The 3 - March 26, 2023

This week's edition of The 3, highlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, includes on update on concerns by pro-life organizations about what seems to be a slow-walk on arrest and prosecution of people responsible for attacks on pro-life organizations and churches, including a recently-filed lawsuit.  Also, a British Bible college professor tweeted out a strong statement on homosexuality and lost his position for it.  Plus, another state can be added to the growing list who have prevented doctors from performing gender change surgeries on minors. 

Attacks on pro-life centers provoke requests for information, lawsuit

Violence against pro-life pregnancy resource centers and churches continues to be an issue of concern; even over the last few weeks.  And, there is concern that federal law enforcement is turning a blind eye toward the attacks.

CompassCare, which operates three centers in New York state, reports on its website that its Buffalo center was attacked for the second time earlier this month; the site notes: "On March 16, CompassCare’s pro-life medical office in Buffalo was attacked again by pro-abortion, Maoist Antifa. The first time was on June 7th, 2022, with the catastrophic firebombing, injuring two firefighters."

The story notes that on February 20, CEO of Compass Care, James Harden, "...was concerned that another wave of pro-abortion Antifa violence was coming and asked if the FBI was planning on issuing a threat alert to Christian pro-life people and organizations similar to what they did for the Jewish community in New Jersey on November 3, 2022. They did not respond and issued no warnings."

The story noted, "The Washington Post leaked that the judge hearing the controversial abortion pill case was facing death threats along with his family and court staff while violent rhetoric continued to increase..."

The CompassCare website noted:

On Saturday, March 25, a suspect was arrested pursuant to the most recent attack on March 16 on CompassCare’s pro-life medical office in Buffalo. According to a press release issued by the Amherst Police Department (APD), 39-year-old Hannah Kamke was arrested for one count of criminal mischief, a Class E felony carrying a mandatory 1-5 year prison sentence if convicted. This would be on top of any potential punishment precipitated by federal charges brought by the Department of Justice for a violation of the FACE Act.

The Christian Post reported that in September of last year, a number of pro-life organizations filed a Freedom of Information Act request about the Department of Justice response, or lack of response, to concerns that had been expressed.  The article states:

On Feb. 27, nearly five months after the plaintiffs and the other organizations submitted the FOIA request, the FBI informed them that it had closed the request because it did not "contain enough descriptive information to permit a search of our records." The complaint characterized the defendants' failure to respond to the FOIA request as a violation of federal law and DOJ regulations.

In light of this rebuff, the Heritage Foundation and Advancing American Freedom filed a lawsuit in federal court last week; the Christian Post reports, "The complaint maintains that the federal law enforcement agency has taken insufficient action to address violence directed at churches and pro-life pregnancy centers in recent years, including some that have been firebombed."  It goes on to say:

The plaintiffs are asking the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to "order defendant to conduct a search or searches reasonably calculated to uncover all records responsive to Plaintiffs' FOIA Request" and produce all relevant documents within 20 days of the court order.

The article noted that Attorney General Merrick Garland had testified before a U.S. Senate committee earlier this month, stating:

"You are quite right, there are many more prosecutions with respect to the blocking of the abortion centers, but that is generally because those actions are taken with photography at the time, during the daylight," Garland said. "Seeing the person who did it is quite easy."

"Those who are attacking the pregnancy resource centers, which is a horrid thing to do, are doing this at night, in the dark," he added.

James Harden of CompassCare, according to its website, contends that the Attorney General is "covering for" Kristen Clarke, whom he describes as "a known Antifa sympathizer and public hater of pro-life pregnancy centers," who leads the DOJ's Civil Rights Division, under whose authority investigations of these instances would fall.

Bible college professor in UK loses job over tweet on homosexuality

Aaron Edwards was a professor at Cliff College, which is described as a "Bible college" by CBN News, which reported on why Edwards is no longer employed at the school, which is located in the U.K.

His tweet was embedded in the story at CBN.com; it said:

Homosexuality is invading the Church. 

Evangelicals no longer see the severity of this b/c they're busy apologising for their apparently barbaric homophobia, whether or not it's true. 

This *is* a "Gospel issue", by the way. If sin is no longer sin, we no longer need a Saviour.

CBN reports that "College administrators fired Edwards for 'bringing the college into disrepute' with his tweet addressing homosexuality."

The article goes on to say:

The professor’s counsel at the Christian Legal Centre accused a senior staff member of saying his client’s words “could be extremely damaging” and “impact the college’s core work” and “business plan,” Fox News reported.

