The 3 - June 22, 2025

Just after LA law on 10 Commandments in schools put on hold by federal appeals court, TX governor signs similar bill

Over the weekend, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed legislation that, according to the Texas Values website, would "allow the display of the Ten Commandments in Texas public schools." The website noted that the bill, "SB 10 will go into effect September 1, 2025."

Jonathan Saenz, President and Attorney for Texas Values, issued a statement that said:

“This is a Texas-sized blessing that the Ten Commandments will now be displayed for students to see, much like the Ten Commandments Monument at the Texas Capitol and in the U. S. Supreme Court. Just like twenty years ago when he protected the Ten Commandments at the U. S. Supreme Court, Governor Abbott “fulfilled the law” by signing SB 10 today, making it clear that there will be a Ten Commandments displayed in every Texas public school classroom.”

Meanwhile, as The Christian Post reported last Friday, "An appeals court panel has unanimously ruled against a recently passed Louisiana law that requires the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools." The article said:

A three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued a decision on Friday upholding a lower court ruling against House Bill 71, which was passed last year.

Circuit Judge Irma Carrillo Ramirez, a Biden appointee, authored the panel opinion, ruling that the law “inflicts significant practical harm on Plaintiffs’ First Amendment rights.”

SCOTUS rules in favor of TN law preventing gender-change procedures

Meanwhile, at the U.S. Supreme Court, a much-watched case was decided by the justices regarding surgeries and treatments that are intended to help an individual change his or her gender.  The case involved legislation out of Tennessee that would ban these procedures on minors.

Alliance Defending Freedom reported online:

In a landmark victory for children’s health and science-based medicine, the U.S. Supreme Court Wednesday upheld Tennessee’s law protecting minors from harmful and life-altering drugs and surgeries. The ruling will help protect 26 similar state laws and return common sense to America’s medical system.

ADF CEO and President Kristen Waggoner stated that, “The Biden administration and ACLU asked the court to create a ‘constitutional right’ to give children harmful, experimental drugs and surgeries that turn them into patients for life. This would have forced states to base their laws on ideology, not evidence—to the immense harm of countless children. The court’s rejection of that request is a monumental victory for children, science, and common sense."

And, as The Daily Citizen reported earlier this month:

The FBI is targeting medical professionals and institutions that mutilate children with experimental “transgender” interventions – drugs, hormones and surgeries – that leave children sterile, sick and permanently damaged.

The FBI action followed a memo from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi.  The Daily Citizen article noted:

Bondi rebuked the medical community, which should be rooted in evidence-based science and medicine, for not serving “as a bulwark against this sociological disease,” adding,

“Between 2019 and 2023, an estimated 14,000 children received “treatment” for gender dysphoria, with more than 5,700 subjected to life-altering surgeries.”

“The practitioners who provided this so-called ‘care’ profited while their patients were left permanently disfigured, scarred and sterilized.”

CA mom invited back to speak (and presumably pray) at City Council meeting

Tarin Swain decided she wanted to speak out about a local policy that she believed was in opposition to her Biblical beliefs.  So, she attended a Ventura City Council meeting in California to exercise her free speech rights as allotted by the council.  First Liberty reported on its website:

At the April city council meeting, Tarin Swain, a devout Christian, took her turn at the podium to give her comment for the 60 seconds she—like the 130 other commenters—was allocated. The comments concerned the CARE policy, which addresses “reproductive rights, immigrant residents, gender-diverse individuals and all residents of the City of Ventura from restrictive laws and external enforcement affairs.” Compelled by religious conviction, Tarin Swain used part of her time to pray about the situation. She was immediately met with boos and screaming from the audience. But she continued to pray through the disruptions until the mayor interjected with a warning about prayer. All other commenters were allowed to speak as they pleased, even a bird puppeteer who voiced his comments through squawking. The censorship was reserved solely for Tarin Swain’s prayer.

As the article pointed out, the mayor had chastised Swain by telling her "we don't do prayer" in that setting.  It states:

Tarin Swain has been invited back to re-offer her prayer at an upcoming Ventura City Council meeting after previously experiencing an interruption from the mayor during public comments and admonishment that “we don’t do prayer” at council meetings.

First Liberty relates: "The next city council meeting is scheduled for June 26, 2025. In addition to her time to pray, Tarin will also be given the opportunity to share her comments when the CARE policy is raised for consideration."

