Pope in 17,000 Condoms at Museum in Wisconsin

The Milwaukee Art Museum is proudly displaying a portrait of Pope Benedict XVI made from thousands of colored condoms, and although Catholics are complaining that the so-called artwork is disgusting, insulting, blasphemous, etc., no one plans violence against the museum or anyone involved.  In fact, museum memberships have dramatically increased!

“Our hope is that the piece will bring not only controversy, but room for conversation—about the underlying discussion the artist intended as well as regarding the role of art in public discussion.”
-- Dan Keegan, museum director

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

Jesus Desecrated at Colorado Art Exhibit, NO Violence Breaks Out

Taxpayers Fund Obscene Homosexual Christmas at Smithsonian

New York Times Runs Anti-Catholic Ad, Refuses Anti-Islam Ad

Muslims Killing Christians, is NOT News, but Museum Destruction IS News

Holocaust Museum Shooter is Left-Wing Terrorist

President Obama Ignores Christian Genocide, Favors Gay Agenda

Also read how the Gay Agenda is prominently displayed and honored.



-- From "Portrait of Pope Benedict XVI Made of Condoms Sparks Controversy in Milwaukee" by Sarah Begley, Time Magazine 6/29/15

“Eggs Benedict,” created by Niki Johnson, was purchased by a local gay rights advocate for $25,000 and donated to the museum, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports. Johnson says she was inspired by the former pope’s 2009 remarks that condoms would only worsen the problem of AIDS in Africa.

While some like-minded fans of the work have called the museum in support, it has also drawn powerful critics. Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki has condemned the portrait, and his chief of staff called it “either an intentional attack on a faith tradition and its teachings or a publicity stunt for the artist.” Several longtime friends of the museum have canceled their memberships in protest, and one docent resigned.

“Eggs Benedict” is scheduled to go on display this November after renovations are completed on the museum’s collections galleries; the institution is considering presenting an interfaith panel on debate around the work.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Controversial Condom Portrait of Pope Benedict XVI Displayed by Milwaukee Art Museum, Catholics Call It 'Attack on Faith'" by Stoyan Zaimov, Christian Post Reporter 6/30/15

The museum reportedly noted that it has received over 200 complaints about the portrait, and said that a handful of patrons have dropped their membership as a result of the controversy. It insisted, however, that the point of the art piece is to get people to think about Benedict's opposition to condoms as a method of birth control, which is a position upheld by the Vatican.

"This was never intended to be derisive, mocking or disrespectful of the pope," said museum board of trustees president Don Layden. "It was to have a conversation about AIDS and AIDS education. And my hope is when the piece appears in the museum that will be the focus of the discussion."

"Why did I buy it? I did not buy it because I thought it was beautiful," [local philanthropist and homosexualist Joseph] Pabst explained. "I bought it because I thought it was provocative and I thought it was important. ... This piece has work to do. It has to make people think and have discussions."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Milwaukee Art Museum's embrace of condom portrait of pope draws disgust" by Annysa Johnson, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel 6/30/15

When it was first unveiled at the Portrait Society Gallery in Milwaukee in 2013, the piece drew international attention — and condemnation from many quarters. Titled "Eggs Benedict," it was inspired by comments made by the pope during a 2009 visit to Africa in which he suggested that the use of condoms could exacerbate the spread of AIDS.

Controversy around the portrait subsided until news of the acquisition and planned prominent display became public June 16.

Jerry Topczewski, chief of staff for [Archbishop] Listecki, called [museum director Layden's] explanation "a smoke screen."

"What's at play here is either an intentional attack on a faith tradition and its teachings or a publicity stunt for the artist," he said. "And we would be opposed to any faith tradition or religious leader being attacked in such a way."

"It seems like in the world of art, the last bastion of acceptable prejudice is Catholic Christians," said Kathleen Arenz of River Hills, a longtime docent who expressed her disappointment to the museum.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Portrait of Pope Benedict XVI made of condoms sparks debate" by Wyatt Massey, Special to CNN 6/30/15

Critics have questioned whether the museum would display a similar piece that Muslims or Jews would find offensive.

A spokeswoman said the Milwaukee museum has sold a record a number of memberships in recent days.

[Artist] Johnson said her decision to illustrate Pope Benedict with condoms was designed to normalize conversations about safe sex. She also said the resulting attention has helped her further her advocacy in this field.

Johnson recently returned from Memphis, Tennessee, where she curated Preservatif, an exhibition of condom-based artwork by 20 artists from around the country. It opened Saturday, on National HIV Testing Day.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Click headlines below to read previous articles:

New Mexico Museum Seeks Atheists, Slams Christians

Massachusetts School Blesses Gay Agenda God, Lesbian Mary

Atheists Sue to Remove Christ from 9/11 Memorial

Religious Liberty in Homosexualists' Crosshairs

Having destroyed marriage and family in America, the sexual revolutionaries and their cohorts are planning their next advance on their ultimate target: Christianity.  In response, Christians are circling the wagons around the First Freedom of the Constitution, but recent cowering by so-called conservative government leaders does not bode well for freedom of religion in America.

For background, read The Gay 'Untied' States of America

UPDATE 9/29/15 - President Obama Speech: Gay Agenda Trumps Christianity

UPDATE 8/2/15: Christian Prayer Outrages California City Council

UPDATE 7/25/15: Kentucky Forbids Pastors Calling Homosexuality 'Sinful'

UPDATE 7/4/15: ACLU Sues Christians for Refusing 'Gay Marriage'

UPDATE 7/23/15: County Clerk Sues for 'Christian Rights,' Refuses 'Gay Marriage'

Click headlines below to read previous articles:

Homosexualists say the Gay Agenda will be Complete when Christians are Muzzled

Senator Ted Cruz Says the Gay Agenda Ends Christian Liberty

Indiana Religious Liberty Law Fights Gay Agenda, then GOP Leaders Surrender within Hours

Pastors Face Fines, Jail for Refusing 'Gay Wedding'

Homosexuals Force Closure of Iowa Christian Wedding Chapel

Pastor Arrested in California for Reading Bible in Public

Canadian Pastor Found Guilty of Hate Crime for Resisting Gay Agenda

Michigan Christian Business Trashed by Homosexualists

American Decline: Pres. Obama's Gay Agenda vs Christians

-- From "After gay marriage loss in high court, conservatives issue call to arms for religious freedom" by Rachel Zoll And Steve Peoples, Associated Press 6/29/15

The religious liberty fight isn't about what happens inside the sanctuary. First Amendment protections for worship and clergy are clear. Potential conflicts could arise, however, over religious organizations with some business in the public arena. That category ranges from small religious associations that rent reception halls to the public, to the nation's massive network of faith-based social service agencies that receive millions of dollars in government grants. Some groups, such as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, also want protections for individual business owners who consider it immoral to provide benefits for the same-sex spouse of an employee or cater gay weddings.

