Welcome to the Friday Five! Every Friday we share our top five articles, stories, and quotes for you to read and share with your friends and church families.

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1. FOX NEWS: ‘Overwhelming Evidence’ of Negative Consequences from Gender ‘Treatments’ Focus of Landmark Supreme Court Case

“The Supreme Court on Wednesday heard oral arguments in a high-profile case regarding whether states can ban minors from receiving gender transition medical care under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, a closely-watched case that could impact the care and treatment for young people in at least half of U.S. states.”

“Justice Samuel Alito, for his part, cited ‘overwhelming evidence’ from certain medical studies listing the negative consequences from adolescents that underwent gender transition treatments. Should the justices rule along party lines to uphold the lower court’s decision, it will have sweeping implications for more than 20 U.S. states that have moved to implement similar laws.

The case in question, United States v. Skrmetti, centers on a Tennessee law that bans gender-transition treatments for minors in the state. The law, passed in March 2023, also takes aim at health care providers in Tennessee who continue to provide gender-transition treatments to transgender minors, opening them up to fines, lawsuits and other liability. ”

Read more: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/supreme-court-weighs-transgender-youth-treatments-landmark-case

2. NCVI: US v. Skrmetti Amicus Brief

Our 501(c)3 sister organization, the North Carolina Values Institute (ncvi.org) filed an amicus curiae brief in the US v. Skrmetti case, asking the U.S. Supreme Court to affirm the decision of the Sixth Circuit, and protect a state’s right to pass laws shielding youth from sex-change experimentation.

Read the brief: https://ncvalues.org/us-v-skrmetti-amicus-brief/

3. CAROLINA JOURNAL: NCGOP Challenges 60,000 Ballots on Behalf of Griffin, Others

“The North Carolina Republican Party (NCGOP) has filed a legal brief with North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) supporting the election protests filed in four different races, contesting the validity of more than 60,000 ballots statewide.

If these ballots are deemed invalid, they could make a difference in the razor-thin races closely monitored by the NCGOP: contests for the associate justice seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court, state House district 32, and state Senate districts 18 and 42.”

Read more: https://www.carolinajournal.com/ncgop-challenges-60000-ballots-on-behalf-of-griffin-others/

4. LPGA: Good News for Women’s Sports and Golfing

“The LPGA has updated its Gender Policy for Competition Eligibility, effective starting with the 2025 season. The policy—informed by a working group of top experts in medicine, science, sport physiology, golf performance and gender policy law—was developed with input from a broad array of stakeholders and prioritizes the competitive integrity of women’s professional tournaments and elite amateur competitions. This working group has advised that the effects of male puberty confer competitive advantages in golf performance compared to players who have not undergone male puberty.

Accordingly, under the new policy, athletes who are assigned female at birth are eligible to compete on the LPGA Tour, Epson Tour, Ladies European Tour, and in all other elite LPGA competitions. Players assigned male at birth and who have gone through male puberty are not eligible to compete in the aforementioned events.”

Read more: https://www.lpga.com/news/2024/lpga-updates-gender-policy-for-competition-eligibility

5. CAROLINA JOURNAL: Federal Appeals Court Places NC Mifepristone Case on Hold to Deal with WVa Suit

“The 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals will not resolve a dispute over North Carolina’s restrictions on the abortion drug mifepristone until it settles a similar dispute in a West Virginia case. The North Carolina case is ‘placed in abeyance’ until the 4th Circuit resolves a case titled GenBioPro Inc. v. Raynes, according to a one-sentence order issued Tuesday. In the GenBioPro case, plaintiffs allege that West Virginia’s abortion law effectively bans the sale of mifepristone in the state. The suit argues that West Virginia’s ban conflicts with the federal Food and Drug Administration’s approval of mifepristone.

The North Carolina case, Bryant v. Moore, involves state restrictions on mifepristone. Governor-elect Josh Stein and a UNC Health physician are fighting the restrictions.”

Read more: https://www.carolinajournal.com/federal-appeals-court-places-nc-mifepristone-case-on-hold-to-deal-with-wva-suit/

WEEKLY PRAYER: Life

LORD, we recognize that you are Sovereign over all creation. We recognize you made man from the dust, and in your mercy, you crowned creation with man and woman made in your image. What a wonder it is that you would bestow upon us this blessing and responsibility!

LORD, may we not take this blessing for granted. We pray that this great responsibility and dignity may motivate us to love You, our neighbors, and our families more. LORD, may we as a culture truly see and believe that children are a blessing from the LORD—born or unborn; able or disabled. All children should have an opportunity to experience the liberty of life. LORD, make us your vehicle to change our culture into one that cherishes and protects life. Keep at the forefront of our minds our responsibilities to respect, cherish, and serve the youngest and oldest in our society.

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.’” (Matthew 18:1-6)