The 3 - May 4, 2025

National Day of Prayer I: Religious Liberty Commission announced

There are several developments for which this year's National Day of Prayer could be remembered.  In addition to gathering at a variety of locations from city halls to county courthouses and a variety of venues, there was a National Day of Prayer event that occurred in the Rose Garden at the White House.

At that event, it was announced that a Religious Liberty Commission would be established. Fox News reported that:

Trump unveiled plans for the new commission during a National Day of Prayer event at the White House and signed it later in the event.

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick will serve as the chairman of the commission, Trump said from the White House Rose Garden.

"The last administration attacked people of faith for four years," Patrick said Thursday. "There's a saying that no one should get between a doctor and a patient. I think we would say no one should get between God and a believer. No one should get between God and those seeking him."

The article at the Fox website reported:

The Religious Liberty Commission will compose a report evaluating threats to religious liberty in the U.S., ways to enhance religious freedom and examine the history of American religious liberty, according to a White House fact sheet on the executive order.

The report will address issues including parental rights in religious education, school choice, attacks on religious places of worship, and free speech issues for religious organizations, according to the fact sheet.

Members of the Commission include President, CEO, and Chief Counsel of Christian legal organization Kelly Shackelford.  First Liberty's website also listed other members of the group, including Chairman, Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, Vice-Chairman, former HUD Secretary Ben Carson, and other notables including: Franklin Graham, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Phil McGraw, and others.

National Day of Prayer II: HHS announces report on gender transition attempts, lawsuit against Alabama law dropped

The subject of gender identity and troublesome attempts by some in the medical community to assist minors in changing their "gender" was front and center on Thursday, May 1, the National Day of Prayer.  

Christian Newswire published a press release from the Department of Health and Human Services, which stated:

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health and Office of Population Affairs, released a comprehensive review of the evidence and best practices for promoting the health of children and adolescents with gender dysphoria. This review, informed by an evidence-based medicine approach, reveals serious concerns about medical interventions, such as puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries, that attempt to transition children and adolescents away from their sex.

The press release quoted from National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya, who said: “Our duty is to protect our nation’s children—not expose them to unproven and irreversible medical interventions,” adding, “We must follow the gold standard of science, not activist agendas.”  The HHS press release also related:

Despite increasing pressure to promote these drastic medical interventions for our nation’s youth, the review makes clear: the science and evidence do not support their use, and the risks cannot be ignored.

The website, JustTheNews.com reported:

The Biden administration politicized the science of treatment for youth gender confusion by hiding taxpayer-funded research that found no improvement in mental health for youth on puberty blockers and by bearing down on a standards-setting group to remove age minimums for so-called gender-affirming hormonal and surgical procedures from a draft.

The Trump administration is pushing back on both fronts, rushing a new policy to immediately make public National Institutes of Health-funded research results and releasing a massive review of youth gender medicine that echoes earlier findings from Europe, which has drastically restricted drugs and surgery for gender-confused youth.

The article went on to say:

The moves pleasantly surprised administration critics such as University of California San Francisco HIV researcher Monica Gandhi, who has repeatedly intoned against cuts to health research funding but praised NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya for the "extremely fair and good" transparency policy.

Science writer Jesse Singal, who broke the news that transgender Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary Rachel Levine interfered in Standards of Care 8 by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, said he was shocked the gender medicine review was neither "hackish" nor "authored by cranks."

Rachel Levine is a former HHS assistant director, a biological male named Richard, presenting as a female. Just the News reported that his treachery was discovered by Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall in his defense of an Alabama law preventing the use of surgeries and treatments designed to help young people change their "gender."

The website article noted:

... the plaintiffs in litigation against Alabama's ban on gender-affirming care for minors, which had accidentally exposed Levine's interference, dropped the case Thursday.

Legal discovery showed "key medical organizations misled parents, promoted unproven treatments as settled science, and ignored growing international concern" over the procedures, said the office of state Attorney General Steve Marshall.

"It is no surprise" they quit, Marshall said.

New proposed OK school could become the nation's first religious charter school; SCOTUS hears challenge

Last Wednesday, according to article at the Liberty Counsel website:

...the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond where the Justices appeared to favor including a faith-based school in Oklahoma’s public charter school program that had been excluded due to being a religious institution. The case considers whether a state may discriminate and exclude a faith-based school from state funding in a public charter school program simply because of its religious affiliation. A second question in the case asks whether a religious private school that partners with the state to offer a free educational option for interested students becomes a “state actor” that treads over the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause by funding religious education.

Liberty Counsel's interest in the case?  The piece on its website noted:

Liberty Counsel filed an amicus brief in the case on behalf of Covenant Journey Academy (CJA) noting that SCOTUS has long recognized that parents bear the primary responsibility for directing their children’s education – a fundamental right that must necessarily include the ability to choose a school that accords with their values and meets their children’s needs.

Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver, heard on Freedom's Call on Faith Radio, is Founder and Chancellor of CJA, which is an online school.  Staver is quoted as saying on the Liberty Counsel website: "...Faith-based, virtual schools offer parents an alternative when government-run schools fail to provide a safe or ideologically neutral environment for the families they claim to serve. The Supreme Court has made clear that when a state attempts to impose an educational model that contradicts the deeply held beliefs of parents, it trespasses on the Constitution."

The 3 - April 27, 2025

Pope Francis laid to rest, Catholic Church deals with its direction

There has been no shortage of coverage and response to the death of Pope Francis.  His funeral took place this past weekend, and according to WORLD Magazine:

The Vatican estimated that more than a quarter of a million people filled St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican for the service. The 88-year-old head of the Roman Catholic Church died of a stroke on April 21, Easter Monday, after a dozen years of leadership.

Before the mass, uniformed pallbearers carried Francis’ simple wooden coffin from St. Peter’s Basilica, where his body had lain in state, to the square outside. Cardinals lined the basilica’s central aisle until the pope’s coffin passed through.

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, gave the funeral sermon. He said Francis was a pope of the people, a simple pastor with an informal and spontaneous speaking style.

The article went on to say: "After the funeral mass, a modified popemobile carried Francis’ coffin to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where he had asked to be buried."

Another WORLD article noted that the conclave to select a new Pope will begin next week:

Catholic cardinals on Monday said they will begin next week the conclave process to elect Pope Francis’ successor, according to the Vatican’s news service. Until the conclave begins, cardinals are working on getting to know one another as the mourning period for Francis continues, British Cardinal Vincent Nichols told the Associated Press. One of them will be chosen by the rest as the new pope.

A total of 135 cardinals are qualified as electors for the conclave, according to Vatican statistics. Only cardinals younger than 80 can be electors. The majority of them were appointed by Francis. But some of them may not actually travel to Rome to participate in the vote—just over a hundred electors were in Rome on Monday, Vatican News reported. About 22 cardinals worldwide are considered papabili, or leading candidates for the job of pope, by Catholic journalists and researchers at the College of Cardinals Report.

The death of Pope Francis marks a potential pivot point for the Roman Catholic Church.  As a practicing Protestant, I think it is very clear within a variety of Protestant denominations that choices are being made - are these bodies going to pursue a more traditional direction based on Scripture or a more progressive direction based on a worldly interpretation of Holy Writ?

It is also happened within the Catholic Church - and while many have praised the character and compassion of Pope Francis, there are, among conservative, or traditional Catholics, concerns about the direction of the Church.

I came across several commentaries over at The Stream, the Founder and President of which is evangelical minister James Robison. 

Jules Gomes wrote:

The pope’s cheerleaders portrayed him as the long-awaited messianic reformer who spoke truth to political power — and even in his final days, challenged their nemesis, Donald Trump, by egging the U.S. bishops to defy his efforts to deport illegal aliens.

For his detractors Francis was nothing short of Machiavellian — a manipulative micromanager, a megalomaniacal dictator, and a Neville Chamberlain redivivus who struck Faustian bargains with Islamic jihadists, globalist vaccine peddlers, pro-Palestinian antisemites, and Beijing’s communist nabobs while trading Catholicism for kitsch.

Gomes added: "For the media, it was love at first sight...," adding, "It seemed like the pope’s honeymoon with the chattering classes would last forever, with the media devouring his daily soundbites that veered dangerously off script, especially during high-altitude press conferences on the papal plane."  He also wrote:

Francis, ad libbing on how atheists would go to Heaven and the existence of a “gay lobby” in the Vatican, confirmed that his would be a papacy of improvisation — and, adventurous, perhaps even risky, innovation.

And then on July 29, 2013, during an press conference on the plane while flying back from Brazil, he uttered five little words that would become the signature of his papacy: “Who am I to judge?” he said when asked about gay priests in the Church.

Also in the Stream piece, Gomes wrote:

As his health continued to fail, Francis devoted his attention to creating the optimal conditions for his successor to seal his legacy. In a series of consistories, the pope nominated cardinal-electors who align with his agenda on LGBT rights, synodality, climate change, migrant issues, and social justice, most recently in October 2024.

Another Stream piece, by Auguste Meyrat, included his comments how Pope Francis' predecessor, Pope Benedict "labored to reform the church," relating about Benedict, that "however brilliantly he articulated the profundities of Catholicism, most people simply remembered how he made them feel: guilty, mediocre, and incredibly stupid. For conservative Catholics like myself, this seemed appropriate when we were seeing our beloved religion succumb to hollow ideologies of multiculturalism, relativism, and neopaganism. For everyone else, it was an unpardonable offense."  So, as Meyrat points out:

Naturally, Pope Francis went in the opposite direction, doing his utmost to convert the Church into a leftist NGO. He prioritized the same things as leftist secular governments, had the same soft spots for dictators and communist regimes, and treated moral controversies with unbelievable flippancy. As promised, he “made a mess” by promoting shameless cronies and demoting principled detractors, allowing chronic problems to fester, and stomping on the few instances of growth in the Church.

Stream Senior Editor John Zmirak, a notable Catholic writer, said regarding Pope Francis:

But must we pretend that we will miss him? Or that it would be anything but a catastrophe if the cardinals Francis handpicked — many of them proteges of the child-molesting leftist Machiavelli Theodore McCarrick — were to elect another pope with Francis’s theology and politics? Indeed, if the next pope follows Francis even further into surrendering before the secular world and refashioning the Gospel to accommodate sexual perversion and woke politics, it would discredit the authority of the papacy itself.

He goes on to say:

Must we spin webs of words about Francis’s “compassion” and “humility” that even his supporters don’t really believe? His carefully staged humility photo ops were markedly at odds with his rigorous grasp on power, and his persecution of traditional Catholics who dared to question his doctrinal deviations from Catholic tradition and Scripture: convents seized, religious orders dissolved, bishops fired, cardinals stripped of office.

Francis has largely forbidden the traditional liturgy of the Church around the world, even though it has been the center of religious revival among young Catholics, fostering large faithful families and many religious vocations. Francis has seen the green shoots springing up in the Church, and sprayed them with weed killer.

So, we recognize the Catholic Church as a powerful force for good in this world, and a recognized spiritual force, even though there are deep theological differences between Protestants and Catholics. But, leadership can certainly shape the direction of the Church, and it does seem that there are concerns about a progressive bent over which Pope Francis presided.  Will the cardinals who are tasked with selecting a new Pope continue in this direction?  Or will they signal a return to the steady traditionalism of Pope Benedict?   People who name the name of Christ worldwide can certainly watch and pray.

EEOC Commissioner sues to get job back, Christian organizations stand with President in lawsuit

An article at The Daily Signal relates that two commissioners serving on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Jocelyn Samuels and Charlotte Burrows, "used their years on the...Commission to require employers to facilitate gender transitions and abortions. Shortly after his Jan. 20 inauguration, Trump ordered the independent agency to rescind its gender-identity mandate."

They chose not to comply, so the President fired them.  Samuels wants her job back, so she's filed a lawsuit against the President. 

The article notes that, "On Thursday, the Christian Employers Alliance and Choices Pregnancy Center of Greater Phoenix moved to intervene in a lawsuit opposite...Jocelyn Samuels, who they say imposed unlawful gender identity and abortion mandates on them, violating their religious freedom."

Julie Marie Blake, who serves as Senior Counsel for Regulatory Litigation at Alliance Defending Freedom, which is representing the two Christian organizations; she is quoted as saying: “Our clients are both Christian organizations. They recognize the biological reality that humans are male and female, and the biological reality that life begins at conception, and so neither of them can comply with these unlawful mandates." She adds: "Our clients are the real people who will be harmed if [Samuels] gets back into office and is able to reinforce and continue to go after employers through these mandates..."

The Daily Signal article provided more information about these mandates, stating:

The gender-identity mandate imposed by Samuels required employers to treat males as females and allow employee access to private spaces based on gender identity. The abortion mandate misused the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which is supposed to protect pregnant women, to promote a pro-abortion agenda, silence pro-life speech by employers, and force employers to facilitate elective abortions.

SCOTUS hears case involving parents wishing to "opt-out" their children from LGBT materials

In a key case involving parental rights, the U.S. Supreme Court heard a case out of Maryland in which parents in a school district had filed a lawsuit after they were denied the right to remove their children from classes where LGBT-friendly materials were being used.  The New York Post reported:

The Supreme Court indicated Tuesday it would rule in favor of a group of parents who sued a suburban Maryland school board over its refusal to allow parents of elementary school children to opt out of classes with LGBTQ-themed storybooks.

Plaintiffs argue that the school system in Montgomery County, just outside Washington, DC, cannot require children to sit through lessons involving the books if their family has religious objections.

The article goes on to say:

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) approved certain LGBTQ-themed curriculum books in late 2022. Initially, MCPS allowed an opt-out for parents with religious concerns, but by March of 2023, it reversed course, citing concerns about absenteeism and administrative burdens.

A group of parents from Muslim, Roman Catholic and Ukrainian Orthodox faiths, sued the school district, arguing the lack of an opt-out system trampled upon their religious rights as parents.

The New York Post highlighted comments from Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who "expressed concerns that the LGBTQ-laced classroom instructions aren’t merely trying to expose students to different ideas, but are about trying to impress upon students that 'this is the right view of the world' and 'how you should think about things.'” The article noted: "At times, some of the conservative justices sounded uneasy about the content of some of the books in question."

For example...

...“That’s the one where they were supposed to look for the leather and bondage things like that,” Justice Neil Gorsuch asked about the “Pride Puppy” book for pre-K students, which was later removed from the curriculum by the board.

“Pride Puppy” is a picture book aimed at three- and four-year-olds that instructs kids to look for items they might find at a gay pride parade, such as underwear, lip rings, drag kings, and late gay liberation activist Marsha Johnson, whom critics noted was once a sex worker.

Eric Baxter, attorney for one of the parents, said, “The [school] board does not dispute that under its theory, it could compel instruction using pornography, and parents would have no rights,” adding, “The First Amendment demands more. Parents, not school boards, should have the final say on such religious matters.”

The 3 - April 20, 2025

South African missionary taken at gunpoint released without harm

Last week, I told you about Josh Sullivan, a missionary from America to South Africa who was abducted from the church where he was preaching.  Prayers were requested, and late last week, it was announced that prayers were answered in a dramatic fashion.  

The Christian Post reported that:

Five days after he was kidnapped by armed men from his church in Motherwell, South Africa, Tennessee missionary Josh Sullivan was rescued and “miraculously unharmed” following a “high-intensity shootout” that left three people dead.

The article went on to say that, "A statement from the South African Police Service said the shootout happened at a safe house...where the 34-year-old pastor was being held captive." The statement said:

“As officers approached the house, they observed a vehicle on the premises. The suspects inside the vehicle upon seeing law enforcement allegedly attempted to flee and opened fire on the team. The officers responded with tactical precision, leading to a high-intensity shootout in which three unidentified suspects were fatally wounded..."

Now, listen to what the official statement had to say: “The victim was found inside the same vehicle from which the suspects had launched their attack. Miraculously unharmed, he was immediately assessed by medical personnel and is currently in an excellent condition.”

A previous Christian Post article gave insight into the character of Pastor Sullivan: 

Months before he was abducted from his growing church in the impoverished Motherwell township in South Africa last Thursday, Tennessee missionary and married father of four, Josh Sullivan, said he was robbed of his wallet by a young neighborhood man who almost got killed for the crime.

The article said that "Sullivan...recounted the robbery during a sermon at Tri-City Baptist Church in late December. He said members of the community offered to put the thief to death on his behalf after he was caught but he forgave the man and used the opportunity to preach the Gospel to the community instead." 

New AR law protects children, prevents faith-based adoption agencies from placing kids with gay couples

Recently, the state of Arkansas passed a law called the Keep Kids First Act, which was signed by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, according to a WORLD Magazine article, which reported:

Under the Keep Kids First Act, state officials cannot force faith-based groups to place children in homes not aligned with the groups’ religious beliefs. Agencies can continue to place children with families who affirm Biblical beliefs about gender and marriage. The bill also protects Christian adoptive or foster parents from discrimination if they refuse to accept government policy about sexual orientation or gender identity that conflicts with Biblical truth.

The article has a link to an article on an Alliance Defending Freedom website, in which Senior Counsel Greg Chafuen is quoted as saying that the new law "...prioritizes the well-being of kids by prohibiting state and local government officials from discriminating against adoption and foster care providers and parents simply because of their religious beliefs and moral convictions."
 

Lawmakers in Washington make attempt to advance and protect the work of pregnancy resource centers

Members of Congress, recognizing the incredible work of pro-life pregnancy resource centers, have introduced legislation that counterbalances actions against these centers - physical and legislative - in several states across the nation.  A CBN.com article notes:

For decades, pro-life pregnancy centers have faced attacks from abortion providers and their political allies including federal, state, and local governments.

Recently, several pro-life lawmakers on Capitol Hill have set out to change that by introducing legislation designed to keep these centers and their employees safe.

In addition to protection, the "Let Pregnancy Centers Serve Act of 2025" would prohibit government discrimination and retaliation against care centers that refuse to point to abortion as an option. Pro-life lawmakers maintain the measure is needed now more than ever.

Pro-life House member Chris Smith, who joined with other members of the House to introduce that legislation, is quoted as saying: "Notwithstanding any other law, the federal government and any individual or entity that receives federal financial assistance, including any state or local government, may not penalize or retaliate against an entity because the entity offers life-affirming support and resources to women facing unexpected pregnancy or offers life-affirming alternatives to abortion or refrains from abortion actions..."

The CBN article related that:

Following the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe versus Wade, violent attacks on crisis pregnancy centers increased. In 2022 alone, more than 100 such attacks took place nationwide, including firebombings, vandalism and deadly threats, yet authorities did not make one single arrest at that time.

Now certain states are joining the fight against pro-life centers, weaponizing various laws to stop them from saving lives.

The article pointed out examples, provided by Gabriella McIntyre, Legal Counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, including New Jersey's Attorney General investigating a group of centers and demanding certain documents that invade the center's privacy.  Plus New York's AG is attempting to prevent centers from talking to women about abortion pill reversal, which is possible after the first pill is taken.  And, the CBN article refers to an Illinois law that would force pregnancy centers to hire employees that do not share their beliefs.  

The 3 - April 13, 2025

Court rules that pro-life centers in IL do not have to promote abortion

In 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates, a consortium of pro-life pregnancy resources centers, in the face of an attempt by the state of California to force centers there to promote abortion.

Illinois lawmakers apparently wanted to do something similar, passing a law that would force pro-life centers to refer clients to abortion clinics in the state.  Alliance Defending Freedom announced online:

A federal district court permanently blocked an Illinois law that forced pro-life pregnancy centers to promote abortion in violation of their deeply held beliefs about protecting unborn life. Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys represent the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates and three pro-life pregnancy centers in a seven-year-old lawsuit against the state of Illinois.

ADF, on one of its websites, said:

In its decision, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois found that a provision of the law compelling the centers to promote abortion and its supposed “benefits,” regardless of their ethical, medical, or moral views, violated their freedom of speech...

ADF Senior Counsel Kevin Theriot stated: "The U.S. Supreme Court held in NIFLA v. Becerra that forcing people to promote abortion is unconstitutional. Pro-life pregnancy centers must be free to continue their life-affirming work without fear of government punishment.”

Colorado bill passes House that would remove children from homes if parents do not affirm "gender identity"

Colorado lawmakers last Sunday passed legislation that could result in children being removed from their homes if their parents do not go along with the LGBT agenda and affirm their children's supposed "gender identity."  The Daily Signal stated: 

The Colorado House of Representatives passed a bill Sunday that would remove kids from parents’ custody for behaviors like “misgendering” and “deadnaming”...

Rep. Jarvis Caldwell, an opponent of the legislation, said: "It’s codifying into law that if their ideology confuses your child, and you don’t affirm that delusion, you’re committing child abuse and can lose custody of your child.” Caldwell also said: “We have now crossed the Rubicon of parental rights with this bill...” The article says:

According to the bill summary, HB 1312 defines “coercive control” as including “deadnaming, misgendering, or threatening to publish material related to an individual’s gender-affirming health care services.” 

The bill's summary states, "A court shall consider reports of coercive control when determining the allocation of parental responsibilities in accordance with the best interests of the child..."  The Daily Signal article offered this glossary:

“Deadnaming” involves referring to an individual who claims to be transgender by the name that person has rejected. “Misgendering” involves referring to a person who claims to be transgender with the pronouns associated with their biological sex, rather than their preferred pronouns. “Gender-affirming health care” is a euphemism for experimental medical interventions designed to make a man appear female or vice versa.

The Washington Stand, in an article that was published prior to the passage of the bill, known as the Kelly Loving Act, through the House, quoted from Jeff Johnston, described as a "culture and policy analyst" from Focus on the Family; the article relates:

He deemed the bill as “an unconstitutional assault on parents’ rights, religious freedom, and freedom of speech.” Johnston emphasized that parents should “have the right to raise their children according to what their beliefs are,” overseeing their nurture and care. Yet, the Kelly Loving Act would shift that authority to the government.

Additionally, Johnston continued, “It forces businesses and employees to lie and use names and pronouns of those who believe they are the opposite sex or some other so-called gender altogether.” Citing the decade-long legal battle of Colorado baker Jack Philips, he argued that such laws compel individuals “to use language that would violate their free speech and their religious freedom” and that doesn’t “comport with reality.”

Lawmakers attempt to expand freedom of speech for pastors on political issues

Recently, Michael Farris, General Counsel for National Religious Broadcasters, visited with me at the NRB Convention in Dallas - that conversation can be found in our Media Center at FaithRadio.org.  One of the topics that we discussed was the Johnson Amendment, which has been characterized as restricting freedom of speech for pastors with regard to political issues, including endorsing candidates.

