Up next on FOT: Iowa becomes Ground Zero on First Amendment freedoms

Tuesday we are turning our attention to two nation-wide stories that emanate from right here

Casey Mattox

in Central Iowa. The first is the Iowa State University speech code and the second is the effort by the Iowa Civil Rights Commission to dictate to Iowa churches just what can and cannot be said during their services. Both subjects have generated federal lawsuits and Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is involved in both.

Joining us Tuesday will be Senior ADF Counsel Casey Mattox. Below is a blog post by Alan Sears, president and CEO of ADF about both cases.

So join Deacon Mike Manno, co-host Gina Noll and Casey Mattox for a lively discussion of these and other stories of interest to people of faith. Faith On Trial is aired every Tuesday at 9 a.m. (Central) and 9 p.m. on Iowa Catholic Radio 1150 AM; 88.5 & 94.5 FM and streaming on IowaCatholicRadio.com where you can find podcasts of earlier programs.

Faith on Trial is on the air courtesy of our underwriters and sponsors: Attorney Rick McConville, Coppola, McConville, Coppola, Carroll, Hockenberg & Scalise PC 2100 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines, 515-453-1055; and Confluence Brewing Company – off the Bike Trail just south of Grey’s Lake, 1235 Thomas Beck Road where there is live entertainment in the tap room every Thursday.

Alan Sears’ post (Posted Oct. 21) is below: 

Sometimes, the events in just one state offer a pretty clear microcosm of what’s happening all over the country. Right now, Iowa is Exhibit A for what is fast becoming a nationwide contempt in our courts for the First Amendment of our constitution. 

Assault on Freedom of Speech

A

Alan Sears

t Iowa State University, Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys have filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of Robert Dunn, a student at Iowa State University, who is challenging the school’s draconian speech code. University officials are openly warning students that “engaging in First Amendment-protected speech activities” may be punished as “harassment,” and telling them that if they fail to embrace that singular interpretation of the constitution, they may be prohibited from graduating.

Dunn is a Christian and the president and founder of the politically conservative student group ISU Young Americans for Freedom, the campus chapter of the national Young America’s Foundation. Last month, he received an e-mail from the university requiring a new online training program on “the university’s non-discrimination policies and procedures.” The 118-slide course doesn’t acknowledge any free speech rights for students, and  requires each student to certify that he has “read, understood, and will comply with” the university’s speech policies.

The policies, as outlined, “may cover those activities which, although not severe, persistent, or pervasive enough to meet the legal definition of harassment, are unacceptable …” What’s more, officials say, even “First Amendment-protected speech activities” may constitute harassment “depending on the circumstances,” including whether other students believe the speech is not “legitimate,” not “necessary,” or lacks a “constructive purpose.”

The policies define “harassment” as, among other vague things, any student expression that may “annoy or alarm another.” Iowa State officials have warned that opposing same-sex marriage, for instance, could be deemed a violation of the harassment policies.

“No university policy can trump the First Amendment,” points out ADF Senior Counsel Casey Mattox, who says Iowa State is setting up itself and other students – rather than the constitution –  as the arbiters of what speech is and is not protected. “These are anti-speech policies masquerading as ‘harassment’ policies,” he says, calling the policies unworthy of an institution of higher education, “especially when Iowa State – a taxpayer-funded entity – demands that students agree to them under threat of withholding the ability to graduate.”

These threats to freedom on campus affect the rest of us as surely as they do the students themselves. Students who’ve been taught that their First Amendment rights are somehow gifts from the government, to be granted or taken away at that government’s whim, may take those impressions with them when they graduate and assume their own careers in our schools, courts, and legislatures. That’s how misconceptions become popular misconceptions. 

Assault On Religious Freedom

Some Iowa state officials are no fonder of the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment, as members of the state’s Civil Rights Commission are moving to censor church statements on biblical sexuality and forcing congregations to open their restroom and showers to members of both sexes and all gender identifications.

