BMAT
Moral Action Committee Watchman Report
#69 02/03/2006
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article to view OR scroll through the complete document:
1. Pro Abortion Activists in U.S.
Say They Are Losing the Battle
2. Two additional Courts reject ban
on partial-birth abortion
3. Operation Rescue Calls on Supreme
Court Justice Stevens to Retire
4. Sweeping
anti-abortion laws proposed in at least five states
5. Fewer Abortions May Indicate a
Change in Attitudes
6.
Billy Graham Plans to Preach in New
Orleans
7. Youth throughout the World are
Choosing a Life of Sexual Purity
8. NBC to mock the Crucifixion of
Christ the night before Good Friday
9. Parents TV Council Quote of the
Week
10. Appeals Court Vindicates Kansas
Attorney General Phill Kline on Child Sex Reporting
11. CWA Urges House to Pass Holly's
Law to suspend the (FDA's) approval of RU-486
12. Priest Blesses Grand
Opening of a Hooters Restaurant in Waco
13. EU Approves Ban on
'Homophobia'; Christians Remain Silent a warning for America
14. Economist Magazine
Warns of 'Dangerous Time' for U.S. Economy
15. New report: Teenage
Views and Behavior Regarding the Supernatural
16. Walker Endorsed This Week by
Young Conservatives of Texas, Texas Home School Coalition PAC, and Cathie
Adams.
17. Astronomer, Biochemist Say
Creation Can Be Science
18. Clarifications on the
“End of the Spear” Article by Jason Janz
19. Panel: Teflon Chemical
in nonstick and stain-resistant products a Likely Carcinogen
20. Palestinian Christians Face Dark
Future
21. Supreme Court ruling in Kelo
Threatening Churches
22 Columbia forgery ring
Bust uncovers Al Qaeda - Hamas Ties?
23. Marriage Defenders Lose Ground
in Maryland, Move Forward in Virginia
24. Iran's Top Secret 5-Point Battle
Plan for War against the West
25. Venezuela Dictator Vows to Bring
Down U.S. Government! Venezuela government is sole owner of Citgo gasoline
company
26. After Civil Trial Jesse Jackson
Claims 'Giant Right Wing Conspiracy' to Destroy Him; Charges Hannity and
O'Reilly as Masterminds
27. International Holocaust
Remembrance Day Marked for First Time
28. House Republicans Want
Mexican Military Incursions Explained
29. Under-publicized fact:
Google Holds Copies of All Emails and All Websites Visited
30.
The Emerging One World Government -
U.N. pushing to end nation-states
Pro Abortion
Activists in U.S. Say They Are Losing the Battle
Jan. 30 2006
Gudrun Schultz LifeSiteNews.com
By Gudrun Schultz
A
fter
thirty-three years of abortion-on-demand in the US, abortion activists are
saying they can feel their grip on the country starting to slide away.
"I think [Roe vs. Wade] in the short
term will be dismantled," said Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice
America, to Reuters. "We have an anti-choice president, an anti-choice
Congress and now ... with the confirmation of Judge Alito to the Supreme
Court, we are seeing the potential for a very right-leaning, anti-choice
Supreme Court."
Judge Samuel Alito’s nomination to
the Supreme Court has given pro-life advocates concrete hope that Roe vs.
Wade, the 1973 judicial activist decision to make abortion a
constitutional right, may finally be overturned. There are many other
factors, however, which are contributing to the sense among both pro-life
and pro-abortion groups that the balance is beginning to shift toward the
side of life.
A survey conducted in November 2005
by the Pew Research Center showed that a majority of Americans think
abortion is the central issue before the Supreme Court. John Green,
senior researcher at the Pew Forum on religion and Public Life, said the
flood of anti-abortion legislation is linked to conservative religious
groups.
"I do think it is a critical
moment," Green said. "A lot really hinges on Alito and other judges who
may be appointed in the near future. I could imagine in the next 10 years
or so there could be steady changes in the law regarding abortion."
Organizations working for the
protection of the unborn say research that shows babies’ complex
development at very early stages has undermined support for abortion.
Testimonies of women who have suffered emotional and physical damage from
aborting their babies have also helped turn public opinion.
Above all, technological advances
have had an impact. Ultra-sound improvements that let pregnant women see
the faces of their babies have been a significant force in turning people
away from abortion.
"The technology has allowed someone
who before had no face and no voice to become an actual child," said Mary
Spaulding Balch, director of state legislation for the National Right to
Life Committee. "In the 70s and 80s whenever you debated abortion you
talked about the mother. Now the baby is being brought into the debate."
Across the country, state
legislation restricting abortion is being brought forward, ranging from
laws banning abortion outright, to laws restricting access, requiring
parental notification, longer “cooling off” periods before obtaining
abortions, and even restrictions on birth control and sex education.
Every state now has anti-abortion
legislation either established or under way. Twenty-six states have laws
banning abortion after three months of pregnancy. Legislation underway in
four states, South Dakota, Tennessee, Indiana and Ohio, would ban
abortions entirely unless the mother’s life was clearly in danger.
"There is a growing public
realization that abortion is an injustice, the destruction of an innocent
human life," said American Life League executive director David Bereit.
The up swell of anti-abortion
measures cannot be activated while Roe vs. Wade stands, however, which
barricades state legislation.
See related LifeSiteNews coverage:
Abortion Ban
Considered in Growing Number of States: South Dakota, Indiana, Ohio
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/jan/06012303.html
Back
Two
additional Courts reject ban on partial-birth abortion
Jan 31 2006 Reuters
N
EW
YORK/SAN FRANCISCO Two appeals courts ruled against the federal ban on
partial-birth abortions on Tuesday, calling the 2003 law unconstitutional
because it fails to make an exception for the health of the mother.
The rulings from the 2nd Circuit
Court of Appeals in New York and the 9th Circuit in San Francisco were
setbacks to abortion foes. The decisions could be appealed to the Supreme
Court, which has two new justices recently appointed by President Bush.
The San Francisco appeals court
unanimously rejected the law 3-0 and issued an injunction halting its
enforcement. The New York court voted 2-1 against the law, but declined to
issue an injunction, asking to hear more legal arguments.
The Bush administration is already
appealing to the Supreme Court a similar decision by the 8th Circuit Court
of Appeals in St. Louis. The high court has yet to act.
The federal Partial-Birth Abortion
Ban Act has never taken effect because of court challenges.
The law's passage in Congress stoked
the emotional debate over abortion as proponents of the ban described
gruesome details of the procedure formally known as dilation and
extraction.
Back
Operation Rescue Calls on Supreme Court Justice
Stevens to Retire
Feb. 1 2006 Christian Wire
Service
Ford appointee should make way
for new court
W
ASHINGTON,
Operation Rescue calls for the retirement of Justice John Paul Stevens
from the United States Supreme Court as soon as possible to make way for a
third Bush appointment that would restore the Court to its originally
intended function of interpreting the Constitution.
