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."