Those officials asked a federal district court to dismiss a lawsuit filed by ADF attorneys on behalf of several Iowa pastors and churches; last week, the court declined to do so. The court’s ruling states that the church’s “fear of prosecution …is objectively reasonable,” since churches have never been public accommodations subject to government regulation, and state officials have no business trying to decide which church activities are religious and which ones aren’t.

“The government acts outside of its authority when it attempts to control churches. Neither the commission nor any state law has the constitutional authority to dictate how any church uses its facility, or what public statements a church can make concerning sexuality,” says ADF Senior Counsel Steve O’Ban, who argued before the court on behalf of the church. “As the court found, government bureaucrats don’t get to decide which church activities have a religious purpose; that’s for the church to decide.”

The court’s ruling is crucial, as the lawsuit goes forward, because other states (especially Massachusetts) are watching this case as they move to enforce their own encroachments on church autonomy and religious freedom.

As Americans and as people of faith, so blessed for so long with the protections afforded to us by a remarkable constitution, we are all tempted to put too much faith in inertia – why would a country that has for 240 years moved in one clear direction suddenly swerve off into another?

But today, other hands are grappling for the wheel – and if we don’t keep a firm grip (through our prayers, through our votes, through our willingness to fight in the courtroom for our constitutionally protected rights), the nation we love and the heritage we cherish will skid out of control in new, profoundly dangerous directions.

What’s happening in Iowa isn’t a fluke or an exception – just among the most high-profile examples of the moment of this growing assault on our most cherished freedoms. Please be in prayer for our ADF attorneys and allies, and for the courageous clients in Iowa and elsewhere who are standing in defense of the truths we hold dear. 

Alan Sears, President, CEO, and General Counsel of Alliance Defending Freedom

Alan Sears leads ADF efforts through a comprehensive legal strategy that includes training, funding, and legal advocacy that have resulted in various important roles in 49 victories at the U.S. Supreme Court and three out of four cases.

Federal appeals court scheduled to hear case involving censorship of Christian public school teacher

On October 25th, Robert Muise, Senior Counsel at the American Freedom Law Center (AFLC), will present oral argument before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, which is located in New York City, on behalf of Joelle Silver, a public school teacher and devout Christian who was forced by Cheektowaga (Buffalo) Central School District officials to censor her personal speech and remove all religious content from her classroom under threat of being fired.

Muise commented,

“Public school officials restricted Ms. Silver’s personal, non-curricular speech and effectively ordered her to cease being a Christian while she is on school property in direct violation of the First Amendment and the equal protection guarantee of the Fourteenth Amendment.  We are seeking a reversal of the district court’s order dismissing this lawsuit—an order that is dripping with hostility to religion.”

The lower court dismissed Silver’s claims, holding that the School District’s discrimination was justified because school officials feared that by allowing the personal speech, it could run afoul of the Establishment Clause, particularly in light of the fact that school officials received a threatening letter from the Freedom from Religion Foundation complaining about Silver.

On June 22, 2012, Silver, who has taught in the School District for many years, received a “counseling letter” from school officials in which she was ordered to remove all religious items from her classroom, including, among other things, a small poster stating: “Be on guard.  Stand true to what you believe.  Be courageous.  Be strong.  And everything you do must be done in love. 1 Corinthians 16:13-4.”

Ironically, the School District also directed Silver to remove a small posted quote from President Ronald Reagan that states: “Without God there is no virtue because there is no prompting of the conscience . . . without God there is a coarsening of the society; without God democracy will not and cannot long endure . . .  If ever we forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a Nation gone under.”

The School District further ordered Silver to remove small, personal “sticky notes” that contained inspirational Bible quotes and religious messages that she discreetly affixed to the back of her desk.  To add further insult, the School District informed Silver that if she needed “to occasionally glance at inspirational Bible verses between classes during the course of the day,” then she should “keep such material in a discreet folder that only [she] will have access to” and only “so long as [she took] precautions not to share it or disclose its content to [her] students or their parents or guardians,” thereby treating Silver’s Bible quotes as if they were a form of obscenity.

In addition, the School District ordered Silver “to refrain from all other forms of communication with students during the school day (whether verbal, email, texting, written, etc.) that would conflict with [her] duty to show complete neutrality toward religion and to refrain from promoting religion or entangling [herself] in religious matters.”

