Immoral behavior

[Shammu]

The authority of this world belong to God, not man. I've had sermons on homosexually, and will again.

Many liberal minded Christians are now supporting this legalizing homo's, thinking that God the Father has no problems with this union, much less have any problems with homosexuality in general. This is because of "mans doctrine" of the Bible.

For those of you who really want to know what God the Father thinks about same sex marriages, the Bible once again gives us a very direct and solemn answer on this very controversial issue. It simply is a matter of putting together 2 very basic and solid verses from Scripture.

Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

I believe these are the two strongest and strictest warnings that God can possibly give us on this one topic.

When God uses the word "abomination" to describe this specific sin - He is using the strongest and most intense word that He can possibly use to describe what He really thinks about this particular sin. There is simply no way to spin or sugarcoat what these two verses are trying to tell us. They are both direct and as plain as day.

[Shammu]

Major U.S. city officially condemns Catholic Church
Instructs members to defy 'Holy Office of Inquisition'
Posted: July 15, 2008
8:48 pm Eastern

© 2008 WorldNetDaily

A San Francisco city and county board resolution that officially labeled the Catholic church's moral teachings on homosexuality as "insulting to all San Franciscans," "hateful," "defamatory," "insensitive" and "ignorant" will be challenged tomorrow in court for violating the Constitution's prohibition of government hostility toward religion.

Resolution 168-08, passed unanimously by the City and County of San Francisco Board of Supervisors two years ago, also accused the Vatican of being a "foreign country" meddling with and attempting to "negatively influence (San Francisco's) existing and established customs."

It said of the church's teaching on homosexuality, "Such hateful and discriminatory rhetoric is both insulting and callous, and shows a level of insensitivity and ignorance which has seldom been encountered by this Board of Supervisors."

As WND reported, Resolution 168-08 was an official response to the Catholic Church's ban on adoption placements into homosexual couple households, issued by Cardinal William Levada of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith at the Vatican.

The board's resolution urged the city's local archbishop and the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of San Francisco to defy the Vatican's instructions, concluding with a spiteful reminder that the church authority that issued the ban was known 100 years ago as "The Holy Office of the Inquisition."

The resolution also took a shot at Levada, the former archbishop of San Francisco, saying, "Cardinal Levada is a decidedly unqualified representative of his former home city, and of the people of San Francisco and the values they hold dear."

The anti-Catholic diatribe had been challenged in U.S. District Court on similar grounds, but District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel ruled in favor of the city, saying, in essence, the church started it.

She wrote in her decision, "The Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith provoked this debate, indeed may have invited entanglement" for instructing Catholic politicians on how to vote. This court does not find that our case law requires political bodies to remain silent in the face of provocation."

She ruled that the city's proclamation was not entangling the government in church affairs, since the resolution was a non-binding, non-regulatory announcement.

Since no law was enacted, she ruled, city officials – even in their official capacity as representatives of the government – can say what they want.

"It is merely the exercise of free speech rights by duly elected office holders," she wrote.

Richard Thompson, president and chief counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, which is appealing the District Court decision on behalf of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights and two Catholic residents of San Francisco, disagrees with Patel's decision.

"Sadly, the ruling itself clearly exhibited hostility toward the Catholic Church," he said in a statement. "The judge in her written decision held that the Church 'provoked the debate' by publicly expressing its moral teaching, and that by passing the resolution the City responded 'responsibly' to all of the 'terrible' things the Church was saying."

Thomas More attorney Robert Muise will present oral arguments in the case tomorrow morning in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

"Our Constitution plainly forbids hostility toward any religion, including the Catholic faith," he said.

"In total disregard for the Constitution, homosexual activists in positions of authority in San Francisco have abused their authority as government officials and misused the instruments of the government to attack the Catholic Church. Their egregious abuse of power has now the backing of a lower federal court. … Unfortunately, all too often we see a double standard being applied in Establishment Clause cases," Muise said.

Thomas More attorneys argued in the District Court case that the "anti-Catholic resolution sends a clear message" that Catholics are "outsiders, not full members of the political community."

The cultural, and now political, straight-arm to adherents of the Christian faith in San Francisco has been increasingly public in the last two years. Just one week after the anti-Catholic resolution was passed, the San Francisco Board issued a similar resolution against a mostly evangelical group.

Following a gathering of 25,000 teens at San Francisco's AT&T Park as part of Ron Luce's Teen Mania "Battle Cry for a Generation" rally against the sexualization of America's youth culture by advertisers and media, the board spoke out formally again.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution condemning the "act of provocation" by what it termed an "anti-gay," "anti-choice" organization that aimed to "negatively influence the politics of America's most tolerant and progressive city."

