By Christy Barritt

Minister Refused Surgery

U.S. minister Saeed Abedini was denied a much needed surgery.

The Iranian-born American has been in an Iranian prison since he was arrested in July 2012 while working on an orphanage project in the country. He was accused of endangering national security and sentenced to eight years in prison.

Numerous petitions have been launched on his behalf, most arguing that he was targeted and charged because of his Christian faith more than national security.

Abedini needs surgery to address chronic pain in his stomach area, a result of numerous prison beatings. Instead, the doctors gave him pain medication and sent him back to prison.

President Barack Obama called on the Iranian government to release Abedini during his National Prayer Breakfast speech, but there are no signs that Abedini will be granted freedom anytime soon.

Benham Brothers Thank Supporters 

Two Christian brothers, David and Jason Benham, have been embroiled in controversy ever since they expressed conservative social views earlier this year.

First, the brothers’ HGTV show was cancelled after the media reported their views on abortion, homosexuality, and marriage. Then SunTrust Bank severed ties with the brothers’ real estate company without any warning. The bank finally reversed their decision to pull residential listings from the Benham Real Estate Group. The real estate company specializes in selling bank-owned properties and has about 100 offices in 35 states across the country. 

In a Facebook video the brothers thanked their supporters and said that there was a fracture in our nation’s religious liberty and in the freedom to express beliefs. The brothers said they were praying for a spirit of repentance that would transform our churches and ultimately the nation.

Google and Yahoo Remove Pro-life Ads

Internet giants Google and Yahoo have both in recent months pulled pro-life ads from their websites following “abortion clinics” search results.

Both companies were petitioned by the pro-choice groups NARAL Pro-Choice America and UltraViolet. These groups alleged that the majority of ads that popped up when users typed “abortion clinics” into these search engines were deceptive and funded by pro-life groups in an effort to discourage women from having abortions. Yahoo determined that some of these pro-life ads were deceptive and violated their advertising policies.

In a statement, Nita Chaunhary, co-founder of UltraViolet, said that, “The harm done by these ads cannot be overstated.”

The groups behind the pro-life ads openly admit to seeking to reach women determined to have abortions and point them to a different way.

The Porn Pandemic

A new documentary released by Family Watch International claims that a half-dozen major sex crimes in America all start with the root of pornography.

The Porn Pandemic: The Devastating Effects on Children, Family, and Society features interviews with experts on the issue of pornography and how it hurts those who view it. It also presents scientific evidence and personal testimonies.

Some of the crimes highlighted in the video and linked with porn include violence against women, prostitution, trafficking in persons, and sexual crimes against women and children. The documentary was inspired by discussions at the United Nations about sexual crimes. 

Experts in the documentary agreed that not everyone who views porn becomes a criminal, but pornography is almost always part of the equation for the majority of people who commit serial sexual crimes against women and children.

The film ends with hope, with former addicts sharing how they’ve now turned their lives around.

Christy Barritt is an award-winning author, freelance writer, and speaker living in Chesapeake, Virginia. She and her husband Scott have two sons.
www.christybarritt.com