4 • CHRISTIAN EXAMINER • November 2011 NW
Judge rules R-71 petition names can be released Pro-family groups file appeal By Scott Noble TACOMA — A federal court judge ruled in October that the more than 137,000 names on the Referendum (R-71) petition can be released to the public. The decision marked 26 months of legal efforts by Protect Marriage Washington and others to block the release of those names. An appeal to the decision was quickly filed, but Gary Randall reported in a Faith and Freedom Network statement that all but two individuals who requested the names of those who signed the petition have received them already. Media reports differ as to the exact number of CDs, but more than 30 of them were distributed with the petition names before the appeal was accepted and once again sealed. Those who requested the names varied from activists to media representatives, according to reports. Larry Stickney, campaign manager for Protect Marriage Washington said he was disappointed but not surprised by the ruling. “After all, we live in the politically correct State of Washington,” Stick-
ney said in a Faith and Freedom Political Action Committee email. “What did surprise me throughout the process, however, was the complete lack of empathy and seeming hostility we encountered from the Attorney General’s office. Rob McKenna’s personal efforts to trivialize the confrontations, the threats, the obscenity-laced emails and phone calls that we endured may have won him the case, but it will not win him the hearts of 138,000 citizen defenders of marriage in Washington state.” Individuals and groups who are opposed to releasing the petition names have cited threats, vandalism, intimidating conversations and loss of employment on behalf of those who signed the petition. Protect Marriage Washington specifically cited “death threats, extensive vandalism, overt threats of destruction of property, arson and threats of arson, intimidating emails and phone calls, hate mail, mailed envelopes containing white suspicious powder, blacklists, loss of employment and job opportunities, and gross expressions of anti-religious bigotry, including vandalism and threats directed at religious institutions and religious adherents …”
Biomedical institute refuses to use objectionable research methods By Scott Noble SEATTLE — As technology continues to advance and become more complicated to the average citizen, it’s not always easy to determine what technologies or research methods should be supported. The religious, moral and ethical concerns surrounding issues such as biomedical research are well documented. One Seattle organization, however, hopes to help alleviate some of these concerns by refusing to use any morally objectionable research. Sound Choice Pharmaceutical Institute (SCPI) is “dedicated to providing scientific research, education and resources to encourage safe, moral, pro-life medicines and therapeutics,” according to a media release. The Institute was founded by adult stem cell scientist Dr. Theresa Deisher. In addition to working on pro-life medicines and therapeutics, SCPI is also researching “the health consequences of aborted human DNA and cellular contaminants in medicines.” Judie Brown, president of American Life League, an organization that helps expose morally objec-
tionable research, said the group gets asked often about pro-life research methods. “We frequently get inquiries from pro-life donors about this or that medical research organization, including some of the largest and most popular charities in the country,” Brown said. “Donors become disillusioned as they learn that aborted fetal or embryonic cell lines are used by their favorite charity for medical research.” SCPI recently reported via its website that 90 percent of children vaccinated in the last decade were “most likely injected with aborted fetal DNA components.” These “components,” according to SCPI, could lead to serious health consequences. “SCPI has done the research to show it,” said Deisher, via the release. “We measured the level of fetal DNA in vaccines and are now researching the consequences. Even the FDA [Food and Drug Administration] has acknowledged the dangers of having fetal DNA contaminants present in our vaccines. Just how dangerous remains to be seen, but it’s unconscionable not to do the research and find out.”
