The 3 - December 31, 2017

In this week's edition of The 3, examining three stories of relevance to the Christian community, there is good news out of Indonesia for thousands of Christians in prison who have had their sentences lessened.  Also, violence struck another church in Egypt, in the midst of a heightened effort to protect Coptic churches in that country.  And, the Oregon bakers who declined to provide a cake celebrating so-called "same-sex marriage" have received a negative court ruling.

3 - Thousands of imprisoned Christians in Indonesia receive shorter sentences

Over nine thousand Christians in the country of Indonesia received a reduction in their sentences on Christmas Day, according to an article on the ChristianHeadlines.com website, which stated that:

According to Jakarta Post, Indonesia’s Law and Human Rights Ministry cut down the sentences of 9,333 Christian prisoners.

“Of the total, 175 inmates were freed upon receiving remissions,” a Law and Human Rights Ministry official told reporters.

The changes in sentences came because of administration considerations and consideration for the type of crimes jailed for.

The Christian Headlines report, which included information from a Christian Post story, said that one of the Christians receiving a sentence reduction, albeit only 15 days, was former Jakarta governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, "who was sentenced to two years in prison after he was falsely accused of blasphemy in 2016."

2 - At least ten die in attack on Coptic Christian church in Egypt

Ten people lost their lives in a bombing at a Coptic Christian church in Egypt, according to CBN News.com, which reported that...

...the deadly terror attack on Cairo’s Coptic Church of Mar Mina could have been much worse. A senior government official confirmed one of the attackers wore “an explosive belt.” However, Egyptian police prevented the terrorist from detonating the suicide belt.

The article says that, "Two gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire outside the church..."  At least eight were Coptic Christians, six of them worshippers, according to ChristianityToday.com, which reported that another victim was a Muslim police officer who stood guard at the church and who was "hailed as a martyr." The report says that:

One week earlier, Egypt’s Minister of Islamic Endowments declared the guarding of churches to be “a legitimate and national duty.” Those who die defending Christian houses of worship are to be considered martyrs.

That is according to Egypt Today.  The minister, Mokhtar Gomaa, stated, “In our war against terrorism...there’s no difference between Muslims and Christians.”

The Christianity Today article pointed out that:

Last month, 300 people were killed in a terrorist attack on a mosque in the Sinai, where Christians have fled violence.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi praised the police effort against the “vicious” attack, and urged heightened security. Two weeks ago, Egypt assigned more than 230,000 police to guard churches in advance of the Christmas holidays.

1 - Christian couple fined for not baking cake for gay wedding lose appeal

I have been following and reporting on the plight of Aaron and Melissa Klein, the owners of Sweet Cakes by Melissa in Oregon, a couple that had declined to provide a cake for a gay wedding ceremony.  They had been found to be discriminatory in their actions and fined $135,000.  They appealed this ruling to the state's Court of Appeals in March, and finally, a three-judge panel issued a ruling this past week, according to the legal advocacy group, First Liberty Institute.  The organization's website stated, "The court ruled against the Kleins, upholding a decision by the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) that resulted in a $135,000 penalty and led to the closure of the family-run bakery."

Kelly Shackelford, President and CEO of First Liberty, stated, "Freedom of expression for ourselves should require freedom of expression for others. Today, the Oregon Court of Appeals decided that Aaron and Melissa Klein are not entitled to the Constitution’s promises of religious liberty and free speech,” adding, “In a diverse and pluralistic society, people of good will should be able to peacefully coexist with different beliefs. We are disappointed that the court ruled against the Kleins.”

The 3 - December 24, 2017

In this week's edition of The 3, highlighting three stories relevant to the Christian community, there is the story of the reversal announced in the case of a memo strongly limited Christmas and holiday expressions at a university in Minnesota. Also, a Federal judge has blocked a Trump administration policy from taking effect, a policy that protects organizations from having to provide free contraception and abortion-inducing drugs in their health care plans.  And, the Atlanta fire chief, even though he was fired from his job due to his Christian beliefs, received exoneration from a court recently, which ruled against the city relative to its handling of the chief's case.

