11.7.06

ADF Attorney Achieves HUGE Victory in the Ongoing Legal Battle to Hear and Speak the Truth...

One of the most contentious fronts in the legal battle to hear and speak the Truth is whether Christian ministries can minister to those seeking healing from participation in homosexual behavior. 

Several years ago, several of these ministries met with me in Chicago and pleaded to me for ADF’s legal assistance as they faced escalating legal harassment from advocates of homosexual behavior.

Love in Action (LIA) is one such ministry.  They are under attack by advocates of homosexual behavior and their allies who want to shut down any ministry that says God can enable those trapped in homosexual behavior to change.

In September 2005, LIA was deemed to be a “mental health supportive living facility” by the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Development Disabilities.  The result of this designation was that the ministry would have to cease operations unless it applied for and received a “license” from the state and otherwise complied with the department’s demands.

At the time, ADF Senior Legal Counsel Nate Kellum (right) said: “This is harassment, pure and simple.  There is no legitimate state interest here.  The state is trying to turn a Christian ministry into a state-regulated mental hospital.”

Nate filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court on behalf of LIA.  And a week ago Thursday, the Tennessee Department of Public Health agreed to a settlement in which they acknowledged that the state licensing requirement could not be properly applied to Love in Action. 

Nate says:  “This private ministry’s mission of providing services to those in need should have never been threatened in the first place.  Love in Action will no longer be subject to harassment from authorities.”

A copy of the settlement can be read at www.telladf.org/UserDocs/LoveInActionDismissal.pdf.

This is another KEY victory in the continuing legal battle to hear and speak the Truth – this case for those seeking assistance in their struggle to overcome homosexual behavior.   Victories such as this are why ADF exists – to ensure that those in need can receive the healing message of the Gospel.  Thank you for making it possible through your heartfelt prayers and support.  
 
Another Example of “Tolerance” in Action...
The picture at left was taken at a church in South Dakota that had placed signs promoting the sanctity of life issues before the voters tomorrow (November 7th).  As you can see, the forces of “tolerance” were at work again, seeking to intimidate and censor the church’s right to speak out on this vital issue.


Please especially pray for the eight states (Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin) whose citizens will be voting on marriage amendments tomorrow. Some of these are on the ballot because of ADF efforts that you enabled. And if they pass, ADF will be there, as we have been for years, to defend the voters against any attempt by advocates of homosexual behavior to nullify the will of the people.

Prayer Requests | Visit the ADF prayer page
"Without Christ, we can do nothing." - John 15:5

1. Please pray for tomorrow's elections.
   
2. Please pray for this Wednesday's oral argument before the U.S. Supreme Court on the constitutionality of the partial-birth abortion ban. ADF coordinated numerous friend-of-the-court briefs in this case with our ally the Christian Legal Society.