Welcome to the Friday Five! Every Friday we share our top five articles, stories, and quotes for you to read and share with your friends and church families.

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1. WORLD: VAUGHAN OP-ED: Defending the Weaker Vessel

Check out this fantastic piece by our press director, Ashley Vaughan, in World entitled “Defending the Weaker Vessel.”

“Is the fever dream of gender fluidity passing? Most Americans recognize that there is no sense in debating ‘What is a woman?’ Common sense tells us that. In the ashes of the transgender craze, we have woken up to the reality that women were sacrificed on the altar of gender ideology. They were robbed of fairness and safety in sports, and of safety and dignity by men invading their private spaces.

It’s a 21st century flavor of misogyny—a creative new take on the age-old reality that the weaker vessel often bears the brunt of societal folly. And it hasn’t taken the place of the old, familiar problems of sexual exploitation. A trickle of “Me too” stories that feel important, but also somehow tired-out, continues in the news.”

Read more: https://wng.org/opinions/defending-the-weaker-vessel-1741073261

2. CAROLINA JOURNAL: Trump Promises to Cut Federal Funds for Schools that Allow Men in Women’s Sports, Praises NC’s Payton McNabb

“During Tuesday night’s speech to a joint session of Congress, President Donald Trump praised 19-year-old North Carolinian Payton McNabb. She was severely injured by a transgender athlete during a high school girls’ volleyball game, and has since an outspoken advocate of banning biological men from competing in sports designated for biological women. Trump and his wife Melanie invited McNabb, a native of Murphy, to be a special guest during the address.

During his address, Trump promised McNabb that any schools allowing men to compete in women’s sports would be blocked from receiving federal funding.

‘Payton, from now on, schools will kick the men off the girls’ team, or they will lose all federal funding,’ said Trump. The comment was met with immediate applause, but McNabb noted that not a single Democrat applauded the line.”

Read more: https://www.carolinajournal.com/trump-promises-to-defund-schools-that-allow-men-in-womens-sports-praises-ncs-payton-mcnabb/

Click here to read more about Payton McNabb, such as what happened with her sorority when she stood up for women’s privacy at her university.

3. CAROLINA JOURNAL: NC Senate Advances Bill to DEI in K-12 Schools, Agencies Citing Fairness and Merit

“North Carolina Senate committee moved through a bill on Wednesday that would eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion concepts in K-12 public schools and agencies.

Senate Bill 227 — filed by Republicans Senate leader Phil Berger of Randolph County, Sen. Michael Lee of New Hanover County, and Sen. Brad Overcash of Gaston County — aims to remove DEI offices, staff, and divisive concepts from schools, ensuring education focuses on core curriculum without promoting ideologies deemed inconsistent with equality.”

Read more: https://www.carolinajournal.com/nc-senate-advances-bill-to-eliminate-dei-in-k-12-schools-agencies-citing-fairness-and-merit/

For more, check out this N&O article. “Backholm, government affairs adviser for the N.C. Values Coalition, told the committee that DEI programs don’t work. ‘There’s good reason to believe that we will get closer to the goals of diversity, equity and inclusion by eliminating the programs currently labeled diversity, equity and inclusion, because in practice, we have institutionalized discrimination in the name of eliminating discrimination,’ Backholm said.”

4. WRAL: NC Senate Votes to Ban Attorney General Jeff Jackson from Suing Trump.

“The North Carolina Senate voted along party lines Wednesday to ban the state’s attorney general from suing the president over any executive orders — a surprise vote announced only moments ahead of time.

The immediate effect of the Republican-backed bill, if it becomes law, would be to prevent Democratic Attorney General Jeff Jackson from suing Republican President Donald Trump again.”

Read more: https://www.wral.com/story/nc-senate-votes-to-ban-attorney-general-jeff-jackson-from-suing-trump-critics-fear-unchecked-power/21894639/

5. WASHINGTON STAND: Gender Transition Surgery Associated with Heightened Mental Health Issues: Study

“Americans who struggle with gender identity are ‘at significantly higher risk for depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and substance use disorders’ if they undergo gender transition surgery, according to a study published in the Oxford Academic Journal of Sexual Medicine on February 25. Yet the study, conducted by researchers from the Baylor College of Medicine, the University of Texas Medical Branch, and the University of Texas Health Houston, failed to draw the most straightforward conclusion due to ideological blinders.

The study found that males with gender transition surgery were 120% likelier to have depression (‘25.4% vs. 11.5%’) and 388% likelier to have anxiety (‘12.8% vs. 2.6%’) than males who had gender dysphoria without surgical intervention. Gender dysphoric females were 56% likelier to have depression (‘22.9% vs. 14.6%’) and 48% likelier to have anxiety (‘10.5% vs. 7.1%’) if they had undergone gender transition surgery.”

Read more: https://washingtonstand.com/commentary/gender-transition-surgery-associated-with-heightened-mental-health-issues-study

WEEKLY PRAYER: Life

LORD, we recognize that you are Sovereign over all creation. We recognize you made man from the dust, and in your mercy, you crowned creation with man and woman made in your image. What a wonder it is that you would bestow upon us this blessing and responsibility!

LORD, may we not take this blessing for granted. We pray that this great responsibility and dignity may motivate us to love You, our neighbors, and our families more. LORD, may we as a culture truly see and believe that children are a blessing from the LORD—born or unborn; able or disabled. All children should have an opportunity to experience the liberty of life. LORD, make us your vehicle to change our culture into one that cherishes and protects life. Keep at the forefront of our minds our responsibilities to respect, cherish, and serve the youngest and oldest in our society.

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.’” (Matthew 18:1-6)