Editor’s note: This is part three of a four-part series on the “Equality Act” being voted on this coming Friday in Congress. While Frontlines Ohio covers faith-based news of local and state importance, analysis of this federal legislation is being provided due to its negative implications to faith, family, and freedom. See below on how to contact your Congressman and Senators.
There have been creative attempts to sink the most dangerous LGBT bill in history: “H.R. 5 The Equality Act,” but Rep. Debbie Lesko’s (R-Ariz.) might be the best. The congresswoman has an idea: why not change the name of the legislation to something more realistic — like the “Forfeiting Women’s Rights Act?”
This is just one of the twenty-eight protest amendments that were discussed during this week’s floor debate from Republicans. If conservatives can’t stop Democrats from bringing the Equality Act up for a vote, they can at least register their displeasure!
Tony Perkins Family Research Council
This is exactly what some of the nation’s top evangelical leaders are doing in a new letter to House and Senate. With Equality Act barreling down the track — and people across business, education, sports, social services bracing for impact — the evangelical community is refusing to stand by and watch liberals flush 235 years of freedom down the drain.
Together, we’re sounding the alarm to Congress that the Equality Act has nothing to do with parity and everything to do with destroying the bedrocks of American life. As such, these evangelical leaders understand one thing: they can’t remain silent.
“Not only is [this bill] incompatible with God’s Word (the Bible) and the historic teaching of the church, but the Equality Act is also riddled with threats to religious liberty and the sanctity of human life.” For starters, the signers argue, House Democrats are trying to equate sexual conduct with immutable characteristics like race and ethnicity. “This lie,” they write, harms “countless men, women, and children” — and not just in this instance, but so many others.
“Passage of this coercive measure would lay the groundwork for this lie to enter classrooms across the nation, as public educators could be compelled to teach it to their students. No family would be safe from the long reach of the Equality Act.” And that’s not all — not by a long shot. The bill would also gut religious freedom protections — even, the leaders point out, “the freedom currently enjoyed by houses of worship.”
“No family would be safe from the long reach of the Equality Act.” And that’s not all — not by a long shot. The bill would also gut religious freedom protections — even, the leaders point out, “the freedom currently enjoyed by houses of worship.”
Tony Perkins, Family Research Council
“Under its changes to the employment nondiscrimination provisions in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, some houses of worship would be barred from ensuring their leaders and other employees abide by their beliefs about marriage, sexual behavior, and the distinction between the sexes. Women who identify as men would have to be accepted as men and therefore potentially eligible to serve in positions reserved for men (such as a Catholic Priest or Jewish Rabbi).”
“Religious employers that fall under Title VII may be forced to offer insurance coverage for medical procedures (such as hormone therapy or surgery related to “gender transition”) that violate biblical teaching. Finally, the Equality Act would expressly do away with the Religious Freedom Restoration Act‘s application to its provisions, thereby precluding any religious freedom claims which clergy or others might bring. Under such restrictions, the pathway for the gospel would slowly be closed off.”
And we’ve all seen how these same ideas — in smaller bites — have devastated areas like adoption and foster care. Under H.R. 5, the government would drive every faith-based organization out of the business of placing children in good homes. Like so many other Americans, they would have to “choose between continuing their life-affirming work or violating the tenets of their faith, the very faith that drives them to care for society’s most vulnerable.”
Then, of course, pro-lifers are starting to realize what a threat the bill is to — not just the unborn — but people in the medical community too. Believe it or not, the Equality Act actually “creates a right to demand abortion from health care providers. The termination of human life in the womb is unacceptable to any biblically and historically faithful Christian. The responsibility to care for the “least of these” (Matt. 25:40) is a fundamental responsibility of Christ’s church, and any proposal that undermines a culture of life must be rejected.”
For these reasons — and so many others — the church is calling on Congress to reject H.R. 5. You can too! If you haven’t contacted your representative and urged them to vote NO, don’t wait. The future of freedom depends on it.
Tony Perkins is President of Family Research Council. Tony is the host of a daily, nationally syndicated radio show, Washington Watch with Tony Perkins. He frequently appears as a guest on national news programs and talk shows.
To contact your Congressman and Senators, click on the following:
Ohio 16th District Congressman Anthony Gonzalez (R)
MANSFIELD — Nearly two hundred attended a noonday countywide observance of National Day of Prayer & Thanksgiving at the First English Lutheran Church on May 2nd.
According to one of the participating clergy, Reverend Ron Smals, the observance commemorated the 170th anniversary of a historic account of answered prayer, and had a special ring this year.
Pictured from L to R: Richland County Commissioners Tony Vero, & Marilyn John, Mansfield Mayor Timothy Theaker, and Emcee Scott Saunders. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
“Our observance includes both a National Day of Prayer & a Day of Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving demonstrates the relationship we have with our Heavenly Father and also gives us the opportunity to boast about His mighty deeds He has done for our nation.”
Proclamations by local elected officials recognized a national prayer movement that occurred in 1849 when the nation was at death’s door from a world-wide epidemic of cholera.
The Mansfield Mayor and Board of Richland County Commissioners formally recounted the call to prayer by President Zachary Taylor recommending persons of all religious denominations to “abstain as far as practical from secular occupations and to assemble in their respective places of public worship, to acknowledge the Infinite Goodness.”
Based on a published account reporting the aftermath of President Taylor’s Day of Fasting, the local proclamations noted that the number of deaths dropped suddenly one month later.
“We believe that the same GOD that answered the prayers in 1849 to abate the cholera epidemic is the same GOD that can answer our prayers to heal our land in Richland County.”
Reverend Ron Smals, Woodville Grace Brethren
“We believe that the same GOD that answered the prayers in 1849 to abate the cholera epidemic is the same GOD that can answer our prayers to heal our land in Richland County,” says Reverend Smals.
Elected officals attending the event included: Mansfield Mayor Timothy Theaker, Ontario Mayor Randy Hutchinson, Commissioner Marilyn John, Commissioner Tony Vero, Sheriff Steve Sheldon, Washington Township Trustee Bob Entenmann, and Mansfield Councilman Cliff Mears
Keynote speaker of the assembly, Reverend El Akuchie, of the Richland Community Prayer Network, spoke about Scripture coming to life in Mansfield.
“We are seeing a newfound activism in our community where clergy are becoming true shepherds. Examples of this phenomenon include when seventy local pastors in a collaboration helped lead the way to prohibit the use of marijuana in several communities. Another was when over one hundred clergy sent a letter of diplomacyto the Israeli Prime Minister and as a result, our area experienced blessings which made international news.”
Area clergy lead prayers at the 2019 National Day of Prayer & Thanksgiving in Mansfield. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
Quoting from Isaiah 61, Akuchie believes that there is also an increased appetite for prayer in the area after a recent prayer initiative took off.
“The March of Prayer initiative which involved corporate prayer services in various churches had to be lengthened from thirty days to fifty days because people want to make direct contact with the Heavenly Father. People really are rebuilding the ancient ruins and restoring the places long devastated. Mansfield is becoming Godsfield.”
Participating clergy who led corporate prayer included Reverend Denny Finnegan of First Evangelical Presbyterian, Reverend Ron Smalls of Woodville Grace Brethren, Reverend Chad Hayes of Caeserea Baptist, Reverend Jody Odom of True Ambassadors of Christ, and Reverend DeWayne Smith of Main Street United Methodist.
Mansfield Christian’s IMAGE Choir, directed by Dan Fleming participated in the assembly. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
Over twenty youth from Mansfield Christian’s IMAGE Choir directed by Dan Fleming provided worship music throughout the service including the song “A Mighty Fortress.”