Openly homosexual California Assemblyman Mark Leno told protesters of the teen rally that though such religious people may be few, "they're loud, they're obnoxious, they're disgusting, and they should get out of San Francisco."

The Chronicle also reported a San Francisco protester against the evangelical youth rally carried a sign that may sum up the sentiment: "I moved here to get away from people like you."

The Thomas More Law Center hopes the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals will decide in the case of Resolution 1680-08 that even if a large portion of the community is at odds with a religion's views on homosexuality, the government cannot be used as a weapon to condemn religious faith.

Currently, as WND has reported, Colorado and Michigan are tackling the question of whether the Bible itself can be vilified as "hate speech" for it's condemnation of homosexuality, and Canada has developed human rights commissions, which have decided people cannot express opposition to homosexuality without fear of government reprisal.
~~~~~~~~

While I disagree with the Catholic Church, the Constitution clearly forbids hostility toward any religion.

[nChrist]

It should be obvious that it's time for decent people to do one of two things with San Francisco and nothing in between:  1) Take their city back;  2) Abandon and isolate it completely. It is a modern day version of Sodom and Gomorrah! A more modern term might be "Hell-Hole". Many residents are already being judged with dreaded diseases that cause untold misery and death, but that's really only the beginning of their eternal suffering. They want to ban their only hope - JESUS CHRIST! The only people who love them enough to try and really help them are Christians. Is it too late? I really don't know, but Christians must also consider the potential loss of their own families and children to the decadence and depravity. Physical and spiritual diseases appear to be devouring everything in their path. There is a time to come out of it like Lot did.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Famous Christian Quotes 30 - "If we abide by the principles taught in
the Bible, our country will go on prospering and to prosper; but if we
and our posterity neglect its instruction and authority, no man can
tell how sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us and bury all our glory
in profound obscurity." -- Daniel Webster

[Shammu]

Saudi and Spanish kings urge religions to join forces (Roundup)

Jul 16, 2008, 15:52 GMT

Madrid - The kings of Saudi Arabia and Spain on Wednesday urged world religions to join forces in building a more peaceful and harmonious world.

It was time to turn 'a new page for humanity' in inter-religious understanding, which could help the world recover lost values and emerge from confusion, Saudi King Abdullah said on inaugurating the World Conference on Dialogue, a major inter-faith event sponsored by his country in Madrid.

Islam was a religion of moderation and tolerance, the monarch stressed.

Earlier initiatives may have failed because they sought to merge religions, an attempt doomed to failure, because all religions were convinced of their own beliefs despite God being the same for all, King Abdullah said.

Human tragedies were not caused by religions, but by extremism, the monarch explained.

Spain's King Juan Carlos said inter-faith dialogue could help to solve problems including terrorism, hunger, disease and poverty.

Muslim World League Secretary-General Abdullah al-Turki called on delegates attending the three-day conference to produce concrete projects with follow-up plans.

Other guests at the inauguration included Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Middle East Quartet envoy Tony Blair and US civil rights figure the Reverend Jesse Jackson.

Around 250 Muslim, Christian and Jewish clergy and other experts on inter-religious dialogue, including 15 women, were attending the meeting instigated by Saudi Arabia in what was seen as a ground-breaking move for the highly conservative Muslim kingdom.

Experts and intellectuals including Lebanese Culture Minister Tariq Mitri and Vatican inter-faith specialist Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran were to analyze questions such as the civilizational foundations of inter-faith dialogue, ways to promote it, and common human values.

The conference, which also includes representatives of Buddhism, Hinduism and Taoism, is taking place against the backdrop of the Middle East conflict and controversy over caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed, but it was expected to shun political questions.

The sessions are closed to the media, with a final communique expected on Friday.

Organized by the World Muslim League, the conference was partly inspired by King Abdullah's unprecedented meeting with Pope Benedict XVI in the Vatican in November 2007, and by the International Islamic Conference for Dialogue in Mecca last month.

Detractors slammed the Madrid conference as a public relations operation by Saudi Arabia after the attacks of September 11, 2001 in the United States, which were carried out mainly by Saudis inspired by Saudi-born Osama bin Laden.

Critics said it was ironic for a meeting on religious tolerance to be sponsored by Saudi Arabia, where others than Sunni Muslims had few right. There were few Shi'a Muslim participants, and none of the Jewish delegates were listed as Israelis, they added.

Yet others praised the initiative, with the World Jewish Congress describing it as a 'significant and timely development.'

Cardinal Tauran said Saudi Arabia's 'act of great courage' had come surprisingly quickly after King Abdullah's meeting with the pope.

Inter-religious understanding should be promoted with 'prejudice-free' religion studies at universities and by training specialists on inter-faith dialogue, the newsletter of Radio Vatican quoted Tauran as saying.

The organizers were believed to have chosen Spain as the host country, because domestic opposition would have made it difficult to stage the conference in Saudi Arabia.

Al-Turki said Spain had been chosen because of the religious tolerance that characterized it when it was partly under Moorish rule for eight centuries until 1492.

Muslims, Christians and Jews lived in a relative harmony in Moorish Spain, known as al-Andalus. 'The image of al-Andalus made us hold this conference in Spain,' al-Turki told the daily El Mundo.

King Abdullah also praised Spain's support to the Middle East peace process and role in promoting the Euro-Mediterranean partnership.

Zapatero is the sponsor, alongside his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, of the Alliance of Civilizations project to improve understanding between the West and the Muslim world, which has been adopted by the United Nations.

Saudi and Spanish kings urge religions to join forces
~~~~~~~~

More links on this story;
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=27389&Cr=Tolerance&Cr1=
http://www.metimes.com/Politics/2008/07/16/saudi_king_opens_interfaith_conference_with_appeal_for_dialogue/afp/
http://www.nasdaq.com/aspxcontent/NewsStory.aspx?cpath=20080716%5cACQDJON200807160947DOWJONESDJONLINE000567.htm&&mypage=newsheadlines&title=Saudi%20King%20Opens%20Interfaith%20Conference%20With%20Plea%20For%20Dialogue
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&article=111904&d=17&m=7&y=2008&pix=kingdom.jpg&category=Kingdom
http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Religion/?id=1.0.2343680502
~~~~~~~

This is like a wolf, having a vegetarian conference.

[Shammu]

World religions call for UN body to promote dialogue

Jul 18, 2008, 13:04 GMT

Madrid - A groundbreaking inter-faith conference Friday called on the United Nations to set up a body to promote dialogue between world religions.

'We want to move the dialogue onto the world level,' Muslim World League Secretary-General Abdullah al-Turki said on closing the World Conference on Dialogue.

The meeting sponsored by Saudi Arabia brought together some 250 Muslim, Christian and Jewish clergy and other experts on inter- religious understanding in the Spanish capital Madrid.

The conference had asked Saudi King Abdullah to 'organize a session with the United Nations to constitute an international body to work on dialogue,' al-Turki said at a press briefing.

The final declaration issued by the conference announced the establishment of a working team to study measures to overcome obstacles to inter-faith understanding.

The Madrid conference will be followed by a string of other meetings in several countries at different levels, al-Turki and United Arab Emirates representative Izaddin Ibrahim Moustapha explained.

Moustapha said there were plans for a major conference in Japan.

Al-Turki stressed the non-political nature of the dialogue, which would be open to all religions, including non-monotheistic Eastern ones.

Civilian and political measures would nevertheless be 'complementary' at the UN level, he said.

World religions call for UN body to promote dialogue

[Shammu]

Court says 'gay' rights trump Christian rights
Dismisses free-speech case filed by Philadelphia 11
Posted: July 18, 2008
12:10 am Eastern

© 2008 WorldNetDaily

A federal appeals court dismissed a civil rights complaint by 11 Philadelphia Christians, ruling their First Amendment rights were trumped by the First Amendment rights of homosexuals at the city's taxpayer-funded "Outfest" celebration in 2004.

"The city has an interest in ensuring that a permit-holder can use the permit for the purpose for which it was obtained," this week's opinion from the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said. "This interest necessarily includes the right of police officers to prevent counter-protestors from disrupting or interfering with the message of the permit-holder."

The decision upheld a lower court's dismissal of the civil action against the city of Philadelphia and its police filed by the "Philadelphia 11," as they have come to be known.

Ted Hoppe, a lawyer allied with the Alliance Defense Fund, had argued in the appeal that speech "cannot be silenced simply because another person or group does not agree with it. City officials must be held accountable for their decision to violate the First Amendment rights of Christians who wanted nothing more than to engage in peaceful assembly on a public street."

Michael Marcavage, founder of Repent America and organizer of the protest, said the lawyers were reviewing the appellate ruling and deciding whether there are further open doors for the plaintiffs.

Members of the "Philadelphia 11" were arrested Oct. 10, 2004, after quoting the Bible and expressing their views against homosexual behavior on a public street during "OutFest," a publicly funded celebration of homosexuality.

The protesters were jailed overnight, but a judge later dismissed any criminal counts as having no basis in fact. The individuals then filed the damage lawsuit against the city.

U.S. District Judge Lawrence Stengel had concluded in dismissing the civil rights claim that a "permit" granted by the city to the homosexuals allowed police to silence the Christian activists' message on public streets.

"It is without question that Judge Stengel's decision has set a precedent to eliminate the First Amendment rights of others by citing that a 'permitting scheme' can be used by police and event organizers to 'exclude persons expressing contrary messages' in public areas and at public events," Marcavage said earlier.

Marcavage told WND today the issues of speech rights should have been left to a jury.

"It's very interesting the court affirmed our rights to be at Outfest, but it should have been left to a jury to decide whether or not our presence was disruptive," he said.

He said the appellate opinion cited as fact issues a jury should have been allowed to determine, since the 11 were charged with both felonies and misdemeanors in the original criminal case – but not being a disruption, which was cited in the ruling.

According to Repent America, the Christians on that day "were confronted by a militant mob of homosexuals known as the 'Pink Angels' who blew loud whistles and carried large pink signs in front of them to block their message and access to the event, while others screamed obscenities."

"The Philadelphia police, under the direction of Chief Inspector James Tiano, the city's 'police liaison to the gay and lesbian community,' refused to take any action as the Christians were continuously followed, obstructed and harassed, even though they respectfully cooperated with police, obeying orders to move, short of being directed out of the event," the group said.

The Philadelphia 11 spent 21 hours in jail and faced criminal counts that could have resulted in prison terms of 47 years and $90,000 fines before the counts were dropped.

The civil rights complaint then followed.

"While, in its decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit did ultimately side with the city of Philadelphia, it did make some important rulings which should serve to support the rights of Christians to speak in the public square. In its decision, the appeals court rejected U.S. District Court Judge Lawrence F. Stengel's decision from earlier this year in which he ruled that the Philadelphia 11 should have been prohibited from engaging in their constitutional rights on the public streets and sidewalks because 'once the City issued a permit to Philly Pride for OutFest, it was empowered to enforce the permit by excluding persons expressing contrary messages,'" Repent America said.

Repent America said the appeals court found that despite the fact that the event organizers had a permit, the Philadelphia 11 had a constitutionally protected right to be present on the public streets and sidewalks within the event area and convey their message.

The court's justification for supporting police actions against the Christians was based on "the court's perception that the Philadelphia 11 were 'disrupting the event,'" the organization said. "The court came to this conclusion even though the Christians were not charged, arrested or even threatened with arrest for being 'disruptive.'"

Hoppe said that result is "concerning."

"We believe that a review of the video footage of the event clearly shows that the Philly 11 went out of their way to be cooperative and not be disruptive themselves. The only disruption that occurred, if any, was due to the crowd's reaction to the message that the Philly 11 was conveying," Hoppe said.

"It is encouraging that the court affirmed the rights of Christians to go into the public square and engage in free speech activities. However, it does seem somewhat contradictory to say that, on the one had the Philly 11 had a constitutionally protected right to be present at the event and to speak, but then to also say that if the crowd does not like their message, the Philly 11 can be removed."
~~~~~~~

See my post for Re: Offend a homosexual ... Go to prison for 5 years <--- (link), for how I feel.

[Maryjane]

The early christians were put in prison, tortured and killed for preaching in the streets.  Those who went through persecution before us for the sake of the gospel knew who they would die for..the cause of Christ.  We will know persecution and many will not believe the truth but there is hope for we are in Christ Jesus and we have the promise of eternal life that gives no fear of what men can do.  God's word stands true and man can decieve himself but while we are still on this earth, we have a mission and that is to pray and to preach the gospel no matter what.  This world will go down, but praise the Lord for those who will come to know Him through our love and obedience to our Father by telling a dying world there is hope in Jesus Christ.

[Soldier4Christ]

Boycott over McDonald's
'gay' promotions grows
Ronald 'needs to end corporate subsidies
for homosexual and transsexual behavior'

Your dollars for Happy Meals and Big Macs could end up paying for sex-change operations of McDonald's employees if the home of the Golden Arches continues its promotion of homosexuality, according to a pro-family group that has joined an expanding boycott of the fast-food restaurants and its Ronald McDonald's mascot.

"If McDonald's restaurants and franchises … follow the small business advice of the company's new homosexual partner – the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), which received a $20,000 grant from McDonald's – there would be chaos," said Peter LaBarbera, chief of Americans for Truth.

His was one of several groups, also including the Culture Campaign, Liberty Counsel, the American Family Association of Pennsylvania and the Illinois Family Institute, that held a news conference at the Chicago headquarters of the fast-food chain to join with a boycott call issued originally by the American Family Association.

