The 3 - April 28, 2019

In this week's edition of The 3, with three stories of relevance to the Christian community, there is good news out of the United Methodist Church, as the judicial body of the denomination has upheld the majority of the Traditional Plan approved at a special General Conference two months ago.  Also, the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to take three cases that involve attempts to redefine the word "sex" in civil rights law to mean gender identity.  And, the landscape of Christian foster care is changing, as government officials are attempting to force agencies to place children in LGBT households; two recent actions have gone against Christian agencies.

United Methodist council paves way for most of Traditional Plan to move forward

Even though the United Methodist Church, in a special General Conference in February, affirmed a plan that would continue to describe homosexuality as "incompatible with Christian teaching" and would prevent same-sex marriage and gay ordination in the Church, the actions of the Conference still had to pass through the denomination's Judicial Council.  According to ReligionNews.com, the Council ruled on Friday, April 26, reporting...

...Approved by delegates to a special session of the United Methodist Church’s General Conference in February, the Traditional Plan strengthens language in the denomination’s Book of Discipline that bars LGBTQ clergy and forbids same-sex marriage.

That rulebook currently states that “the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching” and that “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” cannot be ordained as ministers, appointed to serve or be married in the church.

The Traditional Plan, as upheld by a Judicial Council decision announced Friday (April 26), defines a “self-avowed practicing homosexual” as a person who is “living in a same-sex marriage, domestic partnership or civil union or is a person who publicly states she or he is a practicing homosexual.”

Not all of the plan was upheld, with seven out of seventeen petitions being ruled unconstitutional.  But, apparently the heart of the proposal remained intact.  Religion News also reports that, "In a separate ruling Friday, the Judicial Council upheld an 'exit plan' that allows churches to leave the denomination with their property over decisions made at the special session."

Mark Tooley of the Institute on Religion and Democracy sees this as a key element, writing: "The biggest news from the Judicial Council meeting was the affirmation of exits for dissenting congregations. Many liberals had initially assumed that traditionalists backed this legislation to facilitate their own departure. Only later did many realize it was actually aimed at dissident congregations." Tooley pointed out that, "Reaffirmation of most of the Traditional Plan was not surprising, since the Judicial Council has already reviewed it in October 2018 and during General Conference in February."

High court to review cases regarding gender identity and civil rights

For some time, there have been attempts to redefine language in civil rights law concerning, "sex," to actually mean "gender identity."  The U.S. Supreme Court has announced that it will weigh in on that issue.  The Alliance Defending Freedom website reports that the Court will take up three cases centered around that issue, including one of its clients.  It reports:

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit ruled that the federal government can force R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes and its owner, Thomas Rost, to allow a male employee who identifies as female to dress in women’s clothing when meeting with the deceased’s grieving family members and friends, in violation of the family business’s sex-specific dress code. In so doing, the court redefined “sex” in Title VII to conflict with the word’s well-understood meaning since the law’s enactment in 1964. Title VII is a federal law intended to ensure equal opportunities in employment, regardless of a person’s race, religion, national origin, or sex.

The appeals court overturned a lower district court ruling; the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission had challenged that ruling and filed suit against the funeral home.  Attorney John Bursch of ADF is quoted as saying, "Businesses have the right to rely on what the law is—not what government agencies want it to be—when they create and enforce employment policies. The funeral home wants to serve families mourning the loss of a loved one, but the EEOC has elevated its political goals above the interests of the grieving people that the funeral home serves.”

Government officials change face of Christian foster care placement

Christian foster care agencies have faced pressure to place children in families that are headed by gay couples, and recent action has not gone well for some agencies.  A ChristianityToday.com story reported on a case involved Bethany Christian Services, which, as the result of a new policy implemented by Michigan's attorney general, will begin to place children with same-sex couples in that state.  The article says:

When Michigan’s attorney general declared this month that foster agencies contracting with the government can no longer decline to work with LGBT families, Bethany opted to change its longstanding policy rather than lose the opportunity to help find homes for the thousands of vulnerable children who live there.

A spokesman stated, "We are disappointed with how this settlement agreement has been implemented by the state government. Nonetheless, Bethany will continue operations in Michigan, in compliance with our legal contract requirements,” adding, "We are focused on demonstrating the love of Jesus Christ by serving children in need, and we intend to continue doing so in Michigan.”

The policy is being challenged in court; the article quotes Lori Windham of Becket: "The Michigan Attorney General and the ACLU are trying to stop the state from working with faith-based adoption agencies,” adding, “The result of that will be tragic. Thousands of children will be kept from finding the loving homes they deserve.” Becket represents St. Vincent Catholic Charities, which was sued by the ACLU. 

