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Pro-life - Abortion

An amazing, horrible, inspiring, heart-breaking, simply massive display!

This blast from the past appeared in the magazine 10 years ago in the October 2014 issue.

*****

Some injustices are on such a sheer scale as to be beyond comprehending. That's how it is with abortion in Canada - the number of dead are so large as to seem unreal. What does it mean that the equivalent of a city the size of Chilliwack, or Red Deer, or Brantford are killed each year? When we hear that more than 300 children a day are killed, does that number mean something tangible and understandable to us?

It probably does not – the sheer scale of this evil is just too enormous.

Our mission, then, was to make the incomprehensible understandable. So on the morning of October 2 the staff of ARPA Canada and more than 80 volunteers headed to Parliament hill to plant 50,000 pink and 50,000 blue irrigation flags on the front boulevard. Each flag represented a child who had been killed by abortion in the last year: 100,000 preborn children are killed each year in our country.

Background

This idea of a massive flag display came from my sister, who showed me pictures of some flag displays like it in the United States. The visual impact was impressive. I brought the idea forward to my colleagues. The largest display that we could find in the USA involved about 65,000 flags. Would we be able to pull off 100,000? How would we get permission, who would pay for it, and what impact could it have?

When we first approached Parliament with the idea, we were denied permission. It took multiple tries and a lot of communication from our Legal Counsel Andre Schutten before permission was granted. However, we were not allowed to put the flags into the main lawn that is right in front of Centre Block and the Peace Tower. We had to use the front boulevard. After looking at this closer, we realized that the boulevard had benefits which the front lawn didn’t. It extends much longer, is angled towards the busy Wellington Street, and can’t be missed by most of the MPs and public in the area.

Finding close to 100 volunteers who could commit to a full day wasn't easy, especially given that we decided to keep this project as quiet as possible because we did not want a counter-protest to get all the attention and distract from the powerful message.

Thankfully, about 40-50 brave youth and adults travelled from southern Ontario and as far as Alberta. Another 30-40 from Ottawa came as well, representing both Jubilee church and other ARPA friends from Ottawa’s broader pro-life and Christian community. A strong majority of the volunteers were youth. We are thankful that their parents allowed them to skip school for a day and we are confident that this was an educational experience they won’t forget.

The Day-of

ARPA staff met at 5:30 am, driving in Bruce Deboer’s now famous 15-passenger van, decked out in pro-life graphics and weighed down with 100,000 flags. We dropped the flags off in bundles of 1,000 pink and 1,000 blue, based on our previous calculations for lawn coverage.

At 6:45 the volunteers all met at the Centennial flame, in front of the Peace Tower. Campaign director Mike Schouten explained the procedure for the day, Grassroots director Bruce Deboer detailed the logistics of filling the lawn evenly with the flags, and I led the team in devotions, reading from Psalm 72 which prophetically speaks about our King Jesus Christ and his regard for the vulnerable. Verses from this Psalm are appropriately carved in the Peace Tower that was towering above us.

The volunteers spent the next 1.5 hours inserting flags into the grass, and when the flags were all up we all donned pink and blue t-shirts and brought out the large banners explaining what the display was about. Thankfully, no counter-protest was present and none formed all day. We spent the day handing out colorful cards which explained the cause and pointed to the WeNeedaLAW.ca website.

At 11:00 we held a press conference, accompanied by Members of Parliament Stella Ambler and Harold Albrect. It was an intentional decision to not expand the group of MPs – the goal was that the focus stayed on the grassroots Canadian public calling for justice, not the MPs. But having a respected male and female MP still made it clear to the media that there was a lot of support for what we are doing from within the walls of Parliament.

We continued to distribute the information tracts and talk with the MPs and public until 4:00 pm. The consensus was unanimous – this was an amazing day. But what impact did it have?

Impact #1: Visual

Before the flags were all up I looked down the boulevard and was caught off guard by the sea of flags. It was literally awe-inspiring and heart moving – far beyond what I expected. By the time they were all up, anyone who came to Parliament Hill not only noticed it, they were blown away. From construction workers who were making renovations to one of the Parliament buildings, to the MPs and staff, to the media, all were visibly moved.

The sheer beauty and size of the display led many to ask, “what is this all about?” As soon as we explained it represented 100,000 abortions, it was clear that the message hit home. “Wow” was a constant sentiment we heard.

For example, early in the morning a TV cameraman from one of Canada’s leading national stations came by. He started filming what he saw, turned back towards his office but then stopped, pulled out his camera again and did more filming. When we approached him to ask if he would like to arrange an interview he exclaimed that the visuals of this were so staggering that it did not even need words. He quipped that his editor would not appreciate the fact that he took far more footage than usual – he couldn’t help himself.

Impact #2: Parliament

We were able to interact with dozens of MPs and Senators. Many of them intentionally came out to us to talk, often expressing their immense appreciation and awe. They had never seen anything like this before. As a result, some pro-abortion MPs, like NDP leader Thomas Mulcair, came by to ask what was going on and how we got permission to do this. And pro-life MPs were emboldened. They started tweeting pictures of it, leading their colleagues to do the same.

One MP had told me the day before that he was not comfortable promoting the display and wasn’t sure if he would publicize it. But when he saw it, saw his colleagues promoting it, and saw how peaceful and positive it was, he did at least three tweets about it.

MP Harold Albrecht did an extensive in-studio TV interview with Sun New, about our display. He sounded like an ambassador for WeNeedaLAW and noted that he was so proud to see how civil and positive we were, engaging on such a sensitive issue.

Towards the end of the day I stood outside of Centre block as the MPs were leaving after Question Period. Dozens streamed out and, judging from their responses to our information card, every single one knew what the display was about.

One MP commented to us that early in the morning the MPs in the Parliamentary restaurant were going to the windows, checking out what we were doing as we were setting it up. Another MP said that he was in the elevator with four other MPs and they were asking what it was all about, giving him an opportunity to share exactly what it was about.

Another MP, who we didn’t know prior, was caught off guard by the display as she stepped out of her office. I had a chance to walk with her from her office to Centre Block. By the end of the walk, she asked for pictures of her among the flags and volunteers so that she could share it with her constituency.

One MP was so encouraged by the flags he asked if he could give a video message to our supporters, thanking them (you). You can find that on the WeNeedaLAW.ca website. Watch it and be encouraged.

Impact #3: Media, conventional and social

Early in morning the story had already been picked up a large local radio station so commuters were hearing about it every half-hour on the news. It was featured in two different shows on Sun News (the interview with Harold Albrecht as well as a separate in-studio interview with Mike Schouten). Both of these featured extensive video of the display and our press conference. They were very positive – almost to the point of being a lengthy endorsement. Other TV cameras filmed the display throughout the day, though it is hard to know where this went. We are beginning to see glimpses of it spread throughout the Internet. For example, it was Yahoo News’ featured “photo of the day,” as well as being one of the pictures of the day for BBC News website.

Outside of the mainstream, the story was picked up by the largest pro-life sites in North America as a lead story. But one of the biggest impacts was via social media. Our supporters, including many of you, shared the pictures far and wide – reaching tens of thousands of people from every corner of Canada within hours.

One of our volunteers who lived in Ottawa commented to me that she helped with the flag set-up but then had to go to her university class. She told one of the other students what she was dong early that morning on Parliament Hill. That student happened to be on Facebook at the time and showed her a picture of the display on her feed. Although she was not aware the display was even happening, she was made aware thanks to people who shared the pictures to all their friends.

It was so exciting to get emails and text messages from our friends and supporters from around the country. They were seeing the pictures and cheering us on.

Impact #4: For the volunteers

Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of the entire display was the impact it had and will continue to have on the volunteers.

Many of the people who helped us had never done anything like this before. Yes, they were aware of the issue and have talked about abortion with family and friends. But it is something completely different to stand on a busy street in downtown Ottawa, wearing a bright t-shirt and engaging passersby about the delicate issue.

One lesson that stands out above most others from my career is that talking and writing about an issue is nothing like having to directly bring that issue to a secular audience. Many of the women walking by have had abortions. Others were experts and professionals. We were 12-year-old students and 67-year-old seniors, and many of us had never done anything like this.

When we take our convictions to the next level – action – it results in changed hearts and minds and gives us the courage and experience to keep doing this the rest of our lives. This makes it easier to apply our faith to other issues and people, including outside of the political realm. As our society becomes increasingly secular, this is so important.

I was moved by the stories from the volunteers who shared the conversations and their responses to people going by. Their parents, pastors, and teachers must have done a good job educating them because they demonstrated grace-filled and truth-filled responses to the difficult questions and challenges. For example, one pro-abortion man challenged a couple of young teen volunteers to stop “imposing their religion” on women and society. By the end of the conversation he said, “you sure know your stuff!”

Never once during the day did I see any of the volunteers acting disrespectfully or responding inappropriately – keep in mind that many were young teens who were skipping school. This was noticed! One MP who we had never interacted with us before was so impressed with the conduct that he joined us after the day was over and made a speech, standing on the edge of the centennial flame fountain, expressing how impressed he was with the witness of the volunteers.

Moving forward

ARPA has made 5 separate display packages, each with 10,000 flags, with the purpose of having them move through Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, and BC, reaching towns and cities throughout Canada in the years to come. We are looking to you to make use of these! They include banners, information tracts, and t-shirts. And it comes at no cost! We are encouraging that they be used beyond the Reformed community. They can be shared with all pro-life groups. Contact ARPACanada.ca for more information.

We thank God for the freedom, the means, and the level paths that he provided to turn one idea into a strong voice for justice for our preborn neighbors.

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In a Nutshell

Tidbits – September 2024

Lord of the Rings on dating If you’re having trouble mustering the courage to ask out the girl you’re interested in, just know you aren’t alone. Dilly-dallying when it comes to dating is common to many a man… and even a hobbit or two. As a certain Jesse Cox tweeted, in the Lord of the Rings films we see: “… Samwise Gamgee traveled across the world and carried his best friend up a volcano in order to gain the courage to ask out a girl who was already interested in him.” Samwise did finally get around to it, and his Rosie said yes, and they went on to have 13 kids. But hobbits live longer than we do, so if you’re going to have 13 kids too, don’t be dithering as long as Sam! Dads rock “If masculinity were truly toxic, then kids growing up without fathers would presumably be better off than those who have them. But they’re not.” – Noelle Thea I wish this guy had won The new girls' team? This past election I recognized the gentleman at the door as a fellow youth league basketball coach. He was running for the public school board, so we got to talking about what he’d do when the transgenderism the government was pushing made an appearance in our small town. What would he do if a visiting girls' basketball team included a couple of very confused guys? His answer? He’d get the guys' team to identify as girls, just for the day, then beat the out-of-towners by a hundred or so. And, hopefully, that would put an end to that. I’ve shared his plan with friends, and the question comes up: would it be honest? I think so, and far more honest than letting the transgender lie go unopposed. After all, no one involved in this stunt – on either team or in the stands – would think our boys are really saying they are girls. These young men would be making the exact opposite point, loudly and clearly, and be protecting our girl athletes too. If we wanted to be even more up front we could have our guys explain that they “identify as girls to the same extent that #3 and #11 on the other team are girls.” No lie there. We can see this sort of thing in the Bible too – consider how the prophet Nathan used an entirely fictitious scenario to have David judge his own adultery (2 Sam. 12:4). The Bible teaches (see also 1 Kings 20:27-43, not to mention Josh. 2:1-7) that there is a time when a lie can serve the truth. In this high school setting the real deception is on the other side, and the proposed stunt would only expose their lie. Last year Canadian powerlifting coach Avi Silverberg did something like this in his sport. The bearded Silverberg showed up at a women’s event, and then, according to the New York Post, he “casually bench-pressed nearly 370 pounds,” beating the previous Alberta women’s record by almost 100 pounds. And who held that record before him? A confused guy by the name of Anne Andres. Silverberg exited without explaining himself, but his point was quite clear. Christians could do something like this and be even clearer. The problem isn’t primarily that these confused men are ruining women’s sports. The real battle is over whether God made us male and female (Gen. 1:26-27). For the sake of our confused world we need to bring them God’s clear proclamation, and not simply the half measure of someone's common sense. Darkness is an opportunity to show the way, shining the light of the Gospel – it's an opening for evangelism, if we take it. Then and now “The early church wanted to know 'What must I do to be saved?’ Today’s church is asking, 'What can I do and still be saved?’” – Paul Washer Same outfit on repeat Author Amy Krouse Rosenthal once decided to conduct a year-long experiment that involved wearing basically the same outfit every day – a solid black top and gray pants, with the occasional black dress thrown into the mix. She had several of each, enough to make laundry easy to manage. She didn’t tell anyone about her experiment except for family and a few close friends. As she described the experiment, it seems like she didn’t even know why she was doing it. A bit of it was about how it might be freeing to never have to spend time thinking about what she would wear. But it wasn’t like she spent all that much time thinking about it in the first place. After more than six months of it, she was getting tired of her limited options, and found that “getting dressed was always easy but never pleasing.” Still, she finished off the year. And, after 12 months, here was her biggest illumination: “No one noticed. Not one single person ever said to me, Amy, why are you wearing those same gray pants and black shirt every time I see you? This information is equal parts humbling, depressing, and liberating." Humbling, yes, to realize that folks aren’t paying much attention to us. But liberating, too, because it means that as embarrassed as you might have felt today, folks probably aren’t going to remember how you tripped over your own feet. Getting cut down to size can be a very good thing, so long as we remember Who really is the center of the universe, and remember too, our special status, being made in His Image (Gen 1:26-27). Down low on the Down Under Did you know that boomerangs are Australia’s biggest export? And they're also their biggest import. A poem for the upcoming election season I met a traveller from an antique land Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed: And on the pedestal these words appear: "My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!" No thing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away. — Percy Shelley, "Ozymandias" Hasn’t he heard “Boy named Sue”? “I don’t like country music, but I don’t mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means ‘put down.’” – Bob Newhart Best ads from the 2024 US election Election campaign ads are too often just name-calling but every now and again they say something significant. What follows are a few of this year’s more revealing ads. A Trump campaign ad highlighted how Kamala Harris has supported taxpayer-funded sex changes for prisoners. The ad’s tagline? “Kamala’s for they/them; Trump is for you.” In an ad for Kamala Harris, voters were urged to vote for change: “There’s promise that lies in change, and the time for change is now… it’s time for hope, for change….” The Babylon Bee spoof of the ad wasn’t all that different: “'I will fix things if you vote me into office,' says woman currently in office.” The Constitution Party ran an ad that pulled no punches: “… We’re reaping what we’ve sown. The blood of millions of babies cries for vengeance, and God hears their blood. We must repent as a nation to avoid the wrath of God for killing His children. That means we must stop voting for Democrats that murder babies by abortion." In a nostalgic turn, the Trump campaign shared Ronald Reagan’s closing comments from his 1980 debate with Jimmy Carter: “Are you better off than you were four years ago? Is it easier for you to go buy things in the store than it was four years ago? Is there more or less unemployment in the country than there was four years ago? Is America as respected throughout the world as it was? Do you feel that our security is as safe? That were as strong as we were four years ago? If you don’t think that this course that we’ve been on for the last four years is what you would like to see us follow for the next four, then I could suggest another choice that you have.” Thermostat, not thermometer "There was a time when the Church was very powerful – in the time when the early Christians rejoiced at being deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed. In those days the Church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society. Whenever the early Christians entered a town, the people in power became disturbed and immediately sought to convict the Christians for being 'disturbers of the peace' and 'outside agitators.' But the Christians pressed on, in the conviction that they were ‘a colony of heaven,’ called to obey God rather than man. Small in number, they were big in commitment... By their effort and example, they brought an end to such ancient evils as infanticide and gladiatorial contests. Things are different now. So often the contemporary church is a weak, ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound….” – Martin Luther King Jr....

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Animated, Movie Reviews

Tangled

Animated / Family 2010 / 100 min RATING: 9/10 In the original Rapunzel tale, her hair is very long, but still just hair. In Tangled, these long tresses are used as a whip, swing, and even as rope to tie a bad guy up. But the biggest upgrade is that her hair now has the power to restore youth. It's this last addition that caught the attention of a very old witch. Our story starts with Witch Gothel whisking the baby Rapunzel away to a hidden tower deep in the woods. The magical restoration only works if it's adminstered regularly, so the witch wants to keep Rapunzel forever, so the witch can be young forever. Years later, a teenage Rapunzel is still in the tower, but not a captive exactly. As far as she knows Gothel is her mother, and if Mother says Rapunzel needs to stay in to stay safe, then that's what Rapunzel is going to do. Even if she doesn't like it. Then the roguish, handsome, thieving Flynn Ryder shows up, fleeing from this story's version of the police. He's the first man Rapunzel has ever seen, so, quite naturally, she hits him with a frying pan. Was it love at first "clunk"? Maybe not quite the first, but there were clunks to follow, so it might have been one of those. Rapunzel convinces Flynn to help her explore the outside world. Soon this becomes a chase film, with Mother Gothel, and all the King's men, trying to capture one or the other of the pair. As I reread the original Rapunzel fairytale I was struck by how it's more problematic than the Disneyfied retelling. The original has Rapunzel's mom and dad stealing a plant, rapunzel, from their neighbor. Their neighbor is a witch, but still, when did stealing become something the good guys did? In the fairytale, Rapunzel gets impregnated by the prince before they are married, though children might not even realize (parents will clue in when Rapunzel talks about how, for some reason, her clothes are getting tight). So, Disney improved on the original by cutting these elements. Cautions The weirdest parts of this movie are a couple of brief appearances of a small, old, bearded outlaw who wears nothing but a diaper and wings. He seems to be imitating a baby Cupid. Really, really odd but, thankfully, very brief. There's lots of comic violence, with people getting hit repeatedly in the head with a frying pan. No big thing, except if you have kids young enough to think this is something they can imitate. There is an element of magic, but played mostly in a negative light – the witch Mother Gothel is the villain of the piece. Conclusion A niece loves this film and introduced it to our daughters, and in the half-dozen times we've seen it since, we've all enjoyed it every time. It might be a bit too frantic and at times scary for the under-10 group, but for everyone else, this will be a very fun pick for family movie night. Check out the trailer below. ...

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Drama, Movie Reviews

Little Women (1994)

Drama 1994 / 118 min Rating: 9/10 Taking only minor liberties with Louisa May Alcott's book, Little Women tells the tale of Marmee March’s four daughters: Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy as they grow up in the shadow of the US Civil War. Each sister is quite the character, with Meg, the older sister, who dreams of marriage and starting her own family, Jo the tomboy who wants to write, the sickly but caring Beth who is always thinking of others, and the spoiled littlest sister Amy who does some growing up, becoming a lovely young lady. This is all about family, coming together in hardship when Beth gets sick, and coming together for family fun too, like when all the sisters take parts in a play written by Jo. Oh, and there's also falling in love too! Cautions Nowadays, if a film isn't made by Christians, it seems almost a given that it is going to have some sort of vulgarity, blood-splattering violence, or woke agenda. Little Women has none of it. Yay! The worst I can think of is a few strange references to Transcendentalism (an early New Age movement) but it is referred to only in passing. Conclusion This may be appreciated more by the ladies: a female friend has watched this 10 times while her husband thought once was more than enough. However, if you are a fan, you'll want to check out the 1949 version, which is both funnier and sadder, but also a bit harder to follow if you aren't already familiar with the book. A 1933 version is over the top, but the 1940 sequel of sorts, called Little Men, is another good one. Check out the trailer below. ...

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Documentary, Movie Reviews, Science - Creation/Evolution, Watch for free

Mountains after the Flood

Documentary 2023 / 102 minutes Rating: 7/10 The folks who brought us Is Genesis History, have crafted a sequel of sorts. Host Del Tackett is back, and just as inquisitive as ever. Mountains after the Flood looks at areas of the Grand Canyon, and exposed layers around the world, including in our mountains, to show how quickly they were formed. The conventional evolutionary thinking is that all these layers took eons to form. However, there are folds in these rock layers... and how could that be? If these layers took so long to form then they would have been hardened and unable to fold – any bending would have resulted in cracks and fracturing instead. So these smooth folds serve as evidence against the prevailing "long age" dating of the Grand Canyon. But what if, instead of forming over hundreds of thousands of years, the folds were formed quickly in the cataclysmic aftermath of the Flood? Then the layers wouldn't be the result of millions of years, but would have been rapidly formed as the sediment settled during the Flood. And the bending could have happened while the layers were still soft. Under these circumstances we would understand how these still soft layers could have been bent over on themselves without cracking. Mountains after the Flood is more technical than the previous film, and that's part of the point. In addition to exploring the evidence for the Flood, Tackett and his crew are also trying to show what doing good creation science really involves. They want to show its rigor, and highlight its credibility – what they are doing here is following well-established scientific protocols to produce findings that can't be dismissed and need to be contended with. While there's loads of information for anyone already interested in the subject, this is not a film I’d show anyone, kids or adults, to try and get them interested. For that I'd point to the original Is Genesis History (which is reviewed, and can be watched for free, at this link). The producers have all sorts of supplementary material at IsGenesisHistory.com that is well worth exploring. And now they've made Mountains after the Flood available to watch for free, so start watching below! ...

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News

The IVF gendercide

Critics of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) have long warned that the technology could be used to customize children, allowing parents and doctors to effectively play God. According to a recent Slate article, which sounded like a review of the movie Gattaca, those fears were well-founded. According to the article, "You can have a baby when it suits your career, thanks to egg freezing (or at least you can try). You can sequence your embryos’ genomes for $2,500 a pop and attempt to maximize your future child’s health (or intelligence, attractiveness, or height) ... you can even select eye color. There is a vast disparity between who gets to use IVF... and who is using it to create designer families." Another example is sex selection. Numbers vary from clinic to clinic, but one Los Angeles-based IVF clinic estimates that about 85% of its patients engage in sex selection. However, which sex is being selected is surprising. Historically, when parents choose between sons and daughters – think of China under its one-child policy or Romans who practiced infanticide by exposure – boys won out. Today, Americans using IVF are abandoning the sons in favor of daughters. “Abandoning” is the correct term when it comes to IVF. Standard procedure involves the creation of anywhere between five and 10 embryos that are then implanted either one at a time or in multiples. Embryos that are not implanted are frozen, donated to medical research, or worse, destroyed, a tragedy because every embryo is a whole life in its very earliest stage. Today, an estimated 1.5 million embryos are stored in freezers in the U.S. Why are Americans voluntarily abandoning these boys? According to the Slate article, “toxic masculinity” is a main concern for many women (even those who are already boy moms). Boys are, after all, more likely to be mass shooters and less likely to help break glass ceilings. Perhaps some parents think that raising daughters will be easier. While some have rightly noted that sex selection is inescapably sexist, underneath the practice is something far more insidious. Parenthood is widely seen as a consumerist activity. Children are viewed in the same way as pets or plants. They are objects to be acquired rather than persons whose intrinsic dignity must be respected. For many parents, children exist to serve their happiness, whether to be a parent’s “bestie” or to fulfill their parent’s hopes and dreams. It's difficult to imagine that some of the factors behind the dramatic increase of young females experiencing gender dysphoria are not at work here as well. Girls are thought to be more malleable, in terms of personality, appearance, and even identity. It may be consumerist parents prefer girls instead of boys for this reason. Whatever the motives, the practice of IVF is enabling a “gendercide,” a term used by The Economist in 2010 to describe why 100 million girls were missing in China, India, and elsewhere. Despite claims that IVF is all about “fertility” and bringing children into the world, the practice must be evaluated according to how it’s actually practiced – not just by what it promises. Infertility is tragic, but it does not warrant an “anything goes” kind of ethic or policy. It certainly cannot justify a push for designer babies and third-party parenting. Even the wonderful “ends” of a new life cannot justify unethical means. The lack of regulation around IVF is a recipe for disaster, a recipe already serving up more deaths than lives. This Breakpoint was co-authored by Jared Hayden. If you’re a fan of Breakpoint, leave a review on your favorite podcast app. For more resources to live like a Christian in this cultural moment, go to breakpoint.org. This is reprinted with permission from the Colson Center. Photo credit: IStockPhoto.com / Wirestock....

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News

Sports betting explodes across Canada

Since Canada legalized sports betting in 2021, the industry has exploded, and last week the Edmonton Oilers and the Alberta government were just the latest to cash in. On Sept. 9 the Oilers announced that they were getting sponsored by Play Alberta – the government’s own online gambling platform – to put a patch on the team’s home jerseys. Many fans weren’t impressed; an online poll by the Edmonton Journal’s hockey writer David Staples had the majority annoyed with the Oilers for degrading their uniform. But what about a government that promotes a vice that harms their own citizens? Those harms aren’t limited to Alberta. With three years of data on hand, the Christian think tank Cardus has just published an extensive report about the hidden harms of sports betting in Ontario. Their report shared that sports viewers in Ontario now get hit with 2.8 gambling references every minute of a live sports broadcast. The advertising is effective – the number of sports betting accounts is climbing quickly in Ontario, from 492,000 in the first quarter of 2023, to 1.3 million today. The average being lost by each of those 1.3 million gamblers is $283 each month. As is always the case with gambling, the biggest winner is the company, organization, or government behind the scheme. Revenue from betting increased from an already huge $368.1 million to a staggering $588 million just from 2023 to 2024. It isn’t only sports betting that has taken off. Revenue from casino gaming saw an even greater spike, doubling from $854.8 million to $1.78 billion. Gambling is bad stewardship of what God has entrusted to us, because the odds are always stacked in favor of the house. Even if you do win it is only because your neighbor has lost, and lost big. And gambling is also addictive – sadly, those who have the least to steward are often the most likely to be hurt by this addiction, adding the additional yoke of debt to their already-challenging lives....

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Articles, Family, Movie Reviews

A century of cinema for your family

20+ great films for you and your kids to time travel through the last 100 years ***** While most other art forms have been around for centuries and millennia, “motion pictures” have only existed for just over a century. Back in March of 1895, two Frenchmen, the Lumière brothers, had a public screening of their black and white, silent, 46-second-long film Employees Leaving the Lumière Factory. And while that was as boring as it sounds, improvements started coming fast and frequently – later that same year they showed a 40-second comedy of sorts, The Tables Turned on the Gardener. The title character is using a hose to water his plants and when the water pressure drops, he looks down his hose to find out why. And that’s when the boy who’d been stepping on his hose lets the water resume – a first go at cinematic slapstick. In the decades that followed we got plot, then color, and eventually sound. Cinema brought different art forms together – writing, acting, costuming, cinematography, music, construction, and more – and it took filmmakers about a quarter century to really figure out how to gel them all. So it isn’t until the 1920s that we get films that begin to stand the test of time, and can entertain still. Now it’s never been that easy to find quality movies for kids, and even less so when you have Christian standards for what your family watches. But if you expand your choices beyond what’s come out in the past year, it does get a little easier. And if you want to mix some education along with your entertainment, then now might be a great time to introduce your kids to great movies of the past. You can show them the ways the world has changed and the ways it hasn’t, and they can learn that newer is not always better! To make it easy to do, we’ve created a list of suggestions for you from movies we’ve previously reviewed. Travel backwards in time from today to the 1920s to see a hundred years of cinema history. And by heading backward one movie at a time, you can slowly get your children used to the very different pace and look of the older movies. All the films that follow are linked to their longer reviews, so if there are any cautions, you can see what they are by clicking the titles. 2020s Paw Patrol: the Movie Who hasn’t heard of Paw Patrol by now? But rest assured you don’t have to have watched the show to enjoy the movie. When an incompetent mayor runs amok in Adventure City, the pups have to help clean up the chaos. This film is good old-fashioned fun. The Super Mario Bros. Movie If your kids are a bit older, they might enjoy this fun romp through the world of Mario Bros. Mario and his brother Luigi get sucked into a strange and colorful land, where Mario has to rescue everyone from the dreadful Bowser. 2010s Tangled This retelling of Rapunzel is a favorite of many. Rapunzel has been told she needs to stay in the tower to stay safe, but when she meets a thief named Flynn, she gets an opportunity to leave and explore the wider world. A highlight is her versatile hair and all the ways she uses it to help her and Flynn get out of tight situations! The Peanuts Movie This movie brings in all the silly fun of the comic and leaves out some of the melancholy. Charlie Brown tries a variety of activities to impress the Little Red-Haired Girl, and is helped out by his friends. Will he succeed? 2000s Pollyanna Orphaned Pollyanna teaches her aunt and neighbors about the “Glad Game” her father taught her – this game involves striving to find something to be glad about in even the most difficult situations. Throughout the movie, things happen that make it very hard for her to stay “glad” – will Pollyanna stop playing her game? Chicken Run This one is for teens and maybe tweens but not younger – a clever claymation homage to the World War II prisoner escape genre, this takes place on a chicken farm, with the hens working together to plan a mass exodus. But they'll have to get past the Nazi guards farmer and his dogs first. This might be more for dads and their lads, but kids with an interest in World War II history should appreciate this. 1990s Little Women Four sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, come together through hard times their family experiences, and do their best to grow up into good young women. Toy Story All of the Toy Story movies are worth watching, but the first one came out all the way back in 1995, making it a great fit for the 1990s. Andy’s toys – Woody, Mr. Potato Head, Little Bo Peep, and more – all come to life when no people are around. Then a new toy, Buzz Lightyear, arrives to make Woody jealous. Both adults, and children as young as 12, can really appreciate this one (a bully and his initially creepy toys might be too much for the younger crowd). 1980s An American Tail Animated films are often assumed to be “just” for children, but the best of them use the art form to showcase stories for all ages – which means this could be a great film for the whole family! An American Tail explores the story of immigration, which is something many of us are familiar with as a result of our own family histories with immigration. The Fox and the Hound A fox and a hound meet and become the best of friends... but as they grow up, will their friendship last? They’re told foxes and hounds are natural enemies. This is a classic film with strong lessons about racism contained in it. 1970s The Hobbit While the live-action Hobbit trilogy hit big screens in the 2010s, the initial animated version came out in 1977. It has a lot to offer, and is not split into three parts! The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh Who doesn’t love Winnie the Pooh? This movie contains several classic Pooh stories, and is a perfect way to introduce children to Pooh and his friends. 1960s The Incredible Journey Another classic movie based on a book. In this story, two dogs and a cat have to find their way back to their family, who are over 200 miles away. Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates A movie set in the Netherlands! Young Hans has to support his family, but he struggles to afford both food for them all, and medicine for his father. So he enters a 26-mile skating race with a big prize. Will he win? 1950s Jack and the Beanstalk Abbott and Costello, the well-known comedy duo from the 40s and 50s, star in this version of Jack and the Beanstalk. It’s slapstick, so some parental explanation might be needed for kids to get the jokes and comic physical humor, but kids will surely enjoy all the zany antics. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea A mysterious “sea monster” is destroying ships in the ocean, and three men are sent out to discover what it is, and stop it. It turns out not to be a sea creature, but a submarine! The three of them are taken aboard and start to learn all about its mysterious captain... 1940s My Friend Flicka A classic story of the love between a boy and his horse – a wild colt who needs to be tamed, and a boy who daydreams his way through school. Maybe they can both help each other grow up. A few cautions: for children who love horses, the death of a horse in this movie might be a tough watch, and the pace of this movie is slower, especially by modern movie standards. Lassie Come Home A boy is forced to sell his beloved and loyal dog Lassie when his family can’t afford to feed her anymore. Lassie’s new owner takes her to Scotland, but she is determined to find her way home, and goes through some serious adventures on her long journey. 1930s The Prince and the Pauper Stories about switched identities are fun, and this is one of the classic versions. A poor boy and a prince realize they look almost identical, and after they switch clothes they’re both mistaken for the wrong boy. Will the wrong boy end up crowned king? This is a black-and-white film, and is slower paced, but many children 9 and up will enjoy it. The Adventures of Robin Hood This film is consistently mentioned as the classic version of Robin Hood on screen, which went on to influence all the others. No dark and gritty retellings of Robin here! Our review lists four reasons you’ll never find a better version than this one. 1920s Sherlock Jr. We’re getting into movies old enough that some children will find them very, very different from modern movies... that said, most children do enjoy the silent films that are jam-packed with action! This could be a great opportunity to expand their viewing – and yours. Our first recommendation for silent films is Sherlock Jr., which is also free online if you click the title. Seven Chances Another silent film! Jimmie has seven chances to find someone to marry that day, in order to fulfill the conditions to inherit his grandfather’s fortune. Conclusion And that, then, is a collection of 22 films covering just over a century of cinema. If you do end up working your way through this list with your family, please let us know your thoughts, especially on the older ones. What were your favorites? We hope you find some gems! To find even more film recommendations, including many films for younger children, be sure to check out our list of 200+ movies King David might watch....

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Liberal MP reminds journalist who holds the purse strings

Ongoing funding of Canada’s media by the federal Liberal government appears to be emboldening some government officials to demand favorable reporting. On Sept. 7, Liberal MP Taleeb Noormohamed weighed in on a tweet made the previous day by Terry Newman, a senior editor at the National Post. Newman’s tweet on X was critical of immigration minister Marc Miller specifically and the Liberal government overall, and that didn’t sit well with Noormohamed who replied with his own public post: “Your paper wouldn’t be in business were it not for the subsidies that the government that you hate put in place....” Newman was quick on the draw. “Okay. You win. You pay my salary,” she replied.  “I’ll stop criticizing your government now. Please don’t fire me.” Mr. Noormohamed is well aware of the National Post’s funding, since he sat on the “National Forum on the Media” parliamentary committee this summer where he argued that since reporters were taking government money and were still remaining critical of the government, clearly such funding wasn’t a problem. However, now, only a couple months later, he is the one making what appears to be an implicit threat to a journalist who dares challenge his government. For years now the Liberal government has been channeling hundreds of millions of dollars to media outlets that meet their criteria. “We’re pretty close, by my estimation, to a 50 percent wage subsidy on journalist salaries up to $85,000 per year,” noted Rudyard Griffiths, executive director of The Hub, a relatively new non-profit media organization that has been very intentional about not taking government funding. A recent poll has found that more Canadians say “a lot of the news is just government propaganda” than “the news is fair and transparent.” And almost twice as many respondents said “I don’t think I get the truth from mainstream news in Canada,” as said “I get the truth from the news.” Media outlets have been struggling financially in recent years as the public is increasingly unwilling to pay for a publication, relying instead on social media and other online content to stay informed. The federal government stepped in to help with direct funding, including a $595 million dollar bailout and a “Special Measures for Journalism” fund that provides tens of millions in cash to numerous publications each year. But one of the inevitable consequences of a government-funded media is that it makes it difficult for the public to trust that such media is independent of the government, and able to report objectively about the government’s decisions....

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Saturday Selections – September 7, 2024

The importance of "social trust" What can we do when people stop trusting? One common approach is to outsource trust to the government. Get the government to inspect, certify, and license folks to prove they are trustworthy. The problem here is that this makes trust an expensive commodity: licenses, inspections, and certifications all cost money and time. And it also presupposes that the one entity we can trust is our government, and their competence to be able to assess everyone else. The video supposes we can turn the tide by being trustworthy ourselves. That's a start, certainly, but while that would benefit your customers, it wouldn't benefit your interactions with the rest of your untrustworthy society. What this video is calling for then (though it doesn't know it) is revival. Only God can change hearts en masse! It's a young world after all On offer here, four evidences of a young solar system. 11 things to know when Jehovah’s Witnesses are at the door They might present themselves as Christian, but they believe in a very different God. How do we give hope and help to women who struggle with postpartum depression? Two biblical counselors offer hope in this 30-minute podcast that's also available as a 15-minute read. Are the "5 Love Languages" real? Gary Chapman's 1992 bestseller The Five Love Languages proposed that there are 5 very different ways that people express love, and that we could all get along better if we understood each other's primary love language. I had a friend who benefitted from the book when she realized that while she appreciated physical affection – she was a hugger – her mom just wasn't. But, she'd often buy her daughter presents. Chapman's book helped my friend realize how often her mom was thinking of her, how much her mom did indeed love her, even though her mom never gave her an encouraging hug. So, for some the book was quite impactful. But further study finds that while we might have different tendencies, our "love languages" aren't as distinct as the book made them seem. Even my friend's dear ol' mom, who wasn't a hugger, might have appreciated a hug. Why Christians need to stop using the term "same-sex attracted" English professor and former homosexual Rosario Butterfield explains that we should not identify with our sins. She is not speaking primarily to Christians who are simply using this term for the sin they are struggling with (though she has thoughts for them too). Rather, this is directed more at Christians who, though they might be remaining chaste, are claiming same-sex attraction as a part of their identity. ...

