The 3 - May 30, 2021

This week's edition of The 3 includes the story out of Virginia, where a teacher has been suspended because of his public stand against a new policy requiring teachers to use students' so-called "preferred pronouns" based on gender identity.  Also, a Christian realtor in Minnesota has decided to let his license expire rather than comply with new policies that could cause ramifications if he were to speak out against the LGBTQ agenda.  And, a theft ring that was stealing money from churches in Florida has apparently been halted by law enforcement there.

Virginia teacher suspended for refusal to uphold pronoun policy for transgender students

A PE teacher in Loudoun County, Virginia, has been suspended because of his opposition to new school district policy regarding using pronouns referring to a student's gender identity, not his or her biology. According to Faithwire, teacher Byron "Tanner" Cross spoke at a recent school board meeting regarding the policy "requiring all staff to use students’ preferred pronouns and to allow transgender students to participate in sports activities however they identify, regardless of their biological sex."

Cross said that "I love all of my students, but I will never lie to them regardless of the consequences,” adding, “I’m a teacher but I serve God first and I will not affirm that a biological boy can be a girl, and vice versa, because it’s against my religion. It’s lying to a child. It’s abuse to a child. And it’s sinning against our God.”  He said his comments were shared out of love for those struggling with gender dysphoria.  He referred to a recent 60 Minutes report that, according to the article, saying:

“’60 Minutes’ this past Sunday interviewed over 30 young people who transitioned,” Cross said, “but they felt led astray because of lack of pushback or how easy it was to make physical changes to their bodies in just three months. They are now de-transitioning.”

Christian realtor gives up license in light of position on LGBTQ

CBN.com reports on a Christian real estate agent who has decided to let his license lapse rather than to comply with his supervisor's demands that he not speak out in opposition to "LGBTQ+ issues."  That's what agent Matt Moore said to Faithwire.

According to CBN, Moore had "published an open letter to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), which had recently updated the language in its code of ethics in a way he argued could spark 'discrimination against Christian realtors.'” He went on to say that, “As public awareness of the fact that realtors can be reported for things said and done outside of real estate increases,...realtors who express a historic Christian view on homosexual and transsexual behavior could become regular targets for undeserved allegations of hate speech.”

Hundreds of thousands of dollars stolen from churches in Florida and other states

$740,000 has been stolen from churches throughout the state of Florida and beyond by a group based in Romania and operating out of Orlando; it is reported by ChristianHeadlines.com that this was accomplished "by stealing contribution checks from their mailboxes and cashing them."  The article states:

Authorities said the money was spent on automobiles, food, clothing and high-value wire transfers to Romania, Fox News reports. In what officials are dubbing "Operation Thou Shalt Not Steal," four people have been detained, and two more are wanted.

636 churches total were victimized, with over 350 in Florida. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement issued a press release in which Commissioner Rick Swearingen is quoted, saying, "This low-tech yet well-organized effort to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of mailed-in charitable donations — at a time when donations may have been most needed — has been stopped."