US NEWS: Minnesota, Maine, Indiana
Attorneys for churches in Minnesota are reporting success after filing a complaint. The governor of Minnesota Tim Walz has lifted an occupancy ban in that state against churches. The governor had previously issued a mandate allowing only 50 percent capacity or 250 people attending church services in the state. Attorneys from Liberty Counsel and Thomas Moore Society filed a complaint on behalf of several churches. The governor announced the ban lift shortly after the complaint. The attorneys for the churches celebrated the win citing recent rulings by the US Supreme Court. Attorneys for Thomas Moore Society say they will continue to work with churches across the nation to eliminate restrictions.
A church in Maine has filed a lawsuit against the Governor’s mandates. Attorneys for Calvary Church in Bangor, Maine described the governor’s mandates as “Draconian”. Governor Janet Mills has issued strict rules for churches in the state while allowing other organizations more freedoms. Gatherings in church buildings are restricted to 50 people no matter the size of the building. Attorneys with Liberty Counsel say Maine now has one of the strictest mandates against the church in the nation.
The governor of Indiana has announced he will lift a statewide mask mandate soon. Governor Eric Holcomb announced the mask mandate would end statewide starting April 6th the governor says the mandate will end due to a decrease in COVID-19 hospitalizations and death rates. Local officials in that state would still be able to uphold mandate restrictions for their area according to Governor Holcomb.
Father arrested for protesting underage daughter’s gender transition
A father in Canada has been arrested for not supporting his child’s transgender surgery and transition. Members the family have not been named due to privacy restrictions. According to the newspaper, ‘The Post Millennial’ the father was arrested after protesting his daughter’s transition and use of male pronouns. The justice presiding over the case ordered the father not to about the case and only refer to his daughter by male pronouns. The father is protesting the transition saying the child who is in middle school is being manipulated by the school system. The school according to reports reached out to a psychologist that suggested putting the girl on testosterone treatments. The school also allowed the girl to be referred to by a male name in school and listed the name in the school’s yearbook without parental consent. The father was arrested for his speaking out and continued efforts to stop this medical procedure on his daughter. The father says this is a form of state sponsored child abuse adding the medical procedures being done to his under age daughter can never be reversed.
SNBC NEWS UPDATE: Israel national elections
SNBC NEWS FOR LIFE will continue to monitor the election process in the nation of Israel
The votes are continuing to be counted in the most recent runoff. According to reports the election is expected to be tight and could be decided by a small margin. The election between the current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s party and the opposing party is still too close to call and may cause a political stalemate according to analysts. Critics say Netanyahu is leading the nation in the wrong direction. Supporters of the prime minister want him to continue his work geared towards Pro-Israel issues including continued peace talks with several Arab nations.
SNBC HEALTH NEWS: The power of Prayer and its physical effect on the human body
Researchers recently released several studies showing the correlation between prayer and how it affects the human body. The studies found clear evidence of how the body responds when prayer is a consistent part of a person’s life. A 2019 study in Psychology Today focused on the effects of prayer and mental health. The study noted there was a clear and positive effect on the human body in reference to prayer. A 2018 study in the American Journal of Epidemiology found young adults who pray daily have higher self esteem, and fewer issues with depression compared to those who don’t pray. A study in California followed two-thousand adults with 70 percent reporting their mental health was better due to daily prayer and attending church services on a regular basis. The Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Foundation released an article on their website noting that prayer causes the brain to release serotonin which helps reduce stress. The University of Maryland Medical center released a study noting prayer helps reduce anxiety, depression, and blood pressure. Prayer also physically helps improve the immune system and helps the body heal faster after a surgical procedure.