The 3 - December 27, 2020

The final installment of The 3 for the year 2020 includes a group of Ohio Christian schools that were shut down by local health officials due to COVID-19.  Also, pro-life bills out of Arkansas were upheld by a panel of a federal appeals court, but a lower court judge stopped them on the same day they had taken effect. And, Big Tech is facing further pushback due to censorship concerns, and a major Christian broadcasters group is supporting Senate efforts to force accountability for social media platforms.

More COVID action against Christian schools

As we continue to follow the case of a Christian school in Kentucky that was temporarily closed due to the state's governor's COVID restrictions, a case turned back by the U.S. Supreme Court because schools in the state are due to reopen Jan. 4 when classes are scheduled to resume, there is a case out of Ohio involving a group of Christian schools threatened by coronavirus orders. 

ChristianHeadlines.com reports that...

...a group of Ohio-based Christian schools filed a lawsuit against the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department (TLCHD) after it ordered the schools to close their physical locations for six weeks in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19.

According to CBN News, the Ohio Christian Education Network (OCEN) and three Christian Schools accuse the order of being unconstitutional. They added that the health department ignores medical data showing that schools are safe for children.

The head of the organization that operates the schools, Aaron Baer, said, "First Amendment freedoms don't go on a holiday break," adding, "The Lucas County Health Department has not only violated the religious liberty rights of Christian schools and students by denying them the right to provide religious instruction, but they've threatened the futures and mental health of Lucas County students." Baer added: "Despite all the medical evidence and experts that continue to say one of the safest places for children to be is in school, Lucas County has taken aggressive action to deny children the right to in-person education,” adding, “Meanwhile, they've let casinos, strip clubs, liquor stores, and concerts continue."

Federal appeals court allows pro-life laws in Arkansas to stand, only to be blocked again

A three-judge panel of U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit had allowed an assortment of  Arkansas laws with abortion-related provisions to stand. The Christian Post reported that the pro-life laws "ban dismemberment abortions, require doctors to inform law enforcement when a girl younger than 16 obtains an abortion, prohibit abortions based on the sex of the unborn baby, and regulate the preservation and disposal of unborn babies’ tissue."

The A.C.L.U. and Center for Reproductive Rights had challenged the provisions in court, and after a lower court ruling had disallowed the laws, the Eighth Circuit set aside the lower court decision.  The challengers had asked for a review by the full court, but that was turned back, paving the way for the provisions to take effect. 

The article says:

In a statement to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Stephanie Sharp, a spokesperson for Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, expressed support for the court ruling: “This is another win validating the pro-life laws in Arkansas.”

The Eighth Circuit’s ruling comes as Americans United for Life has recognized Arkansas as the most pro-life state in the Union. On Wednesday, the pro-life group released its “Life List 2021,” an “annual state ranking based on our comprehensive analysis of each state’s law and policy protections for human life from natural conception until natural death.”

“It is an incredible day in the state of Arkansas to be named the most pro-life state in America by Americans United for Life,” Rutledge said in response to the news.

And, the original federal judge who had put a halt to those laws before, on the same day, last Tuesday, the laws were supposed to take effect, blocked them again, according to the Democrat-Gazette.

Big Tech under fire

Accountability for Big Tech companies is the focus of a bill introduced recently into the U.S. Senate, according to the National Religious Broadcasters website, which says the bill, "the Promoting Responsibility Over Moderation In the Social Media Environment (PROMISE) Act," "is designed to hold Big Tech companies accountable for their promises to not operate their social media platforms with political bias..."

NRB supports the PROMISE Act, and CEO Troy Miller stated, "...We look forward to engaging these conversations in Congress and with the tech community as we seek to advocate for the free speech rights of our members."

In related news, President Trump has vetoed a defense authorization bill because it did not end Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which, according to CNBC, "protects tech giants such as Facebook and Twitter from being held legally liable for what is posted on their platforms."  The Senate and House will consider votes to override the Presidential veto this week, but one key senator, Lindsey Graham, in a Tweet posted in the CNBC article, said he would not vote to override as long as there is no action taken to reduce or eliminate Section 230. Graham has introduced legislation that would end Section 230 by the beginning of 2023.

The President termed the overall bill a "gift" to China and Russia.

The 3 - December 20, 2020

On this week's edition of The 3, there are new developments out of the U.S. Supreme Court regarding restrictions on religious organizations due to the coronavirus, with two ruling that are favorable toward houses of worship.  There has been another kidnapping by a terrorist organization in Nigeria. And, there is yet another pro-life action taken by the White House, this time regarding conscience protection. 

U.S. Supreme Court issues ruling supporting houses of worship

Early on in the COVID crisis, the U.S. Supreme Court seemed to have not been sympathetic to the concern of churches and ministries who challenged the restrictions placed upon them by seemingly overzealous state leaders.  Now the tide may have shifted.

The Christian Post reports that there were two decisions handed down by the high court recently. In one, the court, according to the article, the court "...issued an order in the case of Robinson v. Murphy vacating an order from Oct. 2 by a district court in New Jersey against a Catholic priest and a Jewish rabbi who sued the state over worship gathering restrictions."

In another, the court "...issued a separate order in the case of High Plains Harvest Church v. Polis, in which a Colorado church challenged the restrictions in that state." The court set aside an August order against the church, but Justice Kagan dissented because she felt the order was moot because Colorado has removed its restrictions on churches.

These orders took their cues from Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn v. Cuomo, the 5-4 decision from just before Thanksgiving, "which centered on New York state restrictions on worship gatherings."

Apparently, this decision has had a ripple effect; KTLA Television reported that: "Los Angeles County health officials reversed a ban on indoor religious gatherings Saturday after the Supreme Court sided with a Southern California church in its challenge to state coronavirus rules."  Health officials said: “Places of worship are permitted to offer faith-based services both indoors and outdoors with mandatory physical distancing and face coverings over both the nose and mouth that must be worn at all times while on site..."

And, the 9th Circuit issued a ruling against Nevada governor Steve Sisolak, which, according to Alliance Defending Freedom, negated Sisolak's "coronavirus restrictions that treat churches more harshly than other venues, such as casinos."

Boko Haram in Nigeria abducts hundreds of students

The terrorist group Boko Haram, which is centered in the African nation of Nigeria, has become known for its brutal activities. WORLD Magazine reported on December 15 that:

More than 330 schoolboys went missing in Katsina state, Nigeria, after gunmen attacked their school on Friday night. On Tuesday, Boko Haram terrorists in an unverified audio message claimed responsibility for abducting hundreds of students, according to the Daily Nigerian.\

A spokesman for Nigeria's president said that officials are "negotiating" with the attackers. The article says that "Katsina Gov. Aminu Masari said security agencies 'deployed for rescue operations have also informed us that they have located their positions.'"  Boko Haram is the same organization that kidnapped 276 girls in Chibok, Nigeria in 2014.

Trump Administration issues order to protect freedom of conscience

Even though there continues to be uncertainty regarding the 2020 Presidential election; nevertheless, the Trump Administration has continued to reinforce its support for the sanctity of life.

At a "Life is Winning" event at the White House last week, which featured Vice President Mike Pence, it was announced that, according to the Susan B. Anthony List, that...

...the Trump administration unveiled steps that the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and the U.S. Department of Justice are taking to enforce federal conscience protection laws, known as the Weldon and Church amendments, by holding California and Vermont officials accountable for anti-life discrimination.

So what happened in those two states?  The SBA List website says that:

Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it would take action against California for violating the Weldon Amendment, longstanding federal law that prohibits discrimination against organizations that do not cover abortion in their health care plans.

In Vermont, "the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at HHS announced it would take steps to bring University of Vermont Medical Center into compliance with federal law in the case of a nurse who was forced to assist in an elective abortion."

SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser said, in part, "Federal conscience laws are more essential than ever," adding that some "states have tried to force health care professionals and entities, like nurses and insurance providers, to participate in abortion. Abortion is not health care; it is the destruction of innocent human life."

