Baby feet in jars? Gosnell abortion tragedy covered in new documentary, “3801 Lancaster”

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Reviews ∙

Christian Examiner reviews a new documentary, “3801 Lancaster: American Tragedy,” that examines how abortion doctor Herman Gosnell was able to get away with murder for many years:

Baby Feet

When a Philadelphia abortion doctor in 2010 was caught delivering live, viable late-term babies and “snipping” their necks to kill them, many pro-lifers thought it would be a turning point in the abortion discussion.

Many were certain it was a time when Americans would collectively examine the issue and realize there really isn’t any moral difference in ending the life of an eight-month-old baby inches out of the birth canal or inches inside the birth canal, even though the former is illegal and the latter is not.

Sadly, though, the case of the abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell didn’t receive the wall-to-wall mainstream media coverage it deserved — not in 2010 when he was caught, or in 2011 when he was charged, or in 2013 when he was sent to prison. His case wasn’t on the front page and didn’t even make any of those Top 10 stories-of-the-year lists.

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Biblical evangelism

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Or you will also be like him. 5 Answer a fool as his folly deserves, That he not be wise in his own eyes. (Proverbs 26:4-5 NASB)

Evangelism that is biblical is not numbers or results based as if it is a process we can control through methodology. The seeker-sensitive form of evangelism, on the other hand, is totally numbers or results based, and, therefore, uses methodologies to boost perceived effectiveness by increased numbers of “decisions for Christ.” The seeker-sensitive form of evangelism assumes that God is helpless to save anyone outside of their efforts. It ignores passages such as John 3:5-8 and Ephesians 2:1-10. View article →

Open Letter to Anne Graham Lotz Regarding The Circle Maker

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ ,

From Berean Research:

Circle MakerWe are posting the letter in the hope that Anne Graham Lotz will re-consider promoting a “new way of praying” she came across in The Circle Maker. What she’s passing off as prayer is decidedly unbiblical. Promoting an cccult book indicates an absence of spiritual discernment.

Recently Anne posted this on her blog:

As I look ahead into 2016, I feel compelled to draw a circle around this city, this state, this nation” and pray! Until God answers. Do the same. Please. On this first day of the New Year, draw your own circle. Then pray for everything that’s inside of it. (Source)

What follows is a prayer she wrote that she encourages people to pray. The prayer is disappointing, as it is more like a political statement than a prayer. Many Christians would have trouble parroting that prayer.

But the prayer she wrote is not the point. The point is that Anne Graham Lotz has failed to test the spirits. And as result she is dabbling in the world of the occult. Worse, she invites other Christians to join her! Which brings me to the letter…

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Professional Atheist Dawkins Says Christianity “Bulwark Against Something Worse”

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , ,

Breitbart columnist Thomas D. Williams reports on a statement made by Christian basher Richard Dawkins in 2010 that has “taken on a second life, being sent to and fro on Facebook and Twitter and providing fodder for discussions, even among atheists, of the benefits of Christianity for modern society.”

In a text that is coursing about on social media, professional God-slayer Richard Dawkins begrudgingly admitted that Christianity may actually be our best defense against aberrant forms of religion that threaten the world.

“There are no Christians, as far as I know, blowing up buildings,” Dawkins said. “I am not aware of any Christian suicide bombers. I am not aware of any major Christian denomination that believes the penalty for apostasy is death.”

In a rare moment of candor, Dawkins reluctantly accepted that the teachings of Jesus Christ do not lead to a world of terror, whereas followers of radical Islam perpetrate the very atrocities that he laments.

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Obama Uses Last State of Union Address to Again Condemn “Lie” That ISIS Represents Islam

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Christian News Network reports:

During his last State of the Union address of his presidency, Barack Obama again condemned what he called the “lie” that the barbaric terror group ISIS is representative of the Islamic religion.

While speaking on a variety of issues during his Tuesday night speech before members of Congress, the U.S. Supreme Court, representatives of the U.S. Department of Defense and other members of his cabinet, Obama addressed what he called a “dangerous time” in American history.

“Priority number one is protecting the American people and going after terrorist networks,” he said. “Both al Qaeda and now ISIL pose a direct threat to our people, because in today’s world, even a handful of terrorists who place no value on human life, including their own, can do a lot of damage.”

