The 3 - January 12, 2025

In this most recent edition of The 3, featuring three stories of relevance to the Christian community, there is a report on a judge's decision that, in essence, stops the advance of the Biden administration attempts to force a Title IX rewrite to offer protection not just on biological sex for females, but for "gender identity," i.e., males who present as female.  Also, in Florida, it has been found that abortion proponents involved in the petition drive to get a pro-abortion amendment on the November ballot actually, well, cheated, and will pay the price in the form of fines and possible prison time. And, in a reversal, a Georgia college and seminary will now be allowed to participate in a state financial aid program 

Federal judge obliterates Title IX rewrite

It was the #8 topic of 2024 from The Meeting House program - it was relevant to the Christian community because the action itself was a violation of God's created order: an attempt to expand federal protections under Title IX, meant to provide greater opportunities for women, as in biology, to also include gender identity. 

Multiple courts have placed enforcement of new regulations by the U.S. Department of Education on hold, and just recently, the official in charge of the department had already announced that the government would no longer try to expand the rules to allow males to participate in female sports. So, Title IX was in trouble, and a federal judge has dealt the death blow shortly before a new administration takes office.

FoxNews.com reports that:

A federal judge in Kentucky blocked the Biden administration’s attempt to redefine sex in Title IX as "gender identity," striking down the change nationwide.

The U.S. District Court Eastern District of Kentucky Northern Division made the ruling in Cardona v. Tennessee on Thursday.

The article notes:

The ruling came months after the Supreme Court rejected the Biden administration’s emergency request to enforce portions of a new rule that would have included protections from discrimination for transgender students under Title IX.

The sweeping rule was issued in April and clarified that Title IX’s ban on "sex" discrimination in schools covers discrimination based on gender identity, sexual orientation and "pregnancy or related conditions."

According to the Fox report, the court stated, "When Title IX is viewed in its entirety, it is abundantly clear that discrimination on the basis of sex means discrimination on the basis of being a male or female...As this Court and others have explained, expanding the meaning of ‘on the basis of sex’ to include ‘gender identity’ turns Title IX on its head."

Group attempting to place pro-abortion amendment on Florida ballot ordered to pay fine

Not only did the attempt by pro-abortion advocates to secure a three-fifths vote of Florida voters in order to amend the state's constitution to contain language allowing abortion throughout a woman's pregnancy, but it will be a costly effort - monetarily and perhaps legally. 

The Christian Post reported:

The group behind the unsuccessful effort to enshrine a right to abortion in the Florida Constitution has paid more than $186,000 in fines in connection with fraudulent signature-gathering activity as investigations into alleged wrongdoing continue.

In a Dec. 20, 2024, memo, Florida Deputy Secretary of State for Legal Affairs and Election Integrity Brad McVay informed state leaders about ongoing investigations into "initiative petition fraud."

Furthermore, regarding this group, called, Floridians Protecting Freedom, the article notes, "Several paid circulators who submitted petitions on behalf of FPF were arrested in early 2024, and at least three were convicted and sentenced to prison terms. The report added that a much larger number of individuals have been referred for criminal investigation for fraudulent activity."

Christian college/seminary in Atlanta can participate in state financial aid program

We have seen cases in which religious entities - for instance, Christian schools - have been prevented from participating in state programs just because they are religious in nature.  The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in favor of religious institutions in the past facing this type of discrimination.

Ministry Watch reports:

Luther Rice College and Seminary has reached a settlement agreement with the State of Georgia that allows its students to participate in the state’s financial aid programs.

Georgia offers a financial aid program to help cover the cost of tuition for undergraduate programs at colleges and universities in the state, including at private and religious institutions.

However, it had a provision that excluded schools of theology and divinity.

A lawsuit was filed by Alliance Defending Freedom in October, and in December, it was announced that the school would be allowed to participate in the program.  The article relates:

According to a news release by ADF, the state has now agreed to let Luther Rice students participate in the financial aid program.

“Georgia officials did the right thing by allowing Luther Rice to participate in student aid programs while still adhering to its religious beliefs, character, and exercise,” ADF Senior Counsel Ryan Tucker said in the press release.

Tucker also stated: “We’re pleased that Georgia high school students can now receive dual credit by taking classes at Luther Rice and that college students who choose Luther Rice can apply for much-needed financial aid. The state should never limit educational opportunities for students based on their faith..."

The 3 - January 5, 2025

This edition of The 3, highlighting three stories impacting the Christian community, includes the response of Christian leaders to the devastating events in New Orleans the morning of January 1st.  Also there is a continued opportunity an Ohio church has to serve the homeless in its community, thanks to a state appeals court. And, a federal appeals court has rendered a positive ruling on behalf of Christian organizations challenging a New York law that threatens their ability to hire people with beliefs consistent with their Christian faith.

National, local Christian leaders respond to New Orleans tragedy

The day following the tragic events of the morning of New Year's Day in New Orleans, church leaders were on the streets of the city in prayer.  Baptist Press reported:

Southern Baptist pastors and chaplaincy leaders were among clergy who joined city elected officials in the 10-block procession at noon Jan. 2.

The article mentioned that "Vieux Carre’ Baptist Church Pastor Alex Brian, who participated in the prayerwalk, was awaiting the opportunity to check on his church’s meeting location" on Thursday - the church is located a block from a portion of Bourbon Street closed to pedestrians.

Baptist Press went on to say:

Brian is praying for and supporting chaplains in the locked-down area, including those under the command of Col. Page Brooks, state command chaplain for the Louisiana National Guard and pastor of Canal Street Mosaic Community Church, a Southern Baptist congregation that collaborates with Brian on various ministry outreaches.

The National Guard deployed 100 soldiers and two chaplains in response to the attack, said Brian, who was walking the streets of the French Quarter to provide counseling and check on soldiers and first responders when he spoke with Baptist Press.

Former Southern Baptist Convention President Fred Luter, Senior Pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans, was also part of the prayerwalk, noted, "...our entire city has been impacted because of this terrorist attack." He added that, "...prayers for our city and the families who lost loved ones are truly needed."

On Saturday, Family Research Council announced that Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, who is a resident of Louisiana and former state representative, would be hosting a one-hour broadcast called, "Pray for the Nation"  

Christian leaders due to participate included: Pastor Carter Conlon, Pastor Jack Hibbs, Michele Bachmann, Dr. David Goza, Troy Miller, and Pastor Art Reyes. Mike Clark, who is a chaplain with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and has been doing ministry in New Orleans was also part of the lineup. That event was scheduled for Sunday evening at 6:00 p.m. Central Time. Perkins, Conlon, and Hibbs are Faith Radio programmers.  Goza is President of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, Miller is President and CEO of National Religious Broadcasters, and Reyes is Pastor of Calvary Chapel in Downey, California. 

OH church devoted to serving the homeless allowed to remain open

Dad's Place, a church in Bryan, Ohio pastored by Chris Avell, has been in and out of court as the result of its desire to serve the homeless of its area, remaining open so that people will have a warm, safe place to rest.  For this, Pastor Avell has been arrested and the church has run the risk of having to cease these services.

A key decision has been handed down by an Ohio appeals court, according to the website of First Liberty, which is representing the church in court action. 

The Court of Appeals of Ohio, Sixth Appellate District, stayed an injunction against the church "pending appeal." Jeremy Dys, Senior Counsel for First Liberty, stated: “We are grateful to the court for recognizing the weighty issues of Constitutional law and temporarily pausing the city’s aggressive campaign against Dad’s Place. Without this decision by the Court of Appeals, as the judges explained, the city would ‘prohibit Dad’s Place from practicing what it maintains is an important part of its religious beliefs for several months.’ America is better with people like Pastor Chris Avell and Dad’s Place, who compassionately open their doors to people who have nowhere else to go, keeping them from freezing on the snowy sidewalks.”

The appeals court wrote, according to First Liberty, "[G]ranting a stay of the preliminary injunction would preserve the status quo and permit Dad’s Place to continue to exercise its professed religious beliefs during the pendency of its appeal..."

