Dear Friends,
As our country’s birthday celebration approached, I am sure many of you were confronted with the tired, unfounded assertions that America was never a Christian nation. Part of this unscholarly narrative claims most of our founding fathers were unreligious or deists. I am not going to argue the point of whether we are presently a Christian nation, but it is intellectually dishonest not to recognize the enormous influence which Scripture and those committed to Christianity have had upon the establishment of the U.S.A.
I intentionally quoted one of the least religious founders in this month’s banner—Thomas Jefferson. Even someone as secular as Jefferson proclaimed the unalienable right to life was endowed by God. In fact, he declared that the right to life was self-evident.
Sadly, at the end of this legislative session, a majority of our leaders revealed the right to life is no longer self-evident. Despite an historic, well-fought campaign by pro-life allies, Planned Parenthood and those who bow at the altar of reproductive rights passed LD 1619—one of the most radical and extreme abortion laws in our country. There is no way to sugarcoat this defeat; though temporary, it is a devastating loss, legalizing abortion-on-demand in Maine.
I want to personally thank the throngs of citizens who showed up on a regular basis to be a witness for life. I thank our champion representatives and senators who fought for the voiceless on the floors of their chamber floors. A special thanks and tribute goes to Rep. Laurel Libby and the tremendous work she did leading the Speak Up for Life team. It was an honor to work with and support her throughout this battle.
When this all started, the Portland Press Herald said the passage of LD 1619 was in the bag. I am sure the media and the pro-abortion crowd did not know what hit them when the fate of LD 1619 came down to one representative’s vote. Yes, it was a narrow defeat, but I love what Pastor Joel Littlefield of New City Church in Bath said when hundreds of pro-lifers showed up for our Hall of Flags prayer meeting prior to the vote: People ask me if our advocacy here in the capital is making a difference. No matter what the result is regarding LD 1619, I believe the church has been stirred, and that is making a difference.
Our policy and administrative teams did a tremendous job informing citizens and supporting allies during this legislative session. While there were great disappointments, their efforts yielded positive results like defeating the Equal Rights Amendment [ERA], delaying gambling expansion bills, and forcing amendments respecting the rights of parents with children under the age of sixteen regarding transgender medical procedures.
As we move onto summer, please pray for these League activities:
-continued support for the discrimination lawsuits of Maine’s religious schools
-League team members and legislators attending FPA Statesman Academy
-Church Ambassador Network team members attending Daniel Initiative training
-providing legal support for conservative citizens and school committee members
-preparing recruiting and training strategies for the 2024 elections
None of this work would be possible without your prayers and financial support. Thank you for helping us exceed our goal of $50,000 for the Beacon Campaign. It is truly humbling to lead a ministry like the League with so many faithful and generous partners. Motivated by our love for God and our neighbors, let us continue to strive to see Maine become a state where God is honored, religious freedom flourishes, families thrive, and life is cherished.
