Latest news with #ChristianFaith
Fox News
9 hours ago
- Health
- Fox News
'Men don't belong in women's sports,' NBA star believes amid debate over transgender athletes
The inclusion of transgender athletes has been hotly debated in the sports world and beyond. NBA star Jonathan Isaac has previously shared his thoughts on the topic. Last year, the Orlando Magic forward appeared to take particular issue with the White House's commemoration of "Transgender Day of Visibility." Events at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue took place on March 31, the same day as 2024 Easter Sunday. Isaac has a faith-based sports apparel and shoe line called "UNITUS" and he often pubically discusses his Christian conviction. "They want you to hate! This helps no one and only promotes division," he wrote. "They know exactly what they are doing.. we should be angry but shouldn't lose the spirit of what tomorrow means! Don't lose focus. Because He is risen there is hope for all." In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, Isaac further explained his stance on transgender athletes' eligibility in girls' and women's sports. "It's just a tough situation. There's an ethic… there's something that I believe is true. I believe that men and women are different. I believe that men do not belong in women's sports, that's a fundamental belief I hold. For reasons, one I'm a guy and I can understand the difference and the advantages that we have," Isaac said. "But at the same time there is a reality of the situation… there are people who are not in sports who are transgender (who) are trying to live their life the best way they know how. And they have this feeling of what they believe is right and who else is to say they are wrong in some sense." Isaac acknowledged the humanity of the complex situation, but said his belief in the fundamental differences between men and women ultimately prompted him to draw a line in the sand. "But where I stake my flag is, I believe that in order to cater to the feelings of this group, I would have to trample on the feelings of women to get there. And that's where I say, 'OK, that's where I believe this is wrong' and I would be willing to put my voice to it. I understand the humanity of the situation. I feel for the humanity of the situation. But at the end of the day, I believe it's right to stand on the truth of men and women are different. And I wouldn't want my daughter to have to compete against a transgender athlete (who) has gone through puberty or has testosterone." Isaac shares two daughters with his wife. Shortly after President Donald Trump's second term began, he signed an executive order effectively banning transgender athletes from participating in girls' and women's sports. The executive order, "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports," was based on Title IX, part of a civil rights law passed in 1972 that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded education programs. The order instructed the Department of Education to investigate academic institutions that failed to comply. If a school is deemed to be in noncompliance, federal funds could be withdrawn. Elsewhere, the International Olympic Committee has decided to allow global federations that govern a variety of sports to create their respective eligibility rules. Under Trump's executive order, the State Department is instructed to demand changes within the committee. The NCAA reacted to the executive order by introducing a sweeping new policy. The organization's updated participation policy, which was announced in February, stated that only "student-athletes assigned female at birth" will be allowed to take part in intercollegiate athletic competitions. The latest policy does permit "student-athletes assigned male at birth to practice with women's teams and receive benefits like medical care." However, those athletes are banned from any NCAA-sanctioned competitions. In December 2024, NCAA President Charlie Baker told a Senate committee there were "less than 10" transgender college student athletes he was aware of at the time. Baker, who was the Republican governor of Massachusetts from 2015-2023, also confirmed that there are roughly "five hundred and ten thousand" athletes enrolled in more than 1,000 colleges and universities across all 50 states that the NCAA oversees. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
CNN
3 days ago
- Business
- CNN
Far-right activist with history of anti-gay comments fired from leadership role at Kennedy Center after CNN investigation
Floyd Brown, a far-right political activist with a history of anti-gay rhetoric and promoting conspiracy theories about former President Barack Obama, said he was fired from a senior leadership role he briefly held at the Kennedy Center — just hours after CNN reached out with questions about his past statements. Brown's past statements include calling homosexuality 'a punishment' upon America and condemning the legality of gay sex. He has also falsely claimed that Obama is Muslim and promoted conspiracy theories about his birth documents. Brown briefly served as a Vice President of Development, a top fundraising role responsible for helping raise tens of millions of dollars annually in support of the nation's most prominent performing arts center. His appointment, which had not been formally announced by the Kennedy Center, had sparked internal concern among some staffers, according to sources. It was the latest change to the Kennedy Center since President Donald Trump was installed as the new chair in February and overhauled the board. In an email to CNN on Wednesday, Brown said it was an 'honor' to work at the Kennedy Center. He defended his remarks as rooted in his Christian faith and said they did not influence his professional conduct. 