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WEEKLY NEWS SUMMARY - JANUARY 31, 2024
NEWS UPDATE: Ohio lawmakers overrode Governor DeWine’s recent veto of a bill banning sex-change surgeries for minors. The legislation now goes into effect in 90 days.
UPCOMING FEBRUARY PRIMARIES: South Carolina, Nevada, Virgin Islands and Michigan. Check out My Voter Hub for voting and ballot information for your state.
In this week's Intersect, read about:
25 Republican Governors Back Texas in Escalating Border Standoff with US Government
“Republican governors in half of the US have backed Texas in an intensifying standoff with the federal government over illegal immigration. The Supreme Court ruled this week against Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who has strung razor wire along miles of the frontier with Mexico. But the Republican has vowed to add more razor wire to crack down on what he calls an invasion. A record 300,000-plus illegal migrants crossed the border in December alone. On Thursday, 25 Republican governors released a joint statement of solidarity with Mr. Abbott for ‘stepping up to protect American citizens from historic levels of illegal immigrants, deadly drugs like fentanyl, and terrorists entering our country’.” read more at the BBC
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- According to the 25 governors, the statement comes as the Biden Administration continues to attack Texas and refuses to act or responsibility for the crisis at the Southern border. Vermont Governor Phil Scott is the only Republican governor who did not sign onto the statement to support Texas Governor Abbott. In response to Governor Abbott’s stance, U.S. Representative Joaquin Castro (D-TX) called on Biden to “establish sole federal control of the Texas National Guard,” accusing Abbott of using the National Guard to “create chaos at the border.”
- House Republicans believe the federal government is to blame for the border chaos. Yesterday, members of the House Homeland Security Committee met to discuss the Republican-led impeachment articles against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. House Republicans accuse Mayorkas and the Biden administration of disregarding federal laws on immigration. They seek to make Mayorkas the second Cabinet official impeached in U.S. history. And former President Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) are critical of a bipartisan Senate deal which would fund Ukraine aid and pass border security reforms. While the details of the deal have yet to be released, it would reportedly allow President Biden to automatically close border crossings when they are overwhelmed. Biden said he would use that authority “the day I sign the bill into law” but couldn’t he do that now? Senator James Lankford (R-OK), who helped craft the bipartisan deal, defended it by calling it “the most significant shift in border law and enforcement than we've had in three decades, easily.” Lankford also said some Republicans turned their backs on the deal “because it’s a presidential election year.”
- The Bible teaches that governments have been set up by God to maintain the rule of law, restrain evil, and promote that which is good. If you drill down to our border, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) primary mission is to protect national security, public safety, and the integrity of the U.S. borders through the criminal and civil enforcement of federal laws governing border control, customs, trade, and immigration. The primary mission of the Border Patrol is to protect the U.S. by reducing the likelihood that dangerous people enter the United States between the ports of entry. When Border Patrol agents or federal immigration and custom enforcement agents are hindered from doing their job, we have a nation promoting evil and hindering good, and it impacts all of us.
PRAY.
Lord, we need leaders who will lead, and lead according to Your Word. You know the problems with our immigration system. Give wisdom to those who are caught in the middle of indecision and poor leadership. Raise up those who can stand in the gap and bring real and workable solutions and uphold the law.
ACT.
Send a message to your Governor, either thanking them or encouraging them to stand with Governor Abbott and the state of Texas as they try to secure the border. We’ve crafted the message for you, and it will be pre-populated according to where your Governor stands.
Oregon Democrats Move to Undo Key Part of Drug Decriminalization Law
“Democratic lawmakers in Oregon on Tuesday announced a sweeping new bill that would undo a key part of the state’s first-in-the-nation drug decriminalization law, a recognition that public opinion has soured on the measure amid rising public drug use during the fentanyl crisis. The bill would recriminalize the possession of small amounts of drugs as a low-level misdemeanor, enabling police to confiscate them and crack down on their use on sidewalks and in parks, its authors said.” read more at The Guardian
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- Oregon voters in 2020 passed a ballot measure decriminalizing most cases where a person possesses an illegal drug. The maximum penalty in most cases is $100 and no jail time. Voters believed that, “A health-based approach to addiction and overdose is more effective, humane and cost-effective than criminal punishments.”
