The 3 - August 27, 2023

This week's edition of The 3, featuring three recent stories of relevance to the Christian community, includes the instance of a ministry finding that its bank had closed its account.  Also, Louisiana students will be seeing the national motto in school beginning this school year.  And, a Canadian pastor will have charges dropped against him and his church after the congregation continued to meet during COVID.

Another bank severs ties with Christian organization

A few months ago, I shared a conversation with former Ambassdor-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, who is also a former U.S. Senator and Kansas Governor, Sam Brownback.  In our interview, he related that an organization he leads, the National Committee for Religious Freedom, had its bank account at JP Morgan Chase closed out.  This occurred last year.

Now, another religious organization may have experienced a similar set of circumstances.  Ministry Watch reported that Indigenous Advance Ministries, described as "a Christian ministry group that supports needy children in Uganda," had its account closed by Bank of America.  The ministry had received a letter that stated, "Upon review of your account(s), we have determined you’re operating a business type we have chosen not to service at Bank of America...” The article goes on to say: "Another letter informed them the bank would be restricting the ministry’s deposit account with a balance of over $270,000 and close it within 30 days."

Members of the ministry's board went to the bank for answers, but did not receive more information. The Ministry Watch article relates:

Now the Memphis-based ministry has filed a consumer complaint with Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti’s office “to investigate whether the bank illegally discriminated against the charity because of its religious views,” read a press statement released August 22 by Alliance Defending Freedom, a religious liberty legal defense group helping Indigenous Advance.

The article does say that, "Bank of America contacted MinistryWatch, stating that it doesn’t offer banking services to groups that provide debt collection services nor does it serve small businesses operating outside the United States."

Louisiana students will see national motto in schools

Students going back to school in the state of Louisiana will be seeing a motto displayed in their schools, as the result of legislation signed by Governor Edwards in June of this year.  At The Stream website, an article from Liberty Counsel states:

House Bill 8, signed into law by Governor John Bel Edwards in June 2023, amends Louisiana’s existing law which only required schools to display the motto in at least one location. The measure passed both the Louisiana House and Senate chambers without any votes cast in opposition.

Under the law, students are to receive instruction on “patriotic customs,” including teaching on the “In God We Trust” motto. To support this instruction, the law specifies that motto displays are to be “a poster or framed document that is at least 11 inches by 14 inches” and the motto must be “the central focus” of the display and be “printed in a large, easily readable font.”

The law, which does not require school districts to use their funds in order to post the motto, became effective earlier this month, meaning this year's students will be seeing the motto in schools in the state.  Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel said:

The display of our national motto ‘In God We Trust’ and teaching about it in schools educates children about our national history. America was founded upon Judeo-Christian values. The Declaration of Independence declares that our rights come from God, not government. Acknowledging this undeniable heritage is not only constitutional, it’s imperative to sustaining a collective memory of how our nation came to be. Now that the 1971 ‘Lemon Test’ has been overturned by the Supreme Court, religious symbols, words, displays, and viewpoints will have more breathing room.

Pastor, other Canadians to have charges dropped in light of COVID arrests

In Canada, a number of pastors in the country had run afoul of restrictions that were put in place during the COVID pandemic, which placed restrictions on churches' ability to worship.

One was Pastor James Coates of Gracelife Church in the Alberta province.  The CBC stated:

Pastor James Coates was charged in February 2021 after holding church services in breach of government-imposed public health measures, including restrictions on the number of people allowed at gatherings and physical distancing and masking requirements.

In an email to CBC News, prosecutor Karen Thorsrud confirmed she will not call further evidence in the cases against Coates or his church, Gracelife, and will "invite the court to acquit both defendants of all charges."

The CBC article opened by stating:

Albertans still facing charges for breaking pandemic-related laws are off the hook after a court decision ruled the province's health orders were invalid because they breached the Public Health Act.

The move follows a court decision issued three weeks ago which found politicians made the final decision on the province's pandemic-related health restrictions instead of the Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH), which isn't allowed under the Act.

Pastor Coates had been released from prison, but the charges were still pending - those will apparently go away this week.

The 3 - August 20, 2023

This week's edition of The 3, focusing on three recent stories of relevance to the Christian community, features a new ruling by a federal appeals court that would limit distribution of the abortion pill, pending a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court.  Also, North Carolina lawmakers rejected the governor's vetoes that would ban gender-change surgeries and treatments, prevent biological males from competing against females in sports, and uphold parental rights.  Meanwhile, in California, another school board has pass a policy that would require school officials to inform parents if their children expresses an intent to identify as a gender conflicting with their biological sex. 

Federal appeals court turns back the clock on FDA abortion pill restrictions

Even though the Court stopped short of totally banning the abortion pill, nevertheless a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled last week that guardrails that had been removed by the current and a previous Administration should not have been removed and that the pill should not be available via mail.  The Washington Stand reports that the appeals court...

