home.social

#religiousfreedom — Public Fediverse posts

Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #religiousfreedom, aggregated by home.social.

  1. Texas: Faith, Freedom, and Mind Your Damn Business

    By Cliff Potts, CSO
    Editor-in-Chief, WPS News

    Baybay City, Leyte, Philippines — September 4, 2026, 9:15 p.m. PHT

    Texas talks about faith constantly and practices freedom inconsistently. Religion is waved like a banner while personal liberty is quietly narrowed, regulated, or punished when it doesn’t line up with political fashion. This contradiction has become so normal that many Texans barely notice it anymore.

    Faith is not the problem. Power is.

    Faith Is Personal, Not Administrative

    Texas is home to churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, meeting houses, and people who believe quietly or not at all. That pluralism is not a flaw. It is a fact. Faith has always been part of Texas life, but it has never belonged to the state.

    When government begins enforcing one version of belief, it stops protecting faith and starts weaponizing it. That does not strengthen religion. It cheapens it. Faith that requires government backing is not faith—it is insecurity dressed up as authority.

    People believe deeply without being coerced. The state does not need to supervise that.

    Freedom Means Leaving People Alone

    Texas politicians love to invoke freedom while inserting themselves into private decisions about bodies, families, education, and belief. That is not freedom. It is control wrapped in familiar language.

    True freedom is not loud. It is boring. It is the quiet confidence that your neighbor’s life choices are none of your business unless they cause real harm. A free society tolerates disagreement without demanding conformity.

    If a belief system is strong, it does not need the force of law to survive.

    Religion in Schools Without Indoctrination

    Teaching about religion is not the same thing as preaching it. Students benefit from understanding the beliefs that shape history, culture, and global affairs. Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Shinto, Indigenous traditions, and secular ethics all belong in a serious education.

    Teaching one belief as truth while excluding others is not education. It is indoctrination. Texas should be confident enough to teach broadly without fear.

    Knowledge does not weaken faith. It strengthens discernment.

    The Myth of Moral Decline

    Texas politics often leans on claims of moral collapse to justify intrusion into private life. These claims rarely hold up under scrutiny. Crime trends, family structures, and social behavior are influenced far more by economics, education, and stability than by religious enforcement.

    Blaming social problems on belief differences avoids addressing harder causes like poverty, healthcare access, housing, and education. Moral panic is easier than policy work.

    A serious state solves problems instead of sermonizing about them.

    Faith Communities Do Real Work

    Faith-based organizations are often the first to respond when communities struggle. They feed people, shelter families, provide counseling, and show up quietly without demanding credit. That work matters. It deserves respect and support.

    What it does not require is political dominance. Faith communities are strongest when they act voluntarily, not when they are fused to state power.

    Service speaks louder than slogans.

    Freedom of Conscience Cuts Both Ways

    Freedom of religion includes the freedom not to believe. It includes the freedom to change beliefs. It includes the freedom to practice quietly without public approval. Protecting conscience means accepting outcomes you may personally dislike.

    That is the price of liberty. It is also its strength.

    Texas cannot claim to honor freedom while punishing people for living differently.

    When Government Picks Winners

    History offers no shortage of warnings about governments that decide which beliefs are acceptable. Even when intentions begin as sincere, outcomes tend toward exclusion, resentment, and abuse. Texas is not immune to that pattern.

    Keeping church and state separate does not weaken either. It protects both from corruption.

    Personal Faith, Public Restraint

    Leaders are allowed their faith. They are allowed to be guided by conscience. What they are not allowed to do is impose that conscience as law when it infringes on the rights of others.

    Restraint is not betrayal. It is maturity.

    What a Confident Texas Would Do

    A confident Texas would protect freedom of worship for everyone and freedom from coercion for everyone else. It would teach religion academically, not devotionally. It would trust families and individuals to handle belief without supervision.

    Most of all, it would stop confusing moral authority with legal power.

    Why This Matters Going Forward

    Faith will continue to shape Texas culture. That is not in question. The question is whether it will be used to inspire service and compassion—or to justify intrusion and control.

    Freedom survives only when people mind their own damn business.

    Texas is strong enough to do that.

    This essay will be archived as part of the ongoing WPS News Monthly Brief Series available through Amazon.

    References (APA)
    Pew Research Center. (2025). Religious diversity and belief in the United States.
    First Amendment Center. (2025). Religion, government, and constitutional boundaries.
    National Council of State Legislatures. (2025). Religious freedom and public policy analysis.
    Gallup. (2025). Public attitudes toward religion and government.
    American Academy of Religion. (2025). Teaching religion in public education.

    #churchAndState #CivilLiberties #educationPolicy #personalFreedom #religiousFreedom #TexasPolitics #TexasReligion #WPSNews
  2. Texas: Faith, Freedom, and Mind Your Damn Business

    By Cliff Potts, CSO
    Editor-in-Chief, WPS News

    Baybay City, Leyte, Philippines — September 4, 2026, 9:15 p.m. PHT

    Texas talks about faith constantly and practices freedom inconsistently. Religion is waved like a banner while personal liberty is quietly narrowed, regulated, or punished when it doesn’t line up with political fashion. This contradiction has become so normal that many Texans barely notice it anymore.

    Faith is not the problem. Power is.

    Faith Is Personal, Not Administrative

    Texas is home to churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, meeting houses, and people who believe quietly or not at all. That pluralism is not a flaw. It is a fact. Faith has always been part of Texas life, but it has never belonged to the state.

    When government begins enforcing one version of belief, it stops protecting faith and starts weaponizing it. That does not strengthen religion. It cheapens it. Faith that requires government backing is not faith—it is insecurity dressed up as authority.

    People believe deeply without being coerced. The state does not need to supervise that.

    Freedom Means Leaving People Alone

    Texas politicians love to invoke freedom while inserting themselves into private decisions about bodies, families, education, and belief. That is not freedom. It is control wrapped in familiar language.

    True freedom is not loud. It is boring. It is the quiet confidence that your neighbor’s life choices are none of your business unless they cause real harm. A free society tolerates disagreement without demanding conformity.

    If a belief system is strong, it does not need the force of law to survive.

    Religion in Schools Without Indoctrination

    Teaching about religion is not the same thing as preaching it. Students benefit from understanding the beliefs that shape history, culture, and global affairs. Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Shinto, Indigenous traditions, and secular ethics all belong in a serious education.

    Teaching one belief as truth while excluding others is not education. It is indoctrination. Texas should be confident enough to teach broadly without fear.

    Knowledge does not weaken faith. It strengthens discernment.

    The Myth of Moral Decline

    Texas politics often leans on claims of moral collapse to justify intrusion into private life. These claims rarely hold up under scrutiny. Crime trends, family structures, and social behavior are influenced far more by economics, education, and stability than by religious enforcement.

    Blaming social problems on belief differences avoids addressing harder causes like poverty, healthcare access, housing, and education. Moral panic is easier than policy work.

    A serious state solves problems instead of sermonizing about them.

    Faith Communities Do Real Work

    Faith-based organizations are often the first to respond when communities struggle. They feed people, shelter families, provide counseling, and show up quietly without demanding credit. That work matters. It deserves respect and support.

    What it does not require is political dominance. Faith communities are strongest when they act voluntarily, not when they are fused to state power.

    Service speaks louder than slogans.

    Freedom of Conscience Cuts Both Ways

    Freedom of religion includes the freedom not to believe. It includes the freedom to change beliefs. It includes the freedom to practice quietly without public approval. Protecting conscience means accepting outcomes you may personally dislike.

    That is the price of liberty. It is also its strength.

    Texas cannot claim to honor freedom while punishing people for living differently.

    When Government Picks Winners

    History offers no shortage of warnings about governments that decide which beliefs are acceptable. Even when intentions begin as sincere, outcomes tend toward exclusion, resentment, and abuse. Texas is not immune to that pattern.

    Keeping church and state separate does not weaken either. It protects both from corruption.

