The 3 - May 26, 2019

On this week's edition of The 3, spotlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, there is news about a gay wedding featured in a children's TV show and what one state's group of PBS stations did in response.  Also, a county has voted not only to reject a protest letter and continue to display crosses on its courthouse, but the crosses are now lit.  And, a university has settled with a Christian student group in a flap over leadership.

Children's TV show features gay wedding, one state public television network says "no"

Not even the world of PBS children's programming is safe from the furtherance of the LGBT agenda.  ChristianHeadlines.com reported that:

The popular PBS Kids series Arthur broke new ground Monday by inserting a same-sex wedding into the plot, as Arthur and his friends learn their male teacher, Mr. Ratburn, is marrying a man.

PBS is standing behind the decision to include a gay wedding into the show. The article quotes Maria Vera Whelan of PBS, who is quoted in a press release: "PBS Kids programs are designed to reflect the diversity of communities across the nation...” She added, “We believe it is important to represent the wide array of adults in the lives of children who look to PBS Kids every day.”
But at least one network of PBS television stations chose not to air the episode. The Montgomery Advertiser website reported, regarding Alabama Public Television, that:

Programming Director Mike McKenzie told NBC News that PBS alerted stations in advance of "possible viewer concerns about the content of the program" and after viewing the episode themselves, multiple APT staffers decided to broadcast a rerun in its place.

"The vast majority of parents will not have heard about the content, whether they agree with it or not," McKenzie said in a statement to NBC News and AL.com. "Because of this, we felt it would be a violation of trust to broadcast the episode."

TX county votes to keep courthouse crosses and...lights them up

A battle for religious freedom has reached a small city in in east Texas named Coldspring, in San Jacinto County.  LifeSiteNews.com reports that the so-called Freedom from Religion Foundation sent a letter to a local judge, claiming four crosses on the county courthouse are unconstitutional, according to the Click2Houston website.

Recently, according to the story, "the County Commissioners Court voted unanimously to keep the crosses after a three-hour public comment period attended by more than 600 people in the town of a population below 900. In addition, the town has started to illuminate the crosses, Breitbart reported."

The story states that Texas First Assistant Attorney General Jeff Mateer wrote a letter to county leaders: “You should know that you can reject FFRF’s demand to impose its anti-religion bias against San Jacinto County (...) on occasion FFRF will file a lawsuit to try to force government to purge all acknowledgment of religion. If that occurs, we look forward to supporting your lawful decision to retain the crosses.”

Colorado university settles with Christian group about leadership

A campus student group at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, has entered into a settlement with the school because of its erroneous attempt to require that Ratio Christi select leaders who are not Christian, according to the Alliance Defending Freedom website, which states:

The University of Colorado, Colorado Springs has agreed to make policy changes to settle a lawsuit that Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys filed in November on behalf of a student group after UCCS officials refused to grant it registered status. As part of the settlement, the university agreed to grant Ratio Christi registered status, pay over $20,500 in damages and attorneys’ fees, and update its policies to ensure that a student club may require its leadership to promote the purposes of the club and hold beliefs consistent with the group’s mission.

Ratio Christi is described as a "Christian apologetics organization." 

ADF Senior Counsel Travis Barham commended the school for revising its policy and stated, "Thankfully, the university quickly fixed its policy by adding provisions that respect students’ rights to free association, no longer forcing Christian students to let atheists or other non-Christians to lead their Bible studies in order to become a registered club.”

The 3 - May 19, 2019

This week's edition of The 3 includes strong pro-life legislation passed by the Alabama Legislature and signed by the Governor.  And, a bill that claims to promote equality but actually does the opposite and presents a threat to religious freedom has passed the U.S. House.  And, the Texas Senate has passed a bill intended to prevent religious discrimination.

Alabama Legislature passes pro-life bill, signed by governor, awaits court challenge

On Wednesday, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed into law the Human Life Protection Act, which criminalizes abortion in almost all circumstances within the state.  The bill, as passed by the Alabama Senate on Tuesday night, contains no exceptions for rape and incest - bill sponsors describe it as a bill that underscores "personhood," in direct contrast to Roe v. Wade, which does not affirm the personhood of the unborn child.

