We at IFI and IFA have been humbled and blessed by the words of encouragement, prayers, and support we have received over the past two weeks from subscribers. We can’t adequately express how thankful we are for such support or describe how it has bolstered our spirits and strengthened our resolve to act and speak boldly in defense of the least among us.

We also want to express our deep appreciation to the organizations and leaders who have publicly and privately expressed their unwavering support for Illinois Family Institute, including the Thomas More Society, Illinois Conservative Union, Concerned Women for America of Illinois, Catholic Citizens of Illinois, 2^nd Vote, the Rockford Pro-Life Initiative, the Illinois chapter of Concerned Citizens for America, Freedom’s Journal Institute, Restore our Constitution, Businessmen in Christ, Nehemiah Leaders, as well as dozens of religious, political and talk-radio leaders throughout the state and nation.

The fact that we compared the evil of the baby holocaust in America to the evil of the Jewish Holocaust has the proponents of abortion expansion in Illinois on the defensive. They are desperate to change the narrative. They cannot defend their indefensible views, so they attack pro-life conservatives.

They have launched a counter-offensive, House Joint Resolution 55, which is rife with lies and rhetorical nonsense and being used to try to deny us of our First Amendment rights. While the ad hominem attacks of Leftists are not new, their increasing willingness to use government to silence dissent is both new and deeply troubling.  (More on that in a future article.)

We are not anxious. We know that what the enemy intends for evil, God can use for good (Genesis 50:20).

We are trusting God in this latest skirmish. We trust that God’s plan is better than anything we can come up with (Isaiah 55:8-9).

We don’t believe it is a coincidence that this is happening at a time when the abortion debate is raging nationally, when Leftists are revealing through radical legislative proposals their murderous intentions, and when the movie Unplanned has hit thousands of movie theaters nation-wide.

IFI’s and IFA’s Board of Directors, staff, and I are of one mind that the time is long past due for defenders of the unborn to unite in a bolder confrontation of the evil of abortion and of those who celebrate it. Proponents of this abomination should be put on the defensive!

As every decent person can see, America is edging ever closer to legalizing post-birth infanticide. All lawmakers who support abortion should be publicly condemned and their views compared to other genocidal movements that have scarred human history.

You and I cannot remain silent in the face of this evil.

Yet, at the same time we are told to love our enemies “and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44 and Luke 6:28). So at this time and in this prayer alert, we are calling for prayer for those who seek to harass and intimidate us by misusing their governmental authority.

It is at times difficult to pray for our opponents, especially those who spread vicious lies about who we are and what motivates us. By extension, these unfair attacks on IFI smear all orthodox Christians. Yet we know that God changes hearts and minds (Ezekiel 36:26; Psalm 51:10; Proverbs 21:1). God can reveal to them their sins (Psalm 146:8; John 3:3; Acts 26:18) and their need for a Savior (John 3:1-21; 2 Corinthians 7:10).

So, our prayers for these lawmakers are essential. Let’s lift up the sponsors of HJR 55 in fervent and compassionate prayer over the next two months:

State Rep. Bob Morgan (D-Highwood)
State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-Glenview)
State Rep. Yehiel Kalish (D-Skokie)
State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago)
State Rep. Daniel Didech (D-Buffalo Grove)
State Rep. Robyn Gabel (D-Chicago)
State Rep. Jonathan Carroll (D-Northbrook)
State Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago)
State Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-Chicago)
State Rep. Sam Yingling (D-Round Lake Beach)
State Rep. Anna Moeller (D-Elgin)
State Rep. Karina Villa (D-St. Charles)

Pray that the Lord will open their eyes to the evil of abortion.

Pray that they will turn from darkness to light (Acts 26:18).

Pray that they will know the hope of His calling (Ephesians 1:18).

Pray that He will open their eyes to the injustice of their attempt to quash our civil rights (Isaiah 59:14-15).

Pray too that the bloodlust and greed of Planned Parenthood and their allies is exposed (Proverbs 6:16-19).

Finally, pray that the movie Unplanned continues to do well in theaters and that its pro-life message will reach far and wide here in Illinois, in our nation, and around the world.

IFI Prayer Team

If you pray and believe that God hears and answers prayer, will you please consider joining the IFI Prayer Team? This special opt-in group receives occasional emails asking for prayer regarding public policy issues, for specific government officials and various statewide needs as the Holy Spirit may lead.

Thank you and God bless you!

Last year at this time, 2ndVote scored Macy’s low partly because of its practice of donating to Planned Parenthood and matching donations from its employees – but 2ndVote spokesperson Robert Kuykendall has an update.

“Macy’s reached out to 2ndVote and told us that the company is no longer donating any kind of money to Planned Parenthood, the world’s largest provider of abortion,” he explains.

