PAtownhall.com
Pennsylvania's Marketplace of Ideas
Pennsylvania's Marketplace of Ideas
PAtownhall.com
Pennsylvania's Marketplace of Ideas
Pennsylvania's Marketplace of Ideas
December 7, 2007
by Newsletter
The Pennsylvania Family Institute's weekly update to concerned citizens.
Michael Geer, President
Attention: PA Family Institute has printable versions of the Family Update that can be downloaded and printed easily! Follow this link to get a 1-page version that you can hand out to your friends and family: http://www.pafamily.org/pages/index.php?pID=78
!Please forward this email to family and friends!
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Quote of the Week
"Nothing so strongly impels a man to regard the interest of his constituents, as the certainty of returning to the general mass of the people, from whence he was taken, where he must participate in their burdens."
~ George Mason
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Pennsylvania News
Introducing the Pennsylvania Family Institute blog! Our Pennsylvania Family Institute blog is a place where we will give you the most up-to-date information and analysis so you don't have to search for it. It's an open invitation for citizens to visit frequently to find the most relevant information on the goings on at our state capitol and elsewhere and our perspective on how it affects marriage, family, religious liberty and the sanctity of human life.
Our vision is that it would be more than just a tool to inform, encourage and debate the issues of the day. Our hope is that by checking this site frequently, you'll be the first to know and the first to make sense of the news - before it's even reported in the news media!
Check out the blog for yourself and join the discussion.
HB 288 Withdrawn, Victory for Religious Liberty! House Bill 288, a bill that would mandate hospitals and physicians to offer the "morning-after-pill" to rape victims despite any religious objections, has been withdrawn by the sponsor due to a lack of support for the legislation. This is a victory for the freedom of conscience of the Christian doctors and hospitals that consider the "morning-after-pill" to be an abortifacient.
Bill to Cut Cyber School Funding Would Limit Parental Choices,Passes House Education Committee. The House Education Committee passed HB 446 (vote was 22-6), a bill that would limit the amount cyber charter schools receive in funding and also require additional certification for teachers. Cyber charter schools spend less money and work more efficiently than traditional public schools. This bill is another attempt to eliminate the competition and choices for parents. HB 446 now heads to the House for a full vote.
Take Action!
-HB 446 seeks to limit parental choices by eliminating cyber-charter schools through decreased funding and strident regulations.
-Contact your state representative through our Citizen Action Center and tell them to vote NO on HB 446.
News posted daily at www.PAFamily.org!
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Marriage News
PA for Marriage Encourages Citizens to Contact Lawmakers. Pennsylvania for Marriage Coalition spokeswoman Debbie Hamilton says a constitutional marriage protection amendment would fortify the law against possible legal challenges in Pennsylvania, and the group wants average citizens who sympathize with its cause to become comfortable lobbying lawmakers on the issue.
Join the Band Together for Marriage Campaign. Another way you and your church can get involved in the campaign to save marriage. Visit Marriage Resources at www.pa4marriage.org and follow the simple instructions on how this petition drive can have a dramatic impact on the senators and representatives of PA. Be sure to copy the petitions before using them and send the copies to the address listed.
News posted daily at www.PA4Marriage.org!
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National News
Warning: Movie, Books Not Suitable for Children. The Golden Compass opens in theaters this weekend. Before you take your child to what might appear to be harmless fantasy along the lines of The Chronicles of Narnia, you should know that the author's book series has been called "the anti-Narnia"! Focus on the Family, American Family Association, the Catholic League and other major Christian organizations have condemned the movie and books. We encourage you to read the excellent analysis of the movie - and the author and his books at the root of it - by Michael Foust, assistant editor of Baptist Press. Foust writes:
It's a fantasy universe where witches are good, the church is bad, and at the end of it all, God dies.
For weeks now, the movie has been the focus of e-mails from concerned Christians, curious if what they heard about it is true. In this instance -- as even the truth-or-fiction website Snopes.com affirms -- the rumors mostly are fact. Read the rest of the article.
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Don't Miss These Events!
May 8, 2008 - PFI Pittsburgh Friends of the Family Banquet featuring Focus on the Family President and author Jim Daly. More details to come.
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PFI News
Pennsylvania Family Institute Needs You! Pennsylvania Family Institute, the leading pro-family voice in Pennsylvania, is looking for volunteers to help at our downtown Harrisburg office in data entry, mailings, answering phones, event planning, and for our Pennsylvania for Marriage project. You get: free parking, free books and materials, free admission to our events and banquets, and the satisfaction of serving in a God-honoring ministry associated with Focus on the Family. For more information, or to get a volunteer application, call Emily Shaheen at (717) 545-0600.
New Pennsylvania Families Magazine has arrived! The Winter 2008 edition is a special adoption issue that we hope will inspire you to consider this life-changing ministry. Also, request a copy of our new Family Guide to Adoption and Foster Care, providing you with information on how to get involved. Call us at (800) FAMILY-1 to request a copy today!
Don't Miss Michael Geer's The Common Good and Family Update Radio Shows on Christian Radio Stations throughout Pa. and online through our podcasts.
This month's topic: Best of 2007! Throughout December - replays of portions of best guests of 2007, including Ben Stein, Richard Land, Gary Bauer, Rev. Jack Hibbs, etc.
The Pennsylvania Family Institute is a non-profit organization made possible through financial donations from our supporters. To donate to Pennsylvania Family Institute, click here: www.pafamily.org/donate
23 N. Front St. Harrisburg, PA 17101 ~ Phone: 717-545-0600 ~ Fax: 717-545-8107 ~ www.pafamily.org
