KFUO Radio News Break

Missouri funds pro-life options

Missouri lawmakers just dedicated six and a half million dollars in their new state budget to support mothers who choose life for their babies. Last week, pro-life Republican Gov. Mike Parson signed the budget, which includes funding for the state alternatives to abortion program. The program supports pregnant and parenting mothers and babies through pregnancy resource centers and maternity homes in the state. These organizations provide free services, including pregnancy tests and prenatal care, counseling and job training, diapers and cribs, clothing and food, temporary shelter and more to families in need.

Students consider the ministry

High school students considering a future in ministry are invited to participate in Concordia Seminary, St. Louis’ Virtual Vocatio event Aug. 2–4. The event is usually held on campus but has been moved online because of the coronavirus pandemic. During the event, students will explore God’s calling and direction through Bible study and thoughtful conversation about vocation. Students will interact with seminary faculty throughout the event, as well as with representatives from the Concordia University system during a virtual college fair. The event is free, and the registration deadline is July 17. Interested participants can learn more and register a  csl.edu/vocatio.

Lutheran missionaries in Asia continue the Lord's work

LCMS Asia missionaries remain hard at work in their fields of service. Two families returned to the U.S. because they were in high-risk categories and in places where decent medical care was not available. The vast majority of LCMS Asia personnel opted to stay in their assigned countries in the places where they have made their homes. Borders are closed everywhere, and so missionaries find community with neighbors and via remote visits. Sri Lanka was subject to particularly strict lockdowns, with personnel enduring days-long curfews. Teaching conferences may have been put on hold, but the development and translation of resources continues at a rapid pace.

Planned Parenthood received PPP funds

Multinational abortion provider Planned Parenthood was revealed this week to have made off with millions of dollars in government assistance by way of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Established to provide bridge loans to American small businesses crippled by public health lockdowns, the program has been plagued with controversy since its April roll-out as a result of numerous questionable loan approvals for corporate organizations widely believed to have applied without any real need of financial relief. According to official data released Monday by the PPP’s administrators at the United States’ Small Business Administration, Planned Parenthood Federation of America was one such offender, with its locations and affiliates nationwide receiving as much as $150 million in aid from the program.Consolidated financial statements reveal Planned Parenthood possessed roughly $1.9 billion in net assets and saw its total annual revenue exceed $1 billion in both 2017 and 2018.

In today’s News:

The Navy eases religious restrictions

The Navy updated its coronavirus restrictions after chaplains and a religious liberty law firm complained last week alleging that service members were being unlawfully prohibited from attending indoor religious services. Capt. Sarah Self-Kyler, director of fleet public affairs, told Fox News the temporary measures have been in place since late March to protect the health and safety of sailors and their families, noting that conditions still "prohibit sailors from attending off-base indoor religious services, and remain necessary given existing medical information about the current rise in covid-19 cases in certain locations throughout the country." However, if conditions are met locally, as they are by several Navy installations across the country, "sailors are not prohibited from attending off-base indoor religious services," she said." Mike Berry, the First Liberty Institute general counsel who sent the letter last week, expressed assurance that the Navy would do the right thing in light of President Trump's executive actions.

Supreme Court lets 'bubble zones' stand

The U.S. Supreme Court decided last week not to hear challenges by pro-life advocates to two “bubble zone” laws that ban them from exercising pro-life speech outside abortion centers. The court’s July 2 written order declining to hear the cases from Chicago and Harrisburg, Penn., came scant days after its 5-4 ruling striking down a Louisiana law requiring abortion centers to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals. The justices followed the usual practice of not commenting on turning away the cases, Associated Press reported, adding that the court’s order noted that Justice Clarence Thomas would have heard the Chicago case. The Chicago ordinance has been in place since 2009 and forbids pro-life advocates from going within eight feet of a pregnant mother who is within 50 feet of an abortion center.

