Drug Town Miracle has World-Wide Effect
By Wendy Griffith
CBN News
CBNNews.com - MANCHESTER, Kentucky - Last fall, we brought you the amazing story of a Kentucky drug town that was transformed by the power of God. Little did anybody know the huge impact this story would have on cities and towns all over the world.
It was the march seen around the world. In May, 2004, nearly 4,000 people came out to march against drugs in the small town of Manchester, Kentucky.
The pastors repented before God and their communities for allowing the darkness to settle in. The drug dealers were put on notice: "get saved or get busted."
They'd had enough. Over the next 12 months, they saw dramatic changes in their town -- drug arrests went way up, drug dealers and users started coming to church and getting free from their addictions, and the story of Manchester was seen around the world on the 700 Club.
Pastor Doug Abner of Community Church said, "About two hours after the story of Manchester aired the first time live, we started getting telephone calls."
Pastor Abner keeps track of all the states that have contacted him - 33 so far - and hundreds of towns.
"Not only did we hear from people in the U.S., but we got e-mails from New Zealand, France, Wales, England, and British Columbia.just mind-boggling," said Abner.
Nearly every request was the same: "Help us do in our town what you did in Manchester."
Pastor Mike England of Tri-State Christian Center in Blue Ridge, Georgia, said, "We were blown away, because we knew we had a serious, serious methamphetamine problem. We have other drugs too, but meth is just overwhelming. We had no idea how to battle it - or deal with it. We saw that video and we got hope that somebody might have an answer about how to attack it!"
Pastor England showed the 700 Club story to his church.
"I didn't even preach because the floor of the church was just littered with people weeping and weeping after seeing that video, and I wasn't going to touch that because that's a holy thing." After that - my wife decided we needed to come here and see for ourselves," England explained.
And that's just what they did. After a surprise visit to Manchester, Pastor England and his wife just showed up on Pastor Abner's doorstep.
Then the Englands headed back to Georgia, where they helped organize the first-ever march against meth. In August, some 3,000 residents of Fannin County, Georgia took to the streets.
The local news covered the event.
In Longview, Texas - a similar story of desperation. Shannon Smallwood's family was almost ready to give up, after struggling for years with a family member hooked on crack cocaine.
Smallwood said, "I just flipped on the TV and the 700 Club was on, and I saw this community marching, concerning drug abuse in their city. And what God did in that city was just amazing and miraculous, and pretty much I said, 'God, would You do that in our city?'
Shannon's prayer was answered. In May, hundreds of residents in Longview, Texas donned red-T-shirts in what they called "The Big March."
Their theme: "The Battle is the Lord's - taken from 2nd Chronicles, Chapter 20.
Participant Roger Carr said, "Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the battle is not yours, but God's - tomorrow, march down against them."
And in Oceana, West Virginia, sometimes referred to as "Oxy-ana" because of the drug problem associated with the pain killer Oxycontin, two marches were held after hearing about what God did in Manchester.
"We had over 550 people march and it was awesome," said Debbie Davis. "The Word tells me that God is no respecter of persons -- if He can do that in Manchester, Kentucky, than He can do that in Oceana, West Virginia."
Nobody could have imagined that so many towns, so many lives, would be inspired - even changed by a single story. And, that a town -- once hopeless when it came to its drug problem --could give hope to so many who need it.
"What I saw on TV that day gave me hope," Texas march organizer Smallwood said.
Amanda Tornberg, a former drug user, said, "I believed that I would never be anything more than the hopeless junkie that I had been for so long, but God spoke to me and He said, 'You know what, when you were still in your sins, Christ died for you.'"
"You cannot underestimate the value of hope in the community," said England. "Churches are letting down the walls and seriously starting to work together…The government agencies and the churches are working together for the first time ever -- that's never happened."
Not only that, but England says that since the march, they are receiving 10 times the number of calls to the county's drug-tip hotline. A good indicator, he says, of things to come.
And in Manchester, two 1/2 years after the march -- the area once known as the pain killer capitol of the nation is now seeing a dramatic dip in the number of pain killers prescribed by doctors -- and there's more.
Pastor Abner said, "We've been told by drug dealers who've now been set free by Jesus, that if they were still dealing drugs they wouldn't even stop in our town and buy gas because the climate has changed so much."
And Abner says that he's grateful for how God used the 700 Club to share their story.
"The 700 Club totally changed our lives," Abner said, "in that, every day, we get to do things in the Kingdom because people saw that. And every time it's been re-run, we get telephone calls. We've got a couple of dvd's now; we always send the story of Manchester out. And we follow that up with calls and we pray for them and the communities on Sat. morning. I really believe what's going to happen is that eventually the fire is going to move across our nation, and we're going to have a tremendous revival in America again."
England said, "When we saw that video, we saw a community where the church was actually making an impact. And after visiting here, I am convinced now - this is reproducible in any community in America. And this may be the key for the church really impacting America nation-wide."
The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc. © 2006
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Family Advocate Wants Children's Book on Same-Sex-Parent Penguins Put on Ice
Family Advocate Wants Children's Book on Same-Sex-Parent Penguins Put on Ice
By Jim Brown and Jenni Parker
November 27, 2006
(AgapePress) - An Illinois pro-family group is protesting an elementary school's decision not to restrict students' access to a picture book in the school library, a story about two male penguins who "adopt" a baby penguin as their own.
Shiloh Elementary School in metro East St. Louis, Illinois, is embroiled in a controversy over the book titled And Tango Makes Three (Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, 2005). The picture book is, according to School Library Journal, "based on a true story" and tells of two male penguins living in a zoo who share a nest and "want to become parents."
In the story, a sympathetic zookeeper decides the two male birds "must be in love" and gives them a fertilized egg to care for, which the two "fathers" nurture until it hatches into a female chick. It was when one Shiloh parent was reading the book to her five-year-old daughter and encountered the reference to the two male penguins being "in love" that the debate over the book's inclusion in the elementary school's library began.
That mother and other East St. Louis parents see And Tango Makes Three as an unwelcome effort to introduce school children to the idea of homosexual parenting. They have called for the book to be moved to a section of the library reserved for materials addressing mature issues. Also, the parents are asking that children to be required to obtain parental permission before checking out the controversial book.
However, school superintendent Jennifer Filyaw maintains that limiting children's access to And Tango Makes Three would amount to censorship. As a result, the school official has opted not to accommodate the parents' requests, and the book remains available to young children without restrictions.
But David Smith, executive director of the Illinois Family Institute (IFI), claims the children's book is not being censored, as it is readily available at Barnes & Noble and Borders bookstores as well as on Amazon.com. He feels Shiloh Elementary School should not be introducing young children to what he calls "new social experiments" when their parents clearly object to this.
Smith is convinced there is a clear agenda behind And Tango Makes Three. "It's acclimating young children to the idea that family could be anything that you want it to be," he contends.
The cutely illustrated kids' story suggests that parents "could be two moms, could be two dads, could be three moms and three dads, and not just a mother and a father," the IFI spokesman says. Children of 4 to 8 years of age should not be exposed to such ideas, he insists.
"The school has a responsibility to the taxpayers to teach the children the basics of education," Smith asserts. "Teaching them new social experiments or trying to acclimate them to new social experiments is just not in [the schools'] purview," he says.
© 2006 AgapePress all rights reserved.
By Jim Brown and Jenni Parker
November 27, 2006
(AgapePress) - An Illinois pro-family group is protesting an elementary school's decision not to restrict students' access to a picture book in the school library, a story about two male penguins who "adopt" a baby penguin as their own.
Shiloh Elementary School in metro East St. Louis, Illinois, is embroiled in a controversy over the book titled And Tango Makes Three (Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, 2005). The picture book is, according to School Library Journal, "based on a true story" and tells of two male penguins living in a zoo who share a nest and "want to become parents."
In the story, a sympathetic zookeeper decides the two male birds "must be in love" and gives them a fertilized egg to care for, which the two "fathers" nurture until it hatches into a female chick. It was when one Shiloh parent was reading the book to her five-year-old daughter and encountered the reference to the two male penguins being "in love" that the debate over the book's inclusion in the elementary school's library began.
That mother and other East St. Louis parents see And Tango Makes Three as an unwelcome effort to introduce school children to the idea of homosexual parenting. They have called for the book to be moved to a section of the library reserved for materials addressing mature issues. Also, the parents are asking that children to be required to obtain parental permission before checking out the controversial book.
However, school superintendent Jennifer Filyaw maintains that limiting children's access to And Tango Makes Three would amount to censorship. As a result, the school official has opted not to accommodate the parents' requests, and the book remains available to young children without restrictions.
But David Smith, executive director of the Illinois Family Institute (IFI), claims the children's book is not being censored, as it is readily available at Barnes & Noble and Borders bookstores as well as on Amazon.com. He feels Shiloh Elementary School should not be introducing young children to what he calls "new social experiments" when their parents clearly object to this.
Smith is convinced there is a clear agenda behind And Tango Makes Three. "It's acclimating young children to the idea that family could be anything that you want it to be," he contends.
The cutely illustrated kids' story suggests that parents "could be two moms, could be two dads, could be three moms and three dads, and not just a mother and a father," the IFI spokesman says. Children of 4 to 8 years of age should not be exposed to such ideas, he insists.
"The school has a responsibility to the taxpayers to teach the children the basics of education," Smith asserts. "Teaching them new social experiments or trying to acclimate them to new social experiments is just not in [the schools'] purview," he says.
© 2006 AgapePress all rights reserved.
Pro-Life Groups File Briefs in Frozen Embryo Wrongful Death Case
Pro-Life Groups File Briefs in Frozen Embryo Wrongful Death Case
By Jim Brown and Jenni Parker
November 27, 2006
(AgapePress) - Several pro-life organizations based in Illinois and other U.S. states are backing a lawsuit brought by two Illinois parents over a Chicago in vitro clinic's killing of their frozen human embryos.
Last year, Cook County Circuit Judge Jeffrey Lawrence refused to dismiss a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Alison Miller and Todd Parrish against the Center for Human Reproduction, which mistakenly destroyed the couple's embryos nearly seven years ago. Miller and Parish stored nine embryos at the Center in January 2000, and were told that one of these looked promising; however, six months later the couple learned that their embryos had been discarded.
The couple's wrongful death claims had been rejected by previous courts, but Lawrence's ruling reversed those decisions. The fertility clinic then appealed the judge's decision to allow the lawsuit to proceed.
On November 17, a coalition of nine Illinois and national pro-life organizations filed friend-of-the-court briefs in the case in support of the parents. Comprising the coalition are Illinois Citizens for Life, Concerned Women for America, the Illinois Right to Life Committee, Life Advocacy Resource Project, Illinois Federation for Right to Life, Concerned Christian Americans, the Illinois Family Institute, Lutherans for Life, Inc., and the Catholic Conference Center of Illinois. The case is now pending before the Illinois appellate court.
Paul Linton is special counsel for the Thomas More Society of Chicago, which is representing the pro-life coalition. He says the trial judge was correct in concluding that the embryos were human beings under the state's wrongful death statute and should be protected by the law in the event of their destruction.
"Of course," Linton points out, "we want to maintain the standard that human life begins at conception -- understood as fertilization -- and not at a later stage of development, for example, where there is implantation."
The Center for Human Reproduction and the American Civil Liberties Union claim the wrongful death statute does not apply in this case, and that there is, therefore, no cause of action. However, the trial judge declared in his ruling that "there is no doubt in the mind of the Illinois legislature when life begins. It begins at conception."
The location of this suit is significant, Linton notes. "There are a handful of states – maybe seven or eight states -- that do not have any type of gestational requirements for wrongful death suits involving unborn children," he explains. "Illinois, however, is the only state where, in their wrongful death statute, they not only eliminate any gestational requirements, but also any developmental requirements," the attorney observes.
Thomas Brejcha, president and chief counsel for the Thomas More Society, told LifeNews.com in a statement that this wrongful death case is "the modern equivalent to Dred Scott in a petri dish." His remark refers to the 1857 U.S. Supreme Court decision that declared black slaves and slave descendents to be non-citizens who, as such, had no rights or protection under the law.
The crucial question in the present-day case, Brejcha contends, is whether the pre-implanted embryo is to be considered a human being or personal property. He says the Thomas More Society is in "full agreement" with Judge Lawrence that human life begins at conception and should be protected, and that the plaintiffs have the same right to seek compensation as any other parents whose child has been killed.
© 2006 AgapePress all rights reserved.
By Jim Brown and Jenni Parker
November 27, 2006
(AgapePress) - Several pro-life organizations based in Illinois and other U.S. states are backing a lawsuit brought by two Illinois parents over a Chicago in vitro clinic's killing of their frozen human embryos.