3 - University of Minnesota pans anti-Christmas memo

There was a bizarre memo that was issued at the University of Minnesota recently that presumed to restrict what should be displayed regarding Christmas celebrations.  According to The Federalist website:

Officials at the University of Minnesota’s College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences has deemed images of Santa, Christmas trees, dreidels, and nativity scenes inappropriate.

The dean’s office encouraged students and faculty to “consider neutral-themed parties such as a ‘winter celebration'” instead of Christmas or Chanukah-themed parties.

The article also said that: "Ironically, the pamphlet discouraging displays of religious symbolism was distributed at an event entitled 'Respective Religious Diversity' on campus earlier this month. Some religious freedom advocates say this is a perverse misunderstanding of religious diversity."

Well, the University stepped in and discredited the memo, saying, according to Liberty Counsel that...

it was an “ill-advised” memo from “one individual that was not distributed broadly.” The University has clarified and distanced itself from this holiday memo.

A spokesman is quoted in a Liberty Counsel press release as saying:

The document in question was created by one individual as part of a session for a segment of employees within one area of the University. It was not provided by, reviewed by, or approved by the University of Minnesota; the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences; or the University’s Office of Equity and Diversity.

Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, said: "Public universities may acknowledge and even celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah along with secular aspects of the holiday season,” adding, "I am glad to see the University distance itself from this bizarre holiday memo. I agree with the University official that any distribution of this memo was ‘ill-advised...'"

2 - New court ruling strikes down Administration's regulation on contraceptive mandate

The debate over whether or not organizations can refuse to provide contraception or abortifacient drugs in their health care plans continued.  Earlier this year, the Trump administration, according to the Susan B. Anthony List website, issued a temporary rule "protecting employers who have religious or moral objections to providing abortion-inducing drugs and devices to their employees. The class of conscientious objectors includes employers like the Little Sisters of the Poor, as well as groups like Susan B. Anthony List."

The organization reports that a Federal district judge in Pennsylvania issued a ruling blocking that Administration rule from taking effect.  Marjorie Dannenfelser, SBA List President, called the ruling "shameful," and said: “Why should Catholic nuns who care for the elderly poor be forced by the government to provide abortion-inducing drugs in their health care plans? Moreover, moral objectors like my own pro-life organization, SBA List, should not have to pay for life-ending drugs that are antithetical to our mission. There is absolutely no ‘compelling state interest’ in forcing pro-life employers to violate their consciences to provide abortion-inducing drugs."

WORLD Magazine reported:

The rule, issued in October, allowed more employers to claim a religious objection to paying for the drugs. California, Washington, Massachusetts, Delaware, Maryland, New York, and Virginia all sued to block the rule from taking effect. U.S. District Judge Wendy Beetlestone in Philadelphia issued the first injunction against it.

That ruling was issued on Friday, December 15.  And, on Thursday, the 21st, a Federal judge in California also blocked the administration's rule.  USA Today reported:

A second federal court Thursday blocked the Trump administration from letting employers with religious or moral objections deny women insurance coverage for contraceptives.

The ruling from District Judge Haywood Gilliam in the Northern District of California accused the administration of abandoning the federal government's pledge in 2016 to ensure access to contraceptive coverage.

Gilliam said the Trump administration's decision in October to change rules implemented by the Obama administration represents "a reversal of their approach to striking the proper balance between substantial governmental and societal interests."

1 - Policy resulting in firing of Atlanta fire chief found unconstitutional

Perhaps you're familiar with the unfortunate story involving former Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran - he was suspended, then fired from his job, all because of a book that he wrote espousing Christian principles regarding manhood.  Well, even though the Chief no longer has his job, he did receive a court victory recently.