The 3 - June 15, 2025

California attempts to stare down Federal government on trans sports

One might think that a male student-athlete from California is on his way to superstardom in track and field.  After all, as The Daily Citizen reports, as of mid-May, AB Hernandez had "led the state" in "...triple and long jump. In regional championships, he won the triple jump by “nearly seven feet,” according to Sports Illustrated, the long jump by more than three feet and the high jump by a foot."

And, as the story, goes, Hernandez "...won state titles in the "...high jump and triple jump at the championship on May 31, 2025. He took second place in the long jump."

But, take a second look, AB Hernandez is a male - you could say "biological male," but as its been pointed out, that is "redundant."  And, he is competing against female athletes.

California has placed itself at odds with Federal policy, according to the Daily Citizen article.  It states:

California planted itself on the Department of Education’s (DOE) radar in February after the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) publicly vowed to defy “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” — an executive order prohibiting boys from playing girls sports in programs that receive federal funding.

The article goes on to say:

CIF didn’t just wreck female competitors’ athletic ambitions by allowing Hernandez to compete — it played fast and loose with the state’s federal education funding.

On May 27, just days before the competition, President Donald Trump weighed in on social media.

“California … continues to illegally allow men to play in women’s sports,” he wrote, citing Hernandez’s qualification for state finals.

It stated:

On May 28, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it would be joining DOE’s investigation against CIF for violating Title IX.

“My office has found reasonable cause to believe that CIF… is engaging in a pattern or practice of discrimination against female athletes,” Harmeet K. Dhillon, assistant attorney general for the DOJ’s Department of Civil Rights Investigations, wrote in a letter to the organization.

The implications?  The Daily Citizen article says, "If guilty, the state’s federal education funding, which totaled $10 billion in FY 2024, could be on the line."

FBI's investigation of Catholics wider than once thought

You may remember the reports about the discovery that the FBI had launched an investigation against certain Catholics, painting them as threats.  The Washington Times reported recently that the...

FBI concealed the extent of its anti-Catholic operation, which then-FBI Director Christopher A. Wray told Congress was limited to a single 2023 memo, newly revealed bureau documents show.

The FBI ​files were obtained by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles E. Grassley and shared first with The Washington Times.

The files show that the agency was engaging in a bureauwide investigation of “Radical Traditionalist Catholics,” but Mr. Wray and other top FBI officials characterized it as a one-off memo.

In February of 2023, a whistleblower had made public a memo that, according to the article...

...was an alert that “Radical Traditionalist Catholics” adhere to an “anti-Semitic, anti-immigrant, anti-LGBTQ and white supremacist ideology” and said these Catholics are prone to “extremist ideological beliefs and violent rhetoric.”

The Times reported that information was spread to other FBI offices beyond the initial release to the Richmond office to Buffalo, Portland, and Milwaukee and may have involved some 1,000 agents!

Texas passes faith-affirming laws

The Texas Legislature has passed bills that could expand the practice of religion in schools throughout the state. First Liberty Institute, at its website, stated recently that the Legislature "...passed SB 10, SB 11, and SB 965, which require the posting of the Ten Commandments in schools and protect the religious liberty rights of teachers and students, bringing state law in line with recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions, including Kennedy v. Bremerton School District."

Matt Krause, Of Counsel for First Liberty, in a statement, said: "...Placing the Ten Commandments and national motto on schoolhouse walls is a great way to remind students of the foundations of American and Texas law. And bringing state law in line with what the U.S. Supreme Court has said about prayer in schools should make it clear to school administrators that student and teacher prayer is completely Constitutional."

Bill sponsor, Sen. Phil King, stated: "For 200 years, the Ten Commandments were displayed in public buildings and classrooms across America," adding, "The Court has … provided a test that considers whether a governmental display of religious content comports with America's history and tradition. Now that the legal landscape has changed, it is time for Texas to pass SB 10 and restore the history and tradition of the Ten Commandments in our state and our nation."

The 3 - June 8, 2025

Not religious enough?  SCOTUS overturns state Supreme Court ruling on religious activity

It was a unanimous decision from the U.S. Supreme Court involving Catholic Charities.  First Liberty reported on its website that the high court "...unanimously reversed a Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling that said Catholic Charities was not a religious organization because their ministries and outreach to the poor was not religious enough. First Liberty Institute filed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of Catholic Charities."

