The 3 - June 15, 2014

It's time for another edition of my week-in-review feature, "The 3," featuring 3 stories of relevance to the Christian community.   One of the stories that attracted my attention from this past week involves 2 managers at an Air Force base who are facing termination because of their support for a "Duck Dynasty" star.   Also, religious freedom issues were topics of a hearing before a Congressional subcommittee this past week in Washington.  And, the top story - the nation's largest Protestant denomination held its annual meeting this week in Baltimore.

3 - Religious freedom in the workplace: employees at Air Force base under scrutiny for showing support for "Duck Dynasty" star

One of the areas that I have been tracking fairly regularly deals with how people of faith are being restricted in their religious expression.   And, there have been numerous issues of concern in the U.S. military.   A recent incident was reported in a piece this week by Todd Starnes of Fox News on the Charisma News website, and it took place at Eglin Air Force Base in the Florida Panhandle.

You have 2 senior management officials who put decals on their personal trucks supporting "Duck Dynasty" star Phil Robertson. Now a union representing Federal employees is demanding that they be fired.

Alan Cooper, the executive vice president of the local chapter of the American Federation of Government Employees, said one of the officials also displayed the "I Support Phil" decals in his office last month and offered them to subordinates.  An employee was reportedly offended by this, and Starnes quotes Cooper as saying, "We took offense...These two particular individuals have a great amount of influence over individuals who may be gay, who may be African-American – and we have a concern they should not be in a position to exert that influence when it comes to promotions."   Cooper went on to disparage Phil Robertson of "Duck Dynasty" and said that the decal could constitute a civil rights violation.

Starnes spoke with one of the individuals being targeted by the government union, who said, "My intent was not to offend anybody...My intent was to support the show and to show support for his Christian values." He said that he was especially upset after union workers took photographs of his truck and his license plate and emailed the images to other union members. That email was reportedly sent to hundreds and hundreds of personnel.

He said, "I see the email that went out accusing me and my boss of being racist...That couldn't be farther from the truth," adding, "I'm pro-family,...I'm pro-life. I don't have a problem with anybody who doesn't agree with me."

The Air Force is apparently standing behind the two officials who are standing with Phil. The director of public affairs for the base, Andy Bourland, stated: "Brigadier General Dave Harris is not taking any action against the individual as the display of such a bumper sticker is considered legally protected speech under the First Amendment."  Bourland said they looked into the incident involving the decals in the worker's office. They also decided not to take action in that incident.

2 - Religious freedom hearing takes place before U.S. House subcommittee

The issue of religious freedom was taken up on Capitol Hill this week.  During each session of Congress, the House Subcommittee on the Judiciary holds a hearing on religious freedom.  In this hearing, according to a report on the CitizenLink website, several Christian legal experts expressed their concerns on what is perceived as a rise in challenges to religious liberty by the current Administration. Testimony centered on topics such as religious freedom on campus, same-sex marriage and the judiciary.

Greg Baylor, senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom, said that the government has taken “extreme positions designed to dramatically decrease religious freedom...In order to protect our first liberty — religious freedom — Congress should consider taking steps within its power to curtail these harmful activities.”

Mat Staver, CEO of Liberty Counsel, said, “Judges have been tripping over one another to ignore the rule of law and the will of the people to invalidate the institution of marriage and silence any opposition to their ideology...The destruction of the institution of marriage is not only harmful to society at large, but it has resulted in unprecedented intrusion into the religious freedoms of individuals and businesses that have been attacked for operating their business according to the dictates of their conscience.”

Kim Colby, an attorney with the Christian Legal Society, testified about the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). Passed in 1993, the act was intended to ensure a “level playing field for Americans of all faiths.” Instead, RFRA has become a target for activists, especially when it comes to the HHS mandate in Obamacare. She pointed out that RFRA and the First Amendment, "require that the government respect religious liberty by restoring a definition of ‘religious employer’ that protects all entities with sincerely held religious convictions from providing, or otherwise enabling, the objectionable coverage." She added, “At the end of the day, this case is not about whether contraceptives will be readily available — access to contraceptives is plentiful and inexpensive — but whether America will remain a pluralistic society that sustains a robust religious liberty for Americans of all faiths.”

1 - Southern Baptists gather in Baltimore, elect new president, pass resolutions

The Southern Baptist Convention held its annual meeting at the Baltimore Convention Center this week, and just shy of 5300 representatives, or "messengers," gathered to elect a new President, hear from their outgoing leader, conduct business and speak with a united voice on certain issues of the day through resolutions.

Baptist Press offered a summary of the proceedings.

Ronnie Floyd, pastor of Cross Church in northwest Arkansas, was elected President of the Convention on the first ballot with 51.62 percent of the vote. Maryland pastor Dennis Manpoong Kim was second with 40.70 percent of the vote. His predecessor, Fred Luter, shared a sermon based on Psalm 80:18-19, the passage for this year's "Restoration and Revival through Prayer" theme. He said Southern Baptists must repent of their failure to share the Gospel with lost men and women.

The convention adopted nine resolutions on topics ranging from transgender identity to payday lending, church revitalization, global hunger relief, the 50th anniversary of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and casinos and lotteries.

The resolution on transgender identity affirmed "God's good design that gender identity is determined by biological sex and not by one's self-perception." The resolution invited transgender persons "to trust in Christ and to experience renewal in the Gospel" and opposed all efforts to "validate transgender identity as morally praiseworthy."

According to ReligionNews.com, the resolution concerning gambling affirmed the messengers' opposition to government sponsorship of casinos and lotteries and asked Americans of all religious and political convictions to join in a call to end the practice, which they say has amounted to “corrupt deals” and “broken dreams.”

Regarding the Civil Rights Act, messengers marked the 50th anniversary of enactment of the Act and said that they, “lament and repudiate this nation’s long history of racial segregation as well as the complicity of Southern Baptists who resisted or opposed the dismantling of the evil of racial hierarchy in our churches or society.”

The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission presented awards: The Green family, owners of Hobby Lobby, received the John Leland Religious Liberty Award for their refusal to abide by the federal government's abortion/contraception mandate. Pastor Saeed Abedini, an Iranian-American pastor who is being held in prison in Iran, received the Richard Land Award for Distinguished Service for "faithfully serving the Lord Jesus Christ ... despite the risk involved."

According to SBCAnnualMeeting.net, the Convention will be held in Columbus, Ohio next year and St. Louis in 2016.   And, in 5 years, in 2019, The Alabama Baptist reports that the Convention will be in Birmingham.

The 3 - June 8, 2014

In this week's edition of "The 3," my week-in-review feature, I take a look at a shooting at a Christian college campus in Seattle and an act of bravery that helped to thwart the gunman's acts.  Also, almost 2 dozen campuses in Virginia now have a new free speech policy.  And, the top story involves another wave of violent attacks being perpetrated in Nigeria, attributed to the same group that kidnapped almost 300 young girls recently and continues to hold them.

3 - Shooter opens fire at Seattle Christian college, subdued by other students

A lone gunman walked into Otto Miller Hall on the campus of Seattle Pacific University, a Christian college, last Thursday and began shooting, an incident which resulted in 1 death and 3 injuries. ChristianityToday.com reported that Seattle police arrested a 26-year-old man as a suspect in the shooting, someone with no known connections to SPU and who was not a student at the school. He was armed with a shotgun and a knife, police said.

Police say that the suspect was subdued by a student, who was acting as a building monitor. That student is now widely identified as Jon Meis.  It was reported that he pepper-sprayed the gunman, then he tackled him to the ground.  Police told reporters that after the student building monitor subdued the shooter, other students jumped on top of them and helped to keep the shooter to the ground.

University President Dan Martin was quoted by CT as saying that, "We're a community that relies on Jesus Christ for strength and we'll need that at this time...My message is one of hope—in our Lord Savior Jesus Christ who can get us through this." Assistant police chief Paul McDonagh is quoted as saying, "I want to remind everyone here that the actions of the subject here do not define SPU or the city of Seattle...The actions of the students and staff, that's what defines Seattle Pacific University. This is not about an evil act but about the people that actually lived through his scenario and assisted each other when things were pretty tragic."

2 - VA community colleges change speech policies after judge rules in favor of a student's preaching

A tool that you have seen on college campuses to attempt to restrict free speech is the so-called "free speech zone."  Thanks to the efforts of one particular student at a system of community colleges in Virginia, teaming up with the Alliance Defending Freedom, an entire system has abolished its used of these so-called zones.

