BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (BP) – A California trial court has upheld a Christian baker’s right to refuse to create a wedding cake for a lesbian couple, but the decision comes as a similar case is already pending in the nation’s highest court. Tastries Bakery owner Cathy Miller’s freedom of speech “outweighs” the state of California’s interest in ensuring a freely accessible marketplace, Judge David R. Lampe said in his decision in the Superior Court of California in Kern County, one of the … [Read more...]
University cancels Ken Ham after LGBT group complains
EDMOND, Okla. (BP) – Christian apologist and creationist Ken Ham has been dropped from the speaking lineup of a public university after a campus LGBT group complained to event organizers, Ham said in a Feb. 6 press release. Ham was to speak March 5 at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond on “Genesis and the State of the Culture,” in an event organized by the UCO Student Association (UCOSA). But UCOSA cancelled the event when a pro-LGBT group objected, said Ham, founder of the … [Read more...]
CBF nixes ‘absolute’ LGBT hiring ban, maintains it for leaders
DECATUR, Ga. (BP) – The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship's Governing Board has voted to lift the Fellowship's "absolute prohibition" of hiring homosexual and transgender employees. But CBF "leadership positions in ministry" and missionary roles still will be limited to individuals "who practice a traditional Christian sexual ethic of celibacy in singleness or faithfulness in marriage between a woman and man," according to a hiring "implementation procedure" also adopted by the Governing … [Read more...]
On bathrooms, discrimination, and Baptists seeking office
Ladies, be careful using the restrooms in Walgreens. Corporate leaders recently distributed a memo stating men may now use women’s restrooms and vice versa. The policy change was a result of Walgreens being pressured by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Southern California. “All individuals have a right to use restroom facilities that correspond to the individual’s gender identity, regardless of the individual’s sex assigned at birth,” the memo stated. A similar policy was … [Read more...]
Internet Freedom Watch shines light on censorship
WASHINGTON (BP) – National Religious Broadcasters is drawing attention to online censorship of Christian and conservative speech by tech companies such as Facebook, Twitter, Google and Apple by launching a new initiative – Internet Freedom Watch. NRB announced Thursday (Dec. 7) a new website – InternetFreedomWatch.org – for documenting cases of internet censorship, including Twitter’s takedown of an ad by Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R.-Tenn., in October and Facebook removing former Gov. Mike … [Read more...]
Sen. Lankford, ERLC’s Moore amplify Baptist view of church-state separation
WASHINGTON (BP) – Two Southern Baptists – one a U.S. senator and the other a convention entity head – said on Religious Freedom Day the idea of “separation of church and state” entails freedom – rather than limitations – to Americans in the practice of their faith. Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., and Russell Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, co-wrote “The Real Meaning of the Separation of Church and State” for the celebration Jan. 16 of the country’s heritage … [Read more...]
Homosexuality: Answering objections to Scripture
Christians often find it difficult to have meaningful conversations with people struggling with same-sex attraction. To a great extent, that’s our own fault for delivering biblical truth with a sledge hammer rather than with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15-16). Even so, it’s hard to carry on a civil discourse when you’re accused of being a homophobe engaging in hate speech. What’s more, some LGBT supporters express such hostility toward Christians that they won’t listen to a biblical … [Read more...]
Pulpits and politics: Second American Renewal Project event to be held March 22-23
KANSAS CITY – “What role should pastors have in the political spectrum?” This question formed the basis for the Missouri Renewal Project Conference held in Kansas City on December 7-8. The event included special guest speakers such as Missouri Attorney General (AG) Josh Hawley, social critic Os Guinness, and numerous other pastors, political pundits, and historians. Training was also offered for Christian leaders considering running for public office. The conference was geared to encourage … [Read more...]
Baptist named to Missouri’s Commission on Human Rights
CLEVER – There is a new voice promising to bring a biblical perspective to cases that come before the Missouri Commission on Human Rights. Gov. Eric Greitens appointed Jade Jump, a member of First Baptist Church, Clever, where her husband, Brian, pastors, to the commission Jan. 3. The ten-seat commission fields discrimination complaints in matters of housing, employment, and places of public accommodation based on race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, disability, age and … [Read more...]
Christian bakers lose in Oregon appeals court
WASHINGTON (BP) – Christian wedding vendors who decline to provide services for same-sex ceremonies have suffered another legal setback. The Oregon Court of Appeals ruled Dec. 28 that the state did not violate the First Amendment rights of Aaron and Melissa Klein in a 2015 order that included a $135,000 fine. The three-judge panel upheld a decision by the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) that found the Kleins' refusal to design and bake a cake for a lesbian couple's commitment … [Read more...]
Supreme Court justices engage the wedding wars
The Masterpiece Cakeshop case was billed as one of the most important religious liberty cases of our time. Yet none of us in the Supreme Court on December 5, 2017, expected to witness one of the most intense courtroom dramas of our lifetime. We were there because we had filed “amicus curiae” briefs in support of petitioner Jack Phillips, the Denver cake artist who serves any customer, but who does not do every event, e.g., custom wedding cakes for same-sex weddings. We sat in the … [Read more...]
World’s worst religious freedom violators evaluated
WASHINGTON (BP) -- The Trump administration's first designation of the world's worst violators of religious freedom received the same evaluation as the last list under President Obama -- good but not good enough. Religious liberty advocates had hoped the State Department would add other countries to the CPC list, which is required by federal law. The measure calls for the designation of countries that commit or tolerate "systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious … [Read more...]
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