WND: ‘Holy war: Government tries to control church sermons’

The US Bill of Rights

In another sign of the times, government officials in the State of Iowa are reinterpreting ‘freedom of religion’ to mean that the State can prohibit the free exercise of faith. World News Daily (WND) reported the following:

Holy war: Government tries to control church sermons’

August 9, 2016

An Iowa church just wants to be free to preach the gospel, but the state’s so-called nondiscrimination requirements could block the house of worship from doing just that.

Lawyers for the church are asking a federal court to prevent Iowa from censoring what the religious group can say about homosexuality, same-sex “marriage,” transgenderism and other related topics.

The case erupted when the state’s Civil Rights Commission first claimed the authority to control the content of sermons and then to define what’s religious.

At issue is the state’s nondiscrimination requirements that specify any “public accommodation” can be ordered not to say anything that might make a homosexual or a transgender feel “unwelcome,” such as even reading from the Bible a condemnation of such behavior.

Lawyers for the Alliance Defending Freedom, who are representing the church, have filed a reply in support of their motion for a preliminary injunction that would protect the church members’ constitutional rights while the case plays out.

Without that order, they contend the speech of the Fort Des Moines Church of Christ and its pastors and members is being unconstitutionally limited.

The state commission declined, again, to respond to a WND request for comment.

Christiana Holcomb, legal counsel for ADF, said the issue is about the basics of the Constitution.

“Churches should be free to communicate their religious beliefs and operate their houses of worship according to their faith without fearing government punishment. It’s not good enough for government officials to say we should simply trust them to tell us what is religious and what isn’t. The law must be clear, and at present, the only thing that’s clear is that the law gives too much power to government bureaucrats who don’t even seem to understand the most basic constitutional principles,” she said.

ADF Senior Counsel Steven O’Ban said that in the meantime, the court “should issue an injunction that makes certain that this law won’t be enforced against our client while this lawsuit proceeds.”

“Neither the commission nor any state law has the constitutional authority to dictate how a church uses its facility or what public statements a church can make concerning human sexuality,” he said.

The Iowa Civil Rights Act bans places of “public accommodation” from expressing their views on human sexuality if they would “directly or indirectly” make “persons of any particular … gender identity” feel “unwelcome.”

The state claims churches are a ”public accommodation.” http://www.wnd.com/2016/08/holy-war-government-tries-to-control-church-sermons/#GlWRZ4wmkCfp8OXb.99

The State of Iowa’s actions are appalling and should never have happened.

Notice the first amendment to the US Constitution as part of its so-called Bill of Rights:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Despite that amendment, government officials are trying to come up with their own rules and interpretations.

What this reminds me of is a lawsuit in 1979 against the old Worldwide Church of God by the State of California. Instead of claiming that churches were a “public accommodation,” the State’s lawsuit essentially claimed that a church was a “public charity.” And since a church was allegedly a “public” charity, the State had the right to run it and determine how it should spend its funds.

This caused turmoil for a year or two in the Worldwide Church of God. Eventually, the State dropped its lawsuit and a bill passed that prohibited what the State of California did then.

Getting back to Iowa, the sad reality is that the LGBT community does not believe it the first amendment. They do not believe people should have freedom of speech to condemn the LGBT agenda, they do not believe that people have the moral right to not accept the LGBT agenda, and they believe that they can compel people to violate their religious conscience.

And this is getting worse and worse all across the USA.

Furthermore, let me state that when it comes to keeping the Sabbath, paying for abortion, speaking out on moral issues, the courts in the USA have been making rules that have prohibited the free exercise of religion. This will worsen and the time will come when there is a famine of the word (watch also Famine of the Word?).

Citizens of the USA are not truly free and are losing more and more basic rights and freedoms that they once had.

The reality is the USA does not truly abide by its Constitution any more.

Those who speak out against the LGBT agenda will more and more be accused of ‘hate speech,’ intolerance, and other things that will one day result in more censorship. A few months ago, we did a YouTube video titled Is the US Congress eliminating the 1st Amendment? We are starting to see this happen more and more–both officially and unofficially.

When the LGBT crowd does not get their way with courts, then they have used economic blackmail (like they are trying to do to the State of North Carolina) and other pressures. Furthermore, the LGBT crowd and various government officials have also pressured companies like Google and Facebook to remove content that ‘legally’ the government cannot do on its own.

The trend for the free exercise of religious speech and practice is under major attack in the USA.

The USA is less and less the “land of the free and the home of the brave,” but instead the land of the highly regulated who need to be ‘politically correct.’

While some are putting their hope in Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, as he is not considered to be ‘politically correct,’ he supports many of the LGBT issues (see also Donald Trump in Prophecy).

The USA is going in the wrong direction.

Jesus said:

4 … the night is coming when no one can work. (John 9:4, NKJV)

4… the night cometh, when no man can work (John 9:4 KJV)

In a October 23, 1980 co-worker letter, Herbert Armstrong wrote:

The Bible warns us the time is just ahead when NO MAN CAN WORK—in the Lord’s Work. We must sacrifice now as never before for this Work that we may FINISH the Work that Christ has called us to do. Pray as never before, for this Work.

The Prophet Amos was inspired to record the following:

11 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord God,
“That I will send a famine on the land,
Not a famine of bread,
Nor a thirst for water,
But of hearing the words of the Lord.
12 They shall wander from sea to sea,
And from north to east;
They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord,
But shall not find it. (Amos 8:11-12)

Related to this, in a sermon on November 27, 1982 titled “U.S. of Europe is Coming,” Herbert W. Armstrong stated:

“Anyway this whole United States of Europe, when it goes together, is going to trigger nuclear World War III. Now let me tell you what else it’s going to do. It’s going to END OUR WORK! OUR WORK WILL BE THROUGH of getting the gospel to the world. That is, very shortly after it goes into force and effect; because they will move in such a way that it will end it. And then I’ll tell you what will happen. As you read here in Amos, the 8th chapter and verse 11 of Amos. Amos 8:11 ‘Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread … but of hearing the word of the LORD.’ ” (http://cog-ff.com/html/pcomments_07_04_08.html, viewed 10/03/13)

We in the Continuing Church of God have been reporting the rise of this coming “United States of Europe,” and we expect to publicly identify its leader, the King of the North, BEFORE he destroys the USA, UK, and much of the Arab world (Daniel 11:39-43). Obviously, he will not want his horrible plans made public. The Bible shows that those of the holy covenant will upset this leader prior to him destroying the USA, UK, Canada, as well as before the destruction of Australia and New Zealand, and that this will bring on persecution (Daniel 11:30-35; see also Persecutions by Church and State).

This persecution will eventually stop the ‘short work’ (Romans 9:28) and lead to that ‘famine of the word’ (see also Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word).

Here is something that Herbert Armstrong wrote in letters in 1979:

In Revelation 7 is the prophecy of God HOLDING UP — DELAYING — world events until the sealing of the 144,000 and the other innumerable multitude out of all nations. But God says also: “For He will FINISH THE WORK, and CUT IT SHORT in righteousness, because A SHORT WORK will the Lord make upon the earth” (Rom. 9:28). From now on, things may happen SUDDENLY, RAPIDLY, to finish the Work God has called us to do. (Armstrong HW. Co-worker Letter, August 20, 1979)

God was HOLDING UP world events in Satan’s world, to give His Church more time to FINISH THE WORK, and be PREPARED ourselves for His coming. But now many evidences are appearing that prophesied world events are readying to move swiftly, bringing on the DAY OF THE LORD, and Christ’s divine interference preparing for His coming. Jesus has said “…He will finish the Work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short Work will the Lord make upon the earth” Rom. 9:28).

How near finished is the Work NOW?

Remember this: Christ has not called us to reach every living person, even in the United States, which we know is the nation which sprang from Manasseh, jointly with Ephraim (the British people), who comprise together the Birthright tribes of ISRAEL.

God’s Message for OUR day is: “And this Gospel OF THE KINGDOM shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the END come” (Matt. 24:14). (Armstrong HW. Co-worker Letter, October 26, 1979)

Almighty God has been HOLDING BACK the progress of prophesied world events. There is a time, foretold in Revelation 7, when He will do this again.

