Category: Public Policy
James Dobson Sues Obama Administration
Posted on December 12, 2013 in Public Policy, Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
ADFMedia reports: Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against the Obama administration on behalf of Dr. James Dobson and his “Family Talk” radio show and ministry, a Christian non-profit organization that is currently subject to Obamacare’s abortion pill mandate.
The lawsuit challenges the legality and constitutionality of the mandate, which requires religious employers to provide insurance coverage for abortifacients, sterilization, and contraception to employees regardless of religious or moral objections. Dobson and Family Talk object specifically to providing coverage for abortion drugs and devices.
“Our ministry believes in living out the religious convictions we hold to and talk about on the air,” added Dobson, Family Talk’s founder and president. “As Americans, we should all be free to live according to our faith and to honor God in our work. The Constitution protects that freedom so that the government cannot force anyone to act against his or her sincerely held religious beliefs. But the mandate ignores that and leaves us with a choice no American should have to make: comply and abandon your religious freedom, or resist and be fined for your faith.”
Share this post and stand with Dr. Dobson as he fights for religious freedom. Click here for original article.
UPDATE: EU Decides Abortion in NOT a Human Right!
Posted on December 11, 2013 in Life, Public Policy by Nathan Cherry
The European Parliament will vote Tuesday on a report, known as the Estrela Report, which will decide whether or not abortion is a “human right.” This is important first because it is absurd to think that abortion is a human right. This is important secondly because this vote will no doubt have consequences for America.
As Americans continue to recognize that life should be defended from conception to natural death, the abortion industry grows desperate. Clinics are closing at unprecedented rates, pro-life laws are being passed by states like never before, and most Americans now identify as pro-life than in the last 40 years. This spells trouble for the money making machine of the abortion industry.
A vote, such as the one taking place tomorrow, will have a ripple effect on the United States. Should the European Parliament find a “human right” to abortion, we can be sure the most pro-abortion president in U.S. history and his administration will seek to further push their pro-abortion agenda on us. However, if the vote defends life, we can expect an increased surge in the protection of life here in the states.
Government Demands Christians Violate Religious Convictions
Posted on December 11, 2013 in Public Policy, Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
In what can only be described as an appalling verdict, a federal judge has ordered a Colorado baker to violate his Christian convictions and serve cakes to homosexual couples.
Jack Phillips is the owner of Masterpiece Cake shop in Colorado. Last year a gay couple asked him to prepare a cake for them so they could celebrate their recent “marriage” in Massachusetts. Jack told the couple he could not serve them because doing so would violate his religious convictions. The couple, with the help of the ACLU, filed a discrimination lawsuit against Jack.
Now, a judge has told Jack that he must serve homosexuals or his business will face penalties.
Infographic: How Do Home Schoolers Measure Up?
Posted on December 7, 2013 in Public Policy by Nathan Cherry
The infographic below is just a small sample of the larger graphic you can view to see just how home schoolers measure up to their public school counterparts.
This small graphic is very informative, but I really recommend that you click here to see the larger graphic as it is a very detailed analysis of the advantage home schoolers get via their education model.
Regulating the Abortion Industry Takes Uncommon Common Sense
Posted on December 4, 2013 in Life, Public Policy by Nathan Cherry
Planned Parenthood vehemently opposes any laws requiring abortionists to have admitting privileges at local hospitals. Abortion advocates often refer to such laws as TRAP laws – Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers – and say their sole purpose is to put undue burden and stigma on abortionists. But is that the truth behind these laws?
First, let’s be clear about what laws requiring admitting privileges are. These laws simply require that any medical professional that performs any type of invasive surgical procedure hold admitting privileges at a hospital close to the clinic where the procedures are being performed. Admitting privileges simply means the medical professional is allowed to attend to the needs of their patient should something go wrong and the person need to be admitted to the hospital.
So, in essence, all these laws are doing is to require a person performing medical procedures be allowed to serve their patient at a local hospital should something go wrong. That seems like an easy to understand, common sense requirement for any medical professional; one that a doctor would gladly endorse in an effort to serve his or her patients.
Explaining the Federal Court Ruling Striking Down the Housing Allowance for Pastors
Posted on December 3, 2013 in Public Policy by Nathan Cherry
One of the most deceptive attacks on religious freedom has taken place and you might not have even heard about it.