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Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6 NASB)

God’s ways are not man’s ways. What seems right to man is not necessarily right according to God, who is always right. For instance, God’s Word clearly teaches the exclusiveness of Jesus as the only way to approach the Father. There is only one way, not many ways, which lead to God. That way is Jesus Christ alone. We must be aware that our culture has become contaminated by religious relativism. This relativism’s chief virtue is “acceptance” of others as coequal in our faith no matter what their religion is. This “acceptance” holds as its primary goal “diversity” with its public philosophy being pluralism. Those professing Christians who hold to this “philosophy” have compromised the truth plainly taught in God’s Word. Also, those who have not made this compromise and refuse to water-down the Gospel are seen as misfits and bigots. View article →

Don’t Pray in Circles!

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , ,

Respected blogger and pastor Tim Challies wrote this piece in 2014. Many people are unfamiliar with Mark Batterson and his book The Circle Maker so we thought it would be a good idea to share what’s been going on in some evangelical circles because of what Batterson teaches in his book. Tim also wrote a scathing review of Batterson’s book before he wrote this piece and provided a link to it. Believers must heed Tim’s warning: Don’t pray in circles!

Prying in circles is fast becoming a thing in some Evangelical churches. People have been taught to draw circles around the things they want, or even to walk in circles around the things they are sure the Lord ought to grant them. In either case, they are to pray around those things and in that way to claim them for the Lord.

The inspiration, I suppose, is Mark Batterson and his book The Circle Maker (my review). Batterson bases his prayer technique on a story from the life of Honi Ha-Ma’agel, a Jewish scholar who lived in the first century B.C. Jewish history records him as being a miracle-worker in the tradition of Elijah and Elisha. Here is a brief account of his greatest miracle:

On one occasion when God did not send rain well into the winter (in the geographic regions of Israel, it rains mainly in the winter), he drew a circle in the dust, stood inside it, and informed God that he would not move until it rained. When it began to drizzle, Honi told God that he was not satisfied and expected more rain; it then began to pour. He explained that he wanted a calm rain, at which point the rain calmed to a normal rain.

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Related:

The Comments Mark Batterson Doesn’t Want You To See–Apprising Ministries

Excerpt: Below I [Chris Rosebrough of Fighting for the Faith] am posting the comments I left on Mark Batterson’s Blog today that he does not want you to see and therefore deleted. … This is the typical behavior of seeker-driven / purpose-driven “pastors”. Anyone who would dare to critique them Biblically or call them out regarding their false teaching and scripture twisting are NEVER honestly answered. Instead, they are brushed aside and are branded “pharisees”.

Aren’t there ANY good preachers/churches left?

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ ,

According to Elizabeth Prata of The End Times, there are good teachers. Find out who she believes the good ones are:

Discernment

I hesitate to begin this essay by saying “In these times of apostasy” because the times have always been apostasizing. The moment that the truth is declared, someone falls away from it (Eve, Cain, Judas, Demas, Simon Magus…). The truth is always opposed by those who hate God.

Of late, however, it seems that some men we have always been able to count on are falling. The Bible is clear that even leaders who have been seemingly faithful over decades are not immune from the ravages of apostasy. Length of time in the faith is no guarantor of continued faithfulness. Ending well is just as important as beginning well. (2 Timothy 4:7).

In addition, the Spirit is always revealing the wolf in sheep’s clothing. John Piper has been displaying zero discernment. I wrote about Ravi Zacharias’ questionable credentials, heretical associations, and leaky theology here. Billy Graham said that anyone who is sincere and really believes something is up there will be in heaven with the saints. I think those are the three best recent examples of how sin works in the heart and how the Holy Spirit works in the Body to reveal it.

Just as the truth is always opposed, the truth is always upheld. The Lord raises up good men to speak His Gospel. In Romans 10:14 Apostle Paul asked the following questions

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

The questions are not rhetorical. They are actual. The mechanism through which God has said He will use as the catalyst for conversion is His Gospel, preached by truthful men, to hearts He will release from the bondage of sin. (John 14:6, Acts 4:12). Therefore it makes sense God will always have good men preaching it, does it not? Because if He didn’t, who could hear?

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The 7 Mountains Mandate “Buy a mountain for $25”

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙

Berean Research reports:

How much would you pay to take over the government for Christ? Or to take over education, or media, or other sphere’s of influence? If you believe that Christians are mandated to take over the world’s seven influential powerbases so that Jesus can come back, then here’s your chance to buy a mountain for only $25.