Federal appeals court uphold right of faith-based organizations to hire people who embrace their ideals

The state of New York has a law that, according to the Alliance Defending Freedom website, "...required employers—including churches, religious schools, faith-based pregnancy care centers, and religious nonprofits—to undermine their own beliefs about abortion, contraception, and sexual morality by forcing them to employ those who cannot effectively convey the groups’ message because they refuse to abide by the organizations’ statements of faith and core principles about such issues."

ADF challenged the law on behalf of three Christian ministries: " CompassCare, a faith-based pregnancy center in Rochester; First Bible Baptist Church; and the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates, an association of pro-life pregnancy centers."

In 2023, ADF reported: "ADF attorneys asked a federal district court to rule that New York’s SB 660 violates the groups’ freedom of speech, religion, and association. The court declined to do so in full, which led to the appeal, though the court did rule that a requirement that the law be communicated to employees in employee handbooks was unconstitutional."

Last week, according to the ADF website, the "U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit ruled...to reinstate an expressive association claim seeking to affirm the freedom of faith-based pregnancy centers and churches to employ individuals who agree with their fundamental beliefs and missions."

The 3 - December 29, 2024

This week's edition of The 3, featuring three stories of relevance to the Christian community, includes news of a case the U.S. Supreme Court will be hearing dealing with states setting policy for funding abortion with taxpayer dollars. Also, a Virginia realtor faces punishment due to his faith-related posts on social media.  And, the U.S. Department of Education has announced it will no longer be pressing the issue of allowing males to compete in female sports. 

SCOTUS to hear case of state banning taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood

The governor of South Carolina issued an executive order, according to LifeNews.com, "directing the South Carolina Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) to deem abortion clinics unqualified to receive Medicaid funding." The article stated, "Planned Parenthood and an individual plaintiff immediately sued in federal court, challenging the state’s decision."

A federal district court and the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the state, sending the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, which agreed to hear it. 

Life News noted that this "is a critically important case that could have a dramatic impact on the ability of the states to stop the flow of taxpayer dollars to the nation’s largest abortion company."

Realtor receives reprimand for Christian social media posts

Wilson Fauber is a 70-year-old real estate agent who has been in the business for over 40 years.  He decided to run for City Council in his hometown of Staunton, Virginia last year, and according to The Christian Post:

Opponents of his campaign uncovered several social media posts from years earlier, including a 2015 post in which Fauber shared his Christian views on marriage, particularly in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s consideration of same-sex marriage. At the time, Fauber had posted a Bible-based perspective on the issue, sharing thoughts from the Rev. Franklin Graham and other Christian leaders.

For this, a complaint was registered with the Virginia Association of Realtors, claiming that Fauber had violated the National Association of Realtors Code of Ethics.  The article notes that the code...

...prohibits realtors from using "harassing speech, hate speech, epithets, or slurs" related to "race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity."

Fauber, who is also a minister, was found guilty of violating the code. The Post article goes on to say:

Fauber’s attorney, Michael Sylvester, said they are “obviously disappointed” by the decision and are “considering all legal options.”

“The way the NAR rule is being applied, the message is simple: Bible-believing Christian realtors must be silent,” Sylvester added.

A CBN article related that: 

When asked why he believes this is all coming out now in 2024, Fauber said, "Because the National Association of Realtors is woke. The leadership of the National Association of Realtors has made it very clear about their involvement in endorsing and approving of the LGBTQ community, and just recently, just a few weeks ago actually, in Charlottesville, Virginia, the National Association of Realtors provided funding for a Drag Queen Show." 

CBN.com reported that "If the guilty verdict stands, Fauber could face fines as high as $15,000 and possibly lose his license which would likely end his real estate career."

Administration abandons rule change to allow males to compete in female sports

Ever since the U.S. Department of Education announced its rule changes to Title IX, which was intended to provide more opportunities for females in areas of education, including athletics, there has been strong opposition to the action, which would redefine "sex" to include so-called "gender identity" and "sexual orientation."

The Daily Citizen ran a story recently that said:

On Friday, December 20, 2024, the U.S. Department of Education withdrew its proposed rule forcing schools to permit biological males into girls and women’s sports.

The DOE had released its proposed rule on April 13, 2023, seeking to force schools that receive federal funding to permit students “to participate on a male or female team consistent with their gender identity.”

During the rulemaking process, the Department received 150,000 comments on the proposed rule, each of which it was required to review prior to issuing any final rule. It was also required to respond to significant areas of public concern.

But due to the flood of public comments and concerns, the DOE never issued a final rule, instead opting to withdraw the proposed regulation.

Opposition to the Title IX changes was a key factor, according to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona who is quoted by the Daily Citizen; he said, “The Department recognizes that there are multiple pending lawsuits related to the application of Title IX in the context of gender identity, including lawsuits related to Title IX’s application to athletic eligibility criteria in a variety of factual contexts.” Cardona also stated, “In light of the comments received and those various pending court cases, the Department has determined not to regulate on this issue at this time..."

Alliance Defending Freedom noted on its website: "The Biden administration has attempted to insert gender ideology into Title IX by its general Title IX rule adopted earlier this year, the Biden administration has repeatedly told courts that Title IX alone requires schools to admit men into women’s sports, and activist groups across the country have filed numerous lawsuits to force females to compete against males."

The 3 - December 22, 2024

This week's edition of The 3, with three stories of relevance to the Christian community, features the story of a Live Nativity that, after restrictions had been lifted, a Live Nativity was depicted on the steps of the Capitol in Washington, D.C.  Also, a Georgia state law protecting unborn life once a heartbeat is detected is headed for the state Supreme Court after being struck down twice by a lower court judge. And, a Christian school in Madison, Wisconsin was the site of another school shooting carried out by a student there.

Good news for Christmas: Live Nativity allowed at U.S. Capitol

A legal battle has come to an end, and a demonstration of the Nativity was allowed on the steps of the U.S. Capitol in Washington recently.

Patrick Mahoney of Christian Defense Coalition challenged a prohibition of such displays with a 2022 lawsuit, according to The Christian Post, which related:

The road to this historic moment was paved by Mahoney's 2022 federal lawsuit, which challenged the Capitol's restrictions on public demonstrations. Despite the federal government's resistance, Mahoney argued that the U.S. Capitol — a place symbolic of democracy and freedom — should be a space where all Americans can exercise their First Amendment rights, including the freedom to express religious beliefs.

The article goes on to say:

In May 2024, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled in Mahoney's favor, declaring the Capitol steps to be a public forum where peaceful demonstrations could no longer be prohibited. This decision set a precedent that ensured the steps of the Capitol could be used for public expressions of religious faith, including the display of a Nativity scene.

"This is also a significant victory for religious freedom and the First Amendment," Mahoney said in a statement. "This event has ended and won the war on Christmas in the public square. For if Christmas can be celebrated and displayed in the most powerful public square in America, it can be celebrated publicly everywhere."

Georgia law to protect life in the womb after heartbeat detection facing legal challenge

In 2019, Georgia lawmakers passed a bill that would ban abortion for unborn babies once a heartbeat is detected. So, it was passed before Roe v. Wade was overturned, and on that basis, a Georgia Superior Court judge ruled against the law - and has done so twice now.  Liberty Counsel reported:

In October 2023, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney first ruled that Georgia’s 2019 LIFE Act was invalid because it was enacted under the binding precedent of Roe v. Wade, which had conferred a national right to abortion in the first trimester. Essentially, Judge McBurney determined an unconstitutional law can’t stand even if it becomes constitutional later. The Georgia Supreme Court quickly overruled Judge McBurney 6-1 citing that the U.S. Constitution has a “fixed meaning” and the 2022 Dobbs decision rescinded the “egregiously wrong” Roe decision and is now the controlling precedent.

So, the Supreme Court sent it back to McBurney, who ruled against the law another time; Liberty Counsel says that the judge ruled that the law "violates Due Process and Equal Protection rights by infringing on a person’s privacy and autonomy."  The state Attorney General has appealed the lower court judge's ruling. 

The Liberty Counsel website says that the law "continues to protect unborn babies with a 'detectable human heartbeat' due to Georgia’s High Court halting that judgment until it can make a ruling on the appeal.

Shooting at Christian school in Wisconsin brings concern, grief

Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin is the latest school that has been victimized by a shooter intent on inflicting harm.  CBN.com reported last week:

Police are trying to find out what drove 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow to bring a gun to the private Christian school and open fire during study hall. A teacher and fellow student were killed in the attack. Six others were injured, including two who have life-threatening injuries.