Conservative religious groups have for years been on watch for potential clashes over religious liberty and gay rights, and have been lobbying for religious exemptions in statehouses and Congress. . . .

Earlier this month, more than 70 Catholic and evangelical educators sent a letter to House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell urging them to take action to protect conservative religious schools in case of government action to revoke the schools' nonprofit status.

And last week in Congress, Sen. Mike Lee of Utah and Rep. Raul Labrador of Idaho, both Republicans, introduced the First Amendment Defense Act, which would prohibit the federal government from taking action against an institution that opposes same-sex marriage by revoking a tax-exemption or barring them from receiving grants or contracts.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "ACLU disavows support for federal ‘religious liberty’ law" posted at Atlanta Journal Constitution 6/29/15

In all of the hoopla over Friday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision on gay marriage, you might have missed the Washington Post op-ed by an ACLU official, saying her legal defense organization could no longer support the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

Louise Melling, the ACLU’s deputy legal director, cited last year’s Hobby Lobby decision by the Supremes, and the prospect that religious organizations will use RFRA to discriminate against gay married couples. . . .

In other words, the federal fight over the fallout from Friday’s high court ruling will exactly parallel the one that Georgia has experienced the last two years. Another round next year is inevitable. . . .

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "ACLU: Why we can no longer support the federal ‘religious freedom’ law" by Louise Melling, American Civil Liberties Union, Washington Post 6/25/15

The ACLU supported the RFRA’s passage at the time [1993] because it didn’t believe the Constitution, as newly interpreted by the Supreme Court, would protect people . . . whose religious expression does not harm anyone else. But we can no longer support the law in its current form. For more than 15 years, we have been concerned about how the RFRA could be used to discriminate against others. As the events of the past couple of years amply illustrate, our fears were well-founded. [The RFRA] is now often used as a sword to discriminate against women, gay and transgender people and others. Efforts of this nature will likely only increase should the Supreme Court rule — as is expected — that same-sex couples have the freedom to marry.

In the Hobby Lobby case last year, a Supreme Court majority blessed the use of the RFRA by businesses to deny employees insurance coverage for contraception, a benefit guaranteed by law, if those businesses object on religious grounds and there is some other means of furthering the government’s interests. . . .

In the states, legislators, governors and businesses are citing state religious freedom restoration acts to justify all manner of discrimination against gay men and lesbians, including at commercial establishments. At the federal level, the Justice Department — under both the Bush and Obama administrations — has said that the government would violate the RFRA if it were to require that organizations not discriminate in hiring on religious grounds in order to receive government funding.

Yes, religious freedom needs protection. But religious liberty doesn’t mean the right to discriminate or to impose one’s views on others. . . .

To read the entire opinion column above, CLICK HERE.

From "Marriage Won, Gay Rights Battle Moves to Religious Liberty Laws" by Andrew M Harris, Bloomberg Business 6/26/15

While such unions were already legal in most of the U.S. before Friday’s ruling, 28 states don’t have laws prohibiting discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Individuals in those states who lose their jobs or are refused an apartment because of sexual orientation don’t have the same rights as people elsewhere, a fact largely unchanged by the landmark decision.

While the ruling removes some obstacles to equal rights, including tax, health-benefit and even hospital visitation issues, other inequities may remain. . . .

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, a Democrat, said Friday that his state legislature “should stand-up and pass non-discrimination for LGBTQ Pennsylvanians, so that they can no longer fear being discriminated in employment or housing for being who they are.”

U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, an Oregon Democrat, has said he plans to introduce legislation next month to protect lesbians, gays, bisexuals and the transgender people nationwide.

Merkley said the law is needed to replace a patchwork of state laws and guarantee the rights of the LGBT community in the workplace, education, federal programs and housing.

Requiring businesses to serve everyone isn’t an infringement on religious freedom, gay rights advocates contend.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Gay marriage faces southern rebellion as couples hit state bureaucracy's wall" by Alan Yuhas in New York and Tom Dart in New Orleans for The UK Guardian 6/27/15

Almost immediately after the supreme court on Friday made same-sex marriage a right throughout the United States, conservative leaders around the south indicated they would resist the ruling with delay, bureaucratic niggling and circumvention of the verdict on religious grounds.

Texas governor Greg Abbott quickly gave state officials his tacit approval to deny same-sex couples marriage licenses should the officials object on religious grounds. On Friday, Abbott sent agencies a memo, railing against “religious coercion” and citing the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act, that directed them to take no action against any official “on account of the person’s act or refusal to act that is substantially motivated by sincere religious belief”.

Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal – a declared candidate for president in 2016 – made similar remarks, saying in a statement: “This decision will pave the way for an all out assault against the religious freedom rights of Christians who disagree.”

His state’s attorney general, James “Buddy” Caldwell, attempted to stall the ruling, saying his office “found nothing in today’s decision that makes the court’s order effective immediately”.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Republicans pivot from gay marriage to religious liberty fight" by Eric Bradner, CNN 6/28/15

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee channeled Martin Luther King, Jr. calling for non-violent resistance to the court's ruling.

"May I ask, are we going to now discriminate against people of conscience, people of faith, who disagree with this ruling?" he said on ABC's "This Week." "I'm not sure that every governor and every attorney general should just say, 'Well, it's the law of the land' because there's no enabling legislation."

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz went even further in the wake of the ruling, telling an Iowa crowd that "the last 24 hours at the United States Supreme Court were among the darkest hours of our nation."

And Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal predicted the fight over religious liberty would persist through the 2016 election.

"Here's where the next fight's going: I think the left is now going to go after our First Amendment rights," Jindal said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

"I think it is wrong for the federal government to force Christian individuals, businesses, pastors, churches to participate in wedding ceremonies that violate our sincerely held religious beliefs," he said. "We have to stand up and fight for religious liberty. That's where this fight is going. The left wants to silence us, Hillary Clinton wants to silence us, we're not going away."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Texas will give legal help to officials who refuse same-sex couples on religious beliefs" by Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Los Angeles Times 6/29/15

Republican Texas Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton issued a statement and a nonbinding legal opinion on Sunday saying religious freedoms guaranteed by the 1st Amendment “may allow accommodation of their religious objections to issuing same-sex marriage licenses.”

