Oregon School Creates Bathrooms for a Few Transgender Students

It’s just bad practice to create policy and procedures based on “fluid” sexual orientation or gender identity. It elevates the “rights” of a few people above all others and creates a special class of citizens that the government has take a special interest in. But that doesn’t stop some, like a school in Oregon from creating bathrooms for their 5-10 transgender students. Such a move opens the school up for liability based on discrimination, and abuse claims. But here’s what a school principal said of the move:

“We just need to make sure that all students are safe and comfortable here, and that they have their needs met…If they feel unsafe using the bathroom, that’s a problem.” Hmm, so if another student somehow “feels unsafe” will the school create a special bathroom, locker room, or water fountain for that student? What if a student’s exercise, porn, or ice-cream “needs” aren’t being met, will the school accommodate? These absurd guidelines are helping drive down academic performance among American schools while increasing the political propaganda in our schools. Click  here for original article.

About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.

WV State Journal Omits Important Details on Pending Bill

Clergy pack capitolTo read a recent West Virginia State Journal article on the pending EHNDA bill in the legislature, you would think the capitol was overrun by supporters of the bill. But according to an eye-witness I spoke with, there was more people being presented to on the stage than in the audience. This is just another instance of a mainstream news outlet using semantics to create a favorable perception.

On top of it all, proponents of the bill have been publicly parading “church leaders” and other “religious leaders” into the public eye to help drum up support for their bill. I guess they assume that if they can put the leaders of dead and dying denominations out front, that others will follow. Or, as one astute observer noted, they are seeking to “create a favorable perception as a defense against opposition.”

The State Journal claimed that “clergy pack Capitol to support non-discrimination bill.” The article goes on to say:

“The local clergy in attendance, including the Rev. Shauna Hyde, the Rev. Joseph Allen Hill and the Rev. Kay Alright, presented a letter of support on behalf of 72 religious leaders to the members of the West Virginia Legislature. Those leaders came from several denominations, including Baptist, Presbyterian, Jewish, Episcopal, Evangelical Lutheran, Quaker and Catholic.”

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About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.

Arizona Transgender Bill Causes Stir During Public Debate

A proposed bill in Arizona seeks to make it illegal for transgender people to enter a bathroom or locker room opposite of the sex on their birth certificate. Opponents call it discrimination. But proponents say it is designed to protect the public from abuse by perverts. Watch the video below. If the video doesn’t appear automatically, please refresh your browser. Click here for original article.

About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.

Why Have Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts? The Importance of Gender Lines

Gender LinesI dare you to do a study on sex-segregated learning environments. What most people don’t know, and most lawmakers don’t want to admit, is that sex-segregated learning environments are far more successful that mixed-sex environments. When you remove the distraction of sexual attraction, learning ability increases. This was common practice until feminists complained that it was unfair and demanded equality. The next thing you know our teen pregnancy rate skyrockets. That’s some great equality right there.

Fast forward nearly a century and the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts are on two very different paths. The Girl Scouts have caved to cultural pressure and become advocates for abortion, homosexuality, and other morally objectionable views. The Girl Scouts have seen declining membership over the last decade as parents with moral fiber refuse to allow their daughters to be indoctrinated by Planned Parenthood, GLSEN, GLAAD, and every other liberal social group funneling money into the Girl Scouts in exchange for access to young, impressionable girls.

What will the Boy Scouts do? No one will know for sure until the May meeting where a vote will be held to determine whether or not the BSA will reverse a long-standing policy of excluding openly homosexual members and leaders. At this point, it’s anyone’s guess.

But here is where this is all leading. If the BSA is forced through cultural pressure to allow homosexuals, you can bet others will seek to invade the group. Just as the Girl Scouts now allow transgenders into their group, we can rightfully expect the BSA to do the same. And if homosexuals and transgenders are allowed in then surely feminist girls, bi-sexuals, and others will demand to be let in. What’s left? [Read more...]

About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.

Why Are Schools Placing So Much Emphasis on Sexuality?

chalkboard sexSex is a serious subject, not to be taken lightly; as the inherent responsibilities and consequences demand mature treatment. Sexuality is an even broader, far more serious subject. One would think sexuality would be reserved for, perhaps high-school students; and even then treated with delicacy and maturity. The idea of implementing explicit sexuality into the classroom before high school seems reckless at best.  But the idea of introducing homosexual indoctrination intended to make classes “gay friendly” for pre-schoolers is moral negligence at its worst.

Imagine if your child’s pre-school asked about your sexuality in an effort to make the classroom more “gay friendly.” Parents in the UK found out just how that would feel. As one article reports:

“Parents in the East End of Glasgow were shocked to be asked about their sex lives, so that their pre-school children would get ‘gay-friendly’ lessons…The aim of the Platform charity’s questionnaire, was to help “monitor the degree to which our programmes are gay-friendly.”

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About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.

Resources for Gender Identity Issues

People struggling with unwanted same-sex attractions and gender identity issues might often feel alone, like there is no one that can help. But, there is a number of resources that exist for a person in this position. A recent post from Citizenlink.com highlights those resources and we wanted to pass them along to you as well. Below you will find a list of the organizations that specialize in offering counseling and support to those dealing with unwanted same-sex attractions and gender identity issues.

