U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi will receive Planned Parenthood‘s Margaret Sanger Award. Alveda King, director of African American Outreach for Priests for Life, says she deserves it.

“It’s true that Congresswoman Pelosi deserves Planned Parenthood’s Margaret Sanger Award—almost no one has done more to promote the killing of innocent babies in the womb than she has,” King says. “If Mrs. Pelosi wants finally to take her role as a public servant seriously, though, she will reject the award named after a racist woman who had no problem speaking to a Ku Klux Klan meeting.”

The Sanger Award has been given annually by Planned Parenthood since 1966, when the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., Alveda King’s uncle, was named but did not personally accept one of the first four citations.

“It’s ironic that Planned Parenthood would extend to my uncle, Martin Luther King Jr., an award for his human rights work,” Alveda King says. “I can’t think of an organization that has done more to trample upon human rights than Planned Parenthood.

“Of course, in 1966, Planned Parenthood did not advocate for abortion, and its racist roots were not well known. Knowing what we know now and 56 million dead children later, I’m confident that the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., a man who gave his life defending others’ rights to life and liberty, would reject any association with Planned Parenthood.”

The Super Bowl may have diverted the attention of some, but many evangelicals have yet to forget Macklemore’s pro-gay “Same Love” anthem performed during the 2014 Grammy Awards—not the least of which is Christian rapper Bizzle, whose response song is making waves across the web.

The rap song, being branded as “anti-gay” and “homophobic” by various news media, landed more than 120,000 YouTube hits in a week from its release. The video begins with a quotation of 2 Timothy 3:1-5, a passage that warns of increasing sinfulness in the last days. But the message of the song isn’t the typical biblical argument against homosexuality; it accuses the gay rights lobby of unfairly comparing themselves to the civil rights struggle of African-Americans such as Bizzle himself.

Macklemore hasn’t responded to the pimp-turned-Christian’s rebuttal track, but the rest of the secular world has. In an online article, one Philadelphia newspaper describes Bizzle as “compar[ing] gays to pedophiles,” while a pro-gay site accuses the rapper of “boost[ing his] career by attacking more successful hip hop artists.”

The real parallels between homosexuality and other sexual behaviors the Bible lists as sinful, such as pedophilia, cannot be ignored by Christians. Yet Bizzle’s core frustration is the race issue: “The Bible is all right until it calls what you like sin, and I feel so disrespected that you were so desperate you would compare your sexual habits to my skin,” the rapper laments.

What do you think of the tension-filled response song? See it for yourself:

One of the most intriguing things about the nature of pop culture and media is that a brand can be successful if the person isn’t successful in their chosen industry.

The reality is that this is now the situation Tim Tebow finds himself in. This good, God-fearing man born to Christian missionaries has been unsuccessful on the football field, yet he can teach marketers a thing or three about how to succeed even when you don’t win.

It’s clear that Tebow wants to play football, but his image has always been about being bigger than football. While building his brand, the world came to know Tebow as a straightlaced, hardworking person and an overall great guy. He was so popular that the New York Jets traded for him without having much of a clue what they planned to do with him.

He didn’t fit, so he moved on to something other than football. But what? Ironically, the most recent iteration of Tebow is that of a wise-cracking, fun-loving 20-something. This brand image comes courtesy of a just-released Super Bowl commercial.

Tebow as a laid back dude who can laugh at himself? Who saw that coming? His friends and teammates, likely, but this is not a side of Tebow that the general public has seen before. Hopefully this will allow Tebow to keep spreading light as one of the good guys. Tim Tebow, a man of faith, is seemingly a hero. Even though he won’t be throwing any touchdowns in the near future, all fans of life should be rooting for him.

The lesson here for brands is to be aware of what the public is saying about you—and when the time is right, connect with it, own it and, if you can, join in on the joke. (And let’s all keep rooting for Tim Tebow.)