- Why didn’t the law work as intended? It doesn’t acknowledge important realities about human nature. The law assumed that with harsh criminal punishments removed, drug addicts would readily seek treatment. This was not the case, as the state legislature discovered. As sinful humans, we often don’t make the right choices–like deciding to seek treatment–on our own volition. The law also failed to recognize how drug use negatively affects the entire community, not just the user.
- As a voter, it’s helpful to understand the difference between decriminalization and legalization. Decriminalization removes criminal penalties for using drugs that are still illegal, while legalization makes certain drugs legal that were previously illegal. Oregon was already one of 24 states that legalized recreational marijuana.
- Legalization may be coming to a state election near you. Florida, Idaho, Nebraska, and South Dakota have active campaigns to put recreational marijuana legalization on the ballot this November. Voters may not realize what’s at stake and what our society stands to lose when marijuana is made legal. We, as Christians, must be able to understand and inform others before the disastrous consequences of legalized drugs are heaped upon us. You can start by reading our article, Why is Recreational Marijuana More Dangerous Than You Think?
PRAY.
Heavenly Father, with almost half of our states legalizing marijuana, temptations abound. Help Your people to heed Your word: “[F]ear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.” (Proverbs 3:7b-8) Out of love for our neighbors, let us stand for righteousness at the ballot box.
ACT.
Last year, Oklahoma’s rejection of marijuana legalization demonstrated the power of educating and mobilizing voters regarding this issue. My Faith Votes was heavily involved in Oklahoma, activating our Action Partner network to contact local pastors and recruit them to encourage their congregations to vote, “no.” You, too, can make an impact by joining our Action Partner network. Sign up here!
Lawmakers Demand Swift Response from Biden after 3 US soldiers Killed, 34 Wounded
“Three U.S. service members were killed and 34 injured in a drone strike at a base in northeast Jordan, near the Syria border, U.S. Central Command confirmed, leading to severe criticism of the Biden administration’s ‘weakness’ and demands for military retaliation as soldiers in the Middle East have sustained over 159 attacks since October.” read more at the Christian Post
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- On Monday, the Pentagon released the names of the three Army reservists killed: Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, of Carrollton, Georgia; Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders, of Waycross, Georgia; and Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, of Savannah, Georgia. The number of reported wounded is now more than 40. While U.S. troops have experienced attacks since October 7, this is the first to result in fatalities. President Biden said America “will hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner of our choosing.”
- The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has claimed responsibility for Sunday's strike. Asked if Iran should be held responsible as well, Biden said, "I do hold them responsible in the sense that they're supplying the weapons to the people who did it." The U.S. must decide whether our response will target Iran’s proxies, or directly target Iran–as some members of Congress are calling for. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, “We have not seen a situation as dangerous as the one we’re facing now across the region since at least 1973.”
- How did we get here? U.S. Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) expressed the opinions of many when he blamed Iran’s boldness on weak and inadequate decisions by the Biden administration. “Joe Biden emboldened Iran for years by tolerating attacks on our troops, bribing the ayatollahs with billions of dollars, and appeasing them to no end,” he stated. The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board also issued a strong rebuke: “[T]he President has put his anxieties about upsetting Iran and risking escalation above his duty to defend U.S. soldiers abroad.”
- It is sobering to realize that who we elect greatly impacts whether America’s enemies see us as a soft target. Our votes impact whether terrorists can cross our border with relative ease. They impact our service men and women who stand in harm’s way for our protection, and they impact their families. President Reagan’s warning rings all too true: “We know only too well that war comes not when the forces of freedom are strong, but when they are weak. It is then that tyrants are tempted.”
