Penna Dexter hosts this week’s Weekend Edition show with First Liberty’s Michael Berry. Together they will look at the stories in the news this week and give you a biblical perspective. Join the conversation, give us a call in-studio 800-351-1212.
President of Texas Values, Jonathan Saenz joins them for a segment to talk about the Fort Worth bathroom bill.
The Family Policy Institute of Washington honored Coach Kennedy last week with an award named after the renowned civil rights activist.
High school football coach and First Liberty client Joe Kennedy sent national shockwaves last fall when he refused to stop praying at the 50-yard line after football games, despite orders from school officials.
Last Friday, his stand in defense of religious freedom was honored at the Family Policy Institute of Washington’s (FPIW) annual dinner, where he received the Rosa Parks Courage Award.
Prior to leading Texas Values, Jonathan headed the Liberty Institute offices at the Texas Capitol in Austin where he served as Director of Legislative Affairs and Attorney for Liberty Institute. He frequently presents research, analysis, and testimony before the Texas Legislature, State Board of Education, and other government entities on various issues affecting faith, family, and freedom.
Jonathan believes in religious liberty, sanctity of human life, family values, and constitutional rights and has been involved in numerous court cases, including cases before the Texas Supreme Court and the United State Supreme Court. Mr. Saenz helped lead the State Board Education battle to prevent censorship in the Science classroom and protect strong Social Studies & History teaching. He was instrumental in the passage of Texas laws to protect religious liberty, Bible Curriculum in Public Schools, “Under God” in the Texas pledge, the Sonogram Bill, and many others. He has help lead efforts to defend against attacks on parental rights, marriage, the elected State Board of Education, and abstinence sex education in the state of Texas.
A nine-page dissent released by two members of the eight-member commission defended both the commonsense nature of the religious freedom legislation attacked by the majority and the motives of those advocating for such laws.
After asking the rest of the commission “to please take a deep breath,” the dissenting members point out that “[u]nfortunately it is not entirely clear that the statement’s signatories have actually read the relevant legislation. We have.”
The dissent then provides point-by-point refutation of the commission’s assertions.
The Human Rights Campaign called it the first legislation to pass a congressional committee that would roll back expanded rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people at the federal level since the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples must be allowed to marry.
“We see this as social conservatives in the House trying to push what they view as a religious liberty exemption and use it as a sword rather than a shield,” David Stacy, the HRC’s director of government affairs, said in an interview.
I am leaving public education this year for a classical school in [deleted]. I already have lesbian students in my current school who are physically affectionate. The problem is: I often do not always know the difference between erotic affection and sisterly affection. Even if I did, I do not know if I want to go there as a public school principal. I am not about to try to sort out the two and discipline the ones I think are erotic. I am conservative and there are many conservative families in my school–but I firmly believe this could turn into a big mess if I tried to discipline lesbians for “inappropriate display of affection.”
It was a move intended to bring increased attention to an issue that the denomination is slated to contend with in the coming days as its members convene in Portland, Oregon, for a central meeting that is held once every four years.
“While we have sought to remain faithful to our call and covenant, you have not always remained faithful to us,” reads the letter, which was organized by a group called Reconciling Ministries Network and is addressed to the United Methodist Church. “While you have welcomed us as pastors, youth leaders, district superintendents, bishops, professors, missionaries and other forms of religious service, you have required that we not bring our full selves to ministry, that we hide from view our sexual orientations and gender identities.”
That’s the best case scenario for the Trump campaign as they try to woo wary Evangelical Christians. Many are still not convinced that the man who has had more wives than there are letters to the Corinthians shares their view from the pew.
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It’s not just the #NeverTrump crowd that is causing the campaign to worry. It’s the unknown number of Evangelicals who may stay home on Election Day.
As the Washington Free Beacon reports:
During the introduction for Hillary Clinton at a rally in Blackwood, New Jersey, Susan Shin Angulo, a member of the Camden County Board of Freeholders, messed up the Pledge of Allegiance, a part of which she used in her speech.
“Only Hillary can bring us together, as one nation,” she started.
She then sputtered before skipping the “under God” portion of the pledge.
“In-dis-visible, with liberty and justice for all!” she finished.
Meanwhile, Clinton just stood there, smiling and nodding.
Watch a clip of what happened: