Modern-day voice offering 'heaven's bailout'
Activist carries biblical message to White House gates
Posted: March 28, 2010
12:05 am Eastern
By Bob Unruh
© 2010 WorldNetDaily
A lone woman evangelist has been positioning herself in front of the White House gates almost daily for more than two years to deliver the message to the United States that heaven is offering a "bailout" far greater than dollars.
The voice belongs to Theresa Salcedo Cao, whose work has kept her in Washington – "I have a standard location literally right in front of the White House" – encouraging people to follow the Bible to see God's miracles on earth and its companion warning of punishment for those who disobey.
The message applies not only to individuals but to nations, she believes.
"Most Americans really are asleep concerning what's taking place," she said. "People are willing to hand over their God-given rights and the Constitution to the prevailing wicked forces."
Her agenda is simple: It's about what she believes was the greatest nation on earth – the United States of America – and how it was set up based on a recognition of God. And how that recognition now is being withdrawn.
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Monday, March 29, 2010
John Piper's Upcoming Leave
Many of you love him as I do. Please pray for Dr. John Piper & his family & church.
John Piper's Upcoming Leave
Download:
By John Piper March 28, 2010
As you may have already heard in the sermon from March 27-28, the elders graciously approved on March 22 a leave of absence that will take me away from Bethlehem from May 1 through December 31, 2010. We thought it might be helpful to put an explanation in a letter to go along with the sermon.
I asked the elders to consider this leave because of a growing sense that my soul, my marriage, my family, and my ministry-pattern need a reality check from the Holy Spirit. On the one hand, I love my Lord, my wife, my five children and their families first and foremost; and I love my work of preaching and writing and leading Bethlehem. I hope the Lord gives me at least five more years as the pastor for preaching and vision at Bethlehem.
But on the other hand, I see several species of pride in my soul that, while they may not rise to the level of disqualifying me for ministry, grieve me, and have taken a toll on my relationship with Noël and others who are dear to me. How do I apologize to you, not for a specific deed, but for ongoing character flaws, and their effects on everybody? I’ll say it now, and no doubt will say it again, I’m sorry. Since I don’t have just one deed to point to, I simply ask for a spirit of forgiveness; and I give you as much assurance as I can that I am not making peace, but war, with my own sins.
Noël and I are rock solid in our commitment to each other, and there is no whiff of unfaithfulness on either side. But, as I told the elders, “rock solid” is not always an emotionally satisfying metaphor, especially to a woman. A rock is not the best image of a woman’s tender companion. In other words, the precious garden of my home needs tending. I want to say to Noël that she is precious to me in a way that, at this point in our 41-year pilgrimage, can be said best by stepping back for a season from virtually all public commitments.
No marriage is an island. For us this is true in two senses. One is that Noël and I are known inside-out by a few friends at Bethlehem—most closely by our long-time colleagues and friends David and Karin Livingston, and then by a cluster of trusted women with Noël and men with me. We are accountable, known, counseled, and prayed for. I am deeply thankful for a gracious culture of transparency and trust among the leadership at Bethlehem.
The other way that our marriage is not an island is that its strengths and defects have consequences for others. No one in the orbit of our family and friends remains unaffected by our flaws. My prayer is that this leave will prove to be healing from the inside of my soul, through Noël’s heart, and out to our children and their families, and beyond to anyone who may have been hurt by my failures.
The difference between this leave and the sabbatical I took four years ago is that I wrote a book on that sabbatical (What Jesus Demands from the World). In 30 years, I have never let go of the passion for public productivity. In this leave, I intend to let go of all of it. No book-writing. No sermon preparation or preaching. No blogging. No Twitter. No articles. No reports. No papers. And no speaking engagements. There is one stateside exception—the weekend devoted to the Desiring God National Conference combined with the inaugural convocation of Bethlehem College and Seminary in October. Noël thought I should keep three international commitments. Our reasoning is that if she could go along, and if we plan it right, these could be very special times of refreshment together.
The elders have appointed a group to stay in touch and keep me accountable for this leave. They are David Mathis, Jon Bloom, Tom Steller, Sam Crabtree, Jon Grano, Tim Held, Tony Campagna, and Kurt Elting-Ballard. Five of these have walked with Noël and me over the last two months, helping us discern the wisdom, scope, and nature of this leave. They brought the final recommendation to the elders on March 22.
I asked the elders not to pay me for this leave. I don’t feel it is owed to me. I know I am causing more work for others, and I apologize to the staff for that. Not only that, others could use similar time away. Most working men and women do not have the freedom to step back like this. The elders did not agree with my request. Noël and I are profoundly grateful for this kind of affection. We will seek the Lord for how much of your financial support to give back to the church, to perhaps bear some of the load.
Personally, I view these months as a kind of relaunch of what I hope will be the most humble, happy, fruitful five years of our 35 years at Bethlehem and 46 years of marriage. Would you pray with me to that end? And would you stand by your church with all your might? May God make these eight months the best Bethlehem has ever known. It would be just like God to do the greatest things when I am not there. “Neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:7).
I love you and promise to pray for you every day.
Pastor John
© Desiring God
Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For web posting, a link to this document on our website is preferred. Any exceptions to the above must be approved by Desiring God.
Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org
Click here for the full story! (may need to disable pop-up blocker)
John Piper's Upcoming Leave
Download:
By John Piper March 28, 2010
As you may have already heard in the sermon from March 27-28, the elders graciously approved on March 22 a leave of absence that will take me away from Bethlehem from May 1 through December 31, 2010. We thought it might be helpful to put an explanation in a letter to go along with the sermon.
I asked the elders to consider this leave because of a growing sense that my soul, my marriage, my family, and my ministry-pattern need a reality check from the Holy Spirit. On the one hand, I love my Lord, my wife, my five children and their families first and foremost; and I love my work of preaching and writing and leading Bethlehem. I hope the Lord gives me at least five more years as the pastor for preaching and vision at Bethlehem.
But on the other hand, I see several species of pride in my soul that, while they may not rise to the level of disqualifying me for ministry, grieve me, and have taken a toll on my relationship with Noël and others who are dear to me. How do I apologize to you, not for a specific deed, but for ongoing character flaws, and their effects on everybody? I’ll say it now, and no doubt will say it again, I’m sorry. Since I don’t have just one deed to point to, I simply ask for a spirit of forgiveness; and I give you as much assurance as I can that I am not making peace, but war, with my own sins.
Noël and I are rock solid in our commitment to each other, and there is no whiff of unfaithfulness on either side. But, as I told the elders, “rock solid” is not always an emotionally satisfying metaphor, especially to a woman. A rock is not the best image of a woman’s tender companion. In other words, the precious garden of my home needs tending. I want to say to Noël that she is precious to me in a way that, at this point in our 41-year pilgrimage, can be said best by stepping back for a season from virtually all public commitments.
No marriage is an island. For us this is true in two senses. One is that Noël and I are known inside-out by a few friends at Bethlehem—most closely by our long-time colleagues and friends David and Karin Livingston, and then by a cluster of trusted women with Noël and men with me. We are accountable, known, counseled, and prayed for. I am deeply thankful for a gracious culture of transparency and trust among the leadership at Bethlehem.
The other way that our marriage is not an island is that its strengths and defects have consequences for others. No one in the orbit of our family and friends remains unaffected by our flaws. My prayer is that this leave will prove to be healing from the inside of my soul, through Noël’s heart, and out to our children and their families, and beyond to anyone who may have been hurt by my failures.
The difference between this leave and the sabbatical I took four years ago is that I wrote a book on that sabbatical (What Jesus Demands from the World). In 30 years, I have never let go of the passion for public productivity. In this leave, I intend to let go of all of it. No book-writing. No sermon preparation or preaching. No blogging. No Twitter. No articles. No reports. No papers. And no speaking engagements. There is one stateside exception—the weekend devoted to the Desiring God National Conference combined with the inaugural convocation of Bethlehem College and Seminary in October. Noël thought I should keep three international commitments. Our reasoning is that if she could go along, and if we plan it right, these could be very special times of refreshment together.
The elders have appointed a group to stay in touch and keep me accountable for this leave. They are David Mathis, Jon Bloom, Tom Steller, Sam Crabtree, Jon Grano, Tim Held, Tony Campagna, and Kurt Elting-Ballard. Five of these have walked with Noël and me over the last two months, helping us discern the wisdom, scope, and nature of this leave. They brought the final recommendation to the elders on March 22.
I asked the elders not to pay me for this leave. I don’t feel it is owed to me. I know I am causing more work for others, and I apologize to the staff for that. Not only that, others could use similar time away. Most working men and women do not have the freedom to step back like this. The elders did not agree with my request. Noël and I are profoundly grateful for this kind of affection. We will seek the Lord for how much of your financial support to give back to the church, to perhaps bear some of the load.
Personally, I view these months as a kind of relaunch of what I hope will be the most humble, happy, fruitful five years of our 35 years at Bethlehem and 46 years of marriage. Would you pray with me to that end? And would you stand by your church with all your might? May God make these eight months the best Bethlehem has ever known. It would be just like God to do the greatest things when I am not there. “Neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:7).
I love you and promise to pray for you every day.
Pastor John
© Desiring God
Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For web posting, a link to this document on our website is preferred. Any exceptions to the above must be approved by Desiring God.
Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org
Click here for the full story! (may need to disable pop-up blocker)
2,000-year-old fragments of Dead Sea Scrolls to go on display
2,000-year-old fragments of Dead Sea Scrolls to go on display
By Evelyn Barge Staff Writer
Posted: 03/27/2010 09:32:42 PM PDT
After keeping fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls mostly under wraps for seven months, officials at Azusa Pacific University on Friday invited groups of scholars and local religious leaders to look at the ancient texts.
The 2,000-year-old fragments, tiny pieces of the earliest known text of the Hebrew scriptures, will be part of a public exhibition this spring, along with other rare biblical artifacts.
"It's extremely important that Azusa has these," said James H. Charlesworth, director of the Dead Sea Scrolls Project at Princeton Theological Seminary. "Now, for the first time, scholars will know about them ... and will be able to engage in research on them."
Unearthed between 1947 and 1956 in 11 caves near the ancient settlement of Qumran in Israel, the Dead Sea Scrolls include the oldest version of biblical manuscripts ever discovered.
Azusa Pacific's fragments are believed to have originated from Cave Four in Qumran, said Robert Duke, assistant professor of biblical studies.
Before Azusa Pacific acquired them in August 2009, the text on the privately held fragments had never been published or studied by researchers.
Officials are not revealing how much the university paid to acquire the scroll pieces. One fragment was obtained from a Christian nonprofit based in Phoenix. The others were purchased from Lee Biondi, a rare-manuscripts dealer in Venice.
Two of the fragments contain passages from Deuteronomy,
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one fragment is identified as from Leviticus, and another as the book of Daniel. The fifth fragment, previously thought to be from Exodus, is unidentified.
A fragment of Deuteronomy 27, photographs of which were released to researchers by Azusa Pacific, is already generating scholarly debate about the location where an altar was to be built in ancient Israel.
Click here for the full story! (may need to disable pop-up blocker)
By Evelyn Barge Staff Writer
Posted: 03/27/2010 09:32:42 PM PDT
After keeping fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls mostly under wraps for seven months, officials at Azusa Pacific University on Friday invited groups of scholars and local religious leaders to look at the ancient texts.
The 2,000-year-old fragments, tiny pieces of the earliest known text of the Hebrew scriptures, will be part of a public exhibition this spring, along with other rare biblical artifacts.
"It's extremely important that Azusa has these," said James H. Charlesworth, director of the Dead Sea Scrolls Project at Princeton Theological Seminary. "Now, for the first time, scholars will know about them ... and will be able to engage in research on them."
Unearthed between 1947 and 1956 in 11 caves near the ancient settlement of Qumran in Israel, the Dead Sea Scrolls include the oldest version of biblical manuscripts ever discovered.
Azusa Pacific's fragments are believed to have originated from Cave Four in Qumran, said Robert Duke, assistant professor of biblical studies.
Before Azusa Pacific acquired them in August 2009, the text on the privately held fragments had never been published or studied by researchers.
Officials are not revealing how much the university paid to acquire the scroll pieces. One fragment was obtained from a Christian nonprofit based in Phoenix. The others were purchased from Lee Biondi, a rare-manuscripts dealer in Venice.
Two of the fragments contain passages from Deuteronomy,
Advertisement
one fragment is identified as from Leviticus, and another as the book of Daniel. The fifth fragment, previously thought to be from Exodus, is unidentified.
A fragment of Deuteronomy 27, photographs of which were released to researchers by Azusa Pacific, is already generating scholarly debate about the location where an altar was to be built in ancient Israel.
Click here for the full story! (may need to disable pop-up blocker)
God, Sex, and 'Christianity Lite'
God, Sex, and 'Christianity Lite'
By R. Albert Mohler, Jr.|Christian Post Guest Columnist
A news report from Washington, D.C. tells the story of vestigial Christianity unhinged from biblical authority. Religion News Service [RNS] reports that many pastors in the nation’s capital are struggling with just how they can go about the wedding of same-sex couples now that gay marriage is legal in the District of Columbia.
“As gay rights spread through civil society, an increasing number of clergy are…caught by conflicting loyalties, forced to choose between church law and civil law in pastoring to their gay and lesbian congregants,” the news service reports.
Amy Butler, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, is one minister who plans to move ahead with same-sex weddings. Of her colleagues caught between church policy and the same intention, she says: “My heart breaks for them because they do not know what to do.”
Pastor Jeffrey Krehbiel of the Church of the Pilgrims, a Presbyterian Church (USA) church that has already performed “services of holy union” for same-sex couples, sees uncertainty ahead. “You are taking a risk if you publicly perform gay marriages because you don’t know the consequences.”
Click here for the full story! (may need to disable pop-up blocker)
By R. Albert Mohler, Jr.|Christian Post Guest Columnist
A news report from Washington, D.C. tells the story of vestigial Christianity unhinged from biblical authority. Religion News Service [RNS] reports that many pastors in the nation’s capital are struggling with just how they can go about the wedding of same-sex couples now that gay marriage is legal in the District of Columbia.
“As gay rights spread through civil society, an increasing number of clergy are…caught by conflicting loyalties, forced to choose between church law and civil law in pastoring to their gay and lesbian congregants,” the news service reports.
Amy Butler, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, is one minister who plans to move ahead with same-sex weddings. Of her colleagues caught between church policy and the same intention, she says: “My heart breaks for them because they do not know what to do.”
Pastor Jeffrey Krehbiel of the Church of the Pilgrims, a Presbyterian Church (USA) church that has already performed “services of holy union” for same-sex couples, sees uncertainty ahead. “You are taking a risk if you publicly perform gay marriages because you don’t know the consequences.”
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Biblical plagues really happened say scientists
Biblical plagues really happened say scientists
The Biblical plagues that devastated Ancient Egypt in the Old Testament were the result of global warming and a volcanic eruption, scientists have claimed.
By Richard Gray, Science Correspondent
Published: 11:00AM GMT 27 Mar 2010
Researchers believe they have found evidence of real natural disasters on which the ten plagues of Egypt, which led to Moses freeing the Israelites from slavery in the Book of Exodus in the Bible, were based.
But rather than explaining them as the wrathful act of a vengeful God, the scientists claim the plagues can be attributed to a chain of natural phenomena triggered by changes in the climate and environmental disasters that happened hundreds of miles away.
They have compiled compelling evidence that offers new explanations for the Biblical plagues, which will be outlined in a new series to be broadcast on the National Geographical Channel on Easter Sunday.
Archaeologists now widely believe the plagues occurred at an ancient city of Pi-Rameses on the Nile Delta, which was the capital of Egypt during the reign of Pharaoh Rameses the Second, who ruled between 1279BC and 1213BC.
The city appears to have been abandoned around 3,000 years ago and scientists claim the plagues could offer an explanation.
Climatologists studying the ancient climate at the time have discovered a dramatic shift in the climate in the area occurred towards the end of Rameses the Second's reign.
By studying stalagmites in Egyptian caves they have been able to rebuild a record of the weather patterns using traces of radioactive elements contained within the rock.
They found that Rameses reign coincided with a warm, wet climate, but then the climate switched to a dry period.
Professor Augusto Magini, a paleoclimatologist at Heidelberg University's institute for environmental physics, said: "Pharaoh Rameses II reigned during a very favourable climatic period.
"There was plenty of rain and his country flourished. However, this wet period only lasted a few decades. After Rameses' reign, the climate curve goes sharply downwards.
"There is a dry period which would certainly have had serious consequences."
The scientists believe this switch in the climate was the trigger for the first of the plagues.
The rising temperatures could have caused the river Nile to dry up, turning the fast flowing river that was Egypt's lifeline into a slow moving and muddy watercourse.
These conditions would have been perfect for the arrival of the first plague, which in the Bible is described as the Nile turning to blood.
Click here for the full story! (may need to disable pop-up blocker)
We KNOW the TRUTH! :)
The Biblical plagues that devastated Ancient Egypt in the Old Testament were the result of global warming and a volcanic eruption, scientists have claimed.
By Richard Gray, Science Correspondent
Published: 11:00AM GMT 27 Mar 2010
Researchers believe they have found evidence of real natural disasters on which the ten plagues of Egypt, which led to Moses freeing the Israelites from slavery in the Book of Exodus in the Bible, were based.
But rather than explaining them as the wrathful act of a vengeful God, the scientists claim the plagues can be attributed to a chain of natural phenomena triggered by changes in the climate and environmental disasters that happened hundreds of miles away.
They have compiled compelling evidence that offers new explanations for the Biblical plagues, which will be outlined in a new series to be broadcast on the National Geographical Channel on Easter Sunday.
Archaeologists now widely believe the plagues occurred at an ancient city of Pi-Rameses on the Nile Delta, which was the capital of Egypt during the reign of Pharaoh Rameses the Second, who ruled between 1279BC and 1213BC.
The city appears to have been abandoned around 3,000 years ago and scientists claim the plagues could offer an explanation.
Climatologists studying the ancient climate at the time have discovered a dramatic shift in the climate in the area occurred towards the end of Rameses the Second's reign.
By studying stalagmites in Egyptian caves they have been able to rebuild a record of the weather patterns using traces of radioactive elements contained within the rock.
They found that Rameses reign coincided with a warm, wet climate, but then the climate switched to a dry period.
