The 3 - October 29, 2017

In this week's edition of The 3, providing information about three stories of relevance to the Christian community, there is a story where students at a Texas high school are standing in solidarity regarding the display of a Christian flag on the school's flagpole.  Also, the governor of North Carolina is attempting to re-write legislation in yet another chapter in the state's battle over transgender bathrooms.  Plus, the Vice-President has declared that the U.S. will attempt to use its funds to directly help Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East, rather than using the United Nations as a middleman.

3 - Texas students, parents defend display of Christian flag at school

At LaPoyner High School in LaRue, Texas, the Christian flag had been flown, along with the American flag and the flag of the state of Texas.  And, despite a challenge to that Christian flag, according to ToddStarnes.com, it continues to be flown.

The Freedom from Religion Foundation had stepped in and filed a challenge, and a letter to Superintendent James Young stated: "The display of this patently religious symbol by the District confers government endorsement of Christianity, in violation of the Establishment Clause."

According to Starnes, Young had told local reporters that they were "reviewing" the letter, but no announcement has been made. And, as Todd reports:

Several youngsters purchased Christian flags and mounted the banners on their pickup trucks. It was quite a scene in the high school parking lot -- a convoy of trucks adorned with the Christian flag -- waving in the Texas breeze.

"They can try to take it, but we're going to fight for it," junior Jared Sanchez told Nexstar Broadcasting.

KLTV reported on a recent school board meeting, in which "community members shared their thoughts on the issue." A parent had sent a video along to the television station. One community member said: “The Freedom From Religion organization really has a distorted and inaccurate view of the separation of church and state in the First Amendment,” adding, “Matter fact I'd like to say that their viewpoint is probably void and alien to that of our founding fathers."

The KLTV website stated:

The superintendent also asked anyone who opposed the Christian flag to stand. No one did.

The board will give their proposed thoughts at next month’s meeting.

In the meantime, the flag will remain on school grounds.

2 - North Carolina governor orders bathroom restrictions loosened

For several years, a bill called HB2 was the law in North Carolina, providing for people, including transgender individuals, to use restroom facilities in government buildings corresponding to their biological gender.  Earlier this year, after economic pressure had been placed on the state, and former governor Pat McCrory had been defeated in his bid for re-election, lawmakers passed a so-called "compromise" that essentially waived the provisions of HB2 and placed a moratorium on any more local SOGI ("sexual orientation, gender identity") ordinances.  According to the NewsObserver.com website, that was to remain in effect until December of 2020.

Well, that bill has seemingly been blown out of the water by an executive order by new governor Roy Cooper, who, according to the Family Research Council website, has "unilaterally decided to change that policy with a decree that not only lets grown men back into girls’ restrooms, but forces local businesses to embrace his transgender agenda or lose their government partnerships. Ignore your conscience and public safety concerns, the governor has decided, or kiss your North Carolina contracts goodbye."

The FRC site states:

Cooper is going around the state’s policymakers and trying to unravel the state’s duly-enacted law. And if the governor thought he’d have the support of LGBT activists, he was mistaken. “It’s not nearly enough,” said Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality.

As if his executive order weren’t outrageous, Cooper is also pursuing a deal on the side with North Carolina judges -- a “consent decree” that would officially zero out the compromise law he signed last spring.

The story says: "Tami Fitzgerald, who heads up the North Carolina Values Coalition, called the move 'a massive power grab, with sweeping changes that only the Legislative Branch has the authority to enact.'"

1 - U.S. to help persecuted Christians in Middle East

The United States has attempted to help persecuted religious minorities by sending its money to the United Nations, but since that has not worked well, it appears the U.S. will be helping persecuted Christians and other minorities in the Middle East directly, according to Vice-President Mike Pence, who spoke at the In Defense of Christians dinner recently.

The National Religious Broadcasters website says that:

While the U.S. has invested huge sums in UN relief programs, Pence described their poor record in aiding Christians and other vulnerable religious minorities in that region. He also noted the UN’s refusal in many instances to partner with “faith-based groups with proven track records and deep roots in these communities.” “My friends,” the Vice President said, “those days are over.”

Former Congressman Frank Wolf, described as "long a champion for international religious freedom and now a leader of the 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative," said in a release, published at ReligionNews.com, “This should impact humanitarian aid for those living as Internally Displaced Persons and refugees and stabilization assistance for the Christians and Yezidis returning to areas seized from them by ISIS.”