'It was truly not my intention to offend anyone with my comments,' he wrote. Later on Thursday morning, Brown posted a lengthy note on X explaining his dismissal and criticizing Richard Grenell, the Kennedy Center's interim president, who is gay. Brown claimed in an email he was asked to 'recant' his belief that marriage is only between a man and a woman. 'I refused to recant and was shown the door,' Brown wrote. 'He preemptively fired me for my Christian beliefs on marriage,' Brown wrote in reference to Grenell. Brown's statement did not address his past comments on Obama. Grenell did not respond to a request for comment from CNN. A source familiar with the Kennedy Center confirmed to CNN that Brown is no longer there and said that Grenell had not met with Brown, did not know him, and was not involved in his hiring. Brown's new role was listed on his LinkedIn page and his appointment had been confirmed by several sources involved with the Kennedy Center. A long-time political consultant, Brown helped found Citizens United, a conservative non-profit best known for successfully challenging campaign finance laws. He was also executive director of Young America's Foundation, a non-profit that supports conservative college students. He is perhaps best known for his involvement in helping produce the racially charged Willie Horton ad from the 1988 presidential campaign, which is seen as among the most effective and infamous political attack ads of all time. It's unclear what led to Brown's hiring, but sources told CNN he reported to Lisa Dale, the Development Department's senior vice president. Brown, like Dale, was an advisor to former Arizona Republican candidate Kari Lake. Sources told CNN Brown worked at the Kennedy Center for a month and that donors and staff had expressed concern over him bringing in traditional political donors at the expense of the center's more frequent and core donor base. Brown told CNN that his past comments did not affect his work. 'As a Christian, I am called to work with others of different beliefs and worldviews,' Brown said. 'It was truly not my intention to offend anyone with my comments. I have never intended to attack or demean any person in my statements, and have always shared the mission of Jesus, striving to love others unconditionally.' Brown's history of anti-gay commentary stretches back years. As a commentator Brown once attacked CPAC for 'an acceptance of the open promotion of the gay lifestyle inside the tent of conservatism,' called same-sex marriage both 'godless' and a 'hoax,' and posted cartoons on his personal website that attack the 'queer military.' In 2008, his website attacked Obama for saying homosexuality was not a choice and not believing that homosexuality was 'immoral.' Speaking at a Christian event in 2023, Brown discussed his time working as a staffer on Capitol Hill, and referenced what he said was 'the dirty little secret' of gay staffers working for Republican lawmakers. Brown said that unlike himself, with a wife and children at home, gay congressional staff lacked family responsibilities outside the office, allowing them to focus entirely on work. 'They literally worked for the member 24/7 and then went out to Adams Morgan and had their gay sex, and then came back to work the next day,' said Brown Brown later attacked George W. Bush for appointing Ken Mehlman, who later came out as gay, as chairman of the Republican National Committee. Brown said Mehlman 'systematically filled it with homosexual staff. And that's why we never make any progress on family issues.' A syndicated 2011 column from Brown lamented that homosexual intercourse is now legal. 'It was not until the teachings of Christ and Saint Paul conquered Rome and Western Europe that sodomy was outlawed,' Brown wrote in a column with his wife. 'But alas much has changed. Now sodomy is once again legal, and some states believe these acts deserve celebration in the most public of ceremonies, the wedding.' 'Homosexuality is a punishment that comes upon a nation that has rejected God,' Floyd said in 2023 on conservative talk radio. 'They're debasing themselves and their humanity.' As the founder of and the far-right website Western Journal in the late 2000s and early 2010s, Brown often shared inflammatory misinformation about Obama, including photoshopped images depicting him with a long beard and turban similar to a photo of Osama bin Laden. 'As the son of a Muslim father, Obama is a Muslim, period,' read a 2010 post on his blog attributed to by Brown and his wife, under the crude picture of Obama with the turban and beard. In 2008, Brown wrote on his personal website that he was 'vindicated' in insisting that Obama was a Muslim. In 2008, Brown gained national recognition for raising money for a TV ad – 'Was he Muslim?' – that questioned if Barack Obama was formerly a Muslim as a child. Another ad on Brown's personal YouTube page features a video 'intended for Barack Hussein Obama' with an Islamic call to prayer and a link to his website ' accusing Obama of lying about being a Muslim. 'Are you embarrassed that you once followed Muhammed,' the ad asks. The website appears to have launched in 2008 according to the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine and included tags for articles like 'Muslim Roots.' A defunct, but still online X account for the website shows links to numerous articles questioning if Obama was Muslim or a natural born citizen. One post on his website cited birth conspiracy theorist Joe Arpaio saying that Obama's birth certificate 'fraud' was '10 times worse than Watergate.' Archived results searchable on the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine similarly show scores of articles by Brown questioning Obama's birthplace and religion. Brown has even raised that Obama might not be a citizen, even if he was born in the United States. In 2009, Brown argued on the radio that Obama had not proven he was a citizen. 