On Monday, the Supreme Court vacated a decision regarding a 2013 case of a Christian couple in Oregon who owned a bakery and refused to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding.
The matter was taken to a state agency who fined the bakery owners $135,000. It was said that the owners illegally discriminated based on sexual orientation. An Oregon appeals court upheld the ruling. (more…)
Two Virginia politicians have faced backlash this week regarding statements they made on abortion. What we’re going to do this evening is look at those comments and some of the recent news in state abortion laws.
The Commonwealth of Virginia had proposed a law that would have expanded abortion parameters. The bill failed, but many were shocked by the cold manner with which bill sponsor Kathy Tran discussed the allowances under her law, if passed. (more…)
Alabama, Oregon, West Virginia.
All three states had state ballot issues related to abortion. The ballot issue narrowly passed in West Virginia, soundly passed in Alabama and was soundly defeated in Oregon.
The Alabama and West Virginia amendments both included the phrase: “Nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion.”
Based on the new state constitutional amendments, if Roe v Wade were overturned by the Supreme Court, there would not be a right within those states to have an abortion. The new law also potentially enables state legislatures more freedom in passing laws that help preserve the life and rights of the unborn.
These two amendments are based off of another pro life amendment that Tennessee passed in 2014. Writing for the Huffington Post, Marina Fang argues that these laws “would likely face legal action and would be unenforceable because Roe v. Wade ensures a woman’s right to an abortion.” She goes on to mention that it’s possible that Roe would be overturned.
But even if it’s not overturned, it’s also not a foregone conclusion that these laws would be judged as unconstitutional. Last month, the Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to the Tennessee amendment.
The West Virginia and Alabama laws also are set to eliminate funding for abortions.
In recent years, several states have been active in proposing legislation and constitutional amendments that protect the rights of the unborn.
These are big wins for the pro life movement and for the rights of the unborn. Many lives will be saved as a result of these new laws. It is important that other states pick up the baton and keep fighting for the rights of the unborn. When states fill to pass amendments, as was the case with Oregon, people need to keep fighting.
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Josh Benner is the associate pastor at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church in Fergus Falls, Minnesota and has a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He enjoys writing about faith and culture. He lives with his wife Kari in Minnesota.
I was listening to the BreakPoint podcast today and they told the story of an Oregon couple who was just sentenced to six years in prison for the death of their daughter, Ginnifer.
The baby was prematurely born at 32 weeks and died several hours later of complications which were treatable. The parents are members of a Pentecostal church that relies on praying and faith healing and did not seek medical attention.
This is truly tragic. This little girl should be alive today. The parents were rightly prosecuted and that they acted immorally and inappropriately.
In the BreakPoint commentary, John Stonestreet sums up the frustration well:
Now let me be clear, the Mitchells were rightly prosecuted for allowing their baby girl to die, even though they prayed for her to live. But had they wanted to kill Ginnifer, they could have driven to the nearest abortion clinic an hour before her birth—and get this—the state of Oregon would have paid for it.
This is the issue. Ginnifer was born March 5, 2017. Her parents could have had her aborted earlier in that day. As Stonestreet points out, it would have been paid for by the state and would have been perfectly legal.
Why do babies so often have no rights until they’re born?
The hypocrisy and irrationality of these standards carries over into states that have feticide laws (laws in regards to legal recourse when a person’s actions result in the death of a fetus). 38 states recognize situations where a fetus is killed as homicide (unless it’s aborted and then it’s legally allowed).
Josh Benner is the associate pastor at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church in Fergus Falls, Minnesota and has a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He enjoys writing about faith and culture. He lives with his wife Kari in Minnesota.
I was pretty confident that Ohio State was going to beat Alabama. To me, Oregon is much more of a toss up. But I look at the Bucks and I can’t count them out. This team is special. They have great chemistry. Guys have stepped up when they’ve needed to. (more…)