The bill will go into the Federal court system, where the precedent of Roe will cause it to be ruled unconstitutional, and proponents designed the law to present a direct challenge to the U.S. Supreme Court.  There has been plenty of commentary from proponents and opposition.

The center-left website The Atlantic provided analysis of the Alabama bill, as well as Georgia's heartbeat bill that was signed by Gov. Kemp recently.  The article, by Emma Green, who writes on religious issues for the site, stated:

Conservative legislators see themselves as champions of medical science and human rights. In the preamble to their new bill, Alabama legislators write that “medical science has increasingly recognized the humanity of the unborn child,” and point to a number of technological advancements in the past four decades that allow greater understanding of fetal development. They cite the principle laid out in the Declaration of Independence that “all men are created equal”; they claim that their efforts are in the same spirit as the anti-slavery movement, the women’s-suffrage movement, the Nuremberg war-crimes trials, and the civil-rights movement.

The preamble also mentions "the Holocaust, Joseph Stalin’s Soviet gulags, the Rwandan genocide, and other slaughters, arguing that the number of lives taken in those horrific crimes are small compared with the alleged '50 million babies [that] have been aborted in the United States since the Roe decision in 1973.'"

While precedent, as the article points out, is a "powerful legal principle," the high court struck down a precedent.  The article says:

In a decision unrelated to abortion this week, in which the conservative majority overturned a precedent related to states suing other states, Justice Stephen Breyer wrote in his dissent, “Today’s decision can only cause one to wonder which cases the court will overrule next.”

Breyer even makes mention of the abortion-related Casey decision, which, according to the Atlantic, "established specific parameters for the abortion rights laid out in Roe."  I call attention to this article because it could provide some clarity, from a more liberal perspective, to share with those who disagree with the Alabama law and gives some insight into its intent.

U.S. House passes so-called "Equality Act"

On Friday, the U.S. House of Representative passed sweeping civil rights legislation that provides protection from alleged discrimination against people based on "sexual orientation" and "gender identity."  It's called the "Equality Act," but it is certainly misnamed; the Family Research Council states, in no uncertain terms:

Apparently, the party of legal infanticide wasn't radical enough. Now, Speaker Nancy Pelsoi [sic] (D-Calif.) is going for broke. She doesn't just want to treat infants like garbage, but women, freedom, parents, science, employers, and religious organizations too. When 228 members of her party cast their "yes" votes for H.R. 5, they weren't only saying yes to the most extreme piece of LGBT legislation in history -- they were saying no to girls' sports, parents' authority, religious liberty, women's rights, privacy, and the free market.

That paragraph contained a reference to the House's refusal to pass legislation that would protect infants who survive abortion attempts.

A piece on the Alliance Defending Freedom website features a number of revealing quotes about the insidious nature of this legislation.  Here is one example, which deals with the religious freedom issue:

Star Parker, president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education (CURE), points out that religious freedom goes out the window if the Equality Act is signed into law:

It explicitly defines itself as overriding the Religious Freedom Restoration Act that can protect people, such as Christian baker Jack Phillips, from being forced to do commerce that violates their Christian convictions.

There will be no more legal protections for Christians in commerce or in any other circumstance to enable them to avoid complicity with behavior that for them is sin.

Look it up; the bill actually says this: "The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 ...shall not provide a claim concerning, or a defense to a claim under, a covered title, or provide a basis for challenging the application or enforcement of a covered title.”

The ADF piece concludes by saying: "Every person should be treated with dignity and respect. And our laws should protect the constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of every citizen, no matter who they are. Unfortunately, coercive SOGI laws like the Equality Act undermine both fairness and freedom for everyone."  Alabama Senator Doug Jones is a co-sponsor of the bill in the U.S. Senate, according to Congress.gov.

