Welcome to G3 Weekly—a summary of this week’s top news stories on Christianity and the public square.
This week, government agencies lauded the advent of “pride month.” Two elderly pro-life advocates were assaulted outside of a Planned Parenthood in Baltimore. Meanwhile, the former head of the Anglican Communion endorsed access to assisted suicide in the United Kingdom.
United States Government Agencies Endorse “Pride Month“
“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).
Several entities of the federal government praised the advent of “pride month” despite controversy surrounding the annual celebration.
President Joe Biden, who has supported so-called sex change operations for minors and other tenets of the LGBTQ movement, released an official proclamation declaring the month of June as “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Pride Month,” calling on citizens to “recognize the achievements of the LGBTQI+ community, to celebrate the great diversity of the American people, and to wave their flags of pride high.” The commander-in-chief also denounced efforts to deprive “transgender youth” of sex change procedures.
An official social media account for the United States Navy garnered backlash after posting a cover photo with a battleship, aircraft carrier, and fighter jet surrounded by rainbows. The United States Embassy to the Holy See, the seat of the Roman Catholic Church, hung a rainbow flag with elements meant to represent transgenderism and racial diversity. The FBI published a statement endorsing “pride month” and reportedly flew the same rainbow flag in front of the law enforcement agency’s headquarters.
The latest advent of “pride month” and widespread public endorsement comes as views on homosexuality become considerably more liberal: the share of Americans saying the practice should be accepted has increased 18% over the past decade, according to data from Gallup.
Pro-Lifers Assaulted Outside Abortion Clinic in Baltimore
“Their feet run to evil and they make haste to shed blood” (Proverbs 1:16).
A man attacked two elderly pro-life activists who were praying outside of an abortion clinic in Baltimore, Maryland.
Mark Crosby and Dick Schaefer, who are seventy-three years old and eighty years old respectively, were outside of a Planned Parenthood location in Baltimore when they were assaulted by an aggravated passerby, according to reports from local news outlets. The assailant, who is believed to be in his late twenties, entered into an exchange about abortion with the two men and did not “like their opinion or what was being said,” according to a witness.
Schaefer was knocked unconscious and currently has neck, shoulder, head, and back injuries. Crosby, who was punched in the face and stomped on, was taken to shock trauma for serious injuries to his eye and face.
Planned Parenthood CEO Karen Nelson claimed in a statement that the conglomerate “does not condone any violence” and saw the incident as “unfortunate.” She lamented that “folks who are trying to receive health care have to put up with remarks and comments.”
Former Archbishop of Canterbury Calls for More Assisted Suicide Access
“He himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything” (Acts 17:25).
George Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, advised political leaders in the United Kingdom to increase access to assisted suicide.
The retired minister, who served in the communion’s senior role from 1991 to 2002, remarked in a statement to Parliament that increasing access to the practice is “profoundly Christian.”
“Some people believe they will find meaning in their own suffering in their final months and weeks of life. I respect that, but it cannot be justified to expect others to share that belief,” Carey said. “We were all aware that the Bible contributes nothing directly to this debate. There is nothing in Holy Writ, or in the two thousand years of Christian teaching, that bore directly on this modern problem, largely created by the success of modern science and improved health care.”
The remarks come as other Western nations, such as Canada and the Netherlands, expand legal allowances for assisted suicide to children and those with mental illnesses. Critics have noted that governments with socialized health systems have incentives to encourage euthanasia instead of promoting more expensive palliative care options.
