown by President Obama for the rule of law which is now infecting so many other politicians across America.  Respect for law must be restored or else legitimacy in government as an institution will diminish at an even greater rate.  Ultimately, if these local officials continue in this same reckless pattern of behavior, they could easily face the same fate as so many other politicians did who are now retired as a result of the last election.”

Read the full Complaint FFA v Buddy Dyer and Robert LeBlanc

Read the full Complaint FFA v Armando Ramirez

# # #

Contact
Cathy Gradine
407-251-5130
Media@FLfamily.org

The post Breaking News: Florida Family Action Files Lawsuits Against Local Elected Officials appeared first on FFV.

Many Christians don’t celebrate Halloween.  I totally get that.  But I just have a much harder time understanding why some Christians are so against celebrating Christmas.  I would join in many of the criticisms over how Christmas is celebrated.  But not that we celebrate it.

Each family creates its own culture and traditions.  Your “family culture” and its traditions are imbued with whatever meaning you assign to them.  Holidays are no different.

In my family, the days leading up to the end of October are a celebration of all things fun and unique about the fall season.  Colored leaves, bright orange pumpkins, crisp candy apples and cool weather.  On the evening of October 31st we celebrate Reformation Day by watching the movie Luther, reading aloud some of the history of the Protestant Reformation, and eating at a local German restaurant.  So the meaning we assign to this holiday is much different that the meaning that other people assign to “Halloween.”  We don’t allow the pagan origin or bad history which occurred on a certain day (which God has created), to prevent us from redeeming and celebrating that same day by developing family traditions that honor and give glory to God.

Christmas is no different.  What meaning do you assign to this holiday in your family?  What “culture” do you create around the days leading up to December 25th?  What’s your Baby Jesus to Santa Claus ratio?  Is your focus more on the manger or on Macy’s?  Christ or candy canes?  These are questions every Christian family should wrestle with regularly.

Each of the 365 days God gives in every calendar year have no inherent or intrinsic meaning in and of themselves.  The meaning we assign to them creates tradition and meaning, regardless of events which may have occurred in the past.

One of the ways we can ensure that Christmas remains Christ-centered is to refocus on the words and meanings of the truly great Christmas carols.  Take Joy to the World for instance.  The words to this song, written by Issac Watts in the early 1700s, have powerful meaning and deep Christian theology.  Consider the third verse:

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

In other words, as much as the effect of sin entering the world is evident, Jesus came to make His blessings flow so those sins, sadness, and even the thorns of the earth will be no more.  Reversing the effects of the fall of man?  Redeeming the earth?  Wow!  But an appreciation for this verse only comes from digging into the words, not from casually singing them with little meaning.

Increasingly the modern world passes up carols like these and chooses only the “yippy-skippy” Christmas songs.  Others who do sing Christ-centered carols often leave out the verses that have more expressly Christian meaning. Veggie Tales and the Disney sing-along versions of Joy to the World leave out this third verse.  God forbid we talk about the “S” word at Christmas— the very thing the baby Jesus came to save us from.

One creative way we do family devotions is to use an older hymn or a song with meaningful words.  We sing it through once, then have a group discussion about each word in the lyrics, unpacking its meaning and the history behind it (if known).  After the discussion we sing through it again, robustly and louder, allowing the richness of each word to explode in our hearts and minds with new and deeper meaning.

When we sing powerful Christmas songs that declare “God and sinners reconciled,” the “Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing,” and the “dawn of redeeming grace,” the focus of our hearts should not just be emotional sentiment and fond memories from our childhood.  The focus should be on the majesty and power of these words which point us to the Baby who was born to die.  These Christmas carols scream the heart of the gospel—“I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.”  This Christmas, lead your family in rediscovering the beauty of the gospel by mediating on the powerful words of the truly great Christmas carols that speak of extending God’s grace and blessing far as the curse is found.

From our family to yours, on behalf of the Board of Directors and the staff of the Florida Family Policy Council, we want to wish you a very Merry Christmas and thank you again for your support of our work and mission.

John Stemberger

P.S.  This website is a great resource that catalogs the history and stories behind many of the great Christ-centered Christmas carols as well as some of the more modern ones.

The post Far As the Curse is Found: Rediscovering the Beauty of the Gospel in Christmas Carols appeared first on FFV.

1. Q- The 2008 FL Marriage Amendment was passed and became law to prevent judges from overturning the definition of marriage.How can they now do this? A- Judges are “ruling” or rendering opinion that the Florida Marriage Amendment is somehow now unconstitutional under the federal constitution. Only the US Constitution can trump and overrule a state constitutional provision.  This is why ultimately a Federal Marriage Amendment is needed.  Unfortunately, it is unlikely this will happen anytime in the near future given the make-up of the U.S. Congress and the general public.

2. Q- What happened with the Federal Court decision recently that changed everything pointing to this January 6th date for issuing same sex marriage (SSM) licenses? A- The federal court case by Judge Robert Hinkle, Northern District of Florida in Tallahassee was appealed to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta.  The 11th Circuit affirmed Judge Hinkle’s ruling finding the marriage amendment suddenly unconstitutional under the US Constitution.  The quick decision by this court ended the stay and Hinkle ruled that some* SSM licenses can be issued after January 5, 2015.

3. Q- How can a court in Atlanta, Georgia affect us here in Florida? A- The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals is the location of the federal appeals court which has jurisdiction for cases filed in states within the 11th Circuit namely, Florida, Georgia and Alabama. The court over the 11th Circuit in Atlanta is the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS).

4. Q- What is the legal argument being used by homosexual activists & judges to strike down state marriage amendments? A- We believe it is a wrong legal position, but they argue laws which define marriage and preclude same sex unions violate the Equal Protection Clause of the US Constitution which should overrule a state constitutional amendment.

5. Q- What’s wrong with this argument? A- The correct legal and constitutional position is that marriage is a state’s rights issue and each state should have the ability to define marriage as a matter of public policy in that state.  The Equal Protection arguments are completely without any merit as courts are simply creating rights out of thin air, twisting the history and meaning of the constitution like Play Dough.  This is classic textbook judicial activism where judges are seeking to be social change agents and legislating from the bench instead of objectively interpreting the law.

6. Q- Will the Supreme Court of the United States rule on this issue and is there any chance this federal case in Tallahassee could be reversed? A- Yes.Currently there are two federal appeals courts which are in conflict with each other which triggers an automatic appeal to the SCOTUS.  The Court however is still not obligated to issue a ruling.  We should know sometime in 2015 if the SCOTUS will take up and decide the conflicting jurisdictions.  If the SCOTUS did uphold state’s rights then this would immediately reinvigorate the enforceability of Florida’s Marriage Amendment.

7. Q- Where is the US Supreme Court on marriage? A- Of its nine members, most court observers believe there is a 4-4 spilt between state’s rights advocates and those who want to create a new right to SSM. The swing vote is Kennedy.

8. Q- What does Justice Kennedy believe? A- In the last major SCOTUS marriage case of Windsor vs US, Kennedy used very hostile and frankly offensive language to describe people who have a traditional or natural view of marriage.  But he also has taken a strong state’s rights position in other recent cases so it is possible the SCOTUS could now have a majority of justices voting for state’s rights.  It is also possible, but now seems less likely, that Kennedy could find a new right to marry creating a “Roe vs Wade-like” marriage decision controlling the issue for decades into the future.

9. Q- Will every Florida Clerk of the Court in all 67 counties start issuing marriage licenses come January 6, 2015? A- No.  Apparently only the Clerk in Washington County might* be able to issue SSM licenses.  The State Clerk’s Association issued a legal opinion stating that if other County Clerks (other than Washington County) issued SSM licenses they could be subject to arrest, fines and imprisonment and advised them not to.  The ACLU disagrees and argues that no one is going to arrest a Clerk of Court.  Some clerks may still try and defy the law and run the risk.

* NOTE:  Recently, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi appealed to Justice Clarence Thomas on the SCOTUS for an extension of the stay to halt the issuing of marriage licenses until an appeal to the Supreme Court can be made.  If the SCOTUS grants that stay, then even Washington County, FL will not be able to issue same sex marriage licenses on January 6, 2015.  Hopefully the high court will grant this stay, otherwise there will be a confused legal patchwork in Florida with new “same-sex” marriages, legitimate natural marriages and if the SCOTUS rules for state’s rights, same sex couples in the future who will want to, but be unable to obtain licenses anymore because of Florida’s Marriage Amendment being reaffirmed as constitutional.

# # #

The post Special Report: Update on Legal Status of Marriage appeared first on FFV.

ORLANDO, FL–The Eleventh Circuit US Court of Appeals panel in Atlanta, GA announced Wednesday that a judicial stay in Florida’s federal same-sex marriage case will expire on January 5, 2015 overturning Florida’s marriage amendment likely ensuring that same-sex couples will be allowed to receive marriage licenses in the state the following day.  Florida Family Policy Council, President John Stemberger issued the following statement:

“The court today is wrong.  The court was also wrong years ago in Dred Scott when it ruled that Blacks were not persons.  The courts will never have the final word on an institution as fundamental to the human experience as marriage.  You simply cannot build a civilization without natural marriage.

Today, we grieve. We grieve for the children who now have no chance of growing up with both a mom and a dad. We mourn the loss of a culture and its ethical foundation. We mourn for a culture that continues to turn its back on timeless principles.

The state has an interest in defining, protecting and promoting natural marriage and as long as we have breath, even if it takes 20, 30 or 50 years, we will never give up on this issue.

We may grieve today, but we will not despair.  We will not throw in the towel.  We will not give up.

Just as we have worked for decades and are rebuilding a culture of life, in spite of Roe v Wade, we will also work to rebuild a culture of marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

Natural marriage will never be on the wrong side of history because it’s rooted in the human experience. A little boy who longs to have a father in the inner city – that will never be on the wrong side of history. The little girl who has two dads and doesn’t have a mom and she wants someone to guide her through the changes that a woman’s body goes through – that’s never going to be on the wrong side of history. And the beauty of how a man and woman come together and life is born, that’s never going to be on the wrong side of history.”

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For more information, contact Cathy Gradine at 407-251-5130 or Media@FLfamily.org

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(ORLANDO, FL)  Floridians, along with other Americans have spoken through the results of the 2014 mid-term election.  By voting overwhelmingly for conservative candidates who value life, traditional marriage and religious liberty more than their liberal counterparts, they basically sent the message that, “We reject the extreme policy agenda of Barack Obama and the direction he is leading this country.”

John Stemberger, President of Florida Family Action, made the following statement in response to last night’s landslide election for conservative candidates who support life, marriage and family issues:

“This election was not about candidates or parties as much as it was about issues and the VALUES behind those political parties and candidates. Candidates come and go but our excitement is really because America chose mostly candidates that share our timeless values of life, marriage, family and religious liberty.

During the last five months, Florida Family Action focused on getting values voters to the polls.  FFA operated 5 full time field offices and mobilized 100’s of volunteers. Florida offices made 414,000 live personal calls to voters, delivered 206,000 strategic and targeted automated calls, distributed over 1,000,000 paper copies of full color voter guides, and an estimated 500,000 online voter guides.  Our sister organization obtained over 8 million impressions on Facebook with a special effort to educate people on the legalization of marijauna and true impact of Amendment 2.  Finally, I personally traveled across the state and spoke to churches and groups in 32 cities around Florida with 6 of those meetings being pastor’s conferences.

A poll, conducted by Public Opinion Strategies, recorded that self-identified conservative Christians made up 32% of all those voting with 86% Republican and 12% Democrat.  This represents about 52.4% of all the votes received by Republican candidates.  White evangelicals made up 23 percent of the electorate and voted 82 percent Republican and 18 percent Democratic, according to the poll.

Americans, fed up with Obamacare, IRS Investigations, Benghazi, the ‘gay-ification’ of all things in America, pastors’ sermons being subpoenaed, false assurances on the Ebola crisis, Christian businesses being attacked and the steady stream of disregard for religious liberty, went to the ballot box and said we have had enough ‘Hope and Change.’

Our message to Republicans in leadership is now simple.  Respond with policies that reflect this conservative mandate.  Do not slide back into the unprincipled policies of the same administration that America rejected.  Be men and women of courage and return to the social and fiscal policies that this mandate calls for and which made this country great.”

Some of the results from the election in Florida include:

• Florida’s Governor Rick Scott won a second four year term in office over (Republican, turned Independent, turned Democrat), Charlie Crist.
• Amendment 2, a stealth attempt to place the full blown legalization of Marijuana on the ballot was defeated as voters learned more and more about the scam and lies that its sponsor told Florida.The amendment started with 88% support and then dropped as low as 48% in polls as voters learned of the true motives and legal effect of the amendment.
• Florida’s Attorney General Pam Bondi also won a second term as the only seriously contested statewide cabinet office other than the Governor.
• Adam Putnam, Florida’s Agriculture Commissioner along with CFO Jeff Atwater both easily won their seats.
• Florida voters flipped six state house seats now giving Republicans a super majority to procedurally prevent the Democrats from stopping, halting or seriously interfering with passing conservative legislation.
• State Rep Joe Saunders (D), who was the first openly gay identified activist legislator in Florida’s history, was defeated in a liberal downtown Orlando Democrat district after serving only one term.  Saunders who aggressively promoted an extreme agenda of special rights for gays, was removed by his district as a legislator.

For media interviews contact Media@FLfamily.org or call 407-418-0250

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This past year has been a real learning curve on the whole topic of medical marijuana.  Thanks to a good friend of mine, who is a respected physician, I learned there really are some valid and legitimate medical uses for marijuana.  Prior to this, I thought most of the medical marijuana talk was just an excuse to smoke dope by leftist potheads.  But it is clear to me now that there are some very debilitating and painful conditions which only seem to respond to the active ingredient in cannabis.

