Equal Access for Ohio Christian Clubs

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by: Liberty Counsel

Orlando, FL - April 22, 2019 - (The Ponder News) -- A school district in northeast Ohio has ended discrimination against a high school student-led Bible study and a Christian encouragement club, both of which have now been allowed to resume meetings on campus. Liberty Counsel sent a letter to the district on behalf of the students, requesting equal access on the same terms as other noncurricular clubs.

The school board voted unanimously this month to recognize the Christian student-led clubs and to extend equal treatment in all respects, including permitting the students to invite guest speakers during noninstructional time.

When the two clubs were cancelled in Fall 2017, the students were told they could no longer meet as "official school club[s]" and would be treated as "outside organization[s]." The Christian club could no longer have guest speakers, and neither it, nor the Bible study, were permitted to meet during noninstructional time or distribute flyers announcing their meetings. The clubs were told they would also be assessed a facilities fee.

However, the school district permitted other "student-led" clubs such as the Gay-Straight Alliance, an environmental club, a fashion club, a vegan club, and others, to meet. These clubs met at no charge, were allowed faculty advisors, and had full access to all the information channels at school, including distribution and display of flyers, and announcements on the school PA system.

In addition to meeting for encouragement and discussion, student leaders of the Christian club had hoped to demonstrate love and acceptance toward their fellow students by doing acts of kindness on various days. When they were first allowed to meet in 2017, this club met at school during noninstructional time. The students opened the meetings, and when they had a speaker, the students introduced the guest speaker. After the speaker, the students closed the meeting. No guest speaker spoke more than once. However, the Christian club was still told "no outside speakers" would be allowed unless the club moved off campus for such meetings.

After the clubs were cancelled, the students involved in both clubs prepared documentation referencing the Equal Access Act and met with administrators to appeal these decisions. They were told they could "meet informally during lunch to read the Bible and pray" with a faculty advisor, but they could not be given club privileges, including sharing announcements about the club, or displaying club flyers.

Liberty Counsel then sent a letter demanding equal access. After receiving the letter, the school board voted to allow the Christian student-led clubs.

Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, "We are pleased that this Ohio school district has agreed to abide by the law in granting equal access to school facilities to the Bible study and the Christian club. The law is clear that public schools cannot discriminate against the Christian viewpoint of student-led clubs. Equal access means equal treatment in terms of use of the facilities, ability to meet, and announcements about the clubs. Equal access is a simple concept. Public schools cannot discriminate against Christian viewpoints on otherwise permissible subject matters," said Staver.

Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics. Liberty Counsel provides broadcast quality TV interviews via Hi-Def Skype and LTN at no cost.

Trump Will Aid Persecuted Christians in Middle East

Source: Liberty Counsel



Washington, D.C. - October 30, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- Vice President Mike Pence announced a new policy at the In Defense of Christians annual summit in Washington, promising direct aid to persecuted Christians in the Middle East.

The Obama administration previously gave over a billion dollars in aid to the Middle East through the United Nations. However, little of that money made it to Christians and other vulnerable religious minority groups in that region. The Trump administration has now promised to bypass the United Nations and give the funds directly through the United States Agency for International Development to organizations on the ground to help victims of persecution and genocide.

Vice President Pence also noted the United Nations continues to deny funding requests in many instances to partner with faith-based groups with proven track records and deep roots in the Middle East. “My friends,” the Vice President said, “those days are over. This is the moment. Now is the time. And America will support these people in their hour of need. President Trump and I see these crimes for what they are: vile acts of persecution animated by hatred for Christians and the gospel of Christ. And so too does this president know who and what has perpetrated these crimes and he calls them by name: radical Islamic terrorism,” said Pence.

Through Liberty Counsel’s Liberty Relief International project, we strategically partner with ministries to provide humanitarian relief and spiritual support to persecuted Christians in the Middle East.