Stevens, 85, was appointed by
President Gerald Ford in 1975 and has served on the nation’s highest court
longer than any other sitting justice. He is considered an integral member
of the liberal activist faction of the Court, and is a staunch supporter
of abortion on demand.
For decades, the left-leaning Court
has been considered an activist court that “legislates from the bench.” An
example of such judicial legislation is the Roe v. Wade decision that
established abortion as a previously non-existent Constitutional Right,
decriminalized it, and nullified state laws banning it. No such “right” to
abortion can be found in a strict reading of the Constitution in its
normal sense. Many legal scholars believe Roe was “wrongly decided” and an
overt act of judicial activism that usurped the function of the
legislative branch of government.
“Justice
Stevens, with all due respect, now is the time to move on and allow this
Republican president to appoint your successor,” said Operation Rescue
President Troy Newman. “Our nation is weary of your brand of judicial
activism that has cost the lives of over 47 million innocent children. For
the good of the nation, please announce your retirement as soon as
possible.”
Back
Sweeping anti-abortion laws proposed in at least
five states
Jan. 31 2006 United Press
International
L
egislators
in at least five states are proposing bold anti-abortion measures as the
Bush administration reshapes the U.S. Supreme Court, a report said.
With the goal of challenging the Roe vs. Wade
ruling that ensured a woman's right to an abortion, lawmakers in Georgia,
Indiana, Ohio, South Dakota and Tennessee propose banning all abortions
except when the woman's life is in danger, Stateline.org reported.
If enacted, legal experts said the laws would be
the first absolute abortion bans since the landmark 1973 ruling.
However, some abortion foes worry that state bans
could backfire especially since five pro-Roe justices remain in the
Supreme Court.
It's as predictable as the sun rising that lower
courts would strike down such state bans, said Americans United for Life
Director Clarke Forsythe.
It would be better to pass legislation "that can
be enforced," such as parental notification requirements and fetal pain
warnings, the constitutional lawyer told the state issues organization.
Back
Fewer Abortions
May Indicate a Change in Attitudes
January 27, 2006 staff reports
Citizen Link
Mothers with unexpected
pregnancies may be bonding with their preborn children.
M
ore
women in America say their pregnancies are "unwanted" but fewer are
choosing to abort their preborn babies. That may reveal a changing
attitude among women regarding the sanctity of human life.
The National Center for Health
Statistics released a study showing that out of every 100 pregnancies, 24
ended in abortion — a sobering number, but down 2 percent from 1995.
Anjani Chandra, the study's lead,
said some women may be caught off guard when they find out they’re
pregnant, putting them in the "unwanted" category, but they don’t always
stay there.
"When we’re talking about births
that were unwanted or mistimed at the time of conception," she said, "we
make it very clear that people’s attitudes can be quite different over the
course of a pregnancy."
Susan Wills, associate director for
education at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat for
Pro-Life Activities, said it's not uncommon for women to have a change of
heart over time.
"Even if it’s not a convenient time
or it’s not really anticipated," she said, "most women, as they begin to
bond with the child, even in utero, begin to realize this is really a
blessing."
Experts say there may be several
reasons for the decrease in abortions. One might be the ability to see
babies in the womb through ultrasound, and another, the increase in
information available to women through the Internet.
On the other hand, The Alan
Guttmacher Institute, the research arm of Planned Parenthood, argues it
may be due to women having less access to abortion.
Betty Jean Wolfe, president of the
Urban Family Council, said that's not likely.
"You can go anywhere in a city in
the United States and find access to abortion," she said. "I don’t think
it’s a lack of access."
The most important thing, she said,
is that there are fewer abortions today and the rate has been steadily
falling for several years now.
Back
Billy Graham
Plans to Preach in New Orleans
Jan. 30 2006
CWNews.com
He
said he was through preaching, but this aging lion is preparing to roar
once more. Health permitting, Billy Graham plans to step into the pulpit
one more time this time with his son, Franklin.
The world was saddened when Billy
Graham stepped down from public ministry in 2005. But now he's talking
about coming out of retirement to preach at his son Franklin's upcoming
religious festival in New Orleans.
The 87-year-old Graham held his
final crusade last summer in New York. But he has been wanting to visit
New Orleans to encourage its pastors, churches and hurricane victims.
His son Franklin is preparing to
lead the festival there on March 11th and12th at the New Orleans Arena.
The arena was one of the city's hurricane evacuation sites last year.
Graham, if his health permits, will
join his son to deliver "a message of hope.”
Back
Youth throughout the
World are Choosing a Life of Sexual Purity
Jan. 16 2006 Liberty Council
This Valentine's Day is the Third Annual Day of Purity
O
RLANDO,
FL - On February 14, youth around the world will celebrate the third
annual Day of Purity. The Day of Purity, a project of Liberty Counsel, is
designed for youth of all ages who commit to remain sexually pure until
marriage.
The Day of Purity is designed to
encourage youth to remain sexually pure and counter the popular message
that they should have sex early, often, and with many. One ninth grade
health textbook tells students that "testing your ability to function
sexually and give pleasure to another person may be less threatening in
your early teens with people of your own sex….You may come to the
conclusion that growing up means rejecting the values of your parents."
During the first two years of the
Day of Purity, youth from thousands of schools joined with hundreds of
organizations across America in celebrating sexual purity. The Day of
Purity quickly spread to several foreign countries. A list of some of the
supporting organizations is posted at
DayOfPurity.org.
More than 3 million American
teenagers are infected each year with sexually transmitted diseases.
Nearly one million teenagers become pregnant each year. Twenty percent of
the 1.3 million abortions performed each year in America are performed on
teenagers. The Day of Purity presents an opportunity for millions of youth
to stand up for self-respect and purity.
The Day of Purity offers youth the
opportunity to counter that message. The Day of Purity web site,
DayOfPurity.org, allows anyone to
download
a planning manual along with informative flyers on a variety of topics,
order a Day of Purity T-shirt, review startling statistics concerning the
effect of early sexual activity, and link to other valuable resources. On
the Day of Purity, youth are encouraged to wear a Day of Purity T-Shirt or
white clothing to symbolize sexual purity. Call 1-800-671-1776 for more
information.
Mathew Staver, President and General
Counsel of Liberty Counsel, said: "The majority of America's youth want to
be respected for who they are instead of being viewed as sexual objects to
be used or discarded at will. Millions of young people yearn for a culture
that encourages sexual purity and self-respect. America may be morally
challenged, but the level of depravity as portrayed in the media and
dictated by judges who have turned from the moral traditions of our
country is not an accurate reflection of the state of our country. The Day
of Purity is an opportunity for young people to stand together in respect
for the human dignity and worth of each individual."
Back
NBC to mock the
Crucifixion of Christ the night before Good Friday
Feb. 2 2006 American Family
Association
N
BC,
fresh from giving us the anti-Christian The Book of Daniel, has
decided to hit back at the Christian community by presenting an episode of
Will and Grace which mocks the crucifixion of Christ.
