The 3 - June 1, 2025

Prayer service conducted at the Pentagon - Secretary of Defense invites, but does not mandate, employees to attend

Gary Bauer, writing for the James Dobson Family Institute, which presents Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk weeknights at 8:30 on Faith Radio, states:

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth held an overtly Christian prayer service in the Pentagon’s auditorium on May 21, 2025. A pastor spoke at the event, which was voluntary and well attended. Secretary Hegseth said that his plans are to have such events each month. JDFI commends him.

After highlighting several media sources which denounced the event, Bauer wrote this:

The First Amendment prohibits the government from establishing an official religion in America. A prayer service on government property does not establish an official religion. The First Amendment also guarantees the “free exercise of religion.” Hegseth’s prayer service at the Pentagon is a perfect example of this freedom.

Erin Smith, Associate Counsel at First Liberty Institute, issued this statement, published at the organization's website:

Secretary Hegseth’s exercise of his religious faith is protected just like it was for the Navy SEALs we represented against the prior administration when it tried to kick them out for their faith objection to Covid requirements. We commend Secretary Hegseth for standing up for the Constitution and against censorship.

Gary Bauer added: 

This prayer service is well within the historic traditions of the American Republic. Our first president, George Washington, credited God for the birth of our country and victory in our War of Independence. Our Declaration of Independence states explicitly that our Creator—a reference to the God of the Bible—is the author of our liberty. The American Revolution itself was inspired by colonial pastors who roused their congregations to stand for liberty. President Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural address referred directly or indirectly to the Bible a dozen times.

He also noted that President Franklin Roosevelt led the nation in prayer via radio as American troops embarked on the D-Day invasion. Bauer states: "Many of our soldiers carried small Bibles, consisting of the New Testament and the book of Psalms, provided by the Gideons organization with the consent of the US government."  There was a personal note from FDR in the front of those Bibles.

Court rules drag queen show can move forward near children's park

As backlash continues in various sectors of our society to the incredible lack of self-awareness of the gay community, who have been pushing this notion of "pride" upon the public during June, CBN.com reports that:

A U.S. District Judge has issued a preliminary injunction allowing a "grossly inappropriate, and sexually explicit drag show," to be held in view of children at a June 7 "pride" festival, a non-profit legal group reports.

As CBN News reported, Liberty Counsel filed a motion on behalf of three Collier County parents to keep the sexualized LGBTQ performance away from a children's playground.

The article notes:

The lawsuit came after the Naples City Council voted 5-2 in April to move the proposed drag show indoors away from Cambier Park, which is frequented by children, and to restrict the event to adults only. However, Naples Pride, an LGBT advocacy group, and the ACLU sued the city, claiming it violated their First Amendment rights by moving the event.

But, apparently, based on the article, the city of Naples did not offer a particularly strong defense.  A statement from Liberty Counsel was quoted, which said: "The city noted that Cambier Park, which has a children's playground a mere 100 feet away from where Naples Pride wants to hold its drag show, is a limited public forum where permits are subject to reasonable and viewpoint neutral criteria," adding, "While this is true, Liberty Counsel argues this defense leaves out more significant arguments that would require the court to deny the injunction in the interest of protecting children..." The article stated:

They point out that Florida's "Protection of Children Act" of 2023 expressly outlaws public drag shows held in view of minors.

Christian event in Seattle draws protests, ire of mayor

Members of the Christian community in Seattle and the mayor's office are at odds due to a protest at a service event that has been mischaracterized, according to a FoxNews.com article, which reported, about the original event on Saturday, May 24 and a subsequent event at City Hall on Tuesday, the 28th:

Organizers hosted a Mayday USA rally at Cal Anderson Park in Seattle on Saturday, which The Pursuit NW Pastor Russell Johnson helped lead. The event reportedly offered free haircuts, free bike giveaways and free groceries for the community as well as time for prayer and worship.

The event was later "swarmed" by protesters, some of whom reportedly threw urine-filled water balloons at attendees, and more than 20 arrests were made.

The article related:

"[Saturday's] event has, of course, been labeled by the media as some sort of anti-LGBT-type rally, and it wasn't," Johnson said Thursday on "The Ingraham Angle."

"We were swarmed by hundreds of Antifa militants... They were throwing water-balloons filled with urine at Christians who stood in the park and were assaulted for the high crime of worshiping Jesus in a public space," Johnson told Fox News host Laura Ingraham.

FoxNews.com went on to say:

After police reported multiple arrests at Saturday's rally, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell's office released a statement defending the LGBTQ community and protesters while criticizing the "far-right rally" for provoking the violent reaction.

Then the Tuesday skirmish at City Hall occurred - the Fox website said:

In response to the mayor, Johnson helped organize an event at Seattle City Hall on Tuesday, which he said was met with "similar" opposition from protesters.

"Antifa was out in force. They bloodied and beat up good church people who stood in line to try to get into a rally to sing hymns and worship songs and pray for the direction of the city," Johnson said.

The pastor noted that after announcing Tuesday's rally, he was "inundated" with support from people beyond Christian and conservative circles who wanted to "stand with Christians at City Hall because we believe in the First Amendment."

Well, it was announced last week that the FBI has become involved in investigating what has occurred; the article said:

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said Tuesday he had requested an investigation into allegations of "targeted violence" against religious groups after the rally at Seattle City Hall in response to the mayor purportedly blaming Christian activists for igniting a weekend demonstration that turned violent.

The 3 - May 25, 2025

Court rules in favor of lawsuit challenging FCC proposals on increased employment information

Broadcasters across the nation were facing the possibility of having to provide increased information about their employees if a new proposal had gone into effect.  A new ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has greatly reduced that possibility.

National Religious Broadcasters, which brought the challenge, along with one of its members, released the information on its website recently, stating:

...the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the FCC had overstepped its regulatory authority by attempting to force broadcasters to report the race, ethnicity, and gender of each of their employees.

The NRB action was what was called a "petition for review of FCC 24-18, the rule that reinstated the Form 395-B collection and disclosure requirements."  

Troy A. Miller, President & CEO of NRB stated:

“NRB has always fought to protect Christian communicators from baseless attempts to restrict their First Amendment liberties which hinder their work of proclaiming the Gospel. This ruling helps ensure that the government cannot create a backdoor to control broadcasters through public intimidation, misuse private data against them, or interfere with the sacred and constitutionally protected mission of religious broadcasters.”

The article noted: "FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has stated that the FCC will not appeal the decision of the Fifth Circuit. NRB will continue in its legal and political efforts to fight for Christian communicators’ freedom to operate without unlawful government interference."

High court issues tie vote on matter involving a religious charter school

One high-profile case at the U.S. Supreme Court involved a Catholic virtual school that had been approved as a charter school in Oklahoma.  However, the state's attorney general filed court action to block the school in its attempt.  The Daily Signal reports:

In a tied decision, the U.S. Supreme Court Thursday allowed an Oklahoma Supreme Court decision to stand, disqualifying a Catholic charter school from receiving state funding.

Justice Amy Coney Barrett recused herself from the ruling, resulting in the 4-4 decision.

The court did not issue an opinion, only stating, “The judgment is affirmed by an equally divided court.”

State attorney general Gentner Drummond "...sued the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board and its members, seeking to invalidate its contract with St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School."  The state supreme court had sided with the attorney general, and that decision will now be allowed to stand. 

The article notes:

The Trump administration had previously filed a brief supporting the school, arguing that excluding it from the program would violate its free exercise rights.

The administration argued that Oklahoma’s exclusion of St. Isidore violates the free exercise clause of the First Amendment, and that charter schools like St. Isidore do not represent part of the state government.

Federal judge strikes down Equal Employment Opportunity Commission transgender guidelines

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission had been attempting to enact special rules in American workplace, showing favoritism toward transgender employees. The EEOC, which, of course, is under new leadership, posted on its website:

On May 15, 2025, a Texas federal court held the Biden-EEOC’s expansion of the definition of “sex” in its Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace was contrary to law...

