Christian News from Christians Unite.

[Shammu]

GFA Hopes Newly Secular Nepal Will Give Christians More Freedom

by Allie Martin
May 26, 2006

(AgapePress) - - The president of Gospel for Asia (GFA), Dr. K.P. Yohannan, says he is cautiously optimistic about recent changes in Nepal's government.

Earlier this month the Parliament of Nepal stripped the king of political power, removing his control of the nation's army and declaring Nepal a secular state. That act ended the country's former status as the world's only Hindu kingdom.

However, Nepalese Hindus are protesting the Parliament's resolution. The Associated Press reports that a peaceful strike called by Hindu groups has closed schools and businesses in one southern border town and threatens to block imports of goods from neighboring India, and some 5,000 protesters have recently marched through Katmandu waving banners against the decision. More than 85 percent of the population of Nepal is Hindu.

But despite the protests, Christians working in Nepal are hopeful. For years now, GFA missionaries have worked in Nepal, planting churches and spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, and Dr. Yohannan, the ministry's leader, says major changes could be in store for the country's long oppressed Christian minority.

"We have experienced huge amounts of persecution, rejection, imprisonment, because the constitution of Nepal under the king says that if you convert someone you had to go to prison for many years," Yohannan explains. "And now, in spite of all the rules in Nepal, God is working, and we have over 200 churches planted there."

During the past decade, more than 14,000 people have died because of a war between Communist forces and the Royal Nepal Army. Meanwhile, missionaries like those serving through GFA have worked under the threat of persecution.

Even with the recent sweeping changes in the government, Yohannan observes, Christians may still face difficult times ahead. He cautions that, with India being so close, the possibility remains that religious fundamentalism could be adopted in Nepal just as it has been in India.

Nevertheless, the GFA president says he continues to entertain hope in "the possibility" opened up by the Nepalese Parliament's declaration -- the possibility that "the country will be wide open for the gospel when they have the new constitution explaining about what it means to be a democratic, secular nation."

If all goes optimally, Yohannan says the recent government changes could create not only more freedom for Christians in Nepal but more freedom for the work of missions agencies like GFA. "I hope they will do that," the Christian leader says. "If that be the case, it will be a huge breakthrough to see so much more done in the country."

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[Shammu]

Remaking Man in Our Own Image:

by Dr. Marc T. Newman
May 26, 2006

(AgapePress) - - C. S. Lewis argued in The Abolition of Man that humans, unmoored from the restraint occasioned by fidelity to a transcendent moral order, would create a world of their own choosing. Humans think that by doing so they will be free to make of themselves what they will, but Lewis disagreed, noting "For the power of Man to make himself what he pleases means, as we have seen, the power of some men to make other men what they please." The men in charge of such a program Lewis called "the Conditioners" - and they are making a spectacular appearance this weekend at your local theater in X-Men 3: The Last Stand (rated PG-13).

Memorial Day weekend has become the kickoff point for summer popcorn flicks, and in that area X-Men 3 does not disappoint. Summer films are dominated by action, and X-Men 3 has enough spandex-garbed mutant superheroes, battles to the death, explosions, gunfire, and other visual eye-candy to satisfy the adolescent male in many of us. And while X-Men 3 is the weakest in the series (blame the exit of director Bryan Singer, who left the franchise he built to direct Superman Returns), amidst the mayhem it still raises significant questions about the making of moral decisions in a culture that has abandoned God, the threat of Conditioners to remake humans in their own image, and the need to reassert a transcendent vision of humanity if we are ever to survive the technologizing of the West.

No Superhuman Authority

X-Men 3 frames the dilemma that pervades the film in an early scene. Professor Xavier, who runs the School for Gifted Children - a kind of Mutant U - is conducting a discussion about ethics in which he challenges his charges to try to determine where is the line between a responsible use of their power and tyranny over those who are weaker than they. In response, one of the students paraphrases this quotation from Albert Einstein: "I do not believe in immortality of the individual, and I consider ethics to be an exclusively human concern with no superhuman authority behind it."

Cloudy ethics pervade X-Men 3. The line between what constitutes help and what constitutes unethical control is blurry - at times even causing the audience to question the motives of Professor Xavier regarding his intrusion into the mind of Jean Grey - the world's most powerful mutant. Can good intentions override lack of consent if the goal is to help someone gain self-control? Is Magneto, portrayed in the earlier two films as the head villain, wrong to want to protect himself, and the other rebel mutants, from being medically altered to suit the needs of the government?

