BMAT Moral Action Committee Watchman Report #186 05/09/2008
News Topics of a Conservative Interest or Moral Concern
Prayer in Texas Schools is Not Illegal - Today, on the National Day of Prayer, will children in Texas public schools hear a prayer? Maybe. Will it be legal? Yes, if the school follows the Constitution and Texas Schoolchildren’s Religious Liberties Act. Most believe the Supreme Court outlawed all school prayer. It didn’t. It outlawed government prayer. Students are not government. The heart of the new Texas law is its first sentence: “A school district shall treat a student’s voluntary expression of a religious viewpoint, if any, on an otherwise permissible subject in the same manner the district treats a student’s voluntary expression of a secular or other viewpoint on an otherwise permissible subject and may not discriminate against the student based on a religious viewpoint expressed by the student on an otherwise permissible subject.” More
Americans are Fine with Christians in Politics According to New Survey - Despite what many in the mainstream media say, a majority of Americans, and an even larger majority of religiously affiliated citizens, don't believe that Christians are too involved in politics, a new poll shows. Over half of all Americans surveyed (52 percent) disagreed with the statement, "I am concerned that at times Christians are too involved in politics," according to a survey conducted through a joint project of LifeWay Research and the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. Ed Stetzer, director of LifeWay Research in Nashville, said that when it comes to sharing the Gospel and also being engaged with public policy, Christians can do both. "It is ... both/and not either/or," he said. "You cannot stand for justice and be told you cannot speak of Jesus, nor can you love God and His word and not care for unborn children, the abused, and social justice." More
Judge Rules University Policy Discriminated Against Religion - A federal judge says a gay rights Web site sanctioned by the Georgia Institute of Technology cannot use language that discriminates against religions that condemn homosexuality. The Safe Space site, a campus resource for gay and lesbian students, gave an overview of various religions' views toward homosexuality. For instance, it called the Mormon church anti-gay and the Episcopal Church more receptive to gays. The Alliance Defense Fund sued Georgia Tech in 2006 on behalf of two students who said the university's tolerance policies discriminated against students with conservative religious views. University officials said the information was removed a year ago, and that the ruling requires no further action from Georgia Tech. They said they disagree with the ruling but do not plan to appeal.
Harvard Professor: Children Spoil Happiness - 'The Scriptures teach us that kids are an inheritance of the Lord.' The more kids you have, the sadder you are likely to be. At least that's what Harvard University psychology professor Daniel Gilbert claims. At today's Happiness and its Causes conference in Sydney, Australia, Gilbert concluded having children will send your marital happiness into a downward spiral. Jenny Tyree, associate marriage analyst at Focus on the Family Action, said it's not about short-term happiness. "In a Pew poll taken last July, 85 percent of people said that their relationship with their children was their greatest source of fulfillment," she said. "I think that says more about the value of children to their parents" than Gilbert's conclusions. More
Will Jesus Christ Return to Earth in the Year 2015? - And can studying NASA's website provide evidence for such a scenario? A minister who promotes the Old Testament roots of Christianity suggests a rare string of lunar and solar eclipses said to fall on God's annual holy days seven years from now could herald what's come to be known as the "Second Coming" of Jesus. "God wants us to look at the biblical calendar," says Mark Biltz, pastor of El Shaddai Ministries in Bonney Lake, Wash. "The reason we need to be watching is because He will signal His appearance. But we have to know what to be watching as well. So we need to be watching the biblical holidays." He noted a rare phenomenon of four consecutive total lunar eclipses, known as a tetrad. He says during this century, tetrads occur at least six times, but what's interesting is that the only string of four consecutive blood moons that coincide with God's holy days of Passover in the spring and the autumn's Feast of Tabernacles (also called Succoth) occurs between 2014 and 2015 on today's Gregorian calendar. "The fact that it doesn't happen again in this century I think is very significant," Biltz explains. "So then I looked at last century, and, believe it or not, the last time that four blood red moons occurred together was in 1967 and 1968 tied to Jerusalem recaptured by Israel." He then started to notice a pattern of the tetrads. More
A Response to the Blood Moon Scenario - more
What Happens when there is Not Enough Oil or Food to go around? - For more than a decade, English petroleum geologist Colin Campbell has been sounding the warning bell about the coming of peak oil and its disturbing ramifications for the world. Since 2005 Dr. Robert Hirsch has been giving specific warnings for the United States through a series of Department of Energy-sponsored reports outlining the dangers to America if the peak finds us unprepared. And in the past year, the GAO, the National Petroleum Council, and scores of other organizations and governments around the world have reported on the severe consequences the world might incur once the peak has been achieved. The issue is not simply a concern that we will have to pay outrageous prices for a gallon of gas. If that were the worst of it, the situation would be difficult but manageable. The reality, however, goes deeper and is much more troubling. There are multiple problems affecting the world that are having a decidedly negative net effect: a global rise in demand for crude oil, the plateau in the production of crude oil (which may indicate the peak has already been reached) and continued global population growth. Together, these three factors are serving to shove the world into a crisis that has ominous possibilities. When there isn't enough oil to satisfy global demand, the price obviously rises. Perhaps less obvious, however, is the effect this price increase has on the world's ability to produce food. More
Comprehensive Graduate Science Program Expelled from Texas - Why has Texas "expelled" the only comprehensive graduate science program that evaluates the possibility of supernatural design? Since 1981, the Institute for Creation Research Graduate School (ICRGS) has offered Master's degrees in science in the state of California. After ICR headquarters moved to Dallas, TX, the ICRGS applied in 2007 to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) for a Certificate of Authority to grant degrees in Texas. Initial reviews by a THECB evaluating team and committee gave favorable recommendations of the ICRGS program. But THECB Commissioner Raymund Paredes secretly convened an anonymous panel of secular scientists, who ruled that a program that wasn't based on evolution could not be considered "science." With no counter testimony or rebuttal allowed from ICRGS scientists, Commissioner Paredes issued his recommendation to deny the ICRGS application, and the full Board rubber-stamped his decision. More
