TV
WEEKLY NEWS SUMMARY - MARCH 27, 2024
UPCOMING PRIMARIES: The ND Democrat primary takes place on March 30. CT, DE, NY, RI, and WI Republican and Democrat primaries take place on April 2. For election and voting information, visit My Voter Hub and click on your state.
In this week's Intersect, read about:
Alabama Governor Signs Bill Banning DEI Programs at Public Schools and Universities
“Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed a bill into law on Wednesday effectively banning diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at public schools and universities. The legislation, known as S.B. 129, prohibits local boards of education, public institutions of higher education, and state agencies from maintaining or funding DEI programs that promote ‘divisive concepts’ such as guilting someone over their race or sex. The law, set to take effect on October 1, also requires public universities to designate bathrooms based on biological sex, not preferred gender identity.” read more at National Review
THINK.
- Alabama state Sen. Will Barfoot, who introduced the legislation, said the purpose of the bill is to prevent compelled speech and indoctrination. According to left leaning sources, since 2023, 80 “anti-DEI” bills have been introduced in 28 states and Congress. Measures have been signed into law in eight states. Critics say such bills, including Florida's Individual Freedom Act (which was blocked by a federal appeals court this month), are motivated more by politics than by educational aspirations; they also say efforts to ban DEI are more likely to undermine, rather than protect, free speech protections.
- CRT and DEI are connected. The crackdown on DEI has the same goal as the earlier movement to restrict the academic and legal ideas termed Critical Race Theory. In basic terms, Critical Theory divides all of society into oppressors vs. the oppressed. Critical Race Theory (CRT) claims people are either privileged or oppressed based on the color of their skin, regardless of their personal life circumstances, and that racism is systemic in the nation’s institutions. “There is no separation. DEI is the application of Critical Race Theory. DEI officers are the administrative control panels that are putting critical race theory into place,” said Jonathan Butcher, a research fellow in education policy for The Heritage Foundation.
- Is DEI biblical? It depends on how you define the term. Kelly Benware of Steadfast Truth Ministries writes that if you begin with a presupposition that the Bible is God’s Word and therefore true, diversity, equity, and inclusion could be biblical. But the definitions for DEI created by society go against biblical Truth. DEI, as understood by culture, is not biblical. God doesn’t focus on a person’s skin color. He knows our true character by looking at our hearts.
PRAY.
Lord, You are our Creator. Help us to appreciate the gift that is human life, formed in Your image. Help us to bear witness to the dignity of all whom You have created, regardless of age, ability, or skin color. May we live lives reflecting the two greatest commandments; to love You and to love others (Matthew 22:36-40).
ACT.
This very helpful article walks through biblical principles related to diversity, equity, and inclusion and gives practical tools and resources to help you better develop a biblical response to the cultural narrative. This is a great resource to bookmark in helping you THINK, PRAY, and ACT on this divisive and often misunderstood topic.
Christ and His Resurrection Changes Everything
“We become desensitized to hyperbolic assurances, even when they hold elements of truth. Extremes in promises, whether boasting "the best ever" or claiming "the worst in history," tend to trigger our skepticism. So, when you hear the phrase, “This changes everything,” you may be a little slow to accept it. But here’s a truth you can count on: Christ and His resurrection changes everything!” read more at My Faith Votes
THINK.
- We become desensitized to the hyperbolic news headlines bombarding us every day, too. The extreme rhetoric gets our attention and clicks, but we don’t always take a deeper look at the facts of the story. It’s something we take seriously as we write the Intersect each week for you - how can we help you discern four top headlines from the week and dissect them from a biblical “think, pray, and act” perspective?
- Why is this important? It’s easy to let the headlines influence how we live, whether we realize it or not. If we stop and think about it, news-related anger and anxiety could be attributed to a misplaced perspective. When we live with the perspective that Jesus changes everything, this mindset allows us to approach the news with discernment and courage, understanding that worldly concerns are temporary and that our actions should reflect our commitment to God's kingdom and His call to love others and live in a manner “worthy of the gospel of Christ.” (Philippians 1:27)
- By embracing an eternal perspective, we can engage with the news in a way that honors the Lord and prioritizes what truly matters in the grand scheme of eternity. The reason we stay informed about elections, economic shifts, and global events is so we can live faithfully in the time and place God has placed us. Thankfully, we can view these events with the perspective that time is short, but eternity is long. Will you live today rooted in the fact that Jesus changes everything?
PRAY.
Lord, we thank You for the love You have poured out on us through the sacrifice of Your son Jesus on the cross for our sins. May we truly recognize that His resurrection changes everything. Help us to grasp the depth of your love and the power of redemption. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
ACT.
Invite someone to go with you to an Easter church service this Sunday. It’s that simple. According to one survey, 82% of people would attend church if they were invited! Your invitation could change everything.
Biden Signs $1.2 Trillion Government Spending Bill that Averted Shutdown at Last Minute
“President Biden on Saturday signed the massive spending package that the Senate approved overnight, avoiding a partial shutdown of the government and ending a monthslong fight overspending that persisted six months into the fiscal year. The package fully funds the government through September. The Senate approved the $1.2 trillion package, which was unveiled early Thursday, in a vote of 74 to 24. Hours earlier, it advanced out of the House in a 286 to 134 vote.” read more at CBS News
THINK.
- House Members had less than two days to read the bill, which contains 1,012 pages. Advancing American Freedom has provided a fact sheet on “the good, the bad, and the ugly” that the law funds. More than 70% of the money will go toward defense. It funds our annual 3.3 billion dollar commitment in military aid to Israel and defunds the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) amid reports that a dozen UNRWA staffers participated in the October 7 terrorist attacks against Israel. However, the law gives $1 million to Inner-City Muslim Action Network, an organization that claims Israel practices apartheid. In addition, it allocates $32.5 million to the pro-abortion United Nations Population Fund, and $1.8 million to a Rhode Island hospital that performs late-term abortions. It also gives a combined $2.5 million to LGBTQ organizations, some of which encourage children to “transition” without their parent’s knowledge.
- Discretionary spending for this budget year will amount to roughly $1.66 trillion. That does not include mandatory spending on programs such as Social Security and Medicare or financing our rising debt. House Speaker Mike Johnson said the bill “represents the best achievable outcome in a divided government.” Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) disagreed. She introduced a motion to remove the Speaker but did not immediately call for a vote, saying, “It's more of a warning than a pink slip.” Heritage Action opposed the bill in a statement. “The interest on our national debt is growing to surpass the amount Congress spends on annual defense...This bill doesn’t deviate from Congress’s charted course toward financial catastrophe and participation in the border crisis…. The American people have pleaded for responsible spending and border security for years, but unfortunately, this minibus represents a continuation of business as usual.”
- If this is the best Congress can do with our money, it should make us carefully consider our vote in the primaries and the General Election this November. Will we hold our Representatives and Senators accountable? And since everything ultimately is the Lord’s (Psalm 24:1), how will they justify what they have done with His money?
PRAY.
Heavenly Father, forgive us for the ways we have mismanaged Your money. Help our current members of Congress and those who will be elected this November to treat our tax money as though it belongs to You, for that is truly the case. Help them see themselves as stewards and managers, accountable to You.
ACT.
We must be informed if we are to hold our elected officials accountable. See how your Senators voted on the $1.2 trillion budget bill here, and your Representative here. Keep that in mind as you head to the polls this November.
Drug Overdoses Reach Another Record with Almost 108,000 Americans in 2022, CDC Says
“Nearly 108,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2022, according to final federal figures released Thursday. Over the last two decades, the number of U.S. overdose deaths has risen almost every year and continued to break annual records — making it the worst overdose epidemic in American history. The official number for 2022 was 107,941, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, which is about 1% higher than the nearly 107,000 overdose deaths in 2021.” read more at the Associated Press
THINK.
- We know where illegal drugs are coming from and how they are entering, but why are more Americans consuming them? One insight recently came from a surprising source. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of Mexico on 60 Minutes acknowledged the drug trafficking problem in his country but rebuked America for our drug consumption. He stated, "Do you know why we don’t have the drug consumption that you have in the United States? “Because we celebrate our customs, traditions, and we don’t have the problem of the disintegration of the family.”
- Customs, traditions, family–these things cannot always save us from sinful addictions, but they can remind us of who we are, what our purpose is, and who God is and His provision for us. The sexual revolution, progressive legislation, and Supreme Court rulings have undermined the traditional family for the past half-century. It is interesting that Americans under 30–who never experienced life before the sexual revolution –reported a large decline in happiness this year, dropping America from the 15th to the 23rd happiest country in the world, according to data collected by Gallup.
- “Underneath the social epidemics we face is a catastrophic loss of meaning and purpose. The antidote is finding the true WHY of life,” John Stonestreet and Jared Hayden note. People have forgotten their purpose. We can tell them, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) This not only changes our eternal destiny; it changes how we live here on Earth!
PRAY.
This Easter, we celebrate how Jesus fulfilled this Scripture: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” (Luke 4:16-21) Pray for those struggling with addiction to be set free, to receive the good news of salvation in Jesus, and to be encouraged to walk in freedom.
ACT.
The enemy is working to destroy marriages because solid marriages are the foundations of strong families. When families fall, society falls. As His Church, may we pray for biblical marriages to be held in high regard, for unity in families, and for God’s word to be honored and obeyed. Use our Strong Families and Marriages prayer guide to pray for your family and families across this nation.
My Faith Votes— is a ministry that motivates, equips, and activates Christians in America to vote in every election, transforming our communities and influencing our nation with biblical truth. An estimated 25 million Christians who are registered to vote, fail to vote in presidential elections. My Faith Votes is on a mission to change this statistic by helping Christians act on their faith and vote in every election. When we pray unceasingly for our nation, think biblically about the issues, and vote consistently in every election the impact of Christians taking action from the local to the state and federal level will be unprecedented.
Website | www.myfaithvotes.org Twitter | @MyFaithVotes Facebook | My Faith Votes