Free Republic

Divorce and unwed childbearing cost taxpayers at least $112 billion each year or more than $1 trillion over the last decade. This estimate from the Institute for American Values is, as the authors suggest, likely to be an underestimate. This staggering but plausible tally of the economic costs of family dissolution follows what we have long known about the social costs. All our major social ills -- poverty, violent crime, substance abuse, truancy and more -- are more closely linked to family breakdown and single-parent homes than to any other factor. A poor black child from an intact home is...

NEW YORK — Divorce and out-of-wedlock childbearing cost U.S. taxpayers more than $112 billion a year, according to a study commissioned by four groups advocating more government action to bolster marriages. Sponsors say the study is the first of its kind and hope it will prompt lawmakers to invest more money in programs aimed at strengthening marriages. Two experts not connected to the study said such programs are of dubious merit and suggested that other investments — notably job creation — would be more effective in aiding all types of needy families. There have been previous attempts to calculate the...

The battle over same-sex marriage in California heated up Thursday, when supporters of an initiative to ban it in the state's Constitution submitted more than 1.1 million signatures in an effort to qualify the measure for the November ballot.

The earliest American definition of liberty—stated frequently by the Founding Fathers—is about constraints on personal actions: if I don’t hurt anybody else, I should be free to pursue my own will. As Thomas Jefferson put it in his first inaugural address, “A wise and frugal Government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned.” Despite more recent attempts to expand our understanding of freedom to include claims on one another or...

Recently while wandering around the net in search of various game news I came across this reply to a post on Kotaku.com. The reply was in the form of a letter allegedly sent from Jack Thompson to the mother of Take-Two’s CEO Strauss Zelnick. Here is that letter: John B. Thompson, Attorney at Law 1172 S. Dixie Hwy., Suite 111 Coral Gables, Florida 33146 April 21, 2008 Mrs. Zelnick Strauss Zelnick, Take-Two Chairman’s Mother New York, New York Via e-mails to intermediaries Re: Your Son, Strauss Zelnick Dear Mrs. Zelnick: Your son, as you may know (or maybe you don’t...

The world has seen many cultures rise and fall. The common thread among all, from the Ancient Romans and Greeks to others, is that prior to their fall they became selfish, gluttonous and apathetic. They adopted the feel good and do it now mentality that today’s secularists feel is an invention of their own. Anyone who studies human nature should find it apparent that our Creator set up a system whereby gluttonous selfishness leads to apathy. It is therefore of no surprise that those who embody the “feel good, do it now” movement are so out of touch with the...

According to the sages of the Talmud, there are 70 families with 70 paths within the great Family of Man. And each individual has his or her path within a path. Yet, there is one universal basis for us all. At the dawn of human history, G-d gave man seven rules to follow in order that His world be sustained. So it is recounted in the Book of Genesis as interpreted by our tradition in the Talmud. There will come a time, our sages told us, that the children of Noah will be prepared to return to this path. That...

In the digital age, having an affair has never been easier. Author Angela Levin spent five months interviewing middle-class professionals for an extensive study that charts the rise of the no-strings-attached* relationship. In the first of a three-part investigation, she reveals why the UK is in the grip of an infidelity epidemic. 'Been left parked in the garage of marriage too long, battery getting flat and needs somebody to give it a spark of life, full tank and ready to go. "Present owner does not like going for a ride any more but am not up for sale. Seeking discreet...

Redefining Morality: Why a Torrent of Trouble Threatens to Engulf Us Today the major English-speaking nations watch as a storm of problems draws ever nearer, a storm created by hostile forces that blurred and weakened their sense of morality. Does the Bible indicate where we will go from here? by John Ross Schroeder A recent article in USA Today captures the essence of present discontent in the United States. It laments: "In poll after poll, two-thirds or more of Americans say the country is on the wrong track. Oil prices are near an all-time high. The president's popularity hovers near...

Elizabeth Pisani, an epidemiologist and blogger (at The Wisdom of Whores), has just published an article in the Guardian entitled “Spitzer’s true folly: A governor who pays for sex should know to mould social policies on reality, not morality.” Noting that the departing New York governor had championed a tough anti-prostitution law, Pisani writes that “the collective gloating [over his embarrassment] obscures an important truth: policies based on morality, not reality, don’t work.” Further on, she claims: “Morality, which is hard to define let alone to measure, is not a good basis for public policy. Science is a good basis...

Those planning on attending the Olympics have been warned that the Chinese government will be keeping close tabs on them while they’re in the country. The U.S. State Department advised that “All visitors should be aware that they have no reasonable expectation of privacy in public or private locations. Visitors should anticipate that they will be watched, taped and recorded wherever they go.” “We must guard against slander and immorality,” said Chinese Minister of Morality, Lo Wang. “Those who would speak ill of the Chinese government or attempt a ‘Spitzer’ in one of our hotels will be dealt with harshly.”...

Some Union teens choose LDS prom JOE MARUSAK Imagine a high school prom where dates are optional, the dress code is modest and the lyrics are clean. Imagine one that's free. Students from Union, Mecklenburg and surrounding counties have enjoyed such annual gatherings since 2003 through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The LDS proms, as the students and parents call them, are for ages 16-18 only and are held at a different LDS church throughout the region each year. This year's is March 15 at the LDS building on Lazy Lane in Mooresville. The proms draw up...

The president believes leaders of free countries should support morality and calls it a "sad day" when a leader such as New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer is found to have been patronizing prostitutes, possibly in violation of federal law. But he won't get into what other people think of Spitzer's activities. White House assistant press secretary Tony Fratto responded to questions from Les Kinsolving, WND's correspondent at the White House, on the New York situation that has dominated headlines for days. "Would it be accurate to say that our president realizes the great importance of any leader of a free...

I asked Col. Bruce T Smith for a legal opinion on what restrictions or laws Israel is subject to in its self defense and included the opinion in my post Bomb Gaza. Win the War.In sum: Israel is free to employ ALL munitions, tactics, equipment and personnel in her arsenal to defend herself against the outlaw Hamas terrorist organization. Short of the intentional targeting and murder of truly uninvolved and innocent civilians, Israel can (and should) operate as freely as she desires to protect her territorial sovereignty and the lives of her citizens. What could be clearer. Just the other...

Biology invades a field philosophers thought was safely theirs WHENCE morality? That is a question which has troubled philosophers since their subject was invented. Two and a half millennia of debate have, however, failed to produce a satisfactory answer. So now it is time for someone else to have a go. And at a panel discussion at the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting, a group of biologists did just that. Mark Hauser, of Harvard University, opened the batting by asking whether morality is more than just the refined application of the emotions. He thinks that it is....

The ONLY income that can be taxed under an Income Tax is that which is reported. That is the definition of an Income Tax. Who doesn't report their income: drug dealers, thieves, common criminals, illegal aliens, a lot of people who just get paid 'under-the-table' in cash, etc. The IRS estimates 25-30% of all 'income' is not reported and that lawful U.S. tax-payers have to make up over $700 BILLION per year to cover the tax-tab for these non-reporting crooks. Thus, U.S. tax policy effectively exempts all criminal activity from Federal taxation. A government makes an enterprise tax-exempt to ENCOURAGE...

ehudgins@atlassociety.org As he departed for a tour of Africa, President George W. Bush said the United States rejects "the paternalist notion that treats African countries as charity cases." I wish he would reject the paternalist notions of his own administration that treats American citizens as charity cases. No matter, let's consider that impoverished continent for a moment. Bush said, "I'm going to witness the generosity of the America people firsthand. It will give me a chance to remind our fellow citizens about what a compassionate people we are." Of course, the foreign aid taken from American taxpayers by the U.S....