In a statement to Fox, Edwards said: “The reaction to my tweet and the unjust treatment I have experienced by Cliff College and the Methodist Church in Britain completely illustrates the problem my tweet addressed,” adding:

“The tweet was not defamatory; it was not an attack on any colleague or individual; it was not abusive; and it was not an extremist religious view. It was addressed to evangelicals as a point of doctrine, and it has been misunderstood by many who wish to cause personal and institutional trouble for those who express that view.”

And, the article reports that in a disciplinary hearing, school officials had discussed reporting Edwards to a British organization that monitors terrorism.

Another state bans surgeries and treatments that claim to change children's sex

The Georgia Assembly, its Legislature, voted last week to prevent surgeries on minors that are designed to change their sex and to ban the usage of cross-sex hormones. The Post Millennial reported last week that:

Georgia has become the latest state to pass a bill banning doctors from prescribing cross-sex hormones or conducting surgeries related to a gender dysphoria diagnosis on minors.

On March 17, 2023, SB 140 passed the state house with an amendment that allows for doctors to be sued civilly and criminally for violating the law. On Tuesday, the bill passed with the amendment in the State Senate and is heading to Governor Brian Kemp's desk, where he is expected to sign.

There was concern expressed that the bill did not ban puberty blockers.

Fox5Atlanta reported that Governor Kemp signed the bill on Thursday and said, in a statement, "...as elected leaders, it is our highest responsibility to safeguard the bright, promising, futures of our kids - and SB 140 takes an important step in fulfilling that mission."

The 3 - March 19, 2023

This week's edition of The 3 features several developments regarding the distribution of the abortion pill, including a new law in Wyoming and a hearing before a federal judge.  Also, an Iranian pastor and two other Christians have been released from captivity in Iran.  And, a Vermont Christian school that forfeited a girls' basketball game that included a biological male has now been punished by a state board. 

Pharmacy chain refuses to sell abortion pill in over 20 states, one state governor balks

There has been quite a bit of news recently about the sale of the so-called abortion pill, which is now reportedly the most popular method of terminating a baby's life - and has been proven to be quite dangerous.

SBA Pro-Life America reported last week that in Wyoming, "Gov. Mark Gordon signed a bill to prohibit dangerous chemical abortion drugs." In a press release found at the organization's website, its Western Regional Director Adam Schwend is quoted as saying:

“We thank Gov. Gordon for signing SF 109 to prohibit dangerous abortion drugs that can cause hemorrhaging, the need for surgery and even death. According to Medicaid data, the rate of chemical abortion-related ER visits have increased 500% since mifepristone was approved. Wyoming’s new law will limit the abortion industry’s ability to jeopardize the health and safety of women and girls.

“The new chemical abortion law, along with the Human Life Protection Act and extending postpartum Medicaid coverage, make Wyoming one of the most pro-life states in the country.”

Meanwhile, last week, a Federal judge held a hearing on the FDA's approval of the abortion pill, in a lawsuit brought by several pro-life organizations. Live Action News reported:

The lawsuit was initially filed in November of 2022 on behalf of the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine (AHM), a nonprofit membership organization representing nearly 30,000 health-care professionals including major medical groups such as the American College of Pediatricians, the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Christian Medical & Dental Associations. The group sued the federal government for “illegally approving chemical abortion drugs that harm women and girls.”

At a press conference following arguments before the court, Alliance Defending Freedom senior counsel Erik Baptist and Dr. Donna Harrison (Chair of AHM), reiterated their case against the FDA.

Baptist said, "As time has gone on, the FDA has ignored the warnings from our clients about these drugs and has rolled back safeguards that make these drugs even more dangerous to take," adding, "The FDA never studied the safety of the drug regimen and disregarded clear evidence that the pills cause life threatening complications. As a result of ignoring the science, women and girls became victims of the FDA’s reckless, agenda-driven approval.”

Harrison is quoted as saying: “As the FDA has removed safeguards around the drugs, women and girls have been left more vulnerable than ever. These women most often have to face the trauma of passing a dead child and risk bleeding out and dealing with deadly infections alone, with no doctor either present or even involved to get her the attention she needs.”

Meanwhile, Baptist said, "After years of evading responsibility, it’s time for the government to do what it’s legally required to do: protect the health and safety of vulnerable women and girls. We hope the court will agree the FDA never had the authority to approve these dangerous drugs and reject the rolled-back protections and distribution of them.”

And, in related news, The Washington Stand had reported that week before last, "Walgreens announced...it would not sell the abortion pill mifepristone in the 20 states where pro-life attorneys general say distribution would violate state and federal law."  This prompted California governor Gavin Newsom to attempt to punish Walgreens for its decision.  The article, published March 8, related:

“California won’t be doing business with @walgreens — or any company that cowers to the extremists and puts women’s lives at risk,” declared Newsom on Twitter Monday afternoon. “We’re done.” California, which has 13 million people on its Medicaid program alone, “is reviewing all relationships between Walgreens and the state,” said Newsom spokesman Brandon Richards.

