Apple Shuts Down A Christian App Because of its Questionable Content About Marriage Between Only a Man & Woman!

Society

Tue, Dec. 28 2010 03:17 PM EDT

Apple Refuses to Reinstate Christian App

By Lillian Kwon|Christian Post Reporter

Apple recently rejected the resubmission of a Christian app after it was pulled from the app store for being "offensive."

More than 46,000 people signed a petition asking the company to reinstate the Manhattan Declaration app, which is based on a document that upholds the traditional understanding of marriage and the sanctity of life.

But organizers behind the Manhattan Declaration said they were notified last week that the resubsmission was not accepted.

"Apple is telling us that the apps' content is considered 'likely to expose a group to harm' and 'to be objectionable and potentially harmful to others," they said.

"Inasmuch as the Manhattan Declaration simply reaffirms the moral teachings of our Christian faith on the sanctity of human life, marriage and sexual morality, and religious freedom and the rights of conscience, Apple's statement amounts to the charge that our faith is 'potentially harmful to others.'"

The Manhattan Declaration app was initially approved in October and rated as a 4+, which indicated that it contained "no objectionable material."

But opponents of the app started a petition on Change.org demanding that Apple remove the "anti-gay, anti-choice" application. It was pulled over the Thanksgiving holiday. A revised version - that does not contain a poll asking users about same-sex relationships and abortion - was submitted to Apple early this month along with a petition addressed to Steve Jobs.

Those behind the Manhattan Declaration called the latest rejection by Apple "appalling."

"It is difficult to see how this is anything other than a statement of animus by a major American corporation against the beliefs of millions of Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox citizens," they stated.

The Manhattan Declaration, unveiled last November, outlines principles that uphold the sanctity of life, the historic understanding of marriage, and religious liberty. It has been endorsed by prominent evangelical, Orthodox and Catholic leaders and so far nearly half a million signatures have been added to it. The original drafters are Dr. Timothy George of Samford University, evangelical leader Chuck Colson, and Dr. Robert George of Princeton University.

Organizers plan to take their rejected app matter to Apple's App Review Board after they return from the Christmas and New Year's holiday observances.

Lillian Kwon
Christian Post Reporter

Jesus Christ Decor Being Called a "Yard Sign" & Told to Take it Down!

A sign stating "Happy Birthday Jesus, Come Let Us Adore Him." and then a letter sent to Henderson from the New Bristow Village management company ordered that it be removed even though it had been up for three weeks!

No signs - except for real estate or security signs - are allowed in the Prince William County development. Henderson was given 15 days to comply.


Mr. Henderson, is a federal government employee who will keep the Jesus sign up until Jan. 1.

"When I got the letter on Christmas Eve, I called my wife over and said, 'You're never going to believe this,' " Henderson, 38, said. "I figured we couldn't put up commercial or political signs, but certainly the association could use discretion when it came to religion.

"What really bothered me was that they sent it on Christmas. I consider myself a man of faith. The sign shows to all of our neighbors what Christ means to us."

Carol Piering, a spokeswoman for the management company, said the sign's religious message had nothing to do with the decision to enforce the rules. "The content of the sign is not why the letter was sent," she said, acknowledging that the warning could have been mailed on a different date. "The letter was ill-timed, and for that we absolutely apologize."

"This is a matter of a private contract, and HOAs are entitled to have declarations, and whatever those declarations are make up the laws of that community," said Mike Inman, a Virginia Beach lawyer and co-publisher of the Virginia Condominium & Homeowners' Association Law Blog. "But it would seem to me that the 'Happy Birthday Jesus' item was not necessarily a sign, but yard decor for the season."

CLICK HERE To Read more of the ORIGINAL ARTICLE

JMC Response:

At this time there are over 1400 who have participated in the poll on the Washington Post site. 80% so far want to see the decor stay up!

Christ is the ONLY reason for Christmas. If not then why call it CHRISTmas? It is the celebration of God's son born on Earth!

God bless this family for taking a stand for Christ!

U.S Citizens Looking For Jobs Won't Find Them In The USA

Corporate profits are up. Stock prices are up. So why isn't anyone hiring?

Actually, many American companies are — just maybe not in your town. They're hiring overseas, where sales are surging and the pipeline of orders is fat.

More than half of the 15,000 people that Caterpillar Inc. has hired this year were outside the U.S. UPS is also hiring at a faster clip overseas. For both companies, sales in international markets are growing at least twice as fast as domestically.

The trend helps explain why unemployment remains high in the United States, edging up to 9.8 percent last month, even though companies are performing well: All but 4 percent of the top 500 U.S. corporations reported profits this year, and the stock market is close to its highest point since the 2008 financial meltdown.

But the jobs are going elsewhere. The Economic Policy Institute, a Washington think tank, says American companies have created 1.4 million jobs overseas this year, compared with less than 1 million in the U.S. The additional 1.4 million jobs would have lowered the U.S. unemployment rate to 8.9 percent, says Robert Scott, the institute's senior international economist.

"There's a huge difference between what is good for American companies versus what is good for the American economy," says Scott.

American jobs have been moving overseas for more than two decades. In recent years, though, those jobs have become more sophisticated — think semiconductors and software, not toys and clothes.

And now many of the products being made overseas aren't coming back to the United States. Demand has grown dramatically this year in emerging markets like India, China and Brazil.

Meanwhile, consumer demand in the U.S. has been subdued. Despite a strong holiday shopping season, Americans are still spending 18 percent less than before the recession on furniture, and 10 percent less on electronics, according to MasterCard's SpendingPulse.

"Companies will go where there are fast-growing markets and big profits," says Jeffrey Sachs, globalization expert and economist at Columbia University. "What's changed is that companies today are getting top talent in emerging economies, and the U.S. has to really watch out."

With the future looking brighter overseas, companies are building there, too. Caterpillar, maker of the signature yellow bulldozers and tractors, has invested in three new plants in China in just the last two months to design and manufacture equipment. The decision is based on demand: Asia-Pacific sales soared 38 percent in the first nine months of the year, compared with 16 percent in the U.S. Caterpillar stock is up 64 percent this year.

"There is a shift in economic power that's going on and will continue. China just became the world's second-largest economy," says David Wyss, chief economist at Standard & Poor's, who notes that half of the revenue for companies in the S&P 500 in the last couple of years has come from outside the U.S.

Take the example of DuPont, which wowed the world in 1938 with nylon stockings. Known as one of the most innovative American companies of the 20th century, DuPont now sells less than a third of its products in the U.S. In the first nine months of this year, sales to the Asia-Pacific region grew 50 percent, triple the U.S. rate. Its stock is up 48 percent this year.

DuPont's work force reflects the shift in its growth: In a presentation on emerging markets, the company said its number of employees in the U.S. shrank by 9 percent between January 2005 and October 2009. In the same period, its work force grew 54 percent in the Asia-Pacific countries.

"We are a global player out to succeed in any geography where we participate in," says Thomas M. Connelly, chief innovation officer at DuPont. "We want our resources close to where our customers are, to tailor products to their needs."

click to read more from Yahoo News

Ancient Human Remains Found In Israel

JERUSALEM –

Israeli archaeologists said Monday they may have found the earliest evidence yet for the existence of modern man, and if so, it could upset theories of the origin of humans.

A Tel Aviv University team excavating a cave in central Israel said teeth found in the cave are about 400,000 years old and resemble those of other remains of modern man, known scientifically as Homo sapiens, found in Israel. The earliest Homo sapiens remains found until now are half as old.

Click image to see photos of the ancient tooth

AP/Oded Balilty

"It's very exciting to come to this conclusion," said archaeologist Avi Gopher, whose team examined the teeth with X-rays and CT scans and dated them according to the layers of earth where they were found.

He stressed that further research is needed to solidify the claim. If it does, he says, "this changes the whole picture of evolution."

The accepted scientific theory is that Homo sapiens originated in Africa and migrated out of the continent. Gopher said if the remains are definitively linked to modern human's ancestors, it could mean that modern man in fact originated in what is now Israel.

Sir Paul Mellars, a prehistory expert at Cambridge University, said the study is reputable, and the find is "important" because remains from that critical time period are scarce, but it is premature to say the remains are human.

"Based on the evidence they've cited, it's a very tenuous and frankly rather remote possibility," Mellars said. He said the remains are more likely related to modern man's ancient relatives, the Neanderthals.

According to today's accepted scientific theories, modern humans and Neanderthals stemmed from a common ancestor who lived in Africa about 700,000 years ago. One group of descendants migrated to Europe and developed into Neanderthals, later becoming extinct. Another group stayed in Africa and evolved into Homo sapiens — modern humans.

click to read more from Yahoo News

Man Pays for Woman's Grocery's Without Asking for Anything in Return!

By Jean Cole jean@athensnews-courier.com The News Courier Thu Dec 23, 2010, 02:00 AM CST

— Grocery store clerk Shelia Newton was checking out a customer at Hometown Grocery in Athens on Monday, when a tall, middle-age gentleman stepped up beside the woman in line and said, ”I’m your secret Santa today.”

