Incomplete list of U.S. Christian shutdowns, layoffs and Rapture oddities for the Gregorian month of September 2017.

Religion News Service: American Christianity’s divisions go all the way down

Voice of America: Record Low Numbers of White, Christian Americans

ChristianityToday: “An estimated 30,000 congregations shut their doors in the United States from 2006 to 2012.”

It’s been revealed that for-profit (not for-prophet) Cinemark movie theaters rents-out(?) its theaters for local church events in the ‘Bible Belt’ of the United States, enticing people to attend with coffee, soda and popcorn (apparently at a price), and asking people to make donations via social media: “Cinemark actually does this across the Bible Belt.”-Ross Jackson, Cinemark manager in Abilene, Texas

Alabama: Welcome Springs Baptist Church almost burned down, a man arrested and charged with arson.

Alaska: The main stream real-fake news media likes to complain about catholic Donald Trump’s ‘Russia connection’, and then you have evangelical Alaskan (originally born, and partially educated, in Idaho) Sarah Palin’s “I can see the Soviet Union from my house” statement (never-mind that the Soviet Union died in 1991), but in Old Town Kenai the local Holy Assumption of the Virgin Mary Russian Orthodox Church just got about $12-thousand USD from a U.S. based Russian Orthodox organization, to restore the 111 years old church.  Uh oh, ‘Russian’!!!

Arkansas: The Immanuel Baptist Church trying to fight skyrocketing crime with a Bible Truck, which hands out things like light bulbs and backpacks to low income families.   Bentonville based, ‘christian’ founded, Walmart-Sam’s Club announced 7-hundred layoffs planned for ‘back-office’ jobs at Sam’s Clubs across the country!

California: ‘Christian’ owned Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center eliminating 55 jobs in October, due to the ‘exit’ of California Laboratory Associates from The Golden State.  ‘Muslim’ Zaytuna College is now the proud owner of the 65 years old Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, in Berkeley.  In contrast to ‘christian’ colleges, Muslim colleges are experiencing rapid growth in enrollment.

Colorado: In Lakewood, the owner of Masterpiece Cake asking the U.S. Supreme Court to honor his 1st Amendment religious right to refuse service to homosexuals. This is because the state government forbid Masterpiece Cake from making anymore wedding cakes for anybody until the owner accepts state law that forces businesses to serve homosexuals.   A former honor student is accusing Delta High School of violating the U.S. 1st Amendment by deliberately dumbing down students’ grades based on their religious beliefs, thereby preventing those students from qualifying for college scholarships: “Not only did they change her grades, they took away her recommendations and they ostracized her!”-Jeffrey Springer, attorney

Apparently administrators with Delta High School, which is a public school not private, claimed they could impose their ‘christian’ beliefs on students because the school did not receive federal tax dollars.

Florida: In Fort Lauderdale, Holy Cross Hospital suddenly laid off 23 people due to crashing admissions since ObamaCare-ACA went into effect.

Idaho: Tennessee based RCCH HealthCare Partners suddenly laid off 62 people at Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center in Lewiston, as a result of the ‘christian’ Lewiston hospital being taken over by for-profit (not for-prophet) RCCH in May.   Children’s Healthcare is a Legal Duty (CHiLD) claims that in this overwhelmingly christian state “More children die because of faith-based medical neglect in Idaho than in any other state.”

In Mormon dominated Jefferson School District 251 parents demanded George Orwell’s 1984 be banned for its sexual content. After an even bigger outcry from those who objected to such a violation of the U.S. 1st Amendment, school administrators stated “…it is simply not true that 1984 has been banned at Rigby High School.”  

Illinois:  After more than 90 years South Chicago Young Men’s Christians Association (YMCA) shutdown due to crashing membership, which is being blamed on massive unemployment which is causing the local population to disappear.  Springfield taxpayers are being stuck with at least an $8.6-million USD bill to rebuild the First United Methodist Church, at Fifth Street and Capitol Avenue, into a residential-commercial project.  In Moline, after 111 years the First Christian Church shutdown due to financial problems caused by Raptured(?) members, the property was sold.