CitizenLink has a story on the circumstances surrounding Christian Parks, a student at Thomas Nelson Community College in Hampton, who was preaching in the campus courtyard last year. A school police officer told him to stop because his words “might offend someone.” Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) filed suit this March.

This resulted in a revised speech policy, under which free speech will no longer be limited to designated areas. In addition, students do not have to be part of a student organization, or register with the college four days early, in order to exercise their free-speech rights.  This extends to all 23 campuses in the college system.

In response, Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) attorney Travis Barham said, “We commend the Virginia Community College System for revising its speech policy to align with what a marketplace of ideas should be...The revised policies respect the rights of all students, regardless of their religious or political beliefs, to speak freely in the outdoor areas of campus.”

1 - Violence continues in Nigeria; hundreds of girls still held captive

ChristianHeadlines.com linked to a report on the CNN website that scores of residents in four villages in the northeastern Borno state of Nigeria, near the border with Cameroon, were killed Tuesday in Boko Haram raids, a lawmaker and residents said.

They said hundreds of homes were destroyed.

Heavily armed gunmen dressed as soldiers in all-terrain vehicles and on motorcycles attacked Goshe, Attagara, Agapalwa and Aganjara villages in Gwoza district, shooting residents and burning homes.

Villagers fled into neighboring Cameroon to escape the onslaughts, said Peter Biye, a lawmaker from the area who serves in the Nigerian lower parliament.

At the predominately Christian village of Attagara, the insurgents set fire to homes and a church and killed dozens of residents, according to Bulus Yashi, who fled to Gamboru Ngala.  He believes that it was a reprisal attack over casualties that the terrorist organization had suffered in two previous attacks in the village.

The WORLD website reports that in the recent wave of attacks, some 200 people were killed and perhaps at least 2000 were driven to an area where they were trapped without food or shelter.

CNN points out that Boko Haram Islamists have in recent times stepped up raids in northern Borno state near the border with Cameroon, Chad and Niger, pillaging villages, looting food stores and killing residents.

And, the website NJ.com reports that Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey was in Nigeria over the weekend.  He held a press conference, saying that Nigeria is ultimately responsible for securing the safe release of more than 200 girls who are still being held by Boko Haram.

But, Smith said, “The international community can and must play a robust supporting role especially in the area of intelligence and counterinsurgency training.”  Smith said he met this week with victims of Boko Haram, including one of the roughly 50 girls who have so far managed to escape.

The 3 - June 1, 2014

This week's edition of my week-in-review feature, "The 3," with 3 stories of relevance affecting the Christian community, begins with news out of Houston, Texas, where a new non-discrimination ordinance has passed the City Council, which extends equal protection based on sexual orientation. Also, a Colorado cake baker who refused to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex couple received a ruling this week forcing him to bake wedding cakes for gay couples.  And, the top story involves news this graduation season, including the story of a student in Minnesota who will be allowed to include a Scripture in her graduation speech after being told originally she could not.

3 - Texas city passes new ordinance extending rights to homosexuals

The Houston City Council has approved a controversial gay rights ordinance that critics say would impede religious liberties.  According to CBN News, the 11-6 vote came late Wednesday after more than 12 hours of debate and months of protests from area churches and Christian business owners, who say the law is unconstitutional because it infringes on their right to speak out against homosexuality.

Willie Davis, pastor of MacGregor Palm Community Baptist Church in Houston, said that, "This is what the city has turned into. This is not equal rights; this is unequal rights..."

However, Houston Mayor Annise Parker, who is openly gay, said the measure protects sexual minorities.

She told reporters, "This is not the most important thing I have done or will do as mayor...But it is the most personally satisfying, the most personally meaningful thing that I will do as mayor."

CBN had reported that supporters had said the ordinance would protect sexual minorities while opponents had stated it wrongly elevates sexual orientation to a constitutionally protected class.

Some faith leaders in Houston support the measure but many say it will penalize businesses that want to practice biblical beliefs in the marketplace.

Dave Welch, executive director of The Houston Area Pastor Council, said Christian businesses facing complaints under the ordinance could be forced to pay a $500 daily fine, plus thousands of dollars in legal fees, for every complaint.

Alliance Defending Freedom had noted in an analysis that the ordinance offers no protection for rights of conscience.

2 - Colorado cake baker ordered to make cakes for same-sex ceremonies

Jack Phillips owns the Masterpiece Cakeshop in the Denver area.   In 2012, he was asked by two men to bake a wedding cake for the same-sex couple's ceremony - in a state where gay marriage is not legal.  He did not refuse to serve the two gay men who requested the cake; he said he would bake them any kind of cake - other than a wedding cake

The two men sued Phillips, and an administrative law judge ruled against Phillips last December, according to a report on the WORLD News Group website. 

The report states that this past Friday, the Civil Rights Commission in Colorado ruled unanimously against Phillips, and ordered him to make wedding cakes for same-sex couples, ruling his religious objections did not trump the state’s anti-discrimination statutes.

Phillips said the decision violates his First Amendment rights to free speech and free exercise. “I will stand by my convictions until somebody shuts me down,” he told reporters after the ruling.

The panel issued its decision verbally, ordering Phillips to “stop discriminating against gay people,” document any customers he refuses to serve, provide “anti-discrimination training” for his staff, and report quarterly for two years.

Phillips said his bakery has been so overwhelmed by supporters eager to buy cookies and brownies that he does not currently make wedding cakes. His legal counsel team, which includes religious liberty attorneys from Alliance Defending Freedom, is reportedly considering an appeal to the Colorado Court of Appeals.

1 - Religious freedom and graduation 

Graduation season has been a rather topsy-turvy affair this year, as students at several universities protested the choice of speaker for their commencement exercises.   And...of course, there are those incidences where students at some schools were facing issues concerning the expression of their faith.

A few weeks ago, a professor at East Carolina University had written a post telling students they could not mention God in their graduation statements.  But, a school official did step forward to clarify that religious references could be used in short, prepared statements that would be read at the graduation ceremony, according to the CBS Charlotte website.

And, a report from CitizenLink this week says that a Minnesota student will be able to read from the Bible during her graduation speech. She was originally told she would not be permitted to do so.

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) sent a letter to Minnesota Connections Academy school officials after learning they told Genesis Feliciano, a senior, that she would have to remove a verse from her speech — or not be able to deliver a speech at all.  According to Feliciano, a school official said, “We don’t allow Bible verses to be quoted in graduation speeches.”  The school reversed its position after receiving the letter.

Also, CitizenLink reported on a graduation controversy from last week in Arizona, where a group of seniors opened and closed their graduation ceremony in prayer. Pima High School student Esperanza Gonzalez opened the ceremony with prayer.  She told the Eastern Arizona Courier that, “The world keeps saying, ‘No to God, no to God...So, we said ‘Yes’ to God, because He has helped us throughout our entire high school career.”

Sean Rickert, superintendent of Pima Unified School District, told reporters he made the decision to discontinue formal invocations at graduations, because he was following the advice of school district legal counsel. However, he said that, "The fact that the students here at Pima High School felt that they wanted to show their true colors, as it were, by saying a prayer at the beginning and end of their graduation ceremony makes me very proud.”

Bruce Hausknecht, legal analyst for Focus on the Family said the district actually made the right call, as did the students. He said, “The Supreme Court, for better or worse, has drawn some clear lines regarding prayer at high school graduations, in order to avoid First Amendment ‘establishment of religion’ problems."  He added, "The school avoided an inevitable lawsuit and court order."

He explained, "And the parents and students stood up for their own constitutional rights and, in the process, honored God with their prayers and faithful witness to the community...That’s a win-win for everyone.”

The 3 - May 25, 2014

This week's edition of The 3, my week-in-review feature, includes a development in a Florida school district, which has stated that students are allowed to read the Bible in class during non-instructional time.  Also, Federal judges struck down voter-approved amendments concerning traditional marriage in 2 states.  And, there's news on the pro-life front, as another state, Louisiana, has passed a bill requiring admitting privileges for those performing abortion, while a milestone was reached in Texas - the 20th abortion clinic closed since a pro-life bill passed last year.