Alliance Defending Freedom reports on its website that:

A federal district court ruled Wednesday that city of Atlanta rules which led to the termination of Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran are unconstitutional. The court found that the city’s policies restricting non-work speech, like a book for Christian men that Cochran wrote, are too broad and allow city officials to unconstitutionally discriminate against views with which they disagree.

ADF Senior Counsel Kevin Theriot is quoted as saying, "The government can’t force its employees to get its permission before engaging in free speech," adding, "...as the court found, the city can’t leave such decisions to the whims of government officials. This ruling benefits not only Chief Cochran, but also other employees who want to write books or speak about matters unrelated to work. Atlanta can no longer force them to get permission or deny them permission just because certain officials disagree with the views expressed.”

The 3 - December 17, 2017

This week's edition of my weekly blog post of The 3, highlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, features some recent encouraging news about the Department of Justice investigating Planned Parenthood.  Also, the Luis Palau Association has ministered on three continents over the past two months.  And, the 2017 special U.S. Senate election for the open Alabama seat yielded an outcome that many thought unlikely just two months ago.

3 - Department of Justice investigating Planned Parenthood

In light of video information indicating that the nation's largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood, was involved in trafficking body parts from aborted babies, the U.S. Department of Justice has announced that it is investigating the organization.

LifeSiteNews.com stated that Fox News reported that it had "obtained a letter from Justice Department Assistant Attorney General for Legislative Affairs Stephen Boyd to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. This letter asked for unredacted documents from that committee, which had been investigating Planned Parenthood."

The LifeSiteNews story quotes David Daleiden of the Center for Medical Progress that had released a series of videos exposing Planned Parenthood's activity, as saying: "It is time for public officials to finally hold Planned Parenthood and their criminal abortion enterprise accountable under the law..."

The article included a review of Congressional committees:

The Senate Judiciary Committee announced in 2016 that it recommended the FBI and DOJ investigate and possibly prosecute Planned Parenthood, some of its affiliates, and companies involved in the trafficking of young human body parts.

The U.S. House Select Investigative Panel on Infant Lives also made 15 criminal referrals against abortion companies including Planned Parenthood, universities, and fetal tissue companies.

2 - 1 organization, 2 months, 3 continents of ministry

Over the last 60 days, the Luis Palau Association has been involved in ministry on three different continents, according to a news release from the association, posted at the Christian Newswire website.

The release states:

Evangelist Andrew Palau just returned from Beijing and Huai'an City, China, serving local churches to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to the region through special Christmas events. Working directly with local churches and approval from authorities, Palau was met with great openness and joy as he shared the clear message of hope through Jesus Christ with thousands of individuals and distributed 9,000 copies of his Gospel-centered book What is Christmas?.

In October, Palau headed up an evangelistic outreach drawing 65,000 people in the African nation of Ivory Coast, and in November, he preached to 47,500 people in two Argentine cities.

Andrew Palau, the son of evangelist Luis Palau, said: It's been an immense blessing to experience so many different cultures in such a short amount of time," adding, "The beauty of the Church is the diversity and uniqueness of expressions coupled with the unwavering source of Truth that runs through each community of believers. It was wonderful to see the creativity of God in so many ways these past two months and it's been a tremendous honor for us."

The Association will be starting a three-year initiative called, 2020: Blessing the Nations.
 
1 - Moore defeat provokes question of role of faith in election

The race for the U.S. Senate seat from Alabama, to fill the unexpired term of now-Attorney General Jeff Sessions, attracted national attention.  A WORLD Magazine website analysis states:

Over the next year, the 49.9 percent to 48.4 percent victory that Democrat Doug Jones gained over Republican Roy Moore will force Republican senators to work with the slimmest possible majority in the Senate, 51-49.

But, the analysis by WORLD editor-in-chief Timothy Lamer, also said:

But in the November elections, they won’t have to defend Moore or deflect attention away from him at a time when public anger is focused on powerful men sexually abusing younger women. Democrats won’t be able to make Moore the public face of Senate Republicans in 2018.

