A WordPress Blog-THE CHURCH MILITANT Ephesians 5:11-"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them". This Christian News Blog maintains a one stop resource of current news and reports of its own related to church, moral, spiritual, and related political issues, plus articles, and postings from other online discernment ministries, and media which share the aims to obey the biblical commands to shed light on and refute error, heresy, apostasy, cults, and spiritual abuse. ALL CONTENT FROM HTTPS://RATHEREXPOSETHEM.BLOGSPOT.COM MOVED TO THIS NEW BLOG, MAY 2020
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TUSTIN, Calif. —The Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), a worldwide television network that for years has aired a number of controversial prosperity preachers, says that as part of its “new vision” and changes to the lineup, it will no longer air Word of Faith teacher Kenneth Copeland, whose “Believer’s Voice of Victory” broadcast had been a part of TBN for 40 years. Airing in Copeland’s stead will be Steven Furtick, a hipster megachurch preacher who reportedly lives a lavish lifestyle and often preaches man-centered sermons.
“Just like the world in which we live, TBN is constantly evolving, seeking to provide exclusive programming that is uniquely built for the challenges facing Christians in this moment,” Marketing Director Nate Daniels told reporters. “As the leading global religious broadcaster, we want to provide our viewers with compelling and dynamic preaching, teaching, news and entertainment.”
He said that “[in] pursuit of a new vision” from President Matt Crouch, the son of the late Paul and Jan Crouch, the network has been making changes over the past several years, which includes distancing from sharathons and becoming more family-friendly.
“As a part of this transition we chose to move away from telethons, upgraded to HD, expanded our streaming platforms, forged partnerships with family brands like K-LOVE, Museum of the Bible and others, and have replaced some programs with new original content from voices like Christine Caine, Mike Huckabee, Mike Rowe and more,” Daniels told the Christian Post.
Copeland advised his followers about the change via Facebook and his website this week, writing in part, “Recently, Matt let me know they believe the Lord is taking TBN in a new direction, and our daily program, ‘Believer’s Voice of Victory’ (BVOV), isn’t really a fit for their future programming. Therefore, as of Oct. 2, 2020, the BVOV broadcast will no longer air on TBN.”
As previously reported, Copeland, who teaches that God wants Christians to be rich and teaches viewers to confess away sickness, has generated controversy for a number of years, including in 2015, when he asserted on his television broadcast that he flies on a private jet to avoid being bothered by “demon” passengers.
“Oral [Roberts] used to fly airlines,” he said. “But even back then it got to the place where it was agitating his spirit—people coming up to him, he had become famous, and they wanted him to pray for them and all that. You can’t manage that today [in] this dope-filled world, and get in a long tube with a bunch of demons. And it’s deadly.”
While he said that he didn’t want to fly with a “bunch of demons,” moments later, Copeland contended that he needed a private jet to help reach the lost.
“We’re in soul business here. We’ve got a dying world around us. We’ve got a dying nation around us,” he proclaimed. “We can’t even get there on the airlines.”
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
The video was released by Log Cabin Republicans, a homosexual lobbying Republican group, and recorded by Richard Grenell, former U.S. Ambassador to Germany and current special presidential envoy for Serbia and Kosovo peace negotiations. Grenell has led the administration’s campaign to decriminalize homosexuality worldwide.
“President Trump is the most pro-gay president in American history,” Grenell states in the video, which seeks to demonstrate why Trump is, and has consistently been, more pro-homosexual than Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. “I can prove it.”
He outlines that Trump knew he was a homosexual when he appointed Grenell as acting director of national intelligence earlier this year, but it “didn’t even faze” the president. Grenell takes issue that Biden never acknowledge the appointment, stating that his “silence was deafening.”
“President Trump has done more to advance the rights of gay and lesbians in three years than Joe Biden did in 40-plus years in Washington,” he asserts, stating that Biden has “attacked” homosexuals throughout his tenure.
He notes that Biden had previously supported “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and the Defense of Marriage Act, and “threatened to cut off funds to any school that teaches acceptance of homosexuality.”
Playing footage of Biden once stating that “[m]arriage is between a man and a woman,” Grenell remarks, “Now that we’ve made progress, Joe Biden has changed his mind.”
“I know that firsthand that President Trump is the strongest ally that gay Americans have ever had in the White House,” Grenell states. “Donald Trump is the first president in American history to be pro-gay marriage from his first day in office. [And] President Trump knew I was gay when he appointed me to one of the most prestigious and powerful ambassadorships in the world.”
“As ambassador to Germany, President Trump fully supported our fight to crush the homophobic and barbaric terrorist organization Hezbollah and the Iranian regime that supports them,” he continues. “While President Trump was denying the homophobic regime money, the Obama-Biden team was giving them billions of dollars.”
He also notes that Trump backed the effort, led by Grenell, to decriminalize homosexuality worldwide.
“President Trump began a historic campaign to decriminalize homosexuality around the globe at the United Nations, where he publicly challenged the 69 countries the 69 countries who make being gay a crime to change their laws,” he explains in the video, playing a clip of Trump’s speech before the U.N.
Grenell states that Biden never worked to do so throughout his four decades as a politician, declaring, “This is why I believe we need President Trump in office for another four years, and I’m certainly not the only one,” he stated, as the video then cuts to a photograph of Trump holding a homosexual flag during a 2016 campaign rally.
“There are millions of patriotic gay Americans who are sick of being told to sit down and shut up by those who want to control us, those who are afraid of our voice, those who want to keep equality a partisan issue,” he says.
“Gay people don’t have to vote Democrat because Donald Trump is the most pro-gay president in American history,” he asserts, donning a rainbow “Make America Great Again” hat, available in the store section of the Trump official website.
As previously reported, in 2018, the White House sent a signed letter of congratulations for the 40th anniversary of Log Cabin Republicans, with the correspondence stating in part, “No matter the color of our skin or our sexual orientation, we all live under the same laws, salute the same great American flag, and are made in the image of the same Almighty God.”
“As we celebrate LGBT Pride Month and recognize the outstanding contributions LGBT people have made to our great nation, let us also stand in solidarity with the many LGBT people who live in dozens of countries worldwide that punish, imprison, or even execute individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation,” he wrote.
“My administration has launched a global campaign to decriminalize homosexuality and invite all nations to join us in this effort!” Trump urged.
“I think there would be some that wouldn’t [vote for a homosexual], and I wouldn’t be among that group to be honest with you,” he said. “I think that it doesn’t seem to be hurting Pete Boot-edge-edge … It doesn’t seem to be hurting him very much. There would certainly be a group — you know this better than I do — that there would be a group that probably wouldn’t [vote for a homosexual]. But you or I would not be in that group.”
“Putting aside policy disagreements, don’t you think that it’s just great to see the guy there on the stage with his husband, and it’s normal?” Hilton, host of “The Next Revolution,” asked.
“Isn’t it a sign of great progress in the country?” Hilton inquired, continuing to prompt the president to concur that the development is positive.
“Yeah, I think it’s great,” Trump answered unflinchingly. “I think that’s something that perhaps some people will have a problem with, [but] I have no problem with it whatsoever. I think it’s good.”
During the 2016 presidential election, Trump asked during one campaign speech, “So you tell me, who’s better for the gay community, and who’s better for women than Donald Trump? Believe me!”
After being elected, he decided to keep intact Barack Obama’s 2014 order banning federal contractors from engaging in “discrimination” in employment matters against homosexual and transgendered persons.
Click to enlarge.
“President Trump continues to be respectful and supportive of LGBTQ rights, just as he was throughout the election,” the White House said in a statement at that time. “The president is proud to have been the first ever GOP nominee to mention the LGBTQ community in his nomination acceptance speech, pledging then to protect the community from violence and oppression.”
His website has featured homosexual-themed apparel for a number of years. As previously reported, both Trump and Biden are currently selling Pride apparel on their websites.
Proverbs 14:34 says, “Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”
Proverbs 16:12 also states, “It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness, for the throne is established by righteousness.”
Founding father Noah Webster, known for penning the American dictionary, once wrote in exhorting fellow Christians, “When you become entitled to exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for rulers just men who will rule in the fear of God.”
“The preservation of government depends on the faithful discharge of this duty. If the citizens neglect their duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted. Laws will be made, not for the public good so much as for selfish or local purposes, corrupt or incompetent men will be appointed to execute the laws, the public revenues will be squandered on unworthy men, and the rights of the citizen will be violated or disregarded.”
“If government fails to secure public prosperity and happiness, it must be because the citizens neglect the Divine Commands and elect bad men to make and administer the laws.”
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A Trump-appointed bioethics advisory board issued a report on Tuesday that U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex M. Azar II calls a “de facto government ban” on funding research using aborted fetal cells.
The group, officially called the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Human Fetal Tissue Research Ethics Advisory Board, recommended the American government reject funding for 13 of 14 research projects planning to use aborted baby body parts.
The applications, which were sent to the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), had already been recommended for funding.
However, under President Trump’s new process, scientists funded by the NIH to work on human fetal tissue projects have to go through a second layer of ethics screening before being approved.
LifeNews.com reports, “The board examined 14 research grant proposals based on ‘the scientific justification for the use and quantity of HFT [human fetal tissue] proposed and the use of alternate models’ as well as whether there was adequate informed consent for the mothers donating it, according to the report.”
One study the group rejected was allegedly “too interwoven with the practice of abortion,” and they argued other studies could use miscarried babies instead of aborted ones.
The board noted they wouldn’t have issues with most of the projects if they could find more ethical materials to work with.
In 2018, Trump’s HHS put $20 million into a project searching for ethical alternatives to aborted fetal tissue in scientific research.
Predictably, many on the left have attacked the advisory board and accused it of being biased.
For example, a virologist at the University of Pittsburgh named Carolyn Coyne said, “This is a ban disguised as an ethics committee. So, the ‘ethics’ of research was decided by a largely Christian/Catholic, white panel.”
However, other scientists disagree and understand there are ethical alternatives available for research that do not involve ripping fetuses from the womb.
HHS Secretary Azar will ultimately make the final decision on whether or not to fund each of the 14 proposals.
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(Fox News)— Los Angeles County is moving to hold a prominent megachurch pastor in contempt of court after he hosted three indoor services Sunday — effectively defying a late-night court order that his church must comply with California’s coronavirus restrictions.
The county is claiming that Grace Community Church and Pastor John MacArthur should each face $4,000 in fines — or $1,000 for every act of contempt they’re alleging. The county also seeks an additional $6,000 in fines from both defendants for violations of court orders, bringing the total to $20,000.
“Defendants’ actions this past Sunday likewise constitute four separate violations of the TRO and Court of Appeal Order by each Defendant. Therefore, the Court should sanction each Defendant $1,500 per violation, for a total of $6,000 per Defendant,” the request reads. Both MacArthur and his church are named as defendants.
Please watch and share, for an encouragement for believers, watchmen, and the remnant to withstand the disasters that we are facing, and to find JOY in God's faithfulness. Truth in Love Ministry Teaching/Prophecy Update: A message to the Watchmen on the Wall and the Remnant: Finding "Joy in God's Faithfulness" even in the midst of disaster surrounding you. Zephaniah 3 Recorded August 16, 2020 To learn more: http://www.tilproject.com To donate: http://www.tilproject.com/donate For more information on Shahram Hadian and The Truth in Love Ministry, to download free radio shows and other resources, to order informative DVDs, or to donate to the ministry, please visit http://www.tilproject.com To order: http://www.tilproject.com/order
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On condition that his congregation wear masks and follow social-distancing guidelines, Pastor John MacArthur of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, was prepared to hold indoor services on Sunday.
Those were the conditions set by a lower court on Friday, which turned aside Los Angeles County’s demand to close the church to inside services altogether. MacArthur said he’d be willing to follow those guidelines as a gesture of good will, in anticipation of a full hearing on the matter on September 4.
But that wasn’t good enough for Los Angeles County and its health official. Late Friday night, they appealed the decision to the Second Appellate District’s Court of Appeals, asking it to set aside the lower court’s agreement with the church.
On Saturday, a three-judge panel of that court tossed that lower court’s ruling and agreement and said that the county could continue to ban indoor services at Grace Community Church.
The panel said they couldn’t decide the issue instantly, that the issues were too involved, and consequently the county’s demands must remain in place:
The questions presented in the County’s … petition are easy to articulate: May the county enforce the portion of its Health Order prohibiting “indoor religious services” as a means of limiting the spread of COVID-19?
Nested within this question is another: Does the prohibition on “indoor religious services” infringe upon the constitutional right of the Church (and its parishioners) to the free exercise of their religion?
Definitively resolving these questions, however, will entail the resolution of difficult questions of law. We certainly cannot resolve them before tomorrow [Sunday] morning’s church services….
Justice requires that [we] issue a stay order to preserve [our] own jurisdiction … while [we] prepare … to rule on the merits of those questions….
The County is [therefore] empowered to enforce [its] “indoor religious services” provision of its Health Order.
To which Pastor MacArthur said the equivalent of “nuts to you!” In his opening remarks on Sunday he told his congregation:
We agreed: we’ll comply for a few weeks. They [the county] asked for three weeks. We’re not wanting to be defiant. We will do what is reasonable.
That was not enough for the city.
They went to the appellate court Saturday late and had that order removed….
They don’t want us to meet. That’s obvious. They’re not willing to work with us. They just want to shut us down.
But we’re here to bring honor to the Lord. We are holding church … because our Lord commands it.
The congregation erupted with applause and cheers.
The next move is up to the court. Are they going to enforce their ruling? If so, how? With police, with guns, and badges? Will they seal off the entrance to the church so that no one can enter? Will they arrest Pastor MacArthur?
If so, is this really the message they want to deliver to the millions of believers across the country watching the confrontation between church and state play out?
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LOS ANGELES —A California appeals court on Saturday overturned a temporary injunction that prohibited Los Angeles County from enforcing an order prohibiting indoor church services, a day after a trial judge allowed renowned pastor John MacArthur and Grace Community Church to hold gatherings in the building’s sanctuary. The church proceeded with services as usual despite the order.
“At this very preliminary stage in this litigation, the County has demonstrated a likelihood that it will prevail on the merits of enforcing its July 18, 2020 health order. The County’s health order is presumed to be constitutional unless its ‘unconstitutionality clearly, positively and unmistakably appears,'” wrote presiding justice Elwood Lui, along with judges Victoria Chavez and Brian Hoffstadt for the Second District, Division Two.
“Given the preliminary state of the evidentiary record as well as the weight of precedent favoring the enforcement of COVID-19-related restrictions, the presumption that the health order’s ‘indoor religious services’ provision is valid has yet to be rebutted,” they stated.
The court said that while the church may not hold services indoors under the County order, it is free to hold them outside.
The panel opined:
“Were we to not issue a stay of the trial court’s order, the County would be barred from enforcing that provision and the Church would be able to conduct its services indoors, even though indoor church services have been a ‘source of outbreak’ of COVID-19 due to the heightened risk of transmission when people are ‘in close proximity to one another for extended periods of time’ and they are ‘singing, shouting and chanting,’ risks that ‘physical distancing and wearing a mask’ ‘do not eliminate.'”
Therefore, due to “the harm that flows from having to conduct religious services outdoors instead of indoors, the balance at this early stage favors issuance of a stay,” it said.
Los Angeles County issued a press release likewise reiterating that outdoor services are permissible while indoor gatherings are not.
“Los Angeles County is pleased that the California Court of Appeal recognizes the vital importance of our health officer orders in protecting the lives and health of our residents as we work to slow the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus,” it stated.
“Outdoor religious observances are permitted; participants must wear cloth face coverings and maintain six feet of distance from each other unless they live in the same household.”
According to reports and online videos, Grace Community Church held indoor services anyway on Sunday out its stance that the government does not have jurisdiction over matters of the Church.
“[W]e’re not meeting because want to be rebellious,” MacArthur stated from the pulpit, according to the Washington Times. “We’re meeting because our Lord has commanded us to come together and worship Him.”
“They were going to be asking us to do two things, social distance and wear masks,” he explained of Friday’s initial ruling. “We agreed, [saying,] ‘Look, we’ll comply for a few weeks.’ They asked that for three weeks. We’re not wanting to be defiant. We will do what is reasonable. That was not enough for the [county]. They went to the appellate court Saturday late, and had that order removed.”
As previously reported, MacArthur and Grace Community Church, with the assistance of the Thomas More Society, filed suit against California Gov. Gavin Newsom, officials with the Los Angeles County Health Department and others last week to challenge the prohibition on indoor church services, over which he is being threatened with fines and/or jail time.
“Defendants’ mandates are not ‘narrowly tailored’ to further any compelling governmental interest,” the lawsuit stated. “Defendants have granted numerous special exemptions to their bans on public gatherings and conduct, including for purportedly ‘essential’ businesses and activities, including, for example, cannabis dispensaries, abortion and other medical providers, daycare and childcare, and shopping.”
“Defendants have also provided a de facto exemption for protests against the unjust death of George Floyd, without extending the same solicitude to Plaintiffs’ religious gatherings,” it argued. “Since these gatherings may be permitted, there can be no doubt that Defendants must also permit Plaintiffs to engage in religious activities and services.”
The County issued MacArthur and Grace Community Church a cease and desist letter on July 29, advising that MacArthur could be subject to a fine “of up to $1,000 and imprisonment of up to 90 days” for continuing to hold indoor church services. It noted that “[e]ach day that you conduct indoor services is a separate offense.”
“The County requests that you immediately cease holding indoor worship services or other indoor gatherings, and adhere to the health officer order directives governing activities at houses of worship,” the letter, written by attorney Jason Tokoro of the law firm Miller Barondess, LLP, states. “If you or Grace Community Church continue to hold indoor services in violation of the law, you are subject to criminal and civil liability.”
Grace Community Church had complied with the initial prohibition on indoor services in the spring because, according to a statement, leadership did not know at that time “the true severity of the virus” and they believe it is “legitimate for Christians to abstain from the assembly of saints temporarily in the face of illness or an imminent threat to public health.”
But because “[i]t is apparent that those original projections of death were wrong and the virus is nowhere near as dangerous as originally feared” and cancellations of 2021 public events signaled that shutdowns would drag out into next year, the church felt that California had “force[d] churches to choose between the clear command of our Lord and the government officials.”
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Hallmark isn’t the only network that plans to air films with homosexual themes this upcoming holiday season. While some are stated to be celebrating the arrival of the Messiah, come to save men from their sins, Lifetime plans to air a movie with its main plot being about two men who are attracted to each other.
Among the 30 new films set for its “It’s a Wonderful Lifetime” lineup will be “The Christmas Set Up”.
“Hugo, a New York corporate lawyer, and his best friend Madelyn head to Milwaukee to spend the holidays with his mom Kate, who is also in charge of the local Christmas celebrations. Ever the matchmaker, Kate arranges for Hugo to run into Patrick, Hugo’s high school friend and secret crush, who has recently returned after a successful stint in Silicon Valley,” a description of the movie states.
“As they enjoy the local holiday festivities together, Hugo and Patrick’s attraction to each other is undeniable and it looks as though Kate’s well-intentioned Santa-style matchmaking is a success,” it says. “But as Hugo receives word of a big promotion requiring a move to London, he must decide what is most important to him.”
The story was written by Michael J. Murray and will be produced by Neshama Entertainment in association with MarVista Entertainment. Casting and production are stated to be underway this month.
Lifetime said in a press release that “The Christmas Set Up” and other films set to air demonstrate the company’s “commitment for diverse storytelling with its storylines, talent and characters.”
“We are thrilled to continue our legacy of creating a holiday destination that is welcoming to all at Lifetime,” Executive Vice President and Head of Programming Amy Winter remarked in a statement.
As previously reported, the Hallmark Channel aired its first movie with a same-sex “wedding” theme this past weekend and plans to release more films with homosexual themes as it plans to work with the organization GLAAD to “better represent the LGBTQ community across [its] portfolio of brands.”
“Diversity and inclusion is a top priority for us and we look forward to making some exciting programming announcements in the coming months, including announcements about projects featuring LGBTQ storylines, characters, and actors,” George Zaralidis, the vice president of network program publicity with Crown Media Family Networks, told NBC News.
The outlet reports that former Crown Media CEO told the Hollywood Reporter last year that Hallmark was open to “any type of movie of any type of relationship in any space.”
Executive Vice President of Programming and Network Publicity Michelle Vicary similarly outlined that Crown was “looking at pitches for LGBTQ movies … and we are looking to expand and represent the United States as a whole.”
Photo Credit: Geralt/Pixabay
As previously reported, while the common argument among those who identify as homosexual is that they were “born that way” and cannot change, the Bible teaches that all men are in the exact same predicament as none can shed their birth nature on their own.
Scripture states that all are born with the Adamic sin nature and are therefore “by nature the children of wrath” (Ephesians 2:3), having various inherent feelings and inclinations that are contrary to the law and will of God and being utterly incapable of changing by themselves (Job 14:4).
It is why Jesus came: to “save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21) and that they might be “saved from wrath through Him” (Romans 5:9) — taking out of the way for those who are saved both the penalty for, and the power of, sin.
Jesus also outlined in John 3:5-7 that men must be made anew by the second birth, and be transformed from being in Adam to being in Christ, or they cannot see the kingdom of Heaven.
“Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again.’”
This work of the Holy Spirit is known in Christianity as the doctrine of regeneration. A man or woman regenerated by Spirit of God will also undergo a lifelong process of sanctification, turning from realized sins to “walk as He walked” (1 John 2:6).
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An animated series on the Disney Channel that centers on the adventures of a teenage girl who travels to another world and becomes a witch’s apprentice features the first bisexual character to air on the youth-aimed station, it has been revealed.
“The Owl House” creator Dana Terrace recently outlined on Twitter that as she herself identifies as bisexual, she wanted to depict one of the characters as being attracted to both males and females. At first, she was told that such a depiction would not be allowed.
“In dev (development) I was very open about my intention to put queer kids in the main cast,” Terrace wrote. “I’m a horrible liar, so sneaking it in would’ve been hard haha. When we were greenlit, I was told by certain Disney leadership that I could NOT represent any form of bi or gay relationship on the channel.”
However, Terrence said that she continued to push the idea and was eventually given the go-ahead.
“I’m bi! I want to write a bi character, [expletive]! Luckily my stubbornness paid off and now I am VERY supported by current Disney leadership. Not to mention the amazingness of this crew,” she stated.
“The Owl House”, which began airing in January of this year, is a fantasy series about a 14-year-old girl named Luz (played by Sarah-Nicole Robles) who travels to another world — the Demon Realm of the Boiling Isles — where humans are not well-liked. The Isles are stated to be a place where “every myth you humans have is caused by a little of our world leaking into yours.”
Luz becomes the apprentice of a witch named Eda (played by Wendie Malick) and a demon who goes by the name King as he claims he was once a ruler and desires to regain his power (played by Alex Hirsch).
Students attend the Hexside School of Magic and Demonics, and inhabitants who “do not conform to the norms of society” are sent to the Conformatorium, supervised by Warden Wrath.
Episodes include “A Lying Witch and a Warden”, “Witches Before Wizards”, “Wing It Like Witches”, and “Young Blood, Old Souls”.
According to reports, in some episodes, Luz is portrayed as being attracted to men, but in the episodes “Enchanting Grom Fright” and “Wing It Like Witches”, viewers note that the witch Amity begins forming a friendship with Luz and had intentions to ask her to prom (Grom) as her date. The two dance in one scene.
Terrace and others confirmed that the depiction of Luz was meant to be bisexual.
“Back when I made GF (‘Gravity Falls’) Disney FORBADE me from any explicit LGBTQ+ rep. Apparently ‘happiest place on earth’ meant ‘straightest’ But as of today, thanks to @DanaTerrace & team there are explicitly queer ANIMATED MAIN CHARACTERS on DISNEY TV. I’m so proud & happy to say that,” wrote Alex Hirsch.
However, not everyone was thrilled about the revelation.
“Why not let children be children? Children don’t need to learn about sexual orientations or sexual attraction on cartoons,” one commenter wrote under Terrace’s tweet. “No more ‘Owl House’ in my house.”
“Children need to focus on being children, not sexuality at a young age. Disney’s twisted, shoving alter-sexuality down our kids throats. No, at a young age, this isn’t right, isn’t normal and this agenda needs to be dismantled,” another stated.
“Adults should stop trying to get into children’s heads. These are adult topics being forced into tender innocent minds. Shame,” a third likewise opined.
As previously reported, besides its more recent inclusion of homosexuality in its productions (“Andi Mack”, “Star vs. the Forces of Evil”, “Beauty and the Beast”, “Onward”, “DuckTales”), Disney, known for its “Magic Kingdom,” has been recognized for decades for its focus on magic, sorcery and witchcraft, from its early productions of “Fantasia” (1940), “Snow White” (1937) and “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” (1971) to the present-day “Maleficent” (2014 and 2019), “Frozen” (2013 and 2019) and “Onward” (2020).
Witchcraft and homosexuality are both forbidden in God’s law.
THE GOSPEL
Photo Credit: Gerd Altmann/Pixabay
While a common argument among those who struggle with feelings toward the same sex is that they were “born this way,” the Bible teaches that all are born with the Adamic sin nature (Romans 5:19), having various inherent feelings and inclinations that are contrary to the law of God and being utterly incapable of changing by themselves (Job 14:4).
All men, therefore, face the same predicament, being natural lawbreakers and guilty in the sight of God (Romans 3:19), evoking His wrath.
“[W]e all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others,” Ephesians 2:3 outlines.
“All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned every one to his own way,” Isaiah 53:6 reads, “and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
It is why Jesus came: to do what men could not do for themselves, to “save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).
Scripture outlines that Jesus came to be the propitiation for men’s sins (1 John 2:2; 1 John 4:10), a doctrine in Christianity known as substitutionary atonement, and to save men from the wrath of God for their violations against His law (Romans 4:25, Romans 5:9, Romans 5:16), a doctrine known as justification.
In light of Christ laying down his life for His enemies (Romans 5:10), God calls all men to repent and believe the gospel (Mark 1:15).
Acts 2:38-40 exhorts, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.”
The Bible also teaches about regeneration, as in addition to sparing guilty men from eternal punishment, Christ sent his Holy Spirit to make those who would repent and believe new creatures in the here and now, with new desires and an ability to do what is pleasing in the sight of God by His indwelling and empowerment (Ezekiel 11:19, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Titus 3:5).
Jesus said that men must be born again — a work of the Spirit transforming their very nature from being in Adam to being in Christ, or they cannot see the Kingdom of God (John 3:3-8).
“Jesus answered and said unto him, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ Nicodemus saith unto him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again.’”
Ezekiel speaks of God transplanting the regenerated with a new heart and spirit, stating, “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.”
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In this episode of Behind The Deep State, host Alex Newman exposes how the Deep State is using the LGBT movement as a weapon to wage war on family, marriage, the Bible, and the Church. Alex goes through the key Deep State players in this such as George Soros, Tom Gill, Jon Stryker, Hollywood, and Big Business. He also says the next step will be the normalization of pedophilia and the unleashing of further government persecution against Christians who refuse to bow before the idols of the LGBT movement.
I normally don’t post about politics, but this issue is too urgent to remain silent about. Mark Baker, author of “Making Sense of the Madness” and “Jesus Was a Socialist?” shares the alarming truth about the Marxist, socialist, and communist agendas against Christianity. Forced labor, food shortages, and loss of religious freedom and property rights are some of the changes we'd experience if the Marxist/Socialist agenda is allowed to flourish. This is an urgent life-or-death call for the Silent Majority to speak up and vote against socialism, while we still have time. Mark’s website is HopeForLifeOnline.com where his blogs and books are available, and also at https://amzn.to/3fY9yq7
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JD: The Pope has committed Mary to protect China, we’re talking about communist China. Why did the Pope make that decision?
MG: Well it goes back to an agreement, it’s an interim agreement that was signed by the Vatican and the Chinese government back in 2018. Shortly after the interim agreement was signed China continued to demolish Roman Catholic churches and crosses and continues to hold their clergy in detention. But because the Communist party has continued to destroy Catholic churches the Pope came out and said, “we intrust the pastors and faithful of the Catholic church in the great country to the guidance and protection not of God but of our heavenly mother so that they may be strong in the faith and firm and fraternal union”.
The Pope is recognizing that the Catholic church in China is under persecution by the communist government. So rather than intrust to almighty God the sovereign king of the world and universe he intrust the Catholic church to the guidance and protection of Mother Mary. Again an example of how the Roman Catholic church esteems Mary and gives her the attributes of God. We know that God is the only one that has the power to protect anyone on this earth but yet the Catholic church doesn’t know the Bible very well. We read in Psalm 148:13, let them praise the name of the Lord for His name alone is exalted, His splendor is above the earth and above the heavens. If Catholics would only read their Bible the truth would set them free from this religious deception that holds them in bondage. Don’t listen to the Pope, test everything he says with the authority of God’s word.
JD: Mike Gendron giving us the details on why the Pope assigned the mother of Jesus to protect the communist nation of China.
We report this information because it is setting the stage for Bible prophecy to be fulfilled.
Communist China is under the influence of Satan. As you study Revelation 17 the false church located in Rome you’ll see that the false church, a mother son cult, Revelation 17:5, is also under the influence of satan. The beast mentioned in Revelation 17 is the antichrist. Therefore we see that communist China and the false church in Rome will be satanically controlled in the last days. Both communist China and the Vatican will be major players in the end time scenario that is found in Bible prophecy.
Ron Burns — better known by his Islamic Black Nationalist name — Thabiti Anyabwile, is a Southern Baptist pastor and an author at Mark Dever’s 9Marks ministry as well as The Gospel Coalition. Anyabwile recently denounced his faith in favor of “black solidarity” because he, like all people who have succumbed to the temptation of self-preservation served up by the vain philosophies of social justice, decided he would be safer that way.
Anyabwile recently garnered the applause of Evangelical leaders who like to pretend they’re apolitical when, in fact, they are leftists whose sole purpose in life is to guilt conservatives into abstaining from voting conservatively when he tweeted out that being “politically homeless” is “one of the best things” that could happen to Christians.
Of course, this notion is absurd on the face of it and is, once again, nothing more than an attempt to move conservatives away from conservative politics and embrace the social justice movement of the left. What Anyabwile means by “politically homeless” does not mean that one should be untied from a particular political party. What he means by this is that one should not embrace the ideas of either of the major political parties and, instead, treat both political parties as equally aberrant and embrace some form of “third way.” The only problem is, this “third way” that they seek to embrace is nothing more than repackaged Democrat politics with a new name.
Look no further than the And Campaign to see what we mean. This third way embraces “choice” in abortion with, instead of the government limiting the evil of abortion, it financially subsidizes fornication. This third way embraces open-borders and illegal immigration and amnesty. It embraces wealth-redistribution, welfare, and free healthcare. And proponents of the third way don’t want to be called Democrats, so they, instead, call themselves “politically homeless” and sob and lament as they embrace the political candidate that most closely identifies with their beliefs — Democrats.
And that’s exactly what Anyabwile is doing. Anyabwile, who once endorsed Bernie Sanders as the “best” candidate for black Americans has now embraced the most pro-abortion, pro-LGBTQ Democrat ticket in all of American history.
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According to the Thomas More Society, a national not-for-profit law firm dedicated to restoring respect in law for life, family, and religious liberty, John MacArthur and Grace Community Church in Los Angeles, California have filed a lawsuit against the governor of California, Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Xavier Becerra, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, and other California and Los Angeles County public health officials, for the state’s “unconstitutional and onerous coronavirus pandemic regulations against Grace Community Church” and seeks a judgment against the defendants that the health orders “violate the California Constitution.”
In recent weeks, John MacArthur and Grace Community Church have been the subject of fury from leftist politicians and leftist Evangelicals because of his unwavering stance against government tyranny and its overreach into the affairs of the ecclesial matters of the Church. As Governor Newsom and other government officials in California have issued bans against gathering for worship, John MacArthur has vowed to keep his church doors open and has thus far held to his promise.
Pointing out the hypocrisy of government officials who have done little to nothing to suppress the mass gatherings of violence, looting, and rioting in the streets of California’s cities, MacArthur quipped during his last service, “welcome to our peaceful protest.” Al Mohler, arguably the most influential leader in the Southern Baptist Convention, currently the nation’s largest Protestant denomination, argued that for MacArthur’s church to remain open during the coronavirus pandemic could actually be “malpractice.”
As a result of the threats, MacArthur and Grace Community Church are now being represented by Jenna Ellis, Donald Trump’s attorney, and Charles LiMandri. According to the Thomas More Society, the complaint states that the American people have begun to see that they are being cheated by their own government.
“They have witnessed how the onerous restrictions imposed on them by public officials to allegedly fight the COVID-19 pandemic simply do not apply to certain, favored groups. When many went to the streets to engage in ‘political protests’ against ‘racism’ and ‘police brutality,’ these protestors refused to comply with the pandemic restrictions. Instead of enforcing the public health orders, public officials were all too eager to grant a de facto exception for these favored protestors.”
The Thomas More Society said in an email that “according to attorneys for the church it is time for California to recognize that Christians are not second-class citizens, and the court must step in to do its job applying the protections the U.S. and California State Constitutions provide to every individual equally and to churches in particular.”
Read the Demand Letter sent to Pastor John MacArthur by attorney Jason Tokoro, representing the County of Los Angeles in California, on July 29, 2020, ( here )
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PASO ROBLES, Calif. —A district attorney in California recently declared his county a “sanctuary for worship and praise in church.”
A video posted to YouTube shows San Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow speaking at an Independence Day gathering in Paso Robles, where he spoke about his concerns regarding the state ban on singing during indoor church services due to possible transmission of the coronavirus.
“I’m proud that each one of us has our right to worship in the way that we want to,” he stated. “Our state over the last few years has been letting out people out of prisons early, back into our communities — and especially right now — but yet our governor wants to make it a crime to worship and praise God in church by singing to our almighty God.”
“And that to me is an example of where right has become wrong and wrong has become right,” Dow said.
To cheers, he then declared San Obispo a “sanctuary city” to praise God in church.
“I’ll tell you right now for the first time with a microphone: By the power vested in me as District Attorney of San Luis Obispo County, I declare San Luis Obispo County a sanctuary county for worship and praise in church,” Dow proclaimed.
“When we’re releasing the real criminals into our community but we’re trying to criminalize those that are dedicated to exercising their First Amendment rights, we’ve gone wrong, and I won’t allow that to happen in San Luis Obispo County while I’m the district attorney.”
As previously reported, on July 6, the California Department of Health (DOH) released guidelines pertaining to “places of worship, providers of religious services and cultural ceremonies.”
The document explained that there have been outbreaks in “a range of workplaces,” which include places of worship, hospitals, food production facilities and warehouses, and that it is imperative that preventative measures be taken to protect workers and the public.
“Even with adherence to physical distancing, convening in a congregational setting of multiple different households to practice a personal faith carries a relatively higher risk for widespread transmission of the COVID-19 virus, and may result in increased rates of infection, hospitalization, and death, especially among more vulnerable populations,” the document stated.
“In particular, activities such as singing and chanting negate the risk reduction achieved through six feet of physical distancing,” it asserted.
Therefore, “[p]laces of worship must … discontinue indoor singing and chanting activities and limit indoor attendance to 25% of building capacity or a maximum of 100 attendees, whichever is lower,” the DOH said.
Three churches in the state have filed suit to challenge the prohibition, contending that “[t]he worship ban … on its face and as applied prohibits all singing and chanting in places of worship, even if Plaintiffs follow Center for Disease Control and Prevention and state guidelines for social distancing and mask wearing etc., which is a violation of Plaintiffs’ right to the free exercise of religion.”
Dow also released a video on July 31, explaining that he still stands behinds his words declaring San Obispo a sanctuary city where Christians can freely sing in church.
“I am firmly committed to the principle that it would be a severe injustice for my office to charge a person with a crime who has simply chosen to practice their faith by singing in church,” he said. “Today in 2020, more than ever, we need more people attending their houses of worship and seeking help from the Almighty for an answer to the coronavirus.”
Dow was soon criticized by the San Obispo Tribune editorial board, which wrote in an op-ed that his statements were a “terrible message to send at a time when coronavirus cases are soaring; it legitimizes the idea that some public health rules are questionable and gives the public tacit permission to break the law.”
Some reports state that violations of the DOH guidelines did not carry criminal penalties.
California currently prohibits indoor church services altogether in a number of counties.
Christians have become second-class citizens in America. Gubernatorial edicts, tyrannical mayors, and judicial activism are grossly infringing upon civil rights. Christians are seeking innovative ways to gather in worship, which avoid arrests and fines. Tune in every Wednesday at 10 PM Eastern time for Sarah's live show. Get reliable notification options and further information at Sarah's home site: https://SarahCorriher.com/
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John MacArthur has been on the defensive from practically every angle for the last several months. From playing defense against the woke feminist social justice Evangelical camp after rightly telling Beth Moore to “go home,” to now being threatened with jail time by his government leaders for having church during the coronavirus “pandemic,” John MacArthur’s steadfastness and unwavering faithfulness to the gospel should be an example to every Christian alive today.
Sadly, some of the harshest attacks come from within the most prominent leaders of Evangelicalism. But, today, MacArthur is being attacked by “gay Christians” who team up with Beth Moore & Co for his biblical views on sexuality. Nate Collins explains how John MacArthur made a biblical comparison of sexually aberrant behaviors — except, of course, Collins didn’t explain it that way — and called John MacArthur’s views “toxic.” One can only assume that Collins would find the vast majority of the Bible to be “toxic.”
Collins, a sodomite leader from the Revoice Conference launched his attack today against John MacArthur and Beth Moore’s daughter, Melissa, joined the chorus calling it “awful” and how it “hurts my heart” that he had to “endure this.”
Revoice is the “gay Christian” movement that has been largely condemned by conservative Evangelicals and even condemned by more moderates including Al Mohler. Revoice is led by openly-gay but “celibate” men who claim to be Christians but whose sexual orientation is not (and cannot be) changed. This movement, led by people like Nate Collins and Preston Sprinkle, advocate for acceptance and inclusion of homosexuals in the ranks of Christianity and those who choose to remain single (from the opposite sex) should form close, intimate, marriage-like relationships with people of the same sex with the exception that the abstain from intercourse.
There is no more room for complement Christianity. Saving America will depend on reasonable and responsible Christians turning up to vote in November. Our country depends on it.
ROMANS 1: 21-22- Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools
JOHN 8:34-Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
2 TIMOTHY 3:1-7-This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
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LYNCHBURG, Va. —Liberty University, which hails itself as the world’s largest Christian university and holds to the mission motto “Training Champions for Christ,” announced on Friday that its board of trustees has requested that President Jerry Falwell Jr. take an “indefinite leave of absence” from his roles at the school, to which he has agreed. The announcement follows controversy over a vacation photo he posted to Instagram — and then deleted — in which he imitated his wife’s pregnant assistant, posing with his pants completely unzipped.
“The Executive Committee of Liberty University’s Board of Trustees, acting on behalf of the full Board, met today and requested that Jerry Falwell, Jr. take an indefinite leave of absence from his roles as president and chancellor of Liberty University, to which he has agreed, effective immediately,” the statement said.
As previously reported, Falwell recently participated in a “Trailer Park Boys”-themed outing on a yacht while on vacation.
The vile Canadian-based show filled with profanity, alcoholism, drug use, sexual immorality and other ungodliness features episode titles such as “[Expletive] Community College, Let’s Get Drunk and Eat Chicken Fingers,” “I’m Not Gay, I Love Lucy … Wait A Second, Maybe I Am Gay,” “Gimme My [Expletive] Money Or Randy’s Dead”, and “You Want The Lot Fees, [Sexual Vulgarity]”.
The imitation of the characters at the costume party was made into a video, which was deleted but downloaded by a polemics outlet before it was taken down. Falwell was the lead character, Julian (see below).
In the photo that Falwell posted — and then deleted, Falwell held a faux glass of alcohol and stood with his shirt rolled up and his pants completely unzipped. His wife’s assistant, who was dressed as the character Lucy, likewise had her shirt pushed up with short ripped shorts that were unbuttoned.
“She’s pregnant, so she couldn’t get her pants up,” Falwell stated. “I had on a pair of jeans that I hadn’t worn in a long time, so I couldn’t get mine zipped either.”
“So, I just put my belly out like hers,” Falwell continued. “I should never have put it (the photo) up and embarrassed her.”
“Jerry Falwell Jr.’s ongoing behavior is appalling,” he wrote. “As a Music Faculty Advisory Board member and former instructor @LibertyU, I’m convinced Falwell should step down.”
“None of us are perfect,” Walker continued, “but students, faculty, alumni and @LUPraise deserve better.”
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LYNCHBURG, Va. —Jerry Falwell, Jr., the president of Liberty University, which hails itself as the world’s largest Christian university, has explained, and expressed regret over, a controversial vacation photograph in which he had his pants unzipped while standing next to his wife’s assistant, who likewise had her fly unbuttoned. A federal congressman, who is a former pastor and serves on Liberty University’s Music Faculty Advisory Board, is calling for Falwell to resign due to continued concerns about his behavior.
“She’s pregnant, so she couldn’t get her pants up,” Falwell told the WLNI “MorningLine” radio show on Wednesday. “I had on a pair of jeans that I hadn’t worn in a long time, so I couldn’t get mine zipped either.”
“So, I just put my belly out like hers,” Falwell continued. “I should never have put it (the photo) up and embarrassed her.”
He said that he has apologized over the matter, which happened at a costume party on a yacht that was “just in good fun.”
“I’ve apologized to everybody, and I promised my kids I’m going to try to be a good boy from here on out,” Falwell said.
As previously reported, Falwell recently participated in a “Trailer Park Boys”-themed outing on a yacht while on vacation. The vile Canadian-based show filled with profanity, alcoholism, drug use, sexual immorality and other ungodliness features episode titles such as “[Expletive] Community College, Let’s Get Drunk and Eat Chicken Fingers,” “I’m Not Gay, I Love Lucy … Wait A Second, Maybe I Am Gay,” “Gimme My [Expletive] Money Or Randy’s Dead”, and “You Want The Lot Fees, [Sexual Vulgarity]”.
The imitation of the characters at the costume party was made into a video, which was deleted but downloaded by a polemics outlet before it was taken down. Falwell was the lead character, Julian (see below).
In the photo that Falwell posted — and then deleted, Falwell held a faux glass of alcohol and stood with his shirt rolled up and his pants completely unzipped. His wife’s assistant, who was the character Lucy on “Trailer Park Boys”, likewise had her shirt pushed up with short ripped shorts that were unbuttoned.
“Jerry Falwell Jr.’s ongoing behavior is appalling,” he wrote. “As a Music Faculty Advisory Board member and former instructor @LibertyU, I’m convinced Falwell should step down.”
“None of us are perfect,” Walker continued, “but students, faculty, alumni and @LUPraise deserve better.”
His post generated both agreement and dispute.
“Obviously perfection is what you are looking for and not repentance. Jerry has done a great job leading LU and a great job listening to the community when he offends. He also led well during COVID 19,” wrote follower Steven Mosley.
“A congressman has better things to do during this time of crises than to cause division,” wrote Rick Amato. “Out of the same mouth come praises to god and curses on a man?”
“As a Liberty alum myself, I have not appreciated many of the words which have come out of his mouth (especially during our current climate). This is ridiculous and absolutely unprofessional,” opined follower Dan Walker. “He can’t expect students and faculty to uphold a standard that he himself won’t uphold.”
“As a fellow North Carolinian, @LibertyUAlum, and above all else, a Christian, I couldn’t agree more. For the sake of the school and for the sake of Jerry’s soul, it is needed,” stated Austin Edwards. “Thank you for your voice.”
Churches are RISING UP and REVOLTING Against their Far Left Governors BAN on Christian Worship! In this video, we’re going to look at the latest example of a mass populist uprising against our secular globalist elite, and how such an uprising signals nothing less than a return to a far more conservative age; you’re not going to want to miss this!
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In a very bizarre Instagram post, Liberty University president, Jerry Falwell Jr. posted a picture of himself standing next to another woman, not his wife, with both of their pants unzipped.
The image was captioned with Falwell’s disclaimer, “I promise that’s just black water in my glass.”
It’s difficult to explain why the president of the largest Christian university in the country would find it appropriate to post such a racy image in what appears could only be explained by a drunken stupor. Falwell has repeatedly found himself in controversies surrounding his personal life. During the 2016 election cycle, Falwell was captured in a picture with then presidential candidate, Donald Trump with a photo from Playboy magazine in the background.
Regarding the original image above, a video has surfaced of the family “vacation” where the photo originated. It appears to be a “Trailer Park Boys” theme vacation and the images in the video below are rather disturbing for a man who claims to be a Christian.
A video of the party also showed up on the internet, featuring Falwell and others at what appears to be a Trailer Park Boys themed party. The scenes are surprising, given that Falwell is the president of a the largest Christian university in the country. One guest in the video makes a vulgar gesture toward the camera. Some are wearing tight clothes with bellies exposed. Many have cigarettes dangling from their mouths.
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Quite literally, Donald Trump has been more of a friend to Christianity than most Evangelical leaders today. While Evangelicals and Southern Baptists are standing in line to write the next hit piece against John MacArthur for daring to stand against the unconstitutional shutdown orders mandated by Communist California governor, Gavin Newsom, Donald Trump is lending his personal attorney, Jenna Ellis, to represent him.
Ellis represented Donald Trump during the ridiculous 2020 impeachment trials and has been a staunch advocate for churches during the coronavirus crisis.
The Thomas More Society, a “not-for-profit, national public interest law firm dedicated to restoring respect in law for life, family, and religious liberty,” made the announcement Wednesday,
“The Thomas More Society announces that nationally renowned attorneys Jenna Ellis and Charles LiMandri will represent Pastor John MacArthur and Grace Community Church in Los Angeles, California, as Special Counsel.”
“Grace Community Church, its Elder Board, and Pastor MacArthur have been the target of unconstitutional religious discrimination by the City of Los Angeles and the State of California, amid the state’s order to cease in-person church assembly indefinitely. Grace Community Church and Pastor MacArthur, known worldwide for their ministry and seminary, have enjoyed an impeccable 63-year history of serving the Los Angeles community in person and having a reputation for good citizenship and deference to legitimate state authority.”
The county has already attempted to shut off utilities to the property where the church meets.
In recent days, MacArthur has been chided by Evangelical leaders such as Mark Dever of 9Marks, Gavin Ortlund, a TGC contributor, and SBTS president, Al Mohler, who suggested his church staying open could be “malpractice” on part of his congregation. As the county has threatened MacArthur with fines and even arrest, he complains that none of his Evangelical friends have stood with him in this fight.
MacArthur has, in turn, scolded Southern Baptist president, JD Greear, for closing his church for at least the remainder of this year, stating that he “doesn’t know what a church is” and “doesn’t know how to shepherd” a flock.
It’s amazing that Donald Trump, a man who likely doesn’t truly understand the gospel, is far more friendly to Christianity and understands the importance of worship more than our so-called Evangelical Christian leaders today do.
Nationally renowned constitutional law attorney Jenna Ellis, who is a Senior Fellow at the Falkirk Center for Faith & Liberty, said that “Pastor MacArthur and Grace Community church are not disobeying the Constitution; it is California’s Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Eric Garcetti that are defying their constitutional obligation to protect religious freedom and church assembly.”
“This is not about health and safety, it is about targeting churches.”
In the Thomas Moore Society’s announcement, Ellis explained:
Our American system of government specifically recognizes that our individual, fundamental right to free exercise of religion and freedom of assembly is a pre-political, God-given, inalienable right. That right is not given by the government or the Constitution, but rather, government is mandated by the Constitution to preserve and protect it for the church. Grace Community Church has every right to assemble without impossible and unreasonable infringement from the state, and the state has absolutely no power to impose the restrictions it is demanding. Church is essential, and the government has no power to arbitrate whether religious organizations are essential. This is not about health and safety, it is about targeting churches.
Attorney Ellis also serves as an allied attorney with the Alliance Defending Freedom, and served on President Trump’s legal team for the 2020 impeachment trial. She is currently the senior legal advisor to the Trump 2020 campaign, as well as private counsel for President Trump.
Constitutional law attorney and freedom expert Charles LiMandri said, “It is unconstitutional for Governor Newsom and the State of California to discriminate against churches by treating them less favorably than other organizations and activities that are not protected by the First Amendment.” He stated that California’s government “has given free rein to protesters,” and isn’t restricting marijuana dispensaries, or abortion providers in the same way they are Grace Community Church. He emphasized, “The government orders are also unconstitutional because there is no compelling need for the onerous restrictions on the churches at this time.”
“Churches are providing an ‘essential’ service to the people.”
LiMandri said, “It is time for Governor Newsom and Mayor Garcetti to recognize what President Trump has already proclaimed: Churches are providing an essential service to the people. Therefore, they must be allowed to serve the people in the manner in which God has called them.”
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By unanimous vote of the Elder Board, led by Pastor MacArthur, Grace Community Church issued a statement on July 24, 2020,
explaining their decision. The statement reads in part: “Christ is Lord of all. He is the one true head of the church (Ephesians 1:22;
5:23; Colossians 1:18). He is also King of kings – sovereign over every earthly authority (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14; 19:16).
