RELIGION HEADLINES THR 7-24-25

( SRN NEWS )  Officials in some states are taking aim at higher education, seeking to make state supported schools less hostile to conservatives and Christians.  Indiana, Florida, Ohio, Texas, Iowa and Idaho have increasingly focused on university governance — rules for who picks university presidents and boards and how much control they exert over curriculums and faculty tenure.  President Trump has threatened to remove federal funding from schools that push the LGBT agenda or have Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs.  Some of the universities, including Harvard, are going to court to retain their taxpayer funding.

(  )  With the 2028 Los Angeles Games not far off, the U.S. Olympic Committee has decided to bar men from competing in women’s sports. The committee is citing an executive order from President Trump which threatens to cut funding for organizations allowing males to play against females.  The policy is listed under the USOC Athlete Safety Policy and follows a similar move by the NCAA earlier this year. National governing bodies for various sports such as swimming and track and field are expected to comply with the directive.  The International Olympic Committee is also considering a ban on men in women’s sports.

(  )  The LGBT agenda continues to gain traction in Asia — one of the more socially conservative regions of the world.  A Hong Kong judge has struck down regulations criminalizing the use of female bathrooms by males, allowing people to use whatever restrooms they wish. However, the judge suspended the ruling for a year to allow the government “to consider whether it wishes to implement a way to deal with the contravention.” Two years ago Hong Kong’s top court ruled that sex-change surgery is not a requirement for transgender people to have their gender changed on their official identity cards.

(  )  A growing number of churches are establishing sensory rooms that offer calm, predictable environments that can help people with mental and emotional disorders attend worship. And it’s not just churches. Temple Emanu-El, a Reform synagogue in Atlanta, has adapted two of its rooms to help handicapped people process sensory input. A former cry room just off the main sanctuary was altered to become the Shalom Sanctuary, a small space with a large window facing the main worship space equipped with fidget toys, beanbags and headphones.  At least one company has formed just to build such facilities in churches.