By now many of you have probably heard that Atlanta pastor Louie Giglio has removed himself from giving the prayer at President Obama’s inauguration after a firestorm of criticism erupted over his inclusion in the ceremony.  The firestorm was over a sermon Pastor Giglio gave over a decade ago where he discussed the biblical view of homosexual behavior.  In a direct way, he confronted the view that homosexual behavior was simply an “alternative lifestyle.”  Pastor Giglio stated that: “If you look at the counsel of the word of God, Old Testament, New Testament, you come quickly to the conclusion that homosexuality is not an alternative lifestyle.  Homosexuality is not just a sexual preference.  Homosexuality is not gay.  But homosexuality is sin.”  You can hear his comments in this video.

After these comments came to light, groups advocating homosexual behavior demanded that Giglio withdraw from the inauguration, which he did, claiming that he did not want his presence to detract from the work he has been doing recently to end human trafficking.

The blogosphere erupted with commentary on the issue.  Russell Moore posted on his blog:

When it is now impossible for one who holds to the catholic Christian view of marriage and the gospel to pray at a public event, we now have a de facto established state church.  Just as the pre-constitutional Anglican and congregational churches required a license to preach in order to exclude Baptists, the new state church requires a “license” of embracing sexual liberation in all its forms.

Al Mohler posted wrote on his blog:

The Presidential Inaugural Committee and the White House have now declared historic, biblical Christianity to be out of bounds, casting it off the inaugural program as an embarrassment. By its newly articulated standard, any preacher who holds to the faith of the church for the last 2,000 years is persona non grata.

We now see the new Moral McCarthyism in its undisguised and unvarnished reality. If you are a Christian, get ready for the question you will now undoubtedly face: “Do you now or have you ever believed that homosexuality is a sin?” There is nowhere to hide.

Pastor Giglio’s withdrawal from the inauguration ceremony may seem like a small thing.  But small things are often symbols of where we are as a culture.  And this is no small thing.  Mohler and Moore (and otherslike them) are right.  What the Giglio withdrawal shows us is that biblical truth has been blacklisted.  Giglio’s comments in his 1990′s sermon were not hateful, spiteful, or intolerant.  Rather, they were a simple and clear exposition of biblical truth.  But the advocates of homosexual behavior don’t want to hear that truth.  We have now reached a point in our culture where the simple proclamation of Scripture carries public ridicule and censorship.

The Apostle Paul warned about this progression in Romans 1.  He says in Romans 1:18: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.”  They suppress the truth because God has made it evident to them that the behavior they approve of and engage in is sinful and violates His law.  And what better way to suppress the truth than to suppress the truth-tellers.

Pastor Giglio faced public ridicule and scorn for simply proclaiming God’s truth.  His example stands as a warning call to all pastors.  The end-goal of the homosexual legal agenda is the silencing of all dissent; the suppression of the truth-tellers in our culture.  Now is not the time to shrink away from biblical truth.  Rather, when it is under attack, pastors as the men of God must run to the battle lines to proclaim even more strongly and winsomely the power of the Gospel.

Alliance Defending Freedom stands with you as you faithfully stand for biblical truth in today’s culture.  If you find your right to proclaim the truth of Scripture is threatened, please contact us so our attorneys can help.  Together, we are as our name proclaims –  an Alliance Defending Freedom.

When it comes to college basketball, Lexington, Kentucky is “Title Town USA.”   With its precision offense and shot-blocking defense, the home-town University of Kentucky Wildcats won another NCAA national championship a few weeks ago.

But away from the basketball court, some folks in Lexington refuse to acknowledge that religious freedom ranks No. 1 in the Bill of Rights.

Some folks like the local Gay & Lesbian Services Organization (GLSO).  If they get their way, religious freedom will be dealt a huge defeat like those served on so many of the Wildcats’ basketball opponents.

Alleging “discrimination,” GLSO is demanding the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Human Rights Commission slap a technical foul on the Christian-owned business Hands On Originals.

Blaine Adamson, co-owner of Hands On Originals shirt shop, declined GLSO’s request to print t-shirts for a “pride” parade celebrating homosexual behavior.  The co-owners of Hands On Originals sincerely believe in the inspired Word of God, and they strive to live by its commands in their personal and public lives.  They disagree with the message served by these “pride” parades, and they exercised their right to be obedient to God.

In retaliation, GLSO is urging large customers of Hands On Originals – including the University of Kentucky – to boycott the shirt shop, which could be forced to lay off employees if business revenue drops substantially.

Blaine Adamson joins a growing list of Christian business owners facing legal attack in the clash between the free exercise of religion – the first liberty affirmed in the U.S. Constitution – and the homosexual legal agenda.  The Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) and our allies have successfully defended many of them, but other costly legal battles rage on.  In New Mexico, Elaine Huguenin awaits appeal of a similar “discrimination” charge – for declining to photograph a same-sex “commitment ceremony.”  If convicted, she may have to close her photography business.

This issue brings two vitally important questions into play for believers.  How should the Body of Christ respond to these predatory assaults on religious liberty?  And, are pastors free to scripturally equip their congregations on how to respond to attacks on religious freedom?

It’s crucial for Christians to understand the serious legal risks they face in the public square as they strive to uphold their biblical beliefs.  Pastors also need to understand the attacks against their congregants and how to lead in a time of hostility toward religious freedom.

Pastors can take an important step in leadership by participating in the ADF Pulpit Freedom Sunday October 7^th when hundreds of pastors will preach the full counsel of scripture on the issue of candidates and the election to equip their congregations and to counter a challenge to their own free speech.

They do so knowing Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU) will bluster and complain.  This radical group is threatening pastors with intimidating letters warning them to refrain from speaking on some of the moral issues which will help their congregations.