Kansas:  What was that about separation of church and state? The state taxpayer funded Topeka Correctional Facility being sued by female prisoners for blasting them with ‘christian’ propaganda on a daily basis, which would be a violation of the U.S. 1st Amendment.  The lawsuit describes the prison as being decorated as if it were a church, with giant crucifixes, constantly playing ‘christian’ movies and with ‘christian’ slogans posted on walls everywhere.  Prisoners are punished for removing the slogans.

Massachusetts: The city of Boston facing a lawsuit after forbidding a Christian group from flying a Christian flag at city hall.  The city allows non-religious groups to fly their flags during certain events, but refuses religious flags on the grounds of the U.S. 1st Amendment.  A ‘christian’ legal group says by not allowing religious flags while allowing non-religious flags during public events the city is discriminating, which is also a violation of federal law.

Minnesota:  Christian founded Walmart shutting down its 30 years old store in Blue Earth by the beginning of October, apparently due to lack of profits (prophets?).   Peace United Church of Christ, in Duluth, joined the growing Sanctuary Church movement protecting illegal immigrants.

Missouri: The Mormon alternative Community of Christ (aka Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) sold its supposedly 187 years old first edition Book of Mormon to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Utah, for a whopping $35-million USD! LDS leaders say it’s the most complete early edition of the Book of Mormon (78% complete), which should cause doubt as to the what’s in the current Book of Mormon.

Nebraska:  Food insecurity is such a problem in Grand Island that Food Bank for the Heartland and Trinity United Methodist Church began running a mobile pantry to deliver food directly to families.

New Jersey: Saint Joseph’s Medical Center ending its DSS Program, eight people unemployed in time for Halloween.

New York:  A man broke into the First Unitarian Church of Rochester, and then suddenly died!  Church officials say he was acting violent, he was sliced up by the broken glass, police sent him to the hospital were he was pronounced dead.   15 women now accuse Catholic Holy Cross school of sexually abusing students between 1973 and 1994, “in unimaginable ways”.

North Carolina:   In Lynn, after 17 years Tryon Mountain Hardware shutdown, the property was sold, the Christian hardware owners saying “God has a plan” in reference to their sudden ‘retirement’.    A missing teenager was found dead, buried on the property of the East Stonewall AME Zion Church in Charlotte.  The teenager went missing two weeks prior after failing to show up for work on a military base in Virginia.  A man mowing the church’s lawn made the discovery, police will not release anymore info.   The battle over local governments openly taking part in ‘christian’ prayer escalating to the U.S. Supreme Court after an appeals court ruled in favor of the ACLU.  Arrogant Rowan County vice-chairman Jim Greene swore that they were not promoting a single religion or ‘coercing’ anybody towards Christianity saying “Making someone feel uncomfortable is not coercion.”  However, a supportive county resident slipped up by adding “Thank god we’ve got commissioners who still believe in Christian values.”

Ohio: In Bellaire, after 54 years Rigas Restaurant shutdown, apparently because the ‘christian’ matriarch of the family owners simply decided “I think it’s time to close.”  The family told local news they didn’t want to argue with her since she’s the one who started the restaurant.

Pennsylvania: Lehigh County guilty of violating the Constitution.  A U.S. federal judge ruled that the 73 years old county seal is unconstitutional because it has a ‘christian’ crucifix and the ‘old courthouse’ (which doubled as a church) as its central images.  It should be noted that Christians were among those who filed the complaint against the county.  Westboro Baptist Church plans to protest the legalization of homosexuality starting in October.  The protests will be held at both public-taxpayer funded and christian schools.

South Carolina:  The steeple of the Cumberland AME Church caught fire, the cause is under investigation.  Another church was set on fire, the Bible Baptist Church, cause yet to be determined.  A building on the Saint Joseph Catholic Church property, in West Ashley, was also set on fire.  Local news media reported a shootout between a man and a security guard started at the Grand Strand Baptist Church and ended up at a nearby restaurant, at least one person hospitalized, no other info available.   Salem Black River Presbyterian Church defaced with ‘satanic’ symbols.

