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.”