Windham has another client in another state that is facing opposition, Catholic Social Services in Philadelphia. Christianity Today reports that "a federal appeals court ruled against the Catholic agency, which argued that the city’s decision to drop its foster care contract violated its religious freedom. By refusing to place children in its care—about 120 at a time—with LGBT couples, the agency’s policies violated LGBT protections under Philadelphia’s Fair Practices Ordinance, the court ruled."

The Christian Post also reported on the Philadelphia ruling, saying that, "the city government moved to force faith-based adoption and foster agencies with limitations on same-sex placement to change their policies to comply with the city’s nondiscrimination laws protecting on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity or halt their adoption and foster programs." Catholic Social Services refused to change its policy; the other, Bethany Christian Services of Greater Delaware Valley, did change, according to the Post. 

The 3 - April 21, 2019

This week's edition of The 3 includes the attention that the Notre Dame Cathedral fire placed on church vandalism that has occurred in France last year.  Also, some students and alumni of a Christian university have registered protests over a Christian speaker; an evangelical Christian named Mike Pence.  And, an Australian rugby player has been disciplined for a social media post that, while  Biblically-based, may not have represented the best way to drive home his point.

Notre Dame fire calls attention to church destruction throughout France

Even though French officials have stated that the blaze at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was accidental, likely due to construction occurring there, the fire at the historic landmark has called attention to attacks on churches throughout the nation.  The website of CBN News reported:

According to the German news site PI-News, every day in France, two churches are desecrated. They report 1,063 attacks on Christian churches or symbols like crucifixes, icons, and statues in France in 2018, marking a 17 percent increase from the year before.

The story related that the Church of St. Sulpice in Paris "was set on fire after a midday service on Sunday."  Other attacks included: "the St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Houilles found their statue of the Virgin Mary destroyed and the altar cross on the ground." Also, according to the story:

In February, at Saint-Alain Cathedral in Lavaur, congregants found their altar cloth burned and the church's crosses and statues of saints broken. And in the city of Nimes, individuals vandalized the church of Notre-Dame des Enfants (Our Lady of the Children) and smeared a cross with human excrement according to Newsweek.

CBN points out that:

The German media reports the growing anti-Christian sentiment is believed to be a result of increased Muslim migration. In 2016, after the arrival of close to a million Muslims in Germany, a local newspaper reported "not a day goes by" that attacks on religious statues did not happen in the town of Dülmen.

And the story is similar in France, according to the site: "A January 2017 study stated, 'Islamist extremist attacks on Christians' in France rose by 38 percent, going from 273 attacks in 2015 to 376 in 2016..."

VP faces opposition to commencement speech at Christian university 

You would think that a Christian university would not have an objection to a fellow professed Christian speaking at its graduation.  But, when that Christian is the Vice President of the United States, that has negative implications to students and alumni of Taylor University in Indiana, according to FoxNews.com.  It reports that:

Over 3,300 people have signed a change.org petition to get Pence's invitation to the mid-May commencement ceremony rescinded, claiming the "Trump-Pence Administration's policies" are "not consistent with the Christian ethic of love we hold dear."

Fox reports:

The Christian university has defended the decision. Paul Lowell Haines, the president of Taylor, praised the vice president as a "good friend to the University over many years," and "a Christian brother whose life and values have exemplified what we strive to instill in our graduates.”

A spokesman for the university, James Garringer, in a statement, said: "Taylor University is an intentional Christian community that strives to encourage positive, respectful and meaningful dialogue," and "We look forward to hosting the Vice President next month."

Australian rugby player suspended in light of faith-related comments

It's not necessarily the best way to have said it, but Australian rugby superstar Israel Folau made the case for the eternal destiny of those who practice sinful behavior.  According to The Guardian:

Last Thursday, Rugby Australia said it would sack the Wallabies superstar after a social media post in which he said hell awaits “drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolaters”.

The governing body has said Folau committed a “high level” breach of the professional players’ code of conduct, and had ignored formal instruction not to make any social media post that “condemns, vilifies or discriminates against people on the basis of their sexuality”.

Folau is fighting back, though. The website reports that, "Wallabies star Israel Folau has notified Rugby Australia of his intention to contest a 'high level' code of conduct breach notice, with the matter set to head to a tribunal hearing."

But, this was apparently done on his Instagram page.  Australian blogger and commentator Miranda Devine has taken up Folau's case, tweeting out: "On the Today Show this morning defending Israel Folau’s right to express his Christian beliefs without being sacked and blackballed from playing footy anywhere." That would be Australia's Today show, which tweeted out that Devine said, "He is perfectly entitled to express his beliefs privately on Instagram."

