The 3 - May 30, 2021

This week's edition of The 3 includes the story out of Virginia, where a teacher has been suspended because of his public stand against a new policy requiring teachers to use students' so-called "preferred pronouns" based on gender identity.  Also, a Christian realtor in Minnesota has decided to let his license expire rather than comply with new policies that could cause ramifications if he were to speak out against the LGBTQ agenda.  And, a theft ring that was stealing money from churches in Florida has apparently been halted by law enforcement there.

Virginia teacher suspended for refusal to uphold pronoun policy for transgender students

A PE teacher in Loudoun County, Virginia, has been suspended because of his opposition to new school district policy regarding using pronouns referring to a student's gender identity, not his or her biology. According to Faithwire, teacher Byron "Tanner" Cross spoke at a recent school board meeting regarding the policy "requiring all staff to use students’ preferred pronouns and to allow transgender students to participate in sports activities however they identify, regardless of their biological sex."

Cross said that "I love all of my students, but I will never lie to them regardless of the consequences,” adding, “I’m a teacher but I serve God first and I will not affirm that a biological boy can be a girl, and vice versa, because it’s against my religion. It’s lying to a child. It’s abuse to a child. And it’s sinning against our God.”  He said his comments were shared out of love for those struggling with gender dysphoria.  He referred to a recent 60 Minutes report that, according to the article, saying:

“’60 Minutes’ this past Sunday interviewed over 30 young people who transitioned,” Cross said, “but they felt led astray because of lack of pushback or how easy it was to make physical changes to their bodies in just three months. They are now de-transitioning.”

Christian realtor gives up license in light of position on LGBTQ

CBN.com reports on a Christian real estate agent who has decided to let his license lapse rather than to comply with his supervisor's demands that he not speak out in opposition to "LGBTQ+ issues."  That's what agent Matt Moore said to Faithwire.

According to CBN, Moore had "published an open letter to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), which had recently updated the language in its code of ethics in a way he argued could spark 'discrimination against Christian realtors.'” He went on to say that, “As public awareness of the fact that realtors can be reported for things said and done outside of real estate increases,...realtors who express a historic Christian view on homosexual and transsexual behavior could become regular targets for undeserved allegations of hate speech.”

Hundreds of thousands of dollars stolen from churches in Florida and other states

$740,000 has been stolen from churches throughout the state of Florida and beyond by a group based in Romania and operating out of Orlando; it is reported by ChristianHeadlines.com that this was accomplished "by stealing contribution checks from their mailboxes and cashing them."  The article states:

Authorities said the money was spent on automobiles, food, clothing and high-value wire transfers to Romania, Fox News reports. In what officials are dubbing "Operation Thou Shalt Not Steal," four people have been detained, and two more are wanted.

636 churches total were victimized, with over 350 in Florida. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement issued a press release in which Commissioner Rick Swearingen is quoted, saying, "This low-tech yet well-organized effort to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of mailed-in charitable donations — at a time when donations may have been most needed — has been stopped."

The 3 - May 23, 2021

This week's edition of The 3, featuring three stories of relevance to the Christian community, includes the announcement that the U.S. Supreme Court will take the case of a pro-life law out of Mississippi.  Also, pro-life legislation has continued to advance, with at least two bills moving forward this past week. And, a federal judge has turned back a request by a Christian college which may be forced to allow biological males and females to share areas that previously have been separated by gender.

U.S. Supreme Court to hear Mississippi pro-life law

There has been anticipation for quite some time that the U.S. Supreme Court would accept a case that would weaken or overturn the drastic decision, Roe v. Wade, resulting in legalized abortion in America. There is speculation that a case out of Mississippi could affect the scope of that ruling.

Live Action News reports that:

The Supreme Court of the United States announced on Monday that it will hear the case surrounding Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban known as the “Gestational Age Act,” HB 1510. The case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, gives SCOTUS the opportunity to reconsider Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion in the United States in 1973, as well as Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the 1992 Supreme Court case that affirmed Roe v. Wade and set viability as the standard for when abortion can and cannot be restricted.

But what was considered "viability" even in 1992 is not how the term should necessarily be regarded today. Lila Rose, Founder and President of Live Action, stated: "The Supreme Court must acknowledge what science has long revealed: that a unique and individual human life beings at the moment of fertilization. They must recognize that the arbitrary line of viability is an ever-changing goalpost as science and technology advance, and a child’s ability to survive outside the womb should not determine his or her humanity or right not be murdered in a violent abortion.”

A federal district court and appeals court had ruled against the law, according to the article, which says that the justices could hear the case this fall, paving the way for a decision next year.

(More) pro-life victories in the states

The Supreme Court decision to accept the Mississippi law comes as the result of a set of lawmakers in one state to pass solid pro-life legislation.  That has been occurring in states all across the union.  Alabama, in addition to passing a strong pro-life bill in 2019, preceded by a constitutional amendment affirming life in 2018, completed the passage of another pro-life bill in the waning hours of the recent regular session.