East Texan Bo Pilgrim Recognized for 25 Years of Workplace Evangelism - The American Bible Society has honored Lonnie "Bo" Pilgrim with a special one-of- a-kind award in recognition of his commitment to a lifetime of Christian service and workplace evangelism. The award recognizes Mr. Pilgrim's decision to use the name Good News for Modern Man in his evangelistic outreach, his constant commitment to the communication and application of the message of the Bible, and his devotion to seeing lives transformed by Scripture. These efforts further the cause of Bible reading and appreciation, and support the ministry of the American Bible Society, whose motto is "Sharing God's Word with the World." The Rev. Simon Barnes, executive vice president for development, marketing and research at the Bible Society, made the presentation on May 8 to Mr. Pilgrim at Pilgrim's Pride Corporation in Pittsburg, Texas. In presenting this award, Mr. Barnes noted, "Bo Pilgrim has inspired generations of Christians with a passion for reading and applying God's Word to their lives and then to sharing their faith with others." Mr. Pilgrim commented, "I'm humbled to have received this award. The Lord has blessed me in countless ways throughout my life, and it has been an honor to share His Good News with so many people over the years. When I was a young boy I promised Him that if I ever amounted to anything, I would give Him the credit, and I'm still committed to that promise." More
Internet Site Wikipedia Peddles Porn to Kids - It would be a tall order, but parents around the world may want to make every effort to keep their kids away from Wikipedia.com, the enormously popular, user-generated online encyclopedia. While doing homework, research for term papers, or for just plain fun, millions of kids visit Wikipedia every day. That's why parents may be alarmed to learn that, as recently exposed by WorldNetDaily.com, Wikipedia features hundreds, if not thousands, of hardcore pornographic images and online sex videos, making them easily accessible to children. Matt Barber, Policy Director for Cultural Issues with Concerned Women for America (CWA), said, "Perhaps Wikipedia should change its name to Pornopedia. Providing clinical images that may assist people in research is one thing, but many of the images and videos featured by Wikipedia are gratuitous and obscene. They're entirely unnecessary and amount to hardcore pornography, plain and simple. "Unfortunately, the federal government's reticence to prosecute violations of federal obscenity laws has created a climate where disseminating hardcore pornography, even to children, is considered 'no big deal.' Perhaps now, knowing that millions of children are being readily exposed to obscenity on Wikipedia.com, the DOJ will finally step up its efforts". More
East Texan, Bo Pilgrim Recognized for 25 Years of Workplace Evangelism - The American Bible Society has honored Lonnie "Bo" Pilgrim with a special one-of- a-kind award in recognition of his commitment to a lifetime of Christian service and workplace evangelism. The award recognizes Mr. Pilgrim's decision to use the name Good News for Modern Man in his evangelistic outreach, his constant commitment to the communication and application of the message of the Bible, and his devotion to seeing lives transformed by Scripture. These efforts further the cause of Bible reading and appreciation, and support the ministry of the American Bible Society, whose motto is "Sharing God's Word with the World." The Rev. Simon Barnes, executive vice president for development, marketing and research at the Bible Society, made the presentation on May 8 to Mr. Pilgrim at Pilgrim's Pride Corporation in Pittsburg, Texas. In presenting this award, Mr. Barnes noted, "Bo Pilgrim has inspired generations of Christians with a passion for reading and applying God's Word to their lives and then to sharing their faith with others." More
Teen Facing 'Hate Crime' Count Over Simple Spat - Authorities file felony charge against 1 side in argument-Two college-age men have a verbal disagreement on a public street that escalates to the point one allegedly grabs the other while hollering at him and the other allegedly pushes him away. Now the one accused of doing the "pushing" is charged with a felony hate crime and could face years in jail, according to Peter LaBarbera of the activist group Americans for Truth. It's what happens when "hate crimes" laws are added on top of laws against behavior such as grabbing and pushing, LaBarbera told WND. "This is where the rubber meets the road in 'hate crimes,'" he said. "The true danger of hate-crimes laws is selective prosecution and unequal protection under the law. If a homosexual were to push an obnoxious Christian onto the ground, or things got out of control after a verbal spat, would he be facing a felony hate-crime conviction and possible jail time in Champaign, Ill., right now?" LaBarbera asked. More
Procter & Gamble Heard from the Gays, then Changed its Rules - Company changed procedure after allowing gays time to call. Following its support for the homosexual agenda, Procter & Gamble established a toll-free number for people to register their opinions for or against P&G’s promotion of the gay agenda, including open mouth kissing between gays. It gave a toll-free number which was heavily promoted on gay Web sites for a week to give those favoring the promotion of homosexuality an opportunity to call. Monday, after AFA had put out the word that P&G wanted to hear from AFA supporters, P&G abruptly ended it. more
McDonald's is a "Corporate Partner" of the National
Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce -
Apparently, serving McFlurries and Big Macs to the public is no longer
enough to satisfy the hunger of McDonald's to make a cultural impact on
the United States. Sadly, McDonald's is now financing attacks on
marriage and the family as a new Corporate Partner of the National Gay &
Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC).
The NGLCC promotes businesses owned by homosexuals, but it also pushes
the homosexual political agenda in statehouses, courthouses, and the
halls of Congress. Thought crime ("hate crime") laws, homosexual and
transgender "civil rights" preferences, and domestic partner benefits
are top-priority issues of the NGLCC. Richard Ellis, Vice President of
Communications for McDonald's, was recently named to the Board of
Directors of the NGLCC. In a press release, the NGLCC praised Ellis for
his "vast Board experience with LGBT and advocacy related
organizations." It's alarming that the overseer of McDonald's
advertising campaigns directly geared toward families will now be a
leader in the NGLCC's campaign to weaken traditional values. The NGLCC's
efforts on behalf of homosexuality threaten the family, the definition
of marriage and the very religious freedom we hold so dear.
More
Articles:
Prayer in Texas Schools is Not Illegal
May 1 2008 Dallas Morning News
Today,
on the National Day of Prayer, will children in Texas public schools
hear a prayer? Maybe. Will it be legal? Yes, if the school follows the
Constitution and Texas Schoolchildren’s Religious Liberties Act.
Most believe the Supreme Court outlawed all school prayer. It didn’t. It outlawed government prayer. Students are not government.
The heart of the new Texas law is its first sentence: “A school district shall treat a student’s voluntary expression of a religious viewpoint, if any, on an otherwise permissible subject in the same manner the district treats a student’s voluntary expression of a secular or other viewpoint on an otherwise permissible subject and may not discriminate against the student based on a religious viewpoint expressed by the student on an otherwise permissible subject.”
A prayer is the expression of a religious viewpoint on whatever is the subject of the prayer. For instance, if the subject for opening the football game is “safety,” and one student says, “Let us have a safe game tonight,” that is a secular viewpoint on the subject of safety. If another student says, “God, let us have a safe game tonight, Amen,” that is a religious viewpoint on the subject of safety. Both are equally protected speech.
Schools are not religion-free zones. Teachers are not prayer police. Schools set the subjects but may not then selectively discriminate against a child’s religious viewpoint on the subject. This isn’t preferential treatment; this is equal treatment.
The law is anti-discrimination legislation codifying Supreme Court precedent. For instance, in the Good News Club decision in 2001, the court held that in a public school, “speech discussing otherwise permissible subjects cannot be excluded from a limited public forum on the grounds that the subject is discussed from a religious viewpoint. … [Excluding] a religious perspective constitutes unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination.”