The 3 - April 14, 2019

This week's edition of The 3, highlighting three stories of relevance or interest to the Christian community includes a major pro-life victory in Ohio, where the legislature has passed and the governor has signed a heartbeat bill.  Also, a subcommittee in the U.S. Senate held a hearing recently on the topic of social media censorship.  And, three African-American churches in Louisiana are suffering due to the result of fires that destroyed their buildings.

Heartbeat bill in Ohio signed...finally!

There has been a significant amount of legislation that would restrict abortion that has been introduced into statehouses across America, and Planned Parenthood's own research arm has certainly been paying attention.  LifeNews.com reported recently:

According to the Guttmacher Institute, since the beginning of this year over 250 pro-life bills have been introduced in over 41 states. Almost 50% of those bills would ban abortion in “some or all circumstances,” says the organization. In fact, according to Planned Parenthood’s analysis, legislators in seven states have proposed bills that would completely ban abortion, while six states are considering or have passed “trigger bans” that would ban abortion if or when Roe v. Wade is repealed.

Alabama is currently considering a bill that would criminalize abortion in the state.

Late last week, there was news out of Ohio that after eight years of being stonewalled by the former governor, the new governor, Mike DeWine has signed a "heartbeat bill," according to the Columbus Dispatch.  It reported:

The new law — which will ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, typically around six weeks — will take effect July 11 absent a court ruling. Abortions would be allowed if the woman’s life is in danger, but it contains no exceptions for rape or incest.

“The essential function of government is to protect the most vulnerable among us, those who do not have a voice,” the governor said. “Government’s rule should be to protect life from the beginning to the end, to protect those who cannot protect themselves. ... The signing of this bill today is consistent with that respect for life.”

Attorney General Dave Yost is apparently committed to mounting a strong defense of the bill in the face of a likely court challenge.  He is quoted as saying, "Sometimes, the evolution of the law requires bold steps. In the last 46 years, the practice of medicine has changed. Science has changed. Even the point of viability has changed. Only the law has lagged behind. This law provides a stable, objective standard to guide the courts.”

Senate holds hearing on social media censorship

One of the issues of concern regarding the Internet and the expression of truth consistent with a Christian perspective on it is the ability of large companies to control the content.  And, last week, Senator Ted Cruz held a subcommittee hearing, which included representatives of Twitter and Facebook, as well as individuals who have faced content restrictions.

Newsbusters.com reports that the committee chair, Sen. Cruz had previously asked Facebook to submit their censorship guidelines. In the hearing, he said: “I will note that when Mr. Zuckerberg testified before the full committee, I submitted that question and a number of other questions to Facebook, and you at the time refused it. The company instead gave legal boilerplate and refused to answer the question.”

The report says:

During the hearing, Cruz started his questions by asking both representatives if their companies “considered themselves to be neutral public forums?” Twitter’s director of Public Policy, Carlos Monje, gave a long response but did not answer the question.

Cruz asked Monje about Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey’s stance on neutrality. He summed up by the Dorsey quote, “I don’t believe that we should optimize for neutrality” Monje pleaded ignorance. answering, “I have not seen that quote, sir.” When Cruz asked if he agreed with it, Monje gave another non-answer, saying “That is not how he is building the platform.”

OK, whatever.  Cruz said in the hearing that Google would be examined in a future hearing.  Testifying before the Subcommittee on the Constitution, according to ReligionNews.com, was Chuck Konzelman, co-director/producer/writer of the movie, Unplanned, which experienced manipulation of its Twitter feed, to the extent that a number of people reported they could not follow the movie's feed, which showed a dramatic decrease in followers.  PJ Media reported on developments during opening weekend:

The movie's Twitter account was briefly suspended on Saturday, mere hours after its release on Friday. On Sunday, the account seems to have mysteriously lost 99,000 of its 100,000 followers.

"Wow!!! 100K Followers," the Unplanned account tweeted on Sunday afternoon. "Thanks to everyone who has helped us to achieve this milestone. When [Twitter] suspended our account you came together as a strong voice. We are so very grateful for the enormous support you've show at the box office."

The estimates from this past weekend from Box Office Mojo showed Unplanned in the #11 position, with $1.8 million, and the total receipts are approaching $16 million.

Burning churches in Louisiana

Palm Sunday was observed around the world yesterday, and three African-American churches in Louisiana had to find alternative sites at which to gather for services, because their buildings were burned, according to NBCNews.com, which reported that, "With this Palm Sunday marking the beginning of Holy Week, worshippers at the three affected churches — St. Mary Baptist Church in Port Barre, the Greater Union Baptist Church and Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, both in Opelousas — have found other places to hold services."