Ronn Torossian is one of America’s most prolific and respected public relations experts. Torossian is the founder, president and CEO of 5W Public Relations, one of the 25 largest independent American PR firms.

In the midst of the rising tide of hostility that pro-life activists are experiencing, it’s important to remember that some of the most vociferous abortion advocates of the past have become prominent pro-life champions. It’s a scenario that is sure to repeat itself again.

According to a Jan. 31 report from Students for Life of America, there was so much hatred and antagonism expressed toward them at a recent demonstration that the “police officers had to form a human shield around [them] as [they] stood to represent the preborn and their mothers.”

In the midst of the outpouring of anger and profanity, one of the abortion activists held up a homemade sign identifying herself as a “fetus slayer” while she tried to jump on Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America.

This is reminiscent of the protests at the Texas Senate last year where pro-abortion activists chanted “Hail Satan,” “F**k the church,” and “Bro-choice” while holding signs that said “Hoes before embryos.”

But is it possible that some of these very protestors, including the young woman holding up the “fetus slayer” sign, could have a radical change of heart? Absolutely.

Just think of Dr. Bernard Nathanson, “an obstetrician who oversaw the performance of about 75,000 abortions before becoming a leading pro-life advocate and a convert to the Catholic faith.”

As the National Catholic Register reported upon announcement of his death in 2011, “After performing his last abortion in 1979 and declaring himself to be pro-life, Nathanson produced the 1985 film The Silent Scream, which shows sonogram images of a child in the womb shrinking from an abortionist’s instruments, and the documentary film Eclipse of Reason, which displays and explains various abortion procedures in graphic detail. Both films had a significant impact on the abortion debate, solidified his credentials among pro-life advocates and earned him the scorn of his former pro-abortion friends and colleagues.”

And then there is Norma McCorvey, the “Jane Roe” of Roe v. Wade infamy (for those who still don’t know the story, the whole 1973 ruling was based on a nonexistent case, as McCorvey never had an abortion). She too had a change of heart and a conversion to the Christian faith, and today she is a pro-life champion.

As she explains in a one-minute pro-life video, “Back in 1973, I was a very confused 21-year old-with one child and facing an unplanned pregnancy.

“At the time I fought to obtain a legal abortion, but truth be told, I have three daughters and never had an abortion.”

She continues, “I think it’s safe to say that the entire abortion industry is based on a lie. … I am dedicated to spending the rest of my life undoing the law that bears my name.”

She ended the video with these words: “You read about me in history books, but now I am dedicated to spreading the truth about preserving the dignity of all human life from natural conception to natural death.”

These are two prominent examples—there is a countless number of less prominent “converts” whose stories are little known—but if God could change the heart of Bernard Nathanson, a man who helped found NARAL and who once operated one of the nation’s largest abortion clinics, and if He could change the heart of the “Roe” in Roe v. Wade, why couldn’t He change the heart of the angry young lady who identified herself as a “fetus slayer”?

And let’s remember that Dr. Nathanson had his pro-life conversion while still identifying himself as a Jewish atheist, which is all the more striking.

And speaking of the Scriptures, let’s remember that the apostle Paul, the most influential leader in the Jesus movement outside of Jesus Himself, once was an archenemy of the faith. As he said in his own words, “Formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief” (1 Timothy 1:13, ESV; he actually helped put followers of Jesus to death in those early days).

Perhaps some of the most vocal pro-life opponents are just like Paul once was, acting ignorantly and in unbelief. Perhaps they are simply blinded by the spirit of the age and, once their eyes are opened, they too will be changed.

Of course, they are fully accountable for their actions, but if we respond to their hostility with compassion and truth (as the pro-life side has faithfully sought to do, with rare exception), we will ultimately “overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21).

The good news is that just as abortion rates in America continue to decline (although they are still monstrously high), some of those who identify today as “fetus slayers” will tomorrow be pro-life champions.

Watch and see.

