Merry Christmas! This week's edition of "The 3" highlights one of the positives that came out of the "lame duck" session of Congress, regarding a defeat of taxpayer-funded abortion at military facilities. Also, the FCC voted this past week on regulation that would extend its reach into the Internet. Plus, a look at some different aspects of the celebration of Christmas worldwide.
3 – Lame duck Congress keeps taxpayer-funded abortion out of military hospitals
The much-maligned Defense Authorization Bill, which would fund the military for the coming year, had several objectionable attachments as it made its way into the U.S. Senate – for one thing, it contained a repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy which many Senators found to be unacceptable. And, it contained a provision, called the Burris Amendment, which would allow military hospitals at home and abroad to perform abortions – at taxpayer expense. The DADT repeal was stripped out of the bill and eventually became stand-alone legislation that was ultimately approved. And, in the final version of the bill, the Burris Amendment was also eliminated, guaranteeing that our tax dollars would not fund abortion.
This delighted pro-life organizations, such as the Susan B. Anthony List, which issued a press release on the victory. It was prominently mentioned in this piece from The Christian Post.
There are those in Congress that have long stood strong against preventing an increase in abortions generally and against the used of tax dollars to go to this abhorrent practice. It seems like too often that lawmakers in Washington are playing defense against legislation that would add to the number of abortions. Now, with dozens of pro-life lawmakers entering Congress who are motivated to act on behalf of the unborn, perhaps authentically pro-life legislation that could actually reduce the number of abortions in America can advance in the next session of Congress.
2 – FCC votes to attempt to regulate Internet
The Internet represents to millions of Americans a free flow of information and opinion. There have been few efforts to limit the content that is posted and available on the information superhighway – until now. This past Tuesday, the Federal Communications Commission, by a 3-2 vote, under the guise of “net neutrality”, approved a sweeping new initiative that could result ultimately in the FCC regulating the use of the Internet. Rules approved this week are designed to prevent large Internet companies from controlling access, but once the Commission is allowed to extend its reach into the previously untouched world of the Internet, there are some who fear that freedom of speech could ultimately be at risk.
The activities of the FCC are governed by Congress, and activity is already underway to turn back this attempt to regulate the Internet. Sen. Jim DeMint is planning to introduce legislation that would make plain to the FCC that it does not have authority over the Internet. Here is a report from The Daily Caller. To some, this jurisdiction (or lack thereof) was defined in a court ruling issued out of D.C. And a host of lawmakers of both parties wrote a letter to FCC Chair Julius Genechowski, stating their disapproval for FCC governance of the Internet.
The implications for Christians and Christian groups are enormous – if some sort of content regulation emerges, and religious speech is somehow found to be unacceptable, then the reach of this tremendous tools could be stifled.
1 – Christmas celebrated around the world
This past Saturday was Christmas Day, and marked the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Generally, Christians regard this day not only as a time to give gifts and gather with family, but also to observe the significance of our Savior’s birth and to celebrate in a variety of ways at church – Christmas Eve services, special musical and dramatic presentations, and other Christ-centered activities. Even though, according to a recent LifeWay Research poll, many do not celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday, nevertheless it has spiritual significance to a large number of people. And, regarding those who don’t attach meaning to Christmas that is consistent with the birth of Jesus, it gives Christians an opportunity to reach out and share the reasons why we do celebrate Jesus’ birth. Here is an interesting story from USA Today.
Our local church offered a full array of services on the day after Christmas. However, that was not true for some high-profile churches, such as North Point Community Church in Atlanta, where Andy Stanley is the pastor – North Point did not hold any activities or services the day of Christmas. Some churches offered a reduced menu of services. Here is The Christian Post’s take on the “day after Christmas” dilemma.
And, around the world, Christians were celebrating in a variety of ways. Here are 2 more items from The Christian Post. Officials in the city where Jesus was born report a noted increase in tourism during this Christmas season. In Iraq, where Christians are feeling quite threatened these days, the believers there were laying low and having quiet celebrations of our Savior’s birth.
Christmas gives us the opportunity to think on the birth of Christ and its significance. I trust that during the New Year, you will seek Him wholeheartedly and allow Him to work mightily in your life.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
The 3 - December 19, 2010
This week's edition of "The 3" includes a continued emphasis on Christians in Iraq, many of whom are fleeing in the face of persecution. Also, there was action on the nation's new health care reform law in the courts. And, the top story involves a Senate vote over the weekend on the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.
3 - United Nations agency responds to flight of Christians from Iraq
The plight of Christians in Iraq has been a troubling development ever since the U.S.-led invasion of that nation, and now, since the attack and subsequent hostage crisis in a Baghdad church in October, when over 50 people lost their lives, Christians in that nation are deciding that perhaps they have had enough. Looking to an overtaxed Iraqi government to provide security has been an exercise in futility, and Christians continue to face harassment and violence at the hands of Muslim extremists.
Fortunately, this situation has not gone unnoticed in the international community. This past Tuesday, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, in advance of the U.N. Security Council meeting on Wednesday, urged the U.S. to step up its efforts to protect Christians in Iraq. The situation was acknowledged by Vice President Biden as he addressed the Security Council on Wednesday. Open Doors USA, an organization that speaks out against the persecution of Christians, has joined with other faith organizations to call attention to the situation involving Iraqi Christians. Here is a recent press release from ODUSA.
The U.N. High Commission for Refugees has reported that thousands of Iraqi Christians have fled the central section of the country and are seeking refuge in other areas. Here is the story from The Christian Post.
Mindy Belz, Editor of WORLD Magazine, joined me on The Meeting House radio show recently to discuss developments regarding Christians in Iraq. She has been following the storylines closely, and filed this piece for WORLD.
Certainly, there are many areas of the world where Christians are victims of violence and harassment. What makes the conditions in Iraq particularly troubling is that the U.S. has been attempting to help establish a functioning, democratic government, which would hopefully embrace religious freedom. The protection of this group of people might be considered low on the priority list, in light of all the missions that our military is being assigned to do. Plus, the Iraqi government is continuing the struggle to establish itself and to bring order. Unfortunately, the answer for thousands is to flee their homeland, and it's important that other countries are open to accepting Iraqi Christians who fear for the lives and livelihood and desire to start a new life elsewhere.
2 - VA Judge rules health care law unconstitutional, FL judge considers same subject
Since the final passage of health care reform legislation in March 2010, Christians have been speaking out about various aspects of the new law. Some have zeroed in on taxpayer funding of abortion that is contained within the language. Others see the legislation as a step to rationing, denying medical care to those that might be the most in need of it, which has a definite moral component, especially for senior citizens and those with health challenges and special needs. Many think the law is another example of government not living within its means.
So, the law has many implications within the Christian community. And, many are watching with great anticipation as various lawsuits have been filed in courts across the land. One organization, Liberty Counsel, a Christian legal advocacy group, had filed a suit on behalf of Liberty University, protesting the mandate for employers to provide health insurance for their employees. A Federal district judge in Virginia ruled against Liberty U., and the case has been appealed to a Federal appeals court. Liberty Counsel and other Christian organizations this week lauded a ruling by another Virginia judge in another case, filed by Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli. That judge did declare the mandate for individuals to buy health insurance unconstitutional. Here is Liberty Counsel's press release on the case.
And, this week, in a Federal courtroom in Pensacola, Florida, another Federal judge heard a case filed by 20 state attorneys general involving the employee and individual mandates in health care reform legislation. This judge had earlier allowed the case to proceed, and heard oral arguments this week.
So, now you have 3 rulings - 2 upholding at least some aspect of health care reform as constitutional, and 1 that does not. Plus, you have the pending case in Florida. Undoubtedly, all these cases are heading to the U.S. Supreme Court, where the justices (or at least the majority of them - there have been calls for Elena Kagan to recuse herself, but so far has not indicated she would do so) will make the final decision on whether or not the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution allows Congress to force citizens to buy a certain product - in this case, health insurance.
1 - Congress repeals "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
As feared, the so-called "lame duck" session of Congress has allowed lawmakers, many of whom were voted out in November, to return to Washington to join with the leadership to attempt to pass legislation that will be difficult to pass once the new Congress is convened in January. One huge agenda item has been a proposed repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy that has been in place since President Clinton attempted to remove a prohibition on open homosexuals serving in our military. So, after two failed attempts to attach a repeal of DADT to a Defense Authorization Bill in the Senate, the supporters drafted and introduced stand-alone legislation, that passed both the House and Senate this week, to repeal the policy. Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council, made these comments following the 65-31 Senate vote.
Now, the bill does have a provision that military leaders must decide that the new policy will not adversely effect military effectiveness, and there will be a 60-day waiting period to draft new rules. A number of military leaders have publicly stated that the reversal of current policy would be detrimental to cohesion and readiness, and in the study that was released by the Defense Department about a proposed repeal, combat troops especially expressed concern. Here is an excellent analysis of the survey by Carrie Gordon Earll of CitizenLink.
So, during the next couple of months, there will be much pressure brought to bear on military leaders regarding implementation of this new policy regarding gays in the armed services. Perhaps in the dialogue, common sense measures can be taken that would limit the influence of homosexuals who would want to try to push their lifestyles on others. Hopefully, precautions could be taken to address potential health risks as well as the alleviate the possibility of large numbers of soldiers leaving the military, which was indicated by the survey. And, chaplains will no doubt have to struggle with religious freedom issues, as Christian chaplains will be faced with sharing a Biblical perspective on a behavior that is a violation of Scripture, but could be sanctioned by our military leadership. You would hope that military leadership would not reflect the agenda-driven actions of the members of Congress that supported what many Christians view as an ill-advised policy shift.
Honorable Mention:
Bank told not to display religious symbols of Christmas by Fed, course then reversed
Red Cross in Britain bans references to Christmas
Some good news for faith-based organizations with new tax law (from ECFA)
3 - United Nations agency responds to flight of Christians from Iraq
The plight of Christians in Iraq has been a troubling development ever since the U.S.-led invasion of that nation, and now, since the attack and subsequent hostage crisis in a Baghdad church in October, when over 50 people lost their lives, Christians in that nation are deciding that perhaps they have had enough. Looking to an overtaxed Iraqi government to provide security has been an exercise in futility, and Christians continue to face harassment and violence at the hands of Muslim extremists.
Fortunately, this situation has not gone unnoticed in the international community. This past Tuesday, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, in advance of the U.N. Security Council meeting on Wednesday, urged the U.S. to step up its efforts to protect Christians in Iraq. The situation was acknowledged by Vice President Biden as he addressed the Security Council on Wednesday. Open Doors USA, an organization that speaks out against the persecution of Christians, has joined with other faith organizations to call attention to the situation involving Iraqi Christians. Here is a recent press release from ODUSA.
The U.N. High Commission for Refugees has reported that thousands of Iraqi Christians have fled the central section of the country and are seeking refuge in other areas. Here is the story from The Christian Post.
Mindy Belz, Editor of WORLD Magazine, joined me on The Meeting House radio show recently to discuss developments regarding Christians in Iraq. She has been following the storylines closely, and filed this piece for WORLD.
Certainly, there are many areas of the world where Christians are victims of violence and harassment. What makes the conditions in Iraq particularly troubling is that the U.S. has been attempting to help establish a functioning, democratic government, which would hopefully embrace religious freedom. The protection of this group of people might be considered low on the priority list, in light of all the missions that our military is being assigned to do. Plus, the Iraqi government is continuing the struggle to establish itself and to bring order. Unfortunately, the answer for thousands is to flee their homeland, and it's important that other countries are open to accepting Iraqi Christians who fear for the lives and livelihood and desire to start a new life elsewhere.
2 - VA Judge rules health care law unconstitutional, FL judge considers same subject
Since the final passage of health care reform legislation in March 2010, Christians have been speaking out about various aspects of the new law. Some have zeroed in on taxpayer funding of abortion that is contained within the language. Others see the legislation as a step to rationing, denying medical care to those that might be the most in need of it, which has a definite moral component, especially for senior citizens and those with health challenges and special needs. Many think the law is another example of government not living within its means.
So, the law has many implications within the Christian community. And, many are watching with great anticipation as various lawsuits have been filed in courts across the land. One organization, Liberty Counsel, a Christian legal advocacy group, had filed a suit on behalf of Liberty University, protesting the mandate for employers to provide health insurance for their employees. A Federal district judge in Virginia ruled against Liberty U., and the case has been appealed to a Federal appeals court. Liberty Counsel and other Christian organizations this week lauded a ruling by another Virginia judge in another case, filed by Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli. That judge did declare the mandate for individuals to buy health insurance unconstitutional. Here is Liberty Counsel's press release on the case.
And, this week, in a Federal courtroom in Pensacola, Florida, another Federal judge heard a case filed by 20 state attorneys general involving the employee and individual mandates in health care reform legislation. This judge had earlier allowed the case to proceed, and heard oral arguments this week.
So, now you have 3 rulings - 2 upholding at least some aspect of health care reform as constitutional, and 1 that does not. Plus, you have the pending case in Florida. Undoubtedly, all these cases are heading to the U.S. Supreme Court, where the justices (or at least the majority of them - there have been calls for Elena Kagan to recuse herself, but so far has not indicated she would do so) will make the final decision on whether or not the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution allows Congress to force citizens to buy a certain product - in this case, health insurance.
1 - Congress repeals "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
As feared, the so-called "lame duck" session of Congress has allowed lawmakers, many of whom were voted out in November, to return to Washington to join with the leadership to attempt to pass legislation that will be difficult to pass once the new Congress is convened in January. One huge agenda item has been a proposed repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy that has been in place since President Clinton attempted to remove a prohibition on open homosexuals serving in our military. So, after two failed attempts to attach a repeal of DADT to a Defense Authorization Bill in the Senate, the supporters drafted and introduced stand-alone legislation, that passed both the House and Senate this week, to repeal the policy. Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council, made these comments following the 65-31 Senate vote.
