#1803 (12/21) "Merry Christmas Building and Loan! - THE GOSPEL MESSAGE IN 'IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE'"

AT"Merry Christmas Building and Loan! - THE GOSPEL MESSAGE IN 'IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE'" - By: Eric Metaxas| Breakpoint.org: December 15, 2016; http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries/entry/13/30240 [AS I SEE IT: I admit that I've watched this movie so many times that there's nothing new to surprise me; I can almost repeat some of the dialogue. However, the fact that after these many decades, and it the midst of all the more commercially promoted Christmas specials, this movie still makes it way into the homes of millions of Americans each year. We can only pray that the timeless truths of Scripture reflected by this story will cause new viewers to focus this season on the JESUS who is the reason for the season. - Stan]

It’s one of the most beloved movies of all time. But I wonder how many people miss the gospel message in “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

I love the film, “It’s a Wonderful Life.” My family watches it every Christmas. I sometimes think about how much fun it would be to visit Bedford Falls, and meet all those delightful characters—even Old Man Potter.

My friend and long-time BreakPoint colleague, Anne Morse, recently did just that: well, almost. She visited Seneca Falls, New York, which, legend has it, is the town on which Frank Capra based his fictional Bedford Falls. It really does look amazingly like Bedford Falls, and every December the town holds an “It’s a Wonderful Life” festival. Festival-goers can’t resist running down the street yelling “Merry Christmas, Emporium! Merry Christmas, you wonderful old Building and Loan!”—just like Jimmy Stewart did. They can also chat with “Uncle Billy,” “Old Man Potter,” and other characters.

My friend Anne Morse is so fond of the film that she wrote a sequel to it, titled “Bedford Falls: The Story Continues,” in which she imagines what happened to the Bailey family after the Christmas of 1945. Anne also wrote a wonderful piece about her experiences in the “real” Bedford Falls for The Christian Post—and about the gospel message the film contains that many viewers miss.
As Anne puts it, “It’s a Wonderful Life” “is a magnificent cinematic depiction of the words of Jesus: ‘For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his own soul?’ ” (Matthew 16:26)

In the New Testament, the devil tempts Jesus with all the kingdoms of the world, if he will only bow down and worship him. In the movie, Anne writes, “We see a similar scenario: The tempter, in the form of Henry Potter, offers George Bailey everything he has ever wanted: travel to Europe, lots of money . . . and a far more interesting job than he has at the Building and Loan.” George is tempted. But he ultimately realizes what Potter is really asking him to do: sacrifice the Building and Loan, which means sacrificing his neighbors to Potter’s greed. And so he turns him down, calling Potter “nothing but a scurvy little spider.”

But just as Satan continues to tempt Christ, Potter continues to tempt George Bailey. For instance, after his father’s death, George must choose between going to college or staying in Bedford Falls to run the Building and Loan. George reluctantly stays because, as he puts it, Bedford Falls needs at least one place where people don’t have to go crawling to Potter. Later, George must choose between his honeymoon and protecting the town from another effort by Potter to shut down the Building and Loan. When George’s brother Harry and his bride come home with big plans for the future, George sacrifices his own dreams so that Harry can have his. And when Uncle Billy loses $8,000—thanks in part to Old Man Potter—George takes the blame in order to keep Uncle Billy out of trouble.

“George Bailey’s soul was not for sale,” Anne notes. “Without realizing it, George, through his many sacrifices for others, spent his life imitating Christ. And Potter, by forfeiting his soul for earthly wealth, becomes, as George puts it, a “warped, frustrated old man.”

“It’s a Wonderful Life” invites us to ask ourselves, every day, what the consequences of our decisions might be. “At a deeper, more subtle level,” Anne says, “the film reminds us that living a good life means consistently imitating the Lord we claim to serve.”

Anne’s book “Bedford Falls” is available at BreakPoint.org book store. So, why not curl up with the book right after you watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” with your family? Both the film and the book teach us one of the greatest lessons we can learn: that to live for Christ is to die to self.