The assembly was sponsored by 90.7 FM WVMC, 99.3 FM “The Light,” Frontlines Ohio, and the Richland Community Prayer Network
The Bottom Line:
The Bible says in Numbers Chapter Sixteen, “Then Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into the midst of the assembly. The plague had already started among the people, but Aaron offered the incense and made atonement for them. He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped.”
View slideshow of Mansfield’s 2019 NDOP observance below:
Faithful gather at First English Lutheran for NDOP services. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
Reverend El Akuchie was keynote speaker during the NDOP services. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
Pastor Paul Larson with Sheriff Steve Sheldon and law enforcement. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
Local clergy leading service gather to pray. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
NDOP Master of Ceremonies Scott Saunders with local officials for proclamations. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
Clergy offer prayer for local elected officials. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
The 2019 NDOP commemorated the 170th anniversary of a historic account of answered prayer, and had a special ring this year. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
Pastor Ron Smals interviewed by local media. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
Rev. Akuchie believes that there is also an increased appetite for prayer in the area. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
One hundred-ninety attended the 2019 National Day of Prayer (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
Pictured DeWayne Smith, Rev. El Akuchie, Ben Mutti, Jody Odom, Paul Larson. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
Sheriff Steve Sheldon introduces himself during services. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
Editor’s note: This is part two of a four-part series on the “Equality Act” being voted on this coming Friday in Congress. While Frontlines Ohio covers faith-based news of local and state importance, analysis of this federal legislation is being provided due to its negative implications to faith, family, and freedom. See below on how to contact your Congressman and Senators.
A free-market economy—the freedom of willing employers and willing employees, willing vendors and willing customers, to contract with each other—has made our country prosperous. There is a role for government in the economy, but government intervention to dictate how American businesses operate should require the most compelling justification.
Unfortunately, that standard seems to have been abandoned by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Their slogan is, “Standing Up for American Enterprise.” Their website declares, “We advocate for pro-business policies that create jobs and grow our economy.” They list “regulatory relief” as a priority issue.
Peter Sprigg Family Research Council
So it seems odd that such a group sent a letter to Congress asking, in effect, “Please regulate us more!” Yet that is what the Chamber did on this month by writing to endorse the “Equality Act.” This bill would add “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” as special protected categories in virtually every federal civil rights law, treating discrimination based on those characteristics as the exact equivalent of racial discrimination.
The bill’s “gender identity” provisions would force every business in the country to abandon biological sex as the standard for separating males and females in showers, locker rooms, bathrooms, and even sports teams, and would replace that objective physical standard with the entirely subjective psychological standard of “gender identity”—to the detriment primarily of women and girls. One lone paragraph offered a justification for the Chamber’s paradoxical plea for more government regulation of business:
Embracing equality has a profoundly positive impact on business performance. A recent report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation found that gay, lesbian and transgender-inclusive companies enjoy higher revenue margins, attract better talent, and have lower employee turnover.
Yet that is an argument only for individual companies to voluntarily adopt “LGBT-inclusive” policies. It does not explain why the federal government should coerce every single business across the country into adopting such policies. The Chamber is claiming that the free market itself rewards “inclusive” companies and punishes the others. If the market is working, why invite the heavy hand of government to intervene?
The same conclusion could be drawn from the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index 2019. It reports that 93% of Fortune 500 companies already have policies prohibiting “sexual orientation” discrimination, and 85% protect “gender identity.” The “problem” that the activists perceive seems to be fading away without federal intervention.
There is, however, reason to doubt the report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation — it was funded by the Gill Foundation. This is an organization founded by the gay-identified tech millionaire Tim Gill, who has publicly expressed as his goal: “We’re going to punish the wicked.”
Some advocates argue that gender-identity laws benefit the economy as a whole. We can test that proposition empirically. Twenty of the fifty states already have sexual orientation-gender identity laws for employment, public accommodations, and housing—in other words, protections very similar to those the Equality Act would impose nationally. Do those 20 states have an economic advantage over the 30 states that have declined to adopt such laws?
The answer, in brief, is no. A simple internet search reveals a number of different cumulative rankings as well as individual statistics by which to measure the economic health of a state. However, none of them shows any clear advantage for states with sexual orientation-gender identity laws.
For example, CNBC published a “scorecard on state economic climate” in July 2018, ranking “America’s Top States for Business.” Six of the 20 highest-ranked states had such laws—but so did nine of the twenty lowest-ranked ones.
Forbes published its own list of “Best States for Business” in November 2018. Of the top seven states, not one had full protections, and only four of the top 13 had them. So did eight of the bottom 13.
What about specific statistics? If workers were flocking to states with these laws because they yearn for an “inclusive” environment, we would expect to see larger gains in population in those states. An article published in USA Todayin January 2018 listed the eight fastest growing states (four of which have sexual orientation-gender identity laws); and the eight that are losing the most population (four of which also have such laws).
How about unemployment? If businesses are fleeing states that lack these laws in favor of those that have them, perhaps they are leaving more unemployed workers behind them. Yet again, there seems to be no correlation—six of the twelve states with the lowest unemployment rates (as of February 2019) have sexual orientation-gender identity laws, but so do six of the twelve with the highest unemployment.
A final data point might be economic growth itself. Do gender identity states have better growth rates of gross domestic product? According to data for the full year of 2017, only six sexual orientation-gender identity states exceeded the U.S. national growth rate of 2.1%, while 14 such states were below it.
The empirical evidence simply shows no strong correlation between the existence of such laws and the health of a state’s (or a nation’s) economy. There are other arguments for (and against) the Equality Act, but let’s put this one to rest.
Peter S. Sprigg is Senior Fellow for Policy Studies at the Family Research Council in Washington, D.C. Mr. Sprigg’s research and writing have addressed issues of marriage and family, human sexuality, the arts and entertainment, and religion in public life.
Editor’s note: This is part one of a four-part series on the “Equality Act” being voted on this coming Friday in Congress. While Frontlines Ohio covers faith-based news of local and state importance, analysis of this federal legislation is being provided due to its negative implications to faith, family, and freedom. See below on how to contact your Congressman and Senators.
The “Equality Act” is legislation that would massively overhaul our federal civil rights framework in order to mandate special privileges in the private sector for sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI). It would add these SOGI categories alongside characteristics in civil rights statutes that are innate, inborn, involuntary, and immutable, such as age, race, national origin, or protected under the Constitution, such as religion.
If passed, the “Equality Act” would mandate government-imposed unfairness by requiring acceptance of a particular ideology about sexual ethics.
Mary Beth Waddell, Family Research Council
Its stated goal is equality, but its actual result is harm to vast numbers of communities and individuals, including those it purports to protect. These victims include: family-owned businesses (and thus the economy), women and girls, teachers and students, the medical community (and thus the individuals who this bill purports to help), and Americans as a whole because this bill undercuts our foundational freedom of religion.
What is the Equality Act (EA) (H.R. 5 / S. 788)?
The Orwellian-named “Equality Act” (EA) (H.R. 5 / S. 788) should be called the “In-Equality Act.” This bill would create a massive overhaul of our federal civil rights framework by making almost 60 amendments to nearly 10 different laws like the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Civil Rights Act of 1968, the Fair Housing Act, the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995, and more in order to mandate special privileges in the private sector for sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI). It would add these SOGI categories alongside characteristics in civil rights statutes that are innate, inborn, involuntary, and immutable (such as age, race, and national origin), or those explicitly protected under the Constitution (such as religion).
These changes to the Civil Rights Act (CRA) and other civil rights laws would affect numerous areas of the public square, including privately owned and operated entities whether they be for-profit or non-profit, memberships, associations or even private clubs (in certain instances). The bill will affect public accommodations, facilities open to the public even if they are privately owned, public education, all recipients of federal grants and loans, housing, jury service, health care, sports competitions, and more.