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Adult non-fiction, Book Reviews

A Good Old Age: an A to Z of loving and following the Lord Jesus in later years

by Derek Prime 2017 / 184 pages They say not to judge a book by its cover, but how about by its title? “A Good Old Age,” written by the 86-year-old pastor and seasoned veteran, Derek Prime, reminded me of what the Bible writes about Abraham: “And Abraham died in a good old age” (Gen. 25:8). So yes, this book had me by its title. Perhaps the title also grabbed me because I’m at an age where my parents have/are close to following the Lord Jesus into glory. Witnessing their time in the “waiting room” as they prepare for the last years of their earthly life, I see both the joys and the challenges these years represent and so was keen to see what Derek Prime had to say about the A-Z’s of following Jesus in the sunset years. The book did not disappoint. But it did surprise. I soon realized I needed its wisdom in middle age as much as my parents did in their elderly age. I needed it as preparation for the last lap of my life, which the Bible tells me will come more quickly than I realize as “the grass withers, the flower fades” (Isaiah 40:8). Like Alistair Begg asserts in the foreword: “(This book) needs to be read long before we find ourselves in the senior citizen seats on the train.” So, whether you’re young and want to understand your grandparents and their behaviors more, whether you’re middle aged and giving extra time and love to your parents, or whether you’re nearing the Jordan crossing, this book is for you. In A Good Old Age, Derek Prime goes through the entire alphabet, assigning a letter with its corresponding spiritual priority to each chapter, posing insightful questions along the way for the reader to consider while providing encouraging prayers at each chapter’s conclusion. Although not a deeply theological book, it is an extremely practical one which won’t have you skim-reading over the fluff, because, quite simply, there isn’t any. While written simplistically, its truths are profound and, with the help of the Spirit and through prayer, will prove transforming. Both its content and its font size make for a highly readable book (in good light I didn’t need my reading glasses). The author points out many perils to avoid in old age: Do you tend to compare the present with the past? Do you distrust the motives of those around you? Are you pessimistic? Do you indulge in self-pity? Are you grumpy and demanding? He also points out potentials to embrace while spending time in the waiting room: Do you take the extra time you have to pray for those you love and for those in authority over you, including the minister and elders/deacons? Do you share good and wise counsel that has guided you in life? Do you encourage those around you? Do you speak to others about the hope that is within you, also as you approach the time of your death? Does your obedience to the Word of God shine from your life as a witness to your children and grandchildren? There are several recurrent themes that run through this book and pop up in various different “letters”: seeking God’s approval before man’s approval; the power and importance of prayer as one of the most important things that you can do in old age (something not hampered by physical limitations); living your days in praise and thanksgiving; being an encourager and not a critic; pressing onward toward the goal of following our Savior into glory. To give you a little bit of a taste of A Good Old Age, here are a few of my favorite “letters” (and no, I won’t tell you what “x” stands for – you’ll need to buy the book for that!): A is for Acceptance. Accept the fact that you are old. Accept the truths of aging – loss of a certain amount of independence, increased frustration, more physical ailments. Accept that your children are busy and can’t visit you as much as you would like. C is for Contentment. Be content with your health, finances, family members, friends. Be satisfied in Jesus Christ and witness this by your contentment in the everyday circumstances of your life. L is for Love. When love is in place, everything falls into place. Keep the cross in focus and everything else comes into focus. The more you realize Christ’s love for you, the more you love Him and reflect that love to one another. “Even as well-established fruit trees often provide the best fruit, so older Christians should produce the best examples of Christ’s love in a Christlike life.” Since I started with the letter A, I had better finish with Z. Z is for Zeal. Zeal for the honor of God’s name, zeal for right relationships before we die, and zeal for the coming of God’s kingdom. Derek Prime didn’t know how long he would spend in the waiting room of his sunset years before God called him Home. But God numbered his days, and the author died three years after this book was published, at A Good Old Age of 89. He left behind a legacy to his children and grandchildren of what it looked like to love and follow the Lord Jesus. May the same – by the grace of God – be said about us. This review first appeared in the May 18, 2024 issue of Una Sancta, a magazine “for the Free Reformed Churches of Australia” and it is reprinted with both their and the author’s permission....

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Saturday Selections – August 31, 2024

Click on the titles to go to the linked articles... Jordan Peterson pressed on whether he is Christian or not (10 min) Jordan Peterson has seemingly been on the cusp of repenting and believing for a long time, speaking glowingly about both Jesus and His Word. But past examinations of Jordan's beliefs have shown him to be Jungian rather than Christian. So has anything changed? Well, in late July he talked with John Rich, best known for being half of the country/pop duo Big & Rich. I only recently learned that Rich professes to be Christian (during his Tucker Carlson appearance) as the duo's best known song, Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy), wouldn't have you thinking so. But in a July 26 interview on Peterson's podcast, Rich pressed Canada's most famous psychologist on whether he is or isn't a Christian. The video below hits the highlights, but if you want to listen to the whole 90-minute original, click here. Was Jesus just a good moral teacher? As John Stonestreet notes and as C.S. Lewis did before him (and as Jordan Peterson should consider – see above), you can't call Jesus a good teacher if you don't acknowledge Him as God. Limiting my phone expanded my view of God "I’ll always remember summer 2024 as the first 'real-world summer' of my adult life—the summer I fundamentally changed how I interact with my smartphone. I left social media behind in 2022, but according to my screen-time reports, I was still spending around two hours a day on my phone. Two hours. I have a full-time job and two kids. Surely I could have been doing something else with all that time..." 11 statistical tips for a healthy marriage Some great points here for couples to ponder, whether these are reminders or entirely new thoughts for you. The great myth of the Sexual Revolution: you will always be young Jonathon Van Maren reports on how egg-freezing for women employees is becoming a common thing, promising that they can first establish their career and then have children later. But it is a false promise. The myth of "Junk DNA" Evolutionists predicted that much of our DNA would be junk – it was just the remnants of our long-ago evolutionary ancestors. Creationists and Intelligent Design proponents made a very different prediction: we'd find functions for this "Junk DNA" since we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Guess which prediction came true? It's important to note, too, that the secular assumptions discouraged inquiry – atheism stymied science, and an acknowledgment of a Creator furthered science. ...

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