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Church raises trademark issue then drops it Mars Hill Church Seattle backs down from its ‘cease and desist’ letter By Scott Noble SEATTLE — In late September, Mars Hill Church Seattle officials sent a cease and desist letter to Mars Hill Community Church in Sacramento, Calif., urging the church to change its name and adopt a new logo—believing the name and logo bore too much resemblance to Mars Hill Seattle. Church officials were alerted to the potential controversy by a member who came across the Sacramento church online and asked Mars Hill Seattle officials if the church had planted additional churches in the Sacramento area. The Sacramento church, which is part of the Assemblies of God network of churches, has three connected churches, and Mars Hill Seattle officials visited the Sacramento churches’ websites, and “it was obvious to us how people could be confused,” according to statement from Mars Hill Seattle. The cease and desist letter was sent in late September, asking the Sacramento-based churches to
change its logo and name. After receiving much criticism for its cease and desist attempt, Mars Hill Seattle reversed its decision. “In hindsight, we realize now that the way we went about raising our concerns, while acceptable in the business world, is not the way we should deal with fellow Christians. [Last month], we spoke with the pastor of Mars Hill in Sacramento to apologize for the way we went about this. We had a very productive conversation and look forward to continuing that conversation in the days and weeks ahead,” the statement on the Mars Hills blog read. Mars Hill Seattle church officials said it was a mistake in “not calling these churches prior to sending the letter,” and they should have called before resorting to any other type of communication. The Rev. Scott Hagan, pastor of Mars Hill Community Church in Sacramento expressed thanks on his blog to “the several calls, voicemails and texts I received
… from the pastoral leadership team at Mars Hill Church in Seattle.” Hagan’s post also noted that Mars Hill Community Church launched and designed its logo in 2005, nearly two years before Hagan became aware of Mars Hill Seattle. The logo designer also assured Hagan that he had not heard of Mars Hill Seattle while designing it. “We accepted their apology and would like the Mars Hill Seattle congregation to know that your leaders took this step (we are assuming on behalf of Pastor Mark Driscoll),” Hagan continued. “They assured us they would not seek any type of legal action, even though they did apply for and were awarded a federal trademark in August of this year for both the name and the logo design.” The issue appears resolved, and Mars Hill Seattle officials also reiterated that it has not sued anyone and has no plans to sue anyone regarding other “Mars Hill” churches, responding to reports to the contrary on the Internet.
Anglican Diocese of Cascadia installs first Bishop in Seattle hungering for a spirituality that works,” he said. “They SEATTLE — An overflow want to know the impact God crowd of 350 people celebrated can make upon their lives the consecration of the Rev. and what impact they, in turn, Kevin Bond Allen as the inaucan make upon their family, gural Bishop of the Diocese community and the world. of Cascadia in Seattle Sept. The Anglican church offers 30—which was described as “the a very down-to-earth setting most significant official act” to that invites people to explore date for Anglican Christians in a relationship with a loving the Pacific Northwest. God revealed in Jesus Christ. The recently established We offer people the freedom Cascadia Diocese belongs to to examine God, to ‘try it on the 100,000-member Anglican and see if it fits.’” Church in North America In keeping with his perspec(ACNA). The Most Rev. Robert tive, Allen personally looks “forWm. Duncan, Archbishop and ward to reaching out to the colPrimate of the ACNA, presided leges and universities, through over the consecration. planting house churches in “The consecration of their communities, supporting Bishop Kevin Allen marks a student and faculty ministries, significant milestone for the and providing forums where the Anglican Church in North credible voice of Christianity may America,” said Duncan. be raised in the academy. The “To have such a bishop and Church has periodically invited such a diocese, and an everits own dismissal from the arenas increasing number of vibrant of intellectual engagement by eicongregations, in one of the The Rev. Kevin Allen was recently consecrated as ther apologizing for its doctrine most under-evangelized re- the Bishop of the Diocese of Cascadia. and practices or presumptuously gions of the continent is early insisting that science either acevidence of the Anglican Church’s people for Christ.” cept biblical and spiritual truths or be Bishop Allen also plans “to provide treated as an adversary.” deep commitment to reach all of the guidance, training and resources North America with the transformSince its origination two years to equip all of our members to pro- ago, the ACNA has grown to 687 ing love of Jesus Christ.” Bishop Allen underscored this claim the Good News of Jesus Christ, congregations and 293 Ministry focus on evangelism in the Pacific through both service that impacts our Partner congregations in 57 states communities and sharing the differ- and Canadian provinces. Northwest in remarks made later. “My ministry as bishop of the ence Christ makes in our lives, so that The Cascadia Diocese, which was Diocese of Cascadia is to provide others who don’t know the Lord will formed in 2009 with seven western spiritual nurture to our clergy, lay want to come and discover what God Washington Anglican congregaleaders and congregations so that can do for them.” tions, today encompasses 19 conAllen also believes that younger gregations in Washington and two they can carry out the local ministry; and to lead the Diocese in generations are looking for some- in Oregon and northern California. welcoming other existing Anglican thing spiritually significant. Allen will also continue to serve “Many people, particularly those as rector of St. Brendan Anglican Churches into Cascadia and planting new churches to reach more in our younger generation, are Church in Bellingham, Wash. By Ralph Nichols