7th Grader Stopped by Gov’t School from Handing Out Fliers for Religious Event (+video)

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Photo Credit: KAZUHIRO NOGI / AFP / Getty Images

Photo Credit: KAZUHIRO NOGI / AFP / Getty Images

A Kansas school blocked a seventh-grader from handing out fliers inviting students to join her in prayer at the school’s flagpole.

Fox News senior judicial analyst Andrew Napolitano called the school’s ban “so obviously wrong and misguided,” noting that students “theoretically” have the same constitutional rights as anyone else.

“Schools can restrain speech if the speech is disruptive,” Napolitano said. “But when the speech is not disruptive and when it’s especially protected by the Constitution, like speech about religion or speech about non-religion, they cannot interfere with it.”

The school issued a statement to Fox News outlining its policy, which prohibits the distribution of religious material on school property before, during and after the school day.

Napolitano says this is unconstitutional unless the school can show that the “mere distribution” interferes with school activity. Napolitano does not believe it has done so. (Read more about the child who was stopped from handing out fliers for religious event HERE)

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Planned Parenthood Proudly Aborted 327,653 Babies in 2014

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baby2873By Penny Starr. Planned Parenthood clinics did 327,653 abortions in its fiscal year 2014 (which ran from July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014), according to Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s newly released annual report.

That works out to an average of 37 abortions per hour or nearly 1 every 90 seconds.

Planned Parenthood also received $528.4 million from government grants and reimbursements, which equaled 41 percent of its revenue.

The federal government is prohibited from paying directly for abortions through Title X family planning grants and reimbursements, however, federal funds do pay for Planned Parenthood operations, including the clinics where abortions are performed.

The 327,653 abortions Planned Parenthood reports that it did in its organizational fiscal 2014 exceeds by 487 the number of abortions it did the previous year. (Read more about Planned Parenthood proudly announcing its “accomplishments” HERE)

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Parents Starve 22-Day-Old Baby to Death, Infant Dies in Car Seat as They Ate at Restaurant

By Sarah Zagorski. On December 23, 22-day-old Betsey Stephens died from starvation and neglect after going at least seven hours without nutrition. Her parents, Ruby and Roy Stephens, discovered that their baby was unresponsive when they went to remove her from her car seat.

The family was on a road trip from Tennyson, Indiana to Florida to see relatives for the Holidays when they stopped to eat. Apparently Betsey had been left alone in the car while her parents dined at Golden Corral; and when they returned she was dead. They called 911 but they were too late and Betsey was declared dead at the hospital.

Now Ruby and Roy are being charged with first-degree murder. Mike Link, the assistant chief of Lakeland Police, explained the child’s condition at a press conference.

He said, “‘When I saw the photographs…it shook me to my core because in thirty years, I have never seen anything like that.” At the time of Betsey’s death she weighed only 4Ibs 1 ounce, which is half of what most babies weigh at her age. Link also said that Betsey suffered tremendously for the 22 days she was alive. (Read more from this story HERE)

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Homosexual Accuses Church Members of Beating Him to Remove Demons

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inside church2 SCAn embattled North Carolina church is defending itself after five of its members were indicted earlier this month following allegations that they beat a young man in an attempt to rid him of demons they purportedly believed were making him gay.

Word of Faith Fellowship in Spindale, North Carolina, recently released a statement on its website claiming that Matthew Fenner, the now 21-year-old student who claims he was hit, strangled and held against his will during an alleged incident in 2013, isn’t telling the truth about what happened to him.

The church asked for prayer as the five church members — Brooke McFadden Covington, Sarah Covington Anderson, Justin Brock Covington, Adam Christopher Bartley and Robert Louis Walker Jr. — ”fight to prove their innocence,” according to a statement published on the church’s website. . .

The five individuals accused of beating him have been charged with second degree kidnapping and simple assault, with Sarah Covington Anderson facing an additional charge for purported strangulation. (Read more from the story, “Homosexual Accuses Church Members” HERE)

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City Shuts Down Glee Church Camp

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Photo Credit: Fox News

Photo Credit: Fox News

By Todd Starnes. It appears that Jesus and jazz hands don’t mix.

That’s the gist of a legal battle in Auburn, N.Y., pitting City Hall against a summer glee camp hosted in the Case Mansion a building owned by the First Presbyterian Church.

The city’s code enforcement officer issued a cease-and-desist order in July — alleging the church’s musical theater glee camp was a zoning violation. And more than five months later – the wheels of justice are finally beginning to turn.

“Immediately cease use of property in an R-2 zone for commercial use,” the order read. “Cease operating a summer glee camp @100/camper in a residential district. This is not an allowable use here”. . .

“Why in the world is the city prosecuting the church over a glee camp?” asked Hiram Sasser, a Liberty Institute attorney defending the church against the city’s prosecution. Liberty Institute has a reputation for taking on religious liberty cases — and Sasser said First Presbyterian definitely has a case. (Read more about the glee church camp shutdown HERE)

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Chinese Authorities Tear Down Cross on Christian Nursing Home

By Sui-Lee Wee. Chinese authorities have dismantled a cross in a Christian nursing home a week before Christmas, an employee said on Tuesday, the latest example of a growing crackdown on Christianity.

Men dressed in plainclothes removed the cross that was on top of the nursing home in the eastern city of Hangzhou on Dec. 19, said Gao Huifang, a worker at the home.

Activists say the incident is part of a campaign targeting churches throughout Zhejiang province, which is known for its growing Christian population. Hangzhou is the provincial capital.

The dismantling of the cross had stunned residents, and three elderly people fainted on the spot, Gao said. (Read more from this story HERE)

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Abortionist Who Sold Abortion Pills to Women Who Weren’t Pregnant Loses License

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Photo Credit: Life News

Photo Credit: Life News

By Steven Ertelt. Oklahoma abortionist Nareshkumar Gandalal “Naresh” Patel has lost his medical license after the state attorney general brought charges related to his selling the abortion drug to women who were not pregnant.

Patel once faced charges of raping and sodomizing his abortion patients but eventually avoided punishment. Now, Patel has posted a $2,000 bond and has been released from jail and his Outpatient Services for Women abortion facility remains closed for now.

Police raided the Outpatient Services for Women abortion center in Oklahoma City and arrested Patel. The arrest came after a Operation Rescue filed a five-count complaint against him with the State Attorney General’s office, the Oklahoma Health Department, and the Oklahoma Medical Board.

Patel doesn’t face charges related to the rapes or dumping the bodies of abortion babies. Instead, Patel, 62, is accused of obtaining money by false pretenses. Patel lied to women and told them they were pregnant and then put their lives and health at risk by selling them the dangerous RU 486 (mifepristone) abortion pill that has killed dozens and injured thousands of women. (Read more about the abortionist who sold abortion pills to women who weren’t really pregnant HERE)

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Abortion Industry on Verge of ‘Implosion’

By WND. The “implosion” in America’s abortion industry is continuing, and the only thing that prevents a complete collapse is a series of court injunctions that are preventing various state safety laws from being enforced, according to a new survey of the situation.

“In all, 73 abortion facilities shut down for all or part of the year. The total number of all remaining abortion clinics in the U.S. is currently 739. Surgical abortion facilities account for 551 of that total while the number of medication-only abortion facilities stands at 188,” said the report from Operation Rescue. “Out of 60 surgical abortion clinic closures, 47 were permanent. This represents a 23 percent decline in surgical abortion facilities over the past five years.

“The only things that are preventing total collapse are court injunctions that are blocking several state abortion safety laws from being enforced,” the report said.

The report said 13 surgical facilities were closed, but then allowed to reopen “primarily due to court action that enjoined abortion safety laws that had shut down the substandard facilities.” (Read more from this story HERE)

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Court Dismisses Lawsuit by Christian Fire Fighters Forced into Gay Pride Parade

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Photo Credit: WND

Photo Credit: WND

After more than 10 years of litigation, the Supreme Court of Rhode Island has thrown out lawsuits by two Christian firefighters who were forced to drive a Providence fire truck in a “gay”-pride parade despite their religious objections.

The firefighters, Theodore Fabrizio and Stephen Deninno, both of whom are Roman Catholic, argued they should not be mandated to participate in such an event since their personal faith neither supports nor condones homosexuality.

Writing for all five members of the high court this month, Justice William Robinson called it a legitimate work assignment, saying their appearance in the 2001 parade as public servants was “relatively anonymous.”

“The respondents’ appearance in the parade, solely as members of the Providence Fire Department, did not constitute a form of expression on their part. Rather, it was simply the accomplishing of a task assigned to an engine company of the Providence Fire Department,” Robinson wrote.

The two lawsuits were originally filed in 2004 against former Mayor Buddy Cianci and James Rattigan, the fire chief of Providence in 2001. (Read more about the Christian fire fighters suit HERE)

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Since 1991, 75% of Abortion Clinics Have Been Shut Down

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Photo Credit: bradbrundage

Photo Credit: bradbrundage

By Cheryl Sullenger. A new survey conducted by Operation Rescue of all abortion facilities in the United States has confirmed that the abortion clinic closure trend continued strongly in 2014. Operation Rescue is the only pro-life organization that maintains a listing of abortion facilities and tracks clinic closures and its extensive research has provided the most accurate accounting of abortion facilities known to exist.

In all, 73 abortion facilities shut down for all or part of the year. The total number of all remaining abortion clinics in the US is currently 739. Surgical abortion facilities account for 551 of that total while the number of medication-only abortion facilities stands at 188.

Out of 60 surgical abortion clinic closures, 47 were permanent. This represents a 23% decline in surgical abortion facilities over the past five years.

Thirteen surgical facilities were allowed to reopen after initially closing, primarily due to court action that enjoined abortion safety laws that had shut down the substandard facilities.