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RESOURCES
"The Gospel Message in 'It's a Wonderful Life'" - Anne Morse | Christian Post | December 5, 2016;http://www.christianpost.com/news/the-gospel-message-in-its-a-wonderful-life-movie-171878/
Bedford Falls: The Story Continue- Anne Morse | November 2014; http://www.colsoncenterstore.org/product.asp?sku=2191_9781505357509

#1802 (12/20) "Faith Bill Passed in St. Nick of Time"

AT"FAITH BILL PASSED IN ST. NICK OF TIME" - Tony Perkins, Washington Update, December 15, 2016; http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=WA16L32&f=WU16L11 [AS I SEE IT: While the list of Congress' accomplishments for good have not been great for many years now,  it's a shame that when they do somethings as significant as passing a bill as significant as this, , it gets NO attention (as far as I can tell) from the mainstream media.Maybe it just doesn't fit their agenda of promoting the Obama administration. Sadly, the lack of the efforts reflected in this bill marks the true legacy of the present administration. Let US remember to keep our perssecuted brothers and sisters around the world in our prayers. Let's  pray things will only improve in the years to come. - Stan]

Democrats and Republicans may not agree on much, but they agree on this: America needs to do more to stop the persecution of believers around the world. It’s a bipartisan cause -- and this week, it got a bipartisan boost, as members on both sides of the aisle came together to pass a piece of legislation that is especially meaningful this time of year: the Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Act.

While our families make their way to candlelight services or Christmas morning worship, people all around the globe will be gathering in underground churches to celebrate the birth of Jesus -- praying they won’t be arrested, or worse. Under the Obama administration, it’s been difficult -- if not downright impossible -- for the crisis to get any attention. Unfortunately for the suffering faithful around the world, the only human rights issues that seem to be taken seriously by the foreign policy of this administration are preceded by the letters “LGBT.” Meanwhile, millions of Christians and Jews are very literally in the crosshairs of everyone from ISIS to entire totalitarian governments, like China’s.

The bill passed Tuesday [12/13] by the Senate would help restore America from its bruised reputation under Obama to the leading voice against the persecution of religious people abroad. For starters, the bill would beef up the tools at the State Department’s disposal for fighting this wave of oppression in nations abroad. Among other things, it would keep a running registry of people who are being held or imprisoned for their faith -- as well as a watch list of the biggest religious liberty violators. In a major shift from the Obama years, Foreign Service officers would all be trained on the issue, and there would also be a greater emphasis placed on interagency coordination to make religious freedom a priority in all of America’s interests. Last -- but certainly not least -- the bill raises the profile of the ambassador-at-large for religious liberty by having the ambassador report directly to the secretary of state.

For House leader Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), who has championed the issue since Congressman Frank Wolf retired, the victory in the Senate was an overdue tribute to the bill’s namesake. “It is largely because of [Wolf’s] efforts that religious freedom is taken seriously as a foreign policy issue. I had the distinct honor and pleasure of working with him for over 30 years. This bill is a fitting tribute to his work and service to our great nation.” Like us, he understands that religious liberty is about a lot more than faith. “A robust religious freedom diplomacy is necessary to advance U.S. interests in stability, security, and economic development,” Rep. Smith pointed out.

Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who sponsored the Senate measure, reminded everyone that “America was founded in part by people fleeing religious persecution, and the U.S. has a moral responsibility to be a champion for oppressed people around the world. When it comes to universal human rights that must be respected, few are more fundamental to the human spirit than the freedom to live out your faith according to your conscience, without fear of persecution, violence, or imprisonment. But this right is under assault in every corner of the globe, and we must do more to defend it and counter the vicious attacks on religious minorities.” Thanks to Congress, this is a giant step toward exactly that.

