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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Not the Pot of Gold We Were Sold

Marijuana

Analyzing medical data from 6 million people, researchers in Denmark have found that up to 30% of schizophrenia cases among young men could be linked to marijuana use. Increased potency of marijuana in the global market is a factor, and lawmakers have “decreas[ed] the public’s perception of its harm,” according to the study’s lead author. 

The law is a teacher. Legalizing marijuana use essentially teaches constituents that marijuana is safe. Except it isn’t. Legalizing pot was, especially early on, sold as a way of helping sick people. But cannabis is the only substance I can think of approved for medical use and then legalized for recreation.  

As far as the cannabis industry is concerned, which is estimated this year to be worth 32 billion dollars, it has never really been about health. As more and more evidence emerges that pot is not as safe as the public was sold, we’ll learn whether it’s possible to put this genie back in its bottle.

Copyright 2023 by the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. Reprinted from BreakPoint.org with permission.

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State Reports Show Abortion Effectively Stopped in Arkansas in June of 2022

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, June 2, 2023

Little Rock, Ark. – On Thursday the Arkansas Department of Health released its annual abortion reports. The documents reveal 1,621 abortions were performed in Arkansas during 2022. The reports note that on  June 24, 2022, abortion became prohibited in Arkansas except to save the life of the mother.

Family Council President Jerry Cox released a statement, saying, “These reports are great news. They show that Arkansas’ pro-life laws are protecting women and saving unborn children. Arkansas has successfully prohibited abortion except to save the life of the mother. That is something to celebrate.”

Cox pointed out that abortion was legal in Arkansas until June 24th of last year. “The numbers released by the Arkansas Department of Health prove the effectiveness of Arkansas’ ban on abortions. The Health Department statistics seem to indicate that abortions virtually ended after Arkansas’ law against abortion went into effect.”

Cox said reversing Roe v. Wade last June saved approximately 1,500 unborn children in Arkansas. “In the past, Arkansas has averaged around 3,200 abortions per year. In 2022, there were 1,621 abortions. All in all, our team estimates 1,500 unborn children were saved from abortion after June 24 of last year.”

Cox said the reports also show Arkansas’ informed-consent laws helped women choose options besides abortion. “Arkansas has some of the best informed-consent laws in America. These laws require  abortionists to give women all the facts about abortion up front, including abortion’s risks, consequences, and alternatives. They also have to give women plenty of time to consider all options before making a final decision. These reports indicate approximately 400 women chose not to have abortions last year after receiving this information.”

Cox said the reports underscore why it is so important that the Arkansas Legislature voted to appropriate one million dollars this year to help women with unplanned pregnancies. “Most of the abortions  performed last year were on single moms. It isn’t enough simply to outlaw abortion. If we truly want to end abortion, we have to help women with unplanned pregnancies. Arkansas is home to more than 60 organizations that assist pregnant women — including some 45 pregnancy resource centers. The money that the State of Arkansas appropriated this year will make it possible for women to receive help from these good organizations.”

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