FREEDOM: April 2015

PARENTS AND STUDENTS FORCE SCHOOL TO RETURN "IN GOD WE TRUST" TO THEIR MARQUEE

If ‘In God We Trust' is good enough for our money, it should be good enough for our school signs." -Pastor Joey Ketchum

(Shreveport, LA)—Students and parents at a Louisiana middle school are rejoicing after a lunchtime rally convinced school officials to return the words "In God We Trust" to the school's marquee. About 500 students and supporters donned t-shirts at West Shreveport's Ridgewood Middle School last Friday to protest a recent decision by district officials to remove the words "In God We Trust" from the sign in front of the school, KSLA Newsreports. (Photo via Fox10TV)

The language on the sign came down in March after a citizen complained to the American Civil Liberties Union about prayer in school communications at Walnut Hill Middle School, another middle school in the Caddo Parish School District.

The ACLU contacted district officials about the issue at Walnut Hill, demanded that they remove any religious references of any kind from all of the district's schools, and officials complied. That didn't sit well with students and parents at Ridgewood, who quickly organized a protest that included a t-shirts with the slogan #iStand and an image of what appears to be a Bible.

Pastor Joey Ketchum worked with several dozen students in Ridgewood's Fellowship of Christian Athletes to organize the rally last Friday, and by the end of the day "In God We Trust" was back up on the marquee, KSLA and WSMV report.

"It's printed on our money and when our forefathers started this country, they were talking about Jehovah God [so] if it's good enough for our money, it should be good enough for our school signs," Ketchum told WSMV.(Photo via Fox10TV)

The motto "has been a staple in the community and at their school," he said. "The students, through social media and their cell phones, texting and what not, have taken initiative."

Caddo schools spokesman Bill Strother told KSLA that district attorneys reviewed the law regarding the motto on the sign and concluded that Ridgewood's principal could use his discretion about posting In God We Trust.

Principal Scott Aymond apparently wants to keep the tradition alive.

"I'm so thrilled because that is such a victory for our students," Ketchum told KSLA. "They wanted to take a stand and they did and we're so thrilled to death that their voice was heard loud and clear."

Meanwhile, district officials have conducted an investigation into a newsletter and other communications written to parents by Walnut Hill Elementary and Middle School principal Albert Hardison. The ACLU sent the district a letter in March that alleges Hardison "engaged in unlawful religious coercion" by citing God, the Bible, and Christianity in communications with parents, The Shreveport Times reports.

The ACLU pointed to a newsletter Hardison sent to parents in March in which he asks them to "Please help our children understand the meaning of Philippians 4:13… I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," according to the ACLU letter cited by the Times.

Parents, teachers, students and others have rallied to support Hardison, both through hundreds of Facebook posts and a rally earlier this month that drew an estimated 1,200 people to Grawood Baptist Church in Keithsville, Fox 10 reports.

"I think the ACLU should stay out of our school and leave us along," Jeanine Rowe—teacher's aide, Parent Teacher Association president, and Hardison supporter—told the Times.

"We are a successful school. We're not hurting anybody. We're not forcing our beliefs on anybody. They are our beliefs," Rowe said.

TX MOM SAYS ‘NO’ TO SELECTIVE ABORTION, DELIVERS QUINTUPLETS

by BSU
Danielle and Adam Busby made history last week when they welcomed five tiny babies in a Texas hospital. Weighing between two pounds and two pounds, six ounces, the babies are the first-ever set of all-female quintuplets born in the United States.

The birth took place at 28 weeks despite doctors’ fears that delivering five healthy babies was unlikely. In fact, doctors recommended selective abortion for three of the girls in order to give at least two a better chance of surviving. The Busbys’ Christian faith led them to a definitive answer, believing God’s plan was to have all five babies.

“Never would we have imagined the plan that God had for us in our journey to grow our little family,” the couple stated on their GoFundMe page.

The Busbys had a difficult time conceiving their first child, also a girl, and used intrauterine insemination (IUI) to become pregnant with her. When the time came for another child, they turned to IUI again, and Danielle became pregnant with five babies.

The five girls were born at what’s considered to be a normal birth weight, only requiring modest support to breathe.

“We are so thankful and blessed. I honestly give all the credit to my God. I am so thankful for this wonderful hospital and team of people here. They truly all are amazing,” Danielle said in a press release.

Why It Matters
Every life is precious. If Danielle had followed her doctor’s advice, she would have three fewer beautiful children to love. By following their Christian beliefs and convictions, the Busbys ended up with a miracle.

Take Action

Sign the Life is Precious declaration today.

If you know someone who’s considering abortion, share this story. There are other solutions than abortion, and God always finds a way.

SHOWDOWN WITH IRAN?

by Fox News
A U.S. aircraft carrier has been dispatched to waters off Yemen to join other American ships prepared to block any Iranian shipments to the Houthi rebels fighting in Yemen.

The U.S. Navy has been beefing up its presence in the Gulf of Aden and the southern Arabian Sea amid reports that a convoy of about eight Iranian ships is heading toward Yemen and possibly carrying arms for the Houthis.

A Navy official confirmed to Fox News that the USS Theodore Roosevelt -- along with her escort ship, the USS Normandy, a guided-missile cruiser -- left the Persian Gulf on Sunday en route for the Arabian Sea, to help enforce the blockade.

Tensions are rising in the region even as the U.S. and five other world powers scramble to strike a final deal with Iran on its nuclear program by the end of June. The fighting in Yemen, where U.S. ally Saudi Arabia is leading a coalition against the Iran-backed rebels, is complicating matters.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest, without commenting specifically on any Navy movements, said the U.S. has concerns about Iran's "continued support" for the Houthis.

More on this...
Massive explosions in Yemen as airstrikes target Houthis

"We have seen evidence that the Iranians are supplying weapons and other armed support to the Houthis in Yemen. That support will only contribute to greater violence in that country," he said. "These are exactly the kind of destabilizing activities that we have in mind when we raise concerns about Iran's destabilizing activities in the Middle East."

He said "the Iranians are acutely aware of our concerns for their continued support of the Houthis by sending them large shipments of weapons."

A written statement from the Navy on Monday said the two ships are joining others in conducting "maritime security operations" in the region.

"In recent days, the U.S. Navy has increased its presence in this area as a result of the current instability in Yemen," the statement said.

"The purpose of these operations is to ensure the vital shipping lanes in the region remain open and safe. The United States remains committed to its regional partners and to maintaining security in the maritime environment."

The Houthis are battling government-backed fighters in an effort to take control of the country.

There are now about nine U.S. Navy ships in the region, including cruisers and destroyers carrying teams that can board and search other vessels, as well as three support ships.

The U.S. Navy generally conducts consensual boardings of ships when needed, including to combat piracy around Africa and the region. So far, however, U.S. naval personnel have not boarded any Iranian vessels since the Yemen conflict began.

TIM TEBOW TO PHILADELPHIA, THE CITY OF 2ND CHANCES

By Justin Wm. Moyer

This past Lord’s Day, Tim Tebow had a message for the world. He cribbed it from a well-known letter from the Apostle Paul to his friends in Christ.

“Be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you,” Tebow tweeted. He even cited his source: Ephesians 4:32.

Forgiveness was a great theme for Tebow to strike hours before he joined the Philadelphia Eagles. The signing, first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, marks the second time in less than a decade that a flailing quarterback has come to the City of Brotherly Love in need of some brotherly love.

Philly is, after all, a city of second chances: the place William Penn, a Quaker refugee from the Church of England, fled after facing religious persecution; the territory that Founding Father Ben Franklin lit out for after escaping his abusive half-brother in Boston; where David Bowie made the classic record “Young Americans” after killing his alter-ego Ziggy Stardust; the place Sylvester Stallone — an actor with a partially paralyzed face who did softcore porn before he was nominated for two Oscars — made the home of perennial loser Rocky Balboa; and the city where criminal QB Michael Vick started a new life.

And just like it helped Vick, maybe Philadelphia can help Tebow.

Tebow, of course, wants a very different kind of redemption than former Eagle Vick. Before he served time in prison for charges related to illegal dogfighting, Vick was a star for the Atlanta Falcons — “an explosive dual threat, a video game hero come to life,” as the New York Daily News modestly put it. Vick was in the middle of a 10-year, $130 million contract when he pleaded guilty in a U.S. district court, was suspended by the NFL and traded a playbook for a prison cell. His talent wasn’t in question; his ability to function as a law-abiding citizen was.

“You were instrumental in promoting, funding and facilitating this cruel and inhumane sporting activity,” a judge told Vick before sentencing him to 23 months behind bars. “I’m not convinced you’ve fully accepted responsibility.”

Tebow, meanwhile, is ready to take responsibility for every human soul on God’s green Earth. He says Jesus “has a special plan for each person”; he talks about playing for the glory of the almighty. Heck, the guy even has a verb: Starting in 2010 with Tebow’s initial stint with the Denver Broncos, praying after a sports victory came to be called “Tebowing.”

[God’s quarterbacks: What Tebow and Roethlisberger reveal about evangelical politics]

Fans love the piety. But they’d love a better football player more.

“Not since Michael Vick has the prospect of a new quarterback joining the Eagles created such a stir,” wrote Nick Fierro of Allentown’s the Morning Call. “But in Tim Tebow’s case, the nervous fan base went to DEFCON 1 within minutes … The man simply is not an NFL quarterback. Everybody knows that.”

The gamble the Eagles took on Vick when they signed him in 2009 paid off — for Vick. Though he eventually signed a six-year, $100 million contract with the Birds, he brought them no Super Bowl rings and played in just one postseason game. (The Eagles lost, but Vick was still named “Comeback Player of the Year.”) The team was praised by President Obama for giving Vick a second chance, but the beneficiary of their goodwill was plagued by injuries. He jetted off to the New York Jets last year — a lesser player, but a redeemed man.

Now, it’s Tebow’s turn. He’s already been washed in the blood. But can an inconsistent 27-year-old ex-commentator — one whose very public faith makes him a target as much as an inspiration — help save a team with chronic quarterback problems that, lest anyone forget, has never won a Super Bowl?

“Tebow is also exactly like any street free agent that hasn’t played a regular season snap since 2012,” Gregg Rosenthal of Around the NFL wrote. “The burden of proving he’s an NFL player is entirely on him.”

A MESSAGE TO PASTORS FROM SENATOR TED CRUZ

By Sen. Ted Cruz

On Tuesday, April 28, the United States Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments in favor of “same-sex marriage.”

How will the American church respond?

The prophet Daniel described the people who know their God as people who do two things: display strength and take action (Daniel 11:32).

How can the church rise to the occasion in this situation? Along with my friend David Lane of the American Renewal Project, I urge you to consider the following -

1) Preach about biblical marriage on Sunday, April 26.

We know that marriage is intended to be sacred, beautiful, and nourishing. If you do not influence your congregation’s understanding of marriage, who will fill the void? Hollywood? Divorce courts?

2) Lead prayer services on Tuesday, April 28.

Prayer moves our God to intervene in history. Prayer softens our hearts and brings us into alignment with the heart of God. The church has not shared the truth about marriage well: it is time to repent and commit ourselves to courage on this front.

Regardless of what happens in the Supreme Court, or anywhere else, we know that the truth will never be obsolete. The union of man and woman in marriage will always be relevant. People will continue to need marriage, and to desire it – because we are made in the image of God, creatures who value authentic companionship and intimate connection.

That leaves us only one question. Will we be on the right side of history, the side occupied by the Author of history? Otherwise we will fall victim to the fashions of the times.

Will we discard an institution, ordained by God, which has brought so much stability and happiness to the human family? Or will we stand in its support? Rightly or wrongly, the Supreme Court will take a stand on marriage this summer. Let’s take ours now.

God bless America,

Senator Ted Cruz

P.S. Thank you, as the prophet Daniel might have said, for taking action in defense of marriage. Marriage was God’s idea, and He will preserve it, with or without us. But how could we miss a chance to stand with Him on behalf of something so wonderful?

MIKE HUCKABEE'S BIG 2016 ANNOUNCEMENT COMING MAY 5TH

Gov. Mike Huckabee

SPRINGFIELD, MO, VOTERS REPEAL “ANTI-DISCRIMINATION” ORDINANCE

by BSU
Following a fierce clash between LGBT advocates and religious conservatives, the citizens of Springfield, Mo., have repealed a controversial anti-discrimination bill that would have forced business owners to service gay weddings and allowed transgendered men access to women’s bathrooms.

