Category: White Horse

Atheist Loses Attempt to Remove ‘So Help Me God’ From US Naturalization Oath

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BOSTON — A French-born woman who lives in Massachusetts has lost her appeal effort to have the phrase “so help me God” removed from the United States naturalization oath, as the First Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Friday that its inclusion is not unconstitutional.

“[W]e hold that, under the most recent framework used to evaluate whether established practices with religious content violate the Establishment Clause, the phrase ‘so help me God’ in the naturalization oath as a means of completing that oath does not violate the Constitution,” wrote Judge Juan Torruella, nominated to the bench by then-President Ronald Reagan, on behalf of the three-judge panel.

The court also noted that the woman can opt out of using the phrase, while not denying the right of others to speak it if desired.

“[T]he government has not prevented Perrier-Bilbo from expressing her atheistic religious beliefs. Nor can Perrier-Bilbo claim that the regulation prescribing the oath prohibits her from having a public ceremony during which she does not have to say the phrase ‘so help me God,’” Torruella outlined.

“Rather, the regulations enable her to alter the oath, and the government has given her alternatives to accommodate her beliefs so that she is comfortable during her ceremony and is able to naturalize.”

“Perrier-Bilbo’s actual complaint seems to be that the Government will not change the oath for everyone attending the public ceremony so that no one utters the words to which Perrier-Bilbo objects. Perrier-Bilbo certainly does not have a protected liberty interest in that,” he added.

https://christiannews.net

Bill de Blasio Threatens to ‘Permanently’ Close Churches, Synagogues if They Meet During Coronavirus

Tyler O’Neil – March 30, 2020

On Friday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio warned that the city could shut down places of worship if congregants continued to violate the state’s stay-at-home orders.

“A small number of religious communities, specific churches, and specific synagogues are unfortunately not paying attention to this guidance even though it’s so widespread,” de Blasio said at a press conference. “I want to say to all those who are preparing for the potential of religious services this weekend: If you go to your synagogue, if you go to your church and attempt to hold services after having been told so often not to, our enforcement agents will have no choice but to shut down those services.”

The mayor said that city staff members have been instructed to break up church services and to “take additional action up to the point of fines and potentially closing the building permanently,” if worshippers do not comply.

De Blasio: churches and synagogues that hold worship services may be closed permanently pic.twitter.com/kdUsdbP2YO

— Matthew Schmitz (@matthewschmitz) March 29, 2020

Jeremy Dys, special counsel for litigation and communications at the religious freedom law firm First Liberty, condemned de Blasio’s threat in remarks to PJ Media.

“The American people will tolerate a lot during a time of national pandemic. They will not tolerate government threats to permanently close Houses of Worship. Such careless talk by Mayor De Blasio harms the ability of church and state to work together, not only to provide calm and comfort during a global pandemic, but to strengthen religious freedom,” Dys warned.

https://pjmedia.com

Christian Round-Ups Continue: 7 Arrested for Praying Near Greensboro Abortion Clinic During Stay-at Home Order

Paula Bolyard – March 31, 2020

On Sunday, we reported that four men were arrested outside a Greensboro, N.C., abortion clinic, where they were conducting a prayer walk. Despite the fact that that a pro-life group, Love Life, had canceled its group meeting and everyone was following the rules for social distancing, the Greensboro Police Department arrested them and charged them with violating Guilford County’s stay-at-home order.

Apparently not happy with violating the First Amendment rights of four prayer warriors, the Greensboro Police Department arrested seven more people on Monday after they were caught praying in public in front of a facility that makes its money by slaughtering innocent children.

Steve Noble, an area radio host who recorded the arrests, wrote on his Facebook page that those arrested were following the county’s rules by limiting their gathering, which was held on private property with the permission of the owner, to fewer than ten people. “They were exercising their First Amendment rights [to] assemble and to exercise their religious beliefs,” said Noble. “They believe they are allowed to be there under the exemption clauses of the local county order” regarding the Chinese coronavirus rules.

Justin Reeder, the founder of Love Life, was arrested for a second time on Monday, as were Jason Oesterreich and Isaiah Burner. Also arrested were Leroy Stokes Jr., Andre Gonzalez, Richard Whittier, and John Mcatee.

In multiple videos, the men can be seen abiding by the 6-foot social distancing recommendations. Nevertheless, and despite the fact that walking alone is permissible under the guidelines, police swooped in to arrest the men, ordering ten cars to the area to deal with the peaceful prayer warriors who were there not only to pray but to counsel men and women who were contemplating having their babies killed at “A Woman’s Choice” clinic.

Noble’s video, too, shows that the men were doing nothing more than walking and praying quietly to themselves when a heavy police presence was brought in to deal with them.

https://pjmedia.com

Christians Suffer Police Brutality, Illegal Arrests in Uttar Pradesh, India

Morning Star News – March 23, 2020

HYDERABAD, India, March 23, 2020 (Morning Star News) – Forcing them to pose like Christ on the cross, police last week beat Christians in custody on baseless charges in northern India’s Uttar Pradesh state, sources said.

On March 15 a church of 200 people was immersed in a Sunday service when 30 Hindu extremists brandishing hockey sticks and steel rods arrived with police at the worship hall built on the premises of the pastor’s home in the Kunda area of Pratapgarh District, sources said.

“Once I saw them armed with hockey sticks and steel rods, I understood that they had come to attack us,” Pastor Indresh Kumar Gautam, 24, told Morning Star News. “I got down from the pulpit and decided to face them before they cause nuisance or attack any of the members of the congregation.”

He could see they were young men of the Hindu extremist Bajrang Dal from his and neighboring villages, he said. The pastor said they accused the church of increasing conversions to Christianity in the area.

“I told them clearly that we do not convert anyone, and that we had only accepted Christian faith and would be only praying for everyone,” he said. “If anybody chooses to follow Jesus after attending prayers, they are free to do so as the Indian constitution has granted the right to practice one’s faith freely.”

The intruders shouted at the worshippers to disperse immediately or they would be beaten brutally, he said.

“They had already started attacking us, and the police kept looking on,” Pastor Gautam said. “They seized the Bibles and the sound instruments, but the officers both male and female did not stop them.”

Instead, police forced five worshippers into police vehicles and took them to the Kunda police station, he said.

https://www.christianheadlines.com

Canadian Bill Would Jail Christian Parents Who Attempt to Discourage Their Child’s Same-Sex Attraction

Michael Foust – March 19, 2020

A new Canadian bill backed by the prime minister would jail parents who attempt to discourage and change their child’s unwanted same-sex attractions or gender identity.

Bill C-8, supported by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, would make it a crime punishable up to five years in prison to “knowingly” cause “a person who is under the age of 18 years to undergo conversion therapy.” The bill applies not just to therapists but “everyone.”

The bill defines conversion therapy as a “practice, treatment or service designed to change a person’s sexual orientation to heterosexual or gender identity to cisgender, or to repress or reduce non-heterosexual attraction or sexual behaviour.”

The Campaign Life Coalition, a Toronto-based organization, says the bill is an affront to parental rights and religious freedom.

“If you’re a parent with a gender-confused child, you will not be permitted to help that child conform to his/her biological gender,” David Cooke of the Campaign Life Coalition wrote in an analysis of the bill. “… If you’re a pastor or church leader who publicly proclaims the power of Christ to transform homosexuals and transgenders, you may be arrested for ‘advertising conversion therapy.’”

The Trudeau government, he asserted, is “pushing to eradicate the Christian view of sexuality and gender from the public square.”

“They are working to suppress and deny the testimony of countless ex-gays and ex-trans who expose the lies of the LGBT narrative,” Cooke wrote.

https://www.christianheadlines.com

Pro-Choicers Yell “Hail Satan” And Obscenities At Peacefully Praying Pro-Lifers

Student for Life – March 9, 2020

Fire Department, Police Department Called to Bellingham Planned Parenthood after Mysterious Liquid Thrown at Pro-Lifers defamed by Multiple Obscenities, Threats and Lewdness 

“Whatcom Students for Life bravely stood up against the threats of intimidation and the obscenities hurled at them by violent pro-choicers. Such violence is always tragic, but more and more commonplace, especially in a time in which the Senate Minority Leader threatened two Supreme Court Justices for possibly being pro-life. Abortion advocates are becoming more violent against those who advocate for the innocent, but we will not be silenced,” said Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America. 

