The 3 - May 2, 2021

This week's edition of The 3 includes news related to the allowing of biological males who identity as female to compete in female sports, with developments over the past week in two more states. Also, two faithful Christians in governments in other countries have found themselves being punished.  And, there is more movement in the United Methodist Church, with the recent announcements of two congregations representing different ideologies leaving the denomination.

More states pass legislation to prevent biological males from competing in girls' sports

It's a matter of biology - even if a biological male identifies as a different gender or has attempted to alter his gender surgically or through therapy, is it fair or right for that individual to compete against biological females?  The Christian Post reports that according to the Alliance Defending Freedom regarding four athletes from Connecticut...

Selina Soule, Chelsea Mitchell, Alanna Smith and Ashley Nicoletti have been “deprived” of “honors and opportunities to compete at elite levels.” Mitchell would have won the 2019 state championship in the women’s 55-meter indoor track competition, ADF reports. However, two biological male competitors took first and second place. Meanwhile, Soule, Smith and Nicoletti “have been denied medals and/or advancement opportunities.”

The Post ran a story recently that said a Federal district judge, Robert Chatigny, "threw out" a lawsuit filed against two governing bodies of high school sports in the state. And, ADF said it will be appealing the ruling. Chatigny said that “courts across the country have consistently held that Title IX requires schools to treat transgender students consistent with their gender identity.” However, as The Christian Post states, "The plaintiffs, who were all high school students when the lawsuit was filed, contend that allowing biological males to compete in women’s sports violates Title IX, which was designed to provide equal opportunities for females in education."

Meanwhile, two states recently have passed bills mandating that athletes in grades K-12 compete according to their gender on their birth certificate.  The Tampa Bay Times reports that Florida governor Ron DeSantis will sign a bill that bans biological males from competing in girls' sports - the story says:

“We’re going to protect our girls,” DeSantis said at a town hall of red state governors hosted by Fox’ Laura Ingraham. “I have a four-year-old daughter and a one-year old daughter. They’re both very athletic. We want to have opportunities for our girls. They deserve an even playing field, and that’s what we’re doing.”

And, Alliance Defending Freedom reports that West Virginia governor Jim Justice signed similar legislation.

Christian governmental leaders punished

Christians who are living out their faith in positions of authority in a couple of other countries have found themselves being punished.  The website of Well Versed, the ministry headed by Jim Garlow, tells the story of the former Interim President of Bolivia, Jeanine Anez, described as a "most delightful and godly woman." The site says:

At the end of January 2020, only 15 months ago, I posted a story about her remarkable rise to power. Massive prayer meetings had set the country free from an extended Communist regime. The tyrannical leader - Evo Morales - had ignored term limits, and was supposedly reelected under a cloud of election fraud.

Morales was eventually removed, but after that change in government, the site says, "Since that time, another election was held and the Communists have seized control again. In coming back into power, in typical dictatorial Communist ways, they promptly arrested the legitimate government leaders who led before them. On Saturday, March 13, Jeanine Anez was arrested. She is (based on what we have last heard) in prison. While in prison, she became ill and an ambulance was called to the prison, but the ambulance was sent away without taking Anez to the hospital. Her children are hurting badly without their mother." The ministry is asking for prayer for Ms. Anez.

Also, The Christian Post has published a story about a Member of Parliament in Finland who is facing the possibility of six years in prison.  The article says:

The country’s chief prosecutor has brought three criminal charges against Finnish Member of Parliament and former Minister of the Interior, Päivi Räsänen, according to the Austria-based Christian legal group ADF International.

The politician, who is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland and former chair of the Christian Democrats, has been under police investigation since June 2019 for publicly voicing her opinion on marriage and human sexuality in a 2004 pamphlet, for comments made on a 2018 TV show, and a tweet directed at her church leadership.

She has said, according to the article, that "she will 'defend my right to confess my faith so that no one else would be deprived of their right to freedom of religion and speech.'"

Churches - progressive and conservative - leaving United Methodist Church

Progessive and conservative congregations in the United Methodist Church are evaluating their future in light of an impending vote scheduled for next year that will split the denomination in a controversy that is centered on Church teaching on homosexuality. As Religion News Service reported recently, the Bishop of the North Georgia conference reassigned a popular pastor at a large church in the metro Atlanta area, Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church, setting off a chain reaction, which resulted in the pastor, Jody Ray, "surrendering his credentials." The article quotes the pastor as saying: “Unfortunately, my options were to accept the move, take a leave of absence or surrender my credentials,” adding,“That’s not consultation. It’s just notification, and it violates both the spirit and letter of the covenants that bind us together.” It goes on to say:

Along with Ray’s announcement, Rustin Parsons, co-lay leader of the congregation, said that the congregation has decided it will not accept a new pastor and that its administrative council had unanimously approved a resolution directing church leadership of the church to proceed with the disaffiliation process.

The article says: "The church made clear in a FAQ on its website, however, that the root of its conflict with the bishop is not over differing stances on LGBTQ inclusion. Rather, it said, church leadership feels Haupert-Johnson did not properly consult with the church or its pastor before reassigning Ray." But, it seems clear that the church and the bishop would be on different sides of that debate.

And, Religion News Service reports on a so-called "progressive" congregation that has announced it will leave the UMC, as well. Bering Memorial United Methodist Church in Houston, whose pastor is Diane McGehee, is also leaving.  The article says: 

With the denomination gridlocked over the inclusion of LGBTQ people, who make up a significant part of Bering’s congregation, McGehee said, “It’s time to stop the harm.”

As the article points out, the disaffiliation will come with a pricetag, as the exit of Mt. Bethel will, also.

The 3 - April 25, 2021

This week's edition of The 3 features action in state legislatures on two very important subjects: the sanctity of life and preventing biological males who identity as women from competing against women in school sports.  And, two religious organizations have been prevented from using a venue in Scotland, reportedly due to their opposition to so-called same-sex marriage.

Pro-life bills clear state legislatures

It has been difficult to pass federal legislation protecting the lives of unborn children.  But, states across America have been successful in passing abortion restrictions.  Add two states to the list whose legislatures have passed pro-life legislation - in just the past week or so, Oklahoma and Arizona lawmakers have sent their respective governors bills that protect life.

In Oklahoma, according to Liberty Counsel's website, the Senate joined the House in passing what is known as a "heartbeat bill," that "prohibits an abortion if the unborn baby’s heartbeat is detected, typically about six weeks of pregnancy."  

There were two more bills passed by the state Senate: one "requiring that abortions be done by doctors who are certified OB-GYNs and another bill that would add abortions to a list of unprofessional conduct actions by doctors."  Governor Stitt is expected to sign these three pieces of legislation.

And, in Arizona, in the past week, lawmakers there have also passed a strong pro-life bill, according to The Center Square, which reports:

The bill, which cleared the Arizona Legislature on Tuesday, makes numerous changes to the state’s legal code regarding abortive procedures, including granting state and federal rights to the unborn at any stage of development. Should the bill become law, performing an abortion because of a genetic abnormality of the child would constitute a class 6 felony, which carries a one-year prison sentence.

The article goes on to say that, "The measure gives the married father and grandparents of the unborn child the ability to bring a civil lawsuit on the child’s behalf...,: and it "gives exemptions to medical professionals and the mother of the child, including the abolition of a pre-Roe v. Wade law that criminalized abortions."

Alabama governor signs transgender sports bill, North Dakota and Kansas governors veto

The Alabama Legislature passed a bill that would prevent biological males from competing on female sports teams and sent it on Governor Kay Ivey, and it was reported by WSFA Television and other sources that the governor indeed did sign that legislation, with WSFA reporting that, "Gov. Kay Ivey signed a bill requiring students to play on the sports team that aligns with the gender on their birth certificates unless it is a co-ed sport in K-12 public schools." The story also notes, "Supporters of this bill have said it would protect the integrity of women’s sports.

Newsweek points out that "31 states have introduced bills banning transgender athletes from participating on sports teams consistent with their gender identities," and reported that within the past week, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum "vetoed similar bills."  It also noted that, "South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem also vetoed a similar bill in her state near mid-March, worried that such a ban wouldn't hold up in court." She did issue two executive orders on the issue.