Now, the bill does have a provision that military leaders must decide that the new policy will not adversely effect military effectiveness, and there will be a 60-day waiting period to draft new rules. A number of military leaders have publicly stated that the reversal of current policy would be detrimental to cohesion and readiness, and in the study that was released by the Defense Department about a proposed repeal, combat troops especially expressed concern. Here is an excellent analysis of the survey by Carrie Gordon Earll of CitizenLink.
So, during the next couple of months, there will be much pressure brought to bear on military leaders regarding implementation of this new policy regarding gays in the armed services. Perhaps in the dialogue, common sense measures can be taken that would limit the influence of homosexuals who would want to try to push their lifestyles on others. Hopefully, precautions could be taken to address potential health risks as well as the alleviate the possibility of large numbers of soldiers leaving the military, which was indicated by the survey. And, chaplains will no doubt have to struggle with religious freedom issues, as Christian chaplains will be faced with sharing a Biblical perspective on a behavior that is a violation of Scripture, but could be sanctioned by our military leadership. You would hope that military leadership would not reflect the agenda-driven actions of the members of Congress that supported what many Christians view as an ill-advised policy shift.
Honorable Mention:
Bank told not to display religious symbols of Christmas by Fed, course then reversed
Red Cross in Britain bans references to Christmas
Some good news for faith-based organizations with new tax law (from ECFA)
Sunday, December 12, 2010
The 3 - December 12, 2010
Plenty to talk about with this edition of my week-in-review feature, "The 3", including: the battle for tax cuts in Congress and the move to fold Internet gambling into a compromise bill, the Nobel Peace Prize award and its potential to call attention to the great human rights and religious rights struggles there, and the continued pressure in Congress to repeal the military's policy on openly gay members.
3 - Tax cut bill continues to grow; Reid attempts to attach Internet gaming language
Just after the President announced his deal with Republicans to extend tax cuts to all Americans, regardless of income, in exchange for an extension of unemployment benefits and other considerations, additions were continuing to be made in order to gain the votes necessary to prevent a filibuster and ensure final passage.
The ever-burgeoning bill has drawn fire from lawmakers on the left and the right. From the left, because it includes tax cuts for even the wealthiest of Americans, who proponents characterize as the job creators in the nation. From the right, because the price tag continues to rise as promises are made to lawmakers so that they will support the bill. In order to satisfy Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, apparently the bill must include language that authorizes gambling on the Internet. Reid, who was supported heavily in his re-election bid by the gambling industry, is now attempting to repay that support by including a rider that would essentially bring a casino into every home in America. Chad Hills is a dependable voice in pointing out the social and spiritual costs of gambling, and here is his analysis at CitizenLink.
So, what is it going to take to get this bill passed? In attempting to prevent Americans from receiving a large tax bill come January, lawmakers are throwing in the kitchen sink to make sure that those opposed to extending the current tax rates do not derail the legislation. And, that apparently could include the expansion of gambling!!
As some caution, to increase the size of the deficit by crafting what amounts to a stimulus/spending bill is not wise. Did Republican leaders have to approve extra spending in order to extend tax cuts for all? The evidence is not clear, but there are some that believe that those that ran on the premise of smaller government are now being forced to go along with an increase in the size of the operation.
2 - Nobel Peace prize awarded against backdrop of new Chinese crackdown on unregistered house churches
In Oslo on Friday, the Nobel Peace Prize was given to Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, who was not present at the ceremony because he is currently jailed by the government in China as part of his long struggle in support of human rights in the country, which is known for its restrictions on a variety of freedoms, including free speech and free association.
Perhaps the awarding of this prize will help to increase awareness for the Chinese government's policies with regard to fundamental human rights. Even though the Chinese constitution apparently calls for freedom of religion, that type of freedom, with respect to Christianity, only applies to the churches that are sanctioned by the government - the registered churches. Unregistered house churches face persecution, house church leaders live under the threat of arrest, and a recent development is bringing perhaps a greater threat level to those who worship in these churches.
According to the advocacy organization China Aid, the Chinese Politburo has authorized sweeping new directives that are targeting leaders and members of house churches. Here is China Aid's press release on the subject.
China Aid head Bob Fu was on hand in Oslo for the presentation of the Nobel Peace Prize, and had these comments:
So, it's important to pray for those who attend house churches in China. This new directive labels the house church movement a "cult", which, as China Aid points out, shows a lack of understanding of religious matters and characterizes as a threat the presence of a group of people that want to dialogue with the government and live in peace. An interesting dynamic is that, according to author Dr. David Aikman, a growing number of Christians are strategically placed in government, business, and other areas of Chinese life - representing a powerful force in Chinese society. Perhaps the government is miscalculating the effect of the house churches attendees in Chinese life.
1 - "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" falls again in U.S. Senate vote
Another week, another vote to attempt to overturn the military's current ban on open homosexuality, called the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) Policy. A 57-40 vote earlier in the week prevented a Defense Authorization Bill from coming to the floor of the U.S. Senate.
This comes after the release of the study by the Pentagon that shows support for overturning the policy is not necessarily as pronounced as some leadership would have you believe. Edward Lee Pitts of WORLD Magazine, a recent guest on my radio show, highlighted some statistics that show that, for instance, only 9 percent of those surveyed think a ban would have a mostly positive effect on the military and that 60 percent of active combat forces in the Marines and Army believe there would be a negative effect. Here is Lee's article on the topic.
Time is running out on passing this legislation - the new makeup of Congress suggests that support would be less likely after the first of the year. Plus, Senate Republicans have said they would vote on no other legislation until after the tax cut issue is settled. Furthermore, stand-alone legislation on repealing the ban would have to pass both chambers. But, supporters of a repeal are steadfastly and passionately trying to push this bill through, to the point of concentrating on this issue at the expense of pressing economic issues.
Newsweek announces new faces of Christian activism
Voyage of the Dawn Treader opens, studio reaches out to faith community
San Diego churches gives out 10,000 toys, 60,000 pounds of food
3 - Tax cut bill continues to grow; Reid attempts to attach Internet gaming language
Just after the President announced his deal with Republicans to extend tax cuts to all Americans, regardless of income, in exchange for an extension of unemployment benefits and other considerations, additions were continuing to be made in order to gain the votes necessary to prevent a filibuster and ensure final passage.
The ever-burgeoning bill has drawn fire from lawmakers on the left and the right. From the left, because it includes tax cuts for even the wealthiest of Americans, who proponents characterize as the job creators in the nation. From the right, because the price tag continues to rise as promises are made to lawmakers so that they will support the bill. In order to satisfy Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, apparently the bill must include language that authorizes gambling on the Internet. Reid, who was supported heavily in his re-election bid by the gambling industry, is now attempting to repay that support by including a rider that would essentially bring a casino into every home in America. Chad Hills is a dependable voice in pointing out the social and spiritual costs of gambling, and here is his analysis at CitizenLink.
So, what is it going to take to get this bill passed? In attempting to prevent Americans from receiving a large tax bill come January, lawmakers are throwing in the kitchen sink to make sure that those opposed to extending the current tax rates do not derail the legislation. And, that apparently could include the expansion of gambling!!
As some caution, to increase the size of the deficit by crafting what amounts to a stimulus/spending bill is not wise. Did Republican leaders have to approve extra spending in order to extend tax cuts for all? The evidence is not clear, but there are some that believe that those that ran on the premise of smaller government are now being forced to go along with an increase in the size of the operation.
2 - Nobel Peace prize awarded against backdrop of new Chinese crackdown on unregistered house churches
In Oslo on Friday, the Nobel Peace Prize was given to Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, who was not present at the ceremony because he is currently jailed by the government in China as part of his long struggle in support of human rights in the country, which is known for its restrictions on a variety of freedoms, including free speech and free association.
Perhaps the awarding of this prize will help to increase awareness for the Chinese government's policies with regard to fundamental human rights. Even though the Chinese constitution apparently calls for freedom of religion, that type of freedom, with respect to Christianity, only applies to the churches that are sanctioned by the government - the registered churches. Unregistered house churches face persecution, house church leaders live under the threat of arrest, and a recent development is bringing perhaps a greater threat level to those who worship in these churches.
According to the advocacy organization China Aid, the Chinese Politburo has authorized sweeping new directives that are targeting leaders and members of house churches. Here is China Aid's press release on the subject.
China Aid head Bob Fu was on hand in Oslo for the presentation of the Nobel Peace Prize, and had these comments:
So, it's important to pray for those who attend house churches in China. This new directive labels the house church movement a "cult", which, as China Aid points out, shows a lack of understanding of religious matters and characterizes as a threat the presence of a group of people that want to dialogue with the government and live in peace. An interesting dynamic is that, according to author Dr. David Aikman, a growing number of Christians are strategically placed in government, business, and other areas of Chinese life - representing a powerful force in Chinese society. Perhaps the government is miscalculating the effect of the house churches attendees in Chinese life.
1 - "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" falls again in U.S. Senate vote
Another week, another vote to attempt to overturn the military's current ban on open homosexuality, called the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) Policy. A 57-40 vote earlier in the week prevented a Defense Authorization Bill from coming to the floor of the U.S. Senate.
This comes after the release of the study by the Pentagon that shows support for overturning the policy is not necessarily as pronounced as some leadership would have you believe. Edward Lee Pitts of WORLD Magazine, a recent guest on my radio show, highlighted some statistics that show that, for instance, only 9 percent of those surveyed think a ban would have a mostly positive effect on the military and that 60 percent of active combat forces in the Marines and Army believe there would be a negative effect. Here is Lee's article on the topic.
Time is running out on passing this legislation - the new makeup of Congress suggests that support would be less likely after the first of the year. Plus, Senate Republicans have said they would vote on no other legislation until after the tax cut issue is settled. Furthermore, stand-alone legislation on repealing the ban would have to pass both chambers. But, supporters of a repeal are steadfastly and passionately trying to push this bill through, to the point of concentrating on this issue at the expense of pressing economic issues.
Newsweek announces new faces of Christian activism
Voyage of the Dawn Treader opens, studio reaches out to faith community
San Diego churches gives out 10,000 toys, 60,000 pounds of food
Saturday, December 04, 2010
The 3 - December 5, 2010
This week's edition of "The 3", my week-in-review feature, includes an instance of a taxpayer-funded art that was removed this week from the Smithsonian, the response to a study involving gays in the military, and an iPhone app from a Christian organization that was removed because it allegedly was offensive.
3 - Smithsonian pulls display viewed as offensive to Christians
It seems that the world of modern art needs to learn a bit about religious sensitivity. We have had a string of incidents involving taxpayer-funded art that has in fact portrayed Jesus and/or Christianity in a negative light. I think that this highlights that the gatekeepers of culture (as they are regarded in their own estimation) do not have a clue with regard to some of the sacred, traditional values that have existed in and driven our nation for hundreds of years. And, as we will see later, in the #1 story, these enlightened ones don't seem to think twice sometimes when trying to remove expressions of these principles from the public discourse.
Now, the situation at the Smithsonian is especially ingredious not only because of the objectionable content, but also because this is a public, government-funded institution. The backstory: there is an exhibit there that was apparently intended to show the blight on society that is the AIDS virus - well, in attempting to illustrate this, one of the artists displayed a video that included Jesus on a crucifix covered in ants. There were some other offensive expressions, as well, including "art" that was described as "homoerotic". The video including the disturbing images of Jesus was removed, along with a bit of a disclaimer by the museum's director.
Here's the story from CNSNews.com.
This follows on the heels of the reopened debate with regard to taxpayer funding of National Public Radio, which fired commentator Juan Williams for honest remarks that he made that were characterized as being negative toward Islam, but has turned its head the other way when some Christians or Christianity have been denigrated. Those with oversight over these taxpayer-funded organizations have to look at the fact that certain material can be offensive and therefore reserve Federal dollars from going to projects that do not represent the deeply-held values of large groups of Americans.
2 - Study on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" released, Christian and pro-family groups challenge findings
The debate regarding allowing homosexuals to serve openly in the military continues to rage on Capitol Hill, as Senate leadership is attempting to bring the matter for a vote soon, and some military leaders, such as the Secretary of Defense, are pushing for a repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy while others, including the the Commandant of the Marine Corps and Chief of Staff of the Army, are calling for the ban on open homosexuality in the military to remain in place. Others in military leadership might favor a repeal, but say now is not the time for a change.
A study released earlier this week shows a number of areas of concern on troop cohesion and effectiveness. Those who commissioned the study say that any negative impact of lifting the ban would be short-lived, but fail to define for how long the negative impact would last. A closer look at the statistics show that many, especially those are actively involved in combat, have seen a negative impact from having known homosexuals serving together with them already, with many believing that a reversal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" would have a negative impact. There is an apparent disconnect between the raw data and the way that the data has been reported, and the negative impact is far greater than those communicating the survey results would have the public believe.
A number of Christian and pro-family organizations have spoken out on the matter and are urging Congress to leave the ban in place. CitizenLink offered this analysis based on the survey results.
The Family Research Council has been very active this week in attempting to paint a clearer, truer picture of how the repeal of DADT would affect the military, even offering the result of a survey that they commissioned. More information can be found here.
Up-to-date information on the issue of open homosexuality in the military can be found on the new website, www.missioncompromised.org.