The website, under new management, explained:

The EEOC previously issued the Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace by a 3-2 vote in 2024. EEOC Acting Chair Andrea Lucas voted against the guidance and issued a dissent after it was approved by the EEOC majority. In particular, Lucas has been vocal in her opposition to portions of EEOC’s harassment guidance that took the enforcement position that harassing conduct under Title VII includes “denial of access to a bathroom or other sex-segregated facility consistent with [an] individual’s gender identity;” and that harassing conduct includes “repeated and intentional use of a name or pronoun inconsistent with [an] individual’s known gender identity.”

It notes:

President Trump directed the EEOC to rescind portions of the guidance that conflicted with the executive order. However, any modification or recission must be approved by a majority vote of the Commission, and as of January 27, 2025, the EEOC lacks a quorum. Acting Chair Lucas has made clear that she remains opposed to those portions of the guidance.

The 3 - May 18, 2025

Pro-life organizations take aim at mifepristone after shocking study on abortion pill

Within the last few weeks, the Ethics and Public Policy Center has released the results of a study that shows, regarding the abortion pill, mifepristone, according to The Washington Stand, "although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) claims that less than half a percent of women experience serious complications, the actual rate of damage done by the drug is significantly higher."

The article relates that over 865,000 mifepristone abortions were studied between 2017 and 2023. The report found that almost 11% of "women who used the abortion drug mifepristone experienced serious complications within 45 days as a result."

The Washington Stand stated:

The EPPC’s report finds that complications arising from mifepristone are at least 22 times more common than the 0.5% of cases touted by the FDA. The new report is, according to EPPC, “the most comprehensive study of chemical abortion safety ever conducted in the U.S.” It relies on data collected from 28 times more mifepristone abortions than the FDA’s research does and, further, is more recent and more accurate to real-world circumstances. The EPPC noted that the FDA relies “entirely on data from more than a decade ago” from “a prescreened group of generally healthy women recruited into various clinical trials conducted at different times around the world.”

As a result of these findings, a consortium of over 50 organizations, led by Family Research Council, have sent a letter to President Trump "detailing the dangers of mifepristone and asking him to support state-level pro-life laws and reconsider the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) approval of mifepristone, or at the very least reinstate safeguards originally enacted when the abortion drug was approved in 2000." That's according to another Washington Stand article. 

Meanwhile, according to the Missourinet website: "The Trump Administration is asking a federal judge to dismiss Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s lawsuit that seeks to restrict access to a popular abortion drug."

The article states: 

A U.S. Justice Department brief says Bailey’s lawsuit was filed in Texas, which is not a plaintiff in the case. It says the suit should have been filed in a federal court in Missouri, Kansas, or Idaho.

According to the U.S. Justice Department, Missouri, Kansas, and Idaho fail to identify imminent harm they personally face regarding the access of mifepristone.

Bailey, in a statement published by the website, cited what appears to be the EPPC study, stating: "Beyond a reasonable doubt, the evidence clearly establishes that mifepristone poses a grave risk to the health of women. The most recent study says 1 in 9 women who ingest this powerful chemical will end up in the ER or worse."

Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley is quoted as saying: “The chemical abortion drug, which is what this case is about, (harms) more than 10% of the women who take it,” adding, “It causes serious medical episodes, hemorrhaging, mass infections, trips to the emergency room. The lawsuit is about, should there be safety regulations around the drug? There should be.” He said that “I don’t think the President has anything to do with it...I think it’s lawyers in the Department of Justice and the Deep State who like Biden’s rules on abortion and want to protect them. And I just think that’s a mistake.”  However, it has been reported that the President has indicated support for future distribution of mifepristone. 

In his questioning of Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. in a congressional hearing last week, according to The Daily Citizen, Hawley referenced the EPPC study.  The article says:

Secretary Kennedy confirmed that he had seen the study and acknowledged the data was “alarming” and that, at the very least, the label should be updated to reflect its true danger to women.

He then explained he has instructed the director of the FDA to do a “complete review” of the chemical abortion pill and report back to him with the findings.

Secretary Kennedy confirmed the review is a top priority, but didn’t have a deadline for when the work will be finished.

Tennessee governor signs bill to prevent use of "gender pronouns"

A major legislative victory in the state of Tennessee involves the use of so-called "gender pronouns," which refer to a student using pronouns that are not consistent with his or her biological sex - in other words, these are falsehoods.  

Recently, Gov. Bill Lee signed legislation that,  according to Alliance Defending Freedom, "prohibits government entities from forcing students, teachers, professors, and other public employees to use inaccurate pronouns in violation of their sincerely held beliefs..."

ADF Senior Counsel Matt Sharp, in a statement, said:

Words and language carry meaning, and when used properly, they communicate truth about the world. Forcing individuals to say things that are false—such as inaccurate pronouns—imposes real harm on the speaker. In no world is it acceptable for the government to discipline students or force good educators or other public servants out of a job all for the sake of promoting gender ideology. With this legislation, Tennessee is rightfully stepping into the gap to protect freedom of speech and conscience.

California school district secures victory in gender notification case

More now from what I call the "genderverse," an uncomfortable, godless place in which men can become women and women can become men, there are more than the two genders that are stated in Scripture, and people are punished for "misgendering," or using a pronoun that does not comport with one's biological sex:

The power of the genderverse, I believe, is being systematically and incrementally broken.  Gov. Lee's signature on the Tennessee bill is one example.  So, is a court ruling recently that temporarily upholds the rights of parents to opt their children out of classes where gender ideology will be taught.  First Liberty Institute states:

The United States District Court for the Southern District of California granted a motion for preliminary injunction requiring the Encinitas (CA) Union School District to provide notification and opt-outs to parents and students when promoting gender ideology in “buddy classes,” a mentoring program coupling older and younger students. First Liberty Institute and the National Center for Law & Policy filed a complaint and motion for preliminary injunction in September 2024.

Nate Kellum, Senior Counsel for First Liberty, is quoted as saying: “No child should be forced to speak a message that violates his religious convictions,” adding, “We are grateful for the court’s decision and will continue to fight to ensure that elementary children are not forced to participate in lessons about gender identity that violate their faith.”

The 3 - May 11, 2025

New pope selected, speculation taking place on direction

Within the space of two days, Robert Prevost, the first American-born pope, became Pope Leo XIV, succeeding Pope Francis, who had passed away not long ago. 

There is certainly a digital footprint that Cardinal Prevost has, and that has raised speculation about whether or not he will become an extension of the term of Pope Francis or chart his own course.

USA Today reported:

Before being elected on May 8 as the leader of the Catholic church, Pope Leo XIV shared social media posts criticizing President Donald Trump's and Vice President JD Vance's stances on immigration.

In three posts, then-Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of Chicago was critical of Vance's take on religion, shared an article critiquing Vance's statements on deportation of migrants and retweeted criticism of Trump and President of El Salvador Nayib Bukele's response to the deportation of El Salvadorian national Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a resident of Maryland.

One post from Feb. 3, 2025, pointed to an article in the National Catholic Reporter titled "JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others."

At The Stream, John Zmirak, who is Catholic, stated: "On the one hand, he seems to genuinely oppose abortion...," embedding a tweet from noted pro-life advocate Frank Pavone. And, Zmirak states, "Leo in the past has expressed conventionally orthodox Christian opinions on the Sexual Revolution...," and embedded a tweet from Breitbart's Alana Mastrangelo.

But, Zmirak also noted that, "The bulk of public commentary that Leo has made in the past leans far to the left, alas, on issues where genuine Catholic teaching is either neutral or actually conservative, as John West...noted..."