Pastor, other Christians released in Iran

An Iranian pastor, Yousef Nadarkhani, who, according to ChristianNews.net, was "once sentenced to death in Iran for apostasy," has become the "third Christian convert recently released from prison as part of the government’s annual amnesty marking the anniversary of the 1979 revolution."

He has been in and out of prison since that original death sentence in 2010, after which he was declared not guilty for apostasy.  But, he had been arrested for other so-called "crimes," including involvement in establishing house churches, and in 2018, had been serving a 10-year sentence at Iran's notorious Evin Prison. 

The Christian News article, from Morning Star News, said that the pastor was released in late February, "following the pardon and release earlier in the month of Hadi Rahimi and Zaman Fadaei, religious freedom advocates said. While welcoming the releases, they noted that those released had already served significant portions of their sentences in cases marred by legal irregularities even by Iranian standards." A representative of Middle East Concern stated, "Their pardon hardly addresses the injustice of the original sentencing and suffering that the men and their families endured,” adding, “But we are glad for their sakes that they are free and with their families again.”

The article notes: 

The February pardons were part of a larger game of musical chairs the Iranian state plays with prisoners of conscience, including religious conscience. On Jan. 28, authorities released Anahita Khademi, a Christian convert, on a bail bond of 180 million toman (about US$4,000) in connection with various charges, including distributing “propaganda against the system” and “disturbing public opinion.”

VT Christian school faces tournament ban for forfeiting game with transgender player

Not only is it unfair for biological males claiming to be female to compete in female sports, but it presents a threat to player safety, according to a Vermont Christian school team that forfeited a game recently, according to The Daily Citizen, which quoted from a statement from Mid Vermont Christian School to Fox News, published at National Review: “We believe playing against an opponent with a biological male jeopardizes the fairness of the game and the safety of our players. Allowing biological males to participate in women’s sports sets a bad precedent for the future of women’s sports in general.”

But, as The Daily Citizen reports, "Yet, in response to MVCS’ decision, their entire school is now being punished, excluded, and caste [sic] aside in the name of 'inclusion' and 'fairness.'"  The Vermont Principals Association, in a statement, said: "The VPA’s Executive Council met today, March 13th, 2023 to discuss the relevant forfeiture. The result was a determination that policies have been violated at the school level, thus there is an immediate determination of ineligibility for Mid-Vermont Christian in VPA sanctioned activities and tournaments going forward."

The article states, "All Christians should be calling foul at that decision."

The article points out that in events sponsored by the Association, a statement is read, and the article states that VPA "tells attendees and athletes to maintain respect for everyone’s religion,' but then punishes Christians for living up to their deeply held religious convictions – not to mention basic biological facts."

The 3 - March 12, 2023

This week's edition of The 3, spotlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, including a story out of UK about a pro-life advocate who has now been arrested twice for praying outside an abortion clinic against the backdrop of a new law, which has been extended throughout the UK.  Also, a controversial nominee to the Federal Communications Commission has withdrawn her name from consideration.  Plus, the issue of biological males competing in girls' sports has had some developments recently, including proposed federal legislation. 

Pro-life lady in UK arrested for silent prayer at abortion clinic arrested again; new law passed

Perhaps you're familiar with the case of a British lady named Isabel Vaughn-Spruce.  In December, she was arrested in front of an abortion clinic engaging in silent prayer.  According to Liberty University's Standing for Freedom Center:

Vaughn-Spruce was initially arrested on December 6 for violating the Public Space Protection Order after police received a complaint that she might be praying silently in her head. Police searched and arrested her and she was charged with protesting and engaging in an act that is intimidating to service users, even though she was praying outside of operational hours. The charges were later dropped, but when police said she could be re-arrested in the future, Vaughn-Spruce sought an official ruling and a judge found her not guilty.

Just days ago, according to the article, Vaughn-Spruce was arrested again for silent prayer outside the clinic. The story goes on to say that the day that she was arrested again, "Parliament voted to expand censorial buffer zones around all abortion clinics across the U.K., banning anyone from attempting to influence — through thought, word, or deed — a woman’s decision to have an abortion."  The website, in the article published last Wednesday, said: 

Yesterday’s vote effectively expands the Public Spaces Protection Order across the entirety of England and Wales. That law, first implemented in October in five local councils, made it illegal to engage in various forms of “protest” in areas surrounding abortion clinics. Since then, multiple pro-lifers have been arrested for praying silently, including Isabel Vaughn-Spruce, who was charged by police in December and again this past Monday for the crime of “praying in her mind.”