A recent issue of the New York Times Magazine carried a long piece by cognitive psychologist Steven Pinker called “The Moral Instinct.” Pinker's article is part of the Darwinian Cleanup Project. This project is an attempt to plug the holes in Darwinism which has a very hard time accounting for-- a) the origin of life, b) consciousness and c) morality. Pinker begins with an interesting comparison between Mother Teresa, Bill Gates and Norman Borlaug (the father of the Green Revolution in agriculture). Pinker argues that while Mother Teresa may have had the noblest intentions, Gates and Borlaug probably did more...

Target department stores apparently haven't gotten the memo that dissing the Internet and bloggers can be a dangerous game for a retailer these days. And, Target isn't just dissing blogges and "non-traditional media" they might be claiming they won't even interact with them. All this over a new advertisement that shows a woman in Winter clothing, spread-eagled atop the Target logo, the center of which appears right between the model's spread legs. Just what the "target" here is, can be a pertinent question to ask and several consumer advocates are asking just that question. Amy Jussel of the organization Shaping...

...The starting point for appreciating that there is a distinctive part of our psychology for morality is seeing how moral judgments differ from other kinds of opinions we have on how people ought to behave. Moralization is a psychological state that can be turned on and off like a switch, and when it is on, a distinctive mind-set commandeers our thinking. This is the mind-set that makes us deem actions immoral (“killing is wrong”), rather than merely disagreeable (“I hate brussels sprouts”), unfashionable (“bell-bottoms are out”) or imprudent (“don’t scratch mosquito bites”). The first hallmark of moralization is that the...

One of the biggest obstacles facing what’s called the “New Atheism” is the issue of morality. Writers like Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, and Christopher Hitchens have to convince people that morals and values are possible in a society that does not believe in God. It’s important to understand what is not in doubt: whether an individual atheist or agnostic can be a “good” person. Of course they can, just as a professing Christian can do bad things. The issue is whether the secular worldview can provide a basis for a good society. Can it motivate and inspire people to be...

Last week, New York Times columnist Roger Cohen wrote a column titled "Secular Europe's Merits," in which he explained why he prefers the secularism of Europe to the religiosity of America. To his credit (other New York Times columnists do not generally agree to debate anything they write -- Paul Krugman, for example, has refused to discuss his new book on liberalism with me), Cohen agreed to come on my show, and proved to be a charming guest. A distinguished foreign correspondent for Reuters and the International Herald Tribune, Cohen nevertheless betrayed what I believe is endemic to those who...

Father Tom Euteneuer, the president of Human Life International, churns out good material for his "Spirit and Life" newsletter, and if you don't receive it regularly, you should. In his latest issue, Father Euteneuer explains why it's logical to estimate that in the years since Roe v. Wade, legal abortion has cost the United States: 2 US Presidents7 Supreme Court Justices 102 US Senators and 589 Congressmen8,123 Federal, district and local court judges31 Nobel Prize laureates328 Olympic medalists including 123 Gold medalists6,092 professional athletes134,841 physicians and surgeons392,500 registered nurses70,669 priests, ministers, rabbis and imams including6,852 priests and 11,010 nuns (vocations...

Having sex at early age has long been linked to a laundry list of health problems from an increased risk of sexual disease to an increased risk of cancer. But now, Columbia University and New York state researchers say waiting too long to have sex may carry its own risks, according to an ABCnews.com report. People who lose their virginity between the ages of 21 to 23 are more likely to suffer sexual dysfunction problems later in life, according to a study from Columbia University and the New York State Psychiatric Institute's HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies.

Bethan, 56, lives in southern England on the same street as best friend Allie, 64. They are on their first holiday to Kenya, a country they say is "just full of big young boys who like us older girls." Hard figures are difficult to come by, but local people on the coast estimate that as many as one in five single women visiting from rich countries are in search of sex. Allie and Bethan -- who both declined to give their full names -- said they planned to spend a whole month touring Kenya's palm-fringed beaches. They would do well...