Michael Brown is author of Hyper-Grace: Exposing the Dangers of the Modern Grace Message and host of the nationally syndicated talk radio show The Line of Fire on the Salem Radio Network. He is also president of FIRE School of Ministry and director of the Coalition of Conscience. Follow him at AskDrBrown on Facebook or at @drmichaellbrown on Twitter.

Last week, hundreds of thousands of tumbleweeds blew into Clovis, N.M., but didn’t blow back out. This small town was buried under an avalanche of tumbleweeds. Residents had to call 911 for help getting out of their homes. The problem was so big, the National Guard was called in to help battle the tumbleweed invasion. (If you haven’t seen this, click here and prepare to be astonished.)

Having spent several years in Texas, I know a little about these pesky plants. A tumbleweed is an unattractive, troublesome bush that rolls around, having snapped loose from its roots. It’s simply tossed about by the wind.

Paul referred to believers that behave like tumbleweeds in Ephesians 4:14 when he said, “We henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive” (KJV).

I continually meet believers who are “tossed about to and fro,” and that concerns me because so often these dear people end up spiritually shipwrecked. Let me share with you a few thoughts about “tumbleweed believers.”

1. Tumbleweed believers have not allowed their roots to sink deep into the truth.

There is nothing on Planet Earth that gets blown around more than a tumbleweed. Just a little wind, and off it goes. But these pesky plants don’t start out this way. When growing, a tumbleweed is firmly planted in the soil. But at the end of its growth season, it breaks loose, never to be planted again.

Spiritually speaking, this is what happens to many believers. They encounter a difficult test or trial, and suddenly they stop growing. My friend, you should never stop growing in the Lord! If you do, it’s just a matter of time before you begin to tumble in your Christian walk.

The reason Paul was so adamant that believers be established in the truth is because false doctrine was sweeping through the church, causing many to fall away. It’s no different today. False doctrine will blow you off course and leave you hundreds of miles from where you want to be spiritually. Becoming firmly grounded in God’s Word is one of the primary ways to ensure that you stay on course and remain spiritually strong and healthy.

2. Tumbleweed believers begin to roam when confronted.

Over the years, I have seen people who refuse to deal with their sin. In fact, a lot of pastors are afraid to talk about sin from their pulpits. Some even refuse to use the word. Why? Because people will pack up their marbles and leave if confronted.

My friend, we need to speak about backsliding and the devastating consequences of sin. These things will destroy you. However, those who don’t want to hear the truth will get offended, and off they go like a tumbleweed.

3. Tumbleweed believers blown by the wind are helpless to decide their own route.

Tumbleweed believers can’t decide where to go. They are in and out, this way then that way, totally at the mercy of the wind. They go whichever way it happens to be blowing today.

Believers who find themselves at a loss of direction need only look back to where they disconnected themselves from the kingdom. 

Are you spending time in His Word? This is important to keep you rooted in His truth! His word is a “lamp unto [your] feet, and a light unto [your] path” (Ps. 119:105).

Are you listening to the Holy Spirit? God sent the Spirit to teach, comfort and correct us. You should welcome His activity in your life and not run from it, for when He has come into your life, “he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13).

Are you connected to a body of believers? So many are in the habit of forsaking the assembly of the saints. They say, “I don’t need the church to make it to heaven.” But friend, you need the church to make it here on earth. 

This is precisely what Paul is saying in Ephesians 4. Christ gave us the church and the fivefold ministry gifts “for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man” (Eph. 4:12-13, NKJV).

Feeling tossed around in the world? Get reconnected to His Word, the Spirit, and the body.

4. Tumbleweed believers spread their unwanted seeds at random.

One of the reasons farmers hate tumbleweeds is because each one has about 250,000 seeds that can grow in a wide range of temperatures. Imagine that. As a tumbleweed blows across the land, it scatters a quarter of a million seeds that potentially become tumbleweeds. So all year long, farmers have to put up with this nuisance.

How many tumbleweed believers do you suppose we have in America, rolling around the landscape of Christianity, spreading bad seed?

