THE CHURCH MILITANT
Ephesians 5:11-"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them". This Christian News Blog maintains a one stop resource of current news and reports of its own related to church, moral, spiritual, and related political issues, plus articles, and postings from other online discernment ministries, and media which share the aims to obey the biblical commands to shed light on and refute error, heresy, apostasy, cults, and spiritual abuse.
There is an effort by the left to ruin America for the sake of control
and the globalist agenda. Millie Weaver and Owen Shroyer break down the
plot by the left to make the population dependent on government.
republished below in full unedited for informational, educational and research purposes:
PHOENIX, Ariz. — The Arizona Supreme Court has
agreed to hear the appeal of two women who run an
art studio and fear that a Phoenix non-discrimination
ordinance could be used against them to force them
to accept orders for same-sex celebrations or else face
penalties that could include fines and/or jail time.
Joanna Duka and Breanna Koski run Brush & Nib Studio, which
offers hand-painted and hand-lettered wedding announcements and
invitations, as well as custom calligraphy place cards, vows and
weddings certificates. They want their artwork to point to the creator
of all beauty: God. “[W]e have a love and a passion for art and weddings, and there’s
such a beautiful picture in marriage of Christ and His love for the
Church,” Koski recently stated during an appearance on Fox &
Friends. However, after launching their business in 2015, they became aware of
news reports of Christian business owners facing legal trouble for
declining to use their services to contribute to same-sex “weddings.”
Some of their friends asked them what they would do.
Coupled with the fact that the U.S. Supreme Court had ruled that
homosexuals had a right to have their relationships recognized by the
State, Duka and Koski realized that they might not have the liberty as
Christians to decline orders surrounding same-sex “weddings.” They
decided to look into their local laws to learn more. In 2016, with the aid of the religious liberties organization Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), the women filed a legal complaint to preemptively challenge the Phoenix non-discrimination ordinance,
which states that “[n]o person shall, directly or indirectly, refuse,
withhold from, or deny to any person, or aid in or incite such refusal,
denial or withholding of, accommodations … because of … sexual
orientation …”
The law also declares that it is unlawful for any business to
“directly or indirectly display, circulate, publicize or mail any
advertisement, notice or communication which states or implies that any
facility or service shall be refused or restricted because of … sexual
orientation …” Therefore, the women could not post on their website any
notice that they can only promote marriage between a man and a woman.
“Indeed, Phoenix has already investigated another business for
declining to promote a same-sex ceremony for religious reasons and
issued a formal report saying [that the law] requires business like
Brush & Nib—those that create expression—to promote same-sex wedding
ceremonies if they promote opposite-sex wedding ceremonies,” the
lawsuit stated.
However, last year, the Maricopa County division of the Superior Court of Arizona ruled in favor of the City,
and opined that the law didn’t interfere with Duka and Koski’s
religious exercise rights. Judge Karen Mullins defined and limited the
concept under the state Constitution as “proselytizing, preaching and
prayer,” and attending the church of one’s choice.
“The facts here do not involve any kind of religious worship as
contemplated by the Free Exercise Clause. Proselytizing, preaching and
prayer are protected by the Free Exercise Clause,” she wrote. “Nothing
about the ordinance has prevented the plaintiffs from participating in
the customs of their religious beliefs, or has burdened the practice of
their religion in any way.”
“The printing of same-sex persons’ names on wedding invitations does
not hinder in any way Plaintiffs’ independent exercise of its religious
belief by attending the church of their choice, engaging in religious
activities or functions, and expressing their beliefs on their business
website or literature, or in their personal lives,” Mullins asserted.
She ruled that Duka and Koski are “free to publish their religious
beliefs so long as they do not state or imply that same-sex couples are
unwelcome as customers.”
The women appealed, and in June, the Arizona Court of Appeals struck
down part of the ordinance, but allowed the language most concerning to
Brush & Nib to stand. It also suggested as a resolution that Duka
and Koski cease making custom wedding-related artwork and invitations,
and simply offer general products that they could sell to anyone without
issue.
“Appellants are free to discontinue selling custom
wedding-related merchandise and maintain the operation of Brush &
Nib for its other business operations,” the court wrote. “What Appellants cannot do is use their religion as a shield to discriminate against potential customers.”
Duka and Koski again appealed, and last month, their petition was
accepted by the Arizona Supreme Court. A number of faith-based groups
have now filed amicus briefs in support of the women, as did Arizona
Attorney General Mark Brnovich. Seven states joined Brnovich in the
filing: Arkansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia
and Kentucky.