1 - Manhattan Declaration app removed from IPhone store
The Manhattan Declaration is a document designed to represent a unified viewpoint of Christians in 3 critical areas: the sanctity of life, the sanctity of marriage, and religious freedom. The Declaration has garnered over 480,000 signatures since it was announced late last year, and has become a valuable tool in communicating a basic Biblical worldview on these key issues. It was drafted by 3 well-respected Christian voices: Chuck Colson of Prison Fellowship, Dr. Robert George of Princeton University, and Dr. Timothy George of Beeson Divinity School.
In October of this year, an app for the Apple iPhone was released for the Manhattan Declaration, enabling users to read the declaration, to take a survey, and to search for more information. Recently, it was discovered that Apple had removed the app from its store.
When asked about the removal, Apple responded by saying that it had been determined that the Manhattan Declaration was offensive to "large groups of people". Well, perhaps those large groups refer to the website change.org, which gathered just under 8,000 signatures on a petition to remove the app. Never mind that the Declaration had almost a half-million signatories. The leadership of the Manhattan Declaration has written an open letter to Apple CEO Steve Jobs, and now is asking people to sign an online petition in support of the app - go to www.manhattandeclaration.org to learn more.
And, here's the point that the self-proclaimed, enlightened gatekeepers of the culture don't get - when you attempt to not offend a small group of people who are determined to be irritants, you may find yourselves offending an even larger group. This principle seems to occur time and again when attempting to restrict religious speech - more specifically, Christian speech - in the culture.
We see the same principle at work in the so-called "war on Christmas" - in attempting to not offend small groups who some retailers or government leaders think might be offended by religious expression (such as the greeting of "Merry Christmas"), you end up offending larger groups. That may explain why companies like Best Buy and Dick's Sporting Goods began this Christmas season without references to Christmas, but changed their tunes after realizing that offending Christians was bad for business. (Not that appeasing Christians should be seen as a business decision, but in the retail world, the bottom line rules above all.)
Unfortunately, as Christians, I believe we have lost ground in the arena of public religious expression because intimidated leadership has backed down in the face of a small, but vocal minority. Our willingness and courage to speak up in the face of hostility to our faith can hopefully lift up Jesus and make a statement to a world that needs to know Him.
A closing note: a new Rasmussen poll shows that 7 out of 10 of those surveyed prefer "Merry Christmas" to "Happy Holidays". Here are the findings, as reported by Liberty Counsel.
Honorable Mention:
Noah's Ark replica to be built at Creation Museum in KY
Football player flagged for expressing faith
3 - Smithsonian pulls display viewed as offensive to Christians
It seems that the world of modern art needs to learn a bit about religious sensitivity. We have had a string of incidents involving taxpayer-funded art that has in fact portrayed Jesus and/or Christianity in a negative light. I think that this highlights that the gatekeepers of culture (as they are regarded in their own estimation) do not have a clue with regard to some of the sacred, traditional values that have existed in and driven our nation for hundreds of years. And, as we will see later, in the #1 story, these enlightened ones don't seem to think twice sometimes when trying to remove expressions of these principles from the public discourse.
Now, the situation at the Smithsonian is especially ingredious not only because of the objectionable content, but also because this is a public, government-funded institution. The backstory: there is an exhibit there that was apparently intended to show the blight on society that is the AIDS virus - well, in attempting to illustrate this, one of the artists displayed a video that included Jesus on a crucifix covered in ants. There were some other offensive expressions, as well, including "art" that was described as "homoerotic". The video including the disturbing images of Jesus was removed, along with a bit of a disclaimer by the museum's director.
Here's the story from CNSNews.com.
This follows on the heels of the reopened debate with regard to taxpayer funding of National Public Radio, which fired commentator Juan Williams for honest remarks that he made that were characterized as being negative toward Islam, but has turned its head the other way when some Christians or Christianity have been denigrated. Those with oversight over these taxpayer-funded organizations have to look at the fact that certain material can be offensive and therefore reserve Federal dollars from going to projects that do not represent the deeply-held values of large groups of Americans.
2 - Study on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" released, Christian and pro-family groups challenge findings
The debate regarding allowing homosexuals to serve openly in the military continues to rage on Capitol Hill, as Senate leadership is attempting to bring the matter for a vote soon, and some military leaders, such as the Secretary of Defense, are pushing for a repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy while others, including the the Commandant of the Marine Corps and Chief of Staff of the Army, are calling for the ban on open homosexuality in the military to remain in place. Others in military leadership might favor a repeal, but say now is not the time for a change.
A study released earlier this week shows a number of areas of concern on troop cohesion and effectiveness. Those who commissioned the study say that any negative impact of lifting the ban would be short-lived, but fail to define for how long the negative impact would last. A closer look at the statistics show that many, especially those are actively involved in combat, have seen a negative impact from having known homosexuals serving together with them already, with many believing that a reversal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" would have a negative impact. There is an apparent disconnect between the raw data and the way that the data has been reported, and the negative impact is far greater than those communicating the survey results would have the public believe.
A number of Christian and pro-family organizations have spoken out on the matter and are urging Congress to leave the ban in place. CitizenLink offered this analysis based on the survey results.
The Family Research Council has been very active this week in attempting to paint a clearer, truer picture of how the repeal of DADT would affect the military, even offering the result of a survey that they commissioned. More information can be found here.
Up-to-date information on the issue of open homosexuality in the military can be found on the new website, www.missioncompromised.org.
1 - Manhattan Declaration app removed from IPhone store
The Manhattan Declaration is a document designed to represent a unified viewpoint of Christians in 3 critical areas: the sanctity of life, the sanctity of marriage, and religious freedom. The Declaration has garnered over 480,000 signatures since it was announced late last year, and has become a valuable tool in communicating a basic Biblical worldview on these key issues. It was drafted by 3 well-respected Christian voices: Chuck Colson of Prison Fellowship, Dr. Robert George of Princeton University, and Dr. Timothy George of Beeson Divinity School.
In October of this year, an app for the Apple iPhone was released for the Manhattan Declaration, enabling users to read the declaration, to take a survey, and to search for more information. Recently, it was discovered that Apple had removed the app from its store.
When asked about the removal, Apple responded by saying that it had been determined that the Manhattan Declaration was offensive to "large groups of people". Well, perhaps those large groups refer to the website change.org, which gathered just under 8,000 signatures on a petition to remove the app. Never mind that the Declaration had almost a half-million signatories. The leadership of the Manhattan Declaration has written an open letter to Apple CEO Steve Jobs, and now is asking people to sign an online petition in support of the app - go to www.manhattandeclaration.org to learn more.
And, here's the point that the self-proclaimed, enlightened gatekeepers of the culture don't get - when you attempt to not offend a small group of people who are determined to be irritants, you may find yourselves offending an even larger group. This principle seems to occur time and again when attempting to restrict religious speech - more specifically, Christian speech - in the culture.
We see the same principle at work in the so-called "war on Christmas" - in attempting to not offend small groups who some retailers or government leaders think might be offended by religious expression (such as the greeting of "Merry Christmas"), you end up offending larger groups. That may explain why companies like Best Buy and Dick's Sporting Goods began this Christmas season without references to Christmas, but changed their tunes after realizing that offending Christians was bad for business. (Not that appeasing Christians should be seen as a business decision, but in the retail world, the bottom line rules above all.)
Unfortunately, as Christians, I believe we have lost ground in the arena of public religious expression because intimidated leadership has backed down in the face of a small, but vocal minority. Our willingness and courage to speak up in the face of hostility to our faith can hopefully lift up Jesus and make a statement to a world that needs to know Him.
A closing note: a new Rasmussen poll shows that 7 out of 10 of those surveyed prefer "Merry Christmas" to "Happy Holidays". Here are the findings, as reported by Liberty Counsel.
Honorable Mention:
Noah's Ark replica to be built at Creation Museum in KY
Football player flagged for expressing faith
Sunday, November 28, 2010
The 3 - November 28, 2010
The Thanksgiving weekend edition of "The 3" includes a rather offbeat website surrounding a purported life-or-death choice, that has created controversy around the world. Also, a Christian legal advocacy group highlights retailers and their use of "Christmas" in their ads and stores. And, Thanksgiving provides the theme for the #1 story of the week.
3 - Abortion poll site admitted to be a hoax
It really had all the makings of a hoax website - a domain called www.birthornot.com, a couple with rather sketchy biographical information posted on the site, and the disturbing premise of encourging visitors to "vote" on whether or not an unborn baby should live or die.
Even after interviews in which the couple apparently was calling out to be taken seriously, the father of the real baby "Wiggles" (named because the baby was moving around so much in utero) has basically stated that the couple never intended to abort their baby, but did want to generate some discussion over the controversial topic of abortion. The mother, Alisha Arnold, who reportedly favors legalized abortion, and her husband, Pete, generated over a million votes for this fictitious "choice" - the baby is real, the ultrasound images apparently real, too, but the cover is blown and the parents will one day face the challenge of breaking the news to their child that they actually pulled this sort of stunt. Here's the latest narrative from LifeNews.com.
I guess you could say that the silver lining is that the website actually got people talking about the subject of abortion, but I don't think the couple actually used the site to credibly make the case for life - and have made themselves to be a laughingstock in the process. Sure, this is a topic that needs to be in the national dialogue, but this is definitely not the right way to go about it.
2 - Christian legal group releases "Naughty and Nice" list
Each year, there is a dynamic of the Christmas season that deals with how retailers commemorate the holiday. Another of the prevalent dynamics is how governmental entities allow Christmas to be celebrated, and I am sure there will be some instances that I will highlight throughout the next few weeks, such as the recent occasion in the beautiful city of Maryville, Tennessee (not far from where I went to college), where last year the reading of the Christmas story was banned from the annual city-sponsored event - that reading was restored this year, thanks to the involvement of Liberty Counsel, who wrote a letter to city officials underscoring the constitutionality of the practice.
Liberty Counsel, in addition to defending free speech surrounding the expression of Christmas greetings and exercises, annually calls attention to retailers who do and don't include the word, "Christmas" in their advertising and their retail stores and even websites. As part of their "Friend or Foe" campaign, the organization has released its "Naughty and Nice" list - highlighting the "naughty" retailers who do not acknowledge Christmas and the "nice" retailers who do. In fact, two retailers have flipped this holiday season - Best Buy and Dick's Sporting Goods, who initially were not including the recognition of Christmas, but who have indicated they intend to do so. You can find Liberty Counsel's list at this link.
Also, Rising Voice, the outreach to millenials from CitizenLink, an affiliate of Focus on the Family, has suggested shopping retailers who engage in "socially responsible" activities, such as donating a portion of their profits to charity. Rising Voice is also partnering with the ministry of Children's HopeChest to help rescue Russian girls who could possibly be incorporated into human trafficking. You can find Rising Voice at www.risingvoice.com.
1 - Christians usher in holiday season with Thanksgiving, charitable giving
Thanksgiving Day is a great time for Christian families to reflect on the blessings of God and to reach out to unsaved loved ones during family gatherings with the love of Jesus Christ. And, as we have been blessed by God, we reach out to others with his love as an expression of our gratitude for giving us the greatest gift of all, making salvation possible through Christ.
Just before Thanksgiving, Christians all across the U.S. took part in Operation Christmas Child and filled shoeboxes with school supplies, games, toys, hygiene items and more, to be distributed throughout the world through Samaritan's Purse. National Collection Week ended on November 22nd.
A number of Christians have begun to shop with an eye on charity through gift catalogs published by various organizations, such as Samaritan's Purse or World Vision. The good news is that apparently there is a significant number of Christians who are planning to reach out with gifts to charity...According to a World Vision survey, more Americans (7 out of 10) indicate they'll spend less on Christmas gifts this year, but just over half said that they would consider a charitable gift as a present this year. Here is more results and analysis from World Vision.
So for that dad who doesn't need another tie or the aunt who just might not want another statuette to sit around on some shelf, a gift to charity in their honor can warm their hearts and bless people in need.
Honorable Mention:
Asia Bibi released in Pakistan?
Prayer requested in light of tensions on Korean Peninsula
3 - Abortion poll site admitted to be a hoax
It really had all the makings of a hoax website - a domain called www.birthornot.com, a couple with rather sketchy biographical information posted on the site, and the disturbing premise of encourging visitors to "vote" on whether or not an unborn baby should live or die.
Even after interviews in which the couple apparently was calling out to be taken seriously, the father of the real baby "Wiggles" (named because the baby was moving around so much in utero) has basically stated that the couple never intended to abort their baby, but did want to generate some discussion over the controversial topic of abortion. The mother, Alisha Arnold, who reportedly favors legalized abortion, and her husband, Pete, generated over a million votes for this fictitious "choice" - the baby is real, the ultrasound images apparently real, too, but the cover is blown and the parents will one day face the challenge of breaking the news to their child that they actually pulled this sort of stunt. Here's the latest narrative from LifeNews.com.
I guess you could say that the silver lining is that the website actually got people talking about the subject of abortion, but I don't think the couple actually used the site to credibly make the case for life - and have made themselves to be a laughingstock in the process. Sure, this is a topic that needs to be in the national dialogue, but this is definitely not the right way to go about it.
2 - Christian legal group releases "Naughty and Nice" list
Each year, there is a dynamic of the Christmas season that deals with how retailers commemorate the holiday. Another of the prevalent dynamics is how governmental entities allow Christmas to be celebrated, and I am sure there will be some instances that I will highlight throughout the next few weeks, such as the recent occasion in the beautiful city of Maryville, Tennessee (not far from where I went to college), where last year the reading of the Christmas story was banned from the annual city-sponsored event - that reading was restored this year, thanks to the involvement of Liberty Counsel, who wrote a letter to city officials underscoring the constitutionality of the practice.
