Lebanon High School Principal Kevin Lowery reminded those attending the school’s recent graduation ceremony how religious liberty is being threatened. He did so by demonstrating the absurdity of “political correctness” and how activist judges have obliterated the original intent of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. His courageous act garnered national attention, including a three-minute video of his presentation that has gotten more than 117,000 views on YouTube. Predictably, it … [Read more...]
Judicial hubris: Gay divorce in Missouri
Judicial activism is alive and well in Missouri, something that is not in the best interest of the people. It can nullify the votes of citizens and violate the rule of law. In some cases judicial activism can be relative, depending on one’s political perspective, but in other cases it can threaten our freedom and upset the balance of power necessary for a democratic republic’s government to operate as God intends. For the only government that exists is that established by God, for our own … [Read more...]
Common sense and prayer prevail at Supreme Court
In what is a significant victory for religious liberty, freedom of conscience and common sense, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled May 5 in favor of the town of Greece, N.Y., which had been sued for opening local government meetings with a prayer, often Christian in nature. In the 5-4 ruling authored by Justice Anthony Kennedy and supported by the other four conservative justices, the court said that opening local government meetings with sectarian prayers does not violate the Establishment … [Read more...]
Another religious liberty threat rears its ugly head
On April 7 the U.S. Supreme Court announced it will not take up the religious liberty case involving a New Mexico wedding photography company which refused to provide services for a same-sex wedding ceremony. The court, as is customary, did not offer any explanation for declining to hear the case. As a result, the ruling lets stand an earlier decision by the New Mexico Supreme Court declaring that Elane Photography of Albuquerque, N.M., violated the New Mexico Human rights law. Elane … [Read more...]
Hinkle president of ASBP, SBC state newspaper group
COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho – Don Hinkle, founding editor of The Pathway, was installed president of the Association of Southern Baptist Publications (ASBP) during the group’s meeting here Feb. 10-13. He succeeds Cameron Crabtree, editor of the Northwest Baptist. Hinkle, 59, will preside over the group’s meetings at the Southern Baptist Convention’s (SBC) annual meeting June 9-11 in Baltimore and in February in Perdido Beach, Ala. “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve my fellow state … [Read more...]
A real ‘drag’ on our military
Near the end of my 10 years as an Air Force journalist, I was selected for a special assignment as a correspondent in Tokyo, Japan, for Stars & Stripes, the worldwide newspaper that has served the men and women of America’s armed forces since 1861. In fact, it was started by Union troops occupying Bloomfield, Mo., during the War Between the States (a museum still commemorates the occasion). It is read by more than 350,000 people worldwide. The list of distinguished journalists who … [Read more...]
Pro-life General Assembly owed much-deserved thanks
As the Missouri General Assembly approaches its spring break, no less than 28 bills have been introduced in an effort to protect the unborn and health of the mother. Missouri is among the top three states with the most abortion restrictions introduced this year, according to Elizabeth Nash, the state policy director for the Guttmacher Institute, an abortion rights and research group. Such activity bears witness to the prayer warriors and pro-life activists determined to make abortions rare … [Read more...]
A call to faithfulness despite somber mood
O Lord, how my adversaries have increased! Many are rising up against me. But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, My glory and the One who lifts my head. – Psalm 3:1,3 For the past two weeks I have had the privilege of visiting with executive directors from other state conventions, editors of state convention newspapers and Southern Baptist leaders. It is an annual effort I make in order to get a first-hand impression of where Southern Baptists are at the moment. Carrying the … [Read more...]
Judge’s reasoning leaks in rubberized ruling
Americans are blessed to live in a country where we can freely express our views, exercise our faith to its fullest (at least for now), appeal to our leaders for redress through our judicial system and change leadership through peaceful elections. While never a Christian nation, America was founded by people who established a government that was profoundly influenced by a Judeo-Christian ethic. President John Adams made this clear when he said our government could never function properly … [Read more...]
Video: Don Hinkle interviews Gail McWilliams
Pathway Editor Don Hinkle begins an on-going series of occasional, brief interviews with newsmakers and interesting people of the Christian faith. His initial interview is with author and inspirational speaker Gail McWilliams, who shares her testimony and how she sacrificed her eyesight in order to save her baby. The interview was filmed in January 2014 in a studio at the Baptist Building in Jefferson City, Mo. … [Read more...]
Learning to walk by faith, not by sight
Among my 33 years of travels through journalism was a stint as a business reporter for The Tennessean newspaper in Nashville. I had the opportunity to report on many significant stories during my time there. I met and mingled with a lot of Nashville’s financial and political powerbrokers. I dined with kings, who would pull up at the newspaper’s entrance in their Cadillacs and whisk me off to a fancy restaurant. Pinstripe suits and shoulder-length, permed hair was my style. My appearance … [Read more...]
Surprise Christmas gift recollects life’s path
Mom gave me one of the best gifts this Christmas that she’s ever given me. And she’s given plenty of doozies, too. I’ll provide more about the gift shortly, but first, some personal history. Even though he only had an eighth-grade education, Dad was known as a crackerjack auto mechanic. His determination and popularity enabled him to start his own business: A full-service gasoline station. Tracy’s Texaco was located in the rural town where he was born and raised, Greenbrier. Located … [Read more...]