Government Watch / Politics

Resistance Mounts to Faith-Based Persecution

AMAC Exclusive – By Seamus Brennan

As the public learns more harrowing details about pro-life activist Mark Houck’s arrest at gunpoint in front of his family last September, outrage has continued to mount over his treatment by the Biden FBI and Department of Justice. Were it not for the efforts of groups like the Thomas More Society, the Chicago-based public interest law firm that defended Houck, he and many other religious Americans could be left to fend for themselves against increasingly hostile institutions controlled by the radical left.

Last September, the FBI sent legions of armed agents to raid Houck’s home near Allentown, Pennsylvania. Houck, a Catholic pro-life activist and father of seven, was arrested and charged with violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act stemming from an incident outside an abortion center last year. As video evidence showed, Houck was praying the rosary outside a clinic with his son when a pro-abortion activist approached and verbally harassed them. Houck described how the abortion activist hurled expletive-laced insults at his son, which prompted Houck to shove him to the ground.

For this act, Houck faced 11 years in prison and a $350,000 fine—a sentence slammed by conservatives and religious freedom advocates as more clear evidence of the Biden administration’s hostility toward Christians. The Thomas More Society, which describes itself as “dedicated to restoring respect in law for life, family, religious liberty, and election integrity,” rose to the occasion to defend Houck in court. “The Biden administration has filed two brazenly defective and discriminatory charges against Mark Houck under the FACE Act,” said Mark Breen, a lawyer from the group. “This case is being brought solely to intimidate people of faith and pro-life Americans.”

Houck was ultimately acquitted by a Pennsylvania jury in January, ending a months-long ordeal for him and his family.

The targeting of Christians by the FBI doesn’t stop with Mr. Houck, however. According to an internal memo leaked last month, for instance, the Richmond, Virginia FBI field office was targeting “traditionalist Catholics”—defined partially by the FBI as those who attend Latin Mass—as an “extremist” threat. Though the FBI has since announced a retraction of the document, those who practice the Catholic faith—as well as other American believers—rightly remain skeptical.

Although the Biden administration claims to have no animosity toward practicing Christians or any other faith-based or conservative groups, incidents like these have provided the American people with little reason to give them the benefit of the doubt. Over the course of the last few months alone, the DOJ has deployed FBI agents to target patriotic parents, raided the homes of their political opponents, and refused to lift a finger to stop the onslaught of violent attacks against crisis pregnancy centers and Catholic parishes in the wake of the June 2022 Dobbs decision.

During a March 1st Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing, Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) channeled frustrations over these acts in his viral questioning of Attorney General Merrick Garland. “You used an unbelievable show of force with guns that I just note liberals usually decry,” Hawley said of the Houck incident. “We’re supposed to hate long guns and assault-style weapons. You’re happy to deploy them against Catholics and innocent children. Happy to. And then you haul them into court and a jury acquits him in one hour. I suggest to you that is a disgraceful performance by your Justice Department and a disgraceful use of resources.”

Hawley’s line of questioning is a welcome sign for conservatives concerned about the Biden administration’s continued attacks on the Christian faith—and signals an increasing frustration among Christians and conservatives persecuted for their beliefs. In a recent interview, Houck suggested he was prepared to press charges against the FBI agents who stormed his home, indicating that resistance to the Biden administration’s anti-Christian bias is on the upswing. And should these attacks continue, the work of organizations like the Thomas More Society—who oftentimes represent the last line of defense for Americans persecuted for their beliefs—will be as significant as ever.

“You wouldn’t be here if the Trump administration was in the White House,” Houck recalled saying to the multitude of agents who stormed his home. This realization continues to grow among Americans of every faith—and suggests that, unless the Biden team brings its political and faith-based persecutions to end, they could soon face a massive reckoning.


We hope you've enjoyed this article. While you're here, we have a small favor to ask...

Support AMAC Action. Our 501 (C)(4) advances initiatives on Capitol Hill, in the state legislatures, and at the local level to protect American values, free speech, the exercise of religion, equality of opportunity, sanctity of life, and the rule of law.

Donate Now

If You Enjoy Articles Like This - Subscribe to the AMAC Daily Newsletter
and Download the AMAC App

Sign Up Today Download

If You Enjoy Articles Like This - Subscribe to the AMAC Daily Newsletter!


Subscribe
Notify of
13 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Max
2 months ago

Not hard to see that the Adversary and his minions have a “brilliant” administration to work as persecution against the Christians continue to rise in our nation. The ENDTIME is near.

Mike
2 months ago

We’re edging ever closer to the end times!

George M
2 months ago

Biden a Catholic ? I don’t think so……..Not even close.

Granny25
2 months ago
Reply to  George M

More like a Satan worshiper.

Jim Halloran
2 months ago

I dont see how bozo biden can possibly call himself a catholic. He must be totally controlled by soros. a puppet on a string!

Ron St. Martin
2 months ago

The Catholic Church won’t do anything, Nancy Pelosi is proof they don’t want to get involved in American politics!

Jan E
2 months ago
Reply to  Ron St. Martin

‘The Catholic Church’ is the PEOPLE. I believe you are referring to the higher ups who allegedly ‘lead’ the church. At this point there ARE many willing to fight; meanwhile, some are cowardly stepping back and ignoring problems while others are openly supporting the left-wing insanity. Sadly, this is happening in protestant denominations, too. As a protestant, I proudly support, and admire, the many devout Catholics who are standing up for what they believe whether their leaders do or not.

Jeri
2 months ago

How I hope and pray the Catholic Church will grow some and excommunicate the so called Catholics in DC.

anna hubert
2 months ago

Predictable the faith that turns other cheek is attacked , what a bravery the one that picks up a sword is counting on cowardice

Veteran
2 months ago

Satan, and his minions don’t like to be reminded of the fact of how evil they are, and they certainly don’t appreciate the rest of of humanity being warned about their agenda and schemes, thus he has his minions turn their focus on persecuting the church. Tells you all there is to know about our current administration and their cohorts of the Deep State. They all proclaim whole-throatedly that “there is no God”, if that were true what kind of irrational nutcases would they have to be to go so whole black heartedly after His followers? Busted!

Lieutenant Beale
2 months ago

It’s not just Christian folks, but also anyone to the right of Ché Guevara gets targeted by this asinine administration.
(Yes, a little hyperbole here, but you get the point.)

Texas Resister 64
2 months ago

This gang deserves a massive reckoning on every front it’s been active. Disgrace every day. God preserve us from these people. Another two years of this and we’ll be either out of everything or dead. But we know what the end game is, and God does win.

Veteran
2 months ago

“And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Acts 1:7
Nothing about timelines, nothing about being out of here in two years, or so. We don’t die, because in Christ we have eternal life. We have received power, and authority, not to wait until we are raptured out, but to spread and keep the word of God. In the Army this was called fight, and defend in place, very much active, not to passively “camouflage and hide, and wait for helicopter evac.” The people are the authority in America, and from them originates the power of the federal government; this government is out of control, time to fire it, and hire a replacement.

13
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x