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WEEKLY NEWS SUMMARY - July 3, 2019
In this week's Intersect, read about:
Suppressing God and faith in America like ‘Schizophrenia,’ Ben Carson Says
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson criticized secularists during an annual gathering of social conservative activists Friday morning, saying that the idea of pushing God out of American public life is similar to “schizophrenia.” Carson, a retired pediatric neurosurgeon who ran for president in 2016, spoke before hundreds of Christian conservatives gathered for the annual Road to Majority Conference hosted by the national evangelical grassroots organization Faith & Freedom Coalition at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C.The 67-year-old doctor urged the crowd to have “courage” to stand up and defend the values that the United States was founded on. “What we need to realize is that our country is based on Judeo-Christian principles and foundation,” Carson said. “We must be willing to stand up for those principles and the only way that we can be the land of the free is that if we are the home of the brave.” read more
THINK.
Dr. Carson has never been shy about his Christian faith. At the Road to Majority Conference Carson said when he took office many people told him that he should “stop talking about God so much.” And Carson’s response was, “That’s not happening because that is a very important part of who I am,’” he explained. “People who say stuff like that, do they realize the founding document talks about certain unalienable rights given to us by our Creator — A.K.A. God?” He continued, “The pledge of allegiance to our flag says we are ‘one nation under God.’ In many courtrooms on the wall, it says ‘In God we trust.’ Every coin in our pocket or bill in our wallet says, ‘In God we trust.’” Dr. Carson is working hard as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to address our nation’s affordable housing challenges. In early June, HUD hosted an event on the mall in Washington D.C. to showcase prototype houses for people to actually see how HUD is working to meet people’s most basic need of shelter. Watch this highlight video of Dr. Carson’s Housing Showcase Event and be encouraged by this work.
PRAY.
Psalm 33:12 says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” Pray today for the individuals in your community and your local government to develop a reverence and submission to God. Pray for God’s principles, found in His Word, to be upheld.
ACT.
Take a few minutes to watch this informative Prager U Video, Was America Founded to be Secular?
Arizona Gov. Ducey to Pull Nike Plant Incentives Over Reported Colin Kapernick, Betsy Ross Flag Flap
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey announced Tuesday he was ordering the Arizona Commerce Authority to withdraw incentives for Nike building a manufacturing plant in the state. Ducey made the announcement in a series of tweets after The Wall Street Journal reported that former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick urged Nike to nix a USA-themed sneaker, which featured a Betsy Ross flag on the heel, over slavery connotations. “Words cannot express my disappointment at this terrible decision. I am embarrassed for Nike,” Ducey, a Republican, tweeted. “Nike is an iconic American brand and American company. This country, our system of government and free enterprise have allowed them to prosper and flourish. Instead of celebrating American history the week of our nation’s independence, Nike has apparently decided that Betsy Ross is unworthy, and has bowed to the current onslaught of political correctness and historical revisionism. It is a shameful retreat for the company. American businesses should be proud of our country’s history, not abandoning it. Nike has made its decision, and now we’re making ours. I’ve ordered the Arizona Commerce Authority to withdraw all financial incentive dollars under their discretion that the State was providing for the company to locate here. Arizona’s economy is doing just fine without Nike. We don’t need to suck up to companies that consciously denigrate our nation’s history.” read more
THINK.
The Nike manufacturing plant in Goodyear, Arizona would have created more than 500 jobs for the state and Nike planned to invest $184.5 million into the project. But the Governor of Arizona believes in American patriotism and honoring our founding history, and he was willing to stand boldly for these values. This week America turns 243 years old. The United States is one of the longest running constitutional republics in the history of the world, and that alone is worth celebrating. The flag is a symbol to the entire world of freedom, hope, and prosperity, and while the United States is far from perfect, we should certainly acknowledge the timeless ideas, rooted in biblical principles, that have given us unprecedented liberty in America.
PRAY.
The Nike manufacturing plant in Goodyear, Arizona would have created more than 500 jobs for the state and Nike planned to invest $184.5 million into the project. But the Governor of Arizona believes in American patriotism and honoring our founding history, and he was willing to stand boldly for these values. This week America turns 243 years old. The United States is one of the longest running constitutional republics in the history of the world, and that alone is worth celebrating. The flag is a symbol to the entire world of freedom, hope, and prosperity, and while the United States is far from perfect, we should certainly acknowledge the timeless ideas, rooted in biblical principles, that have given us unprecedented liberty in America.
ACT.
It’s not just Colin Kapernick and Nike who no longer want to honor the flag. Many of us forget to pay proper respect to our nation’s iconic symbol of freedom and you and I can do something about that. Take a few minutes to read our article, A Reminder To Us All This Independence Day.
Supreme Court Blocks 2020 Census Citizenship Question for Now
The Supreme Court temporarily blocked the Trump administration's plan to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census Thursday, giving opponents new hope of defeating it. The ruling by Chief Justice John Roberts questioned the rationale for the administration's effort, just as challenging states and immigrant rights groups have done. "The evidence tells a story that does not match the explanation (Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross) gave for his decision," Roberts wrote. "The sole stated reason seems to have been contrived." The court's decision doesn't end the dispute. And a separate challenge to the administration's motive for asking the citizenship question remains alive in another federal district court. That inquiry could drag on for much of the summer, jeopardizing the timetable for printing the census questionnaire. read more
THINK.
The Constitution requires the government to enumerate the number of people living in the United States every ten years, and to use that data to apportion the seats in Congress among the states. Does the Census count every person or every citizen? The last time that all U.S. households were asked the citizenship question on a census form was back in 1950. One side argues that asking such a question will reduce the response rate and undercount the population. Some estimate this could affect 22 million people. This, in turn, could result in a loss of federal funding for services like hospitals and schools. Another side argues that getting an accurate count of the voting-eligible population will help identify potential voting violations. In the biblical narrative, some were counted but all were cared for (Numbers 1:26). Those counted (men, 20 years old and upward, Exodus 38:26) were required to care for those not counted (Leviticus 19:34). We count people because people count. In another decision, the Supreme Court also ruled that the Constitution does not bar partisan gerrymandering. Partisan gerrymandering is the practice where the party in control of the legislature draws voting maps to help elect their candidates. The justices ruled 5 to 4 with the conservative justices holding the majority opinion that gerrymandering is not unconstitutional.
PRAY.
Please continue to pray for our nine Supreme Court Justices and their offices. Pray they would have wisdom in selecting the right cases for the next session. And pray for the judges in your Circuit Court, state and local community, to judge according to the law and with the help of God’s wisdom.
ACT.
Have you read the latest My Faith Votes SCOTUS Watch? We encourage you to take a few minutes to stay informed on the Supreme Court. We discuss the Supreme Court’s decisions in five recent cases.
Trump Meets Kim for Third Time, Becomes First U.S. President to Enter North Korea
President Donald Trump met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Sunday and became the first U.S. president to enter North Korea. Kim greeted Trump in the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea and asked him if he would like to step inside his country. Trump told Kim he would be "honored" and he took 20 steps into North Korea. "It is good to see you again,” Kim told Trump through an interpreter. “I never expected to meet you in this place.” “Big moment. Big progress,” Trump said in response. Through an interpreter, Kim said that their latest meeting has "a lot of significance because it means that we want to bring an end to the unpleasant past and try to create a new future, so it's a very courageous and determined act." Kim noted, "You're the first US president to cross this line." read more
THINK.
This was a small step for man but was it is a giant leap forward? When Ronald Reagan went to the DMZ, he said he was “between the free world and the armed forces of a system hostile to everything we believe in as Americans.” George W. Bush came to the border shortly after he included North Korea in his “axis of evil.” Opinions vary on the best path forward with North Korea, but one thing remains clear -- the need to pray. Millions of North Koreans are suffering under this regime. Unlike us, they don’t have the freedom to pray publicly. They “quietly sing hymns” and “cower under a blanket or in the toilet to pray.” Lee is a North Korean refugee in Seoul. In a recent interview, he said: “I often think about how great it would have been if my father and I could have prayed together while holding each other’s hands.” (1 John 5:14-15).
PRAY.
Join me this morning in praying for our North Korean brothers and sisters. Pray for President Trump and his administration to have wisdom as they continue to negotiate with Kim Jong-un.
ACT.
It’s often difficult for us to even imagine what life is like in North Korea and the religious persecution they endure. Take a few minutes to read the stories of Christians who have left fled North Korea and are now speaking out.
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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