Can a woman forgive her only son’s murderer?

Yes, and he lives right next door and they attend church together.

Mary Johnson’s son, Laramiun Byrd, was only 20 when he was shot during an argument at a party in 1993 by 16-year-old O'shea Israel, according to CBS’ Assignment: America series. more >>

One of the great stories in the Bible is about the life of David. Long before David defeated Goliath, long before he became the king of Israel, he spent his days out in the field looking after his father's sheep.

His life wasn't the easiest. He had been overlooked by his father, criticized by his brothers, and regarded by many as just a shepherd boy. One time, the prophet Samuel was sent by God to David's house. He was supposed to choose who would become the next king. Samuel asked to see all of the brothers in the house, but David's father was so certain that David wasn't a candidate for such a prominent position that he left him out working in the field! It wasn't until Samuel passed by all of the other seven brothers that David was finally called in and then anointed to be the future king of Israel.

But even after that, David's family didn't seem to treat him any differently. They may have even thought Samuel had made a mistake. In fact, while David's brothers spent their time serving in King Saul's army, a prestigious position of honor, David was still doing the grunt work out in the shepherd's fields. He was seen as an errand runner tasked with bringing lunch to his brothers, "the important ones." more >>

At the Faith and Freedom Coalition conference, presidential candidate Ron Paul used the Bible to show evangelicals why big government is bad and how their fight to protect faith and family are all rooted in liberty.

Paul roused the conservative Christian crowd on Friday as he recounted the story of the Israelites and their pleas for an earthly king. He used that story, found in 1 Samuel chapter eight, to explain to the faith conference why big government is morally wrong for America.

He told the crowd that the Israelites had a perfectly good family system prior to their first king and did not need a governing authority to care for them. more >>

While the media spotlight Friday was on the religious right’s Faith and Freedom Coalition conference, nearby the Christian left staged its own modest event meant to challenge “the misguided priorities and immoral economic agenda” of the right.

Just a half block away from the Renaissance hotel in Washington, D.C., where the Faith and Freedom Coalition event was being held, progressive Christians organized a lunch and press briefing for members of the media at the Acadiana restaurant. Several mainline Protestant, evangelical and Catholic leaders attended to denounce the religious right’s support of free-market ideology and, as they describe it, a “culture of selfishness over the common good.”

“The religious right’s agenda of punishing hard-hit families with drastic, irresponsible budget cuts while giving trillions in tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires is immoral, and people recognize that,” said the Rev. Jennifer Butler, executive director of Faith in Public Life and Faithful America. more >>

WASHINGTON - Michele Bachmann affirmed her strong support of social conservative issues at Friday's Faith and Freedom Coalition conference, but remained mum on whether she will enter the 2012 race for the White House.

Rep. Bachmann (R-Minn.), one of the earlier potential presidential candidates to take the stage, wasted no time affirming her strong stance as a traditional marriage, pro-life advocate that steadfastly supports Israel.

Bachmann took credit for last Saturday's passage of the Minnesota marriage amendment bill that defines marriage as between a man and a woman. more >>

WASHINGTON – GOP politicians urged conservatives at the Faith and Freedom Coalition conference to turn their passion for issues such as the budget, pro-life and pro-family measures into a strong resolve to win back the White House. They especially counseled Republicans to resist the urge to split their vote in support of a third party candidate. Instead, conservatives were advised to unify their vote for the GOP nominee once he or she has been named.

At the start of the Faith and Freedom Conference on Friday, Republican and conservative leaders took to the stage to rally attendees behind one cause – winning the 2012 race for the presidency.

Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann roused the crowd saying, "We're looking forward to winning the triple crown ... holding on the House of Representatives, getting a conservative Senate for the first time in a long time and finally presenting a change of address form to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue because if we have anything to say about it, Barack Obama will be a one-term president." more >>