Albert Mohler, President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, writes at WORLD Magazine:

What does this mean for the future of the Roman Catholic Church? The two most basic facts to consider are these: First, Pope Francis appointed the vast majority of the cardinal electors in the room. Second, Prevost had been personally chosen by Pope Francis to direct the process of choosing and appointing bishops around the globe. In other words, there is little chance that the new pope was chosen to do anything but continue the trajectory set by Francis. That is of great concern to conservative Catholics.

Mohler also presented concern about the packaging and optics:

Francis presented himself as a genial grandfather, but behind the scenes he hit conservatives hard, forbidding, for example, the Latin mass. At times Francis appeared downright confused about basic issues of Catholic tradition and teaching. My guess is that Pope Leo XIV will present himself very differently. Conservatives now wonder out loud if Leo will be simultaneously more polished and more effective at the task of liberalizing Catholic doctrine and practice.

But, two commentators for EWTN, the Catholic network based in Birmingham, see Pope Leo as potentially building bridges.  Teresa Tomeo, on Friday's Meeting House on Faith Radio, shared that description from one of her radio show guests and cautioned people from perhaps jumping to conclusions about the direction of this next papacy.  And, Mediaite quoted from a Fox News appearance by Raymond Arroyo, who said this to Will Cain:

Well, hope springs eternal, Will, even in The Eternal City. Here’s what I’d say. It’s a mixed bag. The record is a mixed bag, but there are indications when you saw the pope come out today, ok, he was wearing the traditional mozzetta, that red garment atop his white cassock. That’s kind of a cry back to the past. That’s a wink at tradition. So, a lot of traditionalists and conservative people said, “Oh look, he’s dressing like a pope.”

We frankly haven’t seen this in 12 years with Pope Francis. So, maybe Leo will be as he mentioned in his speech today, a bridge-builder. One hopes, I mean, when you look at his Twitter feed, he was for open borders in the United States and kind of took potshots at JD Vance and the Trump administration.

But look, all popes are going to support migrants, support the poor, support peace. Their heart goes out for humanity. That’s with the job. Jesus would do the same. I don’t know if he’d get so political. And that, they’re gonna have to be careful of.

The record shows concern, but Pope Leo XIV's record as pope is just beginning to be written.  Because of his status as leader of the 1.4 billion-member Roman Catholic Church and his profile in the world as an influential moral and spiritual leader, what he does - and says - potentially impacts all people of faith and is highly significant.  

University agrees to pay psychiatrist fired for his views on gender transition

Allen Josephson once headed the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology at the University of Louisville.  That changed, according to CBN.com, when he spoke at a 2017 event sponsored by the Heritage Foundation.  The article said that (including information from Alliance Defending Freedom):

According to the ADF, a non-profit legal group, Josephson spoke in his personal capacity during a panel discussion about his views on children experiencing gender dysphoria. As a result of his comments, the school "demoted, harassed, and ultimately fired" him for "speaking out on the harms of 'transitioning' children."

The article continued:

In his own words, Josephson said the retribution was swift.

"As a medical professional who cares about my patients, my answer was simple, obvious, and innocuous. We must start by finding out the cause of the child's 'transgender' confusion and resolving any emotional problems before considering more invasive, risky treatments," Josephson explained, writing for the Daily Signal.

"It seemed a reasonable enough response," he continued. "According to the scientific method, every study begins with questions. One of the first is: 'Why?'"

CBN reported: "Josephson said that after 14 years of building a successful program at the school, he was demoted within a matter of weeks after speaking at the Heritage event, ultimately ending his 40-year career." He was quoted as saying, "The university ended my career because I elected not to surf the current wave of social activism..."

ADF filed a lawsuit on Josephson's behalf, and a federal appeals court ruled that the case could proceed. CBN.com stated:

In a lawsuit filed against the school, ADF argued the university violated Josephson's freedom of speech and other constitutionally protected freedoms.

In September of last year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit ruled that Josephson's case should proceed to trial, declaring public university officials can be held personally accountable for censoring professors or retaliating against them as the University of Louisville was accused of doing in Josephson's case.

ADF announced earlier this week that the school has agreed to settle the case, paying Josephson almost $1.6 million in damages and attorneys' fees.

U.S. Supreme Court declares that Administration can continue to ban transgender people serving in the military

As the SCOTUS Blog website reports, on Inauguration Day this year, "...President Donald Trump...issued" an "order requiring Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to put into effect a ban on 'individuals with gender dysphoria' – the medical term for the psychological distress caused by a conflict between the sex someone is assigned at birth and that person’s gender identity."

The website points out that the Department of Defense, on February 26, "issued that ban, which generally disqualifies anyone who either has gender dysphoria or has undergone medical interventions to treat gender dysphoria from serving in the military. The department explained that 'the medical, surgical, and mental health constraints on individuals who have a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms with, gender dysphoria are incompatible with the high mental and physical standards necessary for military service.'"

A group of plaintiffs went to court to stop the ban from taking effect, and a federal district judge ordered the implementation of the ban stopped, and an appeals court agreed with the lower court judge.  The Administration appealed to the high court, which put the lower court order on hold, allowing the ban to continue while the trial is progressing in the 9th Circuit. 

The 3 - May 4, 2025

National Day of Prayer I: Religious Liberty Commission announced

There are several developments for which this year's National Day of Prayer could be remembered.  In addition to gathering at a variety of locations from city halls to county courthouses and a variety of venues, there was a National Day of Prayer event that occurred in the Rose Garden at the White House.

At that event, it was announced that a Religious Liberty Commission would be established. Fox News reported that:

Trump unveiled plans for the new commission during a National Day of Prayer event at the White House and signed it later in the event.

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick will serve as the chairman of the commission, Trump said from the White House Rose Garden.

"The last administration attacked people of faith for four years," Patrick said Thursday. "There's a saying that no one should get between a doctor and a patient. I think we would say no one should get between God and a believer. No one should get between God and those seeking him."

The article at the Fox website reported:

The Religious Liberty Commission will compose a report evaluating threats to religious liberty in the U.S., ways to enhance religious freedom and examine the history of American religious liberty, according to a White House fact sheet on the executive order.

The report will address issues including parental rights in religious education, school choice, attacks on religious places of worship, and free speech issues for religious organizations, according to the fact sheet.

Members of the Commission include President, CEO, and Chief Counsel of Christian legal organization Kelly Shackelford.  First Liberty's website also listed other members of the group, including Chairman, Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, Vice-Chairman, former HUD Secretary Ben Carson, and other notables including: Franklin Graham, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Phil McGraw, and others.

National Day of Prayer II: HHS announces report on gender transition attempts, lawsuit against Alabama law dropped

The subject of gender identity and troublesome attempts by some in the medical community to assist minors in changing their "gender" was front and center on Thursday, May 1, the National Day of Prayer.  

Christian Newswire published a press release from the Department of Health and Human Services, which stated:

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health and Office of Population Affairs, released a comprehensive review of the evidence and best practices for promoting the health of children and adolescents with gender dysphoria. This review, informed by an evidence-based medicine approach, reveals serious concerns about medical interventions, such as puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries, that attempt to transition children and adolescents away from their sex.

The press release quoted from National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya, who said: “Our duty is to protect our nation’s children—not expose them to unproven and irreversible medical interventions,” adding, “We must follow the gold standard of science, not activist agendas.”  The HHS press release also related:

Despite increasing pressure to promote these drastic medical interventions for our nation’s youth, the review makes clear: the science and evidence do not support their use, and the risks cannot be ignored.

The website, JustTheNews.com reported:

The Biden administration politicized the science of treatment for youth gender confusion by hiding taxpayer-funded research that found no improvement in mental health for youth on puberty blockers and by bearing down on a standards-setting group to remove age minimums for so-called gender-affirming hormonal and surgical procedures from a draft.

The Trump administration is pushing back on both fronts, rushing a new policy to immediately make public National Institutes of Health-funded research results and releasing a massive review of youth gender medicine that echoes earlier findings from Europe, which has drastically restricted drugs and surgery for gender-confused youth.

The article went on to say:

The moves pleasantly surprised administration critics such as University of California San Francisco HIV researcher Monica Gandhi, who has repeatedly intoned against cuts to health research funding but praised NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya for the "extremely fair and good" transparency policy.

Science writer Jesse Singal, who broke the news that transgender Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary Rachel Levine interfered in Standards of Care 8 by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, said he was shocked the gender medicine review was neither "hackish" nor "authored by cranks."

Rachel Levine is a former HHS assistant director, a biological male named Richard, presenting as a female. Just the News reported that his treachery was discovered by Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall in his defense of an Alabama law preventing the use of surgeries and treatments designed to help young people change their "gender."

The website article noted:

... the plaintiffs in litigation against Alabama's ban on gender-affirming care for minors, which had accidentally exposed Levine's interference, dropped the case Thursday.

Legal discovery showed "key medical organizations misled parents, promoted unproven treatments as settled science, and ignored growing international concern" over the procedures, said the office of state Attorney General Steve Marshall.

"It is no surprise" they quit, Marshall said.

New proposed OK school could become the nation's first religious charter school; SCOTUS hears challenge

Last Wednesday, according to article at the Liberty Counsel website:

...the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond where the Justices appeared to favor including a faith-based school in Oklahoma’s public charter school program that had been excluded due to being a religious institution. The case considers whether a state may discriminate and exclude a faith-based school from state funding in a public charter school program simply because of its religious affiliation. A second question in the case asks whether a religious private school that partners with the state to offer a free educational option for interested students becomes a “state actor” that treads over the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause by funding religious education.

Liberty Counsel's interest in the case?  The piece on its website noted:

Liberty Counsel filed an amicus brief in the case on behalf of Covenant Journey Academy (CJA) noting that SCOTUS has long recognized that parents bear the primary responsibility for directing their children’s education – a fundamental right that must necessarily include the ability to choose a school that accords with their values and meets their children’s needs.

Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver, heard on Freedom's Call on Faith Radio, is Founder and Chancellor of CJA, which is an online school.  Staver is quoted as saying on the Liberty Counsel website: "...Faith-based, virtual schools offer parents an alternative when government-run schools fail to provide a safe or ideologically neutral environment for the families they claim to serve. The Supreme Court has made clear that when a state attempts to impose an educational model that contradicts the deeply held beliefs of parents, it trespasses on the Constitution."

The 3 - April 27, 2025

Pope Francis laid to rest, Catholic Church deals with its direction

There has been no shortage of coverage and response to the death of Pope Francis.  His funeral took place this past weekend, and according to WORLD Magazine:

The Vatican estimated that more than a quarter of a million people filled St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican for the service. The 88-year-old head of the Roman Catholic Church died of a stroke on April 21, Easter Monday, after a dozen years of leadership.

Before the mass, uniformed pallbearers carried Francis’ simple wooden coffin from St. Peter’s Basilica, where his body had lain in state, to the square outside. Cardinals lined the basilica’s central aisle until the pope’s coffin passed through.

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, gave the funeral sermon. He said Francis was a pope of the people, a simple pastor with an informal and spontaneous speaking style.

The article went on to say: "After the funeral mass, a modified popemobile carried Francis’ coffin to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where he had asked to be buried."

Another WORLD article noted that the conclave to select a new Pope will begin next week:

Catholic cardinals on Monday said they will begin next week the conclave process to elect Pope Francis’ successor, according to the Vatican’s news service. Until the conclave begins, cardinals are working on getting to know one another as the mourning period for Francis continues, British Cardinal Vincent Nichols told the Associated Press. One of them will be chosen by the rest as the new pope.

A total of 135 cardinals are qualified as electors for the conclave, according to Vatican statistics. Only cardinals younger than 80 can be electors. The majority of them were appointed by Francis. But some of them may not actually travel to Rome to participate in the vote—just over a hundred electors were in Rome on Monday, Vatican News reported. About 22 cardinals worldwide are considered papabili, or leading candidates for the job of pope, by Catholic journalists and researchers at the College of Cardinals Report.

The death of Pope Francis marks a potential pivot point for the Roman Catholic Church.  As a practicing Protestant, I think it is very clear within a variety of Protestant denominations that choices are being made - are these bodies going to pursue a more traditional direction based on Scripture or a more progressive direction based on a worldly interpretation of Holy Writ?

It is also happened within the Catholic Church - and while many have praised the character and compassion of Pope Francis, there are, among conservative, or traditional Catholics, concerns about the direction of the Church.

I came across several commentaries over at The Stream, the Founder and President of which is evangelical minister James Robison. 

Jules Gomes wrote:

The pope’s cheerleaders portrayed him as the long-awaited messianic reformer who spoke truth to political power — and even in his final days, challenged their nemesis, Donald Trump, by egging the U.S. bishops to defy his efforts to deport illegal aliens.

For his detractors Francis was nothing short of Machiavellian — a manipulative micromanager, a megalomaniacal dictator, and a Neville Chamberlain redivivus who struck Faustian bargains with Islamic jihadists, globalist vaccine peddlers, pro-Palestinian antisemites, and Beijing’s communist nabobs while trading Catholicism for kitsch.

Gomes added: "For the media, it was love at first sight...," adding, "It seemed like the pope’s honeymoon with the chattering classes would last forever, with the media devouring his daily soundbites that veered dangerously off script, especially during high-altitude press conferences on the papal plane."  He also wrote:

Francis, ad libbing on how atheists would go to Heaven and the existence of a “gay lobby” in the Vatican, confirmed that his would be a papacy of improvisation — and, adventurous, perhaps even risky, innovation.

And then on July 29, 2013, during an press conference on the plane while flying back from Brazil, he uttered five little words that would become the signature of his papacy: “Who am I to judge?” he said when asked about gay priests in the Church.

Also in the Stream piece, Gomes wrote:

As his health continued to fail, Francis devoted his attention to creating the optimal conditions for his successor to seal his legacy. In a series of consistories, the pope nominated cardinal-electors who align with his agenda on LGBT rights, synodality, climate change, migrant issues, and social justice, most recently in October 2024.

Another Stream piece, by Auguste Meyrat, included his comments how Pope Francis' predecessor, Pope Benedict "labored to reform the church," relating about Benedict, that "however brilliantly he articulated the profundities of Catholicism, most people simply remembered how he made them feel: guilty, mediocre, and incredibly stupid. For conservative Catholics like myself, this seemed appropriate when we were seeing our beloved religion succumb to hollow ideologies of multiculturalism, relativism, and neopaganism. For everyone else, it was an unpardonable offense."  So, as Meyrat points out:

Naturally, Pope Francis went in the opposite direction, doing his utmost to convert the Church into a leftist NGO. He prioritized the same things as leftist secular governments, had the same soft spots for dictators and communist regimes, and treated moral controversies with unbelievable flippancy. As promised, he “made a mess” by promoting shameless cronies and demoting principled detractors, allowing chronic problems to fester, and stomping on the few instances of growth in the Church.

Stream Senior Editor John Zmirak, a notable Catholic writer, said regarding Pope Francis:

But must we pretend that we will miss him? Or that it would be anything but a catastrophe if the cardinals Francis handpicked — many of them proteges of the child-molesting leftist Machiavelli Theodore McCarrick — were to elect another pope with Francis’s theology and politics? Indeed, if the next pope follows Francis even further into surrendering before the secular world and refashioning the Gospel to accommodate sexual perversion and woke politics, it would discredit the authority of the papacy itself.

He goes on to say:

Must we spin webs of words about Francis’s “compassion” and “humility” that even his supporters don’t really believe? His carefully staged humility photo ops were markedly at odds with his rigorous grasp on power, and his persecution of traditional Catholics who dared to question his doctrinal deviations from Catholic tradition and Scripture: convents seized, religious orders dissolved, bishops fired, cardinals stripped of office.

Francis has largely forbidden the traditional liturgy of the Church around the world, even though it has been the center of religious revival among young Catholics, fostering large faithful families and many religious vocations. Francis has seen the green shoots springing up in the Church, and sprayed them with weed killer.

So, we recognize the Catholic Church as a powerful force for good in this world, and a recognized spiritual force, even though there are deep theological differences between Protestants and Catholics. But, leadership can certainly shape the direction of the Church, and it does seem that there are concerns about a progressive bent over which Pope Francis presided.  Will the cardinals who are tasked with selecting a new Pope continue in this direction?  Or will they signal a return to the steady traditionalism of Pope Benedict?   People who name the name of Christ worldwide can certainly watch and pray.

EEOC Commissioner sues to get job back, Christian organizations stand with President in lawsuit

An article at The Daily Signal relates that two commissioners serving on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Jocelyn Samuels and Charlotte Burrows, "used their years on the...Commission to require employers to facilitate gender transitions and abortions. Shortly after his Jan. 20 inauguration, Trump ordered the independent agency to rescind its gender-identity mandate."

They chose not to comply, so the President fired them.  Samuels wants her job back, so she's filed a lawsuit against the President. 

The article notes that, "On Thursday, the Christian Employers Alliance and Choices Pregnancy Center of Greater Phoenix moved to intervene in a lawsuit opposite...Jocelyn Samuels, who they say imposed unlawful gender identity and abortion mandates on them, violating their religious freedom."

Julie Marie Blake, who serves as Senior Counsel for Regulatory Litigation at Alliance Defending Freedom, which is representing the two Christian organizations; she is quoted as saying: “Our clients are both Christian organizations. They recognize the biological reality that humans are male and female, and the biological reality that life begins at conception, and so neither of them can comply with these unlawful mandates." She adds: "Our clients are the real people who will be harmed if [Samuels] gets back into office and is able to reinforce and continue to go after employers through these mandates..."

The Daily Signal article provided more information about these mandates, stating:

The gender-identity mandate imposed by Samuels required employers to treat males as females and allow employee access to private spaces based on gender identity. The abortion mandate misused the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which is supposed to protect pregnant women, to promote a pro-abortion agenda, silence pro-life speech by employers, and force employers to facilitate elective abortions.

SCOTUS hears case involving parents wishing to "opt-out" their children from LGBT materials

In a key case involving parental rights, the U.S. Supreme Court heard a case out of Maryland in which parents in a school district had filed a lawsuit after they were denied the right to remove their children from classes where LGBT-friendly materials were being used.  The New York Post reported:

The Supreme Court indicated Tuesday it would rule in favor of a group of parents who sued a suburban Maryland school board over its refusal to allow parents of elementary school children to opt out of classes with LGBTQ-themed storybooks.

Plaintiffs argue that the school system in Montgomery County, just outside Washington, DC, cannot require children to sit through lessons involving the books if their family has religious objections.

The article goes on to say:

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) approved certain LGBTQ-themed curriculum books in late 2022. Initially, MCPS allowed an opt-out for parents with religious concerns, but by March of 2023, it reversed course, citing concerns about absenteeism and administrative burdens.

A group of parents from Muslim, Roman Catholic and Ukrainian Orthodox faiths, sued the school district, arguing the lack of an opt-out system trampled upon their religious rights as parents.

The New York Post highlighted comments from Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who "expressed concerns that the LGBTQ-laced classroom instructions aren’t merely trying to expose students to different ideas, but are about trying to impress upon students that 'this is the right view of the world' and 'how you should think about things.'” The article noted: "At times, some of the conservative justices sounded uneasy about the content of some of the books in question."

For example...

...“That’s the one where they were supposed to look for the leather and bondage things like that,” Justice Neil Gorsuch asked about the “Pride Puppy” book for pre-K students, which was later removed from the curriculum by the board.

“Pride Puppy” is a picture book aimed at three- and four-year-olds that instructs kids to look for items they might find at a gay pride parade, such as underwear, lip rings, drag kings, and late gay liberation activist Marsha Johnson, whom critics noted was once a sex worker.

Eric Baxter, attorney for one of the parents, said, “The [school] board does not dispute that under its theory, it could compel instruction using pornography, and parents would have no rights,” adding, “The First Amendment demands more. Parents, not school boards, should have the final say on such religious matters.”

The 3 - April 20, 2025

South African missionary taken at gunpoint released without harm

Last week, I told you about Josh Sullivan, a missionary from America to South Africa who was abducted from the church where he was preaching.  Prayers were requested, and late last week, it was announced that prayers were answered in a dramatic fashion.  

The Christian Post reported that:

Five days after he was kidnapped by armed men from his church in Motherwell, South Africa, Tennessee missionary Josh Sullivan was rescued and “miraculously unharmed” following a “high-intensity shootout” that left three people dead.

The article went on to say that, "A statement from the South African Police Service said the shootout happened at a safe house...where the 34-year-old pastor was being held captive." The statement said:

“As officers approached the house, they observed a vehicle on the premises. The suspects inside the vehicle upon seeing law enforcement allegedly attempted to flee and opened fire on the team. The officers responded with tactical precision, leading to a high-intensity shootout in which three unidentified suspects were fatally wounded..."

Now, listen to what the official statement had to say: “The victim was found inside the same vehicle from which the suspects had launched their attack. Miraculously unharmed, he was immediately assessed by medical personnel and is currently in an excellent condition.”

A previous Christian Post article gave insight into the character of Pastor Sullivan: 

Months before he was abducted from his growing church in the impoverished Motherwell township in South Africa last Thursday, Tennessee missionary and married father of four, Josh Sullivan, said he was robbed of his wallet by a young neighborhood man who almost got killed for the crime.

The article said that "Sullivan...recounted the robbery during a sermon at Tri-City Baptist Church in late December. He said members of the community offered to put the thief to death on his behalf after he was caught but he forgave the man and used the opportunity to preach the Gospel to the community instead." 

New AR law protects children, prevents faith-based adoption agencies from placing kids with gay couples

Recently, the state of Arkansas passed a law called the Keep Kids First Act, which was signed by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, according to a WORLD Magazine article, which reported:

Under the Keep Kids First Act, state officials cannot force faith-based groups to place children in homes not aligned with the groups’ religious beliefs. Agencies can continue to place children with families who affirm Biblical beliefs about gender and marriage. The bill also protects Christian adoptive or foster parents from discrimination if they refuse to accept government policy about sexual orientation or gender identity that conflicts with Biblical truth.

The article has a link to an article on an Alliance Defending Freedom website, in which Senior Counsel Greg Chafuen is quoted as saying that the new law "...prioritizes the well-being of kids by prohibiting state and local government officials from discriminating against adoption and foster care providers and parents simply because of their religious beliefs and moral convictions."
 

Lawmakers in Washington make attempt to advance and protect the work of pregnancy resource centers

Members of Congress, recognizing the incredible work of pro-life pregnancy resource centers, have introduced legislation that counterbalances actions against these centers - physical and legislative - in several states across the nation.  A CBN.com article notes:

For decades, pro-life pregnancy centers have faced attacks from abortion providers and their political allies including federal, state, and local governments.

Recently, several pro-life lawmakers on Capitol Hill have set out to change that by introducing legislation designed to keep these centers and their employees safe.

In addition to protection, the "Let Pregnancy Centers Serve Act of 2025" would prohibit government discrimination and retaliation against care centers that refuse to point to abortion as an option. Pro-life lawmakers maintain the measure is needed now more than ever.

Pro-life House member Chris Smith, who joined with other members of the House to introduce that legislation, is quoted as saying: "Notwithstanding any other law, the federal government and any individual or entity that receives federal financial assistance, including any state or local government, may not penalize or retaliate against an entity because the entity offers life-affirming support and resources to women facing unexpected pregnancy or offers life-affirming alternatives to abortion or refrains from abortion actions..."

