| | Judge blocks Biden admin. mandate on trans surgeries | | Curated for you byCP Editors | | Good afternoon! It's Wednesday, May 18, and today's headlines include a judge blocking the Biden administration's mandate requiring Christian employers cover trans surgeries, the World Swimming Coaches Association's statement on the issue of boys competing on girls' swim teams, and a survey revealing that many Americans do not believe Jesus was sinless. | | Judge Daniel Traynor of the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota issued an order Monday that placed a temporary block on the enforcement of a Biden administration mandate requiring an alliance of Christian employers to pay for or provide health plans that cover gender transition surgeries. The Christian Employers Alliance, an organization that provides support to Christian businesses and nonprofits, filed suit against the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Health & Human Services, seeking to block the enforcement of the mandate that requires coverage of trans-affirming counseling and medical services that violate the beliefs of its members. In issuing the order, Judge Traynor, a Trump appointee, wrote, "The Alliance must either violate its sincerely held beliefs or face monetary losses, fines, and even civil liabilities. The Plaintiffs and their members face a very real irreparable harm if they are either forced to comply or if they refuse to comply." Read more. | | P.S. Looking for a way to close out your week? Stay in the know with In Case You Missed It, a Friday-only newsletter that features a roundup of the top stories of the week. Subscribe here. |
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| Flight attendants sue Alaska Airlines over alleged discrimination | | Alaska Airlines is being sued by two flight attendants who allege the company fired them when they questioned the airline’s official support for the proposed LGBT anti-discrimination bill the Equality Act. According to the complaint, Marli Brown and Lacey Smith were terminated after questioning the airline’s support for the Equality Act on an internal message board. They claim the airline responded to their posts "by immediately removing [them] from their flight schedules, terminating their employment, and disparaging their religious expression and beliefs as 'discriminatory,' 'hateful,' and 'offensive.’" The complaint argues that the flight attendants, who are both union members, "faced termination because of their religious practices and beliefs, [their union] failed to effectively represent them, ignoring civil rights laws prohibiting both employers and unions from discriminating on the basis of religion." First Liberty Institute, which is representing the flight attendants, said in a statement Tuesday that the firing was "a blatant violation of state and federal civil rights laws." Continue reading. | | Association says 'Trans Division' necessary to protect girls' sports | | The World Swimming Coaches Association has released a position statement on the issue of boys competing on girls' swim teams, acknowledging that their "inclusion" in girls-only competitions "cannot be balanced with fairness." While the organization clarified that they support the sport of swimming maintaining an environment "where everyone can partake ... and where everyone is treated with both dignity and respect," the association concluded that male athletes have an unfair advantage when competing against female athletes. The WSCA cited the "retained differences in strength, stamina and physique that are present when comparing the average female" and male as the justification for its position. Continue reading. | | Also of Interest... | | Trans-identified swimmer breaks women's records after competing for 3 seasons on men's team Trans-identified swimmer wins NCAA women's championship amid protests over fairness Trans-identified swimmer Lia Thomas sets record at Ivy League ChampionshipsUSA Swimming official resigns after 30 years, says trans policy is 'destroying' the sport | | 7th Circuit weighs if Catholic school can fire lesbian teacher over same-sex marriage | | The U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments in the case of Starkey v. Archdiocese of Indianapolis on Monday, which centers on a Catholic school that was sued for not renewing the contract of a teacher in a same-sex relationship. Lynn Starkey, the former co-director of guidance at Roncalli High School in Indianapolis, sued the school after she was not offered a new contract in 2019 over her same-sex marriage, which the school deemed a violation of its code of conduct. Starkey appealed to the Seventh Circuit after a lower court had previously ruled in favor of the school. Continue reading. |
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| Chaos, cosmos and the assault on boundaries | | Wallace B. Henley writes about the necessary existence of boundaries and how, as Victor Davis Hanson explains, the dissolving of the "traditional bedrock of the American system" is causing chaos. Henley outlines each of the Ten Commandments and their respective boundaries, concluding, "Adolescent-minded people see the Commandments as restrictions on their pleasure, but the wise and mature view them as the owner of a costly new car would the operator’s manual that comes with it." Continue reading. | | 5 pro-life strategies for post-Roe America | | John Stemberger, an attorney, former Political Director of the Republican Party of Florida and leader of the conservative organization Florida Family Action, discusses why pro-life advocates must be prepared when it comes to a post-Roe era. Stemberger's five key strategies for meeting needs should Roe v. Wade be overturned include: developing action plans to serve women and children, addressing law and public policy at the state level, and educating the public on the science of early human development and the horrific reality of what an abortion actually is. Continue reading. |
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| Attend DTS from anywhere through Online Seminary | | Want to learn more about the Bible but are unable to relocate for seminary? With our expanded online program offerings there has never been a better time to study at Dallas Theological Seminary! | | At Dallas Theological Seminary, we believe that seminary is for everyone and anyone who wants to go deeper in their faith and understanding of God’s Word. That's why we have expanded our Online Master’s Degrees to help Christians get equipped for ministry wherever they are. | | With our innovative and immersive online programs, you no longer need to travel to campus in order to earn a seminary degree, enabling you to continue serving your family and local community while you study. These are the same courses offered at our campuses and locations, taught by the same world-class faculty you’d learn from on-campus. Learn More | | |
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| Survey: Gen Zers don't believe Jesus was sinless | | Research conducted for the American Bible Society has revealed that 38% of 18-to-25-year-olds, an age group collectively known as Gen Z, believe "Jesus Christ was human and committed sins, like other people." These results mirror that of older generations, including Gen X (37%), millennials (35%), and baby boomers (35%), who similarly don't appear to adhere to the biblical doctrine of a sinless Christ. John Plake, director of ministry intelligence at ABS and editor-in-chief of the "State of the Bible" series, told The Christian Post that such secular confusion about Christian theology presents an opportunity to share with the world, explaining he is "less concerned about the national or generational assumptions" and "more concerned that we point people to the Word of God." Continue reading. | | Study shows having 3-plus children negatively impacts late-life cognition | | A study published in Demography, the flagship journal of the Population Association of America, suggests "that having three or more versus two children causes worse late-life cognition in Europe for both men and women." The researchers, who utilized data collected from nearly 75,000 participants who had only biological children in 19 European countries, noted, "The negative effect of having three or more versus two children is large in magnitude, equivalent in our sample to being 6.2 years older and nearly the same as the cognitive advantage associated with having completed secondary versus primary education." The findings come following other recent research that has warned of the potential drawbacks of America's declining fertility rate. Continue reading. |
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