Category: Religious Freedom
Christian Business Owner Refuses to Print Gay T-Shirt. Gay Business Owner Agrees?
Posted on November 19, 2014 in Marriage, Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
Are you willing to promote messages and ideas that you don’t support?
Would you be willing to help support an organization, parade, or message that violates your values and beliefs?
That’s the position Blaine Adamson, owner of Hands On Originals, a Christian-owned T-shirt printing company has found himself in.
When Adamson refused to print a T-shirt promoting a homosexual message and parade, which would have violated his religious convictions, he was sued. He was accused of discrimination and bigotry for his actions though Adamson and his company have not only worked with homosexuals, but employed them, in the past.
Nevertheless, the lawsuit proceeded and Adamson was charged with discrimination and found guilty after the incident in 2012. Adamson has since been ordered to attend “diversity training” in order to make sure a similar incident doesn’t happen in the future.
While this story seems to be common in our society, what is not common is an uncommon ally coming to the defense of Adamson and his right to refuse to violate his values and convictions.
What the Historic Mid-Term Elections Mean for the GOP and America
Posted on November 7, 2014 in Life, Marriage, Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
To say that the 2014 mid-term elections were historic is an understatement. The first black senator from the south since reconstruction was elected when Sen. Tim Scott won his race in South Carolina. The first black, female, conservative woman was sent to Congress when Mia Love won her race in Utah.
Blue states such as Illinois, Maryland, and Massachusetts, elected Republican governors.
West Virginia sent its first-ever woman to Congress – and she’s a Republican!
The GOP made gains in the House of Representatives, giving them their largest majority since World War 2.
And the GOP took control of the Senate, firing both Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi from their speaker positions.
President Obama made the statement that his policies were on the ballot during this election. He said America would voting on his policies and leadership of our country at the polls on Tuesday.
America has spoken. America has soundly, loudly rejected the policies of President Obama and sent a clear message that we do not support his agenda. It’s a message that continues to ripple across the country.
But what does this historic win for conservatives mean for the Republican Party and for America?
Government Demands Christian Support and Promote Gay Pride Parade (Video)
Posted on November 5, 2014 in Religious Freedom, Sexuality by Nathan Cherry
What if you were asked to produce a message supporting something that violated your conscience, or religious convictions? Would you do it?
That is exactly the position the owner of a Christian t-shirt printing business found himself in when he was asked to print a t-shirt promoting the local gay-pride festival. When the Lexington, KY based Gay and Lesbian Services Organization asked Hands On Originals, a Christian-owned printing company, to print their gay-pride parade shirts, owner Blaine Adamson declined.
But, lest anyone believe this is a case of hate, bigotry, or discrimination, a few details need to be known. First, Hands On Originals has worked with gays in the past, even employing gay people at one time. A recent article at The Blaze notes:
UPDATE: Houston Mayor Withdraws Subpoena Request for Pastors Sermons (VIDEO)
Posted on November 4, 2014 in Religious Freedom, Sexuality by Nathan Cherry
Just days after the City of Coeur d’Alene reversed course and declared that a pastor would not have to perform same-sex wedding ceremonies; Houston Mayor Anise Parker has dropped her unconstitutional subpoena of pastor’s sermons.
An article at the Christian Post notes that Mayor Parker intends to defend the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO), but has decided to drop her request for the sermons, speeches, and other communications of local pastors.
“After much contemplation and discussion, I am directing the city legal department to withdraw the subpoenas issued to the five Houston pastors who delivered the petitions, the anti-HERO petitions, to the city of Houston and who indicated that they were responsible for the overall petition effort. It is extremely important to me to protect our equal rights ordinance from repeal, and it is extremely important to me to make sure that every Houstonian knows that their lives are valid and protected and acknowledged.”
Roundup: Houston Pastors Facing Unconstitutional Government Power Grab Over Sermons
Posted on November 3, 2014 in Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
As the battle in Houston continues over the city subpoenaing the sermons of at least five pastors for their involvement in opposing a local “bathroom bill,” the commentary continues to flow. Below you will find some notable voices and their thoughts on the subject to help you stay on top of the issue. Every American should be angry over the fact that any government entity would dare subpoena the speech of anyone, let alone pastors. All speech, and religious speech such as sermons is certainly included, is protected by the First Amendment and the government has no business seeking it. Prayerfully the city will back down. If not, I hope the Texas State Supreme Court squashes the subpoena request and ends the city is sued inquisition. Mayor Parker needs a strong wake-up call and reminder that she has no business intimidating people by violating their civil rights.
CBN: ADF Unimpressed by Houston’s Revised Subpoena’s
The Alliance Defending Freedom released a statement on the changes. “The city of Houston still doesn’t get it. It thinks that by changing nothing in its subpoenas other than to remove the word ‘sermons’ that it has solved the problem. That solves nothing,” ADF Senior Legal Counsel Erik Stanley said in the statement. “Even though the pastors are not parties in this lawsuit, the subpoenas still demand from them 17 different categories of information – information that encompasses speeches made by the pastors and private communications with their church members,” he continued. “As we have stated many times, the problem is the subpoenas themselves; they must be rescinded entirely.”