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#1801 (12/19) WATCH: NFL Legend Jim Brown's Amazing Answer to CNN's Racially-Charged Question About Trump

"WATCH: NFL LEGEND JIM BROWN'S AMAZING ANSWER TO CNN'S RACIALLY-CHARGED QUESTION ABOUT TRUMPy-Charged Question About Trump" - Guy Benson | Dec 15, 2016; http://townhall.com/tipsheet/guybenson/2016/12/15/watch-nfl-legend-jim-browns-amazing-answer-to-a-raciallycharged-question-about-trump-on-cnn-n2259794  [AS I SEE IT: Though this segment is not long, the video and the words shared by Jim Brown in it are so powerful I only wish more Americans could have heard it. Here is a man of integrity who tells it like he sees it and I applaud him for what he shares. - Stan]

     Leah Barkoukis wrote up Jim Brown's rave review of his meeting with Donald Trump yesterday [http://townhall.com/tipsheet/leahbarkoukis/2016/12/14/clinton-supporter-and-nfl-legend-jim-brown-after-meeting-with-trump-i-fell-in-love-with-him-n2259728] in which he said he'd "fallen in love" with the president-elect over the course of their discussion about improving the lives of African-Americans. 

Brown's gushing assessment of Trump got a fair amount of media play -- and understandably so, given his prominence and support for Hillary Clinton in the election -- but I didn't want another portion of Brown's CNN appearance to fall through the cracks. Anchor Brooke Baldwin put up a full-screen graphic of Trump's emerging cabinet and noted that a majority of those faces belong to older white men. Yes, there are some women and racial minorities on the team, she allowed, but most are not. "Does that bother you?" she asked. With a hat tip to Mary Katharine Ham, who brought this to my attention, Brown's gracious and moving reply speaks for itself. Remarkable:

"I've lived all my life in America, and I'm 80 years old. So I have seen discrimination at its worst. I understand slavery. I study history. The only thing I have always done, I've tried to make sure that I was a decent person, and that I worked outside of myself to make things better. So I don't always look at black and white. But I'm going to say this to you, and I don't ever say this: The three greatest people in my life were white. Okay? My high school coach, my high school superintendent, and my mentor. In Manhassett, Long Island. I never had a father, really. My great-grandmother raised me. But I was in this country where I got help from people that were not of my same color. So when I come out of the box, I don't come out of the box as racial. I look for good people, and people that will be like-minded and help me try to do good for other human beings. So that's truly where I'm coming from."

What an extraordinary testimony from an 80-year-old black man who has lived through a lot in this country. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream of a society that judges men and women by the content of their character, rather than the color of their skin, may still seem like a distant goal in our age of reflexive identity politics and ongoing inequities. But people like Jim Brown show that the torch of MLK's dream remains very much alight.  Bravo, and God bless.

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#1800 (12/18) SUNDAY SPECIAL: "Reclaiming Christmas"

"RECLAIMING CHRISTMAS" - Terry Paulson : Dec 12, 2016; http://townhall.com/columnists/terrypaulson/2016/12/12/reclaiming-christmas-n2253994 [AS I SEE IT: I for one refuse to be cowered into not saying "Merry Christmas!" If someone has an alternate greeting, they are free to express it (without being crude of course). Why should I not have the same right? I make it a practice to always say "Merry Christmas" as I leave a cashier  and feel sorry for those who are stifled in returning the greeting because of political correctness. Hey, I'm such a radical I even whistle Christmas carols! (: BTW, can you imagine how crazy it must make certain people to hear an instrumental rendition of a Christmas carol playing on a store sound system. It so makes me just smile. - Stan]

John Gibson, in "The War on Christmas," writes, “In the United States of America, a nation overwhelmingly Christian, literally any sign of Christmas in public can now lead to complaints, litigation, angry protests, threats, and bruised feelings. … Secular liberals say they’re just protecting the constitutional rights of non-Christians who don’t want to see or hear about Christmas. But what about the constitutional rights of millions of Americans who simply want to celebrate their traditional holiday—without insulting anyone else but also without having to hide behind closed doors?”

Freedom of religion is not just the freedom to worship as you please. Freedom allows faiths to freely celebrate their own faith and to acknowledge their place in the mosaic that makes America what it is. Seeing other faiths celebrate their own beliefs openly—from Jews celebrating Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kuppur or Hanukkah to Muslims celebrating Eid al-Fitr at the end of Ramadan—does nothing to diminish my faith in Christ. It reaffirms that a vibrant faith can be a driving force for good in a person’s life.