The stated purpose of the bill is to create equality and non-discrimination between private entities and individuals. However, if passed into law, the result of the bill would be a new federal government imposition of a belief system and ideology about sexuality and identity on all Americans with no exceptions. The bill would obliterate from the public square views that Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy said are “held in good faith by reasonable and sincere people here and throughout the world.”
The EA explicitly removes bi-partisan religious liberty protections found in the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), which only requires that any substantial burden placed on religious practice by the government have a compelling governmental interest and be accomplished by the least restrictive means. RFRA is no guarantee of religious freedom; it merely creates a balancing test by which government actions substantially burdening religion can be assessed and a decision made on whether they should be permitted. The EA removes even the possibility that a religious individual or entity could even challenge a government burden placed on them as it relates to SOGI.
Why and how are sexual orientation and gender identity different from other classes already protected in law?
The fundamental rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution already apply to all Americans – including those who self-identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT). Because of the history of discrimination against certain classes of people based on innate, inborn, involuntary, and immutable characteristics identifiable at birth (such as national origin, race, sex, and age), civil rights laws have been passed (most importantly, the groundbreaking 1964 Civil Rights Act) to protect people from various forms of discrimination. These laws also protect categories that are not innate, inborn, involuntary, or immutable—such as religion—which is explicitly protected in the Constitution. Other civil rights protections passed since the 1964 law such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and Pregnancy Discrimination Act offer protections that, while more limited in scope, are based on an identifiable physical characteristic not rooted in a belief system or ideology, unlike SOGI.
The new SOGI categories the EA would place in law are quite distinct from the current categories in civil rights law, since people’s sexual preferences and behavior can change. Nor are they specifically protected in the Constitution, like religion. Adding these categories to civil rights laws affords special privileges for beliefs and behaviors that are entirely different in kind and nature from the protections in our current framework of civil rights law.
The EA mandate of special privileges of SOGI would be the first time that such feelings, behaviors, and their accompanying belief system would be elevated to the status of a protected class in federal law.
Who would be harmed by the “Equality Act”?
Last fall, when discussing her agenda for the 116th Congress, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, “if there is some collateral damage for some others who do not share our view, well, so be it.” What she didn’t acknowledge was the vast scope of who would be impacted by this liberal agenda and the degree to which individuals and organizations would be impacted in the public square. Those affected by the EA include:
Family-Owned Businesses and the Economy
The EA amends Title VII of the 1964 CRA by preventing employers from considering SOGI in the context of hiring and “privileges of employment.” Title VII would be further amended to say that, where sex is a bona-fide occupational qualification, that individuals are to be categorized and recognized based on their gender identity, not their biological sex. Therefore, employers cannot base their personnel decisions on what is best for their business if they think a person’s biological sex is a legitimate qualification.
The EA would mandate the employment of persons who identify as homosexual or transgender in what some may believe are inappropriate occupations, such as positions that involve bodily searches by a biological male of females, or vice versa (e.g., Transportation Security Administration officials in an airport).
Because employers would almost never be allowed to take SOGI into consideration, the EA would undermine the rights of businesses to set dress and grooming standards or have separate private spaces (e.g., in bathrooms, locker rooms, showers, dormitories, etc.) for biological men and women. The EA would likely lead to costly lawsuits against family-owned businesses, which in turn could threaten the jobs of employees and their families.
The EA’s changes to Title VII also would mean that employers will be forced to provide health care insurance coverage for hormone treatment and/or sex reassignment surgery for individuals with gender dysphoria. If an employer health plan provides coverage of such treatments for other conditions and medical diagnoses like breast cancer, prostate cancer, premenopausal females after oophorectomy, primary testicular hypogonadism, etc., they would then have to provide them as covered benefits for the purpose of changing one’s gender.
While Title VII generally applies to businesses that have 15 or more employees, the EA also amends Title II of the CRA and expands the definition of “public accommodations” to include “any establishment that provides a good, service, or program.” This expansion means the EA captures businesses regardless of their size. For example, this would apply to the wedding vendors and small businesses who have increasingly been subjected to lawsuits for refusing to violate their beliefs about same-sex marriage in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodges. Vendors who do not want to be involved in a wedding celebration other than one between one man and one woman would be forced to stifle their religious beliefs or be forced out of the wedding service business. The EA would force them to violate their beliefs in these situations even if the vendor already serves customers who identify as LGBT in every other aspect of their business practice.
Women and Girls
Women have long fought for vital gains toward actual equality and fairness and have achieved great success due to legitimate nondiscrimination protections. The EA would entirely undermine these civil rights protections based on sex, as well as the privacy and safety of women and girls.
The eradication of biological sex distinctions would impact certain business loans designated for women, since the EA applies SOGI to Title VI of the 1964 CRA regarding the distribution of federal funding. Take for instance, the Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Women’s Business Ownership, which helps women entrepreneurs and oversees Women’s Business Centers (WBCs).
WBCs are designed to “level the playing field for all women entrepreneurs, who still face unique obstacles in the business world,” but the distinctly female character of this program would be undermined by the EA’s changes. Under the EA, biological men would have access to these funds and programs designed to give equality to women in the work place. The same would happen to the Women-Owned Small Businesses Federal Contracting program which helps women-owned small businesses compete for federal contracts. The federal government has a five-percent contracting goal for women-owned businesses. Yet under the EA’s SOGI mandates, federal contracts could be issued to biological men to meet this already small quota intended for women.
The EA’s expansion of the Title II “Public Accommodations” definition would also mean that girls and women would no longer have privacy when in publicly accessible bathrooms. Similar local laws mandating SOGI in public accommodations has already resulted in litigation over these privacy violations. In one case, a kindergartener was assaulted by a boy classmate in her school’s bathroom. In another example, a woman who was a rape survivor was forced to quit her job when her employer began allowing men into women’s locker rooms and bathroom and shower facilities (part of her victimization involved being seen in the shower).
The EA specifically includes shelters in its expanded definition of “public accommodations.” Therefore, shelters created to help battered women heal physically and emotionally from abuse by men would be forced to allow biological men into women’s private spaces, including in showers or sleeping quarters. One unfortunate example of this occurred in Alaska, where a biological man tried to gain residence in a battered women’s shelter (he is now suing the shelter). In California, a biological man was allowed to reside in a women’s shelter, and, according to a legal complaint, sexually harass nine women.
Children
In addition to the above, the most disadvantaged children—those in foster care or those needing to be adopted—will be harmed by the EA’s changes to Title VI since that captures all federal funding streams. Faith-based organizations and others play a vital role in the adoption and foster care system and generally receive funding under Title IV of the Social Security Act to do their important work. There are over 440,000 children in foster care and more than 100,000 of them are available for adoption. The numbers are only getting higher; nearly 90,000 children a year enter the foster care system due to the opioid crisis alone. The EA would shut faith-based organizations down, compounding what has already happened in several states and localities across the country due to SOGI laws. Illinois passed a SOGI and it has resulted in nearly 3,000 children being displaced. In Philadelphia, the city put out an urgent call for homes for children, yet due to a SOGI law, it stopped its city contracts for placement with faith-based agencies. This in turn led to former fosterparents, including the winner of the Foster Parent of the Year Award, to have empty homes, and in some cases, siblings were almost forced to remain in separate homes.
Nondiscrimination laws like the EA have been used to force faith-based agencies out of the foster care and adoption space. Yet no LGBT-identifying couple or individual has ever been unable to foster or adopt because they identify as LGBT. All 50 states allow LGBT fostering and adoptions and have multiple organizations willing to facilitate them.