But then, again, “He will finish the Work, and cut it short in righteousness; because a SHORT WORK will the Lord make upon the earth”! (Armstrong HW. Co-worker Letter, November 9, 1979)

So, Herbert Armstrong felt then that a short and important work would later happen, but felt in 1979 that it was being held up.

He seemed to have a similar view in 1983 as the following transcription from one of his sermon’s states:

God has delayed certain events, but He says that He will make a short work and cut it short suddenly. Jesus gave us the expression of how it will come when it is least expected. And like a rat getting caught in a trap that snaps, when it didn’t even know it, until it is caught. And that’s how suddenly things are going to happen very, very soon. How much longer God will delay before He does that, I don’t know. (Armstrong HW. Success Based On God’s Law Sermon Date: July 30, 1983 http://www.hwalibrary.com/cgi-bin/get/hwa.cgi?action=getsermon&InfoID=1330874371&SearchWhat=KeyWord&SearchFor=god%27s%20true%20church&page=97&return=search#.Ug-Q6T_NvXA)

Yes, there was a delay, and that delay continued for decades after he died. Jesus warned that many, including Christians, would not expect what is happening and warned that we need to pray to be counted worthy (Luke 21:34-36).

In the 21st century, we in the Continuing Church of God have been preparing for that ‘short work’ (Romans 9:28) and that ‘famine of the word’ (see also Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word).

In a November 22, 1982 co-worker letter, Herbert Armstrong wrote:

… brethren and co-workers, the prophesied Great Tribulation (nuclear World War III) will start soon after the European unification. That means OUR WORK OF SPREADING THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD WILL BE FINISHED! We have not now much more time. Soon shall come a FAMINE of hearing the Word of the Lord (Amos 8:11). God says, work while it is day, for the night is coming when no man can work – in the Work of God! Nothing else is important in our lives, now, but this all-important Work of God. (http://cog-ff.com/html/pcomments_07_04_08.html, viewed 10/03/13)

So, the Bible tells of a time that will come when the word of God will not be found. And that would seem to be because it will be taken off the internet. In the 21st century, the internet is accessed by people in every country, and thus some type of internet restriction/suspension/site removal is coming.

The pressures from the LGBT groups, government entities, and even private companies seem to be factors in causing this.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word What is the ‘short work’ of Romans 9:28? Who is preparing for it? Here is a link to a related video sermon titled: The Short Work.
Persecutions by Church and State This article documents some that have occurred against those associated with the COGs and some prophesied to occur. Will those with the cross be the persecutors or the persecuted–this article has the shocking answer. There is also a YouTube video sermon you can watch: The Coming Persecution of the Church. Here is information in the Spanish language: Persecuciones de la Iglesia y el Estado.
Cross-dressing and other assaults against your children. What should you do? Is there an agenda to turn your children and/or grandchildren away from biblical morality and towards practices promoted by homosexuals? What does the Bible teach about cross-dressing? What should parents do? If there is an agenda, what has been going on? There are also two YouTube videos related to this, titled Transgender ‘Woe to those who call evil good’ and Cross dressing and Other Assaults Against Your Children.
The Bible Condemns Homosexuality “Same-sex marriage” for “gays” and lesbians is becoming more acceptable to many. What does the Bible teach about homosexuality? Can homosexuals change? A related video sermon is titled: What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West?
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term This is a 160 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Barack Obama and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled (which the book documents in detail) and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also has a chapter about a Republican choice. This book is available to order at www.barackobamaprophecy.com. The physical book can also be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Barack Obama Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic Catholic, Kenyan, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Republican Leaders? Second Edition for Second Obama Term.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition. This electronic version is available for only US$2.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition.
Donald Trump in Prophecy Prophecy, Donald Trump? Are there prophecies that Donald Trump may fulfill? Are there any prophecies that he has already helped fulfill? Could a Donald Trump presidency be apocalyptic? A related video is titled Could Donald Trump be Apocalyptic?
Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States This is a 200 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Hillary Clinton and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also discusses Republicans. The physical book can be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States, 2nd edition: Is Hillary Clinton Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic Catholic, Hopi, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Donald Trump? $11.99.
Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Amazon 2nd Kindle edition This electronic version of the 200 page print edition is available for only US$3.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Amazon 2nd Kindle edition.