Tag Archives: Massachusetts

Least Bible Minded Cities Named

For the third straight year, Providence, Rhode Island and New Bedford, Massachusetts are the least Bible minded cities in the United States.

The opposite end of the survey named Birmingham, Alabama as the most Biblically minded city in the U.S.

The survey’s condition to be “Bible minded” was to have respondents state they had read the Bible in the last seven days and that they have a strong belief in the Bible’s accuracy.  Only 27 percent of the population nationwide has been considered Bible minded.

“This study provides us with a great starting point to understand where people are interacting with Scripture and what their views are of the Bible,” said Andrew Hood, managing director of communications at American Bible Society. “We want to help people continue to grow their engagement with the Bible. Ultimately, we want people to know that, whether they live in one of the most or least Bible-minded cities, the Bible can speak to their needs and challenges and help them make sense of life.”

The ten most Bible minded cities (in order):  Birmingham, AL; Chattanooga, TN; Tri-Cities, TN; Roanoke/Lynchburg, VA; Shreveport, LA; Springfield, MO; Jackson, MS; Charlotte, NC; Greenville/Spartanburg, SC; Little Rock, AR.

New York City made the list of least Bible minded cities for the first time at #91.  The rest of the bottom 10:  Phoenix, AZ; Buffalo, NY; Hartford/New Haven, CT; Las Vegas, NV; Cedar Rapids, IA; San Francisco, CA; Boston, MA; Albany, NY and Providence.

Woman Attacks Police With Crucifix After Church Vandalism

A Massachusetts woman is under arrest after she vandalized a church and then tried to attack police with a metal crucifix in the same place a church’s nativity scene was vandalized.

The crucifix had been donated after a nearby church was vandalized when a baby Jesus was stolen from their nativity scene and replaced with a severed pig’s head.

Amarellis Cermeno of Haverhill, 54, was arrested on charges including “assault with a deadly weapon, malicious destruction of property and destruction of a place of worship.”

Police were called to La Iglesia Biblica Bautista around 3 p.m. Tuesday after someone had written “666” in large numbers in 15 different places on the church building.  Police found Cermeno nearby carrying a large metal crucifix that she used to attack police.

She is being held without bail.   She is undergoing mental health evaluations.

Baby Jesus Replaced With Pig’s Head

A Massachusetts church was in shock Christmas Day to find that someone had stolen the baby Jesus from their nativity scene and replaced it with the severed head of a pig.

Police say that the vandals struck the nativity scene outside Scared Hearts Church in Haverhill, Massachusetts during the early morning hours of Christmas.

Police are investigating the incident on what they called a “busy, well lit street.”

Brenda Burns, a resident of Haverhill, took the baby Jesus from her family’s nativity scene and went to the church to replace the stolen one.

In addition to the stolen Jesus in Haverhill, a second Jesus was stolen in nearby Greenfield.  That baby Jesus was imported from Italy and worth over $3,000.  The thieves also caused significant damage to the manger in the display.

Massachusetts Passes New Abortion Protest Law

Massachusetts lawmakers passed a new law to restrict pro-life protesters who would be outside an abortion clinic after the Supreme Court struck down their previous law.

The new law, which is titled An Act to Promote Public Safety and Protect Access to Reproductive Health Care Facilities”, will now allow police to break up any protest that the police say are “impeding access” to an abortion clinic and then ban anyone at the protest from being within 25 feet of a clinic for 8 hours.

The governor said he was “proud to sign” the bill that can allow police to bully those who believe in the value of life.

The law will be challenged in court by pro-life groups.

“We are deeply disturbed at this legislature’s efforts to silence the voices of those they disagree with. We thank those legislators who voted against this new legislation, and we will closely monitor how this law is being carried out,” stated Massachusetts Citizens For Life.  “Rest assured that Massachusetts Citizens For Life will be doing everything in its power to ensure that the voices of pro-life individuals are protected.”

Cities Suspend Abortion Clinic Buffer Zones

The Supreme Court’s ruling that a Massachusetts law declaring a 35-foot buffer zone around abortion clinics was unconstitutional is having reach far beyond the Bay State.

A number of cities around the country are now halting enforcement of buffer zone laws because they do not believe the laws will stand up to the new standard set by the Court.