Last year, Cook County Circuit Judge Jeffrey Lawrence refused to dismiss a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Alison Miller and Todd Parrish against the Center for Human Reproduction, which mistakenly destroyed the couple's embryos nearly seven years ago. Miller and Parish stored nine embryos at the Center in January 2000, and were told that one of these looked promising; however, six months later the couple learned that their embryos had been discarded.
The couple's wrongful death claims had been rejected by previous courts, but Lawrence's ruling reversed those decisions. The fertility clinic then appealed the judge's decision to allow the lawsuit to proceed.
On November 17, a coalition of nine Illinois and national pro-life organizations filed friend-of-the-court briefs in the case in support of the parents. Comprising the coalition are Illinois Citizens for Life, Concerned Women for America, the Illinois Right to Life Committee, Life Advocacy Resource Project, Illinois Federation for Right to Life, Concerned Christian Americans, the Illinois Family Institute, Lutherans for Life, Inc., and the Catholic Conference Center of Illinois. The case is now pending before the Illinois appellate court.
Paul Linton is special counsel for the Thomas More Society of Chicago, which is representing the pro-life coalition. He says the trial judge was correct in concluding that the embryos were human beings under the state's wrongful death statute and should be protected by the law in the event of their destruction.
"Of course," Linton points out, "we want to maintain the standard that human life begins at conception -- understood as fertilization -- and not at a later stage of development, for example, where there is implantation."
The Center for Human Reproduction and the American Civil Liberties Union claim the wrongful death statute does not apply in this case, and that there is, therefore, no cause of action. However, the trial judge declared in his ruling that "there is no doubt in the mind of the Illinois legislature when life begins. It begins at conception."
The location of this suit is significant, Linton notes. "There are a handful of states – maybe seven or eight states -- that do not have any type of gestational requirements for wrongful death suits involving unborn children," he explains. "Illinois, however, is the only state where, in their wrongful death statute, they not only eliminate any gestational requirements, but also any developmental requirements," the attorney observes.
Thomas Brejcha, president and chief counsel for the Thomas More Society, told LifeNews.com in a statement that this wrongful death case is "the modern equivalent to Dred Scott in a petri dish." His remark refers to the 1857 U.S. Supreme Court decision that declared black slaves and slave descendents to be non-citizens who, as such, had no rights or protection under the law.
The crucial question in the present-day case, Brejcha contends, is whether the pre-implanted embryo is to be considered a human being or personal property. He says the Thomas More Society is in "full agreement" with Judge Lawrence that human life begins at conception and should be protected, and that the plaintiffs have the same right to seek compensation as any other parents whose child has been killed.
© 2006 AgapePress all rights reserved.
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Iran says will help U.S. if it quits Iraq
Iran says will help U.S. if it quits Iraq
Sun Nov 26, 2006 9:45am ET
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Sunday Iran was ready to help the United States and Britain in Iraq but only if they pledged to change their attitude and withdraw their troops.
The remark comes amid growing calls for Washington to engage Iraq's neighbors, Iran and Syria, to help prevent Iraq plunging into civil war.
A senior U.S. official said this month Washington was "in principle" ready to discuss Iraq with Iran but said the timing of such talks was unclear. Ahmadinejad has previously said he would talk but only if Washington changed its behavior.
"The Iranian nation is ready to help you get out of that swamp (in Iraq) on one condition ... you should pledge to correct your attitude," Ahmadinejad said in a televised speech to a parade of the Basij religious militia.
"Go back and take your forces to behind your borders and serve your own nations," he added.
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani should make a delayed visit to Tehran on Monday to discuss Iraq after a curfew in place since a mass car bombing on Thursday was due to be lifted.
Ahmadinejad regularly condemns the U.S. occupation of Iraq and complains about U.S. bases in the region. Washington accuses Iran of seeking to foment unrest, while Iran blames the violence on the presence of U.S. troops.
The Iranian president also criticizes what he says is a hostile U.S. and British attitude to Iran, particularly over its disputed nuclear programme.
Western countries, including the United States and Britain, accuse Iran of seeking to develop atomic bombs, a charge Iran denies. It says its aim is to generate electricity.
Ahmadinejad urged countries in the region to work together to expel foreign forces from their soil.
"Let us put our hands together and expel enemies who are against humanity from our countries and our sacred lands," he said.
Iran has in the past called for a security pact between Iran and other regional states, but Gulf Arab countries, dominated by Sunni Muslims, have long been suspicious of Shi'ite Muslim Iran's intentions in the region.
© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.
Muslim barber who taught kids jihad flees U.S.
Muslim barber who taught kids jihad flees U.S.
Judge allowed him to keep passport when released prior to sentencing
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com
A Muslim who allegedly used his Seattle barber shop to teach children "how to shoot and fight the Americans" has fled to Somalia to avoid prison after he was convicted on federal counterfeiting and weapons charges.
Ruben Shumpert, a black American who converted to Islam, was among more than a dozen arrested by the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force two years ago on charges including immigration fraud and bank fraud, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported.
Shumpert was able to leave the country because a judge allowed him to keep his passport when he was released from custody prior to sentencing. A condition of Shumpert's release was that he surrender the passport prior to his sentencing, which was scheduled for Tuesday.
While he was not convicted on terrorism-related charges, federal agents allege Shumpert's barber shop was a gathering place for radical Muslims where he showed children videotapes of "fighting, shooting and killing with images on his computer screen of al-Qaida and the Taliban," the PI reported.
In court documents, the agents called his shop a kind of "anti-American training ground for Muslims."
Federal authorities have issued a warrant for the arrest of Shumpert, also known as Amir Abdul Muhaimin.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Redkey said Shumpert had been free on personal recognizance and faced sentencing under a plea agreement.
According to Redkey, Shumpert made a phone call from Somalia to an FBI agent on the Joint Terrorism Task Force from Somalia. The convict apparently has little fear of being tracked down as the African nation, considered a hotbed of radical Islam, has no extradition treaty with the U.S.
Redkey told the Seattle paper it has become more common in recent years for judges to allow defendants to turn in their passports after they are released from custody, but the U.S. Attorney's Office is reviewing the practice.
Judge allowed him to keep passport when released prior to sentencing
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com
A Muslim who allegedly used his Seattle barber shop to teach children "how to shoot and fight the Americans" has fled to Somalia to avoid prison after he was convicted on federal counterfeiting and weapons charges.
Ruben Shumpert, a black American who converted to Islam, was among more than a dozen arrested by the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force two years ago on charges including immigration fraud and bank fraud, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported.
Shumpert was able to leave the country because a judge allowed him to keep his passport when he was released from custody prior to sentencing. A condition of Shumpert's release was that he surrender the passport prior to his sentencing, which was scheduled for Tuesday.
While he was not convicted on terrorism-related charges, federal agents allege Shumpert's barber shop was a gathering place for radical Muslims where he showed children videotapes of "fighting, shooting and killing with images on his computer screen of al-Qaida and the Taliban," the PI reported.
In court documents, the agents called his shop a kind of "anti-American training ground for Muslims."
Federal authorities have issued a warrant for the arrest of Shumpert, also known as Amir Abdul Muhaimin.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Redkey said Shumpert had been free on personal recognizance and faced sentencing under a plea agreement.
According to Redkey, Shumpert made a phone call from Somalia to an FBI agent on the Joint Terrorism Task Force from Somalia. The convict apparently has little fear of being tracked down as the African nation, considered a hotbed of radical Islam, has no extradition treaty with the U.S.
Redkey told the Seattle paper it has become more common in recent years for judges to allow defendants to turn in their passports after they are released from custody, but the U.S. Attorney's Office is reviewing the practice.
Vandalized church gives gifts to suspect
Vandalized church gives gifts to suspect
© 2006 The Associated Press
MISSOULA, Mont. — Congregants of a church that was badly vandalized have collected "love baskets" full of electronics for the three suspects.
"The judge will give them consequences, but as a congregation we want to reach out and extend love and mercy to them," said Jason Reimer, a pastor at the South Hills Evangelical Church. "A lot of us, whether we're churchgoers or not, have been in their shoes before and have made some bad choices. But God forgives us."
Justin Wurth, 18, Duane Barry, 19, and Tyler Pearce, also 19, are accused of breaking into the church just before midnight Nov. 12. Police say they stole money and electronic equipment, smashed windows and computer monitors and sprayed a fire extinguisher in the church gym.
Authorities arrested them at the church and charged them with felony burglary. It was not immediately clear whether they had lawyers.
"We've collected several hundred dollars' worth of gift cards, X-Boxes and controllers, a DVD, a VCR," Reimer said. "All three young men still live with their parents or grandparents, so we hope the message will be clear."
© 2006 The Associated Press
MISSOULA, Mont. — Congregants of a church that was badly vandalized have collected "love baskets" full of electronics for the three suspects.
"The judge will give them consequences, but as a congregation we want to reach out and extend love and mercy to them," said Jason Reimer, a pastor at the South Hills Evangelical Church. "A lot of us, whether we're churchgoers or not, have been in their shoes before and have made some bad choices. But God forgives us."
Justin Wurth, 18, Duane Barry, 19, and Tyler Pearce, also 19, are accused of breaking into the church just before midnight Nov. 12. Police say they stole money and electronic equipment, smashed windows and computer monitors and sprayed a fire extinguisher in the church gym.
Authorities arrested them at the church and charged them with felony burglary. It was not immediately clear whether they had lawyers.
"We've collected several hundred dollars' worth of gift cards, X-Boxes and controllers, a DVD, a VCR," Reimer said. "All three young men still live with their parents or grandparents, so we hope the message will be clear."
Chavez vows to beat the "devil"
By Brian Ellsworth
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuela's leftist President Hugo Chavez on Sunday promised hundreds of thousands of supporters he would win a resounding victory in his December 3 reelection bid he describes as a challenge to Washington.
The former soldier and self-styled revolutionary is favored in the polls to beat rival Manuel Rosales after building a solid political base through a social development campaign financed by oil revenues.
Chavez supporters flooded Caracas thoroughfares waving flags and banners, congregating in different parts of the downtown a day after Rosales sympathizers held a similar march to close his campaign in the capital city.
"We are confronting the devil, and we will hit a home run off the devil next Sunday," said Chavez, who ruffled feathers in October by calling President Bush the devil in remarks at the United Nations.
"On December 3 we're going to defeat the most powerful empire on earth by knockout," Chavez said.
Donning red like most of his supporters, Chavez delivered a two-hour speech marked by his signature combination of fiery leftist rhetoric and crowd antics typical of pop music concerts.
He spent nearly ten minutes trying to see which of four groups of demonstrators could cheer louder -- then told them all to be quiet.
"Whoever talks first will turn into a donkey," he thundered, only to break into his unmistakable giggle.
Following his speech, Chavez drove through the packed Avenida Bolivar standing atop a campaign vehicle, dancing to political jingles and occasionally reaching into the crowd to shake hands with supporters.
POLARIZED SOCIETY
The weekend, with massive government and opposition rallies choking the capital's streets, reflected the country's political polarization.
In the opposition stronghold of Altamira, Chavez supporters on their way to the march leaned out of windows waving posters of their "Comandante," and screamed "Viva Chavez."
Residents in expensive sports-utility vehicles honked their horns in protest and shouted the opposition slogan "Dare."
But a street cleaner and parking attendant held up their hands and spread their fingers, a symbol of Chavez's goal of sweeping 10 million of Venezuela's 16 million voters.
The demonstrations themselves were also markedly different, with Chavez's joking spontaneity contrasting with Rosales' emotional but stern and unsmiling appearance in the opposition's Saturday march.
Rosales in August united a fractured opposition movement that failed to oust Chavez through a botched coup and a grueling two-month oil strike in 2002 and a failed recall referendum in 2004.
Most polls give Chavez a wide lead, with one AP-Ipsos poll showing Chavez sweeping 59 percent of likely voters compared to only 27 percent for Rosales, who points to opposition-linked polls that show the race much tighter.
First elected in 1998, Chavez, a close ally of Cuba's Fidel Castro, has galvanized the nation's poor with promises of a revolution. But he has sparked outcries among middle class critics who call him an authoritarian.
The State Department describes him as a menace to regional democracy, though Venezuela remains the fourth-largest exporter of oil to the United States.
(Additional reporting by Saul Hudson)
© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuela's leftist President Hugo Chavez on Sunday promised hundreds of thousands of supporters he would win a resounding victory in his December 3 reelection bid he describes as a challenge to Washington.
The former soldier and self-styled revolutionary is favored in the polls to beat rival Manuel Rosales after building a solid political base through a social development campaign financed by oil revenues.
Chavez supporters flooded Caracas thoroughfares waving flags and banners, congregating in different parts of the downtown a day after Rosales sympathizers held a similar march to close his campaign in the capital city.
"We are confronting the devil, and we will hit a home run off the devil next Sunday," said Chavez, who ruffled feathers in October by calling President Bush the devil in remarks at the United Nations.
"On December 3 we're going to defeat the most powerful empire on earth by knockout," Chavez said.
Donning red like most of his supporters, Chavez delivered a two-hour speech marked by his signature combination of fiery leftist rhetoric and crowd antics typical of pop music concerts.
He spent nearly ten minutes trying to see which of four groups of demonstrators could cheer louder -- then told them all to be quiet.
"Whoever talks first will turn into a donkey," he thundered, only to break into his unmistakable giggle.
Following his speech, Chavez drove through the packed Avenida Bolivar standing atop a campaign vehicle, dancing to political jingles and occasionally reaching into the crowd to shake hands with supporters.
POLARIZED SOCIETY
The weekend, with massive government and opposition rallies choking the capital's streets, reflected the country's political polarization.
In the opposition stronghold of Altamira, Chavez supporters on their way to the march leaned out of windows waving posters of their "Comandante," and screamed "Viva Chavez."
Residents in expensive sports-utility vehicles honked their horns in protest and shouted the opposition slogan "Dare."
But a street cleaner and parking attendant held up their hands and spread their fingers, a symbol of Chavez's goal of sweeping 10 million of Venezuela's 16 million voters.
The demonstrations themselves were also markedly different, with Chavez's joking spontaneity contrasting with Rosales' emotional but stern and unsmiling appearance in the opposition's Saturday march.
Rosales in August united a fractured opposition movement that failed to oust Chavez through a botched coup and a grueling two-month oil strike in 2002 and a failed recall referendum in 2004.
Most polls give Chavez a wide lead, with one AP-Ipsos poll showing Chavez sweeping 59 percent of likely voters compared to only 27 percent for Rosales, who points to opposition-linked polls that show the race much tighter.
First elected in 1998, Chavez, a close ally of Cuba's Fidel Castro, has galvanized the nation's poor with promises of a revolution. But he has sparked outcries among middle class critics who call him an authoritarian.
The State Department describes him as a menace to regional democracy, though Venezuela remains the fourth-largest exporter of oil to the United States.
(Additional reporting by Saul Hudson)
© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.
Christian Organisations Call on Blair to Tackle Worldwide Persecution
Christian Organisations Call on Blair to Tackle Worldwide Persecution
A host of leading Christian and religious organisations have signed a joint letter to Prime Minister Tony Blair to tackle issues of persecution on a global scale.
by Daniel Blake
A host of leading Christian and religious organisations have signed a joint letter to Prime Minister Tony Blair to tackle issues of persecution on a global scale.
The joint letter to Blair marks the 25th Anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Elimination of all Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion and Belief on 25th November 2006.
In it the Christians call for a cross-departmental strategy for tackling religious persecution worldwide.
The letter, signed by 24 UK-based religious leaders and faith-based organisations from different traditions, highlights “the violations of religious freedom that are taking place worldwide and outlines fifteen recommendations to the government on ways to assist in countering violations of religious freedom”, explained Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), a human rights group that has backed the letter.
The recommendations include:
1) To appoint an envoy for religious freedom to investigate cases of religious persecution and prepare briefings for relevant government departments and parliamentary committees.
2) To require British Embassies and High Commissions to prepare an annual report on the state of local equality and tolerance, including freedom of religion and belief.
3) To train Foreign Office and Home Office Case Officers (and others where appropriate, such as in the Research Directorate), to ensure promotion of the right to freedom of religion and belief, accurate reporting of religious persecution, and the provision of relief and asylum for victims of religious persecution.
4) To support peace and reconciliation initiatives designed to counter religious hatred and promote understanding.
CSW’s Advocacy Director, Tina Lambert, said: “Twenty five years after the adoption of this UN declaration, the international promotion of the elimination of religious intolerance and discrimination still lags far behind mechanisms adopted in other areas of human rights, such as the elimination of racial discrimination.
“It is time the international community recognises the need to commit to ensuring the implementation of this declaration.
“In the worldwide Church, some estimate that upwards of 250 million people are suffering as a result of their faith, with Christians being harassed, attacked, imprisoned, tortured and even killed for their choice of faith. UN instruments clearly indicate that it is a basic human right to adopt and practice a religion or belief.”
Lambert concluded: “On the anniversary of this UN declaration, we hope that those who still suffer so much for exercising this right will be remembered. Through this letter to the UK government, we a calling for a more proactive stance in promoting religious freedom worldwide.”
A host of leading Christian and religious organisations have signed a joint letter to Prime Minister Tony Blair to tackle issues of persecution on a global scale.
by Daniel Blake
A host of leading Christian and religious organisations have signed a joint letter to Prime Minister Tony Blair to tackle issues of persecution on a global scale.
The joint letter to Blair marks the 25th Anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Elimination of all Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion and Belief on 25th November 2006.
In it the Christians call for a cross-departmental strategy for tackling religious persecution worldwide.
The letter, signed by 24 UK-based religious leaders and faith-based organisations from different traditions, highlights “the violations of religious freedom that are taking place worldwide and outlines fifteen recommendations to the government on ways to assist in countering violations of religious freedom”, explained Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), a human rights group that has backed the letter.
The recommendations include:
1) To appoint an envoy for religious freedom to investigate cases of religious persecution and prepare briefings for relevant government departments and parliamentary committees.
2) To require British Embassies and High Commissions to prepare an annual report on the state of local equality and tolerance, including freedom of religion and belief.
3) To train Foreign Office and Home Office Case Officers (and others where appropriate, such as in the Research Directorate), to ensure promotion of the right to freedom of religion and belief, accurate reporting of religious persecution, and the provision of relief and asylum for victims of religious persecution.
4) To support peace and reconciliation initiatives designed to counter religious hatred and promote understanding.
CSW’s Advocacy Director, Tina Lambert, said: “Twenty five years after the adoption of this UN declaration, the international promotion of the elimination of religious intolerance and discrimination still lags far behind mechanisms adopted in other areas of human rights, such as the elimination of racial discrimination.
“It is time the international community recognises the need to commit to ensuring the implementation of this declaration.
“In the worldwide Church, some estimate that upwards of 250 million people are suffering as a result of their faith, with Christians being harassed, attacked, imprisoned, tortured and even killed for their choice of faith. UN instruments clearly indicate that it is a basic human right to adopt and practice a religion or belief.”
Lambert concluded: “On the anniversary of this UN declaration, we hope that those who still suffer so much for exercising this right will be remembered. Through this letter to the UK government, we a calling for a more proactive stance in promoting religious freedom worldwide.”
Ecumenical Christian Delegation Concludes Historic Visit to China
Ecumenical Christian Delegation Concludes Historic Visit to China
by Jennifer Gold
Posted: Saturday, November 25, 2006, 7:28 (GMT)
The World Council of Churches’ General Secretary, Rev Dr Samuel Kobia, has concluded his tour of China on 22 November 2006.
World Council of Churches (WCC) General Secretary, Rev Samuel Kobia, has led an ecumenical delegation on a China tour, which ended 22 November 2006.(WCC)
Leading an ecumenical delegation, Kobia publicly affirmed that, “it is in the best interests of the government to actually expand the space for the practice of religion”.
The WCC general secretary said he had been impressed by the way in which Christian communities are growing in the country, and by the enabling and safe environment in which Christians practice their faith.
He encouraged the government to ensure wider participation and involvement of religious people in efforts to bring about the Chinese vision of a “harmonious society”.
“It would be detrimental to the government if it is not seen to be providing freedom of religion,” he said.
“If China wants to be the kind of global player that it is clearly becoming, then there are norms and standards" in terms of religious freedom "which will be expected of its government, and I think they are aware of this,” he said.
On 22 November, Kobia and members of an ecumenical delegation visited the Dong Zhou Children's Village in San Yuan County, Shaanxi Province.
They spent time with 29 children under the age of 14 whose parents are in prison, or were executed or unable to meet their basic needs. “Although the parents of these children paid for their own crimes, their children are innocent,” an official told the delegation.
The Village, which is supported by the Amity Foundation, the Shaanxi Christian Council and the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA), aims to provide a healthy environment and protect the children from becoming child labourers, garbage collectors, street children or from falling into illegal activities.
The official praised the role played by Christians in supporting the Village in order to help “these children who should have lived a life like those growing up happily with their families”.
“Love, education and hope are the three words that characterise what I have seen here,” Kobia told the staff and supporters of the Village.
“This project was born out of an active, practical love. And when the children feel loved and have been given education and training here, then they have hope for the future. There is no better gift that this community can give to these children than hope,” Kobia said.
The delegation was moved by the response of a 9-year-old girl who expressed gratitude on behalf of the children.
On the previous day, Kobia visited the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and addressed a group of scholars.
Dr Zhuo Xinping, and other scholars affiliated with the Academy, who focus their research on a wide variety of specialisations within Christianity, engaged in dialogue with Kobia and members of the delegation.
The WCC general secretary presented an overview of the changing landscape of Christianity today.
The ecumenical delegation accompanying the WCC general secretary on his visit 15 to 22 November to China was composed of Rev Dr Tyrone Pitts (WCC central committee member, general secretary of the Progressive National Baptist Convention, USA); Rev Dr Seong-Won Park (WCC central committee member, from the Presbyterian Church of Korea, South Korea); Rev Fr Gabriel Papanicolaou (ecumenical officer of the Church of Greece), Dr Mathews George Chunakara, (WCC Asia secretary) and, as consultants, Dr Monika Gaenssbauer (director of the China Study Project of the Protestant churches and mission agencies in Germany) and Rev Deborah DeWinter (WCC programme executive for the United States).
by Jennifer Gold
Posted: Saturday, November 25, 2006, 7:28 (GMT)
The World Council of Churches’ General Secretary, Rev Dr Samuel Kobia, has concluded his tour of China on 22 November 2006.
World Council of Churches (WCC) General Secretary, Rev Samuel Kobia, has led an ecumenical delegation on a China tour, which ended 22 November 2006.(WCC)
Leading an ecumenical delegation, Kobia publicly affirmed that, “it is in the best interests of the government to actually expand the space for the practice of religion”.
The WCC general secretary said he had been impressed by the way in which Christian communities are growing in the country, and by the enabling and safe environment in which Christians practice their faith.
He encouraged the government to ensure wider participation and involvement of religious people in efforts to bring about the Chinese vision of a “harmonious society”.
“It would be detrimental to the government if it is not seen to be providing freedom of religion,” he said.
“If China wants to be the kind of global player that it is clearly becoming, then there are norms and standards" in terms of religious freedom "which will be expected of its government, and I think they are aware of this,” he said.
On 22 November, Kobia and members of an ecumenical delegation visited the Dong Zhou Children's Village in San Yuan County, Shaanxi Province.
They spent time with 29 children under the age of 14 whose parents are in prison, or were executed or unable to meet their basic needs. “Although the parents of these children paid for their own crimes, their children are innocent,” an official told the delegation.
The Village, which is supported by the Amity Foundation, the Shaanxi Christian Council and the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA), aims to provide a healthy environment and protect the children from becoming child labourers, garbage collectors, street children or from falling into illegal activities.
The official praised the role played by Christians in supporting the Village in order to help “these children who should have lived a life like those growing up happily with their families”.
“Love, education and hope are the three words that characterise what I have seen here,” Kobia told the staff and supporters of the Village.
“This project was born out of an active, practical love. And when the children feel loved and have been given education and training here, then they have hope for the future. There is no better gift that this community can give to these children than hope,” Kobia said.
The delegation was moved by the response of a 9-year-old girl who expressed gratitude on behalf of the children.
On the previous day, Kobia visited the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and addressed a group of scholars.
Dr Zhuo Xinping, and other scholars affiliated with the Academy, who focus their research on a wide variety of specialisations within Christianity, engaged in dialogue with Kobia and members of the delegation.
The WCC general secretary presented an overview of the changing landscape of Christianity today.
The ecumenical delegation accompanying the WCC general secretary on his visit 15 to 22 November to China was composed of Rev Dr Tyrone Pitts (WCC central committee member, general secretary of the Progressive National Baptist Convention, USA); Rev Dr Seong-Won Park (WCC central committee member, from the Presbyterian Church of Korea, South Korea); Rev Fr Gabriel Papanicolaou (ecumenical officer of the Church of Greece), Dr Mathews George Chunakara, (WCC Asia secretary) and, as consultants, Dr Monika Gaenssbauer (director of the China Study Project of the Protestant churches and mission agencies in Germany) and Rev Deborah DeWinter (WCC programme executive for the United States).
PETA Mistakenly Targets Alaska Church Over Nativity Scene
PETA Mistakenly Targets Alaska Church Over Nativity Scene
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The pastor at Anchorage First Free Methodist Church was mystified.
