Page 714 – Family Council

Telling the Truth from a Joke

Apr 28, 2021John StonestreetLGBTLGBT

A few days ago, my friend Rod Dreher tweeted, “We have gone through the looking glass.” He was responding to another tweet from someone whose transgender friend felt hurt that, despite now identifying as female, his DNA test still came up as XY.

This could’ve been a joke. After all, surely, no one would think that taking hormones would alter their genetics, anymore than dyeing hair or wearing colored contacts could.

But today, it’s entirely believable that someone would take offense at the outcome of a DNA test. In a culture so devoted to what Carl Trueman identifies as “expressive individualism,” where millions truly believe that our desires determine reality in every other sense, it’s not such a stretch that some would think that self-expression should determine DNA.

Christians are called to love God and our neighbors. That can only happen by being committed to truth.

ACLU Opposes Arkansas Religious Freedom Amendment

Apr 27, 2021Jerry CoxReligious FreedomArkansas Legislature, Religious Liberty

This week the ACLU issued a series of statements on Twitter opposing the Arkansas Religious Freedom Amendment, S.J.R. 14.

This good measure by Sen. Jason Rapert (R – Conway) and Rep. Jimmy Gazaway (R – Paragould) would amend the Arkansas Constitution.

If adopted, it would prevent the government from burdening a person’s free exercise of religion.

The measure is similar to Arkansas’ state Religious Freedom Restoration Act. You Can Read S.J.R. 14 Here.

According to the ACLU, S.J.R. 14 is “among the most extreme [religious freedom measures] in the country,” and it would “put Arkansas out of step with nearly all other states.”

But that simply is not the case.

Most states have enacted Religious Freedom Restoration Acts similar to S.J.R. 14 already.

Alabama has a religious freedom amendment very similar to S.J.R. 14 in its state constitution.

In fact the ACLU used to support state and federal Religious Freedom Restoration Acts like these in 1990s.

State and federal measures restoring religious freedom in America came about because courts had so badly eroded religious liberty in America. The laws simply help restore protections for the free exercise of religion.

S.J.R. 14 is no different in that regard. It’s just a good measure that will help ensure that our state constitution protects religious liberty in Arkansas. That’s something that all of us ought to be able to support.

Governor Signs Measure Establishing Day of Prayer for Arkansas’ Students

Apr 27, 2021Jerry CoxReligious FreedomArkansas Legislature, Religious Liberty

On Monday Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson notified the legislature that he signed S.B. 662 into law.

The measure is now Act 902 of 2021.

This good bill by Sen. Ricky Hill (R – Cabot), Sen. Missy Irvin (R – Mountain View), and Rep. Cameron Cooper (R – Romance) establishes the last Wednesday of September as a Day of Prayer for Arkansas Students every year.

S.B. 662 calls on the citizens to “pray, meditate, or otherwise reflect upon” students, teachers, school administrators, and schools across the state. It is similar to a law in Kentucky.

It’s a really simple bill, but it’s a really good measure that does a lot.

Read S.B. 662 Here.