Category: Religious Freedom
More Christians Being Told to Violate Their Religious Convictions
Posted on July 21, 2014 in Religious Freedom, Sexuality by Nathan Cherry
So the Brendan Eich’s, Phil Robertsons, Chick-Fil-A’s and bakers of the world are targets. For that matter all who hold to any view of sexuality that does not affirm any kind of sexuali activity will be a target. So maybe you are okay with homosexuality but you “draw the line” at polygamy, polyamory, or pedophilia; you will soon be just as much a target as those who currently oppose homosexuality.
This is the game, a game of degrees. The way it’s played is to slowly but surely take steps toward the ultimate goal. Those seeking to redefine marriage know full well that to come out and say “we don’t want marriage to exist” or “we support polygamy, pedophilia, and bestiality” would result in nothing less than an overwhelming defeat for their movement. So they move slowly, with what they believe is most palatable to society, two consenting adults that just want to love each other. And, like a great fisherman, society has taken the bait and the hook is sunk.
Did The Hobby Lobby Decision Violate Religious Freedom?
Posted on July 17, 2014 in Life, Religious Freedom by Derick Dickens
I love reading articles like this from the left. This article not only misrepresents the facts by linking religious rights to taking four pills in question in the Hobby Lobby case, it disproves what it is trying to prove.
Here are some issues that should be apparent in the article by a little thought behind the words of the article.
1. They misrepresent teachings of Jewish history. It is clear that an agenda is in the works when this author says it is a religious requirement to support contraceptives. What the article cites is a disagreement among two ancient Jewish Scholars on the role of a form of birth control as it relates to two Jewish Principles. They discussed whether a sponge like material for the prevention of pregnancy is allowed and even use the phrase, “may use” to distinguish it from being a religious obligation, as this article seems to try to advance.
For instance, in my religious tradition I “may use beer.” This does not mean beer is required or part of my religion. Rather, it is something I am allowed to use.
How Nationalism Found Its Way Into the Church
Posted on July 14, 2014 in Religious Freedom, Theology by Derick Dickens
In the 1950′s, we were engaged in a cold war with the Soviet Union that lasted until the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. In the cabinet and leadership of the United States was a growing fervor that the Cold War was a battle between two ideologies–a Christian worldview and an atheist.
Don’t get me wrong, there is some truth to that claim. The USSR thought they could build a country upon atheistic principles and operate their country better. They appeared to be succeeding in the 1950′s with the launch of Sputnik in ’57, our country was in turmoil. The Russians believed their order of society would out-pace American society and through war or ingenuity, they would win.
The U.S. Administration saw this as a battle between atheism and Christianity, a battle between two radically different views of the world.
Thus was birthed Christianity wrapped up in the flag.
Believe in Traditional Marriage – Go to Reeducation Camp!
Posted on July 8, 2014 in Religious Freedom, Sexuality by Nathan Cherry
Do you think only women get pregnant?
Believe marriage is the union of a man and woman?
Hold the position that there are inherent differences between men and women?
You old-fashioned, homophobic, bigoted, discriminatory, sexist person. How dare you believe such things.
How dare you believe that only women can get pregnant. Never-mind the biology, it is absolutely sexist and gender-biased of you to think that only women can get pregnant.
And to think that marriage is the union of only a man and woman. I can’t believe any sane, rational, fair-minded person in this day and age would believe such nonsense.
And don’t get me started on gender distinctions. Anyone believing that the genders are inherently different is a product of their discriminatory environment, not an enlightened culture.
How the Transgender Will Redefine Gender, Marriage, Parents, and Family
Posted on July 7, 2014 in Family, Marriage, Religious Freedom, Sexuality by Nathan Cherry
This is the second part of a two-part post. Read part 1 here.
A recent article by TIME magazine gleefully advocates for transgender people and their “struggle” to be accepted. Sharing the story of Cassidy, the first openly transgender Homecoming Queen in the U.S., the TIME article (and video) eagerly exposes people to another world full of confusion.
At one point Cassidy says she “came out” to her parents as a gay man in high school, but now lives as transgender. Yet Cassidy said it was in 5th grade that “she” first acknowledged and knew “she” was transgender. The amount of sexual confusion here is astounding to me. This is a young man that has been confused for a long time and rather than seeking any kind of help he is being encouraged in his confusion by others.
Speaking of confusion, an article at The Federalist details the extreme confusion of a female named Tracey transitioning to male:
Hobby Lobby Roundup: Statements Regarding the Momentous Supreme Court Decision
Posted on July 4, 2014 in Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
This is a collection of articles for numerous sources commenting on the landmark decision by the Supreme Court in the Hobby Lobby case against the Obama administration HHS mandate.
My Twitter Conversation About Transgender Rights Being More Important than Christian Rights.
Posted on July 3, 2014 in Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
I had a friendly conversation with a LGBT rights group on Twitter that said the religious convictions of Christian should be protected. As you can imagine, I was a little shocked. Seldom have I encountered any LGBT activist that believes religious convictions are important, much less that they should be protected.
The person I was communicating with said as long as people have sincerely held religious convictions and not just personal opinions, those convictions should be protected. I had a little trouble understanding the difference, but, okay, we were basically on the same page.
Or so I thought.
Wanting to dig a little deeper I asked a very simple question: “You would then condemn the court’s decision against the photographer in New Mexico who refused to render services to a homosexual couple for the fact that it would violate her religious convictions, right?”
That’s where things went south.
Two European Cases Hold Critical Implications for American Christians and Churches
Posted on July 2, 2014 in Marriage, Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
Let me ask a question: how many times have homosexual advocates promised to respect religious liberty and religious freedom as they simultaneously demand “equality” and “rights”?
Activists and lawmakers alike have said religious freedom would be respected as homosexuals continue to push for LGBT rights. Pundits sneer at the idea that churches would be forced to perform gay weddings against their religious convictions. And yet such events are taking place.
Let me ask another question: if the government can force people, organizations and businesses to violate their religious convictions why can’t it force churches to do the same?
Justin Bieber and Jonah Hill Prove Free Speech is Dying
Posted on June 12, 2014 in Public Policy, Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
Did you see the massive media firestorm over the comments made by both Jonah Hill and Justin Bieber?
It’s crazy, there has been nothing on my newsfeed, my Facebook and Twitter but stories about how angry people are over the comments made by these celebrities. Hill made a homophobic comment and Bieber made racist remarks not once, but twice on video. The result has been chaos as media across the country discusses the comments and the anger people are expressing as a result.
Except…
If a Cake Maker Can Be Forced to Violate His Convictions – What About a Graphic Designer?
Posted on June 10, 2014 in Marriage, Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
The word I want you to see is creative. At the heart of this case is the right of every American to exercise – or refuse to exercise – his or her first amendment free speech rights. At the core of this case is the fact that the government is seeking to force an American citizen to violate his both his free speech and religious freedom rights. The government is telling Jack Phillips that he must use his creative abilities to create a cake a piece of art – a form of speech – that celebrates same-sex “marriage” and violates his religious convictions.
The reason this is critical and intricately linked to the article about the graphic designer is that if a cake maker can be forced to violate his religious convictions and use his creative talents to celebrate sin. And if a photographer can be forced to violate her religious convictions and use her creative talents to celebrate sin. How long before the government tells graphic designers that they must violate their religious convictions and use their creative talents to celebrate sin?