The generous stranger was at the South Jefferson Street store to cover the woman’s $84 grocery tab.

“He swiped his card through the card reader and before the receipt even came out, he was gone,” Newton said. “I was stunned. Someone coming up and paying for someone’s groceries. Stuff like that doesn’t happen that much anymore.”

Newton and the customer were speechless.

“We just looked at each other,” Newton said. “She thought I knew him and I thought she knew him. I just told her that her groceries were paid for.”

Link to Original Article

School Now Allows Pledge of Allegiance Without Permission Slip

BROOKLINE (FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) - A Brookline school is now saying permission slips won’t be necessary for students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

School sends home permission slips for Pledge of Allegiance: MyFoxBOSTON.com

School Requires Permission Slips to Recite Pledge of Allegiance

Thief Returns Stolen Baby Jesus - The Triad News Story - WXII The Triad

Thief Returns Stolen Baby Jesus - The Triad News Story - WXII The Triad

It looks like a repentant heart can be found. A thief who took baby Jesus and some lawn equipment returned the nativity Jesus.

11-year-old Helps Other Kids Get Toys For Christmas

He and his family were returning home from a shopping trip to the mall when they saw a homeless woman, her two children, a man and his dog under a bridge. Their clothes were tattered and torn, and they had all their belongings in a shopping cart.

"What will happen at Christmas?" Stephen asked his mother. "Will they get any toys?"

Probably not, his mom told him.

"I was sad about that," says Stephen, now 11 and a sixth-grader. So he went home and searched the house for spare change.

He collected $35, divided the money into four plastic baggies, and then his family drove him back to the bridge, where he gave one bag of money to each of the four people.

"They were so thankful," he recalls. "They said, 'God bless you.' The woman cried."

For the past seven years, the family has hosted an annual Christmas party with guests bringing new toys, which the family then gives to the Salvation Army to distribute.

The guest list at the parties includes their friends, all the students in Stephen's grade, as well as the classmates of his siblings.

Last year, they collected 300 to 350 toys and $3,500. This year, they want to break their own record and collect 500 toys.

LINK TO ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Earth Gone Wild-2010 The Year of the Most Crazy Natural Disasters

Earthquakes, heat waves, floods, volcanoes, super typhoons, blizzards, landslides and droughts killed at least a quarter million people in 2010 - the deadliest year in more than a generation. More people were killed worldwide by natural disasters this year than have been killed in terrorism attacks in the past 40 years combined.

And we have ourselves to blame most of the time, scientists and disaster experts say.

Through Nov. 30, nearly 260,000 people died in natural disasters in 2010, compared to 15,000 in 2009, according to Swiss Re. The World Health Organization, which hasn't updated its figures past Sept. 30, is just shy of 250,000. By comparison, deaths from terrorism from 1968 to 2009 were less than 115,000, according to reports by the U.S. State Department and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

The last year in which natural disasters were this deadly was 1983 because of an Ethiopian drought and famine, according to WHO. Swiss Re calls it the deadliest since 1976.

The charity Oxfam says 21,000 of this year's disaster deaths are weather related.

LINK TO ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Fed Reverses Anti-Christian Bank Decision in OK

Thousands Dropped Into Salvation Army Kettle in TN

9yr old Boy Helps Homeless With His Gift of Music

Link to VIDEOA Little Boy's Mission to Help the Homeless with the Gift of Music


"I was thinking about how terrible it would be to be cold or hungry or homeless," Brien said. "Then, my guitar teacher was helping me make CD's, so I thought I could raise money by selling my CD's to make money for the mission."

"Treat people the way you want to be treated." That's why he says he's doing this.

Federal Reserve Removes "Christian Items" From Oklahoma Bank

Minnesota farmer leaves 3 Million to hometown

(Dec. 16) -- A Minnesota farmer, predeceased by two wives and his only son, bestowed a small and surprising fortune to his hometown upon his death.

Loren Krueger of LeRoy, a small Minnesota town on the Iowa border, died last year at 94, leaving behind a plain, white house on Main Street and $3 million in the bank.

Townsfolk knew the retired farmer and World War II vet was frugal. Now they know he was rich and generous.

"Nobody knew he had that kind of money," LeRoy resident LaRae Eastvold told KARE.

Since Krueger's death, checks from his estate have arrived at organizations all over town. The LeRoy Senior Center -- which previously operated on $600 a year, a budget so meager staff charged seniors for coffee -- received $220,000.