On the April 13 edition of NBC's Will and Grace, Britney Spears
will appear as a Christian conservative sidekick to Sean Hayes' homosexual
character, Jack, who hosts his own talk show.
Jack's fictional network, Out TV, is bought by a Christian TV network,
leading to Spears contributing a cooking segment called "Cruci-fixin's."
To further denigrate Christianity, NBC chose to air it the night before
Good Friday.
NBC does not treat Jews, Muslims or other religions with such disrespect.
Yet the network demonstrates a deep of hostility toward followers of
Christ.
Back
Parents TV
Council Quote of the Week
Jan 27. 2006 PTC
"According
to a Third Way Report released last summer the largest group of consumers
of Internet pornography are youth ages twelve to seventeen. Perhaps
most shocking, the average age at which children are first exposed to
pornography on the Internet today is eleven years old." Excerpt taken
from: Senator Blanche Lincoln's testimony on internet pornography before
the Senate Commerce Committee, January 19, 2006.
Back
Appeals Court
Vindicates Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline on Child Sex Reporting
Jan. 28 2006
Christian Wire Service
Kansas abortion mills can no
longer cover for child sexual predators
D
ENVER,
A federal appellate court has sided with Kansas Attorney General Phill
Kline in a lawsuit brought by Kansas abortionists and health care workers
involving a law that mandated reporting of underage sexual activity.
In October, 2003, the group of
abortionists and workers led by the Kansas City abortion mill Aid for
Women, filed the suit and obtained an injunction barring the state from
enforcing the statute, meant to help law enforcement catch and prosecute
child sexual predators.
That injunction has been overturned
by the 10th District Court of Appeals, and the state is now free to
enforce its law that requires health providers, including abortionists, to
report sexual activity in girls under 16. Such activity is illegal in the
State of Kansas.
“We
believe this vindicates Attorney General Phill Kline,” said Operation
Rescue President Troy Newman. “He was been vilified for over a year by the
pro-abortion lobby who wants to remain above the law. This ruling sends a
strong message to abortionists that they are not above the law and that
their days of protecting child sexual predators are over.”
“This
ruling reinforces the fact that Phill Kline is a serious law enforcement
officer who is working hard to protect our daughters from sexual
predators, not just some voyeur trying to pry into women’s privacy, as the
abortionists have attempted to pain him,” said Operation Rescue
spokesperson Cheryl Sullenger.
“Criminals
involved in abusing little girls will continue to do so until they are
caught,” said Sullenger. “These predators must be reported to the
authorities in order for the abuse to stop. Abortion mills that refuse to
report simply do not care about these children, but are more interested in
the money they make from treating their STDs and giving them abortions.
Thank God for men like Phill Kline who are willing put an end to this sick
cycle of abuse and cover up.”
Back
CWA Urges House to
Pass Holly's Law to suspend the (FDA's) approval of RU-486
Feb. 1 2006 Christian Wire Service
W
ASHINGTON,
Concerned Women for America (CWA) calls on the House to pass
legislation that would ban a dangerous abortion drug linked to at least
five U.S. deaths and hundreds of adverse medical conditions.
H.R. 1079, known as Holly's Law,
would suspend the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) approval of
RU-486 to complete an investigation, thereby protecting countless women
from this life-threatening drug. The legislation was created in response
to the death of 18-year-old Holly Patterson, who suffered a painful death
after taking RU-486.
"Action must be taken to keep this
deadly drug away from women and girls who are being told that it is
'safe,'" said Wendy Wright, CWA's President. "The FDA should never have
approved the drug – which is 10 times more dangerous than surgical
abortion – in the first place. But now it is the duty of Congress to take
a stand for women's health and pass this law as soon as possible."
Since its release in September 2000,
at least five women have died from RU-486, and over 800 adverse events
have been reported to the FDA.
"RU-486 is a dangerous pill wrapped
in a marketing scheme called 'convenience.' While it may be more
convenient for abortionists, it is a drawn-out painful process for women
that can leave them in the hospital or morgue," said Wright.
"Despite the adverse and
life-threatening complications of RU-486, Danco and Population Council
have yet to pull the drug from the market. Apparently, women's health and
safety take a back seat to profit."
Concerned Women for America (CWA)
is the nation’s largest public policy women’s organization.
Back
Priest Blesses Grand
Opening of a Hooters Restaurant in Waco
Jan. 30 2006 Prophecy Watch
A
pastor in Waco, Texas, says students from the world's largest Baptist
University should not be working at a restaurant known for its waitresses'
revealing uniforms.
Last year, about 60 local pastors signed a petition asking city officials
to stop a Hooters restaurant from locating there, but that effort proved
vain.
Earlier this week Hooters opened a restaurant in Waco, home to Baylor
University. Greg Brumit, pastor of Kendrick Lane Baptist Church, led a
petition drive and a number of protests in an effort to stop the business
from locating in his city. Other area pastors and protesters got involved
in the campaign to stop the construction on the eatery famous for its
female servers' low-cut tank tops and short-shorts.
Brumit says he was not surprised by a report in Baylor's newspaper, The
Lariat, which quoted a manager as saying that several of the university's
students work at Hooters. "Each individual student's different there at
Baylor. They're not all Christians," he notes. "Those students can choose
to work where they want."
The pastor adds a note of suspicion. "I'm sure that Hooters was hoping for
some Baylor girls to work there," he says.
What did come as a surprise to Brumit, however, is the move on the part of
a Catholic priest to bless the restaurant's grand opening. The evening
before the new Hooters opened, Monsignor Isidore Rozycki, head Catholic
priest for the Greater Waco area, offered a special prayer of blessing for
the restaurant at a VIP reception at the restaurant.
Kendrick Lane Baptist's pastor says the incident was bizarre. "I would
think with all the problems the Catholics have had that they wouldn't
promote something like that. I was a little disappointed," he observes.
"The Catholic priest had seemed to think that the rest of these ministers,
about 60 who signed the letter of petition against Hooters opening, were a
little narrow-minded," Brumit continues. "But the Bible does say, 'Narrow
is the way' to life, and wide is the road to destruction."
Brumit's church is just down the street from the Waco Hooters. In a recent
Associated Press interview, he said he does not plan to hold any more
protests now that the restaurant has opened and instead will leave "the
rest to the Lord.
Back
EU Approves Ban on
'Homophobia'; Christians Remain Silent a warning for America
Jan.30 Prophecy Watch
T
he
European Union has unanimously approved a resolution banning "homophobia."
A Christian attorney in Mississippi explains why that should concern the
citizens of the United States.
The resolution, called "Homophobia in Europe," defines homophobia as "an
irrational fear and aversion of homosexuality and of lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender people based on prejudice, similar to racism,
xenophobia, anti-Semitism, sexism." It calls for action against member
states that do not implement programs directed at fair treatment of
homosexuals in employment and occupation. It also seeks to "ensure that
same-sex partners enjoy the same respect, dignity and protection as the
rest of society."