The CBN article related that:

Following the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe versus Wade, violent attacks on crisis pregnancy centers increased. In 2022 alone, more than 100 such attacks took place nationwide, including firebombings, vandalism and deadly threats, yet authorities did not make one single arrest at that time.

Now certain states are joining the fight against pro-life centers, weaponizing various laws to stop them from saving lives.

The article pointed out examples, provided by Gabriella McIntyre, Legal Counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, including New Jersey's Attorney General investigating a group of centers and demanding certain documents that invade the center's privacy.  Plus New York's AG is attempting to prevent centers from talking to women about abortion pill reversal, which is possible after the first pill is taken.  And, the CBN article refers to an Illinois law that would force pregnancy centers to hire employees that do not share their beliefs.  

The 3 - April 13, 2025

Court rules that pro-life centers in IL do not have to promote abortion

In 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates, a consortium of pro-life pregnancy resources centers, in the face of an attempt by the state of California to force centers there to promote abortion.

Illinois lawmakers apparently wanted to do something similar, passing a law that would force pro-life centers to refer clients to abortion clinics in the state.  Alliance Defending Freedom announced online:

A federal district court permanently blocked an Illinois law that forced pro-life pregnancy centers to promote abortion in violation of their deeply held beliefs about protecting unborn life. Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys represent the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates and three pro-life pregnancy centers in a seven-year-old lawsuit against the state of Illinois.

ADF, on one of its websites, said:

In its decision, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois found that a provision of the law compelling the centers to promote abortion and its supposed “benefits,” regardless of their ethical, medical, or moral views, violated their freedom of speech...

ADF Senior Counsel Kevin Theriot stated: "The U.S. Supreme Court held in NIFLA v. Becerra that forcing people to promote abortion is unconstitutional. Pro-life pregnancy centers must be free to continue their life-affirming work without fear of government punishment.”

Colorado bill passes House that would remove children from homes if parents do not affirm "gender identity"

Colorado lawmakers last Sunday passed legislation that could result in children being removed from their homes if their parents do not go along with the LGBT agenda and affirm their children's supposed "gender identity."  The Daily Signal stated: 

The Colorado House of Representatives passed a bill Sunday that would remove kids from parents’ custody for behaviors like “misgendering” and “deadnaming”...

Rep. Jarvis Caldwell, an opponent of the legislation, said: "It’s codifying into law that if their ideology confuses your child, and you don’t affirm that delusion, you’re committing child abuse and can lose custody of your child.” Caldwell also said: “We have now crossed the Rubicon of parental rights with this bill...” The article says:

According to the bill summary, HB 1312 defines “coercive control” as including “deadnaming, misgendering, or threatening to publish material related to an individual’s gender-affirming health care services.” 

The bill's summary states, "A court shall consider reports of coercive control when determining the allocation of parental responsibilities in accordance with the best interests of the child..."  The Daily Signal article offered this glossary:

“Deadnaming” involves referring to an individual who claims to be transgender by the name that person has rejected. “Misgendering” involves referring to a person who claims to be transgender with the pronouns associated with their biological sex, rather than their preferred pronouns. “Gender-affirming health care” is a euphemism for experimental medical interventions designed to make a man appear female or vice versa.

The Washington Stand, in an article that was published prior to the passage of the bill, known as the Kelly Loving Act, through the House, quoted from Jeff Johnston, described as a "culture and policy analyst" from Focus on the Family; the article relates:

He deemed the bill as “an unconstitutional assault on parents’ rights, religious freedom, and freedom of speech.” Johnston emphasized that parents should “have the right to raise their children according to what their beliefs are,” overseeing their nurture and care. Yet, the Kelly Loving Act would shift that authority to the government.

Additionally, Johnston continued, “It forces businesses and employees to lie and use names and pronouns of those who believe they are the opposite sex or some other so-called gender altogether.” Citing the decade-long legal battle of Colorado baker Jack Philips, he argued that such laws compel individuals “to use language that would violate their free speech and their religious freedom” and that doesn’t “comport with reality.”

Lawmakers attempt to expand freedom of speech for pastors on political issues

Recently, Michael Farris, General Counsel for National Religious Broadcasters, visited with me at the NRB Convention in Dallas - that conversation can be found in our Media Center at FaithRadio.org.  One of the topics that we discussed was the Johnson Amendment, which has been characterized as restricting freedom of speech for pastors with regard to political issues, including endorsing candidates.

NRB, in a recent e-mail newsletter, highlighted proposed legislation by Rep. Mark Harris and Sen. 
James Lankford, who have...

...introduced the "Free Speech Fairness Act" which would prevent the IRS from silencing the voices of America's pastors, churches, and non-profits. The bill targets the Johnson Amendment, a tax code provision which has stripped the ability of churches and non-profits to speak out for or against any political candidate by threatening to pull their tax-exempt status.

The newsletter linked to an article on Rep. Harris' website, which said:

Since 1954, the Johnson Amendment in the tax code has suppressed the free speech of religious leaders, churches, and nonprofits by threatening the loss of tax-exempt status if they simply speak for or against any political candidate.

Representative Harris said, “People of faith should not fear exercising their First Amendment rights at the risk of the IRS coming after them. For too long, the Johnson Amendment has silenced pastors, churches, and non-profits from engaging on moral and political issues of our day for fear of losing their tax-exempt status. This attempt to muzzle people of faith must end – the Constitution is clear: Americans’ right to free speech shall not be infringed.”

The article noted that, "In 2017, President Trump signed an executive order to stop the enforcement of the Johnson Amendment while he was in office." It also said that Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise "have previously led the legislation to fix this provision in the tax code."

The bill has a total of 16 co-sponsors, including Alabama's Barry Moore.

The 3 - April 6, 2025

Justices at high court hear case on whether or not states can refuse to allocate funds to Planned Parenthood

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in an important case that could have a dramatic impact on the amount of taxpayer funding going to abortion providers such as Planned Parenthood.

The case comes out of the state of South Carolina.  According to Liberty Counsel's website:

Planned Parenthood South Atlantic and one of its Medicaid clients challenged Governor Henry McMaster’s 2018 executive order claiming it violated federal law under the Medicaid Act’s “any qualified provider” language. The law’s “any qualified provider” language grants beneficiaries the right to choose their provider from a pool of providers the state has deemed qualified.

The website goes on to say: 

Liberty Counsel filed an amicus brief in the case noting the law’s language allows for states to disqualify providers that engage in unethical and illegal practices, in which Planned Parenthood has been credibly implicated in these types of practices.

The Christian legal organization notes: "The decision could either allow states to defund and weaken the abortion industry, or require pro-life states to keep subsidizing abortion access by having to direct Medicaid funds to Planned Parenthood." It reported:

The Justices focused their questions largely around whether federal laws need to use certain “magic words” to explicitly acknowledge an individual right, and whether the Medicaid Act’s “any qualified provider” provision gives beneficiaries a mechanism to sue a state when their choice of doctor is denied.

Alliance Defending Freedom represented a South Carolina state agency, and in a post on one of its websites prior to the hearing, it included a quote from Senior Counsel John Bursch, who stated: "State officials should be free to determine that Planned Parenthood—a multi-billion-dollar activist organization—is not a real healthcare provider and is not qualified to receive taxpayer funding through Medicaid.”

Federal judge says Alabama cannot prosecute those who assist ladies in traveling to other states for abortions

A key federal court ruling occurred recently involving the state of Alabama.  The same judge that had put Alabama's strong pro-life law on hold after the Legislature passed it, who also allowed it to go into effect after the overturning of Roe v. Wade ended up with another case related to abortion - whether or not Alabama residents who assist ladies traveling to other states to obtain abortions can be prosecuted for committing a crime.

USA Today reported:

Alabama can’t prosecute people and groups who help women travel across state lines to end a pregnancy, a federal judge ruled Monday in a case that tested how far states can go to prevent residents from getting an abortion.