Burlington, Vermont, which has a similar 35-foot buffer zone law on the books, is suspending enforcement of the law.  The city’s attorney said that she will work with the city council to eliminate the prohibition from the law while still protecting the entrances and exits of the clinics.

Other cities suspending buffer zone laws include Portland, Oregon and Madison, Wisconsin.

“The government cannot gag speech just because it doesn’t reflect the government’s views or the views of abortionists,” Alliance Defending Freedom’s Matt Bowman stated. “The Supreme Court has now made it even more clear that public streets and sidewalks are places where free speech is highly protected.”

Abortion Clinic Buffer Zone Unconstitutional

The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a Massachusetts law requiring a 35 foot zone around abortion clinics where pro-life protesters could not speak to women seeking an abortion is unconstitutional.

Court observers were surprised to see the law was struck down in a unanimous ruling.

Chief Justice John Roberts said that authorities have less intrusive ways to deal with problems outside abortion clinics without violating the free speech rights of pro-life activists.

The decision, while unanimous, was not without some dissent.  The chief justice joined with the court’s four liberal justices on a narrow ruling that this particular law was unconstitutional.  The court’s four conservative justices issued briefs expressing concerns.

Justice Antonin Scalia criticized the majority opinion for continuing “this court’s practice of giving abortion-rights advocates a pass when it comes to suppressing the free-speech rights of their opponents.”

The Massachusetts law replaced an earlier law that created a “six foot bubble” around unwilling listeners if they were within 18 feet of the clinic.  The “floating zone” was modeled after a Colorado law that has been upheld in the past by the Court.

Court Rules Pledge of Allegiance “Not Religious”

The Massachusetts Supreme Court has ruled that those who have been challenging the Pledge of Allegiance on the basis that the phrase “under God” means the government is endorsing Christianity have no basis.

The Supreme Judicial Court said that the words “under God” reflect a patriotic practice and not a religious one.

“We hold that the recitation of the pledge, which is entirely voluntary, violates neither the Constitution nor the statute,” Chief Justice Roderick Ireland wrote, later adding “it is not a litmus test for defining who is or is not patriotic.  Although the words “under God” undeniably have a religious tinge, courts that have considered the history of the pledge and the presence of those words have consistently concluded that the pledge, notwithstanding its reference to God, is a fundamentally patriotic exercise, not a religious one.”

The lawsuit was brought by lawyers representing a pair of atheist adults who said their children were being illegally subjected to religion because of the phrase “under God.”

“We likewise reject the plaintiffs’ contention that, when some children choose to exercise their constitutionally protected right not to say the words “under God,” there is necessarily conveyed a message that the children are “unpatriotic.”” Justice Barbara Lenk wrote in Friday’s ruling.

Vandals Destroy Boston Area Church

A church in Brighton, Massachusetts was destroyed by a group of vandals.

Our Lady of the Presentation Church’s organ was completely destroyed by the assailants who entered the church some time between November 23rd and November 25th. Police say a gold crucifix was ripped from the altar and thrown to the front door.

An oil portrait of Pope Francis was ripped from the wall and ripped into pieces. The vandals then painted satanic messages and emblems on the painting.

Fire extinguishers throughout the building were used to spray residue on the walls. Several doors and windows were also broken.

Officers found food and a half empty bottle of wine at the scene indicating the criminals spent some time in the building.

St. John’s Seminary released a statement saying the violators were captured on security video and that the tape is in the hands of the Boston Police Department.

Student Kills Teacher Then Goes To See Movie

A 14-year-old high school freshman killed his teacher on Tuesday, disposed of the body and then went to see a movie according to police authorities.

Philip Chism of Danvers, Massachusetts is charged with the murder of 24-year-old Danvers High School math teacher Colleen Ritzer. Police have charged him as an adult in the case, however he will be evaluated to determine his mental state.

Police say that Chism admitted following Ritzer into a bathroom at their school, killing her with a box cutter, taking the body into the woods behind the school and then going to see the latest Woody Allen move at a nearby theater.

Authorities released no motive for the murder.

Students say that Chism, who was in Ritzer’s class, was asked by the teacher to see her at the end of the school day Tuesday. Students held a vigil outside the high school on Wednesday night and sold ribbons in her memory with all proceeds going to Ritzer’s family.