PRAISE! STUDENT EVANGELIST SCORES HIGH COURT WIN
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PRAISE! STUDENT EVANGELIST SCORES HIGH COURT WIN
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A student evangelist many IFA readers prayed for won his case at the U.S. Supreme Court this week. That alone is cause for celebration. But the victory is sweetened by how decisive it was — 8 of 9 justices backed the student’s cause.
You might remember this case for accountability at the high court. It involved a young man named Chike Uzuegbunam and his alma mater, which had unfairly and unlawfully attacked his freedom of speech. Uzuegbunam simply wanted to share the Gospel on campus at Georgia Gwinnett College, a public institution near Atlanta. However, authorities shut him down multiple times.
Even more disturbing is that Uzuegbunam was trying to obey the school’s troublesome speech codes. He dutifully followed the warning of one police officer who told him he needed to book an appointment in one of two small “speech zones.” Then, while complying with this onerous restriction, another officer indicated he was violating a “disorderly conduct” ban.
Again, the young Christian did not act out in defiance. He obeyed the officer’s order to stand down. But, thankfully, that is not where the story ended. Georgia Gwinnett College had acted unconstitutionally and, enlisting the help of Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), Uzuegbunam brought his case all the way to the highest court in the land.
What was truly interesting was that this case went that far after the college backed down. As this week’s ruling — written by Justice Clarence Thomas — notes, the school initially tried to characterize Uzuegbunam’s evangelism as dangerous “fighting words” that could be restricted. However, it quickly abandoned that far-fetched strategy and simply dropped its unconstitutional policy. With the policy gone and the student graduated, lower courts then dismissed the case as moot.
According to ADF, this is a familiar tale. Sarah Kramer, an ADF writer, highlighted this week, “Countless universities have adopted and enforced speech zones and speech codes…. And far too often, once students try to hold university officials accountable, they do just what Georgia Gwinnett officials did here: change the policies and ignore how they mistreated students.”
This bothered Uzuegbunam deeply. “It was as though what had happened to me didn’t matter,” he wrote in a Washington Post piece.
He wondered, “…how important is freedom if those who impinge on it are never told that their rules are unconstitutional, are never put on notice that they can’t simply change the rules when someone protests and are then free to return to their unconstitutional ways whenever they like?”
Seeking nominal damages (usually something symbolic like $1), Uzuegbunam and ADF pursued the case. And so powerful was this push to ensure constitutional offenders are held accountable that groups as diverse as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Americans for Prosperity, American Humanist Association, and Christian Legal Society banded together to urge the court to reinstate his case.
Highlighting this support, ADF General Counsel Kristen Waggoner said this week:
Groups representing diverse ideological viewpoints supported our clients because the threat to our constitutionally protected freedoms doesn’t stop with free speech rights or a college campus…. When such officials engage in misconduct but face no consequences, it leaves victims without recourse, undermines the nation’s commitment to protecting constitutional rights, and emboldens the government to engage in future violations.
Again, in sweeping fashion, the 8 justices from across the court’s spectrum agreed Uzuegbunam’s quest for nominal damages should allow his case to continue. The ruling declared, “For purposes of this appeal, it is undisputed that Uzuegbunam experienced a completed violation of his constitutional rights when respondents enforced their speech policies against him.”
Let’s thank the Lord!
How will you pray for free speech in America today?
Aaron Mercer is a Contributing Writer with two decades of experience in Washington, D.C.’s public policy arena. He reflects on faith, technology, and the public square at FTPolicy.com. (Photo Credit: Canva.)
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Thank you God for justice for this young man. Keep him bold and encouraged for Your Kingdom! In Jesus’ Name. Amen!
Great job ADF! Way to hang in there Chike U.! SCOTUS should have been 9 – 0, easily! Obviously, some group (BLACKEYE) completely controls Justice Roberts! Rumor is he’s done something terrible/criminal, they have it all on video, and as a result, they own him. What an awful life his must be! Pray for him–that he sees the “light” and changes his ways before his soul burns in hell for eternity!
God bless this brave young man who stood for what is right and was willing to take all the steps that led to this victory. The Lord was on his side and we are so grateful for this rightful decision by the court. I pray we see more of this young man because he gives us hope for the upcoming generation of Godly adults.
Father in heaven, I think you for Chike Uzuegbunam and ask You to bless him richly. Thank You ABBA Father for using this case to help witness and spread the Gospel of Christ. Please protect bike Uzuegbunam and use him as a spark to ignite throughout the world for Your kingdom.