Member of Parliament Danny Kruger said: “We are making a momentous step, we are crossing an enormous river. When we criminalize prayer… or indeed consensual conversations… we are doing something of enormous significance.”  Jeremiah Igunnubole of Alliance Defending Freedom UK, stated, "...it is extremely regrettable that Parliament, which exists to protect and champion the rights of the electorate, has taken a clear stance against fundamental freedoms, opening the door for nationwide thought-crime prosecution.”

FCC nominee withdraws from nomination

After three Senate hearings, hours of testimony, and opposition stated by advocacy groups like National Religious Broadcasters, Gigi Sohn, nominated to serve on the Federal Communications Commission, withdrew her nomination. The Washington Post quoted from the ex-nominee, who said, "The unrelenting, dishonest and cruel attacks on my character and my career as an advocate for the public interest have taken an enormous toll on me and my family." 

But, as Troy Miller, the CEO of NRB had stated, “Ms. Sohn is an activist lawyer who has made no secret of her contempt for conservative media,” adding, “As a professional association that exists to keep platforms open for Christian communicators, we have serious concern about Ms. Sohn’s demonstrated hostility to broadcasters and her apparent openness to the use of FCC regulatory action to censor ideas with which she personally disagrees.”  Miller noted that Sohn could possibly act by "jeopardizing broadcast licenses to limit what kinds of political perspectives can be expressed on-air."  

Developments occur on the issue of biological males in women's sports 

Across the nation, the allowing of biological males to compete against girls in female sports is facing challenges.  One of the most recent developments has to do with an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to become involved in a case out of West Virginia, in which a law was passed to prevent male participation in female sports, which was upheld by a federal district court and placed on hold by an appeals court.  An article at FoxNews.com states that a soccer player from the state, Lainey Armistead "...and her lawyers from the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to weigh in on her case against the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). That group is trying to strike down West Virginia's Save Women's Sports Act, which bans male student athletes who identify and present themselves as female from playing on girls' school sports teams."

18 states have passed legislation to prevent boys from competing in girls' sports. And, there is activity on the Federal level; ADF, on its website, reported on the introduction into the U.S. Senate of the "Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, a bill that protects women’s sports by clarifying that allowing males to compete on women’s teams violates Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 for federally funded schools and colleges..."

Similar legislation has been introduced into the House, according to Alliance Defending Freedom's website, which also reported that a three-judge panel of the Second Circuit had upheld a policy in Connecticut allowing male participation in female sports, but that decision will be reviewed by the entire court; ADF's Christiana Kiefer stated: "We’re pleased the 2nd Circuit has decided to rehear this important case, and we urge the court to protect women’s athletic opportunities. Eighteen states have enacted laws that protect women and girls from having to compete against males, and polls show that a majority of Americans agree that the competition is no longer fair when males are permitted to compete in women’s sports. Every woman deserves the respect and dignity that comes with having an equal opportunity to excel and win in athletics, and ADF remains committed to protecting the future of women’s sports.”

The 3 - March 5, 2023

This week's edition of The 3, highlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, includes developments on the gender identity front, with two states recently approving laws to protect children from damaging treatments and surgeries that falsely claim to help a child change his or her biological sex.  Also, a pro-life reality TV star's miscarriage has been mischaracterized by those who want to make her look as if she is being hypocritical.  And, a California teacher has lost her job because she would not be dishonest regarding disclosing information about a child's declaration of "gender identity" and the use of pronouns that do not represent a child's biological sex. 

MS, TN governors sign laws to protect children from gender treatments and surgeries

Liberty Counsel began a piece on its website in this way:

As the gender ideology assault on America’s children continues, state legislators are pushing back with legislation to protect minors from harmful puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and mutilating surgeries.

Approximately 100 bills have been proposed in 27 states aimed at protecting children from accessing hormone blocking drugs, surgeries and other types of “gender-affirming care.” Other draft laws being debated in state legislatures entail pronoun use in schools and biological boys in girls’ sports teams and bathrooms.

It noted that...

...Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves signed into law HB 1125, known as the “Regulate Experimental Adolescent Procedures Act,” which prohibits puberty blockers and any “gender transition” medical procedures on minors.

The Clarion-Ledger quoted the governor:

"There is a dangerous movement that's spreading across America today. It's advancing under the guise of a false ideology, and pseudoscience is being pushed onto our children through radical activists, social media and online influencers, and it's trying to convince our children that they are in the wrong body," Reeves said. "This dangerous movement attempts to convince these children that they're just a surgery away from happiness. It threatens our children's innocence, and it threatens their health."