Authorities have been searching the shooter's home for a motive including possible bullying.

Chief Shon Barnes of the Madison Police Department is quoted as saying, "It appears the motive was a combination of factors," adding, "Again we cannot share that information at this time because we do not want to jeopardize the investigation."  The article goes on to say:

A report from the Washington Post cites a "troubled home life" with court records showing the parents married and divorced several times and that the girl had been enrolled in therapy.

A vigil was held at the Wisconsin State Capitol last Tuesday. The story related:

Gospel songs were sung as tears flowed from the eyes of those who attended the event.

For three years, one man has been taking crosses to communities that suffer gun violence in schools.

"God spoke to me to build a cross. I didn't know why," the unnamed man said. "We had a school shooting in Oxford, Michigan almost exactly three years ago at a high school. I took the cross to a vigil there and after that vigil I knew that the cross wasn't just for Michigan it was for everyone across the country. It's a message of healing and hope and love for one another."

The 3 - December 15, 2024

This week's edition of The 3, highlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, concentrates on a settlement that attorneys for three teachers made in a Virginia school district with authorities, exempting them from violating their consciences by using gender-identity "pronouns" and keeping that information from parents.  Also, it has been reported that the results of a federal study from almost a decade ago on gender treatments and procedures that presume to help young people struggling with gender identity were hidden because the results did not match the agenda of the lead researcher. And, Idaho's pro-life law, which went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court following a challenge by the federal government, which claimed that it violated federal law, was heard by a federal appeals court.

VA school district settles with teachers challenging gender-related policies

The school board in Harrisonburg, Virginia decided to place outrageous restrictions on teachers in the area of gender.  The Alliance Defending Freedom website says:

Previously, in a series of on-the-job trainings related to the school board’s nondiscrimination policy, the board directed teachers to “immediately implement” these practices: (1) to ask students’ “preferred” names and pronouns; (2) to always use them, even when contrary to a student’s sex; and, (3) to do so without notifying parents or seeking their consent. And the nondiscrimination policy threatened discipline—including termination—for noncompliance.

In 2022, three teachers filed a lawsuit challenging the policies, saying that they violated "the Virginia Constitution’s Free Speech Clause, the Virginia Religious Freedom Restoration Act, and other legal provisions by compelling them to speak a message to which they object."

Now, ADF, which represented the teachers, and the Harrisonburg City School Board have announced a settlement.  The website notes:

In the order resolving the case, the school board agreed that Deborah Figliola, Kristine Marsh, and Laura Nelson do not have to ask students to share their pronouns and the teachers need not necessarily use pronouns inconsistent with students’ biological sex. The school district also acknowledged that it “does not support hiding or withholding information from parents” and it will continue to inform staff that similar religious accommodations are available to employees.

So, while religious accommodations do exist, based on the terms of the settlement, it appears the school board will continue to require teachers, unless they take the steps to object on religious grounds, to participate in the use of gender identity pronouns without parental permission.

Doctor who commissioned study on gender treatments sandbags report because it did not support her claims

A study, funded by tax dollars, was commissioned almost a decade ago to study the issue of what is mislabeled as "gender-affirming care," which means the mistaken notion that certain treatments and surgical procedures can bring about a, well, "sex change."  It's an affront to God's created order and endangers the health of young people who have been duped to think this can actually occur. 

So, this doctor conducted a study. The Standing for Freedom Center at Liberty University published a piece recently tracing its history, stating that Dr. Johanna Olson-Kennedy, described as "one of the loudest proponents of so-called gender-affirming care," who leads the Center for Transyouth Health and Development at the Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles, "launched a 'multimillion-dollar federal project' to measure whether puberty blockers improved the “mental health” of transgender minors. Her 'hypothesis' was that blockers would ease depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. She enrolled 95 kids around age 11, handed them the drugs, and tracked them for two years."

This was 2015. Her findings, as of last Thursday, still have not been released.  The article says:

Because, as the New York Times put it, her “hypothesis does not seem to have borne out.” Olson-Kennedy has since buried the results, arguing that the data would be “weaponized” in today’s political debates.

Translation: “The science” didn’t back her preferred outcome, so she suppressed it, even though taxpayers have already coughed up nearly $10 million to bankroll this study through the National Institutes of Health.

Now Olson-Kennedy is facing pushback...for instance, 

Amy Tishelman, a clinical psychologist at Boston College, told The New York Times that while she understands concerns about the data being “weaponized,” it’s “really important to get the science out there.”

And, a patient of Olson-Kennedy, has filed a lawsuit on the basis of "medical negligence."

In retrospect, plenty of money could have been saved by adopting the findings of the Cass study out of the U.K., where this type of so-called "care" is being re-evaluated and reduced, according to the Standing for Freedom Center article, which notes:

The landmark Cass review, for example, concluded that the support for “gender-affirming care” is “remarkably weak.” Dr. Hilary Cass, the lead author, specifically rebuked the pediatric medical community for “misleading the public” and “doubling down” on shoddy research.

As the article points out, the Cass study was cited by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito in the recent oral arguments concerning Tennessee's ban on these procedures and treatments for young people.   

Idaho pro-life law goes before federal appeals court

Idaho lawmakers passed the Defense of Life Act several years ago, which, according to LifeNews.com, protects the lives of women and their unborn children, preventing doctors from performing abortions unless necessary to save the life of the mother or in cases of rape or incest.

 The article, published last week, states:

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments Tuesday in United States of America v. State of Idaho.

The Office of the Idaho Attorney General, with the assistance of attorneys from Alliance Defending Freedom, is urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit to stop the Biden administration from misusing federal law to override Idaho’s Defense of Life Act.

In 2022, the Biden administration challenged the law, and that challenge went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which sent it back down to a lower court for further litigation. The administration had maintained that the state could use EMTALA "...and pay private hospitals to violate Idaho’s protections for life. But as the attorneys explain, the federal government cannot pay private parties to circumvent state law."

The article points out that...

...no conflict exists between EMTALA and Idaho’s law as both seek to save lives. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court sent the case back to the 9th Circuit for further consideration. Idaho filed its opening brief in September and received broad support in favor of upholding its law.

“Taking EMTALA for what it actually says, there is no direct conflict with Idaho’s Defense of Life Act,” attorneys representing the Idaho Legislature wrote in court filings earlier this month.

The state said: "Nothing in EMTALA requires physicians to violate state law. And nothing in Idaho law — whether in EMTALA-covered circumstances or beyond — denies medical care to pregnant women..."

Regarding the Supreme Court's earlier non-decision, Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel is quoted as saying, “This order means that the case returns to the Ninth Circuit, which had ordered that the appeal of the preliminary injunction be decided by the full court on an expedited basis without any further briefing. The abortion ban currently remains in place in Idaho, except for those in emergency room situations.”

The 3 - December 8, 2024

This week's edition of The 3, with three stories of relevance to the Christian community, includes another step forward for an assisted suicide bill in the British Parliament.  Also, the attorney general of Missouri is squaring off against the nation's largest abortion provider regarding the provisions of a Constitutional Amendment that narrowly passed in November's election that establishes a "right" to abortion in the state.  And, there was another court victory recently regarding the legality of Good News Clubs in public schools in Hawaii.

Assisted suicide bill clears hurdle in British Parliament

A bill that would allow assisted suicide has passed a critical vote in Parliament in the U.K.  The BBC reported that:

The bill, introduced as a private members' bill by MP Kim Leadbeater, passed its second reading with a vote of 330 to 275. That doesn’t mean it will become law just yet. Instead, the legislation can now stand up to further interrogation and could undergo amendments.

Those against the bill have argued that it lacks safeguards. Others fear that it can be used as a coercive measure against people experiencing abuse. Proponents, on the other hand, believe it offers “common sense” and a compassionate death for people who are terminally ill.

The website also notes:

The bill will now go to committee stage, where a detailed examination will takes place. MPs can table possible amendments to the legislation during this stage.

It's set to face further scrutiny and will be taken to a vote in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, meaning any change in the law would not be agreed until 2025 at the earliest.