    Personal Faith, Public Restraint

    Leaders are allowed their faith. They are allowed to be guided by conscience. What they are not allowed to do is impose that conscience as law when it infringes on the rights of others.

    Restraint is not betrayal. It is maturity.

    What a Confident Texas Would Do

    A confident Texas would protect freedom of worship for everyone and freedom from coercion for everyone else. It would teach religion academically, not devotionally. It would trust families and individuals to handle belief without supervision.

    Most of all, it would stop confusing moral authority with legal power.

    Why This Matters Going Forward

    Faith will continue to shape Texas culture. That is not in question. The question is whether it will be used to inspire service and compassion—or to justify intrusion and control.

    Freedom survives only when people mind their own damn business.

    Texas is strong enough to do that.

    This essay will be archived as part of the ongoing WPS News Monthly Brief Series available through Amazon.

    References (APA)
    Pew Research Center. (2025). Religious diversity and belief in the United States.
    First Amendment Center. (2025). Religion, government, and constitutional boundaries.
    National Council of State Legislatures. (2025). Religious freedom and public policy analysis.
    Gallup. (2025). Public attitudes toward religion and government.
    American Academy of Religion. (2025). Teaching religion in public education.

    #churchAndState #CivilLiberties #educationPolicy #personalFreedom #religiousFreedom #TexasPolitics #TexasReligion #WPSNews
  3. Texas: Faith, Freedom, and Mind Your Damn Business

    By Cliff Potts, CSO
    Editor-in-Chief, WPS News

    Baybay City, Leyte, Philippines — September 4, 2026, 9:15 p.m. PHT

    Texas talks about faith constantly and practices freedom inconsistently. Religion is waved like a banner while personal liberty is quietly narrowed, regulated, or punished when it doesn’t line up with political fashion. This contradiction has become so normal that many Texans barely notice it anymore.

    Faith is not the problem. Power is.

    Faith Is Personal, Not Administrative

    Texas is home to churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, meeting houses, and people who believe quietly or not at all. That pluralism is not a flaw. It is a fact. Faith has always been part of Texas life, but it has never belonged to the state.

    When government begins enforcing one version of belief, it stops protecting faith and starts weaponizing it. That does not strengthen religion. It cheapens it. Faith that requires government backing is not faith—it is insecurity dressed up as authority.

    People believe deeply without being coerced. The state does not need to supervise that.

    Freedom Means Leaving People Alone

    Texas politicians love to invoke freedom while inserting themselves into private decisions about bodies, families, education, and belief. That is not freedom. It is control wrapped in familiar language.

    True freedom is not loud. It is boring. It is the quiet confidence that your neighbor’s life choices are none of your business unless they cause real harm. A free society tolerates disagreement without demanding conformity.

    If a belief system is strong, it does not need the force of law to survive.

    Religion in Schools Without Indoctrination

    Teaching about religion is not the same thing as preaching it. Students benefit from understanding the beliefs that shape history, culture, and global affairs. Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Shinto, Indigenous traditions, and secular ethics all belong in a serious education.

    Teaching one belief as truth while excluding others is not education. It is indoctrination. Texas should be confident enough to teach broadly without fear.

    Knowledge does not weaken faith. It strengthens discernment.

    The Myth of Moral Decline

    Texas politics often leans on claims of moral collapse to justify intrusion into private life. These claims rarely hold up under scrutiny. Crime trends, family structures, and social behavior are influenced far more by economics, education, and stability than by religious enforcement.

    Blaming social problems on belief differences avoids addressing harder causes like poverty, healthcare access, housing, and education. Moral panic is easier than policy work.

    A serious state solves problems instead of sermonizing about them.

    Faith Communities Do Real Work

    Faith-based organizations are often the first to respond when communities struggle. They feed people, shelter families, provide counseling, and show up quietly without demanding credit. That work matters. It deserves respect and support.

    What it does not require is political dominance. Faith communities are strongest when they act voluntarily, not when they are fused to state power.

    Service speaks louder than slogans.

    Freedom of Conscience Cuts Both Ways

    Freedom of religion includes the freedom not to believe. It includes the freedom to change beliefs. It includes the freedom to practice quietly without public approval. Protecting conscience means accepting outcomes you may personally dislike.

    That is the price of liberty. It is also its strength.

    Texas cannot claim to honor freedom while punishing people for living differently.

    When Government Picks Winners

    History offers no shortage of warnings about governments that decide which beliefs are acceptable. Even when intentions begin as sincere, outcomes tend toward exclusion, resentment, and abuse. Texas is not immune to that pattern.

    Keeping church and state separate does not weaken either. It protects both from corruption.

    Personal Faith, Public Restraint

    Leaders are allowed their faith. They are allowed to be guided by conscience. What they are not allowed to do is impose that conscience as law when it infringes on the rights of others.

    Restraint is not betrayal. It is maturity.

    What a Confident Texas Would Do

    A confident Texas would protect freedom of worship for everyone and freedom from coercion for everyone else. It would teach religion academically, not devotionally. It would trust families and individuals to handle belief without supervision.

    Most of all, it would stop confusing moral authority with legal power.

    Why This Matters Going Forward

    Faith will continue to shape Texas culture. That is not in question. The question is whether it will be used to inspire service and compassion—or to justify intrusion and control.

    Freedom survives only when people mind their own damn business.

    Texas is strong enough to do that.

    This essay will be archived as part of the ongoing WPS News Monthly Brief Series available through Amazon.

    References (APA)
    Pew Research Center. (2025). Religious diversity and belief in the United States.
    First Amendment Center. (2025). Religion, government, and constitutional boundaries.
    National Council of State Legislatures. (2025). Religious freedom and public policy analysis.
    Gallup. (2025). Public attitudes toward religion and government.
    American Academy of Religion. (2025). Teaching religion in public education.

    #churchAndState #CivilLiberties #educationPolicy #personalFreedom #religiousFreedom #TexasPolitics #TexasReligion #WPSNews
  4. Texas: Faith, Freedom, and Mind Your Damn Business

    By Cliff Potts, CSO
    Editor-in-Chief, WPS News

    Baybay City, Leyte, Philippines — September 4, 2026, 9:15 p.m. PHT

    Texas talks about faith constantly and practices freedom inconsistently. Religion is waved like a banner while personal liberty is quietly narrowed, regulated, or punished when it doesn’t line up with political fashion. This contradiction has become so normal that many Texans barely notice it anymore.

    Faith is not the problem. Power is.

    Faith Is Personal, Not Administrative

    Texas is home to churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, meeting houses, and people who believe quietly or not at all. That pluralism is not a flaw. It is a fact. Faith has always been part of Texas life, but it has never belonged to the state.

    When government begins enforcing one version of belief, it stops protecting faith and starts weaponizing it. That does not strengthen religion. It cheapens it. Faith that requires government backing is not faith—it is insecurity dressed up as authority.

    People believe deeply without being coerced. The state does not need to supervise that.

    Freedom Means Leaving People Alone

    Texas politicians love to invoke freedom while inserting themselves into private decisions about bodies, families, education, and belief. That is not freedom. It is control wrapped in familiar language.

    True freedom is not loud. It is boring. It is the quiet confidence that your neighbor’s life choices are none of your business unless they cause real harm. A free society tolerates disagreement without demanding conformity.

    If a belief system is strong, it does not need the force of law to survive.

    Religion in Schools Without Indoctrination

    Teaching about religion is not the same thing as preaching it. Students benefit from understanding the beliefs that shape history, culture, and global affairs. Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Shinto, Indigenous traditions, and secular ethics all belong in a serious education.

    Teaching one belief as truth while excluding others is not education. It is indoctrination. Texas should be confident enough to teach broadly without fear.

    Knowledge does not weaken faith. It strengthens discernment.

    The Myth of Moral Decline

    Texas politics often leans on claims of moral collapse to justify intrusion into private life. These claims rarely hold up under scrutiny. Crime trends, family structures, and social behavior are influenced far more by economics, education, and stability than by religious enforcement.