Texas Senate approves important religious liberty bill

While the U.S. House was taking a step to reduce religious freedom, the Texas Senate passed an important religious liberty bill. DallasNews.com reported on a bill, sponsored by Sen. Bryan Hughes, which would "prevent any government entity from taking 'adverse actions' against an individual or business for their 'membership in, affiliation with, or contribution, donation or other support to a religious organization.'"

The bill has been nicknamed the "Save Chick-fil-A Bill," which is headed back to the House in the Lone Star State, where it stalled out, due to the efforts of the gay caucus in that chamber, according to the article.  But, it states:

Supporters say the bill would protect the rights of businesses like fast food chain Chick-fil-A, which the San Antonio City Council booted from the local airport after its nonprofit foundation made donations to Christian organizations like the Salvation Army and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

The bill passed 19-12, and the sponsor stated, "I challenge anyone to find one word of discrimination in this bill. This bill clearly and simply provides that if you affiliate with or make a donation to a religious organization, you cannot be punished by your government," adding, "This protects everyone's right to religious freedom."  Will lightning strike twice in the Texas House, or will there be a concerted effort to overcome the efforts of gay-friendly legislators in order to pass religious liberty protections?

Meanwhile, Attorney General Ken Paxton is investigating the San Antonio situation to see if state laws were broken.  And, Christian legal advocacy organization First Liberty has called for a Federal investigation, having sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.

UPDATE: The DallasNews.com website reports that the Texas House has passed an amended version of the bill, with a 79-62 vote.  Since it was amended, it will return to the Senate for final approval.

The 3 - May 12, 2019

This week's edition of The 3, featuring three stories of relevance to the Christian community, includes the story of freedom of a Pakistani mom who has now left the country after her death sentence was overturned.  Also, a Pennsylvania lawmaker was the catalyst for criticism and a rally at a Planned Parenthood clinic recently.  And, a Southern governor resisted pressure and signed a piece of pro-life legislation.

Pakistani mom freed by high court now in Canada

It has certainly been a long journey for Asia Bibi, a Pakistani wife and mother who was arrested and sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy. After the nation's Supreme Court struck down the sentence, she went into hiding, awaiting another destination.

That new home has been located and she is there. WORLD Magazine reports that:

Bibi’s lawyer, Saif-ul Malook, said she arrived Tuesday in Ottawa, Canada, where her two daughters have lived since December.

“Asia Bibi is now free, and we wish her and her family all the best following their reunification,” the U.S. State Department said in a statement.

As the article points out, the original incident occurred in 2009.  The high court threw out her death sentence in October and re-affirmed its decision in February of this year.

Pennsylvania lawmaker berates pro-life protestors, pro-life leaders respond with rally

The pro-life movement has been startled by the amazingly rude treatment of protesters outside a Philadelphia Planned Parenthood clinic. The provocation was made by a State Representative, Brian Sims, who, according to ChristianHeadlines.com, was "harassing pro-life teenagers and women praying outside of a Planned Parenthood."  And, his actions were shown on video.

In response, pro-life leaders gathered in Philadelphia on Friday morning, according to the article, which states:

Lila Rose – the founder and CEO of pro-life organization Live Action – opened the rally by calling for the protection of human lives and the resignation of Representative Sims.

She said, “We are here because we love life. Because we believe in the dignity and the right to live for every human being. Because we love and we respect every human life. And because the pro-life community will not back down to any harassment or bullying or hate.”

Former Planned Parenthood director Abby Johnson and others spoke to the crowd.  Estimates emerged that some 1,000 people showed up on the streets of the city to stand for life and against the rude treatment of pro-lifers by the elected official.

Georgia governor defies Hollywood, signs pro-life bill

There has been a flurry of activity across America in the pro-life space, as state after state has been strengthening its abortion restrictions.  Alabama is considering a tough, new law that would criminalize abortion and present a direct challenge to the language of Roe v. Wade, that says the unborn child is not a person.  So, the bill is designed to present the personhood argument.

Other states have passed what are called "heartbeat" bills, which ban abortion after the time a heartbeat is detected.  Facing some opposition from the entertainment industry, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed that state's "heartbeat" bill into law this week.

