Family issues

Although no one is immune to sexual temptation, a pastor leading an online pornography addiction recovery ministry says that church leaders may be especially vulnerable to sexually moral failure.

Pastor Jeff Fisher, whose past secret addiction to pornography was discovered while pastoring a church in the Northeast several years ago, recently had his thoughts on the struggles church leadership might face in this area published on Pastors.com.

Fisher and his wife, Marsha, have shared their road to recovery individually and in their marriage along with resources for others struggling with pornography addiction on their Website, PorntoPurity.com. more >>

Washington is poised to become the seventh state to legalize same-sex marriage as Sen. Margaret Haugen announced Monday that she would support the measure.

Her support marks a majority for gay marriage supporters in the state's senate.

"I know this announcement makes me the so-called 25th vote, the vote that ensures passage," Haugen said in a statement on Monday. The 49-member Senate now holds 23 Democrats and two Republicans in favor of the bill. more >>

In 2010, a nun serving as the administrator and member of the ethics committee at St. Joseph's Hospital approved a 27-year-old mother's abortion, and the procedure reportedly saved her life. The nun, considered a saint by some, was soon excommunicated by the Vatican for her involvement – a move that some found disagreeable.

"In this tragic case, the treatment necessary to save the mother's life required the termination of an 11-week pregnancy," the hospital said in a statement. "This decision was made after consultation with the patient, her family, her physicians, and in consultation with the Ethics Committee."

The Holy See's decision sparked a storm of outrage among the hospital staff of the Catholic facility, and heated debates among the public. more >>

As the New Jersey Senate Judiciary Committee voted in favor of a bill allowing same-sex marriage on Tuesday, Gov. Chris Christie reiterated that he would veto the bill if it reached his desk, but also said he would welcome a referendum on the November ballot asking voters to decide on the issue. 

The Democrat-led committee voted by a margin of 8-4 to pass the bill along; members voted along party lines.

The bill, titled Marriage Equality and Religious Exemption Act, will be read again before moving to the House to be voted on by the State Assembly and Senate. more >>

Pro football TV analyst and NFL Super Bowl XLI winning coach Tony Dungy is hoping that a large number of Christians hosting parties for this year's Super Bowl will include showing their guests his 3-minute video asking Americans to take a look at the world's orphan crisis and adoption.

"The big win on Super Sunday would be to raise awareness about the millions of children who need a family. I would love to see thousands of local community groups and circles of friends gathering together to stop and consider how they can help," said Dungy, who was the head coach of the 2007 Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts.

Dungy is involved with The Adoption Journey Project, a collective of organizations who want to break down the barriers to adoption. The groups include Bethany Christian Services, Lifesong for Orphans, and Lifeline Children's Services. more >>

More than 40,000 pro-life activists and supporters participated in the eighth annual Walk for Life West Coast event in San Francisco, Calif., on Saturday to celebrate life and proclaim, "Women deserve better than abortion!"

The crowd gathered at Civic Center Plaza in front of the San Francisco City Hall on Saturday morning for an "Info Fair," which featured music, speakers and activities for kids. The march began in the afternoon. The activists walked down Market Street to Justin Herman Plaza at the Embarcadero, filling the length and breadth of the street.

State Assemblyman Mark Leno and Supervisor David Chiu spoke at the event. more >>