thestream--2020-06-19--How Bad for Faithful Christians are the Recent SCOTUS Rulings?

In Exodus 34 , after Moses narrowly saves the Israelites from God ’ s wrath ( they had made a golden cow to worship ) , God gives instructions .
They amount to staying apart from the world .
He says : God tells Moses not to place himself under financial or legal obligation to the unbelieving world .
Rather he should stand prepared for perpetual conflict with it in order to obey God .
This mission remains particularly important for the churches , as the body of Christ gathered .
During the coronavirus lockdowns , some Christian thought leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should obey the government ’ s closing of churches .
But two recent SCOTUS decisions , South Bay United Pentecostal ( May 29 ) and Bostock ( June 15 ) foreclosed any easy ways to reconcile Exodus 34 and Romans 13 .
South Bay stated the government can ban religious exercise .
Bostock passed the dreadful Equality Act via judicial shortcut .
In 2019 , I discussed at length the problems with the Equality Act .
My first academic work was Colorful Conservative : American Conversations with the Ancients .
In that book @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but “ traditional ” kind of conservative .
This character must defy peer pressure but submit to ancient moral dictates .
I had no idea when I wrote that book how pertinent it would prove to present-day churches .
The juridical , economic , and political powers have told churches that they can not exist in the United States unless they enter into a new social contract with the unbelieving world .
The new social contract amounts to an occupation of Christian America .
Gestures toward religious exemptions in the text of Bostock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is effectively against the law to be a true Christian .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
On the other hand , Bostock adds but a feather ’ s weight to the heavy load we ’ ve been bearing for quite some time .
Rod Dreher seized upon Senator Josh Hawley ’ s speech to say that “ from the ashes of the Bostock decision , a truly populist Republican Party is being born.
” I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ melodramatic .
A populist Christian insurgency started four years ago with Trump .
This court decision may feel huge to people who have been buffered from the LGBT juggernaut thus far .
Those of us without the buffers have been living in Bostock world for almost a decade .
Most Americans live in locales or work in institutions that have already made LGBT a protected status .
Most Americans have to earn a salary to survive .
So they work for companies that have by and large already incorporated these laws into HR @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most orthodox Christian organizations would be terrified to fire people for being gay or transgender today .
I ’ m baffled as to why Christian thought leaders thought they were ever going to win the Bostock case .
I ’ m somewhat bewildered as to why they see the results as anything more than a symbolic reflection of what ’ s already happened .
Quite honestly , the average believer should rejoice .
Think for a moment about the opening pages of Revelation .
Seven churches are mentioned , of which five — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Thyatira — are scolded .
In the end times the vast majority of organized churches is not going to pass muster .
We should know which churches are heading in the wrong direction .
I have been on the front lines and witnessed Catholic , Anglican , Presbyterian , Methodist , and now Southern Baptist churches go astray .
The Lord has made it so plain to see who will be losing their lamp stands when Jesus comes back .
We should celebrate that God has exposed them .
Are We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Our situation is much worse .
Very few people are in their position because the LGBT demands on us are not merely aesthetic threats to our sense of holiness .
Most of us aren ’ t at Baronelle Stutzman and Jack Phillips ’ ages .
We face the possibility of losing half or all our careers to an LGBT mobbing campaign .
We aren ’ t business owners .
We won ’ t have the entire apparatus of the conservative movement rallying behind us and offering us free counsel .
Our confrontations with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visceral and threatening .
( For more on this , listen to my podcast . )
The twenty-five-year-old Christian just finishing professional school will have to choose between having a career or a lifetime of holy poverty .

In Exodus 34, after Moses narrowly saves the Israelites from God’s wrath (they had made a golden cow to worship), God gives instructions. They amount to staying apart from the world. He says:
Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land; for when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you and you will eat their sacrifices.
God tells Moses not to place himself under financial or legal obligation to the unbelieving world. Rather he should stand prepared for perpetual conflict with it in order to obey God. This mission remains particularly important for the churches, as the body of Christ gathered.
Forced into Civil Disobedience
During the coronavirus lockdowns, some Christian thought leaders cited Romans 13. They said Christians should obey the government’s closing of churches. But two recent SCOTUS decisions, South Bay United Pentecostal (May 29) and Bostock (June 15) foreclosed any easy ways to reconcile Exodus 34 and Romans 13. South Bay stated the government can ban religious exercise. Bostock passed the dreadful Equality Act via judicial shortcut. In 2019, I discussed at length the problems with the Equality Act.
It is effectively against the law to be a true Christian.
My first academic work was Colorful Conservative: American Conversations with the Ancients. In that book I charted out an “unconventional” but “traditional” kind of conservative. This character must defy peer pressure but submit to ancient moral dictates. I had no idea when I wrote that book how pertinent it would prove to present-day churches.
Christian America, Occupied
The juridical, economic, and political powers have told churches that they cannot exist in the United States unless they enter into a new social contract with the unbelieving world. The new social contract amounts to an occupation of Christian America. Gestures toward religious exemptions in the text of Bostock should be treated as mere fluff. It is effectively against the law to be a true Christian.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
On the other hand, Bostock adds but a feather’s weight to the heavy load we’ve been bearing for quite some time. Rod Dreher seized upon Senator Josh Hawley’s speech to say that “from the ashes of the Bostock decision, a truly populist Republican Party is being born.” I find Dreher’s claim far too melodramatic. A populist Christian insurgency started four years ago with Trump. This court decision may feel huge to people who have been buffered from the LGBT juggernaut thus far. Those of us without the buffers have been living in Bostock world for almost a decade.
The Last Screws Turning
Most Americans live in locales or work in institutions that have already made LGBT a protected status. Most Americans have to earn a salary to survive. So they work for companies that have by and large already incorporated these laws into HR policies. Even without Bostock, the most orthodox Christian organizations would be terrified to fire people for being gay or transgender today. I’m baffled as to why Christian thought leaders thought they were ever going to win the Bostock case. I’m somewhat bewildered as to why they see the results as anything more than a symbolic reflection of what’s already happened.
Hypocrisy Exposed
Quite honestly, the average believer should rejoice. Think for a moment about the opening pages of Revelation. Seven churches are mentioned, of which five — Sardis, Laodicea, Ephesus, Pergamum, and Thyatira — are scolded. In the end times the vast majority of organized churches is not going to pass muster. We should know which churches are heading in the wrong direction.
I have been on the front lines and witnessed Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist, and now Southern Baptist churches go astray. The Lord has made it so plain to see who will be losing their lamp stands when Jesus comes back. We should celebrate that God has exposed them.
Are We All Christian Bakers Now?
No. Our situation is much worse. Very few people are in their position because the LGBT demands on us are not merely aesthetic threats to our sense of holiness. Most of us aren’t at Baronelle Stutzman and Jack Phillips’ ages. We face the possibility of losing half or all our careers to an LGBT mobbing campaign. We aren’t business owners. We won’t have the entire apparatus of the conservative movement rallying behind us and offering us free counsel. Our confrontations with these legal changes will be much more visceral and threatening. (For more on this, listen to my podcast.)
The twenty-five-year-old Christian just finishing professional school will have to choose between having a career or a lifetime of holy poverty.
Robert Oscar Lopez is a teacher of English and classics. He edits English Manif and founded the International Children’s Rights Institute.


thestream--2020-06-19--Tennessee Legislature Votes to Ban Abortions After a Heartbeat Can Be Detected

Abortions are expected to be prohibited in Tennessee after an unborn baby ’ s heartbeat can be detected under legislation passed early on Thursday .
The bill , which passed the Senate 23-5 on a party line shortly after 12:30 a.m. Friday , according to the Tennessean , bans abortions after an unborn baby ’ s heartbeat can be detected and prohibits abortions if the doctors know that the mother is seeking an abortion based on sex , race or a diagnosis of Down Syndrome .
Under the law , abortions are also prohibited for juveniles who are in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Services .
The legislation also removes the state ’ s option to petition a judge for permission for a juvenile in the Department of Children ’ s Services ’ custody to obtain an abortion , according to the Tennessean .
Exceptions may be made if the mother ’ s life is in danger .
Unlike other previously proposed or passed heartbeat bills , exceptions will not be made for rape or incest .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been part of Republican Tennessee Gov .
Bill Lee ’ s legislative agenda , but had been put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic .
The American Civil Liberties Union has promised to take the law to court .
“ As promised , we will see them in court , ” said executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee Hedy Weinberg in a Friday morning statement .
Weinberg added : “ The Tennessee General Assembly ’ s passage of this dangerous , flatly unconstitutional bill is unacceptable .
Lawmakers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political maneuvering to pass the state budget — pushing it through without regard for the actual Tennesseans who will be denied access to the care they need , including abortion.
” Lee ’ s office did not respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