“[T]he City has no legitimate interest in compelling artists to
modify their artistic messages to promote government-favored messages,
no matter how well-intentioned,” the amicus brief
states. “A government simply cannot force a citizen to engage in or
endorse expression—whether saluting a flag, or even passively carrying a
message on a license plate.”
“Forcing Petitioners to participate in the recognition and
celebration of ceremonies they consider sacred in violation of
their religious beliefs, is hardly a ‘trivial, technical or de minimis
infraction.’ This is especially so considering that, for each day
Petitioners refuse to do so, they can be punished with six months in
jail and a fine of $2,500,” it outlines. “The court of appeals erred by
applying the wrong standard.”
"Precious in the site of the Lord is the death of His godly ones." (Psalm 116:15)
We
are coming to the end of another momentous year, and it has been a
strange, sad and yet hopeful one for me. Four people whom I loved went
on to be with the Lord Jesus this year: my father, Pat LaBarbera (see
bottom of this email); my best friend Brian Fitzpatrick (shown at right at an Americans For Truth rally); and AFTAH benefactors Peter Huizenga and Ray Young--two of the finest Christian men God has given me the pleasure of knowing.
The Christ of Christ-mas was, in the final analysis, their hope. He is
mine, too, and I hope He is yours. My dad--who was a great husband to my
mom and father to me, my four sisters and my younger brother
Jimmy--humbled himself and accepted Jesus as Savior very late in life.
For that I will be eternally grateful.
My friend Brian, once an atheist, was born again in the Lord (John 3) on May 24, 1987 (he put that date on his license plate), and lived for Him from that point onward. Please share his Christian testimony in this blessed holy season. I will miss him but we'll meet again!
Ray Young and Peter Huizenga were faithful Christian family men and
businessmen who put Christ first and never once even considered backing
away from biblical Truth, in an age when so many find a way to do just
that.
In their honor but more in God's honor, we at Americans For Truth press
forward with our noble yet politically incorrect mission. This has been a
very interesting year: AFTAH became a microcosm of the Left's evil and
homo-fascist "social media censorship" strategy designed to suffocate
social conservatives in the Public Square. Heck, we even got a visit by
the FBI! ... read on:
Our Americans For Truth Facebook page was "unpublished" and then "erased" after leftist complaints.
My personal Facebook page has twice been put on 30-day hold
after a frivolous "hate violation." (I'm currently still in FB "jail"
but I will be "set free" Monday--oh boy, thanks Mark Zuckerberg!)
My Twitter page was blocked based on an absurd "hate" warning about a post showing a nasty, anal-sex-promoting "gay" activist giving his critics the finger.
AFTAH's website was taken down for two weeks following a frivolous and deceitful complaint by "gay" activist and convicted sex offender Adam Flanders (shown at right).
Wasting the FBI's Time & Resources: Flanders
later complained to the FBI and they actually sent an agent to my home
on Oct. 26! The agent asked if I planned to harass or threaten Flanders
in California. I said of course not, and alerted him to Flanders'
history of harassing conservatives with false "stalking" charges. The
agent knew that the complaint was meritless but said the Bureau was
obligated to check it out. The litigious Flanders is now threatening to
sue me (and other social conservatives).
Despite
all this, we at Americans For Truth keep on doing exactly what the
LGBTQueer Lobby is trying to stop us from doing: speaking out in the
media against a nefarious and revolutionary sexual agenda that threatens
to silence Christian conservative speech even as it corrupts the hearts and minds of young children.
We'll never quit, because the LGBTQ Lobby never quits, and because it's God's Truth, not ours. I echo what my friend the late Peter Huizenga told me, "I will never give up on God's Truth."
I am not intimidated by this Sin Movement, which must be resisted
aggressively, even as its errant followers need the love and forgiveness
of Jesus. (AFTAH from its inception has boldly defended EX-"gays" like
my brother in Christ, Stephen Black.)
Here is the AFTAH media page link,
which contains only a portion of our many media appearances this year.
Americans For Truth reached hundreds of thousands of people in 2018 --
citizens hungry for someone to give it to them "straight,"
unapologetically, about Big LGBTQueer.
These days, even many "conservatives" are afraid to oppose
homosexuality--and the Republicans have nearly abandoned this
crucial moral issue. But not AFTAH.
Below
is a list of our most recent articles. The Americans For Truth website
is a go-to site for people all over the world who are looking for
someone to communicate the "Truth About Homosexuality," minus the Left's
and the media's propaganda filters. (And believe me: we still have not
gotten close to conveying the full depravity of the
Lesbian-Gay-Bi-Trans-Queer agenda.) ____________________________
Will You Help Us?: Please Donate to AFTAH
with a gift of $10, $25, $50, $100 or even $500 or $1,000, if you are
able. Consider signing up as a monthly giver. And of course I covet your
prayers, as we truly are fighting against "spiritual forces of evil in
the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12). Click HERE to give safely online or send your check to:
AFTAH, PO Box 5522
Naperville, IL 60567-5522
_____________________________
God bless you and may you have a Blessed Christmas as we celebrate the miraculous birth of the Savior of the world!