Since 2ndVote started scoring corporations, AT&T, Coca Cola, Ford, and Xerox also stopped funding the abortion conglomerate – and Kuykendall says that’s largely due to exposing the companies’ practices and urging consumers to apply pressure. But there’s more work to be done, he says.

“If you’re doing business with American Express, with Allstate, with Patagonia especially – Patagonia gives tens of thousands of dollars to Planned Parenthood every year – a portion of your dollars is going to the largest provider of abortion services,” he informs. “So we want people to be informed; and secondly, we want people to engage those companies.”

And that, he says, is by consumers voicing their concerns to the companies and spending their money elsewhere. That’s what 2ndVote is all about – the first vote is in an election, and the second vote is taking consumer spending away from offending corporations.

Read more about 2nd Vote HERE.

Take ACTION:  Click HERE to urge your U.S. Representative to defund Planned Parenthood.

This article was originally posted at OneNewsNow.com

Written by Chris Walker

This past Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court of the United States heard arguments for Obergefell v. Hodges in what is shaping up to be a landmark case in the national marriage debate. At issue are the questions of whether the Fourteenth Amendment requires states to license marriages between two people of the same sex and whether the Fourteenth Amendment requires states to recognize marriages between two people of the same sex licensed and performed out-of-state.

By now, conservatives should be very familiar with an influential organization that has carried the banner for same-sex marriage advocacy, the Human Rights Campaign. However, many may be unaware of the powerful network of corporations that are involved with HRC’s longstanding push to overturn marriage laws in America.

2nd Vote has compiled a resource page that list the companies involved with HRC, as well as the companies advocating against traditional marriage laws. This page also includes a list of all the signers of the amicus brief and links to the language contained in the brief.

CLICK HERE to see the list of corporate sponsors.

In dissent of Windsor, Justice Antonin Scalia appears to have been eerily prescient in his criticism of the majority’s ruling when he wrote: By formally declaring anyone opposed to same-sex marriage an enemy of human decency, the majority arms well every challenger to a state law restricting marriage to its traditional definition. Indeed, the ruling in Windsor gave groups like HRC a valuable rhetorical tool to enlist the support of major corporations to fund their agenda.

However, that agenda that we actually fund by doing business with many of these companies goes against our values on several levels. Recently, we have seen major corporations in Indiana eagerly joining the campaign to spread disinformation on laws protecting religious liberty. Perhaps just as concerning, we see the business alliance with HRC pushing for judicial activism that could threaten the very tenets of the legislative process and federalism.

Conservatives should inform themselves on the potential ramifications of Obergefell and hold these companies accountable for their advocacy that benefits their own self-interest, which the evidence shows is not constitutionalism, nor is it the defense of our most sacred social unit.

Chris Walker is the Executive Director of 2nd Vote, a conservative shopper app. To find out more, download the free app or visit 2ndVote.com. Originally posted at Redstate.com.

Whether you’re going out for a pizza, a coffee, a grocery run, a tank of gas or a washer and dryer, chances are more than 142 times greater that your hard-earned dollars are lining the pockets of your favorite corporations that are funding liberal, anti-family organizations and activities.

Krispy Kreme or Dunkin Donuts? A VW or a Toyota? Carl’s Jr. or McDonald’s? A Coke or a Dr. Pepper? Lowes or Home Depot? Whatever you purchase, your dollars are more than likely going to liberal or conservative causes … and most likely the former.

2ndVote has just unleashed a multi-faceted scoring system that pinpoints the most anti-family and pro-family corporations (and those in-between) vying for consumers’ dollars. Unfortunately for conservative and Christian consumers, most of their dollars often end up funding causes that work against the family values and causes they champion.

2nd Vote National Outreach Director Robert Kuykendall wants to get conservatives in tune with what they’re supporting with every purchase.

“2nd Vote is dedicated to helping conservative consumers keep their spending in line with their values,” Kuykendall told LifeSiteNews, announcing the launch of the organization’s newest project. “We believe that everyone has one vote for their values at the ballot box, but they have the opportunity to vote on their values every day with their wallets.”

To make consumers more aware of where their dollars are going and to hold corporations accountable for the activities and behaviors they support, hundreds of corporations have been graded on seven different issues — Marriage, Pro-Life, 2nd Amendment Rights, Common Core, Corporate Welfare, School Choice, and Environment.

“We believe the reason for this is that Americans who hold pro-life and other traditional values have not done a good job holding these entities accountable,” Kuykendall explained. “We use a 5-point scoring scale to represent a philosophical orientation on the issue and overall: a score of 1 means a corporation’s activity is Liberal and a 5 means the activity is Conservative. However, we also believe that a Neutral score, which we designate as a 3, is a good thing because we can show that that corporation’s activity does not go against our values.”

Kuykendall gives an example of what started his endeavor and how purchases or donations are more than they might seem. For instance, most didn’t know that buying a Ford Mustang, using your American Express, filing up your tank at Shell or drinking an Ensure would fund abortions through Planned Parenthood.

“2nd Vote was actually born out of pro-life principles,” Kuykendall points out. “One of our founding members discovered that the dollars he was regularly donating to the March of Dimes were going to Planned Parenthood. The question from the beginning was, ‘Why would a charity or corporation fund a group whose activity goes against the traditional values of so many Americans?'”

Calling all corporations …

Here’s a glimpse of how 2ndVote rated some of the world’s top corporations when it comes to the stuff and services it buys. The ratings represent the average score the corporations earned on all seven issues combined. Scoring ranges are as follows: 1─ Liberal, 2─ Lean Liberal, 3─ Neutral, 4─ Lean Conservative, 5— Conservative. Just a note … only two corporations scored in the Conservative 4─5 range, while 285 corporations rated in the Liberal 1─2 range (142.5 times more than their Righter counterparts).

To start things off, let’s rev into a test drive, but instead of the lowest 0─60, conservatives will be looking for highest from 1─5: Hyundai (3.0), Volkswagen (3.0), Nissan (2.8), Audi (2.8), Subaru (2.5), Honda (2.0), Chrysler (2.0), Ford (1.8), GM (1.3), Toyota (1.0), Lexus (1.0).

After revving off the showroom floor, here ‘s how the high-octane caffeine and baked goods corporations line up out of the blocks, with Starbucks not looking too stellar and Seattle’s Best looking worst to conservatives: Krispy Kreme (3.0), Tim Horton’s (3.0), Caribou Coffee (2.8), Dunkin Donuts (2.5), Seattle’s Best Coffee (1.0), Starbucks (1.0).

Now it’s time for the shopping carts to roll. Here’s a report card that wouldn’t make the late conservative Sam Walton very proud: Albertsons (3.0), Trader Joe’s (3.0), Kroger (3.0), Whole Foods (2.3), Costco (2.3), Target (1.8), Safeway (1.8), Walmart (1.3), Sam’s Club (1.0).

Well, we haven’t seen anything over 3.0 yet, so here’s a taste of what conservatives want to know, with everyone’s favorite chicken sandwich maker scoring the highest overall conservative rating of all corporations in the project: Chick-fil-a (4.3), Papa John’s (3.0), Domino’s (3.0), Long John Silver’s (3.0), Carl’s Jr. (3.0), Jamba Juice (3.0), Outback Steakhouse (3.0), Burger King (3.0), Cheesecake Factory (3.0), Arby’s (3.0), Orange Julius (3.0), IHOP (2.8), Wendy’s (2.8), Sonic ((2.8), Denny’s (2.8), White Castle (2.8), Chili’s (2.8), In-N-Out Burger (2.6), Panera Bread (2.6), Subway (2.5), Cracker Barrel (2.5), Baskin Robbins (2.5), Jack in the Box (2.5), Dairy Queen (2.5), Hardee’s (2.4), Applebee’s (2.3), McDonald’s (2.3), KFC (2.2), Pizza Hut (2.2), Taco Bell (2.0), Red Lobster (2.0), Olive Garden (2.0), Chipotle (2.0), Longhorn Steakhouse (2.0).

And here’s to hitting your favorite filling station after a quick bite: ConocoPhillips (2.8), Chevron (2.5), Valero (2.3), Shell (2.0), BP (1.9), ExxonMobil (1.9).

Ironically, the world’s largest corporations specializing in making kid’s toys aren’t as kid-friendly when it comes to the anti-family causes they fund: Toys R Us (2.8), Mattel (2.4), Lego (2.4), Hasbro (2.3), Crayola (2.3).

When Americans run to their retailers, the family values champion Hobby Lobby is the only conservative standout: Hobby Lobby (3.8), Jo-Ann (3.0), Bed Bath & Beyond (3.0), Radio Shack (3.0), Dillards (3.0), Zales (3.0), 7-Eleven (3.0), Michael’s (3.0), Aeropostale (3.0), Kay Jewelers (3.0), Rite Aid (2.8), Kohl’s (2.8), Barnes & Noble (2.5), JCPenny (2.5), Hallmark (2.5), Kmart (2.5), Sears (2.5), Dollar General (2.4), Walgreens (2.2), Office Depot (2.0), Ralph Lauren (2.0), Macy’s (2.0), Office Max (1.9), Gap (1.9), Banana Republic (1.8), eBay (1.8), Old Navy (1.8), Nordstrom (1.8), Marshalls (1.8), Best Buy (1.3).

