Indiana Pro-Family Leader Warns About Left’s ‘Vile Hostility Toward Christianity’

Monday, March 26th, 2018

Obsessed with Mike Pence and Corrupting Kids: in HBO host John Oliver’s world, it’s a really good thing to teach toddlers that rabbits are “gay” and that only meanies (like Vice President Pence) are against homosexuality-based “marriage.” Photo is from his recent HBO rant against the VP.

Folks, this email article is by Micah Clark, the very able president of American Family Association of Indiana — the state where Vice President Mike Pence served as governor before being chosen as Donald Trump’s running mate. Clark cites an important piece by Matt Walsh of The Blaze, “The Left’s Insane Hatred of Mike Pence Is Nothing But Anti-Christian Bigotry,” regarding the escalating pro-LGBTQ campaign demonizing the VP. I discussed the same phenomenon on VCY America radio HERE and with Christian talker Janet Mefferd HERE. — Peter LaBarbera, Americans For Truth; Twitter: @PeterLaBarbera

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A Warning For Such a Time As This

By Micah Clark, AFA of Indiana, March 23, 2018

Dear Friends,

I rarely send two emails in a week, particularly when the legislature is not in session.  However, in the past couple of years, I have become increasingly concerned about a growing hostility toward religion, (and Christianity in particular) in our state and nation.  Some of our biggest and most rancorous battles at AFA-IN now involve the defense of our religious freedoms.

I am sure that you remember the vitriol and hatred against people of faith on display during the RFRA [Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act] battle.  You may also recall that two years ago, Indiana State Senator Travis Holdman nearly succeeded in passing two bills that not only would have opened up bathrooms and locker rooms to sexually confused men, placing women and children at risk, they would also, “decide who enjoys [religious] liberty and who will be denied liberty” according to a Liberty Council legal review of SB 100 and SB 344.

I want to pass along two articles that came out this week pointing out the bigotry against Christianity that has escalated with the election of Indiana’s own Mike Pence.  The first article can be read here from The Indianapolis Star editorial cartoonist and columnist Gary Varvel.  He observes:

“In this age of tolerance, there is one group that the preachers of tolerance will not tolerate – Christians.”

Read the rest of this article »

National Affirmation of Homosexuality Cannot Change Nature’s Renunciation

Wednesday, April 5th, 2017

By Micah Clark
Reprinted from the AFA of Indiana newsletter

There is an excellent article from John Stonestreet, the president of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, detailing a surprisingly honest article in the liberal publication, The Huffington Post.    Stonestreet comments on a homosexual male who wrote an article expressing his despair in his lifestyle and explaining that so many “gay” men in his community share this despair.   The cultural, legal and political affirmation of homosexuality in America is not filling the emptiness many feel or reducing the many risks of their lifestyle.

Stonestreet writes in “An Unspoken Epidemic: The Silent Suffering of Gay Men” (bolded emphasis added):

“For years,” he begins, “I’ve noticed the divergence between my straight friends and my gay friends. While one half of my social circle has disappeared into relationships, kids and suburbs, the other has struggled through isolation and anxiety, hard drugs and risky (behavior).”

Through story after story and mountains of statistics, Hobbes then documents a consistent and chilling trend among those who share his lifestyle. “Gay men everywhere, at every age,” he writes, are two-to-ten-times more likely than heterosexual men to commit suicide.

And that’s just the beginning. Homosexual males also suffer from higher rates of cardiovascular disease, cancer, allergies, asthma, and a whole host of behavior-related infections and dysfunctions. They’re twice as likely to experience major depressive episodes, report having fewer close friends, and abuse drugs at an alarming rate.

In fact, living in so-called “gay neighborhoods” is a predictor of more frequent, risky behaviors and methamphetamine use. And, Hobbes adds, the community itself is brutal and degrading to its members. Smart-phone hookup apps drive a culture of exploitation and casual encounters that one young man he interviewed said made him feel like “a piece of meat.”

