St. John the Evangelist - Ancient Faith, Modern Relevance

During Super Bowl 44 (or XLIV, if you prefer), commercials are shown which are highlighted as some of the most creative of the year. My favorite is still the series of "Wassaaap" commercials back in the late 90s.

A recent landmark study out of the University of Pennsylvania evaluated sixth and seventh graders undergoing abstinence-oriented education versus traditional sex education. The study looked at the percentage of each group that became sexually active within the next two years.

Only one-third of those students who received abstinence-focused education were sexually active within the next two years versus one-half of those who received the traditional abstinence and contraceptive oriented sex-ed. This is the first study to show a clear benefit to abstinence-only education.

Tim Tebow is the quarterback of the Florida Gators.  He led his team to two national championships and is expected to play professionally for the NFL.  He is also the committed Christian son of Christian parents.

When Tim's mother, Pam Tebow, was pregnant with Tim in 1987, she contracted ameobic dysentary while on a misssionary trip in the Philippines.  Mrs. Tebow's physician advised his patient to terminate her pregnancy claiming that the medications required to treat the disease would cause irreparable damage to her baby.  She refused.

VirtueOnline1 points the reader to a report that King's Glory Fellowship Association, a Christian church in Calgary Canada, has lost its charitable status. Reported in a "National Post" article entitled "Advocacy Costly For Church - Fellowship Loses Tax Status As Charity"2;

1. 1. http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=1196…
2. 2. http://www.nationalpost.com/related/topics/story.html?id=2475277

In almost any community of ideas, there are topics that are considered forbidden or taboo. For evolutionists, creationism is taboo. For Republicans, any positive comment about welfare is taboo. For Democrats of the Northeastern US variety, laissez-faire economics spells disaster for those in need. For naturopaths, medicine is off limits; and for traditional physicians naturopathy is likewise looked down upon.

"Ethics In The Public Forum" is a rather broad concept. If you review what 'padoc' and I (the rector) have contributed to this forum, you'll quickly see that the entries are virtually all about domestic issues. The themes of health care and abortion are at the top of the list.

In the firestorm on Capitol Hill and throughout the United States over the topic of health care reform, it seems that legislators have missed a key issue.

From VirtueOnline, we learn that these organizations, among many others, have said that “there is a social and moral obligation to ensure access to abortions at every stage in an individual’s life.”

News sources report that senators debating health care legislation are headed for a clash over abortion, the issue that threatened to derail the bill in the House.

Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., plans to unveil an anti-abortion amendment as early as Thursday that abortions rights supporters inside the Senate and out say they can’t support.