According to the “counseling letter,” which was signed by the superintendent, failure to follow any of the directions would lead to “serious disciplinary consequences, including the termination of [her] employment.”

David Yerushalmi, AFLC Co-Founder and Senior Counsel, commented:

“To assert that the School District was justified in ordering Ms. Silver to remove small, sticky notes containing handwritten, inspirational Bible verses that she attached to the back of her desk for fear that these small, personal notes would violate the Establishment Clause, as the School District argued and the lower court found, is simply absurd.  Indeed, this case should remove any lingering doubts as to whether our government, including the judiciary, is hostile to religion.”

The argument is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on October 25, 2016, at the Thurgood Marshall U.S. Courthouse, 40 Foley Square, New York, NY, 10007, 17th Floor, Room 1703.  The media and public are welcome to attend.

Alinsky film producers are this week’s guests on FOT

The past few weeks, Facebook and other social media were abuzz over the new film about socialist community organizer Saul Alinsky, A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing (trailer below), which appeared on EWTN. The film outlines Alinsky’s career and how he and his followers have crafted political organizations that have succeeded in infiltrating the Church as well as the body politic and how those organizations have affected these institutions.


According to The Free Republic, the film answers the following: “Why is political discourse so bad right now? How have Christian beliefs, particularly Catholic beliefs, and those who hold them come to be reviled by so many in the secular culture? Where did political correctness, gender conflict, gender confusion — and so many other aspects of the Culture of Death — come from?” (Read the entire review here.)


(The film is now available for sale digitally for $14.99 and rental for $4.99 USD at http://alinskyfilm.com. Stream the film wherever you go, watch it on TV via the Vimeo app on iOS, Apple TV, Roku, and Chromecast, mobile, or tablet. Download DRM-free SD, HD mobile files and watch the film anywhere and anytime. #alinskyfilm)


Tuesday, the producers of the film, Richard and Stephen Payne of Arcadia Films, will join Deacon Mike Manno and Stephanie Crowley to discuss the film and the message it delivers. So join Deacon Mike and Stephanie (sitting in for Gina Noll) for an interesting discussion at 9 a.m. (central) on Iowa Catholic Radio 1150 AM; 88.5 & 94.5 FM, and streaming on IowaCatholicRadio.com. The program will be rebroadcast at 9 p.m. and can be heard on the Iowa Catholic Radio App which can easily be downloaded to your device. Additionally, past programs, including our September 20, 2016 program with Stephanie Block, a consultant and contributor to the film, and our September 13, 2016 program with Lisa Bourne of LifeSiteNews on the influence of socialist George Soros and how it mirrors the Alinsky model at our web page here.


That’s Tuesday at 9 & 9; on the internet or via app. Don’t miss this program.


Faith On Trial is on the air courtesy of our loyal sponsors and underwriters: AttorneyRick McConville, Coppola, McConville, Coppola, Carroll, Hockenberg & Scalise PC 2100 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines, 515-453-1055; and Confluence Brewing Company – off the Bike Trail just south of Grey’s Lake, 1235 Thomas Beck Road where there is live entertainment in the tap room every Thursday.

            

Religious schools and educators ask Supreme Court to protect First Amendment rights in transgender debate

Eight religious colleges, societies, and professors file amicus brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case of Gloucester County School Board v. G.G. 

Washington, DC – First Liberty Institute filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday on behalf of religious educational institutions and educators, asking the Court to review the case of Gloucester County School Board v. G.G. Religious educators believe the outcome of this case will determine the future of religious freedom for faith-based schools and colleges nationwide.

Read the brief 

On Jan. 7, 2015, a mid-level official at the U.S. Department of Education sent an informal, private letter to a transgender high school student in the Gloucester County School District. The letter said that because Title IX requires schools to offer equal-quality facilities to both sexes, schools must allow students to use the bathrooms and locker rooms of whichever sex they identify with, or else the school could lose its federal education dollars.

The issue was brought before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit where a sharply divided panel voted 2-1 that the unpublished letter has the force of law and should be applied to all schools in the nation. 

“No one has the authority to say that a letter written by an unelected government agent is now the law of the land,” Kelly Shackelford, President and CEO of First Liberty Institute, says. “Federal law says that at the very least, agencies must go through a process of public notice and comment to allow concerned citizens to weigh in.” 

As a result of the court ruling, faith-based schools could be stripped of their Title IX federal funding unless they adopt the new policies, even if the policies violate their religious beliefs.

Shackelford continues, “The First Amendment clearly protects the right of faith-based schools and educators to voice their concerns before the government strips away their benefits, and even then penalizing them for their faith would still be against the law.” 

The signatories on the brief include:

    

      ·      The Cardinal Newman Society

·      John Paul the Great Catholic University

·      Thomas Aquinas College

·      The Thomas More College of Liberal Arts

·      Wyoming Catholic College

·      Ignatius Angelicum Liberal Studies Program

·      Dr. Byron R. Johnson, Institute for Studies of Religion (ISR), Baylor University

·      National Catholic Bioethics Center 

“This yet another example of our government circumventing the Constitution, violating federal law, and stifling religious freedom,” Shackelford says. “We hope the Supreme Court will uphold the rights of these educators to participate in public debate regarding this sensitive issue.” 

Read the full brief at http://firstliberty.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/16-273-Gloucester-Cnty-Sch-Bd-v-GG-Amici-Brief-First-Liberty.pdf 

About First Liberty Institute 

First Liberty Institute is the largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious freedom for all Americans. 

Judgment entered against county sheriffs for violating Christians’ free speech

Today, a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan entered final judgment in favor of a group of Christian evangelists who were violently attacked by a hostile Muslim mob while preaching at the Arab Festival in Dearborn, Michigan in 2012. 

The case, Bible Believers v. Wayne County, was brought by the American Freedom Law Center on behalf of the Christians.  As a result of this judgment, Wayne County agreed to pay $197,500 in attorneys’ fees and costs.

This judgment brings to a conclusion the lengthy and hard fought litigation in this matter—litigation which included a full court (en banc) review by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

On October 28, 2015, a majority of the full court of the Sixth Circuit ruled in favor of the Christians.  The en banc court completely reversed a lower court decision which ruled in favor of Wayne County and officials from the County Sheriff’s Office who silenced the Christians’ speech in response to the hostile mob’s reaction.

In its decision, which was made final today by the entry of judgment in the district court, the Sixth Circuit ruled, among other things, that two Deputy Chief defendants from the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office were liable for violating the Christians’ First Amendment rights to free speech and the free exercise of religion and for depriving the Christians of the equal protection of the law.  The court ruled that these individual defendants did not enjoy qualified immunity.

This decision was a major victory for the Constitution and for all freedom-loving Americans.  It affirms that the First Amendment protects speech critical of Islam and that when the government seeks to suppress such speech by enforcing a heckler’s veto that favors the violent Muslim mob over the free speech rights of Christians, the government will pay dearly for this egregious violation.

In its opinion, the Sixth Circuit stated, in relevant part:

"The freedom to espouse sincerely held religious, political, or philosophical beliefs, especially in the face of hostile opposition, is too important to our democratic institution for it to be abridged simply due to the hostility of reactionary listeners who may be offended by a speaker’s message.  If the mere possibility of violence were allowed to dictate whether our views, when spoken aloud, are safeguarded by the Constitution, surely the myriad views that animate our discourse would be reduced to the standardization of ideas by the dominant political or community groups.  Democracy cannot survive such a deplorable result.”

In sum, this case is an example where the good form of "lawfare" succeeded in fighting on behalf of and for liberty.  It’s a case where the Constitution was upheld even when the full force of political correctness was operating against it.  Kudos to Judge Clay, the author of the Sixth Circuit's en banc opinion, and the majority of judges who joined him in this important decision.

Next week on FOT: The producers of the Alinskh movie "A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing"

The producers of the EWTN film “A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing” about the socialist community organizer Saul Alinsky will be next week’s guest on Faith On Trial. Check out the film at http://alinskyfilm.com/. Faith On Trial airs every Tuesday at 9 a.m. (central) on Iowa Catholic Radio 1150 AM; 88.5 & 94.5 FM and streaming on IowaCatholicRadio.com.