Steve Crampton, chief counsel for the American Family Association Center
for Law & Policy, says although the resolution is not law, it could
eventually affect the United States.
"Our Supreme Court seems enamored with citing to foreign sources of law,"
Crampton observes. And if that mindset continues, he fears that "what
happens in the European Union today is going to become the law and policy
of America tomorrow."
For that reason, the attorney advises that family advocates in the U.S.
"absolutely ... should be concerned about this and we should be rising up
right now before it's too late," he adds.
Crampton asserts that the EU resolution is just further proof that society
is continuing its slide toward moral depravity. "When you consider that
approval of the measure came by a vote of almost four-to-one and it was
basically a restatement of the radical homosexual agenda, there is great
cause for concern for those of us who adhere to the traditional, biblical
teachings that homosexual conduct is sinful," he says.
The "Homophobia in Europe" resolution was passed by a vote of 468-149;
there were 41 abstentions. Christians and conservatives did not protest
the resolution, prompting one former member of Britain's Parliament and a
homosexual rights advocate to say that the "lunatic fringe" -- Christians
and conservatives -- have learned that "it does not pay anymore to shout
against gays and lesbians in the Parliament itself."
Back
Economist
Magazine Warns of 'Dangerous Time' for U.S.
Economy
Feb.1 2006 Breaking from NewsMax
& MoneyNews.com
This week's edition of The
Economist magazine offers an ominous warning for the U.S economy.
"Danger Time for America" - the
respected global weekly magazine states, depicting a cover drawing of F
ederal
Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan passing a stick of dynamite labeled the
"The Economy."
The Economist is not given to
alarmist warnings.
But the magazine believes the U.S.
economy is in for a rocky road beginning this year, and challenges
economic optimists' recent sunny predictions regarding the U.S. financial
picture. The Economist report mirrors the analysis that has been offered
by the Financial Intelligence Report, a publication of
NewsMax and MoneyNews. The FIR has been warning
investors for some time of the potential economic chaos that Federal
Reserve Chairman Greenspan is about to drop on the American economy.
The magazine targets Greenspan, who
retired from the Federal Reserve with most people bombarding him with
glowing praise and congratulations for a job well done.
Not so fast, says The Economist.
The publication says: "The economy
that Alan Greenspan handed over is in a much less healthy state than is
popularly assumed."
While respectfully bowing to retired
Fed chairman, with a sly wink to "Greenspan's 'exuberant' send-off," The
Economist's outlook soon turns dour, both on Greenspan and on the U.S.
economy.
"During much of his 181/2 years in office America enjoyed rapid growth
with low inflation, and he successfully steered the economy around a
series of financial hazards," says the article.
"In his final days of glory, it may
therefore seem churlish to question his record. However, Mr. Greenspan's
departure could well mark a high point for America's economy, with a
period of sluggish growth ahead. This is not so much because he is
leaving, but because of what he is leaving behind: the biggest economic
imbalances in American history."
While the magazine acknowledges that
Greenspan "can't control huge economic uncertainties" and "is constrained
by limits of what monetary policy can do," it points out that one cannot
exaggerate Greenspan's influence over the economy and financial markets.
It is in the setting of monetary
policy that Greenspan falls particularly short, The Economist concludes.
"The main reason why America's
growth has remained strong in recent years has been a massive monetary
stimulus," it says. "The Fed held real interest rates negative for several
years, and even today real rates remain low."
The magazine notes that Greenspan
triggered two of the greatest bubbles in history, the dotcom bubble of the
1990s and the real estate one the magazine warns is about to pop.
Greenspan's actions have created a
domino effect through which American consumers could borrow against the
rising, potentially artificial value of their homes to buy plush hot tubs
and $5,000 barbecue pits. In this way, Americans have been able to
literally consume more than they earn.
And that is leading to a consumer
financial environment in which Americans have negative savings rates, a
growing burden of household debt and a sizable current-account deficit.
Says The Economist: "Part of
America's current prosperity is based not on genuine gains in income, nor
on high productivity growth, but on borrowing from the future."
For the present, that means slower
growth, weaker job creation and low wage growth.
Citing Morgan Stanley, The Economist
points out that over the past four years total private-sector labor
compensation has risen by only 12 percent in real terms, compared with an
average gain of 20 percent over the previous five expansions.
The U.S. economy during the past
several years has been fueled by real estate and related spending - not
from an increase in labor compensation which has fueled previous economic
recoveries.
"When house-price rises flatten off,
and therefore the room for further equity withdrawal dries up, consumer
spending will stumble," says The Economist.
"Given that consumer spending and
residential construction have accounted for 90 percent of GDP growth in
recent years, it is hard to see how this can occur without a sharp
slowdown in the economy."
Investors who agree that the United
States may be facing economic trouble ahead should prepare.
Back
New report:
Teenage Views and Behavior Regarding the
Supernatural
Jan. 30
2006 Prophecy Watch
I
f
the spiritual world is elusive and controversial, one certainty is the
prevalence of the supernatural dimension in mass media. Supernatural
beings, stories, and themes have invaded America's entertainment choices -
from movies (such as Underworld, The Sixth Sense, The Exorcism of Emily
Rose), to television programs (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Ghost Whisperer),
to books (Harry Potter, Goosebumps), and video games (Doom, The
Darkness).
The nation's most media-drenched consumers are well aware of these
portrayals of the supernatural: more than four out five teenagers say they
have witnessed supernatural themes in media during the last three months.
This insight comes from a new report issued by The Barna Group that
examines teens media exposure to the supernatural world, as well as a
variety of other aspects of teens experiences and perceptions of the
immaterial realm, including their participation in psychic and witchcraft
activities, their beliefs, and their influencers.
The report, called Ministry to Mosaics: Teens and the Supernatural, is
based upon three nationwide studies conducted among more than 4,000 teens
by The Barna Group. The new resource is designed to help youth workers,
pastors, and parents understand and respond to the spiritual needs of
America's youth when it comes to this significant ministry subject.
Witchcraft and Psychic Engagement
Teenagers relish experiences and the supernatural world provides fertile
ground for their explorations. In fact, three-quarters of America's youth
(73%) have engaged in at least one type of psychic or witchcraft-related
activity, beyond mere media exposure or horoscope usage.
The most common types of witchcraft behaviors were using a Ouija board and
reading a book about witchcraft or Wicca, each of which had been done by
more than one-third of teenagers. More than one-quarter of teens have
played a game featuring sorcery or witchcraft elements. One-tenth of teens
had participated in a séance and 1 out of 12 had tried to cast a spell or
mix a magic potion.
As for psychic activities, more than one-fourth of teens have had their
palm read (30%) or their fortune told (27%). Other psychic deeds included
being physically present when someone else used psychic powers (14%),
visiting a medium or spiritual guide (9%), and consulting a psychic (9%).
