The 3 - February 27, 2022

This week's edition of The 3 includes three more stories of relevance to the Christian community, including Christian sites being banned by Facebook due to subject matter surrounding gender identity.  Also, the U.S. Supreme Court will be hearing the case of a website designer who received a court ruling against her in her attempt to prevent action taken against her for standing on her convictions.  Plus, a former nurse who would not refer women for abortion has won a large court settlement.

Christian sites suspended from Facebook due to themes of gender identity

Recently, warped gender ideology has resulted in several Christian feeds being removed from Facebook. The Christian Post reported that two pages devoted to helping people overcome unwanted same-sex attraction were banned, then reinstated.  The article says that Help 4 Families and Living Stone Ministries were the ministries on the receiving end of this action.

Denise Shick, who directs Help 4 Families, that, according to the words of the article, "Facebook removed the organizations' pages from its platform at the behest of LGBT activists."

The Christian Post also reported recently on The Babylon Bee's latest skirmish with Facebook, when it had a post suspended referring to a satirical piece on Amy Schneider, described as "a trans-identified female, passing the total amount of winnings that a biological female had earned on 'Jeopardy!' during Schneider’s reign."  The article says:

Facebook reportedly told the Bee that the post “goes against our Community Standards on hate speech” and that the post will not be visible to others.

The article reports that:

Bee CEO Seth Dillon said in a statement posted on the affiliated website Not the Bee that he would appeal the decision labeling the post “hate speech.”

“Remember how Facebook recently rolled out new rules stipulating that ‘real satire’ cannot ‘punch down’? Are they really willing to say that defending women against a male takeover of their records is ‘punching down’ and – even worse – ‘hate speech’? We’re going to find out,” stated Dillon.

High court to hear case of web designer in pre-emptive challenge against using site to promote content that violates her faith

Another religious freedom case out of Colorado has been accepted by the U.S. Supreme Court, according to the website for Alliance Defending Freedom, whose client, Lorie Smith of 303 Creative, which designs website, lost in a Federal appeals court in a case in which she was seeking protection from being forced to endorse ideas about sexuality that violated her religious beliefs.

The ADF site relates:

The 10th Circuit issued an unprecedented decision in the case, 303 Creative v. Elenis, holding that Smith serves “all people regardless of sexual orientation,” yet Colorado’s Anti-Discrimination Act requires her to engage in speech that violates her conscience and in turn creates a “substantial risk” of removing “certain ideas or viewpoints from the public dialogue.”

ADF General Counsel Kristen Waggoner, stated: “Colorado has weaponized its law to silence speech it disagrees with, to compel speech it approves of, and to punish anyone who dares to dissent. Colorado’s law—and others like it—are a clear and present danger to every American’s constitutionally protected freedoms and the very existence of a diverse and free nation.”

Pro-life nurse who would not refer women for abortion wins legal settlement

Sandra Mendoza Rojas, of Rockford, Illinois, had served as a pediatric nurse for 18 years, but lost her job at the Winnebago County Health Clinic in 2015. The reason?  According to LifeNews.com, "She said she refused to comply with a new requirement that nurses be trained to help women obtain abortion drugs and refer women to abortion facilities."

The Life News article quotes from a CBN.com report, which stated: "An Illinois trial court ruled Wednesday that Winnebago County must pay more than $374,000 in attorney’s fees for requiring a Christian nurse to provide abortion referrals and contraception."  

The article goes on to quote from the court ruling: “The Health Department improperly discriminated against (Rojas) by refusing to accommodate her objections of conscience in her existing job at the clinic,” adding, “The Court has concluded that the Health Department could have reasonably accommodated (Rojas’) objections without removing her from her job.”

The 3 - February 20, 2022

This week on The 3, featuring three stories of relevance to the Christian community, the trial of a government leader in Finland is finished as she defended herself against criminal charges for upholding Biblical truth; thousands indicated in a petition that they stood with her in prayer.   Also, multiple thousands have come to know Christ through an evangelistic outreach that was launched on New Years Eve. And, a Christian student group at a university in Texas will not face retaliation for choosing leaders who hold to Christian beliefs. 

Thousands declare their prayer support for Member of Parliament in Finland, pastor formerly imprisoned in Turkey delivers petition

Perhaps you have been following the plight of a member of Finland's Parliament who was outspoken on sexuality, consistent with the Biblical view. According to a story from last Friday on the Faithwire website:

Päivi Räsänen, whose criminal trial began Jan. 24 and ended Feb. 14, was charged with violating the dignity and equality of the LGBTQ population by engaging in purported hate speech. She told Faithwire Thursday her plight began June 17, 2019, when she tweeted the text of Romans 1:24-27, which condemns homosexuality as sinful.