Clerks who refuse to license same-sex couples “may well face litigation and/or a fine,” Paxton wrote. “But numerous lawyers stand ready to assist clerks defending their religious beliefs, in many cases on a pro-bono basis, and I will do everything I can from this office to be a public voice for those standing in defense of their rights.”

“In recognizing a new constitutional right in 2015, the Supreme Court did not diminish, overrule, or call into question the rights of religious liberty that formed the first freedom in the Bill of Rights in 1791. This newly minted federal constitutional right to same-sex marriage can and should peaceably coexist with longstanding constitutional and statutory rights, including the rights to free exercise of religion and freedom of speech,” [Paxton] wrote.

Paxton's opinion was echoed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who issued a directive Friday to state agency heads to protect the religious liberties of all Texans.

"In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision, the law’s promise of religious liberty will be tested by some who seek to silence and marginalize those whose conscience will not allow them to participate in or endorse marriages that are incompatible with their religious beliefs," Abbott noted. "As government officials, we have a constitutional duty to preserve, protect and defend the religious liberty of every Texan."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Utah conservatives discuss religious liberty in wake of SCOTUS ruling on same-sex marriage" by FOX 13 News and Matt McDonald, KSTU-TV13 (Salt Lake City, UT) 6/28/15

While some celebrate the Supreme Court’s ruling on same-sex marriage, others are gearing up for a new legal battleground, saying they want to protect religious liberties in the wake of the ruling.

Utah Rep. LaVar Christensen, R-District 32, introduced a bill titled the Religious Liberty Act last legislative session, and it sought to put into writing specific protections for people claiming their actions that may be construed as anti-LGBT were taken in accordance with their faith.

Some argued the bill was flawed, doing more harm than good, and it failed to pass.

“Our friend LaVar Christensen possibly will have another [Religious Freedom Restoration Act] bill like he did last year, but a majority of the Republican controlled senate said, ‘No, we want to actually collaborate with the LGBT community.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

The Gay 'Untied' States of America

For background, read ObamaNation: Building Alters of Worship to Sexual Deviancy

UPDATE 6/27/16: President Obama's National Monument to the 'Goodness' of Deviant Sex

And also read about President Obama's most recent, as well as his annual declarations of June as the month when America celebrates homosexuality and all forms of hedonism.

-- From "Second LGBT Property Designated As a National Historic Landmark" by Susan Jones, CNSNews.com 6/22/15

In recognition of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LBGT) Pride Month, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell announced on Friday that the Henry Gerber House in Chicago has been designated a National Historic Landmark, becoming the nation’s second LGBT-related property to achieve such recognition.

Gerber formed the Society for Human Rights, a group that advocated for homosexual men, in his Chicago home in 1924.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said his city is "deeply honored" by what he called a fitting tribute to a civil rights pioneeer: "This designation will help to teach generations of children about his important contributions to our city and our country,” Emanuel said in a statement.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Henry Gerber House named as National Historic Landmark" by Dawn Rhodes, Chicago Tribune 6/19/15

The Henry Gerber House in the Old Town Triangle neighborhood on Friday became only the second LGBT-related property in the country to receive the recognition. The iconic Stonewall Inn in New York City is the other building listed primarily for its impact in LGBT history, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior.

The tribute comes in the midst of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month, celebrated every year in June.

Carrie Barnett, board president of the Gerber/Hart Library and Archives, said the spotlight on Gerber and his home helps to fill in the historical narrative of the gay rights movement. The library in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood is named for Gerber and Pearl M. Hart, an attorney who also fought for the rights of gays and lesbians.

Gerber, originally from Germany, came to the United States in 1913. He became interested in gay rights while stationed in Germany with the U.S. Army in the 1920s and learned about the gay liberation movement in his native country, according to the Gerber/Hart Library and Archives.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Henry Gerber: The gay rights pioneer you probably never heard of" by Tammye Nash, My Gay Houston 2/17/15

Early in 1917, Gerber was committed for a short time to a mental institution because he was gay. But after the U.S. declared war on Germany on April 2, 1917 and entered World War I, Gerber — like other German immigrants — was given the choice of being declared an enemy alien and locked up (you know, like what happened to a lot of Japanese-Americans in World Word II), or enlisting in the Army. Surprise, surprise, Gerber chose to enlist in the Army.

When he got out of the Army, Gerber returned to Chicago and went to work for the U.S. Post Office there. But he didn’t forget what he had seen and learned in Germany, and in 1924 Gerber founded the Society for Human Rights, the oldest documented LGBT organization in the country.

Gerber filed for and received nonprofit status for his new organization, and African-American clergyman John T. Graves signed on as president. Graves, Gerber and five other men were named as members of the organization’s board. The state of Illinois granted the Society for Human Rights its charter on Dec. 10, 1924. Gerber also started “Friendship and Freedom,” the SHR’s newsletter, which is the first known gay-interest publication. It only lasted for two issues, as most SHR members were afraid to have it mailed to their homes.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Library of Congress Promotes Gay Erotica Literature at Pride Month Event" by Penny Starr, CNSNews.com 6/23/15

The federally funded Library of Congress held an event to mark Gay Pride Month on Thursday to showcase the publication of literature focused on the homosexual lifestyle, including a gay man’s photography of nude male subjects and poetry by gays and lesbians about their homosexuality.

According the Congressional Budget Office, the Library of Congress’ mission is “to support the Congress in fulfilling its constitutional duties and to further the progress of knowledge and creativity for the benefit of the American people.”

A one-hour lecture was presented by Stathis Orphanos, a homosexual photographer whose “work celebrates the male body,” including nude photos of men and photo essays of military men in various states of dress, according to Orphanos and to a description of his work on a website that includes biographical information about gay and lesbian celebrity figures.

Three other publishers of homosexual literature were featured in a panel discussion, including Bryan Borland, who explained how he started his publishing house, which produces “Assaracus: A Journal of Gay Poetry.”

Borland explained that he started his journal after a homosexual mentor published some of his poetry in a journal called Ganymede, named for a mythical Greek figure. When John Stahle died, Borland said he wanted to continue his work but under a different title.

“My research showed me that in Greek mythology Ganymede had a bother Assaracus – his earthbound brother,” Borland said. “While Ganymede was swept up by Zeus’s eagle to serve at Zeus’ feet, there was Assaracus, and I thought what a perfect name for a journal of gay poetry.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read about homosexuality in ancient Greece and Rome.

