BMAT Moral Action Committee Watchman Report # 10 12/19/2004

In what is becoming an annual holiday tradition, Representative Henry Waxman (D-CA), using taxpayer funds, released a "report" attacking sound scientific practices, with no regard for the lives that could be put at risk. Last year Congressman Waxman, in his position as ranking member of the House Government Reform Committee, had his staff compile a mistake-laden report accusing the Bush administration of politicizing science. In an ironic move, this year's Waxman Report attacks abstinence education in the schools, and it would be laughable if it weren't so dangerous. Waxman attacks abstinence curriculums, displaying his disdain for protecting our youth.

Planned Parenthood's Holiday Wish (Family Research Council) Planned Parenthood is at it again. First they introduced T-shirts announcing the thrill of abortion (which they were forced to pull from their website); now, they have produced Christmas cards that never mention Christ. Instead, the nation's largest abortion provider has once again placed its holiday cards on sale promoting "Choice on Earth." The message reads, "Warmest wishes for a peaceful holiday season."

Your Printout May Be Tracked Back To You (Jason Tuohey, Medill News Service)

Next time you make a printout from your color laser printer, shine an LED flashlight beam on it and examine it closely with a magnifying glass. You might be able to see the small, scattered yellow dots printer there that could be used to trace the document back to you. According to experts, several printer companies quietly encode the serial number and the manufacturing code of their color laser printers and color copiers on every document those machines produce. Governments, including the United States, already use the hidden markings to track counterfeiters. Peter Crean, a senior research fellow at Xerox "It's a trail back to you, like a license plate,"

Fox News Airs Religious Christmas Messages (Family News-In Focus) Critics are wowed and shocked that the network isn't afraid to say anything other than "Happy Holidays." In a startling departure from the political correctness on much of network television, the Fox News Channel is running Christmas greetings with Bible verses. One references John 3:16, another displays the prediction of Christ's birth from Isaiah.

Non-theists Adds Winter Solstice Sign To Religious Display (CNSNews.com) -

As the Wisconsin State Capitol decks the halls with season’s greetings, a "Winter Solstice" sign stands there to inform people, "There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell." The sign is described as an effort to "balance" Madison's annual Nativity pageant and other "displays of religion" that fill the State Capitol in December...

Values Voters Make a Moral Revolution in America (Free Market Foundation)

There is no doubt that morality played a huge role in the presidential election. But now, more than ever, values are permeating society and creating a culture that is ready for change. We want to take a moment and highlight some of positive repercussions that have taken place since November. President Bush allotted $170 million in federal funds to national abstinence programs; Texas health textbooks will remain abstinence-only based; national liberal journalist have resigned due to pressure from conservatives across the nation; reporters across the country are focusing on religion as it has become a "hot topic" and marriage amendments are being considered even in states such as California. As ABC News reported, Christians are standing ready for action, more than ever before, to protect Christ this Christmas season.

George W. Bush has been the best friend the Christian Pro-Life movement has ever had in the White House. During his first term he signed the ban on partial birth abortion and Attorney General John Ashcroft was a warrior in defense of the unborn. With his new term about to begin there will be a different cast of characters in Washington and they are causing concern among many in the Pro-Christian, Pro-Life community.-----------(ChristianVoicesHeard)-------------

QUOTEWORTHY: ----- "Those people who will not be governed by God will be ruled by tyrants." -- William Penn

A Problematic Mission? (By Steven Gertz------Christianity Today)

Would the Spanish friars of California's historic missions have lobbied for the separation of church and state? It's an old adage that politics makes for strange bedfellows. Perhaps the latest example of this might be liberal California senator Barbara Boxer's support of the California Mission Preservation Act, a Bill signed into law two weeks ago by the president. The Act sets aside $10 million over five years as funds for the restoration and preservation of California's twenty-one missions, their artwork, artifacts, and indigenous plants. Boxer emphasizes on her website http://boxer.senate.gov/senate/b_1306.cfm that aside from their historical significance, the missions bring in substantial income for local businesses from tourists visiting the state. The Chicago Tribune offered a helpful comparison on that point—the missions bring more money into the state's economy than any other public attraction, excepting Disneyland. All well and good, but there's a catch—one that Boxer has apparently decided to overlook. Nineteen of the twenty-one missions are owned by the Roman Catholic Church and, moreover, have active congregations. Americans United for Separation of Church and State filed a lawsuit in a federal court last week, asserting the bill is unconstitutional Says Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director, "If this type of assistance is upheld, every house of worship in America that is deemed 'historic' could demand upkeep and repair courtesy of the taxpayer. The Constitution simply does not allow the government to force a taxpayer to subsidize the maintenance of houses of worship. That's a core principle of separation of church and state."It's a contention the Franciscan friars who founded these missions would have thought strange— yet also strangely familiar. They operated not under the aegis of a republican government bent on accommodating the various branches of Protestant (and even Catholic) traditions, but under the direct authority of the Spanish crown. In fact, the Spanish royal court and the church had an arrangement so unlike our own today that the friars would have found Lynn's argument absurd.

Selling Justice by the Pound (Citizen link) Periodically, we hear reports of judges who are on the "take" -- corrupt jurists who can be purchased for a price. But recently a disgruntled woman did something never before even contemplated. She listed a Manhattan housing court judge "for sale" on eBay, the online auction Web site. In her posting, Janet Schoenberg, a New York landlord, accused Judge Jerald R. Klein of mishandling her case -- and denigrated the way he dispensed justice.

Imprisoned Chinese pastors often made to assemble Christmas lights (Citizen link)

It's a very real possibility that some of the lights on your Christmas tree may have been assembled by Chinese pastors who are in prison because of their faith. Now, a group called WorldServe is working to support those oppressed men of God and their families. A key element of that support is a video detailing the heart-wrenching stories of the victimized Christians of the underground church in China.

Christians Lead Ukrainian Calls for Reform (by Pete Winn, associate editor-Focus on the Family)

The budding pro-democracy movement in the former Soviet republic of Ukraine has generated headlines worldwide, with hundreds of thousands taking to the streets to protest what they say was a fraudulent election last month. What many people don't know, according to Focus on the Family founder and chairman Dr. James Dobson, [is] evangelical Christians are behind the move toward freedom. Ukrainians will go to the polls the day after Christmas, Dec. 26, to decide who will be the country's next president

Russia, China to conduct first joint military exercise next year (Prophecy News Watch Update)

China and Russia will jointly hold a first-ever military exercise next year, visiting Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov said. Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan and Ivanov agreed in their talks that the joint military exercise will be an important event, and its significance and impact will be far-reaching in the relations between the two nations and the two armies

Apostate Christianity: Canterbury backs updated Bible (Prophecy News Watch Update)

A new translation of the Bible which seems to contradict traditional Christian beliefs on sex has been backed by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The book, entitled "Good as New", is aimed at refreshing the language and themes of the Bible for modern readers. In the new version, St Paul's advice that men and women should marry is replaced with they should have a "regular partner". Dr Rowan Williams says it is a book of "extraordinary power". But the Church of England leader admitted many readers would be startled by its content.

"Merry Christmas and may God bless us one and all"------Merry Christmas and even the public mention of Jesus name could be illegal next year unless Christians get involved!

Howard Wilson hwilson@texasmaoralaction.org