The 3 - December 13, 2020

This week's edition of The 3, highlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, features news of a new breakaway denomination started by former members of the United Methodist Church.  Plus, one governor had harsh words for churches in announcing new COVID restrictions, while another governor deemed worship to be "essential."  And, a bill has been introduced into the U.S. House that would prevent biological males from competing in girls' or women's sports. 

Progressives from United Methodist Church decide not to wait on General Conference, form new denomination

It was set to go down this past spring, with delegates from the United Methodist church formally sealing an arrangement in which the traditionalists in the denomination, who uphold the Bible's teachings on homosexuality, would formally separate from those who would endorse same-sex marriage and the ordination of gay clergy.  But, COVID took care of that, and it seems that the deal will not be confirmed until perhaps Fall of 2021 in a rescheduled United Methodist General Assembly.

But, some of the more so-called "progressives" in the Church have decided they can no longer wait for these changes to occur, so the Progressive Methodist Connexion (with an "x") has been born. ReligionNews.com states:

The Liberation Methodist Connexion describes itself on its website as “a grassroots denomination of former, current, and non-Methodist faith leaders working on the unfolding of the kin-dom of God.”

The article says that Connexion, or LMX...

...seeks to embrace the “full participation of all who are living out their God-given identities and expressions,” according to the site. That includes people of all gender expressions and sexual identities, races and ethnicities, mental and physical abilities, sizes and ages.

Religion News also says that:

Correct doctrine is less important to the new denomination than correct action, collaborators said during Sunday’s presentation. That action includes reparations, caring for the earth, and finding new ways to live together outside of systems like colonialism, white supremacy, patriarchy, clericalism and heteronormativity, they said.

Churches and COVID roundup: Virginia governor critical of churches during COVID, Colorado governor acknowledges churches are essential, California officials levy large fine on San Jose church

When a state governor is announcing his intent to clamp down on churches exercising their religious freedom, the last thing you need is for that official to try to give you a sermon telling you why you're wrong.  Such is the case with Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, who stated, according to Family Research Council:

"This is a holy time for multiple faith traditions," Northam said at his press conference on Thursday. "But this year, we need to think about what is truly the most important thing. Is it the worship or the building? For me, God is wherever you are. You don't have to sit in the church pew for God to hear your prayers," Northam said. "Worship with a mask on is still worship. Worship outside or worship online is still worship."

But, as much as he might have liked to, Northam cannot slap churches with restrictions, based on a Supreme Court decision. Brietbart states:

Northam conceded that he could not legally limit in-person worship ceremonies, noting that the recent Supreme Court decision against the state of New York prevented him from doing that.

But he blamed churches for contributing to the spread of the virus, noting that some houses of worship were not social distancing or wearing masks.

“I have heard reports. They don’t use distancing inside the church. They are not wearing masks. Quite frankly we know that a lot of the spread is coming from this,” he said.

FRC questions that allegation, stating: "No one knows quite how Northam arrived at that conclusion since most of the contact tracing -- at least in overwhelmed cities like El Paso -- has led back to big box stores like Walmart or Costco. If anything, churches have been some of the safest indoor spaces, as pastors go to great lengths -- and expense -- to keep parishioners safe." It also reported on a situation out of California:

While Northam resorts to public pressure, other states are stubbornly slapping churches with outrageous citations. In San Jose, Calvary Christian Fellowship was hit with more than $55,000 fines for meeting indoors. Earlier this week, Pastor Mike McClure was found in contempt of court for exercising his congregation's First Amendment rights.

But there is good news: Liberty Counsel reports that: "Governor Jared Polis has finally dropped Colorado’s COVID unconstitutional limits on religious gatherings and declared that houses of worship are essential and removed attendance caps on worship effective Monday, December 7, at 5:00 PM MT." The statement is linked to the website of the Colorado Department of Public Health, that says:

Worship and ceremonies such as weddings and funerals are classified as essential. This means that they must do their best to follow public health recommendations but may exceed recommended capacity caps if they cannot conduct their essential activity within those restrictions. They still must require masks indoors and other prevention measures like 6 foot spacing between members of different households and appropriate sanitation. Outdoor activities are still strongly preferred.

Bill to ban biological males from participating in female sports in schools introduced into U.S. House

FoxNews.com reported that outgoing Democratic U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii and Republican colleague, Representative Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma "...introduced a bill to Congress Thursday that would 'protect women’s sports' based on participants’ biological sex." The report went 
on to say that:

Title IX protects individuals from discrimination based on sex in educational programs or activities that receive federal funding.

Gabbard said the legislation does not discriminate against anyone, rather it “protects the rights of biological females competing in sports against having to compete against biological men who identify as female. It’s not a level playing field. And it’s mind-boggling how quickly people attack those whose positions are based on science and common sense.”

National Review states:

The bill follows a series of court cases and state laws over the past year concerning the issue of transgender women who wish to participate in women’s sports programs. In particular, three female Connecticut high school track athletes have sued the state’s education department to prevent biological males from competing in women’s track competitions.

That story notes that: "There have been attempts in several states to bar biological men from participating in women’s sports through legislation, including Idaho and Arizona. In August, a federal judge issued a temporary injunction on Idaho’s bill on the issue."

Gabbard, by the way, as FoxNews.com reported, "...also introduced a bill mandating care for babies who survive abortions."

The 3 - December 6, 2020

COVID and the courts is the general topic for two of this week's three stories in The 3, with the U.S. Supreme Court's decision from last week against the Governor of New York's restrictions being deemed unconstitutional now having implications in a case out of California.  Plus, Kentucky's governor is trying to force religious K-12 schools in the state to close due to COVID.  And, a Michigan funeral home has agreed to pay a quarter of a million dollars to the estate of a former transgender employee which it terminated.

Supreme Court gets involved in CA COVID restrictions

The recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to override restrictions on religious activity in New York state due to COVID has had implications in California, as Liberty Counsel reports that the high court has agreed to hear the case of two California churches; it also "vacated the lower court orders involving the emergency petition of the churches, and directed the district court to reconsider in light of the High Court’s decision in granting an injunction for churches and synagogues in New York."

The Christian legal organization announced on Friday that, "...Harvest Rock Church and Harvest International Ministry filed a renewed motion for temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to the federal district court of California regarding Governor Gavin Newsom’s unconstitutional orders..." and pointed out that:

Though both the district court and the Ninth Circuit have previously denied the churches’ requests for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction, and for injunctions pending appeal, the Supreme Court has now vacated all of those previous denials and instructed this court to reconsider its previous rulings in light of the High Court’s decision on behalf of New York City synagogues and Roman Catholic churches in Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn v. Cuomo and Agudath Israel v. Cuomo.

The "Cuomo" referred to is New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who was on the losing end of the Supreme Court's 5-4 decision, in which the Court, according to Liberty Counsel, "ruled that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s 'very severe' limitations on church attendance in the state’s COVID red and orange zones violate the First Amendment right to free exercise of religion and are not the least restrictive means of preventing infections.  The organization points out, "However, the restrictions against places of worship in California are more severe than those in New York. Governor Gavin Newsom’s orders ban ALL in-person worship for 99.1 percent of Californians."

KY governor attempts to close K-12 religious schools in the state

Meanwhile, the Governor of Kentucky, Andy Beshear, is attempting to shutter private religious schools it the state under his COVID regulations. First Liberty reports that Beshear had issued an "executive order prohibiting private religious schools from holding in-person classes for grades K-12."

The organization's website says that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, also of Kentucky, led 38 U.S. Senators who filed a friend-of-the-court brief with the U.S. Supreme Court "supporting an application urging the Justices to reverse a lower court ruling that upheld" the governor's order.

Here is the timeline of what has transpired in the case, from First Liberty's website on November 30:

On November 18, 2020, Governor Andrew Beshear ordered all “public and private elementary, middle, and high schools,” including religious schools, to cease in-person instruction, while allowing other activities with comparable health risks such as theaters, weddings, bowling alleys, and offices, to remain in-person with restrictions. Pre-schools, universities, and colleges are also permitted to hold in-person instruction. On November 25, the district court granted a preliminary injunction prohibiting the Governor “from enforcing the prohibition on in-person instruction with respect to any religious private school in Kentucky that adheres to applicable social distancing and hygiene guidelines.” Over the weekend, a panel of the Sixth Circuit stayed the district court’s injunction, allowing the Governor’s order to take effect.

