MAN ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH FIREBOMBING PRO-LIFE ORGANIZATION'S OFFICE
from: LiveAction News

(28 Mar.) The Department of Justice (DOJ) has arrested a man in connection with the firebombing of a pro-life organization’s office, which occurred just days after the Supreme Court draft decision of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization was leaked, indicating the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

According to the Daily Caller, the man, Hridindu Sankar Roychowdhury, age 29, allegedly firebombed the Wisconsin Family Action office in Madison, Wisconsin on May 8, 2022, Mother’s Day. He was arrested at a Boston airport on Tuesday while traveling one-way to Guatemala City, and was scheduled to appear in court the same day. Authorities used DNA samples from the scene compared with the DNA found on a partially eaten burrito to identify Roychowdhury, according to Reuters. Roychowdhury has been charged with one count of attempting to cause damage by means of fire or an explosive.

In the attack, Wisconsin Family Action’s office was hit with Molotov cocktails, which were thrown into the building, starting a fire. The building was also painted with the threat, “If abortions aren’t safe, then you aren’t either.” When police arrived on the scene there was an active fire, and under a broken window was a broken mason jar with a disposable lighter near it. A second mason jar with the lid on and a blue singed cloth tucked into the top was half full of a clear fluid that smelled like an accelerant.

"According to the complaint, Mr. Roychowdhury used an incendiary device in violation of federal law in connection with his efforts to terrorize and intimidate a private organization," said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. "I commend the commitment and professionalism of law enforcement personnel who worked exhaustively to ensure that justice is served." [read more...]

COMMENTARY: This is just one instance of prosecution out of many that are going uninvestigated. We know a person who worked at this very same pro-life organization in Madison, Wisconsin. This fire-bombing does not only damage property, it can also endanger the very lives of pro-life people. Christians need to rise up and demand that the govenment protect the right to life both of unborn babies and protect those who are trying to save them.

DECRIMINALIZE ALL FORMS OF SEXUAL ACTIVITY, SAYS UN REPORT
from: BioEdge.org

(4 Apr.) A United Nations report has recommended the decriminalization of drug use and sexual activity. The “March 8 Principles,” released on International Women's Day, are supposed to apply the UN's interpretation of international human rights law to criminal law.

The report was written by the International Committee of Jurists (ICJ), UNAIDS and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The underlying idea is that offences related to sex, drug use, HIV, and sexual and reproductive health, as well as homelessness and poverty should all be decriminalized.

Ian Seiderman, of the ICJ said, "Criminal law is among the harshest of tools at the disposal of the State to exert control over individuals…as such, it ought to be a measure of last resort however, globally, there has been a growing trend towards overcriminalization. We must acknowledge that these laws not only violate human rights, but the fundamental principles of criminal law themselves."

Amongst relevant bioethics topics to be decriminalized are:

    *"To make and act on decisions about one's own body, sexuality and reproduction – such as about pregnancy; contraception, including emergency contraception; comprehensive abortion care; prophylaxis for sexually transmitted infections; gender-affirming care/therapy."

    *"Criminal law may not proscribe abortion. Abortion must be taken entirely out of the purview of the criminal law …"

    *"Consensual sexual conduct, irrespective of the type of sexual activity, the sex/ gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression of the people involved or their marital status, may not be criminalized in any circumstances."

Surprisingly, the report appears to endorse not only prostitution but on-line pornography, pimping and brothel-keeping...

[read more...]

COMMENTARY: This article would have been unbelievable 50 years ago, but now is apparently considered normal by a majority of people. Ever since the "Sexual Revolution" and legalization of "The Pill" in the 60's, we've witnessed the gradual reversal of all societal morality, from the view on abortion to that of prostitution. So much for the UN protecting "human rights" when it is actually promulgating human wrongs.

RUSSIA: FIRST JAIL TERM FOR RELIGIOUS-BASED OPPOSITION TO WAR
from: Forum 18 News Service

Hebrews 13:3 – "Remember those who are in bonds, as bound with them; and those who are ill-treated, since you are also in the body."

(5 Apr.) On 30 March, a Moscow court jailed 63-year-old Orthodox Christian Mikhail Simonov for 7 years for disseminating "false information" about the Russian armed forces on the basis of "political hatred." He had made two short social media posts condemning Russia's war against Ukraine, including: "We, Russia, have become godless. Forgive us, Lord!" The Investigative Committee and Prosecutor's Office did not respond on why they sought a long jail term for Simonov, who suffers from health problems. Also, a Krasnodar Region court fined 86-year-old independent Orthodox Archbishop Viktor Pivovarov two months' average pension for a sermon.

"Killing children and women, on Channel One [television] we sing songs. We, Russia, have become godless [bezbozhniki]. Forgive us, Lord!" Simonov wrote on social media in a March 2022 post which would form the basis for his prosecution. On 30 March 2023, a Moscow court handed Simonov a 7-year prison term, to be followed by a 4-year ban on specific activities related to internet use. At present, he remains in custody at a Moscow detention centre awaiting a possible appeal.