And click headlines below to read the signs the American church passed (and ignored) along the way to the nation's destruction (thus far):

Confirmed: Obama = Liar in Chief RE: 'Gay Marriage'

American Decline: Pres. Obama's Gay Agenda vs Christians

President Obama Ignores Hate Crimes Against Christians

Obama Top Homosexual Arrested for Anal Sex with Boy

Obama Administration Forces Gay Agenda on Schools via Taxpayer$$

October Declared Homosexual Indoctrination Month in American Schools

High School Boy Sexually Mutilated, Media Cheer

Indiana Religious Liberty Law Fights Gay Agenda, then GOP Leaders Surrender within Hours

Pastors Face Fines, Jail for Refusing 'Gay Wedding'

Homosexuals Force Closure of Iowa Christian Wedding Chapel

Pastor Arrested in California for Reading Bible in Public

Canadian Pastor Found Guilty of Hate Crime for Resisting Gay Agenda

Michigan Christian Business Trashed by Homosexualists

Liberal Judges Say Justice Scalia was Right on 'Gay Marriage' over a Decade Ago

Poll Shows Americans NOT For 'Gay Marriage' or Anal Sex

'Gay Marriage' Not Favored in Polls, Only in Court

Vatican Says Gay Agenda is 'a Defeat for Humanity'

Pope Said the Gay Agenda is the Work of the Devil

Homosexualists say the Gay Agenda will be Complete when Christians are Muzzled

Senator Ted Cruz Says the Gay Agenda Ends Christian Liberty

Wisc. Prof. Threatens Student for her Christianity

Lawyers representing Rachel Langeberg are demanding an apology from sociology Professor Annette Kuhlman of the University of Wisconsin-Baraboo/Sauk County for threatening to fail Langeberg if she referenced Bible verses in a group presentation regarding sociological perspectives.

“ . . . we are living in a society that separates church and state; the University of Wisconsin is a secular institution.  Religious contemplations and the bible [sic] belong to a different realm and not academic sources.  So your argumentation along Christian lines . . . are inappropriate for this presentation.  I will not allow you to present unless you change this.  You will also fail your presentation if your [sic] discuss religion in connection with it.”
-- Professor Annette Kuhlman wrote to student Rachel Langeberg

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

Florida Student Failed for Being Christian, Lawyer Says

Nevada Teacher Bans Student's Christianity, Lawyer Says

California School Bans Books by Christian Authors

'God Bless America' Banned from Florida School

Student Suspended for Jesus Talk Sues Washington School

Teacher Bans Free Time Bible Reading in Missouri

Florida University Professor Says Priests are Full of Crap

California Boots College Christian Clubs Across the State

Atheists Force Bible Bans at Colleges Across America

-- From "Student allegedly threatened with failing grade for including Biblical references in group presentation" by Gabriella Morrongiello, Reporter, Campus Reform 6/25/15

In a recent letter to administrators at the University of Wisconsin-Baraboo/Sauk County, the Liberty Counsel—a nonprofit, conservative litigation group—accused sociology Professor Annette Kuhlman of expressing “unconstitutional hostility toward religious belief” in her spring semester Crime and Criminal Justice course.

According to the Liberty Counsel, a draft of the group presentation sent to Professor Kuhlman included a section in which Langeberg used the Judeo-Christian theory of human nature—which asserts that humans are sinful both in practice and by nature—as one explanation for why individuals commit arson.

Langeberg subsequently chose to omit the religious references from her presentation to avoid failing the assignment and putting her group members’ grades at risk. . . .

According to the Counsel, Langeberg’s attempt to meet with school’s dean, Dr. Tracy White, and Kuhlman were unsuccessful, which led her to seek legal representation.

UW-Baraboo/Sauk County did not respond to Campus Reform’s request for comment.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Unconstitutional censorship of student speech and discrimination on the basis of religion" letter by Liberty Counsel to Dean Tracy White, University of Wisconsin Baraboo - Sauk County 6/23/15

Ms. Langeberg felt that she had no choice but to comply [with Dr. Kuhlman's direction], because the grades of her two classmates also depended on the assignment, and she could not place their grades at risk.  Based on these threats from Professor Kuhlman, Ms. Langeberg changed the assignment, removing the material about competing worldviews and the causes of the crime of arson, which resulted in a presentation that deprived the class of the richness of diverse ideological perspectives. Indeed, a "theist perspective" on the causes of crime - "the heart...is desperately wicked," and that "from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying and slander" - is just as valid a position as various sociological perspectives. Ms. Langeberg's position that "juvenile arsonists commit crime because they are naturally inclined to do wrong" makes more sense than various theories that seek to absolve the arsonist of moral responsibility, whether due to "strain" on the individual, or "environmental factors" being the cause of crime," or that "lack of intelligence" causes crime.  Ms. Langeberg's conclusion accurately contrasts the two perspectives: the "secular humanist says additional research is needed as to why juvenile arson happens" in order to prevent it; while the "theist says juvenile arson happens because people are naturally inclined to violate laws or sin," and therefore, people need to be "taught the moral principles of the Bible to prevent arson."

It was highly inappropriate for Dr. Kuhlman to censor this team's work and perspective on the issue, in its original form, based on incorrect and discriminatory statements about the law and religious belief. The Constitution does not “require complete separation of church and state; it affirmatively mandates accommodation, not merely tolerance, of all religions, and forbids hostility toward any.” . . .

In the academic context of reports or presentations, when a student gives a report within the parameters of the assignment, a school is prohibited from restricting the report, or threatening a failing grade, solely because the content is religious. . . .

Liberty Counsel is deeply concerned by the facts of this situation. Your ratification of Dr. Kuhlman's conduct indicates that institutional discrimination on the basis of religion extends further than one professor. Dr. Kuhlman (and all University professors) must respect the rights of students, and cease from religiously discriminatory treatment of students providing academically responsive presentations, in accordance with course syllabi.

Demand is hereby made 1) that Dr. Kuhlman email a written apology to Ms. Langeberg's team for censoring their presentation based on her perception of and hostility toward religion; and 2) that Dr. Kuhlman email a written apology along with the original PowerPoint, to the rest of the class, stating that she made a mistake in the law, that academically-responsive assignments mentioning religion in a compare/contrast manner are appropriate, and that she hopes that they will review the team's original work to receive that team's original perspective.

If the University does not comply with this demand by Friday, July 3, 2015, Liberty Counsel will take further action to prevent irreparable harm to the rights of our client, who expressly reserves all rights.

Please be governed accordingly.

Sincerely,
Richard L. Mast, Jr., Esq
(Licensed in Virginia)

To read the entire letter above, CLICK HERE.