Protests, yes. Bible conference, no

The Colorado state attorney general attempted to ban Andrew Wommack Ministries from holding in-person gatherings of more than 175 people in accordance with the governor’s orders, while permitting mass protests with no social distancing or other health precautions. The attorney general sent a Cease-and-Desist letter to the ministry in an attempt to shut down its Bible conference held at Charis Bible College on the last day, as well as any future conferences. Liberty Counsel is representing Andrew Wommack Ministries. The attorney general stated that the ministry must cancel the remainder of the conference that ended on July 3 in addition to the July 4 celebration. However, on June 26, Andrew Wommack and his executive team met with Teller County and Woodland Park public health and law enforcement officials to review and discuss the hosting of a safe and large faith-based gathering. As a result, the ministry submitted an updated plan, which the county offered further recommendations that was acceptable to the ministry. Then ministry officials received a cease and desist order from the state.

No singing in church allowed

Worship if you must, but no singing, California health officials told state residents last week in new guidelines about the Coronavirus. Beginning in March, California heavily restricted religious gatherings to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and save lives. However, the Democrat-led state also allowed abortion facilities to continue elective abortions without restriction. On July 1, the California Department of Public Health issued new guidelines outlining steps that houses of worship should take to help prevent further spread of the virus. One of those measures prohibits singing, even when people are social distancing and wearing masks. In April, three California churches filed a lawsuit against pro-abortion Gov. Gavin Newsom after he exempted abortion facilities but not churches from his stay-at-home mandate during the coronavirus crisis. Several pro-life Christians also filed lawsuits to demand their right to peacefully assemble and speak freely outside abortion facilities that continue to kill unborn babies during the pandemic.

Ohio's oldest abortion facility closes its doors

The Founder’s abortion clinic in Ohio has finally closed for good. Founder’s, which first opened in 1973, was Ohio’s oldest and longest-operating abortion facility. Founder’s had its share of problems and issues over the years. Ohio’s longest-practicing abortionist lost his license in November 2018 after he allegedly broke prescription drug laws, according to state documents. Columbus abortionist Harley Blank, 79, was accused of wrong-doing multiple times during his decades-long abortion practice. The Columbus Dispatch reported Blank agreed to surrender his medical license rather than face disciplinary proceedings for alleged prescription drug violations. According to the state order, Blank allegedly violated state laws by “failing to keep any charts or patient records” on the men to whom he prescribed the drugs. Blank worked at Founder’s women’s health center, an abortion facility in Columbus, and other abortion facilities in the state. According to the report, he became known as the first abortionist to legally abort an unborn baby in Ohio in 1973. The Planned Parenthood abortion chain gave blank an award in 2012 for his work.

States move to protect women's sports

Bills restricting transgender students’ involvement in school-sponsored athletics are up for consideration in 14 states, according to the left-wing Human Rights Campaign. A poll released in November, 2019, found that less than a third of Americans believe biological males who identify as transgender should be allowed to compete on girls sports teams. Another poll released in October, 2019, found that Americans said by a 57-20 margin that male athletes who self-identify as transgender have competitive advantages over female athletes. Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Washington are all considering bills to inhibit transgender athletes from participating in school-sponsored sports, Axios reported.

In today's News:

Woman sues St. Louis Planned Parenthood

As reported by pro-life watchdog group Operation Rescue, a woman named in the 2019 deficiency report for RHS Planned Parenthood in St. Louis sued the abortion business for damages after she was forced to undergo three abortions for the same pregnancy. According to the records, patient Maureen Peal went to RHS Planned Parenthood on May 26, 2018, for an abortion at 10 weeks and two days gestation. Abortionist Justin Diedrich, who was trained at the UCSF Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, committed a first-trimester suction abortion without the guidance of an ultrasound and the abortion was determined to have been completed. But Peal returned to RHS Planned Parenthood a month later and learned she was still pregnant and that her baby — now 15 weeks and one day old — had a strong heartbeat. Now in the second trimester, she underwent a dismemberment abortion committed by Diedrich. That abortion was also determined to be complete. However, three days later, peal was admitted to Barnes Jewish Hospital with sepsis from an infected uterus. This led to a third abortion to remove the pieces of her deceased preborn child that Diedrich had left in inside her.