    Blaming social problems on belief differences avoids addressing harder causes like poverty, healthcare access, housing, and education. Moral panic is easier than policy work.

    A serious state solves problems instead of sermonizing about them.

    Faith Communities Do Real Work

    Faith-based organizations are often the first to respond when communities struggle. They feed people, shelter families, provide counseling, and show up quietly without demanding credit. That work matters. It deserves respect and support.

    What it does not require is political dominance. Faith communities are strongest when they act voluntarily, not when they are fused to state power.

    Service speaks louder than slogans.

    Freedom of Conscience Cuts Both Ways

    Freedom of religion includes the freedom not to believe. It includes the freedom to change beliefs. It includes the freedom to practice quietly without public approval. Protecting conscience means accepting outcomes you may personally dislike.

    That is the price of liberty. It is also its strength.

    Texas cannot claim to honor freedom while punishing people for living differently.

    When Government Picks Winners

    History offers no shortage of warnings about governments that decide which beliefs are acceptable. Even when intentions begin as sincere, outcomes tend toward exclusion, resentment, and abuse. Texas is not immune to that pattern.

    Keeping church and state separate does not weaken either. It protects both from corruption.

    Personal Faith, Public Restraint

    Leaders are allowed their faith. They are allowed to be guided by conscience. What they are not allowed to do is impose that conscience as law when it infringes on the rights of others.

    Restraint is not betrayal. It is maturity.

    What a Confident Texas Would Do

    A confident Texas would protect freedom of worship for everyone and freedom from coercion for everyone else. It would teach religion academically, not devotionally. It would trust families and individuals to handle belief without supervision.

    Most of all, it would stop confusing moral authority with legal power.

    Why This Matters Going Forward

    Faith will continue to shape Texas culture. That is not in question. The question is whether it will be used to inspire service and compassion—or to justify intrusion and control.

    Freedom survives only when people mind their own damn business.

    Texas is strong enough to do that.

    This essay will be archived as part of the ongoing WPS News Monthly Brief Series available through Amazon.

    References (APA)
    Pew Research Center. (2025). Religious diversity and belief in the United States.
    First Amendment Center. (2025). Religion, government, and constitutional boundaries.
    National Council of State Legislatures. (2025). Religious freedom and public policy analysis.
    Gallup. (2025). Public attitudes toward religion and government.
    American Academy of Religion. (2025). Teaching religion in public education.

    #churchAndState #CivilLiberties #educationPolicy #personalFreedom #religiousFreedom #TexasPolitics #TexasReligion #WPSNews
  5. Texas: Faith, Freedom, and Mind Your Damn Business

    By Cliff Potts, CSO
    Editor-in-Chief, WPS News

    Baybay City, Leyte, Philippines — September 4, 2026, 9:15 p.m. PHT

    Texas talks about faith constantly and practices freedom inconsistently. Religion is waved like a banner while personal liberty is quietly narrowed, regulated, or punished when it doesn’t line up with political fashion. This contradiction has become so normal that many Texans barely notice it anymore.

    Faith is not the problem. Power is.

    Faith Is Personal, Not Administrative

    Texas is home to churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, meeting houses, and people who believe quietly or not at all. That pluralism is not a flaw. It is a fact. Faith has always been part of Texas life, but it has never belonged to the state.

    When government begins enforcing one version of belief, it stops protecting faith and starts weaponizing it. That does not strengthen religion. It cheapens it. Faith that requires government backing is not faith—it is insecurity dressed up as authority.

    People believe deeply without being coerced. The state does not need to supervise that.

    Freedom Means Leaving People Alone

    Texas politicians love to invoke freedom while inserting themselves into private decisions about bodies, families, education, and belief. That is not freedom. It is control wrapped in familiar language.

    True freedom is not loud. It is boring. It is the quiet confidence that your neighbor’s life choices are none of your business unless they cause real harm. A free society tolerates disagreement without demanding conformity.

    If a belief system is strong, it does not need the force of law to survive.

    Religion in Schools Without Indoctrination

    Teaching about religion is not the same thing as preaching it. Students benefit from understanding the beliefs that shape history, culture, and global affairs. Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Shinto, Indigenous traditions, and secular ethics all belong in a serious education.

    Teaching one belief as truth while excluding others is not education. It is indoctrination. Texas should be confident enough to teach broadly without fear.

    Knowledge does not weaken faith. It strengthens discernment.

    The Myth of Moral Decline

    Texas politics often leans on claims of moral collapse to justify intrusion into private life. These claims rarely hold up under scrutiny. Crime trends, family structures, and social behavior are influenced far more by economics, education, and stability than by religious enforcement.

    Blaming social problems on belief differences avoids addressing harder causes like poverty, healthcare access, housing, and education. Moral panic is easier than policy work.

    A serious state solves problems instead of sermonizing about them.

    Faith Communities Do Real Work

    Faith-based organizations are often the first to respond when communities struggle. They feed people, shelter families, provide counseling, and show up quietly without demanding credit. That work matters. It deserves respect and support.

    What it does not require is political dominance. Faith communities are strongest when they act voluntarily, not when they are fused to state power.

    Service speaks louder than slogans.

    Freedom of Conscience Cuts Both Ways

    Freedom of religion includes the freedom not to believe. It includes the freedom to change beliefs. It includes the freedom to practice quietly without public approval. Protecting conscience means accepting outcomes you may personally dislike.

    That is the price of liberty. It is also its strength.

    Texas cannot claim to honor freedom while punishing people for living differently.

    When Government Picks Winners

    History offers no shortage of warnings about governments that decide which beliefs are acceptable. Even when intentions begin as sincere, outcomes tend toward exclusion, resentment, and abuse. Texas is not immune to that pattern.

    Keeping church and state separate does not weaken either. It protects both from corruption.

    Personal Faith, Public Restraint

    Leaders are allowed their faith. They are allowed to be guided by conscience. What they are not allowed to do is impose that conscience as law when it infringes on the rights of others.

    Restraint is not betrayal. It is maturity.

    What a Confident Texas Would Do

    A confident Texas would protect freedom of worship for everyone and freedom from coercion for everyone else. It would teach religion academically, not devotionally. It would trust families and individuals to handle belief without supervision.

    Most of all, it would stop confusing moral authority with legal power.

    Why This Matters Going Forward

    Faith will continue to shape Texas culture. That is not in question. The question is whether it will be used to inspire service and compassion—or to justify intrusion and control.

    Freedom survives only when people mind their own damn business.

    Texas is strong enough to do that.

    This essay will be archived as part of the ongoing WPS News Monthly Brief Series available through Amazon.

    References (APA)
    Pew Research Center. (2025). Religious diversity and belief in the United States.
    First Amendment Center. (2025). Religion, government, and constitutional boundaries.
    National Council of State Legislatures. (2025). Religious freedom and public policy analysis.
    Gallup. (2025). Public attitudes toward religion and government.
    American Academy of Religion. (2025). Teaching religion in public education.

    #churchAndState #CivilLiberties #educationPolicy #personalFreedom #religiousFreedom #TexasPolitics #TexasReligion #WPSNews
  6. A quotation from Twain

    I could have given my own sect the preference and made everybody a Presbyterian without any trouble, but that would have been to affront a law of human nature: spiritual wants and instincts are as various in the human family as are physical appetites, complexions, and features, and a man is only at his best, morally, when he is equipped with the religious garment whose color and shape and size most nicely accommodate themselves to the spiritual complexion, angularities, and stature of the individual who wears it.

    Mark Twain (1835–1910) American writer [pseud. of Samuel Clemens]
    Novel (1889), A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, Part 3 “The Tale of the Lost Land,” ch. 10 “Beginnings of Civilization”

    More about this quote: wist.info/twain-mark/85582/

    #quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #marktwain #twain #connecticutyankee #sectarianism #establishment #freedomofreligion #morality #personalreligion #religion #religiousdiversity #religiousfreedom #religioustolerance #spiritualdevelopment #spirituality

  7. Circle One Fellowship Exeter (COFE) @exeter4christian2church4devon.wordpress.com@exeter4christian2church4devon.wordpress.com ·

    The Problem of False Preacher Teacher Clerical Ministering Within Modern Day Churches

    *

    The Problem of False Preacher Teacher Clerical Ministering Within Modern Day Churches

    The table of the Lord is Holy.