Yellowhammer News reported that last Monday night, "Alabama Senate on Monday unanimously gave final passage to HB 237, which now heads to Governor Kay Ivey’s desk after passing the House earlier in the session." The article said that the bill would "... purport to safeguard against infanticide by requiring a doctor to administer the same level of medical care to a child born alive after an abortion attempt as they would any other child.

The Susan B. Anthony List reported that there have been over 530 pro-life bills proposed to state legislatures this year alone. Over 60 have become law, including a Texas bill, the Heartbeat Bill, that SBA List describes as "legislation to ban abortion in the state as early as a fetal heartbeat can be detected." The article on the organization's website points out, "A growing body of literature and emerging science continually affirms the humanity of unborn children."

Judge allows Administration to force college to force restrooms and locker rooms to be open to members of opposite sex

The federal government is intent on forcing schools to adopt radical policies that force biological men and women to share what has traditionally been gender-specific, such as a restroom or locker room. And, it's even more insidious when Christian schools are being forced to violate their principles in order to comply.

ChristianHeadlines.com reports that a federal district judge has denied a petition by College of the Ozarks in Missouri " to block enforcement of a new Biden administration rule that the school says will force it to open dorms and showers to students who identify as the opposite sex."

The article stated:

At issue is a new directive by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in entities covered by the Fair Housing Act.

It added, "The directive was issued in accordance with an LGBT-themed executive order by President Biden."

The 3 - May 16, 2021

On The 3 this week, there are new developments out of Canada involving a pastor who had been visited by law enforcement around Easter regarding alleged violations of COVID regulations - he has now been arrested.  And, under new guidelines from the government, there may be attempts to force health professionals to perform surgeries designed to alter someone's gender. Also, there are Christian leaders who are speaking out regarding a tense situation in Israel.

Another Canadian pastor arrested for alleged COVID violations

In the Canadian province of Alberta, another pastor has been arrested due to his church's decision to gather in worship in violation of COVID-19 restrictions. The Christian Post reports that:

Canadian Pastor Artur Pawlowski, who kicked police out of his church after they tried to shut down a worship service during Holy Week, and his brother, Dawid Pawlowski, have been arrested for holding an “illegal” in-person gathering as per COVID-19 limits set by a new court order.

The story refers to a YouTube video that shows five police vehicles were sent in order to arrest the brothers, who were confronted by the road after the church service. The Calgary Police Force said that the Pawlowskis “have both been arrested and charged with organizing an illegal in-person gathering, including requesting, inciting or inviting others to attend an illegal public gathering, promoting and attending an illegal public gathering..."

Meanwhile, the trial of Edmonton, Alberta pastor James Coates occurred earlier this month.  According to the Justice Center for Constitutional Freedoms, the trial has been adjourned until June 7. The judge will announce if the pastor's constitutional rights were violated. Also, as the website points out, the provincial government will be "forced to produce their evidence for lockdowns."

Also, just this past weekend, another Canadian pastor was arrested due to his violation of public health restrictions due to COVID.  CBC.ca reports that Tim Stephens, a pastor in Calgary, "was arrested for organizing a church service on Sunday at Fairview Baptist Church in southeast Calgary, in violation of a Court of Queen's Bench Order that requires organizers of events to comply with public health restrictions."  The article reports:

Churches are currently limited to a maximum occupancy of 15 people, in order to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Alberta. The province has the highest active case rate in the country, with more than 22,000 active cases.

Stephens had written in a blog post, according to the article: "Restricting the church to 15 people — which essentially restricts the church from gathering — is against the will of Christ and against the conscience of many who desire to worship the Lord of glory according to his word..."

U.S. government department announces changes that could result in attempt to force medical pros to participate in gender change surgeries

Health professionals who wish to object to being involved in surgeries to help someone "change" their gender could face a backlash under new regulations from the Department of Health and Human Services, according to the Family Research Council, which reported on its website this past Monday:

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra announced today an "update" regarding the enforcement and interpretation of Obamacare Section 1557, indicating that it will now interpret discrimination "on the basis of sex" to include "sexual orientation" and "gender identity."

FRC President Tony Perkins said, "Sex is not subjective; it is an objective biological reality. Now, the Biden administration wants to punish medical professionals for recognizing this fact. Gender transition procedures are not fully embraced within the medical community because of their severe, negative, psychological, and physical impacts."

Christian groups had warned against putting Becerra in a Cabinet position over health, and this is one example. The Secretary appeared on Capitol Hill this week and denied the existence of a law that he, in fact, voted against. The Federalist reported:

When asked whether he would uphold a law banning partial-birth abortions during the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Health Subcommittee hearing, Becerra denied there was a law against it.

