Scottish Court Awards Damages for Franklin Graham's Cancelled Event

 In Billy Graham Evangelistic Association v. Scottish Event Campus Limited, (Glascow Sheriff's Ct., Oct. 24, 2022), a trial court in Scotland concluded that a large arena in Scotland whose majority owner is the city of Glascow violated the Equality Act when it cancelled an appearance by evangelist Franklin Graham because of concern that he might make homophobic and Islamophobic comments during his appearance. The court awarded Graham's organization damages equivalent to $112,000(US). The court said in part:

The event was cancelled because of (a) the religious or philosophical beliefs of the pursuer and Franklin Graham as viewed by the defender and (b) the reaction by others to the religious or philosophical beliefs professed by the pursuer and/or Franklin Graham. Those objectors had included the defender’s principal shareholder, its sponsor, objectors on social media, some press, an MSP and persons representing contrasting religious views.

(See prior related posting.) Charlotte Observer and BBC News report on the decision.

British Court Says Removal of Franklin Graham Bus Ads Violated Religion and Speech Rights

In Lancaster Festival of Hope With Franklin Graham v. Blackpool Borough Council, (Manchester Cty. Ct., April 1, 2021), a British trial court held that the Equality Act 2010 and the European Convention on Human Rights were violated when banner ads for the Lancaster Festival of Hope were removed from public buses. According to the court:

Upon the Defendants receiving complaints from members of the public about the advertisements, the advertisements were removed from the buses. The complaints related to Franklin Graham and his association with the Festival, and predominantly referred to his views on homosexuality and same-sex marriage as being offensive.

In finding a violation of the Equality Act, the court said in part:

The complaints arose from the objections of members of the public to the religious beliefs. The removal came about because of those complaints. I find it also came about because the Defendants allied themselves on the issue of the religious beliefs with the complainants, and against the Claimant and others holding them. If there were any doubt about that it is made explicit by the content of the press statement issued on behalf of the Second Defendant when the advertisements were removed....

Finding a violation of the European Convention, and thus of the Human Rights Act 1998, the court said in part:

Yes, the Claimant was still able to advertise its event and yes, it was still a success. But “it turned out all right in the end” cannot be an answer to the question of whether the interference with a fundamental right to freedom of expression can be justified. The Defendants had a wholesale disregard for the right to freedom of expression possessed by the Claimant. It gave a preference to the rights and opinions of one part of the community without having any regard for the rights of the Claimant or those who shared its religious beliefs. It made no effort to consider whether any less intrusive interference than removing the advertisements altogether would meet its legitimate aim.

Christianity Daily reports on the decision.

Scottish Court Lets Franklin Graham Move Ahead With Suit Over Cancelled Appearance

Last week, a Sheriff's Court in Scotland handed down an initial decision in a suit by evangelist Franklin Graham whose appearance at a large arena in Glasgow was cancelled by the arena operators after the Glasgow City Council complained that there was a potential for Graham to make homophobic and Islamophobic comments during his appearance.  In Billy Graham Evangelistic Association v. Scottish Event Campus Ltd., (Glasgow Sheriffdom, Feb. 16, 2021), the court held that it needed to hear evidence on Graham's claim that the cancellation of his event violated the Equality Act's prohibition on religious discrimination. Summarizing the arguments of the parties, the court said in part:

The defender’s case includes ... averments that there was potential for public order issues with the event....

The defender also avers... that "the staging of the event would bring the defender into disrepute and terminated the Contract on that basis. It did not terminate the event as a result of the religious views of the pursuer or Mr Franklin Graham."

Further ... the defender avers that: "It does not discriminate against any group or individual when deciding on whether to accept a booking. It was irrelevant to the defender that the pursuer was seeking to express religious views. The reason the Contract was terminated was due to the risk to the defender’s reputation arising from the risk of violent protests at a public event....