LaBarbera told WND that the agenda supported by the NGLCC is pretty extreme. It recommends, for example, companies should "permit the [transsexual/cross-dressing] transitioning employee to use restrooms that correspond to his or her full-time gender presentation, regardless of where the individual is in the transitioning process."

"In other words, if a 'transgender man' or, say, employee at a McDonald's believes his supposed 'gender' is really a woman, so he wears a dress and high heels, he should be able to use the female restroom. That surely would do wonders for the productivity and workplace environment of female employees and customers at a small business, including all those local McDonald's franchises!" LaBarbera said.

He said other advice from NGLCC would include:

    * Use politically correct, 'inclusive' language: 'Ensure that invitations to company events use terms like partner or significant other rather than spouse.'

    * Provide 'adoption assistance' for homosexual 'domestic partners' – thus the corporate world helps create households for children that are intentionally fatherless or motherless.

    * Providing health care coverage to transsexual employees for so-called 'medically necessary surgical procedures' – will your Quarter-Pounder purchase help subsidize 'sex-change' operations for gender-confused men?

The news conference was at the McDonald's restaurant adjacent to McDonald's world headquarters, but LaBarbera said the Chicago media, with one exception, ignored the issue totally.

"Chicago's CBS TV affiliate fields a float every year at the city's bawdy homosexual 'pride' parade, but CBS and other major Chicago secular media were no-shows at AFTAH's pro-family coalition press conference," he said.

"Predictably, I suppose, we were completely blacked out by Chicago's and Illinos' major media – which had no excuse since they were inundated with press releases about the event by four pro-family organizations," LaBarbera said.

He said, however, people are paying attention, since some 200,000 people already have signed the boycott petition.

He noted McDonald's got an 85 percent rating by the Human Rights Campaign's pro-homosexual scorecard indicating both its advocacy for homosexuality as well as its failure to support pro-family organizations.

"McDonald's has wisely chosen to alter its menu to promote healthy eating habits. Now it needs to examine its fiscal priorities and stop rewarding unhealthy lifestyles –– starting with an end to corporate subsidies for homosexual and transsexual behavior," LaBarbera said. "Homosexuality is unhealthy, especially for men: 71 percent of male HIV cases in 2005 involved men who have sex with men, according to the CDC. And syphilis and other STDs continue to afflict men practicing homosexuality at rates astronomically disproportionate to the rest of society."

"Unfortunately, McDonalds has chosen to side with militant homosexual activists over people with traditional values," said Matt Barber, of Liberty Counsel. "The company has further escalated the controversy by lodging a personal attack against the tens of millions of Americans who support traditional sexual morality and legitimate marriage. While referring to Christians and other people with traditional values, McDonald's spokesman Bill Whitman arrogantly told the Washington Post that, 'Hatred has no place in our culture,' thereby suggesting that people who support the historical definition of marriage are simply motivated by 'hate.' This insult is highly offensive, and anyone who supports traditional marriage should boycott McDonalds and tell the company why they’re doing so."

"McDonalds should focus on food quality and safety issues instead of attacking the values held by the majority of people worldwide. Marriage between a man and a woman is the norm throughout the world. McDonalds' personal attack against those who support the traditional definition of marriage, while siding with a narrow group that promotes a radical redefinition, shows that company executives are out to lunch. McDonalds might as well change their signs to read 'billions and billions insulted,'" said Mathew Staver, chief of Liberty Counsel.

"It's a shame that McDonald's would tarnish their family-friendly image," said AFA Chairman Don Wildmon. "But the company has ramped up its support of the gay agenda and it leaves us no option but to call for a boycott."

Wildmon wrote the company with a plea for McDonald's to remain neutral in the culture war by removing McDonald's name and logo from the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) Web site (where McDonald’s is cited as a partner and ally) and withdraw McDonald's VP of Communications Richard Ellis' endorsement from the website. McDonald's ignored both requests.

"To put it politely, the company thumbed its nose at the Christian community," Wildmon said.

McDonald’s donated $20,000 to the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce in exchange for membership and a seat on the group’s board of directors. The NGLCC lobbies Congress on a wide range of issues related to the "gay" agenda including "gay" marriage.

"This boycott isn't about hiring homosexuals, or homosexuals eating at McDonald's or how homosexual employees are treated. It is about McDonald's, as a corporation, refusing to remain neutral in the culture war. The company has chosen not to remain neutral but to give the full weight of their corporation to promoting the homosexual agenda, including homosexual marriage," the AFA said.

The pro-family groups are encouraging families to do two things: sign, print and distribute a Boycott McDonald's petition at www.boycottmcdonalds.com; and call the local McDonald's to politely tell the manager they are boycotting the chain until it stops promoting the "gay" agenda.

