By Alliance Defending Freedom staff DETROIT – Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys representing a Michigan funeral home asked a federal court Thursday to dismiss what remains of an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit against the business’s sex-specific dress code, which requires employees to dress in a manner sensitive to grieving family members and friends. “The government should respect the freedom of Americans who are serving the grieving and vulnerable,” said ADF Legal Counsel Doug Wardlow. “The funeral home’s dress policy is legitimate, understandable, and legal. Numerous courts have recognized that companies may differentiate between men and women in their dress and grooming policies without violating Title VII, the federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in employment.” “The former employee who filed a complaint with the EEOC was at all times free to dress as desired outside of work,” added ADF Legal Counsel Caleb Dalton, “but was required, as all other employees are, to abide by the dress policy while on the job.” R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes has locations in Detroit, Garden City, and Livonia. Preferred Funeral Directors International awarded it the Parker Award in 2011 for … [Read more...]
ADF asks federal court to tell IRS to come clean on secret rules for investigating churches
By Alliance Defending Freedom staff WASHINGTON – Alliance Defending Freedom asked a federal district court Friday to order the Internal Revenue Service to identify records it has withheld for nearly two years that are related to secret procedures for investigating churches. The existence of the secret procedures became known through the agency’s settlement of an atheist group’s lawsuit, but the IRS has stonewalled the release of details. In 2014, ADF filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act for the records. The IRS refused to produce any records for a full year. When it finally started producing documents in July 2015, months after ADF filed suit through its attorneys with Judicial Watch, the agency withheld more than 10,000 out of 16,000 pages requested, and of the pages it did produce, more than 2,000 are almost entirely blacked out. Now ADF is asking the court to order the IRS to comply with its legal duty to justify the thousands of records withheld or else produce them. “The IRS is not above the law, and Americans deserve to know the truth about the agency’s secret deals with activists,” said ADF Legal Counsel Christiana Holcomb. “The IRS has a legal obligation to explain why it is hiding things or else … [Read more...]
Louisiana College hosting prayer event today inside Guinn Auditorium
PINEVILLE - The state of our nation and world continues to decline, burdening the heart of Christians around the world. In the Old Testament, alarming circumstances, such as we see in America and in our state would have caused men of God to call for a solemn gathering of God’s people to pray. Dr. Brewer has heard the call from the Lord concerning the situation that we face concerning the state of our nation, our churches, and our college. As a result, we are gathering either in front of Alexandria Hall or in Guinn Auditorium, depending upon the weather, to praise the Lord and pray for spiritual awakening around the world. This effort will bring the Board of Trustees, administration, faculty, staff, and students together for a time of Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication (ACTS) before the Lord. I would like to encourage all faculty and staff to attend this service today at 4 p.m. as we seek to praise and pray for the Lord’s direction and favor upon our nation, churches, and college. See you there! Dr. Rick Brewer, President … [Read more...]
Louisiana College to absorb TOPS loss
By Norm Miller, LC communications PINEVILLE - While Louisiana’s legislature continues to discuss the future of TOPS funding, recent action by the legislature means that Louisiana College students will not receive the final 20 percent of previously allocated TOPS funding. However, because of strategic budgeting, a commitment to the stewardship of available funds, and a concern for the finances of our students, Louisiana College will voluntarily absorb any TOPS funding shortfall for the 2016 spring semester. “Although Louisiana’s private colleges and institutions were not required to absorb the loss of the final allocation of TOPS funding, we chose to do so,” said Dr. Rick Brewer, president of LC. “Alleviating the additional stress of this financial burden for our students and their parents was first and foremost in LC’s assignment of budget resources.” … [Read more...]
PayPal, Apple lecture North Carolina, do business in countries far more hostile to gays
By Bradford Richardson, The Washington Times PayPal drew a line in the sand when North Carolina enacted a law prohibiting people from using the restrooms of the opposite sex, but critics say that line got washed away on the shores of Malaysia, a nation that consistently ranks among the least LGBT-friendly in the world. The company canceled its plan to build a global operations center in Charlotte after the passage of HB2, which CEO Daniel Schulman called discrimination against the transgendered. He noted that the move would cost North Carolina 400 well-paying jobs. The changing face of the American middle class But Malaysia’s Penal Code 187 — which punishes homosexual conduct with whippings and up to 20 years in prison — did not stop PayPal from opening in 2011 a global operations center there that it estimated would employ 500 workers by 2013. “We chose Malaysia because of its highly skilled, globally competitive and multilingual workforce, in addition to a world-class business environment and technology infrastructure,” John McCabe, senior vice president for global operations, said at the time. But PayPal is not an isolated corporation, nor is Malaysia an isolated country. Read more. … [Read more...]