I can’t tell you how many unhealthy, anemic, cancerous individuals have come across my path attempting to scatter their bad seed in the garden of my life. Someone hurt them, so they want to plant that bad seed in my soil. They are bitter about an event that took place, and they want me to accept that seed of bitterness. The list goes on and on. Let’s not allow these seeds to take root. Shake off everything that happened in the past, settle in, and begin to grow again.

My friend, let us determine to allow our roots to grow deep in Christ. Know what you believe, and don’t let anything or anyone blow you off course. When you are confronted by an attack from the enemy, resist him. When temptation comes your way, stand strong. Let’s be believers who are deeply rooted, continually growing, and ever producing fruit for the kingdom.

Evangelist Steve Hill preached the Brownsville Revival for five years, is pastor emeritus of Heartland World Ministries Church and has authored 13 books, including Spiritual Avalanche. He can be reached at .

When I was little, I couldn’t wait to sit down in front of my television set on Thursday evenings. With my bowl of popcorn nearby, I’d munch away and laugh at the antics of iconic TV characters, such as the educated and witty Huxtable family on The Cosby Show and the lovable political leanings of everyone’s favorite Republican, Alex P. Keaton, on Family Ties. It was funny, smart and, most of all, family friendly. 

Today, however, I struggle to give my family those same memories. Most network producers use suggestive dialogue, over-the-top violence and gratuitous sex scenes to spice up their plots. Instead of bonding over the laughter of our favorite TV show, I cover my children’s eyes and send them to bed before the last round of Wheel of Fortune.

I want more. I want programming that makes my face red with laughter, not flushed with embarrassment. I bet there are others who want that too. Perhaps the TV networks are finally understanding.

Bill Cosby, patriarch of the long-running hit series The Cosby Show, is teaming up with producer Carsey Werner to deliver more appropriate programming for the small screen with NBC, which used to be the king of the sitcom during the 1980s and ’90s.

“I want to be able to deliver a wonderful show to network,” Cosby told the Hollywood Reporter, “because there is a viewership out there that wants to see comedy, and warmth and love, and surprise, and cleverness, without going into the party attitude. They would like to see a married couple that acts like they love each other, warts and all, children who respect the parenting, and the comedy of people who make mistakes. Warmth and forgiveness. So, I hope to get that opportunity, and I will deliver the best of Cosby, and that will be a series, I assume, that we could get enough people week after week after week to tune in to, to come along with us.”

Some producers have started to embrace this trend. Shows like The Middle on ABC and The Michael J. Fox Show on NBC portray families that, despite their dysfunction, respect each other, love each other and learn a life lesson or two along the way. These are the type of shows Cosby wants to see a resurgence of, and if he can pull off another ratings winner, he may just get it.

With the addition of a new family-friendly Cosby sitcom as the leader of its Thursday night lineup alongside Michael J. Fox’s Emmy-winning hit, NBC may successfully recreate the nostalgia of 1980s television and turn its ratings slump into a ratings victory.

This article originally appeared on .

Republicans are being criticized for looking passive or even dour during the recent State of the Union address.

New York Times journalist Andrew Rosenthal accuses GOP members of “looking callous” during the president’s speech.

“Time after time tonight you saw Republicans sitting on their hands when the president was calling on the country to move forward,” Maryland Democratic Rep. Chris Van Hollen (and former chair of the Democratic National Congressional committee) commented. Leftist filmmaker Michael Moore tweeted, “Funny watching the Republicans refusing to applaud the fact the insurance companies can no longer deny ANYONE because of a pre-existing cond[ition].”

Whether one is a Democrat or a Republican, unifying themes produce applause. Heroic Sgt. First Class Cory Remsburg received a one-minute, 34-second bipartisan ovation for his service to our country. Both sides applauded loudly when the president noted that the son of a barkeep is now speaker of the house and that the son of a single mom is president. And some of the president’s gallery guests received a warm response.