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, along with First Liberty, asked the high court to "vacate" the Sixth Circuit's action, supported by those 38 senators.

Funeral home in Michigan settles with estate of former transgender employee

The U.S. Supreme Court decision in what is known as the Bostock case, in which the justices issued a 6-3 ruling in favor of three transgender employees at three different companies who claimed they had been terminated because of their "sexual orientation," according to The Christian Post, has proven to be costly for one of the defendants, the R.G. and G.R. Harris Funeral Homes.

The Post reports that the funeral home company, which is located in Michigan, "has agreed to pay $250,000, as part of a legal settlement, to the estate of trans-identified individual that the company fired."  The article says that Harris had fired Anthony Stephens, a biological male who began to identify as "Aimee", "who began dressing as a woman and underwent gender transition to become Aimee. The funeral home had cited their religious objections to transgender ideology as justification for the termination."

The Christian Post stated, regarding the court case: "Justice Neil Gorsuch authored the majority opinion, concluding that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 does apply to sexual orientation and gender identity, even though neither category is specifically mentioned by the law or that Congress had originally intended for that interpretation." Peter Sprigg of Family Research Council said, "We are disappointed the Supreme Court chose to radically re-write the statute by expanding its meaning to cover 'gender identity' and 'sexual orientation'..."

The 3 - November 29, 2020

Two ongoing stories: COVID-19 and election challenges, have a presence in this week's edition of The 3, featuring three stories of relevance to the Christian community.  The U.S. Supreme Court has struck down COVID-19 regulations in the state of New York which treated religious gatherings differently than retail activities.  And, a number of Christian leaders have continued to call for ongoing challenges to the election of 2020 to be explored through legal channels.  Plus, a Tennessee abortion ban centered on Down Syndrome children, as well as decisions regarding race and gender, has been upheld temporarily by a Federal appeals court.

High court overturns New York regulations on COVID disproportionately affecting houses of worship

“Members of this Court are not public health experts, and we should respect the judgment of those with special expertise and responsibility in this area. But even in a pandemic, the Constitution cannot be put away and forgotten..." Those are words contained within the U.S. Supreme Court's 5-4 ruling against COVID restrictions that had been put into place by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, according to a report on The Christian Post website.

Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn and Agudath Israel of America had sued the governor, according to the article, because of "his executive order limiting worship gatherings to 10 people for those in red zones and 25 for those in orange zones." The Christian Post relates that, "The court said that the are likely to succeed in their arguments that the restrictions violate the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment and that they would cause irreparable harm."

The Supreme Court also said, as the article notes, "The restrictions at issue here, by effectively barring many from attending religious services, strike at the very heart of the First Amendment’s guarantee of religious liberty.”

Justice Neil Gorsuch was very direct in his critique of the governor's actions, writing, according to the story, “the only explanation for treating religious places differently seems to be a judgment that what happens there just isn’t as ‘essential’ as what happens in secular spaces.” Gorsuch also said: “Indeed, the Governor is remarkably frank about this: In his judgment laundry and liquor, travel and tools, are all 'essential' while traditional religious exercises are not. That is exactly the kind of discrimination the First Amendment forbids..."

Christian leaders continue to stress importance of counting legal votes in election

The Facebook Live gatherings called the Global Prayer for U.S. Election Integrity have been continuing on a periodic basis since the day after the Election, with the first one actually announced by organizer Jim Garlow on The Meeting House that day.  Another installment occurred Sunday night.

Christian leaders were part of a statement issued Monday, November 23, about which The Daily Signal states: 

Members of the Conservative Action Project—a coalition of American political, economic, and social activists—say they are standing with those refusing to allow the election to conclude “until every legal vote has been counted.”

Among Christian leaders who signed the statement were: Gary Bauer of American Values, Calvin Beisner of the Cornwall Alliance, Marjorie Dannenfelser of the Susan B. Anthony List, former U.S. Senator Jim DeMint of the Conservative Partnership Institute, Kelly Monroe Kullberg of the American Association of Evangelicals, Marc Little of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education, or CURE, Penny Nance of Concerned Women for America, Tony Perkins and Jerry Boykin of the Family Research Council, as well as Ken Blackwell, who serves with FRC and is listed on the letter as being with Constitutional Congress, Inc.  Other signers included: Kelly Shackelford of First Liberty, Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel, and Frank Wright of D. James Kennedy Ministries, who also serves as Treasurer of National Religious Broadcasters.  

The statement from the Project, headed by former U.S. Attorney General, Edwin Meese, also included these words:

Ours is a government of laws. Included in those laws are the processes by which elections at every level of government are conducted. The purpose of subjecting the election process to a legal regime is to ensure that results are, and are accepted as, just and accurate. This system works and all Americans should trust it. But, it must be allowed to fully work.

And, recently, an initiative called the Jericho March announced a national gathering in Washington on Saturday, December 12. This is related to events that have been taking place at state capitols. One of the organizers, Arina Grossu, told CBN: "God was calling us to set up these marches and help mobilize our people – saints and patriots – out around their state capitols, especially in the swing states." She added, "We wanted to encourage people to go and peacefully pray, protest and march around their state capitol seven times every single day at noon in collaboration with everyone else until December 14, 2020, when the Electoral College votes..."  CBN reported that around 700,000 people had been involved in these marches since the election.  

Court rules that state of Tennessee can ban abortions based on Down Syndrome, as well as race and gender

The state of Tennessee will be allowed to continue to ban abortions due to Down Syndrome, as well as race and gender, based a ruling from the Sixth Circuit federal appeals court, according to the website, JustTheNews.com, which reported:

The ruling, issued by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, reversed an earlier court order that put an injunction on the law's "reason bans" while legal suits around it play out.

In addition to forbidding Down syndrome-motivated abortions, the "reason bans" would forbid a doctor from performing an abortion if he were aware that the mother sought it for reasons related to the unborn child's sex or race.

The court did allow a ruling against the state's ban on abortion after 6 weeks of pregnancy to remain in place. 

The article noted: "Research has suggested that as much as 75% of all mothers whose unborn children are diagnosed with Down syndrome will opt to abort those children." 

The 3 - November 22, 2020

On this week's edition of The 3, with three stories of relevance to the Christian community, there is news regarding the overturning of a ban in a county in Florida on counseling for minors struggling with same-sex attraction.  Also, an author's book on the harmful nature of the transgender agenda was removed from a large retailer, then restored.  And, a large California church that has challenged government restrictions related to COVID has been given a clean bill of health by a public health agency.

Federal Appeals court removes ban on counseling minors regarding same-sex attraction

Robert Otto and Julie Hamilton are Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists in Florida who have been involved in counseling minors struggling with same-sex attraction. The City of Boca Raton and Palm Beach County had enacted ordinances that Liberty Counsel reports "prohibit minors from voluntary counseling from licensed professionals." So, Doctors Otto and Hamilton filed a lawsuit.

A three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit Federal appeals court ruled 2-1 that the bans were unconstitutional; one of the judges wrote, "We hold that the challenged ordinances violate the First Amendment because they are content-based regulations of speech that cannot survive strict scrutiny.” That judge, Judge Grant, also stated, "The First Amendment does not protect the right to speak about banned speech; it protects speech itself, no matter how disagreeable that speech might be to the government. And what good would it do for a therapist whose client sought SOCE [sexual orientation change efforts] therapy to tell the client that she thought the therapy could be helpful, but could not offer it? It only matters that some words about sexuality and gender are allowed, and others are not…" The court pointed out, "What the governments call a ‘medical procedure’ consists—entirely—of words. As the district court itself recognized, plaintiffs’ therapy ‘is not just carried out in part through speech: the treatment provided by Drs. Otto and Hamilton is entirely speech.’"

