No images? Click here ![]() July 6, 2023 NRB Applauds Supreme Court’s Decision to Guarantee Freedom of Speech for AllOn June 30, NRB released a statement applauding the decision of the Supreme Court in 303 Creative v. Elenis. “The Supreme Court of the United States has today delivered a strong and compelling defense of the First Amendment’s guarantee of freedom of speech for all,” said Troy A. Miller, NRB President & CEO. “The assurance that no government can force anyone, including religious broadcasters, to deliver messages with which they disagree, is a critical victory for NRB members and all Christian communicators.” In 2021, NRB and fellow concerned organizations urged the Supreme Court to take up 303 Creative v. Elenis. In June of 2022, NRB and a coalition of multimedia production professionals submitted a second amicus brief to the Supreme Court, expressing their support for the petitioner. “Freedom of speech is put to its greatest test when speech involves positions that have fallen out of favor with popular trends,” said Michael Farris, General Counsel of NRB. “But the Court stood firm as it did when popular majorities tried to coerce Jehovah’s Witness children to recite the pledge of allegiance in violation of their religious beliefs during World War II. Speech needs the greatest protection, not the least, when it differs from the values of today’s elites,” Farris added. Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Religious Liberty in Groff v. DeJoyIn a significant legal milestone for religious liberty, the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Groff v. DeJoy, a case litigated with the assistance of NRB member First Liberty Institute, delivered a resounding affirmation of the rights of employees to freely exercise their religious beliefs. The ruling sets a powerful precedent and reinforces the importance of protecting religious freedoms in the United States. The case centered around Gerald Groff, a United States Postal Service (USPS) employee who sought to honor his commitment to keeping the Sabbath by not working on Sundays. When the USPS began delivering Amazon packages on Sundays, Groff, a Christian, was initially granted an exemption from working on Sundays. However, the USPS eventually withdrew his accommodation and Groff faced disciplinary action if he did not report to Sunday shifts. The Supreme Court of the United States, in a 9-0 ruling, threw out a lower court’s ruling that rejected Groff’s claim that the USPS’ actions to deny his Sabbath accommodations violated anti-discrimination law. Member Spotlight: Lucas Miles' American Pastor ProjectThrough his American Pastor Project, NRB member Lucas Miles is urging likeminded Christian leaders to use the pulpit to affirm the historic truths of Scripture, reject false strains of theology, and challenge cultural dogmas. An ordained minister since 2004, Miles is lead pastor of Nfluence Church and president of the Nfluence Network, Inc., a ministry resource organization based in northern Indiana. He is the host of EpochTV’s “Church & State with Lucas Miles” and the author of “The Christian Left: How Liberal Thought Has Hijacked the Church” and “Woke Jesus: The False Messiah Destroying Christianity.” Miles has also served as a faculty member at Summit Ministries since 2021. Miles seeks to equip and embolden believers to contend for the faith in an environment of hostility and compromise. To the dismay of many American churchgoers, some churches and Christian organizations have promoted critical theory, secular “social justice” concepts, and other errant ideologies while the centrality of the Gospel goes by the wayside. Meanwhile, some pastors have fallen silent on the most challenging issues of the day—wavering at a time when they are most needed to stand firmly on the truth. Member News• U.S. Supreme Court Protects Free Speech for All Industry Trends and Insights• July Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters |