The 3 - June 24, 2018

In this week's edition of The 3, spotlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, the promotion of "Freedom Sunday" at a Dallas church resulted in its freedom to speak its message being limited.  Also, a church in Maryland has been banned from using its own facility for the purpose of worship services.  And, the Oregon couple whose bakery was shut down due to their declining to provide a cake celebrating a same-sex union, received another court defeat.

3 - Church billboards taken down

This past Sunday, First Baptist Church of Dallas, TX presented its "Freedom Sunday" event, with Senior Pastor Dr. Robert Jeffress preaching on the topic, America is a Christian Nation.  This event was being promoted on billboards around the area, until the billboard company ordered them to be taken down.

According to a press release from Dr. Jeffress and First Baptist Dallas, the pastor said, “the message will present the historical evidence for the bedrock of faith upon which America was founded.” The press release continued:

Students of history will recognize these words “America is a Christian Nation” did not originate with Jeffress but came from the words of both John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; and Justice David Josiah Brewer, who explicitly described America as a Christian nation in a Supreme Court ruling.

The website, Lifezette, reported:

The advertising company, OutFront Media, seems to have been urged to action (at least in part) by a sardonic opinion piece published in The Dallas Morning News, titled “First Baptist Pastor Robert Jeffress’ Gospel of Division Does Not Represent My Dallas.”

The mayor of the city was quoted in the article, stating:

"I don't mind someone being proud of the Christian tradition in America — it's obviously there," adding, "But one of the strengths of Dallas is our faith-based community, [and] it's the strength that makes us a city of love versus a city of hate."

And a group of atheists were planning a protest at First Baptist on Sunday morning, according to another press release from the pastor and the church, which stated:

The irony of the protest is not lost on Dr. Robert Jeffress, senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas: “Last December, American Atheists placed billboards in Dallas attacking Christmas and advising people to ‘Just Skip church’ and ‘It’s all fake news.’ We, of course, didn’t organize demonstrations against the billboards, put pressure on the billboard company for them to be taken down, or denounce them for their divisive and mean-spirited words because, unlike those on the Left, we actually believe in free speech.”

When asked how he felt about the demonstrators, Dr. Jeffress said, “We welcome skeptics and cynics, so of course we’re glad they’re coming. I just hope they’ll have the courage to drop their logos and egos long enough to actually listen to the overwhelming evidence that I’ll be presenting in my sermon, ‘America is a Christian Nation.’” He added with a smile, “But they better get here early—we’re expecting a big crowd.”

2 - City prevented from holding worship in its own coffee shop

A church in Maryland has been prevented from holding a worship service in its own facility.  A Faithwire.com story reported:

Redemption Community Church opened a coffee shop in the town of Laurel, with the aim of serving the local community coffee for six days a week and presenting the Gospel on Sunday.

Ragamuffins Coffee House is located in a very poor neighborhood and seeks to meet the needs of those who are struggling, offering them a welcoming and warm community — and great coffee.

But, according to the story, "...city officials told them to cease ministry operations and leave immediately. According to the Alliance Defending Freedom, the religious freedom legal group representing the church, city officials adopted new zoning codes with the express intention of stopping Redemption Community Church from operating in the city’s downtown area."

ADF explained, "The law forces houses of worship to submit to an expensive, time-consuming, and uncertain special exception process that is not imposed on secular organizations..." It noted, "Almost immediately after the church purchased the property, the city changed its zoning code to remove houses of worship on less than one acre as permitted uses in the zone and allow them only if a special exception permit application was individually approved..." The city threatened to fine the church $250 per day. The Faithwire story noted the recent initiative announced by the Department of Justice that protects churches from, as the article states, "government interference," with respect to land and facility usage.

1 - OR Supreme Court rejects appeal from cake bakers

Aaron and Melissa Klein have had a years-long history of being told "no" by the legal system after they said "yes" to upholding their religious beliefs by rejecting a request to bake a cake celebrating a same-sex marriage.  The Kleins faced a heavy fine of $135,000 for their action and their appeals through the courts have been repeatedly rejected.

The latest case in point occurred this past week. First Liberty, which represents the couple, reported in a press release:

...the Oregon Supreme Court denied review in the case of Aaron and Melissa Klein, owners of Sweetcakes by Melissa. The following statement in response to the court’s decision may be attributed to Kelly Shackelford, President and CEO for First Liberty Institute:

No one in America should be forced by the government to choose between their faith and their livelihood. But that’s exactly what happened to our clients, bakers Aaron and Melissa Klein. We look forward to making our case to the Supreme Court of the United States.

Perhaps it is the Kleins' case, or that of a florist in Washington who declined to provide flowers for a same-sex wedding ceremony, that could cause the high court to make a definitive ruling on the religious freedom rights of artists who do not wish to participate in providing their art for an event that violates their deeply held beliefs.  The Masterpiece Cakeshop decision was a step in the right direction, but experts agree that it was incomplete.  Meanwhile, Jack Phillips, the owner of Masterpiece, is experiencing an uptick in business, according to ChristianHeadlines.com.  The article states:

Phillips said he has received an outpouring of support as the case went before the Supreme Court and that his business has increased, although he initially lost 40 percent of his business.

"We have had so many people coming by to support us as the case has gone on, and there has been an outpouring of love and support since the decision came down. The state's targeting of my beliefs cost me 40 percent of my business and forced me from 10 employees down to four. But we're so happy to be busy doing what we do best at our shop," Phillips told The Christian Post in an email.

The 3 - June 17, 2018

In this week's edition of The 3, highlighting three stories of relevance for the Christian community, a Bible-based organization has issued new guidelines calling for employees to follow...the Bible in certain areas.  Also, the U.S. Justice Department has issued a policy designed to protect churches and religious organizations, providing a level playing field in areas concerning land and facilities use.  And, a ruling from Canada's highest court has clouded the future for a Christian university that has a new law school in the works.

3 - Bible organization announces guidelines for employees to adhere to the Bible regarding marriage

I have a lot of respect for the work of the American Bible Society, and recently, the organization issued employee guidelines that actually directs those who work for it to - believe the Bible regarding marriage.  A CBN News story relates:

The new policy asks employees to conduct themselves according to biblical principles, including refraining from extra-marital sex and honoring God through marriage between one man and one woman.

"I will seek to refrain from sexual activity outside of the marriage covenant prescribed and exemplified in the Bible: 'a man will leave his father and mother and unite with his wife, and the two will become one,' symbolizing the relationship between Christ and His Church," the statement reads.

And, the story points out, "The document also asks employees to refrain from 'malicious speech, stealing, cheating others,' and drug abuse."

The article quotes a Religion News Service article that says the "nine of the company's 200 employees have resigned," presumably because they disagreed with the new principles.

So, even though the Society will no doubt be branded as intolerant, American Bible Society President and CEO Roy Peterson thinks it made the right call, telling RNS, "We did this because we believe a staff made up of people with a deep and personal connection to the Bible will bring unity and clarity as we continue our third century of ministry."

2 - US Department of Justice takes step to protect religious organizations in matters of use of land and facilities

The Justice Department has announced a new religious freedom regulation that is designed to protect churches and other religious organizations in matters of land and facility usage.  The Alliance Defending Freedom stated on its website:

The U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday its new “Place to Worship Initiative,” which will focus on “protecting the ability of houses of worship and other religious institutions to build, expand, buy, or rent facilities—as provided by the land use provisions of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA).”

ADF Senior Counsel Erik Stanley, director of the ADF Center for Christian Ministries, is quoted as saying, “No city should use its zoning laws to engage in religious discrimination. Unfortunately, in the 18 years since Congress passed RLUIPA, local governments have done just that, blatantly disregarding the law,” adding, “For that reason, we commend the Department of Justice and the Trump administration for placing a much-needed focus on the freedoms churches and other religious groups have under this federal law.” As the site says, ADF has been involved in defending religious organizations to uphold their rights under the act.

1 - Canadian Supreme Court rules against law school requiring students to adhere to Christian sexual ethics

Trinity Western University in Canada has been making plans to open a law school, but it has faced opposition because of its "community covenant," which, according to a story on the WORLD Magazine website, "requires students and faculty to abstain from sex outside heterosexual marriage."

According to WORLD:

Leaders of the Law Society of British Columbia initially said the group would recognize the school’s graduates but reversed course after a majority of its members objected. Lawyers in Ontario took a similar stance, while societies in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, the Yukon, and Nova Scotia agreed to recognize the graduates.

The issue of whether or not regional law societies would accredit Trinity's school had gone to various regional appeals courts, which issued a variety of decisions.  So, the case went to the Canadian Supreme Court, which recently issued a 7-2 ruling against Trinity and in favor of the discretion of the regional societies.

The article linked to a story at the CBC website, which stated that the high court said "it's 'proportionate and reasonable' to limit religious rights in order to ensure open access for LGBT students. The story quotes Janet Epp Buckingham, described as "a TWU professor who helped develop the law school proposal," who "said she was saddened by the ruling." She is quoted as saying, "We feel that this is a loss for diversity in Canada," adding, "Canada has traditionally upheld values of diversity for a broad array of religious views. So we're very disappointed in the way the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled today."

