MYRTLE BEACH, SC – Liberty Counsel is a Christian ministry that “proclaims, advocates, supports, advances, and defends” religious freedom, the sanctity of human life, and the biblical model of marriage and family.
The Orlando-based ministry maintains offices in Virginia and Washington, DC. The ministry is best understood as it is self-described on the Liberty Counsel website.
“Our comprehensive worldview provides the foundation for every affiliated ministry, program, and project. These include, but are not limited to, Liberty Church Council, the spiritual, theological, and doctrinal advisory body of LC; An international litigation, education, and policy ministry; Liberty Counsel Action, a ministry focused on education and public policy; Liberty Prayer Network, an international prayer ministry; and Liberty Relief International, an international humanitarian ministry to persecuted Christians and religious minorities; Faith & Liberty, a Christian outreach to top-level government officials in Washington, DC, and the National Pro-Life Center, a pro-life initiative on Capitol Hill.”
The FBO counts among its clients organizations like Focus on the Family, Child Evangelism Fellowship, Liberty University, and the Christian Educators Association International.
Currently, Liberty Counsel has come alongside UPS employees (United Parcel Service) in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, who have allegedly been harassed by a supervisor because they have been praying together on company property before their workdays are scheduled to begin.
The evidence indicates that one supervisor, in particular, has made several attempts under various pretexts to dissolve the group of approximately 50 men. He has, in fact, “ordered them to cease voluntarily meeting on UPS property for prayer prior to their shifts.”
- On January 16, the supervisor told the union shop steward that the men “cannot pray anymore on company property because someone else may feel discriminated against.”
- On January 20, the same supervisor told another driver that they “could no longer pray on company property because it violates others’ religious rights.”
- On January 27, a friend of a UPS driver at the terminal posted a message on Facebook to raise awareness of the prohibition against praying.
Following the Facebook post, the supervisor terminated several employees who had been regular participants in the prayer sessions. Others in the prayer group now fear that they, too, may lose their jobs.
The supervisor has a record of harassment of Christian UPS employees. Previous incidents include a case in Monroe, North Carolina, where the same individual was accused of bullying and harassing drivers who met for prayer on their own time before their scheduled workday.
The leader of the North Carolina prayer group contacted the UPS division manager, who affirmed that the men were allowed to gather for prayer before work. That employee, who was also a pastor, told Liberty Counsel litigators that the morning prayer time
“changed men’s attitudes, men’s lives, and the trash talk in the locker room. We helped men deal with family issues. We even saw some men on the belt where they load the trucks come to faith in Christ.”
The vice president of public relations recently responded to a letter from Liberty Counsel, saying,
“We have investigated the claims made by Liberty Counsel in their letter to UPS. We believe there is a misunderstanding, and we have reached out to them to clarify the situation regarding employees at our site. UPS employees are permitted to assemble before they start work as long as they follow truck yard safety and conduct rules. No employees have been disciplined in connection with assembly to pray prior to their shift. We look forward to clarifying this situation with Liberty Counsel and our employees at the site.”
There is, as yet, no clear indication that the situation has been clarified.
Our intent is not to discredit UPS. One supervisor seems to be the epicenter of the harassment. Please ask the Lord to honor these men who have chosen to be faithful to Him. Pray for those who were terminated. And pray for the supervisor that he may come to know Christ.
To read more news on Christian Persecution on Missions Box, go here.
Sources:
- My Christian Daily, UPS Drivers Continued To Be Punished For Prayer Meetings
- The Christian Post, UPS accused of banning drivers’ prayer meetings, claims there’s a ‘misunderstanding’
- One News Now, UPS accused of firing drivers over prayer group
- Liberty Counsel, UPS Manager Continues Punishing Drivers for Prayer Meetings
- Liberty Counsel, UPS’ Long History of Anti-Christian Discrimination Exposed
Image Source:
- UPS Ford Package Car, Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)