This week's edition of The 3, with three stories impacting the Christian community, is back in court, with a positive federal appeals court ruling in favor of an Ohio law that prevents abortion in the case of a Down Syndrome diagnosis, and a lawsuit filed by a New York photographer who could penalized for declining to be involved in a same-sex wedding. Also, California's governor has announced the removal of bans on indoor worship in the state.
CA removes restrictions on indoor worship
Following five U.S. Supreme Court decisions striking down various forms of worship restrictions in California, Governor Gavin Newsom lifted mandatory bans on indoor worship throughout the state.
Liberty Counsel, which has been involved in litigation against the state for COVID-19 restrictions, shared the news, stating on its website:
Governor Gavin Newsom wrote yesterday that “mandatory limits on attendance are no longer imposed on houses of worship.” That means that after five reprimands from the U.S. Supreme Court, Gov. Newsom decided to make the percentage-capacity restrictions on houses of worship in all Tiers voluntary.But, as Liberty Counsel points out, "Unless and until there is a judicial declaration that Governor Newsom has acted unconstitutionally, there is nothing keeping him from changing his mind again, whether in this crisis or any future crisis."
Federal appeals court rules in favor of ban on abortion of Down Syndrome babies in OH
In 2017, lawmakers in Ohio passed a bill that, according to LifeNews.com, "bans abortionists from doing discriminatory abortions on unborn babies with Down syndrome. It also bans sex-selection abortions and abortions because of the baby’s race." Not unexpectedly, the law was challenged in court, a Federal district judge blocked it and a three-judge panel of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the lower court's decision.
However, the court granted an en banc hearing, and the full court issued a 9-7 ruling last week in favor of the law. Mike Gonidakis, President of Ohio Right to Life, is quoted as saying, “Ohio Right to Life is elated that the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has sided with life and ruled against the fatal discrimination of babies with Down syndrome,” adding, “The eugenic practice of singling out human lives for death because of a Down syndrome diagnosis has no place in our society. This court ruling brings us one step closer to ensuring that vulnerable babies with special needs are not marked for death because of who they are. Every life is worth living and every precious and unique human being is worthy of complete protection under law.”
Photographer challenges NY law that could force her to photograph same-sex weddings
Multiple states have passed laws that would prevent people in service industries from declining to be involved in an event that violates their conscience, and a photographer in New York state has challenged a law there before it could be enforced against her.
ChristianHeadlines.com reports that Emilee Carpenter could be "jailed for up to a year and fined $100,000 if she does not work same-sex weddings," so she, with the assistance of Alliance Defending Freedom, filed a federal lawsuit against the state.
The suit states:
"Emilee celebrates engagements and marriages between one man and one woman through what she photographs, participates in, and posts about in order to share God's design for marriage with her clients and the public consistent with her beliefs."
Alliance Defending Freedom filed suit on her behalf, alleging the law violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments, including her freedom of speech and free exercise of religion.
"Just as the government cannot compel a lesbian baker to create a cake condemning same-sex marriage or an atheist playwright to wax positively about God, New York cannot force Emilee to convey messages she objects to," the suit says.
Christian Headlines points out that, "In 2019, the U.S. Eighth Court of Appeals and the Arizona Supreme Court each sided with artists in similar cases."
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