UPDATE: Idaho City Reverses Decision to Force Pastor to Perform Gay Wedding Ceremonies
Posted on October 31, 2014 in Marriage, Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
The city of Coeur d’ Alene in Idaho became the center of a major religious freedom battle after the city said it would force the pastor of a small wedding chapel to perform same-sex wedding ceremonies.
The Hitching Post is a for-profit wedding chapel that is owned and operated by devout Christians, the Knapps. After a non-discrimination ordinance was passed in the city the local city council told the Knapps they would have to perform same-sex ceremonies in order to comply with the ordinance.
The Knapps, in adhering to their religious convictions, said they would refuse to perform such ceremonies as they would violate their religious convictions. The city told them they could face massive fines and jail time for refusal. The Knapps didn’t back down.
After igniting national outrage the city has reversed their decision and said the Knapps will NOT have to perform same-sex ceremonies. A recent article at Christian Today says:
UPDATE: US Civil Rights Commission Tells Houston Mayor to Leave Pastors Alone
Posted on October 27, 2014 in Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
The news that Mayor Annise Parker of Houston, Texas subpoenaed the sermons and other communications from several pastors after the passage and attempted repeal of a controversial “bathroom bill” in the city has become a national matter.
Bathroom bills are dangerous, to say the least. Typically a bathroom bill will allow a man to use the women’s bathroom, locker room, or other facilities (and vice versa) based on little more than a perceived gender identity. In other words a man can simply say that he is a woman and be allowed to use the women’s facilities. The dangers of such bills seem obvious to everyone but the activists pushing for their passage.
When the Houston bathroom bill was being proposed by the city many pastors spoke out against it and even encouraged their congregations to oppose the bill. Such speech is not merely appropriate for a pastor inside his church it is constitutionally protected speech. But that didn’t stop the city of Houston and Mayor Annise Parker from subpoenaing the sermons, emails, and other communication of these pastors.
That’s when people across the country got mad.
The Johnson Amendment: Freeing America’s Pastors from IRS Intimidation Means Repealing It
Posted on October 22, 2014 in Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
Most people have never heard of the Johnson Amendment. For that matter as soon as you say IRS code you will lose most of your audience. Nevertheless, this one amendment has had a significant impact on churches and, as a result, on society as a whole.
The Johnson Amendment was inserted into the IRS code in 1954 as a way to limit the speech of pastors and churches regarding elections, political campaigns, and social and political issues. Taking a cue from the fictitious “separation of church and state,” the Johnson Amendment seeks to control the speech of America’s pastors because of the influence they wield.
No doubt the effects of the Johnson Amendment are clear today. At one time America’s pastors took a leading role in education their congregations regarding political issues and candidates, now, most pulpits are silent.
Idaho: City Demands Pastor Perform Same-Sex Ceremony or Go to Jail!
Posted on October 21, 2014 in Marriage, Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
The most recent example of course is the subpoena of pastor’s sermons in the city of Houston. Now called “The Houston 5,” a group of pastors that openly opposed the city’s transgender bathroom bill have been asked by the city to turn over all sermons, speeches, and communications relating to the bill and Mayor Annise Parker.
That statement should be terrifying to anyone that believes in the First Amendment and both free speech and religious freedom. To think that any government agency would consider – let alone follow through – asking pastors to turn over sermons is egregious at best. Sen. Ted Cruz reminded the city of Houston that “Caesar has no jurisdiction over the pulpit” in his comments at a press conference with pastors and religious freedom advocates:
“Caesar has no jurisdiction over the pulpit. And when you subpoena one pastor, you subpoena every pastor.”
Apparently a city in Idaho is taking this sentiment literally by demanding that a pastor perform same-sex weddings or face fines and jail time. An article at The Daily Caller explains:
SHOCK! Government Demands Copy of Pastors Sermons!
Posted on October 16, 2014 in Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
For some time people like myself has been warning that the government was becoming increasingly intrusive on the religious freedoms of churches. Stories from the last few years alone are enough to make any sane persons head spin. From zoning law restrictions to taxes, the government has been seeking to get more than a foot in the door of America’s churches.
I have warned on more than one occasion that before long the government would try to silence America’s pastors – either through regulation, IRS intimidation, or both. It seemed a no brainer to me that the end game was to pretend to value freedom of religion while seeking to monitor and regulate exactly what speech is used.
It seems that day has come far sooner than anyone expected.
The city of Houston has issued subpoenas to a group of pastors for their sermons dealing with homosexuality, gender identity, or any mention of Mayor Annise Parker; who happens to be a lesbian.