NRB, in a recent e-mail newsletter, highlighted proposed legislation by Rep. Mark Harris and Sen. 
James Lankford, who have...

...introduced the "Free Speech Fairness Act" which would prevent the IRS from silencing the voices of America's pastors, churches, and non-profits. The bill targets the Johnson Amendment, a tax code provision which has stripped the ability of churches and non-profits to speak out for or against any political candidate by threatening to pull their tax-exempt status.

The newsletter linked to an article on Rep. Harris' website, which said:

Since 1954, the Johnson Amendment in the tax code has suppressed the free speech of religious leaders, churches, and nonprofits by threatening the loss of tax-exempt status if they simply speak for or against any political candidate.

Representative Harris said, “People of faith should not fear exercising their First Amendment rights at the risk of the IRS coming after them. For too long, the Johnson Amendment has silenced pastors, churches, and non-profits from engaging on moral and political issues of our day for fear of losing their tax-exempt status. This attempt to muzzle people of faith must end – the Constitution is clear: Americans’ right to free speech shall not be infringed.”

The article noted that, "In 2017, President Trump signed an executive order to stop the enforcement of the Johnson Amendment while he was in office." It also said that Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise "have previously led the legislation to fix this provision in the tax code."

The bill has a total of 16 co-sponsors, including Alabama's Barry Moore.

The 3 - April 6, 2025

Justices at high court hear case on whether or not states can refuse to allocate funds to Planned Parenthood

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in an important case that could have a dramatic impact on the amount of taxpayer funding going to abortion providers such as Planned Parenthood.

The case comes out of the state of South Carolina.  According to Liberty Counsel's website:

Planned Parenthood South Atlantic and one of its Medicaid clients challenged Governor Henry McMaster’s 2018 executive order claiming it violated federal law under the Medicaid Act’s “any qualified provider” language. The law’s “any qualified provider” language grants beneficiaries the right to choose their provider from a pool of providers the state has deemed qualified.

The website goes on to say: 

Liberty Counsel filed an amicus brief in the case noting the law’s language allows for states to disqualify providers that engage in unethical and illegal practices, in which Planned Parenthood has been credibly implicated in these types of practices.

The Christian legal organization notes: "The decision could either allow states to defund and weaken the abortion industry, or require pro-life states to keep subsidizing abortion access by having to direct Medicaid funds to Planned Parenthood." It reported:

The Justices focused their questions largely around whether federal laws need to use certain “magic words” to explicitly acknowledge an individual right, and whether the Medicaid Act’s “any qualified provider” provision gives beneficiaries a mechanism to sue a state when their choice of doctor is denied.

Alliance Defending Freedom represented a South Carolina state agency, and in a post on one of its websites prior to the hearing, it included a quote from Senior Counsel John Bursch, who stated: "State officials should be free to determine that Planned Parenthood—a multi-billion-dollar activist organization—is not a real healthcare provider and is not qualified to receive taxpayer funding through Medicaid.”

Federal judge says Alabama cannot prosecute those who assist ladies in traveling to other states for abortions

A key federal court ruling occurred recently involving the state of Alabama.  The same judge that had put Alabama's strong pro-life law on hold after the Legislature passed it, who also allowed it to go into effect after the overturning of Roe v. Wade ended up with another case related to abortion - whether or not Alabama residents who assist ladies traveling to other states to obtain abortions can be prosecuted for committing a crime.

USA Today reported:

Alabama can’t prosecute people and groups who help women travel across state lines to end a pregnancy, a federal judge ruled Monday in a case that tested how far states can go to prevent residents from getting an abortion.

The decision came in response to Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall’s threat to use criminal conspiracy laws to stop people from providing logistical or other help for out-of-state abortions.

U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson said that would violate a person's right to travel and the First Amendment.

The article provided a historical perspective, stating:

Before Alabama’s strict abortion ban kicked in two years ago, the Yellowhammer Fund offered financial and logistical assistance to women seeking abortions both in Alabama and, if necessary, out of state.

The nonprofit group had prepared for the ban by developing ties with clinics in states where abortion was likely to remain legal and budgeting for more staff.

It went on to say:

But those plans were canceled after the attorney general warned − including in an August 2022 interview − “if someone was promoting themselves out as a funder of abortion out of state, then that is potentially criminally actionable for us.”

Yellowhammer was one of the plaintiffs in that lawsuit against the Attorney General filed in federal court.

Man who has used signs to communicate Biblical messages about gender facing legal action for social media post, X assisting in his defense

At the National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Dallas a few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to sit down with Chris Elston, a Canadian man who is using signage that he carries into strategic locations to present a Biblically-inspired message about gender. He has come to be known as "Billboard Chris."

A recent Christian Post article relates that an online post has garnered legal action in Australia, stating:

The case concerns a Canadian man, Chris Elston, also known as Billboard Chris, who in February 2024 wrote a post on X that was critical of the World Health Organization's decision to appoint Australian trans activist Teddy Cook as an “expert” on trans issues.

The post also included a link to a graphically descriptive article at the Daily Mail website. The article goes on to say:

Cook took exception to Elston apparently questioning his credentials to work for the WHO, and submitted a complaint to Australia’s e-Safety Commissioner.

The commissioner demanded that X remove the post, which they initially refused to do. However, following a formal order, X geo-blocked the post, making it unavailable to view in Australia.

The Post article opened with these words:

Elon Musk’s personal crusade against the “woke mind virus” is a global one and the latest frontline is to be found in Australia, where his company X is joining in a case against the country’s “e-Safety Commissioner.”

It also reported: 

Elston, together with Musk’s X, the Australian Human Rights Law Alliance, and ADF International, are appealing the decision, saying it breaches Elston’s right to free expression.

Elston had been "threatened with arrest," and a fine of over 500 U.S. dollars was levied against him, according to ADF International. The article says that Elston was "forcibly moved in Brisbane by police after conducting what it says were consensual conversations with members of the Australian public about trans issues."

Prior to last week's trial, Elston said:

“No child has ever been born in the wrong body. As a father, I have grave concerns about the impact of harmful gender ideology on our children’s well-being.

“This reality is being increasingly recognized around the world, with government after government ordering a review into the use of toxic puberty blockers. This is a serious issue with real world implications for families across the globe and we need to be able to discuss it." 

The 3 - March 30, 2025

Planned Parenthood funding to possibly face reductions

The last few months have yielded some vulnerabilities for the abortion juggernaut, which had seemingly developed a head of steam in promoting abortion, even in the aftermath of the overturning of Roe v. Wade. On Election Day, three states turned back constitutional amendments, backed by the nation's largest abortion provider, that would have allowed abortion throughout a woman's pregnancy.  Furthermore, Planned Parenthood is facing legal action in a state that actually approved one of those abortion amendments.  

Then, pro-life executive orders began to flow from the White House.  There were indications that the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, was looking into the significant amount of taxpayer funding going to abortion...funding that was not needed.  

A CBN.com article published last week documented more trouble on the horizon for Planned Parenthood, stating:

The Trump administration may soon freeze tens of millions of dollars in federal funding for groups providing abortions, including Planned Parenthood. As soon as this week, the Health and Human Services Department could announce a hold on more than $27 million in funds, a spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal.

The department is reviewing grant recipients to make sure they comply with President Trump's executive orders and federal law. This year, the government was set to distribute $120 million in grants to organizations that deal with family planning.

Plus, the article noted that in the coming week, "... the U.S. Supreme Court will consider whether South Carolina can block Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid dollars."

Last Wednesday, Liberty Counsel posted this on its website:

...March 27, thousands of pro-lifers will join our Washington-based staff to meet with members of Congress, making the case for defunding Big Abortion.

Next Tuesday, April 1, a pro-life candlelight vigil will take place in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. Satanists will be in front of the Court casting spells, curses, and hexes. And they will try their best to harass and harm the pro-life warriors that come out to pray.

Next Wednesday, April 2, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Medina v. Planned Parenthood of South Atlantic. This case will decide whether states can limit and/or ban Big Abortion from receiving taxpayer funds. Liberty Counsel has submitted a powerful brief in this case.

Kentucky lawmakers vote to return 10 Commandments monument to Capitol grounds

A Ten Commandments monument was donated to the state of Kentucky in 1971 by the Fraternal Order of Eagles and placed on the grounds of the State Capitol, according to First Liberty, which reported that the monument was removed in the 1980's due to a construction project and a court ruling prevented it from returning.  The legal organization's website reported that the state legislature passed a resolution directing the monument to be returned to the Capitol grounds - it has now, as the website notes, "become law."

A Fraternal Order of Eagles chapter in Hopkinsville, KY has kept the monument for in excess of 20 years.  First Liberty elaborates on the conditions for the triumphant return of the 10 Commandments to the State Capitol in Frankfort, saying that...

...Its return was blocked by a court order based on the much maligned Lemon test. That test subsequently was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court in First Liberty’s 2019 Supreme Court victory in The American Legion, which mandated a presumptive lawfulness for established symbols, displays and practices. Then in 2022 in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, another First Liberty victory at the U.S. Supreme Court, the Court abrogated Lemon entirely and mandated that the Establishment Clause be understood and applied by original meaning, history and tradition. As the Supreme Court has explained, the Ten Commandments “have an undeniable historical meaning,” including “historical significance as one of the foundations of our legal system,” and “[s]uch acknowledgments of the role played by the Ten Commandments in our Nation’s heritage are common throughout America.”

Second federal judge rules against Presidential order against transgender individuals serving in the U.S. Military

As FoxNews.com has pointed out, a second federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from preventing transgender individuals from serving in the military. The Fox article notes that U.S. District Judge Christine O'Hearn issued a 14-day restraining order to prevent the administration from carrying out its order removing two transgender individuals from the service, stating: "The loss of military service under the stigma of a policy that targets gender identity is not merely a loss of employment; it is a profound disruption of personal dignity, medical continuity, and public service..."

The Justice Department condemned the ruling, saying that it has, as "vigorously defended" Executive Orders from the President.  As Fox notes, that would include "the Defending Women Executive order that stipulates there are only two sexes: male and female." A DOJ spokesperson described O'Hearn as an "example of an activist judge attempting to seize power at the expense of the American people..."

The article goes on to say:

O’Hearn’s ruling comes after U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes of Washington, D.C., blocked the Trump administration from implementing its ban on March 19. Reyes said in her opinion that the Trump administration’s order was "soaked in animus" and discriminated based on a person's transgender status.

The 3 - March 23, 2025

MO's Attorney General continues pushback on abortion provider

Not to be deterred by his state's passage of an abortion amendment that was intended to allow abortions in the state throughout a woman's pregnancy, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey is looking for ways to save babies' lives and preserve women's safety.

Liberty Counsel reports that Planned Parenthood has resumed surgical abortions in the state, which maintain that it is not doing chemical abortions, which use the abortion pill regimen to terminate life. 

But, Bailey is calling out the nation's largest abortion provider.  Liberty Counsel states:

AG Bailey stated in a press release that the order is due to Planned Parenthood’s “documented history” of “repeated and knowing” violations of state law. He noted the organization has “admitted under oath” to knowingly “refusing to file required complication reports” and that investigations had discovered other violations, such as failing to comply with informed consent laws and to sterilize surgical instruments.

The Christian legal firm notes:

Bailey issued a cease-and-desist order last week to Planned Parenthood formally prohibiting the abortion giant from performing chemical abortions in the state. The order advises the company to implement a “valid” health and safety plan to protect women and treat complications from abortion-inducing drugs, as required by state law. AG Bailey cited Planned Parenthood’s “uncontroverted track record” of disregarding Missouri health and safety laws...

Network featuring faith-based programming claims discrimination by streaming channel

YouTube TV is one of multiple streaming channels offering a variety of channels for subscribers. However, Great American Family is not one of them.  And, the head of the FCC has taken notice.

The Daily Signal relates:

Brendan Carr, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, is raising the alarm about evidence suggesting the tech giant—which has a long history of censorship—has unfairly treated a Christian family TV station.

The article says that on March 7, Carr wrote to Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet, the parent company of Google and Neal Mohan, CEO of YouTube, stating, “[I]n the case of YouTube TV, concerns have been raised alleging that your company has a policy (secret or otherwise) that discriminates against faith-based programming..."

Carr went on to say:

“Great American Media states that its Great American Family network is the second fastest-growing channel in cable television,” wrote Carr, “and, while they are carried on a range of cable and streaming services, including Comcast, Cox, Hulu, FuboTV and DirecTV stream, YouTube TV refuses to carry them.”

In a press release, Doug Deason, Chairman of Great American Media is quoted as saying: "Faith-based and family-friendly content should not be marginalized in today’s digital ecosystem,” adding, “We are grateful for Commissioner Carr’s commitment to ensuring that all voices—including those that reflect faith values—receive fair treatment on major streaming platforms.”  Great American Media CEO Bill Abbott, formerly of the Hallmark Channel, states: "Great American Family is one of the fastest-growing channels in television, and audiences deserve the ability to access our content wherever they choose to watch...After years of petitioning YouTube TV for consideration, it is encouraging to see action being taken to address these concerns. We appreciate the FCC’s focus and its efforts to hold platforms accountable for potential viewpoint discrimination."

But, as Deadline reported, regarding the FCC's oversight of Multichannel Video Programming Distributors: "Carr acknowledged the limitations on the FCC’s authority over virtual MVPDs compared to cable distributors, as program carriage rules apply to traditional television. The FCC has had multiple open proceedings to expand the regulatory framework to virtual MVPDs like YouTube TV, Carr noted."

The website elaborated:

In his letter, Carr put the Great American Family carriage in the same context as his criticism of tech giants over their content moderation policies. Carr has long claimed social media platforms have engaged in discrimination against conservative voices. He has talked about reforming a key law, Section 230 of the Communications Act, that has immunized platforms from lawsuits over third-party content.

Christian leaders band together on behalf of hostages in former Soviet republic

It has been a difficult season for Armenian Christians in the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan, and a consortium of Christian leaders has sent a letter to President Trump on behalf of 24 hostages being held there.  Crosswalk Headlines reported:

A coalition of Christian leaders recently signed a letter to President Donald Trump to take action on behalf of 23 Christian Armenians and one Azeri Christian convert currently detained in Azerbaijan.

The catalyst of the letter was an organization called Save Armenia.  The Crosswalk article said that signatories included:

...former United States Ambassador-at-large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback, Christian artist and missionary Sean Feucht, National Religious Broadcasters President and CEO Troy Miller, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Commissioner David Curry, Save the Persecuted Christians Executive Director Dede Laugesen and civil rights activist Alveda King.

The article went on to say, "The letter was also signed by former Rep. Michelle Bachman... who now serves as the dean of the Robertson School of Government at Regent University, and Jim Garlow, former pastor of Skyline Church in California, The Christian Post reported."

The letter said, in part:

"Almost two years ago, Azerbaijan ethnically cleansed more than 120,000 Christian Armenians out of their ancestral homes, while the Biden administration refused to take action to stop the ethnic cleansing or punish the perpetrators of that crime," the leaders explained.