15 years before, she had written a pamphlet that presented a Biblical view of sexuality, which could be banned in Finland if she is found guilty.  She also could be fined and put in prison for up to two years. She told Faithwire that: "[The case] has been a shock to many, many thousands of Christians that this happens in Finland,” she said. “This is a very historical case in Finland. Never before has happened something like this, because I have not spoken anything about hate threat against any minority. I have spoken those things that represent a very classical interpretation of the Bible and churches.” 

The Faithwire website last week also reported on the over 14,000 people who indicated in a petition sponsored by the Family Research Council that they would pray for Räsänen.  The article stated:

Pastor Andrew Brunson, who was held hostage in Turkey and has since gone on to become an outspoken advocate for religious freedom, delivered a letter in support of Räsänen. The petition, crafted by the Family Research Council, has been signed by 14,341 people.

The letter stated, in part:

“I, the undersigned, want you to be encouraged that I am praying for you and Bishop Juhana Pohjala as you are being persecuted and attacked for sharing the truth of Scripture regarding God’s design for marriage and sexuality,” he wrote. “Your bold stand to live out Acts 5:29 by obeying God rather than man is inspiring to Christians in Finland, the United States, and around the world.”

Pohjala has also been indicted; he is with the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland.

Evangelistic organization reports great harvest from film released on New Year's Eve

As we consider news of interest to the Christian community, we can remember faithful ministries whom God is using to bring people into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  One such ministry is heard on Faith Radio. Christian Newswire published a release by the Luis Palau Association that stated, regarding a virtual presentation that was launched on New Years Eve:

The online event, Light Your World, featured music from top Christian artists, multiple Gospel presentations, and changed-life stories from individuals around the world. In total, more than 245,000 people indicated a decision for Jesus Christ as a result of watching the program.

The release said that:

The event included music from TobyMac as well as Maverick City Music. It also included testimonies from Danny Gokey, Darren Mulligan from We Are Messengers, television star Myrka Dellanos, and more. Andrew and Wendy Palau hosted the event and shared encouraging and inspiring messages of hope throughout the program.

Following the premiere, and all throughout the month of January 2022, geo-targeted ads delivered short rescue stories from contributors around the globe, inviting people to pray and respond to the Gospel. The Palau team used these Gospel ads to reach every continent on earth—ultimately reaching more than 43 million people in 237 different nations.

As a result, more than 1.9 million people visited a website with a clear, written Gospel presentation and 245,609 of those individuals indicated a decision to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior.

Over 21,000 of those new believers signed up for a discipleship program that included a 50-day devotional called, "Made New."  

Prior to the launch, there were over 10,000 people that signed up for the "Light Your World Challenge," committing to pray for five people who did not know Christ.

Christian student group at university in Texas can require leaders to be Christians, according to legal settlement

Finally, Ratio Christi is a student organization that meets on college campuses, devoted to Christian apologetics.  Ideally, such organizations should have leaders who are believers in Christ.  But, as an article at The Christian Post relates, that was not the case at the University of Houston-Clear Lake. 

Because the university had required Ratio Christi to allow anyone, regardless of faith background to serve in leadership, Alliance Defending Freedom filed a lawsuit last fall, claiming, according to the article, "the school had wrongfully refused to grant the group official student organization status." It goes on to say:

The university gave the group official recognition soon after the lawsuit was filed, claiming in a statement that the litigation had nothing to do with their decision on Ratio Christi’s status.

The article says, "According to ADF, the university agreed as part of a settlement to enact a policy confirming that registered student organizations could limit their leaders to those who shared their beliefs."  However, the university has been gaslighting since that lawsuit was filed, and issued a statement to the Post last week saying that Ratio Christi was in compliance with university policies even before that filing.  However, the school did agree to this recent settlement, which tells a different story.

Nevertheless, the lawsuit has been dismissed by ADF.

The 3 - February 6, 2022

This week's edition of The 3, highlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, includes secretive efforts by schools to promote so-called "gender identity" and hide from parents the gender issues their children are experiencing.  Also, a new bill in a Midwestern state would prevent boys from participating in girls' sports. And, a delivery driver in Florida who declined to work a scheduled shift on religious grounds has been rewarded a financial settlement. 

