Religious Freedom Archives - DOES GOD EXIST? TODAY

December 11, 2024December 10, 2024

The Divisive Media and America

Much of the conflict and violence we see today has been caused by the media’s tendency to promote its own agenda. When you turn to the divisive media for news, you don’t get a positive image of America; instead, you get a presentation of the particular view of the channel and its representatives. This is more than just promoting a political party. It is also a view that rejects faith in God, biblical teaching, and Christian values.

We received an anonymous written piece that expresses the divisive media issue. It is titled “I once was a normal person” and describes the situation in this way:

“I used to think I was pretty much just a regular person. I was born white into a two-parent household, which now, whether I like it or not, makes me privileged, a racist, and responsible for slavery. I went to school for 19 years and have always held a job. But now I find out that I am not here because I earned it but because I was ‘advantaged.’ I think, and I reason, and I doubt most of what the ‘mainstream’ media tells me, which makes me a right-wing conspiracy nut. I am heterosexual and believe it is the best foundation for raising children and having defined roles in family life, and that makes me homophobic. I follow the biblical teaching about money and morality, and I plan, budget, and support myself, and that makes me a fascist.”

Will America survive as a nation where we can worship God according to the teachings of the Bible, or will we collapse into another civilization with no moral standards and no personal rights, with democracy only a thing of the past? Ancient civilizations collapsed when the people accepted state-run control of right and wrong, and no fixed standard guided the state. Will we learn from history or repeat it?

The message of the divisive media today will only accelerate the demise of this once-great nation. Only if we “normal persons” refuse to listen to the bias of the media will the course of our country be different from nations of the past.

November 1, 2024October 28, 2024

The Violation of Parental Rights

A struggle with faith connections in America today is the violation of parental rights. By a parent, we mean more than the woman who gave birth to a child and the father who impregnated her. I am the father of three children who are not biologically related to me. They came into our home as infants, and my wife and I raised them. Their birth certificates identify my wife and me as their mother and father. We love our three children as much as any parent can, and they refer to us as mom and dad.

We are seeing a disturbing violation of parental rights in America. In some cases, the government can take children from their parents if they refuse to promote gender ideology. Reported instances of adults telling kindergarten students that there are more than two genders or that they may have been born in the “wrong body” cause concern among parents. Government agencies can tell people of faith that they cannot adopt a child or raise a child in a foster home because they won’t promote the current craze of trans-genderism.

Some public schools have adopted “secret social transition” policies requiring school staff to treat children with gender dysphoria as the opposite sex without telling the child’s parents. The long-term effect of hormone drug treatment is still unknown, but all available evidence is that it has a negative impact on a child’s longevity. Secret transition policies are a violation of parental rights.

In the Bible, Proverbs contains many admonitions to children, fathers, and mothers. (See Proverbs 22:6, 23:13-14, and 22-25.) The New Testament addresses parents directly, charging both mother and father with parental responsibility. (See Ephesians 6:1-4, Colossians 3:20-21, and 1 Timothy 3:4.) The biological process of conception and having a baby is a small part of being a parent, and God’s plan works and produces the very best long-term results.

July 18, 2024July 16, 2024

The Issue of Book Banning

An issue of concern to Christians is the banning of certain books in public school libraries. This is a complicated problem with many issues. Part of the debate is over what is appropriate for each child’s age. Books about the Holocaust are in a different realm than books that depict or describe sexual acts. Books that promote LGBTQ lifestyles and attack Christianity cause concerns among Christian parents. The issue of book banning has been in the news recently.

In the 2023-2024 school year, Florida banned 3,135 book titles. Wisconsin banned 481, and Iowa is debating banning a total of 3300 titles, with various school systems concerned about different books. We are frustrated by the inconsistency of this situation. Our materials are not doctrinal but simply offer evidence for God’s existence and the Bible’s validity. However, they have been banned in some cases because we promote a religious viewpoint. Most frustrating is that the same school systems that refuse to allow our books in their libraries would allow books by atheists attacking Christianity. DVDs dramatizing the Crusades are allowed in virtually all school systems. At the same time, DVDs showing the good works done by Christians, such as bringing hospitals and schools into areas lacking them, are not allowed.

