PICTURE BOOK ON BIRTH OF JESUS LEADS TO STAGGERING FINE

Couple severely punished for giving kids Christian booklets

A live Nativity re-creation in Stuart, Florida (photo by Joe Kovacs)

---

Authorities have fined a Christian couple the equivalent of three months’ wages for handing out a Christian booklet to children.

The report comes from Barnabas Fund, a worldwide ministry that supports persecuted Christians.

The incident has taken place in Azerbaijan, the small country between Iran and Russia which has a 96 percent Muslim population.

Barnabas Fund explained the couple was charged with possessing religious literature that did not bear a government “control mark” and violating a law against “clergy and members of religious associations holding special meetings for children and young people.”

Safqan and Gulnar Mammadovs each were fined 1,500 manats, about $880, on April 16.

The conflict arose when their 6-year-old son took some Christian books to school and handed them out to classmates.

The actions by their son “led to the head teacher calling the police who then raided the parents’ home, seizing Bibles, Christian pamphlets and CDs of worship songs,” Barnabas Fund said.

Police also discovered that on New Year’s Eve 2018, the couple held a holiday event at their home in which 12 children “each received a party gift of sweets and a picture book about the birth of Jesus.”

Barnabas Fund said a pastor who was present at the event was interrogated by officers who later searched his home and seized his Christian materials.

The couple appealed their fines, but their arguments quickly were rejected by the Shirvan Appeal Court.

“The court hearing lasted only 10 minutes and issued an unfair decision,” said a source for Barnabas Fund.

Among their options is a direct appeal to President Ilham Aliyev.

In a separate case, three Christians were forced to pay similar fines for holding a Bible study in the northern town of Sheki.

WND

---

VIMEO ACCUSED OF VIOLATING CHRISTIAN GROUP’S CIVIL RIGHTS

Sued for trashing videos because they promote biblical morality

The video-sharing platform Vimeo is being sued for allegedly violating the civil rights of a Christian political activist group by banning its videos based on the maker’s views on sexual orientation.

The complaint was filed by Tyler & Bursch LLP on behalf of Newport Beach, California-based Church United and its founder, Jim Domen, a pastor.

The religious nonprofit mobilizes church leaders to “respond to the spiritual problems threatening our cities.”  That includes providing information to pastors and churches regarding cultural issues such as the counseling of individuals who have unwanted same-sex attractions.

#LGBT activists have succeeded in passing legislation in a number of states banning such counseling.

Church United’s Vimeo account had 89 videos, including five that centered on what is known as sexual orientation change efforts, or SOCE. Last year, the California Assembly considered a bill that would have expanded the state’s prohibition of SOCE. It eventually was dropped.

Vimeo terminated the account in November 2018, claiming it long had banned videos “that harass, incite hatred, or include discriminatory or defamatory speech.”

But the videos, including some by Domen, a former homosexual, featured the testimonies of people whose lives were positively impacted by SOCE.

Tyler & Bursch attorney Nada Higuera earlier this year sent a letter to Vimeo requesting the restoration of Church United’s account, arguing Domen was censored for his sexual orientation and religious beliefs.

Higuera contended the actions were in violation of California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act, which bans discrimination based on sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, age, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status or sexual orientation.

Vimeo rejected the request.

“All Americans, secular and religious, gay or straight, deserve the right to engage in public discourse, free from the type of censorship Vimeo is engaged in,” said Higuera. “Vimeo’s actions of deleting Church United’s account is discrimination and censorship, based entirely on an unspecified ideological objection to the message, or on the perceived identity and religious viewpoint of the speaker.”

Church United’s objective is to change and shape the moral culture of California communities.

Its agenda is based on 1 Timothy, 2:1-4, which states: “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savoir, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

It holds events to train pastors as “culture-changers” and provides the videos to promote good and resist evil.

Vimeo did not respond to a WND request for comment.

WND

---

#prophecy #wakeup #persecution #endtimes 

THIS ARTICLE ENDS HERE

---

---