But with Christmas, the secularists are doing everything they can to take Christ out of the Christian holiday that celebrates the coming of Emmanuel—God with us. Christ did not come to justify Santa Claus or to provide another reason to support American commercialism. He came that through faith people might come to have a relationship with God.

Some have called it a War on Christmas, but It might better be described as a politically correct assault on the very word Christmas. Sure, Christians are still free to worship in their churches, but publicly acknowledging the Christ in Christmas is increasingly avoided for fear of offending.

The Hallmark Channel loves to fill the season with moving, even tear-jerking stories of Christmas, but the focus is not on Christ, but on the “Spirit of Christmas.” You could be hard pressed to find traditional Christian carols celebrating the coming of the Christ child on FM radio or Sirius radio stations which play continuous Christmas music this time of year.

Not to be outdone, most public schools now refuse to include any Christmas carol in their holiday programs. Terry Fine, a University of Central Florida professor, writes, "In our efforts to be inclusive, we show cultural insensitivity both by equating one major holiday (Christmas) with a minor holiday (Hanukkah) and failing to recognize that diversity includes those who celebrate neither holiday." What is her suggestion? Instead of wishing someone a "Merry Christmas," "Happy Hanukkah" or even "Happy Holidays," she suggests saying "Happy Federal Holiday." Now, doesn’t that excite holiday cheer!

If there is a war on Christmas, it seems that most Christians are settling for silence instead of holding up their side of the battle. You may want to join Denis Prager’s call to trade in your “Happy Holidays” for a joyful “Merry Christmas.”

Charles Shultz, author of Peanuts, was a devout Christian who knew how to stand for his faith in a strong but humorous way. For over 50 years, we’ve watched the eternal underdog Charlie Brown hold his short, scrawny Christmas tree while enduring verbal abuse by his family and friends—Lucy, Sally, and Snoopy— for letting his soft-headed Christmas sentimentality get in the way of Christmas commercialism. But, in the end, those who scoffed at Charlie Brown, learn, with help from Linus’ reading of the Christmas message from Luke, the lessons of God’s mercy and love from that first Christmas morning.

Maybe we could let a little of Trump’s war on political correctness bring believers out of their foxholes. It’s time to let Christmas be Christmas. Let Hanukkah be Hanukkah. Let your faith be visible.

I have a gift for those of you who want to keep Christ in your Christmas. For nearly two decades, I’ve provided a free service called the “12 Days of Christmas” Ezine. For the twelve days leading up to Christmas Day, I provide Christmas stories, inspiring quotations, timely humor, and links to Christmas music designed to keep Christ in Christmas for those who want to find him there. You can see past messages for the last five years and a chance to sign up for this year’s messages at http://terrypaulson.com/christmas.shtml.

And now, may I wish you, my faithful readers, a very Merry Christmas season for you and yours.

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"Good Grief! Leave Charlie Brown Alone, Says Court" - Tony Perkins, Washington Update, 
December 16, 2016;http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=WA16L36&f=WU16L12

#1799 (12/17) PRO-LIFE SAT: "Lie of the Year: Abortion Clinics Are Safe and Planned Parenthood Cares About Women"

"LIE OF THE YEAR: ABORTION CLINICS ARE SAFE AND PLANNED PARENTHOOD CARES ABOUT WOMEN" - Denise Burke, DEC 14, 2016 |  http://www.lifenews.com/2016/12/14/lie-of-the-year-abortion-clinics-are-safe-and-planned-parenthood-cares-about-women/

The Supreme Court bought it, but a new report turns up troves of damning evidence that shows otherwise.

For more than four decades, the abortion industry has engaged in an unrelenting and corrupt crusade to force a regime of unapologetic, unregulated, and unrestricted abortion-on-demand on an unwilling American public. In pursuit of this goal, abortion advocates have repeatedly advanced misinformation and have often recruited others to participate in their remorseless campaign of dishonesty.

