Some Brave Christian Students...

TO: Christine
FROM: Alan Sears, President

Please Be in Prayer for Brave Christian Students and the “Day of Truth”…

Do these young people look like “hate-mongers” to you? Do they look to be “intolerant” or “bigoted?”

They don’t to me. But that’s what they’ve been labeled at their school.

Why?

Because these courageous young men and women are the members of the Christian H2O club in a Midwestern city, who are participating in this year’s ADF “Day of Truth” co-sponsored by Focus on the Family, Exodus International, and the Southern Baptist Convention -- to proclaim Christ’s love for those struggling with or trapped in homosexual behavior.

These students are an inspiration to all of us at ADF. Despite their “Day of Truth” posters they put up around campus being ripped down and reports of participating students being physically and verbally intimidated by students and school officials in 2005 for taking a stand for Christ at their school, the H2O club ordered 98 “Day of Truth” t-shirts for 2006!

This Thursday, April 27th, students across the country, will be joining together to exercise their First Liberty – religious freedom – and “break the silence” when it comes to a fair and balanced discussion of homosexual behavior in our nation’s tax-funded schools.

As of today, more than 2,150 students, representing 565 schools in 45 states (including the District of Columbia) and three foreign countries will be boldly proclaiming God’s Truth in a non-disruptive, loving manner with their fellow classmates in public schools.

The H2O club held their “Day of Truth” a week early. An ADF team member was there at the event and provided the following report:

“This [was] the second year a small but mighty band of students…participated in the Day of Truth. The numbers are not final but it looks like almost 100 students wore their t-shirts, passed out palm cards and spoke the Truth in love to some of their fellow students involved in homosexual behavior.

What is also truly remarkable about the event this year is that, despite the climate of fear and animosity that had proceeded the event, the perception of all of the students I interviewed after the event was that the day was characterized by civility and acted as a catalyst of opening a meaningful dialogue about the Biblical view of homosexual behavior.

At the end of the school day, over a hundred students and faculty gathered to hear Stephen Bennett (a person formerly caught up in homosexual behavior and now a Christian) speak. Approximately 40 students who are members of the school's Gay and Straight Association not only attended their school sponsored secular version of Stephen Bennett’s presentation on his exit from the homosexual lifestyle but also returned to hear his Christian witness at a public library a mere three hours later. Some of them told me that they knew something was missing in the secular account and wanted to know what moved Stephen away from homosexual behavior. They listened intently, asked important questions, and most stayed after the presentation to collect Stephen’s tracts. And one 17-year-old girl who professes to be bisexual accepted an invitation to attend the Day of Truth Celebration Party.

The Day of Truth students were given the confidence to speak the Truth in love at their school today because they have loving families that encourage them to be bold in their faith – and because ADF "has their backs." They asked me to tell you, thanks for all you do.”

Thank you for making it possible to allow the life-saving message of the Gospel to penetrate the silence. Please be in prayer for the thousands of students participating this Thursday, as they are likely to face significant opposition from those who seek to censor the Gospel and indoctrinate the next generation to approve of homosexual behavior.

There’s still time for your students to join with these courageous young men and women. To sign up, go to Day of Truth participants for more information and materials. Thank you!

And By “Pure Coincidence”…

Last Thursday, just one week before the “Day of Truth,” the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, issued another “creative” opinion on a limited issue by Judge Stephen Reinhardt (and joined by one other judge) in the ADF-litigated case. Harper v. Poway that – if allowed to stand – could have a chilling effect on the “Day of Truth” as well as the future of religious freedom on tax-funded school campuses and beyond.

(Judge Reinhardt – a Jimmy Carter appointee -- is the same judge who is married to the Executive Director of the ACLU of Southern California and has issued opinions finding a “right to die” in the U.S. Constitution, that parents have no say in the sexual education their children get in public schools, as well as striking down the Pledge of Allegiance as unconstitutional. In 1997, The Weekly Standard reported that he was one of the most overturned judges in history and that he was privately viewed as a “renegade” by the Supreme Court justices).

Harper v. Poway demonstrates why we need the “Day of Truth.” In this case, Chase Harper, a student at Poway High School, was told by a school official that he "kept his faith in the car” and Chase should do as well because Chase was wearing a T-shirt expressing the Biblical view on homosexual behavior.

In his opinion, Reinhardt, along with the other judge suggested that the movie Brokeback Mountain (!) be cited as evidence as reason to deny Chase and other students their First Amendment rights to express an opposing viewpoint to the promotion of homosexual behavior.

ADF Senior Legal Counsel Kevin Theriot says: “The majority implied that Brokeback Mountain was in, and the Bible is out. What’s really broken here is this approach to the First Amendment.”

Kevin continues: “The court has manufactured new law in the area of student speech in saying students cannot say anything that school officials deem ‘demeaning’ to another. This panel has upheld school censorship of student expression if it is the Christian view of homosexual behavior. They have essentially determined that student quotation of Scripture can be prohibited…”A vigorous dissent was filed by the sole Reagan appointed judge on the panel.

You can read the Ninth Circuit opinion at Ninth Circus Opinion [Note: link title name change mine...just couldn't resist ;-)]. ADF attorneys are planning on appealing this decision to the full panel of the Ninth Circuit.

If advocates of homosexual behavior and their allies in the judiciary have their way, young people across the country will never have the opportunity, like the students at this Midwestern school, to hear the testimony of individuals such as Stephen Bennett and be able to respond to the life-changing message of the Gospel.

We pray that this wacky decision opens the door for the case to go eventually to the U.S. Supreme Court, which has the potential to provide a definitive ruling affirming the First Liberty – religious freedom – of all who seek to share Christ’s love with those trapped in homosexual behavior.

Alliance Defense Fund
15333 N. Pima Road Suite 165
Scottsdale, AZ 85260 (480)444-0020
info@alliancedefensefund.org