Walking the line between entertainment and spiritual experimentation, 4
out of every 5 teens have read their horoscope before and say they do so
"just for fun." The new resource points out that while most teens are not
convinced that horoscopes are always accurate, more than one-quarter
believes they are always or usually true. Only a minority of teens
believes that horoscopes are not at all accurate and should be avoided.
Beyond-the-Senses Experiences
The Barna report also explores many dimensions of teens interactions with
unexplainable events. It is no wonder most teens believe in the
supernatural realm: many have had experiences that could only be described
as supernatural or spiritual. For instance, seven million teens have
encountered an angel, demon, or some other supernatural being. More than
two million teens say they have communicated with a dead person (10%).
Nearly two million youth claim they have psychic powers.
David Kinnaman, the author of the report, pointed out that teenagers are
members of the Mosaic generation, those Americans currently age three to
21. "The term Mosaic is a great way to describe teens patchwork of values
and lifestyles: they are the ultimate collage artists, pulling ideas and
input from a variety of sources that consist of a great diversity of
flavors."
The Vice President of The Barna Group explained that, "Teens give the
supernatural world the same treatment as any other aspect of their lives.
They cut and paste supernatural experiences and perspectives from a
variety of sources from the movies and books they read, from their
experiences, from the Internet, from their peers and families, from any
place they're comfortable with. Most of all, they are motivated by their
desire to find out what works for them and what feels right. This makes it
difficult to minister to them, because most teens today do not process or
interpret input in the same way adults do."
The research revealed that many churches fail to address the subject of
the supernatural with sufficient frequency or relevance. One of the
reports most sobering findings is that only one-quarter of churched
teenagers (28%) recall receiving any teaching at their church in the last
year that helped to shape their views on the supernatural world! Teens and
the Supernatural takes an in-depth look at what influences teens on the
topic of the spiritual world, touching on the roles of peers, families,
churches, and media.
Opportunities and Challenges
Certain types of teenagers are more likely to engage in dangerous
spiritual experimentation, while other groups are less inclined to do so.
Among the most likely to experiment were relationally isolated teenagers
and those who were experiencing a significant amount of stress and
frustration. Many teens try witchcraft or psychic activities based on a
desire to control or influence their circumstances. Teens with few friends
or undergoing intense stress were more likely than average to turn to
witchcraft or to psychic power to cope with their feelings of
vulnerability and insignificance.
On the other hand, possessing an evangelical faith perspective was by far
the most significant factor insulating teenagers from unwanted exploration
of the supernatural. Evangelical teens were nearly three times less likely
than the norm to have engaged in witchcraft or psychic activities. For
context, while only 26% of evangelicals had experimented, the next
least-likely segment of teens - those who read the Bible at least weekly -
showed an engagement rate of 54%.
Evangelicals were also significantly less likely to experiment with
supernatural powers and activities than we're non-evangelical born again
teens (69%) or youth group attendees (66%). Denominationally, Catholics
(77%) and mainline Protestants (81%) were slightly more likely to
experiment than were Baptists (60%) or non-mainline Protestants (62%).
Beliefs
Teens and the Supernatural: includes an analysis of teen beliefs on the
supernatural dimension. For instance, although three-quarters believe in
the existence of an immaterial, spiritual world, there is little agreement
about the shape of that arena: almost half think there are good and evil
powers in the supernatural world; one-fifth says there is no such thing as
good versus evil; one out of 10 offered some other opinion on the matter;
and one-quarter said they have no idea.
Teens ideas about the supernatural are soft and unpredictable, as
reflected in these highlights from the report:
Most teens embraced the biblical position on life after death: "every
person has a soul that will live forever, either God's presence or
absence" (82%). However, a smaller proportion (61%) believes Heaven is a
real place or paradise where people go when they die.
Most teenagers - 71% - embrace the orthodox Christian view of God (the
all-powerful, all-knowing, perfect creator of the world). A slight
majority (58%) say that Satan is a real spiritual being and the enemy of
God.
Teens have mixed perspectives on other supernatural beings, such as
angels, ghosts, demons, witches and vampires. When pressed on the matter,
large proportions of teens say they are not very certain of their views on
these subjects - even among the 89% who believe in the existence of
angels.
Perspectives
The 47-page report includes a final chapter filled with recommendations
and suggestions for parents and youth workers.
"Everyone wants a simple solution," the 32-year-old Kinnaman explained.
"Unfortunately, we discovered the answers are quite complex. Teens need
help becoming wiser consumers of media, but that takes a long-term,
intensive process of coaching. They would also benefit from more
integration of Scriptural perspectives into their decision-making - that
is, they need to operate on the basis of a biblical worldview. But that
takes years to develop, immense effort, and close cooperation between
church and home. Youth ministries need to address the supernatural more
frequently as well as customize their ministry to each student by
providing mentoring and personalized development opportunities, but most
youth groups would have to be restructured to accomplish these goals.
These types of strategies yield deep, whole-life results. But it is
difficult to adopt these alternatives because they take patience, prayer
and an intense focus on transformed lives rather than mere program
attendance."
The Supernatural report is the first in a series of Barna reports on the
Mosaic generation. When Kinnaman was asked to explain the focus on
Mosaics, the 11-year Barna Group veteran pointed to unprecedented
opportunities among the age group.
"The Mosaic generation is in a state of spiritual turmoil. They long for
personal meaning and they are comfortable with incredible technological
and media-driven tools that would enable them to accomplish whatever
spiritual goals they choose. But millions of teens are precariously close
to simply shelving the Christian faith as irrelevant, uninspiring, and
'just a phase.' Millions of previously churched Busters ended up rejecting
Christian spirituality after high school. Mosaics are in even greater
danger of making that leap from faith to doubt."
"The supernatural world represents the epicenter of the spiritual struggle
for their hearts and minds," Kinnaman continued. "When teenagers settle
for cheap alternatives instead of choosing intimacy with God and relying
upon His care and His power - it can lead to years, even decades, of
spiritual entrapment in their lives. But with appropriate choices come
spiritual rewards. After Jesus rejected Satan's temptations, His ministry
flourished. If Mosaics reject spiritual deception and stop tinkering with
contemptible imitations of God's power, it could spell the difference
between a generation fulfilling its spiritual destiny and one that turns
from God during adulthood."
Back
Walker
Endorsed This Week by Young Conservatives of Texas, Texas Home School
Coalition PAC, and Cathie Adams.
Jan. 30 2006 Cathie Adams president
of the Texas Eagle Forum
B
rian
Keith Walker, one of three Republicans seeking to unseat Democrat Chuck
Hopson for HD 11, was endorsed this week by two very influential
conservative groups, and one very influential conservative activist.