In the Mergens decision in 1990, the court said about public schools: “There is a crucial difference between government speech endorsing religion … and private speech endorsing religion. … The proposition that public schools do not endorse everything they fail to censor is not complicated.” “Private speech” is speech from a private citizen.
And in Santa Fe v. Doe in 2000, although the school lost because the court found that students were being coerced to pray, the students won when the court sweepingly held that “nothing in the Constitution … prohibits any public school student from voluntarily praying at any time before, during or after the school day.”
The Jehovah-phobic crowd need not fret; the law does not require or suggest that any student express a prayerful or any other type of religious viewpoint. It just protects them if they do. And if they do, it is merely one student’s opinion, having no government endorsement.
The neutral selection process and required disclaimers make that clear. Since it isn’t government speech, there is no “captive audience” issue. While school personnel must remain neutral, parents, pastors, students and other non-school officials are free to encourage students to communicate God-honoring viewpoints whenever they publicly speak.
Recently, during the state football playoffs, a student opened the game with a prayerful expression that included thanks that she lived “in a country where a student can publicly reverence God without fear of punishment.”
Yes, we can still pray in America, and Texas has the strongest religious-liberties law of any state. Let’s hope that students across Texas will exercise their legal right to pray today.
Kelly Coghlan, a Houston attorney, is the legal author of the Schoolchildren’s Religious Liberties Act and obtained the first federal injunction preventing censorship of a student’s voluntary public prayer in Ward v. Santa Fe ISD. His e-mail address is KellyCoghlan@netzero.net.
Liberty Counsel, a nonprofit litigation, education and policy organization, is on a mission to ensure student prayer and religious views are protected at spring commencement ceremonies with its annual "Friend or Foe" Graduation Prayer Campaign.
Mathew D. Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel and dean of Liberty University School of Law, said the organization is providing students and school administrators with a free legal memo on graduation prayer in advance of commencement exercises to prevent suppression of prayer and religious speeches.
Americans are Fine with Christians
in Politics According to New Survey
May 7 2008 Dwayne Hastings Baptist Press
NASHVILLE,
Tenn. Despite what many in the mainstream media say, a majority of
Americans, and an even larger majority of religiously affiliated
citizens, don't believe that Christians are too involved in politics, a
new poll shows.
Over half of all Americans surveyed (52 percent) disagreed with the
statement, "I am concerned that at times Christians are too involved in
politics," according to a survey conducted through a joint project of
LifeWay Research and the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics &
Religious Liberty Commission.
Ed Stetzer, director of LifeWay Research in Nashville, said that when it
comes to sharing the Gospel and also being engaged with public policy,
Christians can do both.
"[I]t is ... both/and not either/or," he said. "You cannot stand for
justice and be told you cannot speak of Jesus, nor can you love God and
His word and not care for unborn children, the abused, and social
justice."
The findings, released May 7, challenge the assertion of secularists who
say that Americans' religious beliefs should be purely a private matter
and should be somehow segregated from weighty discussions of social
issues and public policy.
Forty-four percent of Americans agreed (25 percent "strongly" and 19
percent "somewhat") with the assertion that Christians were often too
embroiled in politics.
When researchers asked those who attend religious services of any type
at least weekly, rejection of the premise was even greater -- 65 percent
of those polled indicated a high degree of comfort with the notion of
Christians being involved in politics.
Only one in five (21 percent) either said they strongly agreed or
somewhat agreed with the contention that Christians are too engaged
politically.
Americans who described themselves as "born-again," "evangelical" or
"fundamentalist," including Southern Baptist respondents, expressed the
highest degree of disapproval (72 percent) with the statement that at
times Christians are "too involved in politics," with just over a
quarter (27 percent) of these individuals telling researchers they
agreed ("strongly" or "somewhat") with the statement.
Most Southern Baptist pastors (67 percent) surveyed indicated their
disagreement with a claim that believers are "too involved in politics,"
with 26 percent "somewhat" disagreeing and 41 percent "strongly"
disagreeing. Only eight percent of Southern Baptists pastors surveyed
agreed "strongly" with the statement that Christians are "too involved
in politics," with 23 percent saying they "somewhat" agreed.
"These results do not surprise me at all," said Richard Land, president
of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. "They underscore and
reinforce the feedback I get on a consistent basis from grassroots
Christians of all perspectives. ...
"The survey results are very much in line with the involvement of people
of faith throughout our nation's history with political issues that have
a moral component," Land added. "Perhaps the most dramatic examples of
religiously motivated movements generated in reaction to grave social
injustice are the abolitionist movement against human bondage and the
civil rights movement in opposition to segregation and racial injustice.
The abolitionist and the civil rights movements are not explicable or
comprehensible apart from the religiously motivated outrage that created
them, the religious leaders who led them and the religious supporters
who made possible their eventual triumph."
Warning there may be a temptation for some Christians to craft an
informal alliance with a single political party, Stetzer said,
"Christians need to speak prophetically to all parties, not be beholden
to one. If evangelicals are seen as a voting bloc of the Republican
Party, I am concerned. If Christians are told to leave their faith
outside the public square, I am more concerned."
Land added that people of faith have an obligation to be involved in the
process and to do so in a principled, issue-oriented fashion.
"We should be voting our values, beliefs and convictions based upon our
understanding of the imperatives of our faith," he said.
Yet there is a balance to be considered when one's faith is brought into
the political arena, Stetzer said, adding, "As evangelicals we need to
not try to moralize the unconverted. Our primary mission is to convert
the immoral -- other sinners like us."
In the survey conducted by a national polling firm for LifeWay Research
and the ERLC, more than 1,200 random Americans were polled by telephone
April 10-12, 2008. Researchers also completed an online survey of nearly
800 Southern Baptist pastors between April 16 and May 5, 2008.
--30--
Dwayne Hastings is a vice president with the Southern Baptist Ethics &
Religious Liberty Commission.
Judge Rules University Policy Discriminated Against Religion
May 04, 2008 Church Report
ATLANTA - A federal judge says a gay rights Web site sanctioned by the Georgia Institute of Technology cannot use language that discriminates against religions that condemn homosexuality.
The Safe Space site, a campus resource for gay and lesbian students, gave an overview of various religions' views toward homosexuality. For instance, it called the Mormon church anti-gay and the Episcopal Church more receptive to gays.
The Alliance Defense Fund sued Georgia Tech in 2006 on behalf of two students who said the university's tolerance policies discriminated against students with conservative religious views.
University officials said the information was removed a year ago, and that the ruling requires no further action from Georgia Tech. They said they disagree with the ruling but do not plan to appeal.