Graham Association back in court

The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and a Scottish church had a partnership in which they rented a facility to do conferences.  CBN.com reports that:

Stirling Free Church and BGEA sued the Robertson Trust after it canceled a contract with the evangelical organizations for use of its Barracks Conference Centre for Sunday worship services and training events, The Christian Institute reports.

The article states that, "Trust chairwoman Shonaig Macpherson reportedly objected to the church's biblical belief that marriage is only between man and woman and terminated their contract."

ChristianHeadlines.com reports that:

BGEA spokesman Roger Chilvers said in a statement, "We made it clear to the venue at the time of booking that we are a Christian organisation. It was only later that they came back and said they were cancelling our booking because of our religion. It is a neutral space, offered to the public at large. You can't have a situation where religious groups are banned from hiring neutral spaces. That is not a free society. This is anti-religious discrimination, plain and simple, and we are hopeful the court will uphold our claim and recognize the inequities present in this case."

The 3 - April 18, 2021

This week's edition of The 3, with three stories impacting the Christian community, is back in court, with a positive federal appeals court ruling in favor of an Ohio law that prevents abortion in the case of a Down Syndrome diagnosis, and a lawsuit filed by a New York photographer who could penalized for declining to be involved in a same-sex wedding.  Also, California's governor has announced the removal of bans on indoor worship in the state.

CA removes restrictions on indoor worship

Following five U.S. Supreme Court decisions striking down various forms of worship restrictions in California, Governor Gavin Newsom lifted mandatory bans on indoor worship throughout the state.

Liberty Counsel, which has been involved in litigation against the state for COVID-19 restrictions, shared the news, stating on its website:

Governor Gavin Newsom wrote yesterday that “mandatory limits on attendance are no longer imposed on houses of worship.” That means that after five reprimands from the U.S. Supreme Court, Gov. Newsom decided to make the percentage-capacity restrictions on houses of worship in all Tiers voluntary.

But, as Liberty Counsel points out, "Unless and until there is a judicial declaration that Governor Newsom has acted unconstitutionally, there is nothing keeping him from changing his mind again, whether in this crisis or any future crisis."

Federal appeals court rules in favor of ban on abortion of Down Syndrome babies in OH

In 2017, lawmakers in Ohio passed a bill that, according to LifeNews.com, "bans abortionists from doing discriminatory abortions on unborn babies with Down syndrome. It also bans sex-selection abortions and abortions because of the baby’s race."  Not unexpectedly, the law was challenged in court, a Federal district judge blocked it and a three-judge panel of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the lower court's decision.

However, the court granted an en banc hearing, and the full court issued a 9-7 ruling last week in favor of the law. Mike Gonidakis, President of Ohio Right to Life, is quoted as saying, “Ohio Right to Life is elated that the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has sided with life and ruled against the fatal discrimination of babies with Down syndrome,” adding, “The eugenic practice of singling out human lives for death because of a Down syndrome diagnosis has no place in our society. This court ruling brings us one step closer to ensuring that vulnerable babies with special needs are not marked for death because of who they are. Every life is worth living and every precious and unique human being is worthy of complete protection under law.”

Photographer challenges NY law that could force her to photograph same-sex weddings 

Multiple states have passed laws that would prevent people in service industries from declining to be involved in an event that violates their conscience, and a photographer in New York state has challenged a law there before it could be enforced against her.

ChristianHeadlines.com reports that Emilee Carpenter could be "jailed for up to a year and fined $100,000 if she does not work same-sex weddings," so she, with the assistance of Alliance Defending Freedom, filed a federal lawsuit against the state.

The suit states:

"Emilee celebrates engagements and marriages between one man and one woman through what she photographs, participates in, and posts about in order to share God's design for marriage with her clients and the public consistent with her beliefs."

Alliance Defending Freedom filed suit on her behalf, alleging the law violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments, including her freedom of speech and free exercise of religion.

"Just as the government cannot compel a lesbian baker to create a cake condemning same-sex marriage or an atheist playwright to wax positively about God, New York cannot force Emilee to convey messages she objects to," the suit says.

Christian Headlines points out that, "In 2019, the U.S. Eighth Court of Appeals and the Arizona Supreme Court each sided with artists in similar cases."

The 3 - April 11, 2021

This week's edition of The 3, with three stories of relevance to the Christian community, featured a positive court ruling for a student group at a Michigan university, which had faced banishment because of its policy that chapter leaders be Christian.  Also, access to a Canadian church has been blocked due to its stand against COVID-19 restrictions.  And, Franklin Graham had bus ads removed prior to his speaking in the U.K. 2-1/2 years ago, and recently, a court said that should not have occurred.

Federal court rules in favor of campus group at Michigan university

The chapter of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Wayne State University in Michigan, as a Christian organization, did not allow those who were not Christians to serve in leadership.  For that, it was removed from the campus.

Recently, as CBN.com reports, a Federal court affirmed that was wrong.  The website stated:

"Student groups were permitted to restrict leadership based on sex, gender identity, political partisanship, ideology, creed, ethnicity, and even GPA and physical attractiveness," the court said about the university located in Detroit, Michigan. However, religious groups were not allowed to require that leaders share any of a group's religious beliefs, and at Wayne State, it was a "small group of Christians, who were denied student organization benefits because they require their Christian leaders to be...Christian."

The article points out that:

In 2018, Becket sued Wayne State on InterVarsity's behalf, since the group had been excluded. The university relented and let InterVarsity back onto its campus but argued that it still had the right to remove the group later. Monday's ruling safeguards InterVarsity and sends a clear message that accommodation, not discrimination, is the best policy.

Canadian church entry blocked

COVID-19 restrictions and religious freedom have sometimes been in conflict during this time of the pandemic. Faithwire reported recently on the ongoing saga of a church in Edmonton, Alberta, Grace Life Church, which experienced the imprisonment of its pastor James Coates, and, stunningly, the barricading of its church property.

The article said that:

John Carpay, president of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, the law firm representing the church, released a statement Wednesday afternoon, rebuking the government not only for placing a barrier around the church but also for seeking to delay its trial against Coates.

Faithwire also reported:

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed to CBC News officers were on the scene at GraceLife Church on Wednesday morning to assist the Alberta Health Services in closing the church.

AHS said in its own statement that it “physically closed” the place of worship and will work to prevent access to the church until it “can demonstrate the ability to comply with Alberta’s chief medical officer of health’s restrictions.”

Tweets included within the article indicated that fencing had been placed at the property. The Edmonton Journal reported Sunday morning that "hundreds of supporters" were present "outside the property." An adjoining road was reportedly closed.  An update of that article said that church members were not part of those gathered at the site - it was reported that they were meeting underground.  There was also video circulating yesterday about 200 armed police at the church, but I was unable to confirm that video.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its fifth ruling against COVID-19 restrictions in California; the Alliance Defending Freedom website reported that Tandon v. Newsom ended "California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s COVID-19 order that limits religious gatherings to three households inside of personal residences while allowing more than three households to gather in other comparable venues..." ADF Senior Counsel and Vice President of U.S. Litigation David Cortman is quoted as saying, "With this fifth rejection of California’s COVID-19 restrictions on religious exercise, the Supreme Court has made abundantly clear that the government has a duty to respect the First Amendment in this context and many others. As the court explained, the government can’t single out religious activities for harsher treatment than non-religious ones..."

Franklin Graham Festival ads on UK busses were OK, according to court ruling

In the aftermath of the Franklin Graham Festival of Hope in the United Kingdom in Lancashire in 2018, a recent court ruling shows that local officials erred in disallowing certain type of promotion of these events. Religion News reports that:

The ads, which were briefly placed on public buses prior to Graham’s 2018 Lancashire Festival of Hope, were taken down after LGBTQ groups mounted a social media campaign that convinced the Blackpool Borough Council that Graham’s beliefs opposing same-sex marriage were offensive.

The article goes on to say:

In her ruling, Manchester County Court Judge Claire Evans said the borough council’s actions “discriminated on the ground of religion” and showed “wholesale disregard for the right to freedom of expression.”

“We thank God for this ruling because it is a win for every Christian in the UK,” Graham said in response.