But that was about it for bipartisan togetherness. On issue after issue, the stark divisions between Republican and Democratic convictions were displayed in the rising of one side and the stolidness of the other.

Regrettably, they seem to be reflecting the feelings of their countrymen. According to a recent Gallup poll, “Obama’s fifth year in office ranks as the fourth-most polarized presidential year in Gallup’s records, which date back to the Eisenhower presidency. In fact, all five of Obama’s years in office rank among the 10-most polarized, with his fourth year edging out George W. Bush’s fourth year in office for the top overall spot. Four of Bush’s years in office rank among the 10-most politically polarized in terms of presidential job approval.”

Mr. Obama is a man of the left who uses the terminology of the right to soften the blow of his political agenda. This is not unique; political pollsters of both parties have produced reams of paper devoted to rhetorical dos and don’ts.

However, what is clear is that in Mr. Obama’s case, his efforts to cloak his ideas in the language of common sense are not succeeding, as the Gallup survey indicates.

Why? To a substantial degree, because he has lost the confidence of the American people. His assurance that we could keep both our health plans and our doctors under Obamacare proved to be false. That he gave this assurance repeatedly and with the same somewhat pained weariness of tone that imbued his State of the Union message does not encourage confidence in his leadership.

That’s why the latest Washington Post/ABC News poll shows, “Just 37 percent say they have either a good amount or a great deal of confidence in the president to make the right decisions for the country’s future, while 63 percent say they do not. Those numbers are the mirror image of what they were when he was sworn into office in 2009 and lower than at any other time the question was asked by The Washington Post and ABC News.”

This is not to say that most Americans didn’t like what the president said; one poll shows that many of his proposals and ideas were viewed favorably by those who watched his State of the Union speech.

But liking ideas and trusting the idea-giver, who in this case is also the leader of our country, are two different things. Christians must always pray for Mr. Obama and his family, respect him as the magistrate God has raised up over us (Rom. 13:1-7), and support him when his policy decisions reflect sound judgment.

Sadly, though, the erosion of confidence Mr. Obama has brought about in his own leadership is not something that readily can be remedied. This means believers in the King of kings should pray for our president, our other leaders and our country with renewed fervency (James 5:16) and that we should redouble our efforts—graciously but without moral compromise—to defend and advance human dignity, the sanctity of life, religious liberty and the historic (and biblical) vision of the family in American public life.

Rob Schwarzwalder is senior vice president at Family Research Council. This article appeared in Religion Today.

According to the Family Foundation, in 2006, 57 percent of the state of Virginia voters voted and passed a constitutional amendment to protect marriage between one man and one woman. But because activists supporting same-sex marriage have failed annually to repeal the vote in the General Assembly, they have gone to the courts to overturn the vote.

The case, Bostic v. Rainey, concerns a couple who resides in the Tidewater area, and they are asking the court to overturn the state’s marriage amendment.

We would expect the sitting Virginia attorney general to uphold the law of Virginia and the Constitution of Virginia, but Attorney General Mark Herring is not. Not only has he made the choice not to back the law regarding same-sex marriage, but he himself is also jumping into the case in favor of those who want to overturn the constitutional amendment protecting marriage.

Residents are encouraged to call Attorney General Mark Herring’s office at 804-786-2071 and let their voice be heard in support of what advocates of the law are calling NORMAL marriage. NORMAL is an acronym that spells out the position of the supporters of the Virginia constitutional amendment:

Natural as nature teaches us. In the academic discipline of theology, “natural law” is the innate law within the heart of man that gives him an inward conscience of right and wrong. Natural law teaches humans that homosexual unions are unnatural. In other words, they do not occur in nature. By the way, rare exceptions, like certain penguins, do not negate the law.

Original as God created from the beginning. Jesus Christ said regarding marriage, “‘Haven’t you read,’ he replied, ‘that at the beginning the Creator “made them male and female,” and said, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh”? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate'” (Matt. 19:4-6, NIV).