The issue of book banning is complex because special interest groups react to almost every issue discussed in a book. Should all books that espouse a philosophy of any kind be banned? Should novels be excluded from all public schools? Can we expect librarians to know all the content of every book, and do librarians’ beliefs affect what books are banned? As a public school teacher for 41 years, I can tell you that almost everyone involved in the issue of book banning doesn’t understand how high school students use a library.

It’s crucial for Christians to understand that the Church should be the primary source of solid materials on faith and morality, rather than relying on public schools. School libraries should be places where factual material is readily available, without promoting specific philosophies or moralities, and not just for entertainment.

With politicians unable to answer questions of moral conduct and values, it is no surprise that school libraries have a difficult role to play. The Church needs to fill at least part of the gap by teaching and providing information like Jesus did. The Does God Exist? ministry is an attempt to help achieve that objective.

Data from USA TODAY NETWORK for June 16, 2024

May 1, 2024April 30, 2024

The War Against Christianity

The war against Christianity has grown in the United States. Here are some examples:

*Fowler United Methodist Church in Annapolis, Maryland, suffered $100,000 in damages. Vandals tore down a wooden cross, shredded Bibles, and slashed upholstery.

*Florida passed a bill to allow public and charter schools to have a chaplain to address student mental health. Opponents called it a vehicle for “Christian nationalism,” and the Satanic Temple indicated it plans to send its chaplains.

*The war against Christianity involves Madison, Wisconsin’s Freedom From Religion Foundation. It has taken out ads in various periodicals calling for the rejection of “Christian nationalism.”

*The “Public Religion Research Institute” reports that 26% of Americans identify themselves as religiously unaffiliated, and 67% of those say they have stopped believing the teaching of their old faith.

*The government continues to issue new rules that violate Christian teachings and precipitate problems for Christian families. One example is the rules prohibiting Christian colleges from having dorms limited to only one sex. Other laws require schools to allow both sexes to use any restroom, resulting in cases where female students complain because males are entering their facilities to “gawk” at them.

Jesus made it clear that His gospel was not political. In Matthew 22:15-22, Jesus tells his opponents to “give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” In Romans 13:1-7, Paul lays down the relationship between Christians and government. He makes positive comments about the role of government and categorizes government as God’s servant. He tells Christians to pay their taxes and show respect and honor to public leaders.

When the government demands immorality or opposes Christian behavior, it seems like a war against Christianity. However, Christians are not called to strike back militarily. The day may come when churches will not have tax exemption, and the government will take over church property. Even then, God’s people will survive and thrive as they did under the pagan Roman government in the first century. There can’t be a war when one side refuses to fight.

We can find comfort in the fact that Jesus said, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come…. You will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time, many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate one another, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands to the end will be saved” (Matthew 24:6-13).

References: USA Today for 4/9/24; The Week for April 12, 2024, page 17; and “Washington Impact Report” from the Family Research Council for April 2024, page 1.

January 5, 2024January 2, 2024

The Role of Religion in a Democracy

People are waging a war of words concerning the role of religion in a democracy and whether the Christian faith should have any role in America’s future. An organization titled Americans United for the Separation of Church and State has sent out a plea for donations to fight what they call “Christian Nationalism.” They maintain that the government cannot support Christian values. With that goal in mind, they are engaged in several lawsuits against prayers at public gatherings and government support of schools with religious connections.

The opposing view comes from groups like the Association of Mature American Citizens, publishers of AMAC Magazine. They maintain that a “moral society flows from a focus on freely held faith” (James Madison). They also quote John Adams: “Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people.” AMAC also heavily quotes Jefferson and Washington in the view that America was founded by men who saw Christianity as the basis of human rights. What is the role of religion in a democracy?

There is a difference between maintaining that faith has no role in determining the rights of people and believing that there is only one faith that calls for certain moral rules to be law. Jesus made it clear that there is a separation between what we give to the government and what we give to the work of God. Matthew 22:21 says clearly, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

Thomas Jefferson said, “Neither Pagan nor Muslim nor Jew ought to be excluded from the civil rights of the commonwealth because of his religion.” That teaching is biblically sound, but the government must have a moral standard to govern by. In Romans 13:1-6, Paul tells Christians to support those who govern, “For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad” (verse 3). The question is, “How does a government decide what is right and what is wrong?”