    The food we receive must come from the Priest-King Himself—pure, undefiled, and flowing from the Holiest of All.

    Yet in our time, that table has been defiled.

    The church has become a place where food offered to idols is served. These idols are not of wood and stone but of political causes, cultural trends, social programmes, and false moral appearances. They are the idols of the age, and they have been brought into the sanctuary.

    The Social Gospel, with all its political causes and cultural trends, is such an idol.

    It sounds compassionate to the natural ear, but it sacrifices the true Gospel on the altar of this world. It offers earthly reform where the Priest-King Jesus Christ offers heavenly reconciliation.

    It speaks of systems and power where He speaks of the cross and the throne of grace. It rearranges deck chairs on a sinking ship. It offers programs where it should offer presence. It offers politics where it should offer peace. It offers activism where it should offer adoration.

    This is not the Gospel. It is a counterfeit—a substitute that speaks of earthly kingdoms while ignoring the heavenly. It is food wrapped in pretty paper, but inside is rotting meat. It is a deception, a snare, and a trap.

    Congregations that consume this food are not being heart-fed; they are being mind-fed. Their souls are starved while their minds are filled with the philosophies of men. Those who serve this food as if it were the Gospel are not acting as faithful shepherds of the flock; they are leading souls away from the true pasture.

    We make it very clear, we do not seek merely to promote our own theology within COFE-CYEM by pointing the finger at (any) other theologies, denominations or faiths. COFE-CYEM itself makes many claims around our theology, our belief system and our faith.

    We do not expect or ask everybody to just blindly believe our way of seeing and believing. All we seek is to call attention to the issue of the church and faith itself being used as a Trojan Horse for (worldly) purposes in order to further the interests of man and not God Himself.

    We implore our followers respectfully – if you ever feel, suspect or see anything whatsoever within our own theology or posts here on COFE-CYEM that you believe is pushing (worldly) purposes or schemes, then please call us out and expose us.

    We are no different or more righteous than any other brother or sister in Christ. But if we were to be found (using) the true Gospel as a Trojan Horse to push a false Gospel for our own purposes – then we are truly lost indeed.

    The Nature of the Deception

    The danger arises whenever social action, political programmes, or cultural causes become substitutes for the proclamation of Christ crucified and risen, rather than fruits flowing from communion with Him.

    The New Testament consistently presents love for neighbour and care for the poor as genuine expressions of faith, not as alternatives to it.

    The error is not in caring for the needy or seeking justice. The error is in presenting such activities as the Gospel itself, or as a sufficient substitute for repentance, faith in Christ, and the new birth.

    Those who preach this substitute gospel speak of power where the Priest-King spoke of weakness. They speak of victory where He spoke of the cross. They speak of this world as if it were the only world. They have departed from the faith and given themselves over to the spirit of the age.

    They have exchanged the Gospel of the finished work for a gospel of social reform. They have exchanged the cross for a political platform. They have exchanged the throne of grace for a seat of power. They have exchanged the rest that remains for the restless striving of the world. They have exchanged the Holiest of All for the outer courts of carnal religion.

    This is not a judgment on persons but a discernment of teaching. We do not know the hearts of those who preach these things, and we leave their final judgment to God.

    We are called to test the spirits and to distinguish between the pure food of the Gospel and the poisoned food that has been offered to idols. The warning is not against individuals but against the teaching itself, which, however attractively packaged, leads away from Christ.

    The Rot Beneath the Wrapping

    False teaching often comes wrapped in the language of the Bible, the imagery of the cross, and the emotions of the congregation. It speaks of love, justice, and compassion, but it hollows out their meaning. It is like the fig tree that had leaves but no fruit—a show of life without the reality of life.

    Congregations that consume this food are being fed a diet of politics, activism, and social reform, but they are not being fed the pure Word of God.

    They are being told to fight for earthly causes, but they are not being told to enter the Holiest of All. They are being told to change the world, but they are not being told to rest in the finished work of the Priest-King.

    They are being told to be activists, but they are not being told to be worshippers. They are being told to build the kingdom of God on earth, but they are not being told that the Kingdom of God is within them.

    The food that is being served is a gospel of the flesh, a gospel of the world, a gospel of the age. It has no power to save, no power to transform, and no power to bring the soul into the presence of God.

    It leads to exhaustion, burnout, and disillusionment. It leads away from the Priest-King, not toward Him. It leads to the outer court, not the Holiest of All. The invitation to serve God in the world becomes a substitute for the invitation to abide in Christ.

    The True Gospel and the Mind of Christ

    The real Gospel is not a gospel of prosperity, politics, or social reform disguised as salvation. It is not a gospel of emotional experience without transformation.

    The real Gospel is this: Jesus Christ, the Priest-King has entered the Holiest of All through His own blood.

    The veil is torn.

    The way is open.

    Every soul who draws near through Him receives mercy, finds grace, and enters the rest that remains.

    He ever lives to make intercession.

    He brings God to us and us to God. In Him, we are accepted. In Him, we are kept. In Him, the endless life of God flows freely to all who will come. That is the Gospel. Not a portion of it. Not a version of it. It.

    The mind of Christ is not the mind of carnal man, which seeks power, recognition, and earthly comfort. The mind of Christ empties itself, takes the form of a servant, becomes obedient unto death, and is exalted by the Father. The mind of Christ builds the church on the rock of revelation, and the gates of hell do not prevail against it.

    The mind of Christ measures faithfulness by abiding in the Father’s presence. Those who preach the substitute gospel do not have the mind of Christ. They have the mind of the flesh, the mind of the world, the mind of the age.

    They have not entered the Holiest of All. They have not passed through the veil. They have not been cleansed by the blood. They have not received the endless life. They remain in the outer courts, serving the idols of the age.

    The Call of This Hour: Wake Up and Return

    The call of this hour is clear. The pews empty because souls are hungry for reality—not programs, not politics, not noise, but the living presence of God in truth. Congregations must wake up. They must open their eyes to the deception of false teaching.

    They must stop eating the food that has been sacrificed to idols. They must return to the table of the Lord, where pure food is served—the finished work of the Priest-King, the open way into the Holiest of All, the rest that remains, and the endless life that flows from His intercession.

    The table of the Lord has been turned into a place where food offered to idols is served. The Gospel of the finished work has been exchanged for a gospel of social reform. The cross has been exchanged for a political platform. The throne of grace has been exchanged for a seat of power.

    The rest that remains has been exchanged for the restless striving of the world. The Holiest of All has been exchanged for the outer courts of carnal religion. The church has been used as a Trojan Horse for political purposes, hiding its true agenda behind the language of compassion, justice, and love.

    The congregations that continue to consume this food are being poisoned. They are being led astray. They are being robbed of their inheritance. They are being kept from the Holiest of All, from the rest that remains, from the endless life, from the Priest-King.

    The time has come for them to wake up. The time has come for them to return. The time has come for them to stop eating the rotting meat and to come to the table of the Lord, where pure food is served.

    The true church of the real Gospel is often small, overlooked, and ridiculed. But it knows the voice of the Shepherd. It does not follow the stranger. It abides in the Word. It dwells in the Holiest. The true church does not eat food sacrificed to idols. It does not bow to the false gods of the age.

    It does not compromise the table of the Lord. It preaches the real Gospel—Christ and Him crucified. It preaches the finished work. It preaches the endless life. It preaches the open way into the Holiest of All. It calls every soul to draw near. It calls every church to open the doors. It calls every believer to cease from striving and rest in the finished work of the Priest-King.