'He has not proven to me definitively that he was born in the United States,' Brown said in 2009. In 2009, Brown also claimed Obama 'changed his story' around being Muslim in his syndicated column. That same year, Brown promoted plans to impeach Obama just months into his new term citing claims that Obama was not a natural born citizen – saying on the radio his goal was a half a million people for a petition to impeach Obama on The website was a project of the Policy Issues Institute, a non-profit group where Brown served as president as late as 2023 and paid him nearly $500,000 that year in compensation, according to public records. One of the website's so-called articles of impeachment said that Obama, 'unlawfully engaged in a conspiracy to suppress evidence of the true place of his birth,' which violated, 'the Constitutional provision that a President of the United States must be a natural born citizen.' In February Trump dismissed 18 Kennedy Center board members appointed by President Joe Biden and appointed 14 new ones, most of whom are his close allies. The newly appointed board then elected Trump as the new chair of the Kennedy Center and voted to terminate Deborah Rutter as president – appointing Grenell as interim president. Trump has said he wants to have the Kennedy Center's programming align with a new vision for American arts and culture – which he has criticized as overwhelmingly liberal and out of touch. 'I want to make sure it runs properly,' Trump said in February. 'We don't need woke at the Kennedy Center, and we don't need — some of the shows were terrible. They were a disgrace that they were even put on.' The changes have sparked backlash from the arts community, leading to cancellations from some high-profile performances. The Kennedy Center's Development Department raises tens of millions annually through donations, sponsorships, and fundraising events to support its performances and arts education programs. It manages relationships with individual, corporate, foundation and government donors to sustain the institution's mission and operations. The Center usually receives around $43 million in federal funding each year, which helps cover costs related to operating, maintaining and repairing the facility. This amount represents approximately 16% of its total annual budget of $268 million, according to the New York Times. The House Republican budget passed last week allocates nearly $257 million to the Kennedy Center, a substantial increase, signaling Trump's desire to reshape the institution with both influence and government investment.
CNN
3 days ago
- Business
- CNN
Far-right activist with history of anti-gay comments fired from leadership role at Kennedy Center after CNN investigation
Floyd Brown, a far-right political activist with a history of anti-gay rhetoric and promoting conspiracy theories about former President Barack Obama, said he was fired from a senior leadership role he briefly held at the Kennedy Center — just hours after CNN reached out with questions about his past statements. Brown's past statements include calling homosexuality 'a punishment' upon America and condemning the legality of gay sex. He has also falsely claimed that Obama is Muslim and promoted conspiracy theories about his birth documents. Brown briefly served as a Vice President of Development, a top fundraising role responsible for helping raise tens of millions of dollars annually in support of the nation's most prominent performing arts center. His appointment, which had not been formally announced by the Kennedy Center, had sparked internal concern among some staffers, according to sources. It was the latest change to the Kennedy Center since President Donald Trump was installed as the new chair in February and overhauled the board. In an email to CNN on Wednesday, Brown said it was an 'honor' to work at the Kennedy Center. He defended his remarks as rooted in his Christian faith and said they did not influence his professional conduct. 'It was truly not my intention to offend anyone with my comments,' he wrote. Later on Thursday morning, Brown posted a lengthy note on X explaining his dismissal and criticizing Richard Grenell, the Kennedy Center's interim president, who is gay. Brown claimed in an email he was asked to 'recant' his belief that marriage is only between a man and a woman. 'I refused to recant and was shown the door,' Brown wrote. 'He preemptively fired me for my Christian beliefs on marriage,' Brown wrote in reference to Grenell. Brown's statement did not address his past comments on Obama. Grenell did not respond to a request for comment from CNN. A source familiar with the Kennedy Center confirmed to CNN that Brown is no longer there and said that Grenell had not met with Brown, did not know him, and was not involved in his hiring. Brown's new role was listed on his LinkedIn page and his appointment had been confirmed by several sources involved with the Kennedy Center. A long-time political consultant, Brown helped found Citizens United, a conservative non-profit best known for successfully challenging campaign finance laws. He was also executive director of Young America's Foundation, a non-profit that supports conservative college students. He is perhaps best known for his involvement in helping produce the racially charged Willie Horton ad from the 1988 presidential campaign, which is seen as among the most effective and infamous political attack ads of all time. It's unclear what led to Brown's hiring, but sources told CNN he reported to Lisa Dale, the Development Department's senior vice president. Brown, like Dale, was an advisor to former Arizona Republican candidate Kari Lake. Sources told CNN Brown worked at the Kennedy Center for a month and that donors and staff had expressed concern over him bringing in traditional political donors at the expense of the center's more frequent and core donor base. Brown told CNN that his past comments did not affect his work. 