An upcoming Wisconsin event is making this offer as a way to fulfill its 7 Mountain Mandate and fund its speaking series that kicks off this Sunday and runs through May. The speaker lineup includes a “gifted seer of the prophetic,” a Green Bay “Packers Today” television show hostess, and the former lead guitar player for the rock group Skillet.

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I pray for your maturity in Christ and that you will walk by faith, not by sight as you seek Him and not empty religion

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

4 For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. 6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight— 8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 9 Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:4-10 NASB)

If you have read very much of what God has had me post here then you know how much I admire John Bunyan and his fantastic allegory The Pilgrim’s Progress. Bunyan understood what real Christianity was all about. He was surrounded by the empty religiosity of the state church of his time and its leaders tried to silence him through intimidation and imprisonment for refusing to stop preaching the Gospel. The real Church has always had to contend with false prophets and false forms. One of the things that Bunyan taught in his allegory was that the true form of Christianity was lived out by those who walked daily down a very narrow path sealed by God’s absolute truth. There are many ways off the path. Many believe they can make their own path. There are many detours and intersections requiring godly wisdom by the pilgrim in order to remain on the narrow path. Only the genuine Christian is alive in Christ and they are the only ones who complete the journey, the pilgrimage, to meet their Saviour in glory at the end. All other paths lead only to death and destruction. View article →

Complementarian John Piper shares teaching duties with a woman?

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , ,

From Berean Research:

Todd Pruitt, contributor on Mortification of Spin’s (MOS) podcast, tackles this contentious issue in a blog post entitled, “Now I’m really confused about complementarianism.” No doubt some readers are wondering what that word means. Briefly, complementarians hold the view that men and women have different roles in leadership in the church — women are not to teach or exercise authority over men (1 Tim. 2:12) based upon the created order (1 Tim. 2:13). Visit CARM to find out more about complementarianism.

According to Pruitt:

ConfusedJohn Piper holds to a complementarian view, so does it make sense that he’d share teaching duties with a woman at the Passion 2016 conference? Maybe he’s changed his mind. But if he has why hasn’t he told anyone?

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Lawyer: 231 children abused in German Catholic choir

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USA Today has the story:

Allegations that more than 200 boys in a Catholic-run choir and two connected schools in Germany were abused over the span of several decades, some of them sexually, have brought the church’s abuse scandal uncomfortably close to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, whose older brother directed the famous Bavarian choir during that time.

The allegations were reported by an attorney, Ulrich Weber, who had been hired by the Diocese of Regensburg last year to investigate claims of abuse at the Regensburger Domspatzen choir and two feeder schools between 1953 and 1992.

Weber told a news conference in Berlin on Friday that at least 50 of the 231 alleged victims made “plausible” claims of sexual abuse.

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Read our research paper on Roman Catholicism

South Carolina Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Interpose Against Supreme Court Same-Sex “Marriage” Ruling

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According to Christian News Network:

Two Republican lawmakers in South Carolina have introduced a bill that would interpose against June’s same-sex “marriage” ruling and defend the state’s constitutional amendment defining marriage as being the union of one man and one woman.

Rep. Bill Chumley, R-Woodruff, and Rep. Mike Burns, R-Taylors, recently filed Bill 4513 in the General Assembly, otherwise known as the South Carolina Natural Marriage Defense Act.

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Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

37 They said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.” 38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” 39 They said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. 40 But to sit on My right or on My left, this is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” (Mark 10:37-40 NASB)

The truth, Biblical truth that is, cuts like a sword or the sharpest dagger ever seen. God’s ways are not Man’s ways or the ways of the world. No, God’s ways are antithetical to the ways of fallen Men. Many reading this can testify to losing close friends and having conflict within family groups because God has quickened them by His grace. Their faith is alive. They are regenerate. They now can see the truth and are able to obey God. This new life in Christ belongs to those who have found the narrow gate, which is Christ. They have passed through in belief and now are on the narrow way which leads to the Celestial City.

