Contraceptive Shift

TOWERS, May 12 — There is a growing disillusionment with birth control and non-procreative sexuality among evangelical Protestants, according to a column on the news site of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary by its president, Albert Mohler Jr.      

While evangelical Christians had “responded with disregard” to Catholic disapproval of contraception, “that is all changing,” said Mohler, one of the leading evangelical voices in the United States.

“I detect a huge shift,” especially among the young, he said.

Free to Preach

ALLIANCE DEFENSE FUND, May 24 — U.S. District Judge William Caldwell has ruled that the freedom-of-speech rights of two street preachers were violated when they were prevented from speaking against homosexuality outside Pridefest, a pro-homosexual event.

Judge Caldwell issued a declaratory judgment that police actions to prevent Pastor Jim Grove and Repent America leader Michael Marcavage from speaking to participants entering the event area were unconstitutional.

Police created a 50-foot no-speech zone to restrict protesters from approaching the event, and this was respected by the Grove and Marcavage.

Comprehensively Pro-Life

TULSA WORLD, May 19 — Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry, a Democrat, has signed into law a “balanced” and comprehensive that regulates abortion by requiring that parents give permission before a teenage daughter could have an abortion, reported the Oklahoma daily.

The law also stipulates that women considering an abortion are to be shown an ultrasound photo of their baby beforehand.

Women contemplating an abortion are to be told that their unborn child after 20 weeks of pregnancy will likely feel intense pain during the abortion.

They are given the option to administer anesthesia to the baby beforehand.  

Aussies vs. ‘Gay Marriage’

ABC, May 23 — Most Australians do not want homosexual “marriage,” Prime Minister John Howard told an audience while visiting Ireland, reported the Australian Broadcasting Company.

He said it is not discrimination to deny homosexuals the same marriage status as men and women, and also described those campaigning for homosexual “marriage” as “fundamentalists.”

He explained that it is “a form of minority fundamentalism to say that you have to, in every aspect of one’s institutions and one’s arrangements in society, have technical equivalence.”

Australia’s major parties are opposed to same-sex “marriage.”