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.”