The Pope, and Obama's War on Christianity

In speaking to visiting American bishops, the Pope warned that "radical secularism" in American government and society is threatening religious liberty, and he charged the bishops, and all Catholics, with the obligation to engage secularists and oppose the so-called "separation of church and state."

“. . . it is imperative that the entire Catholic community in the United States come to realize the grave threats to the Church’s public moral witness presented by a radical secularism which finds increasing expression in the political and cultural spheres.”
-- Pope Benedict XVI

For background, read Obama Wants Catholic Vote but Dem Platform Anathema and also read Bishops Say Obama Destroying Societal Norm as well as Pope: Gay Agenda & Abortion Dooms Society

UPDATE 10/13/12: Bishops Chasten Vice President Biden, a 'Practicing Catholic'

UPDATE 9/20/12: President Obama Denies Leading War Against Christianity

UPDATE 1/31/12 - ObamaCare Mandate Tells Catholics “To Hell With You”‎ (FOX News video):


UPDATE 2/17/12: ObamaCare Stakes Ground in War on Christianity

UPDATE 3/9/12: Pope denounces Gay Agenda

-- From "Pope hits out at 'radical secularism'" by The Associated Press 1/19/12

Benedict did not explicitly mention it, but the bishops have complained their religious freedom is eroding in the face of growing acceptance of gay marriage and attempts to marginalize faith. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has recently formed a committee on protecting religious liberty and hired attorneys and a lobbyist to work on the issue.

The pope said many of the bishops have complained about attempts to deny conscientious objection with regard to cooperation in "intrinsically evil practices." U.S. church leaders have been pressing for a broader religious exception to part of President Obama's health care overhaul that mandates private insurers pay for contraception. The Obama administration has not yet made a decision on the policy and the timing is uncertain.

Benedict also expressed appreciation that bishops have been more outspoken about American Catholic politicians who don't follow church teaching on abortion and other issues.

The White House had no response to the pope's remarks.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Pope warns U.S. bishops on threat of ‘radical secularism’" by Alessandro Speciale, Religion News Service, WashingtonPost.com 1/19/12

“Radical secularism” is gaining ground in American society and poses a “grave threat” to the Catholic Church’s freedom of expression in the public square, Pope Benedict XVI told a group of U.S. bishops on Thursday (Jan. 19).

Benedict said bishops must help Catholic politicians understand that it is “their personal responsibility to offer public witness to their faith,” especially regarding the respect for human life.

The pontiff warned that America’s “cherished” tradition of “religious freedom” is under threat as the nation’s moral consensus has been “eroded” by “powerful new cultural currents” that not only run counter to “Judeo-Christian tradition, but (are) increasingly hostile to Christianity as such.”

Benedict warned that the separation of church and state must not be invoked to force the church to “be silent on certain issues,” or to sideline believers in “determining the values which will shape the future of the nation”.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Pope: America is 'increasingly hostile to Christianity'" by John-Henry Westen, LifeSiteNews.com 1/19/12

The Pope was emphatic in insisting that the threat posed by current trends threatens not only Christianity but “humanity itself.” He said: “To the extent that some current cultural trends contain elements that would curtail the proclamation of these truths, whether constricting it within the limits of a merely scientific rationality, or suppressing it in the name of political power or majority rule, they represent a threat not just to Christian faith, but also to humanity itself and to the deepest truth about our being and ultimate vocation, our relationship to God.”

Pope Benedict, in sounding the alarm, called not for retreat, but for the leaders of the Catholic Church to press on with preaching the truth however unpopular. “For her part, the Church in the United States is called, in season and out of season, to proclaim a Gospel which not only proposes unchanging moral truths but proposes them precisely as the key to human happiness and social prospering,” he said. “With her long tradition of respect for the right relationship between faith and reason, the Church has a critical role to play in countering cultural currents which, on the basis of an extreme individualism, seek to promote notions of freedom detached from moral truth.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Address of His Holiness Benedict XVI to the Bishops Of The United States Of America on their 'Ad Limina' Visit" 1/19/12

At the heart of every culture, whether perceived or not, is a consensus about the nature of reality and the moral good, and thus about the conditions for human flourishing. In America, that consensus, as enshrined in your nation’s founding documents, was grounded in a worldview shaped not only by faith but a commitment to certain ethical principles deriving from nature and nature’s God. Today that consensus has eroded significantly in the face of powerful new cultural currents which are not only directly opposed to core moral teachings of the Judeo-Christian tradition, but increasingly hostile to Christianity as such.

To read all of the Pope's address, CLICK HERE.

Also read Archbishop to Priests: Support Marriage or Be Quiet

UPDATE 3/6/12 - Catholics called to vote in November (video):

Indiana Endorses Teenage Sexually Deviant Behavior

Through a new specialty license plate, the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles is facilitating funding of homosexualists' recruitment of children through public school "gay clubs" and other community youth services.

For background, read Gay Recruitment of Kids: Senators Join Obama and also read White House Says Gay Recruitment of Kids Successful as well as American Homosexual Population is Tiny: Study



-- From "Indiana unveils its first license plate for gay youths" by Associated Press 1/18/12

. . . Indiana is the second state in the nation with a specialty plate benefiting gay youths.

More than 420,000 specialty plates were sold last year [in Indiana], generating more than $11 million for the sponsoring organizations . . .

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Group scores a victory by getting license plate" by Erika D. Smith, Indianapolis Star 1/18/12

This is the story of the rainbow-bedecked Indiana Youth Group specialty plate, which was approved by the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles this week after four years of legal drama.

The official hang-up?

The BMV worried that IYG, a nonprofit that provides social services for gay youths, didn't have enough of a statewide impact. The BMV also was worried that IYG might spend revenue from sales of the plate to pay its employees -- a no-no. However, a lawsuit filed with the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana pointed to a lack of transparency in the BMV requirements. With the lawsuit settled, IYG's application and those from nine other organizations were approved.

Getting a plate was about marketing and getting money to fund its mission. IYG gets $25 for each $40 plate it sells.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "State steps up to the plate" posted at The Journal Gazette 1/18/12

The release of the IYG plate coincides with the group’s 25th anniversary and features a logo of six hands in the colors of a rainbow.

Micah Clark, executive director of the American Family Association of Indiana, questions the BMV’s decision in granting the plate for a group that he claims “recruits teens into the homosexual lifestyle.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "State Unveils 1st License Plate Benefitting Gay Youth" posted at ABC-TV6 1/18/12

The Indianapolis-based [IYG] organization operates an activity center, helps develop Gay Straight Alliances in high schools and assists communities in forming youth services. The group serves about 1,400 youths and young adults ages 12 to 21.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Porn Industry May Leave LA Over 'Safe Sex' Regs

Consistent with the legitimization of a sexualized culture, the Los Angeles City Council voted 9-1 to require pornographic sex performers to use condoms. In response, porn producers are threatening to relocate their commercial enterprises to other states with less government regulations -- taking their billions of ill-gotten gains with them.

