Aug. 2, 2019: Buttigieg cites Proverbs to shame Christians; Disney's gay teen romance; Syrian Christians fear deportation
Here are the latest headlines, brought to you by The Christian Post.
— Syrian Christians in US fear deportation as their protected status is in 'jeopardy'
Thousands of Syrian immigrants in the United States could be at risk of deportation if the Trump administration doesn’t extend their temporary protected status.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
A coalition of 200 faith groups including World Relief and other refugee resettlement agencies are urging the Trump administration to extend and re-designate TPS status for Syrian immigrants.
Jameson Cunningham, a policy and public affairs strategist with Americans for a Free Syria, told The Christian Post that Syrians returning from abroad are routinely met with arrest, disappearance, or forced conscription.
— Iran sentences Christian convert to 1 year in prison for 'acting against national security'
A Iranian Christian convert who was arrested by three Iranian intelligence agents at her home on Christmas Eve has been sentenced to one year in prison on charges of “acting against national security" and engaging in “propaganda against the system."
The sentence was handed down to 65-year-old Mahrokh Kanbari on Monday, says the aid group International Christian Response.
At the time of her arrest, agents also confiscated mobile phones, Bibles and other Christian-related materials found at her home.
The watchdog group International Christian Concern says that Kanbari's arrest is part of a "continued downward trend of religious freedom for Christians in Iran."
— Man confesses to threatening to rape, murder pro-life activists
A Kansas man plead guilty Monday to the crime of threatening to rape and murder employees at the pro-life organization Operation Rescue.
Christopher M. Thompson, a 22-year-old man from Wichita, made the threatening calls in 2018. He also threatened to rape the daughters of an employee after following the girls around town.
The Justice Department says sentencing for Thompson is scheduled for Oct. 15. Thompson could get up to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000.
— Buttigieg cites Proverbs to shame conservative Christians over minimum wage
Democrat presidential candidate Mayor Pete Buttigieg cited a verse from the Old Testament book of Proverbs at Tuesday night’s Democrat primary debate to shame Christian Republicans who oppose a $15 minimum wage.
Tuesday’s debate was not the first time Buttigieg has tried to shame conservative Christians. Buttigieg’s campaign has even labeled Vice President Mike Pence a “pharisee.” His campaign has since decided to stop using the word “pharisee” because it offends Jews.
— Disney Channel introduces its first gay teen romance on series finale of 'Andi Mack'
The Disney Channel depicted the network's first teenage gay romance with the season finale of its series “Andi Mack.”
The episode aired Saturday and concluded with the character Cyrus Goodman confessing his attraction to his classmate TJ Kippen. Cyrus then reaches out to hold TJ’s hand.
Later on the teenagers are seen singing along to Lady Gaga’s LGBT anthem “Born This Way.”
While this was Disney's first depiction of a teenage same-sex relationship, the first same-sex adult couple in a Disney series for kids occurred in 2014 on the show "Good Luck Charlie."