Christian school sues Florida high school athletic association over refusal to allow prayer over loudspeaker prior to football game

Tampa, Fla. – Cambridge Christian School today filed a federal lawsuit in Tampa against the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) for violating the school’s constitutional rights. Cambridge Christian says the FHSAA refused to allow the school to offer a prayer over the loudspeaker before the Division 2A state championship football game in December 2015.

Read the lawsuit here. 

In the lawsuit, Cambridge Christian seeks to bring the FHSAA’s existing policies in line with freedom of speech and free exercise of religion rights guaranteed by the U.S. and Florida Constitutions. 

“This is a case about the restriction of a Christian school’s private speech through a policy and practice that discriminates between religious and secular speech,” said Adam Foslid, an attorney at Greenberg Traurig, who along with attorney Eliot Pedrosa, is acting as counsel to the school. “The Constitution requires a government policy of neutrality toward private religious speech – one that neither endorses nor censors such speech.”  

“This is a clear case of governmental interference in a private school’s right to exercise its religious freedom,” said Jeremy Dys, Senior Counsel for First Liberty Institute, the largest legal organization in the U.S. dedicated exclusively to protecting the religious freedoms of all Americans. “Pre-game prayer is not only a long-standing tradition for Cambridge Christian; it is fundamental to its reason for being.” 

Tim Euler, head of Cambridge Christian, said prohibiting pre-game prayer sends the wrong message to his students. “By banning us from praying over the loudspeaker, the FHSAA told our students that prayer is something bad and should be forbidden,” Euler said. “We want our students to know that prayer is good and a fundamental constitutional right that should be defended.” 

Read more about the case at FirstLiberty.org/Cambridge  

About First Liberty Institute

First Liberty Institute is the largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious freedom for all Americans. 

What effect does the erosion of marriage have on poverty rates? Next FOT

Joining us Tuesday will be Rachel Sheffield, a policy analysist analyst in the DeVoss Center

Rachel Sheffield

for Religion & Civil Society at the Heritage Foundation on how the erosion of marriage is driving up poverty in the United States. Rachel’s work at the DeVoss Center focuses on welfare, marriage and family, and education. She writes regularly on the family, religion and civil society (http://blog.heritage.org/category/family-and-religion/) for The Foundry, Heritage’s policy blog, and also contributes to news and commentary sites such as The Daily Caller, Townhall.com and National Review Online.

Her work has been cited by The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Times, among other major media outlets. She appears regularly on radio programs across the country, and also speaks to student groups and audiences on Capitol Hill.

Join Deacon Mike Manno, Gina Noll and Rachel tomorrow at 9 a.m. (Central) on Iowa Catholic Radio 1150 AM; 88.5 & 94.5 FM; and streaming at IowaCatholcRadio.com where you can find a downloadable phone app and pod casts of our older programs, including last week’s program on Saul Alinsky and the previous week’s program on George Soros. The program will be re-broadcast at 9 p.m.

As usual we’ll have news and information of interest to people of faith as they try to navigate through today’s increasingly secular society.

Faith On Trial is brought to you courtesy of our underwriters:  Attorney Rick McConville, Coppola, McConville, Coppola, Carroll, Hockenberg & Scalise PC 2100 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines, 515-453-1055; and Confluence Brewing Company – off the Bike Trail just south of Grey’s Lake, 1235 Thomas Beck Road where there is live entertainment in the tap room every Thursday.

Celebrating the Pro-Life Movement's first legislative victory: Life advocacy groups have opportunity to capitalize on Hyde Amendment's 40th anniversary

CHICAGO, Sept. 26, 2016 -- September 30, 2016 marks the 40th anniversary of the passage of the Hyde Amendment, widely acknowledged as the first legislative victory of the pro-life movement following the 1973 legalization of abortion in America. TC Public Relations is encouraging life advocacy groups to capitalize on this opportunity to build awareness and promote their organizations.

