The 3 - January 28, 2018

This week's edition of The 3, spotlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, includes an update on the situation in Bolivia involving limitations on religious freedom.  Also, scores of Christians have lost their lives at the hands of militants in Nigeria.  And, a Bible study on Capitol Hill has attracted the attention of a large atheist group.

3 - UPDATE: Bolivian President supports halting of constitution changes 

Last week, I shared a story about changes to the law in Bolivia greatly limiting religious liberty to the extent of making it illegal to evangelize.  There is good news emerging from that South American country, according to ChristianityToday.com, the same source I used last week.

According to the website:

President Evo Morales Ayma announced that he will tell the South American nation’s Legislative Assembly to repeal the entire penal code in the wake of recent changes that, among other tweaks, introduced severe restrictions on religious freedom.

Last Sunday was proclaimed to be a day of prayer and fasting in response to the new regulations. The article states that one group, the Religious Liberty Commission of the World Evangelical Alliance, "sent out a prayer alert encouraging readers to ask God that Morales’s government would withdraw the new penal code provision and 'protect and promote religious freedoms in Bolivia.'"

In a tweet, Morales said:

“We are going to listen to the proposals of all the sectors that observe the code. The National Government will never approve norms against the Bolivian people.”

2 - Significant death toll in religious violence in Nigerian province

Over 80 Christians have been killed since the beginning of the new year in one region of the nation of Nigeria, according to ChristianHeadlines.com, which has a report from International Christian Concern.  These deaths took place in Benue State, and according to the article:

These attacks took place less than two months after the state of Benue enacted an anti-open grazing bill, which prevents the Fulani from nomadically moving their cattle throughout all of Nigeria. Benue passed this law in an attempt to end the violence that has been plaguing its people, but it has failed thus far.

The Fulani is a group of militants, primarily Muslim in nature, according to Britannica.com.  The Christian Headlines story stated: "even those who were not from the area, but who were just trying to help others escape, were at the mercy of the Fulani attackers."

The article says:

ICC's Regional Manager, Nathan Johnson, stated, "This ongoing crisis is devastating the Christian communities of Nigeria. They are unfairly being targeted for their land and faith. The government must do more to ensure the community's safety, property, and welfare. They must put an end to the Fulani scourge and hold those in charge of these attacks accountable."

1 - Capitol Bible study attracting attention of atheist group

It has been reported that a number of Cabinet secretaries meet for prayer and Bible study.  Apparently, this study is hosted by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which is led by Dr. Ben Carson.  CBNNews.com reports that, "Cabinet secretaries who attend the Capitol Ministries Bible Study include Attorney General Jeff Sessions, CIA Director Mike Pompeo, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, HUD Secretary Ben Carson and Energy Secretary Rick Perry."

Not surprisingly, the atheist group, the Freedom from Religion Foundation, is not fond of this gathering, and has teamed with Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington to sue HUD, according to CBN.  Its report says:

The group has issued Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to agencies led by Cabinet secretaries who attend the Bible study to see if government resources are being used or if agency staffers feel "coerced into organizing or even participating in the religious event," according to a press release.

Study leader Ralph Drollinger says that a lawsuit is not necessary.  CBN News reports:

Drollinger responded on Facebook, saying, "Rather than sue, the FFRF can simply go to www.capmin.org and check out copies of the Bible studies I write and teach the Cabinet, Senate and House members every week. There's nothing secret to this – and all related Bible study expenses are paid by Capitol Ministries, a 501(c)3 organization."

The 3 - January 21, 2018

This week's edition of The 3, containing three stories of relevance to the Christian community, includes the story of a Nigerian student who was arrested by local authorities after converting to Christianity.  Also, in Bolivia, new laws there threaten religious freedoms.  And, in the week of the March for Life, there were several developments regarding the pro-life cause.

3 - Nigerian student arrested after becoming a Christian

It's not illegal to convert from Islam to Christianity in Nigeria, but apparently there are governmental officials that have made some arrests in the case of a student in the country who in fact did become a Christian.