For background, read California Wants Improved Occupational Health in Porn Industry and also read Porn Advocates Perplexed re: STD Transmission as well as Porn Stars' STDs Blamed on County Health Officials

UPDATE 2/15/16: Failed HIV Test on Gay Porn Star Causes Multiple Infections

UPDATE 8/21/12: Syphilis scare halts porn industry filming in LA as health officials investigate

UPDATE 7/5/12: LA voters will decide porn condom requirement in November 2012

UPDATE 2/21/12: Pornographers face March 5th condom deadline

-- From "Los Angeles mandates porn stars wear condoms" by Alex Dobuzinskis, Reuters 1/18/12

The move comes amid persistent questions about how to enforce the health measure, which backers say will protect performers in the multibillion-dollar porn industry from contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Producers complain the sight of a condom in a sex scene turns off consumers of their videos.

. . . passage made the city the first in the nation to impose such a requirement. Most of the U.S. porn industry is based in Los Angeles.

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal-OSHA) already requires porn performers to wear barriers, such as condoms, when they are in contact with bodily fluids.

But enforcement has been a challenge for the state. For one, the Cal-OSHA requirement is not specifically aimed at adult films, and it is openly violated within the industry . . .

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Condoms in porn: Government should not intrude, group says" by Rong-Gong Lin II, Los Angeles Times 1/18/12

A porn industry representative said Tuesday she opposed Los Angeles City Hall's efforts to require condoms on porn performers, calling it an unnecessary intrusion. The group did not rule out lawsuits or other measures to fight the measure.

"We're looking at all of our options and talking to the industry heads," said Diane Duke, of the San Fernando Valley-based Free Speech Coalition, a porn industry lobbying group. "The government is intruding into the sexual behavior of consenting adults."

Duke said Tuesday that another reason is that some porn performers prefer to not use condoms, saying "it's really hard on their bodies" during lengthy, grueling shooting schedules. "It's very different on a set … We're in favor of choice for performers." AIDS Healthcare Foundation President Michael Weinstein said there are many performers who do want mandatory condoms, such as Jenna Jameson, and that condoms are consistently used in gay porn.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Porn industry could leave LA if condoms required" by The Associated Press, USA TODAY 1/18/12

"It's going to be interesting to see how in fact they do try to enforce it and who's going to fund it, and all of the time and effort they're going to spend," said Steven Hirsch, co-founder and co-chairman of Los Angeles-based Vivid, one of the largest makers of erotic movies.

"The only thing that the city could potentially achieve is losing some film permit money and driving some productions away, but you can't actually compel an industry to create a product that the market doesn't want," said Christian Mann, general manager of Evil Angel, another of the industry's largest production companies.

[Veteran porn actress and producer Tabitha] Stevens said, she has worked both with and without condoms. Although she prefers to use condoms, acknowledging they do increase safety, she said the choice should be left up to the performers and not mandated by a government agency.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Pornography Unchecked by Obama Administration

Jesus' Name Unconstitutional in Public: Supreme Court

The U.S. Supreme Court let stand two separate lower court rulings that forbid Christian public prayer prior to school board or county board meetings.

For background, read Jesus' Name Unconstitutional in Public: Federal Court and also read Jesus' Name Unconstitutional at School Board Meetings

UPDATE 5/13/14: U.S. Supreme Court rules prayers to Jesus Christ OK at government meetings

-- From "Court rejects appeal over prayer at public meeting" by The Associated Press 1/17/12

The justices on Tuesday left in place a federal appeals court ruling that held that the predominantly Christian prayers at the start of Forsyth County commission meetings violated the First Amendment's prohibition on government endorsement of a particular religion.

The commission said its doors have long been open to religious leaders of many faiths. But the appeals court in Richmond, Va., found that more than three-quarters of the 33 invocations given before meetings between May 2007 and December 2008 referred to "Jesus," "Jesus Christ," "Christ" or "Savior."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Prayer Cases Turned Away by U.S. Supreme Court Justices" by Greg Stohr, Bloomberg 1/17/12

The justices today left intact a federal appeals ruling that said a North Carolina county board was violating the constitutional separation of church and state by opening most of its sessions with a Christian prayer. The high court also refused to review a separate decision that barred prayers at meetings of a Delaware school board.

The Supreme Court hasn’t ruled on the constitutionality of prayer at government meetings since 1983, when the justices said lawmakers could begin sessions with nonsectarian prayers offered by a state-employed chaplain. In other contexts, the court under Chief Justice John Roberts has given governmental bodies more freedom to support religion.

The [county] case is Forsyth County v. Joyner, 11-546.

In the other case, the justices left intact a federal appeals court decision that barred prayers at meetings of the Indian River School Board in Delaware.

The case is Indian River School District v. Doe, 11-569.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Graphic Pro-life Super Bowl Ad Commercials to Air

If money is raised, pro-life advocate Randall Terry will run commercials during the most-watched NFL football game showing "bloody fetuses." Broadcasters are forbidden by law to censor the message because Terry is running the ads as part of his presidential candidacy for the Democrat nomination.

For background, read Pro-lifer Challenges Obama in Dem. Primary 2012

UPDATE 3/7/12: 1 of 5 Oklahoma Democrats vote Randall Terry over President Obama in primary election

UPDATE 2/6/12: Graphic abortion ads reached thousands during Superbowl, but FCC allowed Chicago station to deny commercials



-- From "Anti-abortion activist Randall Terry plans presidential campaign stops in Kansas" by The Associated Press 1/13/12

Randall Terry was one of the leaders of the 1991 "Summer of Mercy" abortion protests in Wichita, where authorities made more than 2,700 arrests over several weeks.

Terry is using his presidential run to draw attention to his anti-abortion agenda. He plans a campaign swing Monday in Illinois followed by stops in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Minnesota and Idaho.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Randall Terry Bringing Aborted Fetus Ads To Super Bowl" reported by Huffington Post 1/11/12

Randall Terry, the anti-abortion activist who announced last year that he would challenge Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination, has resurfaced with a bigger platform to get his message out.

Terry is known for his gruesome ads featuring what look to be aborted fetuses, which have already hit the air in Iowa, and now they are coming to the Super Bowl if he can raise the funds. Television stations and affiliates are normally allowed to block indecent content, but Terry is exploiting an FCC loophole that prevents censorship of political ads within 45 days of a presidential primary or caucus. Christian News Wire reports that the ads will air in 40 markets whose primaries fall in that window after Super Bowl Sunday . . .

