The 3 - August 7, 2010

In this landmark week where judicial activism became a front-and-center issue, the nature of the judiciary was involved in 2 out of the 3 stories in this edition of "The 3". But, in the other instance, hope in Christ is and was the dominant theme, as the life-changing, culture-impacting gospel of Jesus Christ was proclaimed in Southern California.

3 - Kagan confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court

It was really no surprise to see Elena Kagan confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court this week. It may have been a bit surprising to see how close the final vote was - with a 63-37 margin, Kagan was opposed by all but 5 Republicans and even 1 Democrat. The Republicans were: Collins, Graham, Gregg, Lugar, and Snowe; the Democrat was Ben Nelson of Nebraska.

Christian and pro-family groups had opposed Kagan for not only her thin judicial resume, but also for her apparent activism in the past - writing policy on partial-birth abortion for the Clinton administration and opposing military recruiters on the Harvard campus, based on the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, when she was a Dean there.

So as the 112th Justice, the third woman currently serving on the court, and someone who we would regard as ideologically in line with the Justice she is replacing, John Paul Stevens, we can count on Kagan to be a solid judicial activist who will be on the court for decades. CitizenLink has this report and further information.

2 - Harvest Crusades Open 3rd Decade

I wanted to rate this event higher than the Kagan confirmation because I believe this annual event in Anaheim, California, will have a tremendous eternal significance. Kagan's confirmation has elevated the political discussion about the role of judges, but Harvest's transformation has enhanced spiritual dynamics, as people examine the role of Christ in their lives. Each year, lives are changed by Jesus, through the strong preaching of Harvest Christian Fellowship Pastor Greg Laurie and the musical testimony of bands such as the David Crowder Band and Sanctus Real.

Here's the scoop from The Christian Post.

So, as the Harvest Crusade at Angels Stadium in Anaheim enters its third decade, having celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, we can look forward to the power of God being released and for thousands to come into a saving knowledge of Christ.

1 - California Judge Strikes Down Proposition 8, Opens Door to Same-Sex Marriage in the State...Again

This past Wednesday, Federal District Judge Vaughn Walker, based in the San Francisco area, not unexpectedly, found Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment approved by almost 53% of California voters affirming marriage as one man for one women and effectively banning same-sex marriage in the state, unconstitutional. In taking this action, Walker essentially created a new constitutional right to gay marriage. The result will be appealed to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and could ultimately end up at the U.S. Supreme Court.

The outcry was swift and stern. Brian Brown, President of the National Organization for Marriage and a guest on my show (download from www.meetinghouseonline.info/download), declared:

"With a stroke of his pen, Judge Walker has overruled the votes and values of 7 million Californians who voted for marriage as one man and one woman. This ruling, if allowed to stand, threatens not only Prop 8 in California but the laws in 45 other states that define marriage as one man and one woman."

Brown went on to say that, "Never in the history of America has a federal judge ruled that there is a federal constitutional right to same sex marriage. The reason for this is simple – there isn’t!”

Bishop Harry Jackson of the High Impact Leadership Coalition said:
“This is a travesty of justice. The majority of Californians — and two-thirds of black voters in California -- have just had their core civil right to vote for marriage stripped from them by an openly gay federal judge who has misread history and the Constitution to impose his San Francisco views on the American people. The implicit comparison Judge Walker made between racism and marriage is particularly offensive to me and to all of us who remember the reality of Jim Crow. It is not bigotry, it is biology that discriminates between same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples." (from NOM website)

Be sure to visit the website of NOM at www.nationformarriage.org.

And, San Diego Pastor Jim Garlow, one of the leading supporters of Prop. 8, was quoted in Charisma magazine as saying, "We did anticipate that this would happen, but our resolve is greater...We have no intention of backing up on this issue because far too much is at stake."

You can read more in this article from Charisma.

There was plenty of reaction within the Christian community at the unprecedented action taken by this one judge who stepped forward to try to overturn the votes over over 7 million Californians. In an era where marriage is being threatened on a number of fronts, this attempt to redefine and even weaken the institution of marriage is one of the most concerning.

Honorable Mention:

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