The most prominent and influential target of this strategic manipulation is the Supreme Court, which delighted abortion advocates in June when it struck down Texas’s requirements that abortion clinics comply with medically endorsed health and safety standards and that abortion providers maintain hospital admitting privileges to facilitate emergency care and the treatment of post-abortion complications. Writing for the majority in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, Justice Stephen Breyer, relying on the abortion industry’s deceptive and financially motivated arguments, concluded that the Texas regulations would not “have helped even one woman obtain better treatment” and that “abortions taking place in an abortion facility are safe.”

"Unsafe: How the Public Health Crisis in America’s Abortion Clinics Endangers Women," a new investigative report released this week by Americans United for Life, convincingly demonstrates that the Supreme Court’s claim that abortion clinics are “safe” qualifies as the lie of the year. The report documents that in Texas alone, at least 17 abortion providers have recently been cited by state officials for violations of health and safety standards, including, ironically, five clinics operated by Whole Woman’s Health, the lead plaintiff in the Supreme Court case.

Evidence collected from 32 states on hundreds of abortion clinics and dozens of individual abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood facilities, proves that the practice of abortion has devolved into the “red light district” of American medicine and is populated by substandard providers. "Unsafe" is both a snapshot in time, focusing on abortion practice since 2008, and the tip of the proverbial iceberg, aptly demonstrating a nationwide pattern of abuse that characterizes an industry fighting to keep profits high and standards low.

The abortion industry vociferously argues that it should be granted an unmerited exemption from standards routinely applied to other facilities performing invasive surgical procedures, as well as an exemption from the comprehensive inspections to which such facilities are routinely subjected. But "Unsafe" documents in detail that the most common violations found in America’s abortion clinics include failing to ensure a safe and sanitary environment, allowing unqualified staff to provide care to patients, utilizing expired medications and medical supplies, failing to purchase and maintain necessary equipment, refusing to adopt and follow internal health and safety protocols, and failing to comply with physical-plant standards. The study uncovers hundreds of significant violations of these and other commonsense health and safety standards that have taken place just in the past eight years.

Shockingly, at least 65 of the abortion providers examined were chronic offenders who had been cited multiple times for the same violations in subsequent inspections. Further, at least 13 abortion providers either failed to report suspected sexual abuse of minors or failed to implement practices to protect minors from ongoing abuse; at least 30 abortion providers failed to provide or post all required informed-consent information; and more than two dozen abortion clinics failed to comply with abortion reporting requirements. At least 65 of the abortion providers examined were chronic offenders who had been cited multiple times for the same violations in subsequent inspections.

Significantly, efforts to discern the true state of abortion practice in most states were stymied by a dearth of protective laws in a number of states, a lack of reporting in others, and limited public availability of information on abortion providers in still more states. We can easily deduce, therefore, that the epidemic of substandard abortion practice is worse than "Unsafe" reveals.

In the days after the Supreme Court’s ruling in Hellerstedt, abortion advocates claimed it was “game over” for health and safety standards designed to protect women from abortion-industry abuses. However, Americans will never abandon women to the whims of the predatory and profit-motivated abortion industry.

The Hellerstedt decision is not a censure of legislative efforts to expose and remedy abortion’s negative maternal-health consequences; instead, it explicitly challenges state officials and caring Americans to better document the epidemic of inferior care being provided in America’s abortion clinics. "Unsafe" does exactly that.

As lawmakers prepare for a new Congress and the 2017 state legislative sessions, "Unsafe" provides critical support for those who aim to further expose the depravity of the abortion industry. The study’s disturbing findings show that we must step up our efforts to protect women and their unborn children from the dangers inherent in abortion, and ensure that the abortion industry never realizes its dream of unfettered access to substandard abortion clinics, meaningless self-regulation, and ever-increasing profits at the expense of the very women it claims to champion. Sadly, it also demonstrates that the abortion industry has successfully conspired to make a liar of the Supreme Court.