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Super Bowl antiabortion ads, Web site ramps up as Roe vs. Wade anniversary approaches" by Elizabeth Flock, Washington Post 1/12/12

. . . Terry launched a non-serious campaign for president late last year so that he would be able to run gruesome ads of dead fetuses in key primary states. Slate explains that Terry is using a FCC loophole that requires stations to run even grisly campaign ads. The ads will next be seen in some cities during the Super Bowl, according to Mother Jones.

The ads are reportedly in response to the actions of “The Abortion Gang,” an abortion-rights advocacy group that asked supporters to donate to such groups every time Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow scored a touchdown.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Why NBC Is Powerless To Stop Ad Featuring Dismembered Fetuses Running In Super Bowl" by Jim Edwards, Business Insider 1/12/12

Normally, NBC screens Super Bowl ads ahead of time for taste and audience appropriateness. It nixes ads that have too much commercial, adult, or objectionable content.

But federal election law allows candidates for office to run whatever campaign ads they like, and NBC cannot stop them. So Operation Rescue founder Terry Randall, who is making a non-serious "run" for president, has bought "campaign" ads during the Super Bowl on local NBC affiliate stations that have primary elections within the following 45 days of the big game.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Super Bowl to air graphic abortion ad during game" by Matt Lacy, Greeley Gazette 1/9/12

Terry has already run political ads featuring graphic images of babies killed by abortion during the first and second trimester. The ads were part of a three day ad run in New Hampshire on WBIN. The ads consisted of four 30 second spots that ran in rotation that attacked Obama’s support of child killing by abortion.

While Terry realizes he stands little chance of getting the Democratic nomination, he said he is running in order to give pro-life Catholics and evangelicals in the Democratic Party a choice during the primary season.

The difference between the candidates could not be more stark. Obama has 100 percent rating from militant pro-abortion group NARAL. While a state Senator in Illinois, Obama vetoed a bill that would require babies that survived an abortion be given medical treatment.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Atheists Sue to Stop Lord's Prayer in Delaware

Federal Judge Leonard P. Stark heard arguments from atheists wanting to stop the 41-year prayer tradition at Sussex County Council meetings, but defenders oddly responded that the Lord's Prayer is NOT uniquely Christian and therefore not unconstitutional.


For background, read Atheists Sue to Stop Prayer in Delaware

UPDATE 5/16/12: Judge Says Lord's Prayer Unconstitutional in Delaware

-- From "Judge Hears Arguments in Sussex Council Prayer Lawsuit" by Michael Lopardi, WBOC-TV16 1/11/12

Four residents, including a [liberal ELCA] Lutheran minister, claim the council's use of a Protestant version of the Lord's Prayer is unconstitutional because it favors one religion.

Americans United [for Separation of Church and State] is arguing the case on behalf of the plaintiffs: Rev. John Steinbruck, Barbara Mullin, Julie Jackson and William O'Connor. The plaintiffs have all attended council meetings in the past and were offended by the council's use of the prayer, said Americans United.

The organization, which filed the case in June 2011, said the council's choice of prayer excludes people who do not share that faith and pressures members of the audience to take part.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Delaware lawsuit delves into Lord's Prayer" by Chad Livengood, The (Wilmington, Del.) News Journal 1/12/12

At the start of each Tuesday morning meeting, Council President Mike Vincent stands up and nods to his four colleagues, signaling them to bow their heads and begin to recite the Lord's Prayer.

The county's attorney contends the council's recital of the Lord's Prayer is permissible under the U.S. Supreme Court's 1983 ruling in Marsh v. Chambers, which found in a Nebraska case that having a government-funded chaplain say a prayer before a legislative session was constitutional.

[County attorney J. Scott] Shannon argued the prayer is generic and that Vincent, who is named as a defendant in the lawsuit, is not proselytizing or asking the audience to join in.

Shannon said the language of the Lord's Prayer is tolerable and contains language that fits with widely held beliefs of people of other faiths.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Unsafe Illinois Abortion Clinic Closes Permanently

After being shut down by the Illinois Dept. of Public Health in September, the Northern Illinois Women's Center in Rockford officially announced its demise following years of vigilant prayers and sidewalk counseling by local pro-life activists.

For background, read Pro-lifers Assaulted at Rockford Abortion Clinic

UPDATE 1/21/12: Illinois Abortion Clinics Passed without Inspections



-- From "Stateline's Only Abortion Clinic to Close Permanently" by Stephen Johnson & Tina Stein, WIFR-TV23 1/13/12

The director is quoted as saying the decision comes in light of lack of support from the community, political climate surrounding abortion issues, and the challenge of rebuilding staff. Just last week the Illinois Department of Public Health announced the center could reopen since it had fixed health and safety concerns that shut it down in Sept.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Rockford abortion clinic closing draws reaction from both sides" by Corina Curry, Rockford Register Star 1/13/12

[The State] gave the clinic two options. It could reopen, pay a $9,750 fine and be subject to immediate license revocation if it breached certain state regulations. Or the clinic could pay a $1,000 fine, voluntarily relinquish its operating license and close.

The clinic at 1400 Broadway was the region’s sole abortion clinic. The closest clinics to the Rockford area are in Madison, Wis., 70 miles north, or about 70 miles to the east in the Chicago suburbs.

The clinic has been the site of weekly protests from anti-abortion advocates who often carry signs with anti-abortion messages on the sidewalks outside the Broadway building, praying for the end of abortion and encouraging patients to change their minds about getting an abortion.

“The city has always been committed to make certain during the operation of the clinic that residents wanting to express their First Amendment rights are safe and free to do so,” said city Legal Director Patrick Hayes.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Abortion Biz in Rockford, Illinois Shut Down Permanently" by Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com 1/13/12

The state health department report found the Northern Illinois Women’s Center abortion business violated the stipulations of the Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Center Licensing Requirements Code and Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, which makes abortion centers abide by the same rules and regulations that apply to legitimate medical centers doing outpatient surgeries.

Stephenson County Right To Life applauded the news in a statement: “NIWC said they would not reopen for many reasons, one of which is “lack of support”. Certainly their inability or their unwillingness to comply with existing laws is one of the major factors in their own demise. Some in the pro-abortion group would like to blame the pro-life community for this occurrence. Their unprofessionalism, their blatant disregard for the laws, and their lack of concern for the health and safety of women, to the point of contempt towards women, is another major part of this closing.”