Christian Today reports, based on a World Watch Monitor story, that:

The young woman who was arrested last week is Nabila Umar Sanda, 19, a student at Bingham University in Karu, in the central state of Nasarawa. The university is owned by one of Nigeria's major churches, Evangelical Church Winning All.

While studying there she became friends with Simput Dafup, a 33-year-old Christian, who invited her to meet a local church leader, Jeremiah Datim, after she expressed an interest in the faith.

It was reported that Datim contacted local Muslim authorities, which has become "customary," according to the story, which states that "Datim claimed that later that day – 8 January – detectives from the Department of State Security Services 'stormed my house, assaulted my wife, daughter and eight-month-old baby, and took Nabila away'."  Datim had told the Muslims that Nabila was in his "possession." Datup was also arrested.

Apparently, Nabila's father became involved, and told officials that his daughter was "abducted" and "brainwashed."

2 - Bolivian government adopts stance outlawing evangelism

Christianity Today reports that this past Sunday, evangelical churches in Bolivia conducted a day of prayer and fasting related to new provisions in the South American country's laws.  The website states:

Article 88 of the mountainous South American nation’s new penal code, authorized December 15, states that “whoever recruits, transports, deprives of freedom, or hosts people with the aim of recruiting them to take part in armed conflicts or religious or worship organizations will be penalized 5 to 12 years of imprisonment,” according to a translation by Evangelical Focus, a media initiative of the Spanish Evangelical Alliance.

There were also new expansions on abortion, as well as new punishments for instances of 'recklessness, negligence, malpractice' in all careers."

The CT story also quotes from the National Association of Evangelicals in Bolivia, or ANDEB:

“It is deplorable that Bolivia becomes the first Latin American country to persecute the rights of freedom of conscience and of religion, which are protected by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the declaration of San José de Costa Rica, and our Constitution..."

1 - Abortion funding, conscience rights, abortion survivors' protection, and Presidential address components of March for Life week

The 45th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision, Roe vs. Wade, is celebrated on Monday, January 22 this year, and this past Friday, thousands gathered in Washington, DC to stand in solidarity with pre-born children in the annual March for Life.

On this significant week in the pro-life movement, there were four major developments:

Preservation of conscience rights.  According to the Susan B. Anthony List website, "...the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced the creation of a new Conscience and Religious Freedom Division under the Office for Civil Rights. The new division is tasked with addressing discrimination against health care providers who do not want to participate in abortion."

Blocking of Medicaid funding for abortions.  Also, as LifeSiteNews.com reports that, "The Trump administration’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced...that it is rescinding a warning issued by the Obama administration to state governments stating that they cannot deny Medicaid funds to Planned Parenthood on the grounds that they are abortion providers."

The website does point out that "it is unclear if the rescinding of the guidance will enable states to cut off Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood..." For instance, a Federal court ordered Louisiana to "restore Medicaid funding" to Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider.

And, in Congress, the U.S. House passed the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which, according to the SBA List website, "strengthens legislation passed in 2002 that extended legal protection to infants born alive during a failed abortion."

Finally, for the first time in U.S. history, the President of the United States addressed the March for Life live via satellite.  LifeSiteNews.com reported on President Trump's speech from the Rose Garden at the White House, in which the President said, according to the article:

“As you all know, Roe versus Wade has resulted in some of the most permissive abortion laws anywhere in the world,” Trump told the crowd in a speech live streamed from the White House Rose Garden.

The United States is “one of only seven countries to allow elective late term abortions along with China, North Korea and others,” he said.

“It is wrong, it has to change.”

Trump also is quoted as saying, "Americans are more and more pro-life, you see that all the time,” adding, “In fact, only 12 percent of Americans support abortion on demand at any time.” And, here are two more quotes from the report: “The March for Life is a movement born out of love, you love your families you love your neighbors, you love our nation,” as well as, “And you love every child, born and unborn, because you believe life is sacred, that every child is a precious gift from God.”

The 3 - January 14, 2018

This week on The 3, exploring three stories of relevance to the Christian community, there is a section of United Methodism in America that has strongly voice its opposition to gay ordination and allowing clergy to perform so-called "same-sex" weddings.  Also, a Federal appeals court has upheld a pro-life constitutional amendment in the state of Tennessee.  And, the U.S. Supreme Court has chosen not to accept a challenge to Mississippi's religious freedom law.

3 - Alabama United Methodist conference overwhelmingly indicates maintaining current church policy on homosexuality and gay ordination

After deciding not to tackle matters of sexuality in the 2016 General Conference, the United Methodist Church will be convening in 2019 and "will seek to settle some key questions about human sexuality in the UMC," according to a report at the Juicy Ecumenism blog from the Institute on Religion and Democracy.

And, one of the "conferences," or geographical area of the denomination, has polled its members regarding issues to be considered by the Way Forward Commission, which will attempt to lead the way for the denomination to deal with matters of sexuality.  This is from the North Alabama Annual Conference.

The blog post stated:

Of clergy and lay leaders who responded, an overwhelming proportion (82 percent) said their congregations supported maintaining the Discipline and not ordaining persons in homosexual relationships. Only 18 percent said their congregations disagreed with this position. Regarding the prohibition against UMC clergy officiating same-sex weddings, 80 percent of those who responded said their congregations agreed with the Discipline and only 20 percent disagreed.

The word, Discipline, refers to the United Methodist Church's Book of Discipline, which says that homosexuality is incompatible with Biblical teaching.  The post, written by Joseph Rossell, stated:

So what does this survey signify for the broader United Methodist Church? It’s true that the North Alabama Annual Conference is part of the Southeastern Jurisdiction, which tends to be more theologically conservative. But the North Alabama Annual Conference is far from the most conservative in the jurisdiction. So it’s likely that many other United Methodists in the Southeastern Jurisdiction feel similarly.

He also points out the United Methodist membership is shifting to southern areas of the U.S., as well as part of Africa.  Rossell contends, "... the Way Forward Commission would do well to recall that the vocal minority of activists advocating for changing the Discipline do not speak for most United Methodists, at least those in the fastest growing parts of the denomination."

2 - Tennessee pro-life law upheld by Federal appeals court

A 2014 vote in the state of Tennessee allowing the state to enact restrictions on abortions, which were in place in other states, was challenged in court, and according to a report on the Baptist Press, a Federal appeals court has upheld the vote on that constitutional amendment.

Brian Harris, President of Tennessee Right to Life, called the ruling "a vindication of the state's amendment process and victory for thousands of pro-life Tennesseans who sacrificed to see Amendment 1 passed." He also said, "The voices of Tennessee's voters have been heard and, as a result, public policy decisions on the matter of abortion can be rightly debated and determined by the people's representatives..."

The article stated:

Because of Tennessee's lack of restrictions prior to the vote on Amendment 1 in 2014, the state had become an "abortion destination," ranking third in the nation in the number of out-of-state abortions.

Baptist Press also reported:

Amendment 1, which added language to the state constitution that said, in part, "nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to an abortion," was approved by 53 percent of the vote in 2014.

Pro-abortion supporters challenged the vote, claiming how the votes were counted was unconstitutional, The Tennessean reported.

So, the pro-abortion challengers were attempting to essentially overturn the vote on a technicality, saying that the provision that only those voting in the governor's race could vote on the amendment was unconstitutional, according to The Tennessean.  While a lower Federal court agreed, the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals did not.

1 - Mississippi religious freedom law can now go into effect, due to U.S. Supreme Court action

There was good news for religious freedom out of the U.S. Supreme Court recently, as the result of the high court's inaction - deciding not to hear a challenge to Mississippi's relatively new religious freedom law, which had been placed on hold by a lower court.  The Alliance Defending Freedom website contained a report on this latest development.  The site stated that:

The Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act, HB 1523, protects citizens, public servants, businesses, and religious institutions from government reprisal for operating publicly according to their belief that marriage is reserved for one man and one woman, that sexual activity is intended only for married couples, and that one’s biological sex cannot change.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had "concluded in June of last year that the law’s opponents didn’t demonstrate they have been or will be harmed by the law," according to ADF, which was part of the legal team; its Senior Counsel Kevin Theriot is quoted as saying: “The 5th Circuit was right to find that those opposing this law haven’t been harmed and, therefore, can’t try to take it down. Because of that, we are pleased that the Supreme Court declined to take up these baseless challenges, which misrepresented the law’s sole purpose of ensuring that Mississippians don’t live in fear of losing their careers or their businesses simply for affirming marriage as a husband-wife union.”

The 3 - January 7, 2018

This week's edition of The 3 includes a new list issued by the U.S. State Department of countries who are the biggest violators in the arena of religious freedom.  Also, Baltimore pro-life pregnancy resource centers can breathe a little easier as the result of a Federal appeals court decision that keeps them from having to notify visitors that they do not perform abortion or provide birth control. And, churches and non-profit organizations will be able to receive Federal disaster aid as the result of an Administration reversal in policy.

3 - State Department releases list of countries who most inhibit religious freedom

The 1998 International Religious Freedom Act provides for the State Department to designate Countries of Practical Concern, or CPC's regarding religious persecution, according to a WORLD Magazine article which outlines this year's designated countries.

The same 10 CPC's were designated for 2017 as for 2016, countries that, according to the article, "violate global religious freedom standards." The countries are: Burma (also known as Myanmar), China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. There was one addition - that of Pakistan being added to a "special watch list" "for severe violations of religious freedom."

The WORLD article does note that:

In August, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom recommended the addition of the Central African Republic, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Syria, and Vietnam to the list of CPCs, but the State Department decided to ignore the recommendation to avoid damaging diplomatic relations with those countries.

2 - Baltimore law requiring pro-life centers to refer for abortion struck down

The Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has delivered a ruling that is favorable toward pro-life pregnancy resource centers in Baltimore.  According to the Liberty Counsel website, the court struck down an ordinance that forced the centers to notify visitors that "they do not provide nor refer women for abortions or birth control services."

The Liberty Counsel website says:

The Fourth Circuit found that the ordinance violates the free speech clause of the First Amendment. In contrast to decisions by the Ninth Circuit which validated a similar law in California, the Fourth Circuit found that the Baltimore ordinance was not commercial or professional speech. The court said, “The compelled speech at issue here raises particularly troubling First Amendment concerns. At bottom, the disclaimer portrays abortion as one among a menu of morally equivalent choices. While that may be the city’s view, it is not the center’s.”

The site points out that the U.S. Supreme Court will be hearing a case brought by a pregnancy resource center in California regarding that state's mandate that centers violate their deeply held beliefs. 

1 - New administration policy allows churches to receive FEMA aid

One of the "Top 10 Topics of 2017" from The Meeting House involved the U.S. Supreme Court's decision that a church was wrongly prohibited from participating in a program involving playground resurfacing, simply because it was a religious organization.  The 7-2 decision has borne some fruit in the instance of churches being denied Federal disaster aid by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, according to a Washington Times report that FEMA recently announced a change in policy, which "would allow houses of worship to apply for and receive disaster relief funds."

The article states:

Three Texas churches sued after Hurricane Harvey hit Texas in August, seeking federal assistance to rebuild.

They appealed to the Supreme Court after being denied the disaster relief and Justice Samuel A. Alito requested FEMA issue a response.

But before the court’s deadline, FEMA issued the Public Assistance and Policy Guide, “clarifying that private nonprofit houses of worship will not be singled out for disfavored treatment.”

A press release stated that "FEMA’s change allows private non-profit organizations, including churches, to receive financial assistance if they suffered damage on or after Aug. 23, or if they have applications currently pending as of that date..."