WASHINGTON UPDATE 05/22/2015

May 22, 2015 | Permalink Pomp and Circuit Stance Under this administration, sexual freedom isn't just treated like a religion -- it gets more protection than one. In case after case, the freedom of faithful people and organizations is being crushed by this "conform or else" mentality that demands religious people's beliefs take a backseat to the Left's. This continues to play out in an epic battle of the courts, where faith-based groups are fighting for the same relief that companies like Hobby Lobby won: an exemption from the ObamaCare mandate -- which is the demand, by the government, that they fund contraception that can end a pregnancy. Like the nuns at Little Sisters of the Poor, Priests for Life and the Catholic Archbishop of D.C. are all desperately trying to wriggle free of the government's suffocating grip and win back the right to opt out of providing coverage that violates their faith. Those hopes were dashed -- at least temporarily -- at the D.C. Court of Appeals yesterday, when the judges decided not to rehear the case before the whole bench, leaving in place a horrible ruling that ignores the groups' most fundamental freedom. After years of legal wrangling over the HHS mandate, the Supreme Court's landmark opinion in the Hobby Lobby-Conestoga Wood case was supposed to settle the matter. Now, two years later, the courts still haven't extended the same protection to religious nonprofits that it has to for-profit companies. At question is yesterday's case with the accounting gimmick designed by the Obama administration to accommodate religious organizations by driving the abortion coverage through a third party. Like the Seventh Circuit Court on Tuesday, which ruled that birth control was more of a "compelling state interest" than religious liberty, the D.C. court rationalized that this "compromise" somehow relieved the burden from faith-based groups, even though they are still facilitating the transactions. Judge Janice Rogers Brown cut through the nonsense in a powerful dissent that blasts her colleagues for elevating themselves above the First Amendment. "Viewed objectively," she writes, "the Plaintiffs' belief that the acts the regulations compel them to perform would facilitate access to contraception in a manner that violates the teachings of their Church may 'seem incredible, if not preposterous,' to some people. However, this Court is neither qualified nor authorized to so scrutinize any religious belief. The panel trespassed into an area of inquiry Supreme Court precedent forecloses??? Under the panel's analysis, it seems no claim of substantial burden may prevail where the religious significance of conduct under scripture as interpreted by a faith tradition differs from the legal significance of that conduct under the laws of the United States as interpreted by federal judges." The government, she explained, has taken over the role of the church -- imposing its own orthodoxy on the people. "Consequently, orthodoxy has been rehabilitated, and dissent from the government's determinations may be quelled through coercion -- onerous fines or banishment from commerce and the public square." In this case, as in others, the battle is less about birth control and more about the kind of protection we need from government and activist judges. Watchmen: Standing on the Wall and in the Gap "As in David's day, there was a giant shouting. So we shouted back and ran to the battle." That's how Dr. Steve Riggle, the latest recipient of our annual Watchmen on the Wall Award, described the response of Houston area pastors to the subpoenaing of their sermons and communications by the City of Houston. If Pastor Riggle is representative of the awakening taking place among American pastors, then giants everywhere should take notice. "The movement to turn the day is already set up because the people are already fed up... all we need is for pastors to take their prophetic place and like David, run to the battle." During the second day of our Watchmen on the Wall conference, hundreds of pastors were challenged to engage in the public square with a three-fold call to pray, preach, and partner. Senior Pastor of Times Square Church, Carter Conlon, challenged America's shepherds to join with people of faith and make prayer a priority. Pastor of Chicago's Moody Church, Dr. Erwin Lutzer, reminded the gathering that even as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego faced the fiery furnace of the king's wrath, so too must pastors be willing to preach the truth and submit themselves to God alone: "Life is short, eternity is long. Let us remain faithful to God no matter the cost." Banding together, Pastor Riggle said, is critical for pastors, because "every cause has a cost" and you'll need those who'll stand with you. Ministers were ministered to by Bishop Wellington Boone, and learned that even atheists need God to make their case from apologist Frank Turek. After receiving instruction on how to prepare their churches for the 2016 election, Bishop E.W. Jackson helped frame our engagement with a hurting culture in a rousing speech that had the audience up on their feet and clapping. "People think we're angry, but we're brokenhearted... it ought to make us weep that so many have hardened their hearts toward him." FRC's Executive Vice President, Lt. General Jerry Boykin, shared powerful lessons from the infantry, and after the shofar was blown, I closed the conference by praying the words of Ephesians 6 and commissioning the pastors to be watchmen on the walls in their community. To hear any of these powerful messages head over to the Watchmen Pastors website. You can support our work to equip pastors here. Josh Duggar's Resignation Yesterday, Josh Duggar made the decision to resign his position at FRC Action as a result of previously unknown information becoming public concerning events that occurred during his teenage years. Josh believes that the situation will make it difficult for him to be effective in his work here. I believe this is the best decision for Josh and his family at this time. I would ask you to join me in praying for everyone involved. Here is Josh's resignation letter: "I deeply regret that recent media reports about my long ago past has brought negative attention to FRC Action and its work to preserve and advance the interests of family, faith, and freedom in the political arena. FRC Action's mission to fortify the traditional foundations of civil society is more important now than ever before, and I'm heartbroken that any attention has been diverted from these noble causes to my wrong actions as a young teenager. I am so thankful for God's grace, forgiveness, and redemptive heart that allowed me to transform into a man of faith and testimony. In good faith, I cannot allow Family Research Council to be impacted by mistakes I made as a teenager, so I am resigning as Executive Director of FRC Action. I will continue to pray for the advancements of the causes we believe in, and I hope that in the days ahead you will pray for me and Anna as we seek God to discover the next chapter of our lives in His service." Tony Perkins' Washington Update is written with the aid of FRC senior writers.