ACLU At it again, attacking one Churches Christmas Nativity Scene

From the Scrooge Report

“The City’s practice of funding a Nativity scene in the City’s annual ‘Christmas on the Cumberland’ celebration is constitutionally suspect and such practice must be remedied.” –ACLU

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — The pastor at Grace Church of the Nazarene says he and his congregation will present their “Christmas on the Cumberland” Nativity scene despite objections from the American Civil Liberties Union.
Steve Estep, the church’s pastor, said Saturday the church went through all the proper channels to present the display, and won’t let the ACLU effort diminish their celebration of the season, and “what it’s really all about.”
“We’re gonna do what we’ve been doing,” Estep said.
The ACLU sent a letter to City Attorney Lance Baker on Nov. 11, alleging the city’s riverfront Christmas observance violated the First Amendment in an “apparent promotion and endorsement of Christianity.” …

Later in the story…

…the ACLU is not asking the city do away with the “Christmas on the Cumberland” celebration altogether, rather implement an “equal access” policy to allow other religious and non-religious groups to participate, clearly state the city’s non-endorsement and not provide funding for a religious display.

Of course, the pastor has said the church is not keeping anyone out or preventing anyone from attending. The Dec. 11 and 12 performances will include choirs from multiple churches of varying faiths at McGregor Park.

FULL STORY

Children work to smuggle food and other items across War Torn Border in Middle East

Torkham, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Sabar Mina is cloaked in a light green shawl tinged with dirt. She is holding an empty flour sack that she plans on filling with firewood.
Her eyes are soft and kind, but they bear the signs of exhaustion. There's a reason for that. Instead of going to school, the eight-year-old walks an hour to work.
All day long Sabar takes items back and forth between two of the most dangerous countries in the world, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Normally she smuggles flour from the Pakistan side where she is from. Pakistan has a ban on exporting food items to Afghanistan because of a spike in food prices, so flour is a hot commodity right now.
Once over the border Sabar gathers and carries firewood to take back from Afghanistan. Her job is hard and sometimes dangerous.
"When we bring the flour the Pakistani police stop us and they hit us, beat us," she said.
But that is nothing compared to one of the other dangers of the job. Sabar was working the border with her younger sister when a suicide bomber blew himself up killing several people. It was the second terror attack in three months on this border.
"When the bomb exploded I was on the Afghanistan side with my sister." She said: "We were crying and then we ran away to the Pakistan side."
But it hasn't stopped her or her sister from working. There are hundreds of children just like them. One charitable organization there estimates 300 children per day work the border at Torkham.

click to read entire article and watch video at CNN.com

Pastor Robbed At Gun Point at Church

Monday, November 23, 2009



LINCOLN, Neb. —  Police in Lincoln, Neb., are investigating the armed robbery of a pastor at his church.
Police say the pastor, 52-year-old Christopher Anderson, opened a door at Glad Tidings Assembly of God for someone who was knocking late Saturday night. The man asked for money, but Anderson said he didn't have any to give.
Anderson told police that when he started to close the door, the man grabbed him by the hair and slammed his face against a table.
Police say the robber held a knife to the pastor's face as he took his wallet, watch and gold wedding ring.
Officer Katie Flood said Monday that no arrests have been made yet.