It will become law only if both the House of Commons and House of Lords agree on the final wording in the document.

On the Wednesday prior to the vote, WORLD Magazine stated:

Ecumenical organization Christian Concern on Monday published a statement condemning the bill and calling on lawmakers to vote against the measure. The organization plans to rally on Friday outside Parliament to protest the bill and to discuss the dangers of assisted suicide and euthanasia.

WORLD also related in that late November article: "The Catholic Bishops of England, Wales, and Scotland issued a statement earlier this month calling for better palliative care and more compassion for those who are dying, rather than assisted suicide."

That article described the provisions of the bill:

The measure would allow citizens over the age of 18 who live in England or Wales to end their lives with the help of a medical practitioner. Patients would be required to have the mental capacity to give informed consent, be expected to die within six months, and make two signed and witnessed declarations expressing their wish to die. Two doctors would also be required to evaluate the patient and say he or she is eligible, and a High Court judge would need to rule each time a person requests to end his or her life. The measure does not say which drug would be used to end the patient’s life.

Missouri abortion amendment not final word, AG says

Just over half of Missouri voters passed an amendment that reportedly establishes a "right" to abortion in the state's Constitution.  But the Attorney General and some lawmakers don't see it as an absolute guarantee of the availability of abortion in the state.

The Higher Ground Times, in an article released shortly before the scheduled resumption of abortions by Planned Parenthood in the state last week, reports:

The day after the Nov. 5 election, Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn two dozen laws described as “medically unnecessary restrictions targeted at abortion providers,” such as requiring that only doctors perform abortions and that they have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals.

The article referred to a hearing that was held last week, in which Planned Parenthood was asking for a temporary injunction to allow abortions to resume. 

The Attorney General, Andrew Bailey responded; the article says that he "acknowledged that Amendment 3 made five state laws barring abortion unenforceable, but said that the remaining statutes 'simply regulate abortion providers but do not prohibit abortion.'”

The article says: 

Amendment 3 squeaked by with 51.6% of the vote in the Nov. 5 election, making Missouri the first state with a ban on abortion except in emergencies to approve an abortion-rights amendment following the Supreme Court’s June 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade.

Pro-life advocates held special events at five Planned Parenthood clinics last week; Higher Ground Times states:

The Life Coalition held five simultaneous press conferences Tuesday at Planned Parenthood locations in Missouri arguing that the lawsuit would “block safety laws currently protecting women in this state.”

“We call for all of these safety standards to stay intact,” said Brian Westbrook, executive director of Coalition Life, outside the Planned Parenthood affiliate in St. Louis.

“If they are overturned, we call on people of the state of Missouri and our legislature to reenact these safety standards to make sure that women do not go into a place like this and leave in an ambulance headed to the hospital,” he said.

The AG and Planned Parenthood squared off in court last week; Fox 4 in Kansas City said the judge heard "a motion in this case that addresses the defendants standing which will determine the validity of said defendants listed in this case, giving those entities until Saturday, Dec.14, to file a response to this suit."

Hawaii directed to allow Christian programs to operate in schools

Child Evangelism Fellowship has an outstanding program through which students are allowed to attend Christian programs in public schools - it's called Good News Clubs, and there was an issue recently in the state of Hawaii, where certain officials were attempting to block the CEF outreaches from meeting.

CBN.com reports:

Liberty Counsel, the Christian legal advocacy firm representing Child Evangelism Fellowship, announced in late November its client received a permanent statewide injunction, allowing the Good News Clubs — a weekly extracurricular gathering during which 5- to 12-year-old kids learn Bible lessons, recite memory verses, sing praise songs, and play games — to operate in every school district in Hawaii.

The article notes:

In January, Liberty Counsel filed a lawsuit against Aloha State education officials after four school districts on the islands blocked the Christian clubs from meeting on public campuses. In the legal complaint, attorneys argued that, by affording school access to secular groups while prohibiting faith-based meetings, district officials were violating the First and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

The CEF received a preliminary injunction over the summer, ordering the Hawaii Department of Education as well as the six elementary schools named in the complaint to allow — just like any other club — the Good News Clubs to meet on school property. Then, on Nov. 19, a broader permanent injunction ensured the clubs have the right to meet on any public school campus in Hawaii.

Liberty Counsel touts at its website that it has never lost a case concerning Good News Clubs.  The article at CBN.com states that the issue of the legality of these clubs to meet was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in a 2001 case, stating:

...in Good News Clubs v. Milford Central School, the justices ruled 6-3 the school violated the First Amendment rights of Good News Club participants by preventing after-school meetings on campus.

The 3 - December 1, 2024

This week's edition of The 3, with three stories of relevance to the Christian community, includes an Alabama library's attempt to run afoul of new state standards by allowing objectionable books to remain in a section of the library making them more accessible to children.  Also, the State of Tennessee is preparing to argue before the U.S. Supreme Court this week regarding the legality of legislation banning dangerous treatments and surgeries for minors wishing to change their gender.  Plus, the new Department of Government Efficiency is considering ending taxpayer funding of abortion through Planned Parenthood.

Alabama library alters rules on removing certain objectionable books

The Alabama Public Library Service has set parameters for its affiliates governing the placement of material within the library, taking precautions to prevent material that would be inappropriate for children from being readily available to them.

1819 News reported recently: 

Libraries must create policies to govern juvenile sections and protect youth from sexually explicit or inappropriate material. Libraries must have written guidelines to ensure minors do not come into contact with obscene materials and there must be library cards for minors under the age of 18 that require parental approval before checkout.

But, according to the article, in Fairhope, Alabama, there has been an attempt to bend the rules; it states:

Clean Up Alabama claims Fairhope Library director Tamara Dean has “rejected repeated requests to remove materials from the children’s sections of the library that contain disturbing content — such as sexual assault, drug abuse, pedophilia, child trafficking, and graphic depictions of gender transitioning.”

The article noted:

Fairhope Library Board of Trustees chairman Anne Johnson claimed the board created new rules to comply, but she said they tried to “loosen the language” so the rules weren’t so restrictive.

1819 News goes on to say:

An example of a book available in the library’s children’s section is “Parts and Hearts” by Jensen Hillenbrand. The book explains to children how “transitioning” with medication and surgery can make people healthier.

The book was challenged and remains in the juvenile non-fiction section of the library. Dean wrote in response to the challenge that the book is meant to educate on a sensitive topic and she said the book is exempt by the APLS board for educational purposes.

Really?  APLS Board Chair John Wahl said he is not aware that the book is exempt.  A Clean Up Alabama e-mail sent out recently said:

In their justification, the Fairhope library asserts that the APLS board granted the exemption of educational materials. Even if the dubious claim of Parts and Hearts being educational were true, no such exemption exists in the current APLS guidelines. The exemption in the code is ONLY for religious, history, anatomy and biology texts. These books fall outside of those categories.

That e-mail also states that Fairhope library Board chair Johnson "also claims that the book Grown, which graphically depicts abuse and sexual assault, is 'entirely appropriate' for minors."

Tennessee law banning transgender treatments and surgeries to be argued December 4

This Wednesday is a key date for not only Tennessee, but perhaps other states, as well, such as Alabama, which have passed laws to protect children from gender change therapies and surgeries.  The Tennessee Lookout website has noted:

The Supreme Court has scheduled oral arguments for Dec. 4 in the case challenging Tennessee’s law banning gender-affirming care for minors brought by three young people and their families.

The state law — which took effect on July 1 of last year — bars Tennessee doctors and nurses from providing medical care — including puberty blockers, hormones and surgeries — to transgender people under 18.

The article relates this information:

A federal court in Tennessee initially blocked the law in April. But, the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals overruled that decision last year, allowing the law to go into effect while the Biden Administration appealed.

Alliance Defending Freedom filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the case. ADF Senior Counsel and Vice President of Appellate Advocacy John Bursch is quoted on the ADF website as saying:

“Relying on bad science, activists and the Biden-Harris administration have pushed these harmful medical procedures across the country and even taken steps to prevent state legislatures from regulating these procedures. These procedures have devastated countless lives, which is why countries that were previously leaders in so-called ‘gender affirming’ care are reversing course and curtailing these experimental efforts to permanently alter children’s bodies. We urge the Supreme Court to affirm the lower court’s ruling that Tennessee is free to implement laws that follow the best science available in protecting vulnerable children from high-risk medical procedures.”