Push for Veterans Administration to pay for abortions

Democrats in Congress have been pushing for years to force taxpayers to fund abortions for military members and veterans. During a hearing Tuesday in the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, they debated another bill, sponsored by u.s. Rep. Julia Brownley Of Calif., to allow the Department of Veteran Affairs to start doing elective abortions with taxpayer dollars, according to the military news site Stars and Stripes. Pro-abortion democrats claimed a 30-year-old law prohibiting abortions in the VA is a “harsh” inequality for female military veterans. The VA does not abort unborn babies in elective abortions, and abortions are excluded from the VA health benefits package. Under a 1992 law, elective abortions are not considered part of “general reproductive health care” for veterans.

Pro LGBTQ law is challenged

A Christian wedding photographer and blogger in Virginia filed suit against that state’s attorney general, seeking to prevent the enforcement of a new non-discrimination law that its democrat supporters admitted was intended to be “punitive” against those who decline to celebrate same-sex weddings. The law presents the photographer with an impossible choice: violate his conscience, close his business, or face a $50,000 fine for the first offense and $100,000 fines for each later offense. Chris Herring, owner of Chris Herring photography, filed the pre-enforcement lawsuit on Tuesday before the law came into effect on Yesterday. The lawsuit claims the Virginia Values Act — Which Gov. Ralph Northam signed on the Saturday before Easter during a pandemic — violates Herring’s rights to free speech, free association, freedom of the press, religious liberty, and the Constitution’s ban on a government establishment of religion. “I happily work with and serve all customers, but I can’t and won’t let the state force me to express messages that contradict my beliefs,” the photographer insisted.

In today's News:

Missouri medicaid payment for abortion stays

Yesterday, the Missouri Supreme Court struck down state lawmakers’ efforts to defund Planned Parenthood as a “Clear and unmistakable violation” of the state constitution, the AP reports. By a 6-1 majority, the justices ruled that a state budget law prohibiting medicaid funds to abortion groups is unconstitutional

Biden declares for abortion 'under any circumstances'

In a statement praising the Supreme Court for striking down a Louisiana law requiring doctors who provide abortions to have admitting privileges at a local hospital, presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden announced his support for abortion “under any circumstance,” staking out an extreme position on the issue. Biden, once a self-proclaimed “pro-life Democrat” stood by his personal opposition to abortion as recently as the 2012 presidential election, when he explained, in a debate against then-republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan, that he was “personally opposed” to the procedure but felt he had no reason to prevent women from exercising “choice.”

Religious equality scores a win

The Supreme Court sided with a group of families in Montana that challenged a state law which banned scholarship money from being used toward faith-based schools in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue. the grants were given via donations that were tax deductible. the court ruled that discrimination against non-secular schools is a violation of the free exercise clause of the First Amendment, and that although states “need not subsidize private education,” non-secular institutions cannot be discriminated against in the distribution of such subsidies based on religious ties.

Lutheran students help first responders

In St. Charles, Mo., a cooperative effort of the Lutheran High School of St. Charles County Stem Program, Lutheran Foundation of St. Louis, and a group of individual donors has resulted in the production and delivery of over 5,000 PPE face shields to health care workers, first responders and others. the project, called “help From Home,” began in March and is still underway. David Zilz, director of LHS’ stem robotics team, the Roboteers, explained that, while many groups around the country have been producing 3D-printed headbands for protective face shields, fewer have been performing all the steps needed to assemble and deliver complete, ready-to-wear shields. Zilz added that the “Help From Home” team has been involved in not only producing and assembling the face shields but delivering them as well, all while following social distancing guidelines.

Navy bans indoor religious services

On June 24, the Navy issued an order that banned troops from attending indoor religious services, although other activities such as using mass transit, hosting social gatherings of any size, and participation in protests are all permitted. but the order specifically states that “service members are prohibited from visiting, patronizing, or engaging in . . . indoor religious services.” the Navy’s orders apply to everyone assigned to navy units and vessels including, its chaplains.