There are experts like Peter Singer, the DeCamp Professor of Bioethics at Princeton University, who maintain that the government should put to death anyone who is mentally ill, of great age, or in the late stages of a terminal disease. This flies in the face of Christian teachings, but some states are already implementing it in various ways, such as government support for the destruction of human life. If a politician holds to a religion that teaches that those who reach the age of 50 should be killed, how will that influence the practice of the government?

Madison talks about a “moral society,” and Adams speaks of the Constitution being made for a “moral and religious people.” So, what is the role of religion in a democracy? Christians support the separation of church and state, but the moral teachings of what is right and wrong cannot come from scholars, politicians, or some religions. The future of our children and grandchildren depends on getting people to understand that right and wrong do exist, and not all religions and political belief systems understand that.

December 18, 2023December 16, 2023

What Book Do You Swear By?

When people are sworn into public office, they commonly place their hand on a Bible and promise to faithfully execute the duties of that office. Courts used the same book for swearing in witnesses. Recently, some have substituted other books for the Bible. In Doylestown, Pennsylvania, on December 4, 2023, Karen Smith, the new school board president, took the oath of office with her hand placed on top of six books frequently challenged or banned from school libraries. What book do you swear by?

Deciding what books are appropriate for school libraries is a nation-wide issue. If school libraries are open to all students, is there an age level where a book is inappropriate? For example, the book Beyond Magenta promotes transgender lifestyle for teens and is one of the books Smith used for her swearing-in. Another is The Bluest Eye, with graphic depictions of a nine-year-old girl being sexually abused by her father. The book Night by Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel accurately depicts his experience in a concentration camp, but is it appropriate reading for a second grader?

What book do you swear by? The fact that people are replacing the Bible with other religious books or books promoting atheism and alternate lifestyles is a reflection of American culture today. As society vilifies Christianity and religious belief, the choices of public officials become more secular. Churches, religious colleges, and universities are being forced to close their doors or give up their moral teachings. Public school restrooms must be open to all sexual orientations. As a retired public school high school teacher, I can only imagine the problems schools will face with the new standards.

Reference: phillyburbs.com

December 5, 2023December 4, 2023

The Atheist State of America

As the U.S.A. sinks deeper into becoming the atheist state of America, we see continued political oppression of Christians. An example of this is in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Government officials there told city employees to refrain from displaying any religious symbols. That means even red and green decorations are prohibited on any public building. City officials say those colors are “associated with Christmas.” Workers for the city must use blue, green, and purple lights to recall the colors of aurora borealis (the northern lights) and to use only “snowflakes, snow people, and other nonreligious symbols.”

Elsewhere, school children and government workers are restricted from wearing anything that refers to Christianity. With the war in Gaza in the news, it is interesting that Muslim headwear and Jewish skull caps have not been banned, but atheists and secularists are working on that.

It seems obvious to any thinking person that Christianity played an essential role in the history of America. Trying to stamp out all Christian symbols and displays, especially during Christmas and Easter, while allowing symbols of other faiths to be displayed at any time of the year is an inconsistent government policy. The atheist state of America is not just a Christian issue; it is an American issue. It’s an issue of religious freedom. The founders of this country would be astounded by what is happening today.

Reference: The Week for December 1, 2023.

September 22, 2023September 19, 2023

Attacks on People of Faith

If you read news reports other than the mainstream media, you have to be disturbed by recent stories about government attacks on people of faith.

One article told the story of an August 11, 2023, police raid on a private newspaper in Marion, Kansas. This small-town newspaper had written stories about government abuse of religious freedom and the immoral actions of public officials. The justification for the police raid was that they were seeking the names of sources of information leaked to the newspaper.

A group called “Reporters Without Borders” has written several reports of violence or intimidation of news reporters who wrote articles on government actions that violated the rights of private citizens. One such story was the case of Joe Kennedy, a coach in Bremerton, Washington, who knelt at the 50-yard line and prayed silently for 10 seconds after a high school football game. Kennedy was fired because the school system had banned any prayer on school property.