The conflict arises from this new life when it comes to bear on those around the believer who know not God. They may indeed be religious. They may be professing Christians, but neither of these things are guarantees of eternal life. The genuine believer is a possessor of the truth, God has written it on his or her heart. However, the unregenerate cannot grasp this truth. They see it as utter foolishness. When the regenerate believer walks in this belief with it affecting all parts of his or her life the unregenerate react in many ways. Anger, resentment, skepticism, hostility, and disdain are just a few of the reactions genuine Christians will encounter when they walk by faith. View article →

Knock, Knock….RUN! It’s Jesus Calling

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , ,

Discernment Research Group has a piece on the best-selling Christian New Age book Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. Buyer beware! According to the article, Jesus Calling devotions are similar to horoscopes or a “fortune” in a fortune cookie. The devotions are ambiguous. The way they’re worded is open to several meanings or interpretations. Sadly, many professing Christians, especially women, are reading this occult book.

Knock, knock. Who’s there? Jesus. Which Jesus?

How can someone open the door to the knock of any voice claiming to be Jesus? Why is it so easy for people to listen to another Jesus? How can a person so readily follow this Jesus?

Well, what if this Jesus appealed to you in the following way. . . wouldn’t you be tempted to open the door to him?

Jesus is a soft, fluffy, comfortable Jesus who is your best friend. He is always there to share the burden of your troubles, wipe away your tears, give you peace, and keep you feeling warm and comfortable inside. To experience the presence of Jesus you need to do things such as remember him, whisper his name, trust him, and turn to him when you are in need.(RUN! p. 70)

It seems that millions of people are now listening to this “soft, fluffy” Jesus. If it is so comforting to listen to this comfy Jesus, it explains how easily people will follow an imposter Christ, an anti-Christ who appears at their door wearing “warm and comfortable” sheep’s clothing (Luke 21:8; Matt. 7:5).

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Jesus Christ, the Word, is eternal

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— 2 and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us— 3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete. (1 John 1:1-4 NASB)

What sort of Christian message is it that is not Christ centered? A few years ago I listened to a sermon by Ed Young Jr., Pastor of a church in Grapevine, TX, that was preached prior to Super Bowl Sunday. The church had advertised that there would be a drawing and giveaway of Super Bowl tickets at the end of the service that day. Of course it was nothing more than a “bait and switch” project to get people to come to church so they might win the tickets. The stated reason for doing this was so they would hear the gospel preached. I listened to the sermon and I can tell you right now that the gospel was not preached. Jesus was mentioned maybe once or twice. The only mention of salvation in the sermon was Ed saying that God’s goal is to make everyone joyous and that all we have to do is have Jesus come into our lives so we can have that joy. There was no mention of sin as being the problem that makes salvation necessary to avoid the wrath of God. In fact, there was not one mention of God’s law nor Christ’s horrible death on the cross that atoned for the sins of God’s elect. All Ed said was that we must have Jesus come into our lives so we could have joy. He never once mentioned how that takes place. There was no mention of eternity. His sermon was all geared to living in this life joyously now rather than in a vain search for happiness. View article →

Pope Calls for Collaboration With World’s Religions, Those Who “Meet God in Different Ways”

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Christian News Network reports:

In his first-ever video declaring what is known as his “prayer intentions,” the Roman Catholic leader Jorge Bergoglio, also known as Pope Francis, called for dialogue and collaboration among those of the various world religions on Tuesday, who he asserted were simply “seeking or meeting God in different ways.”

“Most of the planet’s inhabitants declare themselves believers,” he states in the production released on the Feast of Epiphany. “This should lead to dialogue among religions. We should not stop praying for it and collaborating with those who think differently.” The video then features clips of those from different world religions declaring belief in their various deities.

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Marine General: ”There Will be Great Pressure” to Change the Standards for Women in Combat

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According to CNSNews:

A top Marine general predicts that the Defense Department’s vows to maintain the same standards for women and men in combat jobs won’t last, saying the military will eventually be pressured to lower the qualifications so more women can serve in jobs like the Marine infantry.

The public comments by Gen. John Kelly, head of U.S. Southern Command, underscored how strongly the Marines opposed Defense Secretary Ash Carter’s plans to fully integrate women into all combat jobs, including the Marine Corps and special operations forces like Navy SEALs and Army Green Berets. A new, high-level disagreement is erupting over whether the Marine Corps must also fully integrate its 12-week recruit training program at Parris Island in South Carolina.

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Texas Governor Calls for Constitutional Convention to Give Power Back to States

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Christian News Network reports:

The governor of Texas has proposed a Constitutional Convention of States that would amend the U.S. Constitution in an effort to take back states’ rights and override federal decisions with a majority vote.