Abortions are expected to be prohibited in Tennessee after an unborn baby’s heartbeat can be detected under legislation passed early on Thursday.
The bill, which passed the Senate 23-5 on a party line shortly after 12:30 a.m. Friday, according to the Tennessean, bans abortions after an unborn baby’s heartbeat can be detected and prohibits abortions if the doctors know that the mother is seeking an abortion based on sex, race or a diagnosis of Down Syndrome.
Under the law, abortions are also prohibited for juveniles who are in the custody of the Department of Children’s Services. The legislation also removes the state’s option to petition a judge for permission for a juvenile in the Department of Children’s Services’ custody to obtain an abortion, according to the Tennessean.
Exceptions may be made if the mother’s life is in danger. Unlike other previously proposed or passed heartbeat bills, exceptions will not be made for rape or incest.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The bill had formerly been part of Republican Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s legislative agenda, but had been put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The American Civil Liberties Union has promised to take the law to court.
“As promised, we will see them in court,” said executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee Hedy Weinberg in a Friday morning statement.
Weinberg added: “The Tennessee General Assembly’s passage of this dangerous, flatly unconstitutional bill is unacceptable. Lawmakers used this measure in a game of political maneuvering to pass the state budget — pushing it through without regard for the actual Tennesseans who will be denied access to the care they need, including abortion.”
Lee’s office did not respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Copyright 2020 The Daily Caller News Foundation
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].


thestream--2020-06-19--4 Things to Know About Juneteenth

4 Things to Know About Juneteenth

Juneteenth is a long-standing American holiday , celebrated since the end of the Civil War .
However , Juneteenth — a mashup of June 19th , the day on which it ’ s observed — has waxed and waned in popularity in American history and has strong regional ties to the South and to Texas in particular .
Given the additional attention the holiday is now receiving , here are four facts to know about Juneteenth .
1 ) It First Took Place Long After the Emancipation Proclamation Abraham Lincoln ’ s famed Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 only began the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States , a process that ended with the ratification of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution on Dec. 6 , 1865 .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
The reality was that emancipation generally followed the advance of the Union Army .
Texas often remained far afield of the action in the Civil War , and it wasn ’ t until very late — after Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee ’ s surrender at Appomattox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the state .
When Union Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston , Texas , on June 19 , 1865 , one of the first things he did was to make a proclamation that all slaves in the state were henceforth free .
The people of Texas are informed that , in accordance with a proclamation from the executive of the United States , ‘ all slaves are free.
’ This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves , and the connection heretofore existing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hired labor .
The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes , and work for wages .
They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts , and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere .
Granger ’ s proclamation didn ’ t immediately set off celebrations among freed slaves .
Many remained in fear of their former masters as the war was winding down .
However , many certainly knew the implications of what had happened .
A year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Granger ’ s proclamation , Juneteenth saw open celebrations by the freedmen across Texas .
“ The jubilation following Granger ’ s announcement in Galveston moved across Texas , quickly reaching the state ’ s 250,000 enslaved people , ” wrote historian Kenneth C. Davis in The New York Times .
“ A year later , a spontaneous holiday called Juneteenth — formed from the words June and [ 19th ] —began to be celebrated by the newly freed people of Galveston and other parts of Texas.
” These spontaneous celebrations across Texas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Freedmen ’ s Bureau , an agency created to transition freed slaves to lives as free men and women , began the first organized celebration of Juneteenth in Austin , Texas , in 1867 .
4 ) The Rise , Fall , and Rise Again in Popularity From its origin as a celebration of emancipation in Texas , Juneteenth grew in popularity and spread to other states .
Those celebrations were like the original ones and included barbecues and picnics .
The holiday declined in popularity in the mid-20th century , but had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Texas State Historical Association explained how that occurred : Jarrett Stepman is a contributor to The Daily Signal and co-host of The Right Side of History podcast .
Send an email to Jarrett .
He is also the author of the new book , The War on History : The Conspiracy to Rewrite America ’ s Past .

Juneteenth is a long-standing American holiday, celebrated since the end of the Civil War.
However, Juneteenth — a mashup of June 19th, the day on which it’s observed — has waxed and waned in popularity in American history and has strong regional ties to the South and to Texas in particular.
Given the additional attention the holiday is now receiving, here are four facts to know about Juneteenth.
1) It First Took Place Long After the Emancipation Proclamation
Abraham Lincoln’s famed Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 only began the process of total abolition of slavery in the United States, a process that ended with the ratification of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution on Dec. 6, 1865.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The reality was that emancipation generally followed the advance of the Union Army. Texas often remained far afield of the action in the Civil War, and it wasn’t until very late — after Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox — that the Union Army took control of the state.
2) Union Gen. Gordon Granger’s Proclamation
When Union Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, one of the first things he did was to make a proclamation that all slaves in the state were henceforth free.
The proclamation, General Order 3:
The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the executive of the United States, ‘all slaves are free.’ This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes, and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts, and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere. By command of Maj. Gen. Granger.
Granger’s proclamation didn’t immediately set off celebrations among freed slaves. Many remained in fear of their former masters as the war was winding down. However, many certainly knew the implications of what had happened.
A year later, on the first anniversary of Granger’s proclamation, Juneteenth saw open celebrations by the freedmen across Texas.
3) Early Celebrations Turned Into a Tradition
“The jubilation following Granger’s announcement in Galveston moved across Texas, quickly reaching the state’s 250,000 enslaved people,” wrote historian Kenneth C. Davis in The New York Times. “A year later, a spontaneous holiday called Juneteenth — formed from the words June and [19th]—began to be celebrated by the newly freed people of Galveston and other parts of Texas.”
These spontaneous celebrations across Texas grew and became more organized.
The Freedmen’s Bureau, an agency created to transition freed slaves to lives as free men and women, began the first organized celebration of Juneteenth in Austin, Texas, in 1867.
4) The Rise, Fall, and Rise Again in Popularity
From its origin as a celebration of emancipation in Texas, Juneteenth grew in popularity and spread to other states. Those celebrations were like the original ones and included barbecues and picnics.
The holiday declined in popularity in the mid-20th century, but had a revival in the 1980s. The Texas State Historical Association explained how that occurred:
Juneteenth declined in popularity in the early 1960s, when the civil rights movement, with its push for integration, diminished interest in the event. In the 1970s, African Americans’ renewed interest in celebrating their cultural heritage led to the revitalization of the holiday throughout the state. At the end of the decade, [state Rep.] Al Edwards, a Democrat from Houston, introduced a bill calling for Juneteenth to become a state holiday. The legislature passed the act in 1979, and Governor William P. Clements Jr., signed it into law. The first state-sponsored Juneteenth celebration took place in 1980. Juneteenth is now a holiday in 47 states and the District of Columbia, although it sometimes goes by other names, such as “Liberation Day” or “Freedom Day.”
Jarrett Stepman is a contributor to The Daily Signal and co-host of The Right Side of History podcast. Send an email to Jarrett. He is also the author of the new book, The War on History: The Conspiracy to Rewrite America’s Past.


thestream--2020-06-19--Are Christians Slaves on the GOP Plantation?