Cathie Adams, president of the Texas Eagle Forum, was the first to
announce her personal endorsement of Brian. As many know, Cathie has
been active in Republican state politics for years, is very respected in
East Texas conservative circles, and has led the helm of the Texas branch
of Phylis Schlafly’s Eagle Forum. According to Cathie, she “is
honored” to endorse Brian and “she looks forward to working with him” in
the future.
In addition to the TEF endorsement,
Brian was also endorsed by the Young Conservatives of Texas. YCT is
a non-partisan youth organization that is involved in grassroots politics
throughout Texas. Its members are predominantly college students
that promote conservative values through involvement in campaigns,
lobbying, and campus activism at their university chapters.
According to Alan Crider, the Vice
Chairman of Campaigns for YCT, “the candidates we have endorsed have gone
through an extensive interview process carried out by YCT members
throughout the state.” He explained that “almost all of the
candidates in the contested primary races for State Legislature and US
Congress have been contacted and interviewed by our members” which “allows
YCT to ask the questions of the candidates to ascertain who is a true
conservative in each race.” According to a release issued by YCT,
the candidates they have endorsed this election cycle “are considered the
most conservative candidates in their respective races.”
Obviously Walker’s conservatism drew
the attention of another notable group on the right. The Texas Home
School Coalition’s Political Action Committee, which focuses primarily on
monitoring and lobbying the legislature on behalf of home education issues
but also works to promote other conservative ideals, has endorsed Brian in
his bid for the Texas House. The THSC PAC led by Tim Lambert,
Executive Director of THSC also carried out an extensive interviewing
process in determining what candidates would carry out the conservative
ideals of their organization, and in HD 11 Brian Keith Walker stood out
the most.
Back
Astronomer,
Biochemist Say Creation Can Be Science
Jan. 31 2006 Christian
Newswire
N
EWS
ADVISORY, Recent court judgments have declared that creationism
(Intelligent Design) is not science and has no place in the public school
classroom. However the team of scientists at Reasons To Believe (RTB) has
demonstrated creation can be formulated and tested as a scientific theory.
Over the past twenty years researchers at RTB have developed a
verifiable/falsifiable model for creation that is anchored in the
scientific method.
"The RTB creation model embraces all
the findings of research science, including the latest discoveries," says
astronomer and physicist, Dr. Hugh Ross, founder and president of Reasons
To Believe. "It integrates current data not only from paleontology and
biology but also from astronomy, physics, geology, chemistry,
biochemistry, genetics, and anthropology."
RTB's positive approach emphasizes
scientific credibility. "The scientists at Reasons To Believe don’t waste
time bashing evolution," says biochemist Dr. Fazale ‘Fuz’ Rana. "We have
instead produced a testable creation model that has greater explanatory
power and predictive success than do the naturalistic models, including
the Darwinian theory of biological evolution." Dr. Rana, a noted expert on
origin of life research, is Vice President for Science Apologetics at
Reasons To Believe.
Aspects of the RTB model for
creation appear in several books: The Creator and the Cosmos, A Matter of
Days, Origins of Life, and Who Was Adam? A new book highlighting the scope
and features of the model is scheduled for release in September 2006.
"We continue to work on expanding
our model—the quantity and quality of its predictions about what future
research will uncover as well as the quantity and quality of its
explanatory detail," says Ross.
The RTB model has been presented in
summary form to faculty and students at some major universities across the
country. After attending the presentation at Rice University and reading
Ross and Rana's recent books, the late Dr. Richard Smalley, Nobel Prize
winning chemist (1996), commented, "Evolution has just been dealt its
death blow." He went on to express his wish that other scientists would
read and consider Ross and Rana's work.
"All researchers who produce
working, successfully predictive models should be granted support and
encouraged to further develop and publicly present their theories," says
Dr. Ross.
"As the Supreme Court ruled in
Edwards v. Aguillard," continues Ross, "schoolteachers already have the
constitutional right to ‘supplant the present science curriculum with the
presentation of theories, besides evolution, about the origin of life,’ as
long as those theories show genuine scientific merit."
Back
Clarifications on
the “End of the Spear” Article by Jason Janz
Jan. 31 2006 www.sharperiron.org
n
Friday, January 13th, I posted an article on my web site,
www.sharperiron.org, titled: Nate Saint Played by Gay Activist in
“End of the Spear." The article created a stir, and it became
evident that this issue is important to many Christians. On Thursday,
January 26th, I spent two hours on a conference call with Mart Green, the
CEO of Every Tribe Entertainment; Randy Alcorn, Christian author and
director of Eternal Perspective Ministries; and Mike Sproul, the pastor of
Tri-City Baptist Church in Tempe, Arizona. I believe that God was honored
as four men strove for understanding in a difficult situation. The Bible
tells us in Romans 12:18, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live
peaceably with all.” Hebrews 12:14 says, “Strive for peace with everyone.”
I believe that heartbeat was evident in this meeting. We covered a lot of
territory during that call. While we still disagree on some issues, I feel
it is my responsibility to address the part of the conversation that
pertained to the content of my original article.
A Little History
First of all, I’d like to explain how I came to write what I did. The
morning after I attended the screening, I was made aware that a gay
activist was playing in the movie. Feeling that this was bad judgment, I
began researching the facts so that I could make Christians aware. I found
several discussions on the web where this issue had been raised several
months ago, but generally, people seemed unconcerned. I read every article
on the actor’s website, researched others, and documented the quotes. I
wrote the article and uploaded it late Thursday night, January 12th. By
noon on the 13th, it was evident that this was a hot topic. A friend of
mine emailed me the email address of one of the team members at ETE. I
emailed the ETE team member the following message: “A friend of mine said
he has been contacting you this morning regarding my article and he
forwarded me your email address. I am more than willing to post a response
from ETE to clarify your position on this issue.” I received a short
answer, but I was not alerted to errors in the article and received no
official statement from ETE.
After writing the article, I realized that SharperIron readers would want
a way to voice their concerns, so I formulated a brief letter to which
pastors could add their names and said that I would forward it to Mart
Green. After one hundred pastors had signed the letter, I emailed it to
Mart Green and the ETE team on Wednesday, January 18th. I received an
email from Mart Green on that Friday asking if we could talk. We had a
cordial, but stilted conversation, and I think we both felt frustrated
after the call. It was opening day, and Mart was trying to get ready to go
to a showing with several members of the UN. I was endeavoring to make
sense of ETE’s decision. Regardless, the call didn’t accomplish much.
On Tuesday, January 24th, someone forwarded me an email message written by
Randy Alcorn. In it, he mentioned that Steve Saint was denying what was
said in my article, especially regarding my quote from The Advocate
magazine. If what the article said was untrue, then I needed to take steps
to correct my reliance upon it. I immediately called Randy and asked to
speak with him. He was on a writing project, but he called me the next
morning. We talked for about an hour, and he shared his concerns. That
same day, Pastor Mike Sproul forwarded an email in which Mart Green stated
that he felt I didn’t hear his heart when we talked on the phone. These
two issues troubled me, so I emailed Mart and asked him if we could talk
again. We set up a conference call for 1:00 p.m. Thursday, January 26th.