In addition, read endless examples of "higher education" hostility toward Christianity in curriculum, and regarding employment, and discrimination in student admissions.

Obama's New 'Free' Sexual Mutilation: Gay Agenda

The mainstream media is cooperating with the Obama Administration to hide its latest coup on American taxpayers:  During this national homosexual "pride month" (every June), the Office of Personnel Management issued a directive to insurance companies involved with the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program requiring coverage for transgender transition including surgery of sex organs, breasts, etc.

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

ObamaCare Pays for 'Transgender' Sexual Mutilation — Gay Agenda

Judge Orders Prisoner Sex Change Paid by Citizens

All American Taxpayers Now Fund Elderly Sex Changes

High School Boy Sexually Mutilated, Media Cheer

President Obama's Sexually Confused White House Appointees

President Obama's Eric Holder Creates Law for Transgenders

President Obama's OSHA OKs Perverts in Employees' Restrooms

President Obama Floods Gay Agenda with Taxpayers' Money

Also read ObamaCare Lies: Taxpayers Now Fund Abortions, Says Government Study

-- From "Obama's LGBT test: End transgender military ban" by Sarah Wheaton, Politico 6/24/15

On Tuesday, the administration announced that federal employee health plans can’t exclude coverage for gender transition. That follows up on a decision last year by Medicare to cover therapy, hormones and surgery – in response to an appeal by a 74-year-old transgender Army vet.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Transition-Related Health Costs Now Covered for Trans Federal Employees" by Bil Browning, (LGBT) Advocate 6/23/15

The Obama Administration quietly announced a huge change for transgender government workers: effective January 1, 2016, insurance companies that participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program must include transition-related coverage.

The Office of Personnel Management [OPM] let word slip on Tuesday evening, in a letter to insurers instructing them that they cannot maintain blanket exclusions of the coverage.

OPM alerted insurers a year ago that it had ended its ban on transition-related coverage, but did not require carriers to provide the benefits. A few months later, OPM "strongly encouraged" companies to provide coverage, but only three carriers opted to offer the transition-related benefits.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Covered Benefits for Gender Transition Services" FEHB Program Carrier Letter [to] All FEHB Carriers - U.S. Office of Personnel Management - Healthcare and Insurance Letter No. 20 (6/23/15)

Effective January 1, 2016, no carrier participating in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program may have a general exclusion of services, drugs or supplies related to gender transition or “sex transformations.”

This letter clarifies OPM’s earlier guidance recognizing the evolving professional consensus that treatment may be medically necessary to address a diagnosis of gender dysphoria.

To read the entire OPM directive above, CLICK HERE.

And read Transgenderism is a 'Delusion' According to Victim

Gov't Pays $275,000 for Pro-lifers' False Arrests

The town of Jackson, the state of Wyoming and government insurance will have paid a total of more than a quarter million dollars to settle lawsuits in the U.S. District Court in Cheyenne brought by Rev. Chester E. Gallagher of Las Vegas, Nevada, Rev. Mark Holick of Wichita Kansas, and Operation Save America.  In 2012, Justice Michael Golden wrote the Wyoming Supreme Court ruling saying the arrests by the Jackson police in 2011, based on a lower court order banning pro-life protesting in the town square, violated free speech rights.

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

Idaho University Pays $20,000 to Unmuzzle Pro-lifers

Wyoming Pays $30,000 for Censoring Pro-life Posters

Harassment of Pro-lifers Costs Illinois City $$

Ohio College Pays $9,000 for Censoring Christian Speech

U.S. Supreme Court Rules Unanimously that Christians are Free to Speak near Abortion Clinics

Oregon Abortion Jihadists Attack Pro-lifers' Sign

Abortion Clinic Bombing Targets Pro-lifers Praying

Christians Arrested While Praying at White House

Judges Counter President Obama's Attacks on Pro-lifers

President Obama Touts Abortion; Americans March Against It

-- From "Nevada reverend reaches settlement with Jackson over arrest" by Ben Neary, Associated Press 6/23/15

[The $50,000 settlement for Rev. Gallagher is] "a victory for the rule of law because the Bill of Rights serves as a restraint on government, not the people," [attorney Jack Edwards] said on Tuesday.

The protesters had targeted Jackson — displaying photos of aborted fetuses — because a physician there [Dr. Brent Blue] was the only one in the state who had been open about his willingness to perform abortions as part of his medical practice. The anti-abortion protest was staged the same weekend as a traditional Boy Scout auction of elk antlers.

Jackson town attorney Audrey Cohen-Davis declined through her office to comment Tuesday on the most recent settlement. A receptionist said Cohen-Davis referred questions to a lawyer representing the Wyoming Local Government Liability Pool. That lawyer didn't immediately respond to a phone message seeking comment.

The Rev. Rusty Thomas, director of Operation Save America, said Tuesday in his 30 years of protesting to end abortions, he has seen perhaps 10 situations that could have led to legitimate lawsuits against different cities.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Jackson, state pay to settle abortion protest case" by David Edwards, Casper Star-Tribune staff writer 4/26/14

The [$225,000] settlement was announced Friday by Etna attorney Jack Edwards, who was part of the legal team representing Mark Holick. The lawsuit was prompted by Holick's 2011 arrest on the Jackson town square during an event the protesters called States of Refuge.

Jackson authorities issued a restraining order barring protesters from Spirit One Christian Ministries and Operation Save America from assembling on or near the square without a permit.

Holick's lawsuit named the arresting officer, Jackson Police Chief Todd Smith, and the town itself as defendants.

Holick said the town tried for two months to prosecute him and the other pastor who was arrested. The charges eventually were dropped.

But the town's leaders and police officers never showed willingness to admit that they might have made a mistake, Holick said, adding that it was just the opposite.

"The town fought (to justify) the issuance of the restraining order tooth-and-nail in front of the (state) Supreme Court," he said.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

UPDATE 10/22/15: Pro-lifers Muzzled, Costing Portland, Maine $56,500

Obama Defends Muslims, Gays RE: Church Terrorism

Speaking yesterday at the annual White House Iftar dinner to celebrate the "Muslim holy month of Ramadan," President Obama used the occasion of last week's domestic terror attack on a Christian Bible study/prayer meeting at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina to castigate Christians who recognize that the Gay Agenda and the Islamic Sharia law movement both aim to end religious liberty in America.

". . . around the world and here at home, there are those who seek to divide us by religion or race or sect. . . . [but] Together we can overcome ignorance and prejudice."
-- President Barack Hussein Obama

For background, read President Obama's track record on White House Ramadan celebrations.