A 21-year-old man has been arrested in these cases. The article stated that Holden Matthews "was charged with three counts of arson for allegedly setting fire to the three churches in St. Landry Parish over 10 days beginning March 26." It goes on to report that, "Officials said that Matthews, who is white and the son of a St. Landry Parish sheriff's deputy, appeared to be a fan of black metal music, a subgenre of heavy metal that has been associated with white nationalist ideology and church burnings in Norway."

The article also says that:

Federal investigators stressed at a news conference Thursday that they had not yet determined a motive for the burnings or whether the attacks constitute a hate crime.

Matthews was caught as the result of "surveillance video, cellphone tower data and the purchase of a gas can and other materials from a Walmart."

The burning of a church building is a horrific act that demonstrates religious, and in this case, perhaps racial bigotry and even hatred.  Christians can stand in solidarity in decrying violence against people and institutions which are aligned with their deeply held faith beliefs.

The 3 - April 7, 2019

This week's edition of The 3 features a development out of Ohio involving the integration of transgender-friendly elements to a 4-H program.  And, in California, a widow could be evicted from a veterans' home because of her dedication to leading a Bible study.  Plus, a Pennsylvania lawmaker is facing backlash for a Christian prayer she delivered in front of a legislative body.

Ohio 4-H program allows transgender agenda, special pronouns

It has been discovered that a 4-H program in the state of Ohio, sponsored by Ohio State University, has been promoting transgenderism. Christian Headlines reports that:

According to WND.com, Liberty Counsel said in a report that OSU “is intent on silencing or driving away parents, employees or volunteers who believe that there are only two sexes, male and female, and that homosexuality and ‘transgenderism’ are inappropriate subjects for impressionable children and have nothing to do with 4-H.”

The story points out that: "Ohio participants in 4-H attend camps and events where they must share showers or sleep in the same rooms as others who identify as another sex." Also, Liberty Council reports that the pronouns, “Zie, Zir and Zirs," are being promoted.  These are the types of pronouns that are used to refer to those who identify as a gender other than their biological one.

Liberty Counsel contends: "Ohio 4-H once reflected the values of the populations it serves. However, OSU is now using the program as a vehicle to enforce radical LGBT ideology and terminology, including the idea that pronouns are subjective, and do not correspond to objective biology of male or female."

Widow told not to conduct Bible studies in retirement complex

Artis Breau is a resident of the California Veterans Home and is 84 years old. She has been involved in leading voluntary Bible studies at the home for a number of years. According to an article at The Stream website...

...Breau is now being investigated by the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet). Breau believes CalVet targeted her because she was an evangelical Jewish believer. Matthew McReynolds, her attorney at Pacific Justice Institute (PJI), agrees. “She’s run into some conflict with some of the other residents there and some of the chaplains because of her beliefs. She is evangelical and some of them are not. It’s really become a clash of worldviews more than anything else.”

The story says, "On March 1, CalVet sent an email warning Breau she would be evicted if she continued the Bible studies." There were three allegations against her, and her attorney stated that they had been told, "they could continue to add allegations against her in ‘perpetuity’.” McReynolds added, "That's of great concern to us and that’s why I wrote to their counsel again yesterday to voice concerns about that and about the due process violations that that we believe have attended this whole investigation and this whole approach."

Pennsylvania lawmaker chided for Christian prayer

A member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives prayer recently according to her Christian beliefs, and received criticism for it.  A USA Today story says that:

State Rep. Stephanie Borowicz, a freshman from a rural Pennsylvania district, invoked Jesus, the Lord or God nearly two dozen times in her approximately one-minute-forty-second prayer. She also thanked God for President Donald Trump because he "stands beside Israel, unequivocally."

Democratic Rep. Movita Johnson-Harrell of Philadelphia, who was sworn in on a Quran after Borowicz's prayer, said Tuesday that she thought "for the most part, the entire invocation was offensive." Johnson-Harrell said "to use Jesus as a weapon is not OK" and that "we cannot weaponize what’s going on with Israel and Palestine."

Johnson-Harrell felt the prayer was a "political statement." However, the article reports that, "A Muslim prayer was said during Johnson-Harrell's swearing-in. Fifty-five guests attended the ceremony, most of them Muslim." Meanwhile, Johnson-Harrell wants to take action against Borowicz, "because we need to be promoting inclusion, not division," she says. 

Borowicz, apparently, is not backing down.  The USA Today story says:

Borowicz defended herself on Monday, telling a a Pennsylvania Legislative Services reporter "That’s how I pray everyday."

When asked if she would apologize as some Democrats had demanded, Borowicz said, "Oh no, I don’t apologize ever for praying."

The New American reported:

Evangelist Franklin Graham also weighed in to defend Borowicz, insisting that “she doesn’t need to apologize,” for her Christian prayer. “We don’t change who we are or what we believe because someone who is present may believe differently than we believe.... I always appreciate anyone who has the guts to stand up for Jesus.”

The 3 - March 31, 2019

This week's edition of The 3, highlighting three stories of relevance to Christians, includes another story of Christian persecution in China.  Also, a ministry organization has received a positive court decision over the contraception mandate.  And, a Trump Administration official has announced another pro-life move.

3 - Chinese government shuts down major church

The oppression of the Church in China is certainly a lesson in futility; the more persecution, it seems, that Christians receive, the more the Church is driven underground and its numbers swell.  But, we can still be watchful about the action taken by the Chinese government.

China Aid reports that a major church has been essentially shut down. Its website reports that on March 23, "the Chinese government formally banned the entire church, including its many branches, and confiscated its property, claiming it had carried out religious activities without registering with the government. However, the church had attempted to register in 2006 but was rejected on the grounds that its pastor, Jin Tianming, had not undergone government training as a clergy member."

The article points out that "Jin has been under continuous house arrest for more than seven years." And, a report last Thursday says that the oppression continues.  For example...

...One meeting place, located in the Changyuan Tiandi Building in Beijing’s Haidian District, was closed down. According to a ban notice from the Haidian District Ethnic and Religious Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, its pastor, Zhang Xiaofeng, had conducted religious activities there. The notice also cited a cross hanging on one of the interior walls, a podium placed within the venue, a prayer request box, numerous folding chairs, a piano, Bibles, hymnals, microphones, and sound equipment, concluding that 'It is an illegal place to conduct religious activities.'"

2 - Christian ministry receives victory in Obamacare lawsuit

It certainly seems to be a never-ending saga, as non-profit organizations continue to deal with legal issues surrounding the mandate dating back to the passage of the Affordable Care Act, forcing them to provide free contraception and abortion drugs in their health care plans.

Alliance Defending Freedom was involved in a number of lawsuits against the mandate, including representing a man who was involved in ADF's founding, Dr. James Dobson of Family Talk.  The ADF website reported:

Represented by Alliance Defending Freedom, Dr. Dobson and Family Talk filed a lawsuit challenging the abortion pill mandate. The district court granted a preliminary injunction to Dr. Dobson and Family Talk, finding that "providing the coverage required by the Mandate would violate their religious beliefs."

In March 2019, A federal district court issued an order that permanently prevents the federal government from enforcing the Affordable Care Act’s abortion-pill mandate against the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute and its “Family Talk” radio show. The order also declared that the mandate violates the organization’s rights protected by the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

In a statement responding to the good news, Dr. Dobson said:

“Because of this ruling, every religious institution—not just ours—has greater legal standing to combat the threats of extinction unless they provide a health plan that includes abortion-inducing drugs. In addition, precedents are now set in the law that will make it much harder for governments, whether federal, state, or local, to attempt to so brazenly disregard our religious liberties in the future. Yet, it is still true that the price of liberty is determined vigilance.

We have won this battle and give God all the glory in it, but the forces arrayed against us are still fighting an ongoing war. There will be more battles. Now, more than ever, we must stand together with those defending life and the freedom of religion in the public square. We cannot afford a moment of apathy. Nevertheless, had our ministry not survived this fight, it would have still been the right decision to fight. Thank God, we won.”

1 - Secretary of State takes strong step to prevent abortions internationally

When President Trump took office, he restored the Mexico City Policy, which prevented taxpayer funding of abortions overseas.  Now, according to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, that rule has been expanded, according to WORLD Magazine.  It reports:

The Global Protect Life policy, formerly called the Mexico City policy, already blocked funding to any nongovernmental organization (NGO) engaged in the abortion business, and Pompeo said the new policy expands that rule.

The Secretary is quoted as saying, “We are also making clear that we will refuse to provide assistance to foreign NGOs that give financial support to other foreign groups in the global abortion industry,” adding, “We will enforce a strict prohibition on backdoor funding schemes and end runs around our policy.”

The article points out an initial move, stating: "the State Department announced plans to cut about $210,000 in funding for the Organization of American States because at least one of its affiliated institutions has lobbied for abortion availability in the Western Hemisphere."