Teachers and Students
The EA would amend Title IV of the 1964 CRA regarding public education. Public elementary, public secondary, collegiate, and university women’s sports would no longer exist as a means of allowing fair competition for biological females. Biological men would be allowed to compete in women’s sports and the EA would guarantee they would not be excluded. Some states already allow this in high school and collegiate sports. For instance, two biological boys won first and second place at a girl’s high school indoor track championship in Connecticut. This means that two biological girls fell below the threshold to advance to the next track meet which inhibited their ability to be observed by college recruiters and obtain scholarships. Professional female athletes have already begun speaking out about the unfairness of this; as governmental mandates regarding SOGI become increasingly broad, they could soon affect professional sports. Sports entities such as USA Swimming, the US Tennis Association, and USA weightlifting already allow men to compete in women’s sports. The 2020 Olympics could see its first transgender athletes.
The provision in the EA on public accommodations is also so expansive that it is likely to rope in private religious elementary and secondary as well as university schools. Additionally, the EA amends Title IV on federal funds. Since federal student loans to individuals have been interpreted as a form of “federal financial assistance” to the schools they attend, this would be another hook to apply these mandates on nearly every college and university in the country, including religious ones. Any schools which receive federal funds and therefore fall under Title IV of the CRA would be bound in all aspects of its operation, including admissions and housing. The EA would therefore mandate some level of SOGI privileges on almost every school in the country.
Medical Community
The EA’s expanded definition of “public accommodations” includes an “establishment that provides health care.” This means that all those in the medical profession will be required to offer hormone treatment and surgery for individuals with gender dysphoria, regardless of their moral or medical opinions about the actual health benefit of assisting individuals to physically transform their sex.
There is evidence that suicidal ideation remains higher among those who have had sex change surgery. A 2011 study done in Sweden that is one of the most robust studies of the issue found that post-surgery individuals had a suicide completion rate 19 times higher than the general population. The risk of psychiatric hospitalization was found to be 2.8 times higher even after adjustment for prior psychiatric disease. Additionally, death by neoplasm (a benign or cancerous mass) and cardiovascular disease was 2 to 2.5 times higher.
There is also evidence that puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones have detrimental effects. Puberty blockers actually cause a disease (the absence of puberty—hypogonadotropic hypogonadism). In children, they prevent secondary sex characteristics from developing, inhibit the sex-steroid maturation of the brain, block the child’s growth spurt, lead to low bone density which might not recover, and inhibit fertility. In adults, when used properly (such as to treat prostate cancer in men and endometriosis in women), puberty blockers may cause spatial memory and other cognitive deficits. When combined with cross-sex hormones, permanent sterility may result. Cross-sex hormones alone may cause high blood pressure, heart attacks, blood clots, strokes, metabolic endocrine disturbances (e.g. diabetes), and some cancers.
Moreover, Title VI of the CRA, which is referenced in the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) nondiscrimination clause, is amended by the EA. By changing Title VI of the CRA to include gender identity, the EA would codify the ACA regulations which redefined “sex” in statute to include “gender identity.” The ACA is already interpreted this way under an Obama-era regulation and it is being used to sue hospitals which object to performing transgender surgeries. The EA would make this a statutory mandate, not just a regulatory one. Faith-based medical providers should not be forced to violate their religious or medical beliefs or face punishment by the federal government.
The EA could also very well require insurance coverage of hormones and surgical procedures aimed toward changing a person’s biological sex.
All Americans
The EA would undermine the First Amendment religious freedom protections. And it explicitly states that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) would not apply to the EA and cannot be used as a possible shield against the government imposition of this sexual belief system. RFRA was signed into law in 1993 by President Bill Clinton and enjoyed broad bi-partisan support. It does not prohibit all federal government burdens on religious belief. It only creates a balancing test that requires any substantial burden on sincere religious practice to be in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest and done in as narrow a manner as possible. It does not guarantee that religious belief is protected or defended in every instance, but only that people whose religious beliefs are seriously burdened can seek redress. Yet the EA removes even the possibility that the SOGI provisions it mandates could be found by a court to be an unnecessary burden on a person’s religious beliefs.
What penalties would there be for violating the EA?
Given the expansive nature of the EA, it is difficult to say what the extent of the harm to organizations, family-owned businesses, and individuals would be. It would certainly increase litigation, which could result in significant legal costs. In the employment context alone, the penalties could be exorbitant. Employers who disagree with the SOGI mandates on their employment decisions could be forced to hire someone ill-fitted for the business or specific position being offered. They could be mandated to pay back wages and benefits, attorney’s fees, expert witness fees, court costs, and compensatory and punitive damages. Compensatory damages include paying for the out-of-pocket expenses (such as costs of job searching or medical expenses) to an individual. Punitive damages would be above and beyond whatever other costs are required, but within certain limits. For employers with 15-100 employees, the limit is $50,000. For employers with 101-200 employees, the limit is $100,000. For employers with 201-500 employees, the limit is $200,000. For employers with more than 500 employees, the limit is $300,000. Clearly, small and even medium-sized businesses could be so over burdened with litigation costs that they are forced to close down. That in turn could negatively impact the livelihood of their employees.
Conclusion
The Equality Act does not promote equality, but creates inequality. It would mandate government-imposed unfairness by requiring acceptance of a particular ideology about sexual ethics. It would result in harm to vast numbers of communities and individuals, including those it purports to protect.
Mary Beth Waddell serves as the Senior Legislative Assistant for Family Research Council. Under the direction of the Vice President for Government, she develops FRC’s work with legislators and federal agencies on religious liberty and family issues
SHELBY — Shelby residents are believing that April showers will bring May flowers after their community experienced a damaging tornado last month. According to the keynote speaker of the Shelby National Day of Prayer, Reverend Anthony Cooper of Life Church, he believes good things could be on the horizon for the community.
“Just as Aaron’s rod budded, blossomed, and produced almonds in one night, I believe with the storms our community overcame, our Heavenly Father has a great harvest for Shelby in the upcoming season,” says Reverend Cooper.
Worship team from Life Church provided music for the Shelby National Day of Prayer. Photo by Cris Shannon
Prayers for the city, schools, and nation went up from the outdoor pavilion Thursday evening, nearby the new amphitheater that is under construction.
Mayor Steve Schag, who also serves as Leading Pastor at Calvary Baptist, thanked the Heavenly Father in front of the seventy in attendance, reporting that no life was lost from the tornado, only damage to property.
“Amazing Grace” and “GOD bless America” were sung during the ceremony as the O’Brien Post 326 of the American Legion provided a color guard.
Pastor Cooper’s message came from John 13:34 which says to “Love one another, just as I have loved you.” His message emphasized that love is not about acceptance, love is about being a servant and not about loving the world system.
“Jesus washed His disciple’s feet and told those he ministered to multiple times to sin no more.”
Cooper’s message resonated with Reverend Kevin Evans of Ganges Liberty Baptist and President of the Shelby Ministerial Association, who closed the assembly.
“Reverend Cooper’s message on the true Biblical meaning of love really hit the nail on the head. Our culture has become Biblically-illiterate, that is why the 2019 proclamation for the “Year of the Bible” was made this past January by area clergy. We cannot allow the world to define what the true meaning of love is. GOD is love, and if we are to love others, that means warning them about the dangers of sin.”
“The service really went well, ” said Reverend Evans. “This was one of the largest turnouts in Shelby for the National Day of Prayer in a while. with thirteen churches represented and nine pastors attending.”
Evans pointed out that corporate prayer for the city also occurs every Friday at 8:30 AM at the First Christian Church on 81 East Main Street.
ONTARIO — A Holocaust Remembrance Service was held at Sar Shalom Center on Tuesday, April 30th with citizens and local dignitaries attending.
County Commissioner Marilyn John presented a proclamation from the Board of Commissioners and Mansfield City Councilmen Cliff Mears and David Falquette also participated.