This bullying has been happening since Congress hastily approved the “Johnson Amendment” in 1954.  The act modified the Internal Revenue Service tax code and overturned 178 years of free speech for America’s pastors, who now risk loss of tax exemptions for applying scripture or church teaching to the issue of candidates and elections.

For instance, if Blaine Adamson’s pastor urges the congregation to vote for political candidates who will uphold religious liberty, AU will file a “complaint” (really just a tattle-tale letter) with the Internal Revenue Service demanding the church lose its tax exemption.

The Alliance Defense Fund and our allies are protecting churches willing to courageously challenge this unjust tax law.  While we’re not encouraging pastors to become political commentators, we are urging them to determine the content of sermons on their own.  For too long, pastors self-censored their messages and essentially enabled the IRS to determine what can and can’t be said in the pulpits of America.

Pulpit Freedom Sunday pastors are forwarding recordings of their sermons to the IRS in hopes of drawing investigations.  When IRS officials attempt to whistle a church for a flagrant foul, ADF will sue the IRS in an attempt to overturn the Johnson Amendment.  Our goal is to regain complete freedom for America’s churches.

Please pray for victory in the battles for religious freedom in Lexington, in New Mexico, and across America.  Pray for free speech for our pastors

Ken Hutcherson, pastor of Antioch Baptist Church in Redmond, Washington, reportedly took a stand against the Washington governor’s recent efforts to legalize same-sex “marriage,” stating:  ”As long as the Bible says it’s wrong, I’m going to fight against it like it’s the last thing I can do. It’s no different than any other sin. If someone walked around and said ‘We want to be a minority because we are divorcees,’ I would fight that just as much.” He believes that if the proponents of the new law succeed, it will profoundly restrict religious freedom, and he’s right.

Proponents of same-sex “marriage” have the ultimate goal of sexual choices being treated the same as race. In other words, they think criticizing someone for engaging in homosexual behavior should be viewed the same as criticizing someone for being Black. The religious freedom implications for this change in the law would be striking. For instance, Title VII protects religious organizations by allowing them to discriminate based on religion when it comes to hiring staff. This exemption makes sense because no one would argue a Catholic school should hire an Atheist to teach religion. But that religious exemption doesn’t apply to discrimination based on race. If the proponents of same-sex marriage are successful in elevating sexual orientation discrimination to the same level as race discrimination, religious organizations that teach biblical truth about sexuality may be forced to hire individuals who engage in homosexual behavior  for some leadership positions like teachers. (You can read more about how the homosexual legal agenda could affect religious freedom here and here.)

Pastor Hutcherson is to be commended for being willing to take a stand that may be politically incorrect, and the foresight to understand the homosexual agenda’s negative implications for religious freedom. We need more religious leaders like him.

Attempts to censor religious speech are often disguised as restrictions on “hate speech” or “bullying.” This is happening right now in New York.  Professor Volokh reports that four New York state senators will soon propose an anti-bullying bill that will undermine freedom of speech. The bill would make it a crime to intentionally make any digital communication (e-mail, text, etc.) about someone under the age of 21 that causes “material harm to the mental or emotional health” of that person.

The proponents of the bill argue that it will withstand constitutional scrutiny under a “refined” view of the First Amendment where ”this freedom [of speech] should be treated not as a right but as a privilege.” Of course, the hidden agenda here is the “privilege” of speaking is conditioned on limiting one’s speech to that which is politically correct, and not likely to evoke any sort of negative emotional reaction from young folks.  This is just a new wrapper on age-old attempts to censor speech because it may be considered offensive. Note that all it takes to be held guilty under this proposed law is for someone in New York to send an e-mail that upsets a young person (even if they are over 18). This is exactly the kind of speech that needs protecting. Speech that everyone agrees with and evokes no emotional reaction is in no danger of being censored.

Christians should be especially concerned about this perversion of the First Amendment because our Lord promised us that “you will be hated because of me.” The Gospel (Truth) is often offensive and evokes strong emotional reaction.  In fact, the disciples reported that the Pharisees were “offended” by the teachings of Christ in Matthew 15:12.  And certainly (at least in New York) Jesus would have been accused of bullying when he referred to the Pharisees as a ”brood of vipers” in Matthew 12:34. Professor Volokh gives a good example of how this ”refined” view of speech could adversely affect religious speakers. He predicts that this soon to be proposed New York ”anti-bullying” law could be used to punish a pastor who informs family members of a young man that he is engaged in homosexual behavior, which the Bible says is sinful (but certainly not unforgivable. See I Cor. 6:9-11).

Don’t be fooled by religious censors masquerading as anti-bullying crusaders.

Anyone opposed to the acceptance of homosexual behavior as a healthy, normal, moral equivalent to heterosexuality is often accused of homophobia – an irrational fear of those engaged in homosexual behavior.  This same label is applied to any church that teaches biblical morality on the issue.  Recently, Bill Hybels, Pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago, had to defend his church’s  loving and biblical morality teachings against an attack from a homosexual activist who persuaded the head of Starbucks to breach his contract to speak at the church’s leadership summit.  Some churches, like Mt. Hope Church in East Lansing, Michigan, are sometimes even physically attacked by radical groups who support the homosexual agenda like BashBack! (an indication of irrational fear on their part).

But most pastors and churches I’m familiar with are like Willow Creek and love those caught up in homosexual behavior, wanting them to experience the freedom that Christ can give.  They don’t fear them, but they fear for them.  As Dr. Albert Mohler, President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary recently put it in his piece on the topic, “Our greatest fear is not that homosexuality will be normalized and accepted, but that homosexuals will not come to know of their own need for Christ and the forgiveness of their sins.”  Well said. If  churches truly love those who are engaged in sin that separates them from a right relationship with God, they cannot say sin is OK.  That truly would be hateful, not loving.

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