Meanwhile, just a few days afterward, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed a bill that would ban these types of treatments and surgeries for minors and protected children in another way.

Regarding the first bill, The Tennessean says that House Majority Leader William Lamberth, who sponsored the legislation, "said minors lack the maturity to make 'life-altering' medical decisions before they become adults." He added, "These treatments and procedures have a lifetime of negative consequences that are irreversible..." The article also reported that the governor signed a bill that would prevent drag shows from being performed in the presence of children:

Lee also signed off on a new law to prohibit "adult-oriented" entertainment, including "male and female impersonators," from public property and limit it to age-restricted venues.

Pro-life organizations respond to distortion of Christian reality star's miscarriage

Since the Dobbs decision returning abortion laws to the states, there has been a significant amount of misrepresentation from the pro-abortion side about the effects of overturning Roe v. Wade. 

Live Action reported on a recent instance, in which reality star Jessa Duggar Seewald's miscarriage was characterized in an irresponsible way. The article stated:

Seewald shared a video about her miscarriage on YouTube, expressing her heartbreak after the loss of her fifth child. After she began bleeding, she visited the doctor, who told her the outcome didn’t look good. “Nothing could have prepared me for the weight of those words in that moment,” she said in the video. “At that moment I was just in complete shock. I didn’t have words. I just immediately started crying.”

Because she had health risks preventing her from passing the body of her preborn child at home, she had to have a post-miscarriage dilation and curettage, or D&C. “I was able to thank God in that moment for giving us this life, even if we wouldn’t be able to hold this baby in our arms,” she said, adding, “Those 10 to 15 minutes before I was taken back to the room where Ben and my mom were waiting were probably some of the hardest in my life, just laying there feeling so alone.”

But some with a pro-abortion bent claimed she had had an abortion. Lila Rose of Live Action did not mince words; she tweeted out, “This is at best ignorance, at worst a cruel lie. Jessa miscarried. Her baby passed away & she needed a surgery to remove her little one’s body. An abortion intentionally kills a living baby. Abortion is an intentional act of homicide, a miscarriage is a tragic natural death.”

Charlotte Lozier Institute issued a statement regarding the coverage of the incident by Parade Magazine; saying: "Lozier Institute today called on Parade Magazine to apologize to Jessa Duggar Seewald and the millions of women who have walked through the valley of miscarriage, which the magazine chose to conflate with the intentional killing of an unborn child."

Dr. Ingrid Skop of the Institute, a practicing OB/GYN doctor, stated:

Parade chose to misrepresent Jessa Duggar Seewald’s tragic pregnancy loss and in doing so rekindled the hurt, sadness and grief experienced by thousands of women, their partners, and their families every year. Parade’s decision places the online media outlet’s pro-abortion ideology over basic human empathy. There is nothing pro-woman about their coverage.

California teacher loses job for not using gender pronouns

When students demand that teacher call them by pronouns corresponding to their so-called "gender identity," essentially, the teacher is being asked not to tell the truth about their biological sex. It is also unethical and unbiblical for a teacher to hide students' declaration of their gender identity from their parents. A California teacher is no longer employed by her school district because of her refusal to comply with the district's LGBTQ-friendly policies.

An article at The Washington Stand stated:

Jurupa Unified School District served physical education teacher Jessica Tapia, mother of three, with a Notice of Unprofessional Conduct for not embracing the district’s new polices promoting transgender identities and, on January 31, fired her after determining it could not accommodate her religious beliefs.

District administrators directed Tapia “to refrain from disclosing the gender identity of a student who is transgender to a parent who does not know the student’s gender identity” and “to address students by their preferred name and preferred gender pronouns.” But she told them that her religious beliefs made her “unable to comply” with the two directives.

Article writer Joshua Arnold said that in a meeting with school district officials last fall, according to Tapia, "I made sure to clarify..., too, with [the] district personnel that were sitting across from me. I looked them in the eye, and I said, ‘Are you asking me to lie to parents?’ and they said, ‘Yes. It’s the law.’”  

Arnold notes: 

This is false, of course. California law stipulates that “parents … have an absolute right to access to any and all pupil records related to their children.” In fact, accessing student records requires parental consent most cases. But if a school district is simply following the direction of the California Department of Education (CDE), they wouldn’t know that.

The article concludes by saying:

Tapia said she doesn’t believe God is “calling us to love by affirming those lies and confusion. I believe firmly that God created man and woman, and you are who he made you to be. And when someone has confusion about that, I believe that’s lies and confusion from the devil.”