The 3-day Blackpool event drew 9,000 people in September of 2018. 

The 3 - April 4, 2021

This week's edition of The 3, featuring three stories of relevance to the Christian community, spotlights a court victory for a college professor who declined to refer to a male student as female.  Also, the "Trangender Day of Visibility" was commemorated last week, as the agenda advances and some lawmakers push back.  Plus, North Dakota lawmakers voted to provide protection for churches from unfair restrictions in the midst of a public health emergency.

Professor disciplined for not affirming male student's ID as female wins court case

Nicholas Meriweather is a philosophy professor at Ohio's Shawnee State University.  According to the Alliance Defending Freedom website, a male student in the professor's class had informed him that he was transgender and demanded that he be referred to as a woman, which Professor Meriweather refused to do.  The student filed a complaint with the university. 

ADF relates:

University officials ultimately rejected any compromise that would allow Meriwether to speak according to his conscience and sincerely held religious beliefs. Instead, they formally charged him, saying “he effectively created a hostile environment” for the student simply by declining to use the feminine pronouns demanded by the student. Later, they placed a written warning in his personnel file and threatened “further corrective actions” unless he articulates the university’s ideological message.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit has issued a ruling in favor of the professor's free speech right. It stated, in part, “Traditionally, American universities have been beacons of intellectual diversity and academic freedom,” adding, “They have prided themselves on being forums where controversial ideas are discussed and debated. And they have tried not to stifle debate by picking sides. But Shawnee State chose a different route: It punished a professor for his speech on a hotly contested issue. And it did so despite the constitutional protections afforded by the First Amendment. The district court dismissed the professor’s free-speech and free-exercise claims. We see things differently and reverse.”

"Transgender Day of Visibility" proclaimed in midst of flashpoints on trans agenda

Last week, the President declared a "Transgender Day of Visibility," and according to the Family Research Council, Biden used the occasion to promote the so-called Equality Act, described by FRC as "a piece of legislation that we know would corrupt the family, advance abortion, and harm many people, including women, medical professionals, religious schools, and even the very members of the LGBT community that the bill claims to protect."

The FRC article, written by Travis Weber, also takes to task the contention by CNN that "biological sex" is "a disputed term that refers to the sex as listed on students' original birth certificates." He writes: "Thankfully, Americans are not ready to give up this cultural fight against truth and reality. Courageous state legislators in Arkansas are taking a stand. The Arkansas legislature recently overwhelmingly approved the Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act...that prohibits doctors from performing gender transition surgeries on minors and bans taxpayer funding from covering them." 

It's worth noting that a bill criminalizing gender transition treatments on minors is currently pending before the Alabama House of Representatives, after already passing the Senate.

Weber writes:

For minors who grow up to regret their decision to transition, the effects are devastating. Victims like Keira Bell say medical professionals should have challenged her when she claimed she wanted to transition. But she acknowledges, "When you are that young, you don't really want to listen." Legislation like the SAFE Act would have protected impressionable young people like Keira from making similarly harmful mistakes.

North Dakota passes bill to protect churches during health crisis

As I have reported throughout the coronavirus pandemic, there were governmental entities who place restrictions on churches in the name of public health that they did not place on other types of gatherings.  Lawmakers in North Dakota decided they would do something about that if another public health emergency would occur, according to The Christian Post, which reported that Governor Doug Burgum signed the bill last week.

The article says:

The new law prohibits state government health officials from, among other things, issuing emergency orders that treat religious bodies worse than secular entities unless a compelling state interest exists.

The bill passed unanimously in the state Senate, 46-0 and cleared the House with an 88-4 margin.  The Christian Post quoted ADF Legal Counsel Greg Chafuen, who stated: “We commend North Dakota for making it clear that officials can’t use a public crisis to discriminate against religious operations while promoting secular ones, and we encourage other states to pursue similar legislation.”

The 3 - March 28, 2021

This week's edition of The 3 includes news of an attack at a cathedral in Indonesia on Palm Sunday. Also, a university has received a court ruling against it in the case of a religious club that wished to choose its own leaders. And, a South Dakota bill that purported to prevent boys from competing in girls' sports has been stymied by the governor there. 

Suicide bombers attack Indonesian church

A symbol of religious faith was attacked on a highly symbolic and meaningful day, Palm Sunday, in the nation of Indonesia; the South China Morning Post reports that around 20 were wounded as two suicide bombers "rode a motorbike into the compound of the church, setting off what authorities said was an improvised explosive device known as a pressure-cooker bomb."

This occurred at the "main Catholic cathedral in Makassar," which is a city of around 1.5 million people. Worshippers had just completed the morning Mass there. 

The article says that:

Late Sunday, National Police chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo said both attackers – a man and a woman – were members of Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), an extremist group also blamed for a deadly church bombing in Indonesia’s second-biggest city Surabaya in 2018.

The Morning Post also reports:

Sunday’s attack follows the arrest in recent months of dozens of militants suspected of planning terror attacks.

Indonesia has seen a string of attacks by Islamic extremists over the past two decades, including the 2002 Bali bombings which killed more than 200 people, mostly foreign tourists.

Court rules against university in case of Christian club

Not only did a federal appeals court rule against the University of Iowa for unfair treatment of a Christian club, but it also said that leaders who did it are personally liable.  That's according to CBN.com, which reports that:

Business Leaders in Christ, or BLinC, a student group at the school, said the university targeted them for requiring student leaders to affirm the Christian faith.

The university claimed this was a violation of its nondiscrimination policy, even though it allowed other religious groups to select faith-compliant leaders and openly encouraged other groups—like fraternities and sororities—to select leaders based on certain characteristics covered by the nondiscrimination policy.

This case began with a complaint by a student in 2017, and the 8th Circuit issued its ruling last week.  CBN.com said: "...while other campus clubs were allowed to set their own criteria for leaders, the school removed BLinC from campus for doing the same thing, telling them their leadership selection was discriminatory."

The article continues:

A lower court last year ruled that the school's discrimination against BLinC was illegal and that the university had to let BLinC back on campus once and for all. The Eighth Circuit's decision affirms that ruling while holding the individual university officials personally responsible for their discriminatory application of the school's nondiscrimination policy.

SD Governor under fire for actions on transgender sports bill

A variety of states are considering preventing boys who identify as girls from competing in girls' sports.  It appeared that South Dakota was on the way to having its own law to that effect - the Legislature passed the bill, and Governor Kristi Noem seemed to be intent on signing it.  That is, until she sent the bill back in order to make "style and form" changes.  A Family Research Council article quoted Kristen Waggoner of the Alliance Defending Freedom: "The fact is...Governor Noem has taken the legal teeth out of this bill." She stripped all of the protections for collegiate athletes -- and her excuse, that "her hands are tied by the NCAA's policy," is completely false. "There's no NCAA policy that requires schools to allow males to compete on women's teams as Governor Noem suggests. [She] also vetoed the part of the bill that gives girls any legal recourse against unfair policies that arise. What's left is mere lip service for women and girls forced to compete against biological males."

FRC states, "...the fact that anyone would refuse to sign a bill because it might be challenged in court is absurd. States are sued all the time over legislation. That doesn't mean leaders stop making public policy. It means they do the right thing and trust the rest to the process."  The article surmises that the governor has "sold out voters to Big Business." 

The 3 - March 21, 2021

This week's edition of The 3 includes the latest development in the case of a Washington football coach who had prayed on the 50-yard line after games, which resulted in his termination - he is due to make a trip back to the U.S. Supreme Court.  Also, a Canadian pastor has been in jail for over a month due to his refusal to abide by COVID regulations in his province, but there has been speculation that he could be going home, at least until his trial in May.  And, a former homosexual who had his testimonial and teaching videos removed from a popular video platform received a negative court ruling recently.

Canadian pastor awaits release from jail until trial

A Canadian pastor, James Coates of Edmonton's GraceLife Church, has been in jail for over a month because of his resistance to COVID-19 guidelines for his congregation.  There was a glimmer of hope earlier this week that the pastor might be exiting jail until his trial begins in May, but so far, he continues to be incarcerated.