Click headlines below to read previous articles:

President Obama Ignores Hate Crimes Against U.S. Christians

Texas Sharia Tribunal Judge Gives Prayer at Rodeo

Islamic 'Call to Prayer' at National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

President Obama a Christian? No, Say Two-Thirds of Americans

Vice President Biden Says 'Gay Rights' Trump Religious Beliefs

Also read about President Obama's most recent, and his annual declarations of June as Gay Agenda month.

-- From "Obama Hosts Annual Ramadan Dinner at White House" by Deb Riechmann, Associated Press 6/22/15

Obama opened the White House to Muslim Americans for a traditional iftar dinner, which follows daily fasting from dawn to sunset. Ramadan ends with the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr.

Obama spoke of three young Muslims who were killed Feb. 10 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and the nine black church members killed last week in Charleston, South Carolina.

"As Americans, we insist that nobody should be targeted because of who they are, what they look like, who they love, [emphasis added] how they worship," he said. "We stand united against these hateful acts."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Homosexualists' Terrorist Attack on Christians

From "Obama hosts Iftar dinner to mark Ramadan — and reach out to Muslims" by Steven Mufson, Washington Post 6/23/15

President Obama hosted an Iftar dinner Monday night to mark the Muslim holiday of Ramadan and to reach out to the roughly 1.5 billion Muslims around the world when much of the Islamic world is struggling with war, terrorism and economic challenges and when the United States remains embroiled in many of those conflicts.

Despite Obama's message of peace, the Middle East remains torn by conflict from the Islamic State fighters in Syria and Iraq to Saudi Arabia's air attacks on factions fighting for control of Yemen to the recent Taliban attack on Afghanistan's parliament building.

The president held up several Muslim Americans as models [including] Samantha Elauf, who went to the Supreme Court to defend the right to wear a hijab without sacrificing job opportunities at Abercrombie & Fitch. And she won, Obama noted

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Click headlines below to read about the Sharia movement in American schools:

Teaching Girls to Wear Muslim Hijab in California School

Colorado School Visits Mosque, Enforces Sharia Law for Girls' Dress

Students Required to Pretend Being Muslim in Wisconsin

From "Obama talks religious freedom, Charleston slayings at Iftar dinner" by Susan Crabtree, Washington Examiner 6/23/15

"The Koran teaches us that God's children tread gently on the earth," [President Obama] said. "…We affirm that whatever our faith, we are one family."

Reps. Andre Carson, D-Ind., and Keith Ellison, D-Minn., the only two Muslim members of Congress, were on hand for the dinner, along with Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.

Several prominent members of the diplomatic corps also attended, including: Lukman Al Faily, Iraqi ambassador to the U.S.; Hunaina Al Mughairy, ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to the U.S.; Yousif Mana Saeed Al Otaiba, the United Arab Emirates ambassador to the U.S.; Sheikh Salem Al-Sabah, the Kuwaiti ambassador to the U.S., and Sami Alsadhan, the deputy chief of mission and charge d'Affaires at the Embassy of Saudi Arabia.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Obama laments 'distorted impression' of Muslims" by Ben Kamisar, The Hill 6/23/15

Obama lamented the "distorted impression" that many Americans have of Muslims.

"Here in America, many people personally don’t know someone who is Muslim. They mostly hear about Muslims in the news -- and that can obviously lead to a very distorted impression," Obama said.

He shared the story of protesters outside of an Arizona mosque who held up "offensive signs against Islam and Muslims. But when the congregants invited the protesters in to pray, some completely changed their minds.

"One demonstrator, who accepted the invitation later, described how the experience changed him; how he finally saw the Muslim American community for what it is -- peaceful and welcoming," Obama said.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Pennsylvania School Staff to Mosque for Islamic Training

From "Statement by the President on the Occasion of Ramadan" posted at The White House, Office of the Press Secretary 6/17/15

As the new crescent moon brings in the holy month of Ramadan, Michelle and I send our warmest greetings to all those observing the month of fasting in the United States and around the world.

It is also a deeply spiritual time of reflection and renewal meant to increase thankfulness and consciousness of God’s mercy. . . .

I once again look forward to welcoming American Muslims to the White House for our annual White House iftar dinner to honor the month of Ramadan and recognize the service of American Muslims from across the country.  From my family to yours, Ramadan Kareem.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read President Obama Compares Christians to Islamic Terrorists

And read President Obama Honors 9/11 Muslim Heroes at White House and also he Praises Islam for Making America What It Is

Illegal Abortion Clinic in Selma—Black Lives Matter

On Saturday, racial diversity led the march across the historic Edmund Pettus Bridge bridge in Selma, Alabama as pro-lifers from across America protested Dr. Samuel Lett who continues to perform unlicensed abortions in Selma.

“If anyone wants to know why we are here today, it’s because black women matter, black lives matter, black babies matter, all lives matter to God.”
-- Dr. Alveda King, niece of Martin Luther King Jr.

“We don’t believe the Alabama Department of Public Health actually did an investigation.”
-- Catherine Davis, National Black Pro-Life Coalition

UPDATE 8/28/15: Museum Favors Racist Eugenicist vs. African Americans

For background, read Black Abortion Key to Reducing Poverty, Says Mayor and also read Minorities (mostly black) Targeted by Planned Parenthood for Abortion: Study

And read More Abortionists Admit Killing Kids After Birth



-- From "Activists claim unlicensed abortion clinic operates in Selma, plan protest" by The Associated Press 6/17/15

Organizers [of The Selma Project] said they have evidence that the [Central Alabama Women's Clinic] performs more than nine abortions monthly, which would require it to come under strict state regulations as an abortion clinic.

Individuals working with abortion opponents repeatedly called the office without identifying themselves and scheduled appointments for abortion procedures, activists said. Audio clips of some phone calls were previously made public by abortion opponents.

While doctor's offices are required to report the number of abortions they perform to the state, those reports are not public.

Dr. Samuel C. Lett, who operates the clinic, did not return a phone message seeking comment.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Activists speak out against women’s clinic" by Daniel Evans, Selma Times-Journal 6/20/15

Brian Hale, who serves as general counsel for the ADPH, responded to an email request for comment Saturday afternoon.

“ADPH did receive and investigate a complaint alleging that this clinic was performing a number of abortions that would require it to be licensed by this agency as an abortion or reproductive health center,” Hale’s statement said. “State Board of Health regulations require a license when a facility performs 10 or more abortions in any month, or 100 or more in any calendar year. ADPH was unable to establish that this clinic performed a number of abortions that would require it to be licensed as an abortion or reproductive health center. State law — § 22-9A-13, Ala. Code 1975 — prohibits ADPH from disclosing information relating to the number of abortions performed by a physician.”