Harvard Professor: Children Spoil Happiness
May 8 2008 Jennifer Mesko, managing editor Citizen Link
'The
Scriptures teach us that kids are an inheritance of the Lord.'
The more kids you have, the sadder you are likely to be. At least that's what Harvard University psychology professor Daniel Gilbert claims.
At today's Happiness and its Causes conference in Sydney, Australia, Gilbert concluded having children will send your marital happiness into a downward spiral.
Jenny Tyree, associate marriage analyst at Focus on the Family Action, said it's not about short-term happiness.
"In a Pew poll taken last July, 85 percent of people said that their relationship with their children was their greatest source of fulfillment," she said. "I think that says more about the value of children to their parents" than Gilbert's conclusions.
Mitch Temple, director of marriage at Focus on the Family, said, "Children certainly can have a dampening effect on happiness, but it doesn't have to be that way.
"The Scriptures teach us that kids are an inheritance of the Lord. They're a gift that God gives us."
FOR
MORE INFORMATION
Learn to delight in your children.
Will Jesus Christ Return to Earth in the
Year 2015?
May 9 2008 Prophecy News Watch
And
can studying NASA's website provide evidence for such a scenario?
A minister who promotes the Old Testament roots of Christianity suggests
a rare string of lunar and solar eclipses said to fall on God's annual
holy days seven years from now could herald what's come to be known as
the "Second Coming" of Jesus.
"God wants us to look at the biblical calendar," says Mark Biltz, pastor
of El Shaddai Ministries in Bonney Lake, Wash. "The reason we need to be
watching is because He will signal His appearance. But we have to know
what to be watching as well. So we need to be watching the biblical
holidays."
In a video interview on the Prophecy in the News website, Biltz said
he's been studying prophecies that focus on the sun and moon, even going
back to the book of Genesis where it states the lights in the sky would
be "be for signs, and for seasons."
"It means a signal, kind of like 'one if by land, two if by sea.' It's
like God wants to signal us," he said. "The Hebrew word implies ... not
only is it a signal, but it's a signal for coming or His appearing."
Biltz adds the word "seasons" implies appointed times for God's feasts
and festivals.
"When we hear the word feast, we think food. But the Hebrew word has
nothing to do with food. It has to do with a divine appointment, as if
God has a day timer, and He says, 'OK, I'm gonna mark the day and the
time when I'm going to signal My appearance.'"
In the Old Testament, the prophet Joel states, "The sun shall be turned
into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the
terrible day of the LORD come." (Joel 2:31)
In the New Testament, Jesus is quoted as saying, "Immediately after the
tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall
not give her light ... And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man
in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they
shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and
great glory." (Matthew 24:29-30)
Gary Stearman of Prophecy in the News noted, "When we think of the sun
being darkened and the moon not giving her light, we usually think of
some astronomical catastrophe – perhaps the sun sputtering and the moon
being affected by all this. But maybe it's time to rethink this a little
bit and think of it as a natural cycle, the cycle of the eclipses."
Thus, Biltz began focusing on the precise times of both solar and lunar
eclipses, sometimes called "blood moons" since the moon often takes on a
bloody color. He logged onto NASA's eclipse website which provides
precision tracking of the celestial events.
He noted a rare phenomenon of four consecutive total lunar eclipses,
known as a tetrad.
He says during this century, tetrads occur at least six times, but
what's interesting is that the only string of four consecutive blood
moons that coincide with God's holy days of Passover in the spring and
the autumn's Feast of Tabernacles (also called Succoth) occurs between
2014 and 2015 on today's Gregorian calendar.
"The fact that it doesn't happen again in this century I think is very
significant," Biltz explains. "So then I looked at last century, and,
believe it or not, the last time that four blood red moons occurred
together was in 1967 and 1968 tied to Jerusalem recaptured by Israel."
He then started to notice a pattern of the tetrads.
"What's significant to me is that even before 1967, the next time that
you had four blood red moons again was right after Israel became a
nation in '48, it happened again in 1949 and 1950 ... on Passover and
Succoth. You didn't have any astronomical tetrads in the 1800s, the
1700s, the 1600s. In the 1500s, there were six, but none of those fell
on Passover and Succoth."
When checking the schedule for solar eclipses, Biltz found two – one on
the first day of the Hebrew year and the next on the high holy day of
Rosh Hashanah, the first day of the seventh Hebrew month. Both of these
take place in the 2014-2015 year.
Biltz says, "You have the religious year beginning with the total solar
eclipse, two weeks later a total lunar eclipse on Passover, and then the
civil year beginning with the solar eclipse followed two weeks later by
another total blood red moon on the Feast of Succoth all in 2015."
"If you think that this is a coincidence, I want you to know that it's
time!" exclaimed Prophecy in the News host J.R. Church. "There are no
more of these for the rest of the century."
The prospect of eclipses pinpointing the time of Jesus' return is
getting mixed reaction in Christian circles.
After seeing Biltz's interview, Jim Bramlett, an author and former vice
president for the Christian Broadcasting Network, expressed excitement.
"I have just watched the program two times and do not think I have ever
been more encouraged or excited about the soon return of the Lord!"
Bramlett said.
But Hal Lindsey, a well-known biblical analyst and author of "The Late
Great Planet Earth," says while he hasn't heard of Biltz's theory, he
called it "pure speculation."
"In my 50-something years of studying prophecy, to me the greatest
indication of the time of Christ's return is based around the general
things of prophecies coming together in the same time frame."
He mentioned not only Israel's birth as a political state in 1948, but
the increase in tensions with Muslims, the rise of Russia, China and the
European Union, which he says is even "calling itself the revived Roman
Empire."
"I see the whole sweep and panorama spinning together in a precise
scenario," he said.
During a second video interview, Biltz was presented with Bible quotes
that many think suggest Jesus' return will be a complete surprise, or at
least not specifically known.
The 25th chapter of Matthew features a parable where Jesus likens His
kingdom to ten virgins all waiting for the arrival of their bridegroom.
Jesus said in the story, "ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein
the Son of man cometh." (Matthew 25:13)
Biltz says people need to examine the quote in its proper context.
"When He says you don't know the day or the hour, He's speaking to the
foolish virgins, not the wise virgins," he explained.
Biltz was also asked about the famous statement in Matthew 24:36 when
Jesus was discussing the signs of His "coming, and of the end of the
world": "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of
heaven, but my Father only." (Matthew 24:36)
He responded by referring to the annual Feast of Trumpets holiday,
saying Israelites never knew the precise moment it began, "because it
was based on the sighting of the new moon."
