Right Side News reports from the Alliance Defense Fund, one of the pillars of our great country fighting for our 1st Amendment religious freedoms. ADF was founded for a unique purpose: to aggressively defend religious liberty by empowering our allies, recognizing that together, we can accomplish far more than we can alone.
Gary McCaleb, Senior Counsel at ADF...........
"You're a small church..."
"...You're in a suburb of a small capitol of a thinly populated state..." (McCaleb)
Our attorneys... allies... and people just like you standing with us... winning.
"...You just won a court decision that affects the entire western seaboard." (McCaleb)
"There is just something about when Godly people come together for God's purpose. You just can't beat it. That's what the Alliance Defense Fund does." (Terri Ann Paske, Canyon Ferry
Road Baptist Church Secretary and Member)
CANYON FERRY ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH. EAST HELENA... MONTANA.
A SMALL COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS... WHO WON... BIG.
"Sometimes, we need to take a stand when it's unpopular and God blesses us for that." (Mary Ann Hayes, Canyon Ferry Road Baptist Church member)
In 2004... the height of the Montana marriage amendment debate... a
state official investigated this congregation.
FOLLOWING UP ON A COMPLAINT BY ADVOCATES OF HOMOSEXUAL
BEHAVIOR...
THEY SAID THE CHURCH BROKE THE LAW BY CIRCULATING PETITIONS FOR THE PROPOSED STATE MARRIAGE AMENDMENT... AND NOT REGISTERING AS A
POLITICAL COMMITTEE.
"When Christians stand on principle. And when they do take a stand to protect truth, and protect the Biblical principles of the day, in fact, God will honor that." (Tim Fox, ADF Allied Attorney)
BUT... IT WOULD BE A LONG AND CHALLENGING FIGHT.
"No one plans to be drawn into a court case like this and be persecuted by first, homosexual advocates and then the state of Montana." (Fox)
TIM FOX... ADF-ALLIED ATTORNEY... MONTANA NATIVE.
ASSISTING A-D-F WITH A SUIT ON THE CHURCH'S BEHALF... CLAIMING THE "LAW" ALLEGEDLY VIOLATED WAS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
TIM KNEW ONE OBSTACLE -IN PARTICULAR- WOULD BE TOUGH TO HURDLE...
"The cost is huge. It's great. We operate on a legal system that's very expensive." (Fox)
"I knew we were too small of a church to ever to be able to afford the kind of representation it would take to take this all the way." (Earl Charles, Canyon Ferry Road Baptist Church member)
THAT'S WHERE A-D-F COMES IN.
TAKING THIS CASE WITHOUT CHARGE - LIKE WE DO EVERY CASE WHERE OUR FIRST LIBERTY - RELIGIOUS FREEDOM - IS THREATENED.
"When I first heard that the Alliance Defense Fund was going to be taking this case, I was thrilled." (Hayes)
"Okay, with them and with God this battle is one we're going to be able to fight." (Charles)
AND THAT FIGHT WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE U.S. COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE 9-TH CIRCUIT... A COURT WITH A LONG HISTORY OF RULINGS ADVERSE TO RELIGIOUS LIBERTY...
"Victory in the court is wonderful. Victory in the 9th circuit court was just awesome." (Paske)
"When you have the very best attorneys, who are funded by the good will of believers all across the country, you can stand for these things, you can stay the course." (Fox)
"Those doors are open today because you stood for your legal rights, the courts affirmed them and God bless you for being such great clients and such great Christians. Thank you very, very much." (McCaleb)
A CASE TO CELEBRATE.
JUST ONE OF HUNDREDS WE FIGHT TO PROTECT YOUR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.
"I just praise God for your organization and the work that you are doing and may you just continue to do that work." (Paske)
WE CAN ONLY CONTINUE THAT WORK WITH YOUR HELP.
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Please Visit
http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/main/default.aspx