Joe Kennedy did not encourage his players to participate in the prayer, and he prayed after the game was over. He sued the school system. His case went to the Supreme Court in 2022, and the court agreed with Kennedy. The fact that the school system tried to stop prayer of any kind indicates where America is headed.

Students of American democracy and the intent of the founding fathers will recognize the abuse of government attacks on people of faith. Such attacks are not limited to the government. We have had phone calls from people threatening us for what we publish on this website. Freedom of the press and religion are enshrined in the First Amendment, and as America turns away from God and freedom, Christians face attacks on their faith.

Reference: Elizabeth Colton in articles in the South Bend Tribune for August 27, 2023, page 12A, and Jeff Graham writing on September 3, 2023.

July 10, 2023July 9, 2023

Artistic Freedom and Personal Beliefs

A question of concern to Americans who believe in God is whether someone specializing in artistic creativity can be forced to create artwork that they find offensive. Recent cases involve artistic freedom and personal beliefs. The question becomes, can the government force custom art creators to create and display artwork that violates their personal religious beliefs?

Recent examples involve:
1- Cake artists forced to create a cake that celebrates a relationship that goes against the artist’s sincerely held religious beliefs.
2- Flourists required to create floral arrangements celebrating an event they find religiously offensive.
3- Website designers forced to create a website promoting something religiously offensive to the designer.
4- Wedding photographers required to photograph weddings that violate their religious beliefs.
5- Printers of custom T-shirts required to produce religiously offensive shirts.
(We have mentioned these in previous posts.)

In the past, the government has not punished artists who refused to produce art that the artist found offensive. However, recently that has changed. When the government forces an artist to create something that violates the artist’s personal beliefs, we have a real test of freedom of speech and religious freedom. Using our talents to express our beliefs is a fundamental right. Being forced by the government to use our gifts to express something that violates our beliefs and religious convictions violates freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

In Acts 4:16-20, we see political leaders threatening harm to Peter and John if they spoke anything in support of Christ. They responded, “Whether it be right to listen to you or to God, you decide, for we can not give up speaking about the things we have seen and heard.” Historically, authorities have tried to force Christians to deny their faith. America is at a crossroads in the area of artistic freedom and personal beliefs. We should not be forced to deny our faith or express something contrary to our religious beliefs.

Reference: ADFlegal.org/

June 2, 2023June 1, 2023

After School Satan Clubs

One of the consequences of the rejection of God and Christianity in the United States has been the success of the Satanic Temple. This group, active worldwide, is headquartered in Salem, Massachusetts, and growing in influence in the United States. They have launched a nationwide campaign to bring After School Satan Clubs to elementary schools.

The Satanic Temple claims 700,000 members and has had several successes in opposing Christianity. Recently they gave the invocation at the San Marcos City Council, conducted a Los Angeles Satanic Mass, and administered “un-baptisms” in Boston. In addition, local Satanic Temples have engaged in Bible burning, drinking a blood-like fluid from a cup, and celebrating the sacrifice of goats.

The After School Satan Clubs offer a coloring book published by the Satanic Temple, which engages children in satanic rituals and constructing a pentagram, the official symbol of the Church of Satan. Clubs. The Washington Post commented, “The Satanic Temple is determined to give young students a choice: Jesus or Satan.”

The United States Supreme Court ruled in 2001 that elementary schools could not stop the evangelical “Good News Club” from hosting after school club meetings. The Satanic Temple is using that decision to justify having clubs that promote Satanic beliefs. After School Satan Clubs have reportedly been started in Utah, California, Ohio, Washington, Illinois, and Oregon elementary schools.

The message of the Satanic Temple ridicules Christianity, belief in God, and the Bible’s moral teachings. It seems this group would qualify as a “hate group” which could be legally challenged, but that will probably never happen. Nevertheless, Christians must be aware of this threat. Parents and local church leaders need to educate themselves on what is being taught in the schools and be ready to oppose satanic teaching if it comes to their communities.

References: The Christian Action Network and The Hill