I ’ ve seen black conservatives make a cogent case that black Americans ’ interests suffer , since Democrats take them for granted .
There are definite merits to that .
Let me make a grim comparison : Christians get treated as the red-headed stepchild by Republicans .
And for the same reason : We have nowhere else to go .
At best , we can threaten to stay home in November .
But that would just help our really , really fanatical enemies to win .
As I ’ ve written here before , the servile , helpless position @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1996 .
That ’ s when pro-life powerhouse Pat Buchanan was running strong for the GOP nomination .
The social squish Bob Dole made a few phone calls to his pals in Christian circles .
And they pulled out all the stops to beat Buchanan in the key South Carolina primary .
In return , Christians got … exactly nothing , though maybe their leaders cashed some checks .
Since then , Christians and other pro-lifers have begged for crumbs from the GOP table , and learned to like it .
This was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came along .
Trump promised an end to business as usual in the GOP .
That gave some of us hope .
He also was so isolated in the party that he needed us , and actually listened .
And indeed , on a number of fronts he delivered .
He has still been more pro-life than any president since Reagan .
And yet here we are .
Trump ’ s first pick for the U.S. Supreme Court legislated from the bench .
He adopted the crackpot , Obamadite theory that the 1964 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Worse still , that the vast apparatus of the federal anti-discrimination police will now be unleashed against Christians .
What about their religious liberty ?
Well , Gorsuch opined , they ’ ll just have to spend tens of millions litigating , to claw back what rights they can .
Soon enough , churches and ministries like the one that runs The Stream will be pressured to “ train ” their employees in transgender and gay ideology .
This , or face lawsuits by disgruntled employees who assert a “ hostile workplace environment.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t likely protect these Christian enterprises .
It ’ s open season on churches , and little Christian businesses .
Running a Greek diner in Queens ?
Better not hang that icon on the wall .
One of your waitresses might decide it ’ s “ homophobic ” and find a huge LGBT law firm to sue you .
Pretty soon , Copts in Egypt will arguably have more religious freedom than Christians in Mississippi .
While Copts face violence at the hands of mobs sometimes ( good thing we don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coptic merchants don ’ t have to pay to catechize their own employees in the tenets of Islam .
Leave it to gay sharia to outdo the original article .
We Screwed Up .
We Trusted Them .
How is it , exactly , that the core of the sitting president ’ s coalition suffered this existential attack ?
In part because we proved as wise as sheep .
We screwed up .
We trusted people .
For years , we were docile and believed that the Federalist Society and its leaders would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despite the fact that much of that organization consists of socially liberal , “ pro-business ” types who loathe us on social issues .
You know , like abortion and religious liberty .
As I showed in my last column , Neil Gorsuch ’ s stance on LGBT issue was public as long ago as 2008 .
In the stark black letters of a legal decision , which applied the Civil Rights Act to transgenderism .
But the Federalist Society , to which Trump had essentially outsourced its choice of judges , still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solid alternative choices .
Go back a few years to the choice of John Roberts .
A pro-life friend of mine recounts that a senior Federalist Society official assured worried pro-lifers that Roberts was a safe vote .
Why ?
Because he used to attend evening retreats with Opus Dei ( a Catholic group ) , and regularly went to Mass .
Oh great !
Just like Soviet master spy Robert Hanssen , whose ostentatious Opus Dei devotions threw his FBI bosses off the trail… .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
When I raised questions about how Amy Coney Barrett might vote on immigration , I got a wave of angry responses based on … the number of children she had , and her devout Catholicism .
That wasn ’ t really an argument , but an appeal to mindless tribalism .
The Oligarchy of Five Evangelicals and other serious social conservatives need to stop trusting a small cabal of pro-business hacks and tribalist Catholics in Washington , D.C. with decisions as crucial as this one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to be , in Antonin Scalia ’ s words , an oligarchy of five judges , we need to be much more careful how our side chooses them .
It ’ s the only real input we have on a topic like … the survival of Christian institutions .
Or their bankrupting and destruction via the death of a thousand lawsuits .
We need an institution that vets judicial picks by their record on preserving our concrete interests as Christians and Americans , and their respect for natural law as an organic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the founders believed in natural law , as did the drafters of the most important amendments , including the 14th .
We can prove that by citing texts by the very same authors .
We need Republican presidents to know that we won ’ t just blindly march to the polls at every election to back the candidate who promises to persecute us a little more slowly .
And business leaders frightened by rioters , and enclaves like CHAZ in Seattle need to know : If your government is persecuting our churches , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you keep order in the streets .
You ’ ve helped sow chaos in the bedroom and the womb , and to squeeze Christians out of culture via the courts .
Find your own libertarian cops , and socially “ moderate ” soldiers .
We ’ re out .
You ’ re on your own .
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream , and author or co-author of ten books , including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism .

I’ve seen black conservatives make a cogent case that black Americans’ interests suffer, since Democrats take them for granted. There are definite merits to that. Let me make a grim comparison: Christians get treated as the red-headed stepchild by Republicans. And for the same reason: We have nowhere else to go. At best, we can threaten to stay home in November. But that would just help our really, really fanatical enemies to win.
As I’ve written here before, the servile, helpless position of the Christian right dates back to 1996. That’s when pro-life powerhouse Pat Buchanan was running strong for the GOP nomination. The social squish Bob Dole made a few phone calls to his pals in Christian circles. And they pulled out all the stops to beat Buchanan in the key South Carolina primary. In return, Christians got … exactly nothing, though maybe their leaders cashed some checks. Since then, Christians and other pro-lifers have begged for crumbs from the GOP table, and learned to like it. This was true through 2016, when Donald Trump came along.
Trump: A Disruption or a Hiccup?
Trump promised an end to business as usual in the GOP. That gave some of us hope. He also was so isolated in the party that he needed us, and actually listened. And indeed, on a number of fronts he delivered. He has still been more pro-life than any president since Reagan.
If your government is persecuting our churches, we won’t fight to help you keep order in the streets.
And yet here we are. Trump’s first pick for the U.S. Supreme Court legislated from the bench. He adopted the crackpot, Obamadite theory that the 1964 Civil Rights Act outlawed LGBT discrimination. Worse still, that the vast apparatus of the federal anti-discrimination police will now be unleashed against Christians. What about their religious liberty? Well, Gorsuch opined, they’ll just have to spend tens of millions litigating, to claw back what rights they can.
The Crackdown Is Coming
Soon enough, churches and ministries like the one that runs The Stream will be pressured to “train” their employees in transgender and gay ideology. This, or face lawsuits by disgruntled employees who assert a “hostile workplace environment.” No, the First Amendment won’t likely protect these Christian enterprises. It’s open season on churches, and little Christian businesses. Running a Greek diner in Queens? Better not hang that icon on the wall. One of your waitresses might decide it’s “homophobic” and find a huge LGBT law firm to sue you.
Pretty soon, Copts in Egypt will arguably have more religious freedom than Christians in Mississippi. While Copts face violence at the hands of mobs sometimes (good thing we don’t have mobs here!), Coptic merchants don’t have to pay to catechize their own employees in the tenets of Islam. Leave it to gay sharia to outdo the original article.
So much winning, Mr. President.
We Screwed Up. We Trusted Them.
How is it, exactly, that the core of the sitting president’s coalition suffered this existential attack? In part because we proved as wise as sheep. We screwed up. We trusted people.
For years, we were docile and believed that the Federalist Society and its leaders would look out for us. This, despite the fact that much of that organization consists of socially liberal, “pro-business” types who loathe us on social issues. You know, like abortion and religious liberty.
As I showed in my last column, Neil Gorsuch’s stance on LGBT issue was public as long ago as 2008. In the stark black letters of a legal decision, which applied the Civil Rights Act to transgenderism. But the Federalist Society, to which Trump had essentially outsourced its choice of judges, still pushed Gorsuch forward, despite plenty of solid alternative choices.
Go back a few years to the choice of John Roberts. A pro-life friend of mine recounts that a senior Federalist Society official assured worried pro-lifers that Roberts was a safe vote. Why? Because he used to attend evening retreats with Opus Dei (a Catholic group), and regularly went to Mass. Oh great! Just like Soviet master spy Robert Hanssen, whose ostentatious Opus Dei devotions threw his FBI bosses off the trail… .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
When I raised questions about how Amy Coney Barrett might vote on immigration, I got a wave of angry responses based on … the number of children she had, and her devout Catholicism. That wasn’t really an argument, but an appeal to mindless tribalism.
The Oligarchy of Five
Evangelicals and other serious social conservatives need to stop trusting a small cabal of pro-business hacks and tribalist Catholics in Washington, D.C. with decisions as crucial as this one.
As long as our country is going to be, in Antonin Scalia’s words, an oligarchy of five judges, we need to be much more careful how our side chooses them. It’s the only real input we have on a topic like … the survival of Christian institutions. Or their bankrupting and destruction via the death of a thousand lawsuits.
We need an institution that vets judicial picks by their record on preserving our concrete interests as Christians and Americans, and their respect for natural law as an organic part of Originalism. After all, the founders believed in natural law, as did the drafters of the most important amendments, including the 14th. We can prove that by citing texts by the very same authors.
We need Republican presidents to know that we won’t just blindly march to the polls at every election to back the candidate who promises to persecute us a little more slowly. And business leaders frightened by rioters, and enclaves like CHAZ in Seattle need to know: If your government is persecuting our churches, we won’t fight to help you keep order in the streets. You’ve helped sow chaos in the bedroom and the womb, and to squeeze Christians out of culture via the courts.
Find your own libertarian cops, and socially “moderate” soldiers. We’re out. You’re on your own.
John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream, and author or co-author of ten books, including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism.


thestream--2020-06-19--Closer Than Your Next Breath: How Self-Reliance Spits in the Face of Grace