The deepest foundation on which morality is built is the phenomenon of empathy, the understanding that what hurts me would feel the same way to you. And human ego notwithstanding, it's a quality other species share. While it's impossible to directly measure empathy in animals, in humans it's another matter. Here are some of the dilemmas used to study human morality. Take this quiz to see how you compare to other TIME.com readers.

America's college students are in a worrisome state of health, according to a study released yesterday. Most drink and are sexually active, many have been diagnosed with mental illness, and plenty are fat and in debt, says the University of Minnesota, which surveyed 10,000 students from 14 campuses across the state."College students face multiple risks to their health, and their behavior affects all parts of their existence," said Dr. Edward P. Ehlinger, director of the school's Boynton Health Service, which coordinated the research. It is the first comprehensive analysis of campus health issues, and it reflects national trends, Dr. Ehlinger...

ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) -- More than 1 million cases of chlamydia were reported in the United States last year -- the most ever reported for a sexually transmitted disease, federal health officials said Tuesday. "A new U.S. record," said Dr. John M. Douglas Jr. of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More bad news: Gonorrhea rates are jumping again after hitting a record low, and an increasing number of cases are caused by a "superbug" version resistant to common antibiotics, federal officials said Tuesday. Syphilis is rising, too. The rate of congenital syphilis -- which can deform or kill...

At the Democrats' presidential debate last week, the candidates were asked to comment on issues pertaining to education. This was Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd's response: "I've been asked the question over the years, 'What's the single most important issue?' I always say education because it is the answer to every other problem we confront as a people here." Needless to say, no other candidate took issue with Sen. Dodd, and it is likely that most senators, all the Democrats and many Republicans, would agree with the sentiment. But the sentiment is not only wrong, it is destructive. There are, of...

Changing our morality to fit the politically correct version of the day would cause our worship of God to be a mere vanity. In a national climate already inundated with ersatz, narcissism, vanity, pop culture nonsense and media fired tripe, who would willingly pull their feet off the only unmovable object left in the world, Jesus the Rock of our Salvation? He said “Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. (Mk 7:7)

Atheists can be good, but people who believe in God are more likely to value being good, a recent study showed. An analysis by sociologist and pollster Reginald Bibby of the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada, addressed the question "Do people need God to be good?" Polling 1,600 Canadians, the nationwide survey found that those who believe in God are consistently more likely than atheists to highly value such traits as courtesy, concern for others, forgiveness, generosity and patience. Believers are also more inclined to place high value on friendship, family life, and being loved. While God and religion...

As Prepared For Delivery "Thank you for your warm welcome. Thank you for the work you do to strengthen families and protect life. "I think those who know me would say that I am pro-family on every level, from personal to political. I know this: the greatest blessing in my life is Ann and our five sons and daughters-in-law and ten grandchildren. My driving motivation is to have our kids and grandkids grow up in an America that is safe, prosperous and strong. "To achieve that, it's not just what happens in the White House that matters, it is also...

There are many instances where pragmatism has its place. In its purest sense, pragmatism is simply engaging in conduct that emphasizes practicality. For example, if I decide to spend $60 for a pair of pants that will last me several years rather than spend $20 for a pair that may not make it past the first outing it could be said that my decision involved the exercise of pragmatism. That may work for pants but it doesn’t work for principles. Pragmatism may work well in the fashion world but it has no place in the world of public policy. There...

As Pope John Paul II wrote in Veritatis Splendor (The Splendor of Truth) the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, and through the magisterium, serves as the “pillar and bulwark of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15), particularly through its teaching of truth regarding moral action. Perhaps nowhere is this more evident than the tragedy of abortion, especially in contrast to where some (but certainly not all) Protestants stand on the issue, including two extremely influential Protestants: Bill and Hillary Clinton. No president did as much to advance legalized abortion as Bill Clinton, who is now poised to be exceeded in...

Even a "Raving Atheist" Can Be Pro-Life - Interview Special to LifeSiteNews.com by Laura Freeburn Editor's Note: The following, until now unpublished, interview was conducted with the popular blog personality "the raving atheist".  The blogger, a lawyer who will not divulge his real name, has nonetheless acquired pseudonymous fame.  He is featured, as "the raving atheist" in the anti-Christian documentary film 'The God who wasn't there". His pro-life convictions are based solely on scientific evidence for the life of the unborn.  He is firmly opposed to belief in God.  The interview is published here as it provides interesting insights.Is it...

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Explains Stand on Homosexuality to Council of Europe "Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin" By John-Henry Westen STRASBOURG, October 3, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In his first visit to the Council of Europe on a     mission to discuss inter-religious dialogue, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Alexy II, gave a spirited defence of Christian morality. He noted that the notion of human rights in Europe stems, at least in part from Christian morality. "Yet today there occurs a break between human rights and morality, and this break threatens the European civilization," he warned. "We can see...

Nursing a nagging headache and a sore throat, Gemma Pickwell queued at the pharmacy counter of her local Boots store on a chilly Saturday morning, her arms laden with cold remedies. She felt her cheeks flush as she then sheepishly muttered to the pharmacist that she also needed the morning-after pill. But Gemma's blushes were not simply prompted by the embarrassment of having to ask for such an emergency measure, or the fact that the night before she'd had drunken, unprotected sex with her boyfriend, but also because, shockingly, it was her 60th request for the drug in less than...

Help me out here, because IÂ’m not exactly sure how to view this story. ItÂ’s from the Associated Press, and runs like this: KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A woman accused of strangling a pregnant woman and cutting the baby from her womb with a kitchen knife watched in court Monday as attorneys began selecting a federal court jury for her trial. Prosecutors say the defendant, Lisa Montgomery, faked a pregnancy for nine months and was so desperate for a baby that she planned the December 2004 killing of 23-year-old Bobby Jo Stinnett, who was eight months pregnant. Montgomery, 39, is...

Advances in reproductive technology have proven to be a blessing to many a couple suffering with infertility. Thanks to these advances, couples, who in the past would have been unable to have children, now happily bounce them on their knees. However, as thrilling as these new technologies can be, their application can be fraught with moral hazard. Ethical lapses can be avoided by thinking clearly about the principles that ought to inform our decision making in this area. Principles of Human Dignity Let's begin by reflecting on the right to life. The first principle that ought to guide our thinking...

The first part of this article outlines Jonathan Haidt's theory of evolution and morality. Essentially, there are two types of morality--preverbal and postverbal. An interesting hypothesis and worthwhile in itself. The second part discusses conservative/liberal differences in morality. While problematical and disputable his take is interesting. They found that people who identified themselves as liberals attached great weight to the two moral systems protective of individuals — those of not harming others and of doing as you would be done by. But liberals assigned much less importance to the three moral systems that protect the group, those of loyalty, respect...

Map of Humanity by Rex Libris and Nil creator James Turner

Toronto Police Slough Off Gay Pride-Related Criminality By Tony Gosgnach TORONTO, September 11, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In response to media reports of apparently criminal moral and sexual excesses associated with this year’s “gay pride” events in Toronto this past summer – and what seemed to be a police conflict-of-interest with respect to them – the Life Ethics Information Centre wrote seeking clarification to the mayor of Toronto, David Miller, Police Chief William Blair and the chair of the Toronto Police Services Board, Alok Mukherjee. In its letter, the LEIC began by referring to a “Pride Week Reception” that the Toronto...

The Proper Role of Government On the question of the proper size and scope of government, a strong majority of Muslim Americans (70%) say they prefer a larger government that provides more services rather than a smaller government providing fewer services, a preference nearly identical to that of black Protestants. Among evangelicals (as well as white Catholics and white mainline Protestants), majorities express a preference for smaller government. Despite their relatively liberal political orientation, Muslims by no means take liberal positions on all issues. On social issues, they are more similar to white evangelicals. About 60% of Muslim Americans, for...