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About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.

Here’s Why We Are Labeled a “Hate Group”

by Nathan A. Cherry, 08/23/2012

Tony Perkins

FRC president Tony Perkins comments after the shooting at the FRC headquarters.

It has been reported that the shooting at Family Research Council (FRC) last week is the logical result of groups like the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) labeling FRC a “hate group.” This assertion carried a certain amount of weight as the group is renowned for labeling anyone that opposes their ideology as a “hate group.” What any rational person is trying to figure out is why is SPLC lumping groups like FRC with white supremacist groups? Because, in case you didn’t know, SPLC “specializes” in following and exposing racist white supremacist groups. But do Tony Perkins and FRC really constitute a “hate group” in the same vein as these dubious groups?

Daniel Horowitz wonders the same thing is his recent article for Red State:

“[T]hey use their reputation as the authority on white supremacist groups as a front to assail legitimate conservative policy organizations by seamlessly lumping them in with white supremacists and labeling them as hate groups…In 2010, SPLC labeled the Family Research Council as a hate group and listed them together with no-name neo-Nazi groups on their site.”

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About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.

Boys Wearing Dresses and Pan-Sexuals. Are We Confused?

by Nathan A. Cherry, 08/16/2012

confusedThe issue of gender identity is inextricably linked to sexuality and marriage. The debate over the definition of marriage will be irreversibly affected if changed, and you can bet that those advocating for gender identity recognition will play a role in the outcome. You see, it used to be that there were heterosexual men and women, and homosexual men and women; oh for the days of simplicity.

Those days are long gone. We now have bi-sexuals, trans-sexuals, transgender, flexi-sexuals, and even pan-sexuals!

You, like me, might be wondering what a pan-sexual is. According to a recent story at TheBlaze.com, a Texas politician has “come out” as the first pan-sexual, which she describes as:

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About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.

3 Year Old Diagnosed with “Gender Identity Disorder”

by Nathan A. Cherry, 03/06/2012

Zach AveryMartinsburg, WV – I’m going to go out on a limb here. In fact, I just might be called a host of not-so-nice names for what I’m going to say. But this is a heartfelt belief that I have a feeling I’m not alone in holding to, I just happen to have an avenue of expression many don’t have. So, here goes…

I don’t believe for one second that a child of five, eight or 10 years old can be “confused” about his/her gender without outside influence and near-indoctrination from others.

Maybe you’re shaking your head in agreement right now. And maybe you’re surfing the net trying to find my phone number to “give me a piece of your mind.” (By the way, I screen my calls.)

The idea that a five year old boy has the capability to be confused about his gender and believe he is a girl trapped in a woman’s body is ludicrous. The fact that Zach Avery is only five and has been living as a girl for more than a year is more ludicrous. How is it possible – without outside influence – for a three year old boy to independently decide he is a girl trapped in a boy’s body?

What’s worse is that children like Zach are being affirmed in their decision by parents and medical professionals who have determined Zach and others like him have Gender Identity Disorder (GID). Wait, are they allowed to call it a disorder? Isn’t that some sort of backhanded discrimination? Moving on.

The parents of this little boy report that at three years old their son told them he was a girl and became obsessed with “girly” things, dressing like a girl, and being referred to as a girl. They also report that he would become upset if anyone called him a boy and he even tried to cut off his own genitals in order to be a girl. Now, I’m no medical professional but this like a serious mental issue needing psychiatric care. We don’t affirm and accept teenagers that indulge in “cutting,” so why allow a three or four year old to display such behavior without seeking mental health treatment?

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About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.

Your Kids May Be Learning THIS in School Soon

by Nathan A. Cherry, 01/17/2012

gender confusion?Martinsburg, WV – Earlier I wrote an article commenting on an author’s recent query of “What more do these people want?” It references the battle taking place in New York between a state worker’s religious convictions and a lesbian couple wanting to get married. It is without a doubt a key religious freedom case to be watched closely (and I will do my best to do just that). But the author’s question is valid, and one I believe many people are beginning to ask.

The answer might be hard to swallow.

A recent article from California might hold to the answer to the “what’s next?” question and it doesn’t paint a pretty picture. It seems a major California teacher’s union is beginning to push its members toward promoting and advocating “gender liberation” in the public schools.

Robert Tyler of the California based law firm Advocates for Faith and Freedom, explains just what this means:

“In other words…‘gender liberation’ means, male-female distinctions must be eliminated in order to ‘liberate’ children from unnecessary ‘stereotypes.’  This is not a movement seeking ‘equal rights,’ but a movement seeking to obliterate our God-given distinctions between male and female.”

Believing that gender neutrality is ideal for society these groups will seek to eradicate gender lines and “stereotypes” by teaching “gender liberation” to kids in elementary schools. And just as California has made sex-education courses mandatory, regardless of parental objections, they will no doubt seek to make “gender liberation” classes mandatory as well. In other words, they will have unfettered access to children’s developing minds over and beyond parental objections.

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About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.