"Since then, the same regime has been holding 23 Christian Armenian hostages and one Azeri Christian convert, who are being subjected to routine torture, according to credible reports. The International Committee of the Red Cross, the only organization with access to check on the well-being of the prisoners, was ordered to leave the country in recent days."

The 3 - March 16, 2025

Trump administration switches side in emergency room abortion case

Just as in the case out of Tennessee, where gender-change treatments and surgeries have been banned under a state law, a case that has now been heard by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Trump administration has switched sides in a case out of Idaho, in which the previous administration had filed a lawsuit attempting to force emergency room doctors to perform abortions, challenging a pro-life state law.

That is according to The Daily Signal, which reported: "The Biden administration...sued Idaho to prevent it from applying its abortion ban to emergency rooms. In August 2022, a U.S. District Court judge issued an injunction against Idaho. More than a year later, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit affirmed that injunction and Idaho subsequently appealed to the Supreme Court."  The article went on to say:

The Supreme Court stayed the injunction in January 2024 and positioned the case as an actual appeal on the merits of the underlying Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act issue rather than just a request for a temporary procedural hold. The court directed that arguments in the case occur in April 2024 but, after that deadline came and went, the court dismissed the appeal as “improvidently granted.” In this case, that’s a fancy term for jumping the gun.

The article related:

So the case is now back in Idaho, this time amid speculation that the incoming Trump administration would no longer insist that the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act overrides state pro-life laws. St. Luke’s Health System, a Boise nonprofit that operates medical centers and pharmacies, asked a U.S. District Court judge for another injunction against Idaho enforcing its pro-life law in emergency rooms. The judge agreed.

As expected, the Trump administration decided to no longer try to force Idaho to allow emergency room abortions and, joined by the state of Idaho, asked that the case be dismissed on March 5, 2025. The previous day, however, St. Luke’s obtained a temporary restraining order keeping the case in place for now.

State school superintendent's efforts in OK to provide Bibles halted by state's highest court

Ryan Walters is the state school superintendent in Oklahoma.  He wants to make thousands of Bibles available to students in the state.  The Washington Times noted last week:

The Oklahoma Supreme Court has temporarily blocked an attempt by the state’s schools superintendent to purchase Bibles to be placed in public classrooms.

The state’s highest court issued an order Monday that blocks Superintendent Ryan Walters from using taxpayer dollars to purchase Bibles and Bible-related material for public schools.

He had planned to buy more than 50,000 Bibles to incorporate into fifth- through 12th-grade classes.

The article stated:

Nearly three dozen families, teachers and religious leaders have challenged the moves to incorporate the Bible and Bible-related material into the school curriculum; on Monday, the state’s highest court agreed. 

The court issued a stay, pausing any new purchase requests by Mr. Walters.

Good News spreading: hundreds of thousands hear message in Ethiopia

And, a story of God at work has emerged out of the nation of Ethiopia.  CBN News reported recently:

Evangelist Franklin Graham preached the powerful message of the gospel to more than 400,000 people over the weekend in a massive public square that was once infamous for its Communist rallies.

Hundreds of thousands of people worshipped Jesus at Meskel Square for the "Encountering God Ethiopia" outreach.

It was a major turnout of 437,000 people hungry to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ for the two day-event.

 The article went on to say:

On the first night, 117,000 people attended and on the second night 320,000 were in attendance.

"The square was so full, thousands of people spilled into the nearby streets to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ," reads a BGEA press release.

The ministry reports that 4,000 people made decisions for Christ and many of these new believers will be discipled by local churches to help them grow in their walk with the Lord, BGEA reports.

The Association quoted from Dereje Jemberu, general secretary of the Ethiopian Council of Gospel Believers Churches, who said: "I have no words to express my heart. My eyes were full of tears to see so many people respond to the good news that was preached. This is what we wanted—we have been praying many years for a moment such as this," adding, "I thank God for what He is doing in Ethiopia and what He has done this weekend. This has helped encourage and motivate evangelical churches to continue to work together to understand one another and to organize activities to reach as many people as possible with the hope of Jesus Christ..."

The 3 - March 9, 2025

Bill to keep males out of women's sports fails in U.S. Senate, another state passes legislation to do that

With more and more states passing legislation to prevent males from participating in female sports, an executive order issued to prevent the practice, and House passage of a piece of legislation to make that permanent, there has certainly been momentum to ban this practice.

But, the momentum ran into a roadblock in the U.S. Senate last week.  FoxNews.com reported that the a bill in the U.S. Senate " prevent boys from participating in girls' sports failed to overcome the legislative filibuster on Monday night after it did not reach the necessary 60-vote threshold to advance." The final procedural vote was 51-45.  

The article stated:

The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act would require Title IX to treat gender as "recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth," and would disallow any adjustment for it to apply to gender identity.

The White House issued a statement in support of the legislation, saying: "This bill also recognizes that ‘sex,’ as used in the statutory scheme, is based solely on reproductive biology and genetics...Men participating in women’s sports not only is demeaning and dangerous to women and girls, but it erodes the integrity of our Nation’s civil rights laws. Congress’s affirmative vote on this bill would complement both federal court rulings and President Trump’s February 5, 2025, Executive Order, ‘Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.'"

Meanwhile, according to Alliance Defending Freedom, Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon signed a bill "that protects women and girls by prohibiting men from entering into women’s spaces—such as changing rooms, sleeping quarters, and restrooms—and requiring colleges, public buildings, and correctional facilities to safeguard women’s safety and privacy in these spaces..."

Another U.K. citizen arrested for silent protest outside abortion clinic

There have been several incidents that have received attention out of the United Kingdom of people being arrested for standing silently in front of abortion clinics.  Scotland just passed a law to that effect, and the Standing for Freedom Center at Liberty University reported: "A 74-year-old woman was arrested...in Glasgow, Scotland, for allegedly breaching an exclusion zone around an abortion clinic." The article goes on to say:

This marks the first enforcement of Scotland’s recently enacted Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act 2024, which prohibits anti-abortion protests within 200 meters of medical facilities providing abortion services.

Rose Docherty, a grandmother and retiree, stood in silence on a sidewalk with a sign that read, “Coercion is a crime, here to talk, only if you want.”

The article notes:

In recent years, England has also arrested pro-lifers for praying near abortion clinics in violation of censorship laws. British Army veteran Adam Smith-Connor was convicted in October 2024 for silently praying near an abortion clinic in Bournemouth, England.  

It also pointed out that "Isabel Vaughan-Spruce is another pro-lifer who has been arrested multiple times for silently praying within these zones. In October 2023, she was fined for her silent prayer, even after previous charges had been dropped or resulted in acquittal."

The Center relates that the new Scottish law "even applies to those who 'can be seen or heard' praying or discussing their pro-life beliefs inside of private homes located within the buffer zones." 200 meters is the equivalent of 650 feet - that's over two football fields (not counting the end zones).

Collegiate Day of Prayer calls on students to follow Jesus, churches to adopt campuses

The annual Collegiate Day of Prayer occurred on Thursday, February 27, and CBN.com reported that "Christians around the globe united...in a movement of prayer to see revival spread across college campuses and universities." It noted that over 6000 campuses "were adopted in prayer" by over 3200 "churches, ministries, and individuals."

The article went on to say: 

Organizers report that the 2,500-seat Rudder Auditorium at Texas A&M was sold out as students came to seek God for revival on their campuses.

The CBN article also noted:

According to Intervarsity, an evangelical Christian student movement with affiliate groups on university campuses, decisions for Christ rose by 33 percent last year. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes reports its highest number of salvations since the pandemic, and the international ministry, Cru, recently surpassed the one million mark in commitments to faith globally.