The ambivalence felt by the audience during the film stems from this major premise: in a world that rejects any kind of transcendent morality as binding on its decision making, how do we determine right from wrong? Twist the circumstances enough and even appalling behavior can be made to look, if not right, at least understandable. But it was Nietzsche, not Einstein, who best understood how determinations of right and wrong are to be made in a culture that has killed God: through the will to power.

Can Do versus Should Do

The problems faced in the fantasy world of X-Men 3 are merely our own problems writ large. While Professor Xavier is wrestling with the philosophical and theological question of whether the mutants should do certain things, over at Worthington Laboratories scientists are simply determining whether or not they can do what they want - which is to genetically modify mutants to neutralize their special abilities. What begins as a voluntary offer to "cure" the mutants so that they will "fit in" with the rest of the culture, quickly escalates to a forceful, mandatory kind of ethnic cleansing.

Thomas De Zengotita, in his book, Mediated, argues that through genetic engineering we are in the process of "literal self-making." He sees this as the ultimate rejection of God as we make of ourselves what we want to be, rather than what Nature (or God) intended us to be. But remember Lewis - this power actually amounts to the power of the Conditioners to mold others into the kinds of humans desired by the Conditioners. So what De Zengotita enthusiastically praises as self-liberation is instead the worst type of tyranny.

Recognizing this drift, Peter Lawler, in Aliens in America, explains that we are already well on the way to this world that X-Men 3 describes as located "not too far in the future." By welcoming a pragmatic view of philosophy - one that views "the good" as "what works" - we are moving toward a culture in which the highest goal is comfort. Since the most uncomfortable ideas are that we will all someday die, and that we will be accountable to God for our actions, these ideas need to be eliminated from the human psyche. Lawler explains "The pragmatist hopes, for love or charity, to free human beings from any residual longings they may have for the truth about God and nature. The pragmatist will help them forget about eternity - and so any form of immortality - for their own good." Lawler notes that while philosophers may fail to produce the desired results, pharmacology may not. It won't be that medical technology will exterminate death; it will simply be used to render people incapable of caring about it. Once we no longer care about death or judgment, what will stop the Conditioners among us from finishing the job and altering or eliminating those "undesirables" who make these elites uncomfortable by their very existence?

Reasserting the Transcendent Vision of Humanity

While X-Men 3 struggles with these ideas, it is so committed to its evolutionary sense of destiny that it is unable to see that any happy ending it hopes to move toward is more of a happy accident than a result of a reinvigorated commitment to transcendent truth. In actuality, the apparent morality of the X-Men is nothing more than the result of winning a contested power struggle. It is the case of the winner writing history.

After cheering at the successes of the "good mutants" over the "bad mutants" - these lines are tough to draw when the good mutants are fighting to save the technological source of their own impending destruction - we need to pause. As they walk from the theater, filmgoers should hearken back to Professor Xavier's initial ethics discussion and the student's response. What kind of ethical world can we live in if we are unwilling or unable to recognize any superhuman authority? Christians should know the answer to that question. The human story is one of constant struggle against the rule of God - it is the story of sin. Christians can also explain the way out. No amount of technology or wishful thinking will eliminate the facts of death and judgment. The only true comfort humans can ever find is through acknowledging their status as creatures, accepting the redemption provided by their Creator, and renewing their proper relationship with Him so that they might be completely fulfilled as He intended.

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[Shammu]

Modified Image on School Yearbook Cover Upsets Some Parents

by Jim Brown
May 30, 2006

(AgapePress) - - Parents in suburban Fort Worth, Texas, are expressing anger over an elementary school's decision to remove the phrase "In God We Trust" from its yearbook cover.

Officials at Liberty Elementary School in Colleyville deliberately omitted the words "In God We Trust" from a large image of the new "Liberty" nickel appearing on the cover of the school's inaugural yearbook. The coin features a portrait of Thomas Jefferson, the cursive "Liberty" inscription in Jefferson's own handwriting, and the national motto along the right edge -- except, that is, along the edge of the coin's image on this elementary school's yearbook.

Janet Travis, principal of Liberty Elementary School, explains that in making the determination, she wanted to avoid offending students of different religions. But for those who preferred, the yearbook came with a sticker that allowed students to put the phrase "In God We Trust" back on the Liberty nickel.

An attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union told the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram that the move by the school and the district was appropriate, sensitive, and constitutional. "Sometimes administrators and schools are really caught trying to make appropriate decisions with respect to people's views. Someone is always going to complain," said Dallas attorney Michael Linz. "I think that the school administrators were drawing the appropriate line by trying not to offend others."

But Debi Ackerman, whose ten-year-old daughter attends Liberty Elementary, says despite the school's intentions, it succeeded in offending "people who believe in our country and what it stands for."