This call was much more profitable than the first. Though we still
disagree, I believe that we understand one another more clearly.
My Corrections
In my original article, three issues need addressing. First, I brought the
testimony of ETE into question when I assumed that someone on their set
was sitting around reading gay magazines. This was an improper conclusion
based on evidence that has since been refuted. Second, after I quoted an
article from The Advocate, I made a judgment on what I understood
the belief system of ETE to be. I was wrong, and I have apologized to Mart
and asked for his forgiveness, which he kindly granted to me. I told him
that if I had to do it over again, I would have sent my article to ETE
before I posted it. Third, it has also come to my attention that The
Advocate reported something that is incorrect, according to Mart Green
and Steve Saint. I have edited my original article to add their side of
the story. I told Mart that I would send out the corrections to everyone
that received the initial article from me as well as those who have
contacted me. In addition, I will make the necessary corrections to my
original article for the sake of those who read it in the future. While I
believe that ETE erred in its decisions, its errors are no excuse for me
not to admit mine.
My communication up until yesterday was with the team members of ETE, but
not Steve Saint. It was brought to my attention that some people came to
conclusions that were untrue about Steve and his dad as a result of
reading my article. His contact information was forwarded to me and we
talked on the phone yesterday for almost an hour. I apologized and asked
for forgiveness and Steve said, “You were forgiven before you asked.” I am
genuinely sorry for causing him and his family undue hurt.
In Closing
The Bible implores us, in spite of deep disagreements, to not count fellow
believers as enemies, but as brothers. Mart is not my enemy. He is a
brother in Christ who has a track record that speaks of a heart for
evangelism and getting God’s Word into as many people’s hands as possible.
I trust that you do not imply from this letter that I feel any less
passionate about my initial concerns. They remain. However, my purpose in
writing this was not to enumerate my disagreements, but rather to admit my
errors.
Back
Panel:
Teflon Chemical in nonstick and stain-resistant products
a Likely Carcinogen
Jan. 30 2006 RANDALL CHASE,
Associated Press Writer
A
chemical used in the manufacture of Teflon and other nonstick and
stain-resistant products should be considered a "likely" carcinogen,
according to an independent scientific review panel advising the
Environmental Protection Agency.
The recommendation included in the
panel's final draft report is consistent with its preliminary finding,
which went beyond the EPA's own determination that there was only
"suggestive evidence" from animal studies that perfluorooctanoic acid and
its salts are potential human carcinogens.
"The predominant panel view was that
the descriptor 'likely to be carcinogenic' was more consistent with
currently available data, while a few panel members reached the conclusion
that the current evidence fails to exceed the descriptor 'suggestive,' of
carcinogenicity," the panel said in a draft report released Monday.
Officials with Wilmington,
Del.-based DuPont Co., the sole North American producer of PFOA, took
issue with the panel's conclusions.
"We disagree with the panel's
recommendation on the cancer classification, and we continue to support
the EPA's draft risk assessment," said Robert Rickard, director of health
and environmental sciences for DuPont.
"This reflects recommended
classification; what's more important is risk, and we are confident that
PFOA does not pose a cancer risk to the general public," added Rickard,
who said the carcinogenicity classification was based on animal data and
does not reflect data from human studies.
PFOA is a processing aid used in the
manufacturing of fluoropolymers, which have a wide variety of product
applications, including nonstick cookware. The chemical also can be a
byproduct in the manufacturing of fluorotelomers used in surface
protection products for applications such as stain-resistant textiles and
grease-resistant food wrapping.
Besides disagreeing with the EPA on
the potential carcinogenicity of PFOA, also known as C-8, a majority of
members on the review panel also recommended that the EPA's risk
assessment include additional data on PFOA's potential to cause liver,
testicular, pancreatic and breast cancers. A majority of panel members
also recommended that the chemical's effects on hormones and on the
nervous and immune systems be included in the risk assessment, and that
studies should not be limited by age, gender or species in assessing human
risk.
The findings of the panel, which was
established by the EPA's Science Advisory Board, will be reviewed by SAB
officials in a Feb. 15 teleconference.
"The real outcome of this is the
panel going back and saying `You've got to include this extra stuff here;
it wasn't really a rigorous analysis," said Tim Kropp, senior scientist
for the Environmental Working Group, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit
organization whose work has prompted increased government scrutiny of PFOA.
While the EPA is free to accept or
reject the panel's recommendations, Kropp said it rare for the EPA to
dismiss an advisory board's advice.
"They've asked them to do a more
rigorous analysis, to do a more scientific method of determining risk, and
you can't argue with that," he said. "That's just good science."
EPA officials declined to say how
the agency might respond to the report.
"It's sort of what we expected,"
said EPA deputy administrator Marcus Peacock, adding that he had not read
the full report. "There's more we don't know here than what we do know."
Susan Hazen, EPA's acting assistant
administrator for the Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic
Substances, said much of the work aimed at better understanding PFOA
already is underway.
Hazen and Peacock also pointed to an
EPA initiative announced last week asking DuPont and seven other companies
that manufacture or use PFOA, its precursors, and similar compounds to
reduce environmental releases and levels of those chemicals in products by
95 percent no later than 2010, using the year 2000 as a baseline.
The EPA also wants the industry to
work toward the elimination of PFOA and related chemicals from emissions
and products by no later than 2015.
Back
Palestinian
Christians Face Dark Future
Jan. 30 2006 Chris Mitchell
CWNews.com
C
hristians
make-up about two percent of the population in Judea and Samaria, also
called the West Bank. But with the growing influence of groups like Hamas,
many Christians are choosing to leave.
A recent report suggests that – even
before the current Palestinian election results – persecution against
Palestinian Christian believers is been getting worse.
All that remains of 14 homes set a
blaze in the West Bank Village of Taybeh, in the Judea-Samaria/West Bank
area, is charred ruin.
An angry Muslim mob from a
neighboring village attacked the Christian town last September..
Taybeh is the only village
completely inhabited by Christians—about 2,000 of them—in
Judea-Samaria/West Bank.
The village was originally called
Ephraim and is mentioned in the Old Testament. It is also spoken of in the
New Testament, in the Gospel of John, as a village where Jesus stayed.
The attack on the village of Taybeh
is one more example of the precarious position of Christians in the
Judea-Samaria/West Bank area and indeed throughout the Middle East.
International Human Rights Attorney
Justus Weiner has researched the plight of Palestinian Christians for more
than 8 years. His findngs were recently published by the Jerusalem Center
For Public Affairs.
Weiner says Palestinian Christians
are now living in fear because persecution against them is actually
increasing.
He said specifically, "I think the
situation has been on a steep downhill, for at least 12 years, since
Israel withdrew from the Palestinian populated areas of the
Judea-Samaria/West Bank and Gaza. The Christians fear for their own lives,
they fear for their own family, they fear for the future of their
community."