PRAY.
Pray for the families of our fallen service members. Pray for the Lord to comfort and sustain them in their grief. Pray for protection for all our troops, and for wisdom and strength for our leaders. And pray for the Body of Christ to fix our hope on King Jesus as we carry out His work.
ACT.
Military service takes a toll on our service members, their families, and veterans. Check out these resources by the American Bible Society, which includes Bible reading challenges, support for families, healing from trauma, and more. Share and bless someone today.
Religious 'Nones' Are Now Largest Group in the US
“More Americans than ever before are checking ‘none of the above’ when asked about their religion. The rise of the so-called ‘nones’ — that is, those who don’t hold to any particular religious affiliation — has increased precipitously over the last several years, according to new data from the Pew Research Center. In 2007, ‘nones,’ who consider themselves agnostic, atheist, or hold to ‘nothing in particular,’ made up just 16% of the American populace. As of this year, that number has jumped to 28%.” read more at CBN News
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- Who are the “nones”? The Pew survey found 17% identified as atheist, 20% as agnostic, and 63% as “nothing in particular.” They are overwhelmingly young, with 69% being under 50 years old and most of the “nones” said they were raised in Christian homes. Why is this happening? 47% say they dislike religious organizations. And 30% say they’ve had bad experiences with religious people. According to Dr. Ryan Burge who studies these trends, “The best and clearest explanation of the rapid rate of religious disaffiliation can be traced back to the recent political history of the United States.”
- What are the political implications? "Nones" are less likely to vote in elections. Of the U.S. adults surveyed, 39% of "nones" voted in the 2022 election compared to 51% of religiously affiliated adults. However, the group of people most likely to be highly engaged in political action are atheists, not evangelicals. Regarding the political leanings of “nones,” the Pew study’s lead researcher says that “religious Nones are very distinctive. They are among the most strongly and consistently liberal and Democratic constituencies in the United States.” In 2022, “nones” voted for Democratic House candidates nationwide over Republicans by more than a 2-1 margin (65% to 31%), according to VoteCast. That echoes the 2020 presidential election, when Democrat Joe Biden took 72% of voters with no religious affiliation, while Republican Donald Trump took 25%. The historical record of societies that polarize along religious lines is not especially hopeful—especially when polarization begins to affect politics.
- Is there any good news? In 2022, 28% identified as "nones," the lowest in the past five years, with no increase since 2016. A majority of the “nones” surveyed said they still believe in “God” — but not “as described in the Bible” — or some form of a “higher power.” Contrary to popular belief, the majority of religious “nones” aren’t staunch atheists. Nor are they even skeptical agnostics. For the most part, they’re merely those who answered “none in particular” when asked about their religious tradition or church affiliation. Many of them say that faith (however they define it) is still important to them or describe themselves as spiritual but not religious. Simply put, most of the “nones” of today are the cultural Christians of yesterday. In fact, there’s a distinct correlation between the rise of the “nones” and the decline of membership in mainline denominations. This should remind us that there is a tremendous mission field right in our own neighborhoods! We are commanded to be a light for Christ (Acts 13:47).
PRAY.
We all have people in our sphere of influence who are unsaved or have fallen away from Christ, and we should be praying for them because we care deeply about them and because we know that God cares for them and wants none of them to perish — His desire is for all of them to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).
ACT.
Take time to pray for your neighbors today, that they may know the hope of Christ and that their identity can be found in Him. Bless Every Home is an incredible tool to help you pray for your neighbors, by name!
My Faith Votes—is a nonpartisan movement that motivates, equips and activates Christians in America to vote in every election, transforming our communities and influencing our nation with biblical truth. By partnering with national faith leaders, My Faith Votes provides resources to help Christians Pray, Think, and Act to create an America where God is honored in the public square.
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