Scholars Argue Roe v. Wade is Actually Un-Constitutional

Last updated on: January 16, 2020 at 9:23 am By Bethany Blankley

On Jan. 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton legalized the procedure of killing a pre-born child in the womb (abortion) or any reason before “fetal viability,” which it loosely defined. The court stipulated that abortion must be permitted for “health reasons” of the woman—up until birth. Yet its broad definition of “health reasons” essentially allowed for any reason and legalized abortion on demand. The court’s ruling violated the Constitution on several grounds, legal scholars note. The majority opinion expressed... Read more

Common Law, U.S. Constitution Criminalized Abortion

Last updated on: January 15, 2020 at 10:19 am By Bethany Blankley

For over 366 years, under western common law, including pre-colonial America, extending beyond post-1789 U.S. Constitutional era, up until 1973 abortion has been illegal in all 50 states. Prior to America becoming America, colonists lived under common law and British law for roughly 150 years. Murdering a pregnant woman and/or her child was well understood as an illegal act of homicide or manslaughter. British judge William Blackstone identified common and legal understanding about human life and the laws designed to protect it–... Read more

Iran’s Heritage: Persians Were First to Advocate Human Rights for Jews, Among First Christians

Last updated on: January 15, 2020 at 10:19 am By Bethany Blankley

Iran (the modern name for Persia) represents one of the most ancient civilizations in the world. Its land and people are inextricably linked to biblical historical events and prophecy. Despite decades of disastrous American foreign policy, 21st century American Christians should recognize their faith is linked to God’s promise to the people of Iran. He said: “In the last days I will restore the fortunes of Elam.” (Jer. 49:39) Persians are direct descendants of Noah’s grandson, Elam, son of Shem. Under... Read more

America’s Famine: Roughly 25 Percent, 80 Million, Are Christians

Last updated on: February 10, 2020 at 3:24 pm By Bethany Blankley

Note: The Patheos Evangelical Future of Faith Forum, of which I was asked to participate, compiles insight to the future of faith in America largely based on flawed data from Pew Research. Pew’s data related to Evangelicals over the last several decades has used dissimilar criteria in its research and polling questions that erroneously define whom an evangelical is or what an evangelical believes. (There are four well-known criteria used among academics.) Inconsistent criteria create incomparable and unreliable results. Instead, the... Read more

Body Parts, Schmarty Parts. What’s All the Fuss About?

Last updated on: February 10, 2020 at 3:25 pm By Bethany Blankley

Why all the fuss about body parts and/or fetal tissue Planned Parenthood is allegedly selling? They aren’t human, pro-choice advocates argue, they are “fetuses.” The law states fetuses aren’t living viable beings because they can’t survive on their own apart from their incubator in most gestational stages. Even after the fetus emerges from its incubator it is still not legally protected as a child or a person. Former state legislator, former senator, and president, Barack Obama clarified why more than one. On... Read more

Seminary Distributes Condoms, Compares Christ’s Second Coming to Gay Sex

Last updated on: January 15, 2020 at 10:20 am By Bethany Blankley

Chicago Theological Seminary, an affiliate of the United Church of Christ (UCC), distributed condoms to attendees at the 2015 Wild Goose Festival. The packages were designed with a colored image of a rainbow flame, an apparent LGBT variation of the UCC’s logo. Printed above the flame are instructions: “Chicago Theological Seminary, Take Two (For the second coming!)”. The text refers to the second coming of Jesus to one needing two condoms for multiple partners or multiple orgasms. In other words, a... Read more

Bill of Rights’ Most Important Liberty: Religious Freedom

Last updated on: February 10, 2020 at 3:25 pm By Bethany Blankley

The Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, listed non-negotiable constitutionally guaranteed freedoms in specific order, unchanged since 1791. James Madison, its chief architect, listed freedom of religion first; then speech, press, assembly, petition, right to keep and bear arms, and freedom from forced quartering of military members in one’s home. Freedom from civil government overreach and interference was essential to establishing sustainable civil order and a just rule of law; the first ten amendments —... Read more

Supreme Court Dismembers America, Establishment Clause, from its Roots

Last updated on: January 9, 2020 at 1:31 pm By Bethany Blankley

In 1963 the Supreme Court redefined the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause. In an 8-1 decision it ruled that the government “shall allow no religious activity” in publicly funded activity, also prohibiting free exercise of religion in that public life. Lone dissenting Justice Potter Steward wrote that the Court’s decision, “led not to true neutrality with respect to religion, but to the establishment of a religion of secularism.” The Court’s ruling to disallow religious activity in government institutions and public life... Read more

Protecting Human Rights of Girls– from Islam

Last updated on: February 10, 2020 at 3:25 pm By Bethany Blankley

To be “anti-Islam” (and “anti-Shari’a”) simply means that one rejects submitting to Allah and the Qur’an. More importantly, to be anti-Islam is to be for protecting woman’s rights and human rights. There is nothing bigoted, racist, or fearful about opposing an ideology that rejects universally accepted human rights laws. If the European Court on Human Rights has repeatedly ruled that Shari’a law is “incompatible with the fundamental principles of democracy” then why defend it? Why support an ideology that institutionalizes violence... Read more

Gone Girls: Sewn Up and Spit Out, 9 Year-old Girl Commodities

Last updated on: February 10, 2020 at 3:27 pm By Bethany Blankley

Most Iraqi Christian and Yezidi girls are kidnapped and sold, categorized, stripped, shipped naked, examined upon arrival by their buyer, distributed like produce or packages of beef—in groups of hundreds. Less expensive than livestock, “sabaya” (girls sold into slavery) are worth less than $200. Once they are purchased, they are held down, violated and either discarded or returned to be resold and remarried—up to 20 times—each, according to reports by the United Nations. In some cases parents are able to buy... Read more