Liberty Counsel pointed out that, "This is the first federal Court of Appeals decision on such laws since the 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision in National Institute of Family & Life Advocates v. Becerra (NIFLA)."  NIFLA said on its website that:

In 2018, the Supreme Court issued a historic ruling in favor of the free speech rights of pro-life pregnancy centers and all Americans. In addition to protecting the work of life-affirming pregnancy centers, this landmark ruling also expanded protections for the free speech rights of medical professionals, Christian counselors and churches.

Retail chain removes, restores book warning against transgender agenda

Abigail Shrier has been sounding the alarm about the advance of the cultural embrace of transgenderism, and wrote a book called, Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Girls.  She has even had conversations with what Family Research Council describes in a recent article as "lifelong LGBT supporters" who are "dealing with the fallout of this devastating ideology."

Shirer has written, according to that article:

"Unsuspecting parents are awakening to find their daughters in thrall to hip trans YouTube stars and 'gender-affirming' educators and therapists who push life-changing interventions on young girls -- including medically unnecessary double mastectomies and puberty blockers that can cause permanent infertility."

FRC points out that there are those who wish to silence Abigail, stating:

They bullied Amazon into blocking ad buys for the book. Then, this past week, a single tweet was all it took to persuade Target to pull the title from their shelves. The move hardly came as a shock, since this is the same company that still allows men in their girls' restrooms and changing rooms.

But, the backlash against Target was apparently significant; FRC reports:

Twenty-four hours later, the company released this statement: "Yesterday, we removed a book from Target.com based on feedback we received. We want to offer a broad assortment for our guests and are adding this book back to Target.com. We apologize for any confusion."

Get ready; this battle over normalizing transgenderism will intensify in a projected Biden Administration.  As CBN.com reported, at a town hall meeting during the Presidential campaign, "Biden told a mother who said her eight-year-old daughter was transgender that he supports children who want to change their gender." The article says:

"I would just flat out change the law," Biden replied. "Eliminate those executive orders number one."

"The idea that an eight or 10-year-old child decides you know, 'I decided I want to be transgender. That's what I think I'd like to be. It would make my life a lot easier.' There should be zero discrimination," he continued.

As Michelle Cretella of the American College of Pediatricians stated in a 2017 piece at the Daily Signal website: "...prior to the widespread promotion of transition affirmation, 75 to 95 percent of gender-dysphoric youth ended up happy with their biological sex after simply passing through puberty." She goes on to say that:

Today’s institutions that promote transition affirmation are pushing children to impersonate the opposite sex, sending many of them down the path of puberty blockers, sterilization, the removal of healthy body parts, and untold psychological damage.

These harms constitute nothing less than institutionalized child abuse.

Good news for CA church that has stood against state's COVID restrictions

Grace Community Church in Southern California has continued to challenge public health laws in the state and county and meet together in-person and inside.  This week, according to The Christian Post, the church was found to be in compliance with county health authorities.  The article says:

“We are glad to announce that we received a notice from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health … saying that we have been cleared of COVID-19 outbreak,” the church says on its website.

The article points out that: "L.A. County requires places of worship to report to the Public Health Department when there are at least three COVID-19 cases within a span of two weeks, after which the agency determines whether there is an outbreak."  After three cases were reported last month, the church, pastored by John MacArthur, had restrictions placed on it, but the church has now been "cleared."

The 3 - November 15, 2020

In this week's edition of The 3, there is a development on COVID restrictions being unevenly applied to churches - a lawsuit contends that New York's governor is putting rules into place that restrict worship, but not other similar types of gatherings.  Also, a U.S. Supreme Court justice has spoken out regarding the threat of state coronavirus orders that threaten religious liberty.  And, Nevada voters have decided to change the definition of marriage in its state constitution to include so-called "gay marriage."

Lawsuit filed against NY governor for COVID-19 restrictions on churches

With increased COVID numbers across the country, states that have been under stringent lockdown may continue or intensify their regulations, and states previously under intense lockdown, such as New York, may be expected to introduce or renew COVID restrictions.

The Daily Citizen website of Focus on the Family reports on the efforts of a Catholic diocese in New York to halt Governor Cuomo's attempts to clamp down on church attendance in a more severe manner than other gatherings.  The site reports:

The Diocese argues that Gov. Cuomo “expressly singles out ‘houses of worship’ by that name for adverse treatment relative to secular businesses, and does so in a way that is not narrowly tailored to any compelling government interest, in direct violation of the First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause.”

After being rejected in Federal district court and on the appeals court level, the Diocese is now taking its case to the U.S. Supreme Court. The article says:

The petition adds that Governor Cuomo’s order imposes no capacity limits on businesses that are “essential,” like supermarkets, pet stores, hardware stores and brokers’ offices, “even in the most restrictive ‘red’ zones.” Additionally, in the orange zones, even many nonessential businesses, like department stores, can stay open without in-person limits. Churches on the other hand, cannot.

Supreme Court justice warns against violations of religious liberty in COVID regulations

Speaking of COVID and the Court, one of the U.S. Supreme Court justices, Samuel Alito, has made some comments that have gained quite a bit of attention in Christian media. Liberty Counsel, on its website, reported on comments that Justice Alito made at the National Convention of the Federalist Society, where he said: "The pandemic has resulted in previously unimaginable restrictions on personal liberty. We have never before seen restrictions as severe, extensive and prolonged as those experienced for most of 2020. Whatever one may think about COVID restrictions, we surely don’t want them to become a recurring feature after the pandemic has passed,” and he added, “tolerance for opposing views is now in short supply...In certain quarters, religious liberty has fast become a disfavored right. For many today, religious liberty is not a cherished freedom. It’s often just an excuse for bigotry and it can’t be tolerated even when there’s no evidence that anybody has been harmed.”

The justice made reference to two cases on which the high court ruled earlier this year - he was in the minority on both of them. Liberty Counsel says that in these instances, "...the High Court sided with states while claiming the Coronavirus as the reason for restrictions on the size of religious gatherings." These were two 5-4 rulings in which the court upheld coronavirus restrictions by California and Nevada, ruling against churches in those states that had filed Federal lawsuits. 

Nevada voters affirm gay "marriage"

Nevada voters, when they went to the polls on November 3, approved a constitutional amendment that, as Baptist Press states, "institutionalizes in the state’s constitution a right to same-sex marriage regardless of the U.S. Supreme Court decision Obergefell v. Hodges, a 5-4 ruling in 2015 that states must recognize marriages between people of the same sex."  Previously, the state had passed an amendment that would forbid so-called "same-sex marriage in the state."

Nevada Baptist Convention Executive Director Kevin White was critical of the amendment, but did express appreciation that there was an attempt to protect clergy who decline to perform a gay marriage ceremony from facing lawsuits.  White said, “We of course strongly support the biblical description of marriage (between one man and one woman),” adding, “We did appreciate the protections that they were putting for pastors who would refuse to conduct same-sex marriage; but at the same time, we’re deeply concerned that these protections could easily be removed and place biblical pastors in legal battles that could destroy churches financially." White added that the change "...saddens my heart greatly as we move so far away from God and His designed plan for our lives.”

The 3 - November 8, 2020

On this week's edition of The 3, featuring three stories of relevance to the Christian community, there is election news, centered around an increase in pro-life women being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.  Also, a blind Rhode Island women who had been banned from a public park for sharing her faith has been allowed to return.  Plus, four Alabama Supreme Court justices are calling for the U.S. Supreme Court abortion decisions Roe v. Wade and Casey v. Planned Parenthood to be overturned.

Pro-life gains in U.S. House

While votes continue to be counted across the country, it does appear that there have been significant gains on the pro-life front.  As I have pointed out, the life issue is a very important concern, and it appears that there have been at least a dozen pro-life women elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

According to an article at LifeNews.com that was submitted by a representative of the National Right to Life Committee: "at least 13 new pro-life women are headed to the U.S. House, and one new pro-life woman will join the U.S. Senate," according to outlets that have called their races. LifeNews.com also reports that, as of Friday morning, "we are still waiting on final results in several races featuring pro-life women;" 8 races were mentioned.

In other pro-life election news, a constitutional amendment in Louisiana was passed by the voters; LifeNews.com reported:

The Love Life Amendment, or Amendment 1, would add the following language to the Louisiana Constitution: “To protect human life, nothing in this constitution shall be construed to protect a right to abortion or the tax payer funding of abortion.”