Liberty Counsel, in addition to defending free speech surrounding the expression of Christmas greetings and exercises, annually calls attention to retailers who do and don't include the word, "Christmas" in their advertising and their retail stores and even websites. As part of their "Friend or Foe" campaign, the organization has released its "Naughty and Nice" list - highlighting the "naughty" retailers who do not acknowledge Christmas and the "nice" retailers who do. In fact, two retailers have flipped this holiday season - Best Buy and Dick's Sporting Goods, who initially were not including the recognition of Christmas, but who have indicated they intend to do so. You can find Liberty Counsel's list at this link.
Also, Rising Voice, the outreach to millenials from CitizenLink, an affiliate of Focus on the Family, has suggested shopping retailers who engage in "socially responsible" activities, such as donating a portion of their profits to charity. Rising Voice is also partnering with the ministry of Children's HopeChest to help rescue Russian girls who could possibly be incorporated into human trafficking. You can find Rising Voice at www.risingvoice.com.
1 - Christians usher in holiday season with Thanksgiving, charitable giving
Thanksgiving Day is a great time for Christian families to reflect on the blessings of God and to reach out to unsaved loved ones during family gatherings with the love of Jesus Christ. And, as we have been blessed by God, we reach out to others with his love as an expression of our gratitude for giving us the greatest gift of all, making salvation possible through Christ.
Just before Thanksgiving, Christians all across the U.S. took part in Operation Christmas Child and filled shoeboxes with school supplies, games, toys, hygiene items and more, to be distributed throughout the world through Samaritan's Purse. National Collection Week ended on November 22nd.
A number of Christians have begun to shop with an eye on charity through gift catalogs published by various organizations, such as Samaritan's Purse or World Vision. The good news is that apparently there is a significant number of Christians who are planning to reach out with gifts to charity...According to a World Vision survey, more Americans (7 out of 10) indicate they'll spend less on Christmas gifts this year, but just over half said that they would consider a charitable gift as a present this year. Here is more results and analysis from World Vision.
So for that dad who doesn't need another tie or the aunt who just might not want another statuette to sit around on some shelf, a gift to charity in their honor can warm their hearts and bless people in need.
Honorable Mention:
Asia Bibi released in Pakistan?
Prayer requested in light of tensions on Korean Peninsula
Sunday, November 21, 2010
The 3 - November 21, 2010
This week's edition of "The 3", my week-in-review feature, highlights the blasphemy laws in Pakistan, one of the countries mentioned in a new report from the State Department on religious freedom - the release of that report is this week's #2 story. And, at the top of the list, new regulations involving faith-based organizations who received Federal funds.
3 - Pakistan's blasphemy law yields woman's death sentence
In Pakistan, Christians and others who follow a religion other than Islam can face stiff punishment, including death. These so-called blasphemy laws have received international scrutiny and condemnation, nevertheless the Pakistani government continues to enforce these policies, which has resulted in unprecedented religious persecution in this predominantly Muslim country.
And now, another instance has brought even more international concern, as a woman - a wife and the mother of 3 children - has been found to be guilty of violating the law by merely speaking out against Islam in the face of those who apparently were trying to coerce her to renounce Christianity. Asia Bibi, a Christian, was accused of blaspheming Muhammed and defaming Islam and faces the death sentence. Open Doors USA has posted this story on its website.
Here again, this case is indicative of harsh punishment that awaits Christians in many countries around the world, simply because they stand for Christ in the face of intense pressure. Asia is the first woman to be sentenced to death under these laws in Pakistan. This calls our attention yet again to the plight of Christians in many countries, and can be a catalyst for us to pray and to become more aware of organizations that are intervening on behalf of Christian believers around the world.
2 - State Department releases religious freedom list
The U.S. State Department released a report earlier this week that indicates there are a number of countries in the world that are apparently not committed to ensuring religious freedom. In the International Religious Freedom Report 2010, we see that not only are there countries listed where minority religions suffer persecution while a majority or government-sanctioned religion is given preferential treatment. Plus, we see there are countries where extremist groups and intolerant groups make the practice of some religions difficult. Here is a nice summary from the Religion Clause blog.
There were 8 "Countries of Particular Concern" that were highlighted: Burma (interesting that the report should refer to this country by its more familiar name, rather than the military junta's name, Myanmar), China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Uzbekistan. In these countries, citations are made regarding U.S. involvement on religious freedom issues. There were a total of 27 countries that were covered in the report - some have seen improvement, apparently, in the eyes of the State Department, while other governments are continuing to promote or allow an atmosphere of religious intolerance. Also, U.S. opposition to a proposed U.N. resolution, promoted by a number of Muslim countries on "defamation of religions", was revisited in the report. Here is the link to the State Department's Executive Summary.
1 - President's faith-based initiatives under revised rules
When he took office, President Obama continued the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, a concept basically begun by his predecessor to recognize and reward the work of faith-based organizations who are doing work deemed to be beneficial to society. While President Bush's purpose seemed to be to reinforce the work that was being done by equipping those organizations with more Federal dollars, the purpose under Obama could be interpreted as to exercise governmental control of faith-based organizations who are doing work consistent with the government's goals.
Another round of regulations of these organizations receiving taxpayer funding was released this week, and while, as some pro-family groups had feared, hiring practices were not addressed, but there were a number of issues that could be perceived as lessening or separating the "faith" out of these organization's work. Here is a report from CitizenLink, an affiliate of Focus on the Family.
A religious organization receiving Federal funds is expected to keep its "religious" and "secular" purpose separate - and presumably government oversight would be in place to guarantee this is done. The difficulty here is that many organizations do good work, recognizing and depending on the power of Christ...so how do they keep their religion out of it? Certainly, Federal grants can be helpful in carrying out ministry work, but if the government becomes increasingly burdensome, the law of diminishing returns is a factor, and the message of the life-changing power of the gospel could be diluted at the expense of the money. As we have seen in other sectors, where there is government funding, there is greater government control.
Honorable Mention:
Disturbing Online Poll: Whether or not to abort baby
New Jersey pastor tells church leaders: "No more Facebook"
Christmas Lights: Maryville, TN - City restores Bible reading!!
3 - Pakistan's blasphemy law yields woman's death sentence
In Pakistan, Christians and others who follow a religion other than Islam can face stiff punishment, including death. These so-called blasphemy laws have received international scrutiny and condemnation, nevertheless the Pakistani government continues to enforce these policies, which has resulted in unprecedented religious persecution in this predominantly Muslim country.
And now, another instance has brought even more international concern, as a woman - a wife and the mother of 3 children - has been found to be guilty of violating the law by merely speaking out against Islam in the face of those who apparently were trying to coerce her to renounce Christianity. Asia Bibi, a Christian, was accused of blaspheming Muhammed and defaming Islam and faces the death sentence. Open Doors USA has posted this story on its website.
Here again, this case is indicative of harsh punishment that awaits Christians in many countries around the world, simply because they stand for Christ in the face of intense pressure. Asia is the first woman to be sentenced to death under these laws in Pakistan. This calls our attention yet again to the plight of Christians in many countries, and can be a catalyst for us to pray and to become more aware of organizations that are intervening on behalf of Christian believers around the world.
2 - State Department releases religious freedom list
The U.S. State Department released a report earlier this week that indicates there are a number of countries in the world that are apparently not committed to ensuring religious freedom. In the International Religious Freedom Report 2010, we see that not only are there countries listed where minority religions suffer persecution while a majority or government-sanctioned religion is given preferential treatment. Plus, we see there are countries where extremist groups and intolerant groups make the practice of some religions difficult. Here is a nice summary from the Religion Clause blog.
There were 8 "Countries of Particular Concern" that were highlighted: Burma (interesting that the report should refer to this country by its more familiar name, rather than the military junta's name, Myanmar), China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Uzbekistan. In these countries, citations are made regarding U.S. involvement on religious freedom issues. There were a total of 27 countries that were covered in the report - some have seen improvement, apparently, in the eyes of the State Department, while other governments are continuing to promote or allow an atmosphere of religious intolerance. Also, U.S. opposition to a proposed U.N. resolution, promoted by a number of Muslim countries on "defamation of religions", was revisited in the report. Here is the link to the State Department's Executive Summary.
1 - President's faith-based initiatives under revised rules
When he took office, President Obama continued the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, a concept basically begun by his predecessor to recognize and reward the work of faith-based organizations who are doing work deemed to be beneficial to society. While President Bush's purpose seemed to be to reinforce the work that was being done by equipping those organizations with more Federal dollars, the purpose under Obama could be interpreted as to exercise governmental control of faith-based organizations who are doing work consistent with the government's goals.
Another round of regulations of these organizations receiving taxpayer funding was released this week, and while, as some pro-family groups had feared, hiring practices were not addressed, but there were a number of issues that could be perceived as lessening or separating the "faith" out of these organization's work. Here is a report from CitizenLink, an affiliate of Focus on the Family.
A religious organization receiving Federal funds is expected to keep its "religious" and "secular" purpose separate - and presumably government oversight would be in place to guarantee this is done. The difficulty here is that many organizations do good work, recognizing and depending on the power of Christ...so how do they keep their religion out of it? Certainly, Federal grants can be helpful in carrying out ministry work, but if the government becomes increasingly burdensome, the law of diminishing returns is a factor, and the message of the life-changing power of the gospel could be diluted at the expense of the money. As we have seen in other sectors, where there is government funding, there is greater government control.
Honorable Mention:
Disturbing Online Poll: Whether or not to abort baby
New Jersey pastor tells church leaders: "No more Facebook"
Christmas Lights: Maryville, TN - City restores Bible reading!!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
The 3 - November 14, 2010
This week's edition of "The 3", my week-in-review feature, spotlights a new sponsor and a new name for the "Day of Truth", a call to responsibility on Orphan Sunday last week, and reflections on Christian persecution in light of the President's Asian trip.
3 - Focus on the Family picks up "Day of Truth"
For a number of years, Christian students have been participating in the "Day of Truth", which is a response to the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN) observance known as the "Day of Silence", where gay students and gay sympathizers are encouraged to remain silent as a reaction to what they perceive is cruel treatment. The Alliance Defense Fund initiated the "Day of Truth", encouraging Christian students to speak out, and to speak the truth about sexuality according to God's word. The responsibility for that day transferred to Exodus International, which is a Christian advocacy group that is involved in helping people who depart from homosexuality. Now, Focus on the Family has picked up the sponsorship, and has renamed it the "Day of Dialogue", emphasizing the importance of engaging in communication about the truth found in God's word regarding the freedom that Christ offers. A piece from Focus on the Family explains the new arrangement for the April 18 observance.
2 - "Orphan Sunday" encourages Christians to follow Biblical instruction
The Bible plainly tells believers in Christ to care for the widow and the orphan. There are millions of orphans around the world, and we as Christians have a distinct responsibility for getting involved in the lives of these children. In fact, indications are that there are well over 100 million orphans worldwide.
Many orphans live in substandard facilities after being either abandoned by the their parents, or perhaps becoming wards of the state because of the death of parents. And, in many areas, once those orphans become recognized as "adults", then they are turned out on the streets, and many become involved in trafficking and prostitution.
So, it is not surprising that a number of organizations have become involved in care for the orphans and promoting the adoption of children from countries around the world who face a bleak future. This past Sunday, November 7th, was designated as "Orphan Sunday", calling attention to the plight of orphans worldwide. Special events were held, and topic of care for orphans was encouraged to be addressed in churches. For more information, you can visit the website at http://www.orphansunday.org/.
1 - President's trip to Asia highlights areas of religious tensions
President Obama has completed his Asian trip, and perhaps the stop of most interest to many Christians concerned about religious persecution is the visit to the nation of Indonesia, the nation with the world's largest Muslim population, where the President spent a portion of his childhood. And, as has been the case when Obama has visited countries with Islamic governments, he went out of his way to extol the virtues of that religion and leaders who embrace it and/or govern by it. Perhaps one of the most intriguing comments that Obama made was that, referring to the situation in Indonesia, "Islam flourishes, but so do other faiths." Here is a general news story from CBN News.
But could Christianity be considered as one of those other faiths? Christians in Indonesia might not think so. While the Christian population is apparently growing, the government is not allowing very many new churches to be built. Meanwhile, a national decree which has limited the growth of house churches has stifled the Christian church population. Here is a report from CBN News on the state of Christians in Indonesia. The actions of militant Muslims have become a real threat to Christians, who worship in many cases at their own risk.
So, while the President continues his outreach to Muslim governments, it is disappointing that he is not calling for these governments to pursue a greater degree of tolerance for Christians who live within their countries.
And, a further note: the President's visit to India can serve to remind us about the persecution of Christians in that nation, especially in the Orissa province. In fact, in that location, Christians are facing fear, as well as pressure to return to Hinduism. Here is the story from Compass Direct News.
Today is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. And, despite the knowledge of governmental officials in the United States, nations who endorse persecution of Christians, either actively (by supporting anti-Christian activity) or passively (by looking the other way) are seemingly not facing any possibility of being ostracized or sanctioned as a result of their intolerant actions. This is a matter of prayer for those Christians around the world who live under restrictions, fear of violence, and the threat of imprisonment and death.
Honorable Mention:
U.S. Supreme Court keeps lower court stay on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in place
Violence in Baghdad's Christian areas
Survivors of Iraq church attack flee
3 - Focus on the Family picks up "Day of Truth"
For a number of years, Christian students have been participating in the "Day of Truth", which is a response to the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN) observance known as the "Day of Silence", where gay students and gay sympathizers are encouraged to remain silent as a reaction to what they perceive is cruel treatment. The Alliance Defense Fund initiated the "Day of Truth", encouraging Christian students to speak out, and to speak the truth about sexuality according to God's word. The responsibility for that day transferred to Exodus International, which is a Christian advocacy group that is involved in helping people who depart from homosexuality. Now, Focus on the Family has picked up the sponsorship, and has renamed it the "Day of Dialogue", emphasizing the importance of engaging in communication about the truth found in God's word regarding the freedom that Christ offers. A piece from Focus on the Family explains the new arrangement for the April 18 observance.
2 - "Orphan Sunday" encourages Christians to follow Biblical instruction
The Bible plainly tells believers in Christ to care for the widow and the orphan. There are millions of orphans around the world, and we as Christians have a distinct responsibility for getting involved in the lives of these children. In fact, indications are that there are well over 100 million orphans worldwide.
Many orphans live in substandard facilities after being either abandoned by the their parents, or perhaps becoming wards of the state because of the death of parents. And, in many areas, once those orphans become recognized as "adults", then they are turned out on the streets, and many become involved in trafficking and prostitution.
So, it is not surprising that a number of organizations have become involved in care for the orphans and promoting the adoption of children from countries around the world who face a bleak future. This past Sunday, November 7th, was designated as "Orphan Sunday", calling attention to the plight of orphans worldwide. Special events were held, and topic of care for orphans was encouraged to be addressed in churches. For more information, you can visit the website at http://www.orphansunday.org/.
1 - President's trip to Asia highlights areas of religious tensions
President Obama has completed his Asian trip, and perhaps the stop of most interest to many Christians concerned about religious persecution is the visit to the nation of Indonesia, the nation with the world's largest Muslim population, where the President spent a portion of his childhood. And, as has been the case when Obama has visited countries with Islamic governments, he went out of his way to extol the virtues of that religion and leaders who embrace it and/or govern by it. Perhaps one of the most intriguing comments that Obama made was that, referring to the situation in Indonesia, "Islam flourishes, but so do other faiths." Here is a general news story from CBN News.
But could Christianity be considered as one of those other faiths? Christians in Indonesia might not think so. While the Christian population is apparently growing, the government is not allowing very many new churches to be built. Meanwhile, a national decree which has limited the growth of house churches has stifled the Christian church population. Here is a report from CBN News on the state of Christians in Indonesia. The actions of militant Muslims have become a real threat to Christians, who worship in many cases at their own risk.
So, while the President continues his outreach to Muslim governments, it is disappointing that he is not calling for these governments to pursue a greater degree of tolerance for Christians who live within their countries.
And, a further note: the President's visit to India can serve to remind us about the persecution of Christians in that nation, especially in the Orissa province. In fact, in that location, Christians are facing fear, as well as pressure to return to Hinduism. Here is the story from Compass Direct News.
Today is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. And, despite the knowledge of governmental officials in the United States, nations who endorse persecution of Christians, either actively (by supporting anti-Christian activity) or passively (by looking the other way) are seemingly not facing any possibility of being ostracized or sanctioned as a result of their intolerant actions. This is a matter of prayer for those Christians around the world who live under restrictions, fear of violence, and the threat of imprisonment and death.
Honorable Mention:
U.S. Supreme Court keeps lower court stay on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in place
Violence in Baghdad's Christian areas
Survivors of Iraq church attack flee
Sunday, November 07, 2010
The 3 - November 7, 2010
3 - Graham radio broadcast passes milestone, Graham celebrates birthday
The ministry of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association continues to deliver the gospel message through a variety of methods and voices. Just this weekend, people across the African nation of Malawi are participating in the "My Hope" outreach that is utilizing group leaders in homes across that nation, who invite people into their houses to view a message from the Association. The hosts also are called upon to share their own story of salvation through Christ. This has been an effective tool that has seen quite a harvest around the world. Franklin Graham also is wrapping up a crusade in Latvia. The ministry he founded, Samaritan's Purse, is preparing for its National Collection Week November 15-22 for Operation Christmas Child.
And, against the backdrop of Dr. Graham's 92nd Birthday today (November 7th), the ministry is celebrating a notable milestone. 60 years ago this week, the flagship radio broadcast, The Hour of Decision, which is heard on almost 600 radio outlets across America, made its debut on ABC Radio. This became the foundational program for the broadcast ministry of BGEA. Here is Assist News Service's profile of the program.
There are quite a number of Christian radio broadcasts aired in America and around the world, and so many owe a debt of gratitude to that pioneering broadcast of The Hour of Decision, as the gospel message was made available to a growing audience through the medium of radio. The Association has greatly expanded its ministry, from radio to TV to Decision magazine to the Internet, and to a wide variety of platforms, with the purpose of sharing God's truth with a world that so desperately needs to hear the message of salvation through Jesus Christ.
2 - Dozens die in hostage crisis at a church in Iraq
At least 58 people lost their lives, and perhaps as many as 75 were injured, as a group of terrorists entered a Catholic church in Baghdad and took hostages. Iraqi security forces stormed the building and ended the hostage situation, but there was a terrible loss of life. Open Doors USA has this report.
The state of the Christian church in Iraq continues to be a declining situation. The Christian population there in the years since the U.S.-led invasion has reportedly been reduced by half. Iraq has been a nation that has been on Open Doors' World Watch list because of the persecution of Christians there. Christians sense very little protection or sympathy from the government, and have become the subjects of persecution by Muslim groups.
The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church is coming up next Sunday, November 14th, and it gives Christians around the world the opportunity to stand with those who face persecution and even death as a result of their faith in Christ. More information can be found at www.idop.org.
1 - Evangelical turnout rises, pro-life candidates win
The voters spoke out in the most recent election, this past Tuesday, and the U.S. House of Representatives will now have a Republican majority. The Senate will have a more balanced makeup as a result of the vote. A number of governor's races went to Republicans, as well, plus state legislatures are seeing an increase in Republican representation.
But is this a Republican resurgence? Not necessarily. One can interpret that the election represented a repudiation of the current course of our government. There was a definite anti-incumbency and anti-establishment feel in the results. Polling data showed that voters were distressed with Democrats, but not necessarily enamored with Republicans, either. The clear signal was that voters wanted a change, and definitely not the type of "change" that had been the mantra of the campaign in 2008.
The attitude of change and a call to governmental responsibility in the face of seemingly uncontrolled, or at least excessive, spending has been personified in the "Tea Party" movement, which is generally thought of to be an economically-based thread of our nation's populace. But many of the "members" of the grassroots movement also possess strong evangelical credentials. In fact, a poll released by the Faith and Freedom Coalition shows that 52% of self-identified Tea Party members are also evangelicals.
The influence of "values voting", and more specifically, faith-based voting, was greater in this year's election that in 2008. According to that survey, the largest single constituency in the electorate in the 2010 midterm elections was self-identified evangelicals, who comprised 29% of the vote and cast 78% of their ballots for Republican candidates.
And while much of the general news coverage focused on how economic factors would affect the 2010 vote, the life issue definitely played a significant role. The Susan B. Anthony List proclaimed this year "The Year of the Pro-Life Woman", and a number of the female candidates it supported were successful in their election bids. The List also sponsored its "Votes Have Consequences" project, in which it was active in races in districts where so-called "pro-life" Democrats who supported the health care reform legislation, which contained taxpayer funding of abortion, were running for re-election. The results are impressive: 15 of 20 of those Democrats proclaiming themselves as pro-life while supporting health care reform lost their elections. LifeNews.com has this guest column. You can also visit www.sba-list.org/scorecard to learn how SBA List-supported candidates fared on Election Day. And, here's a summary of the election of pro-life women from LifeNews.com.
I made the point in a recent interview with former U.S. House member Marilyn Musgrave, who headed up the "Votes Have Consequences" project, that candidates that have a foundation of being pro-life tend to hold a Biblical view on other issues, such as marriage and even the economy. A number of the Tea Party candidates, who spoke forcefully on economic issues and governmental restraint and stewardship, were at their core socially conservative, as well. Pastor Jim Garlow spoke with me and discussed that he believes that Christians, especially Christian pastors, will be speaking out increasingly on economic issues, including the concept of government within its means. Perhaps this election can send the message that a Christian view of government and public policy can yield effective solutions to the daunting issues that we face as a country.
The ministry of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association continues to deliver the gospel message through a variety of methods and voices. Just this weekend, people across the African nation of Malawi are participating in the "My Hope" outreach that is utilizing group leaders in homes across that nation, who invite people into their houses to view a message from the Association. The hosts also are called upon to share their own story of salvation through Christ. This has been an effective tool that has seen quite a harvest around the world. Franklin Graham also is wrapping up a crusade in Latvia. The ministry he founded, Samaritan's Purse, is preparing for its National Collection Week November 15-22 for Operation Christmas Child.
And, against the backdrop of Dr. Graham's 92nd Birthday today (November 7th), the ministry is celebrating a notable milestone. 60 years ago this week, the flagship radio broadcast, The Hour of Decision, which is heard on almost 600 radio outlets across America, made its debut on ABC Radio. This became the foundational program for the broadcast ministry of BGEA. Here is Assist News Service's profile of the program.
There are quite a number of Christian radio broadcasts aired in America and around the world, and so many owe a debt of gratitude to that pioneering broadcast of The Hour of Decision, as the gospel message was made available to a growing audience through the medium of radio. The Association has greatly expanded its ministry, from radio to TV to Decision magazine to the Internet, and to a wide variety of platforms, with the purpose of sharing God's truth with a world that so desperately needs to hear the message of salvation through Jesus Christ.
2 - Dozens die in hostage crisis at a church in Iraq
At least 58 people lost their lives, and perhaps as many as 75 were injured, as a group of terrorists entered a Catholic church in Baghdad and took hostages. Iraqi security forces stormed the building and ended the hostage situation, but there was a terrible loss of life. Open Doors USA has this report.
The state of the Christian church in Iraq continues to be a declining situation. The Christian population there in the years since the U.S.-led invasion has reportedly been reduced by half. Iraq has been a nation that has been on Open Doors' World Watch list because of the persecution of Christians there. Christians sense very little protection or sympathy from the government, and have become the subjects of persecution by Muslim groups.
The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church is coming up next Sunday, November 14th, and it gives Christians around the world the opportunity to stand with those who face persecution and even death as a result of their faith in Christ. More information can be found at www.idop.org.
1 - Evangelical turnout rises, pro-life candidates win
The voters spoke out in the most recent election, this past Tuesday, and the U.S. House of Representatives will now have a Republican majority. The Senate will have a more balanced makeup as a result of the vote. A number of governor's races went to Republicans, as well, plus state legislatures are seeing an increase in Republican representation.
But is this a Republican resurgence? Not necessarily. One can interpret that the election represented a repudiation of the current course of our government. There was a definite anti-incumbency and anti-establishment feel in the results. Polling data showed that voters were distressed with Democrats, but not necessarily enamored with Republicans, either. The clear signal was that voters wanted a change, and definitely not the type of "change" that had been the mantra of the campaign in 2008.
The attitude of change and a call to governmental responsibility in the face of seemingly uncontrolled, or at least excessive, spending has been personified in the "Tea Party" movement, which is generally thought of to be an economically-based thread of our nation's populace. But many of the "members" of the grassroots movement also possess strong evangelical credentials. In fact, a poll released by the Faith and Freedom Coalition shows that 52% of self-identified Tea Party members are also evangelicals.
The influence of "values voting", and more specifically, faith-based voting, was greater in this year's election that in 2008. According to that survey, the largest single constituency in the electorate in the 2010 midterm elections was self-identified evangelicals, who comprised 29% of the vote and cast 78% of their ballots for Republican candidates.
And while much of the general news coverage focused on how economic factors would affect the 2010 vote, the life issue definitely played a significant role. The Susan B. Anthony List proclaimed this year "The Year of the Pro-Life Woman", and a number of the female candidates it supported were successful in their election bids. The List also sponsored its "Votes Have Consequences" project, in which it was active in races in districts where so-called "pro-life" Democrats who supported the health care reform legislation, which contained taxpayer funding of abortion, were running for re-election. The results are impressive: 15 of 20 of those Democrats proclaiming themselves as pro-life while supporting health care reform lost their elections. LifeNews.com has this guest column. You can also visit www.sba-list.org/scorecard to learn how SBA List-supported candidates fared on Election Day. And, here's a summary of the election of pro-life women from LifeNews.com.
I made the point in a recent interview with former U.S. House member Marilyn Musgrave, who headed up the "Votes Have Consequences" project, that candidates that have a foundation of being pro-life tend to hold a Biblical view on other issues, such as marriage and even the economy. A number of the Tea Party candidates, who spoke forcefully on economic issues and governmental restraint and stewardship, were at their core socially conservative, as well. Pastor Jim Garlow spoke with me and discussed that he believes that Christians, especially Christian pastors, will be speaking out increasingly on economic issues, including the concept of government within its means. Perhaps this election can send the message that a Christian view of government and public policy can yield effective solutions to the daunting issues that we face as a country.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
The 3 - October 31, 2010
This edition of my week-in-review feature, "The 3", includes a golden opportunity for Christians and the church to be active in sharing the love of Christ in disaster, the life of a Christian pastor in Iran on the line, and a recent credible terrorist threat targeting religious centers.
3 - Relief organizations respond in light of Indonesian tsunami
In the aftermath of an earthquake earlier in the week, 2 additional disasters actually emerged - a tsunami that struck islands in the Mentawai chain of Indonesia, leaving some 400 people dead (and the death toll is apparently climbing), as well as the eruption of the Indonesian volcano Mt. Merapi.
Christian organizations have been mobilizing to respond to these remote areas, where suffering is rampant. World Vision, Southern Baptists, and others are reportedly attempting to transport the needed supplies into the affected areas. Here is an update from CBN News.