Christians are a community that many
believe will be marginalized as the Palestinians move toward statehood.
A Palestinian eyewitness suggests
that marginalization of Christians has already begun. We'll call her
Hannan. We've hidden her identity to protect her from retribution.
Hannan says Christians are now being
treated as ‘second class citizens’ in the Holy Land because Islamists
dominate the Palestinian authority.
“Now,”
said Hannan, “all the leadership, and the people in authority, are
Muslims. And they force their laws, their teaching, their Koran,
everything—In the courts, in the schools, everywhere. They threaten
people, and people are afraid to say no."
Western leaders used to say the
elections scheduled for January, 2006 prove the Palestinians are committed
to establishing a democratic society. But the draft Palestinian
constitution shows a government consigned to institutionalizing Islam over
any other religion, even over secularism.
The draft constitution pledges to
guarantee freedom of worship. But in fact, Islam is stated as “the
official religion of Palestine,” so Sharia law is stated as the primary
source of legislation.
Under Sharia law, any Muslim who
leaves Islam and chooses to convert to another faith must be killed.
Back
Supreme Court
ruling in Kelo Threatening Churches
Jan. 25 2006 Family Research
Council
O
nce,
churches and synagogues were viewed by government as valued members of the
community. There was a respect for houses of worship. They weren't treated
as just another building, just some choice acreage to be coveted by
government for the enhanced tax revenues that could be extracted. Now,
things are changing. In Massachusetts, Gov. Mitt Romney (R) has had to
warn the legislature that he may veto a new bill that would require
religious groups to disclose their finances and identify their donors. The
measure would, Romney says, impose "onerous reporting requirements,
oversight and intrusion in religious practice." And in Sand Springs, OK,
as I've reported, little Centennial Baptist Church is struggling to stay
out of the bulldozers' path. There, Centennial, a historically black
congregation, is in danger because of a redevelopment plan that promoters
claim will bring in more money to city coffers. Citing last summer's
Supreme Court ruling in Kelo, Pastor Roosevelt Gildon says: "The
Lord didn't send me here to build a mini-mall." Government should
safeguard the rights of our nation's religious institutions, not sell them
out to the highest bidder. Churches and synagogues are valuable assets to
any community, they go where government can't go and they do what
government can't do. They instill hope in a community; they give purpose
to people and they develop character in the next generation. Those are
things tax revenue will never buy.
Additional Resources
Kelo
Decision Ensnares a Church in Oklahoma
Back
Columbia
forgery ring
Bust uncovers Al Qaeda - Hamas Ties?
Jan.27 2006 Gary
Bauer
C
olumbia
busted a major passport forgery ring this week operating in five cities.
The gang was providing false passports to Pakistanis, Jordanians, Iraqis
and Egyptians, which identified them as Columbian so that they could enter
the United States. Here's the shocker: An undisclosed number of those
arrested were working with Al Qaeda as well as Hamas. The U.S. wants eight
of them extradited here to stand trial. This is just one more reminder
that our enemy is still working 24 hours a day to infiltrate the country
and attack us again.
Back
Marriage
Defenders Lose Ground in Maryland, Move Forward in Virginia
Jan. 26 2006 Allie Martin and Jenni Parker Agape Press
A
Christian activist says a dark shadow has been cast over traditional
marriage in Maryland. Last week, a trial court struck down a state law
banning same-sex "marriage" on the basis that it violated the Equal Rights
Amendment, or ERA.
In 1972 voters in Maryland ratified
the ERA, which stated that a person should not be denied rights because of
their sex. The next year the General Assembly passed a law recognizing
only traditional marriage. Now, however, Judge M. Brooke Murdock has ruled
that the state's marriage law violated the ERA.
Tres Kerns, executive director of
VoteMarriage.org, says a poll taken last year showed overwhelming support
for traditional marriage. "We reached over 20,000 homes in the state and
literally over 70 percent of them agreed with it," he says. "Even in what
we would call the most liberal area, which is Rockville, Maryland, 55
percent of the people said they believe that marriage is between a man and
a woman."
Hence, Kerns contends, "It's clear
what the citizens of Maryland want." He says the case will be appealed
and, at the same time, an effort is under way to amend the state
constitution to protect traditional marriage.
"We are in a real battle here for
our families," the traditional marriage advocate says. "The family's been
under attack for a long time. You just can't sit on the sidelines." Those
who are doing that are "acquiescing to the aggressor," he contends.
"The aggressor is the people who are
against the family and want to destroy the family as we know it so they
can do whatever they want," Kerns declares. "It's what I call sexual
anarchy, and we've got to stop that."
Meanwhile, in nearby Virginia, the
lengthy, nearly two-year process of amending that state's constitution
took another small step forward as the Senate voted to give Commonwealth
citizens the opportunity to weigh in on the definition of marriage.
Victoria Cobb, executive director of
the Family Foundation, is hailing this latest bit of progress in the
marriage protection battle. "Virginians will now have nearly ten months to
consider this question before casting their ballot in November," she
notes.
However, Cobb points out, "Opponents
to traditional marriage are well funded and are already on the offensive.
While we have little doubt that the vast majority of Virginians support
this amendment and will vote in favor of it in 2006, we will not sit by
and allow those opposed to traditional marriage to dominate the debate."
The Family Foundation spokeswoman
says that group has, along with several other pro-family groups in
Virginia, helped to create "VA4Marriage.org" to lead the push to get the
state's marriage amendment passed. The pro-family project includes a
website, voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts, as well as
representatives ready to speak on the amendment at community and church
meetings. Radio, TV, and newspaper ads are also planned as part of an
extensive media campaign.
Back
Iran's Top Secret
5-Point Battle Plan for War against the West
Jan.30 2006 Prophecy Watch
L
ast
night on the "Gunny Bob Show," MND columnist "Gunny Bob" Newman revealed
the terrorist government of Iran's top secret war plan, should push come
to shove with the United States, certain European countries and Israel.
The plan, which was drawn up primarily by the Revolutionary Guards and
approved by Iran's delusional president, consists of 5 main strategies:
(1) The removal of Iranian funds (already begun) from all foreign banks
where those funds could be seized as a result of sanctions and war;
(2) The destruction of oil facilities in Gulf states hosting US forces or
otherwise friendly to the US, and the mining of the Persian Gulf, in order
to drive oil prices above $100/barrel and adversely effect financial
markets;
(3) The weakening of US and European national resolve to win a war against
Iran by causing massive US and European casualties requiring deployment of
reinforcing forces, attacking into Iraq and the Gulf waters with
conventional forces and weapons (such as ballistic missiles), the possible
use of chemical and biological weapons on the Iraqi battlefield, and a
massive increase in the number and level of terrorist attacks within Iraq
(for which Iran's Revolutionary Guards have been laying the groundwork
since the spring of 2003);
(4) The use of "Fifth Column" forces against US, European and Israeli
