Canadians prepare a major demonstration

Canadians prepare a major demonstration

A victory for religious freedom in Oregon

A victory for religious freedom in Oregon

VERBATIM:  The city of Brookings will pay 400,000 dollars in legal fees and has agreed to stop trying to restrict St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church from ministering to the homeless.  City officials had tried to limit the church to providing food and water to homeless people just two days of the week.  Pastor Bernie Lindley tells Oregon Public Broadcasting “It certainly didn’t have to come to this, but we had to stand up for our religious freedoms.”  MH SRN NEWS.

Evangelical leaders are praying for Donald Trump

Evangelical leaders are praying for Donald Trump

VERBATIM:  After TWO assasination attempts, the former president is the object of renewed petitions for safety.  Franklin Graham says “this is a strong reminder that we need to pray for this man.”  Pastor Greg Laurie of Harvest Fellowship says he was relieved to hear that Mr. Trump was unharmed, adding “We need a return to civility in our public discourse. Most importantly, America needs to turn back to God.”  Other leaders called for greater protection for the former president.  MH SRN NEWS.

Pornography is bad for your mental health

Pornography is bad for your mental health

VERBATIM:  A new poll from the Institute for Family Studies finds that young adults who view porn frequently are more likely to feel lonely and suffer from depression.  A control group of people who do NOT look at pornography had much better mental health.  A growing number of states are passing laws designed to keep children from accessing porn and getting hooked on it.  The major on-line pornographers, including PornHub, are fighting any and all restrictions in court.  MH SRN NEWS.

Pope Francis does it again

Pope Francis does it again

VERBATIM:  The pontiff has sparked outrage within and without the Catholic Church by stating that “all religions are a path to God” during his recent visit to Singapore.  Francis explained that the various different faiths are just different “languages to arrive at God.”  The pope has already stirred up trouble in the church with what many see as his embrace of homosexuality and gay marriage.  Both conservative Catholics and Protestant leaders are criticizing his latest comments.  MH SRN NEWS.

Maryland parents are going to the Supreme Court

Maryland parents are going to the Supreme Court

A new report on Christian schools and Planned Parenthood

A new report on Christian schools and Planned Parenthood

A Senator issues a warning

A Senator issues a warning

There’s not much for families to watch on popular streaming services

There’s not much for families to watch on popular streaming services

VERBATIM:  The Parents Television and Media Council has conducted a study and it reveals that the vast majority of programs produced by on-demand companies are aimed at mature audiences only.  Of all the original shows available to stream, more than 540 are rated Mature, versus less than 60 that are G-rated.  On Netflix, for example, 62% of programs are for mature audiences, six percent are PG rated and one percent are G-rated.  MH SRN NEWS.

Some bad news on giving

Some bad news on giving

VERBATIM:  According to data from Infinity Concepts and Grey Matter Research, Evangelical Christians are tithing less to churches these days.  The report says “The proportion of Evangelicals giving to a church fell from 74% to 61% over the last three years and the percentage who gave to a nonprofit or ministry outside of church fell from 58% to 50%.”  Meanwhile, the proportion who supported didn’t give anything went from 19% to 31%.  MH SRN NEWS.

Supreme Court justices in bulletproof vests

Supreme Court justices in bulletproof vests

A religious freedom battle in Michigan

A religious freedom battle in Michigan

VERBATIM:  Bethany Christian Services used to work for the state government helping resettle refugees.  But Michigan officials have killed all contracts with BCS because the ministry requires that employees abide by its statement of faith.   So BCS is going to court, releasing a statement that says “Federal law is clear, and the courts have repeatedly affirmed that nonprofit organizations like ours, can hire staff and select leaders who share the organization’s faith mission.”  MH SRN NEWS.

Religious Americans back Trump

Religious Americans back Trump

VERBATIM:  With Election Day looming, the Pew Research Center has released a new poll that indicates that a majority of both Protestants and Catholics are more inclined to vote for the former president than they are for Vice President Kamala Harris.  61% of Protestants are in the Trump camp, including 82% of White Evangelicals.  52% of Catholics support the Republican nominee including 61% of White Catholics.  Jewish people and atheist lean toward Harris.  Michael Harrington, SRN News.

TV shows are pushing abortion

TV shows are pushing abortion

VERBATIM:  As millions of voters in multiple states prepare to decide whether or not to enshrine the procedure in their constitutions this fall, Hollywood is churning out more and more shows that deal with abortion.  Episodes of several popular programs have featured abortion stories lately — and in each case a woman’s decision to terminate her pregnancy is portrayed as beneficial and praise-worthy.  At least 10 states have abortion votes scheduled for November.  MH SRN NEWS.

A California city fights back

A California city fights back

VERBATIM:  Huntington Beach says it will sue the state over a new law that bars teachers from informing parents if their child is living as the opposite sex in school.  Huntington Beach city attorney Michael Gates tells the Daily Signal that legal action is necessary because “the state has been overreaching beyond constitutional bounds for years, and it’s about time that somebody or someone stands up against it.  We are going to do everything in our power to our children.”  MH SRN NEWS

There’s a new study of church attendance

There’s a new study of church attendance

VERBATIM:  It might be summed up by saying “the more you go, the better you will feel.”  The report from the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion finds that attending worship services improves people’s mood — but only if they go regularly.  Those who only dark the door of the local church a couple of times a year don’t enjoy any improvement in their emotional wellbeing.  Sadly, other polls indicate that regular church attendance continues to decline in the U.S.  MH SRN NEWS

Abortion bans save lives

Abortion bans save lives

VERBATIM:  Officials in Indiana report that there are 98% fewer abortions taking place in the state now than before lawmakers passed a wide-ranging ban on the procedure.  During the second quarter of this year, there were only 27 abortions in Indiana — the lowest number since Roe versus Wade was decided in 1973.  This scenario is playing out in many states where bans or significant restrictions have been implemented since the Supreme Court overturned Roe in 2022.  MH SRN NEWS.

One Canadian province seeks to protect Christians

One Canadian province seeks to protect Christians

VERBATIM:  Lawmakers in Alberta are considering a measure that would guarantee that no healthcare worker or facility would be compelled to help someone take their own life.  Physician-assisted suicide is legal in Canada and every year more and more people take their own lives.  Christian doctors and nurses who don’t want to participate in a patient’s suicide run the risk of losing their job.  The Alberta legislature is expected to take up the bill sometime this fall.  MH SRN NEWS.

Another battle over transgenderism in the schools

Another battle over transgenderism in the schools

VERBATIM:  Parents of students at Spanish Springs High in Sparks, Nevada are protesting a policy of allowing boys to use the girls’ locker rooms and bathrooms.  At a recent school board meeting moms and dads said their daughters don’t feel safe undressing and showering around boys.  School officials say if girls are uncomfortable they’ll just have to change somewhere else,  Meanwhile, a growing number of other states are barring boys from using girls facilities at school.  MH SRN NEWS.

A move to enshrine abortion in the constitution of Scotland

A move to enshrine abortion in the constitution of Scotland

VERBATIM:  The ruling Scottish National Party has adopted a resolution that calls for abortion to become a constitutional right, should the country ever become fully independent from England.  The SNP is working toward Scottish independence and is explaining what kind of rights they would enshrine if and when that day comes.  Scottish leaders have also recently been considering physician-assisted suicide and embracing the LGBT agenda.  MH SRN NEWS.

The Episcopal Church continues to shrink

The Episcopal Church continues to shrink

VERBATIM:  Officials with the diocese of Georgia can no longer afford their offices in Savannah and will have to sell them.  The personnel will decamp to the church of St. Michael and All Angels — which has been closed for some years.  The Episcopal Church has suffered a sharp decline in membership ever since its leaders decided to embrace gay marriage and homosexual ordination 15 years ago.  The decline is causing some diocese budgetary problems.  MH SRN NEWS.

A historically black church rejects gay marriage

A historically black church rejects gay marriage

VERBATIM:  A number of Protestant denominations have decided to embrace homosexual unions, but the African Methodist Episcopal Church is standing firm.  The church rejected an appeal to permit gay marriage at its recently concluded general conference.  The denomination’s book of doctrine states that “The AME Church believes that unions of any kind between persons of the same sex or gender are contrary to the will of God.”  MH SRN NEWS.

A victory for religious freedom in federal court

A victory for religious freedom in federal court

The states are sorting themselves out when it comes to abortion

The states are sorting themselves out when it comes to abortion

VERBATIM:  According to data from the Society of Family Planning, the number of abortions is increasing the most in California, New York, New Jersey and Illinois.  Abortion numbers are declining the most in Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama and Louisiana.  The report also indicates that more and more women are using drugs to end their pregnancies rather than surgery.  Abortion pills now account for more than half of all abortions in the U.S.  MH SRN NEWS.