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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Washington Supreme Court will hear case over floral artist’s freedom

By Alliance Defending Freedom staff OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Washington Supreme Court agreed Wednesday to hear the case of floral artist Barronelle Stutzman, whom the state attorney general and the American Civil Liberties Union sued for acting consistently with her faith. Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys representing Stutzman filed a brief with the high court last month to challenge the state’s and the ACLU’s arguments in favor of government discrimination against her. A lower court ruled that Stutzman, owner of Arlene’s Flowers in Richland, must pay penalties and attorneys’ fees for declining to use her artistic abilities to design custom floral arrangements for a long-time customer’s same-sex ceremony. Rather than participate in the ceremony, Stutzman referred Rob Ingersoll, whom she considers a friend and had served for nearly 10 years, to several other florists in the area who would provide high-quality arrangements and wedding support. “Barronelle and many others like her around the country have been willing to serve any and all customers, but they are understandably not willing to promote any and all messages,” said ADF Senior Counsel Kristen Waggoner. “We hope the Washington Supreme Court will affirm the broad … [Read more...]

WorldCrafts adds new artisan group and products

By WMU Communications BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — WorldCrafts has partnered with impoverished artisans all over the world, from Myanmar to Kenya to New York, to offer 25 new products this spring. These new products are among more than 200 items featured in the spring/summer catalog that was released Mar. 1. “We are thrilled to introduce 25 new products, a new artisan partner, and a beautiful new catalog,” said Emily Swader, WorldCrafts representative. “Adding new WorldCrafts products and artisans is not only exciting but life-changing when you know each one represents individuals who have, maybe for the first time, the opportunity to earn an income with dignity and hear the offer of everlasting life. It is exciting to see WorldCrafts’ impact grow and expand around the world.” WorldCrafts is honored to welcome Sak Saum in Cambodia as a new artisan group this spring. Sak Saum helps equip former victims of sex trafficking and exploitation in their care with skills, employment and a fair wage in a safe, loving environment. They also seek to pre-empt exploitation by equipping and hiring the most vulnerable in the local community before they fall prey to traffickers. Every Sak Saum product is made by someone who now has skills and works … [Read more...]

IMB exodus: 1,132 missionaries & staff take ‘voluntary’ pink slips

By Will Hall, Baptist Message Editor ALEXANDRIA (Baptist Message) – Southern Baptists’ overseas mission forces will be reduced to levels not seen since 1993 with the departure of about 22 percent of its personnel, including 983 missionaries leaving the field and 149 severing ties from various stateside assignments. International Mission Board President David Platt announced the 1,132 terminations Feb. 24, stressing the “voluntary” nature of most of the departures. However, 30 communicators with approximately 500 years of IMB service among them, which included bringing IMB communications into the Internet age, were fired in January. Platt said in a Baptist Press report the team was “way behind in developing the digital mindset” and “struggled to form new methods for reaching a changing audience.” Yet the group included award-winning writers and photographers who are featured speakers at national conferences for their expertise. UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES Platt declared in September 2015 his goal of 600-800 terminations, including personnel “here and overseas,” saying such were needed in order to balance IMB’s books after the agency had spent $210 million more than it received from 2010-2014. He rejected the notion … [Read more...]

Former IMB VP says fired communicators ‘grossly undervalued and maligned’

By Joni B Hannigan, Christian Examiner RICHMOND, Va. (Christian Examiner) – A former high ranking administrator at the International Mission Board cried "foul" in an online posting last week following a statement by IMB President David Platt that 30 communications missionaries let go last month were downsized as the result of their failure to keep current in the digital age. Calling Platt's statement about the team "patently inaccurate," Ken Winter said the team's "stellar efforts have been grossly undervalued and maligned." Winter, who a year ago stepped down as vice president of church and partner services, in a Feb. 19 blog entry in which he spoke fondly of about 200 "gifted and godly" men and women who accepted a "voluntary retirement incentive" offered by the IMB, but had choice words about the suggested deficiencies attributed to the 30 others who were involuntarily "removed." To read the rest of the article, click here. … [Read more...]