LaBarbera told WND neutrality is "the least that pro-family people should expect from a place like McDonald's."

McDonald's officials declined to return a WND call seeking comment on the placement of its executive on the "gay" advocacy organization. But the corporation sent a subsequent e-mail confirming its support for the agenda of the homosexual business lobby.

"McDonald's is indeed a Corporate Partner and Organizational Ally of NGLCC. Our vice president of U.S. communications, Richard Ellis, was recently elected to its board of directors," said the brief statement to WND from Heidi M. Barker, senior director of media relations.

A spokeswoman for NGLCC refused to speak with WND except on "background" when asked about McDonald's financial contribution to the group. But she did confirm the organization would not release information on its sponsors.

[nChrist]

Brothers and Sisters,

Several Christian news stories about McDonald's gay stance have come out, and the news sources were quite reputable. McDonald's was challenged to change, and they have refused. So, my family has spent their last cent there. As far as I'm concerned, a change now would simply be lip service, so my choice is a permanent boycott.

[HisDaughter]

The early christians were put in prison, tortured and killed for preaching in the streets.  Those who went through persecution before us for the sake of the gospel knew who they would die for..the cause of Christ.  We will know persecution and many will not believe the truth but there is hope for we are in Christ Jesus and we have the promise of eternal life that gives no fear of what men can do.  God's word stands true and man can decieve himself but while we are still on this earth, we have a mission and that is to pray and to preach the gospel no matter what.  This world will go down, but praise the Lord for those who will come to know Him through our love and obedience to our Father by telling a dying world there is hope in Jesus Christ.

Amen, Maryjane.

[Soldier4Christ]

Modern day Sodom and Gomorrah in the U.S. Decadence is spreading faster than fire.

San Fran's next step:
Legalized prostitution?
City to vote on ballot measure D.A. calls
'welcome mat for prostitutes and pimps'

Petitioners have succeeded in moving a measure that would effectively decriminalize prostitution in the city of San Francisco to the Nov. 4 ballot.

While prostitution is unlawful under the California Penal Code, the measure – if passed by voters – would ban the San Francisco Police Department from allocating any financial resources for the investigation and prosecution of sex workers on prostitution charges.

Section four of the ballot measure – under the heading "Prostitution Shall Be Decriminalized" – further states that the city, county, and district attorney "shall not subject sex-workers to life long economic discrimination associated with having a criminal record."

San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris criticized the measure, unofficially titled "Enforcement of Laws Related to Prostitution and Sex Workers." Harris told the San Francisco Chronicle, "This measure is nothing more than a welcome mat for prostitutes and pimps to come and hang out in San Francisco."

Proponents of the measure are claiming it is needed to give sex-industry workers equal protection under the law and to counter an alleged long-standing cronyism between dance club owners and key decision makers that has resulted in police cracking down on some prostitution outlets but looking the other way from popular nightclubs, even when the clubs were accused of sexual abuses by workers.

Maxine Doogan, founder of the Erotic Service Provider's Union, wrote in an email reported by the Chronicle, "Workers would like it if crimes like rape, robbery, theft and coercion were vigorously investigated and prosecuted. We want the right to make reports of crimes against us without being retaliated against by the police department."

According to the ESPU, the petition to have the measure put on the ballot received 12,763 signatures, 5,000 more than are required. The Chronicle reported that three of the signatures came from sitting members of San Francisco's Board of Supervisors.

The ballot measure also takes aim at two programs currently used by San Francisco authorities to combat sex industry crime.

The first is the use of federal and state funds to reduce human trafficking, particularly of illegal immigrants, into the sex trade. The ballot measure states, "San Francisco's law enforcement agencies shall not apply, nor receive federal and state monies that institute racial profiling as a means of targeting alleged trafficked victims under the guise of enforcing the abatement of prostitution laws."

District Attorney Harris dodged the measure's thinly veiled implication of racism in explaining why the funds and program are valuable. The ballot measure's changes "would make it very challenging to investigate and prosecute human trafficking," she told the Chronicle. "We need to use police resources to investigate where there is a suspicion that women and children, in particular immigrants, are being exploited."

The second program targeted by the measure is San Francisco's First Offender Prostitution Program, which allows men arrested for soliciting a prostitute to pay $1,000 fine and attend a class on prostitution in exchange for having the misdemeanor charge against them dropped. In April, an audit by the U.S. Department of Justice found that men who participated in the program were 30 percent less likely to be arrested for soliciting a prostitute than men who did not.

The ballot measure specifically names the First Offender Prostitution Program and would end it.