'As a Christian, I am called to work with others of different beliefs and worldviews,' Brown said. 'It was truly not my intention to offend anyone with my comments. I have never intended to attack or demean any person in my statements, and have always shared the mission of Jesus, striving to love others unconditionally.' Brown's history of anti-gay commentary stretches back years. As a commentator Brown once attacked CPAC for 'an acceptance of the open promotion of the gay lifestyle inside the tent of conservatism,' called same-sex marriage both 'godless' and a 'hoax,' and posted cartoons on his personal website that attack the 'queer military.' In 2008, his website attacked Obama for saying homosexuality was not a choice and not believing that homosexuality was 'immoral.' Speaking at a Christian event in 2023, Brown discussed his time working as a staffer on Capitol Hill, and referenced what he said was 'the dirty little secret' of gay staffers working for Republican lawmakers. Brown said that unlike himself, with a wife and children at home, gay congressional staff lacked family responsibilities outside the office, allowing them to focus entirely on work. 'They literally worked for the member 24/7 and then went out to Adams Morgan and had their gay sex, and then came back to work the next day,' said Brown Brown later attacked George W. Bush for appointing Ken Mehlman, who later came out as gay, as chairman of the Republican National Committee. Brown said Mehlman 'systematically filled it with homosexual staff. And that's why we never make any progress on family issues.' A syndicated 2011 column from Brown lamented that homosexual intercourse is now legal. 'It was not until the teachings of Christ and Saint Paul conquered Rome and Western Europe that sodomy was outlawed,' Brown wrote in a column with his wife. 'But alas much has changed. Now sodomy is once again legal, and some states believe these acts deserve celebration in the most public of ceremonies, the wedding.' 'Homosexuality is a punishment that comes upon a nation that has rejected God,' Floyd said in 2023 on conservative talk radio. 'They're debasing themselves and their humanity.' As the founder of and the far-right website Western Journal in the late 2000s and early 2010s, Brown often shared inflammatory misinformation about Obama, including photoshopped images depicting him with a long beard and turban similar to a photo of Osama bin Laden. 'As the son of a Muslim father, Obama is a Muslim, period,' read a 2010 post on his blog attributed to by Brown and his wife, under the crude picture of Obama with the turban and beard. In 2008, Brown wrote on his personal website that he was 'vindicated' in insisting that Obama was a Muslim. In 2008, Brown gained national recognition for raising money for a TV ad – 'Was he Muslim?' – that questioned if Barack Obama was formerly a Muslim as a child. Another ad on Brown's personal YouTube page features a video 'intended for Barack Hussein Obama' with an Islamic call to prayer and a link to his website ' accusing Obama of lying about being a Muslim. 'Are you embarrassed that you once followed Muhammed,' the ad asks. The website appears to have launched in 2008 according to the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine and included tags for articles like 'Muslim Roots.' A defunct, but still online X account for the website shows links to numerous articles questioning if Obama was Muslim or a natural born citizen. One post on his website cited birth conspiracy theorist Joe Arpaio saying that Obama's birth certificate 'fraud' was '10 times worse than Watergate.' Archived results searchable on the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine similarly show scores of articles by Brown questioning Obama's birthplace and religion. Brown has even raised that Obama might not be a citizen, even if he was born in the United States. In 2009, Brown argued on the radio that Obama had not proven he was a citizen. 'He has not proven to me definitively that he was born in the United States,' Brown said in 2009. In 2009, Brown also claimed Obama 'changed his story' around being Muslim in his syndicated column. That same year, Brown promoted plans to impeach Obama just months into his new term citing claims that Obama was not a natural born citizen – saying on the radio his goal was a half a million people for a petition to impeach Obama on The website was a project of the Policy Issues Institute, a non-profit group where Brown served as president as late as 2023 and paid him nearly $500,000 that year in compensation, according to public records. One of the website's so-called articles of impeachment said that Obama, 'unlawfully engaged in a conspiracy to suppress evidence of the true place of his birth,' which violated, 'the Constitutional provision that a President of the United States must be a natural born citizen.' In February Trump dismissed 18 Kennedy Center board members appointed by President Joe Biden and appointed 14 new ones, most of whom are his close allies. The newly appointed board then elected Trump as the new chair of the Kennedy Center and voted to terminate Deborah Rutter as president – appointing Grenell as interim president. Trump has said he wants to have the Kennedy Center's programming align with a new vision for American arts and culture – which he has criticized as overwhelmingly liberal and out of touch. 