Head of Chick-fil-A Charity Says They Would Consider Working with LGBT Organizations, Says Helping People Doesn’t Mean ‘to Exclude’

Head of Chick-fil-A Charity Says They Would Consider Working with LGBT Organizations, Says Helping People Doesn’t Mean ‘to Exclude’



The executive director of the Chick-fil-A foundation says the restaurant and organization does not condone homophobic views.


Chick-fil-A has faced criticism recently for what critics are calling “homophobic” views and giving funds to “anti-gay groups.”


According to Business Insider, Rodney Bullard, the executive director of the Chick-fil-A Foundation, said the restaurant’s founder, Truett Cathy, and his family isn’t trying to discriminate.


“There’s a calling to help people, and I think at times that has been confused with a calling, somehow, to exclude. And that’s not the case,” Bullard said. “The focus, the phrase ‘every child’ — we’re very intentional about that. We do have programs and we look for programs that are inclusive as well to help every child.”


Critics say Chick-fil-A has made donations to the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Both organizations have in the past showed opposition to same-sex relationships.


Bullard, however, said that Chick-fil-A donations have specifically gone to programs such as summer camps for inner-city children.


Business Insider also asked Bullard if Chick-fil-A would ever consider working with an LGBT organization. 


Bullard responded, “Would it be authentic for us to partner with that organization? For them to partner with…

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China Launches Campaign to ‘Dismantle’ and Eliminate House Churches

China Launches Campaign to ‘Dismantle’ and Eliminate House Churches



China’s government launched a new campaign in April to eradicate underground house churches so that only state-sanctioned and heavily restricted Three-Self churches remain.


The new campaign, according to International Christian Concern (ICC), is called Return to Zero. The goal is to “dismantle the scale [of churches], dissolve the organization, and dismiss the church,” sources told ICC.


The ultimate goal is “eliminating Christianity” from the public sphere, ICC said.


Churches within China are required to register with the government and become part of the Three-Self movement. Pastors within the Three-Self movement submit their sermons to government officials for approval. In some Three-Self churches, children are prohibited by the government from attending.


Such restrictions have driven millions of Chinese to join illegal, unregistered house churches.


Under Return to Zero, house churches either must join the Three-Self movement or disband.


In April, Zaidao Church in Beijing was visited by government officials and told to join the Three-Self movement, ICC reported. The congregation is part of the China Gospel Fellowship, a house church network. 


China shut down the 1,000-member Shouwang Church — a house congregation — earlier this year. 


“So far, there have been churches across the country that were oppressed with different tactics…

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Polish Bishops plan to increase child protection in response to abuse documentary

The crowd-funded documentary presents allegations of child abuse with scenes of priests being confronted by victims.

The film, called,”Just don’t tell anyone” is the first of its kind in the country and has reached over 16-million views on YouTube. 

 

 An Episcopate spokesman said: “The head of the Episcopate, Archbishop Stanislaw Gadecki, yesterday (May 15) called an extraordinary meeting of top bishops – the meeting of the permanent council – to set out further actions aimed at protecting minors.”

In response to the documentary, the ruling Christian democratic Law and Justice (Pis) party, have announced plans for harsher punishments for child sex abusers, suggesting prison sentences be extended to 30-years.

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Star Wars Director Pledges Money to Fight Georgia’s Pro-Life Heartbeat Law

Star Wars Director Pledges Money to Fight Georgia’s Pro-Life Heartbeat Law



The respective directors of The Force Awakens, The Rise of Skywalker and Get Out say they will donate money to fight a new Georgia law that prohibits abortion after an unborn baby’s heartbeat is detected.


J.J. Abrams and Jordan Peele are executive producers of HBO’s Lovecraft Country series, which is expected to begin filming in Georgia in the coming weeks. Both say they oppose the law signed this month by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp. 


“In a few weeks we start shooting our new show, Lovecraft Country, and will do so standing shoulder to shoulder with the women of Georgia,” Abrams and Peele said in a joint statement, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “Governor Kemp’s ‘Fetal Heartbeat’ Abortion Law is an unconstitutional effort to further restrict women and their health providers from making private medical decisions on their terms. Make no mistake, this is an attack aimed squarely and purposely at women.”


Abrams directed the 2015 Star War film The Force Awakens and is the director of the new Star Wars film The Rise of Skywalker, which will release later this year. Peele directed Get Out(2017) and Us (2019). 


The two men say they will donate Lovecraft Country proceeds to fight the new Georgia law.


“We stand with Stacey Abrams and the hardworking people of Georgia, and will donate 100 percent of our respective…

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Church of England bishop suspended following police advice

Justin Welby confirmed on Thursday that he’d taken action against Christopher Lowson following advice from the police.

“If these matters are found to be proven I consider that the bishop would present a significant risk of harm by not adequately safeguarding children and vulnerable people,” he said.

Welby also confirmed there was no allegation that Bishop Christopher has committed abuse of a child or vulnerable adult.

The Bishop of Grimsby, David Court, will take on episcopal leadership of the diocese.

Responding to the news, Bishop Christopher said: “I am bewildered by the suspension and will fully cooperate in this matter.