He also pointed out:

It was a close-run race, but the closeness belies a massive swing away from Republicans. Jones won by 1.5 points in a state that Donald Trump won by 28 points in 2016, meaning the state swung 29.5 points in one year. But Jones, a conventional liberal Democrat, didn’t win over Republicans. Moore lost them.

He pointed to lower turnout in Republican areas across the state.

There was polling data that showed the demographic keys to Jones' victory.  According to a Fox News analysis:

Jones carried the day by rolling up strong margins among blacks (93-6 percent), younger voters (62-36 percent), and women (55-43 percent).

Men went for Moore by 10 points (54-44 percent). His greatest areas of strength were working class whites (32-67 percent for a 35-point margin), white men (33-65 percent and a 32-point margin), and white evangelicals (21-77 percent, 56-point margin).

Also, according to this research, 95% of black women and 89% of black men voted for Jones.  CNN exit poll data showed the number at 98% of black women and 93% of black men voting for Jones.

With regard to the impact of allegations of sexual misconduct on the part of Moore, Fox stated: "by a narrow margin, Alabama voters believed the women – by a 49-44 spread. Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) said the allegations were important to their vote – and those voters went overwhelmingly for Jones."  The number was over two-thirds of those voters choosing Jones.

I had written in a blog post last Wednesday:

The main struggle for Christian voters, I believe, was the reputation of Moore vs. the validity of the allegations against him. Jones' support of abortion rights made that a non-starter for a number of Christian voters, and saw Moore as more aligned with their position. But, there was no doubt hesitancy when considering the allegations. It certainly became a matter of prayer and critical thinking.

Christianity Today stated, with regard to the evangelical vote:

According to exit polls, 44 percent of Alabama voters Tuesday were white born-again or evangelical Christians (self-identified). In the last two elections with state-level exit polling, 2008 and 2012, their share was 47 percent—making them “the only group showing slight signs of slippage,” according to an analysis by The Washington Post.

The 3 - December 10, 2017

In this week's edition of The 3, spotlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, there is the story of the United States now recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.  Also, the Parliament of Australia has decided to legalize gay marriage.  And, the case of a baker who would not provide a customized cake for a ceremony celebrating a gay wedding went before the U.S. Supreme Court this week.

3 - U.S. recognizes Jerusalem as capital of Israel

This week, President Trump announced that the United States now recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.  A piece on The Stream website stated the Trump...

...instructed the State Department to begin preparations to move the United States Embassy from Tel Aviv. The historic announcement fulfills both his own campaign promise as well as the promise America made with 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Act. That Act, passed with broad bipartisan support, recognized Jerusalem and declared the U.S. would move its Embassy there within four years. However, presidents from Clinton to Obama have signed waivers stopping the move. President Trump did so himself six months ago.

According to the article, in his announcement, the President said:

After more than two decades of waivers, we are no closer to a lasting peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.

It would be folly to assume that repeating the exact same formula would now produce a different or better result.

Therefore, I have determined that it is time to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Columnist for The Stream, Michael Brown wrote:

Jerusalem is the historic capital of the Jewish people, going back to roughly 1,000 BC. Jews face Jerusalem when they pray and synagogues in the West face East. Every year at Passover, the hopeful prayer is recited, “Next year in Jerusalem!” And in terms of functional reality, Jerusalem is the capital of the nation. There’s nothing to discuss or debate. As the President said, that’s reality, plain and simple.

Brown also believes that God will bless the President for what he calls a "bold and courageous move." He gives four reasons:

1. On doing so the president is blessing Israel. God still blesses those who bless His covenant nation, despite that nation’s sins.
2. Out of all the cities on the earth, the Bible only calls us to pray for the welfare of Jerusalem (see Psalm 122; Isaiah 62:1-8).
3. The tremendous resistance to the president’s decision gives evidence to the intensity of the spiritual battle over this city.
4. There are prophetic scriptures that speak of a Jewish Jerusalem welcoming back the Messiah. So the decision to fortify the unity of the city is in explicit harmony with those Scriptures (see especially Zechariah 12 and 14).

2 - Australian Parliament approves gay marriage

Gay marriage is now legal in Australia, as the result of votes in both chambers of the nation's Parliament, following a mail-in survey that occurred a few weeks ago.  According to Life Site News, the bill passed the lower house of Parliament "almost unanimously," after having passed the Senate.

The report states:

The new law deletes “the union of a man and a woman” from the definition of marriage and inserts “the union of two people” in its place. Australia already had “equality” laws giving special status to homosexuals in the workplace, and for government benefits and tax laws.

Significantly, none of the promised amendments protecting freedom of conscience, religious liberty, and parental rights were allowed. All opposition concerns were defeated, including the right of parents to opt out of homosexual or transgender indoctrination in schools.

The story also points out, based on an earlier article on the site:

The path to legalization came via a referendum sent through the mail to all registered voters. Nearly 62 percent of returned forms favored gay “marriage.”

Although the postal referendum was an end-around after 22 legislative attempts to legalize homosexual “marriage” failed, former Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the popular vote was the best avenue for a country to take.

The Life Site story quotes from current Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who said, according to The Hill: “This is Australia: fair, diverse, loving and filled with respect,” adding, “For every one of us this is a great day.”

1 - Baker's case goes before high court

This past Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court held oral arguments on the Masterpiece Cakes case, which involved a Colorado cake baker named Jack Phillips, who declined to provide a customized cake for a ceremony celebrating a gay marriage.  He was represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom and the U.S. Department of Justice had entered the case on his side.

Issues at stake in the case were framed by Emily Belz of WORLD Magazine, who made these comments about the conflict at hand:

Would providing an accommodation to religious bakers like Phillips undermine civil rights laws? Was it compelled speech to require him to put out a cake that conveys a certain message? Is a wedding cake a form of speech, and what counts as speech? Is a wedding hair stylist using expression in hairdos?

Belz writes:

Alliance Defending Freedom’s Kristen Waggoner, arguing her first Supreme Court case, had clearly prepared for an array of hypotheticals. A premade cake is not speech (“it’s already been placed in a stream of commerce”), so Christian cake bakers should sell any generic wedding cakes off the shelves to gay couples. A hairdo is not speech. Other forms of participation in a wedding ceremony, like delivering a cake in the event, would fall under a free exercise claim.

Justice Breyer stated: "We want some kind of distinction that will not undermine every civil rights law..." Waggoner contended, according to WORLD, that the "test was whether the objection is to a message (as she argues was the case with Phillips) or the person."

Ultimately, the case could come down to Anthony Kennedy, who has been sympathetic to religious freedom issues, but also wrote the majority opinion in the Obergefell decision legalizing so-called "same-sex marriage."  Belz points out that Kennedy said to the Solicitor General of Colorado: “Tolerance is essential in a free society, and tolerance is most meaningful when it’s mutual. It seems to me the state in its position here has been neither tolerant nor respectful of Mr. Phillips’ beliefs.”

As Belz said, "Kennedy was also critical of one commissioner’s remarks about Phillips’ religious freedom claims as 'despicable,' hinting that that might count as viewpoint discrimination."

The 3 - December 3, 2017

This week on The 3, there are three legal cases worth noting:  one involves restrictions of free speech by pro-lifers on an Ohio campus.  Another deals with ads proclaiming the true meaning of Christmas that a religious group wanted to place on public transportation in the nation's capital.  And, there's a legal victory in a case involving a Pennsylvania high school senior who was not allowed to include a prayer in a graduation speech.

3 - Miami (OH) campus officials nix pro-life display, organization files suit

A pro-life display that had been erected at Miami University's Hamilton campus in Ohio faced new restrictions this year, and the group responsible for the display has filed a lawsuit, according to the 
Alliance Defending Freedom website.