“The staff of the Rockford Pro-Life Initiative and the Pro Life Corner would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the prayer warriors, sidewalk counselors, and the countless individuals who worked and prayed so hard to bring light and truth to the Rockford area,” it continued.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

School Sexualization Standards by NEA, Abortionists

A coalition of organizations, including Planned Parenthood and the largest teachers union (National Education Association), has issued a new national sex education curriculum for kindergarten through high school designed to guide children toward sexual activity, glorify homosexuality, and end all abstinence-based sex education.

For background, read Abstinence Education Yields Lowest Teen Birth Rate Ever and also read Feds Fund Homosexualists' School Training as well as Planned Parenthood Lures Teen clients via Texting in addition, read Planned Parenthood's Sexual Assault on Kids

UPDATE 1/18/12: Details and motivations of the sexual indoctrinators' plans (opinion)

UPDATE 8/16/12: Planned Parenthood's Oral Sex Push Bad According to Federal Government Report

UPDATE 2/6/12 - Planned Parenthood's Business Model: Hooking Kids on Sex (Warning: Sexually graphic video)


-- From "Sex education standards encourage teaching of sexual identity, anti-bullying in schools" by Kimberly Hefling, Associated Press 1/9/12

Young elementary school students should use the proper names for body parts and, by the end of fifth grade, know that sexual orientation is “the romantic attraction of an individual to someone of the same gender or a different gender,” according to new sexual education guidelines released Monday by a coalition of health and education groups.

By presenting minimum standards that schools can use to formulate school curriculums for each age level, the groups hope that schools can build a sequential foundation that in the long term will better help teens as they grow into adults.

Despite awareness of bullying, for example, Debra Hauser, president of Advocates for Youth, one of the groups involved with creating the standards, said some schools don’t address it — or at least not in relation to sexual orientation or gender identity, which is where she said a lot of the bullying occurs.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Sex-ed advocates launch ‘Future of Sex Education’ project, propose national sex-ed standards" by Marcos Restrepo, The American Independent 1/11/12

Advocates for Youth, along with staff from Answer and the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS), launched the “The Future of Sex Education” project and drafted “a strategic framework” to develop the sexuality education standards in public schools.

The Future of Sex Education project includes “Envisioning the Future of Sex Education,” a “tool kit” “limited to Pre-K through Grade 12 public school students and all of the adults involved in providing sexuality education in this setting: school administrators, teachers, educators, parents, and others.”

According to Education Week, when the the Future of Sex Education Initiative “was conceived, the hope was that federal spending on abstinence-only sexual education would eventually be extinguished (which isn’t yet the case ) and something would be needed to teach sexuality, comprehensively.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Brand new ‘guidelines’ pushing radical, explicit sex ed agenda on schools nationwide" by Christine Dhanagom, LifeSiteNews.com 1/12/12

The guidelines, published Monday in the Journal of School Health, were authored by the American Association of Health Education, the American School Health Association, the National Education Association – Health Information Network, the Society of State Leaders of Health and Physical Education, Advocates for Youth, Answer, and the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States.

While the document does not say what organizations were represented at the meeting, the “advisory committee” and list of “additional reviewers” includes two representatives from Planned Parenthood, a representative from Planned Parenthood’s former research arm, the Guttmacher Institute, and the director of training and curriculum development for the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network.

The 6th – 8th grade curriculum calls for an explanation of the correct way to use a condom and an analysis of “external influences that have an impact on one’s attitudes about gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity.”

By the end of 12th grade, the curriculum prescribes that students should be able to “differentiate between biological sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity and expression.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Kids Choose Porn as Better Teacher than School

Supremes Teach Obama Religious Liberty; Church Wins

President Obama's employment agency wanted to make hiring and firing decisions for a Lutheran church, but the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously declared the White House constitutional law expertise to be lacking.

“Requiring a church to accept or retain an unwanted minister, or punishing a church for failing to do so, intrudes upon more than a mere employment decision. Such action interferes with the internal governance of the church, depriving the church of control over the selection of those who will personify its beliefs. By imposing an unwanted minister, the state infringes the free exercise clause [of the U.S. Constitution] . . .”
-- U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Roberts

For background, read Hiring Only Christians for Missions Organization is OK, says Supreme Court



-- From "Court: Judges cannot get involved in church dispute" by Jesse J. Holland, Associated Press 1/11/12

In a groundbreaking case, the Supreme Court on Wednesday held for the first time that religious employees of a church cannot sue for employment discrimination.

It was, nevertheless, the first time the high court has acknowledged the existence of a "ministerial exception" to anti-discrimination laws -- a doctrine developed in lower court rulings. This doctrine says the First Amendment's guarantee of freedom of religion shields churches and their operations from the reach of such protective laws when the issue involves employees of these institutions.

The case came before the court because the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued the Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School of Redford, Mich., on behalf of employee Cheryl Perich, over her firing, which happened after she complained of discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Religious Groups Given ‘Exception’ to Work Bias Law" by Adam Liptak, New York Times 1/11/12

“The interest of society in the enforcement of employment discrimination statutes is undoubtedly important,” Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote in a decision that was surprising in both its sweep and its unanimity. “But so, too, is the interest of religious groups in choosing who will preach their beliefs, teach their faith and carry out their mission.”

The decision gave only limited guidance about how courts should decide who counts as a minister, saying the court was “reluctant to adopt a rigid formula.” Two concurring opinions offered contrasting proposals.

Whatever its precise scope, the ruling will have concrete consequences for countless people employed by religious groups to perform religious work. In addition to ministers, priests, rabbis and other religious leaders, the decision appears to encompass, for instance, at least those teachers in religious schools with formal religious training who are charged with instructing students about religious matters.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Supreme Court Backs Church in Landmark Religious Liberty Case" by Ariane de Vogue, ABC News 1/11/12

The case stemmed from the firing of Cheryl Perich, a Michigan teacher who had been employed by a school run by the Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church [Missouri Synod].

Perich had completed training to become a commissioned minister at the school. In 2004 she became ill with narcolepsy and went on disability. School officials expressed concern that Perich would not be able to return to the school for several months. The congregation voted to pay a portion of her health insurance premiums in exchange for her resignation. Perich refused to step down and returned to work, only to be told she must leave and that she would likely be fired.

Perich told the school that she had consulted a lawyer and intended to assert her legal rights. She contacted the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which filed suit arguing Perich’s termination was in violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act.

Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the court, said that the Religion Clauses of the First Amendment –”Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof”–bar the government from interfering with the decision of a religious group to fire one of its ministers.

Roberts gave a history lesson in his opinion . . .

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Supreme Court delivers a knockout punch to the White House" by Peter Johnson Jr., FoxNews.com 1/11/12

Citing well-known legal precedent dating as far back as Reconstruction, the court made it clear that it is not up to the government to contradict a faith’s determination as to who should -- and should not -- be performing religious functions.

As the new year rolls on, Americans face even greater issues in their desire to retain their religious freedom. The mandates of ObamaCare -- with its narrowly tailored if not measly conscience exemptions protecting some religious orders from compliance -- will mandate thousands of other religious organizations ranging from educational institutions to insurance companies to insure and/or provide procedures like free sterilization and abortifacients like Plan B known to be violative of many Christians and Jewish faiths.

To read the entire opinion column above, CLICK HERE.

Pastors Booted from NYC Schools, then Arrested

Four pastors, including a member of [New York] City Council, were among seven men arrested Thursday morning in front of the city Law Department during a protest of the city’s ban on allowing churches to hold worship services in public school buildings, the police and organizers said.

UPDATE 1/12/12: Pastors protest Mayor Bloomberg

UPDATE 4/8/14: Mayor de Blasio OKs churches in schools, but only after court rules against the churches.



-- From "Clergymen in Cuffs as Protesters Are Arrested" by Andy Newman, New York Times 1/5/12

All those arrested were charged with trespassing, including Councilman Fernando Cabrera, a Democrat who leads a church in the Bronx. About 20 demonstrators gathered in front of the Law Department’s headquarters at 100 Church Street to protest the policy, and after about an hour, seven of them sat down in front of the building and refused to leave until they were arrested, the police said.

The city’s policy on worship services in school buildings emerged intact last month when the United States Supreme Court declined to review a lower court’s decision in a suit brought by a small Bronx evangelical church that has been holding its Sunday services at Public School 15 since 2002.

As the case made its way through the system, the city’s ban was put on hold, and some 160 congregations used school buildings for worship services last school year. They have been given a Feb. 12 deadline to leave the schools.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Pastors, Lawmakers Protest Ban on Worship in School Buildings" by The Associated Press 1/5/12

"It's just crazy that they're forcing the churches to leave in six weeks," Councilman Fernando Cabrera said after he was handcuffed, booked on a trespass charge and released. "They should absolutely allow the houses of worship to continue doing what they are doing. It has never negatively affected anyone."

Jordan Lorence, a lawyer for two of the affected churches, said 25 to 30 people were at the protest.

"The reason they made this public demonstration today was to draw attention to the Department of Education's policy and the contemplated expansion of this policy," he said. "They believe this is an infringement on religious liberty."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "City: Churches Can Use Public Spaces" By Tamer El-Ghobashy, Wall Street Journal 1/5/12

A court decision that upheld New York City's right to bar worship services at public schools won't be used to deny churches access to other government facilities such as public housing developments, city officials said Thursday.

The question over small congregations' use of public housing facilities was raised when the New York City Housing Authority informed five churches that their temporary agreements to rent space were being reviewed after they expired on Dec. 31.

It culminated Thursday when a group of pastors, joined by Bronx City Councilman Fernando Cabrera, was arrested during a small protest at the headquarters of the New York City Law Department in Lower Manhattan. The group said it was opposing what it called an effort to "evict" houses of worship from city-owned properties.

. . . Jane L. Gordon, senior counsel at the Law Department, said there "is absolutely no connection" between the education department and NYCHA policies.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "After Protests and Arrests, NYCHA Extends Agreements With Bronx Churches (For Now)" by Alex Kratz, Norwood News 1/9/12

Following demonstrations that led to the arrests of seven people last week, including Bronx Councilman Fernando Cabrera, the New York City Housing Authority agreed to extend rental agreements with two Bronx churches who worship in city-owned buildings.

The churches — Bronx Bible Church at the Justice Sonia Sotomayor Houses and Infinity New York Church at the Bronx River Houses — will be allowed to continue renting space at the facilities until at least Feb. 26 while NYCHA completes its comprehensive review of all of its rental agreements with organizations.

“This is a great victory,” said Cabrera in a statement. “But the fight isn’t over and more rallies are being planned. We will continue to call on Mayor Bloomberg to lift the ban on Houses of Worship from meeting in public schools. I hope Mayor Bloomberg will follow the example of NYCHA’s and allow Houses of Worship to continue to meet in New York City Public Schools without restriction based on content.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Tenn. Struggles for Freedom of Religion - Bullying

Pro-family advocates and lawmakers are advancing language for Senate Bill 0760 (House Bill 1153) to ensure freedom of speech and religion regarding public school anti-bullying, but critics say that allowing Christian students to cite Bible verses is bullying and should be outlawed.

For background, read Pro-gay Teacher Bullies Christians on Anti-bullying Day and also read Outlawing Teaching of Homosexuality in Tennessee as well as Obama Signs Law to End Christian Witness - 'Hate Crimes'



-- From "Christian activist Fowler makes stand on bullying" by The Associated Press 1/5/12

[David] Fowler, a former Republican state senator, is president of the Family Action Council of Tennessee [FACT]. The group’s December newsletter says it wants “to make sure (the legislation) protects the religious liberty and free speech rights of students who want to express their views on homosexuality.”

Fowler told the Chattanooga Times Free Press that “the purpose is to stop bullying, not create special classes of people who are more important than others.”

The Senate sponsor of changes to the bullying law, Sen. Jim Tracy, R-Shelbyville, is “reviewing the legislation” and will likely “narrow” the current bill, a Tracy aide said Tuesday.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Christian activist questions scope of anti-bullying law" by Andy Sher, Chattanooga Times Free Press 1/4/12

. . . leaders of the Tennessee Equality Project, a gay-rights group, charge the [religious liberty] legislation "would give students a 'license to bully' that allows them to hide their irrational biases behind an extreme religious belief."

The Fowler-backed bill says anti-bullying programs and measures can't use materials or training that "explicitly or implicitly promote a political agenda [and] make the characteristics of the victim the focus rather than the conduct of the person engaged in harassment, intimidation, or bullying."

FACT said it "is wrong to bully people because of their sexual practices. But it's wrong to bully people period. The larger lesson here is that these tragedies are often the rotten fruit of the all-about-me individualistic culture that comes when we deny the existence of God and his image in us. When life and people become cheap, tragedy becomes the result."

In the interview, Fowler said gays are "not the only people who get insulted. The thing we need to concentrate on is not whether the characteristics of the victim justify being protected but on the conduct of the person engaging in the bullying while respecting constitutional rights."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Bullying Bill May Promote Intimidation" by Stephanie Scurlock, WREG-TV3 (Memphis) 1/5/12

. . . The bill allows kids to say what they want if they're doing it for religious reasons and as long as they don't threaten bodily harm.

