This is good news. (WSJ report here) The problem is that Chen's mother, brother, and nephew, and many supporters are still in China, their fate uncertain. FRC reports:
"For the past seven years, I have never had a day's rest," Chen said. And he doesn't plan on taking one now--at least when it comes to his crusade against forced abortion and sterilizations. "We should link our arms and continue in the fight for the goodness in the world and to fight injustice," he told the press. Let's hope Chen's influence extends to his new home, where the inhumanity of abortion is so often ignored.
Eric Metaxas wrote of Chen earlier, before his trip to the U.S.
 Major League Base Brawl
At 996 pages, the Defense Authorization bill isn't for the feint of heart. But, after some late nights and long debates, the House finally waded through the two reams of provisions--and 146 amendments--to vote. On Friday afternoon, 299 members from both parties put their stamp of approval on a plan to fund the troops in the next fiscal year. If it survives the Senate's scrutiny, the $554 billion blueprint would kick in on October 1. But it will have to make it past the White House first--and the odds of that look slimmer every day. The President has already threatened to veto the bill if it stands in the way of the administration's "new defense strategy," which apparently includes same-sex military weddings and trampling chaplains' rights. In a formal Statement of Administration Policy, the White House singled out two amendments for criticism: one offered by Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) to shield chaplains from religious coercion, and the other by Rep. Steve Palazzo (R-Miss.) to ban same-sex "marriage" ceremonies on military bases. According to the White House, the President "strongly objects" to "any policies that would inhibit the ability of same-sex couples to marry or enter a recognized relationship...a troublesome and potentially unconstitutional limitation on religious liberty." Funny, the administration didn't seem to care all that much about the "limitation of religious liberty" when it came to Rep. Akin's amendment, which lets chaplains opt out of duties they find morally objectionable. "Liberals may have successfully ended 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' but they should not be allowed to force members of our military to give up their religious beliefs," said Congressman Akin. As far as the White House is concerned, allowing spiritual leaders to live by their faith is "harmful to good order and discipline." On the contrary, what would be harmful to good order and discipline is muzzling those who preach, teach, counsel, and console. This is a micro view of the macro problem that we've been warning would be a part of any same-sex "marriage" proposal. If the religious freedoms of our troops are disposable, then how could anyone believe that the administration won't broaden its attack to everyone who opposes homosexuality? For now, the dispute between the President's agenda and religious freedom is in the Senate's hands. Before it weighs the Defense Authorization bill, contact your leaders and ask them to respect the rights of our military. The American military is trying to resolve conflicts around the world. The last thing it needs is to be deployed in the President's war to legitimize homosexuality. Keeping up the Good Werk!
During my trip to the West Coast, I also joined my good friend and fellow Watchman Pastor, Jack Hibbs, at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills (CCCH). I had the opportunity to preach at all three services yesterday morning with the theme of how Jesus's followers are to be in--but not of--the world (John 17). CCCH is one of the many churches in FRC's growing Watchmen on the Wall network. Pastor Hibbs's church, like so many other Watchmen churches, are making huge impacts in their communities and states. If you'd like to know more about how your pastor can become a part of the network of churches transforming America, click here. Coming to America ...
** What does President Obama's same-sex "marriage" announcement have to do with electoral math? Find out in my new op-ed with Ken Blackwell on Fox News, "Why Obama's Gay Marriage Move Weighs against His Reelection." *** If you missed my interview on Fox News Business's "Lou Dobbs Tonight," check it out below.
|
This past weekend, I had the privilege of honoring a fellow Marine--FRC's own Doug Werk, who, along with his wife Shirley, has been a mainstay of this organization for more than 20 years. First as Vice President for Administration and later as Presidential Envoy, Doug anchored everything from the construction of FRC headquarters to the building of FRC's reputation as the premiere pro-family organization in Washington. On Saturday, we honored his decades of service at a special reception in Orange County. Without the Werks' passionate commitment to faith, family, and freedom, FRC would not be where it is today--among the strongest, most respected voices on Capitol Hill. Our deepest thanks to Doug and Shirley for inspiring generations of FRC staff to love God by fighting for America's best.
For Chen Guangcheng, it was a bittersweet trip to New York City. The blind pro-life activist, who escaped years of torture by Chinese authorities, is acutely aware of the family he leaves behind. His mother, brother, and nephew are still in China, their fate uncertain. But for today, the human rights attorney, his wife, and two children, will celebrate their first taste of freedom the Big Apple, where the family will make its home. "For the past seven years, I have never had a day's rest," Chen said. And he doesn't plan on taking one now--at least when it comes to his crusade against forced abortion and sterilizations. "We should link our arms and continue in the fight for the goodness in the world and to fight injustice," he told the press. Let's hope Chen's influence extends to his new home, where the inhumanity of abortion is so often ignored.