Articles by David E. Smith
By David E. Smith
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01.15.21
We are displeased to report that this week our state lawmakers passed a 700+ page police “reform” bill. This piece of legislation was passed in the final hours of the lame duck session of the 101st General Assembly. The proposal...
By David E. Smith
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01.12.21
We all would agree that 2020 was an extremely difficult year. And less then two weeks into the New Year, 2021 is off to a rough start as well. We are living in a time of uncertainty, confusion, and disappointment....
By David E. Smith
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01.08.21
Despite the COVID-19 lockdown, Illinois House members are headed to Springfield for a Lame Duck session. State Senator Kimberly Lightford (D-Chicago) is working to expand the state's compulsory school attendance laws, and in the process, diminish the rights of parents. In February 2019, she introduced a bill to lower the mandatory age for school attendance in Illinois from 6 to 5 years of age. This bill passed the Illinois Senate and is now pending in the Illinois House.
By David E. Smith
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12.31.20
You’ll be happy to hear that The Illinois Family Institute has achieved our goal to raise $105,000 -- one day earlier than expected! The response to this challenge match has been fantastic and encouraging. THANK YOU to all who contributed!
![A Conversation with Pastor Douglas Wilson [Full Interview]](https://illinoisfamily.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Banquet_Wilson.jpg "A Conversation with Pastor Douglas Wilson [Full Interview]")
By David E. Smith
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12.26.20
IFI was honored to have theologian, pastor, and courageous truth-teller Doug Wilson speak at our September banquet, after which he continued his critique of culture in an interview with Pastor Derek Buikema of the Orland Park Christian Reformed Church. Pastor...
![A Conversation with Professor Anthony Esolen [Full Interview]](https://illinoisfamily.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/IFI-Interview-with-Professor-Anthony-Esolen.jpg "A Conversation with Professor Anthony Esolen [Full Interview]")
By David E. Smith
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12.26.20
IFI was honored to have English professor Anthony Esolen as one of our esteemed speakers at our banquet in September 2015. Professor Esolen spoke eloquently, soberly, and politically incorrectly about the state of American culture—or lack thereof. Following the banquet...
By David E. Smith
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12.26.20
Do you remember the popular advertising slogan, “When E. F. Hutton talks, people listen”? While good financial advice can boost your net worth, solid theology, biblical scholarship, and consistent application of the Word of God are infinitely more profitable. With...
By David E. Smith
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12.26.20
In his interview with Derek Buikema of Orland Park Christian Reformed Church, Dr. Allan Carlson discusses the current political climate as it relates to American Christianity and the family. Certain policies, for example, though promoted by the Republican party, are detrimental to the family.
![A Conversation with Rod Dreher [Full Interview]](https://illinoisfamily.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Convedrsation.png "A Conversation with Rod Dreher [Full Interview]")
By David E. Smith
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12.26.20
Previously we have featured a series of video excerpts, but, as promised, we are now pleased to present the entirety of Pastor Derek Buikema’s recent interview with Rod Dreher, senior editor at the American Conservative and author of The Benedict...
By David E. Smith
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12.18.20
I am finally doing it: creating profiles on social media platforms that are friendlier to conservative points of view and that do not censor speech. Why? Like so many others, I have had enough of the interference, outright censorship, suppression of conservative views, and suspension of accounts. I am fed up with the unwelcome disclaimers by social media giants and partisan search engines that suggest my opinions and news posts are untrustworthy and/or dishonest. For these reasons, I have decided to say "goodbye" to liberal social media platforms.
By David E. Smith
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12.10.20
The U.S. House passed a bill last week that would remove marijuana from the federal schedule of controlled substances and eliminate federal criminal penalties for anyone who manufactures, distributes, or possesses marijuana. This is the first time in our nation’s...
By David E. Smith
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11.28.20
With the changes our nation* and world have experienced in the past four years, one might think that a video from the 2016 IFI Worldview Conference would be dated, but Dr. Wayne Grudem’s remarks are as pertinent now as ever.
By David E. Smith
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11.26.20
Most Christians understand that we are to be a grateful people. This is attitude is especially easy to have on beautiful sunny days, when liberty abounds and the elections go our way, when we hit our stride at work, or when we are in good physical health. But even in times of challenge, sorrow and in the midst of trials, the Apostle Paul tells "be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be make known to God."
By David E. Smith
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10.28.20
It’s undeniable. History shows a definite pattern of positive Christian influence on secular governments. The influence of Christians, both individuals and groups, has led to the abolition of slavery, polygamy, human sacrifice, and infanticide, as exemplified by the prohibition of abortion in the Roman Empire. Christian influence has led to a greater valuation of human rights, freedom of religion, and the concept of equality before the law. Even the acceptance of the right of an individual to own property is indebted to Christian influence.
By David E. Smith
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10.15.20
In the book of Esther, we see God raising up a woman by the name of Esther to be queen. At this time, one of the King’s officials, Haman, was planning to bring a genocide to the Jewish people, unknowingly...