Forum 18 asked the Federal Investigative Committee and its Moscow branch, as well as Moscow City Prosecutor's Office, in what way Simonov's comments could be construed as motivated by hatred of a political or social group, and why it was necessary to have a 63-year-old man with health problems placed in detention. Forum 18 also asked Moscow City Prosecutor's Office why prosecutors had requested such a long prison sentence. Forum 18 received no reply from any of these agencies.

Recently, these have included 86-year-old Viktor Pivovarov, an Archbishop in an independent Orthodox church not affiliated with the Moscow Patriarchate. A court in Krasnodar Region fined him one month's average local wage or more than two months' average local pension on 24 March for an anti-war sermon in his church

Forum 18 asked the Krasnodar Region branch of the Interior Ministry and the joint court press service for Krasnodar Region to clarify which statements of Pivovarov's could be considered "discreditation" of the Russian armed forces and why. The Interior Ministry press office refused to answer Forum 18's questions as "the case is with the court." Forum 18 received no reply from the court. [read more...]

COMMENTARY: The labels "false information" or "disinformation" in many cases such as these, are applied to information that the regime simply does not want others to know about. Leftist governments in both East and West often apply these labels to stifle the right to freedom of speech, including freedom of religious expression. I have personally experienced shadow-banning and the shutting down social media accounts and memberships in certain internet groups. And sadly, there are also many ordinary people who just do not want to learn about things that make them feel uncomfortable, so they just ignore such information.

7-YEAR-OLD WITH DISABILITY HAS PTSD AFTER RESTRAINTS USED AT SCHOOL, LAWSUIT SAYS
from: Disability Scoop

(4 Apr.) A deaf family is suing a Washington school district after they say their child, who has a disability, was repeatedly restrained at school, causing her to develop post-traumatic stress disorder, their lawyer said.

The child, who is now 7 years old and has a developmental disability, was subjected to "excessive restraint and isolation" at her elementary school beginning in September 2021, according to the lawsuit filed recently.

Her mother and grandmother, who are deaf, were not adequately informed about the use of restraints on their child and were not allowed into the school to observe her class, the lawsuit says. The family requested to remain anonymous to protect their child's privacy, according to their lawyer, Whitney Hill of Cedar Law.

Hill told McClatchy News that teachers and administrators at the child’s school, Lockwood Elementary, which is in the Northshore School District, did not properly fill out the required reports each time the student was restrained and did not take steps to appropriately communicate with the child’s mother, who uses American Sign Language.

"At the end of the day, it was really clear to us that the district was scared, and they knew they messed up," Hill said.

A spokesperson for the school district, which is headquartered in Bothell, about 20 miles northeast of Seattle, did not respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News. [read more...]

COMMENTARY: This is just one more instance of stifling a person with a disability. "Normal" people would rather silence them or ignore than give them the attention and respect that they deserve as fully human beings made in the image of God.

SBU EXPOSES A UOC-MP PRIEST WHO BLESSED THE RUSSIAN INVADERS IN THE KHARKIV REGION
from: Religious Information Service of Ukraine

(4 Apr.) The Security Service has gathered evidence against the former rector of one of the churches in the UOC-MP Diocese of Izyum, who supported the armed aggression of the Russian Federation.

During the temporary occupation of a portion of the Kharkiv region, the archpriest organized a staged church procession to commemorate the Day of the Baptism of Kyivan Rus, attempting to involve local residents. According to the SBU counterintelligence service, during the "event," he blessed the Russian invaders and consecrated their columns of military equipment in the Kupyansk district.

During the liberation of the Kharkiv region, the perpetrator and his family fled to Russian territory. He was subsequently appointed rector of the St. John the Baptist Church of the Tver and Kashin dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church.

As a result, the SBU investigators have launched criminal proceedings under Article 436-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, for justifying, recognizing the legitimacy of, denying armed aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, and glorifying its participants.

Investigative and operational actions are ongoing to determine all the details of the crime and bring the perpetrators to justice. The Security Service is leading the investigation, with the procedural guidance of the Kharkiv regional prosecutor's office. [read more...]

COMMENTARY: We must recognize that the UOC-MP (Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate) is merely a tool of the Kremlin being used as ideological cover for Russia's naked agression into Ukraine. Several Orthodox jurisdictions have taken a firm stand on this issue, including Albania: see the article "Albanian Church calls for Pan-Orthodox Council".

HIGH LEVELS OF LITHIUM IN DRINKING WATER MAY RAISE AUTISM RISK
from: Disabled World

(3 Apr.) Researchers report possible link between autism and lithium in drinking water supply. As lithium levels increased, so did the risk of an autism diagnosis, the researchers reported. In the future, anthropogenic sources of lithium in water may become more widespread because of lithium battery use and disposal in landfills with the potential for groundwater contamination.

The study, published April 3, 2023, in JAMA Pediatrics, is believed to be the first to identify naturally occurring lithium in drinking water as a possible environmental risk factor for autism.