Blind woman banned from public park regains access

Gail Blair, a blind woman in Westerly, Rhode Island, had visited Wilcox Park in her city, and during her visits, she would take opportunities to share her faith. That is, until..., as First Liberty notes on its website, "Much to her surprise, the Memorial and Library Association, the organization that manages the public park and library, contacted the police and asked them to ban her from the grounds—under pain of arrest, should she trespass—for two years."

First Liberty states: "Public gathering spaces – like parks - have always been a place where diverse communities can come together to freely discuss and exchange ideas." After filing a discrimination complaint with a state commission, the legal organization recently reached a settlement with the Memorial and Library Association, resulting in Gail Blair being able to visit the park again.

Four AL Supreme Court justices call for Roe v. Wade to be overturned

I have reported on the case of a North Alabama man who sued an abortion clinic for damages because his girlfriend, with whom he fathered a child, had gone to the clinic, where the life of the child was terminated.  The Madison County Probate Judge had recognized that the young man, Ryan Magers, could represent the estate of the child.

The case went all the way to the Alabama Supreme Court, which unanimously ruled against Magers on a "procedural basis," according to Yellowhammer News. 

But the case gave one justice the opportunity to weigh in on Roe v. Wade; Justice Jay Mitchell stated in what the news outlet referred to as a "special concurrence", referring to the two abortion decisions, the original ruling, Roe v. Wade and Casey v. Planned Parenthood, which affirmed it: “The time has come for the United States Supreme Court to overrule Roe and Casey. I respectfully urge the Court to do so at the earliest opportunity. I also encourage other courts across the country to raise their judicial voices, as appropriate, by pointing out the constitutional infirmities of Roe and Casey and asking the Court to overrule those highly regrettable decisions.”  Three other justices, including the Chief Justice, added their agreement. 

The 3 - November 1, 2020

On this week's edition of The 3, featuring three stories of relevance to the Christian community, there is the stark reminder of violence centered around churches, with two incidences within the past week. And, we remember those Christians being persecuted around the world, with the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church being commemorated this past weekend.  Also, a New York adoption agency that uses its Christian beliefs in declining to place children with gay couples has received a positive court ruling. Plus, a student leadership organization president who has been removed from his position for sharing his faith via text messages has been restored.

Philadelphia church vandalized in wave of violence in city

Within the past week, there have been two churches where apparent acts of violence have occurred. In a wave of violent protests in Philadelphia in the aftermath of a police-involved shooting which left one man dead, the Vietnamese Baptist Church was destroyed by fire.

Baptist Press reported that the church was destroyed on Tuesday, October 27, and says that "The city’s police department told Baptist Press the fire is not being investigated as arson." However, church pastor Philip Pham is not convinced of that. The article says that "Pham told Baptist Press he received a call Tuesday night from a church member whose friend had seen the flames and seven fire trucks surrounding the church. He arrived a few minutes later and said he was told by a bystander at the auto parts store that the bystander had seen a group of people throw something onto the roof of the church shortly before the fire started. The man also told Pham he had called 911."  The pastor stated, “I have no idea why they attacked our church,” adding, “They burned it from the roof. They threw flammable chemicals on the roof and [flames] burned through the roof” and down through the rest of the building. He said the facility is a “total loss.”  

The pastor was concerned about three hard drives that were kept in the church. Thankfully, according to Pham, "I saw the routers and modems and things surrounding the hard drives all burned, melted...But that piece of hard drive, no harm. No harm at all. Just two feet above that, all melted. … That is amazing how God knows our needs and answers our prayers. He is an almighty God. He granted our prayer.”

Also, in France, as the BBC reports, three people were killed in what is described as a "knife attack" at a church in Nice, an incident described by President Macron as an "Islamist terrorist attack". The article also notes that:

Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi spoke of "Islamo-fascism" and said the suspect had "repeated endlessly 'Allahu Akbar' (God is greatest)".

The article states that, "Police have not suggested a motive for the attack in Nice. However, it follows days of protests in some Muslim-majority countries triggered by President Macron's defence of the publication of cartoons that depicted the Prophet Mohammed. There have been calls in some countries for a boycott of French goods."  A suspect, a 21-year-old Tunisian national, has been detained.

New York Christian adoption agency's policy to not place children with gay couples upheld in court

There is a burgeoning issue about whether or not faith-based adoption agencies should be forced by government regulation to place children in the homes of same-sex couples. Liberty Counsel that such an agency in New York received a positive court ruling recently, reporting:

A federal court judge ruled that a New York-based Christian adoption agency cannot be forced to close due to its policy of only placing children with married heterosexual couples.

U.S. District Court Judge Mae D’Agostino issued the preliminary injunction against the New York Office of Children and Family Services’ enforcement of its discriminatory policy. The judge stated that the state’s behavior “demonstrates some animosity towards particular religious beliefs” against the adoption agency, New Hope Family Services.

And, as Liberty Counsel points out:

On November 4, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral argument in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, regarding a Catholic foster care agency that will not compromise its religious beliefs by placing children with same-sex couples. Several foster parents licensed through Catholic Social Services are plaintiffs, including the late Cecilia Paul, who fostered more than 100 children, and Sharonell Fulton, the lead plaintiff, a single mother who has fostered more than 40 children in 26 years.

The city had terminated its contracts with the agency in 2018 due to its religious beliefs.

As Amy Howe discusses at the SCOTUS Blog, "The court’s decision in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia could have a significant impact for state and local governments that use private companies to provide services to their residents – if the justices decide to reach the broader issues presented by the case," adding, "The question of how to balance sincere religious beliefs against the government’s interest in protecting LGBTQ rights is one with which the justices have struggled."

She notes that the federal government has filed a friend-of-the-court brief in favor of the agency, and states, "After the Oct. 26 confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett to fill the vacancy created by the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, this case will be one of the first cases argued with a new, solidly conservative majority on the court. Two justices have recently reiterated their criticism of the court’s 2015 ruling in Obergefell."  Isn't it interesting that a Supreme Court justice who had faced harassment because of her religious beliefs is hearing a case on religious liberty during her first few days as a justice?

University Student Senate president reinstated after court ruling

Congratulations to the former - and current - Florida State University Student Senate President, Jack Denton.  You see, according to Alliance Defending Freedom, that Jack was "sharing his personal religious beliefs in private text conversations with other students." For this, he was removed from his position, so he filed a lawsuit. Recently, FSU's Student Supreme Court made the decision to reinstate Denton as Senate president, even as his litigation moves forward.

ADF Senior Counsel Tyson Langhofer said: 

... All students should be able to peacefully share their personal convictions without fear of retaliation. As the FSU Supreme Court concluded, the senators ‘during debate reveal that they were neither tolerant nor respectful’ of Jack’s religious beliefs. Further, the court reasoned, failure to reinstate Jack to his leadership position ‘would only deter participation’ in the university’s student government.”

The 3 - October 25, 2020

This week's edition of The 3, includes news concerning the state of Colorado and COVID restrictions that two churches believe are not evenly applied - and a federal judge agrees.  Also, the head of the government agency regulating communications has indicated his concern with social media censorship. And, a U.N. body has issued a declaration that says there is “no international right to abortion.”

Positive outcome for Colorado churches on COVID restrictions

Court battles continue regarding restrictions placed on churches in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. According to Liberty Counsel, which is involved in defending a client in the state of Colorado against COVID restrictions, two Colorado churches have been successful, in a federal district court, in blocking what they see as unfairly-applied restrictions.  The website states:

U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Domenico, appointed by President Trump, granted the churches’ temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction on the grounds that Governor Polis’ Public Health Order 20-35 violated their rights to the free exercise of religion under the First Amendment. The basis of the opinion is that the governor’s order treats houses of worship differently than secular establishments that pose an equal risk of spreading COVID-19. Specifically, the court found that the numerical limit (175 people) and the mandatory face-covering provisions are not neutrally applied between nonreligious and religious gatherings.

