Here are some of the top religious liberty stories of 2012, in no particular order.
Year: 2012
A Critique of Employment Division v. Smith (1990)
Black Friday and Blue Laws: Renewed Calls for Uniform Rest Days
In a world of religious diversity coupled with a common system of of commerce, the institution of a common day of rest and its enforcement would necessarily require coercive methods to prevent individuals from carrying out interpersonal business activities, and place greater pressure on observers of other days of rest to violate their conscience by working on their rest days.
December 18, 2012 – PBS to Premiere First Freedom: The Right for Religious Liberty
FIRST FREEDOM: The Fight for Religious Liberty is the human story of how the Founding Fathers viewed faith, and how they radically broke with the Western tradition of religion-by-law to create a nation in which belief in God is a matter of choice. For more information visit PBS. Watch First Freedom: The Fight for Religious…
Federal Judge: Christian Owned For-Profit Company Must Comply with HHS Mandate
Hobby Lobby is appealing the ruling. Ultimately, for the Greens, it may come down to the question of whether a business can serve both “God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:24).
The Results: Voters Decide on Same-Sex Marriage, Marijuana, gambling and religious freedom
On November 6, 2012 voters in many states had the opportunity to make decisions on a number of state laws through ballot measures. Voters in Maine, Maryland, and Washington voted in favor of measures that would legalize same-sex marriage. Voters in Minnesota rejected a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, and voters in North Carolina voted to define marriage as solely existing between one man and one woman.
A Dwight Nelson Sermon on Politics: American Confusion
Jackson Sun Interviews Two Religious Leaders Engaged in Trademark Dispute
The Jackson Sun has interviewed Walter “Chick” McGill and Lucan Chartier about their trademark dispute with the Seventh-day Adventist Church (their church is named “Creation 7th Day Adventist”) that has landed both of them in jail for contempt of court. Although later released, McGill and Chartier maintain that they could be incarcerated again if they refuse to change the name of their church, which they believe was given to them by God.
“The Coming Storm” – David Asscherick, Part 1
Pastor David Asscherick’s opening session at the October 20, 2012, “The Coming Storm” religious liberty congress in Atlanta, Georgia, evaluates the awakening call to people of prophecy through ancient events. Part One ambitiously covers the time span from the founding of the Christian Church to 1844. (See Part 2 at NARLAVideo on YouTube)
“The Coming Storm” – David Asscherick, Part 2
Pastor David Asscherick’s closing session at the October 20, 2012, “The Coming Storm” religious liberty congress in Atlanta, Georgia, continues a historical review of the awakening call to people of prophecy. Part Two covers 1844-present, with a focus on “the single most important move the Seventh-day Adventist Church must be making.”