[However] The pursuer avers that the event was a forum for the proclamation of the Christian gospel in accordance with mainstream evangelical Christian teaching....

“The fact that the defender now avers that it does host a range of faith-based events to which it takes no objection – the defender offers as an example the annual conference of Jehovah’s Witnesses – shows precisely that the defender does operate a policy of discrimination against groups or individuals in that only those with views or religious positions which the defender deems to be ‘acceptable’ will be permitted to hire its premises.

Scottish Legal News reports on the decision. [Thanks to Frank Cranmer for the lead.]

Trump Campaign Circumvents Nevada Church Limits By Holding Evangelical Rally At Casino

As previously reported, last month the U.S. Supreme Court refused to grant an injunction pending appeal to a Nevada church challenging the differential treatment of churches and casinos under the Governor's COVID-19 orders. Now according to Microsoft News:

President Trump's campaign is holding an "Evangelicals for Trump" event on Thursday at a Las Vegas hotel and casino, amid a controversial ban in the state on gatherings of more than 50 people in houses of worship while places like casinos are subject to a less stringent 50 percent capacity limit.

The event is scheduled to take place at ... one of the many joint hotels and casinos in Las Vegas. It will feature Trump spiritual adviser Pastor Paula White ... and others. The full event title is "Evangelicals for Trump: Praise, Prayer and Patriotism."

"In a time when many Nevadans can’t go to church because of overreaching restrictions, President Trump’s campaign is bringing together evangelicals from across the community to pray, worship and discuss key issues facing Americans in the November election," Trump 2020 deputy national press secretary Ken Farnaso said in a statement.

NYT Profiles Political Views of Young Evangelicals

The New York Times yesterday carried a long feature article on the political views of young Christian evangelicals. The article features interviews with six young evangelicals of different political affiliations.

What Else Did President Trump Tell Evangelical Leaders?

As previously reported, yesterday President Trump spoke to evangelical leaders at a dinner in the State Dining Room of the White House. Subsequently the White House posted a transcript of the President's remarks.  It appears to be a transcript of the remarks as delivered, not merely as prepared, since audience applause is noted a various points.  However, CNN today reports on other quotations which it says were taken from a recording of the President's "closed-door remarks" in the State Dining Room. Apparently these preceded or followed the remarks posted by the White House.  Here are the quotes as reported by CNN:

This November 6 election is very much a referendum on not only me, it's a referendum on your religion, it's a referendum on free speech and the First Amendment. It's a referendum on so much.

It's not a question of like or dislike, it's a question that they will overturn everything that we've done and they will do it quickly and violently. And violently. There is violence. When you look at Antifa -- these are violent people. 

You have tremendous power. You were saying, in this room, you have people who preach to almost 200 million people. Depending on which Sunday we're talking about. 

You have to hopefully get out and get people to support us.  If you don't, that will be the beginning of ending everything that you've gotten.  The polls might be good, but a lot of them say they are going to vote in 2020, but they're not going to vote if I'm not on a ballot.  I think we're doing well, I think we're popular, but there's a real question as to whether people are going to vote if I'm not on the ballot. And I'm not on the ballot.

I just ask you to go out and make sure all of your people vote. Because if they don't -- it's November 6 -- if they don't vote, we're going to have a miserable two years and we're going to have, frankly, a very hard period of time.  You're one election away from losing everything that you've gotten.  Little thing: Merry Christmas, right? You couldn't say 'Merry Christmas.'

White House Dinner With Evangelicals

AP reports on a dinner at the White House last night with evangelical Christian leaders:

President Donald Trump says the government’s “attacks on communities of faith” are over as he hosts a dinner celebrating evangelical Christian leaders at the White House.

Trump says the government in recent years has tried to undermine religious freedom, but those days are over.

He’s pointing to efforts by his administration to secure the release of imprisoned pastors and limit federal funding for abortion providers.

UPDATE: Here is the full text of the President's remarks.

Evangelicals Organizing For Mid-Term Elections

A New York Times article posted yesterday reports:

The conservative Christian coalition that helped usher President Trump into power in 2016 is planning its largest midterm election mobilization ever, with volunteers fanning out from the church pews to the streets to register voters, raise money and persuade conservatives that they cannot afford to be complacent this year.

Evangelicals cite a list of Trump's achievements as the basis for their continued support of candidates backing his agenda, despite the controversies surrounding Trump's alleged personal behavior:

He has begun the process of moving the American Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, won the confirmation of numerous judges and a Supreme Court Justice who seem likely to advance their anti-abortion cause, moved against transgender protections throughout the government, increased the ability of churches to organize politically and personally supported the March for Life.

Rev. Billy Graham Dies At Age 99

The New York Times chronicling his life, reports this morning:

The Rev. Billy Graham, a North Carolina farmer’s son who preached to millions in stadium events he called crusades, becoming a pastor to presidents and the nation’s best-known Christian evangelist for more than 60 years, died on Wednesday at his home. He was 99.

White House Meets With Evangelical Leaders

Christian Post reports that last week the White House Office of Public Liaison held three separate 2-hour listening sessions with almost 100 evangelical Christian leaders. The sessions involved briefings from the Administration and a chance for religious leaders to express their views on various issues.

Vatican-Approved Article Criticizes Conservative Catholic Support of U.S. Evangelical Political Agenda

The Washington Post today reports that an article in the influential Jesuit magazine La Civilta Cattolica-- whose content is approved by the Vatican Secretariat of State-- is critical of conservative Catholic support for the evangelical political agenda in the United States. The article is authored by the journal's editor and by a Presbyterian pastor who edits of the Argentine edition of the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano.  The article (full text in Italian) whose title translates to Evangelical Fundamentalism and Catholic Integralism: A Surprising Ecumenism, is summarize by the Post:

The Rev. Antonio Spadaro, editor of the influential Jesuit journal La Civilta Cattolica, said a shared desire for political influence between “evangelical fundamentalists” and some Catholics has inspired an “ecumenism of conflict” that demonizes opponents and promotes a “theocratic type of state.”

Spadaro also took aim at conservative religious support for President Donald Trump, accusing activists of promoting a “xenophobic and Islamophobic vision that wants walls and purifying deportations.”...

Spadaro specifically criticized the far-right Catholic American media organization ChurchMilitant.com. Spadaro said the media outlet framed the presidential election as a “spiritual war” and Trump’s ascent to the presidency as “a divine election.”

Spadaro’s critique also appears aimed in part at America’s Catholic bishops, who have fought for religious exemptions from gay marriage laws and other measures church leaders consider immoral, and have often characterized those with opposing views as wishing to persecute Christians.

Trump Meets With Supportive Evangelical Leaders

CNN reports that President Trump on Monday met in the Oval Office with a group of evangelical religious leaders.  These leaders comprise his Evangelical Advisory Board. Attendees included Johnnie Moore, a former senior vice president at Liberty University, Jack Graham, the pastor of the Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, and former Minnesota representative Michele Bachmann.  Vice President Pence also attended the meeting.  Photos posted by participants in the meeting show Trump with his head bowed in prayer surrounded by the religious leaders, some of whom have their hands on his shoulders.  Johnnie Moore told CNN:

We similarly prayed for President Obama but it's different with President Trump.  When we are praying for President Trump, we are praying within the context of a real relationship, of true friendship.

In yesterday's White House Press Briefing (full text) by Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, the following exchange about the President's meeting with faith leaders took place:

 Q    On the meeting with the Faith Advisory Board, someone tweeted out a picture of the meeting the other day, and there was a -- the picture showed people, faith leaders laying their hands on the President as they were praying.  And I think there was an inference or implication from that photo coverage that they were praying for him because of a political crisis.  Could you explain a little bit more about how the meeting came about and what it meant to the President to have them there?