'I want to make sure it runs properly,' Trump said in February. 'We don't need woke at the Kennedy Center, and we don't need — some of the shows were terrible. They were a disgrace that they were even put on.' The changes have sparked backlash from the arts community, leading to cancellations from some high-profile performances. The Kennedy Center's Development Department raises tens of millions annually through donations, sponsorships, and fundraising events to support its performances and arts education programs. It manages relationships with individual, corporate, foundation and government donors to sustain the institution's mission and operations. The Center usually receives around $43 million in federal funding each year, which helps cover costs related to operating, maintaining and repairing the facility. This amount represents approximately 16% of its total annual budget of $268 million, according to the New York Times. The House Republican budget passed last week allocates nearly $257 million to the Kennedy Center, a substantial increase, signaling Trump's desire to reshape the institution with both influence and government investment.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ducky Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson dies
"Duck Dynasty" patriarch Phil Robertson, who built the West Monroe, Louisiana, Duck Commander franchise into a national brand, died Sunday after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. He was 79. Family members posted the following statement on their social media platforms: "We celebrate today that our father, husband and grandfather Phil Robertson is now with the Lord. He reminded us often of the words of Paul: 'You do not grieve like those who have not hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.' "Thank you for the love and prayers of so many whose lives have been impacted by his life saved by grace, by his bold faith and by his desire to tell everyone who would listen the good news of Jesus. We are grateful for his life on Earth and will continue the legacy of love for God and love for others until we see him again." Robertson, whose early adult life and marriage to Kay Robertson were depicted in the movie "The Blind," was a star quarterback at alma mater Louisiana Tech University before eventually building a business from his passion of duck hunting. He began the Duck Commander business by selling duck calls and hunting DVDs from the trunk of his car and has since sold more than 1 million duck calls. Robertson was a star in the A&E hit reality series "Duck Dynasty," where he and his wife, sons and grandchildren were featured. Robertson was vocal with his Christian faith, and the TV show ended with a prayer around the dinner table. He was not immune from controversy. A&E briefly suspended him from the series in 2013 after Robertson's comments in GQ magazine calling homosexuality a sin. Robertson grew up in Caddo Parish near Shreveport and cultivated his love for duck hunting at young age. He recalled his first successful hunt as an 11-year-old on Moon Lake in an interview with USA Today, running all the way back to his house in Vivian with two ducks. "I said, 'Dad, I've got two ducks for us to eat; what kind are they?'" His dad identified a "pretty fat" teal and pintail and "told me to pick (pluck) them and give them to Momma to cook for dinner. "I felt like a grown man. I've been after ducks ever since." Funeral arrangements are incomplete, the family said in their social media posts. More: Recalling 'Duck Dynasty' patriarch Phil Robertson's first duck hunt near Shreveport as a boy Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1. This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Ducky Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson dies
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Phil Robertson dead at 79: Duck Dynasty star passes away after devastating heath battle
Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson has died at the age of 79, his daughter-in-law Korie Robertson said Sunday on Facebook. 'We celebrate today that our father, husband, and grandfather, Phil Robertson, is now with the Lord,' Korie said on Facebook. 'He reminded us often of the words of Paul, "you do not grieve like those who have no hope." '"For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him."' Korie said her religious father-in-law had emphasized that death was a comeback to the kingdom of God. She thanked people who had prayed for Phil, who dealt with Alzheimer's disease in his final months. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'Thank you for the love and prayers of so many whose lives have been impacted by his life saved by grace, his bold faith, and by his desire to tell everyone who would listen the Good News of Jesus,' she wrote. 'We are grateful for his life on earth and will continue the legacy of love for God and love for others until we see him again.' Korie said the Robertson family would continue to remember their late patriarch. 'We know so many of you love him and have been impacted by his life,' she said. 'We're having a private service for now, but we'll share details soon about a public celebration of his life.'