The Hyde Amendment is named after its chief sponsor, Republican Congressman Henry Hyde of Illinois. The late statesman, known for his eloquent and unwavering defense of life, successfully barred the use of certain federal funds to pay for abortion in most circumstances. Though it has taken various forms and has undergone modifications, to date the Hyde Amendment remains intact – although the 2016 Democratic platform includes an explicit call to repeal it.

Tom Ciesielka, president of TC Public Relations, noted, "The 40th Anniversary of the Hyde Amendment is one that pro-life groups will want to mark publicly for a number of reasons. First, it is a significant milestone, second it is an opportunity for life advocates to recognize an early success that has endured, and – with its first party-wide challenge by Democrats – the defense of the Hyde Amendment may prove crucial at this moment."

Ciesielka offers the following suggestions for pro-life groups to consider when observing the 40th anniversary of the Hyde Amendment:

• Host an informal Hyde-themed coffee, brunch, or dinner for your board members or core volunteers –take time over a meal to learn the impact of the Hyde Amendment and plan to advocate for its continuation. 
• Create a series of social media posts for the anniversary week:
  Educate about the Hyde Amendment and its impact (i.e., "Did you know the Hyde Amendment saves 300,000+ babies each year by placing restrictions on federal abortion funding?" or "Celebrate 40 years of the Hyde Amendment: restricting federal funding of abortion").
• 
  Cite quotes by Henry Hyde, such as, "This is a debate about our understanding of human dignity, what it means to be a member of the human family, even though tiny, powerless and unwanted." (Find more quotes at www.azquotes.com/author/29083-Henry_Hyde)       
• Submit an op-ed piece to a local media outlet marking the anniversary and explaining why your community is better because of it.
• Announce an annual Hyde Life Issues Essay Contest for children – granting awards for a selected piece within each academic range. 
• Gather outside an abortion clinic and sing spiritual songs, pray, and read aloud Henry Hyde's Plea to Override President Clinton's Veto of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban (taken from the Congressional Record, September 19, 1996) – text found here. 
• Add Henry Hyde's book, "Catch the Burning Flag: Speeches and Random Observations," to your staff's reading list and consider gifting a copy to a local library.  
• Pray for the defeat of any challenge to the Hyde Amendment, including the current Democratic Party platform push to repeal it.

"As pro-life advocates observe this milestone in the movement," added Ciesielka, "It can be a time to look into their own organizational history and the surrounding community to find the landmarks and events worth recognizing in similar ways." Some possible benchmarks might include:

• The founding date of the organization or birthday of its original organizer 
• Anniversary of a group success (i.e., closing of a local abortion facility) 
• A somber recognition of a particularly heinous incident (i.e., a death via botched abortion) or an annual memorial for all local victims 
• Recognition of a particular accomplishment (largest protest, longest vigil, most churches represented) 
• Local events, practices, or traditions that celebrate life

                                    About TC Public Relations

TC Public Relations is a Chicago-based firm managing reputations for businesses and nonprofit organizations. President Tom Ciesielka and staff handle media relations, social media strategy, and crisis communications for clients that include attorneys, authors, churches, and social change advocates. Visit tcpr.net.

A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing: The Disguised Socialism of Saul Alinsky, An EWTN documentary – Next FOT

In 1971 Socialist community organizer Saul Alinsky wrote the book, Rules for Radicals, dedicated to Lucifer, as a how-to for Socialist community organizing. The influence of that book has influenced the thinking of many of today’s political leaders, including Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, as well as spawning left-wing organizations such as the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), Mid-Iowa Organizing Strategy (AMOS), and the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF), among others.

This week (Wednesday 9.m.; Thursday at noon; and Saturday at 5 p.m.) EWTN will broadcast a 60 minute docu-drama, A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing: The Disguised Socialism of Saul Alinisky, a profile of Alinsky’s influence on society in general and the Church in particular.