The decision came in response to Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall’s threat to use criminal conspiracy laws to stop people from providing logistical or other help for out-of-state abortions.

U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson said that would violate a person's right to travel and the First Amendment.

The article provided a historical perspective, stating:

Before Alabama’s strict abortion ban kicked in two years ago, the Yellowhammer Fund offered financial and logistical assistance to women seeking abortions both in Alabama and, if necessary, out of state.

The nonprofit group had prepared for the ban by developing ties with clinics in states where abortion was likely to remain legal and budgeting for more staff.

It went on to say:

But those plans were canceled after the attorney general warned − including in an August 2022 interview − “if someone was promoting themselves out as a funder of abortion out of state, then that is potentially criminally actionable for us.”

Yellowhammer was one of the plaintiffs in that lawsuit against the Attorney General filed in federal court.

Man who has used signs to communicate Biblical messages about gender facing legal action for social media post, X assisting in his defense

At the National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Dallas a few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to sit down with Chris Elston, a Canadian man who is using signage that he carries into strategic locations to present a Biblically-inspired message about gender. He has come to be known as "Billboard Chris."

A recent Christian Post article relates that an online post has garnered legal action in Australia, stating:

The case concerns a Canadian man, Chris Elston, also known as Billboard Chris, who in February 2024 wrote a post on X that was critical of the World Health Organization's decision to appoint Australian trans activist Teddy Cook as an “expert” on trans issues.

The post also included a link to a graphically descriptive article at the Daily Mail website. The article goes on to say:

Cook took exception to Elston apparently questioning his credentials to work for the WHO, and submitted a complaint to Australia’s e-Safety Commissioner.

The commissioner demanded that X remove the post, which they initially refused to do. However, following a formal order, X geo-blocked the post, making it unavailable to view in Australia.

The Post article opened with these words:

Elon Musk’s personal crusade against the “woke mind virus” is a global one and the latest frontline is to be found in Australia, where his company X is joining in a case against the country’s “e-Safety Commissioner.”

It also reported: 

Elston, together with Musk’s X, the Australian Human Rights Law Alliance, and ADF International, are appealing the decision, saying it breaches Elston’s right to free expression.

Elston had been "threatened with arrest," and a fine of over 500 U.S. dollars was levied against him, according to ADF International. The article says that Elston was "forcibly moved in Brisbane by police after conducting what it says were consensual conversations with members of the Australian public about trans issues."

Prior to last week's trial, Elston said:

“No child has ever been born in the wrong body. As a father, I have grave concerns about the impact of harmful gender ideology on our children’s well-being.

“This reality is being increasingly recognized around the world, with government after government ordering a review into the use of toxic puberty blockers. This is a serious issue with real world implications for families across the globe and we need to be able to discuss it." 

The 3 - March 30, 2025

Planned Parenthood funding to possibly face reductions

The last few months have yielded some vulnerabilities for the abortion juggernaut, which had seemingly developed a head of steam in promoting abortion, even in the aftermath of the overturning of Roe v. Wade. On Election Day, three states turned back constitutional amendments, backed by the nation's largest abortion provider, that would have allowed abortion throughout a woman's pregnancy.  Furthermore, Planned Parenthood is facing legal action in a state that actually approved one of those abortion amendments.  

Then, pro-life executive orders began to flow from the White House.  There were indications that the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, was looking into the significant amount of taxpayer funding going to abortion...funding that was not needed.  

A CBN.com article published last week documented more trouble on the horizon for Planned Parenthood, stating:

The Trump administration may soon freeze tens of millions of dollars in federal funding for groups providing abortions, including Planned Parenthood. As soon as this week, the Health and Human Services Department could announce a hold on more than $27 million in funds, a spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal.

The department is reviewing grant recipients to make sure they comply with President Trump's executive orders and federal law. This year, the government was set to distribute $120 million in grants to organizations that deal with family planning.

Plus, the article noted that in the coming week, "... the U.S. Supreme Court will consider whether South Carolina can block Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid dollars."

Last Wednesday, Liberty Counsel posted this on its website:

...March 27, thousands of pro-lifers will join our Washington-based staff to meet with members of Congress, making the case for defunding Big Abortion.

Next Tuesday, April 1, a pro-life candlelight vigil will take place in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. Satanists will be in front of the Court casting spells, curses, and hexes. And they will try their best to harass and harm the pro-life warriors that come out to pray.

Next Wednesday, April 2, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Medina v. Planned Parenthood of South Atlantic. This case will decide whether states can limit and/or ban Big Abortion from receiving taxpayer funds. Liberty Counsel has submitted a powerful brief in this case.

Kentucky lawmakers vote to return 10 Commandments monument to Capitol grounds

A Ten Commandments monument was donated to the state of Kentucky in 1971 by the Fraternal Order of Eagles and placed on the grounds of the State Capitol, according to First Liberty, which reported that the monument was removed in the 1980's due to a construction project and a court ruling prevented it from returning.  The legal organization's website reported that the state legislature passed a resolution directing the monument to be returned to the Capitol grounds - it has now, as the website notes, "become law."

A Fraternal Order of Eagles chapter in Hopkinsville, KY has kept the monument for in excess of 20 years.  First Liberty elaborates on the conditions for the triumphant return of the 10 Commandments to the State Capitol in Frankfort, saying that...

...Its return was blocked by a court order based on the much maligned Lemon test. That test subsequently was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court in First Liberty’s 2019 Supreme Court victory in The American Legion, which mandated a presumptive lawfulness for established symbols, displays and practices. Then in 2022 in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, another First Liberty victory at the U.S. Supreme Court, the Court abrogated Lemon entirely and mandated that the Establishment Clause be understood and applied by original meaning, history and tradition. As the Supreme Court has explained, the Ten Commandments “have an undeniable historical meaning,” including “historical significance as one of the foundations of our legal system,” and “[s]uch acknowledgments of the role played by the Ten Commandments in our Nation’s heritage are common throughout America.”

Second federal judge rules against Presidential order against transgender individuals serving in the U.S. Military

As FoxNews.com has pointed out, a second federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from preventing transgender individuals from serving in the military. The Fox article notes that U.S. District Judge Christine O'Hearn issued a 14-day restraining order to prevent the administration from carrying out its order removing two transgender individuals from the service, stating: "The loss of military service under the stigma of a policy that targets gender identity is not merely a loss of employment; it is a profound disruption of personal dignity, medical continuity, and public service..."

The Justice Department condemned the ruling, saying that it has, as "vigorously defended" Executive Orders from the President.  As Fox notes, that would include "the Defending Women Executive order that stipulates there are only two sexes: male and female." A DOJ spokesperson described O'Hearn as an "example of an activist judge attempting to seize power at the expense of the American people..."

The article goes on to say:

O’Hearn’s ruling comes after U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes of Washington, D.C., blocked the Trump administration from implementing its ban on March 19. Reyes said in her opinion that the Trump administration’s order was "soaked in animus" and discriminated based on a person's transgender status.

The 3 - March 23, 2025

MO's Attorney General continues pushback on abortion provider

Not to be deterred by his state's passage of an abortion amendment that was intended to allow abortions in the state throughout a woman's pregnancy, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey is looking for ways to save babies' lives and preserve women's safety.

Liberty Counsel reports that Planned Parenthood has resumed surgical abortions in the state, which maintain that it is not doing chemical abortions, which use the abortion pill regimen to terminate life. 

But, Bailey is calling out the nation's largest abortion provider.  Liberty Counsel states:

AG Bailey stated in a press release that the order is due to Planned Parenthood’s “documented history” of “repeated and knowing” violations of state law. He noted the organization has “admitted under oath” to knowingly “refusing to file required complication reports” and that investigations had discovered other violations, such as failing to comply with informed consent laws and to sterilize surgical instruments.