As I like to point out, the aftermath of disasters provide a tremendous opportunity for the church of the Lord Jesus Christ to reach out with humanitarian aid, helping to meet physical challenges and to address the spiritual needs of the affected people. As people are offered spiritual hope, in addition to physical help, they can experience of the love of God in action and perhaps come to a saving knowledge of Christ.
2 - Christian pastor in Iran faces possible execution
A Christian pastor in Iran has been placed on trial and found guilty of apostasy for questioning the domination of Muslim doctrine in the school his children attended. In his defense, he argued that Iran's constitution allows the practice of Christianity. His wife was also convicted of apostasy, but she was released earlier this month after serving 4 months in prison.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has urged President Obama this week to pressure Iran to release the pastor, Youdak Nadarkhani, who reportedly is facing a death sentence if he does not renounce his Christian faith. Here is the story from the Christian Examiner, which originally appeared in Baptist Press.
This is the type of scenario that is repeated all to often in some Islamic countries - freedom of religion is non-existent, and people face severe punishment, persecution, and even death because they dare to speak out on behalf of the Christian faith. Iran is a country of "particular concern", according to the U.S. State Department, and is high on the Christian organization Open Doors' "World Watch List". As the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church approaches on November 14th, we can be mindful of this and similar instances of Christian persecution in many areas of the world, where people place their lives on the line for the sake of their Savior, Jesus Christ.
1 - Churches and other houses of worship in Chicago area urged to be vigilant
With the disturbing announcement on Friday of the interception of explosives found in packages addressed to 2 Jewish houses of worship in the Chicago area, we can be alert or re-alerted to the religious nature of the conflicts that we face in this world. Again, we see the thread of fundamentalist Islam, as expressed here apparently by the militant radical group Al-Queda, which is believed to be responsible for the attempted attacks. Here is the story from The Christian Post about the warnings that have been issued to religious institutions in the Chicago area and beyond.
The religious motivation is seen in a couple of ways: these fundamentalist radicals are performing their deeds in the name of their god, Allah, believing they will be rewarded for their treachery. And, they are targeting, in these cases, other religious groups. We know all too well that Jews and Christians are not viewed favorably by these groups, and their motivation is to do harm to those who do not adhere to their religion. Vigilance is being called for across the country and around the world, and these events serve as a grim reminder of the nature of the religiously-motivated conflict that is transpiring across the globe.
Honorable Mention:
Court victory for Mississippi Personhood Amendment
National Day of Prayer survives court challenge involving Colorado governor
Summary of voter information
3 - Relief organizations respond in light of Indonesian tsunami
In the aftermath of an earthquake earlier in the week, 2 additional disasters actually emerged - a tsunami that struck islands in the Mentawai chain of Indonesia, leaving some 400 people dead (and the death toll is apparently climbing), as well as the eruption of the Indonesian volcano Mt. Merapi.
Christian organizations have been mobilizing to respond to these remote areas, where suffering is rampant. World Vision, Southern Baptists, and others are reportedly attempting to transport the needed supplies into the affected areas. Here is an update from CBN News.
As I like to point out, the aftermath of disasters provide a tremendous opportunity for the church of the Lord Jesus Christ to reach out with humanitarian aid, helping to meet physical challenges and to address the spiritual needs of the affected people. As people are offered spiritual hope, in addition to physical help, they can experience of the love of God in action and perhaps come to a saving knowledge of Christ.
2 - Christian pastor in Iran faces possible execution
A Christian pastor in Iran has been placed on trial and found guilty of apostasy for questioning the domination of Muslim doctrine in the school his children attended. In his defense, he argued that Iran's constitution allows the practice of Christianity. His wife was also convicted of apostasy, but she was released earlier this month after serving 4 months in prison.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has urged President Obama this week to pressure Iran to release the pastor, Youdak Nadarkhani, who reportedly is facing a death sentence if he does not renounce his Christian faith. Here is the story from the Christian Examiner, which originally appeared in Baptist Press.
This is the type of scenario that is repeated all to often in some Islamic countries - freedom of religion is non-existent, and people face severe punishment, persecution, and even death because they dare to speak out on behalf of the Christian faith. Iran is a country of "particular concern", according to the U.S. State Department, and is high on the Christian organization Open Doors' "World Watch List". As the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church approaches on November 14th, we can be mindful of this and similar instances of Christian persecution in many areas of the world, where people place their lives on the line for the sake of their Savior, Jesus Christ.
1 - Churches and other houses of worship in Chicago area urged to be vigilant
With the disturbing announcement on Friday of the interception of explosives found in packages addressed to 2 Jewish houses of worship in the Chicago area, we can be alert or re-alerted to the religious nature of the conflicts that we face in this world. Again, we see the thread of fundamentalist Islam, as expressed here apparently by the militant radical group Al-Queda, which is believed to be responsible for the attempted attacks. Here is the story from The Christian Post about the warnings that have been issued to religious institutions in the Chicago area and beyond.
The religious motivation is seen in a couple of ways: these fundamentalist radicals are performing their deeds in the name of their god, Allah, believing they will be rewarded for their treachery. And, they are targeting, in these cases, other religious groups. We know all too well that Jews and Christians are not viewed favorably by these groups, and their motivation is to do harm to those who do not adhere to their religion. Vigilance is being called for across the country and around the world, and these events serve as a grim reminder of the nature of the religiously-motivated conflict that is transpiring across the globe.
Honorable Mention:
Court victory for Mississippi Personhood Amendment
National Day of Prayer survives court challenge involving Colorado governor
Summary of voter information
Sunday, October 24, 2010
The 3 - October 24, 2010
This week's edition of "The 3" includes a national discourse on a phrase that many think is in the constitution, confusion over the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, and a major conference on evangelism wrapping up in South Africa.
3 - "Separation of church and state" debated as after-effect of DEbate
The concept of "separation of church and state" has no doubt been a contentious one over the years, as those who are seemingly intent on removing religious references from our society and limiting the free expression of religious ideas in the public square have hidden behind that phrase. It's not in the Constitution, as Christine O'Donnell, Delaware Senate candidate, pointed out in a recent debate with her opponent Chris Coons. When Coons attempted to explain his position, which he used in a discussion over the teaching of creation in public schools, he clarified by essentially saying that, according to the First Amendment, Congress is not to "establish" a religion. Here is the account from USA Today's Faith & Reason Blog.
That is correct, but only half the story - and that half of the story is the dominant principle these days in the debate over what is Constitutionally-permitted religious speech. The other half of the story is that Congress is also not to deny the "free exercise" of religion. It seems to me that people who wish to express a religious viewpoint are expected to comply solely with the "establishment clause", without regard to their free speech or free expression rights. In attempting to prevent a so-called "establishment" of religion, plaintiffs, supported by civil liberties organizations, are attempting to get courts to rule that legitimate expressions of religion in a public setting are somehow unconstitutional.
The phrase "separation of church and state" is not in the Constitution, but the words are those of Thomas Jefferson, who wrote to a group of Baptists, emphasizing there should be a wall of separation, in other words, that the church should be protected from governmental intrusion. In the proper context, the idea is not for religious people to keep silent, but the expressed intent was to keep the church from establishing a state church or religious practice.
2 - Confusion reigns over gays in the military
Early in the week, the U.S. military instructed recruiters to allow openly gay individuals to enroll in its ranks, as the result of a ruling by ONE Federal Judge, Virginia Phillips in California, who disregarded the potentially chaotic effect such a ruling would have. After some anticipation, the Obama Administration did appeal the ruling to the 9th Circuit, which stayed Judge Phillips' ruling - at least until this Monday. The judges are evaluating whether or not to stay Phillips' ruling while the case is being heard. Meanwhile, those recruiters are not pulling back on allowing gays to join the military. Here is the report from CitizenLink.
So, confusion reigns, as the military continues to study what potential effect that allowing open homosexuals in our armed forces will have. Pro-family experts caution about the effect on morale, readiness, and the cohesion of forces, as well as the placing of military chaplains in an uncomfortable position of having to support a policy that may conflict with the position of their respective faiths regarding sexuality.
1 - Lausanne conference spotlights stories of God at work
Despite the absence of an entire delegation from China, in the midst of a computer hacker's blow that prevented many from joining in the conference online, the Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization proceeded in Cape Town, South Africa. Some 4000 delegates from almost 200 nations attended, hearing moving testimonies of how God is at work around the world, plotting strategies for reaching more people with the gospel, and being inspired to take part in some of the justice issues that can be addressed Biblically. CBN News had this summary.
One of the stories from Lausanne that attracted my attention was the report from a minister focused on Iran, who reported that thousands of Muslims are coming to Christ. This was documented in this article from The Christian Post.
Now these thousands who attended the conference in Africa are returning to their respective spheres of influence, and it is hoped that they bring a fresh perspective on how God desires to use them in doing His work, and can help to motivate churches and communities to be involved in the work of winning people to Christ.
Honorable Mention:
President omits "creator" from Declaration references - 3 times!
MI woman seeks Christian roommate, charged with discrimination
TN school district bans prayers at football games, graduations
Deanna Favre testifies to Christian faith in latest struggle
3 - "Separation of church and state" debated as after-effect of DEbate
The concept of "separation of church and state" has no doubt been a contentious one over the years, as those who are seemingly intent on removing religious references from our society and limiting the free expression of religious ideas in the public square have hidden behind that phrase. It's not in the Constitution, as Christine O'Donnell, Delaware Senate candidate, pointed out in a recent debate with her opponent Chris Coons. When Coons attempted to explain his position, which he used in a discussion over the teaching of creation in public schools, he clarified by essentially saying that, according to the First Amendment, Congress is not to "establish" a religion. Here is the account from USA Today's Faith & Reason Blog.
That is correct, but only half the story - and that half of the story is the dominant principle these days in the debate over what is Constitutionally-permitted religious speech. The other half of the story is that Congress is also not to deny the "free exercise" of religion. It seems to me that people who wish to express a religious viewpoint are expected to comply solely with the "establishment clause", without regard to their free speech or free expression rights. In attempting to prevent a so-called "establishment" of religion, plaintiffs, supported by civil liberties organizations, are attempting to get courts to rule that legitimate expressions of religion in a public setting are somehow unconstitutional.
The phrase "separation of church and state" is not in the Constitution, but the words are those of Thomas Jefferson, who wrote to a group of Baptists, emphasizing there should be a wall of separation, in other words, that the church should be protected from governmental intrusion. In the proper context, the idea is not for religious people to keep silent, but the expressed intent was to keep the church from establishing a state church or religious practice.
2 - Confusion reigns over gays in the military
Early in the week, the U.S. military instructed recruiters to allow openly gay individuals to enroll in its ranks, as the result of a ruling by ONE Federal Judge, Virginia Phillips in California, who disregarded the potentially chaotic effect such a ruling would have. After some anticipation, the Obama Administration did appeal the ruling to the 9th Circuit, which stayed Judge Phillips' ruling - at least until this Monday. The judges are evaluating whether or not to stay Phillips' ruling while the case is being heard. Meanwhile, those recruiters are not pulling back on allowing gays to join the military. Here is the report from CitizenLink.
So, confusion reigns, as the military continues to study what potential effect that allowing open homosexuals in our armed forces will have. Pro-family experts caution about the effect on morale, readiness, and the cohesion of forces, as well as the placing of military chaplains in an uncomfortable position of having to support a policy that may conflict with the position of their respective faiths regarding sexuality.
1 - Lausanne conference spotlights stories of God at work
Despite the absence of an entire delegation from China, in the midst of a computer hacker's blow that prevented many from joining in the conference online, the Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization proceeded in Cape Town, South Africa. Some 4000 delegates from almost 200 nations attended, hearing moving testimonies of how God is at work around the world, plotting strategies for reaching more people with the gospel, and being inspired to take part in some of the justice issues that can be addressed Biblically. CBN News had this summary.
One of the stories from Lausanne that attracted my attention was the report from a minister focused on Iran, who reported that thousands of Muslims are coming to Christ. This was documented in this article from The Christian Post.
Now these thousands who attended the conference in Africa are returning to their respective spheres of influence, and it is hoped that they bring a fresh perspective on how God desires to use them in doing His work, and can help to motivate churches and communities to be involved in the work of winning people to Christ.
Honorable Mention:
President omits "creator" from Declaration references - 3 times!
MI woman seeks Christian roommate, charged with discrimination
TN school district bans prayers at football games, graduations
Deanna Favre testifies to Christian faith in latest struggle
Sunday, October 17, 2010
The 3 - October 17, 2010
This edition of my week-in-review feature, "The 3", includes court activity surrounding the military's stance on homosexuals in the armed forces, a large Christian conference taking place in South Africa and one country's delegates who are having some trouble attending, and the enormous spiritual implications of the dramatic Chilean miner rescue.
3 - "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" faces judge's block, Administration appeal
This past week brought new court activity for the current policy regarding gays in the military known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"...and let it be noted that the U.S. military's official position is that homosexuality in the ranks of the armed forces is not allowed. The Clinton Administration enacted the DADT policy as a compromise in light of his attempt to allow known, active homosexuals to serve. Well, this week, a Federal judge who had earlier ruled the policy was unconstitutional went one step further and essentially barred the military from enforcing the policy. CitizenLink had this story.The speculation then began on whether or not the Obama Administration would appeal the ruling to the 9th U.S. Circuit. After all, the Administration is on record as opposing the ban, and the President is taking steps to have it repealed. Therefore, it is believed that the defense of DADT would be tepid, at best. Nevertheless, on Thursday, it was announced that the Department of Justice would appeal the ruling of the ONE judge who attempted to make policy for the entire U.S. military. Here is CitizenLink's follow-up.