Louisiana College hosting lecture by Holocaust survivor on Tuesday
By Staff, Baptist Message PINEVILLE (LBM) - On Tuesday at 11 a.m. in Bolton Chapel, Manny Klepper will share his memories of Kristallnacht – “The Night of Broken Glass.” On that night in November 1938, members of the Hitler Youth, SS and Nazi storm troopers attacked Jewish places of business and worship. They broke into Jewish homes and brutalized Jewish men, women and children. This night of violence was a precursor to the “Final Solution” – Nazi Germany’s systematic attempt to annihilate European Jews. Students, faculty and members of the public are invited to hear Klepper discuss his experiences of growing up as a Jewish boy in Nazi Germany and the lessons he learned from the Holocaust. Students attending this presentation will receive one cultural credit. … [Read more...]
Brewer hits one-year milestone as Louisiana College president
By Norm Miller, LC communications PINEVILLE (LC News) - On March 5, 2015, the Louisiana College Board of Trustees unanimously elected Dr. Rick Brewer as the ninth president of LC. On April 7, Brewer officially took office. A year ago, Brewer shared his vision for the college with trustees, faculty, staff, students and local media, saying he initially would “listen, learn and lead.” Brewer did lots of listening. He met with small groups on campus that represented LC’s various academic and administrative leaders and members. Proving his claim to be student-centric, Brewer -- on the night of his election -- met with students for coffee and conversation in the inaugural “Brewing with Brewer” get-together. He continues to attend other student activities. From Tennessee to Texas and across the Bayou State, Brewer has met with alumni groups, has preached, led worship, played piano concerts, and met with pastors, parents and prospective students -- all the while listening carefully to the heartbeat of the Louisiana College family. Undaunted by the vestige of problems that hampered the college in the few years prior to his arrival, Brewer used the listening sessions for assessment, planning and developing rebuilding … [Read more...]
VIDEO: Body of Christ unified soon after flooding took place in Louisiana
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aT1uELyYuD8&nohtml5=False HAMMOND – The body of Christ came together following record flooding that fell in Louisiana in mid-March. In virtually every area of the state, churches and various organizations helped those affected clean up their homes. Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief Southeast Regional Coordinator Tom Long said the unity is a great witness to the world. “A lot of the local churches and other groups are involved,” Long said. “Many of them were able to get going actually before we were this time because of the widespread deal we had to deal with.” … [Read more...]
VIDEO: When 14 churches flooded, Louisiana Baptists were there to pray, give, go
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bILONfKJ7nk By Message Staff Last month’s flooding in Louisiana flooded more than 14,000 thousands structures, including 14 Southern Baptist churches. In response, many churches have taken up special ‘love’ offerings to help the affected congregations clean up and rebuild as well as to help their sister churches with their efforts to restore or rebuild their facilities. “That’s what I love about Southern Baptists,” McMillan said. “When there’s a need and Baptists know about it, they’ll pray and they’ll give and many will go in response so they can help make a difference.” … [Read more...]
Louisiana House floor approves two pro-life bills; another bill clears committee
By Deanna Wallace, Louisiana Right to Life BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana House of Representatives has passed two important pieces of pro-life legislation, HB 386, the Women's Enhanced Reflection Act, and HB 488, the Board Certification Requirement for Abortion Providers Act. The bills now move to the Senate. HB 386, authored by Rep. Frank Hoffmann (R-West Monroe) and approved by a vote of 89-5 on Wednesday, would increase the current time for reflection between pre-abortion counseling and the actual abortion procedure from 24 hours to 72 hours. Louisiana Right to Life Legislative Director Deanna Wallace said, "We are thrilled that the Women's Enhanced Reflection Act passed the House floor in a strong bipartisan manner. This important bill empowers women considering abortion with additional reflection time before an abortion so women can can consider their options more effectively. Not only would this protect women from future emotional and psychological harm, but it would give victims of coercion and violence more time to reach out for help before being forced into an abortion they do not want." HB 488, authored by Rep. Katrina Jackson (D-Monroe) and unanimously approved on Wednesday, would require that abortion … [Read more...]