DOGE proposes to defund Planned Parenthood and other progressive organizations that receive taxpayer funding

For years, pro-life organizations have been critical of the federal government's role in proliferating abortion by funding the nation's largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood.  On the Friday before Thanksgiving, I featured part 1 of a two-part conversation with Seth Gruber, who has chronicled the life and philosophy of Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger.  More of that conversation is coming up on the Tuesday edition of The Meeting House on Faith Radio. 

Now, it seems like the Department of Government Efficiency may be looking into taxpayer funding of abortion. The Washington Stand reported recently that Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy "...outlined their vision for the forthcoming Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal..., specifically underscoring plans to enact a host of policies long supported by pro-life advocates and government efficiency experts alike."  They wrote:

“DOGE will help end federal overspending by taking aim at the $500 billion plus in annual federal expenditures that are unauthorized by Congress or being used in ways that Congress never intended, from $535 million a year to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and $1.5 billion for grants to international organizations to nearly $300 million to progressive groups like Planned Parenthood...

The article notes: "Planned Parenthood received $699.3 million in taxpayer funding...and carried out 392,712 abortions in its 2022-2023 fiscal year, according to its most recent annual report.

Mary Szoch, director of the Center for Human Dignity at Family Research Council, said: “It was beautiful to see that Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have recognized that using American taxpayer dollars to fund the killing of unborn children is a complete waste of money. It is inefficient on so many levels — including that it robs Americans of future generations of children. I look forward to seeing the other areas DOGE recognizes as a waste of taxpayer dollars; this first announcement signaled that rebuilding a culture of life is part of taking back America.”

Tony Perkins, FRC President, highlighted several areas of what he called "good news." These include, according to the article:

• Defund Planned Parenthood.
• Defund international [organizations] at odds with our interests.
• Defund PBS/NPR.
• Mass rescissions of unconstitutional regulations that exceed the authority of the Executive branch.
• Return the federal workforce to the office five days a week, which “would result in a wave of voluntary terminations that we welcome.”

Kristan Hawkins, President of Students for Life of America (SFLA), posted on social media:“Taxpayers should not be forced to fund abortion. If President Trump’s goal is to end federal involvement in abortion, we must start by defunding & debarring Planned Parenthood.”

The 3 - November 24, 2024

On this, the most recent edition of The 3, with three stories of relevance to the Christian community, there is news out of Oklahoma, where the state school superintendent has recommended an office devoted to religious liberty and patriotism.  Also, the leader of the Church of England has stepped down in the wake of mishandling sex abuse cases. And, the Ohio Legislature has passed legislation that would ensure the privacy of females in restrooms and locker rooms.

OK school superintendent OK's new office devoted to religious liberty, patriotism

Ryan Walters is the Oklahoma Department of Education Superintendent, and he is committed to making changes in the public schools in the state. Recently, according to The Daily Citizen from Focus on the Family, Walters has proposed an Office of Religious Liberty and Patriotism.  He also has announced the formation of a new committee to align Oklahoma with anticipated federal guidelines, that may go as far as to abolish the federal Department of Education.

The Daily Citizen article notes:

According to a press release, the Office of Religious Liberty and Patriotism “will serve to promote religious liberty and patriotism in Oklahoma and protect parents, teachers, and students’ abilities to practice their religion freely in all aspects.”

The new office will support “teachers and students when their constitutional rights are threatened by well-funded, out-of-state groups.”

But, there's another way that Walters is shaking things up in the state.  The article states:

As reported in the Daily Citizen, Waters [sic] announced a plan in September to spend $3 million to place a Bible in every classroom, saying the Bible is “a necessary historical document to teach our kids about the history of this country, to have a complete understanding of Western Civilization” and “one of the most foundational documents used for the Constitution and the birth of our country.”

Leader of Church of England steps aside

The Archbishop of Canterbury leads the Church of England.  Justin Welby, up until a few days ago, held that position. CBN.com reported that Welby "...has resigned after an investigation revealed he did not inform the police quickly after he learned about decades of physical and sexual abuse by a volunteer at church summer camps."

The article goes on to say:

Anger had been mounting within the church over the lack of accountability among the church's top leaders. And members of the church’s national assembly had created a petition calling for Welby to step down over concerns that he had mishandled the sex abuse scandal.

But the strongest outcry had come from victims of the late John Smyth. The investigation revealed that Smyth, a prominent attorney, abused teenage boys and young men at the denomination's summer camps since the 1970s. Evidence indicates Smyth sexually, psychologically, and physically abused about 30 boys and young men in the United Kingdom and 85 in Zimbabwe and South Africa over the course of five decades.

Ohio legislators pass bill to keep boys and girls spaces separate

The legislature in the state of Ohio has completed its deliberation on the Protect All Students Act. The Washington Stand reports that the legislation "...is designed to keep spaces such as bathrooms, locker rooms, and overnight accommodations free from the co-mingling of males and females in schools."

The article notes that: "The Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) also expressed their support of the legislation." It goes on to quote from CCV Policy Director David Mahan, who said: “[This] is a huge victory for children and families in Ohio,” adding, “Amended SB104 is common-sense legislation that will guarantee the only people entering young ladies’ private spaces are female, not men claiming to be female.”

Meg Kilgannon of Family Research Council said: “The women of Ohio and women everywhere deserve to know that their bathrooms and locker rooms are just that — for women and girls and the young children they care for.” She added, “Given the results of the 2024 elections, and the amount of messaging around gender identity during the campaign, politicians should embrace the chance to prove they are for the safety and security of women and girls.”

The 3 - November 17, 2024

This week's edition of The 3, spotlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, includes a court ruling that puts the new 10 Commandments law in Louisiana on hold. Plus, a Christian missions organization as strengthened its doctrinal statement.  And, an attempt to put an Indiana law on hold that would protect children from dangerous procedures that are falsely characterized as helping a child change his or her gender, has been turned back by a federal appeals court.

Federal judge puts new LA 10 Commandments law on hold

A new law in Louisiana requiring the 10 Commandments to be posted in public school classrooms across the state has been put on hold by a federal judge, according to WORLD Magazine, which reported:

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry approved a law in June that would require all classrooms in the state to hang up the Biblical Ten Commandments alongside a statement about their historical role in shaping American education. Less than a week later, the American Civil Liberties Union sued the state, saying the law violated the First Amendment’s prohibition on government endorsing religion.

WORLD stated that: "U.S. District Judge John deGravelles...issued a preliminary injunction preventing authorities in Louisiana from enforcing a law putting the Biblical Ten Commandments in classrooms. Judge deGravelles described the law as facially unconstitutional."  The article added that the state's attorney general said she would appeal this ruling.

The Liberty Counsel website states:

Louisiana has considerable grounds for its appeal. Recent Supreme Court precedents show that displaying the Ten Commandments is not necessarily a religious endorsement. In American Legion v. American Humanists Association, the High Court wrote that the Ten Commandments “have historical significance as one of the foundations of our legal system” and represents a “common cultural heritage.” Then, in 2022, the cases of Shurtleff v. City of Boston and Kennedy v. Bremerton School District rejected and overruled the 1971 case of Lemon v. Kurtzman. The High Court replaced the “Lemon Test” by returning to a traditional First Amendment standard where courts must interpret the Establishment Clause by “reference to historical practices and understandings.”

The case now goes to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit. 

Christian missions organization announces strengthening of doctrinal issues

In the face of churches and ministries compromising on their fidelity to Biblical truth, it is important that Christian entities are solid in their adherence to God's Word. One missions organization, the Association of Baptists for World Evangelism, has revised its statements of faith to make clear where it stands on important Biblical matters.

A press release published on Inspire Newswire, reports that the changes will become effective on January 1st, and it states:

This significant update comes as part of a broader effort to reaffirm ABWE’s unwavering commitment to historic, biblical orthodoxy and address contemporary cultural and theological challenges.

ABWE President Paul Davis is quoted as saying, "Our new doctrinal statement strengthens our stance on essential truths and equips our workers to faithfully proclaim the gospel in today’s changing world,” adding, “In a time when doctrinal clarity is often compromised, ABWE remains committed to defending the ageless truths of Scripture and providing the necessary theological grounding for effective ministry.”

The organization states: "The revised language provides a robust articulation of doctrines such as the Trinity, the exclusivity of Christ, and the authority of Scripture." It also notes: "Updates respond to current issues, including the biblical definition of marriage and sexuality, and the influence of false teachings."

Federal appeals court rules in favor of ban on dangerous "gender"-related treatments

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit has issued a "decision in the case of K.C. v. Individual Members of the Medical Licensing Board of Indiana," according to the website for Alliance Defending Freedom. The court decided "to uphold an Indiana law that protects children from harmful, unnecessary, and high-risk drugs and surgeries that alter their bodies to make them look like the opposite sex..."

ADF Senior Counsel and Vice President of Litigation Strategy and Center for Conscience Initiatives Jonathan Scruggs said: "...These procedures have devastated countless lives, which is why countries that were previously leaders in so-called ‘gender affirming’ care are reversing course and curtailing these experimental efforts to alter children’s bodies. The 7th Circuit was on solid ground to uphold Indiana’s law that allows children to receive the help they need—safely.”

Writing for the majority, according to TheHill.com, Judge Michael B. Brennan stated: “These constitutional arguments threaten significant consequences. Appellees ask us to constitutionalize and thus take from Indiana the power to regulate a new and heavily debated medical treatment with unknown risks..."

Attorney General Todd Rokita said on X, “By rejecting the injunction against our commonsense state law, dangerous and irreversible gender-transition procedures for minors will remain banned in Indiana..."

The 3 - November 10, 2024

This week's edition of The 3, highlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, includes some exit poll data that provide an indication into how religious groups voted.  Also, three states rejected attempts to allow abortion during the entirety of a woman's pregnancy. And, an attempt to prevent boys from competing in girls' sports continues to move forward after a court decision.

Early faith stats show white evangelicals, Catholics broke for Trump

I have not seen the numbers of exactly how many faith voters actually went to the polls to cast ballots in the 2024 election, but there are some indications of how various religious groups voted.  The day after Election Day, in my roundup on The Meeting House, I included this analysis of exit polling data from The Washington Post:

According to early exit polls, Catholic voters supported Trump over Harris by a double-digit margin. In 2020, Catholics backed Joe Biden, who would become America’s second Catholic president, by a five-point margin. In both years, about a quarter of voters were Catholic.

Other religious groups were more similar to 2020. About 6 in 10 Protestants supported Trump over Harris, and they made up about 40 percent of the electorate. Just under 2 in 10 voters reported no religion, and they supported Harris by a 3-to-1 margin.

Trump’s strongest religious group were voters who identified as White born-again Christians, who represented about 2 in 10 voters. About 8 in 10 of them supported him nationally, similar to his margin in 2020.

I noted that the chart of the data apparently uses "evangelical" and "born-again" interchangeably.  About one-fourth of voters indicate no religious preference.

In August, I had related this analysis from David Brody of CBN News:

In 2008, Barack Obama received 26% of the White Born Again Evangelical Vote and won. In 2016, Hillary Clinton received 16% of the White Born Again Evangelical Vote and lost. In 2020, Joe Biden received 24% of the White Born Again Evangelical Vote and won. So if Kamala Harris gets 20% or more of the White Born Again Evangelical Vote, Trump could very well lose the General Election to Harris.

The updated data at The Washington Post showed that Harris received 17% of that vote, with Trump garnering 82%.

Three states turn back pro-abortion ballot measures

The day following Election Day, Nicole Hunt, Life Issues Analyst for Focus on the Family and contributor to The Daily Citizen discussed how three states rejected ballot measures that would allow abortion during the entirety of a woman's pregnancy.  Seven states, however, passed similar measures.

In a piece at The Daily Citizen website, Nicole Hunt wrote:

Prior to Tuesday, we saw seven losses for the pro-life movement in statewide ballot measures. And last night, we saw another seven states adopt radical abortion policy into their state constitution.

While there is still much more work to do, the wins in Florida, Nebraska and South Dakota were critical for the pro-life movement.

She noted:

Pro-life advocates needed these wins.

Pro-life donors needed these wins.

And pro-life voters needed these wins.

In providing insight into the path to victory for these three states, Hunt stated: 

In Florida, the heightened threshold of 60% approval was a game changer. Ultimately the amendment failed because it only got 57% of the vote.

In Nebraska, the pro-life community brought forward a pro-life initiative to compete against the abortion measure.

In both of those states, political leaders fearlessly advocated for life and helped raise money for the pro-life cause.

In South Dakota, we saw a naturally more conservative base that wasn’t influenced by big abortion money. According to state filings, the ACLU and Planned Parenthood didn’t even put money into the South Dakota campaign.

Court case involving males competing in female sports allowed to continue

One of the issues in the 2024 election has to do with males competing in female sports. This certainly is an affront to God's created order, and numerous Christian organizations, including Alliance Defending Freedom, have stepped up to preserve the important civil rights issue of allowing females to exclusive participate in female sports.  Already, courts have looked favorably on challenges to changes made to Title IX that would redefine the word "sex" to include so-called "gender identity" and sexual orientation.

On its website, Alliance Defending Freedom reports that a federal district court just last week issued a "decision...in Soule v. Connecticut Association of Schools to allow the case of four female athletes, who are challenging a state athletic association policy that allows males to compete in women’s high school sports, to proceed, rejecting the request of state officials to dismiss the case..."

Legal Counsel Rachel Rouleau stated that these four athletes "deserve access to fair competition."  She went on to say...

...Following the 2nd Circuit’s decision to allow these brave women to make their case under Title IX and set the record straight, the district court has rightly rejected the state’s request to dismiss the case and instead recognized that the girls’ ‘schools are potentially liable for subjecting the plaintiffs to discrimination under their athletic programs in violation of Title IX.’ This is imperative not only for the women who have been deprived of medals, potential scholarships, and other athletic opportunities but for all female athletes across the country. This ruling creates one fewer obstacle for high school girls to face as they pursue their athletic dreams.”

The 3 - November 3, 2024

This edition of The 3, featuring three stories of relevance to the Christian communities, includes news of an organization identifying with the devil that has expanded its telehealth abortion activities. Also, a family who left Germany in order that the children might be homeschooled, gets to stay in America for at least another year.  And, there's a reminder of the importance of constitutionally-guaranteed freedom speech in a state supreme court ruling in favor of a cake baker who reflected his deeply-held religious beliefs in the choice of the types of cakes he would bake.

Satanic Temple broadens availability of "telehealth" abortions

A poignant reminder of the nature of abortion can be found in the recent alliance between an organization that claims to be "satanic" and the abortion industry.  A piece found on Crosswalk.com states:

The Satanic Temple (TST) has announced that it has opened a second telehealth abortion clinic in Virginia, over a year after it opened its first facility in New Mexico. According to a press release, TST said that the Virginia-based abortion facility, titled "Right to Your Life Satanic Abortion Clinic," will be "free of charge" like the first one, "with patients only needing to cover the cost of medication through a third party at a very low price."

"Our dedicated staff will again be available 24/7, ensuring that patients receive the care they need when they need it," TST added.

The article went on to say:

According to a TST document shared with The Christian Post, the group explained that abortion is part of its "destruction ritual that serves as a protective rite," noting that preparations for the procedure include reading and listening to stories from people in favor of abortion as a way to "subdue any stigmas" a woman might feel entering the clinic.

TST, headquartered in Salem, Massachusetts, describes the Satanic abortion ritual as a "spiritual experience designed to instill confidence and self-worth in accordance to TST's religious beliefs."

German homeschool family receives another reprieve in order to stay in the U.S.

Perhaps you're familiar with the plight of Uwe and Hannelore Romeike; they are a family that, according to the Red State website, believed God was leading them to homeschool their children - unfortunately, homeschooling is illegal in Germany. In 2010, they received asylum in America, but then that was overturned. Finally in 2014, they were allowed to stay in the U.S. under "indefinite deferred action status."  Case closed, right?

Well, according to the article:

In September of 2023, without any prior warning or explanation, the Romeikes were told there had been a "change of orders," and they had four weeks to secure passports to begin self-deportation. One more problem: the Romeikes have had two more children while in the U.S. who are American citizens.