“Essentially what it does it allows kids to pretty much say anything to each other no matter how ugly it is as long as they claim it's part of their religion,” said [Michelle Bliss, Co-Chair Shelby Co. Chapter, TN Equality Project].

Bliss says this affects gay students and others who might be intimidated because of race or religion.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Protecting free speech condemned as ‘bullying’" by Bob Unruh, World Net Daily 1/7/12

“All people are entitled to equal protection under the law, which doesn’t happen when the policies enumerate who’s protected and by implication those not listed are not protected,” [Fowler] explained to WND.

“There are many in the media, and certainly there are interest groups, who want to use the government as the thought police and want to suppress any form of opposition, whether it rises to level of bullying or harassment or not. They simply want to squelch any dissent,” he said.

The Family Action Council site explained that the way the bullying prevention programs now operate, “some students receiv[e] less protection from bullying than other students” and students are not allowed to express their religiously based views.

The current plan also allows “school administrators who may desire to suppress a student’s unpopular or politically incorrect views [to] deem that student’s expression of such views to be ‘creating a hostile educational environment,’” the organization said.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read 'Gay Rights' Winning, Loss of Religious Liberty Documented - Washington Post writer demonstrates it's a "zero sum" game: Winning homosexual 'rights' means Christians must lose freedom of religion.

Top Presidential Candidates Affirm Marriage

In this weekend's pair of GOP presidential debates, other than Mitt Romney, each of the contenders with a shot at the nomination made clear that they will NOT continue President Obama's advancement of the Gay Agenda. In contrast, Mitt Romney reinforced his desire to advance "gay rights" in every manner other than a redefinition of marriage.

For background, read Christian Liberty at Risk with a President Romney? and also read Santorum Explains Gay Agenda Effect on Children as well as Presidential Candidates: Abortion & Marriage Top Issues

-- From "GOP debate: Romney, Santorum grilled on gay rights" by Kim Geiger, Los Angeles Times 1/8/12

Mitt Romney was reminded Sunday morning on the NBC/Facebook debate stage of a pledge he made in 1984, that he would “be a voice in the Republican Party to foster anti-discimination efforts” in the gay community.

Asked how he had fulfilled that pledge, Romney said that as governor of Massachusets, he had a gay cabinet member and appointed judges regardless of their sexual orientation.

That didn't satisfy WHDH-TV Boston's Andy Hiller, a political reporter who had raised the question at the debate.

“When's the last time that you stood up and spoke out for increasing gay rights?” Hiller asked.

Romney was done with the topic. “Right now,” he said.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "GOP debate: No love for gay marriage" by Josh Lederman, The Hill 1/7/12

Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney want gay couples to enjoy certain benefits, but the right to call their relationship a marriage is not one of them.

“The sacrament of marriage was based on a man and a woman, has been for 3,000 years,” said the former House Speaker [Gingrich].

Jon Huntsman was the only candidate to endorse civil unions, saying states should be able to talk about how they want to treat same-sex couples.

Rick Santorum, who has made strengthening traditional marriage a major plank of his campaign platform, said that not only should the U.S. Constitution ban gay marriage for all states, but that gays who are already married would see their marriages annulled.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Republican presidential candidates Romney, Santorum challenged on gay rights" by The Associated Press 1/8/12

. . . Rick Santorum says he believed in respect and dignity for all people but reiterated his opposition to gay marriage and adoptions by gay parents.

The former senator from Pennsylvania is an outspoken social conservative and has made opposition to abortion and gay marriage central to his campaign.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Rick Santorum, Mitt Romney Pressed About Support For Gay Rights During 2012 New Hampshire GOP Debate" by Amanda Terkel, Huffington Post 1/8/12

When the moderator asked Santorum if he would be a voice for "speaking out for gay rights" in the Republican Party, the former Pennsylvania senator replied, "I would be a voice in speaking out for making sure that every person in America, gay or straight, is treated with respect and dignity and has the equality of opportunity. That does not mean that I would agree with certain things that the gay community would like to do with changing laws, with respect to marriage or respect to adoption or things like that. You can be respectful. ... But just because you don't agree with someone's desire to change the law doesn't mean you don't like them or you hate them or you want to discriminate against them."

He cited his town hall meetings in New Hampshire, where he has been repeatedly questioned about gay rights.

"I listen to the other side, I let them make their arguments and we do so in a very respectful way. And you know what? We may not agree," he said.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Santorum’s Response to Question on Gay Rights" by Jeremy W. Peters, New York Times 1/8/12

Asked what would happen if his son told him he was gay, Mr. Santorum said, “I would love him as much as I did the second before he said it.”

In a 2003 interview with GQ, he was asked what he would tell a son who admitted to having an attraction to men. He essentially said his son should remain celibate.

“I would try to point out to them what is the right thing to do. And we have many temptations to do things we shouldn’t do,” he told the magazine. “It doesn’t mean you have to submit.”

Mr. Santorum added that all parents should help steer their children in a direction “that would lead them to a better and happier life.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Archbishop to Priests: Support Marriage or Be Quiet

St. Paul-Minneapolis Archbishop John C. Nienstedt, in an ultimatum to his underlings, said that if they can't speak out in favor of the Minnesota one-man-one-woman marriage referendum on the 2012 ballot, then they must remain silent.

For background, read Minnesota Marriage Amendment Approaches Voters and also read Minnesota Homosexualists Hate Pro-marriage Christians

-- From "Archbishop Nienstedt to priests: Support marriage amendment or be quiet if you disagree" by Joe Kimball, MinnPost.com 1/6/12

Any priests with "personal reservations" about the [pro-marriage] effort should not share them publicly, the archbishop says in a letter to priests and deacons . . .

In the letter, Nienstedt says it is no exaggeration to say that "the movement to protect and defend the definition of marriage as a union between one man and one woman we are faced with one of the greatest challenges of our times."

He says he expects "all the priests and deacons in this Archdiocese" to "support this venture and cooperate with us in the important efforts that lie ahead," noting that when ordained, each "made a promise to promote and defend all that the Church teaches."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Minnesota Archbishop Tells Priests Not to Oppose Church Teachings on Marriage" by Ben Johnson, LifeSiteNews.com 1/6/12

[Nienstedt] believes efforts to redefine marriage now threaten to overwhelm the culture and confuse a generation of children. “Today we can say with clarity what the natural reality of marriage is,” he said.“That may not be possible in years to come if we fail to be successful now.”

Although the Church’s ultimate goal is promoting the spiritual life, Abp. Nienstedt views the defense of marriage as part of the New Evangelization. He has appointed teams consisting of one priest and a married couple to explain the Church’s full beliefs on the sacrament of marriage in Catholic schools.

