Founded 1983 (1983) Type Nonprofit Corporation Members 8 | Founder Thomas W. Prichard Tax ID no. 41-1863170 (EIN) | |
Location 2855 Anthony Lane South
Minneapolis, Minnesota | ||
Minnesota Family Council (MFC) is an American Christian organization in Minneapolis, Minnesota, founded in 1983 to work against the teaching in schools of tolerance for homosexuals. MFC is affiliated with Focus on the Family and aligned with the Christian right in the US. MFC sponsored the Parents Action League in Minnesota. After registering as a political action committee in 2011, MFC has lobbied against same-sex marriage.
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Origins
The Minnesota Family Council (MFC) was founded in 1983.
The Minnesota Family Council has been active in politics, representing religious conservatives since at least 1994. In 1996, the MFC reacted negatively when glow condoms were sent by Planned Parenthood to men ages 18 to 25, who were living within four miles of its Minneapolis office.
Thomas Prichard joined the Minnesota Family Council in 1990. MFC describes itself as "a non-partisan, grassroots, Christian organization dedicated to strengthening the family – the bedrock of society – by advancing foundational biblical principles in churches, the media, government, and the public square throughout the state of Minnesota."
Parents Action League
Minnesota Family Council (MFC) is the statewide sponsor of the Parents Action League, an organization formed to oppose proposed changes in the Anoka-Hennepin (Minnesota) School District 11 policy which limited discussions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues in district classrooms. Barb Anderson, a longtime researcher for MFC, fought "gay influence" in local schools for two decades. When the Anoka-Hennepin, Minnesota district's sex-ed curriculum was due for re-evaluation in 1994, Anderson and four like-minded parents joined the review committee. They argued against teaching gay tolerance in school, suggesting that it would "promote homosexuality", and that discussing it openly might actually "turn straight kids gay". Anderson also serves as spokesperson for the Parents Action League.
Lobbying
In 2011, MFC registered as a political action committee (PAC) in its efforts for lobbying against same-sex marriage. MFC's CEO, John Helmberger is a registered lobbyist for the organization.
Positions
The Minnesota Family Council has been an active participant in the social values dialogue in the United States (US). The organization is notable for its conservative positions on prayer in public schools, LGBT rights, abortion rights and a school voucher system. MFC's stated mission is "to strengthen the families of Minnesota by advancing biblical principles in the public arena.”
Abortion
MFC is opposed to abortion, stating that "human life is sacred from conception to natural death and must be protected by government". According to MFC president Tom Prichard, that while the council is pro-life, it generally leaves the abortion issue to other groups.
Same-sex marriage
MFC is opposed to same-sex marriage and domestic partner benefits. It spent $349,857.25 on the failed 2012 effort to amend the Minnesota constitution to ban such unions.
Affiliated organizations
MFC's educational subsidiary, Minnesota Family Institute (MFI) provides training, research and non-partisan voter education for their church network and grassroots constituents. MFI in turn operates the Northstar Legal Center, which provides legal education for attorneys and networks oriented toward upholding biblical principles and religious liberty in the courts.
MFC is locally affiliated with James Dobson's Focus on the Family