PHIL BOATWRIGHT/Baptist Press KANSAS CITY, Kan. (BP) – The 2014 Academy Award nominees should be very grateful that only the technical and artistic merits of their work will be judged. Whatever positive messages may be contained in most, albeit not all, of the likely frontrunners, their themes are eclipsed by noxious and extreme content. In “American Hustle,” for example, a film expected to be nominated as Best Picture, one particular swear word alone is used over 70 times. I know, … [Read more...]
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Four Missourians sue governor for same-sex marriage order
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Four Missouri taxpayers filed a lawsuit on Jan. 8 challenging Missouri Governor Jay Nixon’s recent executive order that permitted some same-sex couples to file a Missouri combined income tax return as “husband” and “wife” for 2013, in spite of a 2004 state constitutional amendment which defines marriage as between one man and one woman. The lawsuit challenges Executive Order 13-14 as being unconstitutional, and alleges that the governor is trying to thwart the will … [Read more...]
R. Moore: ‘Duck Dynasty’ suspension censorship
NASHVILLE (BP) – The A&E network’s suspension of “Duck Dynasty” star Phil Robertson for comments regarding homosexuality constitutes an unhelpful form of close-minded censorship, Southern Baptist ethicist Russell D. Moore said. The president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission reacted to A&E’s Dec. 18 announcement that it had suspended Robertson indefinitely for comments he made in an interview with GQ magazine. The network’s statement seemed to indicate the action … [Read more...]
Marriage suffers another blow with polygamy ruling
As most Americans were thinking thoughts of Christmas cheer, a federal judge in Utah dropped a bomb on the institution of marriage, striking down the most crucial sections of the Utah statute outlawing polygamy. Dec. 13, Judge Clark Waddoups of the United States District Court in Utah ruled that Utah’s anti-polygamy law is unconstitutional, violating the free exercise clause of the First Amendment as well as the guarantee of due process. In one sense, the decision was almost inevitable, … [Read more...]
Live Same-Sex ‘Wedding’ to Be Part of New Years Tournament of Roses Parade
PASADENA, Calif. (Christian News Network) – Two homosexual men are set to ‘wed’ on New Year’s Day during the historic Tournament of Roses parade, as they ride a float sponsored by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. Danny Leclair, 45, had submitted an application in October as the foundation was offering a chance to be a part of their float—the organization’s third appearance at the 125-year-old parade. Leclair and his partner, Aubrey Loots, 42, run Studio DNA Salons, a chain of hair salons … [Read more...]
Supreme Court to hear religious liberty case involving Hobby Lobby
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments in the Hobby Lobby v. Sebelius case, a much anticipated case that pits religious liberty versus a provision of the Affordable Care Act known as the Health and Human Services (HHS) Mandate. Russell D. Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) reacts to the decision: “The Supreme Court’s consideration of the Hobby Lobby case is the most important religious liberty … [Read more...]
ERLC’s Russell Moore emphasizes gospel-centered political engagement
Tom Strode/Baptist Press WASHINGTON (BP) – A new, more conservative generation of evangelical Christians should engage politics, not retreat from it, because of the gospel of Jesus, Southern Baptist Ethicist Russell D. Moore says in the latest issue of First Things. Writing in the influential journal, the president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission says the apparent return to a confessional, gospel-centered faith among evangelicals – which he describes as “good news” – … [Read more...]
Mocking marriage and Missouri voters
Last month Gov. Jay Nixon directed the state Department of Revenue to accept joint tax filings from same-sex couples who were “married” in another state, but live here. Now the Missouri National Guard is issuing ID cards to same-sex “married” couples in order to process spousal benefits even though they were “married” in another state. Both actions defy Missouri’s Constitution, which was amended by voters 71 percent to 29 percent in 2004, defining marriage as between one man and one … [Read more...]
Missouri Supreme Court affirms marriage in retirement ruling
Joe Ortworth/Missouri Family Policy Council The Missouri Supreme Court has upheld a Missouri law that provides benefits to the surviving spouses of deceased public safety officers. A St. Louis area man had challenged the law, claiming that it discriminated against him based on his “sexual orientation.” The lawsuit followed the death of Corporal Dennis Englehard, a state highway patrol trooper who was killed in the line of duty on Christmas day of 2009 while assisting a motorist on … [Read more...]
Yeats, Hinkle interviewed on Missouri marriage laws
Click here to listen to the interview... Hear the quiet but passionate concerns expressed by Dr. John Yeats, Executive Director of the Missouri Baptist Convention, composed of 1,900+ cooperating churches – and Don Hinkle, MBC’s Director of Public Policy and editor of MBC’s official periodical, The Pathway. These spiritual leaders – Dr. John Yeats and Don Hinkle – have publicly prayed for and rendered respect to Missouri Governor Jay Nixon. Now they speak prophetically in opposing the … [Read more...]
Missouri leaders: ENDA threatens religious liberty
WASHINGTON – In a move that many believe could jeopardize religious liberty, the United States Senate passed legislation that will protect homosexual and transgendered individuals from discrimination under federal employment law. According to the bill, employers cannot discriminate against employees or potential employees on the basis of “sexual orientation” or “gender identity,” which were added alongside the protected classifications of race, color, national origin, gender, age and … [Read more...]
Biblical marriage takes a hit in Missouri
Missouri voters passed in 2004 an amendment to the state’s Constitution (known as Amendment 2) declaring marriage to be between one man and one woman. It was the first state do to so and did so by a 71-29 percent margin. Issue settled – or so we thought. In what has to be one of the most disheartening actions in the history of Missouri politics to thwart the will of the people, Democrat Gov. Jay Nixon directed state tax officials on Nov. 14 to accept tax returns jointly filed by same-sex … [Read more...]