Aug. 10, 2019: Myanmar Christians, 'The Hunt,' $8 million church donation
Here are the latest headlines, brought to you by The Christian Post.
— Education Dept. opens investigation into transgender athletes policy
The Department of Education says it will investigate the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference's policy of allowing boys who identify as transgender to compete in girls' high school sports.
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In response to a complaint filed by the nonprofit legal firm Alliance Defending Freedom on behalf of three female athletes, the department decided on Wednesday to grant a request for the Office of Civil Rights to investigate claims of discrimination resulting from the CIAC transgender participation policy.
The CIAC is not the only organization that allows biologically male trans-identified athletes to compete in female-only sports.
The International Olympic Committee's guidelines from 2015 also allows biologically male trans-identified athletes to compete in women's sports.
— Shuttered Washington church gives $8 million legacy gift to numerous charities
A church in Washington state that closed its doors due to falling membership is in the process of donating $8 million from the sale of its property to various charities.
Grace Lutheran Church of Bellevue, an Evangelical Lutheran Church in America congregation, held its final worship service in March, but its donations to various nonprofits is still ongoing.
Eva Mader, president of the Grace Lutheran Congregation Council, told The Christian Post: “I hope all those who hear about our closing will come to the realization that nothing lasts forever. This ending will represent many new beginnings. Nothing really belongs to us, but is given to us for a time to be used wisely. We should all care about others, especially those in need, following the example of Jesus.”
—Myanmar rebel army releases Christian villagers held captive for 6 months
The Arakan Army, a rebel faction in Myanmar, has released 52 villagers from the predominantly Christian Khumi community in the Western Chin state after they were detained for six months in a border camp.
Members of the Arakan Army said the Christians were not being held captive and were being protected at an outpost along the border of Myanmar, India, and Bangladesh. But others disagree.
The villagers’ release was praised by the U.S.-based persecution watchdog and charity International Christian Concern.
Al are expected to stay at an internally displaced persons camp in Meezar.
According to the Joshua Project, the Khumi community in Myanmar has a population of 66,000, 80 percent being Christian.
Myanmar, a Buddhist-majority country, ranks as the 18th-worst persecutor of Christians in the world, according to Open Doors USA's 2019 World Watch List.
— ‘The Hunt’ movie ads pulled, film depicts elites killing Trump supporters, pro-lifers
Advertisements for the horror film “The Hunt” have been pulled following recent mass shootings in California, Texas, and Ohio.
The plot for the Universal Studios film depicts wealthy elites who travel to a 5-star resort to hunt and kill so-called deplorables amid intensifying political hostilities between red states and blue states.
Among the deplorables who are to be hunted and killed are pro-life Americans.
The R-rated film features Oscar winner Hillary Swank and is scheduled to be released on September 27th.
— Baptist leader accused of sexually abusing teen turns himself in, denies allegations
A Florida pastor listed in a lengthy exposé published last year on sexual abuse in fundamentalist Baptist churches has turned himself in amid allegations he sexually abused a teenage girl on church grounds over a decade ago.
Forty-two year old Cameron Shane Giovanelli, the associate pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida, was arrested in Maryland Tuesday for actions he's accused of committing while serving as pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in the Baltimore suburb of Dundalk.
Giovanelli denied the allegations in a lengthy post on his website in June.
His defense attorney, Peter O'Neill, told The Florida Times-Union that his client "emphatically denies these allegations” and intends to “vigorously defend” himself in court.