Why was the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals chastising his church?
No animals are harmed in the making of the church's holiday nativity display. In fact, animals aren't used at all.
People, however, do dress the parts — Mary, Joseph, wise men, etc. The volunteers stand shivering at a manger on the church lawn, a silent tribute to Christmas.
The Rev. Jason Armstrong was confused by an e-mail earlier this week from PETA. It admonished him for subjecting animals "to cruel treatment and danger," by forcing them into roles in the church's annual manger scene.
"We've never had live animals, so I just figured this was some spam thing," Armstrong said. "It's rough enough on us people standing out there in the cold. So we're definitely not using animals."
Jackie Vergerio, PETA's captive animals in entertainment specialist, said her organization tracks churches nationwide that use real animals in "living nativity scenes."
Seems the confusion started with the church's choice of phrase. PETA flagged Free Methodist's display as a "living nativity," and indeed, that's how the church describes it on its Web site.
To PETA, that means animals.
"Those animals are subject to all sorts of terrible fates in some cases," Vergerio said. "Animals have been stolen and slaughtered, they've been raped, they've escaped from the nativity scenes and have been struck by cars and killed. Just really unfathomable things have happened to them."
In the letter to Armstrong, Vergerio shared some sad fates of previous nativity animals — like Brighty the donkey, snatched from a nativity scene in Virginia and beaten by three young men. Ernie the camel fled a creche in Maryland but was struck and killed by a car. Two sheep and a donkey had to be euthanized after a dog mauling at a manger scene in Virginia.
Free Methodist's display is totally peaceful, Armstrong said. The congregation erects the stable. They spread some straw and don costumes. Some may dress as manger animals.
"We have some puppet camel things we put out," Armstrong said. "We have a cow hood thing that a person will wear that actually just looks spooky."
The volunteers stand beneath a brightly lit electric star, as Christmas music fills the frosty air. They don't even speak. Consider it a meditative tribute to the holiday season.
"A lot of folks will think we're plastic statues till one of us moves," Armstrong said.
The scene usually unfolds for a few nights during the week before Christmas. Sometimes people stroll by, or troll past in vehicles to observe.
"No one's come by protesting or thrown bloodstained fur at us or anything," Armstrong said. "We even use a plastic baby."
© Associated Press. All rights reserved.
© 2006 FOX News Network.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The pastor at Anchorage First Free Methodist Church was mystified.
Why was the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals chastising his church?
No animals are harmed in the making of the church's holiday nativity display. In fact, animals aren't used at all.
People, however, do dress the parts — Mary, Joseph, wise men, etc. The volunteers stand shivering at a manger on the church lawn, a silent tribute to Christmas.
The Rev. Jason Armstrong was confused by an e-mail earlier this week from PETA. It admonished him for subjecting animals "to cruel treatment and danger," by forcing them into roles in the church's annual manger scene.
"We've never had live animals, so I just figured this was some spam thing," Armstrong said. "It's rough enough on us people standing out there in the cold. So we're definitely not using animals."
Jackie Vergerio, PETA's captive animals in entertainment specialist, said her organization tracks churches nationwide that use real animals in "living nativity scenes."
Seems the confusion started with the church's choice of phrase. PETA flagged Free Methodist's display as a "living nativity," and indeed, that's how the church describes it on its Web site.
To PETA, that means animals.
"Those animals are subject to all sorts of terrible fates in some cases," Vergerio said. "Animals have been stolen and slaughtered, they've been raped, they've escaped from the nativity scenes and have been struck by cars and killed. Just really unfathomable things have happened to them."
In the letter to Armstrong, Vergerio shared some sad fates of previous nativity animals — like Brighty the donkey, snatched from a nativity scene in Virginia and beaten by three young men. Ernie the camel fled a creche in Maryland but was struck and killed by a car. Two sheep and a donkey had to be euthanized after a dog mauling at a manger scene in Virginia.
Free Methodist's display is totally peaceful, Armstrong said. The congregation erects the stable. They spread some straw and don costumes. Some may dress as manger animals.
"We have some puppet camel things we put out," Armstrong said. "We have a cow hood thing that a person will wear that actually just looks spooky."
The volunteers stand beneath a brightly lit electric star, as Christmas music fills the frosty air. They don't even speak. Consider it a meditative tribute to the holiday season.
"A lot of folks will think we're plastic statues till one of us moves," Armstrong said.
The scene usually unfolds for a few nights during the week before Christmas. Sometimes people stroll by, or troll past in vehicles to observe.
"No one's come by protesting or thrown bloodstained fur at us or anything," Armstrong said. "We even use a plastic baby."
© Associated Press. All rights reserved.
© 2006 FOX News Network.
Nablus: Explosive teddy bears found in lab
Nablus: Explosive teddy bears found in lab
Joint paratrooper, Shin Bet force uncovers explosives lab in West Bank city, finds toys with wires hanging from them, apparently slated to be used as deadly explosives
Efrat Weiss Published: 11.25.06, 14:51
A joint paratrooper and Shin Bet force uncovered an explosive lab in Nablus Friday night. In the lab, the forces found teddy bears with wires hanging from them, apparently slated to be used as explosive devices.
The lab was detonated in a controlled manner, and there were no reports of injuries.
The forces also found in the explosives lab three belts made from cloth, ready to contain explosives, a hollow coat used for hiding explosives, and 20 light bulbs and light sockets used for activating explosives.
Test tubes, a hollow gas tank, hollow pipes, batteries, 40 liters of hydrogen peroxide and ohms were also found in the lab.
Since the beginning of the year, Israel Defense Forces soldiers operating in Nablus hit 41 gunmen who were planning, according to the defense establishment, to hit IDF troops or Israeli citizens.
Some 320 wanted terror suspects were arrested in the West Bank city and its surroundings since the beginning of the year, most of them affiliated with Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Fatah and Hamas.
At the beginning of the year, another explosives lab was uncovered in the city's casba. The forces located the lab in an abandoned building after receiving intelligence.
Captain Assaf Cabra, a company commander at the Haruv battalion, addressed the operation at the time: "We launched a regimental operation in Nablus, which included searches, seizing weapons and arrests. We uncovered the explosive lab in the casba, which contained between 40 to 50 kilograms (88 to 110 pounds) of explosives for preparing explosive devices."
The defense establishment reported that the terror organizations were working with greater vigor to carry out terror attacks from the city, and in the past months many explosive belts were captured in the area and gunmen were arrested on their way to carry out attacks in Israel .
Copyright © Yedioth Internet. All rights reserved.
Joint paratrooper, Shin Bet force uncovers explosives lab in West Bank city, finds toys with wires hanging from them, apparently slated to be used as deadly explosives
Efrat Weiss Published: 11.25.06, 14:51
A joint paratrooper and Shin Bet force uncovered an explosive lab in Nablus Friday night. In the lab, the forces found teddy bears with wires hanging from them, apparently slated to be used as explosive devices.
The lab was detonated in a controlled manner, and there were no reports of injuries.
The forces also found in the explosives lab three belts made from cloth, ready to contain explosives, a hollow coat used for hiding explosives, and 20 light bulbs and light sockets used for activating explosives.
Test tubes, a hollow gas tank, hollow pipes, batteries, 40 liters of hydrogen peroxide and ohms were also found in the lab.
Since the beginning of the year, Israel Defense Forces soldiers operating in Nablus hit 41 gunmen who were planning, according to the defense establishment, to hit IDF troops or Israeli citizens.
Some 320 wanted terror suspects were arrested in the West Bank city and its surroundings since the beginning of the year, most of them affiliated with Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Fatah and Hamas.
At the beginning of the year, another explosives lab was uncovered in the city's casba. The forces located the lab in an abandoned building after receiving intelligence.
Captain Assaf Cabra, a company commander at the Haruv battalion, addressed the operation at the time: "We launched a regimental operation in Nablus, which included searches, seizing weapons and arrests. We uncovered the explosive lab in the casba, which contained between 40 to 50 kilograms (88 to 110 pounds) of explosives for preparing explosive devices."
The defense establishment reported that the terror organizations were working with greater vigor to carry out terror attacks from the city, and in the past months many explosive belts were captured in the area and gunmen were arrested on their way to carry out attacks in Israel .
Copyright © Yedioth Internet. All rights reserved.
'Gutless' publisher nixes bookover fears of Islamic sensitivity
'Gutless' publisher nixes bookover fears of Islamic sensitivity
Thriller dumped after booksellers, librarians refused to stock novel with Muslim bad guy
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com
Award-winning author John Dale's latest novel is a gripping, page-turner of a thriller by all accounts, but it won't be in stores soon because his publisher has dumped the novel after booksellers and librarians said they wouldn't carry it because the "baddie" was a Muslim terrorist.
Dale, an Australian writer, was commissioned in March 2004 by Scholastic Australia, a leading children's publisher to write a "tough, snappy thriller," that would cause their young readers to "break out in sweats and their eyes to bulge without giving them actual nightmares."
The result was "Army of the Pure," a book Dale described to the Australian as a contemporary action adventure written to appeal to his own son, "a book he could not put down."
The novel tells the story of four children pursued by Afghan terrorists after they discover a plot to blow up a nuclear reactor in a Sydney suburb.
Scholastic was pleased with the book, calling it a "gripping page-turner" and Dale's writing "almost flawless."
But that was before the marketing department had its say.
The company surveyed "a broad range of booksellers and library suppliers" about carrying the new book and were met with concerns over its featuring of a Muslim terrorist.
"They all said they would not stock it," said Andrew Berkhut, Scholastic's general manager, "and the reality is if the gatekeepers won't support it, it can't be published."
The "gatekeepers," however, had no problem with terrorists in two recent Australian bestsellers. Richard Flanagan's "The Unknown Terrorist" and Andrew McGahan's "Underground" portray terrorists as victims who were driven to violence by the West.
McGahan's "Underground" has Muslims executed en masse or herded into ghettos as the war on terror twists Australia into an unrecognizable society.
Flanagan, who describes Jesus Christ as "history's first ... suicide bomber," dedicated his book to David Hicks, an Australian currently detained at Guantanamo after being captured fighting with the Taliban.
In a 2004 documentary, Hicks' father read excerpts of his son's letters, written before the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, in which he said that he was training in Pakistan and Afghanistan to ensure "the Western-Jewish domination is finished, so we live under Muslim law again," and warns his father to ignore "the Jews' propaganda war machine."
Dale's not happy with any of the gatekeepers, his publisher included.
"There are no guns, no bad language, no sex, no drugs, no violence that is seen or on the page," Dale told the Australian, "but because two characters are Arabic-speaking and the plot involves a mujahideen extremist group, Scholastic's decision is based "100 percent (on) the Muslim issue."
Scholastic's decision was "disturbing because it's the book's content they are censoring," he said.
"A gutless" publishing decision, added Lyn Tranter, Dale's agent. "I am appalled that this is censorship by salesmen."
In addition to being an author, Dale is director of the Center for New Writing at the University of Technology in New South Wales.
Thriller dumped after booksellers, librarians refused to stock novel with Muslim bad guy
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com
Award-winning author John Dale's latest novel is a gripping, page-turner of a thriller by all accounts, but it won't be in stores soon because his publisher has dumped the novel after booksellers and librarians said they wouldn't carry it because the "baddie" was a Muslim terrorist.
Dale, an Australian writer, was commissioned in March 2004 by Scholastic Australia, a leading children's publisher to write a "tough, snappy thriller," that would cause their young readers to "break out in sweats and their eyes to bulge without giving them actual nightmares."
The result was "Army of the Pure," a book Dale described to the Australian as a contemporary action adventure written to appeal to his own son, "a book he could not put down."
The novel tells the story of four children pursued by Afghan terrorists after they discover a plot to blow up a nuclear reactor in a Sydney suburb.
Scholastic was pleased with the book, calling it a "gripping page-turner" and Dale's writing "almost flawless."
But that was before the marketing department had its say.
The company surveyed "a broad range of booksellers and library suppliers" about carrying the new book and were met with concerns over its featuring of a Muslim terrorist.
"They all said they would not stock it," said Andrew Berkhut, Scholastic's general manager, "and the reality is if the gatekeepers won't support it, it can't be published."
The "gatekeepers," however, had no problem with terrorists in two recent Australian bestsellers. Richard Flanagan's "The Unknown Terrorist" and Andrew McGahan's "Underground" portray terrorists as victims who were driven to violence by the West.
McGahan's "Underground" has Muslims executed en masse or herded into ghettos as the war on terror twists Australia into an unrecognizable society.
Flanagan, who describes Jesus Christ as "history's first ... suicide bomber," dedicated his book to David Hicks, an Australian currently detained at Guantanamo after being captured fighting with the Taliban.