CTV Edmonton reported that a hearing for Coates had been scheduled for Monday morning. The report says:

On Wednesday, his lawyer John Carpay said all but one charge had been dropped and that Coates could be released as soon as Friday.

"We are hopeful that he will finally be released from jail without conditions, and can resume pastoring GraceLife church," Carpay said.

The church has defied a closure order and has been cited for violating COVID-19 restrictions in connection to occupancy, physical distancing and masks.

Now, CTV Edmonton is reporting that indeed he will be released and will pay a $1500 fine.  The story states:

Coates was charged with two violations of the Public Health Act and failure to comply with release conditions.

He pleaded guilty to the latter charge on Monday and will be released when he pays the fine.

In a joint submission, the crown and defence asked for a $100 fine but the judge increased it to $1,500.

Football coach loses appeal, on to SCOTUS

The case involving former Bremerton, Washington football coach Joe Kennedy has already been to the U.S. Supreme Court once - and it is heading back again. He is represented by First Liberty, and on that organization's website, it reported that a Federal appeals court, the 9th Circuit had for the second time refused to rule in favor of the coach's right to walk to the 50-yard line after games and pray, an action that cost him his position with the team.  First Liberty's website states:

In January 2019, the Supreme Court of the United States declined to review the case at that time and instead allowed Coach Kennedy’s case to continue through the court system. But in a separate statement written by Justice Alito and joined by Justices Thomas, Gorsuch, and Kavanaugh, the justices explained that the Court needed more information in order to resolve the matter. As Justice Alito wrote, “the Ninth Circuit’s understanding of the free speech rights of public school teachers is troubling and may justify review in the future.” The case then returned to the district court for further review where, in January 2020, U.S. District Court Judge Ronald Leighton granted the Bremerton (WA) School District’s motion for summary judgment. Kennedy’s attorneys then appealed to the Ninth Circuit, which heard oral argument in January.

Now that the case has returned to the high court, there is the question of whether or not the justices will find that there is enough evidence now in order to issue a ruling in the case - certainly there was a glimmer of hope given to the coach and his legal team on the first trip.

Former homosexual banned from legal action against video platform, highlights need for Big Tech reform

James Domen has experienced victory over homosexuality through Jesus Christ, and he wants to tell the world.  However, his ministry found that videos that share that story and a Biblical viewpoint of sexuality were removed by the platform, Vimeo.  According to an article on The Christian Post website, a Federal appeals court, the 2nd Circuit, issued in favor of the platform, not the pastor. 

The article states that the court...

...ruled last week that Pastor James Domen and his Church United cannot sue Vimeo due to the company’s immunity under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which Big Tech companies often use to evade liability for content on their websites.

It goes on to say:

The Second Circuit agreed with U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart Aaron’s January 2020 decision that Vimeo deleted the church’s account because it violated the platform’s content policies barring the promotion of “SOCE,” which is often derisively called “conversion therapy.”

This certainly indicates a need for revision of these Section 230 guidelines - while many do not want overbearing government regulation of technological platforms, these platforms have been accused of being imbalanced regarding the ideological bent of content that is being censored.

The 3 - March 14, 2021

This week's edition of The 3 includes news from the nation's highest court, upholding free speech and religious liberty in a case from an Atlanta-area college.  Also, a well-known Bible teacher has parted ways with the denomination with which she has been affiliated.  And, a new Mississippi law prevents biological males from competing in girls' or women's sports.

SCOTUS rules against college that restricted former student from sharing his faith

In an 8-1 ruling, with only Chief Justice John Roberts dissenting, the U.S. Supreme Court, ruled in favor of a former student at Georgia Gwinnett College, which is located in the metro Atlanta city of Lawrenceville.  The Alliance Defending Freedom, on its website, summarizes that:

In 2016, Georgia Gwinnett College officials stopped student Chike Uzuegbunam not once, but twice, from peacefully sharing his Christian faith with fellow students on his college campus. First, officials said he had to get advance permission to use one of two tiny speech zones that made up far less than 1% of the campus and were only open 10% of the week. Despite following these policies, Chike was again prevented from speaking. After ADF challenged the unconstitutional policies, Georgia Gwinnett argued that Chike’s speech should receive no constitutional protection, changed its policy, and claimed it should be able to avoid any penalty for violating Chike’s free speech rights. Two courts agreed, but the Supreme Court decided to hear Chike’s case and ruled in his favor.

So, Chike has graduated and the school has changed its policies. Is that enough? Not in the eyes of ADF and the eight justices. ADF said that its "attorneys argued that a final judicial decision is necessary to remedy past harm, prevent future misconduct, and vindicate priceless freedoms. The Supreme Court agreed."

High-profile Southern Baptist speaker announces departure from Convention

It is quite perplexing, actually, but not entirely surprising.  Bible teacher Beth Moore announced recently that she no longer would be affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, which also means that the SBC's publishing arm, LifeWay, will no longer publish her resources.

The coverage largely in the Christian space and even in secular publications was positive toward Moore and negative toward the SBC. The Convention's website, Baptist Press reported:

Moore made the announcement through an interview with Religion News Service (RNS) today (March 9).

“I am still a Baptist, but I can no longer identify with Southern Baptists,” she told RNS. “I love so many Southern Baptist people, so many Southern Baptist churches, but I don’t identify with some of the things in our heritage that haven’t remained in the past.”

Moore told RNS her perception of the SBC began to change in 2016 with the election of Donald Trump as president. Specifically, she cited his behavior toward women as revealed in an Access Hollywood tape and a lack of condemnation from Southern Baptist leaders.

Her condemnation of believers who supported the former President apparently did not go unnoticed - the article says: 

From 2001-2016, Living Proof Ministries built its assets from $1 million to $15 million. But after her criticism of Trump, Moore’s book sales hit a tailspin as did ticket sales to her events. Those losses from 2017-2018 totaled more than $1.8 million, RNS reported.

Comments on Twitter also led to controversy. Leading up to Mother’s Day 2019, fellow writer Vicki Courtney posted that she would be preaching at a church. Moore replied with “I’m doing Mother’s Day too! Vicki, let’s please don’t tell anyone this.”

A discussion among Southern Baptists and other evangelical leaders ensued on whether women can serve as pastors and whether Moore was advocating for that position. Some accused Moore of wanting to be nominated for SBC president that June, a notion she never implied.

Baptist Press did report: "On May 3, 2018, Moore published A Letter to My Brothers outlining her experience as a woman ministry leader in Southern Baptist life. October 2016, she wrote, brought attitudes from 'key Christian leaders that smacked of misogyny, objectification and astonishing disesteem of women and it spread like wildfire.'" Moore has certainly become a lightning rod for Christians and especially Southern Baptists. 

USA Today proclaims Moore's departure and that of several others as a "wake-up call," but very little of the reporting I have seen tells the whole story - while secular media is using this as an opportunity to bash the Southern Baptist Convention for some of the actions of selected flawed people, one still should not ignore the fact that the SBC is a powerful engine for missions, evangelism, and teaching of God's Word.  To paint the Convention, which is an umbrella for thousands of independent churches who choose to affiliate, as mysogynist, racist, and condoning of abuse, is missing the point.  The tendency is to demonize individuals and characterize that group by those individuals - that is what is happening here with the SBC, and it becomes incumbent on every believer to continue to accurately represent Christ.  Certainly the Convention has its issues that are dividing its members, and we can be in prayer that things begin to get sorted out when it meets in Nashville in a few months.

MS governor signs bill banning biological males from competing in women's sports

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves has signed a bill, according to The Christian Post, "that, among other things, prohibits biological males from competing in girls' and women’s sports." It reports that "Reeves signed Senate Bill 2536, also known as the Mississippi Fairness Act, into law on Thursday, which is slated to take effect on July 1."

The article quotes the governor, who said, "So today, I proudly signed the Mississippi Fairness Act to ensure young girls are not forced to compete against biological males.”  The Christian Post goes on to say:

Alliance Defending Freedom Legal Counsel Christiana Holcomb, whose law firm has fought transgender ideology in the courts, celebrated the signing of SB 2536.

“Comparably fit and trained males will always have physical advantages over females — that’s the reason we have girls’ sports. When we ignore science and biological reality, female athletes lose medals, podium spots, public recognition, and opportunities to compete,” stated Holcomb.

The article says:

“Athletic teams or sports designated for ‘females,’ ‘women’ or ‘girls’ shall not be open to students of the male sex,” stated SB 2536, in part. “Any student who is deprived of an athletic opportunity or suffers any direct or indirect harm as a result of a violation of this act shall have a private cause of action.”

The 3 - March 7, 2021

This week's edition of The 3, with three stories of relevance to the Christian community, includes a major shift in the direction of a large Christian adoption agency, which will now work with same-sex couples to adopt children or accept foster care children.  Also, the formation of a new United Methodist denomination has been announced.  Plus, Christian medical organizations are supporting conscience rights for religious people who do not wish to take the COVID vaccine.

Major adoption agency shifts direction to allow LGBTQ adoptions

As the Supreme Court gets ready within the next few months to issue a ruling in a case involving an action taken by government against adoption agency that declines to allow same-sex couples to adopt children, a major adoption and foster care agency has announced that it is now participating in LGBTQ adoptions and foster care placement.

Religion News reports this: "Bethany Christian Services, the country’s largest Protestant adoption and foster care agency, will begin serving LGBTQ couples, a significant change for the evangelical outfit and a sign of the growing cultural shift."

Nate Bult, who is a senior vice president for the agency, said: “This decision implements consistent, inclusive practices for LGBTQ families across our organizations,” adding, “We’ve had a patchwork approach for the last few years.”  Religion News points out:

Many faith-based adoption and foster agencies have come under increasing pressure over the past decade as city, state and federal authorities have added LGBTQ non-discrimination policies.

The article points out that Bethany faced that in 2018 in Philadelphia and made the decision to allow same-sex couples to adopt. That city is where Catholic Social Services lost a contract with the city due to its refusal to do adoptions for LGBTQ couples, prompting that Supreme Court case.

New United Methodist denomination makes launch announcement

It has been quite clear that a new denomination would emerge from the United Methodist Church at some point soon - with the cancellation of last year's General Conference, traditionalists within the denomination who continue to affirm the sinfulness of homosexuality, according to Scripture, have decided they want to wait no longer, since the Conference postponed last year is now scheduled for 2022.  WORLD Magazine reported:

Conservative leaders from the United Methodist Church (UMC) on Monday released the logo, website, and mission of the proposed new denomination, the Global Methodist Church. The reveal comes days after the UMC delayed this year’s general conference until August 2022 due to the pandemic. They had planned to consider the schism over LGBT inclusion for the second time during that conference. But supporters of the breakaway wanted a faster process and asked the church to consider the proposal during an online conference on May 8.

A 17-person leadership team is in place, and one of them, Rev. Keith Boyette of Virginia, is quoted in another WORLD article, saying that the team has requested a special one-day conference on May 8 to discuss and perhaps adopt the formation. The article provides this overview:

Global delegates in 2019 voted 438-384 to strengthen the denomination’s official teachings on Biblical human sexuality and gender. The vote rattled liberal clergy, prompting them to negotiate a denominational split with conservative groups early last year, called the “Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace through Separation.” The protocol allows the formation of a new denomination and gives conservative churches and regional bodies $25 million in UMC funds while allowing them to maintain their property and assets.

Boyette said the breakaway is necessary amid “an increasing system of chaos within [the] church” since liberal clergy no longer abide by Methodist doctrine and are performing same-sex weddings, coming out as gay and lesbian from the pulpit, or entering into same-sex unions themselves.

Medical groups issue statement on freedom of conscience on vaccines

As the now three vaccines are being made available to Americans, there are some who object to the vaccines for various reasons, including the use of embryonic stem cell research in the development of them.

And those who object based on conscience are supported by a new statement by the Christian Medical and Dental Associations and three other organizations, including the American College of Pediatricians.  According to a press release...

...the statement recognizes the highest priority is the vaccination of those at greatest medical risk and those directly involved in the care of the sick. It also stresses the need to respect an individual’s right to accept or decline a vaccine. “There is no justifiable moral obligation to accept vaccination,” the statement reads. “If a vaccine has been developed, tested, or produced with technology that an individual deems morally unacceptable, such as the use of abortion-derived fetal cell lines, vaccine refusal is morally acceptable.”

The release also quotes from the statement, which says, “It is long overdue for researchers to abandon the use of abortion-derived cells. When all approved vaccines are fully ethical, from development to production, our physician-led organizations and like-minded Americans will no longer question their use...."

The 3 - February 28, 2021

This week's edition of The 3 features more recent headlines from the U.S. Supreme Court regarding COVID restrictions, with a recent high court ruling providing relief in one California county.  Also, I have two recent instances of what is called "cancel culture."  Plus, the U.S. House has passed a new bill that grants special rights based on gender identity and sexual orientation.

U.S. Supreme Court grants relief for CA churches from COVID restrictions

Prior to this past weekend, Santa Clara County in California did not allow indoor worship services whatsoever, according to ToddStarnes.com.  But that has changed as the result of a 6-3 ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court that was handed down within the past few days.

There were five churches represented by Pacific Justice Institute that had filed a lawsuit against COVID restrictions in the county - Gateway City Church, The Home Church, The Spectrum Church, Orchard Community Church, and Trinity Bible Church.  Starnes reported on Saturday:

Last week the churches first sought an emergency stay in the Ninth Circuit, but that request was denied by the three-judge panel hearing motions. Lawyers for the churches filed an application for an emergency writ of injunction with Justice Elena Kagan who is assigned to the West Coast for emergency motions.

Starnes noted that "Justice Kagan ordered the County to file a response and then referred the matter to the entire Court which sat in conference today. In a 6-3 decision, the high court granted the relief."

Kagan, along with Sotomayor and Breyer, dissented from the ruling; Starnes notes: "After the Supreme Court’s order, Santa Clara County said indoor worship services immediately would be permitted at 20% capacity but other indoor gatherings would remain prohibited for now."

Cancel culture strikes again: Book removed, TV program pulled

The Daily Mail reports the book was a bestseller.  John Stonestreet at Breakpoint.org stated: "The most recent book banned by Amazon is among the most scholarly and thoroughly researched on the issue of transgenderism. When Harry Became Sally: Responding to the Transgender Moment was written by Ryan Anderson, recently named president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center."

The Daily Mail article says:

A spokesman for Encounter Books which publishes 'When Harry Became Sally,' told the Wall Street Journal it had been removed for violating Amazon's content guidelines.

Amazon describes 'offensive content' in its publishing guidelines: 'We don't sell certain content including content that we determine is hate speech, promotes the abuse or sexual exploitation of children, contains pornography, glorifies rape or pedophilia, advocates terrorism, or other material we deem inappropriate or offensive.'

'This harms the entire culture of book authoring, publishing, and reading--as it will have a chilling effect on all aspects of the book market,' Anderson told The Independent.

The Daily Mail reports that four U.S. Senators: Marco Rubio, Mike Braun, Josh Hawley, and Mike Lee have written a letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos "demanding further information." In a statement, the senators said: "'When Harry Became Sally prompted important discussions in the national media and among policymakers in 2018, and remains one of the most rigorously researched and compassionately argued books on this subject...By removing this book from its marketplaces and services, Amazon has unabashedly wielded its outsized market share to silence an important voice merely for the crime of violating woke groupthink."

Meanwhile, D. James Kennedy Ministries has reported that its television program, Truths That Transform, has been removed from the Lifetime television network, according to CBN.com. Dr. Frank Wright, President and CEO of the ministry, was quoted as saying: "Because of Lifetime's newfound ban on so-called 'controversial' content, D. James Kennedy Ministries has been forced off the cable channel—to which we have paid enormous fees since 2017 to air our program...," and said the ministry will not "cave to the cancel culture." CBN reported:

Lifetime told the ministry it would no longer air programming that addressed issues like abortion or left-wing financier George Soros. And it refused to carry any DJKM programming – even broadcasts celebrating George Washington – unless the media ministry founded in 1974 agreed to Lifetime's sweeping new demands.

Equality Act passes U.S. House - again

For the second time, the so-called "Equality Act" has passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 224 - 206. ChristianHeadlines.com reports that...

The bill would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 – a law that was passed to confront racial discrimination – by adding “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to the list of protected classes for public places, education and employment.

The article also outlines these provisions of this sweeping legislation:

It guarantees that individuals cannot be denied access “to a shared facility, including a restroom, a locker room, and a dressing room, that is in accordance with the individual's gender identity.”

It would force schools to allow biological boys who identify as girls to play on girls’ teams.

Controversially, the bill explicitly forbids individuals from using the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 to sue based on claims within the Equality Act. That 1993 law, signed by President Clinton, prevents the government from “substantially burdening a person's exercise of religion.”

ChristianHeadlines.com also points out: "The Senate has never passed the Equality Act. Politico reported it is unlikely to pass that body in its current form."

The 3 - February 21, 2021

In this week's edition of The 3, highlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, all the stories are centered around religious liberty, including the case of a Canadian pastor who was placed in jail last week for violations of health orders concerning COVID and church capacity.  Also, the U.S. House will be considering legislation that poses a threat to religious liberty under the guise of preventing discrimination against LGBTQ individuals.  And, a Christian campus organization is getting involved in a lawsuit in which two secularist groups are attempted to overturn a rule from a federal agency that guarantees religious freedom rights of campus organizations.

Canadian pastor jailed for violation of COVID protocols

While people gathered to pray this past Saturday and attended church in perhaps larger numbers than before on Sunday, Pastor James Coates of GraceLife Church in Edmonton, Alberta remained in prison, according to a story on the CTV News Edmonton website.

The site reported: 

The parking lot at the church west of Edmonton appeared to be more full on Feb. 21 than any of the previous Sundays CTV News Edmonton had attended over four weeks.

At one point, people at the gate were overheard telling incomers that the building's total fire code capacity had been reached, encouraging them to watch the livestreamed service outside.

This comes as churches in the province are allowed to meet at no more than 15 percent of capacity.

The article goes on to say that, "On Saturday, supporters said prayers for Coates outside of the correctional facility."  It reports that:

Coates was taken into custody on Feb. 16. He attended a bail hearing and was set to be released on conditions, but kept in custody overnight "after refusing to agree to those conditions," RCMP said.

RCMP is the acronym for Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Equality Act re-introduced into the House of Representatives

The legislation known as the Equality Act, which is intended to prevent so-called "discrimination" due to gender identity or sexual orientation has been introduced into the U.S. House, and because of the new makeup of the Senate and support of the White House, it stands a greater chance of becoming law.

Family Research Council issued a press release, in which FRC President Tony Perkins, is quoted; it states:

"To wrest special privileges for sexual orientation and gender identity, the so-called Equality Act would eliminate women's privacy and safety, forcing them to share public bathrooms, locker rooms, showers, and even battered women's shelters with biological males. The harms aren't hypothetical; local laws to this effect have already led to a kindergartener being assaulted in her school restroom, a rape survivor being forced to quit her job, and nine women being harassed in a shelter.

"The bill erodes parental rights and positions the government as lord over churches and other faith-based institutions, potentially dictating how their facilities are used, who they hire, and even punishing them for not falling in step with a view of human sexuality that directly contradicts orthodox biblical teaching. No person of faith or religious institution, whether school, church, synagogue, mosque, business, or non-profit, will escape the Orwellian reach of the Equality Act.

Perkins stated, "The bill would bring a catastrophic loss of religious freedom in America...," and Mary Beth Waddell of FRC said, "It could...be the most pro-abortion legislation to pass the House in a decade, dramatically expanding abortion access and jeopardizing long-standing federal conscience laws."

Christian campus group enters lawsuit filed by secular groups

Ratio Christi Apologetics Alliance, which is a Christian apologetics organization that reaches college students, has announced it will join, as a defendant, a lawsuit filed against a U.S. Department of Education by two secularist organizations, American Atheists and Americans United for Separation of Church and State.  A press release states that:

The lawsuit – brought on behalf of the Secular Student Alliance and one California university student – claims that by ensuring that public universities respect the First Amendment rights of religious groups on college campuses and giving them the same benefits as other campus clubs, the Department of Education somehow discriminates against students of other faiths and non-religious students.

Dr. Corey Miller is President/CEO of Ratio Christi and is quoted as saying, "By bringing this lawsuit against the Department of Education rule, American Atheists and Americans United for Separation of Church and State are in effect doing what they claim to oppose – discriminating against the rights of certain religious students. Disagreement is not denigration. Viewpoint diversity supports rather than undermines the goal of the university, which is the pursuit of truth. Free speech presupposes cognitive liberty." The rule, which went into affect in November of last year, according to the press release, "allows club members to choose only leaders who share the same belief and mission of the club."

The 3 - February 7, 2021

This week's edition of The 3, with three stories of relevance to the Christian community, there is news out of the U.S. Supreme Court, which has lowered the level of restrictions being placed on churches due to the COVID pandemic.  Also, Texas was set to eliminate taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood in the state during the past week, but a judge stepped in and reversed the plan, albeit on a temporary basis. And, an Illinois student that was apparently being forced to attend a program that presented views of sexuality that contradicted her religious beliefs has been granted a reprieve.

U.S. Supreme Court lowers restrictions on indoor worship in CA

The U.S. Supreme Court has provided a measure of relief for beleagured churches in California that have been desiring to meet indoors, but have been prevented from doing so.  Churches can now hold indoor services, but at only 25 percent capacity, as reported by The Christian Post, which reported that, according to Politico, the ruling came in parallel cases filed by two churches.

The Post article quotes from Justice Gorsuch, who wrote, "We are not scientists, but neither may we abandon the field when government officials with experts in tow seek to infringe a constitutionally protected liberty..." His opinion was joined by justices Alito and Thomas. The article says that Chief Justice Roberts, "took a middle path and voted, along with Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, to lift the ban on indoor worship while retaining the restriction on singing, according to The Wall Street Journal."

Justices Breyer, Kagan, and Sotomayor dissented from lifting the worship ban. 

TX rejects, court reinstates, Planned Parenthood funding

Last week, it looked as if the state of Texas had successfully eliminated funding for Planned Parenthood under its Medicaid program. However, as KVUE Television reported, that was a short-lived occurrence. The television station's website stated:

Just hours after Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit on the matter, a state district judge in Travis County has temporarily stopped Texas from removing Planned Parenthood from the state's Medicaid program, according to a report from The Texas Tribune.

The report states Judge Maya Guerra Gamble granted the temporary restraining order and set a hearing for Feb. 17.

The outlet said that "The State's order, which was to go into effect Thursday, left Planned Parenthood patients with 30 days to find a new provider..."

IL school administration accommodates student opting out of gender studies class

A student at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, senior Marcail McBridge had requested the ability to opt-out of a "Student Gender and Sexuality Program" at the school, and according to Christian law firm First Liberty, "In November, Marcail’s parents notified IMSA leadership that Marcail could not participate in the program because it forces Marcail to violate her religious beliefs. The IMSA leadership repeatedly denied the McBrides’ request and threatened to punish Marcail if she does not participate in the program."  The First Liberty website says that the program "uses sexual language to identify sexual preferences and gender identity."  

First Liberty attorney Keisha Russell said, “Under Illinois law, schools must provide religious accommodations for their students, and they must also honor requests to excuse students from programs with sexual content...Schools should never violate the religious conscience of their students. We hope President Torres ends the school administrators’ clearly unlawful behavior and protects the religious liberty of every student by granting an accommodation to the family.”

The firm wrote a letter to school officials, and they acted promptly - First Liberty's website says:

After receiving a letter from First Liberty Institute, the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (“IMSA”) reversed its position and approved senior Marcail McBride’s request for a religious accommodation. Instead of completing the school’s Student Gender and Sexuality Program, the school offered her an alternate assignment.

The 3 - January 31, 2021

This week's edition of The 3, highlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, including developments regarding American taxpayers funding abortion at home and abroad. There is also an instance of web censorship that hits close to home, as a publication of a Faith Radio programmer has found itself suspended from Twitter.  And, a California church faces perhaps a million dollars in fines as the result of challenging state lockdowns.

President authorizes funding abortions outside the country, lawmakers introduce bill to prevent it inside the country

The Mexico City policy prevents the United States from funding international abortions, and has been an off-again, on-again proposition, generally, with Presidents who are pro-life upholding the policy and those who are not, reversing it.

Such was the case this past week when President Joe Biden signed an executive order that ends the policy temporarily - of course, Congress would have to enact legislation to permanently make it U.S. law, which is highly unlikely due to the number of lawmakers who are beholden to the abortion industry and support the taking of unborn life in America, as well as around the world.

CBN.com quoted Jeanne Mancini of the March for Life, which was held virtually last Friday; she said: "Rescinding the Mexico City Policy on the eve of the March for Life is a deeply disturbing move, especially when the president says he wants national unity...The government should never force taxpayers to fund abortions, either here or abroad, but should work to protect the inherent dignity of all persons, born and unborn."

Meanwhile, Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee has joined with other pro-life members of the U.S. Senate to sponsor a bill that would prevent taxpayer dollars from funding abortion through Title X. A press release from her office quotes the Senator: “We must close loopholes that allow for abortion giants like Planned Parenthood to receive federal funding...This legislation will help end taxpayer funded support for the abortion industry and protect the unborn.”  It is certainly a longshot on passage, but it does raise awareness of taxpayer funding being used to take human life.

Major Christian ministry banned from Twitter over transgender comments

The Focus on the Family website, The Daily Citizen, was banned from Twitter recently due to a tweet regarding an appointment by the President, Rachel Levine, who will serve as Assistant Secretary of Health.  The website stated that:

This Daily Citizen tweet linked to an article, which mainly questioned Levine’s suitability for the job because of previous actions as the Secretary of Health in Pennsylvania. Twitter censors alleged that our factual post, stating that a “transgender woman” is a man who believes he is a woman, somehow promoted violence against, threatened or harassed other people.

An organization launched by Focus on the Family, Family Policy Alliance, made this tweet available:

CENSORSHIP ALERT: Twitter banned @FocusCitizen from their platform. The crime? A tweet which identified Asst. Health Sec. Rachel Levine as a biological male. If stating the facts gets you banned, none of us belong here. @Twitter, we’re wondering: #AreWeNext? RT to speak out!

Focus President Jim Daly, in a blog post, stated:

As we noted to Twitter in our appeal (we have since been denied), we were deeply puzzled as to why we’re not permitted to simply acknowledge the definition of what transgender women are – those born male who believe they are a woman, regardless of whether they have had opposite-sex hormones or surgeries.

The article itself had absolutely nothing to do with Dr. Levine’s “trans” identification. It had to do with his fitness for the job based on his previous record.

California church could face over a million dollars in fines, but apparently no jail time

Throughout California, churches have challenged the severe lockdowns throughout the Golden State, which have disrupted the ability of churches to fulfill their missions.  One of them is Calvary Chapel San Jose, which has been holding indoor services in violation of COVID regulations; ChristianHeadlines.com reported on some recent developments:

Attorney Robert Tyler, who is representing Calvary Chapel San Jose and its pastor, Mike McClure, said after a court hearing that the judge said Santa Clara County is “only looking for monetary sanctions” and does not want to place McClure or any other pastors in jail.

“Thank God,” Tyler said. “... That’s off the table.”

According to ABC7, linked to the Christian Headlines article, this case was heard by a county court judge. 

Well, that's good - what's not good is the amount of money that could be used to do ministry work that could be paid to the state. The article says that "Calvary Chapel faces more than $1 million in fines, although Tyler and other supporters of the church hope the court will side with the congregation and rule the fines don’t have to be paid."

The 3 - January 24, 2021

On this week's edition of The 3, highlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, I provide some information with regard to the new Administration's views and actions regarding so-called "transgender rights."  Also, there was a positive court ruling recently that protects conscience rights of those in the medical field who do not wish to participate in gender reassignment procedures. And, an Idaho pastor who had been arrested during a local "psalm sing" sponsored by his church for violating COVID regulations has been released from charges.

Gender identity and sexual orientation "rights" front and center in new Administration

There have been concerns for years about granting special considerations for people based on their sexual orientation and gender identity.  The rhetoric in the Presidential campaign indicated that the Biden Administration would be supportive of these special so-called "rights."

Through Executive Orders issued last week, the President showed the direction that he would like to head on gender issues. One of those orders reversed the standing position on allowing males to play female sports and to share bathroom and locker room facilities. The Federalist reported:

President Joe Biden issued an executive order on his first day in office, mandating that any schools that receive federal funding must function as if biological males who claim to be females are the same, and vice versa, or risk losing that funding. This pro-transgender policy extends to male athletes who claim their gender identity as a female should allow them to compete on women’s teams, receive women’s scholarships, and be admitted in women’s locker rooms.

This homogenization of genders extends to a new rule for federal agencies changing the definition of the word, "sex." National Religious Broadcasters called attention to it, saying...

...This executive order directly targets people of faith and religious organizations. Under this order, all federal agencies are required to include “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” in their definitions of sex regarding any policy that opposes sex discrimination.

Tony Perkins of Family Research Council is quoted in the article, saying: "...President Joe Biden has turned 50-year-old civil rights legislation on its head, hollowing out protections for people of faith. President Biden is unilaterally enacting a sweeping policy change that has routinely failed to win the approval of Congress, the body the Constitution tasks with actually passing laws.”

Court decision helps protect conscience rights of medical professionals faced with gender-related procedures

There was some good news recently in the gender arena: a Federal district court in North Dakota issued a ruling temporarily upholding conscience rights for professionals in the medical field.  According to a CBN.com article, "A federal court in North Dakota has struck down a directive known as the 'Transgender Mandate' that required medical professionals and religious healthcare providers to perform gender transition procedures on patients - including children - even when the measure violates their beliefs."

Luke Goodrich, senior counsel at Becket, which filed the lawsuit back in 2016, stated, "The court's decision recognizes our medical heroes' right to practice medicine in line with their conscience and without politically motivated interference from government bureaucrats."

Ryan Anderson, now the head of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, noted, "The cultural moment in which we're living suggests that there's only one allowed conclusion to this question...And the only allowed conclusion is that (gender) transition is the best solution. The biggest data set shows that there's no benefits, psychological benefits, to patients of hormonal and surgical transition."

Idaho pastor arrested for singing outdoors released from charges

Back in September, a church in Moscow, Idaho held a "psalm sing."  It was outdoors and it was unclear, apparently, what COVID restrictions might have been in place.  Nevertheless, three people, including a local pastor and podcast co-host, Gabriel Rench, were arrested.  He is quoted in a Christian Post article:

“We had done the Psalm sing in the past under the same [mask] resolution and we weren’t arrested, we weren’t warned … we were just taking our constitutional liberties to do what we’re allowed to do under the Constitution — worship..."

He said that it looked as if local law enforcement was attempting to "make an example" of the church's "opposition" to COVID laws. 

Thomas More Society Special Counsel Michael Jacques noted, on behalf of Christ Church: "The Moscow City Code allows the Mayor to issue public health emergency orders, but exempts ‘[a]ny and all expressive and associative activity that is protected by the United States and Idaho Constitutions, including speech, press, assembly, and/or religious activity,’” adding, “Mr. Rench and the other worshipers who were arrested had their constitutionally protected liberties violated and their lives disrupted — not only by the inappropriate actions of law enforcement officers, but also by city officials who did not immediately act to correct this unlawful arrest.”

The 3 - January 17, 2021

In this week's edition of The 3, highlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, there is a development involving a Western-state governor who has been instructed by the Supreme Court to respond to an appeals court ruling on COVID restrictions in his state.  Also, a Midwestern state has become the first state in the Union that no longer offers abortions.  And, a large organization of Christian broadcasters, while lamenting the violence at the U.S. Capitol, is also criticizing the attempt by tech companies to limit the speech of Christian organizations.

U.S. Supreme Court requests response from NV governor regarding COVID-19 restrictions

Coming in the shadow of its ruling in the Brooklyn v. Cuomo case just before Thanksgiving, which reversed restrictions on worship gatherings in New York state, the U.S. Supreme Court has requested a response from the governor of Nevada, Steve Sisolak, to answer for restrictions in his state.

The Christian Post reports that, "The Lyon County-based Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley has been engaged in a lengthy legal battle with Gov. Steve Sisolak..., Attorney General Aaron Ford, and Lyon County Sheriff Frank Hunewill over worship restrictions imposed in the state as a result of the novel coronavirus pandemic," adding:

The most recent development in the case came in December, when the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down restrictions that prevented the church from holding in-person worship services with more than 50 people in attendance.

The appeals court made reference to the Brooklyn decision and "reversed a lower court decision upholding the restrictions. As a result of the ruling, the church could hold in-person worship at 25% capacity."

Attorneys for the Alliance Defending Freedom, representing the church, said: "After concluding that the Nevada governor treats places of worship less favorably than many secular entities, the court of appeals granted a preliminary injunction allowing Calvary Chapel to meet at a 25% capacity limit, the same as casinos, museums, and some others in the governor’s most recent order … That was error...”

"Show-Me State" sets example on abortion

During this week in which the anniversary of Roe v. Wade is commemorated, there is good pro-life news out of the state of Missouri, which is now the first abortion-free state in the United States, according to Liberty Counsel, which reports that: 

On May 17, 2019, Missouri passed a law that made abortions illegal after eight weeks of pregnancy, with no exceptions for cases of rape or incest.

According to “The Status of American Abortion Facilities in 2020,” a year-end report by Operation Rescue, “Reproductive Health Services Planned Parenthood in St. Louis was the last abortion facility in Missouri.” Despite still remaining open, the report confirmed of “no abortion appointments” being made available at the facility “for months, and none are available anytime in the foreseeable future.”

The article notes that ten states saw a reduction in the number of abortion facilities, while thirteen states, including Alabama, which has a new Planned Parenthood clinic in Birmingham, saw an increase.

Large consortium of religious broadcasters laments censorship

There is widespread condemnation of the lawlessness and violence at the U.S. Capitol recently, but there has also been criticism of the use of that event to censor speech, including religious speech.  National Religious Broadcasters, of which Faith Radio is a member, echoed that sentiment, with CEO Troy Miller rightly saying, "We are shocked and grieved by the violence that took place at the U.S. Capitol. These acts do not represent the character of Christianity or the civility for which America stands."

But, he said, "we are concerned by the growing power of Big Tech and the ability of unelected, unaccountable moderators to control the flow of information based solely on their own interpretations or loosely defined standards." In defending religious organizations who have found themselves being condemned due to incorrect perceptions, Miller says, "Many of our member organizations are dependent on social media and other digital platforms to effectively share the Gospel and continue their work. We have already seen numerous examples of Christian ministries being labeled as 'hate groups' and subsequently being denied access to tech platforms, leaving them unable to fundraise, livestream events, or communicate effectively."

Miller said that NRB is in favor of reforms that would create a "fair and transparent process for moderation."

The 3 - January 10, 2021

The 3 returns this week, with three stories of relevance to the Christian community.  The U.S. Supreme Court has announced it will hear a case out of California, where officials are attempting to force a non-profit organization to reveal information about its donors.  Also, Southern Baptist leaders held a meeting recently dealing with how best to approach race relations within the denomination.  And, a well-known evangelist is calling for healing among political leaders in light of unrest in the nation's capital last week.

High court to hear case of donor privacy

The Thomas More Society is a non-profit organization that is based in Michigan, but it has donors from California, and the state's Attorney General would like to force the Society to declare who its donors are. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, according to Alliance Defending Freedom, "ruled that the organization—and all other nonprofits who solicit donations in California—must disclose the names and addresses of major donors to the California attorney general on an annual basis."  The U.S. Supreme Court has announced it will hear the appeal of the case.

ADF, in another article on its website, says that the Society "defends and promotes religious freedom, moral and family values, and the sanctity of human life—issues that can be quite contentious in our current social climate."

Alliance Defending Freedom says that, "The 9th Circuit’s ruling reversed a district court’s decision, which found following a trial that the California attorney general’s office has no compelling need for the information and has historically handled it with great negligence." ADF Senior Counsel and Vice President of Appellate Advocacy John Bursch stated, “Every American should be free to support causes they believe in without fear of harassment or intimidation,” and added, “The fact that California leaks confidential records like a sieve makes mandatory disclosure of sensitive information especially dangerous for donors and employees of nonprofits like Thomas More Law Center, who have faced intimidation, death threats, hate mail, boycotts, and even assassination attempts from ideological opponents."

Southern Baptist leaders meet to discuss approaches to dealing with racism

The Southern Baptist Convention has been forthright in opposing racism in it midst, and despite growth in the diverse makeup, there has still been disagreement in how to best move forward.  A recent Baptist Press article says:

In the last three decades, while attempting to reckon with racism and race relations, the SBC has grown in diversity. Messengers to the 1995 SBC Annual Meeting issued a resolution on racial reconciliation, acknowledging the role of slavery in its founding, denouncing racism “as deplorable sin, apologizing “to all African Americans for condoning and/or perpetuating individual and systemic racism,” repenting and asking forgiveness.

CRT/Intersectionality rose as a controversial issue in the SBC with the passage at the 2019 SBC Annual Meeting of a resolution that affirmed the sufficiency and supremacy of Scripture and rejected the embrace of CRT as a worldview, while suggesting it “should only be employed as analytical tools subordinate to Scripture.”

A group of six Southern Baptist seminary leaders issued, in late November, a statement, according to the article...

...reaffirming “with eagerness” the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. The seminary presidents’ statement said while condemning “racism in any form,” they agree that “affirmation of Critical Race Theory, Intersectionality and any version of Critical Theory is incompatible with the Baptist Faith & Message.”

The article reports that "the statement was criticized by many Black pastors, who said it minimized the existence of systemic racism." SBC First Vice-President Marshall Ausberry, who leads the National African American Fellowship of the SBC, voiced his concern, and other Black leaders in the convention did the same. Some African-American leaders left the Convention. 

Ronnie Floyd, President and CEO of the Executive Committee of the Convention, called a meeting recently, and Baptist Press reports: 

A multi-ethnic group of Southern Baptist leaders described a meeting Wednesday (Jan. 6) as productive and trust-building, saying although they did not agree on all points, they were committed together to fighting racism and to honoring “our common commitment to the inerrant Word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

A statement released by the participants included, in part, these words:

All of us acknowledge that conversations of this nature should have happened ahead of time. The Council of Seminary Presidents regrets the pain and confusion that resulted from a lack of prior dialogue. Together, all of us are committed to condemn and fight racism in every form, personal and structural, in consistency with the 1995 SBC Resolution on Racial Reconciliation and the Baptist Faith and Message. We commit to work together to serve the cause of and to further the work of the Southern Baptist Convention. We will continue these conversations. We are committed to listen to one another, speak honestly and to honor our common commitment to the inerrant Word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Evangelist calls for healing

Well-known Christian evangelist Franklin Graham is calling for healing in the aftermath of the violence that occurred at the U.S. Capitol this past week.  The Christian Post reported over the weekend that:

Referring to President Donald Trump’s speech calling for “healing and reconciliation,” evangelist Franklin Graham urged the commander in chief to invite President-elect Joe Biden, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and their spouses to the White House “to begin the healing and preparation for a smooth transition.”

“Thank you President Donald J. Trump for your conciliatory words to the nation last night,” Graham, who heads Samaritan’s Purse and Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, wrote on Facebook.

Just days earlier, the evangelist had stated, according to Faithwire: "The division in our country is as great as any time since the Civil War,” wrote Graham, president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association as well as its charitable arm, Samaritan’s Purse. “I am calling on Christians to unite our hearts together in prayer for President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, and for the leadership in both parties.”

“Pray that everyone will stop the finger-pointing and realize that both parties bear responsibility for the problems we face today,” he continued. “Pray that they will come together and work together for the good of the American people.”

Graham said that he was "deeply saddened" about the events at the Capitol and stated, "Our country is in trouble,” adding, “We need God’s healing and we need God’s help. Pray for peace and the protection of our nation. Let’s come together — on our knees.”