...ruled against laxer safety standards placed on the abortion pill by the Obama and Biden administrations. In the case, Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a collection of doctors and OB-GYNs represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom argued the FDA had negligently abused its expedited approval of the chemical abortion drug mifepristone in 2000 for political purposes.

The article says that the court's decision...

• reduces the number of weeks mifepristone may be dispensed from 10 weeks to seven;
• stipulates that only a physician may prescribe the pill, also known as RU-486;
• ends telemed abortions by requiring an abortion-minded woman to have three in-person visits with a doctor: the first to confirm pregnancy and to take mifepristone, the second to take misoprostol, and a follow-up to check for adverse effects caused by the chemical abortion;
• bars abortion pills from being sent through the mail; and
• mandates that abortionists report all adverse events caused by mifepristone, not merely when the pill causes a woman’s death.

But, these measures will not be implemented, at least not just yet.  As The Washington Stand notes:

The Supreme Court issued a stay requiring the case to be fully adjudicated, possibly all the way to the High Court, before the appeals court ruling can take effect. Justices have not yet indicated if they plan to hear the case without a conflicting ruling from another court.

NC Legislature overrides governor's vetoes in areas of gender policy, parental rights

It was a night for overturning the vetoes of North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper in the state Legislature last week, and the bills that it had passed rejecting LGBT-friendly principles and affirming parents' rights were allowed to go through.  

As The Daily Citizen reports:

The North Carolina legislature overrode vetoes from Governor Roy Cooper to pass three family-friendly laws: House Bill 808 – Prohibiting “Gender Transition” of Minors; Senate Bill – 49, Parents’ Bill of Rights; and House Bill 574 – Fairness in Women’s Sports Act.

The North Carolina Family Policy Council (NC Family) celebrated the victories, saying the legislation “will significantly help children grow up in a healthy and safe environment.”

The article states:

NC Family noted that these drugs, hormones and surgeries “cause a host of medical problems.” The group pointed to Prisha Mosley, a North Carolina resident who began testosterone injections when she was only 17. She filed a lawsuit alleging that counselors and doctors committed fraud and medical malpractice when they encouraged her to transition, prescribed testosterone and removed her breasts.

North Carolina is the 20th state to pass “Help Not Harm” legislation, protecting vulnerable adolescent and teen girls like Mosley from damaging experimental procedures which stop normal development and cause physical and emotional injuries.

The Parents' Bill of Rights, according to the article, "...helps to 'clarify and codify parental rights as they relate to their child’s healthcare and education,' NC Family explained." Plus, it "encourages parental involvement in schools, keeps K-4 curriculum free of sex ed and gender ideology, and informs parents if their child requests to be referred to by a different name or pronouns at school.”  Passage of the third bill makes the Tarheel State the 23rd state to pass legislation preventing biological males from participating in female sports - the North Carolina bill addresses middle and high school, as well as college sports.

Advancement of parental rights continues in CA

Another school board in California has passed a policy that would require that parents be informed if school officials have knowledge about developments regarding their child's sexuality.  The California Policy Council reports on its website:

...the Murrieta Valley Unified School District approved a policy mandating staff members notify parents if a student wishes to “identify” as gender different from their biological sex. This makes it the second school district in the Inland Empire region to adopt such a policy.

The article goes on to say:

The proposal was put forth by board President Paul F. Diffley III and clerk Nicolas Pardue. It mirrored the most recent policy from Chino Valley Unified School District, which similarly mandates that staff inform parents if their child wants to change their name or pronoun in order to identify as a gender different from what is listed on their birth certificate..

FoxNews.com reported that "MVUSD's move came after California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a civil rights investigation..." into the actions of the Chino Valley district.  

This comes against the backdrop of legislation in the Golden State that places limitations on parental rights.  CBN.com reported:

Parents in California could face jail time for speaking out on behalf of their children at school board meetings if the state legislature passes a bill that would criminalize any adult for disrupting or creating "substantial disorder."

Critics warn it is a way to stop parents from speaking out.

SB 596 was already passed in the California State Senate in May and is making its way through the floor of the lower chamber as lawmakers have broadened some terms in the law.

That article was linked to the My Faith Votes website, which announced a rally scheduled to have taken place earlier today at the State Capitol in Sacramento, led by Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills.  The article states:

Sacramento Rally for Parental Rights & Lobby Day is taking place to lobby against anti-parent bills:

• AB 665 - State-Sanctioned Kidnapping

• AB 957 - Judges Must Side with Gender Affirming Parents Over Custody

• AB 1078 - The State Taking Control Over Local School Boards

• AB 5 - Training Teachers to Profile Non-LGBTQ Affirming Parents

• SB 596 - Silencing Parental Free Speech.