In a 2004 documentary, Hicks' father read excerpts of his son's letters, written before the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, in which he said that he was training in Pakistan and Afghanistan to ensure "the Western-Jewish domination is finished, so we live under Muslim law again," and warns his father to ignore "the Jews' propaganda war machine."
Dale's not happy with any of the gatekeepers, his publisher included.
"There are no guns, no bad language, no sex, no drugs, no violence that is seen or on the page," Dale told the Australian, "but because two characters are Arabic-speaking and the plot involves a mujahideen extremist group, Scholastic's decision is based "100 percent (on) the Muslim issue."
Scholastic's decision was "disturbing because it's the book's content they are censoring," he said.
"A gutless" publishing decision, added Lyn Tranter, Dale's agent. "I am appalled that this is censorship by salesmen."
In addition to being an author, Dale is director of the Center for New Writing at the University of Technology in New South Wales.
Friday, November 24, 2006
Russia begins rocket deliveries to Iran
Russian rocket deliveries to Iran started
Nov 24 8:45 AM US/Eastern
--Agence France-Presse
Copyright AFP 2005
Russia has begun deliveries of the Tor-M1 air defence rocket system to Iran, Russian news agencies quoted military industry sources as saying, in the latest sign of a Russian-US rift over Iran.
"Deliveries of the Tor-M1 have begun. The first systems have already been delivered to Tehran," ITAR-TASS quoted an unnamed, high-ranking source as saying Friday.
The United States has pressed Russia to halt military sales to Iran, which Washington accuses of harbouring secret plans to build a nuclear weapon.
Moscow has consistently defended its weapons trade with Iran. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said the contract for 29 rocket systems, signed in December last year, was legitimate because the Tor-M1 has a purely defensive role.
ITAR-TASS reported that the rockets were to be deployed around Iran's nuclear sites, including the still incomplete, Russian-built atomic power station at Bushehr.
In August, Washington announced sanctions against several companies, including Russian arms exporter Rosoboronexport, for supplying technology to Iran that could allegedly be used to develop missile technology and weapons of mass destruction.
Under the sanctions no US company can deal with foreign companies on the sanctions list for two years.
A spokesman for Rosoboronexport contacted by AFP would not confirm or deny the reports about the Tor-M1 delivery, which were also issued by the Interfax news agency.
The Tor-M1 is a low to medium-altitude missile fired from a tracked vehicle against airplanes, helicopters and other airborne targets.
The news came as the UN Security Council continued to consider possible sanctions against Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile activity in response to the Islamic republic's suspect nuclear programme.
The major powers have been debating a draft resolution drawn up by Britain, France and Germany that would impose limited sanctions on Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile sectors for Tehran's failure to comply with an earlier UN resolution on halting enrichment.
China and Russia, both close economic partners with Iran, argue the measures are too extensive, while Washington has pressed for tougher action.
'Hi, my name is Ahmed and I want to be a suicide bomber'
FROM WND'S JERUSALEM BUREAU
'Hi, my name is Ahmed and I want to be a suicide bomber'
Recruited attacker for terror group talks to WND about 'serving Allah by blasting unbelievers to hell'
Posted: November 24, 2006 1:00 a.m. Eastern
By Aaron Klein
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com
JENIN – WND was granted access through the Islamic Jihad terror group to a 23-year old Palestinian man who has volunteered to become a suicide bomber and who the organization says has "great potential" to carry out one of the next attempted suicide attacks against Israeli civilians.
According to Islamic Jihad leaders, the potential bomber interviewed is one of over "hundreds" of young Palestinians in the northern West Bank who passed necessary recruitment stages and is available to attempt to infiltrate Jewish population centers wearing an explosive belt with the goal of blowing up as many Israelis as possible.
The interview took place in a remote building in the northern West Bank city of Jenin, a well-known Islamic Jihad stronghold from which the majority of recent Palestinian suicide bombers have originated.
The Islamic Jihad terror group has taken responsibility for every suicide attack inside Israel the past two years, including a bombing in Tel Aviv in April that killed American teenager Daniel Wultz and nine Israelis. Islamic Jihad also has carried out scores of recent deadly shootings and rocket attacks against Israeli civilians.
Islamic Jihad leaders allowed WND to interview the potential suicide bomber in a room together with his recruiter, who is a senior member of the terror group.
Both the recruiter and potential bomber were aware WND's reporter is Jewish.
The recruiter several times ordered the want-to-be bomber to refrain from answering certain questions during the interview, which was conducted using an English-Arabic translator.
The potential bomber's face was not covered during the interview, but he was told by the Islamic Jihad recruiter not to provide his name or extensive biographical information.
Following are excerpts from WND's conversation with the potential bomber, which includes topics such as the supposed reward of 72 dark-eyed virgins for carrying out an attack; the belief among some Muslims that Jews descended from pigs and monkeys; and the potential suicide bomber's desire to kill WND's reporter in a suicide operation.
'I pray Allah makes me dead in a (suicide) operation'
WND: Tell me about your life and what you do with your free time.
BOMBER: I study at a West Bank university and I have great hopes of getting married within the next couple of months. My life is very normal. I watch television, particularly news, and historical and religious programs. From time to time I play soccer and lift weights.
WND: Is your family poor?
BOMBER: No. We are regular but far from being wealthy. I share my bedroom with my brothers but now there is less pressure because last summer one of my brothers was married and moved to live outside.
WND: Why do you want to become a suicide bomber?
BOMBER: I originally decided to become a martyr after I saw what the Israeli army did in the refugee camp of Jenin in the big military campaign of April, 2002.
But this idea became stronger when I understood what status I will have in heaven if I scarify myself for Allah. Every time somebody else dies as a martyr in a suicide bomb attack, I pray for him but I feel jealous. I want to be where he is now and I pray that Allah will one day offer me this occasion and this honor.
[Editor's note: The potential bomber was referring to an Israeli anti-terror raid in his hometown of Jenin in 2002 in which Palestinian leaders accused the Jewish state of a "massacre," claiming the Israeli Defense Forces killed over 500 Palestinian civilians, including many women and children.
It was later determined 56 Palestinians, mostly gunmen, were killed in the raid, which followed a series of deadly suicide attacks inside Israel that were reportedly planned and directed from the terror infrastructure in Jenin. Twenty-three Israeli soldiers died in the Jenin battle, in which IDF troops conducted house-to-house searches to minimize civilian casualties by avoiding air attacks.]
WND: Is your main motivation for becoming a bomber is to serve Allah?
BOMBER: Yes, of course. Allah gave Muslims the possibility to gain their prize and payment in different ways. There are those (Muslims) who pray and fast only and respect Allah's commandments, and there are those who wish a higher prize. And the highest prize is given to those who scarify themselves, their lives, their bodies and everything in this world.
WND: What you are saying is interesting because a lot of academics in the United States and many of my colleagues in the media claim Palestinians become suicide bombers because they are poor and desperate and because of so-called Israeli occupation. Are you telling me these are not the reasons you want to blow yourself up amongst Israelis?
BOMBER: The will to scarify myself for Allah is the first and most major reason. It is true that the Zionists are occupying our lands and that it is our religious duty to fight them, including through suicide attacks. The goal is not the killing of the Jews, but that this is the way to reach Allah.
The goal is satisfying Allah and his instructions. No money interests, nothing. No brainwash, no pressure; it is my decision. All the other lies are pathetic Israeli propaganda.
I pray that Allah gives me the honor to be dead in an operation. This is the supreme and the noblest way to ascend to Allah.
These martyrs have special status in the next world and have bigger chances to watch Allah's face and enjoy the magnificent pleasures he offers us.
'It is our duty to fight Jews but our goal is to please Allah'
WND: Did I hear you say your goal is not to kill Jews? Isn't that exactly what you will do as a suicide bomber?
BOMBER: Maybe the fact that I was born here has sharpened my religious conscience, but I believe that even if I was in Chechnya, in Iraq, Afghanistan on anywhere else I would want to be a martyr.
It is Allah's satisfaction that is important to me no matter where I live. But as we live in this part of the world the way to reach Allah for me is through fighting the Zionist enemy. It is the jihad, the sacrificing that is important.
WND: These cliches are impressive but I know you are aware that you are speaking to a Jew. Perhaps you are telling me what I want to hear. Tell me the truth. You want to kill Jews, don't you?
BOMBER: We were never taught to hate Jews but to hate the occupation of the Zionists to our Islamic land that the Zionist entity with the conspiracy of the world has stolen and occupied. Jews can have their state but not on our lands and until this goal is achieved every Muslim must fight this entity.
The Jews stole this holy Islamic land and we must fight them, but I am looking to receive what waits for me in the next world.
'Enjoy your tea and our hospitality before I send you to hell.'
WND: You talk about fighting them, the Jews. I'm an American Jew. Do you want to kill me?
BOMBER: You are here and nobody hurts you and nobody thinks to do so. But if, unfortunately for you, if you will be in a place where my (suicide) operation will take place, I will not feel sorrow.
You American Jews are fully partners with the Zionists and even more dangerous than the Israelis because of the international support you give to the Israelis in their massacres against our people and the maintenance of the occupation.
WND: So if after today's meeting you saw me in a cafe in Jerusalem that you were sent to attack, you'd still try to blow it up?
BOMBER: At the moment there will not be a place for feelings and hesitations. If I go in an operation it means that I decided to leave behind my loved ones – my mother, my father, brothers and sisters, all my family and my friends. And if I am capable of this I would not give you a break just because we met for one time.
Meanwhile and before I drive you to hell in an operation, enjoy your tea and our hospitality.
(Laughing).
'And Allah shouted: Be pigs and monkeys'
WND: Many programs on Palestinian television have been teaching viewers Jews are descended from pigs and monkeys and that we use Palestinian and Christian blood to bake our Passover matzos. Is this what you believe?
BOMBER: I know where this question comes from. You think that we all are naive or bad from birth or that we were exposed to brainwashing. We just follow what we are demanded in the Quran to do because if we do not do so we will be attacked, occupied, controlled and killed by these enemies of Islam.
WND: You didn't answer my question. Do you believe I come from pigs and monkeys?
BOMBER: The Quran tells us that Allah was upset with the Jews because of their negative behavior towards Moses and Allah's commandments and Allah shouted to the Jews, 'Be pigs and monkeys.'
I don't know if physically Allah turned them to pigs and monkeys, or it was a way to tell them that they are as terrible as pigs and monkeys. The most important thing is that this is what Allah, may he be blessed, thinks that the Jews deserve to be.
I don't know about the Passover matzo but I know the Jews are the nation who was known for killing Allah's prophets and the nation that in our days wants to control the world or at least this part of the world, from the Nile to the Euphrates.
Meanwhile they (Jews) are controlling the U.S., its media, its financial system and its administration.
'You'll go to hell while 72 dark-eyed virgins await me in paradise.'
WND: When you mentioned before the pleasures that await you after a suicide bombing, I assume you were referring to the 72 dark-eyed virgins you believe will be waiting for you in heaven?
(Potential bomber nods to signal yes.)
WND: You talk about so-called martyrdom being divine. About being rewarded in the next world on supreme spiritual levels for what you say is a gift to Allah. And yet you tell me that what awaits you after a suicide operation is an eternity of sex with virgins. This is the most baseline physical pleasure imaginable. This is your religious version of heaven?
BOMBER: Let me explain something to you. The world, the lower one we are in now, it is temporary. Allah examines the loyalty of human beings, asking you in this materialistic world to avoid all that is tempting, all that pleasures you on earth, and to dedicate yourself to Allah.
This doesn't mean that Allah does not think it is good to take part in these needs of sex, in the pleasure of drinking alcohol, enjoying nature and other stuff. The point is that non-Muslims do those things in this world while ignoring Allah and all moral rules, while Muslims are asked to do a tremendous spiritual effort on earth in order to gain these other (physical) pleasures in the next world.
I don't know how you Jews see these physical pleasures, especially after the Torah that Allah gave you was falsified, but in our religion all spiritual efforts are asked from us on earth and it is much more difficult. So it is not that all the story is about sex. You do free sex now, I do not.
But you will go to hell after living 50, 60, 70, 80 years, and I will go, I pray that Allah accepts, to heaven and there I will do and will enjoy what you did during these 80 years. The difference is that after these years you will burn in hell forever and I will, after my years in this world of faith, restraint and patience, enjoy Allah's pleasures forever.
WND: Let's say your concept of heaven is accurate. You are indeed rewarded with 72 dark-eyed virgins for living the kind of life you describe. Do you really think you will go to heaven for killing innocent civilians during a suicide operation?
BOMBER: You are treating in a ridiculous way this issue, but this is in the Quran. Go and, Allah forbid, ask Allah about this point. We are promised in the Quran to have the dark-eyed virgins and that's it. The Quran is full of verses glorifying the shahid, the martyr.
