The 3 - August 20, 2017

In this week's edition of The 3, highlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, the Johnson Amendment, which limits free speech rights for pastors, has become a debated issue, with thousands of clergy now exhibiting support for it staying in place.  Also, the U.S. State Department has issued its annual report on international religious freedom.  And, Iceland has eradicated the lives of almost all its babies who were discovered in prenatal screenings to have Down Syndrome, prompting strong reaction by leading evangelicals.

3 - Clergy encourage Congress to continue to keep pastors from endorsing candidates

Over the last few months, there has been enhanced emphasis on the Johnson Amendment, which limits the ability of pastors to speak politically, including the endorsement of candidates.  According to a Religion News Service article, President Trump stated in a speech at the National Prayer Breakfast in February that he would “totally destroy the Johnson Amendment and allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear.” In a Rose Garden ceremony in May, the President "signed an executive order that asked the IRS not to enforce the amendment."

And, further movement occurred last month, when the House Appropriations Committee voted to keep language in a spending bill that would defund IRS efforts to enforce the amendment.

Now, clergy in favor of keeping the Amendment in place and limiting the free exercise of religion by pastors have signed on to a petition.  The article says that over 4,000 "leaders" signed it, and states:

The letter signed by a wide range of clergy and lay members — from Methodists to Muslims to those who hold metaphysical beliefs — was spearheaded by Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty.

Their contention is that “Changing the law would threaten the integrity and independence of houses of worship.”  To me, in an attempt to prevent what they see as partisanship, they are embracing a form of partisanship themselves, in an attempt to silence the prophetic voice of pastors declaring God's truth on policy issues.

2 - State Department issues religious freedom report

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson recently announced the State Department's annual report on international religious freedom, and ISIS tops the list as a key threat, according to a Christianity Today story.

The Secretary wrote: "ISIS has and continues to target members of multiple religions and ethnicities for rape, kidnapping, enslavement, and death,” adding, “The protection of these groups—and others who are targets of violent extremism—remains a human rights priority for the Trump administration."

The article states: "The annual report reviews the state of religious freedom in 199 countries. CT has highlighted six places where Christians continue to face significant barriers to worshiping freely: Iraq, Indonesia, India, Russia, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia."  The article points out deadly terror in Iraq, fears of radicalization in Indonesia, Hindu nationalism in India, government restrictions in Russia, an imprisoned pastor in Turkey, and non-Muslim penalties in Saudi Arabia.


1 - Report on Down Syndrome in Iceland generates strong response in faith community

In a shocking report broadcast by CBS News, Iceland has announced that it has eliminated almost all children with Down Syndrome.  CBN News summarized the CBS report, saying that the network said that it was "due to widespread use of prenatal screening."

CBN states, "Even though most people born with Down syndrome live long, healthy lives, most pregnant women in Iceland choose to abort these babies." The website also says that, "Denmark has aborted 98 percent and the U.S. has aborted at least 67 percent" of babies with Down Syndrome.

The article quotes Joni Eareckson Tada, who said in a statement that, "Over 25 years ago when I served on the National Council on Disability, we responded vehemently against a report from the National Institutes on Health which listed abortion as a 'disability prevention strategy.' All 15 bi-partisan council members strongly advised the NIH to remove any reference which used abortion as a tactic in eliminating disability."  She issued this reminder that, "Each individual, no matter how significantly impaired, is an image-bearer of our Creator God."

Penny Young Nance of Concerned Women for America responded by saying, "This is not a medical advancement. This is eugenics and barbarianism at best."  James Dobson of Family Talk stated, "I have rarely seen a story that so closely resembles Nazi-era eugenics as a recent report about Iceland 'eradicating' nearly 100 percent of Down syndrome births through abortion."