I read those words yesterday morning and did little more than agree with them and marvel at the language Tozer uses throughout The Pursuit of God .
I wrote a digital note on my Kindle that read : “ Help me know , recognize and live in the reality of the fact that You , Lord , are indeed , closer than a breath away.
” Then I breathed , deeply and intentionally , to illustrate that point to myself .
God is closer than our next breath .
Do me a favor and just sit with that for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stars , the planets and every complex system in your body is not far off in some unreachable place up in the clouds .
He is here .
Closer than your next breath .
I did not feel the weight of Tozer ’ s words until later .
Yesterday was a trying day .
I had errands to run and doing them throughout the city on the bus is no easy feat , especially when pressed for time .
So when I got home , I ate , slept , ate again upon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and made a choice to sin .
Note I didn ’ t say I “ fell into sin ” or “ made a mistake.
” According to the dictionary , a mistake is defined as “ a wrong action or statement proceeding from faulty judgement , inadequate knowledge or inattention.
” That ’ s not what yesterday ’ s action was .
And for the record , we humans “ fall into sin ” the way we fall in love — by choice .
Nonetheless , I digress .
There is a moment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( or escape ) .
It is in that moment that choices are made , whether beneficial or not .
I did not choose the road less traveled ; I chose the wide , vast road .
I chose self-reliance instead of grace .
The scriptures say that in the flesh “ dwells no good thing ” and the writer of Proverbs echoes this .
In Proverbs 14:12 he writes , “ There is a way that seems right to a man , but its end is the way to death.
” Please @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
I knew the action I chose to do yesterday was wrong but it did not hit me until I was in the midst of preparing for bed that I had committed more than just the obvious sin for which I was seeking repentance .
So I repented again .
Not for the obvious sin , but for the “ lesser known ” ones : the sins of omission , namely the sins you don ’ t know you commit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you .
In relying on my own strength and in my ability to logically think my way through temptation , I essentially slammed shut the “ way of escape ” God provided and ended up with more regret than I could stomach .
And that ’ s when Tozer ’ s words from the morning hit me .
When the weight of the inspired theologian ’ s words hit me , I wanted to hide .
I couldn ’ t of course , because you can ’ t hide from God — everybody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ try anyway .
Instead , I sat in silence and I felt Him waiting on me .
( Imagine that , God waiting on me to speak to Him ! )
I panicked through my prayer but I finished repenting and ended my prayer with thanks for His ultimate sacrifice : Jesus .
Now , I see that Tozer ’ s words were not meant as a threat , as if to place fear into the hearts of sinners .
They are a reminder to those whose hearts belong to God — an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is nearer than our own soul , closer than our next breath .
Dylan Whittler is a Christian .
Writer .
Bibliophile .
Broadway junkie .
View more posts by Dylan .

We need never shout across the spaces to an absent God. He is nearer than our own soul, closer than our most secret thoughts. A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God
I read those words yesterday morning and did little more than agree with them and marvel at the language Tozer uses throughout The Pursuit of God. I wrote a digital note on my Kindle that read: “Help me know, recognize and live in the reality of the fact that You, Lord, are indeed, closer than a breath away.” Then I breathed, deeply and intentionally, to illustrate that point to myself. God is closer than our next breath.
Do me a favor and just sit with that for a minute. The God who created the stars, the planets and every complex system in your body is not far off in some unreachable place up in the clouds. He is here. Closer than your next breath.
I did not feel the weight of Tozer’s words until later.
By Choice
Yesterday was a trying day. I had errands to run and doing them throughout the city on the bus is no easy feat, especially when pressed for time. So when I got home, I ate, slept, ate again upon waking and then did the human thing and made a choice to sin. Note I didn’t say I “fell into sin” or “made a mistake.” According to the dictionary, a mistake is defined as “a wrong action or statement proceeding from faulty judgement, inadequate knowledge or inattention.” That’s not what yesterday’s action was. And for the record, we humans “fall into sin” the way we fall in love — by choice. Nonetheless, I digress.
Self-reliance Instead of Grace
There is a moment between temptation and the act of sin (or escape). It is in that moment that choices are made, whether beneficial or not. I did not choose the road less traveled; I chose the wide, vast road. I chose self-reliance instead of grace. The scriptures say that in the flesh “dwells no good thing” and the writer of Proverbs echoes this. In Proverbs 14:12 he writes, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
I knew the action I chose to do yesterday was wrong but it did not hit me until I was in the midst of preparing for bed that I had committed more than just the obvious sin for which I was seeking repentance. So I repented again. Not for the obvious sin, but for the “lesser known” ones: the sins of omission, namely the sins you don’t know you commit until the Holy Spirit reveals them to you. In relying on my own strength and in my ability to logically think my way through temptation, I essentially slammed shut the “way of escape” God provided and ended up with more regret than I could stomach. And that’s when Tozer’s words from the morning hit me.
God is nearer than our own souls, closer than our own secret thoughts.
When the weight of the inspired theologian’s words hit me, I wanted to hide. I couldn’t of course, because you can’t hide from God — everybody knows that — but I wanted to try anyway.
I didn’t.
Instead, I sat in silence and I felt Him waiting on me. (Imagine that, God waiting on me to speak to Him!) I panicked through my prayer but I finished repenting and ended my prayer with thanks for His ultimate sacrifice: Jesus.
Now, I see that Tozer’s words were not meant as a threat, as if to place fear into the hearts of sinners. They are a reminder to those whose hearts belong to God — an invitation to intimately know the God who is nearer than our own soul, closer than our next breath.
Dylan Whittler is a Christian. Writer. Bibliophile. Broadway junkie. View more posts by Dylan.
Originally published at wanderintruth.com. Reprinted with permission.


thestream--2020-06-19--President Trump Signs Law to Halt China’s Egregious Human Rights Abuses

On Wednesday , President Trump signed the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act into law .
It marks the first time any government worldwide has stood up to China on their years-long mistreatment of the Uyghur ( pronounced “ wee-gurr ” ) people , a religious minority group .
“ This is a very strong statement to the totalitarians in Beijing , ” said Reggie Littlejohn , an attorney and founder of Women ’ s Rights Without Frontiers .
“ It ’ s saying the U.S. is willing to challenge them on their human rights abuses , ” she continued .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Uyghurs on Chinese soil .
They ’ re crimes against humanity.
” Evidence of China ’ s concentration camps for Uyghurs first came to light in 2017 .
At least 1,800,000 people are confirmed to have been imprisoned .
For years , a bipartisan group led by Senators Marco Rubio , R-Fla. , and Bob Menendez , D-N.J. , worked to finalize and pass this bill .
“ Chinese authorities are in their own league when it comes to violating human rights , ” said Nury Turkel .
He is an appointed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Religious Freedom ( USCIRF ) , an independent group established in 1998 .
“ We ’ ve been told Never again , and I thought that meant something , ” added Turkel .
“ Today , this brutal , deliberate , systematic , targeted attack on a religious minority really is happening.
” In the U.S. , unfavorable opinions of China have reached new heights during recent months .
Currently two-thirds of Americans express negative views of the Communist state , according to Pew Research .
“ We should definitely make distinctions between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Turkel .
“ Few Americans understand the plight of the Chinese people .
Today , any ideology that is not in line with the Chinese Communist Party is perceived as a threat.
” A graduate of Yale Law School , Littlejohn founded her group in 2008 to expose population control policies in China .
She says the pandemic has opened eyes to “ corruption and self-serving lies ” of the Chinese government .
“ They delayed informing the world about the pandemic , ” she said .
“ Then they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human-to-human transmission .
It cost countless thousands or millions of lives internationally.
” The two advocates recognize that , in an economic downturn , human rights may be a secondary concern to many .
“ Our fellow U.S. citizens are fighting for their lives , worrying about their daily means and ways to support their family , ” said Turkel .
“ But American people , by nature , cherish individual freedom and religious freedom , ” he added .
“ So I believe the societal focus on these issues will come back.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s pandemic response must not be forgotten , noted Littlejohn .
“ They ’ ve used the pandemic as an opportunity to hammer Hong Kong , ” she said .
“ Recently , the Chinese government has violated nearly every commitment ever made to Hong Kong.
” Turkel was born in a Chinese reeducation camp in 1970 .
In 1995 , he fled China and was granted political asylum in the U.S .
He studied to become a lawyer , and co-founded the Uyghur Human Rights Project in 2003 .
“ My life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Turkel .
“ I ’ ve always lived with different levels of persecution , facing racial discrimination when I was growing up .
It has progressed to China ’ s mass detention of Uyghurs and other Muslims — with a genocidal intent.
” He began to hear of the atrocities against Uyghurs early in 2017 from personal contacts .
“ Friends told me of loved ones who disappeared , ” he said .
“ There was no apparent reason , other than them being Uyghur.
” “ People don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government is treating the Uyghur people , ” said Littlejohn .
“ Between one and three million Uyghurs have been sent to internment camps , subjected to forced labor .
Uyghur women are being sterilized.
” Last month , a government order circulated in China ’ s western Xinjiang province prompted outcry from parents .
It mandated that all preschools be converted to boarding schools .
Further , families would be required to drop off children starting Monday morning and leave them in the state-run schools until Saturday every week .
“ Reportedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been taken away from their families and sent to state-run orphanages , ” said Turkel .
“ Their parents first are taken to separate camps .
It ’ s a convenient method for the Chinese state to take these children away and raise them in their own way.
” “ They ’ re doing whatever they can to wipe out the distinct culture , ethnicity , and religion of these people from their homeland region , ” said Littlejohn .
On June 2 , President Trump signed an executive order on international religious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50 million in foreign assistance funds to protect persecuted faith communities .
“ The organization where I serve , USCIRF , has been calling the Chinese authorities to respect people ’ s right to practice religion , ” said Turkel .
“ The Catholic Church and underground churches have been suffering tremendously .
Chinese authorities perceive them as disloyal.
” Having seen their pattern of suppressing religion for many years , Littlejohn addressed why the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP ) targets people of faith .
“ The CCP is in to mind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They want to play the role of God and dictate how people view the world .
Belief systems like Christianity center on the worship of a God who is above everyone , which contradicts foundations of the CCP philosophy.
” Echoing other USCIRF commissioners , who represent diverse faiths , Turkel affirms the value of religion in the public square .
“ Having religious belief is a good thing , ” he said .
“ Spiritual life can help to foster healthy societies .
The Chinese government should not continue to wage a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Littlejohn speaks to why followers of Christ should stand up for the Uyghurs .
“ We are all created by God in his image , ” she said .
“ If the Chinese Communist Party is denying the dignity of a person , it ’ s an atrocity to Christians .
“ It doesn ’ t matter if they are Buddhist , Muslim , or Falun Gong , ” she added .
“ We as Christians believe that every human being is infinitely valuable.
” Under the new law , the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Chinese leaders and entities responsible for human rights abuses .
These sanctions and visa bans are authorized under the Global Magnitsky Act .
In a statement , USCIRF commissioner Gary Bauer urged the Trump administration to “ swiftly implement ” sanctions against perpetrators .
He named two government figures : Chinese Communist Party Secretary Chen Quanguo and former Political Commission Chief Zhu Hailun .
Their crimes have been well-documented .
Bauer also named Chen Zongnian , chairman of video surveillance company Hikvision , for egregious violations of human rights .
Uyghur advocacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bill ’ s passage .
The group has disputed China ’ s ‘ occupation ’ of the Xinjiang province , which began in 1949 .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , Economic and Moral Issues of Our Day .
Currently the U.S. seems alone in its stand , which Turkel says is not by accident .
“ People ask : ‘ Why are other nations not speaking out ?
’ “ It ’ s because China has been aggressive in their ‘ diplomacy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financing , the Chinese Communist Party has been buying silence around the world.
” Littlejohn believes other nations will follow America ’ s lead on human rights , especially with Chinese complicity in COVID-19 .
“ There is anger globally at the CCP , ” she said .
“ Human beings have died , and economies have been decimated .
Now we should hold China accountable .
“ Perhaps their treatment of the Uyghurs has finally woken up the world , ” she added .
“ Because the Chinese government is willing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” A graduate of the University of Colorado , Josh M. Shepherd covers culture , faith , and public policy issues for media outlets including The Stream and The Federalist .
Find him on Twitter and follow The Stream @ Streamdotorg .