"When He (Jesus) says you won't know the day or the hour, He's telling
you it's the Feast of Trumpets because that was known as the feast where
no one knew the day or the hour that it would begin," said Biltz. "So
it's kind of like if I told you, 'I'm not going to tell you when I'm
coming, but "Gobble, gobble, gobble,'" pointing to Turkey Day."
Church stressed despite the information suggesting 2015 could be a
pivotal time, "We don't know that that will be the concluding year of
the tribulation period ... so we're not setting a date and saying this
is a warning. We're introducing the possibility of a watch."
A Response to the Blood Moon Scenario
May 9 2008 Prophecy News Watch
There's
a video currently on the web, promoted by a well known prophecy website,
that a whole bunch of you have either sent links to or asked about it or
both. Here's my response.
This video shows the result of tracking solar and lunar eclipses and
comparing them with Levitical Feasts, and notes that the only time in
this century when 4 consecutive full lunar eclipses, known as a tetrad,
will coincide with either Passover or the Feast of Tabernacles is in the
years 2014-2015. Lunar eclipses are also known as “blood moons” because
the moon often takes on a red cast during an eclipse.
There will also be 2 solar eclipses during that time. In the spring of
2015 Israel's religious year will begin with a total solar eclipse,
followed two weeks later a total lunar eclipse on Passover. And then six
months later the sequence will repeat itself with a second solar eclipse
on Rosh Hashanna followed two weeks after that by another total lunar
eclipse on the Feast of Tabernacles, all in 2015.
The last time anything like this happened was in 1967, when Jerusalem
became an undivided Jewish city again, and before that there were
several occurrences during the years of 1948-50, as Israel was becoming
a nation. There were none at all in the 1800's, 1700's, or 1600's, and
none in the 1500's that coincided with Feast Days.
What Does That Mean?
The conclusion being drawn from this by the video's producer is that
2015 is the most likely year for the Lord's 2nd coming in the entire
21st Century, and the fall is the best time in that year.
Prophecy buffs from across the spectrum are falling all over themselves
to get on board this. But in the rush of emotion that rightfully
accompanies thoughts of the Lord's impending return most are ignoring a
tool for evaluating where we are in the end times that I first
introduced in my series entitled “Seven Things You Have To Know To
Understand End Times Prophecy”. It's a business management tool called
back scheduling.
Sensational claims like the one made in this video can result in real
confusion if you don't know the sequence in which major End Times events
will occur. Actually their order is very logical, and once you learn it,
you'll wonder why you didn't see it before. The best way to figure it
out is to perform what the business world sometimes calls a back
scheduling exercise. It involves going to the very end of a process and
identifying its final outcome. Then you list in reverse order all the
things that have to happen to produce that outcome, backing into the
present. It's simpler than it sounds, and much simpler in prophecy than
in business because there are many fewer events to organize. Here's how
it goes.
We all think of Eternity as the final outcome, and so starting at the
end and working backwards means we begin there. But the last major event
described in any detail in the Bible is the Kingdom Age or Millennium,
the Lord's 1000 year reign on Earth, which is distinguished from and
precedes Eternity. Simply put, Eternity can't begin until the Millennium
ends.
The Millennium obviously can't happen till the Second Coming, because
that's when the Lord returns to establish it. And the Second Coming
can't happen till the end of the Great Tribulation. And that can't
happen till the anti-Christ stands in the Temple in Israel declaring
himself to be God. (2 Thes. 2:4) That's the event Jesus warned Israel to
look for as the Great Tribulation's opening salvo. He called it "The
Abomination of Desolation" in Matt. 24:15-21.
But that can't happen till there's a Temple. There hasn't been a Temple
in Israel since 70AD and there won't be one until the Jews decide they
need one. That won't happen until God reinstates their Old Covenant
relationship, signaling the start of Daniel's 70th week. And that can't
happen till the Battle of Ezekiel 38-39 is won, because it's Ezekiel's
battle that officially draws the Jews back to God. (Ezek. 39:22) And
that can't happen till the Church is gone, because the Church and Israel
are mutually exclusive to Him. (Romans 11:25 & Acts 15:13-18) And that
brings us to the present, because there is no preceding event for the
Rapture of the Church. It could happen at any time.
Using this scheduling tool we can see how end times events are scheduled
to take place, and the only one whose timing is at all speculative is
the Rapture. Some argue that there's doubt about the timing of the
Battle of Ezekiel 38 but I think the Bible is pretty clear in saying
that the battle of Ezekiel 38 is Israel's wake up call to begin Daniel's
70th week. It's the event that brings Israel back into covenant with
God, requiring that a Temple be built. Daniel's 70th week by definition
is seven years long. The last half is the Great Tribulation, after which
the Lord will return.
What's The Point?
That brings me to my point, and to make it, I'll use the back scheduling
tool again. In order for the Lord to return in the fall of 2015,
Daniel's 70th week will have to begin the fall of 2008, a few months
from now. That means that over the summer, the Battle of Ezekiel 38 will
have to take place, and God will have to re-introduce Himself to Israel,
bringing them back into an Old Covenant relationship that results in
Biblical Judaism becoming the official and national religion of Israel.
And the anti-Christ will have to appear and gain enough power to help
Israel negotiate a seven year treaty that includes provisions for a
Temple. (Daniel 9:27) Then there's the matter of the Rapture of the
Church. While this schedule is of course possible for God, having them
all take place this summer would be a major departure from His normal
approach to things.
In truth, there are several interesting facts you should know about this
summer that make it an attractive possibility if you disregard
everything we've just covered. Israel will celebrate its 60th birthday
and at the same time the world's population is projected to reach
6,666,666,666. The 1976th birthday of the church will also occur.
(Because of calendar differences much of the Western church will
celebrate on May 11, but the correct date is June 8-9.)
Also some military experts say that June will effectively be the last
time this year that Israel will have an opportunity to take out Iran's
nuclear capabilities, an act that will obviously cause major
repercussions in the Middle East. Iran's rainy season begins in July
making visibility an uncertain thing, and by September the US
Presidential election will be ramped up for its all out run to our
November election. Many observers believe that the current
administration won't agree to let such a distraction interfere with
America's focus on the election this fall. Adding these things into the
mix has tempted a number of prophecy buffs to throw off all constraints
and proclaim that the Day of the Lord is at hand.
Hold On Just A Minute!
But before we join them, let's take a closer look. Have the conditions
for Ezekiel 38 been met? Most of the players are lined up, the exception
still being Turkey. But Syria, not mentioned in Ezekiel 38, is right in
the thick of things, teamed up with Iran and North Korea in a new axis
of evil focused against Israel. Can Isaiah 17 also happen this summer?
And then there's the requirement that Israel be living in such a state
of supposed peace as to be taken by surprise in a battle to the death.
