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."