Again, it is unclear how vigorous the defense posture of the Obama attorneys will be - apparently, the DOJ is appealing based on how chaotic an immediate reversal of the policy would be. Those who favor the military's current position maintain that it will be chaotic no matter when DADT is rescinded, if indeed it is reversed.
2 - Delegates prepare for Lausanne convention, Chinese government detains attendees
A large conference is getting started in Cape Town, South Africa that is bringing together missions-minded Christians from a variety of organizations from all over the world. The 3rd Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization is designed to bring some 4000 invited participants together from almost 200 nations. According to a press release, the Lausanne Movement was founded by Billy Graham, and the Congress will be reaffirming truths of Biblical Christianity and engage with critical issues facing the church during the next decade.
However, some delegates from one particular nation may not be allowed to make the trip. Reports are widespread that Chinese representatives of a variety of house churches are not being allowed to leave the country, including reports of some being physically removed from the airport. The advocacy organization, ChinaAid, has been tracing some of the incidents, and here are some of their press releases.
So, against the backdrop of a world that so desperately needs to hear the message of the gospel, the delegates are gathering to be inspired and instructed, and to fellowship together in the common bond of Christ's love. Hopefully, the representatives from China, where God is moving in such a powerful way, will be able to attend, to share their stories, and to help to encourage others who desire for the kingdom of God to move forward in their nations.
1 - Christian elements of the Chilean miners' rescue revealed
The moving rescue of 33 miners trapped underground in Chile for weeks attracted attention from all over the world. And, the spiritual element of the rescue and the events leading up to it cannot be denied. Consider this:
- one of the miners was instrumental in leading prayer services each day
- resources were sent down into the mine, including .mp3's of the Jesus film and copies of the New Testament
- 2 miners reportedly gave their lives to Christ
- all 33 miners emerged wearing T-shirts thanking God and giving glory to Him
- miners shared testimonies of God's hand in sustaining them during their ordeal and for their ultimate rescue.
Here is a summary from The Christian Post. Also, Baptist Press offered coverage, including this story about how the miner who has emerged as the spiritual leader, Jose Henriquez, recruited a pastor to aid miners and their families.
This is a high-profile story that can give us as Christians an opportunity to discuss God's faithfulness in the midst of difficult circumstances, and to help people reflect on how God has rescued us from the bondage of sin through a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Honorable Mention:
New pro-life Nebraska law takes effect
Principal encourages support of prayer breakfast, receives discipline
40 Days for Life announces 3000th baby saved
Saturday, October 09, 2010
The 3 - October 9, 2010
This week's edition of "The 3" shines the spotlight on gambling arrests in Alabama, arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court concerning the rather acerbic Westboro Baptist Church protesters, and a throng gathering in Atlanta to be motivated to be a "catalyst".
3 - 11 indicted in gambling probe in Alabama
This Monday, Federal officials were dispatched throughout the state of Alabama to arrest 2 casino owners, 1 casino spokesman, 4 state senators, 3 lobbyists, and a legislative employee. They were indicted in association with activity surrounding the passage of a bill in the Alabama Senate (SB 380) that would have legalized electronic bingo in selected locations in the state, pending a statewide vote. The first version of the bill failed to reach the 21 votes necessary to move forward, but it was reintroduced and passed with exactly 21 votes.
The Alabama Citizens Action Program, or ALCAP, had been involved in opposing the attempt to legalize what they and other Christian organizations across the state regarded to be illegal. And, in fact, the activities of the Governor's Task Force on Illegal Gambling and supportive AL Supreme Court decisions have eliminated the presence of electronic slot machines at all locations, except the Indian casinos in the state. ALCAP posted this report from the Birmingham News on its website.
Gambling represents a regressive tax on society, and punishes the poorest among us. Gambling addicts present a tremendous cost to society, and the economic implications on families are potentially devastating. For some time, Christian leaders have cited the corrupting influence associated with gambling activity, and if these current allegations are proven, it will support what has been contended for some time in Alabama. Corruption surrounding gambling has in fact been proven in other instances. The organization, Stop Predatory Gambling, has published this "white paper" on the relationship of gambling and corruption.
2 - U.S. Supreme Court considers church protest case
The U.S. Supreme Court is back in session, and one of the notable cases is one that concerns religious freedom and free speech. In the Snyder vs. Phelps case, the father of a Marine who lost his life in Afghanistan is alleging that he was offended by the presence of protesters from the Westboro Baptist Church, whose pastor is Fred Phelps. Westboro congregation members attend various functions, including military funerals, basically contending that military members lost their lives because America is under God's judgment because of the sin of homosexuality. Using unsavory signs and comments, the Westboro devotees are offensive in their approach, but a central question in the Supreme Court case is whether or not the Constitution restricts certain types of speech just because someone finds that speech offensive. Here is the setup from Liberty Counsel.
Again, there are definite free speech concerns here - if Westboro members are restricted from their protests, then that precedent could that be applied to other forms of free speech, such as pro-life individuals and groups who peacefully demonstrate at abortion clinics. Public expressions of faith could be found to be restricted if someone finds those expressions offensive. So, even though the Westboro group is considered by many to be deplorable, nevertheless they have a constitutional right to free speech, and hopefully, a ruling from the high court will continue to uphold our free expression rights.
1 - Catalyst draws thousands to energize leaders
For many years, the Catalyst Conference has gathered in Atlanta to creatively inspire and encourage Christians to be passionately and creatively influential. It's commonly thought that the conference falls under the banner of "leadership training", but when you consider that all of us have the potential to have an effect on others, then it's not necessary that a person showing up to Catalyst is officially in a leadership position.
High-profile Christian speakers, such as Andy Stanley, Beth Moore, Craig Groeschel, Francis Chan, and others, instructed the crowd of some 13,000 at the Arena at Gwinnett Center in the greater Atlanta area. Additionally, people involved in such noble causes as fighting human trafficking and providing clean drinking water in third-world countries, caused attendees to examine how they are helping to address the needs of people less fortunate, activated by the love of Christ. Here is the report from The Christian Post.
Again, the conference has the potential to not only motivate those who attend, but then those who have been to the event can go back into their communities and have a distinct influence for the sake of the gospel.
Honorable Mention:
Churches celebrate Clergy Appreciation Month
Business booming for cookie store in Indiana that rejected order for gay activist event
Vermont license plate ruling protects religious references
3 - 11 indicted in gambling probe in Alabama
This Monday, Federal officials were dispatched throughout the state of Alabama to arrest 2 casino owners, 1 casino spokesman, 4 state senators, 3 lobbyists, and a legislative employee. They were indicted in association with activity surrounding the passage of a bill in the Alabama Senate (SB 380) that would have legalized electronic bingo in selected locations in the state, pending a statewide vote. The first version of the bill failed to reach the 21 votes necessary to move forward, but it was reintroduced and passed with exactly 21 votes.
The Alabama Citizens Action Program, or ALCAP, had been involved in opposing the attempt to legalize what they and other Christian organizations across the state regarded to be illegal. And, in fact, the activities of the Governor's Task Force on Illegal Gambling and supportive AL Supreme Court decisions have eliminated the presence of electronic slot machines at all locations, except the Indian casinos in the state. ALCAP posted this report from the Birmingham News on its website.
Gambling represents a regressive tax on society, and punishes the poorest among us. Gambling addicts present a tremendous cost to society, and the economic implications on families are potentially devastating. For some time, Christian leaders have cited the corrupting influence associated with gambling activity, and if these current allegations are proven, it will support what has been contended for some time in Alabama. Corruption surrounding gambling has in fact been proven in other instances. The organization, Stop Predatory Gambling, has published this "white paper" on the relationship of gambling and corruption.
2 - U.S. Supreme Court considers church protest case
The U.S. Supreme Court is back in session, and one of the notable cases is one that concerns religious freedom and free speech. In the Snyder vs. Phelps case, the father of a Marine who lost his life in Afghanistan is alleging that he was offended by the presence of protesters from the Westboro Baptist Church, whose pastor is Fred Phelps. Westboro congregation members attend various functions, including military funerals, basically contending that military members lost their lives because America is under God's judgment because of the sin of homosexuality. Using unsavory signs and comments, the Westboro devotees are offensive in their approach, but a central question in the Supreme Court case is whether or not the Constitution restricts certain types of speech just because someone finds that speech offensive. Here is the setup from Liberty Counsel.
Again, there are definite free speech concerns here - if Westboro members are restricted from their protests, then that precedent could that be applied to other forms of free speech, such as pro-life individuals and groups who peacefully demonstrate at abortion clinics. Public expressions of faith could be found to be restricted if someone finds those expressions offensive. So, even though the Westboro group is considered by many to be deplorable, nevertheless they have a constitutional right to free speech, and hopefully, a ruling from the high court will continue to uphold our free expression rights.
1 - Catalyst draws thousands to energize leaders
For many years, the Catalyst Conference has gathered in Atlanta to creatively inspire and encourage Christians to be passionately and creatively influential. It's commonly thought that the conference falls under the banner of "leadership training", but when you consider that all of us have the potential to have an effect on others, then it's not necessary that a person showing up to Catalyst is officially in a leadership position.
High-profile Christian speakers, such as Andy Stanley, Beth Moore, Craig Groeschel, Francis Chan, and others, instructed the crowd of some 13,000 at the Arena at Gwinnett Center in the greater Atlanta area. Additionally, people involved in such noble causes as fighting human trafficking and providing clean drinking water in third-world countries, caused attendees to examine how they are helping to address the needs of people less fortunate, activated by the love of Christ. Here is the report from The Christian Post.
Again, the conference has the potential to not only motivate those who attend, but then those who have been to the event can go back into their communities and have a distinct influence for the sake of the gospel.
Honorable Mention:
Churches celebrate Clergy Appreciation Month
Business booming for cookie store in Indiana that rejected order for gay activist event
Vermont license plate ruling protects religious references
Saturday, October 02, 2010
The 3 - October 3, 2010
This week's edition of "The 3" includes another thought-provoking survey from the Pew organization, this time regarding how well we know religious history and teachings. Also, President Obama makes more faith statements. Plus, Christians around the world stand together with Jerusalem.
3 - New Pew survey highlights religious knowledge
I include this item just simply because it has generated so much discussion about the knowledge of faith issues and information. This week, The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life released the results of a survey which was intended to indicate Americans' knowledge of religion in general, including information on world religious history, and perhaps the teachings of some churches in specific. Here is the overview of the study from the Pew website.
Probably one of the most notable discussion points is that atheists and agnostics performed the best on the 32-question quiz. Jews and Mormons outdistanced Protestants with their performance on the test. This shouldn't surprise us, because I would think that those who espouse either no belief or an ambivalent set of beliefs would at least have studied some aspects of religion, at the very least to be able to counter religious arguments.
I think also we should not place too much credence on the results, since it is a relatively small group of questions on a wide range of belief systems. You would hope that people would be able to answer questions about their faith and its history, although church leaders might be concerned about that. Take, for instance, the pastor of Oak Hills Church in San Antonio (where Max Lucado pastored for years and still serves on staff). He highlighted, in this Christian Post article, his concern about what he calls, "Biblical illiteracy".
Finally, we can use these survey results to provide a springboard for personal introspection: What do we believe? What do we know about the history and teachings of our own church? And, so importantly, can we defend our faith in the marketplace of ideas that run counter to a Christian worldview perspective? If we know what we believe and even why we believe it, then we have a firm foundation for our lives and for the application of God's truth. Why are YOU a Christian?...that's a question President Obama was asked this week.
2 - Obama's faith under scrutiny...again!
It wasn't too long ago that another Pew survey was focused on President Obama's faith, with about a third of respondents agreeing with him when he states that he is a Christian. Another 18% or so indicated they believed he is a Muslim. Well, as I said at that time, I think it's odd that we are having a rather public discussion evaluating whether or not the President is a Christian. It is, however, certainly a Biblical role that we as Christians are given to look at the fruit of someone who says he or she is a Christian. The end result of that burst of discussion was that Obama is a Christian, but that perhaps his Muslim upbringing makes him more sympathetic to the teachings and practices of Islam.
So, this past week, Mr. Obama was asked why he is a Christian. He gave a fairly detailed (for a backyard political meeting) explanation of his faith. Here is the Associated Press story on what he said.
While he laid out the basic Christian belief of Jesus' dying for our sins, he also seemed to indicate that people of other faiths have their own path to grace. While I agree with him that we should be respectful of other beliefs, it should motivate us as Christians to reach out and share Christ with people of other faiths, as we recognize that Jesus said that He is the way, truth, and life.
When I read the account, I also thought of Terry Jeffrey's column on CNSNews.com recently about Obama's insistence of recognizing people of "no faith", which comprises a very small percentage of the population. It is apparent to me that there was a strong foundation of faith (I believe that was Christian faith) that drove the founders to establish this nation, and while, again, we're respectful of those with whom we disagree, we can't deny the strong religious component of our history. Here is Terry's column.
Also, there are many in evangelical Christianity that do not see Obama's policies as consistent with our perspective. This is especially apparent with the abortion issue - in that same meeting, Obama echoed Bill Clinton's statements that abortion should be "safe, legal, and rare". However, pro-life groups have recognized the current Administration as the most pro-abortion in history. Here is the perspective of Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council regarding the President's recent faith statements.
So, when the President talks about faith, it seems to generate quite a bit of discussion. He is certainly capable of discussing some of the basics of the Christian faith, but does go out of his way to temper what might be perceived as strong Christian statements with a deference to other faiths. In doing so, it becomes difficult to define his personal theology, which I still say is basically a mix of Christianity, with some Islamic teaching thrown in, with a hefty dose of liberation theology, expressed in his policies that provide for confiscation of wealth through taxation, and a redistribution of that wealth in order to bring about economic and social justice.