(Ezek. 38:11) If Israel goes after Iran's nukes next month, they'll be
the ones pulling off the sneak attack. Could Iran's certain retaliation
in any way be called an unexpected surprise that catches Israel off
guard? I don't think so.
No, I think it's much more likely that any war this summer between
Israel and the Moslems would result in Syria's demise and end in a false
peace that puts into place the conditions necessary for Ezekiel 38 to
happen some time later. And despite my earlier speculation about the
2012 magnetic polar reversal fulfilling the 6th seal of Rev. 6, I have
to admit that the most likely coming event that fits the sequence and is
worthy of announcement by signs in the heavens in 2015 would be the
beginning of Daniel's 70th week.
If these earlier Blood Moons did in fact announce the re-birth of the
nation and the reunification of Jerusalem as it appears, then the next
major step in Israels' journey toward the Kingdom is their national
reunion with their Creator. This is the way Ezekiel saw it happening,
and in my view is important enough to God to merit such a celestial
announcement. After all He's been waiting to take them back for 2000
years.
"Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will
heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two
days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may
live in his presence.” (Hosea 6:1-2)
Thankfully, it won't be long until we know for sure who's right and
who's wrong. And it won't take any rocket science to tell. Because if
the 70th week is set to begin in September then the next few months will
astonish the world in a breath taking series of prophetic fulfillments
unparalleled since the Lord's crucifixion and resurrection. You can
almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah.
What Happens when there is Not Enough Oil or Food to go around?
May 9 2008 Prophecy News Watch
For
more than a decade, English petroleum geologist Colin Campbell has been
sounding the warning bell about the coming of peak oil and its
disturbing ramifications for the world. Since 2005 Dr. Robert Hirsch has
been giving specific warnings for the United States through a series of
Department of Energy-sponsored reports outlining the dangers to America
if the peak finds us unprepared. And in the past year, the GAO, the
National Petroleum Council, and scores of other organizations and
governments around the world have reported on the severe consequences
the world might incur once the peak has been achieved.
The issue is not simply a concern that we will have to pay outrageous
prices for a gallon of gas. If that were the worst of it, the situation
would be difficult but manageable. The reality, however, goes deeper and
is much more troubling. There are multiple problems affecting the world
that are having a decidedly negative net effect: a global rise in demand
for crude oil, the plateau in the production of crude oil (which may
indicate the peak has already been reached) and continued global
population growth. Together, these three factors are serving to shove
the world into a crisis that has ominous possibilities.
When there isn't enough oil to satisfy global demand, the price
obviously rises. Perhaps less obvious, however, is the effect this price
increase has on the world's ability to produce food. Every stage of the
food production cycle is affected by petroleum and a rise in the price
of a barrel of oil has compounding effects: It costs more to run the
farm machinery, more to buy the fertilizer, more to take it to market
and more for processing. In the United States, this results in raised
eyebrows at the grocery store. In parts of the world where upwards of 75
percent of a family's income goes to buying food, it results in social
unrest and riots.
The United Nations estimates that global population is growing at the
rate of 78 million people a year — roughly the equivalent of adding the
population of Germany to the world every year. According to Energy
Information Administration data released earlier this month, global
petroleum production has been on a relatively level plateau for the past
44 consecutive months.
But at the same time, the economies of China and India have continued
growing, which accelerates the consumption of petroleum-related products
and increases the amount and quality of food each person eats. These
three facts have conspired to produce a global shortage of crude oil
which has exacerbated the world's inability to feed itself. If the world
cannot produce significantly more barrels of oil per day, while at the
same time the developing world's appetite continues to increase and the
global population continues its climb, there won't be enough oil to go
around or enough food for everyone to eat.
In just the past two weeks we have been given a foretaste of what that
might mean as news organizations have reported rioting and social unrest
in developing countries around the world as a result of food shortages;
Canadian Bank analyst Jeff Rubin predicted oil prices will "soar to $225
a barrel by 2012." Many experts expect these twin afflictions to remain
for the foreseeable future.
This is not the time for more talk and half-measures. Facts on the
ground demand urgent, robust and sustained action at the highest levels
of government. The America public gets it, as an April 20 poll by
WorldPublicOpinion.org found that 76 percent of Americans "believe that
their government should make long term plans to replace oil as a primary
source of energy." With such a high percentage of the population
agreeing with such a necessity, where are our national leaders on this
issue? While our presidential candidates continue to be satisfied
discussing such critical issues as what someone's pastor said, (who is
bitter and who gets angry a lot), there has been not one substantive
exchange regarding the most pressing issue facing our country.
Someone must step up and lead before a crisis of global proportions is
thrust upon us and our only option is the implementation of draconian
damage-control measures. Pray such a leader surfaces soon.
Around Texas:
Comprehensive Graduate Science Program Expelled from Texas
May 6 2008 Institute for Creation Research
Why has Texas "expelled" the only comprehensive graduate science program that evaluates the possibility of supernatural design?
Since 1981, the Institute for Creation Research Graduate School (ICRGS) has offered Master's degrees in science in the state of California. After ICR headquarters moved to Dallas, TX, the ICRGS applied in 2007 to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) for a Certificate of Authority to grant degrees in Texas.
Initial reviews by a THECB evaluating team and committee gave favorable recommendations of the ICRGS program. But THECB Commissioner Raymund Paredes secretly convened an anonymous panel of secular scientists, who ruled that a program that wasn't based on evolution could not be considered "science."
With no counter testimony or rebuttal allowed from ICRGS scientists, Commissioner Paredes issued his recommendation to deny the ICRGS application, and the full Board rubber-stamped his decision.
The Graduate School of the Institute for Creation Research has been offering Master of Science degrees for 27 years. The California-based institution employs a faculty of highly credentialed men and women with stellar careers in the sciences and in education.
Yet education agency officials in the state of Texas are refusing to allow this graduate program to offer certified degrees to qualified Texas students. Why would they bar the only graduate program in the state that deals with these issues of science and education from a non-exclusionary viewpoint?
Visit Academic Freedom, and then start asking questions of Texas education officials.
East Texan, Bo Pilgrim Recognized for 25 Years of Workplace Evangelism
May 8 2008 Christian Newswire
NEW
YORK, The American Bible Society has honored Lonnie "Bo" Pilgrim with a
special one-of- a-kind award in recognition of his commitment to a
lifetime of Christian service and workplace evangelism.
The award recognizes Mr. Pilgrim's decision to use the name Good News
for Modern Man in his evangelistic outreach, his constant commitment to
the communication and application of the message of the Bible, and his
devotion to seeing lives transformed by Scripture. These efforts further
the cause of Bible reading and appreciation, and support the ministry of
the American Bible Society, whose motto is "Sharing God's Word with the
World."
