Posted: 17 June 2006

The State of Washington has stepped up their attack on God's People and have taken away more of their freedoms and rights. Over the past several years in the state of Washington there has been several laws quietly passed making it more and more difficult for Bible schools to operate. It started with removing several religious programs and degrees that Bible schools were allowed to offer, then moved on to not allowing them to mention or refer to their accreditation unless it was one that was "recognized" and controlled by the corrupt and ungodly U.S. Department of Education. Now, they have passed a new legislation prohibiting the use of religious degrees that one may have earned outside the state. All of these things have been done very quietly. There was very little if any press coverage as well as very little if any public notification. Most people in Washington, as well as everywhere else, have no idea what has been going on.

The Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board recently sent out a form letter to all of the schools in Washington that have religious exemption from the degree authorization act explaining this new legislation. Below you will find exactly what was stated in the text of the form letter:

---------- Beginning of Letter ----------

This letter is to notify you of a new law that became effective in the state of Washington as of June 7, 2006. ESHB (Engrossed Substitute House Bill) 2507 was passed by the 59th Legislature, 2006 Regular Session, and signed by Governor Christine Gregoire. Certain provision of this law may have an impact on administration and/or faculty at your institution.

A major provision of the legislation relating to the use of degrees in Washington is as follows:

1. A person is guilty of knowingly using a false academic credential if the person knowingly uses a false academic credential or falsely claims to have a credential issued by an institution of higher education that is accredited by an accrediting association recognized as such by rule of the higher education coordinating board:
   
   1. In a written or oral advertisement or other promotion of a business; or
      
   2. With the intent to:
      
      1. Obtain employment;
         
      2. Obtain a license or certificate to practice a trade, profession, or occupation;
         
      3. Obtains a promotion, compensation or other benefit, or an increase in compensation or other benefit, in employment or in the practice of a trade, profession, or occupation;
         
      4. Obtain admission to an educational program in this state; or
         
      5. Gain a position in government with authority over another person regardless whether the person receives compensation for the position.

A false academic credential is defines as a document that provides evidence or demonstrates completion of an academic or professional course of instruction beyond the secondary level that results in the attainment of an academic certificate, degree, or rank, and that is not issued by a person or entity that:

1. Is an entity accredited by an agency recognized as such by the rule of the higher education coordinating board or has the international equivalents of such accreditation; or
   
2. is an entity authorized as a degree-granting institution by the higher education coordinating board; or
   
3. is an entity exempt from the requirements of authorization as a degree-granting institution by the higher education coordinating board; or
   
4. is an entity that has been granted a waiver by the higher education coordination board from the requirements of authorization by the board.

The Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board currently recognizes those accrediting agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

At this time, it does not appear the HECB will have a role in implementing this aspect of the law or prosecuting violators of this law, therefore we cannot answer questions relating to those areas.

Sincerely,

Michael Ball
Associate Director

---------- End of Letter ----------

In other words, the only degrees, certificates, etc., that are allowed to be used inside the state of Washington must be ones that have either been issued from schools that are accredited by the U.S. Department of Education "recognized" (and controlled) agencies or has religious exemption granted from the Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board. Any and all other degrees, regardless of where they are from and what other state or state agencies have approved or exempted them are in their own words "fake" and not allowed to be used under penalty of criminal prosecution. The pastor who has a religious degree from out of the state now risks jail if he mentions, make use of, or claims possession to the seminary degree he has legally earned. The Christian and pastoral counselor, if they possess a religious degree from outside Washington, run the risk of arrest and jail if they make reference to the religious degree they have earned in another state. The hospital chaplain and police department chaplain with an out of state religious degree, which was instrumental in their getting their position in the first place, will suddenly find themselves out of work because the degrees they have been using for years that have been accepted by their places of employment, will now be considered "fake" and they could be charged under the law if they keep using them. So what's next? We'll probably see a law passed that outright forbids the use of any degree that is from a school that is not accredited by a US Department of Education recognized and controlled accreditor. To fully understand about the U.S. Department of Education and so-called "recognized" accreditors, see my article "The Accreditation Deception" at http://www.icwseminary.org/deception.htm

This and the other discriminatory and prejudicial laws that the State of Washington has quietly passed and continue to pass are designed for one thing. To silence the Word of God and those that teach and spread it. They want to control every aspect of education, not just in the secular world, but the Christian one as well. They want to have the final say on what we teach, how we teach it, and who we teach it to.

How long until we see them ban all religious schools and institutions? How long until they prohibit preaching the Word of God or censor what they feel are inappropriate things in the Bible and not allow us to quote Scripture condemning the sins of abortion and homosexuality as well as others? How long until owning a Bible is against the law? Many people will say this is going overboard and would never happen. Well look at how they have been silently attacking Christianity and God's People for years behind the scenes and slowly taking away our rights. It's only a matter of time.

We constantly hear the government harping on about separation of Church and State. This same government is so willing to attack any church or other religious organization that they feel has stepped over the imaginary line they have drawn, and yet they are so willing to do so themselves any time it is convenient for them. This double standard shows just how evil and corrupt they are and what their true intentions are. This shows how willingly they are to pass laws under the guise of protecting people, which are actually designed to be used to attack God's People, the teachings of the Bible, and take away a person's rights. This clearly demonstrates just how much the world hates God and His people and are willing to stop at nothing to silence them.

But this continual attack against God and His teachings comes as no surprise. The Bible has told us that such things would happen.

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
2 Corinthians 4:4

Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
1 John 3:3

If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.
John 15:18-21

I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
John 17: 14-18

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
Hosea 4:6

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
1 Corinthians 3:19

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Romans 12:2

...whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
James 4:4

Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
Luke 6:22

If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
1 Peter 4:16

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:31

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Romans 8:18

Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Deuteronomy 31:6