The ballot measure quotes and draws credibility from an official task force on prostitution established by San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors in 1994. According to a release from the San Francisco City Attorney's Office in February, "The Task Force included representatives from the Mayor’s Office, neighborhood groups, law enforcement agencies, public health agencies, social service agencies, various other City departments, women’s rights advocates and immigrant and prostitute rights groups."

In 1996, the task force released a report recommending, "City departments stop enforcing and prosecuting prostitution crimes. … [and] that the departments instead focus on the quality of life infractions about which neighborhoods complain and redirect funds from prosecution, public defense, court time, legal system overhead and incarceration towards services and alternatives for needy constituencies."

Since 1996, the city has acted on some of the task force's recommendations, but has refrained from following through on its final conclusion – a reallocation of all funds from prostitution enforcement to neighborhood improvement. The ballot measure seeks to see the task force's full recommendation enacted.

If passed, the ballot measure states that it would take effect Jan. 1, 2009.

[Barbara]

This reminds me of a sermon by Dr. A. Charles Ware, that was televised from the Answers in Genesis people:

"I'm deeply concerned for the USA. I beleive this country is in deep trouble. As I look at America today, I'm a man that believes the Bible with all my heart, that He's saved me, He's redeemed me, He's called me to teach and preach His Word, so I'll always ask myself a question when I see a situation, 'Is there any Biblical text that I can go to and have that text explain to me what is happening in this country'. I found that scripture in Romans Chapter 1. Here I see the basic problem with America is that we've rejected God and as a result God has turned us over to our own desires. The only thing necessary for a society to commit societal suicide is for God to leave them alone.

When God leaves us alone as fallen sinners, we will do that which will lead to self destruction, and I believe with all my heart that's where America is.

Romans 1:29-31

'...being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parent, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful'

What I see there is the character of a society. In fact in vs. 29 the words 'being filled with' is in the Greek perfect tense, and has the idea that people have come to the point of something you're known for, it becomes a pattern. To me it's like reading the daily newspaper in the USA. It's like interacting with the people in our society and seeing their character and how hard thir hearts have become against the Word of God. It's who can get ahead, and cheat, and be out for themselves, with marriages falling apart - it's becoming characteristic of the majority of our people - their ignorant and callous when it comes to a Biblical lifestyle. That's America.

The character of this society has become an unGodly lifestyle. In vs. 32 it talks about their attitude:

"...who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them."

It would be one thing in America if we were remorseful and repentant, if we were outraged in the sin of our country. But so many people in our country are not outraged, they approve of it. We're in a culture where evil is spoken about as if it's good, and good is spoken about as it it's evil. We're living in a country where a person can wear a 3 piece suit, and drive a BMW, live in the suburbs and be called this wonderful Dr. who helps humanity so much - and he's going in every day to abort babies BUT he's respected, he's educated, he's sensitive. It's only a woman's choice hes' supporting.

In the same country somebody can stand up and say I believe sex outside of marriage is wrong, it's sinful, I believe in God. Now the same people will say '..you're nothing but a hate monger, you're so insensitive and out of touch with reality...'

We don't want to deal with all the sexually transmitted diseases, we don't want to deal with death from AIDS and going back to it's root cause which is immorality. We don't want to deal with the breakdown of the family because we're telling people they just evolved and they just live by their feelings and what they want.

To have someone to say that they believe in a creative design and a creative designer, that we were created by Almighty God and He gave us moral restraints and He gave us so much to enjoy, but He wants us to live within these moral constructs, because if we live in those we'll be healthier and happier and all the statistics support that! Then you're called a bigot that's trying to bring religion into our education.

We live in a generation that will do vile, terrible things and the world will turn around and make a movie about it, and Americans will pay money to see it.

I asked myself the question, 'How did our society get there?' How did the character of our citizens become so corrupt? And yet the attitude of so many would be one of pleasure...applauding them.

Romans 1:28

"And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting,'

They rejected the knowledge of God. They put God to the test and disapproved of Him. We don't want God in our public schools, in our universities, in our entertainment. The 10 commandments can't even stand in our court houses. The ACLU is threatening lawsuits because a kid wants to pray in school. Because of that He's turned us over to a reprobate mind. He's giving our country what it wants.

It's ridiculous - a woman is pregnant, we know it's a baby. We have technology that shows us it's a baby. But the so called 'educated' say no it's not a baby it's a 'fetus'.

We've got men saying they're women trapped in a man's body. It's a gene problem. Well, I know it's a gene problem - it started with Adam we're all sinners, and you've gotta get re-Gene-erated!