In today's News:

Court victory for abortionists

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled yesterday that a law restricting abortions in Louisiana is unconstitutional. In a landmark decision, the justices said a law requiring that doctors who provide abortions have the right to admit patients at a local hospital placed an undue burden on women. Chief Justice John Roberts joined liberal justices in the 5-4 decision in a blow to pro-life groups. This was the first major abortion case ruling from the Supreme Court during the Trump presidency. The 2014 Louisiana law said that doctors must hold admitting privileges at hospitals within 30 miles of their practice. But critics said the law would limit the number of providers in the state, violating a woman's right to an abortion. In dissent, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote, “Today a majority of the court perpetuates its ill-founded abortion jurisprudence by enjoining a perfectly legitimate state law and doing so without jurisdiction.” On behalf of President Donald Trump, the White House issued a statement slamming the ruling and saying it “devalued the lives of unborn children.”

Missouri's abortion facility remains open for a year

A Missouri Planned Parenthood facility In St. Louis, described as one of the worst abortion facilities in the country for women’s safety, will be allowed to remain open for another year. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services was forced to renew the St. Louis abortion facility’s license last week because of a ruling in may. Over the weekend, Gov. Mike Parson and Attorney General Eric Schmitt said the state will not appeal the ruling, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Lutheran students serve their community

The coronavirus shutdown drastically changed the way most brick-and-mortar schools around the world wrapped up their academic years, but that didn’t stop schools in the Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod from continuing serving their communities and each other. Heartland Lutheran High School in Grand Island, Neb., held its last day of on-campus classes on March 12. As the school transitioned from classroom-based instruction to school at home, Heartland’s senior class began looking for ways to serve their community amid the shutdown. During the height of the covid-19 outbreak in April, Grand Island was one of Nebraska’s virus hotspots, recording the highest number of confirmed cases in the state. With the support of Heartland Principal Timothy Leech, the students organized a food drive for families in need. In addition to collecting over 12,000 nonperishable grocery items, the students also received over $11,000 in donations. The cash and approximately three-quarters of the grocery items were donated to the United Way’s Food for Thought Program, which hosts a backpack drive and provides food to 200 families a week during the summer months. The remaining grocery items were donated to other food banks and shelters in town.

In today's News:

A pro-life law is struck down

A Louisiana law requiring abortion doctors to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals was struck down this morning by the U.S. Supreme Court in a 5-4 decision. Four liberal justices; Kagen, Sotomayer, Breyer and Ginsberg; ruled that the law was similar to a Texas law that was struck down in 2016. Chief Justice John Roberts joined the majority in a concurring opinion stating that while he believes the Texas ruling was incorrect, the concept of precedent requires him to uphold it in subsequent ruling. Conservative Justices Thomas, Kavanaugh, Gorsuch and Alito, all dissented. In his dissent, Alito wrote “The abortion right recognized in this court’s decisions is used like a bulldozer to flatten legal rules that stand in the way.”

Religious restrictions struck down

Friday, a federal judge ruled that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, Attorney General Letitia James, and Mayor Bill de Blasio may not order or enforce indoor or outdoor restrictions on religious worship gatherings. Represented by the Thomas More Society, two Catholic priests from upstate New York and a trio of orthodox Jewish congregants from Brooklyn sued Cuomo, James and de Blasio for violations of their free exercise of religion and freedom of speech. Senior u.s. District Judge Gary l. Sharpe issued a preliminary injunction and said that Cuomo is wrong to limit worship services as a “matter of public safety” yet condone mass protests. In awarding the injunction, the court noted that “nonessential businesses” that enjoy a 50 percent capacity limitation are not justifiably different than houses of worship. 

Concordia Seminary hold virtual event for prospective students

Prospective students and their families are invited to learn more about Concordia Seminary, St. Louis during the next steps visitation event, set for 2–4 p.m. Central time Saturday, July 11. Due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic, the event will be held online. Designed for prospective pastoral and diaconal students who are married or who are engaged and will be married when they come to the Seminary, the event will give participants valuable information about the application process, financial aid and housing. The event also will include a panel discussion with current students and their spouses who will answer questions and provide information about campus life, local schools and transitioning to the Seminary.

