February 2, 2017
Where has the time gone?
We have entered into 2017 and it is proving already that it could be an interesting year. The U.S. has a new President and Ambassador to theUnited Nations (U.N.), while the U.N. has a new Secretariat General – not to mention the fluid shifting of political parties. The world seems to be vigilant in it’s attention to hotly debated social issues, and many individuals and families are concerned with how policies and laws may impact their own lives. One thing we can be guaranteed of – things will continue to change – whether for good or bad; we’re hoping and working for the good. So hold on! Things may get interesting.
It is hard to believe, but I am entering my seventeenth year of being associated with United FamiliesInternational (UFI) and advocating for our 5 respects which focuses on:
• Family as the foundational unit of society
• Marriage between a man and woman, is founded on chastity before marriage and fidelity in marriage
• Life is sacred and should be protected including the life of unborn children.
• Parents have the right and obligation to love, protect, provide for and teach their children.
• Religious liberty emphasizes the right to live our lives according to our religious convictions, and the importance of religion to individuals and society.
So much has changed since the first year I was involved. At that time many of the issues were being debated mostly on the international front and had not yet hit the home front. In fact I clearly remember coming back from a United Nations meeting saying that there was a movement coming to redefine marriage and the consistent response I heard was “that would never happen” or “the laws and our courts will protect traditional marriage”. Time has proven that the movement was more powerful than what society and individuals at that time believed.
I imagine that each one of us who adheres to what is referenced as ‘traditional values’ has witnessed a shift around us as perhaps friends and family have adjusted their values and beliefs to the popular views of society. Topics that used to be discussed with comfort and respect, have become heated and divisive conversations that reach beyond water coolers and dinner tables as conversations and opinions are now openly expressed through social media such as Facebook, twitter, blogs, etc.
Discussions and debates that used to be reserved mostly for legislative buildings or rallies are now being held in our homes, on our computers and in our social circles. As the value systems have changed and impacted many aspects around us, I am often asked, “I want to do something, but what can I do?”. Individuals feel like they want to defend and advocate for their belief system but feel intimated or perhaps uneducated about the topics. That is why United Families International has focused on developing resources that are readily available for you to use.
We hope that you will find time to explore the resources that are available for your use. As we venture into the new year we are grateful for the financial support to keep these resources updated and available. We know this year we will have much to report – Already our U.N. meeting in March is gearing up to be news worthy where the UFI team will be front and center – so stay tuned!
UFI’s recent President, Laura Bunker, outlined the resources UFI has available:
UFI Website – www.unitedfamilies.org
• Our UFI Guides to Family Issues, filled with the best social science research on the critical importance offamily and life.
• Recent UFI email articles on current topics.
• An easy link to our World Family News site, where informative family-related news articles from around the world are posted daily.
• You can sign up for our regular email articles, or review previous ones here.
• You can follow our thought-provoking daily blog posts, and even subscribe to receive blog notifications.
World Family News –www.worldfamilynews.org
The best-kept secret in the pro-familymovement may be our World FamilyNews website. Sometimes called “the DrudgeReport of Family News,” it is a one-stop-shop for family news around the world and close to home.
New, current articles are posted daily, and in the immortal words of one of our UFI Interns, “There’s a lot of good stuff here!” The articles are also archived topically under the categories of Marriage/Family, Parents, Pornography Religion, Sanctity of Life, and Sexual Orientation. What a great resource for future reference!
We invite you to visit our World Family News page often. You’re bound to find something that brings you up to speed, or answers a question on your mind.
UFI Blog – http://www.unitedfamilies.dreamhosters.com/
UFI blog has thoughtful perspectives on family issues
UFI Facebook Page
Give us a “like,” and share our posts on your own Facebook page!
Of course you can always be a part of the conversation by posting a comment on ourUFI Facebook page.