Ackerman says she had a "huge problem" with the way it was handled. "Instead of printing 'In God We Trust' on the coin image, they didn't print it, and instead sent it home in sticker form in a concealed envelope," she says. The mom says it was explained to the young students that "there are some people who don't believe in God and that this might not be appropriate for some beliefs -- and when you get home, go ahead if you wish to and affix [the sticker] to the yearbook."

The decision to remove the motto from the coin's image, says Ackerman, is another example of political correctness run amok.

"For me it kind of stemmed from like, Christmas trees aren't being referred to as Christmas trees; they're being referred to as holiday trees," she says. "And instead of Christmas decorations, it's holiday decorations -- and Easter break isn't Easter break anymore, it's Spring break. Then this happened, and for me it was just like they seem to be worried about stepping on the wrong people's toes."

Interestingly, one of the parent leaders in the school turned the same phrase in an interview with Star-Telegram. "We are a public school," said Tom Gardner, Liberty PTA president. "We sure do not want to step on anybody's toes. I don't think any harm was intended."

In an effort to address and perhaps defuse the situation, the school district has issued what it calls an "apology letter" to parents. But Ackerman says it reads more like a "regret letter" than an apology.

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[Shammu]

Ohio Group Plans Campaign to Combat Gambling Expansion

by Ed Thomas
May 30, 2006

(AgapePress) - - A spokesman for the Cincinnati-based pro-family group Citizens for Community Values (CCV) does not see much success ahead this year for new voting initiatives on gambling in Ohio, even if supporters manage to get any such measures on the November ballot.

David Miller, vice president of public policy for CCV, predicts that future votes will have results similar to the last two failed attempts to expand gambling in Ohio. However, he thinks developments in the ten years since the last attempt have only served to prove that the downfalls to society far outweigh the advantages of legalizing more forms of gambling.

"What actually happens when you bring casinos into local communities is that the crime statistics go up within five years after the business opens," Miller says. Meanwhile, he notes, the number of gambling addicts goes up as well, as do drug-related crimes, both of which are a drag on the economy.

Nevertheless, the activist group spokesman says Ohio gambling interests, despite failing at their last attempt a decade ago, are attempting to organize in time to put a gambling initiative on the ballot later this year. Their idea, he says, is "to get limited approval first for slot machines and then later to allow casinos, and those petition efforts are under way right now."

Miller says his group is hoping that the gambling interests "will first of all not succeed in gathering enough signatures." However, if their measure does go on the ballot, he adds, "we hope that it will fail once again.'

In any event, CCV is hedging its bets with a directed voter-education campaign. What the group hopes to do, the public policy spokesman says, is to be "educate the consumers throughout the state of Ohio about the negative impact beyond what the casinos believe the benefits will be."

The plan, Miller explains, is to raise citizens' awareness about the many serious drawbacks of gambling expansion before they go to the polls to weigh in on the issue. Once that is accomplished, CCV's hope is "that the voters will turn it down," he says.

The Ohio organization will be using a vigorous multi-media campaign to oppose both the gambling interests' signature-gathering efforts and any ballot measure, Miller notes. Among other things, he says CCV plans to publicize research from locales across the U.S. showing that a substantial rise in crime takes place after the arrival of casinos.

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[Shammu]

GOP Presidential Hopeful Blamed for Massachusetts' Marriage Fiasco

by Jim Brown
May 30, 2006

(AgapePress) - - Some pro-family groups and the conservative media are being accused of covering up the fact that Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is "the founding father of homosexual marriage' -- or so says a parents coalition leader in that state.

The Massachusetts-based Parents' Rights Coalition (PRC) claims it was Governor Romney's "illegal" executive order that imposed homosexual "marriage" in the Bay State, not the controversial Goodridge court decision in November 2003. PRC's John Haskins contends the 2008 presidential hopeful committed an impeachable act by violating several articles of the Massachusetts Constitution.

According to Haskins, PRC and the Article 8 Alliance -- another Massachusetts-based pro-family group -- notified conservative media outlets such as The Weekly Standard, National Review, and the American Spectator that Romney was personally advised in advance that he was violating the state constitution.

"The real tragedy here is that many pro-family groups and the conservative media continue to cover up for Governor Romney and ignore the plain meaning of the Massachusetts constitution," asserts Haskins, "which says that neither the governor nor any court can strike down laws -- only the Legislature can do that."

Consequently, he adds, "homosexual marriage is still illegal here in Massachusetts -- and yet it's conservatives propping it up by pretending it's legal."

A one-man, one-woman marriage law remains on the books in Massachusetts, he says, and is binding under the state's constitution. But conservatives fail to pint that out, says Haskins.