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LifeNews Note: Denise Burke is the vice president of legal affairs with Americans United for Life. To learn more about Unsafe, go to unsafereport.org or aul.org.

#1798 (12/16) "3 Steps to Making Christmas Special Without Breaking the Bank"

"3 STEPS TO MAKING CHRISTMAS SPECIAL WITHOUT  BREAKING THE BANK" - Beverly Hallberg / December 15, 2016 / http://dailysignal.com/2016/12/15/3-steps-to-making-christmas-special-without-breaking-the-bank/

“I love you, man.” It may not the easiest thing to say, but it’s definitely the cheapest. Yes, sharing why you appreciate someone is much cheaper than buying the hottest gift on Amazon. Maybe more painful for you, but definitely the budget-friendly choice.

If you find yourself thinking, “Ugh, feelings,” you’re in good company. While some people love to communicate how they feel about a person all day every day, others would rather volunteer to have their appendix removed. Talking about feelings is polarizing at best.

But it’s the holiday season. And if you don’t want to pay homage to “Every Kiss begins with Kay,” you can use words to tell the people you love why you love them. To convince you to suck it up and express yourself verbally in the next couple weeks, there are three simple steps to make Christmas extra special. Here’s how to communicate to the people you love how much they mean to you. We promise it’s a gift not even Santa can shove down the chimney.

Common Ground - Just as you would when talking to a liberal about the absurdity of income inequality, start with common ground. In this case, common ground translates to what you both know about each other. Is this a new relationship you’ve formed in the past year? Reference how glad you are to know this person and that you look forward to more fun adventures in the new year.

Or, is this person a family member you’ve known all your life? Start with the recognition that you’ve always been in each other’s lives and how grateful you are for that permanence and why. Was 2016 a particularly tough year because of various challenges? (No, Kanye going to rehab doesn’t count. Make it your own!) Mention the hardship and pivot to how much you admire this individual’s perseverance in the midst of it.

The common ground should be pretty easy to find and name, because you probably wouldn’t know each other if it didn’t exist. Now, on to examples.

Examples - This piece of the feelings communication puzzle involves a little more work. However long this person has been in your life, and in whatever way this person has been important to you, be sure to list specific examples of the things you love/appreciate/value, etc.

It can be something small and mundane: “I appreciate how well you care for our family, which is especially evident in daily tasks like taking out the trash.” Or maybe this person supported you in a tough time. If so, feel free to list a specific way he/she helped and how doing so meant a lot to you.

Or maybe this person is full of joy and has therefore made your life more joyful just by his/her presence. If so, be specific about the impact. Examples matter because they prove you pay attention. People feel most loved when their kindness toward you is appreciated, which you can only (truly) make known with words.

Words - This may seem obvious, but concluding a letter or a toast with the words that explain how you actually feel is important. So, end with an “I love you,” an “I don’t know how I would have made it through this year without you,” “you’re my best friend,” “I look forward to another year with you,” etc. You get the point.

Just make sure to end with a clear declaration of your care for the other person. Think of it as your tagline. Sometimes we hesitate to express our feelings because it feels awkward and we don’t think we have the right words to say. A tagline allows for a tidy, but confident end, which seems necessary when talking about feelings.

REMEMBER: The thought behind every gift is what matters most, so why not express (rather than purchase) those thoughts this year? Not only will the recipient feel loved and appreciated, but words of affirmation often leave the giver feeling pretty stellar too.

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Beverly Hallberg is a contributor to The Daily Signal, a visiting fellow at The Heritage Foundation, and president of District Media Group.

#1797 (12/15) "Religious Freedom and SOGI Laws - DON’T DEMONIZE, DON’T COMPROMISE"

AT"Religious Freedom and SOGI Laws - DON’T DEMONIZE, DON’T COMPROMISE" - By: John Stonestreet| Breakpoint.org: December 14, 2016; http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries/entry/13/30234

When it comes to religious freedom, we face two equal and opposite temptations. But neither will do in the face of our current challenges.

