Religious Freedom: Limited or Eliminating? – Mr. Doug Napier, Esq. on Engaging the Issues


It seems that the defense of religious freedom has shifted in recent decades. While America still value religious freedom, consistent vigilance is needed to ensure its defense.

One this episode of Engaging the Issues, Senior Vice President of Legal for Alliance Defending Freedom, Doug Napier, explains just how efforts to defend religious freedom have changed over the years and why we must must continue its defense.

Click here to listen now . . .

About Jeremy Dys

Jeremy Dys is the FPCWV's President and General Counsel. In addition to his duties of providing strategic vision and leadership to the FPCWV, Dys is the chief lobbyist and spokesman. Dys is regularly featured in local, state, and national print, radio, and television outlets. He lives close to Charleston with his wife and growing family.

Paul Ryan: Obama Second Term Threatens Religious Freedom

Anyone that’s been paying attention knows that Obama has attacked religious freedom in more ways than any other president. From his HHS mandate forcing Christians to violate their religious convictions, to his all-out assault on marriage and family. Obama has made it clear that his idea of “Christian values” and “religious freedom” conflicts with most Americans’ view. Paul Ryan, in a recent telephone conference with thousands of social leaders and citizens said that an Obama second term poses a serious threat to religious liberty: “It’s a path that grows government, restricts freedom and liberty, and compromises those values, those Judeo-Christian, western civilization values that made us such a great an exceptional nation in the first place.” As the nation prepares to vote today, it is imperative for Christians to consider what the Bible says about life, marriage, and the ability to live by the tenets of one’s faith before casting our vote. 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.

More Companies Suing Obama for HHS Mandate Violations on Religious Freedom

Yet another company is suing the Obama administration for his HHS mandate which violates the religious freedom of millions of Americans. A recent Alliance Defending Freedom article states: “An Indiana-based vehicle lighting manufacturer is the latest company to challenge the Obama administration’s abortion pill mandate in court. Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys and allied attorneys filed a federal lawsuit Monday on behalf of Grote Industries against the mandate…’Americans should be free to honor God at work, at home, and at church. They have the God-given freedom to live and do business according to their faith. Forcing them to surrender their faith in order to earn a living is unprecedented, unnecessary, and unconstitutional. The administration’s attacks on faith and business prove that it doesn’t respect either one.’” The list of companies suing Obama is growing, it now includes Hercules Industries, Hobby Lobby, Tyndale House Publishers, The Seneca Hardwood Lumber Company, and a number of Colleges and Universities nationwide. 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.

Breaking: 2nd Business Granted Injunction Against Obama HHS Mandate

You will recall that back in July a federal judge issued the first ever injunction against Obama’s unconstitutional HHS mandate which forces employers to pay for and provide contraception, sterilization, abortifacients, and abortions in their health insurance premiums; even if it violates their religious convictions. Since that time many others have begun filing lawsuits against the Obama Administration and his HHS mandate. As LifeNews.com reportsFederal District Court Judge Robert H. Cleland of the Eastern District of Michigan issued an opinion yesterday evening granting a motion for Preliminary Injunction that effectively halts enforcement of the HHS mandate against Plaintiffs Weingartz Supply Company and its owner and president, Daniel Weingartz…The Thomas More Law Center, a pro-life legal group, won the victory for the business and Erin Mersino, TMLC’s lead counsel on the case who presented the oral argument, told LifeNews: “The federal court has found that our clients have a likelihood of success and would be irreparably harmed by the unconstitutional overreaching of the HHS mandate.  This is not only a victory for our clients, but for religious freedom.” This is very good news for defenders of religious freedom and those that believe the HHS mandate violates religious freedom. 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.

Americans United Resorts to Name-Calling Over Anti-Bullying “Yardstick”

The Alliance Defending Freedom recently released the results of a joint-project with Focus on the Family called the “Anti-Bullying Policy Yardstick.” This tool was designed to help school officials measure their anti-bullying laws to ensure they are both robust enough and protect religious and first amendment rights of students. Seems like a good idea. Except Americans United (AU) doesn’t like it and took ADF to task in a scathing blog criticizing the measure. A recent article states: “AU’s post also includes a quote from its Senior Policy Analyst Rob Boston stating that schools adopting The Yardstick’s recommendations will ‘give budding fundamentalist bigots license to harass anyone they want.’ Apparently, AU does not see the irony of resorting to name calling and stereotyping while complaining about our position on anti-bullying policies.” 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.