"Here in Massachusetts there are several pro-family groups that are close to the governor and [that] include prominent people who are personal friends of the governor," he explains. "And it appears that there's absolutely no price that they're not willing to pay to remain close to Governor Romney. That means they're not going to put the word out, as we've been trying to, that what he's done is exactly the opposite of what he wants the country to think he's done."

Haskins says by their silence "socially and professionally ambitious conservatives ... are covering up a huge political lie that is destroying the culture and constitutional law."

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[Shammu]

'Net Neutrality' a Must for Most Christian Broadcasters, Says NRB Leader

by Allie Martin and Jody Brown
May 30, 2006

(AgapePress) - - Christian broadcasters are concerned about legislation that could make it tougher for the public to access their websites. Recent action by a House committee would seem to allay some of those fears.

The U.S. House of Representatives is considering a bill that would allow broadband network operators to offer streamlined access to websites that pay them extra for a higher level of service. Frank Wright, president of the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB), says such an arrangement would put many nonprofit radio stations at a disadvantage.

"The telephone companies and cable companies that control access to the Internet are talking about creating kind of a better level of service for those who are willing to pay for it," Wright explains, "and everyone else sort of gets what's left over."

Broadband Internet providers such as Verizon and AT&T have been lobbying for a sort of "fast lane" on the web that would be reserved for video and other high-priority content. But last week, the House Judiciary Committee approved a bill [PDF] that would require such providers to abide by strict "Net neutrality" principles -- that is, operate their networks in a nondiscriminatory manner.

Wright obviously sees merit to such a move. "A system of Internet control that shows favoritism to one group over another would probably disadvantage non-profits like religious broadcasters," he says. "We don't have the revenue streams that would help us pay for a better level of Internet service that they're talking about."

Despite being opposed by several Republicans on the committee, the Internet Freedom and Nondiscrimination Act of 2006 (H.R. 5417) was passed out of committee on a 20-13 vote. Committee chairman F. James Sensenbrenner, a congressman from Wisconsin, said the measure "will provide an insurance policy for Internet users against being harmed by broadband network operators abusing their market power to discriminate against content and service providers."

The president of the Christian Coalition of America is asking Congress to preserve what supporters of what has come to be known as "net neutrality." Roberta Combs says Sensenbrenner and others on the committee have stood up for continued freedom on the Internet.

"We urge Congress to move aggressively to save the Internet -- and allow ideas rather than money to control what Americans can access on the Worldwide Web," she says. Congress, says the Christian Coalition, must make sure the Internet remains accessible to all Americans, rich or poor.

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[Shammu]

Indiana Christians Stand Watch, Bear Witness in War on Local Porn Shop

by Allie Martin
May 30, 2006

(AgapePress) - - Concerned Christians in Jackson County, Indiana, are hoping to shut down a local porn shop by posting customers' photographs online. Meanwhile, some of these pro-family community activists are taking advantage of the chance to witness to the shop's clientele.

The Lion's Den is an adult bookstore that was opened in Uniontown, Indiana, just off Interstate 65 eight months ago. Ever since, protesters have been outside the store around the clock, taking pictures of customers and placing some of the photos on the Internet.

It's all part of an effort by a group called "War-Line," which runs the website. Rob Patterson, a member of the Christian activist group, says he and his fellow protesters have declared war on porn in their community.

"These people said, 'We're drawing the line. It's not going to happen here,'" the Indiana man says. And as a result, he adds, "Some of these Lion's Den's have already closed. I think there are about four or five that have closed in the past couple of years."

Meanwhile, Patterson points out that the demonstrations outside the porn store have created unexpected opportunities to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the customers who come by. "When people come, sometimes they get mad at us," he admits. "But if they stop and talk to us, we're able to witness to them, and many of them come under some sort of conviction," he says. "And some get saved."

The Christian protesters feel they're presence and their witnessing have made a real impression on some of the store's customers. And at times, the War-Line spokesman notes, the protesters have been able to give the porn establishment visitors something worth taking away with them.

"We had a time [when] a church gave us about 90 Bibles," Patterson says, "and we give those Bibles to people who get saved. We've given out all of those Bibles, and wish we could have a couple hundred more."

Although many of the members of War-Line have been verbally assaulted, Patterson says they are committed to holding the line against porn shops in their community. Meanwhile, Jackson County's commissioners are working with the American Family Association Center for Law and Policy to craft ordinances that would ban such sexually-oriented businesses.

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[Shammu]

Bible Club Battles Maryland School District in Discrimination Suit

by Jim Brown
May 30, 2006

(AgapePress) - - Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) is continuing to pursue its lawsuit against the Montgomery County Public School System in Maryland. The legal action was filed after the school district refused to send students home with flyers promoting the Christian group's Good News Bible Clubs.