Guest speakerRabbi Michael Humphrey (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
Guest speaker, Rabbi Michael Humphrey of Rosh Pinah Congregation in Bath, Ohio reminded those in attendance of the grim realities of anti-Semitism. According to Rabbi Humphrey, anti-Semitism does not stop with the Jewish people, but everyone that supports them.
“Every one of you would have been included in the Holocaust by the very fact that you are sitting in this room,” the Rabbi said.
Rabbi Humphrey also pointed out that the world is comprised of two types of people: the righteous and the unrighteous; with the unrighteous greatly outnumbering the righteous. He believes the increase in anti-Semitic attacks reflect an anti-Semitic sentiment that has always been present. The difference now is that anti-Semitic thoughts are expressed publicly rather than privately.
The words: “never forget,” have become the symbolic words associated with the Holocaust. But has the Holocaust been forgotten?
“Every one of you would have been included in the Holocaust by the very fact that you are sitting in this room,”
Rabbi Michael Humphrey
Schoen Consulting conducted a 2018 survey finding that some are forgetting. Seventy percent of those who responded said that fewer people seemed to care about the Holocaust. Eleven percent of adults, and twenty-two percent of Millennials answered they had never heard or were unsure if they had heard of the Holocaust.
Perhaps more telling is the increase in anti-Semitic attacks. The mass shootings at Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh and the recent attack at the Chabad of Poway in San Diego two weeks ago appear to be the culmination of a growing trend of anti-Semitism in recent years.
A recent press release from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), reported 1,879 attacks against Jews and Jewish institutions in the United States in 2018, the third-highest year on record since ADL started tracking in the 1970s. The anti-Semitic incidents of 2018 represented a 99% increase over just 3 years prior. The numbers were just as alarming in 2017, with 1,986 incidents reported.
Rabbi Humphrey reminded those in attendance that God is the defender of Israel.
“That doesn’t mean we stand weak and idly by, when the weak are being harmed; we should become a voice. If we are praying about what is going on, God cannot be silent for His people, He will respond to us. We need to fight in prayer-to ask GOD to return and stop the evil”
Rabbi Humphrey reminded those in attendance that, “Ultimately it is not the response of purveyors of evil that matters, but rather it is the response of the righteous that changes the world.”
The Bottom Line:
The Bible says in Jeremiah Thirty-Three, “I will restore the fortunes of Jacob’s tents and have compassion on his dwellings.”
Ashland NDOP in 2019 (Photo courtesy of Jimmi Delay)
ASHLAND — Over six hundred-thirty packed the Ashland Community Prayer Breakfast at the Ashland University Convocation Center for the National Day of Prayer.
The breakfast began at 6:30 AM with nearly two hundred elected officials present including school administrators and social service representatives. According to Event Chairman Reverend John Bouquet, the breakfast was a success.
“In all our years of doing this breakfast, this was probably the best response we have had. We had twenty-four people make first-time commitments to follow Jesus Christ as their Savior. With 85 sponsors for the breakfast, fifty-four of those churches and para-church ministries, we believe that GOD is up to something big in Ashland.”
Reverend John Bouquet
“In all our years of doing this breakfast, this was probably the best response we have had. We had twenty-four people make first-time commitments to follow Jesus Christ as their Savior. With 85 sponsors for the breakfast, fifty-four of those churches and para-church ministries, we believe that GOD is up to something big in Ashland.”
Keynote speaker was Lina Abujamra, a Pediatric ER doctor and founder of Living with Power Ministries. Originally from Lebanon, Lina is now running several projects that give hope and healing to Syrian refugees.
To view Photo Gallery of the Ashland Community Prayer Breakfast, you can go to Frontlines Ohio FaceBook by clicking here. Exclusive photos provided by Photographer Jimmi Delay.
Galion NDOP in 2019 (Photo courtesy of Terry Seymour)
GALION — Those attending the National Day of Prayer celebration at the Gazebo on the public square not only got to pray for their nation, they also heard about supernatural activity occurring in their midst. In keeping with the theme of the local gathering, “In God we boast all day long…” from Psalm 44:8, the program included several testimonies about recent miracles.
According to event organizer Reverend Bill Seymour, “In addition to the prayer time, we wanted to highlight some of the good news events that have happened locally, that usually never get reported. We wanted to broadcast God’s marvelous works.” Seymour serves as Chaplain of Signature Healthcare and also serves on the Galion Area Ministerial Association (GAMA) the sponsor of the event.
Reverend Bill Seymour (Photo by Terry Seymour)
During the meeting, Jon Kleinknecht shared a moving testimony of how God spared his life, delivering him from a depression and suicide. Pastor Joshua Cole from Leesville Tabernacle of Praise also told how GOD has moved miraculously in two recent dramatic healings.
During the Concert of Prayer, six local ministers representing their churches prayed for specific areas of society. In addition, a school principal prayed for Galion Schools, Galion Mayor Tom O’Leary prayed for the city, and County Commissioner Mo Ressallat. prayed for the county.
Joe Maddox from the Bucyrus Jericho House prayed for those struggling with addictions and for drug treatment ministries. Chaplains from the Galion Fire Department, and the American Legion prayed for first responders and the military. The Galion American Legion provided a color guard.
“In addition to the prayer time, we wanted to highlight some of the good news events that have happened locally, that usually never get reported. We wanted to broadcast God’s marvelous works.”
Reverend Bill Seymour
In coming days, GAMA is organizing a “Blessing of the Hands” ceremony in the Avita Galion Hospital chapel, located at 269 Portland Way South during National Nurse’s Week.
Thursday, May 16th, between 6:00 AM-4:00 PM, health care workers can visit the chapel and receive a “hands baptism,” and a personal blessing from a team of ministers who serve as volunteer chaplains at Galion Hospital.
The Bottom Line:
The Bible says in Psalm Fourty-Four, “In GOD we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your Name forever.”
Bellville NDOP in 2019 (Photo courtesy of Neal Costick)
BELLVILLE — Fifty strong were in attendance to observe the National Day of Prayer in Bellville on Thursday evening. The assembly took place at the Bellville fire station due to rain in the area.
Reverend Mike Stine (Photo by Neal Costick)
“We would like to thank Mayor Teri Brenkus for allowing us to utilize the facilities at the fire station on such short notice,” said Reverend Mike Stine of the Clear Fork Alliance Church and one of the organizers of the event. “This day is important for our nation and an opportunity for the people of the Clear Fork Valley to seek the assistance of our Good Shepherd.”
Mayor Brenkus was in attendance along with youth from the Trail Life Troop #1, who performed a color guard flag presentation for the crowd.
Reverend Gary Kochheiser of the Ankeytown Grace Brethren welcomed those in attendance and Reverend Ron Walker of the Bellville Presbyterian Church read from the Gospel of John 13:34: “Love one another just as I have loved you.”
Reverend Stine gave a message entitled “Thoughts on Flight 93” and spoke about the courage and heroism of those on the plane for Flight 93 during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack where twenty-one Islamic terrorists hijacked four planes and flew the planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
Trail LIfe, Troop #1 (Photo by Neal Costick)
The fourth plane, Flight 93, did not reach its intended destination due to the courage of passengers who stormed the plane’s cockpit to attack their abductors, ultimately leading to the plane crashing and killing all aboard.
Reverend Stine and his wife recently visited the Flight 93 Memorial for Spring break. The Park is located north of Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
“The memorial was very stirring; it really impacted my wife and I. My message to those in attendance was that we are to give each day to our Heavenly Father. We should be courageous in spite of the evil that pervades our culture today. Lastly that we should be ready to pray, to love, and to lay down our lives for others.