MS. SANDERS:  The idea that somebody would only pray when they're in crisis I think makes you miss the entire point of what prayer is about.  You should do that every day, and that's -- I think you can do that in the best of times and the worst of times.  So I think it would be ridiculous to suggest the only time you might do that is in a time of crisis.

Q    How did the meeting come about?  And what did it mean to the President?

MS. SANDERS:  It’s his Faith Advisory Board, and they meet from time to time to speak about issues that are important to that community.

Trump Speaks To Faith & Freedom Coalition Conference

Last Thursday, President Trump delivered a nearly 35-minute speech (full text) to the Faith and Freedom Coalition's Road to Majority Conference held in Washington, D.C.  Much of the address focused on campaign promises that Trump had made to Christian evangelical groups as well as on more general campaign promises.  Here are a few excerpts from his address:

Your voices will resound across the halls of our Capitol, and across the world.  We recite today the words of Isaiah Chapter 1, Verse 17:  “Learn to do right; seek justice.  Defend the oppressed.  Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”

The entrenched interests and failed, bitter voices in Washington will do everything in their power to try and stop us from this righteous cause, to try to stop all of you.  They will lie.  They will obstruct.  They will spread their hatred and their prejudice.  But we will not back down from doing what is right.  Because, as the Bible tell us -- (applause) -- we know that the truth will prevail, that God’s glorious wisdom will shine through, and that the good and decent people of this country will get the change they voted for and that they so richly deserve.  (Applause.) ....

As long as I'm President, no one is going to stop you from practicing your faith or from preaching what is in your heart and from preaching -- and really, this is so important -- from the bottom of my heart -- from preaching from the people that you most want to hear and that you so respect.  So we have taken a very, very strong position, and you picked a winner.  (Applause.)   

So we want our pastors speaking out.  We want their voices in our public discourse.  And we want our children to know the blessings of God.  (Applause.)  Schools should not be a place that drive out faith and religion, but that should welcome faith and religion with wide, open, beautiful arms.  (Applause.)  Faith inspires us to be better, to be stronger, to be more caring and giving, and more determined to act in selfless and courageous defense of what is good and what is right.  It is time to put a stop to the attacks on religion.  (Applause.)....  

Last month, I traveled to Saudi Arabia to speak to the leaders of more than 50 Muslim and Arab countries, and to rally them in the common fight against the terrorism, which is a menace to people of all religions....

Finally, because my administration is deeply committed to the right of religious believers everywhere to be free from persecution, I called on these leaders to protect Muslims, and Christians, and Jews, and people of all faiths.  Because you know what’s going on there.  And it’s horrible -- horrible.  Terrorism is a threat, and it is a big threat to religious liberty around the world.  And all responsible nations must protect the right of people to live and worship according to their conscience.  (Applause.) 

Evangelical Leader Opposes Trump's Choice For Secretary of State

In his Washington Update this week, Christian Evangelical leader Tony Perkins voices strong opposition to President-Elect Donald Trump's choice for Secretary of State.  Perkins has the following to say about the nominee, ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson:

The Left, which doesn't usually need a reason to oppose Trump's choices, won't find many here, since the ExxonMobil executive may be the greatest ally liberals have in the Cabinet for their abortion and LGBT agendas. That should be particularly alarming to conservatives, who've spent the last eight years watching the State Department lead the global parade for the slaughter of innocent unborn children and the intimidation of nations with natural views on marriage and sexuality.... 

To hear that Donald Trump may be appointing a man who not only led the charge to open the Boy Scouts to gay troop leaders but whose company directly gives to Planned Parenthood is upsetting at best.... Trump calls Rex a "world class player and dealmaker," but if these are the kinds of deals Tillerson makes -- sending dollars to an abortion business that's just been referred for criminal prosecution and risking the well-being of young boys under his charge in an attempt to placate radical homosexual activists -- then who knows what sort of "diplomacy" he would champion at DOS?