On Wednesday, President Trump signed the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act into law.
It marks the first time any government worldwide has stood up to China on their years-long mistreatment of the Uyghur (pronounced “wee-gurr”) people, an ethnic minority group that is predominantly Muslim.
“This is a very strong statement to the totalitarians in Beijing,” said Reggie Littlejohn, an attorney and founder of Women’s Rights Without Frontiers.
“It’s saying the U.S. is willing to challenge them on their human rights abuses,” she continued. “These are not just crimes against the Uyghurs on Chinese soil. They’re crimes against humanity.”
Evidence of China’s concentration camps for Uyghurs first came to light in 2017. At least 1,800,000 people are confirmed to have been imprisoned.
For years, a bipartisan group led by Senators Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Bob Menendez, D-N.J., worked to finalize and pass this bill.
“Chinese authorities are in their own league when it comes to violating human rights,” said Nury Turkel. He is an appointed member of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent group established in 1998.
“We’ve been told Never again, and I thought that meant something,” added Turkel. “Today, this brutal, deliberate, systematic, targeted attack on a religious minority really is happening.”
Pandemic Raised Awareness of China’s Atrocities
In the U.S., unfavorable opinions of China have reached new heights during recent months. Currently two-thirds of Americans express negative views of the Communist state, according to Pew Research.
“We should definitely make distinctions between the people of China versus their government,” said Turkel. “Few Americans understand the plight of the Chinese people. Today, any ideology that is not in line with the Chinese Communist Party is perceived as a threat.”
A graduate of Yale Law School, Littlejohn founded her group in 2008 to expose population control policies in China. She says the pandemic has opened eyes to “corruption and self-serving lies” of the Chinese government.
“They delayed informing the world about the pandemic,” she said. “Then they lied early on about whether there was human-to-human transmission. It cost countless thousands or millions of lives internationally.”
The two advocates recognize that, in an economic downturn, human rights may be a secondary concern to many. “Our fellow U.S. citizens are fighting for their lives, worrying about their daily means and ways to support their family,” said Turkel.
“But American people, by nature, cherish individual freedom and religious freedom,” he added. “So I believe the societal focus on these issues will come back.”
One other aspect of China’s pandemic response must not be forgotten, noted Littlejohn. “They’ve used the pandemic as an opportunity to hammer Hong Kong,” she said. “Recently, the Chinese government has violated nearly every commitment ever made to Hong Kong.”
Uyghur Children Sent to Re-Education Camps
Turkel was born in a Chinese reeducation camp in 1970. In 1995, he fled China and was granted political asylum in the U.S. He studied to become a lawyer, and co-founded the Uyghur Human Rights Project in 2003.
“My life has been emblematic of Uyghur suffering,” said Turkel. “I’ve always lived with different levels of persecution, facing racial discrimination when I was growing up. It has progressed to China’s mass detention of Uyghurs and other Muslims — with a genocidal intent.”
He began to hear of the atrocities against Uyghurs early in 2017 from personal contacts. “Friends told me of loved ones who disappeared,” he said. “There was no apparent reason, other than them being Uyghur.”
“People don’t realize the intrusiveness of how the Chinese government is treating the Uyghur people,” said Littlejohn. “Between one and three million Uyghurs have been sent to internment camps, subjected to forced labor. Uyghur women are being sterilized.”
Last month, a government order circulated in China’s western Xinjiang province prompted outcry from parents. It mandated that all preschools be converted to boarding schools. Further, families would be required to drop off children starting Monday morning and leave them in the state-run schools until Saturday every week.
“Reportedly, a half million Uyghur kids have been taken away from their families and sent to state-run orphanages,” said Turkel. “Their parents first are taken to separate camps. It’s a convenient method for the Chinese state to take these children away and raise them in their own way.”
“They’re doing whatever they can to wipe out the distinct culture, ethnicity, and religion of these people from their homeland region,” said Littlejohn.
Chinese Communist Party Views Faith As a Threat
On June 2, President Trump signed an executive order on international religious freedom. Specifically, it earmarked $50 million in foreign assistance funds to protect persecuted faith communities.
“The organization where I serve, USCIRF, has been calling the Chinese authorities to respect people’s right to practice religion,” said Turkel. “The Catholic Church and underground churches have been suffering tremendously. Chinese authorities perceive them as disloyal.”
Having seen their pattern of suppressing religion for many years, Littlejohn addressed why the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) targets people of faith.
“The CCP is in to mind control,” she said. “They want to play the role of God and dictate how people view the world. Belief systems like Christianity center on the worship of a God who is above everyone, which contradicts foundations of the CCP philosophy.”
Echoing other USCIRF commissioners, who represent diverse faiths, Turkel affirms the value of religion in the public square. “Having religious belief is a good thing,” he said. “Spiritual life can help to foster healthy societies. The Chinese government should not continue to wage a war on faith.”
A devout Catholic, Littlejohn speaks to why followers of Christ should stand up for the Uyghurs.
“We are all created by God in his image,” she said. “If the Chinese Communist Party is denying the dignity of a person, it’s an atrocity to Christians.
“It doesn’t matter if they are Buddhist, Muslim, or Falun Gong,” she added. “We as Christians believe that every human being is infinitely valuable.”
How This Law Deters Injustice
Under the new law, the U.S. government is directed to freeze the assets of Chinese leaders and entities responsible for human rights abuses. These sanctions and visa bans are authorized under the Global Magnitsky Act.
In a statement, USCIRF commissioner Gary Bauer urged the Trump administration to “swiftly implement” sanctions against perpetrators.
He named two government figures: Chinese Communist Party Secretary Chen Quanguo and former Political Commission Chief Zhu Hailun. Their crimes have been well-documented.
Bauer also named Chen Zongnian, chairman of video surveillance company Hikvision, for egregious violations of human rights.
Uyghur advocacy group East Turkistan Government in Exile praised the bill’s passage. The group has disputed China’s ‘occupation’ of the Xinjiang province, which began in 1949.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Currently the U.S. seems alone in its stand, which Turkel says is not by accident. “People ask: ‘Why are other nations not speaking out?’
“It’s because China has been aggressive in their ‘diplomacy,’” he said. “Through financing, the Chinese Communist Party has been buying silence around the world.”
Littlejohn believes other nations will follow America’s lead on human rights, especially with Chinese complicity in COVID-19. “There is anger globally at the CCP,” she said. “Human beings have died, and economies have been decimated. Now we should hold China accountable.
“Perhaps their treatment of the Uyghurs has finally woken up the world,” she added. “Because the Chinese government is willing to do anything to promote its own interests.”
A graduate of the University of Colorado, Josh M. Shepherd covers culture, faith, and public policy issues for media outlets including The Stream and The Federalist. Find him on Twitter and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.
/*