"It really has been such an incredible season to ministry to college campuses since Asbury," Thai Lam, Executive Director of the CDOP, told CBN's Faith Nation.

Lam is quoted as saying: "We are convinced that what we are doing in engaging the next generation, specifically 18-to-22-year-olds on college campuses, is so significant," adding, "As God is moving and marking these young adults who are being formed spiritually. Their worldview is being shaped and they are being launched into the trajectory of their lives [and] we believe that as these students are being marked by Jesus for the next 30, 40, 50 years, who they become and what they do will shape the trajectory of America."

The 3 - March 2, 2025

President's first Cabinet meeting opens with prayer

Last week, President Trump held the first meeting of his new Cabinet, and it was opened with a prayer offered by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Scott Turner, according to a report on the CBN website.  The report quoted the secretary, who said:

"Father the Bible says that blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, Father today we honor You in Your rightful place and thank You for giving us this opportunity to restore faith in this country and be a blessing to the people of America, and we pray in our meeting that You would be glorified in our conversation. In Jesus name, Amen..."

The article mentioned what appears to be a greater spiritual awareness in the President's life as the result of an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania last summer.  The article stated:

"None of us knows exactly when our time on earth will be over," Trump told those gathered at the National Prayer Breakfast. "You never know — a truth I confronted a few short months ago when there was an incident that … was not fun."

The president has frequently said he believes the Lord saved him that day. "God was watching me," Trump said.

“It changed something in me,” he said. “I feel even stronger. I believed in God, but I feel much more strongly about it. Something happened.”

The Christian Post reported that Turner "serves as an associate pastor at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas."  The article related:

Turner later tweeted a video of his invocation, writing, "Giving the opening prayer at President Trump's first cabinet meeting was the honor of a lifetime."

Turner was confirmed as HUD secretary earlier this month after previously having served as executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council in the first Trump administration.

Turner, who played defensive back in the NFL for eight seasons, told the audience at the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, last week that he believes God is calling him to make a "generational impact."

Judge allows Christian school to participate in government funding program

Just because a Christian school holds to Christian principles does not disqualify it from government-sponsored programs that other schools can take part in.  That's a premise that has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.  But, Colorado school officials attempted to bar a Christian school from participation in such a program.  And, as The Christian Post reported, a judge ruled their actions to be unconstitutional. The article said that, "U.S. District Judge Daniel Domenico...ruled...that Darren Patterson Christian Academy can participate in Colorado's Universal Preschool Program."  It went on to say:

The academy had previously been denied an exemption to the program's antidiscrimination provision due to its refusal to hire non-Christians and its expectation that both staff and students adhere to traditional standards of sexual ethics and gender identity.

The article went on to say:

State officials lack a "compelling interest" to deny DPCA an exemption to its antidiscrimination provision over the school's "sincere religious beliefs," Domenico concluded.

The article noted that the school is represented by Alliance Defending Freedom, and...

ADF Senior Counsel Jeremiah Galus said in a statement on Tuesday that state officials "can't force religious schools to abandon their beliefs" in order "to participate in a public benefit program that everyone else can access."

"The U.S. Supreme Court has reaffirmed this constitutional principle multiple times, and the district court has now fully followed up on its previous decision to safeguard this right for religious schools in Colorado," stated Galus.

High court refuses to re-think previous ruling on "buffer zones" around abortion clinics

The U.S. Supreme Court, meanwhile, declined to hear two cases involving so-called "buffer zones" around abortion clinics. USA Today reported:

The court declined to hear challenges to a law in southern Illinois and to a 2014 ordinance in Englewood, New Jersey, that created a protest-free buffer zone around certain health care facilities.

Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito said they would have taken the cases.

The article noted that pro-life groups and some state attorneys general had hoped the Court would use these cases to overturn the ruling in Hill v. Colorado, which, according to the article, "upheld protest restrictions around abortion clinics."

USA Today said: 

In his dissent Monday, Thomas said Hill “has been seriously undermined, if not completely eroded, and our refusal to provide clarity is an abdication of our judicial duty.”

Thomas also said he would have used the Illinois case to explicitly overrule Hill.

In that case, according to Worthy News, "officials prohibited protesters from getting within 8 feet (2.5 meters) of patients at an abortion clinic without consent."  That article notes Thomas was on the court with Hill was decided and dissented from the majority opinion.  The article goes on to say:

The justice said the Hill case “manipulated this Court’s First Amendment jurisprudence precisely to disfavor ‘opponents of abortion’ and their ‘right to persuade women contemplating abortion that what they are doing is wrong.'”

He suggested the Supreme Court revisit Hill to give clarity to lower courts “who feel bound by it,” particularly after Roe v. Wade enabling nationwide abortion was overturned in 2022.

The 3 - February 23, 2025

Military leader alleges he was removed from service for Christian faith

On this edition of The 3, there are two incidents of Christians who were "cancelled," silenced apparently for the simple reason that they were Christians.  In America.  Sweet land of liberty.  But, religious liberty, baked into the Bill of Rights of our Constitution, still is an underappreciated commodity.

Idaho Army National Guard Major David Worley has filed a lawsuit in which the explosive contention is made that there is a "No Christians in Command" policy in the Guard. He is represented by Liberty Counsel.  That's according to The Christian Post, which reports:

The complaint argues that the Idaho Army National Guard was urged to implement an unconstitutional policy that the filing calls "No Christians in Command."

Worley claims the policy was intended to identify "extremists" in the military by looking at the social media profiles of potential command candidates.

The series of events leading to the suit began in 2023, when Major Worley ran a campaign for Mayor of Pocatello, Idaho.  The Post article relates:

During his campaign, Worley expressed his religious convictions and moral objections to social issues, including "Drag Queen Story Hours," the inclusion of explicit materials in public libraries for minors, and so-called medical interventions for children experiencing gender confusion.

According to Liberty Counsel, "all of Worley's protected speech occurred off-duty in his private capacity" and prior to his taking a command role.

After his election campaign, a subordinate service member, who identifies as homosexual, filed a formal complaint against Worley, alleging discrimination and a hostile work environment. The guardsman, who had only met Worley twice, claimed he felt "threatened and unsafe" because of Worley's religious beliefs.

The article says, "As a result, the Idaho Army National Guard suspended Worley from command in July 2023."  There was an investigation, which seemed to exonerate Worley; however, he was not reinstated to command - the Christian Post says that "the investigation recommended that future command candidates undergo scrutiny for 'concerning ideologies' through public records searches and social media monitoring."

Substitute teacher and former school board candidate removed from sub list due to faith

Meanwhile, in Virginia, a former school board candidate applied to be on the list of substitute teachers, was apparently approved, but when she reported to work, she was removed from the school premises.  That is according to Liberty Counsel's website.

The teacher had enlisted the assistance of Liberty Counsel, which sent a letter to the school board. The website states:

After Liberty Counsel sent a demand letter to the school district about how the First Amendment, Title VII, and Virginia law protect teachers to speak on public matters in their private capacity, the district returned the teacher to the approved substitute teacher list.

The article goes on to say:

The district’s corrective decision to restore the teacher shows that the law clearly protects teachers to freely express their beliefs in their private capacities. Under the First Amendment, Title VII, and the Virginia Constitution, any citizen may freely speak, write, and publish his or her sentiments on all subjects. Under the Virginia Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the “Virginia Values Act,” it is discriminatory and unlawful for an employer to burden the free exercise of religion and refuse to hire or discharge a person with respect to their religion.

State attorney general takes issues with bans on therapy for those with unwanted same-sex attraction

It's called "conversion therapy," and those who oppose it have made sure that it is a stigmatized term, when it is simply the act of helping those who are struggling with gender identity or experiencing same-sex attraction that they wish to eliminate or overcome. 