BELLINGHAM, WA and FREDERICKSBURG, VA (3-09-2020) — Reacting to news of a vial of liquid being thrown at Whatcom Students for Life who were praying peacefully outside of an abortion facility as part of a 40 Days for Life campaign on Saturday, March 7th, Kristan Hawkins, the president of Students for Life of America said that the violence and ugliness on behalf of pro-abortion advocates cannot be tolerated. She observed, “The threats and vitriol must be stopped. Every day it seems like we hear of a new account of vandalism, threat of violence, or acts of intimidation towards peaceful pro-lifers. What happened Saturday shows us the worst of the worst of the pro-choice movement; obscenity, Satan worship, and lewdness towards students. We firmly reject all acts of violence and intimidation towards our students.” 

According to Autumn Lindsey, a student spokesperson for Students for Life and a leader in Whatcom Community College Students for Life, numerous incidents of violence and intimidation occurred on Saturday. These included:

· People driving by the group, yelling obscenities and displaying crude gestures.  

· A man who masturbated in a car towards the group, many of whom were students, as his friend drove near the peaceful protestors. 

· A woman, caught on video, yelling “Hail, Satan.” 

· A woman flashed the group while yelling, “My body; My choice.”

https://studentsforlife.org

Thanks to Trump: Pascal Lamb could be Sacrificed on Temple Mount for first Time in 2,000 Years

Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz – February 27, 2020

As per Trump’s Deal of the Century, the Sanhedrin petitioned the Israeli government, filing to receive permits that would allow priests to perform the ritual of the Pesach (Passover) sacrifice temporary altar that will be transported to the temple mount and removed immediately after the ceremony. If the government grants the permits, as it should, based on Israeli and international law, this will be the first time since the destruction of the Second Temple that an altar has stood in its proper place on Judaism’s holiest site: the threshing floor purchased by King David.

For the past eight years, the Sanhedrin has been conducting reenactments of the Temple service as a means of preparing for the actual reinstating of the service. These reenactments are held before each of the Biblically mandated feasts by kohanim (Jewish men descended for Aaron the high priests) dressed in the proper Temple garb.

The reenactment of the Pesach offering has special significance as the commandment has great import. There are only two mitzvot (Biblical commandments) for which non-compliance receives the most severe punishment mandated by the Torah, karet (being cut off from the community, or excommunicated): brit milah (circumcision) and the korban Pesach (Passover sacrifice).

Constructing the altar (courtesy: Sanhedrin)

“Despite various issues of Jewish law, such as ritual impurity and lack of a high priest, Jews are still required and technically able to bring the sacrifice,” Rabbi Hillel Weiss, the spokesman for the Sanhedrin told Breaking Israel News. “The only thing preventing the Jewish People from performing the Passover sacrifice is the Israeli government.”

The Sanhedrin recently performed an intense study concerning the current status of the Passover offering and concluded that at this juncture, one sacrifice made at the Temple Mount brought in the name of the entire Jewish people would suffice. The Sanhedrin held a special meeting on Wednesday to discuss the Pesach offering reenactment as well as contingency plans should the government permit the actual ritual to be performed on the Temple Mount at the proper time.

As they do every year, the Sanhedrin submitted requests for permits to perform the reenactment to be held on the Temple Mount three days before the holiday. They also submitted a separate request for the actual sacrifice to be held on the Temple Mount on the holiday. Included in this request is the plan to bring a stone altar to the Temple Mount.

The Passover sacrifice can only be offered in one place; on the Temple Mount. The sacrifice does not require an actual Temple structure but it does require an altar that is built to adhere to the Biblical requirements. Such an altar was constructed last year and stands ready.

https://www.breakingisraelnews.com

World edges toward zero-tolerance for Christians

Michael F. Haverluck – February 17, 2020

Whether they reside in Iran, China, Nigeria, or North Korea, the world is quickly becoming less tolerant of Christians.