The Christian legal firm notes:

Bailey issued a cease-and-desist order last week to Planned Parenthood formally prohibiting the abortion giant from performing chemical abortions in the state. The order advises the company to implement a “valid” health and safety plan to protect women and treat complications from abortion-inducing drugs, as required by state law. AG Bailey cited Planned Parenthood’s “uncontroverted track record” of disregarding Missouri health and safety laws...

Network featuring faith-based programming claims discrimination by streaming channel

YouTube TV is one of multiple streaming channels offering a variety of channels for subscribers. However, Great American Family is not one of them.  And, the head of the FCC has taken notice.

The Daily Signal relates:

Brendan Carr, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, is raising the alarm about evidence suggesting the tech giant—which has a long history of censorship—has unfairly treated a Christian family TV station.

The article says that on March 7, Carr wrote to Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet, the parent company of Google and Neal Mohan, CEO of YouTube, stating, “[I]n the case of YouTube TV, concerns have been raised alleging that your company has a policy (secret or otherwise) that discriminates against faith-based programming..."

Carr went on to say:

“Great American Media states that its Great American Family network is the second fastest-growing channel in cable television,” wrote Carr, “and, while they are carried on a range of cable and streaming services, including Comcast, Cox, Hulu, FuboTV and DirecTV stream, YouTube TV refuses to carry them.”

In a press release, Doug Deason, Chairman of Great American Media is quoted as saying: "Faith-based and family-friendly content should not be marginalized in today’s digital ecosystem,” adding, “We are grateful for Commissioner Carr’s commitment to ensuring that all voices—including those that reflect faith values—receive fair treatment on major streaming platforms.”  Great American Media CEO Bill Abbott, formerly of the Hallmark Channel, states: "Great American Family is one of the fastest-growing channels in television, and audiences deserve the ability to access our content wherever they choose to watch...After years of petitioning YouTube TV for consideration, it is encouraging to see action being taken to address these concerns. We appreciate the FCC’s focus and its efforts to hold platforms accountable for potential viewpoint discrimination."

But, as Deadline reported, regarding the FCC's oversight of Multichannel Video Programming Distributors: "Carr acknowledged the limitations on the FCC’s authority over virtual MVPDs compared to cable distributors, as program carriage rules apply to traditional television. The FCC has had multiple open proceedings to expand the regulatory framework to virtual MVPDs like YouTube TV, Carr noted."

The website elaborated:

In his letter, Carr put the Great American Family carriage in the same context as his criticism of tech giants over their content moderation policies. Carr has long claimed social media platforms have engaged in discrimination against conservative voices. He has talked about reforming a key law, Section 230 of the Communications Act, that has immunized platforms from lawsuits over third-party content.

Christian leaders band together on behalf of hostages in former Soviet republic

It has been a difficult season for Armenian Christians in the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan, and a consortium of Christian leaders has sent a letter to President Trump on behalf of 24 hostages being held there.  Crosswalk Headlines reported:

A coalition of Christian leaders recently signed a letter to President Donald Trump to take action on behalf of 23 Christian Armenians and one Azeri Christian convert currently detained in Azerbaijan.

The catalyst of the letter was an organization called Save Armenia.  The Crosswalk article said that signatories included:

...former United States Ambassador-at-large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback, Christian artist and missionary Sean Feucht, National Religious Broadcasters President and CEO Troy Miller, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Commissioner David Curry, Save the Persecuted Christians Executive Director Dede Laugesen and civil rights activist Alveda King.

The article went on to say, "The letter was also signed by former Rep. Michelle Bachman... who now serves as the dean of the Robertson School of Government at Regent University, and Jim Garlow, former pastor of Skyline Church in California, The Christian Post reported."

The letter said, in part:

"Almost two years ago, Azerbaijan ethnically cleansed more than 120,000 Christian Armenians out of their ancestral homes, while the Biden administration refused to take action to stop the ethnic cleansing or punish the perpetrators of that crime," the leaders explained.

"Since then, the same regime has been holding 23 Christian Armenian hostages and one Azeri Christian convert, who are being subjected to routine torture, according to credible reports. The International Committee of the Red Cross, the only organization with access to check on the well-being of the prisoners, was ordered to leave the country in recent days."

The 3 - March 16, 2025

Trump administration switches side in emergency room abortion case

Just as in the case out of Tennessee, where gender-change treatments and surgeries have been banned under a state law, a case that has now been heard by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Trump administration has switched sides in a case out of Idaho, in which the previous administration had filed a lawsuit attempting to force emergency room doctors to perform abortions, challenging a pro-life state law.

That is according to The Daily Signal, which reported: "The Biden administration...sued Idaho to prevent it from applying its abortion ban to emergency rooms. In August 2022, a U.S. District Court judge issued an injunction against Idaho. More than a year later, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit affirmed that injunction and Idaho subsequently appealed to the Supreme Court."  The article went on to say:

The Supreme Court stayed the injunction in January 2024 and positioned the case as an actual appeal on the merits of the underlying Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act issue rather than just a request for a temporary procedural hold. The court directed that arguments in the case occur in April 2024 but, after that deadline came and went, the court dismissed the appeal as “improvidently granted.” In this case, that’s a fancy term for jumping the gun.

The article related:

So the case is now back in Idaho, this time amid speculation that the incoming Trump administration would no longer insist that the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act overrides state pro-life laws. St. Luke’s Health System, a Boise nonprofit that operates medical centers and pharmacies, asked a U.S. District Court judge for another injunction against Idaho enforcing its pro-life law in emergency rooms. The judge agreed.

As expected, the Trump administration decided to no longer try to force Idaho to allow emergency room abortions and, joined by the state of Idaho, asked that the case be dismissed on March 5, 2025. The previous day, however, St. Luke’s obtained a temporary restraining order keeping the case in place for now.

State school superintendent's efforts in OK to provide Bibles halted by state's highest court

Ryan Walters is the state school superintendent in Oklahoma.  He wants to make thousands of Bibles available to students in the state.  The Washington Times noted last week:

The Oklahoma Supreme Court has temporarily blocked an attempt by the state’s schools superintendent to purchase Bibles to be placed in public classrooms.

The state’s highest court issued an order Monday that blocks Superintendent Ryan Walters from using taxpayer dollars to purchase Bibles and Bible-related material for public schools.

He had planned to buy more than 50,000 Bibles to incorporate into fifth- through 12th-grade classes.

The article stated:

Nearly three dozen families, teachers and religious leaders have challenged the moves to incorporate the Bible and Bible-related material into the school curriculum; on Monday, the state’s highest court agreed. 

The court issued a stay, pausing any new purchase requests by Mr. Walters.

Good News spreading: hundreds of thousands hear message in Ethiopia

And, a story of God at work has emerged out of the nation of Ethiopia.  CBN News reported recently:

Evangelist Franklin Graham preached the powerful message of the gospel to more than 400,000 people over the weekend in a massive public square that was once infamous for its Communist rallies.

Hundreds of thousands of people worshipped Jesus at Meskel Square for the "Encountering God Ethiopia" outreach.

It was a major turnout of 437,000 people hungry to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ for the two day-event.

 The article went on to say:

On the first night, 117,000 people attended and on the second night 320,000 were in attendance.

"The square was so full, thousands of people spilled into the nearby streets to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ," reads a BGEA press release.

The ministry reports that 4,000 people made decisions for Christ and many of these new believers will be discipled by local churches to help them grow in their walk with the Lord, BGEA reports.

The Association quoted from Dereje Jemberu, general secretary of the Ethiopian Council of Gospel Believers Churches, who said: "I have no words to express my heart. My eyes were full of tears to see so many people respond to the good news that was preached. This is what we wanted—we have been praying many years for a moment such as this," adding, "I thank God for what He is doing in Ethiopia and what He has done this weekend. This has helped encourage and motivate evangelical churches to continue to work together to understand one another and to organize activities to reach as many people as possible with the hope of Jesus Christ..."