Alveda King, the niece of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was among those who marched across the bridge in protest Saturday. She said some have accused the protesters of using Selma for national attention after Oprah Winfrey’s movie “Selma” and President Barack Obama visited the city earlier this year. King said that couldn’t be further from the truth.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Pro-life groups push for more in-depth investigation of Selma clinic" by Lindsey Rogers, WSFA-TV12 (Montgomery, AL) 6/20/15

Anti-abortion activists are focusing their attention on Selma and a clinic they say is violating state laws. A coalition of pro-life ministries from all over the country made their way to the historic city Friday night, gathering at Christ the King Episcopal Church.

“We know that women have been injured in this clinic. We know for sure [Dr. Samuel Lett] scheduled more abortions than he's allowed to do, according to state law,” said Father Terry Gensemer, Director of CEC For Life and an urban pastor in Alabama for more than 20 years.

“We're here to say to the health department and to the nation that women, particularly black women, are targeted in this area, in Selma and that babies are being killed here. We want the city of Selma to know what's going on, we want the state of Alabama to know that its citizens are not being protected the Alabama Department of Public Health, and we want justice to be done for the victims of this doctor,” Fr. Gensemer added.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Martin Luther King Jr’s Niece Marches Against Abortion at Selma Rally" by Sarah Zagorski, LifeNews.com 6/19/15

A leader with the National Black Pro-Life Coalition, Catherine Davis, said the following about Lett’s abortion facility: “He has preyed, likely for years, mainly on poor, black women who feel they have no options. While the state stands back and allows Lett to do as he pleases, the black women of Selma are left to carry the injuries and sorrow that so frequently accompany abortion. They have absolutely no protection from the state.”

[President of Americans United for Life, Charmaine Yoest said], “Abortion harms women, and African-American women suffer more than others because of the tragic number of abortions in their community. Black women account for 37% of abortions and are 5 times more likely than white women to have an abortion. We stand here in Selma to note once again that when laws that protect health and safety are not enforced, African Americans bear too heavy a burden. Life-saving health and safety standards must be enforced to protect women from the negligence of abortionists.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read New York Times Admits 22-week Fetus is a Baby!

And read Georgia Teacher Ousted — Taught Obama's Pro-abortion

Gay Agenda: IBM Boycotts Christian LA Gov. Jindal

Wielding a paltry local employment force, IBM, the former giant of America's technology industry, warned Louisiana's outspoken governor Bobby Jindal that the state had better not challenge the corporation's backing of the Gay Agenda with any notion of government-sanctioned religious liberty. IBM vice president James Driesse threatened Jindal saying that any "bill that legally protects discrimination based on same-sex marriage status is antithetical to our company's values."

"The idea that the government should be prohibited from discriminating against people simply because of their faith has been a foundational principal of our republic since its founding. It is alarming that any corporate executive would want to oppose that principle today."
-- Rep. Mike Johnson of Bossier City (author of the "Marriage and Conscience Act")

For background, read Corporations Embrace Gay Agenda, With a Vengeance and also read Business, Pro Sports, GOP Urge Supreme Court to Go Gay

Also read LSU Homosexualists Protest Gov. Jindal & Prayer Rally

Click headlines below to read previous articles:

New Mississippi Religious Liberty Law Infuriates Liberals

Kansas GOP Governor Rescinds 'Gay Rights' of Democrat Governor

Indiana Religious Liberty Law Fights Gay Agenda, then GOP Leaders Surrender within Hours

Arkansas Religious Freedom Law NOT Gay Enough

Homosexualists & Liberal Media Defeat Religious Liberty in Arizona

And read how the Gay Agenda attacks Christians one town at a time across America.

-- From "IBM cancels ribbon-cutting because of Gov. Jindal's executive order" by Andre Moreau, WAFB-TV9 (Baton Rouge, LA) 6/19/15

IBM has cancelled Monday's ribbon-cutting for its new National Service Center in Baton Rouge because of Governor Bobby Jindal's executive order.

The event on June 22 had been reserved for months, according to several city leaders, including Davis Rhorer, executive director of the Downtown Development District.

Hours after lawmakers voted down [the HB 707] legislation on May 19, effectively killing it, Jindal issued an executive order with language that mirrored the "Marriage and Conscience Act" that was authored by Rep. Mike Johnson, R-Bossier City. The Jindal power play was met with an avalanche of negative statements against Louisiana [by homosexualists and their supporters].

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "IBM warns Louisiana over 'religious freedom' bill" by Charles Riley, CNN Money 4/16/15

IBM has sent a letter to the governor of Louisiana warning that a pending religious freedom bill would create a hostile environment for the tech company's employees.

The letter is the latest warning from corporate America to states that are considering controversial religious freedom laws. In Indiana and Arkansas, an intense backlash has already forced lawmakers to make revisions.

Jindal, a potential Republican presidential candidate, said it's a matter of liberty.

"I think we can have religious liberty without having discrimination," he said earlier this month on NBC's Meet the Press. "I think it's possible to have both."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "IBM has 'strong opposition' to Louisiana religious freedom bill" by Julia O'Donoghue, The Times-Picayune 4/17/15

The religious freedom bill is designed to block the government from pulling licenses, tax benefits and the like from a company because of the owner's held view of marriage. But LGBT advocates and a few legal experts have said it would also allow businesses of any size to refuse to recognize married same-sex couples, should same-sex marriage become legal in Louisiana.

IBM's prominent, 800-job facility in downtown Baton Rouge is being built only few blocks away from the Louisiana Capitol, where the legislation will be debated. The company is also expected to bring 400 jobs to Monroe in the northern part of the state.

Jindal has responded to IBM already with a letter of his own. The governor believes Driesse is confused about what the religious freedom bill does.

Jindal goes on to say Louisiana's religious freedom bill will not legalize discrimination against the LGBT community, but rather will protect religious people from being mistreated by the government.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Louisiana religious liberty bill goes down in defeat as Republicans side with LGBT activists" by Todd Starnes, FoxNews.com 5/19/15

Louisiana Republican lawmakers sided with Democrats, big business and LGBT activists to kill a bill that would have protected individuals and religious institutions opposed to same-sex marriage.

“As a nation we would not compel a priest, minister or rabbi to violate his conscience and perform a same-sex wedding ceremony,” Jindal wrote. “But a great many Americans who are not members of the clergy feel just as called to live their faith through their businesses. That’s why we should ensure that musicians, caterers, photographers and others should be immune from government coercion on deeply held religious convictions.”