In the name of Yeshua the Christ,
Amen and Amen
Lord , praise you for giving this evangelist student favor to fight for and have his case heard by the SC. Lord continue to work in our justices to judge and uphold our constitution. Father protect them and give them your wisdom . In Jesus name
Thank you Lord!
Thank You Jesus for this victory for students everywhere.
Thank You that justice prevailed.
Thank You for freedom to speak freely, and that of proclaiming the gospel and Your goodness
ARTICLE ABOVE: “But the victory is sweetened by how decisive it was — 8 of 9 justices backed the student’s cause.” “Again, in sweeping fashion, the 8 justices from across the court’s spectrum agreed Uzuegbunam’s quest for nominal damages should allow his case to continue.”
QUESTION: Which 8 of the 9 justices ruled in favor of Uzuegbunam’s case? And/Or, more importantly, which 1 (one) justice did not?
Roberts. Same one who defected and gave us Obamacare. God knows what someone holds over his head. Pray for him.
TO GOD BE THE GLORY, GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE. I SIMPLY THANK GOD FOR THE EIGHT JUSTICES AND ASK GOD FOR MORE SPREADING OF THE GOSPEL IN JESUS NAME I PRAY.
I’m afraid to ask who the lone dissenter was. If I hear it was Roberts, I may ask God to remove Him as soon as we have a constitutionally-committed president.
It was Roberts
I thank you Our Father for the persistance of this student and his lawyers to protect religious speech.
I encounter the restrictions of religious speech on my campus. The R.R.C.C. kept my fellow Christian students and I to have the right to free speech even when others on campus wanted us silenced. The majority of staff help us to be courteous and considerate. We sat down and talked about it. But others tried to get the campus police to shut us down. So there was not unity of the staff. I am grateful for being a part of Campus Crusade and A.I.R.R (Arts inspiring Relations & Redemption – Christian Club) when I was a Theater major at R.R.C.C. Pray & seek God’s courage and guidance and He will make a way.
Hallelujah!
Praise God from whom all blessings flow ! Thank you Supreme Court for upholding the First Ammendment.
Perseverence plus prayer plus Truth/Justice = God’s Almighty Power 🙂
Thank you, Father, for this victory. We continue to intercede on behalf of the freedom of expression that You will be magnified in every area of our lives. That people will recognize it is not about us, but about You, about Your Son who died on the cross for all of us (sinners). Nevertheless, if freedom of expression will be taken out, we will not able to share Your Word in boldness with love. Thank you for this young student who took the risk, yet because of Your mercy and favor won and defeated the enemy’s intimidation. We come to You Father, in agreement to Your Word. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Father, I ask with all the privilege I have in Jesus Christ, that you bless Chike Uzuegbunam. I pray you will bless his life, bless his family, bless his future and continue to be first and foremost in every one of his motivations and decisions. I pray righteous victories like this, will start pouring down from Your Hands as we keep ours upheld to You in praise…for Your Glory and our good. Thank You Father, thank You Jesus, thank You Holy Spirit. Amen
Praise you, Heavenly Father! Thank you for your inspiration to this young man and his attorneys to pursue the case out of principle and standing for righteousness. May your Holy Spirit guide more of us believers to stand and look at the long game in this way. Please guide us and direct us as to where we can and should contribute, financially, and in prayer, to such cases and causes. Thank you, Jesus!!
Amen
Thank you Lord for the power of agreement. When two or more agree…
The Lord this last year has been impressing me with the power of agreeing.
Your Kingdom Come, Your will be done in the Supreme Cout as in Heaven…
In the Supreme Court as in YOUR Court, Amen!
Father God,
Forgive us for allowing our educational systems to be infiltrated with false, unsound doctrines and untruths. Forgive us for allowing free speech to be taken from classrooms and campuses.
All wisdom comes from You alone. We ask that You would give us wise and righteous teachers and professors at all levels of learning. Open doors, especially for Christian educators to expand their influences in the classrooms. I pray that You reveal to these educators that the true source of knowledge can only be found in understanding Your ways and purposes, and that they fear and reverence who You are. Draw educators back to You and teach them the fear of the Lord. I pray for students of all ages discover these realities and that a revival among the youth of our nation will sweep through the many institutions of learning. Father God, move Your Spirit into our schools and universities so that they become open to Jesus. May the wisdom and knowledge of Jesus that’s been hidden from them be revealed and made manifest. Raise up bands of praying students on campuses everywhere to seek You and have a boldness to shine the light of our Savior to this nation and around the world. Show us how to awaken students and educators to be bold in our speech, testifying the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Thank You for Chike’s boldness and for a unanimous vote from our SCOTUS to rule in Chike’s favor.
