Apple Shuts Down A Christian App Because of its Questionable Content About Marriage Between Only a Man & Woman!

Society

Tue, Dec. 28 2010 03:17 PM EDT

Apple Refuses to Reinstate Christian App

By Lillian Kwon|Christian Post Reporter

Apple recently rejected the resubmission of a Christian app after it was pulled from the app store for being "offensive."

More than 46,000 people signed a petition asking the company to reinstate the Manhattan Declaration app, which is based on a document that upholds the traditional understanding of marriage and the sanctity of life.

But organizers behind the Manhattan Declaration said they were notified last week that the resubsmission was not accepted.

"Apple is telling us that the apps' content is considered 'likely to expose a group to harm' and 'to be objectionable and potentially harmful to others," they said.

"Inasmuch as the Manhattan Declaration simply reaffirms the moral teachings of our Christian faith on the sanctity of human life, marriage and sexual morality, and religious freedom and the rights of conscience, Apple's statement amounts to the charge that our faith is 'potentially harmful to others.'"

The Manhattan Declaration app was initially approved in October and rated as a 4+, which indicated that it contained "no objectionable material."

But opponents of the app started a petition on Change.org demanding that Apple remove the "anti-gay, anti-choice" application. It was pulled over the Thanksgiving holiday. A revised version - that does not contain a poll asking users about same-sex relationships and abortion - was submitted to Apple early this month along with a petition addressed to Steve Jobs.

Those behind the Manhattan Declaration called the latest rejection by Apple "appalling."

"It is difficult to see how this is anything other than a statement of animus by a major American corporation against the beliefs of millions of Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox citizens," they stated.

The Manhattan Declaration, unveiled last November, outlines principles that uphold the sanctity of life, the historic understanding of marriage, and religious liberty. It has been endorsed by prominent evangelical, Orthodox and Catholic leaders and so far nearly half a million signatures have been added to it. The original drafters are Dr. Timothy George of Samford University, evangelical leader Chuck Colson, and Dr. Robert George of Princeton University.

Organizers plan to take their rejected app matter to Apple's App Review Board after they return from the Christmas and New Year's holiday observances.

Lillian Kwon
Christian Post Reporter

Jesus Christ Decor Being Called a "Yard Sign" & Told to Take it Down!

A sign stating "Happy Birthday Jesus, Come Let Us Adore Him." and then a letter sent to Henderson from the New Bristow Village management company ordered that it be removed even though it had been up for three weeks!

No signs - except for real estate or security signs - are allowed in the Prince William County development. Henderson was given 15 days to comply.


Mr. Henderson, is a federal government employee who will keep the Jesus sign up until Jan. 1.

"When I got the letter on Christmas Eve, I called my wife over and said, 'You're never going to believe this,' " Henderson, 38, said. "I figured we couldn't put up commercial or political signs, but certainly the association could use discretion when it came to religion.

"What really bothered me was that they sent it on Christmas. I consider myself a man of faith. The sign shows to all of our neighbors what Christ means to us."

Carol Piering, a spokeswoman for the management company, said the sign's religious message had nothing to do with the decision to enforce the rules. "The content of the sign is not why the letter was sent," she said, acknowledging that the warning could have been mailed on a different date. "The letter was ill-timed, and for that we absolutely apologize."

"This is a matter of a private contract, and HOAs are entitled to have declarations, and whatever those declarations are make up the laws of that community," said Mike Inman, a Virginia Beach lawyer and co-publisher of the Virginia Condominium & Homeowners' Association Law Blog. "But it would seem to me that the 'Happy Birthday Jesus' item was not necessarily a sign, but yard decor for the season."

CLICK HERE To Read more of the ORIGINAL ARTICLE

JMC Response:

At this time there are over 1400 who have participated in the poll on the Washington Post site. 80% so far want to see the decor stay up!

Christ is the ONLY reason for Christmas. If not then why call it CHRISTmas? It is the celebration of God's son born on Earth!

God bless this family for taking a stand for Christ!