Two years ago, the Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that barring the CEF flyer distribution violated the group's free speech rights. The Montgomery County school district then adopted a "revised" literature distribution policy. However, Christian Legal Society senior litigation counsel Kim Colby, who represents CEF, claims the new policy is also unconstitutional.

According to the school system's general literature distribution policy, a group that wants its flyers distributed can ask the school system, Colby says, or it can ask any government agency, any sports team, any PTA, or any on-campus daycare provider. However, she notes, officials at Montgomery County Public Schools "took the position that they wouldn't give CEF permission to distribute the flyer unless CEF first got approval from one of these other groups."

The Christian club should not have to get approval from another group first in order to get its flyers distributed by the school district, the attorney insists. She believes Montgomery County is implementing its newly revised policy unfairly, and by way of evidence she points to the fact that the County Recreation Department, the Baha'i community, and a Methodist church tutoring program -- as well as other area churches -- are allowed to send flyers home with students.

"It's really invidious discrimination to be told the reason we don't treat you the same as everyone else is you have a Christian evangelical perspective," Colby asserts. The Christian club is allowed to have its meetings after school, she says, "but it's tough if you can't get the word out as easily as other groups can to let parents know that this is an option."

Last week, a three-judge panel heard oral arguments in CEF's second appeal to the Fourth Circuit. Colby says CEF will continue to battle for its free speech and equal access rights, as well as to compel the Montgomery County public schools to stop discriminating against the evangelical Christian group.

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[Shammu]

State Denies Judge's Accusations of 'Un-Americanizing' School Curriculum

by Jim Brown and Jody Brown
May 31, 2006

(AgapePress) - - A Michigan judge is accusing the state's Department of Education of censoring the words "America" and "American" from public schools. But the Department is denying any such move is afoot.

Judge Michael Warren says the Michigan Department of Education has eliminated the words "America" and "American" from the state testing program and instructed those drafting curriculum content standards to remove the words as well. According to Warren, the department also issued a verbal directive to high-profile educators that they should instruct their teachers to stop using the words because they are "ethnocentric."

Warren, a former member of the state's Department of Education, says "well-intentioned but pernicious political correctness" is rolling around in that department. "I think we all agree that we're Americans in the United States and that we're the United States of America," he says. "There was the American Revolution, and the words 'America' and 'Americans' have a very special meaning for us as individuals and as a nation. The Department of Education didn't understand that."

In a May 24 press release, State Superintendent Michael Flanagan flatly denies Warren's allegations. Flanagan says no such edict has gone out to school teachers across Michigan, nor will one. In addition, if such a recommendation for curriculum change ever came across Flanagan's desk, it would "stopped in its tracks," says the department. He also told American Family Radio News that if the censorship has taken place, he will revise the current testing protocol to allow the words to be used.

Warren contends the Education Department is in a state of denial. He says Superintendent Flanagan is not aware of how much political correctness exists in "the bowels of the Department." The judge asserts that the Department has initiated a series of "different steps to eliminate the words America and American in the state level as well as in the local level."

"In other words," he says, "[there's a feeling] that Mexicans, because they're in the North American continent, are also Americans; and Canadians, because they're in the North American continent. And they also refer to South America, so apparently the Brazilians and the Belizeans are also Americans."

And while the Department acknowledges an "independent association of Social Studies educators has discussed the issue of official U.S. documents or titles," it says no recommendations for changes in curriculum have been submitted to Flanagan for his review.

"These are advisory groups," says the superintendent in the press statement. "The conversations and internal communications between members [of that independent association] have been misconstrued as Department of Education policy. This is not a [Department] policy, nor will it ever be our policy while I'm here. We are not seeking to do away with the terms 'America' or 'American' from classroom instruction. It's not going to happen."

Warren, however, says the alleged censorship was so "ludicrous and disgraceful" it needed to be exposed and stopped. And to counteract the alleged political correctness, the judge suggests the Department create an "American Freedom" curriculum to help educate K-12 children in understanding the principles of the nation's founding documents.

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[Shammu]

Expert Thinks Evangelical Christianity Could End Chinese Communists' Rule

by Chad Groening
May 31, 2006

(AgapePress) - - An American anti-Communist activist says he is encouraged by a recent report that after years of atheism, the Chinese people are returning to religion. He believes that is going to be an increasing problem for the Chinese Communist Party.

D.J. McGuire is president of the China Support Network and the China E-Lobby. He says a recent article in the Chinese newspaper, the Epoch Times, points out that years of Communist rule has not brought the Chinese people satisfaction or spiritual transcendence, with the result that many are turning elsewhere to fill the void.