A British pro-life group warns that a new type of embryo research, likely to be approved this week by a U.K. government panel, undermines human dignity. Britain's Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority is expected to give a green light this week to U.K. laboratories seeking to create the first animal-human embryos for medical research using eggs taken from dead cows. British scientists want to use the hybrid embryos in order to research genetic diseases. Anthony Ozimic, political secretary for the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, opposes the embryo-destructive research. He says that an "a-nucleated" cow egg will only...

Anglican Schism over Homosexuality Widens Two American Episcopal Church Bishops re-ordained for service in Kenya Anglican Church By Hilary White NAIROBI, August 31, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Two American Bishops of the Episcopal Church in the US were re-ordained for service in the Anglican Church in Kenya on Thursday. The Times' Ruth Gledhill reports that the ordination, while seen as "valid," will likely be condemned as a further step towards a complete separation of what many now perceive as two Anglican Churches. The Right Rev William Murdoch and the Right Rev. Bill Atwood, formerly of Massachusetts and Texas, respectively, were consecrated...

The Decalogue, dangerous? The commandments certainly are regarded as hazardous by the Irritable-American community, which successfully petitions the courts to banish them from public life. At least these stalwart secularists give the Decalogue its due; most of us admire the Ten Commandments just enough to avoid taking them seriously. If we grasped how radical they truly are, we'd find them an offensive stumbling block to us middle-class moderns, who live in a rebellious age characterized by sociologist Daniel Bell as "the rejection of a revealed order, or natural order, and the substitution of the ego, the self, as the lodestar...

The California legislature is expected to approve this month a bill redefining “gender and “discrimination” in a way that poses a moral threat to California’s schoolchildren. According to Catholics for the Common Good (ccgaction.org), the bill, SB 777, would “promote discrimination against the Judeo-Christian understanding of human sexuality.” Termed the "Student Civil Rights Act," the bill’s intent, says the its author, Sheila Kuehl, is to protect California students from "bullying and harassment" and to "ensure a safe learning environment." The legislation’s main impact, however, would be to prohibit any "instruction, school activities, or instructional material" that "reflects or promotes a...

A week ahead of the Republican straw poll, evangelicals in Iowa find themselves with no sure presidential pick. Some believe the GOP presidential candidates have strayed from the moral issues that are essential to the Republican party platform, including abortion and same-sex “marriage.” "The whole faith and values conversation is falling by the wayside," said the Rev. Mike Rose, senior pastor of First Federated Church in Des Moines, according to The Des Moines Register. "The country as a whole feels there are issues more pressing at this time. The war with Iraq is on everybody's mind. Right to life and...

New Boycott Targets Named 7.24.2007 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Life Decisions International (LDI) will soon release a revised edition of The Boycott List, which identifies corporations that are boycott targets due to their support of Planned Parenthood, the world's leading abortion-advocacy group. "As a direct result of the commitment, action and prayers of pro-family people, at least 153 corporations have stop-ped funding Planned Parenthood," said LDI President Douglas R. Scott, Jr. It is estimated that the boycott has cost Planned Parenthood more than $35 million since the Corporate Funding Project (CFP) began some 15 years ago. "This should be a testament...

With onetime Republican presidential frontrunner Senator John McCain in meltdown, Mitt Romney suddenly finds himself under fire from some of the Christian right's most influential activists. Romney's evangelical critics claim the former Massachusetts governor and devout Mormon was complicit in the Marriott hotel chain's sale of pay-per-view porn on its in-room television sets when he served on the corporation's board of directors from 1992 to 2001. Two Christian-right operatives involved in orchestrating the charges have enlisted as Internet organizers for former Senator Fred Thompson, who is preparing to enter the race formally. The tactics of these religious-right players, targeted below...