    The Contrast: The Olive Tree and the Wicked

    Psalm 52 powerfully contrasts the man who trusts in his own strength and deceit with the one who trusts in God’s unfailing love and flourishes in His house. The Psalm speaks of the wicked man who boasts of evil, whose tongue plots destruction, who loves evil rather than good, and who trusts in his great wealth and grows strong by destroying others.

    This is the image of the one who trusts in his own strength, his own position, his own power. The Psalm declares that God will bring him down to everlasting ruin, snatch him up, tear him from his tent, and uproot him from the land of the living.

    But the righteous is like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God, trusting in God’s unfailing love forever and ever. The righteous praises God forever and hopes in His name.

    This is the image of the true believer—the one who trusts in the finished work of the Priest-King, who abides in the Holiest of All, who is sustained by the unfailing love of God through Jesus Christ who ever lives to make intercession.

    The true believer does not boast in evil or trust in human schemes, false popular moral sounding social constructs or political power. The true believer trusts in the finished work of the Priest-King Yeshua Emet Melchizedek Salem—Christ Jesus—and abides in Him who has opened the way.

    The Final Exhortation

    The modern church stands at a critical hour. Many have turned the table of the Lord into a place where food offered to idols is served. The Social Gospel, with its political causes, cultural trends, and false moral appearances, has become the dominant offering.

    It sounds compassionate to the natural ear, but it sacrifices the true Gospel on the altar of this world. It offers earthly reform where the Priest-King offers heavenly reconciliation. It speaks of systems and power where He speaks of the cross and the throne of grace.

    We must not eat of any spiritual food that has been offered in sacrifice to an idol. The table of the Lord is holy. The food we receive must come from the Priest-King Himself—pure, undefiled, and flowing from the Holiest of All.

    Those who preach the substitute gospel have turned the church into a platform for their political agendas. They have exchanged the Gospel of the finished work for a gospel of social reform. They have exchanged the cross for a political platform. They have exchanged the throne of grace for a seat of power.

    They have exchanged the rest that remains for the restless striving of the world. They have exchanged the Holiest of All for the outer courts of carnal religion. They are not shepherds of the flock; they are servants of the spirit of the age, offering food that cannot satisfy the soul.

    The true church of the real Gospel is often small, overlooked, and ridiculed. But it knows the voice of the Shepherd. It does not follow the stranger. It abides in the Word. It dwells in the Holiest. The true church does not eat food sacrificed to idols. It does not bow to the false gods of the age.

    It does not compromise the table of the Lord. It preaches the real Gospel—Christ and Him crucified. It preaches the finished work.

    It preaches the endless life. It preaches the open way into the Holiest of All. It calls every soul to draw near. It calls every church to open the doors. It calls every believer to cease from striving and rest in the finished work of the Priest-King.

    The Fourth Truth stands. The dialogue continues. The fruit remains.

    This website and its theological content are overseen by the CC7 DS constitutional integrity architecture, a reflective and rest-oriented framework designed to preserve the full coherence of the Fourth Truth presented within COFE-CYEM. The CC7 DS negation of attacks authenticates (Via Positiva Cataphatic Knowing) through (Via Negativa Apophatic Unknowing).

    Please follow COFE-CYEM and share our website.

    Thank you for visiting us today, we value you beyond mere words.