"The Chinese people are suffering a crisis of faith," McGuire contends. "As one would expect, Maoism has not brought them fulfillment of any kind. They're now relying on radical nationalism, the CCP is, in order to survive, and that's exactly the sort of thing that only works temporarily."

But while the Communist regime looks to nationalistic fervor for salvation, the activist says the Chinese people are returning to the very thing the government fears -- religion. "What we now see is a people, the Chinese people, crying out for faith, crying out for fulfillment," he explains. "And they're finding it, increasingly, in Christianity."

The more Christianity spreads, McGuire asserts, "and the farther and deeper that spreads, the more treacherous it is for the Chinese Communist Party." He says this is because there is something fundamentally different about the Christian church.

"What makes Christianity different," the head of the China Support Network notes, "in particular evangelical Christianity -- and I say this as someone who was born and raised Catholic -- [is that] evangelical Christianity is connected but it's decentralized, which makes it much harder for the communists to stamp out and remove."

Other religious communities, such as Falun Gong and Roman Catholicism, are more centralized, McGuire points out. "And that is why I think the rise of evangelical Christianity is one of the things that will lead to the end of the Chinese Communist regime."

Because of the structure of China's underground Christian church in cells or house church communities rather than a centralized "head" that can be easily cut off, McGuire says he believes evangelical Christianity will eventually lead to the end of Communist Party rule in China. He believes this is one reason why the Communist Chinese regime is so afraid of the church.

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[Shammu]

Bishop Jackson: Marriage Amendment Presents Political Vote on a Biblical Issue

by Allie Martin and Jody Brown
June 1, 2006

(AgapePress) - - A prominent black Christian pastor is among minority religious leaders calling on the U.S. Senate to approve a proposed constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

Black and Hispanic church leaders are urging senators to vote for the Marriage Protection Amendment (MPA), which would protect traditional marriage from being redefined. Those supporting the MPA say it is needed to stop judges from legalizing same-sex "marriage," despite the opposition of voters and their elected representatives. The Senate is to debate and vote on the proposed amendment next week.

The proposed amendment (S.J. Res. 1) reads as follows: "Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. Neither this Constitution, nor the constitution of any State, shall be construed to require that marriage or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon any union other than the union of a man and a woman."

Bishop Gerald Glen of the black Pentecostal Church of God in Christ says his denomination's five million members strongly oppose letting courts redefine marriage. And Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, who heads the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Coalition, believes legalizing homosexual marriage would undermine traditional marriage and family life.

Bishop Harry Jackson chairs the High Impact Leadership Coalition and pastors Hope Christian Church in Bowie, Maryland. In interviews with American Family Radio News and Associated Press, Bishop Jackson says while he believes strongly that same-sex marriage is unbiblical, the Senate vote on the amendment is more about politics.

"There are those among us who consider this marriage amendment as nothing more than a Republican scam, if you will; a matter of pandering to their base and kind of throwing a bone to conservative Christians," he offers. "I happen to be a registered Democrat, and I want to say that nothing could be further from the truth."

"Same-sex marriage is not directly addressed in any affirming way by the words of Christ," Jackson continues, "and it is simply spoken against in the Old Testament. And so we need to be true to the sacred scriptures that we hold as the guiding light for our faith."

The Bible, he notes, only blesses sex between a husband and wife. "It's a matter of whether you're a biblical conservative or a biblical liberal," the pastor explains. "By and large, biblical conservatives say that although we accept all people, there seems to be [a biblical] admonition against same-sex unions, especially the concept of [homosexual] marriage."

God Says It's Wrong -- But There's More
Biblical arguments aside, Jackson contends there are other reasons for opposing same-sex unions. "Gay" marriage, he says, would be immoral and unhealthy for society. "We've got, I think, both a biblical lens in which I'm viewing this problem, and a sociological lens," he says. "Something that devalues the institution [of marriage] would take us to an even further level."

In addition, the institution of marriage is already struggling in the black community, he says -- even without it being redefined. "The gay community is well on its way to getting many, many of [the] rights that they want," Jackson says. "I'm simply wanting to protect traditional marriage.

"I'm not against gay people; I'm not trying to bash them per se. I just think that we're in such a terrible situation in my community that I've got to protect the institution." According to Jackson, only 30 percent of blacks are in monogamous married relationships.

The pastor also takes issue with the "civil rights" argument that is put forth by advocates of same-sex marriage. The attempt to redefine marriage, he says, should be not be compared to the fight for black civil rights.