I briefly touched on this subject last week just a couple of days after it happened, but I want to spend a little more time unpacking how a recent decision by a federal judge could significantly impact religious freedom across the nation.
On Friday, November, 22, 2013, federal district court judge Barbara Crabb issued an order declaring the minister’s housing allowance in the IRS Code unconstitutional. Siding with the Freedom From Religion Foundation, judge Crabb agreed that the housing allowance exemption violates the Establishment Clause of the Constitution.
Should Gay Men Be Allowed to Give Blood?
Posted on December 2, 2013 in Public Policy, Sexuality by Nathan Cherry
The Washington Times posted an article highlighting the push to end a federal ban on gay men from giving blood. The article states: “Supporters of the policy say politics, not science, is driving the proposed change, which would heighten the risk of spreading HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, when the medical demand for blood donations is decreasing. Under Food and Drug Administration rules, men who have had sex with men (MSM) since 1977 are ineligible to donate blood. An acknowledgment of having male homosexual relations at any time in one’s life is enough to disqualify a potential donor.”
Is it time to end this ban and allow the group primarily responsible for the spread of HIV and AIDS to add their blood to the nation’s blood supply? The one fact that homosexual men cannot deny or overcome is that they are primarily responsible for transmitting HIV and AIDS; a fact even the CDC confirms. So is it wise to allow this group to donate blood? Would such a decision open the nation’s blood supply to contamination and risk infecting others? Those difficult questions must be addressed before a decision is made. Click here for original article.
Breaking: Federal Judge Declares Pastors Housing Allowance Unconstitutional
Posted on November 26, 2013 in Public Policy, Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
It’s important to note that the federal judge issued a stay of her ruling until the appeals process plays out. So for now nothing will change and no pastor or church will be affected. However, the efforts to strip this protection for pastors and churches has continued with this latest ruling. Here’s why it’s important:
Answering Questions on ENDA
Posted on November 25, 2013 in Public Policy, Sexuality by Nathan Cherry
The federal ENDA bill appears to be stalled, perhaps dead…for the moment. After passing in the Senate by a solid majority it appears the House will not bring the bill up for a vote. Even though West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin promised to oppose legislation like ENDA, in the end he broke that promise and voted in favor of the bill. However, to this point House Speaker John Boehner has opposed ENDA and said he will not bring it up for a vote in the House of Representatives.
One thing is for sure: this is the end of ENDA. There is no doubt that this bill will come back and we need to be prepared to oppose it. West Virginians in particular need to be prepared to oppose ENDA on the state level as we will no doubt be facing a state level ENDA bill again in the 2014 legislative session.
For those who are not familiar with ENDA, Joe Carter, writing at The Gospel Coalition, has written a short, informative article answering some of the most frequently asked questions about ENDA. In particular he answers the question why should Christians be concerned about ENDA?
“As a practical matter, ENDA teaches a view of human embodiment that Christians will strongly object to. Christianity embraces the body and self as an integrated whole; as unique creations that witness to the divine action and creativity of God through our being created male and female. Male and female are not arbitrary, socially imposed constructs. They are rooted in our biology. In contrast, the worldview behind ENDA assumes an ‘expressive individualism’ where our bodies become instruments of the will, capable of being re-created according to preference and desire.”
I highly recommend reading this article.
Public Libraries Providing Access to Porn
Posted on November 22, 2013 in Family, Public Policy by Nathan Cherry
Imagine taking your kids to the public library. While some might think public libraries are obsolete in the age of the Internet, many people still go and libraries are a valuable asset to any neighborhood. Now suppose you’ve taken your kids to visit the library on a beautiful, sunny day to enjoy looking at books and other activities. You walk your kids through the library, hand in hand, discussing what kind of books they will look at when, to your horror, you see…
Someone on one of the library computers is looking at porn!
This is just not a scenario out of a parent’s worst nightmare; this is a real-life scenario taking place in libraries around the country. A recent case involves a library in Orland Park, Illinois, where residents are asking the library to install filters on public computers to block access to pornography. Some however are concerned that such filters violate free speech rights and insert more government into the lives of Americans.