In Kansas City, Missouri and one of the counties in which it is situated, Jackson County, there have been ordinances passed, according to Baptist Press, that ban this type of therapy. A lawsuit has been filed by two Christian counselors; the article says, regarding the ban, "This a violation of free speech, the suit contends, by preventing the plaintiffs from offering biblical counsel regarding sexuality."

The article relates:

Pamela Eisenreich and Wyatt Bury operate in the Kansas City area and say in the lawsuit that the ordinances have prohibited them from sharing facets of care in line with their Christian beliefs to juveniles regarding issues of gender confusion or same-sex attraction. Those clients are often brought by parents whose Christian faith aligns with those of Eisenreich and Bury and are seeking counsel from them largely for that reason.

Attorney Jonathan Whitehead states: "Licensed counselors holding a biblical worldview should be free to help young people pursue the counseling goals they desire – whether that means embracing their biological sex or working through unwanted same-sex attraction...The government has no business censoring those conversations.”

Baptist Press reports: 

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has also joined the lawsuit on behalf of the state.

“Our children have a right to therapy that allows for honest, unrestricted conversations, free from transgender indoctrination,” he said. “These ordinances represent a dangerous overreach, forcing children and counselors to conform to a radical transgender agenda. I will not stand by while Jackson County violates Missourians’ constitutional rights to free speech and religious liberty.”

The 3 - February 16, 2025

This week's edition of The 3, with three stories of relevance to the Christian community, includes the exoneration of employees in San Francisco who did not take the COVID shot on religious grounds. Plus, a Christian college has drawn scrutiny for congratulating one of its alums for being confirmed for the President's Cabinet, then withdrawing it.  And, a student movement made another stop, in which thousands of young adults attended and many gave their lives to Christ.

Large California city ordered to make restitution for employees fired for not taking the COVID shot

The path of destruction caused by the attempt to mandate that individuals take the COVID-19 shot has been rather wide.  Already, the Trump Administration has taken steps to take corrective action for military members who were dismissed for their refusal to take the so-called "vaccine," many of whom did so for religious reasons.  An Executive Order states:

The vaccine mandate was an unfair, overbroad, and completely unnecessary burden on our service members. Further, the military unjustly discharged those who refused the vaccine, regardless of the years of service given to our Nation, after failing to grant many of them an exemption that they should have received. Federal Government redress of any wrongful dismissals is overdue.

And, a federal appeals court has ordered the city of San Francisco to right its wrongs concerning its vaccine mandate.  The Christian Post reported recently: "In a unanimous ruling..., a three-judge panel on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that San Francisco must rehire employees who were terminated from their jobs because they declined to comply with a mandate requiring all city employees to take the COVID-19 injection. The appellants in the case, Selina Keene and Melody Fountila, objected to taking the COVID-19 shot on religious grounds."

Keene and Fountila were joined by over 100 other plaintiffs.

The article also noted that the..

...opinion cited the 2020 U.S. Supreme Court ruling Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn v. Cuomo, which struck down COVID-19 worship restrictions imposed by the state of New York when asserting that “the Supreme Court has recognized that the loss of protected religious freedoms, ‘for even minimal periods of time, unquestionably constitutes irreparable injury.’”

“Appellants’ coerced decision between their faith and their livelihood imposed emotional damage which cannot now be fully undone,” stated the panel ruling.

Christian college congratulates, then withdraws post on alumnus sworn into Cabinet

Russell Vought, in his confirmation hearings for the post of Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget, or OMB, during the first Trump administration, had to endure a challenge from Sen. Bernie Sanders, who chided the nominee for his written response to a situation at his alma mater, Wheaton College, regarding a professor who had been fired as the result of wearing a hijab to show solidarity with Muslims, a professor who had said Christians and Muslims worship the same God. The Atlantic, back when Emma Green, who was sensitive to religious matters, published a piece she wrote in which she related that Vought had written at The Resurgent, which is Erick Erickson's old website: "Muslims do not simply have a deficient theology. They do not know God because they have rejected Jesus Christ his Son, and they stand condemned."  Sanders railed against Vaught, calling the statement, Isalamaphobic.  Green had stated that Sanders came close to a Constitutional line with his questioning.

Fast forward to 2024: Vought was confirmed as Director of OMB, a position he had eventually held under Trump before. His alma mater posted a statement of congratulations and request for prayer for him, then took it down.  Fox News reported:

Wheaton College apologized for a since-deleted Facebook post calling for prayers for Russ Vought after receiving intense online backlash.

On Friday, the Illinois university posted their congratulations to Vought for being confirmed as the director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) after a 53-47 Senate vote.

In removing the post, Wheaton made a statement:

"On Friday, Wheaton College posted a congratulations and a call to prayer for an alumnus who received confirmation to a White House post. The recognition and prayer is something we would typically do for any graduate who reached that level of government. However, the political situation surrounding the appointment led to a significant concern expressed online. It was not our intention to embroil the College in a political discussion or dispute. Our institutional and theological commitments are clear that the College, as a non-profit institution, does not make political endorsements. Wheaton College’s focus is on Christ and His Kingdom..."

Noted economist David Bahnsen posted on X:

"This is just the absolutely lamest, most embarrassing thing imaginable. First of all, you didn’t make a political endorsement - you congratulated an alumnus for receiving a major appointment and said you would PRAY for him. Second, when you say your focus is on Christ and His Kingdom and go on to define that as something which politics are excluded from, you WRONGLY diminish the Biblical definition of Kingdom. Third, admitting you took down a ‘call to prayer’ because people online were mad at you is rank cowardice. Parents should take note of @WheatonCollege boldness and courage when considering your school for their young adult children, because this is seriously pathetic."

Thousands gather, accept Christ at the latest UNITE event 

Meanwhile, at secular universities all across the country, thousands of students have been gathering in arenas to hear the message of the gospel and thousands have been responding.  From its beginnings at Auburn's Neville Arena, to Coleman Coliseum at the University of Alabama, through such SEC strongholds as Athens and Knoxville, even ACC city Tallahassee, the UNITE events are emblematic of what God is doing in the hearts of young people. 

The next one occurs Tuesday night in Columbus, Ohio, the site of a fall meeting that had members of the Ohio State Buckeyes football team in leadership, a team marked by multiple players sharing their devotion to Christ throughout the weeks of the College Football Playoff, which culminated in the Buckeyes winning the national championship. 

The previous UNITE event occurred at the massive Rupp Arena at the University of Kentucky.  Kentucky Today reported:

With more than 7,000 in attendance and 2,000 going to the altar, the Unite Kentucky event in Rupp Arena on Wednesday has continued a growing move among college students and young adults.

It was all part of the larger UniteUS movement that has been to 11 other college campuses since starting at Auburn University’s Neville Arena in September 2023. It has attracted more than 70,000 college students from around the country in the past 17 months.

The article related:

Daniel Johnson, the director of the Baptist Campus Ministry in Lexington on the University of Kentucky campus, was among those gathering. Several in the BCM came with him if they were not already attending with their local church.

“We’re seeing these pop up around a ton of different campuses,” he said. “The spirt is ripe for moving. We are praying that heart change is happening and we will see a ripple effect. It can lead to a different culture on campus. That there would be spiritual fruit from this, and lives are so changed that Kentucky is not seen as a place of darkness as a campus but a place of light."

The report included the statement: "Johnson said the gospel presentation was clear."

UNITE's Instagram page stated: 

We’ve been praying for this night for months, and God met us here again. Over two thousand students flooded the altar to surrender their lives to Jesus, and we know it’s just the beginning of all He has in store.

We ended the night celebrating life change with the coldest water baptisms we’ve ever experienced.