Tennessee:  A disgruntled ‘dreamer’ from Sudan shot-up a “multi-ethnic” church, wounding six people (including himself) and killing one.   What was that about separation of church and state?  The congregations of Temple Church of God in Christ and Church of God in Christ have been at odds over who should become the new pastor of a church in Fayette County, so much so that the state Supreme Court had to make the decision!  Lower courts had refused on the grounds their involvement would violate the U.S. 1st Amendment.  The state Supreme Court focused solely on the property dispute, which ultimately settles the dispute over who should be the boss of the Fayette County church.  In Cool Springs, after less than five years the Puffy Muffin shutdown, the ‘christian’ owner blamed lack of employees saying “…the Lord directs all of our steps……   And we’re spread too thin, honestly….    You can teach cooking and you can teach baking, but really you need people who are skilled….” 

Texas:  Mormon Glenn Beck’s Irving based The Blaze network laid off “…just over 20 percent of the combined workforce of Mercury Radio Arts and TheBlaze.”  In Austin, First United Methodist Church refusing to conduct heterosexual marriages until its national leadership accepts and allows homosexual marriages.   In Tyler, after 64 years the local Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) shutdown, explaining on Facebook that its was “due to lack of resources”.    Mega-money-making-church operator Joel Olsteen called out for being a hypocrite for not allowing his 16-thousand-8-hundred-seat Lakewood Church, in Houston, to be used as a shelter for Hurricane Harvey victims.  He finally relented, but apparently banned anybody who was not ‘christian’ from using his church as a shelter, because weeks later, in September, he finally allowed the congregation of a nearby flooded synagogue to use his church.   “No man can work for two masters, for either he will hate one and will love the other, or he will honor one and the other he will ignore. You cannot work for God and for money.”-Matthew 6:24, Aramaic Bible

Utah: Former nurses of Salt Lake City based Mormon Intermountain Healthcare (formerly called The Health Services Corporation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) accuse their former ‘christian’ employer of deducting 30 minutes of pay for lunch breaks, even though most nurses never get an actual meal break. The U.S. Department of Labor is investigating.   Mormon leaders again renege on yet another church policy, this time they’ve lifted a 60 years old ban on caffeinated soda-pop at their exalted Brigham Young University (is it because the LDS church is heavily involved in the soda-pop industry, which has been losing money?).  Social media posts revealed how excited those deprived (depraved?) young Mormons are now that they’re officially allowed to drink caffeinated pop.

Virginia:  In Lexington, history denying Robert E. Lee Memorial Church  got rid of its namesake statue, and also went back to its older name Grace Episcopal Church.  Robert E. Lee was an elder in the church.

Washington: Law enforcers now offering a $20-thousand USD reward for info concerning the 2016 arsons of three churches in Clark County.  Despite a year of investigating, and pics & video of the suspect made public, police still haven’t caught ‘him’.

U.S. Christian Rapture, August 2017: “OUR SISTERS AND BROTHERS….ARE BEING DEHUMANIZED.”

“But the root of all these evils is the love of money, and there are some who have desired it and have erred from the faith and have brought themselves many miseries.”-1 Timothy 6:10 Aramaic Bible

“And Yeshua [Jesus of Nazareth] entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. And he said to them, It is written: ‘My house will be called the House of prayer, but you have made it a den of robbers.’ “-Matthew 21:12-13 Aramaic Bible

“Yeshua said to them, ‘Give what is Caesar’s to Caesar and what is God’s to God.’ And they marveled at him.”-Mark 12:17 Aramaic Bible

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.-1st Amendment, U.S. Constitution

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

Former employees of religious non-profits might not qualify for unemployment assistance (or even be counted as unemployed): “If the non-profit organization is a church, you may or may not be entitled to unemployment. It all depends upon state regulations for church employers. In many cases, churches are allowed to set their own rules regarding unemployment benefits, meaning the church can choose whether to offer benefits to former employees.”