“For the sake of the diocese and the wider Church I would like this to be investigated as quickly as possible to bring the matter to a swift conclusion.”

Lowson has been Bishop of Lincoln since 2011. Two years ago he also took his seat in the House of Lords.

The news of his suspension comes just weeks after a BBC Panorama show investigated abuse in the Diocese of London.

In a statement following the suspension, Lincolnshire Police said: “

We are aware of the decision today of the Archbishop of Canterbury to suspend the Bishop of Lincoln from office and it would not be appropriate for us to comment on that decision.

The first phase of the Lincolnshire Police Operation Redstone investigation into non-recent sexual abuse cases and resulted in three men…

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Multi-Millionaire Atheist Accepts Jesus, Now Teaches Christians to Live Out Their Dreams

Multi-Millionaire Atheist Accepts Jesus, Now Teaches Christians to Live Out Their Dreams



Michael McIntyre never believed he would be doing what he’s doing today. Running from Christ since an early age, Michael found financial success in his insurance business. But that all changed one day when his daughter was rushed to the ER. 


“One day my daughter got really really sick. We took her to the hospital and spent eight hours in the ER and it was really difficult,” he said, according to CBN News. “At the end of the day, we were exhausted – but she was OK.” 


Michael came home filled with gratitude that he could take his little girl home. Remembering wisdom his mother used to share with him to always thank God, he went outside and expressed his gratitude to God over and over again for an hour.


Little did Michael know in that moment how God would radically change him. For years, Michael’s brother and over 1,000 other people had been praying for his salvation. Those prayers were about to be answered.


“That night [after the ER] I had a dream, and in this dream, this voice spoke to me in a language I did not understand. I didn’t tell my wife about it, but I called my brother to tell him about this dream,” Michael explained.


Michael’s brother’s response was to burst into tears. “You’re welcome,” he said. Michael became a Christian.


The Bible took on new meaning for Michael. He understood what it said and found…

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Religious freedom charity calls for more action on persecuted Christians

The preliminary report, ordered by Mr Hunt, found Christians to be the most persecuted religious group in the world and likened their mistreatment to genocide.

Commissioned in 2018, the review was triggered by the plight of Asia Bibi – a Christian woman who spent nine years on death row for blasphemy charges in Pakistan.

 

 

 Speaking to Premier, ADF International’s Executive Director Paul Coleman said: “We’d like to see the UK Government and other Western leaders not only talk about it, but actually put this report in to action and consider these countries where Christian persecution is taking place and consider what can be done.”

He added “We’d like to see real efforts being made at a political level and an international level to hold these countries to account where Christian persecution is reaching these extreme levels and to use the influence that countries like the UK and other Western countries have to effect positive change in those regions.”

Mr Coleman says the report is helpful in establishing the extreme dangers Christians face across the globe and an encouraging first step in bringing about change.

 

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Alabama’s Near-Total Abortion Ban Signed into Law

Alabama’s Near-Total Abortion Ban Signed into Law



On Wednesday, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed a near-total abortion ban into law, effectively making it one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the nation. 


“To the bill’s many supporters, this legislation stands as a powerful testament to Alabamians’ deeply held belief that every life is precious and that every life is a sacred gift from God,” Ivey said in a statement, according to USA Today. 


The bill makes abortion a felony punishable by up to 99 years in prison for any healthcare provider or doctor who performs the procedure. As Christian Headlines previously reported, Republican state Rep. Terri Collins sponsored the bill and acknowledged its radical nature. “It is meant to actually use some of the same language that is addressed in Roe v. Wade. So, hopefully, it just completely takes it all the way to the Supreme Court eventually to overturn.” 


The ACLU and Planned Parenthood have already mounted their legal challenges. “We haven’t lost a case in Alabama yet and we don’t plan to start now,” Staci Fox, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Southeast said. “We will see Governor Ivey in court.”


Catherine Glenn Foster, president of Americans United for Life, is in support of the ban. “Alabama has renewed the essential conversation about the meaning of justice and morality, one that starts with recognizing what abortion is: The extinguishing of a…

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Marital status bigger contribution to happiness than 6 years ago

Although self-reported good health remains the biggest contributing factor to well-being, the importance of having a lifelong partner to contentment has increased.

Compared with six years ago, those asked in this survery done between October 2017 and September 2018, marital status mattered more to people. 

Those who are separated from their partner or widowed were, expectedly, more likely to report lower life satisfaction, compared with people who are single.

Being married made the average person 9.9% happier than those who are widowed and 8.8% higher than those separated from a partner.

Harry Benson from the Marriage Foundation told Premier Christian Radio’s News Hour the marriage’s link to happiness was because of the security it provides: “It’s blindingly obvious that if people are secure and content at home and they’ve got someone who they know is going to stick around till their dying days, then they’re more likely to have to be content in terms of life satisfaction or happiness”.

“That act of making a commitment to one another produces real clarity, it removes ambiguity about the future, it puts you both on the same page and it does it in a way that you can do in cohabitation but fewer couples do it this way.

“It’s so much more of a deliberate, intentional act where you you both know exactly what direction you’re going and the result is that people are very, very much more likely to stay together. Most marriages work, we’ve just produced some…

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