1 - Christians pray for peace of Jerusalem
On the first Sunday of October, Christians around the world are called to participate in the Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem. Christian leaders from Jack Hayford (a co-founder) to Ravi Zacharias to Kay Arthur to Gary Bauer are among some 1000 Christian leaders who endorse the day, emphasizing the importance of raising awareness for Christians to stand in solidarity with Israel, believing that God continues to have a strategic call and purpose for the Jewish people. More information can be found at the website, www.daytopray.com.
Perhaps as many as 300 million Christians from some 175 nations could be taking part in this significant outreach of prayer, sponsored by Eagles' Wings Ministries, under the direction of Rev. Robert Stearns. CBN has an excellent overview of this day and its implications.
Current events in modern-day Israel have prophetic implications in the fulfillment of God's plan in the earth, as Israel is a barometer of the fulfillment of Bible prophecy. Now, its political leadership is not necessarily a God-ordained institution, but the creation of the nation within its Biblical borders is a seismic event on the landscape of God's plan in the earth, and I believe that as Christians stand together with the Jewish people and the Jewish nation, that God will work His will in the earth. And we remember, the Bible does tell us to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem" (Psalm 122:6).
Honorable Mention:
Organizations that support marriage and 13 state attorneys general file briefs to support Proposition 8
Congress comes against theft of Mojave Desert cross, urges replacement
3 - New Pew survey highlights religious knowledge
I include this item just simply because it has generated so much discussion about the knowledge of faith issues and information. This week, The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life released the results of a survey which was intended to indicate Americans' knowledge of religion in general, including information on world religious history, and perhaps the teachings of some churches in specific. Here is the overview of the study from the Pew website.
Probably one of the most notable discussion points is that atheists and agnostics performed the best on the 32-question quiz. Jews and Mormons outdistanced Protestants with their performance on the test. This shouldn't surprise us, because I would think that those who espouse either no belief or an ambivalent set of beliefs would at least have studied some aspects of religion, at the very least to be able to counter religious arguments.
I think also we should not place too much credence on the results, since it is a relatively small group of questions on a wide range of belief systems. You would hope that people would be able to answer questions about their faith and its history, although church leaders might be concerned about that. Take, for instance, the pastor of Oak Hills Church in San Antonio (where Max Lucado pastored for years and still serves on staff). He highlighted, in this Christian Post article, his concern about what he calls, "Biblical illiteracy".
Finally, we can use these survey results to provide a springboard for personal introspection: What do we believe? What do we know about the history and teachings of our own church? And, so importantly, can we defend our faith in the marketplace of ideas that run counter to a Christian worldview perspective? If we know what we believe and even why we believe it, then we have a firm foundation for our lives and for the application of God's truth. Why are YOU a Christian?...that's a question President Obama was asked this week.
2 - Obama's faith under scrutiny...again!
It wasn't too long ago that another Pew survey was focused on President Obama's faith, with about a third of respondents agreeing with him when he states that he is a Christian. Another 18% or so indicated they believed he is a Muslim. Well, as I said at that time, I think it's odd that we are having a rather public discussion evaluating whether or not the President is a Christian. It is, however, certainly a Biblical role that we as Christians are given to look at the fruit of someone who says he or she is a Christian. The end result of that burst of discussion was that Obama is a Christian, but that perhaps his Muslim upbringing makes him more sympathetic to the teachings and practices of Islam.
So, this past week, Mr. Obama was asked why he is a Christian. He gave a fairly detailed (for a backyard political meeting) explanation of his faith. Here is the Associated Press story on what he said.
While he laid out the basic Christian belief of Jesus' dying for our sins, he also seemed to indicate that people of other faiths have their own path to grace. While I agree with him that we should be respectful of other beliefs, it should motivate us as Christians to reach out and share Christ with people of other faiths, as we recognize that Jesus said that He is the way, truth, and life.
When I read the account, I also thought of Terry Jeffrey's column on CNSNews.com recently about Obama's insistence of recognizing people of "no faith", which comprises a very small percentage of the population. It is apparent to me that there was a strong foundation of faith (I believe that was Christian faith) that drove the founders to establish this nation, and while, again, we're respectful of those with whom we disagree, we can't deny the strong religious component of our history. Here is Terry's column.
Also, there are many in evangelical Christianity that do not see Obama's policies as consistent with our perspective. This is especially apparent with the abortion issue - in that same meeting, Obama echoed Bill Clinton's statements that abortion should be "safe, legal, and rare". However, pro-life groups have recognized the current Administration as the most pro-abortion in history. Here is the perspective of Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council regarding the President's recent faith statements.
So, when the President talks about faith, it seems to generate quite a bit of discussion. He is certainly capable of discussing some of the basics of the Christian faith, but does go out of his way to temper what might be perceived as strong Christian statements with a deference to other faiths. In doing so, it becomes difficult to define his personal theology, which I still say is basically a mix of Christianity, with some Islamic teaching thrown in, with a hefty dose of liberation theology, expressed in his policies that provide for confiscation of wealth through taxation, and a redistribution of that wealth in order to bring about economic and social justice.
1 - Christians pray for peace of Jerusalem
On the first Sunday of October, Christians around the world are called to participate in the Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem. Christian leaders from Jack Hayford (a co-founder) to Ravi Zacharias to Kay Arthur to Gary Bauer are among some 1000 Christian leaders who endorse the day, emphasizing the importance of raising awareness for Christians to stand in solidarity with Israel, believing that God continues to have a strategic call and purpose for the Jewish people. More information can be found at the website, www.daytopray.com.
Perhaps as many as 300 million Christians from some 175 nations could be taking part in this significant outreach of prayer, sponsored by Eagles' Wings Ministries, under the direction of Rev. Robert Stearns. CBN has an excellent overview of this day and its implications.
Current events in modern-day Israel have prophetic implications in the fulfillment of God's plan in the earth, as Israel is a barometer of the fulfillment of Bible prophecy. Now, its political leadership is not necessarily a God-ordained institution, but the creation of the nation within its Biblical borders is a seismic event on the landscape of God's plan in the earth, and I believe that as Christians stand together with the Jewish people and the Jewish nation, that God will work His will in the earth. And we remember, the Bible does tell us to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem" (Psalm 122:6).
Honorable Mention:
Organizations that support marriage and 13 state attorneys general file briefs to support Proposition 8
Congress comes against theft of Mojave Desert cross, urges replacement
Saturday, September 25, 2010
The 3 - September 25, 2010
This week on my week-in-review feature, "The 3", an education showdown continues in the Lone Star State, influencers of the culture with regard to matters of faith meet in 2 locales, and Congress deals with some issues that are relevant to Christians and Christian organizations.
3 - Texas BOE approves balanced approach to Islam
The textbook battle continues to attract attention in the state of Texas, where the state school board earlier this year approved standards that would, among other things, reinforce the concept of American exceptionalism and place a greater emphasis on the role of religion in the history of the country. And, just this week, the school board voted 7-6 to make sure that the treatment of religion was balanced, essentially attempting to ensure that there is not what is considered a pro-Islam, anti-Christian bias. Apparently, board members saw a trend toward making Islam and its impact on world history more prevalent in history textbooks, and felt this resolution was a necessary step. Here is the story from The Christian Post.
There are a lot of eyes watching this textbook case in Texas, because textbook authors and manufacturers will be writing in order to comply with the standards that are passed in this large state. This would no doubt influence many school districts and their curriculum.
2 - Media members who cover religion convene in Denver, Christian counselors meet in Branson
Some large conferences have been scheduled this week involving some groups of influencers. The Religion Newswriters Association (RNA) had its conference in Denver, and a wide variety of religious streams were represented, from Rainn Wilson of The Office, who is a Buddhist, to evangelical seminary leader Dr. Albert Mohler.
This is an important gathering, because the role of religion in American life cannot be underestimated. Even though this is not a distinctly Christian gathering, nonetheless the Christian worldview perspective was included, and hopefully writers can perhaps be more aware of and evenhanded with covering the perspective of Bible-believing Christians. The RNA website is www.rna.org.
Also, the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) gathered in Branson, Missouri for its National Christian Counseling Conference, where they heard from a number of high-profile speakers, such as Dr. Gary Smalley and Dr. Larry Crabb, as well as a variety of workshop leaders, who offered their perspective on many topics that can help in addressing some of the struggles that Christian people face. Dr. Tim Clinton is President of the AACC. The website is www.aacc.net.
1 - U.S. Senate turns back 2 bills with faith-based implications
This week, the U.S. Senate failed to cross the 60-vote threshold necessary to move 2 bills forward which would implement policy that contrasts with the viewpoints of many Christians or Christian organizations. One bill, a Defense Authorization bill, also contained amendments that would rescind the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy with respect to homosexual behavior and would allow taxpayer funding of abortion at overseas military hospitals. Because of those amendments, Republicans refused to vote in favor of the cloture motion, which would have moved the bill forward. 2 Democrats joined 37 Republicans in turning the legislation back. Here's the take from CBN News.
Just 2 days after that bill failed to move forward, the second attempt to force the DISCLOSE legislation through the Senate failed to reach 60 votes. The DISCLOSE Act was introduced in response to the Supreme Court decision earlier this year on campaign finance, and would have forced organizations that sponsor ads during a political season to follow strict disclosure rules, including the possibility of releasing donor names, and forcing the head of the organization to appear in the ad. Opponents claimed free speech concerns, and at the end of the day, the bill again failed to reach the 60-vote threshold. Here is the story from CitizenLink.
Again, this shows the determination of the leadership in the Senate to move legislation forward that runs counter to the Judeo-Christian values to which so many Americans deeply hold. There are serious concerns about the potential repeal of the DADT policy and the effect on troop morale, unit cohesiveness, the moral fiber of our armed services, and even health concerns. The DISCLOSE Act represents yet another attempt to get to the donor lists of organizations, including Christian and pro-family organizations, who respect the privacy of those who donate. If donors' names are released, resulting in a decline in income, then the message of these vital organizations becomes less impactful.
Honorable Mention:
"40 Days for Life" launches in record number of locations
GOP includes social issues in "Pledge to America"
Senate takes up controversial judicial nominees
3 - Texas BOE approves balanced approach to Islam
The textbook battle continues to attract attention in the state of Texas, where the state school board earlier this year approved standards that would, among other things, reinforce the concept of American exceptionalism and place a greater emphasis on the role of religion in the history of the country. And, just this week, the school board voted 7-6 to make sure that the treatment of religion was balanced, essentially attempting to ensure that there is not what is considered a pro-Islam, anti-Christian bias. Apparently, board members saw a trend toward making Islam and its impact on world history more prevalent in history textbooks, and felt this resolution was a necessary step. Here is the story from The Christian Post.
There are a lot of eyes watching this textbook case in Texas, because textbook authors and manufacturers will be writing in order to comply with the standards that are passed in this large state. This would no doubt influence many school districts and their curriculum.
2 - Media members who cover religion convene in Denver, Christian counselors meet in Branson
Some large conferences have been scheduled this week involving some groups of influencers. The Religion Newswriters Association (RNA) had its conference in Denver, and a wide variety of religious streams were represented, from Rainn Wilson of The Office, who is a Buddhist, to evangelical seminary leader Dr. Albert Mohler.
This is an important gathering, because the role of religion in American life cannot be underestimated. Even though this is not a distinctly Christian gathering, nonetheless the Christian worldview perspective was included, and hopefully writers can perhaps be more aware of and evenhanded with covering the perspective of Bible-believing Christians. The RNA website is www.rna.org.
Also, the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) gathered in Branson, Missouri for its National Christian Counseling Conference, where they heard from a number of high-profile speakers, such as Dr. Gary Smalley and Dr. Larry Crabb, as well as a variety of workshop leaders, who offered their perspective on many topics that can help in addressing some of the struggles that Christian people face. Dr. Tim Clinton is President of the AACC. The website is www.aacc.net.
1 - U.S. Senate turns back 2 bills with faith-based implications
This week, the U.S. Senate failed to cross the 60-vote threshold necessary to move 2 bills forward which would implement policy that contrasts with the viewpoints of many Christians or Christian organizations. One bill, a Defense Authorization bill, also contained amendments that would rescind the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy with respect to homosexual behavior and would allow taxpayer funding of abortion at overseas military hospitals. Because of those amendments, Republicans refused to vote in favor of the cloture motion, which would have moved the bill forward. 2 Democrats joined 37 Republicans in turning the legislation back. Here's the take from CBN News.
Just 2 days after that bill failed to move forward, the second attempt to force the DISCLOSE legislation through the Senate failed to reach 60 votes. The DISCLOSE Act was introduced in response to the Supreme Court decision earlier this year on campaign finance, and would have forced organizations that sponsor ads during a political season to follow strict disclosure rules, including the possibility of releasing donor names, and forcing the head of the organization to appear in the ad. Opponents claimed free speech concerns, and at the end of the day, the bill again failed to reach the 60-vote threshold. Here is the story from CitizenLink.
Again, this shows the determination of the leadership in the Senate to move legislation forward that runs counter to the Judeo-Christian values to which so many Americans deeply hold. There are serious concerns about the potential repeal of the DADT policy and the effect on troop morale, unit cohesiveness, the moral fiber of our armed services, and even health concerns. The DISCLOSE Act represents yet another attempt to get to the donor lists of organizations, including Christian and pro-family organizations, who respect the privacy of those who donate. If donors' names are released, resulting in a decline in income, then the message of these vital organizations becomes less impactful.
Honorable Mention:
"40 Days for Life" launches in record number of locations
GOP includes social issues in "Pledge to America"
Senate takes up controversial judicial nominees
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