Planned Parenthood names new president

After spending nearly a year as Planned Parenthood’s acting president and CEO, Alexis McGill Johnson has officially been named the abortion organization’s permanent leader. Last July, Leana Wen, an emergency room physician and the former Baltimore city health commissioner, was fired in a supposed “secret” meeting. Wen claimed it was because she had attempted to make Planned Parenthood less political, and to shift the organization’s more toward health care. Wen was summarily fired, and McGill Johnson was brought on board in her place. In an interview for Planned Parenthood, McGill Johnson claimed she knew she wanted to work in the abortion industry when she saw a pro-life billboard in New York City which read, “The most dangerous place for an African American is in the womb.”

In today's News:

Planned Parenthood gets a license

Missouri's health department yesterday issued another license to the state's only abortion clinic following a year-long legal battle over whether the St. Louis Planned Parenthood Center could stay open. The Department of Health and Senior Services last year declined to renew the clinic's license, which meant the clinic wouldn't have been allowed to provide abortions. Planned Parenthood sued. After a year-long legal battle, the state's administrative hearing commission ruled in may that the health department was wrong not to renew the clinic's license. The health department, which is represented by the state Attorney General's office, hasn't indicated if it will appeal the administrative hearing commission ruling. Monday is the deadline to appeal.

Online courses offered to pastors, church workers

Concordia Seminary, St. Louis is partnering with Concordia University Wisc., For the first time to offer two online continuing education courses for pastors, one in the fall and one in the spring. The courses are especially appropriate for ordained pastors, commissioned church workers and lay leaders. The courses are fully online. Each course features six modules over six weeks, with video lectures, optional readings, recommended assignments and peer discussion activities. The opening and closing sessions will be held live online and will be recorded for later viewing. All other sessions will be fully asynchronous, meaning they can be completed at any time during the run of each course.

Faith-based adoption groups gain support

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday to bolster the federal government’s work with community and faith-based groups in adoption and foster care. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the order will encourage better partnerships between states and faith-based and community organizations in adoption and foster care, help publicize best practices, and states and local authorities to recruit more foster and adoptive families. The executive order comes ahead of a Supreme Court case involving Catholic Social Services in Philadelphia. In 2018, the city stopped referrals of foster children with the organization due to its faith-based stance on marriage. The case has been scheduled for the Supreme Court’s fall 2020 term.

Senator opposes the 'Equality Act'

Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley said on Wednesday that he opposes the unamended Equality Act, which passed the Democrat-controlled House last year, because, among other things, "It would force people of faith, doctors, others to perform abortions." The equality acts says an official summary that it, "prohibits discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in a wide variety of areas including public accommodations and facilities, education, federal funding, employment, housing, credit, and the jury system. Specifically, the bill defines and includes sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity among the prohibited categories of discrimination or segregation. The bill prohibits an individual from being denied access to a shared facility, including a restroom, a locker room, and a dressing room, that is in accordance with the individual's gender identity," says the summary. The bill also "prohibits the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 from providing a claim, defense, or basis for challenging such protections.”

In today's News:

Newspaper calls pro-life ad 'racist'

A pro-life organization has been blocked from running a pro-life “All Lives Matter” ad in a local newspaper. The paper claimed the ad was “racist.” The Rockford Family Initiative, an Illinois based pro-life organization, attempted to place the pro-life ad in a local newspaper, The Rockford Register Star. The ad depicts a picture of an unborn baby with the words “All Lives Matter” above the picture. Originally, the newspaper agreed to run the ad. It later refused, however, asking that the wording be changed since it was “racist.” The Register Star sales manager told the Rockford Family Initiative that “all lives matter is seen as racist to the black community.”

