Following a week of evil on display that culminated in the horrific killing of 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue, the American media has once again been on a quest for excuses. The search will be expansive, and many culprits will be and have already been blamed. But no matter how extensive the search, the same age-old conclusion must be made: there is no excuse for evil. Evil is in the world, and it must be addressed head-on.

It’s true that anti-Semitism has been on the rise in recent years, as FRC has documented extensively. It’s also true that the freedom to believe and live according to one’s faith has been increasingly marginalized and demonized by political and cultural rhetoric. But these factors, and others like them that contribute to the horrors like we’ve seen in the past week are symptoms that won’t be remedied by mere political or cultural change. As FRC President Tony Perkins (who is traveling the Middle East) observed out this weekend:

“We join the nation in mourning those killed in the horrific synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh. It’s easy to feel helpless in the face of such acts of evil. But we can and must overcome the evil that preys upon the innocent. As a nation, we must turn to God and find healing, unity, and restoration.

"I encourage our leaders to call the nation together for a focused day of prayer and reconciliation. Let us take a day to seek God and pray for Him to bring healing to our nation – asking God to move in the hearts of people to bring about the unity our nation so desperately needs.

"The challenges America faces are far beyond anything we’re capable of overcoming on our own. For almost 250 years, that’s what’s set America apart – its acknowledgement that we are a nation under God. And if there were ever a time that our nation should be coming together to pray, it’s now. Our history records it. Our Founding Fathers held a national day of prayer in view of the monumental struggle we were engaged in with Britain.

"In view of the monumental challenges of our times, do we not find ourselves in a situation where our only hope is in God?”

The only remedy — the only hope — for the evil facing America is for us to fall on our faces before God and cry out to him. America doesn’t have a new problem before us. Evil is as old humankind. Not surprisingly, the remedy we need is older still. Long ago, the biblical prophet Jeremiah wrote, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.’” (Jer. 6:16a, ESV) America doesn’t need a new solution — we need a new realization that we are indeed in a situation where our only hope is in God. Please join FRC in prayer that we would be one nation, under God.

Originally published here.

Savage Friends

In what looks to be one of the closest U.S. House races in the country, Sean Casten, Democrat challenger in the Illinois 6th Congressional District, has chosen to align himself with a surprising figure: Dan Savage. Savage is an LGBT activist who is probably best known for his vulgar and bullying attacks against people of faith. He’s advocated for violence and told Bill Maher he even wished Republicans “were all [expletive] dead.” However, in a recent debate Casten specifically named Dan Savage as someone he embraces and “stands” with. It’s disturbing that a candidate for U.S. Congress would give a platform to such extreme views. Casten is taking on incumbent Republican Peter Roskam who earlier this year received FRC Action’s “True Blue Award.” FRC Action PAC has produced a video compiling Savage’s numerous, outrageous statements and calling Casten out for his support of Savage. Voters need to know. Please watch this video and then share it with your friends and family in Illinois.

Originally published here.

This is a publication of the Family Research Council. Tony Perkins’ Washington Update is written with the aid of FRC Action senior writers.