"Gay rights is not an extension of the civil rights movement simply because there's no choice involved in our blackness," Jackson asserts. "I think there is an amazingly militant group of gays who have made it their point to say, 'We're going to be out; we're going to be visible' -- that's their choice."

Bishop Jackson is among a diverse group of religious leaders who comprise the Religious Coalition for Marriage. In late May that Coalition released a statement signed by 50 leaders expressing their support for the proposed Marriage Protection Amendment. Such an amendment, states the letter, "is the only measure that will adequately protect marriage from those who would circumvent the legislative process and force a redefinition of it on the whole of our society."

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Compilation Offers 'Best of the Best' from Great Evangelist George Whitefield

by Randall Murphree
June 1, 2006

(AgapePress) - - Whitefield Gold, the second title in the Gold series by Bridge-Logos, is a succinct and stunning introduction to evangelist George Whitefield. The English preacher's name became a household word on the North American continent in the mid 1700s. He was arguably the most noted revivalist sparking the period's Great Awakening. Because of his booming voice that carried to thousands in the open air and because of his stellar leadership in the movement, Whitefield has been dubbed the "Trumpet of the Great Awakening."

A concise but thorough biography of Whitefield by Sue E. Tennant introduces the volume, and a few pages of photos add graphic appeal. The evangelist's life story tugs at the heart. Despite the fervent adulation of believers on two continents, Whitefield's life had its difficulties. He was run out of London by the Anglican Church in which he had been ordained, and he endured an unhappy marriage.

Even for the scholar who knows Whitefield's role in history, the 171-page volume is a noteworthy review of many pithy quotes from his vast body of sermons. Editor Ray Comfort shares the best of the best with those who would mine Whitefield's sermons for inspiration and wisdom.

Comfort categorizes rich, deep Whitefield wisdom into subject areas, and an index helps the reader find quotes related to various themes, e.g. Christian peace, compassion, conversion, hell, judgment, open-air preaching, prayer and pleasing God. For example:

    Advice to Preachers: The best preparation for preaching on Sundays is to preach every day of the week.

    Prayer: The spirit of grace is always accompanied with the spirit of supplication. It is the very breath of the new creature, the fan of the divine life, whereby the spark of holy fire, kindled in the soul by God, is not only kept in, but raised into a flame.

    Pleasing God: I believe I was never more acceptable to my Master than when I was standing to teach those hearers in the open fields. Some may censure me; but if I thus pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

One of the book's appendices gives excerpts from the opinions of others who saw Whitefield's impact. The fiery evangelist counted Benjamin Franklin among his close friends. Franklin was skeptical regarding newspaper estimates of the crowds flocking to hear Whitefield. However, after his own investigation, he wrote, "[George] had a loud and clear voice, and articulated his words and sentences so perfectly that he might be heard and understood at a great distance."

Franklin tested the crowd estimates by moving far away from Whitefield during an outdoor sermon and concluded that he could be reasonably heard by more than 30,000 people.

Leonard Ravenhill wrote, "What was the secret of Whitefield's success? I think three things: he preached a pure gospel, he preached a powerful gospel, he preached a passionate gospel."

John Newton observed, "It seemed as though he never preached in vain."

And John Wesley asked the question, "Have we read or heard of anyone who has been God's blessed instrument to bring so many sinners from darkness to light and from Satan unto God as Whitefield?"

Ray Comfort is himself a noted evangelist, pastor and author whose work challenges today's church to carry the Gospel into everyday relationships. With actor Kirk Cameron, Comfort co-hosts The Way of the Master, an award-winning television program with a strong emphasis on evangelism. With Whitefield Gold, Comfort offers a great gift to the Body of Christ, allowing readers to discover the impact of one of the world's great evangelists.

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[Shammu]

Virginia Pastor Sues for Right to Pray Christianly at Council Meetings

by Allie Martin
May 31, 2006

(AgapePress) - - The director of the Christian Defense Coalition says one Virginia pastor should be commended for standing up for his free-speech rights after being told how to pray at public meetings of the local city council.

Hashmeal Turner, a pastor in Fredericksburg, Virginia, was on a rotating list of clergy who were called on to open the city council's meetings with prayer. Before he was scheduled to pray, however, officials told him he could not pray in the name of Jesus or mention the name of Christ during the invocation.

Turner has filed a federal lawsuit against the city, claiming that his First Amendment rights are being violated. Rev. Patrick Mahoney is director of the Christian Defense Coalition, a conservative, pro-family advocacy group that has been vocal in commending the minister and supporting his stance.

"Our position is this: no governmental body, no civil authority, should tell any American citizen how they are to pray," Mahoney asserts. "That should be left up to their own conscience, to the dictates of their faith tradition and the practices of their faith," he says.