The Rev. Simon Barnes, executive vice president for development,
marketing and research at the Bible Society, made the presentation on
May 8 to Mr. Pilgrim at Pilgrim's Pride Corporation in Pittsburg, Texas.
In presenting this award, Mr. Barnes noted, "Bo Pilgrim has inspired
generations of Christians with a passion for reading and applying God's
Word to their lives and then to sharing their faith with others."
Mr. Pilgrim commented, "I'm humbled to have received this award. The
Lord has blessed me in countless ways throughout my life, and it has
been an honor to share His Good News with so many people over the years.
When I was a young boy I promised Him that if I ever amounted to
anything, I would give Him the credit, and I'm still committed to that
promise."
Criteria for the award include:
- to honor lives dedicated to providing biblically- based teaching and the impact it creates;
- to recognize individuals whose contributions to Bible literacy and Scripture proclamation have made a Kingdom difference;
- to honor a lifelong commitment to the communication and application of the Bible and to having a devotion to seeing lives transformed by it;
- to serve as an example to others of how to be a Christian in the workplace and to actually practice what is being preached;
- to share, on a personal level, one's own faith with other people and to instruct them about how to become a Christian and apply Christian faith practices to their daily lives.
From its humble beginning more than
60 years ago as a single feed store in a small East Texas town,
Pilgrim's Pride Corporation (NYSE:PPC) has grown to become the largest
poultry company in the world. Today Pilgrim's Pride is a Fortune 500
company with $7.6 billion in annual sales and approximately 55,000
employees. Philanthropy World described Bo Pilgrim as "a gentleman of
impeccable character, a generous spirit, and a crusader for Christ....Bo
kept honesty and integrity at the forefront."
The award was presented to Mr. Pilgrim in a meeting with Pilgrim's Pride
employees, and later at a prayer chapel event.
Internet Site Wikipedia Peddles Porn to Kids
May 7 2008 Christian Newswire
WASHINGTON,
It would be a tall order, but parents around the world may want to make
every effort to keep their kids away from
Wikipedia.com, the enormously popular, user-generated online
encyclopedia. While doing homework, research for term papers, or for
just plain fun, millions of kids visit Wikipedia every day. That's why
parents may be alarmed to learn that, as recently exposed by
WorldNetDaily.com, Wikipedia features hundreds, if not thousands, of
hardcore pornographic images and online sex videos, making them easily
accessible to children.
Matt Barber, Policy Director for Cultural Issues with Concerned Women
for America (CWA), said, "Perhaps Wikipedia should change its name to
Pornopedia. Providing clinical images that may assist people in research
is one thing, but many of the images and videos featured by Wikipedia
are gratuitous and obscene. They're entirely unnecessary and amount to
hardcore pornography, plain and simple.
"These actions by Wiki founder Jimmy Wales and other executives with
Wikipedia are reprehensible. By disseminating this obscene material,
their misbehavior is no better than that of the sleazy smut peddler at
the XXX bookstore down the street. They should be ashamed of themselves.
In fact, the Department of Justice (DOJ) should look into whether
Wikipedia may be in violation of federal obscenity laws.
"For this reason, we're calling on Wikipedia to either pull the
pornography from its Web page, or, as do many other porn sites, place a
prominent warning on the home page indicating that it features
pornography, and requiring visitors to affirm that they are at least 18
years of age or older before entering," said Barber.
"People may notice that while searching a term using the Google search
engine, a Wikipedia link is often the first to pop up. This makes
Wikipedia one of the most visited websites on the Internet. With great
power comes great responsibility. To willingly, if not intentionally,
make pornography a mouse click away for kids is contemptibly low and
represents the height of irresponsibility.
"Unfortunately, the federal government's reticence to prosecute
violations of federal obscenity laws has created a climate where
disseminating hardcore pornography, even to children, is considered 'no
big deal.' Perhaps now, knowing that millions of children are being
readily exposed to obscenity on
Wikipedia.com, the DOJ will finally step up its efforts," concluded
Barber.
Concerned Women for America is the nation's
largest public policy women's organization.
Update: FBI Investigates 'Wikipedophilia'
May 07 2008 Chelsea Schilling World News Daily
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In the wake of WND news coverage, the FBI is now reviewing a Wikipedia photo of a nude adolescent that could violate federal child-pornography laws.
Asked if the photograph of the nude child would remain on the site or be taken down, Jay Walsh, head of communications for the Wikimedia foundation, responded:
I have no idea when it will come down, as I probably already discussed with you – the foundation does not play a direct role in making edits to Wikipedia. Wikipedia is a platform for use by members of the public, around the world.
I understand your concern has been raised with volunteer administrators and editors. They will review and consider your request, in the context of the Wikipedia editorial policies.
Teen Facing 'Hate Crime' Count Over Simple Spat
May 08, 2008 WorldNetDaily
Authorities
file felony charge against 1 side in argument
Two college-age men have a verbal disagreement on a public street that escalates to the point one allegedly grabs the other while hollering at him and the other allegedly pushes him away.
Now the one accused of doing the "pushing" is charged with a felony hate crime and could face years in jail, according to Peter LaBarbera of the activist group Americans for Truth.
It's what happens when "hate crimes" laws are added on top of laws against behavior such as grabbing and pushing, LaBarbera told WND.
"This is where the rubber meets the road in 'hate crimes,'" he said.
Although authorities have declined to comment on the situation, Ted Pike of the National Prayer Network, who talked with the mother of one of the participants, said she told him the case developed like this:
"The police department of Champaign, Ill., is reported to be under pressure from higher authorities to increase its quota of hate crimes convictions. Brett VanAsdlen, an 18-year-old Christian college student on a baseball scholarship, didn't know this. On April 12 he and a friend saw two homosexuals leaning on each other and holding hands, walking toward them on the sidewalk. 'Look at those two guys holding hands,' Brett said to his friend and walked past them. According to Brett's mother, the next thing he knew, one of the homosexuals (whom he perceived to be drunk) had grabbed him by the shoulder, putting his face up to Brett's and repeatedly shouting, 'What did you say?' Brett told him to go away several times and then pushed him. The homosexual fell over backward. On his back, the homosexual told his partner to call the police. In eight minutes, four officers arrived. Two interviewed Brett and his friend and assured them there would be no problem. Brett had been physically accosted and detained, clearly an assault. The other two officers interviewed the homosexual, who was taken to the hospital."
Pike noted that the accuracy of that account cannot be presumed, because the mother is sympathetic to her son, who then was charged with a felony "hate crime."