3 - Florida school district says that students can read Bible 

There was some promising news out of Broward County, Florida earlier this week, as a report was released that the public school district there issued a statement saying that it was OK for the Bible to be read during free reading time because its content is found on the Accelerated Reader list.

This came in response to the story of Giovanni Rubeo, a fifth-grader from Ft. Lauderdale, FL, who, according to the Liberty Institute website, was reading his Bible in April during “free reading time” when he was told by his teacher to “put it on my desk.”  The teacher then informed Giovanni’s father in a phone message that the Bible and “those books” - meaning religious books - were not allowed in “my classroom.”

Giovanni’s father engaged the help of Liberty Institute.  According to Senior Counsel Jeremiah Dys, in response to the school district's statement:  "Now the Broward County Public Schools says it will allow the Bible as part of the Accelerated Reader Program and recanted what Tracy Clark, its spokesperson, said to the Miami Herald and Sun Sentinel on May 6, 2014. We are pleased they are now complying with the law and will allow students to read their Bible during free reading time and within the Accelerated Reader program.”

Dys added, “We do not know if the teacher is in trouble with the school district, but we will continue to monitor this school system carefully to ensure that their actions toward student religious liberty continue match their words."

As Liberty Institute points out, "The Rubeos are not alone in their battle to freely live out their faith. Other students are also experiencing infringement of their religious rights, though the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees the right to carry out our faith in our daily lives free from government interference and prohibits government hostility to religion."
2 - 2 Federal judges rule against traditional definition of marriages, states won't appeal

This week, 2 more Federal judges declared state constitutional amendments affirming traditional marriage to be unconstitutional.  In Oregon, according to the WORLD website, U.S. District Judge Michael McShane made one of the declarations.  At least one county office immediately started issuing marriage licenses to gay couples who were waiting to wed.

Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum in February joined the list of state attorneys general who refused to defend their states’ marriage amendments in court. The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) petitioned the court to take up the defense on behalf of Oregonians, but was denied.  The organization appealed that decision, also asking Federal appeals judges for a stay of the ruling, which NOM anticipated would go in favor of gay marriage. The appeals court rejected NOM’s plea.

Another state Attorney General, Kathleen Kane of Pennsylvania, refused to defend that state's marriage amendment, and as WORLD reported, Pennsylvania’s Republican governor announced he will not appeal a ruling that struck down the state’s voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage.   Gov. Tom Corbett’s office had mounted a defense to the legal challenge against the law after the state’s Democratic attorney general, Kathleen Kane, refused to do so.   According to WORLD, U.S. District Judge John E. Jones wrote in his opinion, “We now join the 12 federal district courts across the country which, when confronted with these inequities in their own states, have concluded that all couples deserve equal dignity in the realm of civil."

Corbett said he did not think an appeal would be successful, but he did say that, “As a Roman Catholic, the traditional teaching of my faith has not wavered...I continue to maintain the belief that marriage is between one man and one woman.”

WORLD offered an analysis of "The State of Marriage," pointing out that until 2003, same-sex marriage was banned in all 50 states. It said that now, seventeen states now allow same-sex marriage, either through legislative action or voter referendum. After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the federal Defense of Marriage Act in 2013, judges in six states have struck down statues upholding traditional marriage. More judges likely will follow suit, and the question of whether states can determine what constitutes marriage within their borders will eventually be decided by the nation’s highest court.

1 - TX pro-life bill having effect on clinics, LA passes new requirements on abortion sellers, AL in court

Last year, it took a special session of the Legislature due to some blocking measures taken by abortion proponents, but lawmakers in Texas passed a landmark pro-life law requiring abortionists to have admitting privileges at a local hospital and to ban abortion after the point at which an unborn child can feel pain - around 20 weeks.  Now, the 20th abortion seller in Texas has shut its doors, according to a report on the CitizenLink website.

Northpark Medical Group (NMG) in Dallas has reportedly decided to close because it did not meet state standards. NMG is affiliated with Douglas Karpen, who faced a lawsuit last year alleging, according to the complaint, he killed babies after they were born.  A grand jury cleared him of the charges.

Texas Values President Jonathan Saenz is quoted as saying that, “These abortion clinics are choosing to shut down themselves because they’re refusing to follow common sense laws that protect women and show respect toward innocent human life...If it’s going to cost them more money or they’re going to have to do it in a safer way, they decide not to do it at all. It really is not about what’s best for women, it’s what’s best for their business.”

And, this week in Louisiana, the state Legislature there this week overwhelming passed a bill that requires doctors performing abortions to have practicing privileges at hospitals. According to a report on the ChristianHeadlines.com website, referencing The New York Times, this policy change may force three of the five abortion clinics in the state to shut down.

Planned Parenthood Federation of America president Cecile Richards said, “With similar restrictions passed in neighboring states over the objection of leading medical experts, we are deeply concerned that women in a vast stretch of this country are in read danger of losing the ability to access legal abortion safely."

Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas have passed similar laws. The admitting privileges requirement is being challenged in a Federal courtroom in Montgomery, and hearings continued this week.  The Montgomery Advertiser has been following the trial.

I would be concerned if a Federal court looks at becoming so involved in the regulation of abortion that it begins to determine how far is too far for a woman to travel to terminate the life of her pre-born baby and to perhaps select locations where abortions must be performed.  That would seem to be an outcome of the line of thinking presented by a judge in a hearing on Mississippi's law, according to the New York Times report.

The Times made this statement in its piece:

Legal experts say the legislation is raising a fundamental question: At what point is access to abortion so limited that it violates the right to the procedure granted by the United States Supreme Court in 1973 in Roe v. Wade?

The 3 - May 18, 2014

In this week's edition of "The 3," my week-in-review feature, I offer a follow-up to a story that broke last week, involving 2 Christian brothers whose plans for a cable television reality show were suspended, presumably because of their faith perspective.   And, a Sudanese lady faces death for marrying a Christian and refusing to convert to Islam.  The top story involves the continuing story of the hundreds of Nigeria girls who have been kidnapped and some of the efforts to bring their freedom - a story that can bring a greater awareness of Christians in peril around the world.

3 - Benham brothers remain in the news, bank rejection reversed

It appeared a few days ago that the strong faith stands of David and Jason Benham had cost them not only a television program on HGTV, but a relationship with their bank.  On Friday, The Daily Caller reported that SunTrust Banks had pulled all of its listed properties with the Benham brothers’ bank-owned property.

At the time, Jason Benham responded by saying, “If our faith costs us our HGTV show and our business, then so be it." Brother David said that, “Keeping us off television wasn’t enough, now this agenda to silence wants us out of the marketplace.”

Later on Friday, TheDC reported that after an uproar from conservative customers, SunTrust Banks had announced that afternoon that the decision to end its relationship with the Benhams had been reversed.

The bank didn’t go into detail about why they originally cut ties with the Benham brothers, though SunTrust said the decision was made by a third party vendor.  TheDC had reported earlier Friday that the vendor had told a Benham Brothers franchisee that the bank itself made the decision.

SunTrust spokeswoman Beth McKenna said, “We clarified our policies with our vendor and they have reinstated the listings with Benham Real Estate."  She added, “Mid-2013, we consolidated the management of certain residential assets with a third party vendor, which has the relationship with Benham Real Estate...While we do not publicly comment on specific vendor relationships, we don’t make choices on suppliers nor base business decisions on political factors, nor do we direct our third party vendors to do so.”

She added: “SunTrust supports the rights of all Americans to fully exercise their freedoms granted under the Constitution, including those with respect to free speech and freedom of religion.”

After publication of TheDC’s story earlier Friday, the publication stated that conservatives expressed outrage at the bank.

Chris Stone, founder of Faith Driven Consumer, had been quoted by The Daily Caller as saying, “SunTrust Banks appears to have punished David and Jason Benham by taking action against their business purely based on their Christian beliefs...This sends a loud and clear message to people of faith in America, you’re not welcome at SunTrust, take your business somewhere else.”

2 - Sudanese woman faces death penalty for marriage to Christian

Meriam Yahia Ibrahim is a women from Sudan, who was arrested in February and charged and sentenced to 100 lashes for adultery and death for apostasy, after Sudanese authorities were made aware of her marriage to a Christian man, according to a report on the Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) website. CSW reports that the court had given the Christian mother, who is pregnant with her second child, until this past Thursday to convert to Islam, implying that her sentence could be annulled or reduced if she did so.   She is currently detained in Omdurman Federal Women's Prison along with her 20-month-old son, Martin Wani.