The website says that the effect of the ruling is "the churches will not be required to limit the number of people except for social distancing and attendees will not be required to wear face coverings." According to Liberty Counsel, the judge pointed out that "there is no meaningful difference between a warehouse, restaurant, or an elementary school where employees, diners, and students spend long periods in a closed-indoor setting and a house of worship."  

FCC chair to further address social media censorship

In light of what appears to be a steady stream of instances of social media posts and pages being suspended by companies, such as Twitter and Facebook, the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission has decided to take a closer look at a regulation that governs social media companies, according to the National Religious Broadcasters website.

Chairman Ajit Pai stated, “Throughout my tenure at the Federal Communications Commission, I have favored regulatory parity, transparency, and free expression,” adding, “Social media companies have a First Amendment right to free speech. But they do not have a First Amendment right to a special immunity denied to other media outlets, such as newspapers and broadcasters.” At issue is Section 230 of the Communications Act, which, according to NRB, "protects internet companies from liability for what users post on their platforms and also includes a section facilitating their 'Good Samaritan' blocking of offensive content by defending them from lawsuits based on content their moderation efforts may have missed. But, NRB notes that, "This extra layer of protection, however, has given Big Tech the ability to censor, block, and impede otherwise lawful and non-injurious citizen viewpoints on the web."

NRB had floated the idea of this protection being removed last year, and its CEO was supportive of this latest announcement from the FCC head.

Multiple nations affirm document regarding sanctity of life

“In no case should abortion be promoted as a method of family planning...”

That is a phrase from the Geneva Consensus Declaration, which was signed recently by 32 nations, according to ChristianHeadlines.com, which quoted U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who said that the Declaration, “protects women’s health, defends the unborn, and reiterates the vital importance of the family as the foundation of society.” The document, which is linked to the article, states that “there is no international right to abortion.”

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar stated, “With increasing frequency, some rich nations and U.N. agencies beholden to them are wrongly asserting abortion as a universal human right...These efforts pressure countries to institute progressive abortion laws or risk losing global funding or standing in international fora. Tragically, women around the world unnecessarily suffer health challenges – all too often deadly health challenges – while too many wealthy nations and international institutions put a myopic focus on a radical agenda that is offensive to many cultures and derails agreement of women’s health priorities." Azar said, “Today we put down a clear marker,” adding, “No longer can U.N. agencies reinterpret and misinterpret agreed-upon language without accountability.”

The 3 - October 18, 2020

This week's edition of The 3, there is news out of California regarding the right of a seminary to dismiss students who entered into gay marriages, in violation of the school's standards.  Also, a Washington, DC church has won a lawsuit and will be allowed to meet outdoors in the District after local restrictions did not allow it to do so.  And, a Cabinet official is looking into a removal of religious material in an Oklahoma home for seniors.

Court says that seminary students in gay marriages can be removed

A California seminary had attempted to expel two students who were found to be in gay marriage relationships - and The Washington Times reports that despite court action, a federal judge ruled that it was permissible under the law for them to do so. 

The article says:

Attorneys representing Fuller Theological Seminary said the ruling marks the first time a federal court has recognized a religious liberty exemption for faith-based educational institutions.

“It would create a huge establishment clause [issue] if you have government agents going in and telling a seminary how to do their job and practice their faith,” Daniel Blomberg, a senior attorney for the religious liberty law firm Becket who represented the seminary, told The Washington Times.

A federal district judge issued a ruling in favor of a religious exemption for the school. 

Washington, DC church receives favorable ruling to meet

A Washington, DC church that had been meeting in neighboring Virginia in an outdoor setting filed a lawsuit against the District and the COVID gathering restrictions implemented by Mayor Muriel Bowser.  The church, Capitol Hill Baptist Church, wished to meet outdoors with health protocols in place.

FoxNews.com reports that a Federal district judge found that the restrictions violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, saying, "The District’s current restrictions substantially burden the Church’s exercise of religion," and adding, "More, the District has failed to offer evidence at this stage showing that it has a compelling interest in preventing the Church from meeting outdoors with appropriate precautions, or that this prohibition is the least-restrictive means to achieve its interest."  The judge cited the double standard that allowed protests in the city, cheered on by Mayor Bowser, while placing restrictions on churches, which were limited to 100 or less participants in outdoor services.

Religious liberty at stake in senior living home

Wilhoit Properties operates a senior living home in Oklahoma, and it has attracted some high-level attention from Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, who, according to CBN.com, received a letter from a resident, who "was distressed over management ordering the removal of Bibles and religious decorations from a Christmas tree."

In a statement, Carson said, "Religious liberty is at the core of our Nation's identity and will be upheld under the Fair Housing Act," adding, "Barring religious materials infringes upon this right, and the Trump Administration will not stand for discrimination against any group for practicing their religious traditions."  It is possible that HUD will attempt to resolve the issue itself or refer the situation to the Department of Justice.

The 3 - October 11, 2020

In this week's edition of The 3, featuring three stories of relevance impacting the Christian community, there is good news out of Texas, where a grand jury has indicted Netflix over an objectionable film that it offers.  Plus, with Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation hearings occurring this week, there are concerns over how her deep faith will be regarded.  And, it's October, but already there is talk of a case involving a Christmas display.

Netflix indicted in TX for objectionable film

Ever since the trailer for the Netflix release, Cuties, was released, there has been an outcry of opposition to the film. Even though officials of the streaming service said that the movie itself would not be as objectionable, a significant level of subscribers thought otherwise, it seems

The Christian Post has announced that Netflix is now in legal trouble over the film, which, according to the article: "... features 11-year-old girls dancing provocatively and simulating sex acts, and has been compared to child porn."

A grand jury in Tyler, Texas has indicted Netflix - the indictments says that the film promoted "the lewd exhibition" involving minors with "no serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.”

Netflix, even though it was reported that it has lost 2.5 million subscribers, continues to stand behind its distribution of the film, according to the Post.

Concern over religious harassment as Barrett hearings open

Amy Coney Barrett, who serves on a Federal appeals court and is President Trump's nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court, is undergoing hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee this week. Her supporters defend her based on her "textualist" judicial philosophy, i.e., interpreting the Constitution as written, rather than possessing a "judicial activist" approach which has yielded faulty decisions such as Roe v. Wade and Obergefell.  But, it appears that detractors, based on comments made this far, are opposed to her nomination because of her religious beliefs, an issue that was brought up in her appeals court hearings.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has fought back on behalf of Barrett.  FoxNews.com reports that:

The Senate leader pointed to a Guardian report about how Barrett and her future husband lived in a residence owned by the co-founder of the People of Praise religious group while she was in law school, and a Washington Post article with a headline that mentioned Barrett had once been a "handmaid" for the group. The article recognizes that the title was for female leaders in the group who helped other women with various issues, but the term has been used by Barrett's critics to compare her and the group to the dystopian novel and television show "The Handmaid's Tale."

McConnell issued his comments on Twitter.  He said that, "Our coastal elites are so disconnected from their own country that they treat religious Americans like strange animals in a menagerie..." He tweeted out, "The ongoing attacks by Senate Democrats and the media on Judge Barrett's faith are a disgrace," adding, "They demean the confirmation process, disrespect the Constitution, and insult millions of American believers."

It's fall, time for controversy on Christmas display

Well, it's still over two months before Christmas, but that's not too early, it seems, to be discussing a controversial court decision over a Christmas display on government property.

Liberty Counsel is involved in a case out of Jackson County, Indiana. And, it appears that the county did everything right in its display. The legal group's website says that the display included not only a Nativity scene, but also "a large lighted Santa Claus, sleigh with reindeer, and a group of Christmas carolers. The courthouse grounds are also decorated with many kinds of lights and other non-religious symbols of the holiday season."  Unfortunately, the law at this time allows religious displays as long as they are surrounded by secular symbols - it's even been referred to as the "three-reindeer rule."

But, a Federal district judge ruled against the display, and Liberty Counsel noted that the plaintiffs did not have standing in the case; they did not live or do business in the county.  Plus, the organization claims the judge did not use Supreme Court precedent in dealing with the claim that the display violates the Constitution's Establishment Clause; rather it used conflicting lower court decisions. The site notes, "the court barely mentions the U.S. Supreme Court’s opinion in American Legion, which upheld the Peace Cross in Maryland."  In that case, a large veterans memorial in the shape of a cross was allowed to stand. 