“Every day, Christians are persecuted and murdered for their faith in the ancient land where Christianity was first born,” said Mat Staver, Chairman of Liberty Counsel and Founder and President of Liberty Relief International. “We commend the Trump administration for recognizing this serious threat and helping these victims of persecution and genocide directly. The United Nations is a useless organization that refuses to help Christians. This announcement by the Trump administration is a welcome relief,” said Staver.

Liberty Counsel is an international litigation, education and policy organization. Liberty Counsel has a number of affiliated ministries, including Christians in Defense of Israel and Covenant Journey, a program that provides a life-changing experience in Israel for Christian college-age students who have leadership potential.

Read more great news at thepondernews.com

FRC Praises Trump Administration's Plan to Directly Address Needs of Christians in Middle East

Source: Family Research Council

Washington, D.C. - October 30, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- The Trump administration announced this week that it would address the needs of the Middle East’s Christian community by providing assistance directly, bypassing UN aid programs which have been largely ineffective in helping displaced Christians affected by ISIS.

The announcement came as Vice President Pence spoke to a gathering addressing persecution of Christians:

“Our fellow Christians and all who are persecuted in the Middle East should not have to rely on multinational institutions when America can help them directly. And tonight, it is my privilege to announce that President Trump has ordered the State Department to stop funding ineffective relief efforts at the United Nations. And from this day forward, America will provide support directly to persecuted communities through USAID.”

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins remarked:

“The Trump administration announcement is welcomed news to families and individuals in the Middle East who have lost their homes, their jobs and even friends and family at the hands of ISIS. I commend the president for following through on his promise to protect religious freedom by ensuring that the vulnerable among us are not targeted because of their religion, and are able to rebuild their lives and freely live out their faith in their ancestral homelands. I look forward to seeing the needs of these communities met on the ground, and stand ready to assist the president in making this happen. In the Middle East and elsewhere, America must do more to ensure that the human right of freedom of religion is cherished the world over,” noted Perkins.

Travis Weber, Family Research Council’s Director of the Center for Religious Liberty, also commented on the Trump administration’s plan:

“While our attention has been riveted by stories of ISIS’s defeat, the Christian communities left devastated in its wake will still need to rebuild and attempt to move on with their lives. For too long, the persecuted Christians of the Middle East—lacking political power and overlooked in the eyes of the world—have not received proper assistance in returning to their ancestral lands, the same lands the first Christians walked nearly 2,000 years ago. Meanwhile, Iran and other power players are trying to come in and ply their influence in the vacuum created by ISIS’s defeat. It is in these situations that protecting the freedom of religion—and inculcating society with a true understanding of this right—is most critical,” observed Weber.

ERLC President Russell Moore, Tennessee Christian Leaders Denounce ‘White Lives Matter’ Rallies

Source: Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission

Nashville, TN - October 30, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- Russell Moore, president of The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, and Christian leaders across Tennessee joined together in denouncing the “White Lives Matter” rallies scheduled for Oct. 28 in Middle Tennessee.

In a joint statement, Moore and others agreed, “As Christian leaders in Tennessee, we declare ourselves in resolute opposition to this expression of racism and white supremacy. We denounce and repudiate white supremacy as a work of the devil, designed to dehumanize and divide.

“We call every follower of Jesus in the state of Tennessee to speak out against white supremacy, in all of its forms and to pray and work for racial unity in our communities. We also pray for those who advocate racist ideologies and those who are thereby deceived, that they may see their error through the light of the Gospel, repent of these hatreds and come to know the peace and love of Christ through redeemed fellowship in the Kingdom of God.”

Public Advocate, Other Ministries Attacked By Southern Poverty Law Center AGAIN

Source: Public Advocate

Washington, D.C. - October 11, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- Public Advocate president Eugene Delgaudio said "The Southern Poverty Law Center is filled with scummy low life practioners of the art of slander and backstabbing falsehoods that seeks to drive Christianity and moral values from the public debate in America.

The SPLC is the destructive arm of the Homosexual Lobby and will fail in their attempts to promote wreckless acts, potential murder attempts on me and other Christians and they will also fail with their other wrongful libels and hysterical mistruths about our peaceful programs."