“I want the focus here to be a positive one - let’s celebrate the reality of what God designed from the beginning as affirmed in the first chapter of Genesis and that Jesus reaffirmed in the 19th chapter of St. Matthew’s Gospel,” Archbishop Nienstedt said.

Catholics seeking to change the Faith’s constant teaching on sexual morality were outraged by his actions. “When I first read this letter I couldn’t believe that the Archbishop was telling priests and deacons to be silent if they were opposed to the marriage amendment,” said Paula Ruddy , an editor at The Progressive Catholic.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Excerpts from the Archbishop's letter:

Dear Fathers and Deacons,

. . . The end game of those who oppose the marriage amendment that we support is not just to secure certain benefits for a particular minority, but, I believe, to eliminate the need for marriage altogether. This can only lead to continued destabilizing the family unit itself. Both those realities will happen if marriage is redefined or, perhaps better put, “undefined.”

We did not choose this challenge nor do any of us relish the confrontation it will bring, but neither can we remain silent in order to get along. We must witness to the truth so as to realize the common good of our society.

May God bless us all.

With every good wish, I remain
Fraternally yours in Christ,

The Most Reverend John C. Nienstedt
Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis

Homosexual-focused Health Care: Obama Admin. Goal

President Obama's Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says her HHS agency will regulate health care in a manner to shift more medical resources toward citizens engaged in sexually deviant lifestyles.

Why doesn't the government tell America that Studies Show that Anal Sex is the Main Cause of the HIV Pandemic

For background, read Majority of New HIV Cases from Homosexual Behavior and also read White House Gay Agenda Advances by Fiat Promised as well as American Homosexual Population is Tiny: Study

-- From "HHS Plans ‘Cultural Competency’ Training for Health Professionals Dealing with Homosexuals, Transgenders" by Penny Starr, CNSNews.com 1/5/12

On the HHS Web site, Sebelius also summarized actions taken thus far on behalf of the LGBT community, such as forming an internal LGBT Coordinating Committee, the inclusion of LGBT people in implementing the Affordable Care Act and ongoing anti-bullying efforts.

The plan includes increasing data on LGBT individuals, including “collaboration with other agencies throughout HHS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)” in “an effort to develop and test questions on sexual orientation and gender identity.”

Protection under federal law is another item in the plan, which states that HHS will “advise” states and tribes that “LGBT couples” can be treated similarly to “non-LGBT couples” for health services and other benefits such as child care and “Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Are Our Future Doctors Receiving Enough Training to Care for LGBT People?" by Andrew Silapaswan, Gay Men’s Health Crisis, Huffington Post 1/4/12

One of the most comprehensive studies examining the incorporation of LGBT content in medical education was recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

. . . Thirty-two [medical school] deans responded that their school's coverage of LGBT health care was "good" or "very good," while 58 reported that it was "fair," and 34 indicated that it was "poor" or "very poor."

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have released their own respective reports on strategies to improve the health and well-being of LGBT communities.

. . . gay men and lesbians report higher rates of smoking. Cardiac and cancer risk factors are also more prevalent among lesbians compared with heterosexual women. A large-scale study published in 2000 found that breast cancer rates and several associated risk factors are higher among lesbians and bisexual women.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read 'Queer Studies' Degree: Normalizing Sexual Deviancy

Santorum - (Catholic) Christian Tea Party Candidate

Presidential candidate Rick Santorum, a devout Roman Catholic and homeschooler, emerged from the Iowa caucuses as the (overtly) Christian alternative to Mitt Romney.

For background, read Santorum Explains Gay Agenda Effect on Children and also read Presidential Candidates Push Personhood, End of Abortion as well as Christian Liberty at Risk with a President Romney?

-- From "Santorum Thanks God for Strong Iowa Showing, Moves Forward" by Sophie Quinton, National Journal 1/4/12

[Rick Santorum gave] thanks to three sources of support: his wife, God, and Iowa voters. “You have taken the first step of taking back this country," Santorum told his supporters at his Des Moines, Iowa headquarters.

In a long and personal speech, Santorum outlined his vision of limited government, informed by Christian belief and a focus on the family.

The choice, Santorum said, is “whether we will be a country that believes that government can do things for us better than we can do for ourselves, or whether we believe, as our founders did, that rights come to us from God, and when he gave us those rights, he gave us the freedom to go out and live those rights out to build a great and just society, not from the top down but from the bottom up.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.



From "Santorum on Iowa Caucus Success: ‘I Offer a Public Thanks to God’" by Elizabeth Harrington, CNSNews.com 1/4/12

“Every morning when I was getting up in the morning to take on that challenge, I’ve required a strength from another particular friendship. One that is sacred. I’ve survived the challenges so far by the daily grace that comes from God,” Santorum said.

Santorum also said Middle America voters have been “left behind by a Democratic Party that wants to make them dependent.”

“Those are the same people that President Obama talked about who cling to guns and their Bible,” he said.

“Thank God they do.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Santorum Won Among Iowa Tea Partiers, Romney Among Tea Party Opponents, Says Entrance Poll" by Terence P. Jeffrey, CNSNews.com 1/4/12

Sixty-four percent of caucus-goers described themselves as Tea Party supporters, 10 percent described themselves as opponents of the Tea Party, and 24 percent said they were neutral about the Tea Party.

Among Tea Party supporters, Santorum won 29 percent and Romney and Rep. Ron Paul tied for second with 19 percent each. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich won 15 percent of Tea Party supporters, Texas Gov. Rick Perry won 11 percent, and Rep. Michele Bachmann won 6 percent.

Among caucus-goers who said they oppose the Tea Party movement, Romney won 43 percent, Paul won 21 percent, Santorum won 13 percent, Gingrich won 9 percent, Perry won 8 percent, and Bachmann and Huntsman each won 3 percent, according to the poll.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Santorum: ‘The State of Our Culture Under this Administration Continues to Decline with the Values that are Unlike the Values that Built this Country’" posted at CNSNews.com 1/4/12

It remains to be seen how the message will play in New England, but in Iowa, Santorum had expressed clear and consistent opposition to same-sex marriage and support for state and national constitutional amendments defining marriage to be the union of one man and one woman.

At a Thanksgiving-time candidate event sponsored by the Iowa Family Forum, Santorum told an audience of mostly religious conservatives that the imposition of same-sex marriage upon the U.S. could lead to the fall of the nation.

“We have to fight the battles in the states -- we cannot defer. We can't say, ‘The 10th Amendment, they can do what they want.’ This is too important for that. There's a basic and central value. The family is the bedrock of our society. Unless we protect it with the institution of marriage, our country will fall,” Santorum said.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Santorum wants tax code to reward traditional marriage and families" by Suzy Khimm, Washington Post 1/3/12

“Tax policy as social policy” is the most distinguishing characteristic of Santorum’s tax reform platform. The Pennsylvania Republican wants to reduce taxes by tripling the child tax credit, which currently stands at $1,000 per child. Santorum also wants to reduce federal taxes that penalize married couples. . . .