The AJC.com website states:

In signing the bill in Georgia, Kemp kept a promise he made during his 2018 campaign.

“All life has value, all life matters and all life is worthy of protection,” Kemp said. “I’m signing this bill to ensure all Georgians have the opportunity to live, grow, learn and prosper in the great state of Georgia.”

The article points out that:

Governors in Kentucky, Mississippi and Ohio all have signed similar “heartbeat bills.” A federal judge has already issued a preliminary injunction against the Kentucky law, and similar laws enacted in recent years in Iowa and North Dakota have also been struck down in the courts.

The 3 - May 5, 2019

This week's edition of The 3 includes new action from the Trump Administration protecting the conscience rights of those in the health care field.  And, a basketball coach in New Mexico has stepped down after players wore t-shirts containing a Scripture verse in warmups.  Plus, the governor of Arizona is holding fast to his Easter message in the face of opposition.

Trump Administration preserve conscience rights for health care employees

The National Day of Prayer, which is commemorated on the first Thursday of May, for the last three years under the Trump Administration, has provided an opportunity to address religious freedom.  This year was no exception, as the Department of Health and Human Services issued new regulations intended to protect the conscience rights of those in the health care field.

The Susan B. Anthony List, in a press release, stated that, it "praised the Trump administration for finalizing new regulations to strengthen enforcement of federal laws protecting the conscience rights of health care personnel and other entities who do not want to participate in abortion. The regulations clarify what recourse is available to victims of discrimination under the law and what penalties the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Civil Rights may enforce for violations."

SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser stated, "Last year the Conscience and Religious Freedom Division of the Office of Civil Rights was established at HHS to investigate and address conscience violations," and said these regulations "go even further to put teeth back in the law..." She added, "As some states attempt to expand abortion on demand through birth, with no conscience protections whatsoever, these regulations underscore the Trump administration’s seriousness about standing up for pro-life health care workers and institutions."

T-shirt conflict leads to coach stepping down

A story on the ChristianHeadlines.com documents unfortunate developments surrounding the Animas High School basketball team in New Mexico, which wore t-shirts in pre-game warmups at a game in February that said, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  This elicited a response of animus by the so-called Freedom from Religion Foundation, which sent a threatening letter to the school district.

The superintendent reported to the FFRF that the matter had been handled.  She said that the coach of the team had resigned.  According to Christian Headlines, the superintendent, Loren Cushman, wrote: “I attended the game in question,” adding, “When I observed the players wearing the t-shirts during pregame warmup, I immediately questioned the coach and athletic director.” She told the organization that, according to the article, a "local religious group" provided the shirts.  And, she gave instructions this was not to take place again.  The coach apparently was also taking part in a Bible study sponsored by a local group and even led the study from time to time.

The piece quoted Todd Starnes of Fox News, who wrote: "It’s a mighty sad day in America when a high school basketball coach is deemed unfit because he is a follower of Jesus..." The article also states:

Shawn Akers, dean of Liberty University’s Helms School of Government from 2010 to 2018, says the Constitution’s First Amendment has been misconstrued to mean something the Founders never intended. “All of the Founders,” he said. “looked to … Judeo-Christian morality.’

Arizona Governor faces backlash over Easter message

The governor of Arizona, Doug Ducey, is facing opposition over an Easter message posted on Facebook, according to FoxNews.com.  The message, which contained "a cross, a Bible verse, and the phrase, 'He is risen,'" was charged to be unconstitutional by the group, Secular Communities for Arizona, who called for the post to be taken down.

Ducey isn't backing down.  He is quoted as saying:

“We won’t be removing this post. Ever. Nor will we be removing our posts for Christmas, Hanukkah, Rosh Hashanah, Palm Sunday, Passover or any other religious holiday,” he tweeted. “We support the First Amendment, and are happy to provide copies of the Constitution to anyone who hasn’t read it.”

The article points out, "Many congratulated Ducey for not backing down amid the pressure, though some Facebook users sided with the secular group and criticized the governor on his original post."