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Basic Fairness in Women’s Sports

In October of last year, in a “girls” high school volleyball game in North Carolina, a student was injured painfully. The ball was spiked by a member of the opposing team—only it wasn’t by a biological female but a biological male—a transgender player. That had to leave a mark. Watch the video for yourself.

Today that girl, Payton McNabb, is speaking out to support a bill that would disallow biological males from competing in girls’ sports.

In our Brave New World, people can claim to identify as a member of the opposite sex, and so it is. But that neither comports with the Bible nor science.

In his new bookThe War on Virtue, Dr. William Donohue, the president of the Catholic League, writes, “Among many members of the ruling class, gender ideology is all the rage. But the fact is that we cannot change our sex. We are either male or female. We cannot change our chromosomes.”

Congress acted last week to bar biological males from competing with biological females in schools and colleges that receive federal funds. It passed in the House, 219-203.

The sponsor of the bill, Greg Steube (R-Florida) said, “The integrity of women’s sports must be protected.” Kevin McCarthy (R-California) called it a “great day for America, a great day for girls and women and for fairness in sports.”

Sadly, not one Democrat voted for it. No, not one. And President Biden threatens to veto it.

Furthermore, punishment awaits those who deviate from the new “sexual orthodoxy” that claims a man can be a woman if he so wills it. Such as a Christian school in New England.

Last month, the New York Post reported, “A Vermont high school has been banned from participating in state athletics after its girls’ hoops team forfeited a playoff game against a team with a trans player.” And so it goes in our Brave New World.

Terry Schilling, executive director of the American Principles Project, has become an outspoken critic of the transgender movement. In a radio segment on its impact on women’s sports, Terry told me: “The transgender movement believes that sex is not important. What is really important is your gender identity or who you identify as. Men and women are different. Our founding fathers would have said it is a ‘self-evident truth’ that men and women are different.”

Schilling adds, “We have studied this scientifically—the biological difference between males and females, and there are many of them. When they come to sports, they apply the most. Men have more bone density than women do. Men are taller on average. Men are typically faster. They have more muscle mass….This is what scientific research has shown time and time again. And it’s all related to our hormones and our biological makeup, and it’s why we needed to create Title IX.”

The federal government notes that Title IX is a part of the Education Amendments of 1972: “Title IX protects people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance.”

Out of Title IX grew women’s sports leagues. So that women could compete against women.

But the transgender movement is disrupting all this. Many girls who have practiced for years in a particular sport are now losing to biological males who have a natural advantage over them. The girls then lose out on valuable scholarships.

What are biological males doing in women’s sports? It is grossly unfair. Sometimes it’s even dangerous—as in the volleyball example.

One of the great ideals of America is basic fairness. It’s abiding by the Golden Rule, articulated by Jesus, that we should treat others as we would want to be treated. If you were a biological female, would you want to have to compete with biological males claiming to be girls?

Some of our presidents noted the importance of the Golden Rule in a variety of contexts:

  • Teddy Roosevelt told the Congress: “The Golden Rule should be, and as the world grows in morality it will be, the guiding rule of conduct among nations as among individuals.”
  • President Harry Truman noted, “All the questions which now beset us in strikes and wages and working conditions would be so much simpler if men and women were willing to apply the principles of the Golden Rule. Do as you would be done by.”
  • Before he became president, California Governor Ronald Reagan asserted, “With freedom goes responsibility. Sir Winston Churchill once said you can have 10,000 regulations and still not have respect for the law. We might start with the Ten Commandments. If we lived by the Golden Rule, there would be no need for other laws.”

The longer society goes down this path, the longer we abandon our moral sanity, the worse off we are.

[Hat tip to Bill Federer and his America’s God and Country for help with the quotes.]





The National Day of Pray is Vitally Important This Year

This National Day of Prayer, May 7, 2020, will be like no other. Since its inception in May 1952, under President Harry S. Truman, the day has been observed with large public events. While the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the shutdown of all public events, prayer has never been more essential and this important event will still take place – online.

Pastors from across the state told the Illinois Family Institute how important they feel it is to pray not only on the National Day of Prayer, but every day. Joey Krol, pastor of Galilee Baptist Church in Decatur shared, “One of the effective ways of measuring your spiritual walk is by examining how connected you are in prayer. Jesus said in John 15:5, ‘I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.’”

Krol urged during this pandemic, “Now is the time to be the Church. Now is the time to be on our knees. Now is the time to be a people of prayer. In this time of uncertainty, confusion and fear, let us be so connected to the Vine that when others see us, they will give their hearts to the Prince of Peace.”

Calvin Lindstrom, pastor of Church of Christian Liberty in Arlington Heights, pointed to the power of God. “So often we focus more on how feeble and inarticulate our words are rather than focusing on God’s mighty power,” Lindstrom said. “It is good that we know we have no power in our ourselves. It is good that we are humbled in the face of the problems we are facing. The power of prayer is that God has commanded His people to pray, and that nothing He determines to do can be frustrated.”

This National Day of Prayer comes at a perfect time as our nation faces a crisis like one not seen in generations. Sensing the urgency, Pastor Richard Giovannetti of Standing in the Word Ministries in Morris, told IFI, “With a desperate and hurting nation rapidly bleeding out her freedom, the words, ‘The Effectual Fervent Prayer of the Righteous Man Avails Much’ shout at us with critical urgency… ‘Is There Not A Cause?'”

Further calls for serious prayer came from Myles Holmes, pastor of REVIVE Church in Collinsville. “Seasons of national crisis call for Prophetic Prayer,” Holmes said. “Prophetic Prayer is intercession that calls for the purposes of God to be revealed so that His Kingdom will come and His Will is done. This includes help for His people, but is even more intent for His Glory to be revealed.”

David E. Smith, executive director of IFI, summed up why it is important we pray during this time. “We have a loving and merciful God of compassion who invites our prayers,” said Smith. “His Word tells us repeatedly to turn to Him in the midst of challenges and trials. We are encouraged to take shelter in Him as our refuge and our strength. He is our sure rock in the midst of any storm, the Light that pierces every darkness, and an anchor of hope for those who contend with despair. We should embrace every opportunity to bring our appeals before Him.”

Will Graham, an evangelist for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and the grandson of the late Billy Graham, will co-host the live-stream along with the National Day of Prayer Task Force President Kathy Branzell from 7-9 p.m. central time. Guests include Harry Jackson, Nick Hall, Gabrielle Odom, Luis Palau, Michael W. Smith, Rick Warren, and others.

Watch the event online at NationalDayOfPrayer.org or at facebook.com/natlprayer. It will also be broadcast on television via GodTV and DayStar, in addition to radio over the Moody and Bott networks.

NOTE: The Illinois National Day of Prayer and Illinois Prayer Caucus Network have organized a conference call for Thursday at 11 AM – 12:15 PM. The call in number is (978) 990-5001 and the access code is 601577#. (They will be recording the call.)

This year’s theme is “Pray God’s Glory Across the Earth,” which is based on Habakkuk 2:14, “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”


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