[Click on the above graphic to enlarge]:
Hey all, we have an opportunity to stop LGBTQ legal activist Chai
Feldblum at the EEOC, thanks to Sen. Mike Lee, who has put a stop on her
nomination on the Senate floor. Feldblum is an atheist lesbian who
essentially believes that "gay rights" (and "trans rights") supersedes
Americans' religious freedom. Trump should never have reappointed her,
and perhaps he will rescind her appointment with enough pressure. All
the info you need is in this piece, and action points are below. Please
take a minute or 2 to make a call to Sen. Lee, your Senators, etc.,
especially if you're in a red state.
TAKE ACTION:
Thank Sen. Lee, online HERE, or by calling his DC office: 202-224-5444. His Salt Lake City office number is 801-524-5933.
Contact your own state’s U.S. Senators through the Capitol
Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and urge them to reject this anti-marriage
sexual revolutionary at the EEOC.
Contact the White House online HERE or
by calling 202-456-1111. Urge President Trump to drain Obama’s federal
LGBTQ swamp by withdrawing the (re)nomination of Obama appointee and
LGBTQ legal crusader Chai Feldblum.
Social media giant cites
“safety” concerns and being “respectful,” but by not respecting and
tolerating Christian conservatives’ views, is Facebook guilty of ‘hate’
and bigotry?
Facebook ‘hates’ conservatives (or at least their ideas): This
is the notice AFTAH received Sunday from Facebook. Jason Salamone is an
administrator of the AFTAH FB page. We are appealing the decision.
Facebook has “unpublished” AFTAH’s or Americans For Truth President Peter LaBarbera’s pages on previous occasions. [See full story HERE]
AFTAH in the Media:
* See LifeSiteNews' article on Facebook's censorship: [click HERE]
UK Scholars Speak Out Against ‘Transgender’ Despotism: [click]
SPLC – Hate, Inc. – Loses the Pentagon but Gains Silicon Valley: by Robert Knight: [click]
Famous San Francisco Drag Queen Used to Teach Honesty to 2nd Graders in New California Textbook: by Gina Miller: [click]
LISTEN: AFTAH’s LaBarbera Discusses Azusa Pacific U’s LGBTQ Sellout with Janet Mefferd – UPDATE: APU Reverses Decision and Returns to Biblical Prohibition [Folks, we are grateful that AFTAH played a role in this important victory!--PL] - [click HERE]
VIDEO: Sesame Street’s Bert and Ernie as ‘Gays’?! --Chaps Klingenschmitt Interviews LaBarbera on APU Sellout, Adam Flanders’ Web Bullying: [click]
VCY America Interviews LaBarbera on Adam Flanders’ Web Bullying, Bert & Ernie as ‘Gay Couple,’ and LGBTQ Agenda: [here]
More Facebook Censorship — AFTAH Punished 30 Days for Criticizing Chicago Homosexual Perversion-fest International Mr. Leather: [click]
HostGator Shutdown of ‘AFTAH Censored’ Site Continues – Also Closes Down MassResistance Site after Adam Flanders Complaint [click]
Sen. Collins Remarks on Judge Brett Kavanaugh and Homosexual Marriage and Abortion Give Social Conservatives Pause: [click]
VIDEO (watch below): "I Never Wanted
to Be Heterosexual": Watch ex-"transgender" Grace Harley's 5- min.
speech at AFTAH Supreme Court press event June 26 -- marking the 3-year
anniversary of the evil Obergefell ruling forcing "gay marriage" on the USA : [click here]
__________________________________________
DONATE TO AFTAH: AFTAH is under siege from pro-LGBTQ censors --
from Facebook to Twitter to ISPs buckling to a lying "gay"
activist's harassment. Help us overcome the ‘Gay Thought
Police’: donate safely online HERE, or
mail your donation to:
Dear Readers: my father passed away in July, to be with God. I
posted this note on Facebook, testifying to a miraculous blessing:
I
want to thank all of you who prayed for my father, Pat LaBarbera. He
passed away Sunday, July 23rd, in his home, quickly and, thankfully,
with minimal suffering. I'm overjoyed to report that my father gave his
life to Christ Jesus just days before he passed at age 87, in what I
regard as a miraculous and God-ordained encounter with hospice chaplain
Pastor Paul Nguyen. I was honored to be with him, in his "mancave," as
this happened.
