Posts
(See the two stories BELOW)
SENATOR'S BOOK CRITIZES GOVERNMENT COURTS FOR SILENCING RELIGION.
Associated Press - 7/19/2008 4:10:00 AM
Senator Jim DeMint says many Christians and their pastors are afraid to state their moral convictions about abortion, homosexuality, pornography, and other issues.
The South Carolina Republican is co-author of a new book titled Why We Whisper – Restoring Our Right To Say It's Wrong. DeMint blames government, and courts in particular, for turning wrongs into rights and barring religious views from public debate. Government rulings, he argues, have changed American culture.
"Before the 1960s, it was pretty clear that abortion was wrong, that sex outside of marriage was wrong, that unwed birth was wrong, and pornography, homosexuality – all this was considered wrong by the society," DeMint contends. "But government came in and turned right and wrong upside down."
DeMint says religious appeals have essentially been barred from public debate. "So many things that have a valued judgment about right or wrong can be related to religion," DeMint adds. "But the government essentially said that religion must be separated from public life. And by doing that, people with really strong traditional views feel intimidated, and they whisper."
He is urging clergy and people of faith to fearlessly proclaim what they believe is right for America.
Counselor fired over Christian beliefs
Jeff Johnson - OneNewsNow - 7/18/2008 8:00:00 AM
A professional counselor has been fired for referring a homosexual patient to another counselor for relationship advice. The counselor who was dismissed is a Christian.
Marcia Walden is a professional counselor who worked for Computer Sciences Corporation, a government contractor that provides Employee Assistance Program counselors to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But Walden was suspended and subsequently fired when she referred a homosexual CDC employee to another counselor for advice on the woman's same-sex relationship.
Jim Campbell, litigation counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), says employers are required by law to accommodate an employee's religious beliefs, when doing so would cause no hardship. "Employees should not be forced to check their religious beliefs at the door," he argues. Campbell says Walden was motivated by her religious and ethical beliefs, and she felt she was unable to offer the employee counsel. "...[S]he did what was ethically reasonable. She referred this employee to another counselor who was able to do the job," he explains.
Walden's employer did not offer to assign her to another contract or to transfer her to another position, notes Campbell. However, they did, according to Walden's lawsuit, tell her she could keep her job if she would agree to lie to homosexual clients about why she would not offer them relationship advice.
"In this instance the employer placed upon Ms. Walden an unconstitutional choice. It forced her to either sacrifice her religious beliefs and offer counsel despite her religiously based conflict, or it forced her to refer the potential client to another counselor and lose her job," says the ADF attorney, who states it is "egregious" for any Christian employee to face termination for abiding by their religious principles.
Campbell contends Walden is being punished for doing the right thing twice -- first, for remaining true to her beliefs; and second, for ensuring that the employee received the requested counseling.
NOTE OF PRAYER.
I pray that all the BODY will come to its senses and lose their life for Christ sake since JESUS is the True KING of KING in power NOW and that we all realize we need to be the lights we are called out to be. And may we be gracious and loving in doing so but firm in Truth. Amen
Richard White 2007 July 19
No comments:
Post a Comment