WND: Show me exactly where in the Quran it states you will get 72 dark-eyed virgins for blowing yourself up amongst civilians.
BOMBER: You and I, we do not discuss Allah and the Quran. I will tell you more the moment that I will explode myself when there will be one dark-eyed virgin who will carry up my soul to the sky.
This is the important part of our mission – fulfilling Allah's commandments and hoping to receive the prizes we were promised in the Quran.
'America is a culture of immorality and free sex'
WND: What do you think about the Unites States?
BOMBER: I have no interest in the American culture which is an empty culture with no values. It is full of immorality and elements that are forbidden by Allah, like free sex and violence.
WND: So I take it you don't listen to American music or watch American movies?
BOMBER: I do not watch American movies and regret those days before the intifada (the Palestinian terror war that started in 2000) when I used to watch American movies like "Platoon" and that film that was made under the water.
These are stupid things and I ask Allah to forgive me for those hours I spent watching this nonsense.
In my opinion, America is the big enemy leading the war against Islam, Muslims, Palestinians and against anything that threatens the Zionist enemy.
WND: In the last suicide bombing, which took place in Tel Aviv earlier this year, an American teenager named Daniel Wultz was severely injured and later died of his wounds. In general, are Americans part of your target?
BOMBER: America is destroying and exploiting the Arabic and the Islamic world as part of a Zionist and Crusader plan. The American Jews, we say, are the godfathers of this Zionist entity in America.
Therefore this Daniel, I am sure, participated in the army activity. If not, he collected money for this Zionist entity. If not, he would decide one day to come to live here as a settler. Therefore there is no way that he can be defined as innocent.
WND: Do you think your family will miss you if you became a suicide bomber or would blowing yourself up amongst Israeli men, women and children make them proud?
BOMBER: My family, I think especially my mother, they have the feeling that one day they will hear that I carried out an operation. I do not think that they will be sad that I killed myself in an operation. It is the will to satisfy Allah.
I do not think my family will be surprised if I do it but I never told them anything because there may be some pressure and all our ideology is based on avoiding pressures and temptations connecting us to this lower world. It is the other world that I am seeking to join with all the love I have to my mother and my family. Now they love me and I hope in the future they will still love me but also be proud of me.
'Hi, my name is Ahmed and I want to be a suicide bomber'
Recruited attacker for terror group talks to WND about 'serving Allah by blasting unbelievers to hell'
Posted: November 24, 2006 1:00 a.m. Eastern
By Aaron Klein
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com
JENIN – WND was granted access through the Islamic Jihad terror group to a 23-year old Palestinian man who has volunteered to become a suicide bomber and who the organization says has "great potential" to carry out one of the next attempted suicide attacks against Israeli civilians.
According to Islamic Jihad leaders, the potential bomber interviewed is one of over "hundreds" of young Palestinians in the northern West Bank who passed necessary recruitment stages and is available to attempt to infiltrate Jewish population centers wearing an explosive belt with the goal of blowing up as many Israelis as possible.
The interview took place in a remote building in the northern West Bank city of Jenin, a well-known Islamic Jihad stronghold from which the majority of recent Palestinian suicide bombers have originated.
The Islamic Jihad terror group has taken responsibility for every suicide attack inside Israel the past two years, including a bombing in Tel Aviv in April that killed American teenager Daniel Wultz and nine Israelis. Islamic Jihad also has carried out scores of recent deadly shootings and rocket attacks against Israeli civilians.
Islamic Jihad leaders allowed WND to interview the potential suicide bomber in a room together with his recruiter, who is a senior member of the terror group.
Both the recruiter and potential bomber were aware WND's reporter is Jewish.
The recruiter several times ordered the want-to-be bomber to refrain from answering certain questions during the interview, which was conducted using an English-Arabic translator.
The potential bomber's face was not covered during the interview, but he was told by the Islamic Jihad recruiter not to provide his name or extensive biographical information.
Following are excerpts from WND's conversation with the potential bomber, which includes topics such as the supposed reward of 72 dark-eyed virgins for carrying out an attack; the belief among some Muslims that Jews descended from pigs and monkeys; and the potential suicide bomber's desire to kill WND's reporter in a suicide operation.
'I pray Allah makes me dead in a (suicide) operation'
WND: Tell me about your life and what you do with your free time.
BOMBER: I study at a West Bank university and I have great hopes of getting married within the next couple of months. My life is very normal. I watch television, particularly news, and historical and religious programs. From time to time I play soccer and lift weights.
WND: Is your family poor?
BOMBER: No. We are regular but far from being wealthy. I share my bedroom with my brothers but now there is less pressure because last summer one of my brothers was married and moved to live outside.
WND: Why do you want to become a suicide bomber?
BOMBER: I originally decided to become a martyr after I saw what the Israeli army did in the refugee camp of Jenin in the big military campaign of April, 2002.
But this idea became stronger when I understood what status I will have in heaven if I scarify myself for Allah. Every time somebody else dies as a martyr in a suicide bomb attack, I pray for him but I feel jealous. I want to be where he is now and I pray that Allah will one day offer me this occasion and this honor.
[Editor's note: The potential bomber was referring to an Israeli anti-terror raid in his hometown of Jenin in 2002 in which Palestinian leaders accused the Jewish state of a "massacre," claiming the Israeli Defense Forces killed over 500 Palestinian civilians, including many women and children.
It was later determined 56 Palestinians, mostly gunmen, were killed in the raid, which followed a series of deadly suicide attacks inside Israel that were reportedly planned and directed from the terror infrastructure in Jenin. Twenty-three Israeli soldiers died in the Jenin battle, in which IDF troops conducted house-to-house searches to minimize civilian casualties by avoiding air attacks.]
WND: Is your main motivation for becoming a bomber is to serve Allah?
BOMBER: Yes, of course. Allah gave Muslims the possibility to gain their prize and payment in different ways. There are those (Muslims) who pray and fast only and respect Allah's commandments, and there are those who wish a higher prize. And the highest prize is given to those who scarify themselves, their lives, their bodies and everything in this world.
WND: What you are saying is interesting because a lot of academics in the United States and many of my colleagues in the media claim Palestinians become suicide bombers because they are poor and desperate and because of so-called Israeli occupation. Are you telling me these are not the reasons you want to blow yourself up amongst Israelis?
BOMBER: The will to scarify myself for Allah is the first and most major reason. It is true that the Zionists are occupying our lands and that it is our religious duty to fight them, including through suicide attacks. The goal is not the killing of the Jews, but that this is the way to reach Allah.
The goal is satisfying Allah and his instructions. No money interests, nothing. No brainwash, no pressure; it is my decision. All the other lies are pathetic Israeli propaganda.
I pray that Allah gives me the honor to be dead in an operation. This is the supreme and the noblest way to ascend to Allah.
These martyrs have special status in the next world and have bigger chances to watch Allah's face and enjoy the magnificent pleasures he offers us.
'It is our duty to fight Jews but our goal is to please Allah'
WND: Did I hear you say your goal is not to kill Jews? Isn't that exactly what you will do as a suicide bomber?
BOMBER: Maybe the fact that I was born here has sharpened my religious conscience, but I believe that even if I was in Chechnya, in Iraq, Afghanistan on anywhere else I would want to be a martyr.
It is Allah's satisfaction that is important to me no matter where I live. But as we live in this part of the world the way to reach Allah for me is through fighting the Zionist enemy. It is the jihad, the sacrificing that is important.
WND: These cliches are impressive but I know you are aware that you are speaking to a Jew. Perhaps you are telling me what I want to hear. Tell me the truth. You want to kill Jews, don't you?
BOMBER: We were never taught to hate Jews but to hate the occupation of the Zionists to our Islamic land that the Zionist entity with the conspiracy of the world has stolen and occupied. Jews can have their state but not on our lands and until this goal is achieved every Muslim must fight this entity.
The Jews stole this holy Islamic land and we must fight them, but I am looking to receive what waits for me in the next world.
'Enjoy your tea and our hospitality before I send you to hell.'
WND: You talk about fighting them, the Jews. I'm an American Jew. Do you want to kill me?
BOMBER: You are here and nobody hurts you and nobody thinks to do so. But if, unfortunately for you, if you will be in a place where my (suicide) operation will take place, I will not feel sorrow.
You American Jews are fully partners with the Zionists and even more dangerous than the Israelis because of the international support you give to the Israelis in their massacres against our people and the maintenance of the occupation.
WND: So if after today's meeting you saw me in a cafe in Jerusalem that you were sent to attack, you'd still try to blow it up?
BOMBER: At the moment there will not be a place for feelings and hesitations. If I go in an operation it means that I decided to leave behind my loved ones – my mother, my father, brothers and sisters, all my family and my friends. And if I am capable of this I would not give you a break just because we met for one time.
Meanwhile and before I drive you to hell in an operation, enjoy your tea and our hospitality.
(Laughing).
'And Allah shouted: Be pigs and monkeys'
WND: Many programs on Palestinian television have been teaching viewers Jews are descended from pigs and monkeys and that we use Palestinian and Christian blood to bake our Passover matzos. Is this what you believe?
BOMBER: I know where this question comes from. You think that we all are naive or bad from birth or that we were exposed to brainwashing. We just follow what we are demanded in the Quran to do because if we do not do so we will be attacked, occupied, controlled and killed by these enemies of Islam.
WND: You didn't answer my question. Do you believe I come from pigs and monkeys?
BOMBER: The Quran tells us that Allah was upset with the Jews because of their negative behavior towards Moses and Allah's commandments and Allah shouted to the Jews, 'Be pigs and monkeys.'
I don't know if physically Allah turned them to pigs and monkeys, or it was a way to tell them that they are as terrible as pigs and monkeys. The most important thing is that this is what Allah, may he be blessed, thinks that the Jews deserve to be.
I don't know about the Passover matzo but I know the Jews are the nation who was known for killing Allah's prophets and the nation that in our days wants to control the world or at least this part of the world, from the Nile to the Euphrates.
Meanwhile they (Jews) are controlling the U.S., its media, its financial system and its administration.
'You'll go to hell while 72 dark-eyed virgins await me in paradise.'
WND: When you mentioned before the pleasures that await you after a suicide bombing, I assume you were referring to the 72 dark-eyed virgins you believe will be waiting for you in heaven?
(Potential bomber nods to signal yes.)
WND: You talk about so-called martyrdom being divine. About being rewarded in the next world on supreme spiritual levels for what you say is a gift to Allah. And yet you tell me that what awaits you after a suicide operation is an eternity of sex with virgins. This is the most baseline physical pleasure imaginable. This is your religious version of heaven?
BOMBER: Let me explain something to you. The world, the lower one we are in now, it is temporary. Allah examines the loyalty of human beings, asking you in this materialistic world to avoid all that is tempting, all that pleasures you on earth, and to dedicate yourself to Allah.
This doesn't mean that Allah does not think it is good to take part in these needs of sex, in the pleasure of drinking alcohol, enjoying nature and other stuff. The point is that non-Muslims do those things in this world while ignoring Allah and all moral rules, while Muslims are asked to do a tremendous spiritual effort on earth in order to gain these other (physical) pleasures in the next world.
I don't know how you Jews see these physical pleasures, especially after the Torah that Allah gave you was falsified, but in our religion all spiritual efforts are asked from us on earth and it is much more difficult. So it is not that all the story is about sex. You do free sex now, I do not.
But you will go to hell after living 50, 60, 70, 80 years, and I will go, I pray that Allah accepts, to heaven and there I will do and will enjoy what you did during these 80 years. The difference is that after these years you will burn in hell forever and I will, after my years in this world of faith, restraint and patience, enjoy Allah's pleasures forever.
WND: Let's say your concept of heaven is accurate. You are indeed rewarded with 72 dark-eyed virgins for living the kind of life you describe. Do you really think you will go to heaven for killing innocent civilians during a suicide operation?
BOMBER: You are treating in a ridiculous way this issue, but this is in the Quran. Go and, Allah forbid, ask Allah about this point. We are promised in the Quran to have the dark-eyed virgins and that's it. The Quran is full of verses glorifying the shahid, the martyr.
WND: Show me exactly where in the Quran it states you will get 72 dark-eyed virgins for blowing yourself up amongst civilians.
BOMBER: You and I, we do not discuss Allah and the Quran. I will tell you more the moment that I will explode myself when there will be one dark-eyed virgin who will carry up my soul to the sky.
This is the important part of our mission – fulfilling Allah's commandments and hoping to receive the prizes we were promised in the Quran.
'America is a culture of immorality and free sex'
WND: What do you think about the Unites States?
BOMBER: I have no interest in the American culture which is an empty culture with no values. It is full of immorality and elements that are forbidden by Allah, like free sex and violence.