In March, Meriam had testified that she is a life-long Christian, producing her marriage certificate where she is classified as Christian as proof of her religion.  Reportedly, three potential witnesses from western Sudan who went to the hearing to testify of Mrs Ibrahim’s lifelong adherence to Christianity were prevented from giving evidence.

After the court confirmed the death sentence, her lawyers asserted their intention to launch an appeal, a process which could take several months.  Her husband, Daniel Wani, has complained that throughout her incarceration his wife has been prevented from receiving visitors and, more seriously, from accessing vital medical treatment. A family member said: "we are concerned for her wellbeing; it is not very safe for her to be in the prison with dangerous criminals."

If the sentence is carried out Mrs Ibrahim will become the first person to be executed for apostasy under the 1991 penal code, prompting concerns that the charge may increasingly be used against anyone who converts from Islam.

CSW’s Chief Operating Officer Andy Dipper said, “CSW continues to call for the annulment the inhumane and unwarranted sentence and for the immediate of Mrs Ibrahim and her son, who is being held in violation of article 37 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.  As a Sudanese citizen Mrs Ibrahim is entitled to freedom of religion of belief under the constitution; consequently, this sentence amounts to a violation of the Sudanese Constitution and of international conventions to which Sudan is party, including the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.”
Christianity Today reports that the sentence is to be carried out two years after her second child's birth later this month.

1 - Nigerian kidnapping crisis continues, persecution of Christians moves front and center

Prayers, diplomacy, and even military assistance are elements bring a solution to the tragic situation involving almost 300 Nigerian girls, most of whom are from a Christian background, who are being held by the terrorist group Boko Haram.   Now, CBN.com is reporting that the Nigerian government could be ready to open a dialog with the terrorist organization in hopes of securing the release of the girls.

Since their kidnapping one month ago, it has been reported that some of the girls have been forced to convert to Islam and some have reportedly been forced to marry.

One Nigerian cabinet official says engaging in talks with the terrorist group could be key in bringing the girls home.

Nigeria's Minister of Special Duties Tanimu Turaki is quoted as saying, "A lot of promises have been made; we are still pursuing those promises."

That news comes one day after Mike Omeri, the director of the government's information agency, said the government will "use whatever kind of action" it takes to free the young women.  He said, "At the moment because all options are open, we are interacting with experts, military, and intelligence experts from other parts of the world...So these are part of the options that are available to us and many more."

Meanwhile, the United States, Israel, and Britain are assisting Nigeria in its rescue efforts. U.S. surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft have already begun flying over the West African nation.

White House press secretary Jay Carney said that, "...this is no small task. But we are certainly bringing resources to bear in our effort to assist the government."

A prayer vigil was held in the nation's capital on Wednesday, according to a report at the ChristianHeadlines.com website.  The vigil was set to feature 276 flowers, one for each of the kidnapped girls. An online stream was scheduled to be offered to the families of the young women.

Vigil organizer Reverend Patrick Mahoney is quoted as saying, “We stand in solidarity with all the kidnapped girls of Nigeria, their families and loved ones. We agree with Dr. Martin Luther King when he says, ‘Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter,’”

The New York Times reports that the heads of state of five West African countries, including Nigeria, met Saturday with Western officials and agreed to share intelligence and strengthen military cooperation to combat the regional threat from Boko Haram.

At the request of Nigeria’s president, Goodluck Jonathan, President François Hollande of France organized the meeting, which was also attended by the heads of state of Cameroon, Niger, Chad and Benin, countries that border Nigeria and that have long been suspicious of one another. The borders among the countries are notoriously porous, and Boko Haram’s adherents have easily slipped across them.

This incident is just another example of persecution of Christians at the hands of radical Isalmists.   The subject of Christian persecution has been elevated in the news recently; representatives of a variety of religious organizations held a press conference almost 2 weeks ago calling for assistance to persecuted Christians.  A WORLD News Service piece on the Christian Headlines website states that Reps. Frank Wolf (R-VA) and Anna Eshoo (D-CA), co-chairs of the Religious Minorities in the Middle East Caucus, hosted the event and urged American believers to pray, give, and advocate on behalf of suffering Christians. They also called on the U.S. Senate to pass legislation to create a State Department special envoy for religious minorities in the Middle East and South Central Asia, which the House has twice passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.  In this instance, the nations of Syria, Iraq, and Egypt were highlighted.

And, a rally yesterday in Dallas called attention to the persecution of Christians in countries with predominantly Muslim governments, calling for the U.S. to cease funding these nations.   Pastor Stephen Broden organized the rally, and he spoke with me for Friday's edition of The Meeting House.    

These are all reminders of the dangerous world in which we live, and how important it is for believers in Christ to stand with those who are facing persecution for their faith.

The 3 - May 11, 2014

This week's edition of "The 3," my week-in-review feature, includes an apparent U-turn by a cable network regarding a planned series featuring 2 evangelical Christians.  Also, tragedy in the nation of Nigeria, where a militant group has apparently kidnapped hundreds of schoolgirls, many of them Christian.  And, the top story includes a Supreme Court decision involving the right of people to pray before governmental meetings according to the dictates of their conscience.

3 - House flippers flipped out of new cable series

This fall, HGTV - Home and Garden Television - had planned for a show called "Flip It Forward," starring twin brothers David and Jason Benham.    According to a report on the Baptist Press website, each episode was to feature the brothers finding a "fixer-upper" house and remodeling it for a family with limited financial resources.

On Wednesday, May 7, the cable network tweeted out that, "HGTV has decided not to move forward with the Benham Brothers' series."  There is speculation that the cancellation of the series came after a report on the website, RightWingWatch.org quoting one of the Benhams as opposing gay marriage and abortion and allegedly saying that Christianity is superior to Islam.

The brothers reportedly told CNN they believe HGTV was pressured into its decision.

David Benham was quoted as saying that he felt HGTV was bullied.  He said, "There's an agenda that's out in America right now that demands silence, especially from men and women who profess Jesus Christ and hold to His standards."

The Benhams wrote in a statement on their website that they would choose their faith over a television show if those were the alternatives.

They wrote, "We were saddened to hear HGTV's decision...With all of the grotesque things that can be seen and heard on television today you would think there would be room for two twin brothers who are faithful to our families, committed to biblical principles, and dedicated professionals. If our faith costs us a television show then so be it."

The Christian advocacy group Faith Driven Consumer launched a petition drive asking HGTV to reinstate "Flip It Forward" to its fall lineup. The petition, available at FlipThisDecison.com, garnered more than 8,500 signatures by May 9.

David Benham said on CNN May 8 that he and his brother have never practiced discrimination.   He is quoted as saying, "We love all people. I love homosexuals. I love Islam, Muslims, and my brother and I would never discriminate. Never have we -- never would we."  He added, "Never have I ever spoken against homosexuals, as individuals, and gone against them...I speak about an agenda. And that's really what the point of this is -- that there is an agenda that is seeking to silence the voices of men and women of faith."

Jason Benham told Baptist Press that HGTV vetted the brothers a year and a half ago, saw some of the material unearthed recently by Right Wing Watch and spoke with the twins about it.

"They got to know us a little better and then they made a judgment call, recognizing that David and I have no hate in our heart for anyone," Jason Benham told CNN. "We've been running a successful real estate company for the last 11 years and we help all people. There is no discrimination."

2 - Hundreds of Nigerian girls, including multiple Christians, kidnapped by militant group

There is great concern over the kidnapping of hundreds of girls from Nigeria, most of them Christians, by the Boko Haram militant group.   According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide, a disturbing video was released last Monday, in which Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau said the kidnapped girls were “slaves” and that he would sell them “in the market”, claiming: “it is Allah that says I should sell human beings” and “instructed us [to] soak the ground of Nigeria with Christian blood and so-called Muslims contradicting Islam.”

The total number of children kidnapped on April 15 from the Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS) in Chibok remains unclear. Some sources state that over 300 were abducted and around 276 are still missing. Last weekend, the Borno State Police Commissioner said 276 girls were captured by the group and 53 had managed to escape.

Christianity Today reports that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) recently released the names of 165 Christian girls and 15 Muslim girls it says were kidnapped from Chibok. Many are affiliated with the Church of the Brethren. 