Grace Community Church has always stood immovably on those biblical principles. As His people, we are subject to His will and
commands as revealed in Scripture. Therefore, we cannot and will not acquiesce to a government-imposed moratorium on our
weekly congregational worship or other regular corporate gatherings. Compliance would be disobedience to our Lord’s clear
commands.”
Pastor MacArthur said, “This is not the first time we as Christ’s church have stood for Truth. We will continue to stand firm for the Truth today like we have every prior day in our 63-year history and as the biblical New Testament Church has done for more than 2000 years. We stand firm to continue fulfilling our biblical mandate from Christ to proclaim the Gospel and assemble together, and I earnestly hope that our stance will encourage other pastors, churches, and the general public across America and the world to also stand firm for biblical Truth. Church is essential.”
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RICHMOND, Va. —Legislators in Virginia repealed longstanding laws earlier this year that criminalized fornication and profanity, with Gov. Ralph Northam signing his name to the repeals.
“We should not have laws that make most of the population into criminals,” state Del. Mark Levine, D-Alexandria, who introduced House Bill 245, told CNN. “Times are very different now than they were in the 17th and 18th centuries.”
A section of Virginia’s “Crimes Involving Morals and Decency”, dating to early America, had outlawed fornication, making it punishable up to a fine of $250.
“Any person, not being married, who voluntarily shall have sexual intercourse with any other person, shall be guilty of fornication, punishable as a Class 4 misdemeanor,” the law had read.
“It’s a stupid law. It’s crazy,” Levine told WTVR-TV. “No one should think they can be prosecuted for this common practice. … How is Virginia for lovers if lovers can’t love each other?”
The law had been rarely enforced the past several decades, only being utilized when bundled with other crimes. Attempts to repeal the law, including as recently as 2014, all failed.
“I don’t want to see it changed,” Jack Knapp, then-director of the Virginia Assembly of Independent Baptists, told the Daily Press in 1993. “The criminal code as it is stated is very supportive of the biblical stand.”
The Supreme Court of Virginia struck down the law in 2005 in the case of Martin v. Ziherl, as it pointed to the 2003 the Supreme Court decision of Lawrence v. Texas, which legalized homosexual sex acts in declaring, “Their right to liberty under the Due Process Clause gives them the full right to engage in their conduct without intervention of the government.”
Lawmakers also passed HB 1071, introduced by Del. Dawn Adams, D-Richmond, which repealed a 1792 law that made using profanity in public a misdemeanor.
“If any person profanely curses or swears or is intoxicated in public, whether such intoxication results from alcohol, narcotic drug, or other intoxicant or drug of whatever nature, he shall be deemed is guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor,” the law read. The intoxication aspect of the statute was left in place by Adams.
According to the Virginian-Pilot, Sen. Jill Vogel, R-Fauquier, wanted to keep the law on the books and expressed concern about removing a legal standard for acceptable speech.
“Is it the case then that I will no longer be able to say if I hear my children swear … ‘If you swear, it’s a crime?’” she asked. “That means I no longer have this high Virginia standard to uphold in my house.”
Like the fornication law, others have tried to repeal the statute. The 1989 Virginia Appeals Court ruling in Burgess v. City of Virginia Beach reversed a man’s conviction for swearing after being pulled over by a police officer, stating, “While we in no way condone the language of Burgess, we hold that since the ordinance is susceptible of application to protected speech, it is unconstitutional.”
NPR reported that if Gov. Northam “signs the bill, Virginians will legally be able to curse to their heart’s content starting July 1.”
And that he did, with Northam spokesperson Alena Yarmosky telling the outlet prior to the passage of the repeal, “It’s past time we swore off the antiquated policies of the past.”
As previously reported, in 1775, General George Washington signed an order that prohibited profanity among the U.S. military, and many state governors followed suit.
“The general is sorry to be informed that the foolish and wicked practice of profane cursing and swearing, a vice hitherto little known in our American army, is growing into fashion. He hopes that the officers will, by example as well as influence, endeavor to check it and that both they and the men will reflect that we can little hope of the blessing of Heaven on our army if we insult it by our impiety and folly. Added to this it is a vice so mean and low without any temptation that every man of sense and character detests and despises it,” he wrote.
Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”
1 Corinthians 6:13 teaches, “Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.”
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5,7-8 likewise instructs, “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication, that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor, not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God.”
“For God hath not called us unto uncleanness but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man but God who hath also given unto us His Holy Spirit.”
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Islamic law forbids non-Muslims to preach any non-Muslim religion among Muslims, on pain of death (cf. Reliance of the Traveller o11.10).
The death penalty for apostasy is also part of Islamic law. It’s based on the Qur’an: “They wish you would disbelieve as they disbelieved so you would be alike. So do not take from among them allies until they emigrate for the cause of Allah. But if they turn away, then seize them and kill them wherever you find them and take not from among them any ally or helper.” (Qur’an 4:89)
A Sunni hadith depicts Muhammad saying: “Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him” (Bukhari 9.84.57). This is not just a Sunni idea; the death penalty for apostasy is part of Islamic law according to all the schools of Islamic jurisprudence.
This is still the position of all the schools of Islamic jurisprudence, both Sunni and Shi’ite. Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, the most renowned and prominent Muslim cleric in the world, has stated: “The Muslim jurists are unanimous that apostates must be punished, yet they differ as to determining the kind of punishment to be inflicted upon them. The majority of them, including the four main schools of jurisprudence (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’i, and Hanbali) as well as the other four schools of jurisprudence (the four Shiite schools of Az-Zaidiyyah, Al-Ithna-‘ashriyyah, Al-Ja’fariyyah, and Az-Zaheriyyah) agree that apostates must be executed.”
Qaradawi also once famously said: “If they had gotten rid of the apostasy punishment, Islam wouldn’t exist today.”
“2 Christians drowned in retaliation for evangelizing Muslims near L. Kyoga,” by Aaron Sseruyigo, Ug Christian News, August 2, 2020:
Police in Namuseru village, Gadumire Sub-County in Kaliro District have arrested three suspects with offenses related to the torture and drowning of a pastor and Church member on account of evangelizing Muslims on Lake Nakuwa, a tributary of Lake Kyoga.
Officers identified the suspects as Sharifu Ngugo, Hassan Mwidu Gulumaire and Jafari Kadisi of Lugonyola village and took them to the Kaliro central police station….
The victims were identified as Pastor Peter Kyakulaga of Church of Christ and parishioner Tuule Mumbya….
The last warning came on June 21, a day before they beat and drowned Pastor Peter Kyakulaga and Tuule Mumbya in the lake.
“We have discovered that your mission is not to fish but to hold Christian meetings and then convert Muslims to Christianity,” one of the Muslims had reportedly told the Christians on June 21, according to the relative. “We are not going to take this mission of yours lightly. This is our last warning to you.”…
Ellen DeGeneres, once the epitome of woke Hollywood, has completely and totally collapsed! In this video, we’re going to look at how the star has fallen for this once virtue-signaling tv star, why her world has turned into a public relations disaster, and how Ellen is but the latest example of the age-old adage: Get Woke, Go Broke! You’re not going to want to miss it!
In light of Christ laying down his life for His enemies (
