Christmas: A Time for Hope and Peace, But Also a Time To Remember the Defenseless and Those Who are Targeted for Sharing the Good News We Celebrate

Once again Christmas is upon us. Like many of you, I’m preparing to gather with my wife, children and their spouses, grandchildren, and other family and loved ones to celebrate Christmas, the day we recognize the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, in a humble manger in Bethlehem some 2,000 years ago.

But Christmas is also a time when I really stop to reflect with gratitude on the many hard-won legal victories that the ACLJ was able to accomplish over the past year.

As the Scriptures tell us in Matthew 5:16:

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Just as Christmas is the celebration of the birth of baby Jesus, the ACLJ has been blessed with major victories for children and babies. Just recently we told you how after we learned a city council had dis-invited pro-life speakers from presenting at a special hearing regarding a new abortion clinic coming to the town, we immediately dispatched one of our lawyers to Pueblo, Colorado, where she addressed the council directly and delivered our legal letter explaining why it was imperative that they allow the pro-life experts to speak for as long as they allow any pro-abortion speakers to present to the council. The council quickly did an about-face and the pro-lifers were allowed to speak after all. They were able to defend the unborn.

And as we reported, when a young Christian boy was told by school officials that he was no longer allowed to share his faith or bring Bible-based materials to school due to “the separation of church and state,” we quickly sent a legal letter to the school explaining why this was absurd and unconstitutional. The boy is now welcome to bring the Christian materials and share the Good News at school as he chooses.

And of course, 2022 will always be remembered as the year a great wrong was finally overturned, as the Supreme Court released its historic opinion in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, overturning the legal travesty that was Roe v. Wade, which cost the lives of untold innocent babies. I need not ask for a single thing for Christmas. This is the gift that I and so many of us at the ACLJ have fought for decades to see become reality. But this is not the end; it is just the beginning of our fight for life. We are now able to fight to defend the precious unborn in states all over the country. And we will not stop.

But we dare not only reflect on our victories on this sacred holiday. The ACLJ is committed to fighting the legal battle, City of Ocala v. Rojas, to defend prayer against those who want it banned in public. This is the biggest religious liberty case at the U.S. Supreme Court in 40 years.

We’re also working tirelessly to defend the lives of persecuted Christians around the world. There are many innocent Christians who may not see another Christmas unless someone takes action to defend them NOW.

We’re engaged in two cases in Pakistan right now defending three young Christian men – two of whom are brothers; the other was only 16 years old at the time he was accused – who have all been sentenced to execution by hanging for their faith. They were charged with blasphemy, a charge that is easily leveled without much, if any, evidence at all. And now these three Christians will die unless someone does something right now.

Remember when the ACLJ fought tirelessly to help save Asia Bibi, the Christian mother of five who was also sentenced to die in Pakistan, who is now free and living safely with her family, out of harm’s way. This Christian woman is able to celebrate Christmas with her husband and her family. Now we’re fighting to give these three young Christian men the same chance. Yes, Pakistan must change its outrageous blasphemy laws or else the U.N. needs to intervene. But right now we’re working with our affiliates on the ground in Pakistan to save these innocent Christian lives. There is no greater gift we can give this Christmas than to defend them.

These are just the tip of the iceberg as far as the legal challenges we’re gearing up to face in 2023. There’s a long road ahead for us, but we are ready and able to take on each of these critical cases headlong. But we can only take on these cases with confidence because of the steadfast prayers and financial support of ACLJ members.

That is why for my family and the entire team at the ACLJ, I want to personally thank you for your support and wish you and yours a Merry Christmas.  I pray your home is filled with hope, joy, and love, not only at Christmas, but all year long.

Merry Christmas, and God bless you!