Christian Prosecuted in an Arkansas Court for Preaching

Religious Freedom

The following is a press release from the National Association of Christian Lawmakers.

Batesville, Arkansas, June 14, 2023. –Jeremy Anders is a man who has overcome significant challenges and holds great love in his heart. He endured malicious bullying during his childhood and teenage years and sought support and relief from inappropriate sources. As a young adult, he found himself battling addiction and living a LGBTQ lifestyle.

However, Mr. Anders experienced a life-changing transformation when he surrendered his life to the Lord in the Spring of 2010. Through divine intervention, he was delivered from that lifestyle. In 2013, he dedicated himself to the ministry of preaching, starting with a nursing home ministry. In 2015, he felt a calling to reach out to those still trapped in the LGBTQ lifestyle, utilizing Facebook and street preaching as platforms to spread his message. Since then, he has faithfully carried out this ministry.

On June 5, 2022, while driving through Batesville with his mother, Mr. Anders felt compelled to preach on a public sidewalk in downtown Batesville, in front of a closed establishment. During his preaching, he was confronted by an individual who threatened to involve the police if he did not stop. Despite asserting his rights, Mr. Anders was approached later that evening by two officers who warned him against returning  to the same sidewalk location, citing potential charges of harassment and criminal trespass. Despite continuing his ministry while avoiding  confrontations, Mr. Anders was unexpectedly arrested for  harassment on April 20, 2023, during his routine commute to work. He spent over 24 hours in jail solely for preaching.

Mr. Anders’ trial took place in Batesville District Court on Wednesday, June 14th. Bob Ballinger, the Director of Law and Policy for the National Association of Christian Lawmakers (NACL), appeared as Mr. Anders’ defense counsel in court. The objective was to protect Mr. Anders’ individual rights and safeguard the right to preach and speak on sidewalks in Arkansas for all citizens. The judge has yet to rule on Mr. Anders’ guilt or innocence. He has requested the attorneys to submit briefs to him for consideration prior to issuing his final order.

Ballinger, renowned for his advocacy on religious liberty and First Amendment issues during his time as a legislator, expressed his deep concerns regarding the incident. He stated, “This case represents one of the most egregious violations of the First Amendment I have witnessed in Arkansas. Our Constitution upholds religious expression through the Free Exercise and Free Speech Clauses, and our state’s religious freedom protections necessitate strict scrutiny whenever governmental actions impede religious expression.”

He further emphasized, “The Supreme Court, in Curtis Pub. Co. v. Butts, declared that the ‘dissemination of the individual’s opinions on matters of public interest’ is an ‘unalienable right that governments are instituted to secure,’ as articulated in the Declaration of Independence. Governments that fail to protect such rights are not fulfilling their purpose.”

Former Senator Jason Rapert, Founder and President of NACL, expressed his views on the matter, saying, “Freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and the right to peacefully assemble are all enshrined in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution for an important reason – they are critical freedoms in our constitutional republic. Our founding fathers placed them at the top of the Bill of Rights because they wanted these rights to be protected for every individual. Mr. Anders was peacefully standing on a public sidewalk exercising his freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and his right to peacefully assemble in Batesville, Arkansas. He was preaching the Word of God. He should never have been arrested, and I am appalled that he was prosecuted for preaching in the state of Arkansas.”

When asked about his ministry, Mr. Anders summarized, “To put it simply, Jesus Christ can liberate you from the sins and bondage of homosexuality, and if the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.” He further expressed his unwavering commitment to his faith and that he hopes that his case will set a precedent for the protection of religious expression in public spaces for others.

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Freedom From Religion Foundation Chastises Crawford County Sheriff Over Inmate Baptisms

Religious Freedom, ,

The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation has sent a complaint to the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office over baptisms that recently occurred at the county’s correctional facility.

In a press release, the atheist organization wrote,

FFRF has been alerted that the Sheriff’s Office recently hosted a baptism for inmates in partnership with Kibler Baptist Church. It then promoted the government-sponsored religious activity and its preference for Christianity on Facebook, celebrating how “38 incarcerated men and women accepted Jesus Christ behind bars.”

Following the complaint, 40/29 News reported that the baptism was organized by jail chaplains who minister to inmates inside the detention center and that it was inmates who made the request. A sheriff’s deputy said The Facebook post was taken down to remove any confusion.

This isn’t the first time the Freedom From Religion Foundation has been active in Arkansas.

Last fall the atheist group issued a statement celebrating the defeat of religious freedom amendment Issue 3, which narrowly failed at the ballot box in Arkansas.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation has opposed public prayer at meetings and gatherings in Arkansas, and has filed a lawsuit to have a monument of the Ten Commandments removed from the Arkansas Capitol grounds.

In 2017 the group demanded that Governor Hutchinson stop sharing Bible verses on his Facebook page.

In 2016 the foundation went after Washington County election officials for using churches as polling places.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation has even complained about the fact that that Arkansas’ public school students can study the Bible academically — even though it is one of the oldest texts in existence and has had a profound influence on human history.

It’s worth noting that across the board, groups like the Freedom From Religion Foundation tend to threaten lawsuits. If people stand their ground, these organizations rarely follow through by filing a lawsuit.

Religious freedom is a fundamental right in America, and groups like the Freedom From Religion Foundation infringe that liberty when they work to purge the free exercise of religion from public life.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Upholding Religious Liberty: A Timeless Principle

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This is part of Family Council’s ongoing series outlining the importance of traditional family values in society. Today’s installment focuses on the value of religious liberty.

Religious liberty is a core value woven into the fabric of our nation.

Below are a few points to consider.

Religious Liberty is a Fundamental Human Right

The free exercise of religion is a fundamental human right secured by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Religious liberty lets individuals practice their faith without fear of persecution or discrimination.

Protecting the free exercise of religion helps ensure people are able to live out their deeply held convictions in everyday life.

The Free Exercise of Religion Promotes Morality and Ethics

On August 23, 1984, President Ronald Reagan delivered a speech at the Ecumenical Prayer Breakfast in Dallas, Texas. During the speech he commented,

“Without God, there is no virtue, because there’s no prompting of the conscience. Without God, we’re mired in the material, that flat world that tells us only what the senses perceive. Without God, there is a coarsening of the society.”

Faith and religion help shape moral values and principles. Religious freedom ensures we’re able to follow our beliefs and pass them on to future generations.

Religion and Charity Benefit All of Society

In 2016 researchers writing in the Interdisciplinary Journal of Research and Religion published a study examining economic contributions of religious institutions. Researchers estimated “religion” in America contributes at least $378 billion to the U.S. economy annually — and possibly as much as $1.2 trillion or more.

Religious freedom allows individuals to provide a source of support and comfort in their communities. It lets people and groups engage in charity and service motivated by their faith.

Religious liberty also helps build a healthy society, because it lets people of different faiths live out their beliefs peacefully and respectfully without government interference.

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