Romans 1:25-26

"...who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever, Amen. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. (27) Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men commiting what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due."

Not only did we as a country reject God, we also rejected truth. Isn't that why we can't tolerate anyone saying Jesus is THE way, THE truth and THE life. They'll only accept He's A way, A truth, and A life, among many others. We as a country accept the lie of Satan. Sinners believe they have a strong desire, the Bible doesn't argue that. But we have a choice, to follow the Creator's design over the desires of our flesh. Our flesh desires sin, it all started with Adam. But we have the power of God to deny the flesh and walk after God's instructions.

So if we don't want the truth God will just give us over, because we have a whole country convinced that they can't change, they have to follow their desires...there's a cultural, Godless drift in our society."

[nChrist]

AMEN SISTER BARBARA!

You just spoke volumes of the truth. I do think that this part of the world was one of the last to slide into the gutter. Many parts of the world think that we're far too religious. YES - I know that sounds odd. It's a matter of perception and comparison. Regardless, we've watched a crash-dive of morals in a fairly short period of time, and the speed of the fall appears to be increasing. I think that the End Days of this Age of Grace are approaching. GOD did tell us in the Holy Bible that these things would happen.

Sister, I think there are still many people trying to do the LORD'S WORK. There is no doubt that we could have all done more and better, but there comes a time when others have to also be responsible for their own actions. Please, I'm not trying to make excuses for Christians. If these are the End Days of this Age of Grace, 100 times the number of strong Christians we have couldn't slow things down or stop it. The last 40 to 50 years have shown ever increasing evil. Honestly, many Christians have had a hard time influencing their own families and bring their children up in the LORD. The moral structure around us is collapsing, and that includes our schools, courts, and government. Sadly, I think that things are going to get much worse than we can even imagine. Comparisons of just the last few years are shocking. As Christians, all I know to do is yield ourselves to GOD'S Will, pray, and serve HIM until HE takes us HOME. We won't win the battle against evil, but JESUS CHRIST will at HIS SECOND COMING. I certainly don't think that any of us should lay down and give up, regardless of how bad things get.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Christian Quotes 72 - Time is too swift for those who fear, Too long
for those who grieve, Too short for those who rejoice, But for those
who love - time is eternity. -- Henry Van Dyke

[Soldier4Christ]

Homosexual military service subject of latest poll

A non-partisan military watchdog organization says a recent Washington Post/ABC News Poll is just another attempt by the media to shape public opinion in favor of homosexuals serving in the military. According to the survey, 75 percent of Americans believe homosexuals who are open about their sexual orientation should be allowed to serve in the U.S. military. That figure was up from 62 percent in early 2001 and 44 percent in 1993.

Elaine Donnelly, president of the Center for Military Readiness, says there are several flaws in the poll. One of those flaws assumes the validity of Bill Clinton's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which is not the 1993 law passed by Congress that strictly forbids homosexuals from military service. Donnelly believes the question in the survey should have been worded: "Should the military require as a matter of policy forced co-habitation between heterosexuals and homosexuals in all military units?"

"Now if they had asked the question that way," she contends, "I think they would have gotten a different answer." And Donnelly says such a poll should only have been given to members of the military -- not the civilian population as a whole.

"Most [people] do not understand what military culture and discipline and morale is all about," she continues. "This is sort of like asking Americans what they think about issues currently being debated by the Canadian Parliament. This is not an informed audience."

Donnelly reiterates that this latest poll is just another example of the big media trying to give a little push to the cause for homosexuals in the military.

[Barbara]

I agree completely, blackeyedpeas!

I feel like we're in a country like Sodom and Gomorrah, but God is withholding destruction because He still finds righteous people within our borders. But you're right, we're so surrounded by 'the world' that it seeps into all parts of our society, even the church. I know we're soldiers of Christ, on the frontlines. Time is getting short and, as Maryjane said, we're going to be persecuted for His names sake, and yes, even martyred. But we need to tell a lost and dying world about Jesus love, about His salvation. I've been praying for a new found 'courage' to be able to take the persecution for the sake of those souls that Jesus wants to be with Him in His Kingdom. I'll say again, 'we were born for such a time as this'.

It's taking awhile for it to sink into my murky brain, and my heart, but I'm beginning to understand that there's a Spiritual War going on for souls, and I pray I'll be able to do what He wants as it accomplishes His Will and not my own. I need to take my eyes off the world and all that's in it and focus on His love for the people I come in contact with. These are awesome times we live in, aren't they?

As always I thank God for you and Pastor Roger for keeping the rest of us informed - so much is happening so fast it's hard to keep up with it all - but it is very sobering and even inspires me to get closer to Christ!!

God Bless