According to the arguments made by the U.S. government in Romeike v. Holder, Farris said, “If you believe that God wants you to do something, that’s not going to be a protected religious belief unless you’re part of a church that forces you to take whatever action is in question. “Most evangelical Christians — in... Continue Reading

Today in the Middle East and elsewhere, Christians huddle together beneath a solitary light bulb to read from contraband Bibles and sing hushed hymns. At any moment, their doors may be broken in and their lives could be snuffed out. Many Christians sit in dank prisons for committing no crime except following Jesus. Tomorrow, they... Continue Reading

According to the Power Point Presentation, obtained and posted online by legal group Alliance Defending Freedom, the Army Reserve in Pennsylvania considers evangelical Christians, Catholics, and Mormons as dangerous as the Muslim Brotherhood, al-Qaeda, and Hamas. The text accompanying the slide listing “extremist” groups defines extremism as beliefs, attitudes, feelings, and actions far removed from... Continue Reading

One of the chief benefits of catechisms is that the firewood of biblical knowledge has already been found, chopped, hauled, split, and stacked. No parent is a perfect theologian; we all have gaps in our understanding and can fail our children by explaining only those doctrines that are most precious to our own hearts. Teaching... Continue Reading

In his ruling, Judge Jorge Solis said, “The homeless feeders are religiously motivated institutions that are afforded statutory protection to practice their religions without being substantially burdened by government regulation.” The city’s Homeless Feeder ordinance was “instituted based on speculation and assumptions,” he wrote, and its defense “did not establish that any of (the city’s)... Continue Reading

“The great danger is that you’re going to see a real drive to outlaw and limit Christianity….It’s okay to be Christian as long as you’re not really Christian. ..You can’t actually have an adoption service that’s run by Catholics unless they’re willing to be not Catholic, … You’re now beginning to see a secular tyranny... Continue Reading

Still, it seems that few young people have an interest in joining. Of the dozen I interviewed at Adas, no one plans soon to put down permanent roots (financial or spiritual) in a synagogue. Stacy Miller, a 29-year-old teacher, tells me that she has set up a social group for Jewish young professionals in Northern... Continue Reading

In a decision in a lawsuit filed by advocates, the judge, Edward R. Korman of Federal District Court, ruled that the government’s refusal to lift restrictions on access to the pill was “arbitrary, capricious, and unreasonable.” Judge Korman ordered the F.D.A. to lift any age and sale restrictions on the pill, Plan B One-Step, and... Continue Reading

We can most likely agree that overeating or obsessing about food is sinful idolatry. But could I also be sinning while I’m eating a well-balanced diet, low in carbs and high in protein and losing weight? Or, what if you’re a girl who has never struggled with over-eating but has always been overly cautious about her eating... Continue Reading

When it comes to brand awareness for non-profit organizations, size does matter.  Americans are most aware of massive non-religious organizations that work internationally.  Just a handful of organizations dominate first-mention brand awareness in the non-profit arena….The study shows that what people tend to be most aware of are massive organizations with no religious affiliation that... Continue Reading