My
philosopher-dad was one of those very smart people who sought answers
to the deep questions of life--some he could not fully know (in this
world). In the days leading up to his spiritual encounter with the
chaplain, he said he believed in God but not in Jesus as the Son of God.
That changed on July 19, as Pastor Paul graciously ministered the
Gospel to my dad. Ultimately, my father understood sin as "missing the
mark," and that as a sinner he, like everyone, needed Jesus to live
eternally with a holy God in Heaven. ("Whoever
has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not
have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the
Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life."--1 John
5:12-13)
My
dad said in his humbled sinner's prayer, "It is significant that one
man took upon himself the corruption of the entire world." Significant,
indeed. I am awestruck at the kindness and mercy that God the Father
showed my earthly father, Pat. From the bottom of my heart, I thank each
of you who faithfully prayed for him. Those prayers were answered,
glory to God!
“I
never wanted to be heterosexual,” says former “transgender” who once
“married” a woman. Was SCOTUS Obergefell decision based on a lie?
A Completely Changed Woman: Grace Harley of One Solitary Voice Ministrieswas
completely delivered out of sexual perversion 26 years ago. SCOTUS’
2015 Obergefell ruling authored by outgoing Justice Anthony Kennedy
falsely posits that homosexuality (“sexual orientation”) is “immutable.”
Folks, here is Rev. Grace Harley’s speech at AFTAH’s June 26 “Repeal Obergefell” press event in front of the Supreme Court, to mark the three-year anniversary of the judicial travesty of the Obergefell “gay
marriage” ruling. Every day I am confronted by LGBTQ activists who
insist that “sexual orientation” cannot be changed. And yet my friend
Grace testifies to the opposite–saying [go to 4:25] that she hasn’t had a
lustful sexual thought about women since her Christian conversion 26
years ago. Grace, like all of us, cannot change her skin color but she
praises the Lord that through His grace and power she radically changed
her sexual thoughts and disordered “transgender” lifestyle. (Her
reference to the “MCC” is for the Metropolitan Community Church, a “gay activist” church catering to unrepentant homosexuals.) ....
Donate to American For Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH) safely online, or mail to:
AFTAH
PO Box 5522
Naperville, IL 60567-5522
Educate Yourself and Your Network with These Outstanding Books and Help AFTAH in the Process!
Support
Americans For Truth while educating yourself and your network of
friends in the process! Send payment to AFTAH, PO Box 5522, Naperville,
IL 60567-5522 (and specify book). Package deal:buy all 4 books for the special price of just $80 postpaid.
Health Hazards of Homosexuality: What the Medical and Psychological Research Reveals -
This new book tells you everything about the unsafe homosexual
lifestyle that the media doesn't want you to know. Written by our
friends at Mass Resistance, it destroys the LGBTQueer Lobby's myths of "equality" and "safe sex." $20 postpaid.
Robert Reilly’s excellent book, Making Gay Okay: How Rationalizing Homosexual Behavior Is Changing Everything, makes the definitive case against enshrining unnatural homosexual behavior as a "civil right." $20
"Can You Be Gay and Christian? Responding
with Love & Truth to Questions About Homosexuality" - by Dr.
Michael Brown. This book adeptly confronts the myth of "gay"-positive
Christianity. It is ideal for you to present to loved ones (homosexual
or "straight") who are unclear about the Bible's teachings regarding
sexual sin. $20
Bonus: A Gem for a Gift of Just $5: Get your copy of the late Dr. Charles Socarides’ book: Homosexuality: A Freedom Too Far: A Psychoanalyst Answers 1,000 Questions Abut Causes and Cure and the Impact of the Gay Rights Movement on American Society —
for any gift to AFTAH of just $5 or more postpaid. Dr. Socarides was a
leader attempting to stop the "gay" activist campaign to "normalize"
homosexuality.
To order: send your check, noting your selections, to: AFTAH, PO Box 5522, Naperville, IL 60567-5522
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BECOME A MONTHLY AFTAH 'TRUTH TEAM' GIVER! Donate
$25, $50, $100, $250 per month or whatever you can afford to help us
fight the "gay/transgender" agenda. We don't have the "Gay" Lobby's
resources, but we have the Truth. Help us get it out! It's easy to set
up. See AFTAH's online giving form, or e-mail Brad Wallace at connops@yahoo.com. Call AFTAH at 312-324-3727.
REGULAR MAIL ADDRESS: AFTAH, PO Box 5522, Naperville, IL 60567-5522
makes the definitive case against enshrining unnatural homosexual behavior as a "civil right." 
"Can You Be Gay and Christian? 