And yet another group was attacked at the same time:

"Leftist Agenda Attacks Christian Ministry's Online Donations"

- Secularists have used several tactics to attack Christian bakeries, filmmakers, and more. Now they have a universal weapon against Christian businesses: online payment providers. Most recently, biblical worldview ministry American Vision, Inc. reports being targeted.

This week American Vision's (www.AmericanVision.org) president, Dr. Joel McDurmon, reported "a major online payment service, Stripe Payments, refuses to allow American Vision to use its services for donations due to an alleged violation of its Terms of Service. This constitutes a major setback to our recurring donations and future finances."

McDurmon continues: "This is now the FIFTH major company or service to terminate with us for the same reason. It began with Amazon Smile, which rejected us from its charitable services program because American Vision is listed on the Southern Poverty Law Center's ridiculous and notoriously biased 'hate group' list which is used to target conservative Christian organizations who dare to stand up for truth, liberty, and justice."

Then PayPal followed.

The most recent attacks came after CNN promoted the SPLC's list, which includes American Vision. Almost coincidentally, Apple Pay refused service. Briefly afterward, Stripe refused as well. Then Facebook removed their store which is powered by Stripe.

Each of the services' letters of notice allege only a vague, unspecified infraction. When asked for explanation, all communication stops. Were the infractions legitimate, the only way a client could fix them would be if they were specified. The refusal to communicate suggests there are ulterior motives.

McDurmon states, "THEY WANT TO SHUT US DOWN BY REFUSING PAYMENT SERVICES TO US. They control the pipeline, and they wish to cut off our supply of funds."

"The supply of funds is of course the lifeline for any ministry. What they've done to American Vision they could do to any ministry they disagree with. Is there any recourse? "says McDurmon.

ABIDE SURVEY REVEALS VIEWS ON TRUMP, CONFEDERATE MONUMENTS AFTER CHARLOTTESVILLE

San Francisco, CA - August 22, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- A new survey from Abide, the Christian meditation and prayer app, revealed the majority of Christians have a negative view of President Trump’s handling of Charlottesville.

In a survey of 1,500 American Abide users across all races, when asked if they thought President Trump handled the rallies is Charlottesville appropriately, 61 percent of Abide users said he had not. Additionally, 45 percent of respondents said their views of President Trump had been impacted negatively since Charlottesville.

Additionally, 45 percent of respondents said their views of President Trump had been impacted negatively since the Charlottesville protests.

“While some polls have show that Christians have been favorable toward President Trump in the past, this survey showed they feel work needs to be done when it comes to his leading the discussions on healing our nation’s racial divide,” said Neil Ahlsten, CEO and co-founder of Abide.

The survey also asked users about opinions on Confederate statues.

The majority of individuals – 40 percent – believe historical Confederate monuments should be removed compared to 20 percent who believe they should not be removed and 27 percent who are unsure.

However, when broken down by race, 52 percent of whites said the statues should remain where they are. Meanwhile, 60 percent of African Americans, 33 percent of Hispanics, 40 percent of people of Middle Eastern descent and 34 percent of Asian Americans believe the monuments should be eliminated.

Moving forward, when given the choice between violence, racial matters, equality and freedom of speech, a majority 59 percent said violence was their biggest concern following Charlottesville.

“It’s important that we take this information and use it to better ourselves,” said Ahlsten. “We may not agree on everything, but the Church should be at the forefront of the tough discussions regarding race. At the end of the day, we’re all created equal in God’s image and loved by Him. Just as He loved us, we need to love each other.”

Abide is a Christian prayer and meditation app developed by Carpenters Code, a fellowship of technologists from Google, Tesla, Ebay, Microsoft, and other firms seeking to use their gifts to bring people closer to God. Abide offer’s meditative guides for every season of life with a goal to touch the world with meaningful, scriptural prayer so everyone may know God’s love and be transformed by His Spirit. The Abide app that is available for download on iTunes and Google Play. For more information, visit Abide.is.