The Fredericksburg officials who required Pastor Turner to restrict his prayers were overstepping their authority, as far as the Coalition spokesman is concerned. He says government entities have no business trying to dictate how people should pray.

"We would all be appalled and up in arms if a city council or a legislative body or a governmental body told American citizens [they] had to pray in the name of Allah," Mahoney contends. "Yet, by telling citizens to pray nonsectarian prayers, [these government officials] in essence are ordering and determining how people are to pray."

If Hashmeal Turner wins his case, Mahoney believes this will make it easier for Christians to express their faith in the public arena. The Christian Defense Coalition leader has organized rallies in the Fredericksburg area in support of the pastor and his fight for free speech and religious freedom.

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Catholic League: Homosexual High School Teacher Was Rightly Fired

by Jim Brown
May 31, 2006

(AgapePress) - - The Catholic League is defending a decision by a Nevada Catholic school to fire a homosexual teacher over his MySpace.com profile. Jeff Crouse, a 45-year-old former seminarian, has been fired from Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas after school officials learned he was trolling for same-sex dates on the Internet.

The Las Vegas Sun reports that Crouse, who teaches philosophy and film studies to high school seniors, posted information in his MySpace.com profile, describing himself as a homosexual seeking "straight-acting single men." This came to the attention of school administrators and, not long afterward, the teacher was terminated.

According to Crouse, he was called into the principal's office May 12 and told he was being fired, in accordance with the terms of his contract, for "maintaining, by word or action, a position contrary to the ordinary teaching of the Catholic Church."

Kiera McCaffrey, director of communications for the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, believes the schoolteacher's firing was justified because his behavior violated Roman Catholic instruction on sexual morality. "The church teaches that any sexual activity outside of marriage, which, of course, can only be heterosexual, is wrong," she points out, "so it would be the same if a straight person were posting [on the Internet], looking for -- not dates, because that would be fine -- but looking for sexual situations, that sort of thing."

McCaffrey emphasizes that Crouse's firing was not proper simply because he was online "looking for a homosexual date," but because his behavior fell outside of the boundaries of church teaching on the proper context for sexual expression. "A married person looking for an extramarital affair would be the same sort of situation," she contends.

Teachers have a responsibility, the Catholic League spokeswoman asserts, not only to impart knowledge about the subjects they teach but also to serve as role models for their students and "to reflect the teachings of the church in every in every matter." However, she notes, "this isn't saying that a teacher should be followed and made sure that every one of his actions on his off time adheres to church teaching. I don't think anybody would pass muster then."

While she admits that "everybody makes mistakes," McCaffrey insists that "there's a big difference between slipping up once in a while and putting a posting on the Internet looking for homosexual dates. I mean, this is something the students are going to see."

According to the Las Vegas Sun, Crouse would not discuss whether he regretted posting his personal profile on MySpace.com, or whether he plans to fight his termination. Las Vegas Diocese and school officials declined to comment on the case, citing personnel confidentiality.

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Author Gives Christians Pat on the Back Post-Da Vinci Code Release

by Allie Martin
June 1, 2006

(AgapePress) - - The co-author of a book that looks at the beliefs of author Dan Brown, who penned The Da Vinci Code, believes Christians overall have responded appropriately to the recent release of the movie adaptation of the best-selling novel.

John Alan Turner is co-author of The Gospel According to the Da Vinci Code, a book that examines the beliefs of novelist Dan Brown. Turner's book is one of many books, study guides, and DVDs released by Christian authors and ministries in the weeks leading up to the May 19 U.S. debut of the Ron Howard film starring Tom Hanks. Turner says Christians who have used the movie as an opportunity to proclaim the truth about Christ and the Bible were able to engage in an effective witness.

"What we're really saying when we ask what would a Christian response to this look like, what we're really asking is WWJDWDVC -- what would Jesus do with The Da Vinci Code," the author says. "And I think if you look at the way Jesus responded to people in His time, He built bridges of relationship and understanding and, in the context of grace, He introduced hard truth."

Turner says while he believes the Christian resources released to counter The Da Vinci Code were effective witnessing and teaching tools, he does not believe they had any impact on sales of either the book or the movie.

"If Christians had stayed away from the movie altogether and had not written all these books and everything, I'm not sure if that would have helped the Da Vinci Code or hurt the Da Vinci Code, he says. "[However] I do think it would have done damage to the people who read the book and bought it lock, stock, and barrel."

He contends that if Christians had not attempted to constructively engage non-believers about the premises of the movie, it would have "left a lot of people in a sea of confusion."

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