[Gov. Jindal] said he would not be deterred by corporations that were pressured by radical liberals.

“I have a clear message for any corporation that contemplates bullying our state: save your breath,” he wrote.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

To summarize, here are just some of the ways homosexualists retaliate against those who resist the Gay Agenda: They threaten financial ruin of businesses, and they intimidate Christian lawmakers, and they sue Christians who won't celebrate "gay weddings," and they threaten to jail pastors who won't perform "gay weddings," and they torpedo fundraising aimed at helping the Christian victims, and they commit violence, even threatening death of Christians.

And consider the "big picture:" Homosexualists say the Gay Agenda will be Complete when Christians are Muzzled and therefore, Senator Ted Cruz Says the Gay Agenda Ends Christian Liberty

Homosexuals Force Closure of Iowa Wedding Chapel

In August 2013, Lee Stafford and Jared Ellers filed a complaint against Betty and Richard Odgaard, owners of Görtz Haus Gallery gift shop and bistro in Grimes, Iowa, because the Odgaards said it would be against their Mennonite faith to rent their building for Stafford's and Ellers's same-sex "wedding."  The Odgaards paid the homosexuals $5,000 to settle the complaint and the Odgaards filed a lawsuit against the Iowa Civil Rights Commission over the state's anti-Christian laws, but the homosexualists' publicity hate campaign against the Odgaards has chased away virtually all customers.

“They didn’t come in because the people who are against us are more vocal than the people who are in our court.”
-- Richard Odgaard

For background, consider how homosexualists retaliate against those who resist the Gay Agenda: They threaten financial ruin of businesses, and they intimidate Christian lawmakers, and they sue Christians who won't celebrate "gay weddings," and they threaten to jail pastors who won't perform "gay weddings," and they torpedo fundraising aimed at helping the Christian victims, and they commit violence, even threatening death of Christians.

UPDATE 8/22/15: Persecuted Christians Testify at Iowa Rally Hosted by Sen. Ted Cruz

UPDATE 10/8/15: Lesbians Sue Calif. Christian School for Biblical Beliefs

UPDATE 7/28/15: Gay Agenda Destroys Everything it Contacts



-- From "Grimes' Gortz Haus to stop all weddings in wake of discrimination complaint" by Grant Rodgers, Des Moines Register 1/28/15

Betty Odgaard said after the complaint was publicized that the gallery's gift shop and bistro have always served gays and lesbians, but that hosting a same-sex wedding would be against the family's religious beliefs.

Odgaard said the Gortz Haus has typically hosted 15 to 20 weddings on a yearly basis. Additionally, the couple will stop catering and providing flowers to all weddings. The couple made the decision voluntarily because continuing to hold weddings could make them a target for future discrimination lawsuits, Odgaard said.

The Odgaards have dismissed a lawsuit they filed against the Iowa Civil Rights Commission that claimed their religious freedom was being violated, said Eric Baxter, an attorney with the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty who represented the Odgaards. After refusing to host a wedding for Stafford and Ellers, the Odgaards became a target for "hateful and threatening emails," according to the lawsuit they filed. Betty Odgaard told the Register in October 2013 that people were boycotting the gallery.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Gortz Haus owners watch fight over Ind. religion law" by Grant Rodgers, Des Moines Register 4/1/15

[The Odgaards religious liberties] were overruled, based on a 2007 change to Iowa law that made it illegal for a business that's open to the public to discriminate based on sexual orientation. . . .

A religious belief defense could have been helpful for the Odgaards, who've seen the lunch crowd at the Gortz Haus' bistro cut by half, which they attribute to the notoriety over their stance. . . .

The Odgaards' case was publicized internationally, and they say they got "venomous" mail and phone calls from people labeling them as bigots. The media firestorm erupted just before the Iowa State Fair, and Betty Odgaard remembers fearing that people would recognize the couple and lash out as they strolled the fairgrounds. She fell into a deep depression for eight months, she said.

The publicity sometimes left Dick Odgaard looking over his shoulder.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read of another Iowa Christian Who Won't Bake Cake for Lesbian 'Wedding'

From "Iowa couple fined for refusing gay wedding: 'We are still here'" by Charlie Butts, OneNewsNow.com 6/3/15

In 2002, Betty and Richard Odgaard remodeled an old Lutheran church in Grimes, turning it into the Gortz Haus Gallery. Their troubles began in 2013, when the couple refused to host a homosexual wedding at the gallery.

"We got a lot of phone calls in the beginning," Mrs. Odgaard recalls, "and they said, Heard what you did. We'll never be back again because you're haters and bigots. So, yes, we saw a decrease in our business immediately."

But the couple is undeterred and now has a ministry called God's Original Design. Their plan is to use billboards to proclaim natural marriage as God's design.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Another Christian Family-Run Business Closing After Refusing to Host Gay Wedding" by Anugrah Kumar, Christian Post Contributor 6/20/15

Richard Odgaard and his wife, Betty, the owners of Görtz Haus Gallery in Grimes, Iowa, say they will close their business completely by the end of August, about two years after they told a gay couple from Des Moines their facility cannot be rented for the wedding.

The Odgaards see a 2009 decision of the Iowa Supreme Court as the beginning of their violation of religious freedom. "I think if people in Iowa would have had a chance to vote on this, it would have never have been this way. People in Iowa are pretty conservative," Betty was quoted as saying.

The Christian couple also plans to use the building for its original function, by turning it back into a church. "That would be the most wonderful option," Betty said.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Fearing Another Lawsuit, Christian Business Owners Stopped Hosting All Weddings. Now Their Business Is Dead." by Kelsey Harkness, The Daily Signal 6/19/15

The case was the first of its kind in Iowa, but it didn’t receive the same sort of media attention as the bakers in Oregon, the photographers in New Mexico or the farmers in New York.

The couple says that’s because pending litigation prevented them from being able to speak out, further isolating them from their community.

The Odgaards also feel they never got their day in court, and had the case turned out differently, they might not have been driven out of business.

“Now the precedent has been set,” Richard said. “The administrative process has demonstrated what it will do if this happens [again], so it’s a matter of setting somebody up and collecting money. It’s that simple. It’s all they have to do.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Gay Agenda Defeated by North Carolina Legislature

And read Kentucky Court Ruling Favors Christians over Gay Agenda

UPDATE 7/21/15 - Sen. Ted Cruz interviews the Odgaards (video):