Professor Augusto Magini, a paleoclimatologist at Heidelberg University's institute for environmental physics, said: "Pharaoh Rameses II reigned during a very favourable climatic period.
"There was plenty of rain and his country flourished. However, this wet period only lasted a few decades. After Rameses' reign, the climate curve goes sharply downwards.
"There is a dry period which would certainly have had serious consequences."
The scientists believe this switch in the climate was the trigger for the first of the plagues.
The rising temperatures could have caused the river Nile to dry up, turning the fast flowing river that was Egypt's lifeline into a slow moving and muddy watercourse.
These conditions would have been perfect for the arrival of the first plague, which in the Bible is described as the Nile turning to blood.
Click here for the full story! (may need to disable pop-up blocker)
We KNOW the TRUTH! :)
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Texas Town in Uproar Over Gay Jesus Play
Texas Town Cross Over Play's 'Gay' Christ
By Joseph Abrams
- FOXNews.com
Residents of Stephenville, Texas, say they're furious that a local university will allow the performance of a play in which a gay Jesus shares a kiss with Judas and marries two apostles in a same-sex ceremony.A college student's production of a play in which Jesus is portrayed as the "King of Queers" has outraged residents in a Texas town that fancies itself the Cowboy Capital of the World.
Just in time for Easter, Tarleton State University is playing host to a student performance of Terrence McNally's 1998 play, "Corpus Christi," which depicts a gay Jesus performing a same-sex wedding for two of his apostles.
And though Jesus washed the feet of his disciples in the traditional biblical narrative, his character (called Joshua) in the play shows Judas the full extent of his love, kissing the son of perdition at Pontius Pilate High School's senior prom.
It's all too much for some residents of Stephenville, Texas, who say there's far too much passion in this Passion play. They are pressuring the university to call off the Saturday performance, which has already been moved ahead eight hours to an 8 a.m. start time to help head off protests.
"It infuriates me that somebody would be given a platform to be able to demean and degrade the Son of God," said David Harris, pastor of the town's Hillcrest Church of Christ. "I'm angry about it and every Christian should be."
Harris, who hosts a radio show, said phones were ringing off the hook in objection to the play's performance.
A school spokeswoman said it changed the performance time and boosted security to guarantee a "safe and secure environment" for the students, and it has now closed public access to the theater, which seats only 90 people. Only students and invited family members will be allowed to attend the show, which is an abbreviated version of McNally's play.
The production is a class project for student-director John Jordan Otte, who said in a written statement that he chose the play to "bring people together" and help gain acceptance for gay Christians, who he said often feel alienated from their churches.
"It is being said often that this play is a direct attack on Christians — their faith and their deity. It simply is not true," wrote Otte, 26, who said he is a devout Christian.
"I am not attacking anyone in choosing this play. I want people to see and understand another side to faith. I want us all to know that unconditional love means just that -- unconditional -- and I believe tolerance is a key message in this play. None of us, not one of us, should ever feel alone or separated from God or whomever we believe in."
The play presents a modern-day version of Jesus' life and death in 1960s Corpus Christi, Texas, with a few controversial updates. The apostles are all gay, Joseph is an alcoholic wife-beater, and Mary gives birth alongside a chorus of moaning men.
"At the end of the play [Jesus] is crucified with the moniker above his head as 'King of the Queers,'" said Harris, the pastor. "And they call this art."
But student Timothy Parker noted that the message of the play — tolerance — should be heeded on campus. "This is something being put on as a learning experience for the students," he told WFAA News.
Click here for the full story! (may need to disable pop-up blocker)
Total abomination...but easily believable now-a-days. Remember it will get worse before the end comes...
2 Timothy 3
Godlessness in the Last Days
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.
By Joseph Abrams
- FOXNews.com
Residents of Stephenville, Texas, say they're furious that a local university will allow the performance of a play in which a gay Jesus shares a kiss with Judas and marries two apostles in a same-sex ceremony.A college student's production of a play in which Jesus is portrayed as the "King of Queers" has outraged residents in a Texas town that fancies itself the Cowboy Capital of the World.
Just in time for Easter, Tarleton State University is playing host to a student performance of Terrence McNally's 1998 play, "Corpus Christi," which depicts a gay Jesus performing a same-sex wedding for two of his apostles.
And though Jesus washed the feet of his disciples in the traditional biblical narrative, his character (called Joshua) in the play shows Judas the full extent of his love, kissing the son of perdition at Pontius Pilate High School's senior prom.
It's all too much for some residents of Stephenville, Texas, who say there's far too much passion in this Passion play. They are pressuring the university to call off the Saturday performance, which has already been moved ahead eight hours to an 8 a.m. start time to help head off protests.
"It infuriates me that somebody would be given a platform to be able to demean and degrade the Son of God," said David Harris, pastor of the town's Hillcrest Church of Christ. "I'm angry about it and every Christian should be."
Harris, who hosts a radio show, said phones were ringing off the hook in objection to the play's performance.
A school spokeswoman said it changed the performance time and boosted security to guarantee a "safe and secure environment" for the students, and it has now closed public access to the theater, which seats only 90 people. Only students and invited family members will be allowed to attend the show, which is an abbreviated version of McNally's play.
The production is a class project for student-director John Jordan Otte, who said in a written statement that he chose the play to "bring people together" and help gain acceptance for gay Christians, who he said often feel alienated from their churches.
"It is being said often that this play is a direct attack on Christians — their faith and their deity. It simply is not true," wrote Otte, 26, who said he is a devout Christian.
"I am not attacking anyone in choosing this play. I want people to see and understand another side to faith. I want us all to know that unconditional love means just that -- unconditional -- and I believe tolerance is a key message in this play. None of us, not one of us, should ever feel alone or separated from God or whomever we believe in."
The play presents a modern-day version of Jesus' life and death in 1960s Corpus Christi, Texas, with a few controversial updates. The apostles are all gay, Joseph is an alcoholic wife-beater, and Mary gives birth alongside a chorus of moaning men.
"At the end of the play [Jesus] is crucified with the moniker above his head as 'King of the Queers,'" said Harris, the pastor. "And they call this art."
But student Timothy Parker noted that the message of the play — tolerance — should be heeded on campus. "This is something being put on as a learning experience for the students," he told WFAA News.
Click here for the full story! (may need to disable pop-up blocker)
Total abomination...but easily believable now-a-days. Remember it will get worse before the end comes...
2 Timothy 3
Godlessness in the Last Days
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Abortion drug kills, but Planned Parenthood uses it more
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
March 16, 2010
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A national survey of Planned Parenthood abortion centers finds a higher number are giving women the dangerous RU 486 abortion drug that has killed at least 13 women worldwide and injured more than 1,100 in the U.S. alone. The increase comes as one woman received attention for live blogging her abortion.
Yesterday, the American Life League released its annual survey of Planned Parenthood locations.
The pro-life group tells LifeNews.com that the number of locations dispensing the dangeorus abortion drug has risen 130 percent since its last national survey, even though the overall number of Planned Parenthood centers is on the decline.
Rita Diller, national director of ALL’s Stop Planned Parenthood project, commented on the results.
“While we are thrilled to see the number of Planned Parenthood affiliates and facilities declining, we are extremely dismayed to see Planned Parenthood continuing to build its abortion business by increasing the number of facilities administering deadly abortion pills,” she told LifeNews.com.
The drug has killed eight women alone in the United States because Planned Parenthood previously told women using it to use the drug vaginally instead of orally. That causes the introduction of bacteria that resulted in lethal infections causing their deaths.
Although Planned Parenthood eventually changed its protocol to follow the FDA suggestion to take the drug orally, it still dispenses improper doses of the drug that could still place women at risk.
Diller explained that the abortion drug makes it easier for Planned Parenthood to increase its business at a lower cost.
“The abortion pill regimen, appearing under names such as mifepristone (RU-486) and methotrexate, is being pushed by Planned Parenthood in order to increase its abortion business,” Diller said.
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LifeNews.com Editor
March 16, 2010
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A national survey of Planned Parenthood abortion centers finds a higher number are giving women the dangerous RU 486 abortion drug that has killed at least 13 women worldwide and injured more than 1,100 in the U.S. alone. The increase comes as one woman received attention for live blogging her abortion.
Yesterday, the American Life League released its annual survey of Planned Parenthood locations.
The pro-life group tells LifeNews.com that the number of locations dispensing the dangeorus abortion drug has risen 130 percent since its last national survey, even though the overall number of Planned Parenthood centers is on the decline.
Rita Diller, national director of ALL’s Stop Planned Parenthood project, commented on the results.
“While we are thrilled to see the number of Planned Parenthood affiliates and facilities declining, we are extremely dismayed to see Planned Parenthood continuing to build its abortion business by increasing the number of facilities administering deadly abortion pills,” she told LifeNews.com.
The drug has killed eight women alone in the United States because Planned Parenthood previously told women using it to use the drug vaginally instead of orally. That causes the introduction of bacteria that resulted in lethal infections causing their deaths.
Although Planned Parenthood eventually changed its protocol to follow the FDA suggestion to take the drug orally, it still dispenses improper doses of the drug that could still place women at risk.
Diller explained that the abortion drug makes it easier for Planned Parenthood to increase its business at a lower cost.
“The abortion pill regimen, appearing under names such as mifepristone (RU-486) and methotrexate, is being pushed by Planned Parenthood in order to increase its abortion business,” Diller said.
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Health-care 'trickery' called overthrow of Constitution
'This makes Watergate look like Romper Room'
Posted: March 17, 2010
8:55 pm Eastern
By Joe Kovacs
© 2010 WorldNetDaily
America's system of government based on the U.S. Constitution is being overthrown through illegal legislative "trickery" Congress is using to pass controversial health-care reform.
That's the conclusion of some on the political right who are calling for the impeachment of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi along with the defeat of the health legislation.
"This is the overthrow of the U.S. constitutional system, orchestrated from the White House through the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid," said radio host Rush Limbaugh today. "This is beyond rational explanation and description. This makes Watergate look like Romper Room."
At issue is the possibility that reforms pushed by President Obama and other Democrats will be approved without ever actually having a direct vote, but could be "deemed" to have been passed, then signed into law by Obama. The process is called the "Slaughter Strategy," named for Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y., who chairs the House Rules Committee.
Wake up, America! Your country is about to disappear. Read Mark Levin's No. 1 best-seller "Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto"
Discussing the need for this procedure, Pelosi said: "I like it, because people don't have to vote on the Senate bill."
Indeed, Democrats could actually vote for the rule, yet still claim they're against the Senate bill.
U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., agrees with Limbaugh that the "deem and pass" method is ludicrous and worthy of impeachment.
"The other thing is treason media," Bachmann told radio host Sean Hannity. "Where is the mainstream media in all of this not telling this story? This is a compelling story, that the speaker of the House would even consider having us pass a bill that no one votes on? That should laugh her out of the House and there should be people that are calling for impeachment off of something like this. That's how bad this is. I mean, trust me. Dennis Hastert could have never gotten away with this. President Bush never could have gotten away with it."
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said, "In our lifetime, this is the most undemocratic, un-American step that we'll have ever seen our Congress take. It's appalling. It takes my breath away that they would think that this is OK to do. But again, we can't feign surprise. Remember this is what Barack Obama had promised in the campaign. He said as a candidate that he was just days away from beginning the transformation of America."
In a commentary posted at Carolina Journal, John Hood, president of the John Locke Foundation, said he's simply not going to comply with the legislation if it's not properly voted on:
I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm not planning to recognize such a result as legally binding. I'm not going to pretend to obey any dictates from federal health-care bureaucrats that have never been authorized by a constitutional vote of both houses of Congress. I will not submit to any extra-constitutional order to dismantle the consumer-driven health plan I have set up for my employees.
I will not comply. If the government tries to make me comply, I'll sue. And I'll win.
This is not (yet) a banana republic where constitutions are seen as inconvenient impediments to the rule of the despot. This is not (yet) a European-style welfare state where some powerful parliament can exercise legislative, executive, and judicial power all in one stroke.
Limbaugh expounded on the "deem and pass" procedure the House is considering, saying, "The word 'deemed' means what? It means pretend!"
"Maybe we can just deem our tax returns to have been filed. But we don't actually file 'em. We just deem our taxes to have been paid. We just deem it! I mean, if they can deem to have passed laws, we can certainly say that we are 'deemed' to have complied with them."
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Posted: March 17, 2010
8:55 pm Eastern
By Joe Kovacs
© 2010 WorldNetDaily
America's system of government based on the U.S. Constitution is being overthrown through illegal legislative "trickery" Congress is using to pass controversial health-care reform.
That's the conclusion of some on the political right who are calling for the impeachment of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi along with the defeat of the health legislation.
"This is the overthrow of the U.S. constitutional system, orchestrated from the White House through the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid," said radio host Rush Limbaugh today. "This is beyond rational explanation and description. This makes Watergate look like Romper Room."
At issue is the possibility that reforms pushed by President Obama and other Democrats will be approved without ever actually having a direct vote, but could be "deemed" to have been passed, then signed into law by Obama. The process is called the "Slaughter Strategy," named for Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y., who chairs the House Rules Committee.
Wake up, America! Your country is about to disappear. Read Mark Levin's No. 1 best-seller "Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto"
Discussing the need for this procedure, Pelosi said: "I like it, because people don't have to vote on the Senate bill."
Indeed, Democrats could actually vote for the rule, yet still claim they're against the Senate bill.
U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., agrees with Limbaugh that the "deem and pass" method is ludicrous and worthy of impeachment.
"The other thing is treason media," Bachmann told radio host Sean Hannity. "Where is the mainstream media in all of this not telling this story? This is a compelling story, that the speaker of the House would even consider having us pass a bill that no one votes on? That should laugh her out of the House and there should be people that are calling for impeachment off of something like this. That's how bad this is. I mean, trust me. Dennis Hastert could have never gotten away with this. President Bush never could have gotten away with it."
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said, "In our lifetime, this is the most undemocratic, un-American step that we'll have ever seen our Congress take. It's appalling. It takes my breath away that they would think that this is OK to do. But again, we can't feign surprise. Remember this is what Barack Obama had promised in the campaign. He said as a candidate that he was just days away from beginning the transformation of America."
In a commentary posted at Carolina Journal, John Hood, president of the John Locke Foundation, said he's simply not going to comply with the legislation if it's not properly voted on:
I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm not planning to recognize such a result as legally binding. I'm not going to pretend to obey any dictates from federal health-care bureaucrats that have never been authorized by a constitutional vote of both houses of Congress. I will not submit to any extra-constitutional order to dismantle the consumer-driven health plan I have set up for my employees.
I will not comply. If the government tries to make me comply, I'll sue. And I'll win.
This is not (yet) a banana republic where constitutions are seen as inconvenient impediments to the rule of the despot. This is not (yet) a European-style welfare state where some powerful parliament can exercise legislative, executive, and judicial power all in one stroke.
Limbaugh expounded on the "deem and pass" procedure the House is considering, saying, "The word 'deemed' means what? It means pretend!"
"Maybe we can just deem our tax returns to have been filed. But we don't actually file 'em. We just deem our taxes to have been paid. We just deem it! I mean, if they can deem to have passed laws, we can certainly say that we are 'deemed' to have complied with them."
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Muslim group calls textbooks discriminatory
(Reuters) - Muslim activists launched a campaign on Wednesday against a series of educational books that they say promote anti-Islamic sentiment among U.S. school children.
U.S.
"The World of Islam," a 10-book series, encourages young readers to believe Muslims are terrorists and seek to undermine U.S. society, said the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation's largest Muslim advocacy organization.
One book contains the passage: "For the first time, Muslims began immigrating to the U.S. in order to transform American society, sometimes through the use of terrorism."
Moein Khawaja, civil rights director for CAIR in Pennsylvania, said the group has gotten dozens of complaints about the books from Muslim parents around the country.
He said he was not aware of any discrimination against Muslim children due to the books, which are intended for middle- and high-school students.
The books were published in late 2009 by Mason Crest Publishers of Broomall, Pennsylvania, which worked with the Philadelphia-based Foreign Policy Research Institute to ensure their accuracy. It was unclear if the books are in use in any schools.
Khawaja said at a news conference that the books are "rife with incorrect information and fear-mongering" and called the FPRI a "pro-war think tank that has vigorously advocated for the Iraq war in the past and continues to defend that position."
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U.S.
"The World of Islam," a 10-book series, encourages young readers to believe Muslims are terrorists and seek to undermine U.S. society, said the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation's largest Muslim advocacy organization.
One book contains the passage: "For the first time, Muslims began immigrating to the U.S. in order to transform American society, sometimes through the use of terrorism."
Moein Khawaja, civil rights director for CAIR in Pennsylvania, said the group has gotten dozens of complaints about the books from Muslim parents around the country.
He said he was not aware of any discrimination against Muslim children due to the books, which are intended for middle- and high-school students.
The books were published in late 2009 by Mason Crest Publishers of Broomall, Pennsylvania, which worked with the Philadelphia-based Foreign Policy Research Institute to ensure their accuracy. It was unclear if the books are in use in any schools.
Khawaja said at a news conference that the books are "rife with incorrect information and fear-mongering" and called the FPRI a "pro-war think tank that has vigorously advocated for the Iraq war in the past and continues to defend that position."
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Hamas advises Obama: Get your act together
Posted: March 16, 2010
10:20 pm Eastern
By Aaron Klein
© 2010 WorldNetDaily
JERUSALEM – The chief of Hamas in the Gaza Strip has some political advice for President Obama: Get your house in order before mediating talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
"He is unable to do anything in the region (Middle East) before he restores his dignity and the trust of his own people," Mahmoud al-Zahar, Hamas chief in Gaza, told WND in an interview yesterday.
Zahar noticed Obama's slipping domestic poll numbers and also claimed the people of the Middle East have lost confidence in the man who once inspired hope in the likes of Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.
Zahar also advised Obama to "restore his balance concerning the nature of this conflict between the Israeli government and the administration. Obama's problem is not in his attitude but in his ability to actually get anything done in the region."
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Doesn't the fact that terrorists are trying to help our President regain our trust a bit alarming to us?
10:20 pm Eastern
By Aaron Klein
© 2010 WorldNetDaily
JERUSALEM – The chief of Hamas in the Gaza Strip has some political advice for President Obama: Get your house in order before mediating talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
"He is unable to do anything in the region (Middle East) before he restores his dignity and the trust of his own people," Mahmoud al-Zahar, Hamas chief in Gaza, told WND in an interview yesterday.
Zahar noticed Obama's slipping domestic poll numbers and also claimed the people of the Middle East have lost confidence in the man who once inspired hope in the likes of Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.
Zahar also advised Obama to "restore his balance concerning the nature of this conflict between the Israeli government and the administration. Obama's problem is not in his attitude but in his ability to actually get anything done in the region."
Click here for the full story! (may need to disable pop-up blocker)
Doesn't the fact that terrorists are trying to help our President regain our trust a bit alarming to us?
Girl Scouts taught how to be 'hot'
Posted: March 16, 2010
9:04 pm Eastern
By Kathleen Farah
© 2010 WorldNetDaily
A new campaign by the Girl Scouts, with the help of Planned Parenthood, is offering girls ages 10 to 14 the inside details on how to be "hot."
This week, the World Association of Girl Scouts and Girl Guides held a no-adults-welcome panel at the United Nations in which Planned Parenthood distributed a brochure entitled "Healthy, Happy and Hot."
The distribution happened at the annual United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, which featured events for the "Girl Scouts and Girl Guides." In the United States, the organization is called Girls Scouts of the USA and promotes the traditional promise of "On my honor, I will try to serve God and my country, to help people at all times, and to live by the Girl Scout Law."
The organization, however, effectively has eliminated "God" from the equation by providing that, "The word 'God' can be interpreted in a number of ways, depending on one's spiritual beliefs. When reciting the Girl Scout Promise, it is acceptable to replace the word 'God' with whatever word your spiritual beliefs dictate."
Understand Planned Parenthood's agenda. Get "Marketing of Evil: How Radicals, Elitists, and Pseudo-Experts Sell Us Corruption Disguised as Freedom"
The brochure targets young people and contains graphic details on sex. It also encourages casual sex in many forms.
Click here for the full story! (may need to disable pop-up blocker)
9:04 pm Eastern
By Kathleen Farah
© 2010 WorldNetDaily
A new campaign by the Girl Scouts, with the help of Planned Parenthood, is offering girls ages 10 to 14 the inside details on how to be "hot."
This week, the World Association of Girl Scouts and Girl Guides held a no-adults-welcome panel at the United Nations in which Planned Parenthood distributed a brochure entitled "Healthy, Happy and Hot."
The distribution happened at the annual United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, which featured events for the "Girl Scouts and Girl Guides." In the United States, the organization is called Girls Scouts of the USA and promotes the traditional promise of "On my honor, I will try to serve God and my country, to help people at all times, and to live by the Girl Scout Law."
The organization, however, effectively has eliminated "God" from the equation by providing that, "The word 'God' can be interpreted in a number of ways, depending on one's spiritual beliefs. When reciting the Girl Scout Promise, it is acceptable to replace the word 'God' with whatever word your spiritual beliefs dictate."
Understand Planned Parenthood's agenda. Get "Marketing of Evil: How Radicals, Elitists, and Pseudo-Experts Sell Us Corruption Disguised as Freedom"
The brochure targets young people and contains graphic details on sex. It also encourages casual sex in many forms.
Click here for the full story! (may need to disable pop-up blocker)
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
The little Christian college that could
The little Christian college that could
Patrick Henry has another trophy to add to its case
Posted: April 15, 2009
© 2009 WorldNetDaily
WASHINGTON – Patrick Henry College, the 350-student Christian college catering to homeschoolers, has made headlines in the past for being the little college that could.
In 2004, PHC's moot court team beat Oxford University's Balliol College in an exhibition competition in England. PHC students proved, once again, they could excel among their international colleagues at the National Model United Nations conference last week.
PHC in Purcellville, Va., was presented the award for Outstanding Delegation, the highest award given at the United Nations simulation conference. The award is given to the top 18 colleges competing from across the globe.
Jennifer Olmstead, a PHC graduate and former Model UN competitor who oversaw the college's team members and assisted them in preparing for the competition, explained why she believes they were successful.
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Patrick Henry has another trophy to add to its case
Posted: April 15, 2009
© 2009 WorldNetDaily
WASHINGTON – Patrick Henry College, the 350-student Christian college catering to homeschoolers, has made headlines in the past for being the little college that could.
In 2004, PHC's moot court team beat Oxford University's Balliol College in an exhibition competition in England. PHC students proved, once again, they could excel among their international colleagues at the National Model United Nations conference last week.
PHC in Purcellville, Va., was presented the award for Outstanding Delegation, the highest award given at the United Nations simulation conference. The award is given to the top 18 colleges competing from across the globe.
Jennifer Olmstead, a PHC graduate and former Model UN competitor who oversaw the college's team members and assisted them in preparing for the competition, explained why she believes they were successful.
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'Spirituality for Kids' class draws fire
'Spirituality for Kids' class draws fire
The program, created by a leader of the L.A.-based Kabbalah Centre International, is promoted as a way to teach children how to make wise choices. Critics say it brings religion into public schools.
By Seema Mehta
April 14, 2009
In a light-filled classroom in Sherman Oaks, gregarious teacher Jenna Zucker dons a straw hat and, in an exaggerated Southern drawl, invites the gathered first- and second-graders to an imaginary picnic.
The children, taking part in an after-school program at Kester Avenue Elementary, must tell Zucker what they plan to bring; she will then decide if they can join her. Alex wants to bring apples; he gets the nod. But Athena and her offer of brownies are turned down, as are Samantha and her macaroni and cheese. Elijah suggests eels and Matthew melons; both are accepted. The students soon realize they must bring something that starts with the first letter of their name.
Zucker, 28, tells them that once they figured out the rules of the game, the reward was "greater satisfaction."
"What does greater satisfaction bring?" she asks. Matthew replies: "Spiritual power!"
Zucker asks him where the power comes from? "Your inner light," the boy answers.
And where is that light found? "In your heart," he says.
The exchange is part of "Spirituality for Kids," a class offered in several Los Angeles public elementary schools during the day or after school. Created by a leader of the Los Angeles-based Kabbalah Centre International, a spiritual and educational organization, the program is promoted as a nondenominational effort to teach children to make wise choices.
But it is drawing fire from parents and others who say it is illegally bringing religion into public schools under the guise of ethics training.
Click here for the full story! (may need to disable pop-up blocker)
The program, created by a leader of the L.A.-based Kabbalah Centre International, is promoted as a way to teach children how to make wise choices. Critics say it brings religion into public schools.
By Seema Mehta
April 14, 2009
In a light-filled classroom in Sherman Oaks, gregarious teacher Jenna Zucker dons a straw hat and, in an exaggerated Southern drawl, invites the gathered first- and second-graders to an imaginary picnic.
The children, taking part in an after-school program at Kester Avenue Elementary, must tell Zucker what they plan to bring; she will then decide if they can join her. Alex wants to bring apples; he gets the nod. But Athena and her offer of brownies are turned down, as are Samantha and her macaroni and cheese. Elijah suggests eels and Matthew melons; both are accepted. The students soon realize they must bring something that starts with the first letter of their name.
Zucker, 28, tells them that once they figured out the rules of the game, the reward was "greater satisfaction."
"What does greater satisfaction bring?" she asks. Matthew replies: "Spiritual power!"
Zucker asks him where the power comes from? "Your inner light," the boy answers.
And where is that light found? "In your heart," he says.
The exchange is part of "Spirituality for Kids," a class offered in several Los Angeles public elementary schools during the day or after school. Created by a leader of the Los Angeles-based Kabbalah Centre International, a spiritual and educational organization, the program is promoted as a nondenominational effort to teach children to make wise choices.
But it is drawing fire from parents and others who say it is illegally bringing religion into public schools under the guise of ethics training.
Click here for the full story! (may need to disable pop-up blocker)
Obama blueprint for silencing talk radio exposed
Obama blueprint for silencing talk radio exposed
New book warns of 'commissar committees' to censor speech
Posted: April 13, 2009
© 2009 WorldNetDaily
WASHINGTON – As popular opposition to the reinstitution of the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" mounts, Barack Obama and the Democrat-dominated Congress will end-run critics with legislation that will curb dissent on talk radio through the imposition of "localism" rules and community watchdog boards across America, charges a new book by a former NBC Westwood One talk-show host.
In "Shut Up, America! The End of Free Speech," author Brad O'Leary says the plan amounts to the development of party-approved "commissar committees" to censor the kind of lively and free-wheeling debate America has known since the scrapping of the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" by President Reagan's Federal Communications Commission in 1987.
By demanding radio stations answer to local community watchdog boards to ensure programming is "balanced," "fair," "diverse," "tolerant" and "serving the public interest locally," O'Leary says the rules and legislation being planned will once again make talk radio accountable to politicians, political activists and bureaucrats at the FCC.
Tell your government to stay away from censoring talk radio and manipulating news coverage: Sign WND's Petition to Block Congressional Attacks on Freedom of Speech and Press now!
The ultimate threat over the heads of radio stations is license renewal, he explains. "Far-left groups such as ACORN [Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now] stand at the ready to pressure these boards into silencing conservative talk radio programs, either through intimidation or the loss of broadcast licenses," says O'Leary, who, during the presidential campaign, wrote the best-selling book, "The Audacity of Deceit: Barack Obama's War on American Values."
The book points out there were only 75 radio talk shows in America during the last year of the "Fairness Doctrine" rules. Today, there are more than 3,000.
"The liberals' once-dominant media forum is fading fast, in part because Americans have discovered real diversity of ideas elsewhere," O'Leary writes. "The enemies of free speech know this. They also know that, if they are to accomplish their goal of stifling all debate, they will have to control all media outlets."
While the Obama administration and some Democratic congressional leaders have denied efforts to reinstate the "Fairness Doctrine," none have denied efforts to stack the FCC with appointees open to the idea of reining in talk radio.
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New book warns of 'commissar committees' to censor speech
Posted: April 13, 2009
© 2009 WorldNetDaily
WASHINGTON – As popular opposition to the reinstitution of the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" mounts, Barack Obama and the Democrat-dominated Congress will end-run critics with legislation that will curb dissent on talk radio through the imposition of "localism" rules and community watchdog boards across America, charges a new book by a former NBC Westwood One talk-show host.
In "Shut Up, America! The End of Free Speech," author Brad O'Leary says the plan amounts to the development of party-approved "commissar committees" to censor the kind of lively and free-wheeling debate America has known since the scrapping of the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" by President Reagan's Federal Communications Commission in 1987.
By demanding radio stations answer to local community watchdog boards to ensure programming is "balanced," "fair," "diverse," "tolerant" and "serving the public interest locally," O'Leary says the rules and legislation being planned will once again make talk radio accountable to politicians, political activists and bureaucrats at the FCC.
Tell your government to stay away from censoring talk radio and manipulating news coverage: Sign WND's Petition to Block Congressional Attacks on Freedom of Speech and Press now!
The ultimate threat over the heads of radio stations is license renewal, he explains. "Far-left groups such as ACORN [Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now] stand at the ready to pressure these boards into silencing conservative talk radio programs, either through intimidation or the loss of broadcast licenses," says O'Leary, who, during the presidential campaign, wrote the best-selling book, "The Audacity of Deceit: Barack Obama's War on American Values."
The book points out there were only 75 radio talk shows in America during the last year of the "Fairness Doctrine" rules. Today, there are more than 3,000.
"The liberals' once-dominant media forum is fading fast, in part because Americans have discovered real diversity of ideas elsewhere," O'Leary writes. "The enemies of free speech know this. They also know that, if they are to accomplish their goal of stifling all debate, they will have to control all media outlets."
While the Obama administration and some Democratic congressional leaders have denied efforts to reinstate the "Fairness Doctrine," none have denied efforts to stack the FCC with appointees open to the idea of reining in talk radio.
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Not Again! U.S. Ship Fends Off Pirate Attack!
Not Again! U.S. Ship Fends Off Pirate Attack New York based vessel was damaged, but crew was unhurt
By TAMER EL-GHOBASHY
Heavily armed Somali pirates attacked a U.S. cargo ship Tuesday, lobbing grenades and firing automatic weapons towards the vessel, but failed to seize the ship before a Navy destroyer showed up to provide assistance.
No one in the 20 man crew was injured during the brazen attack, but the New York based ship was damaged, officials from Liberty Maritime Corporation of Lake Success said in a statement.
"We are grateful and pleased that no one was injured and the crew and the ship are safe," the statement from the Long Island based company said. "We have communicated with the families of the crew to inform them of these developments. We commend the entire crew for its professionalism and poise under fire."
The attack on the Liberty Sun occurred about 300 miles off the coast of Somalia at about 11:30 a.m., U.S. officials told NBC News.
It came just days after U.S. Navy SEALs were able to rescue Captain Richard Phillips from Somali pirates who had taken him hostage after the bandits failed to capture his cargo ship, the Maersk Alabama.
In the attack, the pirates were not able to board the Liberty Sun despite being heavily armed.
"The pirates pretty much shot up the bridge, but no one was hurt," according to one source.
The crew immediately requested assistance from the Navy, which dispatched forces that were able to thwart the pirates. Navy spokesman Captain Jack Hanzlik said the USS Bainbridge, a destroyer, had arrived to the scene at 5:30 p.m. and that the pirates had left.
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Wow, isn't it strange that Pirates carry guns, but law-abiding open sea boaters can not? Allow them, and the problem will help to solve itself! It will not make it worse, that's for sure. Remeber, guns do not kill anyone...PEOPLE DO! So if the "good people" had them to defend themselves, the "bad people" would think twice about attacking them.
By TAMER EL-GHOBASHY
Heavily armed Somali pirates attacked a U.S. cargo ship Tuesday, lobbing grenades and firing automatic weapons towards the vessel, but failed to seize the ship before a Navy destroyer showed up to provide assistance.
No one in the 20 man crew was injured during the brazen attack, but the New York based ship was damaged, officials from Liberty Maritime Corporation of Lake Success said in a statement.
"We are grateful and pleased that no one was injured and the crew and the ship are safe," the statement from the Long Island based company said. "We have communicated with the families of the crew to inform them of these developments. We commend the entire crew for its professionalism and poise under fire."
The attack on the Liberty Sun occurred about 300 miles off the coast of Somalia at about 11:30 a.m., U.S. officials told NBC News.
It came just days after U.S. Navy SEALs were able to rescue Captain Richard Phillips from Somali pirates who had taken him hostage after the bandits failed to capture his cargo ship, the Maersk Alabama.
In the attack, the pirates were not able to board the Liberty Sun despite being heavily armed.
"The pirates pretty much shot up the bridge, but no one was hurt," according to one source.
The crew immediately requested assistance from the Navy, which dispatched forces that were able to thwart the pirates. Navy spokesman Captain Jack Hanzlik said the USS Bainbridge, a destroyer, had arrived to the scene at 5:30 p.m. and that the pirates had left.
Click here for the full story! (may need to disable pop-up blocker)
Wow, isn't it strange that Pirates carry guns, but law-abiding open sea boaters can not? Allow them, and the problem will help to solve itself! It will not make it worse, that's for sure. Remeber, guns do not kill anyone...PEOPLE DO! So if the "good people" had them to defend themselves, the "bad people" would think twice about attacking them.
Homeland Security on guard for 'right-wing extremists'
Homeland Security on guard for 'right-wing extremists'
Returning U.S. military veterans singled out as particular threats
Posted: April 12, 2009
© 2009 WorldNetDaily
WASHINGTON – A newly unclassified Department of Homeland Security report warns against the possibility of violence by unnamed "right-wing extremists" concerned about illegal immigration, increasing federal power, restrictions on firearms, abortion and the loss of U.S. sovereignty and singles out returning war veterans as particular threats.
The report, titled "Right-wing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment," dated April 7, states that "threats from white supremacist and violent anti-government groups during 2009 have been largely rhetorical and have not indicated plans to carry out violent acts."
However, the document, first reported by talk-radio host and WND columnist Roger Hedgecock, goes on to suggest worsening economic woes, potential new legislative restrictions on firearms and "the return of military veterans facing significant challenges reintegrating into their communities could lead to the potential emergence of terrorist groups or lone wolf extremists capable of carrying out violent attacks."
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Returning U.S. military veterans singled out as particular threats
Posted: April 12, 2009
© 2009 WorldNetDaily
WASHINGTON – A newly unclassified Department of Homeland Security report warns against the possibility of violence by unnamed "right-wing extremists" concerned about illegal immigration, increasing federal power, restrictions on firearms, abortion and the loss of U.S. sovereignty and singles out returning war veterans as particular threats.
The report, titled "Right-wing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment," dated April 7, states that "threats from white supremacist and violent anti-government groups during 2009 have been largely rhetorical and have not indicated plans to carry out violent acts."
However, the document, first reported by talk-radio host and WND columnist Roger Hedgecock, goes on to suggest worsening economic woes, potential new legislative restrictions on firearms and "the return of military veterans facing significant challenges reintegrating into their communities could lead to the potential emergence of terrorist groups or lone wolf extremists capable of carrying out violent attacks."
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Saturday, January 3, 2009
What does church mean to you? Warning to the seven Churches in the Book of Revelation.
What does "church" mean to you?
Is it just a place to go for entertainment?
Get your ears tickled and hear motivational speaking?
Do you go because your family goes, or because it's just what you do on Sunday's?
-Or-
Are you aware of what it truly is?
The following topic is on the Warnings to the Seven Churches in the Book of Revelation!
Does this warning apply to you and your church?
We will discuss 1 Church per/posting. Comments and Questions are more than welcome...just keep it respectful and clean!
As we begin to talk about churches, we must remember what it is we are talking about. The Church is not the building per say, but the "body of believers" that make it up. The purpose of church is not to be a place to bring un-saved to get them saved. It is okay to bring them, and you would be encouraged to do so however, it is believer's jobs to share the Gospel, and the Holy Spirit's job to do the saving.
Kind of like fishing: When we go fishing, the first thing we do is prepare (ie: Pray, Study the Bible, be involved with Church, hear the Word preached, etc). We learn about fishing. We learn where the good water holes are. We learn what kind of baits or lures to use for certain fish. We learn about the different tools out there such as fishing poles, bait/lures, string/line, bobbers, even what type of boat to use to go out in. We then after learning, get together our tools and GO to the fish (ie: out into the lost and dying world). We do not expect the fish to come to us (un-saved to come to us-although it could happen). Once more, when we go out in the water with our boat, we could wait all day for the fish to come to us and hop right in the boat, but we wouldn't catch very many fish that way.
What then do we do? We go to them, and cast in our lines. Similar to what the Bible says about sharing the "Good News". In fact, Jesus likened sharing the Gospel to being "fishers of men".
The key to remember is...
#1 Pray, Study/Read the Bible, and attend Church. (don't forsake the assembling together)
#2 Go into the lost and dying world and share the Good News. (Do not wait!)
#3 Trust God and continue to pray.
#4 Do not fear/worry. Who cares what someone thinks of you seriously. This is eternal life and death we are talking about. Just trust God, and share the Good News. After all is it not more important to be pleasing to God than man?
Back to church here...
So then, the purpose of the church is to Worship God, have fellowship with believers, and to Preach, Teach, and learn the Word of God (the Bible) for the purpose of "going out" into this lost and dying world, so that we can then share the "good news" of the Gospel to those who are perishing.
WAIT!!! Some of you here are saying, thats fine and dandy, but I do not know enough. I need to learn a lot more before I can share any "good news".
This is a flat out Lie. Do Not Believe this lie. IF you are saved, then you can talk about Jesus. You do not have to be a theologian to share good news! You will improve the more you do it...like anything in life. The point is to do it before Satan keeps you complacent in your walk with the Lord.
Okay, back to the church again...
The church is not for entertainment, to have our ears tickled, or to learn how to have our best life now. Life is NOT about you. We are born selfish, and usually stay that way. Life is about the Creator, not the creation. We must repent, turn from our sin, seek God with all our hearts, turn to Him, pray, and study His Word to learn His will for our life...not our own selfish will.
Now, with all that said, having a basic idea of how and what our church is for, lets learn what God's Word says about certain Churches in the book of Revelation...
We will start this series with the first church mentioned in Revelation...the Church in Ephesus.
When reading the below, think very carefully about yourself and your church. Do you, or could you fit into any of these warnings? If so, Repent and obey God's Word...
Is it just a place to go for entertainment?
Get your ears tickled and hear motivational speaking?
Do you go because your family goes, or because it's just what you do on Sunday's?
-Or-
Are you aware of what it truly is?
The following topic is on the Warnings to the Seven Churches in the Book of Revelation!
Does this warning apply to you and your church?
We will discuss 1 Church per/posting. Comments and Questions are more than welcome...just keep it respectful and clean!
As we begin to talk about churches, we must remember what it is we are talking about. The Church is not the building per say, but the "body of believers" that make it up. The purpose of church is not to be a place to bring un-saved to get them saved. It is okay to bring them, and you would be encouraged to do so however, it is believer's jobs to share the Gospel, and the Holy Spirit's job to do the saving.
Kind of like fishing: When we go fishing, the first thing we do is prepare (ie: Pray, Study the Bible, be involved with Church, hear the Word preached, etc). We learn about fishing. We learn where the good water holes are. We learn what kind of baits or lures to use for certain fish. We learn about the different tools out there such as fishing poles, bait/lures, string/line, bobbers, even what type of boat to use to go out in. We then after learning, get together our tools and GO to the fish (ie: out into the lost and dying world). We do not expect the fish to come to us (un-saved to come to us-although it could happen). Once more, when we go out in the water with our boat, we could wait all day for the fish to come to us and hop right in the boat, but we wouldn't catch very many fish that way.
What then do we do? We go to them, and cast in our lines. Similar to what the Bible says about sharing the "Good News". In fact, Jesus likened sharing the Gospel to being "fishers of men".
The key to remember is...
#1 Pray, Study/Read the Bible, and attend Church. (don't forsake the assembling together)
#2 Go into the lost and dying world and share the Good News. (Do not wait!)
#3 Trust God and continue to pray.
#4 Do not fear/worry. Who cares what someone thinks of you seriously. This is eternal life and death we are talking about. Just trust God, and share the Good News. After all is it not more important to be pleasing to God than man?
Back to church here...
So then, the purpose of the church is to Worship God, have fellowship with believers, and to Preach, Teach, and learn the Word of God (the Bible) for the purpose of "going out" into this lost and dying world, so that we can then share the "good news" of the Gospel to those who are perishing.
WAIT!!! Some of you here are saying, thats fine and dandy, but I do not know enough. I need to learn a lot more before I can share any "good news".
This is a flat out Lie. Do Not Believe this lie. IF you are saved, then you can talk about Jesus. You do not have to be a theologian to share good news! You will improve the more you do it...like anything in life. The point is to do it before Satan keeps you complacent in your walk with the Lord.
Okay, back to the church again...
The church is not for entertainment, to have our ears tickled, or to learn how to have our best life now. Life is NOT about you. We are born selfish, and usually stay that way. Life is about the Creator, not the creation. We must repent, turn from our sin, seek God with all our hearts, turn to Him, pray, and study His Word to learn His will for our life...not our own selfish will.
Now, with all that said, having a basic idea of how and what our church is for, lets learn what God's Word says about certain Churches in the book of Revelation...
We will start this series with the first church mentioned in Revelation...the Church in Ephesus.
When reading the below, think very carefully about yourself and your church. Do you, or could you fit into any of these warnings? If so, Repent and obey God's Word...
To the Church in Ephesus
2 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of e him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, f who walks among the seven golden lampstands.
2 g “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but h have tested those i who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up j for my name's sake, and you k have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned l the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do m the works you did at first. If not, n I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of o the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 p He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. q To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of r the tree of life, which is in s the paradise of God.’
Okay,
Rev. 2:1–7 To Ephesus. The church in Ephesus was commended for doctrinal vigilance and endurance but was rebuked for its loss of love.
Rev. 2:4–5 the love you had at first. One interpretation is that Ephesus had lost its early love for Christ. Another interpretation is that Ephesian believers had lost love for one another and needed to revive the compassionate works you did at first. Many interpreters think both are in view, since love for Christ and love for one another are related (cf. Mark 12:29–31; 1 John 4:20). Remove your lampstand means that both in the near future and when Christ returns, they would lose their status as a church and Christ would treat them like apostate Israel.
(v.6) Another interesting point is that it is okay to hate sinful behaviors!
Question to ponder...have you or your church lost the love you had at first? If so...
5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do m the works you did at first. If not, n I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.
The Ancient City of Ephesus
An important port city on the west coast of Asia, Ephesus boasted the temple of Artemis (one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world). Just a few decades before Paul, Strabo called Ephesus the greatest emporium in the province of Asia Minor (Geography 12.8.15; cf. 14.1.20–26). However, the silting up of the harbor and the ravages of earthquakes caused the abandonment of the harbor city several centuries later. Today, among the vast archaeological remains, some key structures date from the actual time of the NT.
The grandiose theater, where citizens chanted “great is Artemis of the Ephesians” (Acts 19:29–40), had been enlarged under Claudius near the time when Paul was in the city. It held an estimated 20,000 or more spectators. The theater looked west toward the port. From the theater a processional way led north toward the temple of Artemis. In the fourth century b.c. the Ephesians proudly rebuilt this huge temple with their own funds after a fire, even refusing aid from Alexander the Great. The temple surroundings were deemed an official “refuge” for those fearing vengeance, and it played a central part in the economic prosperity of the city, even acting at times like a bank. A eunuch priest served the goddess Artemis, assisted by virgin women. Today very little remains of that once great temple beyond its foundations and a sizable altar, although the nearby museum displays two large statues of Artemis discovered elsewhere in Ephesus.
Other archaeologically extant religious structures include a post-NT temple of Serapis and several important imperial cult temples. Before Paul's day, Ephesus had proudly obtained the right to host the Temple of the Divine Julius [Caesar] and the goddess Roma. The city later housed memorials to the emperors Trajan (a.d. 98–117) and Hadrian (a.d. 117–138); and it possessed a huge temple of Domitian (a.d. 81–96), which may have been constructed during the time the apostle John was in western Asia. Luke testifies to Jewish presence in Ephesus (Acts 18:19, 24; 19:1–10, 13–17), and this is confirmed by inscriptions and by literary sources (e.g., Josephus, Against Apion 2.39; Jewish Antiquities 14.262–264).
Civic structures during the time of Paul included the state agora (marketplace) with its stoa, basilica, and town hall. This spilled out onto Curetes Street, which contained several monuments to important citizens such as Pollio and Memmius. Curetes Street led to the commercial agora neighboring the theater; this large market square could be entered through the Mazaeus and Mithradates Gate (erected in honor of their patrons Caesar Augustus and Marcus Agrippa). Shops lined this agora and part of Curetes Street. A building across the street from the agora has frequently been called a brothel, although some have questioned this. On the way to the Artemis temple from the theater, one would have passed the huge stadium renovated or built under Nero (a.d. 54–68).
The wealth of some residents of Ephesus is apparent in the lavish terrace houses just off Curetes Street. Later inscriptions mention a guild of silversmiths and even give the names of specific silversmiths (cf. Demetrius the silversmith, mentioned in Acts 19:24). However, as in most Roman cities, many people would have been slaves, and others would not have claimed much wealth. By the end of the second century (after the NT period) many other monumental structures were added, including some important gymnasia and the famous Library of Celsus. Remains of the giant Byzantine Church of Mary remind one that this former pagan town later hosted an important church council (the Council of Ephesus, a.d. 431).
Ephesus in the Time of Paul (c. a.d. 60)
The city plan shows those features of the city of Ephesus that archaeologists have so far identified as dating from the time of Paul. Many of the notable buildings uncovered in the excavation at Ephesus date from later periods.
Key Themes
| 1. All people are by nature spiritually dead, transgressors of God's law, and under the rule of Satan. | 1:7; 2:1–3, 5, 11–12 |
| 2. God predestined his elect to redemption and holiness in Christ according to the free counsel of his will. | 1:3–14; 2:4, 8–9 |
| 3. God's rich mercy in Christ has saved sinners; this free gift is by grace through faith alone. | 1:7–8; 2:4–14 |
| 4. Christ's earthly work of redemption was part of his cosmic reconciliation and exaltation in this age and the next. | 1:15–23; 3:1–13 |
| 5. Christ's reconciliation entails uniting all people, whether Jew or Gentile, into his one body, the church, as a new creation. | 1:23; 2:10–15; 3:1–21; 4:1–6 |
| 6. Christ's people are renewed to new lives of holiness in thought, word, and deed, and must reject their old, sinful lifestyles. | 4:1–3, 17–32; 5:1–20 |
| 7. Holiness of life entails submission to proper authorities, and loving and considerate care for those in submission. | 5:21–6:9 |
| 8. Christ has given powerful gifts to his church to bring about her unity, maturity, and defense against the onslaughts of the devil and his allies. | 4:7–16; 6:10–19 |
Literary Features
Ephesians exemplifies the genre of the NT epistle, with its salutation (including sender, recipients, and greeting), thanksgiving, exposition, exhortation, and closing (including final greetings and benediction). The main argument of the letter is punctuated by several prayers and an interior benediction (3:20–21) that marks the transition from doctrinal affirmations to practical exhortations. Chapter 2 takes the form of a spiritual biography, in which Paul recounts the saving work of Christ in the life of every Christian, and especially in the lives of Gentiles who are now included in the one new people of God. In chapter 3 the apostle takes an autobiographical turn as he testifies about his calling to the Gentiles and his prayers for the Ephesian church. The paraenesis (series of moral exhortations) consists mainly of instructions for household conduct, both for the church as the household of faith and for individual believers in their domestic relationships. The famous description of the complete armor in the last chapter is an extended metaphor. Paul also catalogs the blessings of salvation in a lofty and exhilarating lyrical style.
Ephesians finds its central unity in the work of Jesus Christ and in the community of people (both Jews and Gentiles) who are corporately united in him. The strong opening statement of praise and the absence of any theological polemics make Ephesians pervasively positive in tone. The clear division of the epistle into two halves of nearly equal length (namely, the doctrinal section in chs. 1–3 and the practical section in chs. 4–6) also provides a strong sense of structural unity.
The Setting of Ephesians
(c. a.d. 62)
Ephesus was a wealthy port city in the Roman province of Asia. It was a center of learning and was positioned near several key land routes in western Asia Minor. Paul probably wrote his letter to the Ephesians while under house arrest in Rome (Acts 28).
This is our conclusion of the Church of Ephesus. I will open this up for discussion to anyone who has input! Please put comments without filthy language. I will try to answer as many comments as possible, but feel free to have open dialogue with anyone in the comments area, I will only delete filthy comments. Be respectful.
Next we will talk about the 2nd Church listed in Revelation...
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Parents to fight for abducted 13-year-old by muslims
Parents to fight for abducted 13-year-old
Sister, 10, earlier returned by court order
Posted: October 25, 2008
© 2008 WorldNetDaily
Human rights lawyers who won a startling ruling returning custody of a 10-year-old Christian girl to her parents after she reportedly was kidnapped by Muslims who then claimed custody of her now are pursuing custody of her sister, 13.
The decision to pursue further court action in Pakistan seeking custody of 13-year-old Saba Masih came after her 10-year-old sister, Aneela, testified the children were subjected to rapes and forced conversion to Islam, according to Compass Direct News.
The two sisters were kidnapped when they stopped to purchase fruit while traveling to their uncle's home in June, the report said. The 10-year-old now has confirmed the two were tied up and locked in a room and forced to make professions of Islamic faith.
Click here for the full story! (may need to disable pop-up blocker)
Sister, 10, earlier returned by court order
Posted: October 25, 2008
© 2008 WorldNetDaily
Human rights lawyers who won a startling ruling returning custody of a 10-year-old Christian girl to her parents after she reportedly was kidnapped by Muslims who then claimed custody of her now are pursuing custody of her sister, 13.
The decision to pursue further court action in Pakistan seeking custody of 13-year-old Saba Masih came after her 10-year-old sister, Aneela, testified the children were subjected to rapes and forced conversion to Islam, according to Compass Direct News.
The two sisters were kidnapped when they stopped to purchase fruit while traveling to their uncle's home in June, the report said. The 10-year-old now has confirmed the two were tied up and locked in a room and forced to make professions of Islamic faith.
Click here for the full story! (may need to disable pop-up blocker)
U.S. attacks inside Syria Damascus: 4 American choppers involved
U.S. attacks inside Syria
Damascus: 4 American choppers involved in major raid, widen scope of Iraq campaign
Posted: October 26, 2008
By Aaron Klein
© 2008 WorldNetDaily
TEL AVIV – The U.S. Army today confirmed it carried out a raid inside a Syrian village near the Iraqi border, killing at least eight.
Today's operation is the first in which American forces so openly attacked militants on Syrian soil, clearly broadening the scope of the U.S. military campaign in Iraq.
The U.S. has long accused Damascus of failing to stop insurgents from crossing from Syria into Iraq, where they purportedly attack coalition troops and return to safety zones inside Syria.
An official Syrian spokesman confirmed earlier reports by the country's SANA state-run television, which reported U.S. helicopters were involved in an attack in Al-Sukkariya, some five miles from the Iraqi border.
Click here for the full story! (may need to disable pop-up blocker)
Damascus: 4 American choppers involved in major raid, widen scope of Iraq campaign
Posted: October 26, 2008
By Aaron Klein
© 2008 WorldNetDaily
TEL AVIV – The U.S. Army today confirmed it carried out a raid inside a Syrian village near the Iraqi border, killing at least eight.
Today's operation is the first in which American forces so openly attacked militants on Syrian soil, clearly broadening the scope of the U.S. military campaign in Iraq.
The U.S. has long accused Damascus of failing to stop insurgents from crossing from Syria into Iraq, where they purportedly attack coalition troops and return to safety zones inside Syria.
An official Syrian spokesman confirmed earlier reports by the country's SANA state-run television, which reported U.S. helicopters were involved in an attack in Al-Sukkariya, some five miles from the Iraqi border.
Click here for the full story! (may need to disable pop-up blocker)
Judge dismisses Obama birth certificate lawsuit
Judge dismisses Obama birth certificate lawsuit
Rules voters don't have standing to 'police' constitutional requirements for president
Posted: October 25, 2008
By Drew Zahn
© 2008 WorldNetDaily
A lawsuit filed by Democratic attorney Philip Berg alleging that Sen. Barack Obama is ineligible to be president was dismissed by a federal judge yesterday on grounds that Berg lacks standing to bring the lawsuit.
In a 34-page memorandum that accompanied the court order, the Hon. R. Barclay Surrick concludes that ordinary citizens can't sue to ensure that a presidential candidate actually meets the constitutional requirements of the office.
Surrick defers to Congress, saying that the legislature could determine "that citizens, voters, or party members should police the Constitution's eligibility requirements for the Presidency," but that it would take new laws to grant individual citizens that ability.
"Until that time," Surrick says, "voters do not have standing to bring the sort of challenge that Plaintiff attempts to bring."
Berg has maintained that uncertainty about how the U.S. does enforce the requirements of presidency may result in a constitutional crisis should an ineligible candidate win the office.
"This is a question of who has standing to stand up for our Constitution," Berg told Jeff Schreiber of America's Right blog. "If I don't have standing, if you don't have standing, if your neighbor doesn't have standing to ask whether or not the likely next president of the United States – the most powerful man in the entire world – is eligible to be in that office in the first place, then who does?"
Click here for the full story! (may need to disable pop-up blocker)
Rules voters don't have standing to 'police' constitutional requirements for president
Posted: October 25, 2008
By Drew Zahn
© 2008 WorldNetDaily
A lawsuit filed by Democratic attorney Philip Berg alleging that Sen. Barack Obama is ineligible to be president was dismissed by a federal judge yesterday on grounds that Berg lacks standing to bring the lawsuit.
In a 34-page memorandum that accompanied the court order, the Hon. R. Barclay Surrick concludes that ordinary citizens can't sue to ensure that a presidential candidate actually meets the constitutional requirements of the office.
Surrick defers to Congress, saying that the legislature could determine "that citizens, voters, or party members should police the Constitution's eligibility requirements for the Presidency," but that it would take new laws to grant individual citizens that ability.
"Until that time," Surrick says, "voters do not have standing to bring the sort of challenge that Plaintiff attempts to bring."
Berg has maintained that uncertainty about how the U.S. does enforce the requirements of presidency may result in a constitutional crisis should an ineligible candidate win the office.
"This is a question of who has standing to stand up for our Constitution," Berg told Jeff Schreiber of America's Right blog. "If I don't have standing, if you don't have standing, if your neighbor doesn't have standing to ask whether or not the likely next president of the United States – the most powerful man in the entire world – is eligible to be in that office in the first place, then who does?"
Click here for the full story! (may need to disable pop-up blocker)
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