Tag: religious
Daily Roundup: Arizona Religious Freedom Bill Vetoed by Governor
Posted on February 27, 2014 in Public Policy, Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
In a surprising move by outspoken conservative Republican Governor Jan Brewer, the Arizona religious freedom bill that has caused so much controversy in the last week has been vetoed.
Unfortunately mischaracterizations and outright lies from opponents seemed to have overwhelmed public opinion about this bill and contributed to its demise. While many claimed the bill would encourage and allow discrimination, the truth is that it simply would have brought Arizona law up to the level of federal law regarding religious freedom. It would have also protected any person of faith from being sued for living according to their religious convictions.
While I can’t begin to speculate on Gov. Brewer’s motives, the fact that she has been so outspoken and firm in her beliefs in the face of opposition leas me to believe there was something greater at stake for her here. In my opinion, Gov. Brewer was the victim of economic bullying. This opposed to this bill, including the NFL, made sure the governor knew that they would harm Arizona financially should she sign the bill into law.
Welcome to the new America. A place where your beliefs are protected, so long as they align with what the federal government deems acceptable. If they don’t, expect persecution and threats until you either change your views or shut up. Personally, I feel bad for Gov. Brewer. She seems to have been between a rock and a hard place and it appears she suffered from the tight squeeze.
The following articles serve as a roundup following the decision to the veto the bill:
Does the Bible Justify Refusing to Serve Homosexual Weddings?
Posted on February 27, 2014 in Public Policy, Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
Note: This article is a follow up to yesterday’s post in which I discussed the article by Kirsten Powers and responses to her article.
Predictably, the pending law in Arizona that would allow businesses to refuse service to homosexuals based on their religious convictions has stirred up controversy around the nation. Proponents of the legislation say it is needed to ensure the religious and conscience rights of Christian business owners are protected from government coercion and mandate. Opponents say the bills are just an excuse for people to discriminate.
What was not predictable in this discussion was how divided Christians themselves would be on the issue. Some Christians are saying no one should have the right to refuse service – not even Christians, and not even when rendering service would violate a person’s convictions. Other Christians are baffled by that position and reiterate that the government should not be allowed to force a person to violate his or her deeply held religious convictions. Dr. Albert Mohler recently said that this was “perhaps the strangest and most disappointing dimension of the current controversy.”
Russell Moore, Kirsten Powers, Erick Erickson: Should Christians Be Forced to Bake Cakes for Homosexuals?
Posted on February 26, 2014 in Marriage, Public Policy by Nathan Cherry
Are Christian vendors being hypocrites for refusing to provide services to same-sex ceremonies citing a violation of their faith while continuing to provide services for other unbiblical weddings?
That is the question that is beginning to swirl in light of several state bills that would give Christian business owners the right to refuse service to homosexual couples seeking their services for weddings. Those bills, introduced in Tennessee, Ohio, Kansas, and awaiting the governor’s signature in Arizona, are a response to lawsuits by homosexuals against “wedding vendors” that refused to render services saying to do so would violate their faith.
Will the Religious Super-Majority Be Forced to Comply?
Posted on February 21, 2014 in Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
A number of times now President Obama has stated that America is “no longer a Christian nation.” I don’t believe that every person in America is a repentant follower of Jesus, and I am certain the president does not believe that either. What I believe the president was trying to accomplish with his remarks is to distance modern America from our religious founding and heritage. In President Obama’s ongoing attempts to replace “freedom of religion” with “freedom to worship” he would like nothing more than to imbed the idea that America is not founded and based on biblical principles.
In a solid refutation of the president’s claim, a recent Gallup poll released at the end of December in 2013 shows that a super-majority of Americans, 75%, identify with the Christian faith. Dr. Frank Newport, Galup’s Editor-in-Chief says:
Robert P. George: Religious Freedom Matters
Posted on February 8, 2014 in Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
National Religious Freedom Day, being marked today in the United States, reminds us that freedom of religion or belief is a pivotal human right, central to this country’s history and heritage. It is also recognized as such by the United Nations and other international bodies. Yet the issue frequently sparks debates that too often generate more heat than light.
