A Florida-based atheist organization has left approximately 5,900 various brochures, booklets, and books on secular views at several public high schools in the Sunshine State.

The Central Florida Freethought Community performed this action Thursday, leaving the literary products on tables in 11 high schools in Orange County.

David Williamson of the CFFC said in a statement that he organized the event in response to a similar one held by a conservative Christian group that distributed Bibles in the high schools in January. more >>

An Ohio company that manufactures reservoirs for air brakes has filed suit against the Department of Health and Human Services over the "preventive services" mandate.

Johnson Welded Products, Inc. of Urbana filed their complaint on Tuesday in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

"Plaintiffs seek a preliminary and permanent injunction enjoining the challenged mandate and a declaration that the mandate violates federal constitutional and statutory law," reads the suit in part. more >>

Evangelist Greg Laurie, who is scheduled to lead the nation in prayer at events hosted by government officials in Washington D.C. during the National Day of Prayer on Thursday, chose not to respond to gay activists who demanded that he be disinvited because he holds a biblical view that homosexuality is a sin. Instead, Laurie asked for prayer Monday in a post to his blog.

"I would appreciate your prayers as I pray for our nation. We all need to take the very real challenges facing our nation seriously," Laurie wrote. "America need God's help. We cannot back away from what He says in Scripture. The enemy will always attack when we seek to do God's work, so let's keep praying!"

He then listed the NDOP website: http://nationaldayofprayer.org. more >>

WASHINGTON – Military chaplains cannot be forced to do something in opposition to their theology, but they may have problems with being accused of "hate speech" for teaching what scripture says about homosexuality, Barry Black, the U.S. Senate Chaplain and a former military chaplain, told a Heritage Foundation audience Monday. He also said he does not believe that the occasions where military chaplains are expected to pray inclusive prayers is a serious problem.

The military directives make clear, Black said, that military chaplains cannot be forced to do something they are opposed to doctrinally. He added, though, that some military chaplains may find themselves in a bind because of the scripture passages that describe homosexual behavior as a sin.

"I can see many military chaplains having some problems because, to teach the passages of Paul with exegetical integrity would mean being accused of engaging in hate speech. So, this is a challenge that I think we're going to have to deal with going forward," Black said. more >>

The state of Pennsylvania will be observing a "National Fast Day" in accordance with a resolution passed in the House of Representatives earlier this year.

Meant to commemorate the 150-year anniversary of a proclamation made by President Abraham Lincoln, the fast day approved via the passage of House Resolution 17 will occur on Tuesday.

Passed with a vote of 160 yeas to 35 nays, HR 17 extensively quotes from the Lincoln proclamation, which was issued during the American Civil War. more >>

Homosexual activists are labeling evangelist Greg Laurie as the "anti-gay California pastor" and are asking government officials to rescind Laurie's invitation to lead National Day of Prayer-related events in Washington, D.C. as the event's honorary chairman.

The Human Rights Campaign, the largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) advocacy group in America, contends that Laurie has a history of speaking out against LGBT Americans. And OutServe-SLDN, an association of actively serving LGBT military personnel, is calling on the Pentagon to remove the pastor from the agenda, citing "his blatantly anti-LGBT message."

"Pastor Laurie's message is out of step with what the majority of people of faith across this country believe," said Dr. Sharon Groves, director of HRC's Religion & Faith Program. "In greater numbers than ever before, people of faith are feeling compelled to speak up and organize for equality – because of their faith." more >>