According to findings from Open Doors‘ latest World Watch List (WWL) featuring the 50 least-safe nations to practice Christianity, the world has become a much more dangerous place for hundreds of millions of Christians.

“In the top 50 countries alone, 260 million Christians face a level of persecution measured as extreme, very high, or high,” Open Doors announced over the weekend. “In total, one in eight Christians worldwide face persecution measured as extreme, very high, or high – a 6% increase from 2019.”

Under Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un, the Hermit Kingdom’s communist dictatorship only allows citizens to honor and bow down to the state.

“North Korea remains the most dangerous place for Christians, having been number one since the inception of the list in 2002,” the global outreach serving the persecuted Church reported. “Something as simple as owning a Bible can mean a person is arrested and taken to one of the country’s infamous labor camps – never to return.”

In other communist, Islamic and Hindu nations, things aren’t much better for those living out their faith in Jesus Christ.

For example, China is 23rd on the World Watch List. As the country with the world’s largest population of 1.3 billion, it is leading the way in the proliferation of “digital persecution”; with the second-most populous nation, India – with 1.2 billion residents – having a Hindu-led government that is also using this high-tech ability to weed out Christians.

“China has begun to utilize AI and biometric measurement to increase their surveillance and control of religious believers – as seen with their surveillance of Uighur Muslims, [and] at least one major church now has facial recognition cameras to record worshippers’ presence,” Open Doors revealed. “India (10) is also set to make use of these technologies.”

In sub-Saharan Africa, terrorism at the hands of Islamic fundamentalists is on the rise.

https://onenewsnow.com

Christians are being captured and killed across the globe: ‘World Watch List’ takes you inside the crisis

Billy Hallowell – February 10, 2020

Millions of Christians across the globe live in perpetual fear that they will be punished, harmed — or even killed — for merely practicing their faith.

Worldwide persecution continues to be at a fevered pitch, with varying degrees of affliction for those who openly embrace the Bible.

This tragic reality is more than evident in Open Doors USA’s latest “World Watch List,” an annual report that offers “an unparalleled glimpse into the 50 places around the world where it costs the most to be a Christian.”

According to the stunning 2020 report, more than 260 million Christians live in places where there is a high level of persecution, amounting to one-in-eight Christians worldwide.

https://www.theblaze.com

Persecuted Christians in Africa

Jack Kerwick – February 5, 2020

Globally speaking, as it has been accurately said, “religious persecution” is virtually synonymous with “Christian persecution.”

Yet the international journalistic class, as well as Christian leadership, is all but silent. At the very least, they don’t make nearly as much noise about this continuing outrage as they should and most assuredly would be making if it were any other religious group being besieged by a fraction of the violence to which Christians are routinely subjected in legions of countries around the planet.

Giulio Meotti is worth quoting at length. He asks: “Where has been the global outcry for the serial butchering of Christians just because they are Christians?”

Meanwhile, in Nigeria, the Bishops’ Conference likened parts of the country to “the killing fields” plowed by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. Only in this case, it is the blood of Christians that is feeding those fields.

Meotti summarizes a recent spate of homicidal violence against Christian in Nigeria alone:

“First there was the beheading of 11 Nigerian Christians during the recent Christmas celebration. The next day, a Catholic woman, Martha Bulus, was beheaded in the Nigerian state of Borno with her bridesmaids, five days before the wedding. Then there was a raid on the village of Gora-Gan in the Nigerian state of Kaduna, where terrorists shot anyone they met in the square where the evangelical community had gathered, killing two young Christian women. There was also a Christian student killed by Islamic extremists who recorded his execution. Then pastor Lawan Andimi, a local leader of the Christian Association of Nigeria, was beheaded.”

Father Joseph Bature Fidelis, of the Diocese of Maiduguri, refers to the “immense extermination” of Christians that is occurring.

https://www.frontpagemag.com