In an address on Friday, Gov. Greg Abbott, introduced what he called “The Texas Plan,” which seeks to strengthen founder’s original intent of the Tenth Amendment, which declares, “the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

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Children who spend time with their fathers have a higher IQ

Posted by ∙ ∙ In News ∙ ,

This new study will not surprise those who have a biblical worldview. Scripture tells us that God’s intention from the beginning is for children to have both a mother and a father who are married to each other. The Telegraph has the full report:

Strong fatherly involvement in their early life can also improve a child’s future career prospects, the research shows.

Academics at the University of Newcastle, who carried out the study, also found that men tended to pay more attention to their sons than their daughters.

The researchers warned that it was not enough for parents to live together, but that a father should be actively involved in a child’s life to benefit their development.

The study looked at more than 11,000 British men and women, born in 1958.

The scientists asked their mothers how often the father of their child took part in activities with them, including reading, organising outings and general “quality time”.

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Rep. Chris Smith: “Planned Parenthood Dismembers or Chemically Poisons a Baby to Death Every 2 Minutes”

Posted by ∙ ∙ In News ∙ , ,

According to CNSNews:

Rep. Chris Smith, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Global Human Rights, said on the House floor on Wednesday that Planned Parenthood is “Child Abuse, Incorporated,” and that the group “dismembers or chemically poisons a baby to death every 2 minutes.”

In its latest annual report, Planned Parenthood said its affiliates performed 323,999 abortion procedures in fiscal 2014 (which ended on Sept. 30, 2014). Given that there are 525,600 minutes in a 365-day year, that means Planned Parenthood’s 323,999 abortions in fsical 2014 averaged one every 1.62 minutes.

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On Discerning Ravi Zacharias: It’s time to say what needs to be said

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , ,

Elizabeth Prata of The End Time examines the ministry of beloved apologist Ravi Zacharias. The things she reveals about Ravi will not sit well with many Christians, some may even choose to go on the attack. Now, I’m the fist to admit that I don’t like it when someone is critical of a Christian leader I hold in high esteem. My tendency is to hit the denial button and place my head in the sand. “Noooooo, this can’t be true!” But in these troubling times in which we live, more often than not we discover that the charges are true for the reason that information, both negative and positive, is easily gleaned from the Internet. Continue reading →

What is Christian Oneness?

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self- control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26 Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:22-26 NASB)

On one hand, we are commanded in Sacred Scripture to stand firm while holding to God’s truth as “The Truth” with no exceptions. On the other hand, we are also commanded in the same Word of God to walk in unity with the whole Body of Christ. Unfortunately, many today insist on the latter while teaching that in order to obey it we must totally neglect the former. I read the Bible through each year totally outside of my studies. I find it very interesting to be reading through several chapters of a book in the Old or New Testament and come across passages that I have used in developing a post or a teaching. It is then that I pause and put those passages into the context of the whole. In this, we learn to be more careful with God’s Word by keeping everything in its proper context. Those who excise segments of Sacred Scripture outside of their proper context run a great danger of error. One example is found in Ephesians 4 in which Paul calls for the Church to be unified in love while not being divided over “every wind of doctrine.” Some have used this passage in attempts to silence our call for the Church to return to adherence to proper doctrine. View article →

Milton Catholic school loses gay bias case

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Boston Globe reports:

In a decision being called the first of its kind nationally, a state judge has ruled that an all-girls Catholic school in Milton discriminated against a gay man when it rescinded a job offer after learning he was in a same-sex marriage.

Matthew Barrett accepted a position as food services director at Fontbonne Academy in 2013, but the school withdrew the offer days later after Barrett listed his husband as an emergency contact on an employee form, according to a 21-page court ruling issued Wednesday.

Matthew Barrett accepted a position as food services director at Fontbonne Academy in 2013, but the school withdrew the offer days later after Barrett listed his husband as an emergency contact on an employee form, according to a 21-page court ruling issued Wednesday.

Barrett’s lawyer, Ben Klein of Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, said the decision marks the first time a judge has rejected a religious organization’s assertion that it had a constitutional right not to hire employees because they were spouses in same-sex marriages.

“Marriage equality has been the law of Massachusetts for over a decade and is now the law of the land,” Klein said. “But you can’t have equality if you can get married on Saturday and fired on Monday.”

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