That the mere mention of religious freedom triggers such powerful emotions, in the United States and overseas, helps explain why this critical right has not been accorded the centrality and respect it deserves, especially as a component of U.S. foreign policy. But whatever the reason, the United States must still look closely at the issue – and why it is key to successful U.S. foreign policy.
Should This “Jesus Tattoo” Advertisement Be Banned?
Posted on February 7, 2014 in Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
The Blaze reports: “A Texas man is suing a local school district after officials refused to display his Christian advertisement featuring a tattooed Jesus during high school football games. David L. Miller’s lawsuit against the Lubbock Independent School District in Lubbock, Texas, comes after he alleges that officials denied his digital billboard advertising the website www.JesusTattoo.org in October.”
Should the advertisement, featuring the image below, be banned or refused simply because it is religious in nature? Isn’t that the definition of religious discrimination prohibited in the Constitution?
The video below the image is an incredible reminder of what Jesus for each person. He willingly took the sins of every person that is willing to ask forgiveness and seek redemption. Watch the video and share it with others that need this amazing message of forgiveness. If the video doesn’t appear automatically, please refresh your browser.
Movie: Liberty Counsel Movie “Uncommon” Sends Strong Message
Posted on February 5, 2014 in Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
No other group is more attacked for their religious belies that our public school students. It’s one of the reasons home schooling is the fastest growing form of education. The Christian legal group Liberty Counsel has been on the forefront of defending religious beliefs in culture and has now jumped into the realm of movie making.
The movie “Uncommon” chronicles the fight of students at a fictitious high school seeking to express their religious beliefs at school. A press release explains:
BREAKING: W.Va. Senate President Kessler Introduces Dangerous ENDA Bill
Posted on February 4, 2014 in Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
AP: “A bill introduced in the West Virginia Senate would make it unlawful for employers and landlords to discriminate against individuals based on their sexual orientation. Senate President Jeff Kessler, the sponsor, introduced similar bills in 2008, 2009 and 2010. The bills passed the Senate each year but stalled in the House of Delegates. The West Virginia Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in employment and housing based on race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, blindness or disability.”
Even though the water crisis has dominated the legislature up to this point, anyone with an ounce of insight into West Virginia politics knew that it was a matter of time before a bill like this hit the floor. The tide is changing in West Virginia and true conservatives that do more than talk are gaining seats in the state house. Knowing this, liberals seeking to veer away from the values that has made our state great are desperate. This bill from Kessler is just another example of that desperation.
Report: The Extent of Religious Persecution in America
Posted on January 18, 2014 in Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
The Texas based Liberty Institute has released a report showing the extent of religious persecution in America for the 2013 year. The report is called: UNDENIABLE: The Survey of Hostility to Religion in America
The thorough 190 page report discusses such topics as attacks on religious liberty of churches and ministries, attacks on religious liberty in the public arena, and attacks on religious liberty in the schoolhouse.
Citing legal cases from around the country this report shows definitively that there is a concerted effort to persecute people of faith for simply living out their religious convictions. This effort is being perpetrated by many groups that all seek to remove religion and God from our country’s public life while forcing religious expression into the walls of the church.
I would encourage you to take a look at this report in order to understand just how assaulted our religious freedom truly is. And also to motivate you to defend religious freedom both in private and in public. Now more than ever America needs people that believe the sentiment of Founding Father Thomas Jefferson: “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.”
Major Victory: A&E Reinstates Phil Robertson Amid Public outcry
Posted on December 29, 2013 in Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
As many people predicted, A&E grossly underestimated how deeply held the Robertson family values are. A&E foolishly assumed they could strong arm the most popular family in America by firing the family patriarch. Now, with egg on their face and eating humble pie, they have reversed their decision and reinstated Phil after one of the largest public outcries I’ve ever seen.
A statement issued by A&E reads: