In New York last month, the owners of a private skating rink were warned by the state's Division of Human Rights to stop holding a Christian skating event on Sundays. It allegedly discriminated against non-Christians.Add to these: A Massachusetts father jailed for trespassing after opposing pro-homosexual teaching in his son's 2nd grade classroom. Illinois pharmacists fired after the governor's edict that they must fill prescriptions for abortifacients, despite right of conscience laws. A Christian business in Virginia fined for refusing to duplicate pro-homosexual materials. And on and on...
In Iowa, as part of his ruling against Prison Fellowship and the InnerChange Freedom Initiative, a federal judged grossly mischaracterized the orthodox beliefs of evangelicals (such as the bodily resurrection of Jesus). He said these beliefs are hostile to "many Christians." Then he ordered the InnerChange program in Iowa shut down.
And in Boston, Catholic Charities was recently forced out of the adoption business because it would not, for doctrinal reasons, agree to place children with homosexuals.
There is no question that our religious freedoms are being redefined and narrowed. On this day when we normally celebrate, perhaps we should fast and pray instead, before it is too late.