Also, CSW reports that this past Monday, Boko Haram gunmen abducted eight more girls aged between 12 and 15 during an attack that included house to house searches of Warabe Village in Borno State, which is located close to Sambisa Forest where the group has a stronghold.   On the same day Boko Haram militants are reported to have destroyed most of Gamboru Town in Borno State, killing at least 250 people.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon is quoted as saying that, “the targeting of children and schools is against international law and cannot be justified under any circumstances.” The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights warned there is no statute of limitations for grave international crimes such as slavery and sexual slavery, pointing out the sale of the girls could constitute a crime against humanity. France, the United States and the United Kingdom are providing specialist assistance, while the Twitter hashtag #BringBackOurGirls went viral, drawing support from a host of celebrities and resulting in protests on behalf of the missing girls in cities throughout Nigeria and across the world. 

And, the leading mosque in Sunni Islam, Al-Azhar Mosque, said: “this action does not relate to the noble teachings of Islam in any way.”  CSW points out that given that it is one of the oldest Sunni institutions and is highly respected throughout the Islamic world and particularly in Africa, Al-Azhar’s intervention constitutes an authoritative and significant riposte to Boko Haram’s claims of divine sanction.

1 - U.S. Supreme Court upholds right to prayers before governmental meetings, including explicitly Christian prayers

A long-time tradition in the city of Greece, New York, had been challenged in court - the practice of inviting volunteers from a variety of churches in the area to pray before the town council's meetings.  CitizenLink reports that after more than five years of legal battles, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Monday in favor of public prayers — including those “in Jesus’ name” — before government meetings.

Thomas Hungar, an allied attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which represented the town, is quoted as saying, “The Supreme Court has reaffirmed that the practice of prayer before legislative bodies is firmly embedded in the history and traditions of this nation...Americans should be free to speak and act consistently with their own beliefs.”

The court affirmed that as long as the prayers are respectful, those praying may say essentially what they like. It also affirmed that if one prayer should wander outside what’s proper, that alone is not a reason to stop public prayers. And because most of the congregations in Greece are generally Christian, it’s acceptable for most of the people who pray to be Christians—no need to go outside the community to bring some unattainable sense of “balance” to what’s said in the prayers.
In the majority opinion in the 5-4 decision, Justice Anthony Kennedy underscored the rights of Americans:

From the earliest days of the Nation, these invocations have been addressed to assemblies comprising many different creeds. These ceremonial prayers strive for the idea that people of many faiths may be united in a community of tolerance and devotion. Even those who disagree as to religious doctrine may find common ground in the desire to show respect for the divine in all aspects of their lives and being. Our tradition assumes that adult citizens, firm in their own beliefs can tolerate and perhaps appreciate a ceremonial prayer delivered by a person of a different faith.

CitizenLink points out that the Supreme Court’s ruling will likely affect similar cases still in progress in lower courts, according to ADF. Attorneys with the group plan to resolve those cases in light of the decision.

The 3 - May 4, 2014

This week's edition of "The 3", my week-in-review blog feature, includes a push for immigration reform by evangelical leaders in the nation's capital.  Also, some concern arose this week about a claim by a pro-abortion group that it had successfully lobbied Google to remove ads for many pregnancy resource centers. And, the top story involves the annual observance of the National Day of Prayer, which is set aside for the first Thursday in May.

3 - Evangelical pastors continue push for immigration reform

For some time now, evangelicals have been involved in trying to help reform the Federal immigration system. One example is a resolution passed by the Southern Baptist Convention in 2011 that called for a pathway to citizenship but not amnesty, according to a recent piece on the ReligionNews.com website, which quotes former convention president Bryant Wright, Pastor of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in the Atlanta area, as saying, “There’s just a greater sense of urgency that the time is now for the Congress to act."  He said that he was frustrated with the lack of progress on the issue.

The article reports that this past week, some 250 evangelical pastors gathered on Capitol Hill to press for immigration reform. It stated that in the past couple of months, religious leaders have met with President Obama and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, as well as House Speaker John Boehner’s staff. Faith leaders also recently met with members of Congress in their home districts.

John Perkins, a civil rights activist and co-founder of the Christian Community Development Association, noted that many evangelicals were silent during the civil rights movement but have now spoken up for immigration reform.

“We haven’t always been there,” he said. “We have a possibility to redeem ourselves for the cause of the gospel.”

Paige Patterson, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Texas and another former SBC president, said he’s hopeful that the meetings will move Congress as they hear from more people who want to see reform achieved.

“I believe that in the end you’re going to have the overwhelming support of most of the Republicans in the Congress,” he said.

Eugene Cho, Pastor of Quest Church in Seattle, who is of Korean descent, was among the new faces demonstrating support for immigration reform across racial and ethnic groups and denominations. He pointed out that one out of five Korean-Americans are undocumented.

The Evangelical Immigration Table hosted the conference and worship service before the Hill visits. Among those participating were plenty of returning pastors, too.

2 - Pro-abortion group claims Google has removed scores of pro-life ads

The National Abortion Rights Action League, or NARAL, made a stunning claim this week, as it said that it had persuaded Google to remove the majority of the ads for crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs), claiming their content is deceptive.  According to a Christianity Today article, NARAL claimed this week that nearly 8 in 10 ads displayed on Google searches for "abortion clinic" are funded by pro-life groups misrepresenting the actual services they offer.

NARAL President Ilyse Hogue is quoted as saying, "We will continue to work with Google to ensure that their commitment results in women being directed to the resources and services they are seeking when they search online, ending this manipulation of women making vital health decisions."

This is a concerning development - if it were completely or even partially true.  But some pro-life groups claim their ads have not been affected, reports LifeSiteNews.  Online for Life was not aware of any removed ads, and says it has a "long and positive relationship with Google."  Heartbeat International told America's largest pro-life group, the National Right to Life Committee, that  it is "well-versed in using Google AdWords effectively" and its guidelines prohibited misleading ads.

The Christianity Today piece points out that:

The true fate of CPC search ads is hard to measure. What isn't is the recent number of court cases favoring how crisis pregnancy centers present themselves.

CT has reported how disclosing information to pregnant women—a long-established pro-life legal strategy—has been cutting both ways as a number of cities have passed laws requiring CPCs to disclose that they don't provide abortions or have medical staff. But courts continue to overturn many such requirements.

1 - National Day of Prayer offers united prayer opportunities across America

In 1952, Congress has authorized a national observance of the National Day of Prayer, according to the website of the National Day of Prayer Task Force.   The law was signed by then-President Truman.  In 1988, the law was amended and the first Thursday of May was established as the annual date.   Then-President Reagan signed that into law.  The Task Force's Facebook page said that there were more than 40,000 gatherings set to take place this past Thursday, May 1.

The Honorary Chairman of the event is Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of evangelist Billy Graham.
CBNNews.com reported that at one rally in Washington, D.C., attendees prayed for the government, including the president and members of Congress.  It said that Mrs. Lotz told the crowd that natural disasters and social and economic problems are warnings that God's "judgment is coming."  She said, "The answer will not be political or military or economic or education. The answer is to fall on our face before God and cry out to Him in humble repentance of sin."

She admonished, "Just because the National Day of Prayer is ending doesn't mean we stop praying...This is the beginning. Now it's up to you. It's up to you to cry out to God."

Other prayer leaders echoed that sentiment, urging Americans to repent and pray for spiritual revival.

This year's theme was "One Voice United in Prayer." 

Throughout the nation and in the Faith Radio broadcast area, special events were scheduled at a variety of locales.   For example, prayer breakfasts kicked off the day in Montgomery and Prattville, a number of locations were open during stretches of the day in cities such as Dothan, Deatsville, and Prattville, and the lawns of county courthouses were transformed into prayer sites in Andalusia and Opelika.  In Ozark and Troy, Bible reading marathons had begun on the preceding Sunday.   Alabama Governor Robert Bentley was a featured prayer leader at the state NDP meeting on the State Capitol steps in Montgomery.   Other cities were the sites of special events throughout the day and even into the evening hours.

The 3 - April 27, 2014

In this week's edition of "The 3," there is a variety of stories from 3 different countries: from Canada, a Christian university has finally been given the go-ahead to establish a law school, but it continues to experience opposition.   In the U.S., plans continue for representatives of the Army to be part of the National Day of Prayer event at a Congressional office building on Thursday.  And, at the Vatican, a historic ceremony took place over the weekend, involving the canonization of 2 Popes, witnessed by 2 others.

