Ten years ago the state of California found itself embroiled in a debate over the nature of marriage. Listed on the ballot for the Fall elections was Proposition 8, which would amend the state constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman.
Year: 2018
Weaponized Intercession: The Dangers of Using Prayer to Win at Politics
All this fight over prayer should give Christians pause for thought. Have we misused prayer in our zeal to bring America back to God? Whether intended or not, many have viewed the forceful efforts of Christians to preserve public prayer as motivated by the desire to exploit it for purposes of proselytizing, promoting Christianity, or disparaging other religions.
In six states, religious day care centers avoid regulation at peril of children
Indiana is one of six states, including Alabama, Missouri, Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia that allow religious day care centers to operate without license or regular inspections. Religious groups in these states have fended off litigation by arguing that the separation of church and state concept prohibits the government from regulating such institutions.
Student religious liberty essay contest to focus on universal human rights
High school and college students to focus on whether religious liberty is a universal human right from diverse perspectives while competing for cash prizes and print and online publication.
School worksheet promoted anti-Muslim discrimination says state dept of ed
The California Department of Education has found that a worksheet distributed by a public middle school teacher promoted a discriminatory bias against Muslims.
Moves by both sides make citizen journalism an endangered species
Regulation of online speech is marching forward from both the left and the right, and it may only be a matter of time until free expression on the Internet becomes a thing of the past.
Rohingya refugees from Myanmar tell stories of genocide
On March 12, 2018, Yanghee Lee, the Special Rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar for the United Nations told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva that, “I am becoming more convinced that the crimes committed following 9 October 2016 and 25 August 2017 bear the hallmarks of genocide and call in the strongest terms for accountability.”
Court hears argument on whether pro-life centers must provide abortion information
On March 20, the United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments in National Institute of Family and Life Advocates v. Becerra, a case challenging a California law that requires pro-life crisis pregnancy centers to advise pregnant women of the availability of publicly-funded family planning services, including contraception and abortion. Unlicensed clinics must also disclose that their personnel are unlicensed.
Lautenberg Act, Created to Give Religious Immigrants a Fast Pass, in Jeopardy
In recent weeks, approximately 100 Iranian Christian asylum-seekers have been denied entry to the U.S. Religious and human rights leaders and politicians from both sides of the aisle have condemned the denials, which put the asylum-seekers’ lives in danger
Should the church take sides in military conflict?
By Ray McAllister, PhD – Your church group has been asked to have a special prayer for a member who will be going away to serve in the military overseas. How should your church respond to this request?