In the last five years, we have seen a rapid increase of Christian business owners, teachers and students charged with breaking anti-discrimination laws, practicing their faith in school on government property and innocently writing about Jesus when told to write about a favorite person by their teacher. On University campuses professors even ask students to deny their faith if they are Christians. Students who stand for Christ are then asked to leave or are punished academically.

The war on Christianity and biblical truth actually started in 1925 with the Scopes Trial or Scopes Monkey Trial in Tennessee. This trial centered on evolution versus creation and the result allowed evolution to be taught in our public schools. Then it ramped up in 1963 with the removal of prayer and daily Bible reading from public schools. That was 52 years ago.

These decisions were seemingly made with no public outcry as the church was asleep at the helm. Had they been alert and willing to engage then there would have been major protests and a grassroots movement formed, much like the pro-life/pro-family movement. Those three court cases paved the way for where we are today. During the years since the church has had its head in the sand primarily due to a lack of knowledge and fear.

In the last 18-20 years religious discrimination cases started cropping up more frequently. Still Christians refused to see what was happening. I know because I tried to sound the alarm and few would believe me when I said there was a building anti-Christian sentiment in our schools, universities, media, entertainment, and the political left.

The atheist groups have organized very effectively to attack anything God related in public places. They use the American Civil Liberty Union (ACLU) to send threatening letters to school districts, city councils, sheriffs’ departments and business owners etc. in an effort to stop any display of faith (Christian faith) in the public square. They count on the “fear” of lawsuits to intimidate the aforementioned groups into complying (after only a single complaint) and forcing the majority to bow to their false god.

The good news is that over the years a majority of the individuals who have been the target of these threats have fought back. Because of the onslaught of threats coming one right after the other the enemy has overplayed his hand and even some city councils and sheriff’s departments are fighting back. School Districts, who are more progressive than the citizens they serve, are still quickly acquiescing to these demands.

Today, even pastors who have never spoken up before are starting to realize the importance of educating their flocks on their rights and the importance of standing up for righteousness. As more and more churches wake up, and as a result wake up their congregations, we will see a sleeping giant coming to life with a will to stand against these attacks.

One of the most recent of these cases involves a football coach in Washington state who for over five years has been going out to the fifty yard line after each game to thank God for each player and the game of football. To my knowledge no one has ever complained but somehow the Freedom from Religion Foundation got wind of his habit and they objected. Ultimately, the school district ordered him to cease and desist with this personal and private moment. Now, keep in mind that he never invited anyone to join him.

But the team asked him what he was doing and after he explained some of them wanted to join him. It was purely voluntary. Sometimes he prayed alone and sometimes some of the team joined him. Then even members of the opposing team started joining them.

Next week I will relate the rest of the story with a clear explanation of the 1st Amendment.

Dinner Table Discussion Question(s): Have you personally been in situations where you knew that you were not welcome to exhibit or practice your faith? How did you handle it?