"It is conceivable to this writer that young VanAsdlen might have made an untoward or derogatory comment about the homosexual couple, sparking the confrontation. But there is no law against speech critical of homosexuality (yet) and if it is true that Velasquez grabbed Brett, then perhaps he was the real aggressor," Pike wrote.
LaBarbera said he talked with VanAsdlen's mother, Rona Lee, and she confirmed the account, "although she did not say what exactly Brett said to the homosexual couple."
He reported she confirmed her son did not initiate physical contact with the other participant in the dispute, 20-year-old homosexual University of Illinois student Steven Velasquez.
"She said Velasquez was yelling at Brett and 'in his face' and that Brett told him twice to get away from him before pushing him away," he said.
But VanAsdlen now faces a Class 4 felony hate crime, changed from aggravated battery, over the incident.
"The critical question is: Why did he push Velasquez and who was aggressor?" LaBarbera asked. "VanAsdlen's family says it was Velasquez who – after Brett made a comment about Velasquez and his homosexual partner – first 'got in Brett's face,' to which Brett responded by pushing Velasquez away."
Rona Lee VanAsdlen told WND in an interview today that she's been asked by legal counsel not to talk about the specifics of the case.
But she said the case is a trial for the family.
"We're just getting persecuted here, I guess, and we have to fight," she said. "I just ask for prayers. My son will really have to fight and prove his innocence."
She identified the state's "hate crimes" as the problem.
"This would never have even been an event if this was another heterosexual male and he had a conflict with, and that's just unfair," she said. "I am a conservative Christian, and my son is. All we are doing is asking for prayers and support from people that may be opposed to this sort of thing happening.
"This has just uprooted our whole life, and I don't know that it'll ever be the same. I don't know that, even if everything is dropped, that it'll ever be the same," she said.
Velasquez was not charged in the incident.
The punishment for VanAsdlen, however, already has begun. He's at Parkland College on a baseball scholarship but was suspended from the team pending the outcome of the case, officials said.
Athletic Director Rod Lovett told Americans for Truth the decision was "internal" and regarded the college's athletic code of conduct. He confirmed VanAsdlen will have the opportunity to seek reinstatement when the case is over.
"He's a typical 18- or 19-year-old kid," Lovell told LaBarbera.
Americans for Truth said it's clearly a case of "He said, he said."
"But the special treatment of it thus far illustrates why conservatives and traditionalists oppose 'hate crimes' laws as fundamentally unfair and open to abuse," LaBarbera said.
He said if convicted of a felony, VanAsdlen would face further penalties besides the potential of jail time of being banned from voting and could be prevented from ever being hired as a teacher or coach, one of his goals.
"The true danger of hate-crimes laws is selective prosecution and unequal protection under the law. If a homosexual were to push an obnoxious Christian onto the ground, or things got out of control after a verbal spat, would he be facing a felony hate-crime conviction and possible jail time in Champaign, Ill., right now?" LaBarbera asked.
Procter & Gamble Heard from the Gays, then Changed its Rules
May 8 2008 American Family Association
The
Proctor & Gamble Company changed procedure after allowing gays time to
call.
Following its support for the homosexual agenda, Procter & Gamble established a toll-free number for people to register their opinions for or against P&G’s promotion of the gay agenda, including open mouth kissing between gays. It gave a toll-free number which was heavily promoted on gay Web sites for a week to give those favoring the promotion of homosexuality an opportunity to call.
Monday, after AFA had put out the word that P&G wanted to hear from AFA supporters, P&G abruptly ended it.
AFA is encouraging supporters to call P&G and ask the company why it is promoting the gay lifestyle and why it quit using the toll-free number to receive opinions only after AFA notified AFA supporters about it. We urge you to spend a few cents to register your complaint with P&G.
Here is P&G’s corporate number to call: 513-983-1100 . (Please get others to call P&G at this number!)
P&G has added homosexual lovers to its soap opera “As the World Turns.” The soap opera now includes scenes of homosexuals with passionate open mouth kissing. The motive behind P&G’s push is to desensitize viewers, especially younger viewers, to the homosexual lifestyle. The ultimate goal of homosexual activists is homosexual marriage.
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McDonald's is a "Corporate Partner" of the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce
May 5 2008 Family Research Council
Apparently,
serving McFlurries and Big Macs to the public is no longer enough to
satisfy the hunger of McDonald's to make a cultural impact on the United
States. Sadly, McDonald's is now financing attacks on marriage and the
family as a new Corporate Partner of the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber
of Commerce (NGLCC).
The NGLCC promotes businesses owned by homosexuals, but it also pushes
the homosexual political agenda in statehouses, courthouses, and the
halls of Congress. Thought crime ("hate crime") laws, homosexual and
transgender "civil rights" preferences, and domestic partner benefits
are top-priority issues of the NGLCC.
Richard Ellis, Vice President of Communications for McDonald's, was
recently named to the Board of Directors of the NGLCC. In a press
release, the NGLCC praised Ellis for his "vast Board experience with
LGBT and advocacy related organizations." It's alarming that the
overseer of McDonald's advertising campaigns directly geared toward
families will now be a leader in the NGLCC's campaign to weaken
traditional values.
The NGLCC's efforts on behalf of homosexuality threaten the family, the
definition of marriage and the very religious freedom we hold so dear.
Here are two effective action steps you can take to get McDonald's back
on course:
1) Sign the attached petition to McDonald's Chairman Andrew J. McKenna.
FRC will compile the names and signatures and deliver them to McDonald's
at their corporate headquarters.
2) Print out the attached flyer (Click
here to download a PDF of the flyer) and bring it to your local
McDonald's restaurant. Ask to see the manager, give him or her, the
flyer, and respectfully request that he or she notify the corporate
offices that customers are upset about this policy. We ask that you NOT
attempt to post the flyer in the restaurant, hand it out to customers,
or put it on windshields in the parking lot--just bring it to the
manager. Be polite, of course (the manager probably is not even aware of
this new corporate policy). DO print additional copies of the flyer and
give them to your friends, however, and ask them to take them to the
local restaurant manager as well.
McDonald's has enjoyed enormous success providing affordable food to
billions of people; it should resist the temptation to play politics
with its business.
Col 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.
2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Please pray for: Restoration of America's Christianity: Morality, Virtue and Strength in the place of apathy, Christian leaders, the peace of Israel, our President, the Texas / US Congress and the men and women of the United States Armed Services.
To Receive the BMA TMAC Watchman Report & E-Alerts mailing List. Send your name & e-mail address to: Howard Wilson hwilson@texasmoralaction.org
Visit the Moral Action Committee of the BMA of Texas web site: http://texasmoralaction.org
Visit the BMA of Texas web site: Click Here
To make a donation to the Moral Action Committee of the BMA of Texas please click on this link