As James Pethokoukis points out, such policies are in line with a pro-natalist policy that some policy analysts have pushed for, both for social and economic reasons, citing Robert Stein’s commentary in National Affairs. “Too many free-market economists still consider families an afterthought — ­arguing that the tax code should be ‘neutral’ about raising children, as if parenting were merely one hobby among many. But raising children is hardly just another pastime: It is one of the most important services any American can perform for our country,” Stein writes, arguing that higher fertility rates would also bolster the financial future of Social Security and Medicare.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Kids Choose Porn as Better Teacher than School

Child sexualization "experts" lament that there's not enough explicit sexual technique instruction in public schools, suggesting that children are justified to turn to pornography for "adequate sex education."

"Growing up, watching porn – that's sort of where you get your grasp of what's normal and what's not."
-- Child in study

UPDATE 3/17/15: Pornography Belongs in Classroom, More Experts Say

UPDATE 7/22/13: 'Pornography' substituting sex education in Australia

-- From "Pornography is replacing sex education" by Donna Bowater, UK Telegraph 12/16/11

Australian researchers Maree Crabbe and David Corlett said children were turning to adult films because schools were not handling the positive aspects of sex.

The researchers presented their findings at a conference at London University's Institute of Education.

Mary Clegg, chair of the British Association of Sexual Educators, agreed there was a shortfall in sex education at schools.

"But young people are hungry for more explicit information. They're curious and they're hormone-driven."

"Government needs to respond to spiralling under-age sex, not with pointless schemes to teach abstinence, but with better PSHE [Personal, Social and Health Education] teaching in schools for both girls and boys.” [said Diane Abbott, Labour’s Shadow Health Minister.]

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Kids turning to porn for sex education: study" by Dave McGinn, Globe and Mail Blog 12/16/11

In a recent New York Times Magazine story on sex education, the vice-president of education for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America said, “There is abstinence-only sex education, and there’s abstinence-based sex ed. There’s almost nothing else left in public schools.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Boston Teen Girls Mimic Porn Group Sex: Study

Prayer Back in WI School - Muslim Prayer, That is

The 20th Century saw courts removing the Bible and prayer from public school, but the 21st Century is seeing public schools embracing Muslim prayer in the building during the school day.

For background, read Christian Students Suspended for Appearance of Silent Prayer in Hallway

-- From "Green Bay, Wis.: School district gives prayer its own place for pupils of all faiths" by Patti Zarling, Green Bay Press-Gazette 01/01/12

A few residents have approached the Green Bay school district with concerns about the [Muslim] prayer time, worrying it takes away from learning and uses school resources to accommodate religion.

"The issue of students praying in school has come up a number of times this year, in part because we have an increasing number of students who practice the Islam faith, many of whom are Somali students," said Barbara Dorff, student services director. "It is our responsibility to find a private place for these students to pray and to allow them to pray."

About 170 of the district's more than 20,000 students this school year are Somali . . .

"They miss a minute or two of instruction; the loss is minimal," principal Mark Flaten said. "They don't miss any classes, and we have rooms that aren't utilized at that time.

To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.

$Billion$ - Nation's Top Abortion Mill $$

Planned Parenthood reports its annual budget now exceeds a billion dollars, with 46% of its operating funds coming from taxpayers. This "non-profit" organization finished its year with $18.5 million dollars in profit.

"In 2010, abortion procedures made up 91% (329,445) of Planned Parenthood’s services for pregnant women, while prenatal services and adoption referrals account for only 8.6% (31,098) and 0.2% (841), respectively."
-- The Susan B. Anthony List

UPDATE 1/8/13: $542 Million of Taxes to Planned Parenthood, Where a Baby is Killed Every 94 Seconds

UPDATE 1/1/15: Planned Parenthood Reports: Abortions & Profits Up

For background, read Planned Parenthood Defunded by More States and also read Obama Stiffs Texas for Defunding Planned Parenthood as well as Investigation of Planned Parenthood by Congress

-- From "Planned Parenthood tops $1 billion in assets" by Julian Pecquet, The Hill 12/30/11

Almost half of the group’s annual revenue — 46 percent — comes from taxpayers in the form of grants, contracts and Medicaid payments, according to an analysis by the anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List.

Planned Parenthood said it does not receive any federal funding for abortions — only for contraception, prevention and other medical services for low-income women.

“With over a billion in net assets and a business model centered on abortion and government subsidies,” SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser said in a statement, “it is time for Planned Parenthood to end its reliance on taxpayer dollars.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Planned Parenthood Releases Latest Annual Report" by Jeanne Monahan, Family Research Council 12/30/11

On December 27, 2011 Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) released it latest Annual Report for 2009-2010.

- PPFA performed a total of 329,445 abortions during this time period.

- PPFA provided 841 adoption referrals during this same time (therefore for every adoption referral there were 391 abortions performed).

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Planned Parenthood - Abortions make up 91% of services; receives over $487 million in federal funding" by Kerry Picket, Washington Times 12/30/11

"Planned Parenthood reports to have served 'three million people' and performed 329,445 abortions, meaning that 11% of PPFA clients received an abortion."

SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser commented on the PPFA report saying:

"Despite an unprecedented effort by statewide and federal leaders to defund them, a wave of former employees willing to testify against them, and uniform agreement amongst Republican presidential candidates that they should be defunded, Planned Parenthood continues full-steam ahead."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Years of Patient Pro-Life Education Pay Off in 2011" by Randall K. O’Bannon, Ph.D., National Right to Life Director of Education & Research 12/30/11

[Planned Parenthood] is now responsible for more than a quarter of ALL the abortions performed every year in the U.S.

. . . Abortion not only accounts directly for a third or more of PPFA’s total clinic revenues, but it is connected also to many ancillary services sold to pregnant women with the abortion or to women coming to the clinic for abortion that receive other services after they find out they are not pregnant.

. . . while Planned Parenthood tried to argue that none of the (federal) money went towards abortions, National Right to Life pointed out how those funds helped to keep those facilities open and those clinicians employed, freeing up other funds for the promotion and performance of abortion.

Whether abortion is 3% or 33% or an even higher percentage of Planned Parenthood’s business, people are finally beginning to ask why, especially in a time of budget austerity, any taxpayer dollars should be funding an organization for whom systematically killing innocent human beings is a part of their basic business model.

To read the entire opinion column above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Presidential Candidates Push Personhood, End of Abortion