The article states: 

A petition was started to ask the Biden administration to reinstate the deferred action status. The petition got more than 100,000 signatures. In addition, a letter signed by 45 Tennessee lawmakers in September was sent to ICE asking for reconsideration of the Romeike's immigration status and impending deportation.

The website reports that "Rep. Diana Harshbarger...has also introduced private legislation to grant the Romeike family permanent residency..." 

Red State includes a tweet from Home School Legal Defense Association Senior Counsel Will Estrada, in which he says: 

I am grateful to God to announce that the Romeike family, who @HSLDA has been helping since they fled from Germany in 2008 & requested asylum, has received another one year stay to remain in the US! They are free to continue to homeschool & practice their faith in our nation!

He has posted the official statement from HSLDA which offered a reminder that the legal status of the family has not changed.

Jack Phillips wins at Colorado Supreme Court

Jack Phillips, the Colorado cake baker who went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court defending his right to decline a request to bake a cake celebrating a same-sex wedding ceremony, has won a definitive victory in the Colorado Supreme Court.  According to CBN.com:

...after over a decade of court battles, Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Lakewood, Colorado, recently won a major victory at the Colorado Supreme Court — something over which he’s elated.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” Phillips recently told CBN News of the legal win. “And I didn’t expect it right now, but it was good news.”

The baker first found himself in the crosshairs more than a decade ago, when he declined to make a same-sex wedding cake. After that case made its way through the courts, he again found himself facing a new battle after he refused to make a cake celebrating a gender transition.

John Bursch, Senior Counsel of Alliance Defending Freedom, stated: “The court did not address any of the First Amendment claims,” adding, “It only dismissed based on the procedural ground, although that’s enough to end the case.”  He added:

“In the meantime, we also had the U. S. Supreme Court decide the 303 Creative case on behalf of our client, Lorie Smith, and there the U.S. Supreme Court made it very clear that the First Amendment broadly protects the right of all Americans to not be forced to speak messages that violate their conscience.”

CBN noted that Bursch "said that the case helps solidify a scenario in which every American 'wins' and can exercise their freedoms to create messages that comport with their worldview."

When considering for whom you will vote on Tuesday, make sure that religious freedom is a consideration.  Troy Miller, President and CEO of National Religious Broadcasters, on Friday's Meeting House on Faith Radio, discussed the importance of free speech, reminding believers of the negative consequences if our freedoms of speech and religion are curtailed.

The 3 - October 27, 2024

On this week's edition of The 3, spotlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, there are three states who are suing the FDA due to its loosening of restrictions concerning the distribution of the abortion pill. Also, there's a ruling from the federal court that enables a major Christian satire site to continue to post its content, even in light of a new California law that threatens to prevent that.  And, a university in the U.K. has placed a warning on certain classic literature due to Christian themes.

Three states take FDA to court over abortion pill regulations

After the U.S. Supreme Court refused to rule on the legality of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's loosening of restrictions on availability of the abortion pill earlier this year, three state attorneys general have gone back to court to try to tighten up its distribution.

The states are Missouri, Kansas, and Idaho, and Liberty Counsel reports on its website:

The new amended lawsuit, which could end up back at the Supreme Court in the future, asserts that the three states have legal standing because the relaxed restrictions undermine state pro-life laws protecting women, girls, and unborn children by putting lives and health at risk.

The article notes the high court did not rule in the abortion pill case this year because it deemed that the pro-life doctors who brought the action did not have "standing."

Liberty Counsel states:

From 2016 to 2021, the FDA deregulated Mifepristone so it could be used through the 10th week of pregnancy, rather than only through the 7th week; allowed healthcare providers who are not physicians to prescribe the drugs; relaxed adverse reporting requirements; and allowed the drug to be prescribed online through telehealth appointments and sent through the mail defying the federal Comstock Act that prohibits sending abortion through the mail. The FDA made these changes despite the drug’s questionable safety record.

The Christian legal organization says, "The states are asking U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, who presided over the original abortion pill case, to impose a preliminary injunction that reinstates Mifepristone’s regulations that were in place prior to 2016."

Bee stings California officials

With free speech becoming an increasing concern in our country, according to a recent survey, The Babylon Bee turned back an attempt to curb its freedom of speech. Alliance Defending Freedom reports:

Less than one month after Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys filed a lawsuit challenging two California laws that censor online content, including political satire and parody, California officials agreed they cannot enforce one of those laws against The Babylon Bee and Kelly Chang Rickert, a California attorney and blogger, after a federal district court ruled that the law likely violates the First Amendment. The Babylon Bee and Rickert are now free to post their political content online during the current election season without fear of violating the law while the case continues.

ADF attorneys representing The Babylon Bee and Rickert filed the lawsuit after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the two laws, AB 2839 and AB 2655, that censor freedom of speech by using vague standards to punish people for posting certain political content online, including political memes and parodies of politicians. Because one of those laws, AB 2839, went into effect immediately, The Babylon Bee and Rickert—as well as a plaintiff in another case—asked the federal judges to immediately put that law on hold.

Bee CEO Seth Dillon said, in response: “Our job is hard enough when our jokes keep coming true, as if they were prophecies...But it becomes significantly more difficult when self-serving politicians abuse their power to try to control public discourse and clamp down on comedy. Unfortunately for them, the First Amendment secures our right to tell jokes they don’t like.”

British university calls out and issues warning about classic literature due to Christian content 

A university in the U.K. has issued a warning about content found in certain literature at the school.  International Christian Concern reports:

The University of Nottingham in England has issued a “trigger warning” to students studying various medieval literature, in part because of Christian themes in the texts. The Daily Mail on Sunday discovered the warning through a Freedom of Information Act request.

The British university warned students that the course “Chaucer and His Contemporaries” contained issues of “violence, mental illness, and expressions of Christian faith.”

The article refers to Geoffrey Chaucer as "a Christian," and notes that he "...is referred to by some as 'the father of English poetry' and is said to have influenced C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien."

It goes on to say:

According to Frank Furedi, a professor at the University of Kent, placing a trigger warning on Chaucer is a strange phenomenon.

“Warning students of Chaucer about Christian expressions of faith is weird,” Furedi stated. “The problem is not … student readers of Chaucer but virtue-signaling, [and] ignorant academics.”

As ICC notes in the article:

Whether subtle or outright insidious, the grouping of violence and mental disorders with Christianity draws a psychological line between the three as though there was some shared common ground. The warning also draws stealthily close to censoring Christian voices, which continues to elicit concern among Christians and anyone concerned with basic human rights.

The 3 - October 20, 2024

This week's edition of The 3, which features three stories of relevance to the Christian community, features news on a ministry organization that has filed a lawsuit against two federal government agencies regarding policies that promote abortion and possible sex change procedures.   Also, a lawsuit has been filed claiming fraud in the gathering of signatures to put a pro-abortion constitutional amendment on the ballot in Florida.  And, a man in Iran who founded a Christian ministry and was imprisoned for it, has been released after serving around half of his 10-year sentence. 

Ministry organization sues two federal agencies

The Dr. James Dobson Family Institute, along with a consortium of businesses called PublicSquare, described as "a values-based commerce ecosystem," have filed a lawsuit in federal court in Texas challenging three directives of federal agencies.

That is according to the Institute's website, which states that in the spring, the Department of Health and Human Services and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission "...issued several regulations advancing the administration’s radical agenda regarding abortion services and gender transition. These mandates attempt to force JDFI, PublicSquare, and other Christian-based ministries and businesses to violate our religiously-based biblical values and moral conscience."

Senior Director at JDFI, Owen Strachan is quoted as saying:

“This radicalized immoral movement often speaks in the dulcet tones of tolerance and inclusivity concerning public morality; it often seeks to bind society to its vision and punish anyone who dares dissent with severe consequences. This is evident in HHS’s regulation requiring employer health plan coverage of abortion and so-called gender-affirming care, as well as in the EEOC’s regulation requiring employer accommodation of abortion and immoral infertility treatments, and its enforcement guidance requiring employers to grant access to bathrooms and other single-sex spaces to those of the opposite sex. Such rules crush the liberty that aligns with the order of creation as defined by God and reflected in nature.”

Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk can be heard weeknights at 8:30 on Faith Radio.  

Fraud charged in abortion amendment petitions in Florida

In state by state, amendments have been placed on ballots that would allow abortion throughout a woman's pregnancy.  So far, including last year in Ohio, all such ballot initiatives have been approved by the voters.

This year, Florida voters have the chance to vote on what is called the “Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion." It is Amendment 4, and according to Liberty Counsel, "Amending the state’s constitution requires approval by a 60 percent majority." The Christian legal organization's website states:

Amendment 4 would make abortion a constitutional right in Florida up to birth at any time for any reason. If passed, the misleading amendment would then nullify Florida’s six-week “heartbeat” law, invalidate parental consent laws allowing minors unfettered access to abortion independently of their parents, and would also invalidate all health and safety regulations protecting women and girls during abortion procedures. Specifically, it would remove the physician requirement that mandates only licensed physicians are to perform abortions.

Abortion supporters have collected signatures to get the amendment on the Florida ballot, but Liberty Counsel reports that a lawsuit has now been filed, stating: "The citizen plaintiffs seek an injunction to invalidate the amendment citing the state’s preliminary audits that found pro-abortion petitioners knowingly used forged petitions and other fraudulent means to reach the threshold number of constitutionally-required signatures." The language of the lawsuit says, "...without the substantial fraud and illegality in the petition gathering process in support of Amendment 4, it never would have qualified for ballot placement.”

As Liberty Counsel points out, even though it appears Amendment 4 will still be on the ballot, the results could be invalidated if the courts find that fraud existed, according to the attorney for the plaintiffs.

Ministry founder released from prison in Iran

Even though he was sentenced to 10 years in prison for launching a Christian ministry in Iran, a man has been released from prison after serving only about five years. 

Worthy News cites a report from Church in Chains, or CIC. The Worthy News article states:

A convert to Christ from Islam, Mehdi Akbari was released from Evin prison in Tehran on September 29, having served four years and nine months of his sentence, CIC reports. The reduction of Akbari’s sentence by Branch 21 of Tehran’s Appeals Court followed repeated court applications.

The article notes:

Akbari was arrested in January 2019 during a raid on his home in Tehran in January 2019. He was sentenced to ten years in prison for “acting against national security by forming an illegal evangelical Christian group,” CIC reports.

The 3 - October 13, 2024

In the latest edition of The 3, featuring three stories of relevance to the Christian community, there's a story about a ruling by a federal judge in New York upholding the free speech rights of pro-life pregnancy centers to promote abortion pill reversal.  Also, the U.S. Supreme Court has announced it will not hear a challenge to an appeals court ruling involving a Texas case in which the federal government was attempting to force emergency room doctors to perform abortions. And, four schools on the collegiate level have announced their plans not to compete against a ladies' volleyball team that has a male member identifying as female.

Federal judge in New York allows free speech of pro-life pregnancy centers to promote abortion pill reversal

A federal judge in New York has issued another temporary ruling protecting the rights of pro-life pregnancy resource centers to share information about abortion pill reversal, according to Liberty Counsel's website, which outlines that the reversal process can be implemented within 72 hours after the first dose of the abortion pill regimen. 

This ruling follows a similar ruling in another case involving 51 pro-life centers, which has now been consolidated with the case of two more centers.  Liberty Counsel relates:

The preliminary injunction protects Summit Life Outreach Center and The Evergreen Association from the state’s attempts to silence them with threats, intimidation, and prosecution under the state’s false advertising law. New York’s attorney general claims APR is “unproven” and has accused pregnancy centers across the state of fraudulent business practices and false advertising.

Referencing New York Attorney General Letitia James, the website notes: 

However, Summit and Evergreen allege the state’s actions violate the First and Fourteenth Amendments and that James’ illegal targeting of pregnancy centers unconstitutionally censors their speech about the safety and efficacy of abortion pill reversal. In the previous ruling, District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. stated that pregnancy centers are “likely to succeed on the merits” with their Free Speech claims since restricting speech about APR “casts a chill” on the First Amendment.

And, CBNNews.com reports on a similar lawsuit out of California, reporting:

The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a non-profit legal group, has filed a lawsuit on behalf of the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates and SCV Pregnancy Center in Santa Clarita, California, against state Attorney General Rob Bonta.

As CBN News reported, Bonta filed a lawsuit last year against Heartbeat International (HBI) and RealOptions, two faith-based pregnancy centers, to stop them from advertising abortion pill reversal services, claiming that the natural hormone used to reverse the abortion pill is "risky" and "has no credible scientific backing."

SCOTUS says "no" to hearing abortion ER case out of Texas

Just months after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to rule on a similar case out of Idaho, it has decided not to hear a case out of Texas, in a ruling that would, according to the Alliance Defending Freedom website, "deny the federal government’s request to hear the case Becerra v. State of Texas, upholding the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit’s ruling, which prevented the federal government from 'illegally using federal law to force emergency room doctors to perform abortions...;"

ADF Senior Counsel Matt Bowman is quoted on the website, stating, "Hospitals—especially emergency rooms—are tasked with preserving life. For this reason, the 5th Circuit correctly ruled that federal bureaucrats have no business compelling doctors or hospitals to end unborn lives...Emergency room physicians can, and do, treat life-threatening conditions such as ectopic pregnancies. And every state allows doctors to do whatever is necessary to preserve the life of a mother. But elective abortion is not life-saving care—it ends the life of the unborn child—and the government has no authority to force doctors to perform these dangerous procedures. We are pleased that the Supreme Court decided the 5th Circuit’s ruling should stand, allowing emergency rooms to fulfill their primary function—saving lives.”

Four collegiate volleyball teams refuse to play team with male member

Last week, I spotlighted the brave stand taken by a school in Vermont, in which it did not allow its girls' basketball team to play in a game in which a male athlete was allowed to participate.  This resulted in a suspension for the school in numerous sports.

There are developments now on a collegiate level, with four teams announcing they would not compete against a team with a male athlete presenting as female.

FoxNews.com recently reported that:

The Utah State Aggies are the latest women’s volleyball team to choose not to participate in a scheduled match against San Jose State University due to a biological male playing on its women’s team.

The university issued a statement saying it would not be participating in its Oct. 23 volleyball match at SJSU.

Utah State joins Southern Utah, Boise State and the University of Wyoming in refusing to compete against SJSU.

The Fox piece, as well as a Christian Post story noted that a teammate of the male player, Blaire Fleming, is part of a lawsuit against the NCAA.  The Post article related:

One of Fleming’s SJSU teammates, Brooke Slusser, is a plaintiff in a class action lawsuit filed against the National Collegiate Athletic Association over alleged violations of Title IX.

Filed in March by the group Independent Council on Women’s Sports, the lawsuit alleges that the NCAA has violated Title IX by allowing men to compete in women’s sports.

Slusser told OutKick that she joined the lawsuit because “it's something I truly believe in” and that this was “something that so many people do care about,” saying that having Fleming on her team was “a really hard pill to swallow.”

"I couldn't comprehend the fact that there was a man on the team, and it was almost as if I was in denial for a really long time that this was happening," Slusser said. "So it was just really hard for me to wrap my head around.”

Writing for FoxNews.com, Macy Petty, a legislative strategist for Concerned Women for America and former NCAA volleyball player, stated:

Without any underlying research to justify it, the NCAA has compromised women’s sports to the detriment of female athletes around the world. Despite an outcry of public opposition, the NCAA has continued to invite men into women’s private spaces and competition. 

Petty laments the lack of prior notice about men identifying as women playing on female sports teams; that previous Fox piece stated that Petty...

...spoke with Fox News Digital’s Sarah Rumpf-Whitten about how players are feeling "blindsided" because the NCAA has not informed teams of the presence of transgender players on opposing squads.

"There's no informed consent for the schools or for the female athletes here. They're totally blindsided when they walk up to the court, and they see that there's a male athlete on the other side," Petty said.

In her Fox op-ed, Petty writes: 

Women’s voices in college sports matter. We fought hard for – and deserve – the right to say no when we do not consent to playing alongside men. It’s time to hold the NCAA responsible for this reckless disregard for women’s safety and fair play in college sports.