“It is interesting that one of the passengers on Flight 93 called a random phone number to plead for help, and that person happened to be a Christian. That Christian prayed the LORD’s Prayer with the passenger and the passenger got enough courage to join his other partners to storm the cockpit, possibly saving the Capitol or White House from certain destruction.”
“We are to give each day to our Heavenly Father. We should be courageous in spite of the evil that pervades our culture today. Lastly that we should be ready to pray, to love, and to lay down our lives for others.”
Reverend Mike Stine, Clear Fork Alliance
After the message, Reverend Micah Pelkey of Storyside Church gave an intercessory prayer on behalf of the nation and Reverend Patrick Bailey of North Bend Church of Brethren gave the benediction.
“It is good to see the churches in the community come together and publicly pray for GOD to grant our nation His mercy,” said Reverend Bailey. “GOD’s people can no longer be on automatic pilot. We have to advantage of special times like these to pray.”
The Bottom Line:
The Bible says in Psalms Sixteen, “As for the saints who are in the earth, they are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight.”
View CBS video of tragic “The events of Flight 93” (4 min. duration)
MANSFIELD — Mansfield voters will be deciding this Tuesday, May 7th, on whether to renew a police and fire safety levy that two leading area pastors strongly support.
Reverend Paul Larson (Photo courtesy of First English Lutheran)
“I have encouraged my congregation and all those in my sphere of influence to support our police and fire departments this coming Tuesday,” says Reverend Paul Larson of the First English Lutheran Church.
The four-year safety levy generates about $7 million each year, all of which goes to the city’s police and fire departments.
“We can’t even fathom what it would look like to serve our citizens without this levy,” said Mansfield Mayor Tim Theaker.
According to Theaker, the Mansfield Police Department had 37,646 calls for service and arrested 4,978 people in 2018. He added that the police department employs 82 sworn officers and 35 civilians. The department has been budgeted for 83 officers in 2019.
Pastors Chris Thomas and Henry Bradley pose with state motto. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
Reverend DeWayne Smith of the Main Street United Methodist Church credits the police department for its active involvement with neighborhood watch programs and youth programs.
“Over the past decade there has been racial discord and attitudes of hostility in certain parts of our nation towards law enforcement. But in Mansfield, our Police Department has won the respect of its citizens by actively working with schools and with citizens. With collaborations like METRICH and the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force, our police wear their professionalism as a badge of honor.”
“These public servants lay their lives on the line every day. Businesses and residents rely on these services and when that 911 call is made, people’s lives are on the line-it can be a matter of seconds.”
Reverend Paul Larson, First English Lutheran
The mayor said the fire department answered 10,800 calls for service in 2018, including 2,926 fire-related calls and 7,874 EMS calls. The fire department employs 90 sworn firefighters and three civilians. The 911 Communications Center is currently budgeted for 17 total, which includes a supervisor and an operations supervisor.
Pastor DeWayne Smith (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
“These public servants lay their lives on the line every day. Businesses and residents rely on these services and when that 911 call is made, people’s lives are on the line-it can be a matter of seconds.” says Reverend Larson.
“Since incorporating emergency medical dispatch into the services we provide our citizens, maintaining this staffing level is critical in serving our citizens as the level they expect and deserve,” Safety-Service Director Lori Cope said.
If approved by voters, the tax would continue for four more years, from Jan. 1, 2020, through Dec. 31, 2023. “It will be important for voters to turn out at the election polls to support our safety services,” says Reverend Smith.
The Bottom Line:
The Bible says in Psalm One-Hundred-Forty, “Keep me safe, LORD, from the hands of the wicked; protect me from the violent, who devise ways to trip my feet.”
MANSFIELD– Last week, area officials were on hand to celebrate the grand opening of a thriving church in a new location.
Paradise Freewill Baptist, under the leadership of Reverend James Hill, held its first service at its new location at 87 North Illinois Avenue.
According to Mansfield Mayor Timothy Theaker, “this congregation is a loving and compassionate faith family. I am convinced that our area needs to have a thriving faith-based community where people can come and get support and grow together.”
During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Reverend Hill recalled how he first met Mayor Theaker .
“I was at a clergy luncheon at his office and I felt my heart becoming knitted to the city when the Mayor spoke. After meeting him, I wanted to find out ways our church could serve the city.”
It was also a proud day for Chaplain Gary Lambert who helped mentor Pastor Hill, as well as his brother Larry and also Hank Webb; all three serve as pastors in the area.
“It is great to see the work that Jay has done in investing in peoples’ lives. Just three years ago this congregation had only four members. Today it has over 120 congregants, and from what I understand, over sixty of those persons are new converts. “
“It is great to see the work that Jay (Pastor Hill) has done in investing in peoples’ lives. Just three years ago this congregation had only four members. Today it has over 120 congregants and from what I understand, over sixty of those persons are new converts. ”
Chaplain Gary Lambert
“It is hard not to be emotional.” says Lambert.
In addition to County Commissioner Marilyn John, Sheriff Steve Sheldon also attended the ceremony.
(Pictured from L to R) Commissioner Marilyn John, Pastor Hill’s wife, Marg Clinton, Carol Molihan. and Mayor Timothy Theaker.
The Sheriff commented, ” I am a strong advocate of law enforcement partnerships with faith communites. We have a faith-based STARFISH drug treatment program that utilizes the ministries that churches can provide. Churches, like Paradise View give a much needed support network on the ground providing a favorable setting for the rehabilitation of those entrapped in substance abuse. In addition, churches help in the reduction of juvenile crime.”
“Our congregation is honored to have our local officials coming in to worship with us and participating in the ribbon-cutting ceremony,” said Reverend Hill. “We are truly humbled that GOD has blessed our church with this new facility.
The motion picture Breakthrough is the true story of a mother’s worst nightmare: the very real prospect of losing your own child.
In the movie, an accomplished and somewhat obsessed high school basketball-playing son goes off the slippery slope when away from his mother. He tragically falls through ice while playing with friends on a frozen lake. But that is not the only breakthrough that occurs in the movie.
Greg Jevnikar
In Breakthrough the story also revolves around a woman who lives with the regret of giving up her first-born son to adoption earlier in life. Now she is faced with the painful potential of the loss of her adopted son, who she loves.
Other breakthroughs involve the mother’s relationship with her husband and her pastor.
The movie has some lighter “icebreaker” scenes in addition to the main theme of a mother’s love for her son.
Breakthrough gives an honest and realistic portrayal of modern-day life in America. Imperfect people with relational conflicts between parent and child,, and teenage rebellion involving forgiveness.
As a faith-based movie, this real-life account is a gripping story of a modern-day miracle. Tragedy and inspiration are both on thin ice as this film is rated PG.
Greg Jevnikar
As a faith-based movie, this real-life account is a gripping story of a modern-day miracle. Tragedy and inspiration both are on thin ice as this film is rated PG.
(Check out Focus on the Family’s “Unplugged” for another Christian review)
The movie’s audience at the early Saturday evening showing, which I attended, watched, for the most part, in rapt attention. They seemed to enjoy the movie; I didn’t notice anyone leaving their seats during the movie.
Upon leaving the movie, we saw a long line waiting to enter the theater rooms showing the new Avengers movie. I couldn’t help but think that all these folks picked the wrong movie to view that night.
I would recommend Breakthrough for all audiences. Use discretion with small children as the tragic scenes depicted may be too dramatic for small viewers.
Greg Jevnikar is a healthcare professional and devoted Christ-follower. As a blogger and activist, he defends the sanctity of human life and traditional marriage .and participates in the Ohio Tea Party movement.
LEXINGTON — Are you ready to join us on Saturday, June 22, from 2:00pm to 6:00pm for The Great RACE?