WND: So I take it you don't listen to American music or watch American movies?
BOMBER: I do not watch American movies and regret those days before the intifada (the Palestinian terror war that started in 2000) when I used to watch American movies like "Platoon" and that film that was made under the water.
These are stupid things and I ask Allah to forgive me for those hours I spent watching this nonsense.
In my opinion, America is the big enemy leading the war against Islam, Muslims, Palestinians and against anything that threatens the Zionist enemy.
WND: In the last suicide bombing, which took place in Tel Aviv earlier this year, an American teenager named Daniel Wultz was severely injured and later died of his wounds. In general, are Americans part of your target?
BOMBER: America is destroying and exploiting the Arabic and the Islamic world as part of a Zionist and Crusader plan. The American Jews, we say, are the godfathers of this Zionist entity in America.
Therefore this Daniel, I am sure, participated in the army activity. If not, he collected money for this Zionist entity. If not, he would decide one day to come to live here as a settler. Therefore there is no way that he can be defined as innocent.
WND: Do you think your family will miss you if you became a suicide bomber or would blowing yourself up amongst Israeli men, women and children make them proud?
BOMBER: My family, I think especially my mother, they have the feeling that one day they will hear that I carried out an operation. I do not think that they will be sad that I killed myself in an operation. It is the will to satisfy Allah.
I do not think my family will be surprised if I do it but I never told them anything because there may be some pressure and all our ideology is based on avoiding pressures and temptations connecting us to this lower world. It is the other world that I am seeking to join with all the love I have to my mother and my family. Now they love me and I hope in the future they will still love me but also be proud of me.
The Essentials of Christianity
Essential Christianity. We hear a lot of discussion about essentials and non-essentials, but what are the essentials of Christianity?
When we talk about the essentials of Christianity we're referring to the basic elements that make up and characterize our faith, and which, of course, separate it from other beliefs. Let's survey these doctrines.
First, we believe in the authority of Scripture, which is another way of saying that the Bible is God's inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word. It's the ultimate source for knowledge about God, as well as the definitive guide for our daily lives.
Next we affirm the existence of a triune God or one God in three distinct persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This God is self-existent, eternal, unchanging, omnipotent, omnipresent, holy, righteous, and loving. God created the universe from nothing and He rules over His creation sovereignly including both human and angelic beings.
We also hold that man is a physical and spiritual being who is created in God's image. But because of his sin or transgression, man has lost his fellowship with God. The extent of sin is so great that its effects continue to this very day in the form of cruelty, suffering, and death.
By God's grace, Jesus Christ - Who is fully God and fully man - was sent to save us from our bondage to sin. We believe that Christ was born of a virgin, died for our sins, physically rose from the dead, and will one day return to judge the world and deliver His people. Faith in Christ is the only means by which mankind can escape eternal damnation and judgment.
Finally, we recognize the church as God's ordained institution headed by Christ. The church is composed of all believers, and is organized for worship, for fellowship, for the administration of the sacraments, for spiritual growth and support, and for evangelizing the world.
Much more can and will be said, but we hope this summary has encouraged you to explore the links on the right and continue studying the essentials.
When we talk about the essentials of Christianity we're referring to the basic elements that make up and characterize our faith, and which, of course, separate it from other beliefs. Let's survey these doctrines.
First, we believe in the authority of Scripture, which is another way of saying that the Bible is God's inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word. It's the ultimate source for knowledge about God, as well as the definitive guide for our daily lives.
Next we affirm the existence of a triune God or one God in three distinct persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This God is self-existent, eternal, unchanging, omnipotent, omnipresent, holy, righteous, and loving. God created the universe from nothing and He rules over His creation sovereignly including both human and angelic beings.
We also hold that man is a physical and spiritual being who is created in God's image. But because of his sin or transgression, man has lost his fellowship with God. The extent of sin is so great that its effects continue to this very day in the form of cruelty, suffering, and death.
By God's grace, Jesus Christ - Who is fully God and fully man - was sent to save us from our bondage to sin. We believe that Christ was born of a virgin, died for our sins, physically rose from the dead, and will one day return to judge the world and deliver His people. Faith in Christ is the only means by which mankind can escape eternal damnation and judgment.
Finally, we recognize the church as God's ordained institution headed by Christ. The church is composed of all believers, and is organized for worship, for fellowship, for the administration of the sacraments, for spiritual growth and support, and for evangelizing the world.
Much more can and will be said, but we hope this summary has encouraged you to explore the links on the right and continue studying the essentials.
Christian lawyers are ready to fight 'war on Christmas'
Michael Clancy
The Arizona Republic
Nov. 24, 2006 12:00 AM
As regularly as the Christmas decorations hit the stores, the drums start beating about the "war on Christmas."
"About this time every year, our phones start to ring off the hook from people reporting cases of discrimination," said Mike Johnson, a Louisiana attorney who works for the Scottsdale-based Alliance Defense Fund.
Every year for the past four, the fund has issued a news release before Thanksgiving to tout its free lawyer service and to point out what it contends is an organized plot to remove all religious meaning from the holiday.
The plotters are the American Civil Liberties Union, People for the American Way, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and others, Johnson says.
Each of those organizations denies such a plot.
"The plot against Christmas is a manufactured plot," said Bill Straus, Arizona director of the Anti-Defamation League, a group that defends the rights of Jewish people."
I have not heard of one complaint where somebody was berated for celebrating Christmas. If saying 'happy holidays' is offensive, then it is not us who has the thin skins."
Johnson, who has led the campaign for the Alliance Defense Fund since it began, says the organization got 400 phone calls last year about possible discrimination.
He said that more than 350 of them were resolved with a letter explaining what is and is not permissible in classrooms, on city hall lawns and other places where issues of the separation of church and state are fought.
He declined to say how many cases were taken to court.
Johnson acknowledges that most of the cases are the result of efforts to be inclusive and sensitive to non-Christians, not part of an organized plot.
"A lot of people have been misled by the far fringe left groups," he said. "A very vocal minority has a clear objective to silence religious expression."
He cannot point to any such objective in writing. But, he says, just look at the cases the ACLU takes to court.
"The proof of the tree is in the fruit it bears," he said.
For its part, the ACLU denies any such objective.
Alessandra Soler Meetze, the executive director of the Arizona branch, said the campaign "is a well-organized attempt to demonize us."
"The reality of the matter is that there are millions of places where people can celebrate Christmas without fear of conflict," she said. "State bureaucrats should not be the ones deciding which symbols to display on government property."
As for the Anti Defamation League, Johnson accused the group of mailing to schools holiday guidelines that go too far.
But Straus said, "We don't tell people anything about the holidays. We make it clear if the public schools have any questions, rather than cross the line, contact us, and we will help them.
"Can you mention Christmas, Jesus in school? Yes, but you cannot promote Christianity. That is against the law."
Charles Haynes of the First Amendment Center in Nashville says the distinction is relatively simple: Students and citizens may institute Christian activities, but school and government employees may not sponsor, endorse or promote them.
In an article on the organization's Web site, he quotes former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. She wrote, "There is a crucial difference between government speech endorsing religion, which the establishment clause forbids, and private speech endorsing religion, which the free-speech and free-exercise clauses protect."
Paul Eppinger, a retired Baptist minister, said he has noticed a greater number of people toning down their Christmas celebrations "out of sensitivity to others."
Eppinger, who leads the Arizona Interfaith Network, said a better idea would be to go ahead and celebrate Christmas in all its glory.
But don't do it on government property, and make sure all the other religious groups get their due for their holidays, as well.
"Because the United States is such a conglomeration of people from all cultures, peoples, races and faiths, we need some way to recognize and celebrate all their traditions with them," Eppinger said.
The Arizona Republic
Nov. 24, 2006 12:00 AM
As regularly as the Christmas decorations hit the stores, the drums start beating about the "war on Christmas."
"About this time every year, our phones start to ring off the hook from people reporting cases of discrimination," said Mike Johnson, a Louisiana attorney who works for the Scottsdale-based Alliance Defense Fund.
Every year for the past four, the fund has issued a news release before Thanksgiving to tout its free lawyer service and to point out what it contends is an organized plot to remove all religious meaning from the holiday.
The plotters are the American Civil Liberties Union, People for the American Way, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and others, Johnson says.
Each of those organizations denies such a plot.
"The plot against Christmas is a manufactured plot," said Bill Straus, Arizona director of the Anti-Defamation League, a group that defends the rights of Jewish people."
I have not heard of one complaint where somebody was berated for celebrating Christmas. If saying 'happy holidays' is offensive, then it is not us who has the thin skins."
Johnson, who has led the campaign for the Alliance Defense Fund since it began, says the organization got 400 phone calls last year about possible discrimination.
He said that more than 350 of them were resolved with a letter explaining what is and is not permissible in classrooms, on city hall lawns and other places where issues of the separation of church and state are fought.
He declined to say how many cases were taken to court.
Johnson acknowledges that most of the cases are the result of efforts to be inclusive and sensitive to non-Christians, not part of an organized plot.
"A lot of people have been misled by the far fringe left groups," he said. "A very vocal minority has a clear objective to silence religious expression."
He cannot point to any such objective in writing. But, he says, just look at the cases the ACLU takes to court.
"The proof of the tree is in the fruit it bears," he said.
For its part, the ACLU denies any such objective.
Alessandra Soler Meetze, the executive director of the Arizona branch, said the campaign "is a well-organized attempt to demonize us."
"The reality of the matter is that there are millions of places where people can celebrate Christmas without fear of conflict," she said. "State bureaucrats should not be the ones deciding which symbols to display on government property."
As for the Anti Defamation League, Johnson accused the group of mailing to schools holiday guidelines that go too far.
But Straus said, "We don't tell people anything about the holidays. We make it clear if the public schools have any questions, rather than cross the line, contact us, and we will help them.
"Can you mention Christmas, Jesus in school? Yes, but you cannot promote Christianity. That is against the law."
Charles Haynes of the First Amendment Center in Nashville says the distinction is relatively simple: Students and citizens may institute Christian activities, but school and government employees may not sponsor, endorse or promote them.
In an article on the organization's Web site, he quotes former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. She wrote, "There is a crucial difference between government speech endorsing religion, which the establishment clause forbids, and private speech endorsing religion, which the free-speech and free-exercise clauses protect."
Paul Eppinger, a retired Baptist minister, said he has noticed a greater number of people toning down their Christmas celebrations "out of sensitivity to others."
Eppinger, who leads the Arizona Interfaith Network, said a better idea would be to go ahead and celebrate Christmas in all its glory.
But don't do it on government property, and make sure all the other religious groups get their due for their holidays, as well.
"Because the United States is such a conglomeration of people from all cultures, peoples, races and faiths, we need some way to recognize and celebrate all their traditions with them," Eppinger said.
Islamic-American Group Calls for Probe into Airport Incident
Religion Roundup
Islamic-American Group Calls for Probe into Airport Incident
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A spokeswoman for the Phoenix office of the American Council on American-Islamic Relations says "prayer is not a suspicious or criminal activity."
Bushra Khan says six imams who were removed from a U.S. Airways flight bound for Phoenix on Monday are shocked and hurt by the incident.
The Council is now calling for an investigation into the behavior of the airline's staff and airport security. Council spokesman Ibrahim Hooper says there's a "growing problem of singling out Muslims or people perceived to be Muslims at airports."
The six Muslim scholars were returning from a conference in Minneapolis. A U.S. Airways spokeswoman says passengers raised concerns after three of the Muslim scholars said their evening prayers before boarding the flight.
An airport spokesman says police were called after the captain and airport security workers asked the men to leave and they refused to do so.
The airline has released a statement saying it does not "tolerate discrimination of any kind." U.S Airways says it's interviewing crew members and ground workers about the incident.
Islamic-American Group Calls for Probe into Airport Incident
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A spokeswoman for the Phoenix office of the American Council on American-Islamic Relations says "prayer is not a suspicious or criminal activity."
Bushra Khan says six imams who were removed from a U.S. Airways flight bound for Phoenix on Monday are shocked and hurt by the incident.
The Council is now calling for an investigation into the behavior of the airline's staff and airport security. Council spokesman Ibrahim Hooper says there's a "growing problem of singling out Muslims or people perceived to be Muslims at airports."
The six Muslim scholars were returning from a conference in Minneapolis. A U.S. Airways spokeswoman says passengers raised concerns after three of the Muslim scholars said their evening prayers before boarding the flight.
An airport spokesman says police were called after the captain and airport security workers asked the men to leave and they refused to do so.
The airline has released a statement saying it does not "tolerate discrimination of any kind." U.S Airways says it's interviewing crew members and ground workers about the incident.
