1) “Size And Stage Of Development Do Not Determine Life’s Value — God Does” (Avery Foley, Harbinger’s Daily)
From the article — But what about a baby at fertilization? He or she does not look like a baby and, to our knowledge, cannot feel pain or realize that he or she even exists. That baby is just a single cell. Is it still heinous to end the life of that child? What about a baby at four weeks gestational age? Or six? Or twelve? When does human life really begin?
Reproductive science shows that at the moment of fertilization, when the sperm meets the egg, all of the information that builds that person is present. No new information is added. That fertilized egg, known as a fertilized ovum, is a human being with a unique combination of information never before seen in earth’s history.
Science can tell us that much, but can it answer the question of when life begins? Some say yes, others disagree. But God’s Word provides clarity. Scripture says that all human beings are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27) and that the unborn are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), known by God from before their conception (Jeremiah 1:5). The Bible makes no distinction between unborn human life and human life that has passed through the birth canal. Both are human in God’s eyes and therefore stamped with his own image.
Is killing a fertilized human egg murder? Absolutely. Life begins at the moment of fertilization. From that instant, a unique human being, created in God’s image, has begun his or her life. Size and stage of development do not determine life’s value. God does, and he values life from the very beginning.
2) “Democrats, Call Off Your Animals” (I & I Editorial Board)
From the article — What we are seeing should sicken all Americans. It should make every one of us angry. But it doesn’t. For too many on the Democratic side, and we include most of the media here, the violence is politically useful.
No, the Democrats wouldn’t be able to stop all the violence, but they could shut down most of it – if they wished to. They don’t. They like it because it’s a tool for them to fool voters into thinking that the arrests and deportations are unpopular, as well as an intimidation tactic aimed at those not in compliance with the Democrats’ narrative – the message is “conform or else.”
The violence also provides a thrill, if we may borrow the brilliant words of Martin Gurri, for those who hate “orderly lives, neighborliness, civility, and the spontaneous adherence to the law of the vast majority of Americans,” and “wish to infect all social relations with the chaos and anger agitating their minds.”
This is today’s Democratic Party, where the elders and the next generation have become a raging mob of insurrection.
3) “Catholic Cognitive Dissonance. There is no ‘balance’ when it comes to abortion proponents.” (James H. McGee, American Spectator)
From the article — It shouldn’t take much, then, for my fellow Catholics to draw the correct conclusion. Abortion is a mortal sin, a particularly heinous form of murder since it targets the most vulnerable of all human life. While we are enjoined to offer our love to mothers who sincerely seek forgiveness having committed this terrible act, we are responsible before God to do everything within our power to prevent abortions from taking place — and this, of course, means condemning those politicians who promote abortion, particularly unrestricted abortion, and it certainly means voting against candidates who would make such unrestricted abortion an absolute right.
Or does it? The bishop seems to think so, and so too our local priests. Last week, however, found this belief challenged from the unlikeliest of sources, namely Pope Leo XIV himself. Did the pope suddenly announce himself a supporter of Planned Parenthood? Not exactly, nor did he suggest that abortion had somehow ceased to be a mortal sin in Catholic teaching. But for many of us, his words in a public interview completely muddied the waters, and certainly gave aid and comfort to those who would insist that politicians — even Catholic politicians — be given a break when it comes to support for abortion.
Context matters, and the context reveals a deep dissonance within the Catholic community. Recently, Cardinal Blasé Cupich, the Cardinal-Archbishop of Chicago, announced that the archdiocese intended to confer a “Lifetime Achievement Award” on Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, a long-serving Democrat senator and, despite his professed Catholicism, a long-term proponent of abortion. Cupich’s award announcement specifically commended Durbin for his work on immigration issues.
And another interesting article related to the Papacy – “Why Did Some Catholics Try to Bodysnatch Charlie Kirk? The Reason Will Make You Sad” (John Zmirak, The Stream)
4) “Is Canada Becoming the Center of Organ Harvesting Tourism?” (Leslie Eastman, Legal Insurrection)
From the article — Canada has crossed a horrifying line: turning assisted suicide into an organ donation pipeline. Patients are being euthanized—then their organs harvested for others. “This is not compassion. It’s a medical-industrial supply chain of death.” (Dr. Simone Gold)
The trend lines indicate that “organ harvesting” is becoming more prevalent. Since at least 235 people who died by MAID consented to organ donation in Canada, most commonly donating kidneys, livers, or lungs. Of 894 deceased donors in 2024, seven per cent (i.e., 62) donated after medically assisted suicide (per the ironically named “Canadian Institute of Health). A study reviewing the data between 2018 and 2022 showed a significant increase in MAID donors.
During the study period, MAiD donors represented 8.0% (64/803) of total deceased donors, increasing from 4.9% (8/164) in 2018 to 14.0% (24/171) in 2022. There are many reasons to be concerned about these developments. Canadian officials promoted MAID to a man who had hearing loss. There is a move to make mental illness a potential condition of acceptance into this program.
5) “Democrats Are Giving Up On Democracy” (John Daniel Davidson, Federalist)
From the article — I don’t just mean that left-wing influencers like Hasan Piker and Destiny regularly call for violence against the right, or that media darlings like Ta-Nehisi Coates and Ezra Klein publicly muse about whether it would be better to negotiate with conservatives, lie to them, or force policies on them against their will.
And I’m not merely thinking of rogue federal judges, like the one who gave Nicholas Roske — who now identifies as a trans woman named “Sophie” — a light sentence for attempting to assassinate U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, or the parade of liberal judges who have tried to shut down the Trump administration’s agenda through a deluge of nationwide injunctions and temporary restraining orders, many of which have been overturned by higher courts.
It’s all of these things, but it’s also the recent pattern of behavior by the Democratic Party establishment, which seems totally uninterested in winning anyone over or engaging in democratic politics at all.
5 Other Important Reads for this Week:
* “Christian Law Firm Steps In After School Forces Students To Participate In ‘Witchcraft’ Lessons” (Alex Newman, Harbinger’s Daily)
* “Wrist Slaps For Left-Wing Violence Invite More Attacks On Conservatives” (Breccan F. Thies, Federalist)
* “Christians Murdered and Jailed in Iran, Nigeria, and Congo” (Catherine Salgado, PJ Media)
* “Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day! Remembering how the Iroquois treated missionary Isaac Jogues and his companions.” (Paul Kengor, American Spectator)
* “Teachers Unions Are Still Just ‘Doing’ Socialism — And it’s hurting our kids.” Aubrey Harris, American Spectator)