Kelly Shackelford of First Liberty, which had defended the presence of the cross, has expressed optimism that the ruling will change the landscape on court decisions regarding religious symbols. He is quoted as saying, in the aftermath of the Peace Cross decision, “The days of illegitimately weaponizing the Establishment Clause and attacking religious symbols in public are over,” adding, "The attempted perversion of our Constitution is now over, and every American now has more freedom than they have had in decades, with a government no longer hostile to people or expressions of faith.”

The 3 - October 4, 2020

This edition of The 3 features more news out of California and worship gatherings, this time out of San Francisco, where a 1-person limit has been in effect for houses of worship in the city. Also, the state of Virginia has attempted to impose so-called "values" that contradict Christian values on its people, and legal challenges have been filed.  And, the President's diagnosis with coronavirus has dramatically affected the faith community.

Frisco mayor ups restrictions on houses of worship from 1 to a maximum of 100

Up until last Wednesday, the city of San Francisco had a limit on worship "gatherings," well not really a gathering, because it provided for one - one, person to be involved in a worship event.  That has not gone away, according to ChristianHeadlines.com, which says that city Mayor London Breed has loosened the restrictions to 25 percent capacity, with a cap of 100 in an indoor worship setting.

The article notes that, "...several religions and denominations have protested the city’s restrictive rules as 'unjust' limitations not imposed on their secular counterparts.

Also, as the article states:

The Department of Justice also recently warned San Francisco over its limitations, stating they were “draconian, out of step with the treatment afforded other similar indoor activities in San Francisco, wholly at odds with this Nation’s traditional understanding of religious liberty, and may violate the First Amendment to the Constitution.”

Challenge filed to so-called Virginia Values Act

On July 1, a piece of legislation known as the Virginia Values Act went into effect in the state - but whose values or what values are mandated in the law?  According to the Alliance Defending Freedom, the new law "compels churches, religious schools, and Christian ministries to hire employees who do not share their stated beliefs on marriage, sexuality, and gender identity." And, a companion bill forces employers to include "in employee health care plans coverage for sex reassignment and 'gender affirming'” surgeries that run contrary to their beliefs. And, ministries can no longer offer gender-specific classes in the areas of "parenting, Christian discipleship, and sports."

So, ADF filed a lawsuit in a state court last week on behalf of two churches, three schools, and a pregnancy center network challenging the law, and filed a Federal lawsuit against the law on behalf of a photographer who does weddings and special events, contending the law would force him to photograph events (such as a same-sex wedding ceremony) that violate his religious beliefs.

ADF Senior Counsel Denise Harle is quoted as saying, regarding the lawsuit on behalf of faith-based ministries, "Virginia’s new law forces these ministries to abandon and adjust their convictions or pay crippling fines—in direct violation of the Virginia Constitution and other state laws. Such government hostility toward people of faith has no place in a free society.” 

ADF Senior Counsel Jonathan Scruggs said, regarding the Federal suit supporting the photographer, Bob Updegrove, “Because of Virginia’s new law, photographers like Bob face an impossible choice: violate the law and risk bankruptcy, promote views against their faith, or close down. The government cannot demand that artists create content that violates their deepest convictions.”

Faith leaders concerned after President's COVID diagnosis

With news of the President's and First Lady's diagnosis of COVID-19, there have been numerous expressions of prayer.  The Presidential Prayer Team issued its original alert on Friday, and has continued to provide updates on Mr. Trump's condition.

There has been media speculation about where the President may have contracted the virus; and the outdoor event announcing the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court on Saturday, the 26th has been the center of attention.  There is certainly a connection to the Christian community, because a number of Christian and pro-life leaders attended the announcement.

Religion News ran a story that outlines some of the faith leaders who were in attendance. One of those mentioned was the President of Notre Dame University John Jenkins, who announced on Friday he had tested positive.  Two individuals, who had been involved in the Washington Prayer March earlier in the day had tested negative, according to the article, which said:

A spokesperson for Franklin Graham said the evangelist — who also led a faith-themed march on Washington the same day as the announcement, attended by thousands — was tested before a trip to Alaska this week, and his results were negative.

The acting Liberty University president Jerry Prevo was also seen sitting behind Jenkins at the event, but a school spokesperson told Religion News Service that Prevo was tested for COVID-19 on Friday morning and his result was negative.

Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma, a Christian who was scheduled to speak in Atlanta last week, according the article told an RNS reporter on Friday, "that he was driving home from Atlanta to quarantine after coming into contact with someone who has the virus and intended to get a test when he arrived." He identified that person as Sen. Mike Lee, who was one of three senators who were initially specified as testing positive for coronavirus.

The article relates that Vice-President Pence, who has tested negative, spoke at the event, as did pastor Jentezen Franklin, who was part of a Call to Prayer for the President yesterday afternoon, hosted by the President's daughter-in-law, Lara on the President's campaign Facebook page.

And, the news came out earlier today that Greg Laurie, Pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, CA and speaker on A New Beginning on Faith Radio, has contracted the coronavirus. He wrote on his Facebook page:

I tested positive for COVID-19 last Friday. I have been in quarantine since then. My wife Cathe is also in quarantine with me. I am happy to report that all members of my family have tested negative for COVID. My symptoms have been mild so far, and I expect to make a full recovery. I have always taken the Coronavirus seriously, and it has tragically taken many lives. At a time like this, we need to pray for those that have it and avoid politicizing it. If our President and First Lady can get COVID-19, clearly anyone can. I chose to first tell those I was directly in touch with and the congregation I pastor. Thank you for your concern and prayers. I hope to see you all soon.

The 3 - September 27, 2020

This week's edition of The 3, with three stories of relevance to the Christian community, spotlights a pro-life executive order announced by the President on behalf of babies who survive abortion attempts.  Also, there's more news on churches and COVID, with one California church being granted a trial for next year, meaning that it can continue to worship in-person, and a DC church suing the city because of its excessive COVID restrictions.  And, a government agency has stepped in to defend two former grocery store employees who would not wear an apron depicting what they views as an endorsement of LGBTQ.

President issues order protecting abortion survivors

At the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, President Trump announced his intent to issue an executive order to protect babies who survive an attempt to take their lives through abortion.

Liberty Counsel, on its website, notes:

Speaking at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, President Trump called this “our sacrosanct moral duty.”

President Trump said, “We believe in the joy of family, the blessing of freedom and the dignity of work and the eternal truth that every child born and unborn is made in the holy image of God. I will always protect the vital role of religion and prayer in American society, and I will always defend the sacred right to life.”

Congress has been unable to pass legislation that would protect abortion survivors, according to the website, which notes that there have been over 80 chances to do so.  The site says:

Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control, as well as the personal testimonies of nurses and abortion survivors themselves, provide evidence that babies survive abortions. According to the CDC, at least 143 babies were born alive after botched abortions between 2003 and 2014 in the U.S., though there likely are more. The CDC also notes that this number is likely underestimated because of unclear terminology and a lack of understanding about spontaneous abortions.

The President began his week by issuing this welcome news to those who are pro-life, and at the conclusion of the week, he made a popular decision among pro-life groups by naming Federal appeals court judge Amy Coney Barrett as his nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court.  

California church gets reprieve, DC church sues city

The saga involving a California church that made the decision to gather in indoor worship services, in response to local COVID-19 health orders that it deemed to be excessive, continues.  An article at The Federalist website states that:

Grace Community Church and its Pastor John MacArthur won another victory in their journey to fight for their constitutional right to worship on Thursday when a judge awarded them the opportunity for a trial.

That judge, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff had earlier issued a preliminary injunction that would have stopped the church from meeting, but the church continued to meet. Now, Beckloff has set a trial for early in 2021, although he will hold a hearing in mid-November. 

