The 3 - September 1, 2019

In this week's edition of The 3, offering three stories of relevance to the Christian community, there is news of a court victory by filmmakers who want to get into the wedding industry, but are concerned about a state law that would force them to make videos of same-sex weddings.  Also, the Trump Administration is standing with a nurse who was forced to participate in an abortion despite her religious objections.  And, a Bible translator and his wife are the victims of an attack in the African nation of Cameroon; he died and his wife lost an arm.

Christian wedding videographers win court challenge in MN

Carl and Angel Larsen are filmmakers based in St. Cloud, MN; they want to enter the wedding industry, but there is a problem: a non-discrimination law passed by the state that could force them to make wedding videos that violate their deeply held beliefs, i.e., they would be forced to produce videos of same-sex wedding ceremonies, according to the Alliance Defending Freedom website,

The Larsens filed what is known as a "pre-enforcement challenge" lawsuit against the law.  The ADF website states:

After the district court ruled in favor of Minnesota’s motion to dismiss the Larsens’ lawsuit, ADF attorneys appealed to the 8th Circuit, which received several friend-of-the-court briefs, including one filed by 10 states, supporting the artistic freedom of the Minnesota filmmakers. The Larsens are challenging portions of Minnesota Statutes Chapter 363A on the grounds that the public accommodation law illegally controls artistic expression—violating their freedom to choose which messages they will express, and refrain from expressing, through their films.

The 8th Circuit ruled in favor of the Larsens on appeal, and, according to ADF, "reinstated the free speech and free exercise of religion claims of the lawsuit...The court also ordered the district court to consider whether the Larsens are entitled to a preliminary injunction barring enforcement of the law against them. According to the site, the court stated, "...Because the First Amendment allows the Larsens to choose when to speak and what to say, we reverse the dismissal of two of their claims and remand with instructions to consider whether they are entitled to a preliminary injunction….”

On this Friday's edition of The Meeting House, Jake Warner, Legal Counsel for ADF, will discuss the particulars and implications of this case.

Pro-life nurse claims VT hospital forced her to participate in abortion

The University of Vermont Medical Center receives Federal funding, therefore, it is subject to Federal law, including the Church Amendment, which, according to a FoxNews.com story, which is intended to prevent health care professionals from having to participate in abortion, an activity that would violate their deeply held beliefs.

The Fox website states that: "The Trump administration is pursuing action against the University of Vermont Medical Center (UVMC), which receives federal funds, after a nurse says her supervisors forced her to participate in an abortion against her will."  According to Jordan Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice, Sekulow stated that, "The Trump administration, President Trump, and Secretary Azar at HHS, is the first administration to actually enforce it against these hospitals, to actually enforce conscience protections so that nurses and doctors and medical professionals aren't forced to perform abortions against their religious or deeply held beliefs..."  He said the Church Amendment was passed in 1973.

ACLJ represents a nurse who "filed a conscience and religious discrimination complaint against UVMC" last year, claiming the hospital broke the law. The hospital is doubling down, claiming its "robust, formal protections that safeguard both our employees' religious, ethical and cultural beliefs, and our patients' rights to access safe and legal abortion."  The medical center's trustee board chair is a former Planned Parenthood regional CEO, and the hospital began to perform elective abortions in 2017 when that individual assumed that position.

Bible translator attacked, killed; wife injured in Cameroon incident

In Africa, the nation of Cameroon borders Nigeria to the east.  There have been reports of attacks on Christians by members of the Fulani militants in Nigeria, and a recent incident in Cameroon is quite disturbing. Mission Network News reports that:

...a Bible translator participating in the Wycliffe Bible Translators movement was killed in his home during an attack by the Fulani herdsmen. The attack took place in Wum, a village located in the Northwest of the country.

The attackers used a machete to dismember Angus Abraham Fung. The Christian Post reports Fung’s wife, Eveline, had her arm cut off. However, she and another person who was staying in their home did manage to escape. Per the report, Eveline is currently receiving a blood transfusion.

Wum is in a region where you have people who are attempting to gain independence, an area consisting of English-speaking residents.

According to Efi Tembon of Oasis Network for Community Transformation, quoted in the MNN article, “One of the big issues there is that the government, with a more international pressure getting [put on the] Cameron government, they have been trying to provoke a religious war to just create chaos. Create division between the local people..." The piece goes on to say:

Tembon believes the Christian community is an easy target for these attacks. There are also suspicions that individuals within the Cameroon government are utilizing the Fulani herdsmen for attacks on locals, particularly those fighting for independence or associated with the movement.