This event will be a time to sit back and enjoy an afternoon of great food, live music, prizes, giveaways, crafts and free activities for all ages from bounce houses to an escape room. If you’re a little more competitive, you can test your skill at racing a tricycle or maybe the wheelchair race is more your style! Feeling creative, bring your own decked out Big Wheel! Either way, stop by and enjoy the day!
Racers will battle against others in their assigned age group. To race, it’s a $5 early bird donation or $7 at the door. Competition starts at 3:30 for kids 4 to 80 years of age!
Thanks to Heartland Church for allowing us to use their facility located at 2505 Lexington Springmill Rd S in Lexington for this event.
To register, please visit mansfieldlinc.org and select “Tricycle Race Registration.”
The Mission of Love In the Name of Christ (Love INC) is to mobilize the Church to transform lives and communities In the Name of Christ. We provide churches an open door to serve.
The Mission of Love In the Name of Christ (Love INC) is to mobilize the Church to transform lives and communities In the Name of Christ. We provide churches an open door to serve.
Our clearinghouse model allows us to network with churches and agencies, minimizing redundant or overlapping services
We strive to offer a “hand UP”, allowing our neighbors to maintain dignity and empowering them to be able to personally deal with adverse circumstances, rather than being on the receiving end of a “hand OUT”
All proceeds from the event will be used to connect churches with neighbors who are in need and moving from providing resource’s to people, to building resource’s in people.
MANSFIELD — Due to forecasted rain on Thursday, the Richland Community Prayer Network has announced that it has moved the countywide observance of the National Day of Prayer from the Central Park Gazebo to the First English Lutheran Church, located at 53 Park Avenue West on the corner of Mulberry and Park Avenue West in downtown Mansfield.
The assembly is set to begin at its originally scheduled time of 11:30 AM.
The west entrance of the church will be open and parking available on the lot west of the building. Public is welcome.
Mansfield First English Lutheran (en.wikipedia.org)
The assembly is sponsored by 90.7 FM WVMC, 99.3FM “The Light,” Frontlines Ohio, and the Richland Community Prayer Network.
ONTARIO — A recent documentary entitled “The Mountain of Moses” has generated debate about the Book of Exodus and the route Moses and the Israelites took in their exodus from Egypt. During the season of Passover, Rabbi William Hallbrook of Sar Shalom Center gave his thoughts on the subject.
“The film has created discussion about Exodus which is good. Our congregation believes the Book of Exodus is historically accurate. We also believe the Book of Exodus is prophetic, pointing to the last days for natural Jews in the physical and pointing to a spiritual exodus for the Gentiles.”
The disputed route that some archaeologists and theologians believe Moses and Israelites took (Chart from www.bible.ca)
Rabbi Hallbrook’s congregation has been celebrating the Feast of Passover, which commemorates the events described in Exodus, the subject of filmmaker Ryan Mauro’s documentary. “Locally we have a small Jewish community that observes this Feast and a large church community that is recognizing the Feast at different levels of understanding. It may not look the same, whether it is a ministry like Jews for Jesus teaching on the holiday or a pastor struggling thru a Seder meal with his congregation, people are returning back to the Scriptures in Exodus. Passover really is becoming part of the cultural heritage of North Central Ohio.”
Last year Mauro’s film discussed the Nuweiba Beach crossing he believes Moses and the Israelites took to get to the Promised Land. The counter-intelligence analyst traveled to Saudi Arabia three times to gather evidence, often in areas restricted by the Saudi government.
Rabbi Hallbrook was not surprised that some of the locations depicted in the film have been kept hidden and restricted by the Saudi government. He believes there are persons purposely hiding archaeological findings that could validate the Bible.
“We should be careful when we speak to non-believers and show them this film saying “see the Bible is true.” We should first look thru the eyes of the Spirit. To a non-believer, this film is not compelling. To the believer, I think this video will encourage their faith just like a trip to the Holy Land would strengthen a believer’s life.”
Rabbi William Hallbrook, Sar Shalom Center
“We should be careful when we speak to non-believers and show them this film saying “see the Bible is true.” We should first look thru the eyes of the Spirit. To a non-believer, this film is not compelling. To the believer, I think this video will encourage their faith just like a trip to the Holy Land would strengthen a believer’s life.”
While some in academia question the story of Exodus altogether, Mauro believes the peak of Jabal al-Lawz in Saudi Arabia is the historic Mount Sinai where God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. The film cites the blackened peak of Jabal al-Lawz as plausible evidence of the Fire of GOD coming down from heaven. It also discusses the existence of an ancient graveyard where three thousand idolaters of the golden calf could supposedly be located. Other evidences provoking viewers of the viability of Mauro’s Red Sea route include a nearby potential split Rock of Horeb that Moses stuck with evidence of eroded rock, and an oasis of twelve wells and seventy palm trees in the middle of desert resembling the wells of Elim.
The Rabbi was asked about his perspective on what modern archaeological discoveries have been the most notable. “My thoughts are that the discoveries reconnecting the ancient City of Jerusalem to the Jewish people are the most consequential. In the ancient underground ruins underneath the Old City, a room has been found where experts believe offerings were made to Melchizedek. Another discovery I feel is significant is the a golden bell and Temple seal believed to be used by the High Priest that was found in 2011 near the Temple Mount.
“Jerusalem is the key, this will be where the Messiah will ultimately rule from in His millennial reign,” says the Rabbi. “Without a doubt, archaeological discoveries can strengthen believer’s faith,” says the Rabbi. “To a non-believer, they are faced with a challenge, they must either turn their back to the truth, further hardening their heart, or they must humble themselves and accept the truth. When a person’s heart hardens, even if Moses came in flesh, they still would not believe.”
The Bottom Line:
The Bible says in Exodus Nineteen, “And Mount Sinai was altogether on smoke because the LORD descended upon it in fire…”
View documentary video “Finding the Mountain of Moses: The Real Mount Sinai in Saudi Arabia” (25 min. duration)
MANSFIELD — A special National Day of Prayer & Thanksgiving commemorating the 170th anniversary of a historic account of answered prayer will be taking place this Thursday, May 2nd between 11:30-100 PM at the Mansfield Central Park Gazebo.
The corporate assembly which is open to the public will include Mansfield Christian’s IMAGE choir, directed by Dan Fleming, proclamations by several elected officials, and keynote speaker Reverend El Akuchie of the Richland Community Prayer Network (RCPN.)
“The kids are excited to be a part of the National Day of Prayer and they made sure to remind me at the beginning of the school year that IMAGE would be participating,” laughs Fleming, who is in his first year as the choir’s director.
The event has been sponsored by 90.7 FM WVMC, 99.3 FM “The Light,” Frontlines Ohio, and RCPN.
In case the assembly “is under the weather” with inclement conditions, an alternate location will be at First English Lutheran at 53 Park Avenue West at the corner of Mulberry Street and Park Avenue West.
As a response, on July 3, 1849, President Zachary Taylor proclaimed a National Day of Fasting during “a season when the providence of God manifested itself in the visitation of a fearful pestilence spreading itself throughout the land,” the proclamation read.
National Day of Prayer by President Zachary Taylor
Proclamations by elected officials will recognize a national prayer movement that occurred in 1849 when the nation was at death’s door.
During the nineteenth century there was a world-wide epidemic of the infectious and fatal disease cholera, which by 1849, killed 8,000 in Cincinnati, spread to the west killing an estimated 12,000 travelers to the California Gold Rush, and in total, it is believed that cholera killed 150,000 Americans, even causing Ohio to postpone its first state fair.
As a response, on July 3, 1849, President Zachary Taylor proclaimed a National Day of Fasting during “a season when the providence of God manifested itself in the visitation of a fearful pestilence spreading itself throughout the land,” the proclamation read.