Special Counsel Charles LeMandri of the Thomas More Society said, “This ruling prevents Los Angeles County’s attempted rush to judgment in its continued prosecution of Pastor John MacArthur and Grace Community Church for courageously exercising their First Amendment rights,” adding, “We are pleased that Judge Beckloff indicated he agreed with the major points that we made on behalf of Pastor MacArthur and Grace Community Church and we are very gratified that the judge’s ruling today reflects that he appreciates the importance of the constitutionally protected rights at issue in this case.” Pastor MacArthur said, in part, "The reality is that the county cannot show that their order is even rational, much less necessary..."

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the country, a church in Washington, DC has sued the District for its excessive COVID-19 regulations. The Christian Post reports that:

The 850-member Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., is suing Mayor Murriel Bowser over her ban on outdoor church services of more than 100 people during the coronavirus pandemic, arguing that the gathering restriction has been applied unfairly.

First Liberty is involved in the case. The article quotes Justin Sok, one of the pastoral staff members of the church; it says, "The church has applied for multiple waivers to the mayor’s policy. However, city officials 'refuse to provide CHBC with a waiver beyond 100 persons as part of a mass gathering,' Sok added."  He is also quoted as saying, 

“The lawsuit filed Tuesday simply asks that CHBC be permitted to meet in-person, with similar restrictions as area businesses and other gatherings have employed to protect public health,” the pastor stressed. “A church is not a building that can be opened and closed. A church is not an event to be watched. A church is a community that gathers regularly and that community should be treated fairly by the District government.”

Grocery store employees gain powerful ally in refusal to display LGBTQ symbolism

In a case in which an employer attempted to force two of its employees to display symbolism that conflicts with their religious beliefs, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or EEOC has stood with the two employees, who lost their jobs, according to the Family Research Council website.  The site relates that:

In this case, the Kroger grocery store in Conway, Arkansas issued new aprons to employees that featured a small, rainbow-colored heart emblem. Two employees perceived this as an endorsement of the LGBT movement, and they objected on religious grounds.

The article goes on to say that: 

The two Kroger employees asked if they could either wear a different apron or wear their name tag over the rainbow emblem. Kroger refused this accommodation and ended up firing the two employees -- leading to the EEOC suit in support of the employees. 

The article, written by Peter Sprigg of FRC, quoted Sharon Fast Gustafson, General Counsel of the EEOC, who said, "If the applicant or employee has a religious belief or practice that requires some kind of religious accommodation, the law requires the employer to give that accommodation to the employee unless it would present some sort of undue hardship to the business."

Sprigg points out that this is a shift for the EEOC, which had filed the original lawsuit against a funeral home on behalf of a transgender employee in the Bostock case, in which the U.S. Supreme Court decided that the word "sex" in civil rights law should be interpreted as "sexual orientation" or "gender identity." He writes, "We trust that the Kroger lawsuit means that the EEOC has taken a turn in the direction of consistent support for religious liberty."

The 3 - September 20, 2020

This week's edition of The 3, with three stories of relevance to the Christian community, includes the issuance of a letter from over a hundred African-American leaders calling out the nation's largest abortion provided for racism. Also, a Federal judge has found that Pennsylvania's restrictions during COVID-19 are unconstitutional.  And, California lawmakers have relaxed the law concerning sexual relationships between adults and minors.

Bi-partisan group of African-American leaders decry Planned Parenthood's emphasis on taking lives of Black children

A group in excess of 120 African-American leaders from both political parties has sent an open letter to the head of the nation's largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood, calling it out for racism in its targeting of Black pre-born babies, according to The Christian Post, which reports that:

Among those who have signed the letter are Louisiana state Senator Katrina Jackson, Georgia state representative Mack Jackson, and Michigan's Kent County Commissioner Monica Sparks, all of whom are Democrats. Black Republican signers include Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill and Texas state representative James White. Conservative think tank Heritage Foundation President Kay Coles James, former NFL star Benjamin Watson and pro-life activist Alveda King, who is the niece of Martin Luther King Jr. also signed the letter.

The letter states: “The impact of abortion on Black communities is unequal and disproportionate... Despite constituting only 13% of the female population, Black women represent 36% of all abortions, and Black women are five times more likely than white women to receive an abortion. In some cities, like New York, more Black children are aborted every year than are born alive."

Dean Nelson, Executive Director of the pro-life organization, Human Coalition Action, in a statement to The Christian Post, said that this is a representation of "...the outrage among the Black community that we have been strategically and consistently targeted by the abortion industry ever since the practice was legalized almost 50 years ago.” 

By, the way, Benjamin Watson has a new film, called Divided Hearts of America, which deals with the abortion issue. Crosswalk.com describes it in this way: "In the span of about 90 minutes, Watson interviews more than 30 pro-life and pro-choice leaders as he unveils – in his words – 'the truth about abortion, the laws, the history and where our country is headed.'” Alveda King and Katrina Jackson appear in the film.  Watson is quoted as saying, “Can anything save us? Yes. It’s love,” adding,“Will we decide to love each other enough to mend our divided hearts? That's a choice we all have to make. That's a choice that will determine how the story ends.”

Judge rules PA governor's COVID restrictions unconstitutional

Government restrictions in the face of the COVID-19 virus have been challenged in court, and a recent ruling out of Pennsylvania by a Federal judge said that the governor had overstepped his bounds and issued unconstitutional orders. Bruce Hausknecht, writing at the Daily Citizen of Focus on the Family, stated:

Just weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court let a COVID-related state lockdown order in California remain effective in the face of constitutional challenges, a federal district court judge in western Pennsylvania says those can’t go on indefinitely, striking down several of Governor Tom Wolf’s orders restricting indoor and outdoor gatherings in that state, his designations of “life-sustaining” and “non-life-sustaining” businesses, and his general “stay-at-home” order.

Hausknecht writes:

The judge addressed the impact of the recent U.S. Supreme Court action in denying an emergency injunction blocking the California governor’s lockdown order in that state, and, in particular, Justice Samuel Alito’s dissent which argued in favor of granting an injunction in that case.

“There is no question, as Justice Alito reasoned in Calvary Chapel, that courts may provide state and local officials greater deference when making time-sensitive decisions in the maelstrom of an emergency. But that deference cannot go on forever. It is no longer March. It is now September and the record makes clear that Defendants have no anticipated end-date to their emergency interventions.

The article says that: "It’s worth quoting something that the U.S. Department of Justice began saying months ago when it came to the support of citizens’ constitutional rights in the face of onerous state lockdown orders: 'There is no pandemic exception to the U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights.'"

The American Pastors Network, which is led by former Pennsylvania representative Sam Rohrer, partnered with the Pennsylvania Pastors Network to issue an open letter a few weeks ago concerning these orders from state officials.  A summary on the APN site says:

This letter from APN and PPN, which represent more than 1,200 PA pastors, explains that the current COVID-19 restrictions imposed by the executive branch are without authority, are therefore unlawful, and in violation of both the Constitution and statutory law, particularly since the General Assembly in accordance with the law ordered the Governor to rescind all COVID-19-related orders resulting from his natural disaster proclamation on March 6. The resolution calls out these realities and highlights how the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has only deepened the constitutional crisis, the letter states.

California liberalizes sex offender law

Concern has been raised about a new California law, recently signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, that appears to loosen restrictions on those who have been found to have sexually abused children. The Daily Signal reports that:

Senate Bill 145—which passed both the state Assembly and Senate, and Gov. Gavin Newsom just signed into law—ensures that adults will not automatically be placed on the sex offender registry even if they engage in sexual acts with minors aged 14 to 17, regardless of what kind of sex they had.

According to the law’s text, SB 145 will “exempt from mandatory registration under the act a person convicted of certain offenses involving minors if the person is not more than 10 years older than the minor and if that offense is the only one requiring the person to register.”

Bottom line, according to the writer of the piece, Nicole Russell: "So, even though it is illegal in California for any adult to have sex with a person under 17, this law will require judges to take each case separately."  She notes that Dr. James Dobson stated, "Any law that lessens protections for vulnerable children is a bad idea. There’s a word for adults who pursue sex with children: pedophiles..."  He also said, “Any proposed legislation that gives incentive or cover for such depravity should be condemned, not passed into law.”