At issue, according to FoxNews.com, was "...unemployment tax credits for religious institutions." The article said, "...the justices agreed that the state had engaged in an 'unnecessary entanglement' in attempting to define whether religious groups should be entitled to an otherwise-available tax exemption based on the state’s criteria for religious behavior."

Ryan Gardner, Counsel for First Liberty, is quoted as saying on its website: Any attempt by the government to determine which religiously motivated actions are sufficiently religious enough to enjoy either constitutional protection or eligibility for a government benefit like tax exemption is ‘obnoxious to the Constitution...,'" adding, "We applaud the Justices for again affirming unanimously that the First Amendment guarantees the right of all Americans to engage in religious exercise defined by the manner dictated by their sincere religious beliefs rather than the government’s preferences."

Emergency room doctors will not be forced to perform abortions under new policy

Over the past few years, there has been an attempt to essentially turn emergency rooms into abortion clinics under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, or EMTALA.  That issue came into play before the U.S. Supreme Court last year in a challenge to Idaho's strong pro-life law. The Supreme Court, according to the SCOTUS Blog, dismissed the case and sent litigation back to a lower court. 

Fact is, the language of EMTALA is actually pro-life. Alliance Defending Freedom, on one of its websites, reports that in 2022, "the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued a memorandum and a letter from then-Secretary Becerra stating that EMTALA grants the administration authority to override state pro-life laws, even though EMTALA does not mention abortion but explicitly protects the “unborn child.”

ADF goes on to say:

Now, the Trump administration’s health department and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has rescinded that mandate and letter and has affirmed the plain words of the statute: EMTALA protects both the “pregnant woman” and the “unborn child.”

The piece on the website notes: "Because the administration’s action now protects mothers, unborn children, and doctors’ conscience rights, Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys filed a voluntary dismissal of the lawsuit they had filed against the Biden administration earlier this year to challenge the mandate."

Administration officials reject declaration of LGBT "Pride Month"

For years, the month of June has been designated as a time to "celebrate" and "affirm" what is termed, "Pride," which is offensive to Christians, who hold to the Biblical belief that homosexuality is not to be celebrated, rather, it is a sinful act from which a person should repent. 

This year, according to The Christian Post, the Trump Administration will apparently not be issuing a proclamation of June as "Pride Month." An article from last week notes:

During a White House press briefing Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated that the Trump administration would not be issuing a presidential proclamation for pride month...

She said, "There are no plans for a proclamation for the month of June," adding, "I can tell you this president is very proud to be a president of all Americans regardless of race, religion or creed."

But, the U.S. Department of Education has announced a declaration for the month of June; the Christian Post article states:

The U.S. Department of Education announced in a statement Monday that it is recognizing June as "Title IX Month" in commemoration of the 53rd anniversary of the enactment of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 into law.

Title IX requires all educational institutions that receive federal funding to ensure equal opportunities for women and girls in education, including when it comes to athletics.

The article goes on to say:

Shortly after taking office in January, Trump issued an executive order directing federal agencies to interpret Title IX rules prohibiting sex discrimination in education as prohibiting males who identify as women from participating in female athletic contests. The administration has also threatened to strip funding from states that permit male trans-identified athletes to compete in female sporting events 

The 3 - June 1, 2025

Prayer service conducted at the Pentagon - Secretary of Defense invites, but does not mandate, employees to attend

Gary Bauer, writing for the James Dobson Family Institute, which presents Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk weeknights at 8:30 on Faith Radio, states:

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth held an overtly Christian prayer service in the Pentagon’s auditorium on May 21, 2025. A pastor spoke at the event, which was voluntary and well attended. Secretary Hegseth said that his plans are to have such events each month. JDFI commends him.

After highlighting several media sources which denounced the event, Bauer wrote this:

The First Amendment prohibits the government from establishing an official religion in America. A prayer service on government property does not establish an official religion. The First Amendment also guarantees the “free exercise of religion.” Hegseth’s prayer service at the Pentagon is a perfect example of this freedom.

Erin Smith, Associate Counsel at First Liberty Institute, issued this statement, published at the organization's website:

Secretary Hegseth’s exercise of his religious faith is protected just like it was for the Navy SEALs we represented against the prior administration when it tried to kick them out for their faith objection to Covid requirements. We commend Secretary Hegseth for standing up for the Constitution and against censorship.