View he video by Bill Federer on the historic account of answered prayer during the Cholera Epidemic.
The proclamation recommended persons of all religious denominations to “abstain as far as practical from secular occupations and to assemble in their respective places of public worship, to acknowledge the Infinite Goodness which has watched over our existence as a nation, and to implore the Almighty in His own good time to stay the destroying hand which is now lifted up against us.”
In Dayton, Ohio, Mayor John Howard also proclaimed a Day of Fasting in 1849 and ordered all stores to close, resulting in hundreds of citizens kneeling openly in the streets and praying.
Afterward Tim O’Neil of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote in a published account reporting that after President Taylor’s Day of Fasting was observed August 3, 1849, “The number of deaths dropped suddenly in August. 1849.”
The Bottom Line:
The Bible saysinSecond Samuel Twenty-Four, “David built an altar to the LORD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.Then the LORD answered prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.“
SHELBY — A school principal, a youth pastor, and a mayor all say miraculous intervention kept the community from catastrophic destruction during an April 14th Palm Sunday tornado.
Mayor Steve Schag
“I count it a blessing that there were no lives taken by the storm,” says Shelby Mayor Steve Schag. “If the storm had taken a different path just a quarter mile further to the north in the city, the track would have been through a high population density area where a senior citizen community and a neighborhood of homes with no basements were located.”
“I was at church getting ready for our evening service when I heard the tornado sirens go off,” says the Mayor, who also serves as Leading Pastor of Shelby Calvary Baptist Church.
Another local pastor was driving on the road returning from buying supplies for his youth group when he caught wind that the storm was coming.
Pastor Russell Cushman of CORE Community Church heard a tornado warning had been issued and called his Senior Pastor to discuss cancelling their Sunday evening youth meeting. “He told my wife and I to seek shelter. We turned down Technology Drive which was the worst thing we could have done.”
“I have learned that GOD does not take you away from the storms of life, GOD takes you thru the storms of life. He has promised in the Bible that He will never leave us nor forsake us. And after the experience my wife and I had, there is no one that can tell me otherwise.”
Youth Pastor Russell Cushman, CORE COMMUNITY CHURCH
“I have learned that GOD does not take you away from the storms of life, GOD takes you thru the storms of life. He has promised in the Bible that He will never leave us nor forsake us. And after the experience my wife and I had, there is no one that can tell me otherwise.”
According to Cushman, he and his wife saw soil blowing in the air nearby a red fire hydrant when their Mazda CX-5 was taken up into the air. They had heard there was a tornado, but now they were in the tornado.
“The wind was so loud. As we were in the air I could see the ground and that we were not on it. I grabbed my wife and the steering wheel. We flipped in the air at least six times, both air bags ejected. Our windshield was coming off. I knew I had no control of the situation.”
“When our car made impact.” says Cushman, “I thought we were both dead until I heard my wife starting to talk.”
Lisa Myers, Principal of Sacred Heart School is convinced that prayers to the Almighty spared their community on April 14th just like another recent tornado from September 4, 2017 that struck the area on nearby Hook Road.
“I believe that GOD still does miracles and protects us. We had a kindergarten student sleeping in her bed when large tree limbs collapsed thru the roof mysteriously landing on her headboard within inches of her head.”
Myers revealed that the kindergartner’s parents regularly pray with their children every night before they go to bed.
“The student’s father had to knock the door down to get to her; she was still in bed. With the impact of the large branches colliding thru the roof and being stopped by a simple headboard, there is no other plausible explanation but GOD.”
Sacred Heart Principal Lisa Myers
The rebuilding of devastated areas has left a larger imprint on the minds of the three than the ten minutes of destruction.
“Shelby really is a resilient community,” says Cushman. “Especially when crisis hits, the community comes together, this was one of the reasons why we moved here two months ago.”
According to Myers, “There were fifty Mennonites helping residents this week near State Route 61 to clean up downed trees. Their girls raked the yards, the boys stacked the wood, and the men cut the trees limbs. It was really inspiring to see.”
Mayor Schag reported that the community has received assistance from at least fourteen different communities, and that seeing businesses and churches providing food and water to storm victims has been “remarkable.”
“This was the first time I have been in a helicopter and it was to survey the storm damage; I hope it is the last. It really breaks your heart seeing your own city that you serve and pray for in the condition that it is in.” According to the National Weather Service the tornado was half a mile wide and traveled 17 miles with speeds of up to 125 mph. The Palm Sunday tornado touched down outside Bethlehem, Ohio and went as far as Olivesburg, Ohio.
According to the National Weather Service the tornado was half a mile wide and traveled 17 miles with speeds of up to 125 mph. The Palm Sunday tornado touched down outside Bethlehem, Ohio and went as far as Olivesburg, Ohio.
Schag commented on the uncanny path by quoting Deuteronomy 29:29 which says, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.”
“My wife and I should not have survived,” says Cushman. “The doctor called it the most dramatic accident he has ever been associated with. He said it was miraculous that there was just a cervical sprain and mild concussion.
“My greatest fear had been heights. It is hard to be afraid of things in life now after the experience my wife and I went thru. It’s like death has lost its sting.”
Everyone wants to talk about love, but few want to ‘love one another.’ If we had to sum up life in two statements they would be: love God with your total being and love your neighbor as you love yourself (Matthew 22:37-39). Jesus summarized His commands with these two statements.
Reverend John Bouquet
It sounds easy, but in reality, we can be very self-centered with our love. The only way to put things into proper perspective is to know the source of love before you start doing the loving. Love cannot be generated in our humanity alone because we are flawed by sin. Our best effort in loving is always mixed with sin and selfishness.
We must have a spiritual transaction in order to discover the Author of love. He will implant Himself in us so we can draw from His love to love people the way He wants us to love.
Jesus is God’s greatest expression of love. The Father sent the Son to fix what is missing in each one of us. When we know Jesus then we can love God fully. When we know God through Jesus, then we can love others.
In John’s gospel Jesus said it this way, “ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” John 13:34-35 (ESV).
This statement is directed toward His followers how they treat each other.
‘Our community has an opportunity to practice this great principle to ‘Love One Another’ at the annual Ashland Community Prayer Breakfast in conjunction with the National Day of Prayer. On Thursday, May 2nd from 6:30 – 7:59 A.M. at the Ashland University Convocation Center we will gather to pray for each other.”
Reverend John Bouquet
Our community has an opportunity to practice this great principle to ‘Love One Another’ at the annual Ashland Community Prayer Breakfast in conjunction with the National Day of Prayer. On Thursday, May 2nd from 6:30 – 7:59 A.M. at the Ashland University Convocation Center we will gather to pray for each other.
More than 80 businesses, churches and para-church ministries have come together to sponsor this event. This is loving one another in prayer. We invite 435 elected officials from our city, county and statewide office holders to assemble. Our purpose is to lift these choice leaders up in prayer for their families, their specific office and to invite the favor of God upon our county. We value our elected officials regardless of their title, we believe they are ordained from on high to their position.
You can join this team of citizens by obtaining a ticket from www.ashlandcma.org or go to Ashland Grace, Trinity Lutheran or the Transformation Network. The Transformation Network will be selling tickets until 4:30 PM on Wednesday, May 1st . Tickets are $15 and you must have one. All seats are reserved, and the elected officials are free, we want to bless you and say thank you. You may call 419-962-4763 for more information.
Jesus called this a ‘new commandment.’ Jesus intended his followers to make this their new way of doing life. Love people for who they are. Love people for who they can become and love them because Jesus said, ‘Love one another.’
Reverend John Bouquet is senior pastor at Bethel Baptist in Savannah, Ohio and local chairman of the National Day of Prayer.