thestream--2020-06-20--50 Questions: ‘Why So Much Conflict Between Science and Christianity?’

Part of an extended series of answers to Guy P. Harrison ’ s book 50 Simple Questions for Every Christian .
Read the series intro here .
Why is there so much conflict between science and Christianity ?
Guy Harrison opens his 39th question noting , They got him .
They caught him believing the lie .
He ’ s not the only one , I ’ ll grant you ; a lot of people think there ’ s been this long war between Christianity and science .
You know who doesn ’ t believe it , though ?
Historians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these things .
They know it ’ s a fabrication — an effective one , but nothing more than that .
And they wish it would go away .
I ’ m not talking about Christian historians , by the way .
It ’ s all historians in the discipline , regardless of their religious beliefs .
So where did this myth come from ?
The clearest brief exposition I ’ ve found is this one from the University of Wisconsin , written by David C. Lindberg and Ronald L. Numbers .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ academics , John Draper and Andrew Dickson White , each of whom set out to undermine religion by inventing false histories .
Read it and be fascinated .
There was never any historical conflict until they made it up , centuries after the fact .
This is not conspiracy theorizing , I assure you .
It ’ s mainstream historical teaching now .
This “ science-religion conflict ” is every bit as much a myth as the idea that people used to believe the earth was flat .
“ They didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t .
They knew it was round , and they even had a pretty good idea how large it was .
The myth says they thought Columbus was stupid for sailing west , because he ’ d fall off the edge of the earth .
The reality is they thought he was stupid because they thought it was ocean all the way around to the Pacific Islands , and he ’ d never make it that far alive .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The likely source of this myth is even more entertaining .
( Even Wikipedia gets this right . )
Remember those old stories of Rip Van Winkle , who took a 20-year-long nap ?
And the Legend of Sleepy Hollow , with its “ Headless Horseman ?
” The same writer of fantasy stories , Washington Irving , seems to have been the person who invented the fantasy that people in the Middle Ages believed the earth was flat .
Irving wrote it into his imaginary history of Columbus in 1828 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and everything fell off ( ahem ) the edge of the earth from there .
It didn ’ t help that some academics supported the myth , thinking it would show how stupid those medieval Christians must have been .
But What About Galileo ?
But then there ’ s the Galileo story .
Now , that ’ s proof that religion persecuted science , isn ’ t it ?
No .
( Check out the Lindberg and Numbers article again . )
Yes , the pope had him put under house @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scientific dispute involved .
But the story had a lot of politics in it , too .
Galileo called the pope “ Simplicio , ” at a time when the Protestant Reformation already had the pope under too much stress .
The problem was not primarily Galileo ’ s science , as evidenced by the fact that the overwhelming majority of scientists , up to and through the Scientific Revolution , were believers .
But even if Galileo were an example of religion persecuting science , one must ask the obvious question , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ example .
Where ’ s the other one ?
” It ’ s hard to be an example of a trend if you ’ re the only instance .
And Galileo ’ s case is the only one even remotely resembling this so-called hostility against science .
Coexistence Is Possible .
Resistance Is Futile .
Harrison thinks science and Christianity should be able to coexist .
He ’ s right , but he ’ s wrong .
He ’ s wrong in that , like a lot of other writers , he betrays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christianity can continue if it lets science take over .
“ You will be assimilated.
” Here ’ s an example — though it flows so naturally out of his pen , I doubt he even recognizes it for what it is .
“ Is there any doubt , ” he asks , “ that even the most extreme fundamentalist Christians … would be overjoyed by news of scientific proof of Jesus ’ divinity ?
” Sorry , but no .
Harrison assumes that science is the one royal road to knowledge , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to it .
But this is foolish .
There is no lab test for divinity .
There is no set of example gods that science can measure and categorize , so that it can count Jesus as a member of the set .
( Is that not obvious ? )
It ’ s not that we can ’ t know the truth of Jesus ’ deity , it ’ s that science is the wrong method for knowing it .
Somehow Harrison misses that .
I suspect it ’ s because he just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that scientific knowledge is the best sort of knowledge .
It is , and it isn ’ t .
It ’ s the best sort of knowledge regarding nature , especially nature ’ s regularities .
It ’ s not much good at the rest , though .
In fact , a lot ( definitely not all , but a lot ) of today ’ s conflicts between science and religion come from “ scienceL ” trying to do what science isn ’ t mean to do .
Like pronounce that there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or that God wasn ’ t there at the beginning putting the universe in place .
But I don ’ t want to blame science for that ; that ’ s why I used the scare quotes .
It ’ s not science , it ’ s scientists ; and far from all of them .
There are conflicts between “ science ” and Christianity these days , sure .
This should come as little surprise .
They ’ re two different ways of approaching knowledge of reality .
Science is very much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certain important areas — like creation , where solid , believing Christians still have differing views — Christian theology still is , too .
Why would it surprise us that they don ’ t agree completely ?
Why call that “ conflict ” ?
Can ’ t we call it part of the process of discovery ?
In the end , between true Christianity and accurate science there can be no real conflict .
Science is , after all , the study of God ’ s creation .
In the meantime , though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would quit believing myths — myths like the one Harrison has propagated again .
Tom Gilson ( @ TomGilsonAuthor ) is a senior editor with The Stream and the author or editor of six books , including the forthcoming Too Good To Be False : How Jesus ’ Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality .

Part of an extended series of answers to Guy P. Harrison’s book 50 Simple Questions for Every Christian. Read the series intro here.
Why is there so much conflict between science and Christianity? Guy Harrison opens his 39th question noting,
For many centuries, a strange war has raged between science and Christianity. People have physically suffered and even died on the frontlines [sic] of this conflict as scientific discoveries unsettled the foundations of faith. … Must Christianity and science forever clash, or can a way be found that would allow them to coexist peacefully in the same universe?
They got him. They caught him believing the lie. He’s not the only one, I’ll grant you; a lot of people think there’s been this long war between Christianity and science. You know who doesn’t believe it, though? Historians of science. People who actually study these things. They know it’s a fabrication — an effective one, but nothing more than that. And they wish it would go away.
I’m not talking about Christian historians, by the way. It’s all historians in the discipline, regardless of their religious beliefs.
So where did this myth come from? The clearest brief exposition I’ve found is this one from the University of Wisconsin, written by David C. Lindberg and Ronald L. Numbers. They tell the story of two avowedly anti-Christian academics, John Draper and Andrew Dickson White, each of whom set out to undermine religion by inventing false histories. Read it and be fascinated. There was never any historical conflict until they made it up, centuries after the fact.
The Flat-Earth Myth
This is not conspiracy theorizing, I assure you. It’s mainstream historical teaching now. This “science-religion conflict” is every bit as much a myth as the idea that people used to believe the earth was flat.
“They didn’t?” No, they didn’t. They knew it was round, and they even had a pretty good idea how large it was. The myth says they thought Columbus was stupid for sailing west, because he’d fall off the edge of the earth. The reality is they thought he was stupid because they thought it was ocean all the way around to the Pacific Islands, and he’d never make it that far alive.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
The likely source of this myth is even more entertaining. (Even Wikipedia gets this right.) Remember those old stories of Rip Van Winkle, who took a 20-year-long nap? And the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, with its “Headless Horseman?” The same writer of fantasy stories, Washington Irving, seems to have been the person who invented the fantasy that people in the Middle Ages believed the earth was flat.
Irving wrote it into his imaginary history of Columbus in 1828. People mistook it for a scholarly work, and everything fell off (ahem) the edge of the earth from there. It didn’t help that some academics supported the myth, thinking it would show how stupid those medieval Christians must have been.
But What About Galileo?
But then there’s the Galileo story. Now, that’s proof that religion persecuted science, isn’t it? No. (Check out the Lindberg and Numbers article again.) Yes, the pope had him put under house arrest. Yes, there was a scientific dispute involved. But the story had a lot of politics in it, too. Galileo called the pope “Simplicio,” at a time when the Protestant Reformation already had the pope under too much stress.
The problem was not primarily Galileo’s science, as evidenced by the fact that the overwhelming majority of scientists, up to and through the Scientific Revolution, were believers.
But even if Galileo were an example of religion persecuting science, one must ask the obvious question, “Okay, he’s one example. Where’s the other one?” It’s hard to be an example of a trend if you’re the only instance. And Galileo’s case is the only one even remotely resembling this so-called hostility against science.
Coexistence Is Possible. Resistance Is Futile.
Harrison thinks science and Christianity should be able to coexist. He’s right, but he’s wrong. He’s wrong in that, like a lot of other writers, he betrays a bias toward a Borg-ian partnership: Christianity can continue if it lets science take over. “You will be assimilated.”
Here’s an example — though it flows so naturally out of his pen, I doubt he even recognizes it for what it is. “Is there any doubt,” he asks, “that even the most extreme fundamentalist Christians … would be overjoyed by news of scientific proof of Jesus’ divinity?”
Sorry, but no. Harrison assumes that science is the one royal road to knowledge, and that even Christianity must bow down to it. But this is foolish. There is no lab test for divinity. There is no set of example gods that science can measure and categorize, so that it can count Jesus as a member of the set. (Is that not obvious?)
It’s not that we can’t know the truth of Jesus’ deity, it’s that science is the wrong method for knowing it.
Somehow Harrison misses that. I suspect it’s because he just lapses into the false bias of supposing that scientific knowledge is the best sort of knowledge. It is, and it isn’t. It’s the best sort of knowledge regarding nature, especially nature’s regularities. It’s not much good at the rest, though.
“Science’s” Fault, Too
In fact, a lot (definitely not all, but a lot) of today’s conflicts between science and religion come from “scienceL” trying to do what science isn’t mean to do. Like pronounce that there is no such thing as a soul, or that God wasn’t there at the beginning putting the universe in place.
But I don’t want to blame science for that; that’s why I used the scare quotes. It’s not science, it’s scientists; and far from all of them.
Differences of Opinion Aren’t Necessarily “Conflict”
There are conflicts between “science” and Christianity these days, sure. This should come as little surprise. They’re two different ways of approaching knowledge of reality. Science is very much a work in progress, and in certain important areas — like creation, where solid, believing Christians still have differing views — Christian theology still is, too.
Why would it surprise us that they don’t agree completely? Why call that “conflict”? Can’t we call it part of the process of discovery?
In the end, between true Christianity and accurate science there can be no real conflict. Science is, after all, the study of God’s creation. In the meantime, though, it would certainly help if people would quit believing myths — myths like the one Harrison has propagated again.
Tom Gilson (@TomGilsonAuthor) is a senior editor with The Stream and the author or editor of six books, including the forthcoming Too Good To Be False: How Jesus’ Incomparable Character Reveals His Reality.


thestream--2020-06-20--Planned Parenthood’s Move to Expand Telemed Abortions Violates Medical Ethics

“ Never let a serious crisis go to waste .
And what I mean by that is , an opportunity to do things that you think you could not do before.
” – Rahm Emanuel , former White House Chief of Staff and former Mayor of Chicago The former chief of staff to President Barack Obama famously said this in regards to the 2008 financial collapse , and said it again earlier this year in response to the COVID-19 crisis .
Planned Parenthood is ever the opportunistic organization .
They have seized upon this mindset and unsurprisingly fashioned a one-two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expanding the abortion market share for medication abortion services , they increase their profit margins .
Follow along with me as I imagine a strategy session for abortion industry leaders .
First , we will relentlessly push abortion services during this crisis even though there is a nationwide moratorium on elective medical services .
We can get away with this , if everyone uses the first and most important talking point .
Namely : abortion is an essential service and is not elective .
Never mind that we ’ ve spent the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ Be sure that no one uses the word ‘ choice ’ for a while .
Always call it essential .
While we are convincing everyone that it is essential , we will keep our clinics open in defiance of all elective procedure bans everywhere .
Be sure Legal is ready to file suit against any state that tries to stop us .
Then , note that the use of telemedicine is being encouraged in order to reduce the number of people who have to come to a medical office .
So we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abortions .
Imagine how much the profit margin will increase .
We can still charge a good fee and we will cut overhead costs dramatically .
It ’ s a win-win .
Now , make no mistake : I am not saying that I know exactly what was said and when it was said .
Certainly they have planned their strategy over the last few months .
But there are some facts we do know .
In a fundraising letter to supporters , the new head of Planned Parenthood lists their need for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ e-mail .
Those needs include their plan to “ expand telehealth services , fund legal battles.
” Those two items are the only things listed with any degree of specificity .
So now I will ask you to do something that we as a pro-life community are not accustomed to doing .
For the remainder of this discussion , I will not discuss the moral and ethical implications of abortion in regards to the unborn child .
I will focus on only aspects of the issue of telemedicine abortion .
As we do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that telemedicine abortion will result in a profound increase in the harm to those women who choose to pursue medication abortion services .
It will also become even more apparent that abortion should not be considered to be part of the practice of legitimate medicine .
First , the reader must understand how medication abortion works .
Progesterone is vital to the health and success of a pregnancy .
Medication abortion is a two-step process in which the first pill given is mifepristone , a progesterone blocker .
When the action of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s system is blocked by the mifepristone , the baby is starved of oxygen and nutrients and the attachment between the placenta and the uterus becomes weak .
Then , a second medication is given .
Misoprostol will cause uterine contractions like those in labor , and the contents of the uterus will be expelled .
At the present time , there are over 20,000 different pharmaceutical products which have been approved for use as medications in America by the Food and Drug Administration .
Once a drug has been approved for use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used for labeled ( approved ) or off-labeled use .
This is because many drugs have multiple uses and physicians are given the latitude to use their clinical judgment with virtually all medications .
Some medications , however , have such a high degree of risk that only physicians properly trained in their use are allowed to prescribe them .
Some medications have such a potential to cause problems that a particular protocol must be followed to minimize the risk to the patients .
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moral Issues of Our Day .
In 2007 , Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007 gave the FDA authority to require the implementation of a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy ( REMS ) to ensure the proper use of a medication .
Of the more than 20,000 drugs currently approved by the FDA , only 57 currently have had a REMS imposed upon their use .
Drugs like thalidomide and Accutane , both of which have a tremendous potential to cause birth defects when taken by a pregnant woman are regulated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the treatment of addiction like buprenorphine ( Subutex and Suboxone ) have had a REMS imposed upon their use .
Mifepristone , the first pill in the medication abortion regimen , is regulated with a REMS .
There are multiple reasons listed in the Mifepristone REMS for the REMS having been implemented .
The risk of atypical infection that sometimes leads to death is mentioned , as is the possibility of hemorrhage .
Also , very important in the consideration of telemedicine abortion is the following statement : “ The duration of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history and clinical examination .
Assess the pregnancy by ultrasonographic scan if the duration of pregnancy is uncertain or if ectopic pregnancy is suspected.
” Neither clinical examination nor ultrasonographic scan can be accomplished via telemedicine .
These are clinical actions that can only be accomplished in person .
For the safety of the woman who seeks a medication abortion , there are two things that are absolutely essential to minimize their risk .
One is that the actual and accurate gestational age must be assessed , and ectopic pregnancy must be ruled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ age , either clinical examination or ultrasonographic examination must be performed .
Based on a survey of my own patients , self-reporting on gestational age is notoriously inaccurate .
Extrapolating that data , 54 % of patients who would receive telemedicine abortion services would have an inaccurate assessment of gestational age .
When patients are farther along than the limits allowed by the FDA , they are at greater risk for hemorrhage and infections , which were reasons for the REMS for mifepristone .
This is why the FDA ’ s REMS only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ectopic pregnancy is the situation in which the embryo fails to reach the uterine cavity before it implants , and the implantation in ectopic pregnancy most often occurs in the Fallopian tube .
It then will grow and develop in that extra-uterine location , and when it is undiagnosed the resultant intra-abdominal hemorrhage is one of the most common causes of death in early pregnancy .
Ectopic pregnancy occurs at a rate of 19.7 ectopic gestational per 1,000 pregnancies .
The most common means of diagnosing an ectopic pregnancy is ultrasound , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done with telemedicine abortion .
Consider those numbers in a real-world analysis .
There are approximately 3,000 abortions per day in America .
Forty percent of those are medication abortions , so that would be 1,200 .
Let us imagine that one-fourth of those eventually become telemedicine abortions .
With an ectopic pregnancy rate of 19.7 per thousand pregnancies , that would mean that of the 300 telemedicine abortions daily , six women will have an ectopic pregnancy that will be undiagnosed and they will take the abortion medication .
They will begin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and approaches the point of rupture .
Then they will be told by the abortion clinic staff that pain is part of the process and they will not receive appropriate care .
This will increase their chance of death , as time is critical in saving the life of a woman who has a bleeding ectopic pregnancy .
Telemedicine abortion will increase the risk to women .
That is not disputable .
There are reasons for the REMS which the FDA has imposed , and they are patient safety reasons .
Allowing telemedicine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proportions .
There is no way that those involved in the abortion industry do not know these facts .
They simply do not care .
If their primary goal was to truly serve the women who seek their services , then safety for those women would be their utmost concern .
But since telemedicine abortion would provide a good revenue stream with a very low level of overhead cost , they are only seeing dollar signs .
The current push for telemedicine abortion is a cold and calloused calculation that considers profit as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the safety of women .
Dr. Brent Boles has been practicing medicine for two decades as an OB/GYN in Murfreesboro , Tennessee .
He currently serves as medical director at Portico , a local pregnancy help center .
His new book Supremely Wrong : The Injustice of Abortion is now available .