Notice Jesus points out that it was God’s original design in creation and marriage to make them “male and female.” Also, He forbids that man should separate what God has joined. If God has joined a man and woman, then homosexual marriage will separate that possibility at least for the participants.

Reproductive. Homosexuals cannot truly reproduce (outside of adoption). God’s main intent for marriage is that the two will procreate, partnering with God’s purpose.

“And as for you, be fruitful and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth and multiply in it” (Gen. 9:7, NKJV, emphasis added).

“Has not the one God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring” (Mal. 2:15, NIV, emphasis added).

Notice how God tells His creation to “be fruitful and multiply.” There are rare exceptions, such as some heterosexual couples that cannot have children. This does not negate this truth.

Moral. Morality can be determined by a lot of factors in forming people’s opinions. As Christians, our worldview is formed by Scripture, which rejects homosexuality as a sin.

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9-10, NKJV, emphasis added).

Even so, all of these sins can be repented of, and we can all receive forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ. But once Christ forgives us He instructs us to, “Go and sin no more.”

And Legal. There was a reason that 57 percent of Virginians voted in an amendment to the state constitution to protect the definition of marriage between a man and a woman. It is currently the law of the land, which we must uphold as citizens. And if it wasn’t the law, then it would still violate God’s law, which is ultimately higher than societal laws.

“Only a union between one man and one woman may be a marriage valid in or recognized by this Commonwealth” (Article 1, Section 15 A, Virginia Constitution).

What Can You Do to Help?

1. Pray. Believers across Virginia and the United States can join together in prayer for this attempt to overturn the constitutional amendment not to succeed.

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16).

2. Sign. The Family Foundation has an online petition that you can sign and show your support: .

3. Call. You can call Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring’s office at 804-786-2071 and let him know you want to keep the constitutional amendment for the state of Virginia supporting marriage being defined as between one man and one woman.

4. Announce. Let others know what is taking place through your social media outlets and through your church’s pulpit.

John Blanchard, senior pastor at the Rock Church in Virginia Beach, Va., is the son-in-law of the late John Gimenez and his wife, Anne.

Labeling obesity a disease may actually be counterproductive and not in the best interest of individuals who struggle with weight, according to new research published in the journal Psychological Science.

The findings suggest obese individuals who buy into such labeling place less importance on health-focused dieting and are less concerned about weight, which may in fact make them less likely to take steps to address the problem.

“Considering that obesity is a crucial public health issue, a more nuanced understanding of the impact of an ‘obesity is a disease’ message has significant implications for patient-level and policy-level outcomes,” says psychological scientist Crystal Hoyt, of the University of Richmond, who helped lead the research, which was prompted by the American Medical Association declaring obesity a disease in June 2013.

“Experts have been debating the merits of, and problems with, the AMA policy,” she says. “Te wanted to contribute to the conversation by bringing data rather than speculation and by focusing on the psychological repercussions.”

For the study, Hoyt and colleagues recruited more than 700 individuals to take part in an online survey after reading an article related to health and weight. Some participants read an article that described obesity as a disease, some read a standard public health message about weight, and others read an article specifically stating that obesity is not a disease.

Researchers also tracked the height and weight of the participants and classified them as “average weight” or “obese,” in line with World Health Organization guidelines.

The results showed that the particular message obese participants read had a clear impact on their attitudes toward health, diet and weight, as well as their behaviors. Obese participants who read the “obesity is a disease” article placed less importance on health-focused dieting and reported less concern for weight, compared to those who read the other two articles. They also chose higher-calorie options when asked to pick a sandwich from a provided menu.

“Together, these findings suggest that the messages individuals hear about the nature of obesity have self-regulatory consequences,” Hoyt says.

“In our ongoing work, we hope to gain a greater understanding of how the ‘obesity is a disease’ message influences beliefs about the controllability of weight. In addition, we are also interested in investigating the role of this message in reducing stigma against the obese,” she says.

For the original article, visit .