A county board of supervisors in California has voted to uphold a resolution commending a local Christian pregnancy center despite threats from a prominent church-state separation group to file a lawsuit over the matter.
The Calaveras County Board of Supervisors originally approved the measure applauding the ministry Doors of Hope in May, but the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) asserted that the resolution violated the Constitution because it endorsed Christianity. Doors of hope provides free assistance to women facing an unplanned pregnancy.
“Door of Hope seeks to enlighten and strengthen the lives of women and young women in Calaveras County by inviting them to test and see for themselves the many blessings that can come from living the teachings of Christ,” the resolution read.
“Calaveras Door of Hope endeavors to save the lives of unborn children by partnering with community members who volunteer their time, financial resources and prayers supporting their clients with kindness and compassion while listening without judgment,” it
According to the Pacific Justice Institute (PJI), a Christian legal organization in Sacramento, the ACLU threatened to sue the county over the matter, declaring that it was “crossing a fine line between church and state.” In response, PJI offered to represent the county at no charge should legal action ensue.
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“But a county’s resolution binds no one to a legal code and does not spend one penny from the local treasury. It is highly unlikely that such a threatening letter would have been sent by the ACLU if the Board of Supervisors had recognized a Humanist organization promoting euthanasia,” he said.
One thing I have discovered when following stories from the http://christiannews.net/ Christian News Network is that they always leave a key piece of information out of their stories. And as per usual, to endorse the talking point of "Christian" persecution, this story is no different.
From the Calaveras Enterprise:
The agenda report for the resolution noted that it was being presented in conjunction with “40 Days for Life,” an annual event leading up to Easter in which so-called “pro-life” groups voice their opposition to abortion.Now at first glance this may appear innocuous, but in the eyes of the ACLU, citing the California Constitution, Fox v. City of Los Angeles (1978), and Paulson v. Abdelnor (2006):
That political connection caught the attention of some community members who consider themselves “pro-choice” and so favor keeping abortion legal.
Muriel Zeller of Valley Springs appeared at the April 8 meeting to tell the board that by approving the resolution it was supporting a “religious crusade” and taking a position that “elevates Christianity over all other religions in Calaveras County.”
Zeller is one of 28 Calaveras County residents listed on the ACLU letter as supporters of the organization’s request.
"Government must commit to 'a position of neutrality' whenever 'the relationship between man and religion is affected.' 'In determining whether government action is neutral, a secular purpose must be shown. The secular purpose stated must be genuine, not a sham, and it may not merely be secondary to what is primarily a religious objective.'"Continuing by citing Feminist Women's Health Ctr., Inc v. Philibosian (1984), the ACLU points out, "While it is permissible for the Board to recognize the charitable work of local religious groups, the Board must do this without endorsing the group's sectarian tenants." In other words no "''improper political entanglement' by creating '[t]he appearance of support' of the Claveras Door of Hope's position on abortion."
So what is at issue is not that Door of Hope is a Christian based charity organization but that the Board, in honoring Door of Hope attached to the Resolution "for 'advocacy and education' that 'seeks to enlighten and strengthen the lives of women and young women in Calaveras County by inviting them to test and see for themselves the many blessings that can come from living the teachings of Christ.'” The Board in that statement is endorsing a particular religious viewpoint.
The endorsement is, on its own, bad enough but the Board further endangered their cause by then attaching the Resolution to the "agenda" ladened "40 Days for Life" which is sectarian in nature and promotes a specific religious worldview.
The travesty in all this, despite that I do not agree with Door of Hope's worldview, it appears as if they are helping the community in which they minister to and they should be honored minus the religious gobbledegook. But according to Spellman, with goading from Pacific Justice Institute, that isn't going to happen. The Calaveras Board is going to find themselves in a legal battle, Door of Hope isn't go to be honored in the manner they should, and the taxpayers are going to paying for all of it.
A written county response denied any wrongdoing. But county staff put the matter on the agenda for reconsideration and offered a suggested alternative resolution that praised Door of Hope for its good work but omitted religious references.California County Commends Christian Pregnancy Center Despite ACLU Threats | Christian News Network
Supervisor Darren Spell-man, the author of the original resolution, said at the beginning of Tuesday’s discussion that the staff-proposed resolution that removed religious references was “a page-and-a-half apology to the ACLU and their clients.”
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