BMAT Moral Action Committee Watchman Report #14 01/16 /2005

Homosexual Attorneys From Justice Department Advise Philadelphia Police On Arresting Christians------YOUR ACTION IS NEEDED--------(American Family Association) Send an email to the Department of Justice asking for an investigation of this situation! Your letter will be sent to R. Alexander Acosta, Assistant Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice.---------AFA-Action Center-- http://www.afa.net/Activism/TakeAction.asp?id=146

(By Claire Cooper -- Sacramento Bee Legal Affairs Writer Wed. January 5, 2005)----------Michael Newdow, the Sacramento atheist who wants "under God" removed from the Pledge of Allegiance, re-launched his constitutional case Tuesday without the glitch that got it thrown out at the U.S. Supreme Court last year. This time around, Newdow is joined by eight co-plaintiffs - all custodial parents of children who are students in Northern California public school districts or the children themselves. Alan Brownstein, a constitutional authority at the University of Cal. Davis, said, "Obviously, he's trying to circumvent the Court's ruling."

In their 8th annual study of decision making at the Texas Supreme Court, Court Watch revealed the Texas Supreme Court set a new record for bias against families, consumers and small business plaintiffs this term as they sided with insurance, government and corporate defendants in more than 82% of the cases before them. The court ruled in favor of Texas families and plaintiffs only 12% of the time in the 2003-2004 term. "This court has effectively become a rubber stamp for the insurance and corporate special interests that have their cases heard before them.

"We are calling on Governor Perry to fill the two remaining vacancies on this court with qualified individuals who have a depth of experience representing Texas families, consumers and small businesses. This court already has plenty of judges who spent their legal careers representing insurance companies, HMOs and other corporate special interests."

Crosses Banned At Inauguration Parade On January 20 (Free Market Foundation)

In a letter forwarded to groups planning to attend the inauguration parade on January 20, the Secret Service specifically restricted the public display of crosses. The Secret Service included the crosses in a list of potentially harmful items, such as weapons or fireworks. Christian groups are outraged that the government is classifying crosses as safety hazards. The Christian Defense Coalition has issued a statement saying that they "will be on the public sidewalks holding crosses at the Inauguration Parade even if that means risking arrest and jail. The First Amendment should be celebrated at this Inauguration, not crushed." To read the letter from the Secret Service, http://www.earnedmedia.org/permit.htm

QUOTEWORTHY: -------------"Government is not reason; it is not eloquence; it is force! Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master." -- President George Washington

January 2005 Is National Radon Action Month! EPA and organizations nationwide dedicate January as National Radon Action Month to encourage the public to test their homes for radon and get radon problems fixed. Did you know ·Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer

You can't see or smell radon because it is a colorless, odorless gas. Radon is a decay product of uranium and occurs naturally in soil and rock, and therefore radon levels can vary home to home. Other sources of radon include well water and building materials. Radon can be a problem in all types of homes, including old homes, new homes, drafty homes, insulated homes, homes with basements and homes without basements.

Testing your home for radon is the only way for you and your family to know if radon levels are dangerously high. Many people don’t know that reliable radon tests can be purchased at some local hardware stores and from the National Radon Hotline at. 1-800-SOS-RADON [1-800-767-7236]

The Sacramento, Calif.-based atheist who got the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to invalidate the Pledge of Allegiance for thousands of schools in the western United States, wants to block any prayers from being said during President Bush's inaugural ceremony. Newdow claims in this new lawsuit that it is unconstitutional for there to be a prayer at the event -- despite the fact that ministers have prayed for the president since the earliest days of the Republic.

( Jim Brown-2005AgapePress) - A Christian attorney says a federal judge has joined the ACLU in its crusade against critical thinking by ruling that a suburban Atlanta school district must remove an evolution disclaimer from science books. On Thursday (January 13), U.S. District Court Judge Clarence Cooper ordered the Cobb County Board of Education must remove from inside the textbooks a sticker that says "Evolution is a theory not a fact, regarding the origin of living things." Continuing, the sticker admonished students that the material "should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully, and critically considered."

A new survey by the mayors of 27 cities shows homelessness growing for the 16th straight year. Christ said the poor will always be with us, and a study from the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Sodexho Foods proves His (Jesus) point. The survey finds demand for emergency food and shelter has increased for the 16th year in a row. 70 percent of the cities surveyed saw an increased demand for food and emergency housing, according to Steve Brady, who speaks for Sodexho."It is a huge issue," Brady said. "There (are) 33 million people who are food-insecure. They do not know on a day-to-day basis that they will have nutritious meals."

The Texas Department of Insurance has allowed Farmers Insurance company to pocket more than $100 million in overcharges and interest owed. money that should be going back to policyholders, but instead goes to pad the insurance company’s bottom line. This deal sends a message to every insurance company in the state that if you stall long enough that the Insurance Commissioner will cave in to your demands.

Has U.S. Threatened To Vaporize Mecca? (Prophecy News Watch)

Why hasn't Osama bin Laden's terror network executed an attack on U.S. soil since 9-11? Simple, says Dr. Jack Wheeler, creator of an acclaimed intelligence website dubbed "the oasis for rational conservatives": The U.S. has threatened to nuke the Muslim holy city of Mecca should the terror leader strike America again. "There has been a rumor floating in the Washington for some time now . It's whispered among Capitol Hill staffers on the Intel. and armed services committees; White House NSC (National Security Council) members clam up tight if you begin to hint at it.

Christian Persecution In Southeast Asia: (Worthy News) What is happening to the Christians of Indonesia?

* Did you know that 10,000 Christian homes have been destroyed in the last few years?

*Did you know that 1000 Christians have been murdered by the Al Qaeda trained Islamic Jihad? On June 18, the Sri Lankan Cabinet gave initial approval for a draft bill designed to prevent religious conversions. Mobs armed with sticks attacked four churches in Banten province, Indonesia on Sunday June 6.

* Two new laws threaten to put further pressure on Christians in Sri Lanka who have already suffered dozens of violent attacks this year.

* Christians in Sri Lanka continue to face violent attacks and intimidation following the parliamentary elections in early April.

* Over 45 churches have been attacked since January, 2004, and during the past year more than 140 churches have been forced to close, due to attacks, intimidation and threats.

* Sectarian violence has erupted again in Ambon, South Moluccas, Indonesia, dealing a blow to the tentative Muslim-Christian dialogue that brought relative peace to the area in February last year.

* Rev. Rinaldy Damanik, a pastor who many believe was framed on false charges of illegal weapons possession, has finally received permission to travel to Jakarta.

* A Christian Fellowship Church (CFC) in the Kalutara district of Sri Lanka was attacked on April 11, Easter Sunday, 2003

* Christians suffered further violence in the Buddhist-majority country of Sri Lanka on January 20,2004 when a Catholic church was attacked near the capital, Colombo, despite the presence of a heavily armed police guard.

* Muslim groups are taking advantage of a document issued by the Indonesian government to close several existing churches and prevent the building of new churches in Jakarta.

* Several Christians and Westerners have been killed in violent attacks as anti-Christian violence spreads throughout the mainly Islamic, impoverished African nations,

* Radical Islamic warriors are continuing their rain of terror on the Christians of Sulawesi Island, Indonesia.

* A source has confirmed that 21 Christian villages in the Poso coastal area have been burned and destroyed and at least 7 people have been killed.

Howard Wilson hwilson@texasmoralaction.org