We often hear these disastrous statistics and stories attributed to homophobia, bullying, and shame. Having been treated horribly since childhood, men like this author—the oft-repeated myth goes—are forced to live a lie. They’re depressed because they’ve been oppressed and repressed.

But here’s the problem with the bullying hypothesis. In countries like the Netherlands and Sweden where same-sex “marriage” has been the law of the land for years, gay men remain three times more susceptible to mood disorders and three- to ten-times more likely to engage in “suicidal self-harm.”

Read the rest of this article »

RFRA Reversed: Gov. Mike Pence Signs Indiana’s First Statewide Homosexual ‘Rights’ Bill into Law

Friday, April 3rd, 2015

New law explicitly denies conscience protections for small business owners; LGBT Lobby not appeased — demands full ENDA-type legislation for Indiana

HRC_Indiana_Law_graphic

Appeasement Emboldens ‘Gay’ Lobby: Graphic for homosexual activist group Human Rights Campaign demands more pro-homosexual legislation in Indiana following the Republican-led legislature’s and Gov. Mick Pence’s capitulation negating the state’s Religious Freedom law. Click on HRC.org graphic above to enlarge.

By Peter LaBarbera

In a stunning, politically-correct turnaround following a week of LGBT protests and media and business opposition, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence yesterday signed into law a pro-homosexual legislative “fix” of the state’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA)–effectively turning it into Indiana’s first statewide homosexual “rights” law.

The language of the revised RFRA crafted by Indiana’s Republican House and Senate leaders and signed into law by Gov. Pence stipulates that the new RFRA “does not authorize a provider to refuse to offer or provide services, facilities, use of public accommodation, goods, employment, or housing” to any Indiana citizen on the basis of “sexual orientation” and “gender identity”–in addition to the usual criteria such as race, sex and disability. [See the full language HERE.]

When asked specifically at a press conference yesterday if the revised RFRA legislation could be used to defend the besieged owners of an Indiana pizza shop who told a reporter that theoretically they would not serve a homosexual “wedding,” Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma said:

“We can unequivocally say that RFRA cannot be used to discriminate against anyone.”

The law still protects churches and religious, non-profit organizations from being forced to participate in homosexual “weddings”–but not everyday small businessmen like the owners of the Indianapolis cookie stand “Just Cookies.” In 2012, the Christian owners of Just Cookies declined on principle to make “rainbow cookies” for a homosexual student group at Purdue University-Indianapolis. “Gay’ activists led a campaign against the company using Indianapolis’ “sexual orientation” statute; ultimately the owners settled with the city without paying damages. [To read about other conscience victims of the homosexual agenda, see this WND Whistleblower article by the author.]

Read the rest of this article »

Matt Barber Urges Gov. Pence to Veto Pro-‘Gay’ Changes to Religious Freedom Law, Not to Succumb to ‘Mob Rule’

Thursday, April 2nd, 2015
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence

Our good friend and AFTAH Board Matt Barber just posted the following open letter to Indiana Gov. Mike Pence–concerning proposed changes to the state’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act–on his excellent website, Barbwire.com. Is it actually possible that we will see a pro-family “religious freedom” law turned into a homosexual “special rights” law in Republican-run Indiana? Let’s pray that this does not happen and that Gov. Pence will not capitulate to the demands of an intolerant Sin Lobby. — Peter LaBarbera, AFTAH; @PeterLaBarbera

_____________________________

Dear Governor Pence,

Well, I guess “the fix is in.”

Time is short so I’ll be very direct. This past week or so you’ve experienced the visceral wrath of the organized left, spearheaded by homosexual activist extremists. You’re not used to it. We Christian advocates for religious liberty are. While their bark is loud, shrill and obnoxious, I assure you, it’s much worse than their bite. We are witnessing governance by mob rule. It’s tyranny of the minority and you’re letting it happen.

With all due respect, sir, show some moxie, would you? It wasn’t broken and the alleged “fix” that the Indiana legislature, at your request, has proposed to the Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), will destroy the law beyond all recognition. In fact, it will turn it into the “RFDA” – the “Religious Freedom Destruction Act.” No bill at all would have been better than this anti-Christian, sexual anarchist disaster.

What was intended as a shield to every American’s First Amendment-guaranteed religious liberty, as proposed, will now become a sword used to destroy it. What was designed to defend people of faith against being discriminated against and bullied will, instead, codify anti-religious discrimination and bullying into law. It will unconstitutionally force people of faith, under penalty of law, to affirmatively violate their sincerely held religious conscience. It has been turned into a weapon that compels people of faith to disobey God or face government sanction.

This is unacceptable.

As the American Family Association’s Bryan Fischer correctly notes, “The revised language has now been released, and it’s even worse than we thought. The new language forces Christian bakers to bake cakes in violation of their faith and conscience. Gov. Pence tried to fix something that wasn’t broken, and he broke it. The ‘cure’ in this case is far worse than the non-existent disease. Gov. Pence must veto this misbegotten piece of legislation.”

Read the rest of this article »

Indiana Pro-Family Leader Urges Gov. Pence to Veto Pro-Homosexual Changes to Religious Liberty Law

Thursday, April 2nd, 2015
Micah Clark

Micah Clark

“It also appears that under the changes released today, it may be impossible for a business or individual to even make a claim under RFRA [the Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act] of an infringement of their religious liberty in many parts of Indiana.”–Micah Clark, AFA-Indiana

Micah Clark, executive director of American Family Association of Indiana–and a wonderful pro-family advocate who does outstanding work in the Hoosier State–sent the following e-letter to his constituents today–after new proposed language surfaced amending the state’s new religious freedom law:

________________

Friends,

As you know, over the weekend, Governor Mike Pence began discussing a clarification of Indiana Senate Bill 101. This was due to the mass misinformation and fear campaign mobilized against it and against our entire state. He did not ask for a change to a newly enacted statute which has been proven, established and non-controversial language for 22 years.

The actions taken by the Indiana General Assembly do not clarify our Religious Freedom Restoration Act’s purposes or goals. Our legal advisors tell us that it actually changes our law in a way that could now erode religious freedom across Indiana. If this revised law does not adequately protect religious liberty for all, it is not really a religious freedom act.

What is worse, unlike our current law, this new language’s impact is something upon which few attorneys or legal scholars will likely agree.

We have also been advised that it is possible that the proposed changes may no longer protect a company like Hobby Lobby from participation in abortion matters. One of the primary motivations behind SB 101 was to protect the rights of conscience for business owners regarding their beliefs about abortion.

It also appears that under the changes released today, it may be impossible for a business or individual to even make a claim under RFRA of an infringement of their religious liberty in many parts of Indiana.

On the positive side there is some language left which protects Hoosiers from a government action against their religious beliefs.

We understand that legislators have been threatened with significant economic harms and bullied in many ways. We understand that Indiana has been unfairly harmed by blatant lies and a misinformation campaign around something for which RFRA laws have never been successfully used. We do not blame legislators for wanting to protect Indiana from a mob mentality. political opportunism, and mass hysteria.

AFA of Indiana is asking Governor Pence to veto these changes for the above reasons and because they went far beyond what he asked the legislature to do. If you would like to contact the Governor’s office, you can call 317-232-4567.

Thank you, and please continue to pray for this matter, our leaders, and our great state.

Best regards,
Micah Clark
Executive Director

Indiana Gov. Pence Should Start Talking About PRO-Homosexual ‘Discrimination’ and Liberal Bigotry Against Christians

Wednesday, April 1st, 2015
Twitter_Bill_Browning_Jeebus_Trading_Card_Dec_2014

LGBT Activist Mocks the Lord: above is a Tweet sent out just before Christmas by influential Indiana “gay” activist Bil Browning. Secular leftists mock Christians and the Christian faith by referring to Jesus Christ as “Jeebus.” AFTAH President Peter LaBarbera responded on Twitter to Browning’s bigotry. See full Twitter exchange HERE.

“If government can compel a Christian or Orthodox Jewish businessman to participate in a ceremony that attaches sinful homosexuality to “marriage,” then the State can compel ANY American citizen or institution to violate ANY of their cherished beliefs. That is the essence of tyranny.”

By Peter LaBarbera; Twitter: @PeterLaBarbera

Contact: 312-324-3787; americansfortruth@gmail.com

In the wake of a pro-LGBT, media-driven campaign against Indiana’s new Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), Gov. Mike Pence and leaders of the Indiana legislature are backtracking to appease the liberal political mob that has cynically recast the law as the “License to Discriminate.”

Good people everywhere are now intimidated from speaking plain truths about the homosexual-bisexual-transgender agenda. Americans For Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH) is not. The distortions and media hype attacking Indiana’s religious freedom law are obfuscating some key fundamentals in this debate. It is not the purpose here to dig into the “legaleze” about the law (for that, see this Reason.com piece) but rather to expose the core hypocrisy of pro-LGBT progressives on “discrimination.”

Homosexual activists and their sycophants in the media (e.g., CNN’s homosexual anchor/activist Don Lemon) are cunningly building upon their distortions of the RFRA to demand a pro-homosexual special-rights law in the Hoosier State.

It would be the cruelest of ironies if the media-driven backlash against Indiana’s religious freedom law were used to push through a statewide “gay rights” law in Indiana. Such pro-homosexual laws and corporate policies have been the engine driving PRO-LGBT DISCRIMINATION against people of faith for decades—all in the sweet-sounding name of “equality.” For example, the “gay” movement’s bullying of the Boy Scouts of America began with a lawsuit that relied upon New Jersey’s pro-homosexual “sexual orientation” law.

The pro-family movement has long referred to so-called nondiscrimination laws based on “sexual orientation” and ”gender identity” as “special rights” because genuine civil rights are not based on disordered, immoral sexual behavior and gender confusion. These Orwellian laws and corporate policies actually foment discrimination in the name of “non-discrimination.” That’s liberalism for you.

Our cherished American freedoms come ultimately from God, as recognized by our national charter, the Declaration of Independence, which appeals to “Nature and Nature’s God.” Homosexual behavior–which cannot produce life–is against both. Witness the grossly disproportionate STD rates linked to “men who have sex with men.”

It is ludicrous to posit “civil rights” based on homosexuality and gender rebellion as “constitutional.” But it is downright un-American to argue—as many LGBT activists do—that in a nation founded by people fleeing religious oppression, “rights” based on sexual sin should trump Americans’ freedom to uphold biblical sexual morality and real marriage between a man and a woman.

The LGBT Lobby and the media have raised the issue of potential discrimination in Indiana. Let’s talk about discrimination.

With the rise of “gay power” in the West has come an abundance of victims of pro-homosexual Political Correctness. All over the world, Christians and moral-minded citizens have been victimized by a liberal, elitist pro-homosexual orthodoxy that increasingly brooks no dissent. The media have trivialized the zero-sum conflict between “gay rights” and freedom of conscience as being merely about wedding cake bakers–but the escalating “LGBTyranny” goes far beyond that:

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Indiana Election Update: Huge Wins, Vindication for Social Conservatives – Is Mike Pence Listening?

Friday, May 9th, 2014
Grassroots pro-family conservatives in Indiana have complained that Gov. Mike Pence--a potential presidential candidate for the GOP in 2016--did not use his office effectively to help push through an amendment protecting the sanctity of marriage as one-man, one-woman.

Taking Social Conservatives for Granted? Some leading Indiana grassroots, pro-family conservatives have complained that Gov. Mike Pence (above)–a potential GOP presidential candidate in 2016–did not use his office more boldly and effectively to help push through an amendment, HJR 3, that would preserve the sanctity of marriage as one-man, one-woman in Indiana.

Congratulations to Micah Clark, the Indiana Family Association, and all Indiana pro-family and pro-life conservatives for their resounding victories on Election Day! Gov. Mike Pence, here’s the bottom line: are you listening to the people of your state, or the ‘liberal-tarian’ or “moderate” Republican elites and left-leaning media pundits inside the Beltway? The latter’s tired mantra to “avoid the social issues” is–like so much that goes on in Washington, D.C.–out of touch with the GOP’s grassroots conservative base. Yes, we needed this good news! — Peter LaBarbera, Americans For Truth About Homosexuality

This article is taken from AFA-Indiana e-newsletter, May 7, 2014:

_________________________

Huge Wins for Conservatives; Vindication in Primary Results

By Micah Clark, Executive Director, Indiana Family Association

[The May 6, 2014 Indiana] primary election was as close to an across the board sweep as you will ever see in politics. Republican voters finally got their chance in a few state legislative districts to express their anger over the failure of the GOP-dominated statehouse to pass a marriage protection amendment [HJR 3]. If only there had been more conservative challengers in legislative races where establishment Republicans had voted for the unraveling of marriage.

In addition, incumbents targeted for their defense of social conservatism won as well. You may recall when Rep. Bob Morris stood alone under immense criticism for pointing out that the Girl Scouts of America’s national organization had grown closer and closer to Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider. The establishment loathes conservatives whom they cannot control and Bob is one of those. In spite of a misguided high-profile pro-life endorsement of his pro-homosexual “marriage” opponent, Bob won the primary re-election yesterday.

Likewise, same-sex “marriage” supporters targeted Rep. Milo Smith, who chaired the committee that passed HJR 3 on to the House floor after Representatives Torr, McNamara and Leonard blocked it in the House Judiciary Committee. Liberals, who claim to support homosexuals, viciously “outed” Rep. Smith’s son–trying to personally hurt the Smith family and Milo’s re-election. Milo’s challenger was an executive with Cummins Engine, a key proponent of homosexual “marriage” in Indiana. Yet, when all was said and done, even in the sometimes more moderate Columbus area, Smith won with 59 percent of the vote.

The House author of HJR 3, Rep. Eric Turner, was tarnished with an ethics investigation that the media covered extensively. Yet, when he was exonerated of any wrong doing last week, the media coverage was incredibly thin. (Pro-same-sex “marriage” Republican legislators may have leaked his privately speaking about a bill upon which he did not even vote.) Rep. Turner also won with 59 percent opponent who had ironically called Turner’s authoring of HJR 3 “an abomination.”

The biggest victories for conservatives came in northern Indiana where the Chair of the House committee on Family and Children, Rebecca Kubacki, was trounced nearly 2-1 by her opponent. She had voted against the marriage amendment after previously campaigning as “a Catholic who would defend marriage” when first elected. She then seemed to lie about the entire process the amendment went through. Curt Nisely hammered Kubacki on her voting record, which included votes against natural marriage, against religious freedom for church childcare ministries, and for the Common Core.

Nearby, Rep. Kathy Heuer in Whitley and Allen Counties lost big as well for the same three issues. Chris Judy, an outstanding candidate, surprised even his own team by winning 60% of the vote, even handily defeating Heuer in her home county. Not even an endorsement from the Governor helped Rep. Heuer, in fact, it may have hurt her. (More on that later.)

The third establishment candidate mutually targeted by pro-family activist groups, including the AFA of Indiana PAC was Rep. Casey Cox. He was gifted with a three-way primary in which both candidates split the protest vote that came mostly from our radio exposure of Casey’s flip-flop in support for homosexual “marriage.” Even though neither of his opponents did any mail or radio, Cox ended the night with less than 50 percent of the vote in a race that he should have easily won with his significant money and campaign staff advantages.

Yesterday’s primary also saw the selection of two outstanding pro-family newcomers to the State Senate who should win their Republican districts this fall. The first is Liz Brown in Fort Wayne who replaces the retiring state Senator Tom Wyss. The other newcomer is Jeff Raatz in Richmond who won in the seat of retiring Senator Allen Paul. Jeff Raatz will bring a good perspective on education, charity and family with his work with New Creations Ministry for troubled teens.

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