“There is no law that deals specifically with the term partial-birth abortions,” Becerra told Republican Rep. Gus Bilirakis.

The article states:

Despite Becerra’s assertion, there are laws that define partial-birth abortions. Not only does the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 characterize it, but the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the law and its definition in Gonzales v. Carhart.

In his confirmation hearings, Sen. Mitt Romney asked Becerra why he voted against "a ban on partial-birth abortion." Becerra, a former U.S. House member, stated, "I understand that people have different deeply held beliefs on this issue. … We may not always agree on where to go, but I think we can find some common ground..."

Christian leaders call for prayer amidst unrest in Middle East

Israel is continuing to defend itself against unprovoked attacks from Hamas in the Gaza Strip, with missiles being fired by the Gaza Strip and other areas and violence occurring on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.  And, Christian leaders are speaking out and calling for peace, according to ChristianHeadlines.com.

Franklin Graham posted on Facebook, according to the article: "I have many friends who live in Israel, both Arab and Jew, so we are very concerned about the situation there. People have been killed, families are cowering in fear in bomb shelters, and they need our prayers. As we are commanded in the Scriptures, let us "pray for the peace of Jerusalem" (Psalm 122:6)."

Tony Evans tweeted, "My heart goes out to the people impacted through the heightened Middle East conflict. Having recently visited that region, I'm reminded of the many wonderful people I met, and request us all to pray for those who are suffering."

The article also mentions a post from Ed Young, who pastors Fellowship Church in Grapevine, Texas, stating that he "also called for prayer in a Facebook post, writing, 'Pray with me. For protection of the innocent. For peace. For loved ones lost. For our leaders. In Jesus name. #PrayForIsrael.'"

The 3 - May 9, 2021

This week's edition of The 3 includes a ruling out of a federal appeals court saying that a juror who admitted he received divine guidance should not have been removed from a jury.  Also, a pastor in the UK was arrested for speaking publicly about his belief in the traditional, Biblical definition of marriage.  And, a large city in Texas has become the largest city in the country to declare itself a "sanctuary city" for the unborn.

Federal appeals court finds that juror who sought counsel from God should not have been removed

In 2017, a former member of Congress, Corinne Brown, stood trial for fraud. One of the jurors, during the process of deliberation, said that he had received guidance from another source - the Holy Spirit.  First Liberty, which contended that the juror should not have been removed, reports on its website:

Despite the juror’s repeated assurances that he was basing his opinion about the case on the evidence, the trial judge determined that the juror had illegally “received guidance” from outside the trial because the juror was relying on prayer to guide his decision.

An en banc panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit found that the juror had been improperly removed from the jury, stating, "Corrine Brown was entitled to the unanimous verdict of a jury of ordinary citizens. The removal of Juror No. 13—a juror who listened for God’s guidance as he sat in judgment of Brown and deliberated over the evidence against her—deprived her of one.”

British pastor arrested for advocating Biblical definition of marriage

John Sherwood is a 71-year-old pastor in London who was arrested recently. His crime: supporting the definition of marriage as one man and one woman.  The Christianity Daily website related:

Pastor John Sherwood was accused of making "homophobic" comments when he preached outside Uxbridge Station. His arrest was handled unpleasantly that the elderly man complained he was bruised and treated "shamefully," The Daily Mail reported.

The preacher is quoted as saying, "I wasn't making any homophobic comments, I was just defining marriage as a relationship between a man and a woman. I was only saying what the Bible says - I wasn't wanting to hurt anyone or cause offence..."

The article at Christianity Daily stated: "In the video clip taken during his arrest, the pastor was shown pulled forcibly down a stepladder by officers. He was then handcuffed and taken to the police car."

Texas city of over a quarter million residents votes to become "sanctuary city" for the unborn

Lubbock, Texas has over 250,000 residents, and is now the largest city in America, population-wise that has declared itself to be a "sanctuary city" for the unborn, according to The Christian Post.  Over 60% of voters voted to approve an ordinance that said it would be “unlawful for any person to procure or perform an abortion of any type and at any stage of pregnancy in the City of Lubbock, Texas.”

The Post article states:

In an interview with The Christian Post, Mark Lee Dickson, the founder of the Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn movement that lobbies nationwide to pass ordinances banning abortion at the local level, cheered Saturday’s “landslide” victory for the pro-life movement.

“I think it says a lot because Lubbock is the 11th-most populated city in the state of Texas and the 83rd most populated city in the United States of America,” he said.

Just a few weeks ago, Planned Parenthood had located a clinic performing abortion in the west Texas city. Dickson says, " ...since this was a landslide election, it’s very obvious that the people of Lubbock have spoken. I am expecting that Planned Parenthood will obey … the laws of the city and … not perform abortions within the city limits of Lubbock, Texas.”

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.