Joining us Tuesday for a discussion of Alinisky’s legacy will be Stephanie Block, author of several books on Alinsky, including Organizing the Culture of Death (link on the side), and the four-volume Change Agents: Alinskyian Organizing among Religious Bodies. Stephanie

Stephanie Block

served as consultant for the film and appears in it. She is also the author of the recent article on last week’s topic, “George Soros and Churches on the Same Page.” She is a Spero News Columnist and edits the New Mexico-based Los Pequeňos deCristo.

Stephanie is married and the mother of seven children, one of whom is a Catholic priest, and one daughter who is a Dominican, four are married and she has 19 grandchildren.

Join Deacon Mike Manno and Gina Noll Tuesday at 9 a.m. (Central) on Iowa Catholic Radio 1150 AM; 88.5 and 94.5 FM and streaming on IowaCatholicRadio.com for an interesting discussion of the Alinsky legacy. Not only will we have a discussion of the politics of Saul Alinsky, we’ll have a review of the film by our research associate Stephanie Crowley. The program will be re-broadcast at 9 p.m. and podcasts of earlier programs can be found here.

Faith On Trial is underwritten by our loyal sponsors: Attorney Rick McConville, Coppola, McConville, Coppola, Carroll, Hockenberg & Scalise PC 2100 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines, 515-453-1055; and Confluence Brewing Company – off the Bike Trail just south of Grey’s Lake, 1235 Thomas Beck Road where there is live entertainment in the tap room every Thursday.

Bishops reaffirm teaching on life in light of deceptive ad campaign

Bishop Richard Pates

Des Moines Bishop Richard Pates joined New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan and other bishops in affirming Catholic teaching that instructs life begins at conception and ends at natural death.

This affirmation makes clear Catholic Church teaching in light of a deceptive ad campaign, "Abortion in Good Faith," funded by a group that calls itself Catholics for Choice, which placed ads in major newspapers across the country Sept. 12.

 Their ad campaign contradicts Catholic Church teaching.

"The use of the word 'Catholic' used to promote the taking of innocent human life in the ad campaign is offensive not only to Catholics but to all who expect honesty and forthrightness in public discourse," said Cardinal Dolan, chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities. "CFC is not affiliated with the Catholic Church in any way. It has no membership and clearly does not speak for the faithful."

He referred to Pope Francis, who said this past summer, "Life must always be welcomed and protected...from conception to natural death. All of us are called to respect life and care for it."

"CFC's extreme ads promote abortion as if it were a social good," said Cardinal Dolan. "But abortion kills the most defenseless among us, harms women, and tears at the heart of families. Pushing for public funding would force all taxpaying Americans to be complicit in the violence of abortion and an industry that puts profit above the well-being of women and children."

"Abortion is often portrayed as a conflict between the needs of the pregnant woman and the unborn child. Yet we know that when we offer education, help and compassion to women facing crisis pregnancies, and the extensive availability of adoption, we can help her and protect the young and vulnerable life growing within her," said Bishop Pates. "It's not an either or, it's an opportunity to help both mother and child."

A bishop who proclaims ‘life really matters’ in the coming election

Bishop Joseph E. Strickland of Tyler, Texas responds to an ad by “Catholics for Choice” that was placed in a local newspaper:

Bishop Joseph E. Strickland

A full page ad placed in the San Antonio Express-News, the Houston Chronicle and the Dallas Morning News on Monday, September 12, by so-called “Catholics for Choice” attempted to mislead the public by claiming that they are a legitimate voice of the Catholic Church. I applaud my brother bishops in those dioceses who quickly and clearly disavowed this group and made it crystal clear that they do not speak for Catholics in any legitimate way.

Although I am thankful that this group did not deem the Tyler market to be one that was worth their effort, I still felt I should speak out.

The teaching of the Catholic Church regarding the sanctity of life in the womb is ancient and clear. Certainly not every Catholic embraces this truth as fully as I would hope. But it is truly absurd and diabolical for a group which embraces the pro-choice, pro-death agenda, and denies life to countless human beings simply because they haven’t yet been born, to attempt to co-opt the term Catholic. As a Catholic Bishop, I often find myself ranting at the television in response to the latest statement of a politician, actor or other public figure, but I must remind myself that ranting at the television does no good.