Gary Bauer added: 

This prayer service is well within the historic traditions of the American Republic. Our first president, George Washington, credited God for the birth of our country and victory in our War of Independence. Our Declaration of Independence states explicitly that our Creator—a reference to the God of the Bible—is the author of our liberty. The American Revolution itself was inspired by colonial pastors who roused their congregations to stand for liberty. President Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural address referred directly or indirectly to the Bible a dozen times.

He also noted that President Franklin Roosevelt led the nation in prayer via radio as American troops embarked on the D-Day invasion. Bauer states: "Many of our soldiers carried small Bibles, consisting of the New Testament and the book of Psalms, provided by the Gideons organization with the consent of the US government."  There was a personal note from FDR in the front of those Bibles.

Court rules drag queen show can move forward near children's park

As backlash continues in various sectors of our society to the incredible lack of self-awareness of the gay community, who have been pushing this notion of "pride" upon the public during June, CBN.com reports that:

A U.S. District Judge has issued a preliminary injunction allowing a "grossly inappropriate, and sexually explicit drag show," to be held in view of children at a June 7 "pride" festival, a non-profit legal group reports.

As CBN News reported, Liberty Counsel filed a motion on behalf of three Collier County parents to keep the sexualized LGBTQ performance away from a children's playground.

The article notes:

The lawsuit came after the Naples City Council voted 5-2 in April to move the proposed drag show indoors away from Cambier Park, which is frequented by children, and to restrict the event to adults only. However, Naples Pride, an LGBT advocacy group, and the ACLU sued the city, claiming it violated their First Amendment rights by moving the event.

But, apparently, based on the article, the city of Naples did not offer a particularly strong defense.  A statement from Liberty Counsel was quoted, which said: "The city noted that Cambier Park, which has a children's playground a mere 100 feet away from where Naples Pride wants to hold its drag show, is a limited public forum where permits are subject to reasonable and viewpoint neutral criteria," adding, "While this is true, Liberty Counsel argues this defense leaves out more significant arguments that would require the court to deny the injunction in the interest of protecting children..." The article stated:

They point out that Florida's "Protection of Children Act" of 2023 expressly outlaws public drag shows held in view of minors.

Christian event in Seattle draws protests, ire of mayor

Members of the Christian community in Seattle and the mayor's office are at odds due to a protest at a service event that has been mischaracterized, according to a FoxNews.com article, which reported, about the original event on Saturday, May 24 and a subsequent event at City Hall on Tuesday, the 28th:

Organizers hosted a Mayday USA rally at Cal Anderson Park in Seattle on Saturday, which The Pursuit NW Pastor Russell Johnson helped lead. The event reportedly offered free haircuts, free bike giveaways and free groceries for the community as well as time for prayer and worship.

The event was later "swarmed" by protesters, some of whom reportedly threw urine-filled water balloons at attendees, and more than 20 arrests were made.

The article related:

"[Saturday's] event has, of course, been labeled by the media as some sort of anti-LGBT-type rally, and it wasn't," Johnson said Thursday on "The Ingraham Angle."

"We were swarmed by hundreds of Antifa militants... They were throwing water-balloons filled with urine at Christians who stood in the park and were assaulted for the high crime of worshiping Jesus in a public space," Johnson told Fox News host Laura Ingraham.

FoxNews.com went on to say:

After police reported multiple arrests at Saturday's rally, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell's office released a statement defending the LGBTQ community and protesters while criticizing the "far-right rally" for provoking the violent reaction.

Then the Tuesday skirmish at City Hall occurred - the Fox website said:

In response to the mayor, Johnson helped organize an event at Seattle City Hall on Tuesday, which he said was met with "similar" opposition from protesters.

"Antifa was out in force. They bloodied and beat up good church people who stood in line to try to get into a rally to sing hymns and worship songs and pray for the direction of the city," Johnson said.

The pastor noted that after announcing Tuesday's rally, he was "inundated" with support from people beyond Christian and conservative circles who wanted to "stand with Christians at City Hall because we believe in the First Amendment."

Well, it was announced last week that the FBI has become involved in investigating what has occurred; the article said:

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said Tuesday he had requested an investigation into allegations of "targeted violence" against religious groups after the rally at Seattle City Hall in response to the mayor purportedly blaming Christian activists for igniting a weekend demonstration that turned violent.