"Any drinking water contaminants that may affect the developing human brain deserve intense scrutiny," said lead study author Beate Ritz, MD, PhD, professor of neurology in the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and professor of epidemiology and environmental health at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. "In the future, anthropogenic sources of lithium in water may become more widespread because of lithium battery use and disposal in landfills with the potential for groundwater contamination. The results of our study are based on high-quality Danish data but need to be replicated in other populations and areas of the world."

Because of lithium's mood-stabilizing effects, some lithium compounds have long been used as a treatment for depression and bipolar disorders. However, there has been debate about whether mothers can safely take lithium during pregnancy amid increasing evidence it is associated with higher risk of miscarriage and cardiac anomalies or defects in newborns.

Ritz, whose research focuses on how environmental exposures influence neurodevelopmental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases, said she decided to examine the possible association between lithium and autism risk after finding there had been little research in humans about how lithium affects brain growth and development. Still, she found that some experimental research indicated lithium, which is among several naturally occurring metals often found in water, could affect an important molecular pathway involved in neurodevelopment and autism. [read more...]

COMMENTARY: This could be a key to unlock the mystery of why there has been a sharp rise in diagnosis of autism over the past several years. Further research is needed to confirm these findings.

Per the article "The Dialectical Faith of Leftism" – "It is 175 years since Marx wrote the early drafts of what he originally called The Communist Confession of Faith and published it by the title The Communist Manifesto. Marx laid out an evil theology, and the practice of his religion is a liturgy of death and destruction. To understand the Marxist theology, we have to understand its theological antecedent, which was laid down by the German systematic theologian, speculative idealist, and Hermetic alchemist Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel."

Today we have "higher criticism" attempting to redefine theology, "critical theory" attempting to redefine politics, "critical race theory" attempting to redefine social relationships, and "critical pedagogy" attempting to redefine education. "Critical pedagogy" has morphed traditional education into "a palatable cover for [its] actual objective: raising Marxist political consciousness for the purposes of creating a cultural revolution." You notice the word "critical" in all of these phrases. To a great extent, they've succeeded where old-school Marxism has failed.

What is all this "criticism" and "critical" stuff all about? One of the terms that is frequently used in all of them is "deconstruction" – so what are they getting at? If you remove the "cons" you get at the heart of it: "destruction." The aim of all this criticism is the destruction of our established, traditional value system, our Judeo-Christian worldview. Old-school Marxism attacked the established economic worldviews of serfdom and capitalism, but capitalism parried Marx's thrust by itself morphing into a form of religion, that is, by usurping the Church's role of ministry to "the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind."

How has this happened? Ever since the legalization of Christianity in the fourth century, the Church has reached out to these groups of people, offering support, comfort, and healing. The first hospitals, hospices for the poor, orphanages, and aid for widows all sprang up in the fourth-century Christian Byzantine Empire. And up to the mid-twentieth century, these social ministries were mainly provided by churches through voluntary charitable donations. But in the 1960s and 70s, the "Great Society" started up government-funded social services financed through tax dollars. Because the central governments can print money at will, the churches couldn't compete.

This is the same way that a dominant company in a given industry can become a monopoly by undercutting its smaller competitors' prices, forcing them out of business. Over the past 50-60 years, government has expanded to have a near-monopoly on social services, and churches can't compete, they can only have a share in it if they meet the state's requirements. Thus, these social ministries of churches, if any, have been co-opted by government: in effect, the churches have been absorbed by the state and the state has taken on "The Secular Confession of Faith" – a decapitated Christianity – a Christianity without Christ. It is Marxism in disguise.

An excellent example of this is "Liberation Theology" that originated in Brazil and has spread throughout Latin America and the world. The leading proponent of "Critical Pedagogy" was Paulo Friere, but he was not only an educator, he was an anti-colonialist and a Marxist. He was also a religious figure, a devotee to Liberation Theology that has been called "Marxism pretending to be Catholicism," a secular semi-religious ideology. Friere's goal was not to increase literacy or proficiency in mathematics or history, it was to teach children how to think in Marxist terms of "oppression of the poor," "restorative justice," "equity," and "social change."

This ideology has so taken over university schools of education, high schools and primary schools that school children are functionally illiterate and far below grade level in mathematics, but are being taken to state capitols to participate in protests, yelling, screaming, and holding up placards about "oppression," "gender rights," "liberation," and "anti-racism." This is just one example of Herbert Marcuse's "long march into the institutions" – not only into education, but also journalism, entertainment, corporate governance, politics, and the electoral system.

What is the solution? It is to insist on our God-given right of freedom of religious expression, as stated in the First Amendment. This means not only the freedom of worship within the four walls of a church, but also to express our faith in our daily lives in society. It will not come cheap as we sacrifice our time, talent, and resources to reclaim the Church's rightful social ministry to "the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind,, to widows and orphans"... and especially to the education of our children. The future depends on it!

(Get this as a separate article on our ARC-News blog at blogspot.com and share it!)