The 3 - June 10, 2018

In this week's edition of The 3, there are three stories related to religious liberty.  One is out of Arizona, where a state appeals court has ruled against Phoenix artists who had challenged a local ordinance that would have forced them to create art that contradicts their religious beliefs.  You also have the case of a corporate spokesperson who lost his job just because he stated his Biblically-consistent views on homosexuality.  And, the big news out the U.S. Supreme Court Monday was that a Colorado baker received a favorable ruling in a case that had resulted from his declining to bake a cake celebrating a same-sex relationship.

3 - Arizona appeals court rules against artists who challenged Phoenix ordinance forcing artistic expression that violates their beliefs

A Phoenix art studio had filed a challenge to a local ordinance that, according to the Alliance Defending Freedom website, would have forced artists to create expression that runs contrary to their deeply held beliefs.  The studio is called Brush and Nib, and its lawsuit, filed in 2016, "challenges Phoenix City Code Section 18.4(B), a non-discrimination ordinance which the city has construed to force artists like the owners of Brush & Nib to create objectionable art, even though they decide what art to create based on the art’s message, not the requester’s personal characteristics."  This is called a "pre-enforcement challenge."

The ADF website stated that the ordinance, "forces the studio’s two young female owners to use their artistic talents to promote same-sex ceremonies. The ordinance also forbids the studio...and its proprietors from publicly expressing their Christian belief that marriage is the union of one man and one woman or explaining why they hold to that time-honored view."

This past week, the Arizona Appeals Court, after a lower court judge had refused to suspend the ordinance, ruled against the artists' challenge.  According to an article on the ADF website, Senior Counsel Jonathan Scruggs, director of the ADF Center for Conscience Initiatives, said:

“Artists shouldn’t be forced under threat of fines and jail time to create artwork contrary to their core convictions. The court’s decision allows the government to compel two artists who happily serve everyone to convey a message about marriage they disagree with. This contradicts basic freedoms our nation has always cherished. In Monday’s Masterpiece Cakeshop decision, the Supreme Court reaffirmed that ‘religious and philosophical objections to gay marriage are protected views and in some instances protected forms of expression.’ Phoenix’s position contradicts this principle and violates our clients’ artistic and religious freedom. We intend to appeal the court’s decision.”

2 - Corporate spokesperson terminated due to expression of Biblical views on homosexuality

During the same week in which a baker's viewpoint was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, a spokesman for a large company who expressed his views on homosexuality was fired. Faithwire
reported on the termination of Russell Berger, corporate spokesperson for CrossFit.

Berger's comments came in response to a situation originating at a local CrossFit affiliate in Indianapolis.  The story says that several weeks ago...

...CrossFit Infiltrate’s manager and staff created a Pride workout event and proceeded to publicize it on the gym’s social media channels. Though the workout was scheduled for Thursday 7 June, it was abruptly canceled June 1 by Infiltrate’s owner Brandon Lowe. A statement regarding the reasons for the cancellation was emailed to gym members by manager Johnnie Martin.

The statement included these words: "Total health involves the body, the emotions, relationships, and the spirit. At the foundational detractor from health, as we believe God sets the parameters for, is pride."  Of course, this resulted in a backlash from the LGBT+ community. 

And, Berger, a then-researcher for the company, tweeted out his support for the actions of Infiltrate. The Faithwire report said:

In a series of now-deleted tweets, Berger declared that the “tactics of some in the LGBTQ movement toward dissent” is a clear and “existential threat to freedom of expression.”

Clearly, that didn’t go down well with his employer. Berger, whose Twitter bio lists him as CrossFit’s “Chief Knowledge Officer,” was summarily suspended for his comments pending further investigation. Speaking to Buzzfeed, Crossfit CEO Greg Glassman harangued Berger for his remarks, even labeling him a “zealot.”

Then, it was announced that Berger had been terminated.  Berger took to social media with more statements, according to the story:

“That my personal opinions don’t reflect the entirety of the CrossFit community is painfully obvious. Let’s not pretend this isn’t just an attempt to silence my personal views by pressuring my employer.”

Berger further clarified his position on homosexuality: “I believe that all humans, regardless of their sins, (and we are all sinners), are image bearers of God and worthy of dignity, respect, and value,” he tweeted. “That also means we should care enough about them to tell them the truth about sin.”

1 - Colorado cake baker who declined to provide cake for same-sex ceremony receives favorable ruling from U.S. Supreme Court

The U.S. Supreme Court announced it ruling in the Masterpiece Cakeshop case on Monday, and owner Jack Phillips, who declined to provide a cake for a ceremony celebrating a same-sex union, received a favorable ruling from the high court - a 7-2 ruling.  But, while this is a moment of celebration for Jack, based on experts' opinions, it is unclear how this could affect similar cases that have occurred in the past and may transpire in the future.

Family Research Council reported on the decision, saying that, according to the justices...

...Colorado's treatment of Masterpiece Cakes was "inconsistent with the state's obligation of religious neutrality." "The government, consistent with the Constitution's guarantee of free exercise, cannot impose regulations that are hostile to the religious beliefs of affected citizens and cannot act in a manner that passes judgment upon or presupposes the illegitimacy of religious beliefs and practices," Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote on behalf of the court." The Colorado Civil Rights Commission, in its obvious contempt for Jack's beliefs, "was neither tolerant nor respectful of his religious beliefs." The judgment, they concluded, "is reversed."

Regarding the incompleteness of the ruling, FRC states:

The time is coming -- and soon -- when the court will have to wade into the bigger clash between religious liberty and same-sex marriage. When it does, let's hope it agrees with the majority of Americans, who understand that -- regardless of what you think about marriage -- no one should be forced to violate revealed and established biblical truth. "Now that the decision has arrived, I can see the sun once again," Jack wrote in an emotional response today. How much longer until dozens of other Christians can see theirs?

The 3 - June 3, 2018

In this most current edition of The 3, highlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, there is news out of California, where an appeals court issued a ruling that will apparently keep the state's assisted suicide law from going into effect.  Also, there's another high school graduation ceremony controversy, this time out of Illinois, where a graduate was told shortly before making a valedictory speech that his content was too religious.  Plus, Irish voters have turned back a constitutional amendment that was in effect, protecting the right to life of unborn babies.

3 - Appeals court rules against CA assisted suicide law 

In a special session of California's legislature convened in 2016 to address health care issues, a bill allowing assisted suicide in the state was passed.  In mid-May a state judge ruled that the new bill, called the End of Life Option Act, was not part of the authorized agenda for the session, so it was unconstitutional.

According to the Life Legal Defense Foundation website:

...Judge Daniel Ottolia held that the passage of the Act violated Section IV of the California Constitution and gave Attorney General Xavier Becerra five days to file a motion with a higher court to have his ruling stayed pending appeal.

On Wednesday, the Fourth District Court of Appeal denied the Attorney General’s motion for a stay, effectively striking down the “End of Life Option Act.”

The site stated:

Judge Ottolia found that the End of Life Option Act “does not fall within the scope of access to healthcare services” and “is not a matter of healthcare funding.” Moreover, the court ruled that, “The legislation decriminalizing assisted suicide cannot be deemed a matter incidental to the purpose of the emergency session.”

Life Legal Executive Director Alexandra Snyder is quoted as saying, “Life Legal has always maintained that the End of Life Act violates the Constitution and California’s long-standing public policy protecting its citizens from being ‘helped’ to commit suicide,” adding, “We are pleased that the court’s ruling will restore the protection that the Act removed from the ill and vulnerable.”
2 - Graduation speech nixed shortly before scheduled to be delivered due to religious content

Imagine that your son or daughter was the valedictorian, or in the case of an Illinois student, the co-valedictorian of the senior class.  Not only had the graduate worked heard to maintain a high GPA, but he or she had devoted time in preparation for the speech.  But, because the school district found fault with the message's religious content, the student was told either remove the content or not give the speech.  What an unfair position for the student, and as First Liberty Institute contends, unconstitutional action by the school district.

Todd Starnes reported on the case of Sam Blackledge, who, according to Starnes, "...was told just ten minutes before graduation that he would not be permitted to deliver his valedictory address because it was too religious."

First Liberty Institute attorney Jeremy Dys told Starnes, “School officials should remember that students retain their constitutional rights to freedom of expression from the schoolhouse gates, all the way through the graduation ceremony...” The Christian legal advocacy organization is representing Blackledge, who was a student a West Prairie High School in Illinois, according to First Liberty's website.

1 - Ireland repeals pro-life amendment

Residents of the nation of Ireland went to the polls recently to repeal the Eighth Amendment to the Irish Constitution, which WORLD Magazine states "granted unborn babies the same legal rights as their mothers." The magazine's website had reported that, "Two exit polls taken Friday indicate about 70 percent of voters opted to repeal the Eighth Amendment to the country’s constitution..."

The WORLD report says:

John McGuirk, a spokesman for Save the 8th, called the result a “tragedy of historic proportions.” The government, which supported the repeal effort, plans to allow abortion for babies up to 12 weeks gestation.

Pro-life organization, the Susan B. Anthony List, released a statement, which said, in part:

“The result of today’s referendum is a profound tragedy for the Irish people and the entire world,” said SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser. “While other Western nations including the United States acquiesced to the extreme abortion lobby, Ireland has been a shining beacon of hope for its strong defense of unborn children and their mothers. Irish pro-life advocates have correctly warned that repealing legal protections for the unborn opens the door to abortion on demand, just as Roe v. Wade did in the United States, which has some of the world’s most permissive abortion laws. We are one of only seven nations that allow abortion for any reason up to the moment of birth. We had dearly hoped the children of Ireland would be spared a similar fate.