The 3 - August 13, 2023

This week's edition of The 3, shining the spotlight on issues impacting the Christian community, there is new evidence that indicates that more than one FBI field office were looking at certain Catholics as possible domestic terrorists.  Also, Ohioans went the polls to try to raise the bar through which the state constitution can be amendment, a key move that would decrease the chances of a new amendment that establishes a so-called "right" to abortion and allows minors to receive gender transition surgeries.  Plus, a bill designed to reduce the impact of pregnancy resource centers in Illinois has been put on hold by a federal judge.

Catholics still under watchful eye of federal law enforcement

Earlier this year, it was reported that the FBI was looking into what have been termed "Traditional Catholics" as possible domestic terrorists.  That term was used by Life Site News in a recent article, which stated that: "New documents obtained by Rep. Jim Jordan...show that FBI offices in Los Angeles and Portland were involved in the creation of the FBI’s memo that described Traditional Catholics as potential domestic terrorists."

In a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, Jordan wrote, “On July 25, 2023, the FBI produced a version of the Richmond document with fewer redactions than the two previous versions it had produced,” adding,. “This new version shows that the FBI’s actions were not just limited to ‘a single field office,’ as you testified to the Committee."  Jordan went on to say:

“This new information suggests that the FBI’s use of its law enforcement capabilities to intrude on American’s First Amendment rights is more widespread than initially suspected and reveals inconsistencies with your previous testimony before the Committee. Given this startling new information, we write to request additional information to advance our oversight.”

The article states that "Jordan also called on Wray to 'amend' his testimony and to more fully 'explain the nature and scope of the FBI’s assessment of traditional Catholics as potential domestic terrorists.'"  He set a deadline of 5:00 Eastern on the afternoon of August 22.

Ohio voters reject opportunity to increase threshold for approving constitutional amendments

Residents of Ohio went to the polls last Tuesday to vote on an amendment that would require 60% of voters to approve proposed amendments to the state constitution. The Washington Stand reported:

57% of Ohioans voted against Issue 1 in the August special election, according to unofficial results reported by the Ohio Secretary of State’s office. The issue would have required 60% of state voters to approve a proposed constitutional amendment in the initiative and referendum process, up from a simple majority adopted during the Progressive Era in 1912.

This was a key vote tied into a November vote on a proposed amendment that would place a so-called "right to abortion" in the state's constitution, an effort by the abortion industry to promote the taking of unborn human life that has received massive amounts of funding.  And there's more - the Washington Stand article points out:

A coalition of abortionists and their lobbyists has placed a measure on the November ballot that would add a “right” to abortion and minors’ gender transitions to the state constitution. Its supporters say it would restore the status that long held under Roe v. Wade, but opponents say it would effectively allow minors to obtain an abortion up to the moment of birth and confer a right for children to have transgender surgeries without parental consent or notification.

Approval of Issue 1 would have raised the threshold for November, but the money flowing into the state to defeat the referendum was just too much, which is a foreshadowing of what's to come. The article notes:

The official group opposing Issue 1 had a fundraising advantage of three-to-one and outspent pro-life forces 10-to-1. The pro-life Protect Our Constitution raised $4.9 million through July 19, compared to $14.8 million for the “No” campaign’s One Person One Vote. Protect the Constitution spent $1.6 million, compared to $10.4 million, according to an analysis from the Dayton Daily News.

That publication said, “A sizable chunk of the campaign’s money came from progressive dark money groups."

Legal relief comes for opponents of new Illinois law attempting to curb pregnancy centers

Recently on The Meeting House, the President of the National Institute for Family and Life Advocates, or NIFLA, Thomas Glessner, reported on two new state laws - one in Vermont and the other in Illinois - that negatively impact the work of pro-life pregnancy resource centers.

There has been court action concerning the Illinois law, and represents good news for the centers.  A press release from NIFLA stated:

In a big win for pregnancy centers in IL, the National Institute for Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA) and their attorneys at the Thomas More Society, a federal court judge has issued a preliminary injunction in court today in National Institute of Family Life Advocates et al. v. Raoul to block Illinois’ new law targeting pro-life pregnancy ministries.

Glessner is quoted as saying:

"This is a huge win for women and their families seeking assistance for an unplanned pregnancy, many of whom have nowhere else to go for help. It's also a big win for pro-life pregnancy centers whose First Amendment rights have been blatantly attacked by the state of Illinois who want to force them to go against their deeply held beliefs that women deserve better than abortion. This is also a victory for a woman's fundamental constitutional right to choose life and we are incredibly grateful to our attorneys at the Thomas More Society for their relentless work fighting for pregnancy centers to continue to help women in need..."