Last fall, the city council of Springfield passed the controversial bill despite protests from citizens. The law banned discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in housing, employment and public accommodations. It also extended nondiscrimination rules already on the books based on race, creed, sex and disability, specifically related to the sale of real estate and private homes.

According to the campaign to repeal the law, “Anyone claiming to be transgender [has] the right to choose which public locker room, dressing room, bathroom, or other previously gender specific area they wish to use. This new, special privilege opens a door for sexual predators to claim being transgender in order to access these private areas.”

Additionally, under the ordinance, a private homeowner could not refuse to sell their home to another person due to any of the above-stated reasons. In doing so, they would be guilty of discrimination and liable to prosecution.

Citizens began a petition drive, which resulted in a public vote held last week that repealed the ordinance.

Why It Matters
The effort to take away the right of homeowners to sell or refuse to sell their property to whomever they wish is possibly the grossest infringement of rights to date. And while supporters of the bill scoff at the fear of peeping toms, the fact remains that currently, if a man is found in the women’s restroom, security can remove him. Under the proposed ordinance, that would be impossible.

Take Action
Let the good people of Springfield know that you applaud their actions. Contact city council members and tell them you support Springfield’s vote.

TEENAGE GIRL TAKES DOWN ATHEIST GROUP OVER PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

by Barbwire
The atheist group fighting to remove “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance said Monday it will not appeal a court’s previous ruling against it.

“I’m so grateful to know that I will be able to continue reciting the Pledge in peace,” Samantha Jones, a senior at Highland Regional High School in Blackwood, N.J., said in a statement. “The phrase ‘under God’ protects all Americans—including atheists—because it reminds the government that it can’t take away basic human rights because it didn’t create them.”

Jones became the face of the fight to preserve the phrase, speaking publicly and on television in support of it.

This is the second time in two years a state court has denied the American Humanist Association’s attempt to remove the phrase from the pledge. A similar case in Massachusetts was rejected by the court last year.

“The American Humanist Association’s challenge turned out to be all bark and no bite,” Diana Verm, legal counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, said in a statement.

The AHA told The Daily Caller News Foundation it will not appeal, but did not have anyone available for further comment. The AHA originally argued “under God” is a theological statement improper for the classroom because it discriminates against atheist students.

The original version of the pledge did not include the phrase “under God,” which was added in 1954 by Congress.

“They are not trying to win liberty for themselves, they are trying to censor the pledge of allegiance for everybody else,” Mike Farris, chancellor of Patrick Henry College and chairman of the Home School Legal Defense Association, told TheDCNF.

"..the stories of Genesis are the real stories..." - Gov. Mike Huckabee on Roadmap Genesis

Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas, shares his view on Genesis and the stories contained
within and how society has wrongfully chose to ignore most of what's found in the Bible.

"Roadmap Genesis" is a film documentary that makes the case that all of the issues we face in society today are addressed in the book of Genesis. Learn more at www.RoadmapGenesis.com

ARKANSAS CAVES TO ECONOMIC PRESSURE ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM LAW

by BSU.com

Wednesday, under pressure from retailing giant Walmart and other businesses, Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson asked lawmakers to submit a revised version of the proposed religious freedom bill he had been poised to sign. The watered-down bill was presented Thursday, and Gov. Hutchinson signed it into law only half an hour later.

The original bill allowed citizens to claim the law’s protection in private lawsuits, and granted protections to corporations along with individuals and family businesses. Although the U.S. Supreme Court has already ruled, in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., that corporations can indeed hold religious beliefs and that these beliefs are protected under the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act, opponents of the Arkansas bill claimed that the provisions would encourage discrimination against gays and lesbians.

In the firestorm of controversy surrounding the proposed bill, many business leaders cancelled proposed travel to the state, and many more were vocal in their opposition. Among these was Walmart, whose corporate headquarters is in Bentonville, Arkansas. In the end, Gov. Hutchinson caved in to pressure and asked the legislature to amend the bill to be more in alignment with the federal RFRA.

While supporters of the bill feel that important protections have been stripped from it, opponents are calling for an executive order expressly forbidding discrimination based on sexual orientation. In a CNN interview, Arkansas Senator Bart Hester defended the bill, saying it would mean Arkansas citizens “would not have to perform a message that they don’t agree with.”

Why It Matters
This matter makes it clear that religious freedom isn’t nearly as important as money. The language which guaranteed true religious freedom has been removed, leaving a toothless bill that only guarantees protections already in place at the federal level. The calls for an executive order are an attempt to pull the few remaining teeth this bill has, and trample the religious rights the bill was intended to ensure.

Take Action
Tell Gov. Hutchinson you’re disappointed that he chose money over freedom, and that you oppose any more changes through executive order:

Phone: 501-682-2345

HUCKABEE: CHRISTIANS MUST STAND UP TO ATTACKS ON RELIGION

By Greg Richter

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee says it is Christians, not gay people, who are being discriminated against in the current religious freedom debate, and he thinks it's time they stood up for themselves.

Corporations from Wal-Mart to Apple and groups including the NCAA and NASCAR have condemned Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act because they say it allows businesses to discriminate against people based on sexual orientation.

Huckabee is in the opposite camp, saying the law is intended only to keep people such as wedding photographers and caterers from having to participate in same-sex weddings if it goes against their religious beliefs.

"I'm watching these major corporations fold up like a cheap tent in a windstorm," Huckabee said Wednesday on Fox News Channel's "The Kelly File."

"It breaks my heart to see it, because ultimately there are a lot of Christians that have been very quiet," he said. "They just said live and let live. But there may come a time when the vast numbers of people in this country, some of them aren't even Christians, who will say this is going too far. When you start trying to shut businesses down."

Huckabee spoke after a segment on an Indiana pizzeria that had to shut down after the owner said he wouldn't want to cater a gay wedding.

Huckabee, a likely 2016 Republican presidential contender, also responded to Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy, who has said that anyone who supports the RFRA is not qualified to be president.

"I say no one is qualified to be president if they don't respect the First Amendment and religious liberty," Huckabee responded.

LIBERALS DESTROYED THIS PIZZERIA, BUT THAT JUST BACKFIRED!

by RANDY DESOTO

The owners of “Memories Pizza” in rural Walkerton, Indiana, are having the last laugh after being targeted for their stand for religious liberty. Over 7000 people have contributed a total of over $200,000 to a fund set up only a day ago to help Crystal and Kevin O’Connor after the pizza shop owners had to close their restaurant’s doors due to harassment–including death threats.

The O’Connors probably did not see in advance the firestorm that would be created when they responded to a local news reporter’s questions about Indiana’s new Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFFA). ABC57 reporter Alyssa Marino asked Crystal whether their pizza shop, hypothetically, would cater a gay wedding. She said, “If a gay couple came in and wanted us to provide pizzas for their wedding, we would have to say no.”

O’Connor went on to explain, “We’re not discriminating against anyone, that’s just our belief and anyone has the right to believe in anything.” The owners added that if a gay couple came into their restaurant, they would never deny them service; but as Christians, they would not want to participate in a gay wedding.

Crystal’s father, Kevin, told the reporter, “That lifestyle is something they choose. I choose to be heterosexual. They choose to be homosexual. Why should I be beat over the head to go along with something they choose?”

As to whether she supported the RFRA law, Crystal said, “I do not think it’s targeting gays. I don’t think it’s discrimination. It’s supposed to help people that have a religious belief.”

The O’Connors seek to honor God in their business and have Christian mementos throughout, including Bible verses.

The reaction against the O’Connors for voicing their Christian beliefs was so vitriolic, they were forced to close their restaurant doors earlier this week. Harassment techniques included flooding the business with phone calls (threats, false orders among them), and writing hate-filled messages on the restaurant’s Facebook page and thousands of negative reviews (some with lewd pictures) on Yelp.

Crystal told radio talk show host Dana Loesch that the media has been parked outside of the restaurant; and due to threats the restaurant has received, she was not sure when or if they will re-open. Crystal was also suspended from another job, due to the controversy. She added that the family is more-or-less in hiding.

The Daily Caller reports that Lawrence Billy Jones III, an investigative reporter for Loesch, set up a GoFundMe account “to relieve the financial loss endured by the proprietors’ stand for faith.”

Jones set up the page Wednesday with an initial fundraising goal of $45,000 and urged followers to make liberals “really mad” by raising $50,000 by midnight. Within three hours, donors forked over $30,000 and the contributions continue.

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