And many apparel and accessories giants aren’t conservative in more ways than one: Cabela’s (3.5), Under Armour (3.3), Eddie Bauer (3.0), Christian Dior (3.0), Zales (3.0), Jockey (3.0), Aeropostale (3.0), Kay Jewelers (3.0), Ann Taylor (2.8), Hanes (2.8), Tommy Hilfiger (2.8), Van Heusen (2.8), Forever 21), New Balance (2.8), Russell Athletic (2.8), Fruit of the Loom (2.5), Ambercrombie & Fitch (2.0), Calvin Klein (2.0), REI (2.0), Ralph Lauren (2.0), Adidas (2.0), Gap (1.9), Banana Republic (1.8), Old Navy (1.8), T.J. Maxx (1.8), Dockers (1.5), Levis (1.5), Converse (1.5), Hurley (1.5), Victoria’s Secret (1.3).

In the sporting goods industry, there are a number of conservative good sports: Bass Pro Shop (3.5), Cabela’s (3.5), Remington (3.4), Under Armour (3.3), Dick’s Sporting Goods (3.3), Russell Athletic (2.8), Amazon (2.3), Adidas (2.0), NFL (2.0), REI (2.0), Converse (1.5), Nike (1.5).

Here’s how the home and garden products merchandisers stacked up, showing that ACE is the place for conservatives: ACE Hardware (3.5), John Deere (2.8), Toro (2.8), Black & Decker (2.8), 1-800-Flowers (2.6), Overstock.com (2.6), Lowe’s (2.5), Clorox (2.3), Amazon (2.3), DuPont (1.9), Dow (1.8), IKEA (1.8), Home Depot (1.8).

And when traveling away from home, some destinations are more conservative than others: Expedia (3.3), Priceline (3.0), American Airlines (2.8), AAA (2.8), Hyatt (2.5), United Airlines (2.4), Orbitz (2.4), JetBlue Airways (2.3), Hilton (2.3), Marriot (2.3), Southwest Airlines (2.3), Alaska Airlines (2.0), British Airways (2.0), Delta Airlines (1.5), US Airways (1.5).

Not so shockingly, most corporations putting out electronic gadgetry are leaning to the Left, with some exceptions: Vizio (3.0), Acer (3.0), Texas Instruments (2.3), Oracle (2.3), Adobe (2.3), Sony (2.2), Lockheed Martin (2.0), Dell (1.9), IBM (1.9), Cisco (1.8), Intel (1.7), Hewlett Packard (1.5), Xerox (1.5), Apple (1.2), Microsoft (1.2), Samsung (1.0).

And phone and Internet companies are witnessed making some liberal connections, as well, with one exception: The Sienna Group (3.7), Twitter (2.6), Verizon, (2.1), Sprint (2.0), AT&T (1.7), Comcast (1.4), Motorola (1.3), Facebook (1.2), Google (1.2), T-Mobile (1.0).

Health and beauty also tends to lean toward the Left: Chanel (2.8), Mary Kay 2.6), L’Oreal (2.4), The Body Shop (2.4), Colgate-Palmolive (2.3), Lancome (2.0), Clinique (2.0), Estee Lauder (2.0), Unilever (2.0), Calvin Klein, (2.0), Avon (1.8), Johnson & Johnson (1.5), Bath & Body Works (1.3).

Proceeds from everybody’s favorite foods don’t always go to everybody’s favorite causes: HoneyBaked Ham (3.0), Butterball (3.0), Godiva (3.0), Blue Bell Ice Cream (3.0), Russell Stover (3.0), Hormel (2.8), Tyson Foods (2.8), Hillshire Farms (2.8), Campbell’s Soup (2.5), Dr. Pepper/Snapple (2.5), Nestle (2.5), Hershey (2.4), Anheuser-Busch (2.2), Kraft (2.0), Ben & Jerry’s (1.8), General Mills (1.5), Kellogg’s (1.5), Tostidos (1.5), Coca-Cola (1.3), Pepsi (1.3), Mars (1.0).

And some financial corporations don’t put your money everywhere you want it to be: American Express (3.0), H&R Block (3.0), Capital One (2.8), Master Card (2.4), Discover (2.3), Fannie Mae (2.0), Sun Trust (2.0), Freddie Mac (1.8), PayPal (1.8), Morgan Stanley( 1.6), Citigroup (1.5), JP Morgan Chase (1.4), Bank of America (1.4), Visa (1.3), Ernst & Young (1.3), Goldman Sachs (1.0), Wells Fargo (1.0).

Originally published at OneNewsNow.com.

 The Truth Project

First Annual IFI Worldview Conference
featuring Dr. Del Tackett
April 10-11, 2015

CLICK HERE for Details