In fact, earlier this year the Republican dominated legislature and also recognized this fact and passed a special bill to specifically legalize a special strain of marijuana called “Charlotte’s Web.”  The drug isolates the helpful medical essence of marijuana and allows it to be taken in a non-euphoric, non-smoked form to treat various seizures in children and other serious conditions.  The bill was signed into law by Governor Rick Scott and became effective June 2014.

Knowing this, you may also want to know why I am so adamantly against Amendment 2 and am encouraging everyone I know to “Vote No on 2”, the so-called medical marijuana amendment on November 4th.  Here are at least ten reasons why this is one of the worst ideas in Florida’s history, and why it’s not what is seems on the surface.

1. The Amendment will allow minors to smoke pot without parental knowledge or consent. There are no restrictions on Amendment 2 for age, and those street corner dispensers will be able to give pot to minors without their parent’s consent or even notice.  As a father of four children under the age of 13, this alone, frankly enrages me as a parent.

2. There are no restrictions on where in your neighborhood these “pot shops” can be placed.  Based on where they have set up pot shops like “pill-mills” in California and Colorado, and based on the language of this Amendment, you can expect “dispensaries” to pop up across the street from junior high schools, near churches, restaurants and other small businesses.

3. The only requirement for a so-called “caregiver” marijuana dispenser is that he or she be 21 years old.  Also “caregivers” are not required to have background checks, they could be convicted felons, and have no requirements for medical training.  We used to call these people drug dealers and put them in jail.  The opponents of Amendment 2 are appropriately calling it the “Drug Dealer Protection Act.”

5. Amendment 2 expressly allows for “medibles” which are marijuana-laced candies, cookies, baked goods, soda pop and other foods attractive to children.  To really appreciate how bad this Amendment would be, look no further than to the states where this dangerous game has played out in California and Colorado.  Just Google search images of the word “medibles” and you will find the hundreds of candies, cookies and baked goods laced with marijuana.  And who did you think these “edible treats” will be marketed to?  You guessed it–our children and grandchildren.

6. Amendment 2 gives complete civil and criminal immunity to all caregivers, growers, distributors and doctors selling pot.  Under the Amendment’s language, everyone in the process of growing, handling and distributing pot would be given complete civil and criminal legal immunity and allowed to operate free of liability.  So if a caregiver hurts someone, there are no lawsuits or arrests that will come from the harm.  It almost seems unbelievable but it’s true.  How would you, as a small business owner, like to have complete immunity from law suits?  But we are going to give unbridled constitutional immunity to everyone involved with dispensing pot?

7. The Amendment is strategically being used to try and help turn out voters on the far left for Charlie Crist. Democrat gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist is also a lawyer with John Morgan’s large personal injury firm based in Orlando.  So, naturally having a law partner become Governor (again) could do quite a bit to help his law firm.  In much the same way as many extreme conservatives don’t vote because they are fed up or don’t like the choices, the same thing happens with voters on the far left.  Those voters who chose Ralph Nader instead of Al Gore are exactly the kind of voters that the “medical marijuana” Amendment will drive to the polls, who may not have otherwise come out-and who are more likely to vote for Democrat Charlie Crist.  Morgan knows this and knows that in a tight race, like the one we have for Governor, having pot on the ballot could just make the difference in voter turn-out on the margins swaying a win for Charlie Crist.

8. John Morgan will most likely financially profit from this Amendment.  Why do you think John Morgan is pouring tons of money and untold amounts of time into this campaign?  To create an “army of angels” to do acts of compassion?  Guess again.  This video of John Morgan “unhinged” is really all you need to see to understand who and what is really behind this Amendment.  WARNING: This video is highly vulgar, raw, and not suited for children to view.

10. Virtually every major daily newspaper in Florida has come out against Amendment 2 in addition to the Florida Medical Association, and seven former Florida Supreme Court Justices.  Some of the most liberal newspapers in the state like the Tampa Bay Times have taken official positions against this dangerous Amendment and are encouraging a NO VOTE because they know this is really not a medical marijuana amendment but an attempt to allow the full blown legalization of marijuana for recreational use.  The Orlando Sentinel has said “politics is coloring the debate,” and to vote No.  The Tampa Tribune says it’s a “Trojan Horse.” The Jacksonville Times Union said it’s a “Stalking Horse for recreational use.”  The Lakeland Ledger and the Bradenton Herald also recommended a “No Vote on 2.”

The bottom line is that everything about Amendment 2 is deceptive.  And, if we are able to tell enough of our friends and family about this in the days we have left before the election, we can defeat this effort and save our state, our communities and our children a lot of heartache and problems that would not be easily reversed for years to come.  Please – do not let Florida go to pot! 

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John Stemberger is an Orlando Attorney, president of Florida Family Action, and one of the leading pro-family advocates in Florida.

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