Scalia death clouds abortion, religious liberty cases

By Tom Strode, Baptist Press WASHINGTON (BP) -- The death of Associate Justice Antonin Scalia not only brings about a battle over replacing him and elevates the Supreme Court as an issue in the presidential election, but it likely will affect important cases about life and liberty in this term. Scalia, 79, was found dead in his room the morning of Feb. 13 while on a quail hunting trip at a west Texas resort. He reportedly died in his sleep. While President Obama and the Republican majority quarrel over whether the Senate will act to confirm whomever he nominates, the eight remaining justices will be considering cases left in this term. The even number of court members offers the possibility, even probability, of tie votes. One of the highly significant cases that potentially could result in a tie vote involves abortion, and another impacts religious freedom. The high court will hear oral arguments March 2 regarding a Texas law regulating abortion doctors and clinics. Oral arguments are scheduled March 23 in a challenge to the Obama administration's abortion/contraception mandate to religious nonprofit organizations under the Affordable Care Act. A 4-4 tie in either case -- or any other case -- would result in the … [Read more...]

Justice Scalia’s death should not be an opportunity for President Obama influence court, conservatives say

By Michael Foust, Christian Examiner GREENVILLE, S.C. (Christian Examiner) – The leading Republican candidates for president Saturday night staunchly opposed allowing President Obama to pick a replacement for Antonin Scalia, a towering conservative on the Supreme Court whose death earlier in the day shocked the nation's capital and ensured that the presidential race will be dominated by social issues. Scalia, 79, was nominated by President Reagan and quickly became a hero of the Right, voting in the minority once to overturn Roe v. Wade and later in the minority to uphold state constitutional marriage amendments. He voted in the majority in several cases affirming religious liberty. But it was his sharp intellect, staunch defense of an originalist interpretation of the Constitution, and blunt opinions that truly won conservative supporters. To read the rest of the article, click here. … [Read more...]

Texas governor says crosses on police cars show respect for peace officers

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - The governor of Texas supports police putting cross images on their patrol cars, saying they are part of U.S. historical practices, and symbols of service, his office said last week. Governor Gregg Abbott, a Republican, offered his support for the crosses in a brief filed to the state's attorney general. He was responding to a sheriff's office in Brewster County that received a complaint about images of a Christian cross with a horizontal thin blue line displayed on its patrol vehicles. "In addition to its religious significance, the cross has a long history in America and elsewhere as a symbol of service and sacrifice," Abbott wrote, adding in his opinion, the display does not violate U.S. constitutional provisions preventing the establishment of religion. To read the rest of the story, click here. … [Read more...]

Rubio’s No. 2 campaign staffer a gay marriage advocate

By Will Hall, Baptist Message Editor EDITOR’S NOTE: For this news report the Baptist Message researched only campaign staff – individuals each candidate chose for his respective inner circle of advisers -- not contractors that provide some type of specialized or peripheral services for the campaign (like legal review of state ballot applications or phone fundraising or such). Campaign staff names were verified through professionally curated political information from non-partisan sources including Ballotpedia. ALEXANDRIA – Rich Beeson, deputy campaign manager for presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio, was one of more than 300 establishment Republicans to sign a controversial friend of the court brief last year asking the U.S. Supreme Court to legalize gay marriage. Although reported by Politico in an April 2015 article, “Republicans try to have it both ways on gay marriage,” it is an issue that largely has gone unnoticed during the campaign, even as Republican candidates seek to secure conservative support. Cross checking the names of campaign staffers for billionaire Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz and Rubio against the names attached to the writ of certiorari [which described the signers as having “traditional … [Read more...]

NARAL blasts Doritos ad for ‘humanizing fetuses,’ gets mocked on Twitter

By Michael Foust, Christian Examiner CHICAGO (Christian Examiner) – The abortion rights group NARAL Pro-Choice America took to social media during the Super Bowl to blast a Doritos ad that showed an ultrasound – and then got plenty of pushback from viewers who were incredulous that anyone would have had a problem with the commercial. The humorous ad shows a pregnant woman receiving an ultrasound as her husband stands by her side, watching. "And there's your beautiful baby," the technician tells the mom, who is upset at her husband for munching on Doritos. To read the rest of the article, click here. … [Read more...]