Here on BreakPoint we often talk about the ongoing struggle between religious freedom and so-called “sexual freedom.” Today, religious freedom, though clearly established in the Bill of Rights, often loses. Sexual freedom is on the march and seems to be taking no prisoners.

The latest flash point in this struggle is so-called SOGI laws, that is, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity laws. Essentially, SOGI laws create new protected classes of people based on inclination and behavior, not race, sex, or creed. As a result, anyone with religious convictions against participating or celebrating such identities is [considered] a bigot.

Here, as is the case with every other cultural challenge, Christians face two serious temptations: demonizing and compromising. [1] Our enemy is not those who support special gay or transgender rights. Our true enemy is the false ideas that hold them captive—a worldview that reduces human beings to the sum of their desires and behaviors; that promotes pleasure as the ultimate human good. [2] The other serious temptation, and the one I want to focus on today, is one to which many of our brethren have already succumbed: compromise.

Some within the evangelical Christian camp are now proposing that the best way forward is to actually accommodate SOGI laws, as long as they include limited religious exemptions. The idea is something like this: “We’ll recognize sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes of human beings, as long as churches and certain religious organizations are exempt.”

There are three problems with this line of reasoning. First, Christians must be truth tellers, and Christians cannot endorse a falsehood, even if for self-protection. To say that sexual orientation or gender identity defines a different class of human beings is simply not true. Who we are as God’s image bearers is no small part of the Gospel story, and SOGI laws deny who we truly are as people.

Second, while these accommodations may protect houses of worship and some Christian institutions, they don’t protect all Christian institutions and certainly don’t protect all Christians, especially those in the public square or world of commerce—like the baker, photographer, or florist. All callings are sacred for all Christians. To seek to protect churches or organizations for doing “ministry,” but not photographers, bakers, and other Christians is to misunderstand the holistic life we are called to live in Christ. It’s particularly strange, by the way, for some Christian liberal arts colleges to promote compromise with SOGI laws. Most would teach students the idea that all callings are sacred, but apparently they don’t believe the teaching applies once their students graduate.

Third, by establishing sexual orientation and gender identity as a protected class of people, we’re allowing ourselves to be placed automatically in the category of bigots. I get the impulse to draw the line where we can, but if we are bigots already, it’s unwise to think that line of compromise won’t move significantly in the future.

Today, I’ve joined with Alan Sears of the Alliance Defending Freedom and an amazing list of about 80 other Christian leaders to sign a statement clarifying where we stand on these troubling SOGI laws. The statement is very clear: SOGI laws threaten the freedoms of Americans to speak, teach, and live out their deeply held convictions in public life without fear of lawsuits or government coercion.

You can read the statement at ColsonCenter.org/freedom. In fact, you can add your name to the list of signers. And you’ll find resources on how to talk about religious freedom and SOGI laws with friends and neighbors. Again, come to ColsonCenter.org/freedom.

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RESOURCES - Click here to read the statement on preserving Americans' constitutional freedoms in the face of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity laws. You can sign the statement, see the many Christian leaders whose names are on the list, and access videos and other materials.

SOGI statement - http://www.colsoncenter.org/freedom

"This Small Business Owner Didn’t Want to Make Shirts for Gay Pride Festival. Now He’s in Court." - Leah Jessen / December 14, 2016; http://dailysignal.com/2016/12/14/this-small-business-owner-didnt-want-to-make-shirts-for-gay-pride-festival-now-hes-in-court/
"This Filmmaking Couple Doesn’t Want to Be Punished for Not Promoting Same-Sex Marriage" - Leah Jessen / December 06, 2016; http://dailysignal.com/2016/12/06/this-filmmaking-couple-doesnt-want-to-be-punished-for-not-promoting-same-sex-marriage-2/
"Chip and Joanna Gaines Under Fire for Maybe Having the ‘Wrong’ Views on LGBT Issues" - Katrina Trinko / November 30, 2016; http://dailysignal.com/2016/11/30/chip-and-joanna-gaines-under-fire-for-maybe-having-the-wrong-views-on-lgbt-issues/