The 3 - August 30, 2020

This edition of The 3, with three stories of relevance to the Christian community, features news from around the world, including a man in Pakistan who is facing death for violating the country's "blasphemy" laws.  Also, China is continuing to dismantle crosses from church buildings.  Plus, Idaho's new law banning biological males from participating in women's sports has been put on hold, but two women who have been adversely affected by the influx of males claiming to be transgender will be allowed to participate on behalf of the law in a lawsuit filed against it.

Pakistani man faces death due to blasphemy laws

The same charge that was leveled against Pakistani wife and mother Asia Bibi has now been used against a Pakistani man because he allegedly posted negative comments against the founder of Islam, Mohammed, on Facebook. The Christian Post reports that:

The London-based Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement, an interdenominational aid agency serving persecuted Christians in Muslim-majority Pakistan, reports that Sohail Masih in the Nowshera Virkan in Punjab province was arrested on Aug. 5.

CLAAS-UK Director Nasir Saeed, stated: "This is not the first case of its kind, and several Christians... have been charged with blasphemy for sharing or having blasphemous contents either on their phone or on their computers...”  Masih was charged under 2 sections of the Pakistani Penal Code, one of which, 295-C, is the one that was used against Asia Bibi.

According to BBC.com, Asia Bibi, who was sentenced to death for blasphemy and released from prison by the nation's Supreme Court in 2018, is now living in Canada. News of her freedom set off protests that the BBC describes as "violent." She was in France not too long ago to promote her book, and said, "I left of my own volition because I was in danger there. Anything could have happened to me at any point. So that's why I left my country. But I have the same love for my country in my heart now. I still respect my country and I want to see the day when I'm able to go back." The article says:

Ms Bibi called on Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan to free anyone unjustly accused or convicted of blasphemy and to ensure that the charges are investigated properly.

"Innocents should not be punished for no reason and people who are innocent, in prison, should be freed," she said.

Over 900 crosses and counting removed from Chinese churches in 2020

The oppression of Christianity, even in state-sanctioned churches, continues in China. According to a piece at the ChristianHeadlines.com website, more than 900 crosses on church buildings in just one province of the massive country were "forcibly removed."  The article reports that:

Bitter Winter, which monitors religious liberty violations within China, says 906 crosses were pulled down by cranes and other machines in the province of Anhui from January through July. Anhui has the second-largest Christian population in China, Bitter Winter said.

All 906 cross removals involved churches within the legal but heavily restricted Three-Self Patriotic Movement.

According to a church member quoted on the Bitter Winter website, government officials have cautioned Christians that, "Protesting cross demolitions means protesting against the government.” The same church members stated that "all crosses taller than government buildings must be demolished because they overshadow state institutions..."

Idaho ban on transgender athletes put on hold by judge

A new Idaho law that prevents males who claim to be "transgender" from participating in women's sports has been put on hold by a state judge, according to Politico, but there is some positive news about which Alliance Defending Freedom reported.

The Politico article said that:

Idaho Chief Judge David C. Nye, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, said those suing Idaho over the law "are likely to succeed in establishing the Act is unconstitutional as currently written." Nye also knocked the Trump administration's own position on transgender athletes, saying that an Education Department threat to schools this year is "of questionable validity."

The Idaho law is the only prohibition in the country against transgender student athletes participating in sports that match their gender identity. The Trump administration has filed a brief in the case supporting the law, which went into effect July 1.

But, as ADF pointed out, in the same order, it gave two athletes the opportunity to intervene in the case, stating: "Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys represent the two collegiate athletes, who run track and cross-country at Idaho State University in Pocatello. The two women, Madison Kenyon and Mary Kate Marshall, are long-time athletes, well familiar with the difference in strength and speed between comparably gifted and trained male and female athletes."

ADF Legal Counsel Christiana Holcomb said: “The Fairness in Women’s Sports Act is good law because it seeks to protect girls and women across Idaho. Our clients have already experienced the deflating experience of losing to a male runner, and this should not be allowed to continue.” She added: “In one year, 275 high school boys ran faster times than the lifetime best of World Champion sprinter Allyson Felix. As long-time athletes, these young women deserve and will now have a voice in this lawsuit and the opportunity to protect the future of girls’ and women’s sports in Idaho.”