Department of Justice scolds New York City's mayor

The U.S. Department of Justice sent a letter to New York City Democrat Mayor Bill de Blasio on Monday calling out the hypocrisy of enforcing covid-19 restrictions against religious gatherings while giving a pass to crowded Black Lives Matter protests. The letter reads, “Mayor de Blasio’s recent public statements and enforcement of covid-19 orders have demonstrated a troubling preference for certain First Amendment rights over others. New York City had vigorously enforced restrictions on religious gatherings, including by sending police officers to disperse numerous gatherings of the Jewish community, including outdoor funerals. At the same time, Mayor de Blasio marched in large in-person political gatherings concerning the recent tragic death of George Floyd and made statements suggesting — in a manner forbidden by the First Amendment — that religious exercise was less valued and protected by New York City than political exercise.”

Pro-abortion groups sue Iowa

Planned Parenthood And the American Civil Liberties Union have filed a lawsuit against a new law in Iowa that requires mothers to wait at least 24 hours after their initial appointment before getting an abortion. As reported by KCCI 8 News, the law, which was passed earlier this month, also requires mothers to view an ultrasound of their baby and receive adoption information. The legislation was made public on the evening of June 13 and pushed through by republicans in the early hours of June 14.

Ohio expands religious rights of students

Ohio Gov. Mike Dewine signed a bill into law expanding the religious freedom for students in public schools that was criticized by the American Civil Liberties Union. The Student Religious Liberties Act, introduced in March 2019, passed with a near-unanimous vote and was signed Friday. The new law clarifies that students can pray, wear religious clothing, meet on school grounds and express their faith in school, as long as they are not disruptive. The law also will abolish restrictions on students from engaging in religious expression in completion of homework, artwork, or other assignments. Critics of the bill say it could allow students to avoid penalties for scientifically wrong answers if those happen to conform with their religious beliefs.

In today's News:

Planned Parenthood exec fired

A top executive at the Planned Parenthood Federation of America has been fired over allegations of racism. The organization’s board of directors announced yesterday that they had “parted ways” Monday with Laura McQuade, who had served as chief executive of Planned Parenthood of Greater New York since 2017, the New York Times reported. The news came after allegations of both abusive and discriminatory behavior towards black Planned Parenthood employees.

Virginia is for snitches

The Virginia Department of Public Health is urging residents to “snitch on” public gatherings and other activities that violate Democrat Gov. Ralph Northam’s coronavirus orders, including churches. The Washington Free Beacon reports that the health department’s website has been updated to include the option to anonymously report to the state neighbors who exceed the emergency limits on building capacity or refuse to wear masks. The form allows users to specify the “type of establishment” they’re reporting, including “indoor gun range” or “religious service.” Under Northam’s phase two” rules, “religious services must be limited to no more than 50 percent of the lowest occupancy load on the certificate of occupancy of the room or facility in which the religious services are conducted. Individuals attending religious services must be at least six feet apart when seated and must practice proper physical distancing at all times” with the exception of family members.

Groups wants taxpayer money for 'gender transition'

Several pro-LGBT pressure organizations filed a federal lawsuit Monday in hopes of reversing the Trump Administration’s decision to roll back an Obama-era regulation that would allow healthcare providers that receive federal funds to perform “gender transition” operations and abortions. In May of 2016, the Obama Administration redefined “sex discrimination” under Obamacare to include an individual’s “internal sense of gender, which may be male, female, neither, or a combination of male and female.” The rule also covered “termination of pregnancy” under its definition of sex discrimination. The Trump Administration’s Department O\of Health and Human Services announced this month that it will “enforce section 1557 by returning to the government’s interpretation of sex discrimination according to the plain meaning of the word ‘sex’ as male or female and as determined by biology.”

Survey on morality of abortion released

A plurality of Americans believe that killing babies in abortions is morally wrong, a new Gallup Poll finds. The Values And Beliefs Poll, which Gallup conducts every year, found that 47 percent of Americans believe abortions are morally wrong, while 44 percent said they are morally acceptable. Gallup also broke down the numbers into those who identify as liberal or conservative. Just 18 percent of conservatives said abortions are morally acceptable, while 70 percent of liberals did. That 52 percent difference was the largest split on any issue between liberals and conservatives. Other polls have found similarly strong opposition to the killing of unborn babies in abortions.