Obama and His “Conservative” Health Care Speech

ObamaThe Obama administration doesn’t think it’s “conservative” for a government to tell women what health care choices she should make. Neither do I. For that matter I don’t know many conservatives that believe the government should be telling women what kind of health care choices she should be making. But the difference between me and the president is that I don’t think the government should be paying for contraception, or telling employers what they have to provide in their health insurance plans.

President Obama, in this video, accuses Mitt Romney, Republicans, and conservatives of wanting to tell women what health care choices they should be making. He speaks of contraception, mammograms, and other noble sounding things in an effort to paint his opposition as “extreme.”

He goes on to say that a boss should not be able to control the care a woman gets by refusing to offer contraception in their insurance plans. Because, as he is quick to say, a woman should be the one controlling the care she gets and no one else.

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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.

Paul Ryan Says Romney Administration Will Protect Religious Freedom

In a new campaign ad, Paul Ryan says religious freedom will be a “cornerstone” of a Romney/Ryan administration. Ryan asserts that Obama has attacked religious people, organizations, and charities, but that religious freedom is one of our nation’s first freedoms and needs to be vigorously defended. 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.

Engaging Weekend: The 20 Biggest Issues in 2012 Election, ObamaCare Heading Back to Supreme Court, Candidates and Their Religious Freedom Scorecard

Engaging Weekend

Engaging Weekend is a collection of articles you might have missed over the weekend. But we thought they were important and wanted to make sure you had a chance to read them.

THESE ARE THE 20 BIGGEST ISSUES AT STAKE IN THE 2012 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION — AND WHY THEY MATTER

I believe this election could be the most critical my generation has ever known. What is at stake is no less than the foundation and direction of our country. This article explores the top 20 most critical issues at stake in the election and where the candidates stand on each issue. At the very top of the list is abortion, and the difference could not be more contrasting as pro-life challenger Mitt Romney seeks to defeat the most pro-abortion president in our nation’s history. I can think of no issue more critical to the ultimate direction of our country than this, and it is imperative that we defend life for the most vulnerable among us. Other issues listed here are critical biblical moral issues, some are not, but combined they paint a picture of where our country is headed. Click here for original article.

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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.

Answer This Question: Is America a Christian Nation?

question markHow do you answer this question: Is America a “Christian” nation? Your answer to this question is more telling than you might realize. It not only says a lot about you as a person, including what your religious views might be, it also says a lot about your understanding of the founding of our country and how you understand the founding documents.

The answer to this seemingly simple question is also one of the most controversial among current topics being discussed. Many liberals have come forward in recent years to declare our founders agnostics, atheists, and having never intended to build a nation guided by Biblical principles. Conservative historians, such as David Barton roundly refute such claims and endeavor to continue presenting a picture of our founders that seems more consistent with their original intentions, writings, and personal convictions.

Some, like atheist millionaire Todd Stiefel, desire a completely secular political atmosphere where religion plays no part in governing, or even in the candidates’ lives. Stiefel believes candidates running for office should not use their faith as a tool to gain voters, but if they do it just shows how gullible people can be. He said in a recent interview:

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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.

Sissonville WV High School Told to Stop Pre-Game Prayers (Take Action)

Sissonville HS

Sissonville High School students gather for prayer before their football game Friday night.

For those that continue to ignore the warning signs of religious freedom being attacked right here in West Virginia, the following incident will be eye opening. For those that have seen this coming, it is troubling to know how easily our school officials will cave to empty threats and pressure from outside groups with no more influence and power than a rock. But such is the case when people don’t know their rights under the Constitution.

Sissonville High School has a tradition of pre-game prayers for the safety of their players and players from the opposing team. It’s a tradition no one questioned or had a problem with because, as one parent said “This is who we are.” Unfortunately, one parent complained to the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF) about the school prayers and that was all it took to have a letter sent from the FFRF to school Superintendent Ron Duerring.

After reading the letter Duerring told school Principal Ron Reedy that any and all prayers must stop immediately.

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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.