Thirteen facilities that provided only medication abortions account for the remaining closures in 2014. That more than doubles the number of medication abortion facilities that closed in 2013 when six were shuttered. (Read more about how abortion clinics have been shut down HERE)
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Misleading Prenatal Tests Often Result in Abortion

By Cortney O’Brien. Mothers are aborting their babies based on prenatal test results that reveal their children would be born with genetic defects. A new study, however, proves that these results are wrong 50 percent of the time, meaning these mothers are often aborting perfectly healthy babies. The New York Daily News reported on this tragic trend:

The New England Center for Investigative Reporting found that some women are terminating their pregnancies based on a test result for a genetic condition — even though the center’s study shows that the tests can be wrong 50% of the time. Shockingly, the group also found that the rate of false positives increased as the conditions became rarer.

This rate is devastating for women who are relying on these tests to determine whether or not to keep their unborn babies:

A recent study of 356 women by Natera, which makes the Panorama prenatal test, showed that 6.2% terminated their pregnancy based on noninvasive test results alone.

Illumina, which makes the Verifi test, told the Daily News that it “has always emphasized the need for confirmatory testing.” (Read more from this story HERE)

Healthy Quadruplets Born After Life-Saving Prenatal Surgical Operation

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mother of quadruplets[Editor’s note: The photo to your left is of the mother, Ashley Gardner, immediately after she found out that she was pregnant with quadruplets. Her husband, Tyson, took the picture]

A Utah couple whose journey through in-vitro fertilization captivated the nation welcomed quadruplets — two sets of identical twins — Sunday.

Ashley and Tyson Gardner said they are “overwhelmed with joy” after the birth of Indie, Esme, Scarlett and Evangeline by Caesarean section at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo. Three of the newborns weighed a little more than 2 pounds at delivery. The fourth weighed slightly less than 2 pounds, according to the hospital.

The Gardners announced the news on the Facebook page where they share news about the pregnancy.

“Mom and babies are doing incredible!!! We are so happy with how everything turned out today! The doctors, nurses, and staff were incredible!! More updates to follow soon!!”

The Pleasant Grove couple conceived two sets of identical twins this summer with the help of in-vitro fertilization. In October, Ashley Gardner had emergency laser surgery in California to save one set suffering from twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, the hospital. (Read more about the life-saving prenatal surgical operation HERE)

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Elijah’s Story: A Life Saved Before Birth

By Josh Siegel. If not for this rare operation, done before Elijah’s birth to stop the tumor from smothering his heart and right lung, Elijah never would have walked the earth.

“He would have died,” says Elijah’s primary surgeon, Dr. Scott Adzick of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “No question. He would have died if the operation were not done before birth.”

But today Elijah lives—cautiously—as if at 2 years old, he already understands the fragility of life.

“He walks through life making sure he is going to be OK,” says April Leffingwell, Elijah’s mother, describing her son — a model of a boy with golden hair, pink cheeks and soft features who keeps strong eye contact with people near him, as if he has a lifetime of experiences and can relate to what they’re saying.

Last week, as part of a series on fetal surgery, The Daily Signal visited the Leffingwells’ apartment in this suburb of Green Bay. (Read more about the life saved before birth HERE)

2014 World Cup Soccer Star Says Faith in Christ is the Key (+video)

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Tim HowardAmerican soccer goalie Tim Howard pointed beyond practice and talent to describe his success on the field. The 2014 World Cup star opened up about his faith yesterday on ABC News’ “This Week” to call his “relationship with Jesus Christ” a key to his life. (Read more about the 2014 World Cup soccer star HERE)

Wall Street Journal: Science is Proving God's Existence

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sun solarIn 1966 Time magazine ran a cover story asking: Is God Dead? Many have accepted the cultural narrative that he’s obsolete—that as science progresses, there is less need for a “God” to explain the universe. Yet it turns out that the rumors of God’s death were premature. More amazing is that the relatively recent case for his existence comes from a surprising place—science itself.

Here’s the story: The same year Time featured the now-famous headline, the astronomer Carl Sagan announced that there were two important criteria for a planet to support life: The right kind of star, and a planet the right distance from that star. Given the roughly octillion—1 followed by 24 zeros—planets in the universe, there should have been about septillion—1 followed by 21 zeros—planets capable of supporting life.

With such spectacular odds, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, a large, expensive collection of private and publicly funded projects launched in the 1960s, was sure to turn up something soon. Scientists listened with a vast radio telescopic network for signals that resembled coded intelligence and were not merely random. But as years passed, the silence from the rest of the universe was deafening. Congress defunded SETI in 1993, but the search continues with private funds. As of 2014, researches have discovered precisely bubkis—0 followed by nothing.

What happened? As our knowledge of the universe increased, it became clear that there were far more factors necessary for life than Sagan supposed. His two parameters grew to 10 and then 20 and then 50, and so the number of potentially life-supporting planets decreased accordingly. The number dropped to a few thousand planets and kept on plummeting. (Read more on how science is proving God’s existence HERE)