Students for Life at the campus, according to the site, "has regularly conducted its Cemetery of the Innocents display on the campus’s Central Quad. The display features small crosses placed in the ground to commemorate the lives lost to abortion, along with an explanatory sign." Earlier this year, the chapter president sent an e-mail to request permission for the display. ADF states:

The official responded by saying that the group could conduct the display only if it placed signs around campus warning people about its content. She justified this warning sign requirement by saying she feared that the pro-life display might cause “emotional trauma” for those who might view it and because she wanted to help them “better protect and manage their emotional reactions to the display.” Additionally, she offered to meet with the group to discuss “less harmful” ways of expressing its pro-life views.

ADF has now filed a lawsuit against the school on behalf of the Students for Life group. The ADF site says, "The lawsuit challenges the university’s policies that give officials broad powers to determine whether an exhibit can occur and what it can say—powers that officials used in Hamilton to impose a 'trigger warning' on the local Students for Life chapter."

The national Students for Life President Kristan Hawkins, is quoted as saying, “The unnecessary obstacles students experienced at Miami University of Ohio in Hamilton sadly is all too common on campuses across the country,” adding, “Students peacefully trying to hold an exhibit that inspires conversation with fellow students about their love and concern for preborn infants and their mothers should be protected.”

2 - Christmas ads deemed too "religious" for DC busses

A Christmas ad proposed for public transportation in Washington, DC, was described at ToddStarnes.com in this way:

The advertisement depicted silhouettes of three shepherds walking at night with tall canes and sheep beneath a shining North Star. Emblazoned across the ad is the phrase: “FIND THE PERFECT GIFT.”

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority rejected the ad, and the group that wished to place it, the Archdiocese of Washington has filed suit, saying that the authority "violated the U.S. Constitution by rejecting the ad."

In a statement, spokesman Ed McFadden said: “To borrow a phrase from a favorite Christmas story, under WMATA’s guidelines, if the ads are about packages, boxes or bags…if Christmas comes from a store…then it seems WMATA approves,” adding, “But if Christmas means a little bit more, WMATA plays Grinch.”

The Transit Authority banned the ads based on a 2015 policy which prohibits, "issue-oriented advertising, including political, religious and advocacy advertising."

The story says that, "The transit authority might have reconsidered its ban on the Catholic Church’s advertisement had they been selling goods and services, the lawsuit alleges."

In a statement, general counsel Kim Fiorentino said: “We believe rejection of this ad to be a clear violation of fundamental free speech and a limitation on the exercise of our faith..."

1 - School district changes policy after blocking graduation prayer

In June, I reported to you about a high school senior in Pennsylvania who was told she could not include a prayer in her scheduled speech for graduation.

The First Liberty website tells the story about Moriah Bridges of Beaver, PA, who "prepared her remarks, but was then forced to 'edit' her comments, removing any faith-based content after receiving an email from the school superintendent explaining that her remarks could not be religious and, 'most certainly may not recite a prayer that excludes other religions.'”

First Liberty sent a letter to the school district in June.  The website quotes from the letter:

First Liberty’s letter stated, “In short, school officials—in violation of the First Amendment—forced Moriah to censor her personal remarks during the closing exercise of her commencement ceremony merely because of the religious viewpoint of her remarks.”First Liberty attorney Jeremy Dys pointed out that Moriah’s words were her own “private speech, not government speech,” and as such, could not violate the Establishment Clause. Instead, private, religious student speech like Moriah’s “is entitled to full First Amendment protection.”

The website announced a victory in the case: the school district "has enacted a new policy explicitly stating the expressions of students and/or other private speakers at future graduation ceremonies 'shall not be restricted because of religious, anti-religious, or non-religious content.'" The website also states that:

In addition to the new policy, the superintendent of BASD apologized to Moriah for the lack of clarity under the previous policy. The action by the BASD comes soon after a meeting between Moriah, members of the BASD, and First Liberty Institute attorneys.