“Never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that is, an opportunity to do things that you think you could not do before.”
– Rahm Emanuel, former White House Chief of Staff and former Mayor of Chicago
The former chief of staff to President Barack Obama famously said this in regards to the 2008 financial collapse, and said it again earlier this year in response to the COVID-19 crisis.
Planned Parenthood is ever the opportunistic organization. They have seized upon this mindset and unsurprisingly fashioned a one-two punch to advance their agenda. By expanding the abortion market share for medication abortion services, they increase their profit margins.
Speculation: Their Backroom Strategies
Follow along with me as I imagine a strategy session for abortion industry leaders.
First, we will relentlessly push abortion services during this crisis even though there is a nationwide moratorium on elective medical services. We can get away with this, if everyone uses the first and most important talking point. Namely: abortion is an essential service and is not elective. Never mind that we’ve spent the last 50 years calling it a ‘choice.’ Be sure that no one uses the word ‘choice’ for a while. Always call it essential. While we are convincing everyone that it is essential, we will keep our clinics open in defiance of all elective procedure bans everywhere. Be sure Legal is ready to file suit against any state that tries to stop us. Then, note that the use of telemedicine is being encouraged in order to reduce the number of people who have to come to a medical office. So we can begin to push for widespread telemedicine abortions. Imagine how much the profit margin will increase. We can still charge a good fee and we will cut overhead costs dramatically. It’s a win-win.
Now, make no mistake: I am not saying that I know exactly what was said and when it was said. Certainly they have planned their strategy over the last few months. But there are some facts we do know.
Planned Parenthood Backs Illegitimate Practices
In a fundraising letter to supporters, the new head of Planned Parenthood lists their need for funds in the third paragraph of their e-mail. Those needs include their plan to “expand telehealth services, fund legal battles.” Those two items are the only things listed with any degree of specificity.
So now I will ask you to do something that we as a pro-life community are not accustomed to doing. For the remainder of this discussion, I will not discuss the moral and ethical implications of abortion in regards to the unborn child.
I will focus on only aspects of the issue of telemedicine abortion. As we do so, it should become painfully obvious that telemedicine abortion will result in a profound increase in the harm to those women who choose to pursue medication abortion services. It will also become even more apparent that abortion should not be considered to be part of the practice of legitimate medicine.
First, the reader must understand how medication abortion works. Progesterone is vital to the health and success of a pregnancy. Medication abortion is a two-step process in which the first pill given is mifepristone, a progesterone blocker.
When the action of the natural progesterone in the pregnant woman’s system is blocked by the mifepristone, the baby is starved of oxygen and nutrients and the attachment between the placenta and the uterus becomes weak. Then, a second medication is given. Misoprostol will cause uterine contractions like those in labor, and the contents of the uterus will be expelled.
When FDA Flags A Medication As High-Risk
At the present time, there are over 20,000 different pharmaceutical products which have been approved for use as medications in America by the Food and Drug Administration.
Once a drug has been approved for use by the FDA, it may be used for labeled (approved) or off-labeled use. This is because many drugs have multiple uses and physicians are given the latitude to use their clinical judgment with virtually all medications.
Some medications, however, have such a high degree of risk that only physicians properly trained in their use are allowed to prescribe them. Some medications have such a potential to cause problems that a particular protocol must be followed to minimize the risk to the patients.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
In 2007, Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007 gave the FDA authority to require the implementation of a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) to ensure the proper use of a medication.
Of the more than 20,000 drugs currently approved by the FDA, only 57 currently have had a REMS imposed upon their use. Drugs like thalidomide and Accutane, both of which have a tremendous potential to cause birth defects when taken by a pregnant woman are regulated with a REMS. Drugs used in the treatment of addiction like buprenorphine (Subutex and Suboxone) have had a REMS imposed upon their use.
Mifepristone, the first pill in the medication abortion regimen, is regulated with a REMS.
Abortion Pill Carries Severe Risks
There are multiple reasons listed in the Mifepristone REMS for the REMS having been implemented. The risk of atypical infection that sometimes leads to death is mentioned, as is the possibility of hemorrhage.
Also, very important in the consideration of telemedicine abortion is the following statement: “The duration of the pregnancy may be determined from the menstrual history and clinical examination. Assess the pregnancy by ultrasonographic scan if the duration of pregnancy is uncertain or if ectopic pregnancy is suspected.”
Neither clinical examination nor ultrasonographic scan can be accomplished via telemedicine. These are clinical actions that can only be accomplished in person. For the safety of the woman who seeks a medication abortion, there are two things that are absolutely essential to minimize their risk.
One is that the actual and accurate gestational age must be assessed, and ectopic pregnancy must be ruled out. To be sure of gestational age, either clinical examination or ultrasonographic examination must be performed. Based on a survey of my own patients, self-reporting on gestational age is notoriously inaccurate.
Extrapolating that data, 54% of patients who would receive telemedicine abortion services would have an inaccurate assessment of gestational age. When patients are farther along than the limits allowed by the FDA, they are at greater risk for hemorrhage and infections, which were reasons for the REMS for mifepristone. This is why the FDA’s REMS only allows medication abortion through ten weeks gestation.
Telemed Cannot Asses Ectopic Pregnancies
Ectopic pregnancy is the situation in which the embryo fails to reach the uterine cavity before it implants, and the implantation in ectopic pregnancy most often occurs in the Fallopian tube. It then will grow and develop in that extra-uterine location, and when it is undiagnosed the resultant intra-abdominal hemorrhage is one of the most common causes of death in early pregnancy.
Ectopic pregnancy occurs at a rate of 19.7 ectopic gestational per 1,000 pregnancies. The most common means of diagnosing an ectopic pregnancy is ultrasound, which as previously discussed cannot be done with telemedicine abortion.
Consider those numbers in a real-world analysis. There are approximately 3,000 abortions per day in America. Forty percent of those are medication abortions, so that would be 1,200. Let us imagine that one-fourth of those eventually become telemedicine abortions.
With an ectopic pregnancy rate of 19.7 per thousand pregnancies, that would mean that of the 300 telemedicine abortions daily, six women will have an ectopic pregnancy that will be undiagnosed and they will take the abortion medication.
They will begin hurting as the undiagnosed ectopic pregnancy swells and approaches the point of rupture. Then they will be told by the abortion clinic staff that pain is part of the process and they will not receive appropriate care. This will increase their chance of death, as time is critical in saving the life of a woman who has a bleeding ectopic pregnancy.
Money Is Their Bottom Line
Telemedicine abortion will increase the risk to women. That is not disputable. There are reasons for the REMS which the FDA has imposed, and they are patient safety reasons.
Allowing telemedicine abortions would be a mistake of tremendous proportions. There is no way that those involved in the abortion industry do not know these facts. They simply do not care. If their primary goal was to truly serve the women who seek their services, then safety for those women would be their utmost concern.
But since telemedicine abortion would provide a good revenue stream with a very low level of overhead cost, they are only seeing dollar signs. The current push for telemedicine abortion is a cold and calloused calculation that considers profit as a primary goal to the exclusion of the safety of women.
Dr. Brent Boles has been practicing medicine for two decades as an OB/GYN in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He currently serves as medical director at Portico, a local pregnancy help center. His new book Supremely Wrong: The Injustice of Abortion is now available.