TOPIC: Federal Appeals Court Decision Dismisses ACLU Lawsuit Challenging Boy Scouts

Source: christiansunite.com

The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), specializing in constitutional law, Tuesday applauded a decision by a federal appeals court dismissing a lawsuit by the ACLU challenging the U.S. Department of Defense's support of the Boy Scouts of America and their national jamboree. The ACLJ filed an amicus brief with the appeals court on behalf of 90 members of Congress asking that the suit be dismissed.
"We're delighted that the federal appeals court reached the proper conclusion in this case," said Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel of the ACLJ, which filed the brief on behalf of members of Congress.

"This is just another example of the ACLU trying to impose its flawed view of the constitution on the rest of America. The military provides the Boy Scouts with support and services that aid both the military and the Scouts without endorsing religion. This lawsuit should never have been brought in the first place and we're pleased the appeals court dismissed the suit clearing the way for this beneficial relationship between the military and the Boy Scouts to continue."

The ACLJ asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit to reverse a lower court decision that declared a 1972 statute passed by Congress enabling the Defense Department to provide support to the Boy Scouts unconstitutional because it violated the separation of church and state. The Defense Department provides support and services every four years when the Scouts hold their Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia. In a decision released this week, the appeals court ruled that the ACLU-backed taxpayer plaintiffs who brought the suit did not have legal standing to bring the case and dismissed the lawsuit.
The dispute began in 1999 when the ACLU filed suit claiming that the Defense Department's sponsorship of the Boys Scouts violated the First Amendment because the group requires its members to swear an oath which states, in part, "On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country." A federal district court said the Jamboree statute was unconstitutional and violated the Establishment Clause because it had a primary effect of advancing religion. The decision was appealed to the 7th Circuit.
The ACLJ represented nearly 90 members of Congress in support of the statute. In its brief, the ACLJ contended that in passing the statute, Congress sought to help the military advance its own goals, not to promote the Boy Scouts religious beliefs. The ACLJ contends the lower court used flawed legal reasoning to reach its conclusion. The brief asserts that the Defense Department's support comes in the form of "non-religious supplies and services." The brief states: "The military's rental of forklifts and trucks, transportation and military equipment, restoration of Fort A.P. Hill after the Jamboree, and provision of other secular services is clearly 'neutral and nonideological.' The only possible message that the military's aid can be viewed as conveying is that patriotism, self-reliance, physical fitness, and support of the military are positive things." You can read the entire ACLJ amicus brief here.

TOPIC: Lawlessness & Discrimination Reign in Washington, D.C.

From christiansunite.com

Students violently attack White Advisor Karl Rove with no arrests made. Meanwhile peaceful Christians are threatened with arrest and ordered to stop praying on a Capitol Hill public sidewalk during a Stations of the Cross Celebration last week.
"Law enforcement officials are now responding to events bases on the political beliefs and viewpoint of demonstrators rather than their actions," states Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition.
The Christian Defense Coalition has written a letter to the Library of Congress seeking a public apology and clarification concerning the unconstitutional disruption of public prayer. The Coalition is being representing by the American Center for Law and Justice and will seek further federal legal action if the matter cannot be resolved. See the letter online here.
Rev. Mahoney, comments,

"There is now a new standard in Washington, D.C. concerning public demonstrations and political gatherings. If you are involved in an anti-war protest, you can violently attack White House officials with no arrests. You can spray- paint the United States Capitol with no arrests or consequences. You can disrupt news conferences with no arrests. And, you can take over congressional offices with no arrests. Meanwhile, if you peacefully chose to exercise your First Amendment rights by praying in the public square you are ordered to stop, are harassed and threatened with arrest."

This kind of discrimination is both unconstitutional and dangerous and brings us back to a tragic time when people were arrested simply because of their skin color."Is there any person out there who believes, that Christians or conservatives would not have been immediately arrested if they had violently attacked Speaker Pelosi or spray painted the United States Capitol Building? Could you imagine the response of law enforcement officers if pro-life demonstrators had shouted down a news conference by Senator Hillary Clinton?"

The Sope-Bocks: The ACLU, as in the American Civil Liberties Union, has been curiously silent regarding the violation against these Americans, who were exercising their First Amendment rights on a public sidewalk. Ironic, isn't it -- a group that touts itself for being the vanguard of American civil liberties doesn't rush to protect the civil liberties of certain Americans. Thus, my reason for renaming the ACLU the "Anti-Christian Liberties Union"

TOPIC: Religious Freedom Day Highlights Blessings, Sufferings

by Michelle Vu, Christian Today Correspondent

A conservative Washington-based Christian group promoting religious freedom and democracy is calling on Christians to remember persecuted believers on Religious Freedom Day. “Millions are discriminated against, beaten and tortured, imprisoned, and killed because they follow Jesus Christ or are members of other minority religions,” said Faith McDonnell, the Institute on Religion & Democracy's religious liberty director, in a statement.
Each year on 16 January, the United States celebrates Religious Freedom Day to commemorate the passage of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom by the Virginia General Assembly on the same day in 1786. The historic law was drafted by Thomas Jefferson and provides the inspiration and the framework for the religious freedom clauses in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. “Freedom is a gift from the Almighty, written in the heart and soul of every man, woman, and child, and we must continue to promote the importance of religious freedom at home and abroad,” said President George W. Bush, in a statement.
Some 250 million Christians worldwide will be persecuted in 2007, according to Release International. The persecution watchdog group noted that Christian persecution is growing fastest in the Muslim world. McDonnell concluded, “In a world where darkness is increasingly being called light and evil called good, we must insure that this injustice is revealed.”
“On Religious Freedom Day, IRD joins in celebrating the blessing of religious freedom enshrined within the laws of our land. But we also must not forget those who do not share our freedom. We must ask God for mercy - and justice - for those who are persecuted for their faith.”

The Sope-Bocks: America will also be a land of persecuted Christians if we continue to allow extremists, ultra-liberals and those who seek to silence the truth to voice their side while we remain mute and paralyzed. We must fight political correctness boldly -- and lift the name of Christ righteously, with love and commitment to truth. It's not going to be a popular battle, BUT we must fight it. Otherwise, we're going to loose our religious liberties. Mark my words!