As the November election approaches, let us all reflect deeply on the ills of our society and how we can find our way back to the truth. I believe we must start with the basics. When we choose a candidate for whatever level of public office, we MUST inquire as to their stand with regard to the life of the unborn. Of course it is not the only question, but the questions don’t get more basic than that. Our vote is very often the only voice we have and we MUST VOTE NO to abortion, to the selling of the body parts of aborted children, to the further erosion of the moral teachings that flow from the Gospel and to all the threats to the Sanctity of Life that our society faces.

I am well aware that very often we are unable to find a candidate who upholds the Sanctity of Life in all of its dimensions, but I believe we must begin with the most basic issues. If a candidate for whatever office callously demands the slaughter of unborn children as a so-called right and vigorously supports organizations that profit from the multi-billion dollar abortion industry, then how can any other human right they may champion be truly meaningful?

Our beautiful Catholic faith, guided by the Holy Spirit teaches the world that human life begins at conception. In order to re-build our fractured human family, we must return to that precious beginning and stand tall for the Sanctity of Life. Let us pray that we may re-learn the beautiful truth that the conception of a child through the sexual union of a man and woman in Holy Matrimony is our most wondrous human act and that the child conceived is God’s most precious gift to the world.

Is George Soros trying to control the Catholic Church?

Lisa in Vatican Press room

LifeSiteNews has been reporting on the efforts of Billionaire Socialist George Soros to gain the support of the Catholic Church for his leftist political agenda.  In recent weeks LifeSite has reported how he has tried to use and abuse the Church to support his “progressive” policies, including world-wide abortion on demand, same-sex marriage, and other positions that are anathema to the Church in particular and most Christians in general.

One of LifeSite’s reporters, Lisa Bourne, who wrote about Soros’ attempt to bring down the Church (read it here), will join us Tuesday to discuss her findings and what affect this might have on the presidential election. Find out what is going on, and how it is being done so you can be armed with the facts from a Catholic perspective.

George Soros

Join Deacon Mike Manno, Gina Noll, and Lisa at 9 a.m. Tuesday for an interesting discussion of where faith and politics intersect this year, and other issues of importance to people of faith, on Iowa Catholic Radio 1150 AM; 88.5 & 94.5 FM; and streaming on IowaCatholicRadio.com.  The program will be re-broadcast at 9 p.m. Podcasts of earlier programs can be found here.

Faith On Trial is sponsored by our loyal underwriters: Attorney Rick McConville, Coppola, McConville, Coppola, Carroll, Hockenberg & Scalise PC 2100 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines, 515-453-1055; and Confluence Brewing Company – off the Bike Trail just south of Grey’s Lake, 1235 Thomas Beck Road where there is live entertainment in the tap room every Thursday.

State to squelch undercover reporting

Posted on Sep 9th 2016 in Advocates in Action Blog

In the wake of last year’s release of undercover videos depicting Planned Parenthood officials brokering in baby parts (including custom orders for specific parts), at least six states have yanked public funding for the nation’s largest abortion mill.

California’s response? Punish the messenger.

Despite existing laws banning recordings without the permission of all parties, Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez (D-Los Angeles) has introduced AB 1671, which provides additional protections for healthcare providers by making it illegal to distribute videos or transcripts of private conversations on any medical-related topic, not just a patient’s medical history. That means investigative reporters and researchers would be stripped of a vital tool in depicting unethical or illegal behavior such as billing practices and price setting for pharmaceuticals, to name a few.

The bill, which is now on its way to Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk, is opposed by the media outlets across the state, including the Los Angeles Times, which said that it would “disincentivize potential whistleblowers from recording malfeasance when they witness it.”

It is interesting to note that the left never seems to complain about such undercover recordings when it comes to disclosing the treatment of cows, pigs and chickens during the manufacturing process, but the gruesome treatment of babies is off limits.

To read more about this bill, click here.

Hillary Clinton FBI notes

FBI notes on Hillary Clinton interview – For those of you wondering what was in the recently released report and notes on the FBI’s interview with Hillary Clinton, here is the government site where they can be read https://vault.fbi.gov/hillary-r.-clinton