Religious Leaders React to Same-Sex Marriage Ruling in Israel
Religious Leaders React to Same-Sex Marriage Ruling in Israel
JERUSALEM (AP) - An ultra-Orthodox lawmaker in Israel says a landmark ruling that requires the government to recognize same-sex marriages performed abroad amounts to "the destruction of the family unit" in Israel.
The lawmaker, Moshe Gafni, tells Israel's Army Radio, "We don't have a Jewish state here. We have Sodom and Gomorrah."
Israel's Supreme Court has approved same-sex marriages performed abroad. The case involves a couple married in Canada after that country approved same-sex marriage in 2003. The two are among five couples who'd petitioned Israel's high court to have their marriages registered.
In the past, Jews, Muslims and Christians in Israel have jointly opposed gay rights efforts such as gay parades.
JERUSALEM (AP) - An ultra-Orthodox lawmaker in Israel says a landmark ruling that requires the government to recognize same-sex marriages performed abroad amounts to "the destruction of the family unit" in Israel.
The lawmaker, Moshe Gafni, tells Israel's Army Radio, "We don't have a Jewish state here. We have Sodom and Gomorrah."
Israel's Supreme Court has approved same-sex marriages performed abroad. The case involves a couple married in Canada after that country approved same-sex marriage in 2003. The two are among five couples who'd petitioned Israel's high court to have their marriages registered.
In the past, Jews, Muslims and Christians in Israel have jointly opposed gay rights efforts such as gay parades.
Fund for Amish School Shooting Victims Tops Three Million
Fund for Amish School Shooting Victims Tops Three Million
NICKEL MINES, Pa. (AP) -- A community group says donations to help the survivors of last month's Amish school shootings have topped $3 million.
The Nickel Mines Accountability Committee says the contributions are being used to make the victims' homes and new school handicapped-accessible. Additionally, contributions are being set aside for the victims' long-term medical expenses.
The group also says it has been in touch with the wife and children of the deceased gunman and will make sure adequate support is available for that family.
Five girls were killed when Charles Roberts opened fire in their one-room school, and five others were injured. Roberts committed suicide.
The committee says three of the girls have returned to school, at least part-time. However, two are still recovering from extensive injuries.
Meanwhile, a fourth girl who suffered severe head wounds remains hospitalized and the fifth girl is home but semi comatose and will probably have lifelong disabilities.
NICKEL MINES, Pa. (AP) -- A community group says donations to help the survivors of last month's Amish school shootings have topped $3 million.
The Nickel Mines Accountability Committee says the contributions are being used to make the victims' homes and new school handicapped-accessible. Additionally, contributions are being set aside for the victims' long-term medical expenses.
The group also says it has been in touch with the wife and children of the deceased gunman and will make sure adequate support is available for that family.
Five girls were killed when Charles Roberts opened fire in their one-room school, and five others were injured. Roberts committed suicide.
The committee says three of the girls have returned to school, at least part-time. However, two are still recovering from extensive injuries.
Meanwhile, a fourth girl who suffered severe head wounds remains hospitalized and the fifth girl is home but semi comatose and will probably have lifelong disabilities.
'Lost tribe of Israel' returns home
FROM WND'S JERUSALEM BUREAU
'Lost tribe of Israel' returns home
Group from India 'descended from Joseph' arrives in Jewish state
By Aaron Klein
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com
TEL AVIV – About 50 Jews from a group of thousands in India that believes it is one of the 10 "lost tribes" of Israel landed here today, fulfilling for many a life-long dream of returning to what they consider their homeland.
"I truly believe this is a miracle of immense historical and even biblical significance," Michael Freund, chairman of Shavei Israel, the organization leading the charge for the return of the tribe, told WND.
"Just as the prophets foretold so long ago, the lost tribes of Israel are being brought back from the exile," Freund said.
For a decade, Freund's group has been working to facilitate the immigration to Israel of the Bnei Menashe, about 7,000 Indian citizens who believe they are the descendants of Manasseh, one of biblical patriarch Joseph's two sons, and a grandson of Jacob. The tribe lives in the two Indian states of Mizoram and Manipur, to which they claim to have been exiled from Israel more than 2,700 years ago by the Assyrian empire.
The group, which has preserved ancient Jewish customs and rituals, has been trying the past 50 years to return to Israel.
Over the last decade, Freund's Shavei Israel, working with other organizations, brought about 800 Bnei Menashe members to the Jewish state. Many settled in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria. About 80 lived in Gaza's slate of Jewish communities, which were evacuated by the Israeli government last summer.
They originally were brought to Israel as tourists in an agreement with Israel's Interior Ministry. Once here, the Bnei Menashe converted officially to Judaism and became citizens.
But diplomatic wrangling halted the immigration process in 2003, with officials from some Israeli ministries refusing to grant the rest of the group still in India permission to travel here.
To smooth the process, Freund enlisted the help of Israel's chief rabbinate, which flew to India last year to meet with and consider converting members of the Bnei Menashe. Once legally Jewish, the tribe can apply for Israeli citizenship under the country's "Law of Return," which guarantees sanctuary to Jews from around the world.
Six rabbis were sent by Israel's Sephardic Chief Rabbi, Shlomo Amar, to begin converting the Bnei Menashe. The rabbis met with hundreds of tribal members, testing their knowledge of Judaism and assessing their conviction, converting 216 individuals – over 90 percent of the members interviewed.
"The rabbis were incredibly impressed with the Bnei Menashe," said Freund. "They saw for themselves that the group is very serious and should be integrated into the Jewish nation. That they are a blessing to the state of Israel."
Now 218 are set to fly here this month, including all who were converted, plus two of their newborns.
Fifty-one Bnei Menashe arrived here Tuesday on an El Al flight from Bombay. Many were received in emotional reunions at Israel's international airport in Tel Aviv by family members who immigrated here previously.
Fifty-three more tribe members arrived early today. The remaining 114 will fly here next week.
Freund accompanied the first batch of arrivals in their flight here Tuesday.
"Every once in a while, there are moments in life when you feel like you are not just witnessing history but actually playing a part in helping to shape it. The flight out of Bombay was just such a moment," said Freund.
"The excitement in the air was palpable, despite the obvious exhaustion that everyone clearly felt," Freund said.
The new immigrants will live at first in absorption centers in the northern Israeli communities of Nazareth and Carmiel. They will receive assistance from the Jewish Agency, the main Israeli absorption organization and from Freund's group and the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, an American-based grassroots coalition of Jews and Christians.
"The immigration of these Jews should jump-start the process of bringing back the rest of the 7,000 Bnei Menashe who are in India yearning to return home," said Freund.
Freund pointed to the successful integration of the first batch of Bnei Menashe brought here before 2003 as a model for the group's future immigration. Many attended college and rabbinic school, moved to major Israeli communities and even joined the Israeli Defense Forces.
Twelve Bnei Menashe served in the Israeli army last summer in the Gaza Strip and in Lebanon. One of them, Avi Hanshing, a 22-year old paratrooper, was injured during a clash with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
"As much as we might think that Israel is helping the Bnei Menashe, it is the reverse that is true. It is they who strengthen us – with their faith, with their commitment and with their undying love for Zion," said Freund.
According to Bnei Menashe oral tradition, the tribe was exiled from Israel and pushed to the east, eventually settling in the border regions of China and India, where most remain today.
Most kept customs similar to Jewish tradition, including observing Shabbat, keeping the laws of Kosher, practicing circumcision on the eighth day of a baby boy's life and observing Talmudic family purity.
In the 1950s, several thousand Bnei Menashe say they set out on foot to Israel but were quickly halted by Indian authorities. Undeterred, many began practicing Orthodox Judaism and pledged to make it to Israel. They now attend community centers established by Shavei Israel to teach the Bnei Menashe Jewish tradition and modern Hebrew.
Arbi Khiangte, one of the Bnei Menashe who arrived here Tuesday, said, "The Holy One, Blessed be He, commanded us to live there. It is a mitzva (positive good deed), and it is one that my ancestors have been waiting for so long to fulfill."
'Lost tribe of Israel' returns home
Group from India 'descended from Joseph' arrives in Jewish state
By Aaron Klein
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com
TEL AVIV – About 50 Jews from a group of thousands in India that believes it is one of the 10 "lost tribes" of Israel landed here today, fulfilling for many a life-long dream of returning to what they consider their homeland.
"I truly believe this is a miracle of immense historical and even biblical significance," Michael Freund, chairman of Shavei Israel, the organization leading the charge for the return of the tribe, told WND.
"Just as the prophets foretold so long ago, the lost tribes of Israel are being brought back from the exile," Freund said.
For a decade, Freund's group has been working to facilitate the immigration to Israel of the Bnei Menashe, about 7,000 Indian citizens who believe they are the descendants of Manasseh, one of biblical patriarch Joseph's two sons, and a grandson of Jacob. The tribe lives in the two Indian states of Mizoram and Manipur, to which they claim to have been exiled from Israel more than 2,700 years ago by the Assyrian empire.
The group, which has preserved ancient Jewish customs and rituals, has been trying the past 50 years to return to Israel.
Over the last decade, Freund's Shavei Israel, working with other organizations, brought about 800 Bnei Menashe members to the Jewish state. Many settled in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria. About 80 lived in Gaza's slate of Jewish communities, which were evacuated by the Israeli government last summer.
They originally were brought to Israel as tourists in an agreement with Israel's Interior Ministry. Once here, the Bnei Menashe converted officially to Judaism and became citizens.
But diplomatic wrangling halted the immigration process in 2003, with officials from some Israeli ministries refusing to grant the rest of the group still in India permission to travel here.
To smooth the process, Freund enlisted the help of Israel's chief rabbinate, which flew to India last year to meet with and consider converting members of the Bnei Menashe. Once legally Jewish, the tribe can apply for Israeli citizenship under the country's "Law of Return," which guarantees sanctuary to Jews from around the world.
Six rabbis were sent by Israel's Sephardic Chief Rabbi, Shlomo Amar, to begin converting the Bnei Menashe. The rabbis met with hundreds of tribal members, testing their knowledge of Judaism and assessing their conviction, converting 216 individuals – over 90 percent of the members interviewed.
"The rabbis were incredibly impressed with the Bnei Menashe," said Freund. "They saw for themselves that the group is very serious and should be integrated into the Jewish nation. That they are a blessing to the state of Israel."
Now 218 are set to fly here this month, including all who were converted, plus two of their newborns.
Fifty-one Bnei Menashe arrived here Tuesday on an El Al flight from Bombay. Many were received in emotional reunions at Israel's international airport in Tel Aviv by family members who immigrated here previously.
Fifty-three more tribe members arrived early today. The remaining 114 will fly here next week.
Freund accompanied the first batch of arrivals in their flight here Tuesday.
"Every once in a while, there are moments in life when you feel like you are not just witnessing history but actually playing a part in helping to shape it. The flight out of Bombay was just such a moment," said Freund.
"The excitement in the air was palpable, despite the obvious exhaustion that everyone clearly felt," Freund said.
The new immigrants will live at first in absorption centers in the northern Israeli communities of Nazareth and Carmiel. They will receive assistance from the Jewish Agency, the main Israeli absorption organization and from Freund's group and the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, an American-based grassroots coalition of Jews and Christians.
"The immigration of these Jews should jump-start the process of bringing back the rest of the 7,000 Bnei Menashe who are in India yearning to return home," said Freund.
Freund pointed to the successful integration of the first batch of Bnei Menashe brought here before 2003 as a model for the group's future immigration. Many attended college and rabbinic school, moved to major Israeli communities and even joined the Israeli Defense Forces.
Twelve Bnei Menashe served in the Israeli army last summer in the Gaza Strip and in Lebanon. One of them, Avi Hanshing, a 22-year old paratrooper, was injured during a clash with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
"As much as we might think that Israel is helping the Bnei Menashe, it is the reverse that is true. It is they who strengthen us – with their faith, with their commitment and with their undying love for Zion," said Freund.
According to Bnei Menashe oral tradition, the tribe was exiled from Israel and pushed to the east, eventually settling in the border regions of China and India, where most remain today.
Most kept customs similar to Jewish tradition, including observing Shabbat, keeping the laws of Kosher, practicing circumcision on the eighth day of a baby boy's life and observing Talmudic family purity.
In the 1950s, several thousand Bnei Menashe say they set out on foot to Israel but were quickly halted by Indian authorities. Undeterred, many began practicing Orthodox Judaism and pledged to make it to Israel. They now attend community centers established by Shavei Israel to teach the Bnei Menashe Jewish tradition and modern Hebrew.
Arbi Khiangte, one of the Bnei Menashe who arrived here Tuesday, said, "The Holy One, Blessed be He, commanded us to live there. It is a mitzva (positive good deed), and it is one that my ancestors have been waiting for so long to fulfill."
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