3 - Canada's first Christian law school continues to deal with difficulty 

This past week, J.C. Derrick of WORLD News Group joined me on The Meeting House radio program and discussed the long and arduous process that Trinity Western University had gone through in order to establish a law school.  A newly released piece on the WORLD website summarizes some of the activities:

...Last December, TWU received back-to-back approvals from the Federation of Law Societies of Canada and the Minister of Advanced Education in British Columbia. The Law Society of British Columbia followed with another approval on a 20-6 vote earlier this month, joining affirmation from five other provincial bodies of the federation—which essentially hold veto power over federation decisions.

However, in the aftermath of this string of victories, a number of potential setbacks have emerged. On Thursday, the Law Society of Upper Canada voted 28-21 not to allow TWU graduates admission to the bar in Ontario. The Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society did the same by a 10-9 vote Friday.

University President Bob Kuhn is quoted as saying, “We are very disappointed...These decisions impact all Canadians and people of faith everywhere. They send the chilling message that you cannot hold religious values and also participate fully in public society.”

The big issue surrounding the law school which has drawn opposition is TWU's requirement that employees and students sign a community covenant pledging to abstain from “sexual intimacy that violates the sacredness of marriage between a man and a woman.”  This has set off gay rights advocates in Canada, where same-sex marriage is legal.

Last week, a gay activist in Vancouver filed suit against the Minister of Advanced Education in British Columbia, Amrik Virk, claiming TWU’s community covenant equates to a discriminatory admissions policy. And the Law Society of British Columbia must now convene a special proceeding to hear complaints about its two-week-old decision after receiving a petition with more than 1,000 signatures.

2 - Army defends National Day of Prayer participation

A USA Today report from a writer for the Army Times states that Army officials have said they will not back away from participating in a Capitol Hill prayer event next month despite complaints that the event amounts to an endorsement of evangelical Christians.

Officials from the Military Religious Freedom Foundation demanded the Pentagon withdraw all support from a May 1 National Day of Prayer celebration at the Cannon House Office Building in Washington, calling it a "private fundamentalist Christian religious event."   Foundation Director Mikey Weinstein is quoted as calling the event a "sectarian spectacle" and said the Army's stance was "ridiculous."

Planners of the three-hour event, which has close ties to evangelical Christian groups, have said they are nondenominational and nonpartisan, but foundation leaders say support for the event amounts to favoritism for conservative Christians.

Army officials disagree. In a statement, service officials said they would continue to provide numerous personnel for the event, including a chaplain to offer a "prayer for the military," an armed forces color guard, a brass quartet and a vocalist for the national anthem.

They also said they had no formal response to the foundation's complaint.

The National Day of Prayer has been held on the first Thursday in May since 1952 when Congress passed a joint resolution to create the observance and President Harry Truman signed it.  The private National Day of Prayer Task Force is organizing the congressional event at the Cannon building and broadcasting it online. The group's chairwoman, Shirley Dobson, is the wife of James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family. Task force officials say the two organizations have no connection.

Scheduled speakers for the Capitol Hill event include both James and Shirley Dobson; evangelist Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of the Rev. Billy Graham; Campus Crusade for Christ co-founder Vonette Bright; and several current and former lawmakers.

1 - History in Rome: 2 living Popes attend canonization for 2 Popes at Vatican

Major religious news grabbed headlines over the weekend, as an unprecedented ceremony took place at the Vatican.  Popes John Paul II and John XXIII, who presided over enormous changes within the church and across the world, were proclaimed "saints" on Sunday before a crowd of nearly 1 million people in an historic ceremony celebrated by Pope Francis with his predecessor, Benedict XVI, according to a report on the Religion News Service website.

Around 100 heads of state and government leaders joined those who crammed into St. Peter’s Square under gray and dreary skies. Thirty Jewish leaders were among the official delegations who took part at the Vatican.

Pope Francis declared to the crowd in Latin during the two-hour ceremony, "We declare and define Blessed John XXIII and John Paul II be saints, and we enroll them among the saints, decreeing that they are to be venerated as such by the whole church..."

Francis acknowledged John and John Paul as among the most influential popes of the modern era, living through some of the momentous changes of the 20th century. John convened the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) that revolutionized Catholic life and reordered the church’s relationship with non-Catholics, and John Paul stared down communism and globalized the papacy.

He described them as "men of courage." Pope Francis said, "They lived through tragic events of that century, but they were not overwhelmed by them. For them, God was more powerful, faith was more powerful.”  But just because they we highly-regarded popes, that did not qualify them for being considered a formal "saint" in the Catholic church.  After all, of the 266 popes, 83 (including John XXIII and John Paul II) have been made saints; almost all of them were canonized in the first millennium of Christianity, according to Religion News Service, which reports there are three basic steps to formal sainthood: First, a formal inquiry is opened and if a person’s “heroic virtues” are initially confirmed the candidate is called “venerable.” Beatification, usually by the pope, is the second step and the candidate is called “blessed.” Canonization is the third and final step, when a candidate is formally declared a saint.

The sainthood process remained largely unchanged until John Paul II approved revisions in 1983; the biggest change was to eliminate the “devil’s advocate,” who was charged with trying to poke holes in a person’s sanctity.

Two miracles are generally required for canonization, although the pope can dispense with that requirement, as Francis is doing in canonizing John XXIII, who was credited with just one miracle.  Nearly all miracles are unexplained medical cures, and they are verified by a panel of medical and scientific experts — not all of them Catholic — who must affirm that there was no possible natural cause for the cure. The cures are usually instantaneous.

The 3 - April 20, 2014

In this edition of my week-in-review blog, "The 3", the top story undoubtedly is the celebration of Easter, the resurrection of Jesus from the dead - each year, you find that there are creative ways in which people are commemorating the significance of His life and the new life we can have in Him.   I'll explore some information related to the Easter season, coming up.  Also, in pro-life news, another Federal judge has struck down a bill passed by a state legislature banning abortion after the heartbeat of an unborn child is detected, and in Colorado,it was decided by the legislative leadership a bill that could have stymied pro-life legislation in the future would not move forward.

3 - Fetal heartbeat bill in North Dakota declared unconstitutional

For the second time in about a month, a Federal judge has ruled unconstitutional a state's bill banning abortion when a heartbeat is detected in an unborn child.   This time, a George W. Bush appointee has struck down North Dakota's fetal heartbeat bill.  ChristianNews.net reports that Federal District Judge Daniel Hovland issued a permanent injunction against the legislation, officially declaring the law to be “invalid and unconstitutional.”  He wrote, “The United States Supreme Court has spoken and has unequivocally said no state may deprive a woman of the choice to terminate her pregnancy at a point prior to viability...The controversy over a woman’s right to choose to have an abortion will never end. The issue is undoubtedly one of the most divisive of social issues. The United States Supreme Court will eventually weigh in on this emotionally-fraught issue but, until that occurs, this Court is obligated to uphold existing Supreme Court precedent.”

In issuing a temporary injunction against the new law last July, Hovland had pointed to the 1973 decision of Roe v. Wade, writing that, "The state has extended an invitation to an expensive court battle over a law restricting abortions that is a blatant violation of the constitutional guarantees afforded to all women."

This comes on the heels of a decision by another Federal judge, Susan Webber Wright, an appointee of George H.W. Bush, who had struck down an Arkansas law that banned abortions after 12 weeks if a heartbeat is detected.

According to a ChristianNews.net story, Wright wrote in her opinion that the standard for abortion restrictions according to Roe v. Wade is whether the child is viable,  rather than whether the baby has a heartbeat.

She wrote, “The Court notes that the [state] conveys that viability ‘begins’ with a heartbeat; it does not declare that viability is fully achieved with the adept of a heartbeat...Such a declaration would undoubtedly contravene the Supreme Court’s determination that viability in a particular case is a matter for medical judgment, and it is attained when, in the judgment of the attending physician on the particular facts of the case at hand, that there is a reasonable likelihood of sustained survival outside the womb.”

2 - Colorado lawmakers do not bring up legislation that would have kept pro-life laws from being passed

The Legislature in Colorado was considering a piece of legislation that would essentially be a pre-emptive strike against future pro-life bills, but it was turned back and did not come to the floor.

CitizenLink reports that, “It would have left it open for absolutely no regulation, ” according to Carrie Gordon Earll, senior director of issue analysis at Focus on the Family. She added, “We’re talking late-term abortions, informed consent and regulation of the abortion industry. This would have shut down any policy debate and prevented the passage of any pro-life legislation in the state.”

Legislative leaders claimed they had enough votes to pass the bill, but a flood of emails and calls from constituents and a prayer rally by approximately 1,000 people on the Capitol steps proved to be effective, according to the report.  Leadership dropped the bill without a vote.

Jessica Haverkate of the Colorado Family Institute said, “The faith community united together in a public debate about one of the most important issues to all of us — the protection of unborn life...Let us all remember… what we were able to accomplish by stepping out in faith and engaging in our communities.”

As Carrie Gordon Earll points out, there was a lot at stake with SB 175 – and not just for Colorado. She is quoted as saying, “This is the sort of thing that we need to be diligent about as a pro-life movement...because a bill like this can get legs in other states once it passes. We want the nation moving toward a pro-life position, not the other direction.”

1 - Easter, Holy Week commemorate Christ's death and resurrection

Across the world, Christians were involved in special Easter presentations this week.  And, this is undoubtedly the top story each year during the week of Easter, for without the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, we would have no Savior and our faith would have no meaning.

So we have the opportunity to take a few moments during this special season to reflect on the meaning of Christ's sacrifice for us and to rejoice in the risen Lord.   I found a ChristianExaminer.com story taken from Baptist Press about a Barna survey from 2010, in which 67 percent of the respondents mentioned some type of theistic religious element in Easter, including the fact that it's a Christian holiday or it's a special time for church attendance.

Only 42 percent of those surveyed said the meaning of Easter was the resurrection of Jesus or that it signifies Christ's death and return to life, Barna said. Two percent said they would describe Easter as the most important holiday of their faith.

David Kinnaman, Barna's president is quoted as saying that, "Perhaps most concerning, from the standpoint of church leaders, is that those who celebrate Easter because of the resurrection of Christ are not particularly likely to invite non-churched friends to worship, suggesting that their personal beliefs about Jesus have not yet translated into a sense of urgency for having spiritual conversations with their acquaintances." He noted a substantial gap between people's openness to inviting an unchurched person to worship on Easter and the likelihood of them actually doing so.

During this season, we commonly find that churches are utilizing creative means of presenting the gospel message. And, social media is an effective tool through which we can share the good news.  One example I discovered was the use of the #EasterMeans hashtag, documented in a piece on the ChristianToday.com website.   This is used in the Church of England's Twitter campaign, which kicked off on Thursday, inviting people to share their thoughts on what Easter means to them.

Among those joining in was theologian Vicky Beeching (@vickybeeching), who said: "I'm excited about the #EasterMeans campaign - it encourages Christians to give the world a window into their personal faith; why Easter matters to them and how the events of Jesus' death and resurrection have impacted their life."

#EasterMeans is a follow-up to the #Christmasmeans Twitter campaign, which reached more than four million people between Christmas Eve and Christmas morning.

Bishops weighed in about what Easter means to them in a series of podcasts.  The Bishop of Ramsbury, Edward Condry, who gave up his car for Lent, estimates he has saved 2,000 car miles over the last six weeks just by cycling, walking and using public transportation.  He found his Lent challenge to be a conversation starter, saying, "I really have enjoyed it. When I turn up for a service on Sunday I've had lots of good conversations and people want to go deeper and find out what motivated me."

The Bishop of Oxford, the Right Reverend John Pritchard, said that Easter means "nothing is impossible". He shared, "You can't keep a good God down."

The practice of reflection and worship that we commonly find during the Easter season can be a springboard for growing deeper in our relationship with Christ throughout the year as we recognize that Jesus is alive and He is alive in us!

The 3 - April 13, 2014

On this week's edition of "The 3", my week-in-review feature, a rejection by the Supreme Court means that a New Mexico photographer will have to pay for its refusal to be involved with a same-sex marriage ceremony, in case with significant religious freedom implications.  Also, a college professor who spoke out in a manner consistent with his Christian views will receive the promotion that he was denied as a result of expressing those views.  And, students all across America were involved in the Day of Dialogue this week, an opportunity to affirm God's plan in relationships.

3 - U.S. Supreme Court decides not to take case of photographer who would not take pictures at gay wedding

There was some hope that the U.S. Supreme Court would take up the case of a New Mexico photographer that had been fined by a state agency for refusing to take pictures at a same-sex ceremony in a state where gay marriage was not legal (at the time). On Monday, the high court declined to hear the case. The photographer, Elane Photography, owned by Jonathan and Elaine Hugenin, had been told by the New Mexico Supreme Court that she must, as “the price of citizenship,” use her creative talents to communicate a message with which she disagrees or suffer punishment, according to a report on the Alliance Defense Fund media website.

This series of events began in 2006, when Elaine was approached with photographing the ceremony. She politely declined to use her artistic expression to communicate a message at odds with her beliefs. The woman who approached Elaine easily found another photographer for her ceremony—and for less money. Nevertheless, the woman filed a complaint with the New Mexico Human Rights Commission. After a one-day administrative trial in 2008, the commission ruled against the Huguenins and ordered them to pay over $6,600 in attorneys’ fees. The case then made its way through the New Mexico state court system, and the New Mexico Supreme Court upheld the ruling.

Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Jordan Lorence pointed out, “The First Amendment protects our freedom to speak or not speak on any issue without fear of punishment. We had hoped the U.S. Supreme Court would use this case to affirm this basic constitutional principle; however, the court will likely have several more opportunities to do just that in other cases of ours that are working their way through the court system.”   Cases in which ADF are involved include a florist and a cake artist who did not wish to endorse a gay wedding through their participation, as well as a T-shirt printer who did not provide shirts for a "gay pride" event.

Senior Counsel David Cortman added, “Elaine and numerous others like her around the country have been more than willing to serve any and all customers, but they are not willing to promote any and all messages. A government that forces any American to create a message contrary to her own convictions is a government every American should fear.”

2 - College ordered to promote professor who spoke out with Christian views

Dr. Mike Adams is a professor of criminology at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.  He was hired in 1993 and became an associate professor in 1998.  When he was hired, he was an atheist, but things changed in 2000, according to a report on the ChristianNews.net website.

That year, he became a born-again Christian, and his worldview began to change. He became a columnist for TownHall.com and also appeared on radio and television broadcasts, where he spoke about a broad spectrum of issues, from religion to morality to freedom of speech.

However, Adams’ conversion to Christianity and his outspokenness on current events drew some opposition, as some, including the atheist who was appointed to head the department in which he served, disagreed with his views and manner of presentation.  In 2006, when he was up for consideration of a promotion to full professor status, Adams was denied.

Therefore, in 2007, Adams filed suit, contending that university officials discriminated against him because of his Christian beliefs. In 2010, a District Court ruled against Adams, who then appealed his case to the 4th Circuit. In April of the following year, the court ruled that Adams provided sufficient evidence to warrant a trial, which was held last month.

At the conclusion of the trial, the jury agreed with attorneys for Adams, concluding that he was unjustly denied a promotion because of the views he expressed in print and broadcast media, which were protected by the First Amendment.   This week, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Southern Division, ordered the school to promote Adams and to pay him $50,000 in back pay after the jury's decision.

1 - Students urged to speak out on God's plan for relationships on Day of Dialogue

This week, students across America were scheduled to participate in the Day of Dialogue, a student-led event that encourages young people to enter the conversation about controversial, but important, subjects already being discussed among their peers and promoted in their schools. Focus on the Family sponsors the event.

CitizenLink quotes Candi Cushman, education analyst for Focus on the Family, as saying that, "The student guide has a lot of resources – tips for students on how to have a successful event, a legal section that explains their rights and, of course, the free speech tools...Day of Dialogue helps students give a balanced perspective on the difficult issues of the day.”

She said, “As we have seen from headlines in recent weeks, it does require great courage in this culture of spiritual relativism to acknowledge the existence of redemptive truth."

The Day of Dialogue website says that there are 7 guiding principles for the day.  In the relationships area, the components are: having healthy relationships, developing a healthy identity, and protecting others.   The sexuality area covers experiencing God's best for sexuality and understanding why gender is important.   And, the spirituality principles include: realizing that God cares and having a relationship with God.

What was formerly known as the Day of Truth became the Day of Dialogue in 2011, according to the Focus on the Family website.  At the time, Cushman said that the program's name change reflected a key goal of equipping students with an opportunity to articulate a Christian perspective. She said, "We're trying to raise awareness that more than one side needs to be heard on the issue of homosexuality, and we're helping to ensure Christian students have the chance to express their viewpoint...What is freedom of speech, after all, but a guarantee of the right to have dialogue?"

She was quoted as saying that she believed dialogue is more helpful than staying silent on this meaningful issue, which is what Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network's Day of Silence encourages. Day of Silence was held this past Friday, April 11.  Cushman pointed out that, "Silence is a media op, but dialogue is a learning op."

The 3 - April 6, 2014

This week's edition of "The 3," my week-in-review feature, includes a major conference on the West Coast which was designed to inspire and inform leaders.   Also, this week, there has been discussion about the resignation of a high-profile, high-tech CEO who was forced to step down due to his support of traditional marriage.  And, the top story involves a court ruling regarding the right of churches to rent public school buildings in New York City.

3 - High-profile Christian speakers challenge leaders at Catalyst West

According to its website, Catalyst was conceived as a Next Generation Leaders Conference in 1999 by Andy Stanley, Reggie Joiner, John Maxwell, Lanny Donoho and several young leaders. Catalyst was created to meet the felt need that existed within the church leader space for a leadership event that was focused on a new generation of church leaders. Everything within this space seemed built around a forty to sixty year old mindset and medium. This team was convinced that this needed to change.

Since its beginnings with a gathering at North Point Community Church in Atlanta, over 100,000 leaders have made the annual trek to Atlanta to participate in the Catalyst Conference experience, and this October, once again over 12,000 young leaders are expected to gather to experience Catalyst up close. This past week, the Catalyst West conference was held at Mariners' Church in Orange County, California, and another conference will convene in Dallas later this month.

Speakers at the latest event, which drew over 4,000 people, according to a report on the Christian Post website, included Frances Chan, Matt Chandler, Andy Stanley, Louie Giglio, Jim Collins, and Jud Wilhite.  

Catalyst President Brad Lomenick is quoted as saying that, "We were praying that for every leader here this would be a bench mark for them or a marker on the road of leadership for them."  He said that he hopes leaders would be able to look back at the conference and say that it was a significant turning point in their lives.

Lomenick also said, "There's so much hope we can still have in the present regardless of circumstances...We love this idea that we should be hopeful leaders, encouraging and more excited about tomorrow, but equally present in today. Part of the reason that we created an environment at Catalyst that is fun and is hopeful is to give people permission to enjoy and find joy in the present."

2 - Christians stand with CEO forced to resign over traditional marriage support

I've been searching the Internet for something that could clue me in to why the recently-appointed CEO of the Mozilla, which is known for the Firefox web browser, gave $1000 in support of Proposition 8, the marriage amendment in California.  That donation raised the ire of a vocal group of people who called for his resignation, which he tendered earlier this week.  Even though I see no identification with a Christian church or organization, the set of circumstances has resonated with some in the Christian community, who are crying foul in this case, where an apparent litmus test was instituted for Brendan Eich, who was appointed to run the company of which he has been a leading participant for many years.

Terry Mattingly over at the Get Religion blog said he was waiting for the "religion shoe to drop."   He says that:

Right now, the framing for this story is that his actions were anti-gay, not pro-something, something doctrinally and legally different.

Over at the normally gay-news-driven New York Times, this story is not receiving major attention. A “Bits” feature in the business pages does provide an interesting summary of the raging debates surrounding this case, including the fact that some liberals — including some in the gay community — are quite upset with the illiberal campaign by many “liberals” to punish Mozilla, while making Eich an untouchable in the highly influential tech world.

He mentions that the article also noted that Eich has consistently stressed, and so far no one has contradicted this, that he was committed to inclusiveness in the Mozilla workplace and had never discriminated.  However, Mattingly points out that Eich has also asked not to be judged for his “private beliefs.”  He says that, "In a way, that is also interesting in that fierce defenders of the First Amendment have long argued for free expression, even in public (with others, yes, having the right to freely protest in return)."

The Get Religion blogger says that over on the other side of the Atlantic, The Telegraph dug a bit deeper and published a few additional facts that have also appeared — with interpretation — in the comments pages on many of the gay-press coverage of Eich’s fall. Here is the crucial passage:

The father of five responded to allegations of homophobia levelled at him over the donation in a blog post refusing to discuss his involvement with the campaign, which was initially passed but later overturned by the US Supreme Court. …

In an interview this week with the Guardian Eich refused to be drawn on his stance on gay rights. “I don’t want to talk about my personal beliefs because I kept them out of Mozilla all these 15 years we’ve been going,” he said. “I don’t believe they’re relevant.” He said his donation to the campaign was “personal” and said Mozilla’s code of conduct formalised the principle of “keeping anything that’s not central to our mission out of our office”.

Prior to his short spell as CEO, the Pittsburgh-born programmer studied maths and computer science at Santa Clara University before working on network and operating system code at Silicon Graphics.

Mattingly points out that Santa Clara is a campus in Silicon Valley. It is a Jesuit university, too. Both pieces of that equation many turn out to be relevant in this ongoing story.

Dr. Robert George from Princeton, a co-author of the Manhattan Declaration, wrote this on the First Things website: 

Now that the bullies have Eich’s head as a trophy on their wall, they will put the heat on every other corporation and major employer. They will pressure them to refuse employment to those who decline to conform their views to the new orthodoxy. And you can also bet that it won’t end with same-sex marriage. Next, it will be support for the pro-life cause that will be treated as moral turpitude in the same way that support for marriage is treated. Do you believe in protecting unborn babies from being slain in the womb? Why, then: “You are a misogynist. You are a hater of women. You are a bigot. We can’t have a person like you working for our company.” And there will be other political and moral issues, too, that will be treated as litmus tests for eligibility for employment. The defenestration of Eich by people at Mozilla for dissenting from the new orthodoxy on marriage is just the beginning.

Isn't it odd that a company that espouses so-called "equality" and "tolerance" did not support its new CEO's rights to express his opinion?

1 - Court ruling allows NYC schools to refuse to lease space to churches

Another chapter in the 20-year struggle for local churches to have the right to lease space in public school buildings in New York City concluded this past week, as a 2-1 decision in the 2nd U.S. Court of Appeals said that a policy of prohibiting churches from gathering in schools “was consistent with its constitutional duties.” So the court has spoken that schools in the city can now legally ban churches from holding services in buildings outside of school hours, according to a report on the ChristianHeadlines.com website.

The piece quotes New York Times, which reported that the new policy will allow religious and community organizations to use buildings for programs after hours, but not as a “house of worship.”

In 2012, U.S. District Judge Loretta Preska had ruled against the ban, under the argument that holding a worship service in a school did not associate that establishment with a particular religion; Thursday’s decision overturned Preska’s ruling.

The church involved in the dispute, the Bronx Household of Faith, believes that the policy is in violation of its right to worship freely without government interference, according to a report on the Charisma News site.

Jordan Lorence, attorney to Bronx Household of Faith, was disappointed in the outcome of the decision, but said that the church will now consider appealing to the circuit bench or taking the case to the Supreme Court.

But, just because the court has ruled that schools can refuse to rent to churches, that doesn't mean that they will, and a leading voice against the ban, Councilman Fernando Cabrera is quoted on the Capital website as saying that, "The Mayor with a single swipe of his pen can offer immediate relief to thousands of his fellow New Yorkers who now face the prospect of not knowing if they will have a place to celebrate the Easter or Passover holiday."

This week, according to that website, Mayor Bill de Blasio reiterated his belief that church groups should be able to use school facilities, in the wake of that decision.

After saying his administration's corporation counsel, Zachary Carter, would review the ruling and "assess from there," the mayor sided with religious organizations who have sued for the right to hold services in public schools on weekends.

He said, "I stand by my belief that a faith organization playing by the same rules as any community nonprofit deserves access...They have to go through the same application process, wait their turn for space, pay the same rent, but I think they deserve access."

He said the non-secular groups "play a very, very important role in terms of providing social services and other important community services and I think they deserve that right."