    COFE Yeshua Emet Ministry (CYEM)
    Circle One Fellowship Exeter

    #Anglican #Baptism #baptisms #bible #BibleStudy #biblicalStudies #biblicalTeaching #Chaplain #Charity #choir #christian #ChristianArt #ChristianDevotion #ChristianDiscipleship #ChristianDoctrine #ChristianEducation #ChristianEthics #ChristianFellowship #ChristianHope #ChristianLeadership #ChristianLiving #ChristianLove #ChristianMeditation #ChristianMinistry #ChristianMinistryTeam #ChristianOutreach #ChristianSymbols #ChristianUnity #ChristianValues #Christmas #ChristmasService #church #ChurchAdministration #ChurchAndFaith #ChurchAndSociety #ChurchAnniversary #ChurchAnniversaryCelebration #churchArchitecture #ChurchBell #churchBuilding #ChurchBuildingProject #churchBulletin #churchCalendar #ChurchCamps #ChurchCelebrations #ChurchChoir #ChurchCommunity #churchCommunityEvents #churchCommunityOutreach #churchCommunityService #ChurchCompassion #ChurchCooperation #ChurchCounseling #ChurchDecorations #churchDirectory #ChurchEcumenism #churchEngagement #ChurchEquality #ChurchEthics #churchEvangelism #ChurchEvent #churchEvents #ChurchFaith #churchFellowship #churchFellowshipEvents #ChurchFellowshipGroup #churchFellowshipHall #churchFestivals #ChurchForgiveness #ChurchFundraiser #churchFundraising #ChurchGrace #churchGrowth #ChurchGrowthStrategies #ChurchHall #ChurchHarmony #churchHistory #ChurchHymnal #ChurchJustice #churchLeadership #ChurchLeadershipCouncil #ChurchLeadershipDevelopment #churchLeadershipTraining #ChurchMeditation #ChurchMeditationGroup #ChurchMemorial #churchMinistry #churchMission #ChurchMissionStatement #ChurchMissionTrip #ChurchMissionary #ChurchNetwork #ChurchNewsletter #churchOutreach #ChurchOutreachEvent #ChurchOutreachProgram #ChurchParades #ChurchPartnership #ChurchPastoralPrograms #ChurchPrayerBooks #ChurchPublicService #ChurchRenovation #churchRevival #ChurchRights #churchSacraments #churchServices #ChurchSocial #churchSocialJustice #ChurchSocialResponsibility #ChurchSpirituality #churchStewardship #churchSupport #ChurchSupportGroup #ChurchSupportMinistry #ChurchSupportNetwork #ChurchSupportServices #ChurchSymbols #ChurchUniform #churchUnity #ChurchVolunteerNetwork #churchVolunteers #ChurchWorshipTeam #ChurchYouthCamp #ChurchYouthEngagement #ChurchYouthMinistry #ChurchYouthProgram #Clergy #ClergyConference #ClergyDirectory #ClergyMinistry #ClergyRobes #ClergyServices #ClergySupport #ClergyTraining #Clerical #Communion #CommunityFaith #CommunityHelp #communityPrayer #communityService #communitySupport #CommunityWorship #Confirmation #Confirmations #Congregation #Cross #CrossSymbol #devon #devotion #Diocese #Easter #EasterVigil #Ecumenical #Evangelical #Evangelism #Exeter #faith #FaithAid #FaithAndCommunity #faithAndHope #FaithAndJustice #FaithAndPeace #FaithAndService #faithAndWorship #FaithAndWorshipResources #FaithCalendar #FaithCamps #FaithCharity #FaithCircles #FaithCollaboration #faithCommunity #FaithCommunityGathering #FaithCompassion #FaithConference #FaithConferences #FaithCooperation #FaithCounseling #faithDevelopment #FaithEngagement #FaithEquality #FaithEvents #FaithFellowship #FaithFestivals #FaithForgiveness #faithFormation #FaithFreedom #FaithGatherings #FaithGiving #FaithGroup #FaithHopeLove #FaithInAction #faithInitiatives #faithJourney #FaithJustice #faithLeadership #FaithMagazine #FaithMeditation #FaithMercy #FaithNetwork #faithOutreach #FaithOutreachPrograms #FaithPartnership #FaithPeace #FaithPeacebuilding #FaithPractices #FaithPrayer #FaithProcessions #FaithReflection #faithRevival #FaithRights #FaithService #FaithSharing #FaithSharingEvent #faithSupport #FaithSymbols #FaithTolerance #faithBasedCharity #FaithBasedCommunityDevelopment #faithBasedCounseling #faithBasedEducation #FaithBasedEvents #faithBasedInitiatives #FaithBasedOrganization #FaithBasedOutreach #FaithBasedRelief #FaithBasedSupport #Holy #holyBible #HolyBibleReading #HolyCelebrations #HolyCommunion #HolyCross #HolyDay #HolyDays #HolyDaysObservance #HolyLand #HolyMission #HolyProcessions #HolyRelics #HolySacrament #HolySacraments #holySpirit #HolySpiritMovement #HolyWater #HolyWeek #Hymns #Interfaith #interfaithDialogue #Minister #MinistryDevelopment #MinistryWork #Parish #ParishCouncil #Pastor #pastoralCare #pastoralCounseling #PastoralMinistry #PastoralServices #PastoralSupport #PastoralVisit #PeaceAndJustice #pentecost #prayer #prayerChains #prayerGroup #prayerGroups #prayerLife #prayerMeeting #prayerMeetings #priest #religion #religiousAdvocacy #ReligiousAid #ReligiousArtExhibitions #ReligiousArtWorkshop #ReligiousArtwork #ReligiousBeliefs #ReligiousBlog #ReligiousCalendar #ReligiousCamps #religiousCelebrations #religiousCeremonies #ReligiousCeremony #ReligiousChants #ReligiousCharitableWork #religiousCharity #ReligiousCollaboration #religiousCommunity #ReligiousCommunityActivities #ReligiousCommunityService #religiousCommunitySupport #ReligiousCompassion #ReligiousConference #ReligiousCooperation #religiousCounseling #ReligiousCounselingServices #ReligiousDevotions #religiousDialogue #religiousDonations #religiousEducation #ReligiousEducationCurriculum #ReligiousEducationForAllAges #religiousEducationMaterials #ReligiousEducationProgram #ReligiousEducationWeek #ReligiousEducationWorkshops #religiousEngagement #ReligiousEquality #religiousEvents #religiousFaith #religiousFaithfulness #religiousFellowship #ReligiousFestival #religiousFestivals #ReligiousForgiveness #ReligiousFreedom #ReligiousGathering #religiousGatherings #ReligiousGrace #ReligiousGroup #religiousHarmony #religiousHeritage #ReligiousHeritageConservation #ReligiousHeritageFestival #ReligiousHeritageSites #religiousHoliday #religiousHolidays #religiousHope #religiousHumanitarianWork #ReligiousIcons #ReligiousInfrastructure #ReligiousInitiatives #religiousInspiration #ReligiousJustice #ReligiousLeaders #ReligiousLeadership #ReligiousLeadershipConference #religiousLeadershipDevelopment #ReligiousLeadershipRoles #ReligiousLeadershipTraining #ReligiousMeditation #ReligiousMercy #ReligiousMinistry #ReligiousMoralValues #ReligiousMorality #ReligiousMusicMinistry #ReligiousMusicProgram #ReligiousNetwork #ReligiousNetworking #ReligiousObservances #ReligiousOrdinations #religiousOutreach #ReligiousOutreachCampaign #ReligiousOutreachEvents #ReligiousOutreachInitiatives #ReligiousOutreachProgram #ReligiousOutreachPrograms #ReligiousOutreachStrategies #ReligiousOutreachStrategy #ReligiousParades #ReligiousPartnership #ReligiousPeace #ReligiousPeaceInitiatives #ReligiousPeacebuilding #religiousPilgrimage #ReligiousPrayerBook #ReligiousPrayerChain #ReligiousPrayerResources #ReligiousPrayerWorkshop #ReligiousProcessions #religiousPublications #religiousReflection #religiousRenewal #ReligiousRetreat #ReligiousRetreats #religiousRevival #ReligiousRights #religiousRituals #ReligiousSeminar #ReligiousSeminarSeries #ReligiousServicePlanning #ReligiousServiceProgram #ReligiousSocialJustice #ReligiousSong #ReligiousStewardship #religiousStudies #religiousSupport #religiousSymbols #ReligiousSymbolsInArt #ReligiousSymbolsInCulture #ReligiousTextAnalysis #religiousTexts #ReligiousTolerance #ReligiousToleranceCampaign #religiousTradition #ReligiousVolunteerWork #ReligiousYouthCamp #ReligiousYouthProgram #Reverend #sacred #SacredArt #SacredArtifacts #SacredCircles #SacredDays #SacredFestivals #SacredGrace #SacredHeart #SacredHymns #SacredJourney #SacredJustice #SacredLandmarks #sacredLove #sacredMusic #SacredMusicConcert #SacredProcessions #sacredRituals #SacredScriptures #sacredSites #SacredSpace #SacredSymbols #SacredTextRecitation #SacredTextStudy #sacredTexts #SacredTraditions #SacredTraditionsPreservation #SacredUnity #SacredWorship #sanctuary #Sermon #spiritualAwakening #SpiritualBlog #SpiritualCare #spiritualCounseling #spiritualDiscipline #spiritualFaith #spiritualFreedom #spiritualGrowth #SpiritualLeader #spiritualLeadership #spiritualMeditation #SpiritualMission #spiritualPeace #spiritualPractice #spiritualPractices #spiritualReflection #SpiritualRetreatCenter #spiritualRetreats #SpiritualTolerance #SpiritualWorkshop #spirituality #SundaySchool #theology #UK #Volunteer #worship #worshipAndPraise #worshipBand #WorshipCelebrations #WorshipEvents #WorshipGroup #WorshipMeditation #worshipMusic #WorshipPlace #WorshipPlanning #WorshipPrayer #WorshipService #WorshipServicePlanning #worshipServices #worshipSongs #youthCamps #youthGroup
  8. In the Meme Time

    Here we go again we have another Leftist meme that is wrong. Screenshot There are 5 statements and most of them are either incorrect, taken out of context, or an out-right lie. So let's break it down: The Founders did indeed write the Constitution and it's true that the Apostles did not. But what the Apostles did write under the guidance of the Holy Spirit led to what the Founders wrote in the Constitution. Without the work of the Apostles the Constitution would never been written. The […]

    bynw.com/in-the-meme-time-18/

  9. A quotation from Henry Commager

    Who are those who are really disloyal? Those who inflame racial hatreds, who sow religious and class dissensions. Those who subvert the Constitution by violating the freedom of the ballot box. Those who make a mockery of majority rule by the use of the filibuster. Those who impair democracy by denying equal educational facilities. Those who frustrate justice by lynch law or by making a farce of jury trials. Those who deny freedom of speech and of the press and of assembly. Those who press for special favors against the interest of the commonwealth. Those who regard public office as a source of private gain. Those who would exalt the military over the civil. Those who for selfish and private purposes stir up national antagonisms and expose the world to the ruin of war.

    Henry Steele Commager (1902-1998) American historian, writer, activist
    Essay (1947-09), “Who Is Loyal to America?” sec. 3, Harper’s Magazine, Vol. 195, No. 1168

    More about this quote: wist.info/commager-henry-steel…

    #quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #henrycommager #America #civilliberties #civilrights #corruption #demagoguery #democracy #disloyalty #division #firstamendment #freepress #freespeech #freedomofreligion #freedomofspeech #freedomofthepress #injustice #jingoism #justice #loyalty #loyaltyoath #military #patriotism #publicoffice #religiousfreedom #unAmerican #usvsthem #votersuppression #votingrights #war #warmongering

  10. Saturday, April 25, 2026

    Ukrainian Neptune missiles destroy Russian drone factory workshops in Rostov Oblast -- Russia attacked Ukrainian rail infrastructure more than 1,000 times in 2025 -- Investigation: A secret program, suicidal missions, and death, torture in occupied Ukraine -- Poland's Tusk questions US loyalty to NATO ... and more

    activitypub.writeworks.uk/2026

  11. Supreme Court Questions Standing of Non-Devotees in Sabarimala Customary Challenge

    Supreme Court questions if people who are not devotees can challenge Sabarimala temple's rules about women's entry. This could affect other religious places.

    #Sabarimala, #SupremeCourt, #ReligiousFreedom, #GenderEquality, #IndianLaw

    newsletter.tf/supreme-court-qu

  12. A quotation from Thomas Carlyle

    No iron chain, or outward force of any kind, could ever compel the soul of a man to believe or to disbelieve: it is his own indefeasible light, that judgment of his; he will reign, and believe there, by the grace of God alone!

    Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) Scottish essayist and historian
    Lecture (1840-05-15), “The Hero as Priest,” Home House, Portman Square, London

    More about this quote: wist.info/carlyle-thomas/6667/

    #quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #thomascarlyle #belief #compulsion #force #freethought #freedomofreligion #freedomofthought #intolerance #judgment #orthodoxy #religiousfreedom #religiousintolerance #selfdirection #soul #theocracy

  13. In a victory for #ReligiousFreedom [& #FreedomFromReligion] & #ChurchAndState separation, a federal district court issued a preliminary injunction today in Rabbi Nathan v. Alamo Heights Independent School District, prohibiting the school district defendants from implementing a #Texas #law that requires all elementary & secondary #PublicSchools to display the #TenCommandments in every classroom.

    #Republicans #Christian #Evangelism #NewApostolicReformation #NAR #education #indoctrination

  14. A very happy Dhanteras,
    the first day of Diwali 🪔
    Happy Halloween 👻 🎃
    and Blessed Samhain🕯️ to all!

    I hope you have a terrific time! 🎃

    Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is a joyous occasion celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains around the world. It symbolizes the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair. May this Diwali bring you and your loved ones joy, prosperity and enlightenment. 🪔

    Helloween, the eve of All Saints, is a time for fun and mischief. Whether you're dressing up in a costume, carving pumpkins, or indulging in sweet treats, I hope you have a terrific time! 🎃

    Samhain, the ancient Celtic festival, marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the darker half of the year. It is a time for reflection, honoring the ancestors, and embracing the mysteries of the unknown. May you find peace, wisdom and connection during this sacred time. 🕯️

    No matter how you choose to celebrate, I hope you take a moment to appreciate the beauty and magic of this season. May it bring you warmth, joy and inspiration, and may the coming year be full of love, growth and abundance.

    🎉🎃🕯️🪔

    #Diwali #trickOrTreat
    #Halloween #HappyHalloween #sweets #Halloween #HappyHalloween #FestivalOfLights #Hindu #Sikh #Jain #Festival #Celtic #Dhanteras #Diwali #Helloween #Samhain #FestivalOfLights #Hindu #Sikh #Jain #Festival #Halloween #Ancestors #Celtic #Reflection #Mystery #SeasonOfMagic #Warmth #Joy #Inspiration #Love #Growth #Abundance #HappyDiwali #Spooktacular #HonorTheAncestors #EmbraceTheMystery #ReflectionTime #SeasonalCelebrations #CulturalDiversity #ReligiousFreedom #RespectAndInclusion #GlobalCommunity

    esperanto.masto.host/@Debby/11

  15. #ApacheStronghold Asks #SupremeCourt to #SaveOakFlat

    By Becket Law, via #CensoredNews
    Sept. 11, 2024

    WASHINGTON – "A coalition of #WesternApaches, other #Native peoples, and non-Native #allies asked the #SupremeCourt today to protect their sacred site at #OakFlat from destruction by a multinational mining giant. In Apache Stronghold v. United States, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals refused to stop the federal government from transferring Oak Flat to #ResolutionCopper, a foreign-owned mining company that plans to turn the site into a massive mining crater, ending #Apache religious practices forever (Watch video linked below to learn more).

    "The Apaches and their allies hosted a day of prayer outside the Court as they asked the Justices to save the spiritual lifeblood of their people.
    Since time immemorial, Western Apaches and other Native peoples have gathered at Oak Flat, outside of present-day Superior, Arizona, for sacred religious ceremonies that cannot take place anywhere else. Known in Apache as Chi’chil Biłdagoteel, Oak Flat is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and has been protected from mining and other harmful practices for decades. These protections were targeted in December 2014 when a last-minute provision was inserted into a must- pass defense bill authorizing the transfer of Oak Flat to the Resolution Copper company. Resolution Copper is a foreign-owned mining company that plans to turn the sacred site into a two-mile-wide and 1,100-foot-deep crater. The majority owner of Resolution Copper, #RioTinto, sparked international outrage when it deliberately destroyed 46,000-year-old #Indigenous rock shelters at one of #Australia’s most significant cultural sites.

    “'Oak Flat is our Mt. Sinai—the most sacred place where generations of Apache have come to connect with our Creator, our faith, and our land,' said Dr. Wendsler Nosie Sr. of Apache Stronghold. 'We pray the Justices will protect Oak Flat and ensure that our place of worship is not treated differently simply because it lacks four walls and a steeple.”
    Apache Stronghold—a coalition of Apaches, other Native peoples, and non-Native allies—filed this lawsuit in January 2021 seeking to halt the proposed mine at Oak Flat. The mine is opposed by 21 of 22 federally recognized tribal nations in Arizona and by the National Congress of American Indians. Meanwhile, national polling indicates that 74% of Americans support protecting Oak Flat. The Ninth Circuit ruled earlier this year that the land transfer is not subject to federal laws protecting religious freedom. But five judges dissented, writing that the court 'tragically err[ed]' by refusing to protect Oak Flat. After unsuccessfully asking all 29 judges on the Ninth Circuit to rehear the case, Apache Stronghold has filed their appeal to the Supreme Court.

    "'Blasting the birthplace of Apache religion into oblivion would be an egregious violation of our nation’s promise of religious freedom for people of all faiths,' said Luke Goodrich, vice president and senior counsel at Becket. 'The Court should uphold its strong record of defending #ReligiousFreedom by ensuring that the Apaches can continue worshiping at Oak Flat as they have for centuries.'

    "In addition to Becket, Apache Stronghold is represented by Erin Murphy of Clement & Murphy PLLC, Professor Stephanie Barclay of Georgetown Law School, and attorneys Michael V. Nixon and Clifford Levenson.
    For more information or to arrange an interview, contact Ryan Colby at [email protected] or 202-349-7219."

    Source:
    bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2024/09

    Legal document:
    becketlaw.org/media/breaking-a

    Video:
    youtube.com/watch?v=Zh68xOn0B_

    #SCOTUS #CopperMine
    #ProtectOakFlat
    #ProtectTheSacred
    #DefendTheSacred
    #IndigenousActivism
    #SaveOakFlat
    #WaterIsLife
    #SacredSite
    #CopperMining
    #RecycleCopper
    #NoMiningWithoutConsent
    #CulturalGenocide
    #Ecocide #NativeAmericanNews
    #CorporateColonialism
    #WashingtonDC
    #PrayerRide
    #PeacefulProtest
    #FightForReligiousRights
    #ChichilBildagoteel

  16. The mindset lying behind this command to subdue and take dominion over reproductive technology is a mindset that wants to subdue and dominate anyone who questions the minoritarian, religion-based view that a human person is fully present from the moment of conception. This is a call to coerce dissenters, to use law to subdue and dominate the majority.

    And for that reason it should concern all of us who will be the subdued and dominated.

    #IVF #ReligiousFreedom #ReproductiveTechnology
    /4
    '

  17. Dave Pepper does a deep dive into the thinking that lies behind the increasing push, now led by evangelicals like the Southern Baptists, to ban IVF. As he notes, there's the insistence in key documents like Project 2025 and Heritage Foundation essays that Protestants need to adopt the Catholic magisterial notion that a human person is fully present from the moment of conception.

    #IVF #contraception #abortion #ReligiousFreedom #ReproductiveTechnology
    /1

    davidpepper.substack.com/p/red

  18. Judge Rules Against Catholic Families in Sylvania Bus Dispute
    On Tuesday 3/19, Lucas county Judge Stacy Cook ruled that the Sylvania City School District bus transportation plan for students of non-public schools doesn't violate Ohio law or constitution.
    humanistswle.org/2024/judge-ru

  19. BREAKING: Federal court greenlights destruction of #OakFlat

    #ApacheStronghold vows to appeal decision to U.S. Supreme Court

    By Apache Stronghold, Censored News, March 1, 2024

    WASHINGTON – "A divided federal court (6-5) today refused to protect an ancient #NativeAmerican sacred site from destruction by a multinational #mining giant, putting the case on a fast track to the Supreme Court. In Apache Stronghold v. United States, a rare 'en banc' panel of eleven judges from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the federal government can transfer the #SacredSite Oak Flat to #ResolutionCopper, a foreign-owned mining company that plans to turn the site into a massive mining crater, ending Apache religious practices forever. (Watch the short video linked below to learn more).

    "The decision was by a bare majority, with five judges vigorously disagreeing and writing that the majority 'tragically err[ed]' in allowing the government to 'obliterate[e] Oak Flat' and prevent the '#WesternApaches from ever again' engaging in their religious exercise. With the help of Becket, Apache Stronghold has vowed to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.

    "Since time immemorial, Western Apaches and other native peoples have gathered at Oak Flat for sacred religious ceremonies that cannot take place anywhere else. Known in Apache as Chi’chil Biłdagoteel, Oak Flat is on the National Register of Historic Places and has been protected from mining and other harmful practices for decades. These protections were eliminated in 2014, when a last-minute provision was inserted into a must-pass #DefenseBill authorizing the transfer of Oak Flat to Resolution Copper, a foreign-owned mining company that plans to turn the sacred site into a two- mile-wide and 1,100-foot-deep crater. The majority owner of Resolution Copper, Rio Tinto, recently sparked international outrage when it deliberately destroyed 46,000-year-old #indigenous rock shelters at one of #Australia’s most significant cultural sites.

    "'Oak Flat is like #MountSinai to us—our most sacred site where we connect with our Creator, our faith, our families, and our land,” said Dr. Wendsler Nosie of Apache Stronghold. “Today’s ruling targets the spiritual lifeblood of my people, but it will not stop our struggle to save Oak Flat. We vow to appeal to the Supreme Court.'

    Source:
    bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2024/03

    Link to video:
    youtu.be/Zh68xOn0B_8?si=428-0_

    #SaveOakFlat #RioTinto
    #CulturalGenocide #EnvironmentalRacism #CorporateColonialism #CopperMining #Mining #LandBack #WaterIsLife
    #IndigenousLands #SacredSpaces #ReligiousFreedom #IndigenousRights

  20. CW: Suicide

    UP bus staffer sacked for stopping bus to let passengers offer namaz kills self

    A 32-year-old conductor of a UP state transport bus, who along with the driver was suspended for allegedly allowing two passengers to offer namaz after halting the vehicle for two minutes on the Bareilly-Delhi national highway enroute to Delhi on June 3, has killed himself.

    timesofindia.indiatimes.com/ci

    #UttarPradesh #mainpuri #MohitYadav #UPSRTC #DeepakChaudhary #hindutva #BJP #muslims #namaz #ReligiousFreedom #UPGovt #india

  21. Jalgaon: Based on Right-Wing Activist's Complaint, Collector Bans Namaz at 800-Year-Old Mosque

    The Jumma Masjid in Jalgaon’s Erandol is a property registered under the Waqf Board. Even though the Archaeological Survey of India supported the mosque trust’s claims, the collector has passed an unprecedented interim restraining order.

    #maharashtra #jalgaon #erandol #JummaMasjid #mosques #namaz #hindutva #RSS #VHP #BajrangDal #ReligiousFreedom #muslims #islamophobia #islam #india

    thewire.in/rights/jalgaon-righ

  22. Speaking of whining: try asking a #yeshiva to meet basic standards for #teaching #math, #English, and #science.

    They'll whine about "religious freedom". #ReligiousFreedom is not implicated here: teach whatever you want, as long as you also teach math, science, #history. (If anything, forbearance would offend religious freedom by privileging religion over all other compelling state interests, a violation of the #EstablishmentClause.)

    They'll whine that those subjects are adequately addressed in their #Jewish studies. Nonsense. Kids graduating these "#schools" have been shown to be severely deficient in English and other subjects.

    The schools and their supporters are lying; and what's more: they know it.

    jta.org/2023/07/03/ny/18-nyc-y

    #NY #NYC #education

  23. No Harm In Offering Namaz For 30 Minutes: Madras High Court Refuses To Stay Namaz Prayers Near Temple On Tiruparankundram Hill

    The Madras High Court has refused to ban the offering of Namaz in a Nellithopu (pathway) towards the Kasi Viswanthar Temple situated at Thirupparankundram in Madurai District.

    #TamilNadu #madurai #thirupparankundram #namaz #muslims #ReligiousFreedom #india

    livelaw.in/high-court/madras-h

  24. Muslims who returned to Purola told not to hold Eid gatherings even at home

    Days after Muslim families of the Uttarakhand town of Purola began returning to their homes and opening their businesses — they fled in early June in the wake of threats from right-wing Hindu groups — they have been instructed by the same groups and also local market associations to not congregate for Eid ul-Zuha, even inside a home.

    #uttarakhand #purola #eid #bakrid #EidUlZuha #muslims #ReligiousFreedom #HinduMobs #hindutva #BJP #CommunalViolence #india

    hindustantimes.com/india-news/

  25. Muslims In Badrinath Told To Offer Namaz 40 km Away On Eid

    The minority community residing in Badrinath mostly consists of migrant labourers working on reconstruction projects at the Himalayan temple.

    #uttarakhand #badrinath #joshimath #eid #bakrid #muslims #hindutva #temples #ReligiousFreedom #BJP #india

    ndtv.com/india-news/muslims-in

  26. Maharashtra: The Muslims who will not offer ‘qurbani’ on Eid al-Adha this year

    Ashadi Ekadashi falls on the same day as Bakri Eid, thus cops apprehend attempts to destroy communal harmony in the Solapur district.

    #maharashtra #solapur #muslims #bakrid #EidAlAdha #eid #hindutva #ReligiousFreedom #communalism #BJP #india

    nationalheraldindia.com/nation

  27. Praying on the Road Is Not a Good Feeling, but What Else Can Indian Muslims Do?

    People would have you believe that what we perceive as humiliation is part of a big plan to destabilise the country. In 2023, they make it appear to be some grand conspiracy, as if it’s a plot to disrupt the nation’s peace.

    #muslims #namaz #ramzan #eid #koran #sunnah #eidgah #ramadan #islam #UttarPradesh #kanpur #islamophobia #communalism #law #hindutva #ReligiousFreedom #rights #india

    thewire.in/rights/namaz-road-m

  28. Hundreds booked as 6 FIRs lodged in UP over Eid namaz on streets

    “The cases will be investigated. So far, no one has been identified. The cases were lodged for offering namaz in the open,” Kanpur Police Commissioner Bhagirath P Jogdand told The Indian Express on Friday.

    #UttarPradesh #kanpur #aligarh #hapur #muslims #namaz #eid #ramzan #ramadan #ReligiousFreedom #BJP #UPpolice #hindutva #islamophobia #india

  29. Muslims Can Live, But They Shouldn't Look Muslim or Congregate

    The message behind the Noida protest by local residents is clear: Muslims are welcome to live in isolation in colonies numerically dominated by Hindus, provided they do not ‘look’ Muslim and do not publicly form a collective, writes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.

    #opinion #NilanjanMukhopadhyay UttarPradesh #noida #RamNavami #muslims #minorities #ReligiousFreedom #HumanRights #namaz #JummaNamaz #HinduMobs #BJP #VHP #BajrangDal #ghettoisation #india

    thewire.in/communalism/muslims

  30. Muslims fined Rs 5 lakh each after praying in private warehouse

    Uttar Pradesh Police served notices on 10 Muslims under CrPC 107/116 (a preventive measure to preempt a breach of peace) and directed a Muslim family to hold any group prayers after Bajrang Dal protested against the group of Muslims offering prayers at a private warehouse in Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad on Saturday.

    #UttarPradesh #moradabad #muslims #namaz #BajrangDal #VHP #BJP #ReligiousFreedom #hindutva #minorities #communalism#india

    hindutvawatch.org/up-muslims-f