Schools' secret gender conditioning produce lawsuits

When young people are in positions where education officials promote their exploration of a "gender identity" other than their biological one, that is certainly a problem.  And, when they keep it a secret from their parents, that is even worse.

Consider the instance from Florida, where the parents of a 12-year-old girl are suing the Clay County school district, alleging that, according to The Hill, "their daughter’s mental health and gender identity struggles were concealed from them for months by school officials." The article states:

The parents say a school counselor conducted “secret” therapy sessions with their daughter regarding her alleged gender dysphoria, which the Perez’s were only made aware of following their daughter’s first suicide attempt.

On two separate occasions, the young girl, who has not been named because she is a minor, tried to take her own life by hanging herself in a school restroom.

The father said on Fox News that the secretiveness was because of their religious stance. He told Laura Ingraham: "The counselor had secret meetings with our daughter about gender. She was groomed to something that she’s not, and she was encouraged..."

The Hill says the school denies the allegation.

Then, you have an instance in California, reported on by Christian Headlines, in which a parent has filed a lawsuit, alleging that her 11-year-old daughter was inappropriately influenced by a school about her sexuality. The girl, referred to in the suit as "A.G.," met with teachers and, as it's alleged: 

“At these meetings and in other discussions,” the teachers “planted the seed in A.G.’s mind that she was bisexual,” the suit says. “That idea did not originate with A.G. In fact, she did not fully understand what that term meant.

“Shortly thereafter,” the teachers “planted the seed in A.G.’s mind that she was transgender. As with bisexuality, that idea did not originate with A.G., nor did A.G. fully understand what it meant.”

A counselor also supported what the girl was being told by the teachers. The girl was allegedly, according to the story, "recruited" to "join an LGBT Equality Club." The Center for American Liberty, which is representing the parent, stated in a news release: “Parents absolutely have a right to know what is being taught in their kids’ school, especially with respect to sensitive issues like gender and sexuality,” adding, “... But parents are denied that right when activist teachers think they know better and intentionally hide information from moms and dads.”

South Dakota bill would limit male participation in girls' sports

The state of South Dakota has joined other states in implementing a law that would prevent biological male athletes from participating in girls' sports.  CBN News reported that South Dakota joins 9 other states, including Alabama, in passing similar legislation.  Governor Kristi Noem stated in a bill-signing ceremony: "This bill has been an important priority for a lot of the people behind me," adding, "And I appreciate all of their hard work in making sure that girls will always have the opportunity to play in girls sports in South Dakota and have an opportunity for a level playing field, for fairness, that gives them the chance to experience success."

It hasn't been an easy road to passage.  As the article notes:

Noem lobbied heavily for the bill this year after vetoing a similar ban in March of last year. She had issued a "style and form veto" that led to its demise, arguing that the previous bill contained flawed language that put the state at risk of litigation and retribution from the NCAA.

Later that month, she signed two executive orders that represented what she'd hoped the legislature would pass.

Last week, there was plenty of activity on that front, as CBN points out: 

USA Swimming released a new operating policy manual on Tuesday amid the controversy surrounding transgender athlete Lia Thomas' participation in the sport.

Before transitioning genders, Thomas competed for three seasons at the University of Pennsylvania as a man named Will Thomas, according to The New York Post.  

The article goes on to say:

The Washington Post reports 16 members of the University of Pennsylvania women's swimming team sent a letter to school and Ivy League officials Thursday asking that they not take legal action challenging the NCAA's recently updated transgender policy.

That new NCAA policy could possibly prevent Thomas from competing in the NCAA championships scheduled for next month.

Delivery driver who was fired for not working on Sundays receives settlement

A driver who works for a delivery service in the Tampa Bay area that delivers for Amazon had been fired because he would not work on Sundays, in order to participate in church services.  According to The Christian Post, he took his complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The article relates:

According to an EEOC statement, the delivery service had scheduled the employee for a shift on a Sunday even though he had made it clear earlier that he could not work Sundays.

The EEOC argued that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 bars discrimination based on religion and "requires employers to reasonably accommodate an applicant’s or employee’s sincerely held religious beliefs unless it would pose an undue hardship."

The delivery service has agreed to pay the driver $50,000 in a settlement, which was agreed to by a federal judge. The article also notes:

In addition to the $50,000 the delivery service will pay in relief, the company must also train staff to avoid religious discrimination and appoint a “religious accommodation coordinator.”