Bring a might awakening on campuses and give us the grace to bring Your Word back to a place of prominence in our education, churches, and families.
Shield the minds and spirits of students from unbiblical teachings. Lord, You made light to shine in darkness, and I ask You to shine the light of the knowledge of Your glory to all Institutions of Learning, Teachers, and Administrators. Restore prayer and free speech to our Institutions of Education. Father, I ask You to judge these institutions and those who lead them. May they see the worth and necessity of creating a climate of righteousness and justice as foundational to all they impart to their students. May we be free to pray and share our testimony on campuses.
I pray that those writing curriculum and those passing legislation for schools will have righteous, Godly principles.
Holy Spirit, convict the hearts and spirits of judges and justices to rule righteously in restoring prayer to the classroom and to college campuses nationwide.
Lord, I pray that You would foil the plans of all satanic forces against our students, educators and administrators. I declare that Your plans and purposes to redeem multitudes be fulfilled and You will anoint Your remnant in America.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Pro.1:5-9, Ecc.12:9-14, Psa.33:10-11
Father, “convict the hearts and spirits of judges and justices to rule righteously.” Amen!
Amen!!! I pray in complete agreement.
Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of human beings among them are given fully to do evil. Although an unbeliever does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his or life, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly. But it will not be well for the evil person because he does not fear God (Ecc 8:11-13).
This wisdom from Solomon seems to describe everyone involved in this SCOTUS Decision.
l. The evil deed was 2. The young man feared the Lord openly to stand for the first amendment rights. 4. It should have been a 9-0 decision.
Thank you Lord God!!!
folks, I had in my devotions (which i allow our Lord to choose for me blindly) about seeing HIM Who is invisible… trusting in our Lord in the invisible and not allowing the issues and problems of the VISIBLE to distract us from HIM. This and other breakthroughs I’m hearing about are encouraging that our Lord will allow things up to a certain point.. using even those who work for the Left for His purposes to wake people up spiritually.. but He is Sovereign! We must keep on praying and never look at things happening in the visible.. focus on He Who is Invisible!
I love your post Lisa, “We must keep on praying and never look at things happening in the visible.” Yes! I am believing our justices had a Jesus moment as Kristen Waggoner and team presented Chike Uzuegbunam’s case. To God be the Glory, now and forever!
Hi SUsan, this is amazing but that evening (after our posts here) I shared that devotion i posted about in my earlier comment with my mother…and asking our Lord to give me some confirmation for her regarding that, I randomly picked out one of those “bread of life” cards for her that I keep in a little box. The scripture verse on that little card read: “We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen.” 2 Corinthians 4:18″
Wow. Our Invisible but very REAL Creator and Lord hears and sees ALL., and loves to make surprises!
Thank You Holy God for this amazing breakthrough and for the example of faith that your precious servant Chike exhibited when he shared the gospel and trusted You to correct this violation of his freedom of speech to share the gospel. Please continue to raise up faithful men and women like Chike to stand for our constitutional rights, and please help the Ekklesia to back them with prayer support and other support as You lead. I pray in Jesus’s Name, amen.
Praise God and this is encouraging as it highlights the fearlessness of a soldier of Christ. May each of us follow this example and reclaim this nation for our loving and ALMIGHTY God.
Thank You, Almighty God, for this sweet victory and encouragement!
Who was the ninth justice that didn’t agree with the other eight justices?
He/she needs prayer
Chief Justice John Roberts
Wow!
Father we Thank you that nothing is unnoticed by you.
You see it all & you know all that is being hidden & we
pray you will soon show All. We Thank you for hearing
our prayers to have the truth of how the enemy has tried
to take America down, all those snared by him & do
unspeakable things either because they’ve been trapped
or just choose to do evil.
God we lift all to you that they might take the forgiveness you offer & do what is right. You are Gracious Lord
to all who ask with a sincere heart.
We Wait on you Oh Lord to Heal Our Land as only
You Can. You Are Our DELIVER. WE BLESS YOUR HOLY NAME & THANK YOU LORD JESUS ❤️🕊♥️
Did Roberts write a dissent as to his reasoning?
Yes, he did.
https://thefederalist.com/2021/03/08/in-8-1-scotus-ruling-chief-justice-john-roberts-is-the-only-one-to-side-against-christian-students-whose-free-speech-was-trampled/
Free speech is one of many benefits we have in America. Those working against free speech need our prayers for their eyes to be open to that precious right. We must and shall fight to keep it.
Praise God for this great victory. We must not take free speech for granted. Thank you for continuing the fight and seeing this through. Many others will be blessed and empowered by this stand that was taken. We thank God for every step in the direction of liberty!
Thank you, Father!