Link to original article-Minnesota Farmer Leaves $3 Million to Hometown

Homeless man in D.C. uses social media to help others like him

$300,000 For Homeless Matched by Donor

A proposal before the Columbus City Council to grant $300,000 to help a growing number of homeless people inspired an anonymous donor to offer another $300,000 to the cause.

Council President Michael C. Mentel hopes that gift, in turn, inspires others to reach out to those in need "whether you have $300,000 or $3."

The grant, the last legislation Mentel will sponsor before he resigns on Jan. 10, won unanimous approval tonight. Mentel thanked the donor, who had promised to match the grant if the council approved it.

"If it's not the spirit of the season, if it's not by the grace of God, it's at least through someone's heart being touched," Mentel said.

The donor is working through the Columbus Foundation, which recently started a special fundraising drive for charities that help struggling residents meet basic needs.

The dollar-for-dollar match was proposed after Mentel requested $300,000 last week to fight what advocates say is an alarming rise in homelessness, especially among families with children.

Link to Original Article: City's $300,000 for homeless to be matched by donor

Glenn Beck-America's First Christmas-Wilmington, OH

Mr. Jeremy Caverley Inducted into Cambridge Who's Who

CAMBRIDGE WHO'S WHO



PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Mr. Caverley Inducted into Cambridge Who's Who

Mr. Caverley broadcasts his religious services live every Friday evening

CHILLICOTHE, OH, December 3, 2010, Jeremy Caverley, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of JMC Ministries, has been recognized by Cambridge Who's Who for demonstrating dedication leadership and excellence in public service.





A veteran of the United States Coast Guard, Mr. Caverley became involved in his profession after realizing he wanted to dedicate his life to helping others while on a missions trip to South Africa. With seven years of professional experience, he specializes in communication and information technology. In 2007, he founded JMC Ministries, where he oversees all business operations and broadcasts his religious services live every Friday evening. Mr. Caverley is also the chief editor of Eternal Flame News, a Christian news source. Also Mr. Caverley and his wife have written their own poems, music and have done cover songs as well. he attributes his career accomplishments to rising above difficult times and turning negative situations into positive ones.

Mr. Caverley is pursing a higher education in computer science at Ohio University-Chillicothe. He is affiliated with The Salvation Army, Christian Writers International, Inc. and Kingdom Builders International. Additionally, Mr. Caverley serves as the vice president of the Ohio University-Chillicothe College Republicans. Mr. Caverley has been honored by the United States Coast Guard and received several awards such as a Humanitarian Service Medal, with one bronze star, a Good Conduct Medal, a Meritorious Team Commendation Medal, with one gold star, and a Presidential Unit Citation. In his spare time, Mr. Caverley plays his guitar, writes poetry, and reads. His future plans are to complete a bachelor's degree, pursue a master's degree and continue running JMC Ministries.



For more information about JMC Ministries, visit
http://www.jmcministries.webs.com






About Cambridge Who's Who
With over 400.000 members representing every major industry, Cambridge Who's Who is a powerful networking resource that enables professional to outshine their competition, in part through effective branding and marketing. Cambridge Who's Who employs similar public relations techniques to those utilized by Fortune 500 companies and makes them cost-effective for members who seek to take advantage of tis career enhancement and business advancement services. Cambridge is pleased to welcome its new Excutive Director of Global Branding and Networking, Donald Trump Jr., who is eager to share his extensive experience in this arena with members.

Ministry Tells Christians To NOT Forget About Asia Bibi

Christians should not forget about Asia Bibi – the first woman to be sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy in Pakistan – as the country’s high court decides on a date for her appeals hearing, said a ministry that advocates on behalf of persecuted Christians.

Bibi’s case should not be swept under the rug and forgotten but Christians “must pray and advocate” on behalf of the innocent woman, said Carl Moeller, president and CEO of Open Doors USA, in a statement Monday.

“We continue to stand with Christians in Pakistan. We continue to help them face the incredible pressure – the almost unimaginable pressure – they are under every day, by spiritual means, by encouragement and through advocacy, speaking out on their behalf,” said Moeller.

As of Tuesday, the Lahore High Court has still not set a date for her appeals case. There was hope that President Asif Ali Zadari could pardon her before the hearing, but last week the court barred him from doing so. It ruled that it is illegal for the government to pardon her while the case is pending.

Bibi, a mother of five, has been in prison for one-and-a-half years. Last month, she was sentenced to death by hanging for allegedly speaking ill of Muslim Prophet Muhammad. She was accused of blasphemy by fellow field workers but she denies it.

She said the false accusation stems from a petty argument she had with her Muslim co-workers after they refused to drink water that she fetched for them. They complained that the water container was touched by a Christian. Upset by their comments, Bibi argued with them but afterwards thought nothing of the incident. However, a few days later dozens of Muslims dragged her away. She was accused of blasphemy and has since been imprisoned and sentenced to death.

Bibi’s family was only one of two Christian families in the village. Now they are the only one in the village because the other family moved away after Bibi was arrested, her husband told reporters last month.

Moeller of Open Doors stresses that the Pakistani government must repeal the blasphemy law to prevent similar cases that oppress Christians and other religious minorities in the country.

“The larger problem is that the blasphemy law exists in the first place," he said. "That a person like Asia – and many others through the years – can be put in prison for a year and a half without even telling her side of the story is a travesty of justice and basic human rights.”

“Christians and the international community need to keep pressure on the Pakistani government to drop laws like this one and not cave in to the Muslim extremists."

Hardline Muslims have held protests in Pakistan warning the government against changing the blasphemy law or else face protests nationwide.

Read More from Christian Post.com

Pro Christian Ads VS Atheists Ads

A week after atheists rolled out their "Good without God" bus ads in Fort Worth, a blue mobile billboard truck appeared in the city declaring an entirely different message.

"I still love you. – God," the billboard reads. In a smaller font size, the ad also states, "2.1 billion people are good with God."

The blue truck was sponsored by an anonymous group of individuals, according to Heath Hill, president of Lime Media, which owns a fleet of mobile billboard trucks.

"These are business owners and individuals that really just want the atheists to know God hasn't give up on them and still loves them," Hill told Fox 4 News.

The truck ad is in response to the Dallas-Fort Worth Coalition of Reason's ad campaign, launched last week. The ads, plastered on the sides of Fort Worth's "T" buses, declare, "Millions of Americans are good without God." The backdrop of the ads is an image of an American flag made up of the faces of actual atheist and agnostic people.

The coalition said the campaign is designed to raise awareness about people who don't believe in a god and to guide those interested to the 15 area nontheistic groups that make up the DFW coalition.

Read More from Christian Post.com

Toys For Tots Volunteer Steals Toys

BANGOR, Maine -- Police in Bangor said they've seized thousands of dollars worth of stolen toys that were supposed to be given to children in need this Christmas.Police said the man suspected of taking them is a volunteer for the Toys for Tots organization.The toys were found at the man's home after police were tipped off that the toys were being sold on the Internet, police said.Some of the toys police found were already packaged and ready to be shipped out of state.Skip Young with the Toys for Tots program said he feels the group has been betrayed and that the man was trusted.

Read More From WMTW.com

Man Steals Video Games From Hospital Treating Children With Cancer

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - Police are looking for a man who they say walked into a hospital in Charlotte and stole gaming systems used by children who are being treated for cancer.

The incident happened at Carolinas Medical Center on Wednesday, Dec. 8, around 4:23 p.m.

According to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, the treatment center was closed at the time and none of the children came in contact with the thief.

On Thursday, CMPD released two surveillance pictures of the suspect standing in the hallway at the hospital.

The suspect was wearing a toboggan which appeared to be blue or purple. He was also wearing glasses, a thick black coat and had a back pack.

Police say they hope to find the man and the stolen gaming systems so the children will be able to continue using them while receiving treatment for their illnesses.

Read More From WBTV.com

DREAM Act To Allow Illegal Immigrants To Stay In The U.S Is In Danger

Washington (CNN) -- Senate Democrats conceded Thursday they don't have the votes to pass the DREAM Act, a bill that would have offered a path to citizenship for some illegal immigrants who entered the United States as children.

Democrats voted to pull the measure from consideration, a move that jeopardizes the chances for passing the hotly contested bill during the current lame-duck session of Congress that ends in early January.

While supporters say the measure that passed the House on Wednesday could still come up, each passing day reduces the likelihood for introducing and debating the act as legislative leaders battle over priorities in the waning days of the session.

Senate Republicans opposed the bill, standing by their pledge to block any legislation during the lame-duck session until the chamber approves bills to extend the Bush tax cuts and fund the government.

The so-called Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act would have affected immigrants who entered the United States illegally as children under the age of 16 and have lived in the country for at least five years. Other requirements include graduating from high-school or obtaining a General Education Development diploma and demonstrating "good moral character."

Even then, only a six-year conditional status would be awarded. Before moving to the next phase, the students would need to meet additional requirements -- attending college or serving in the military for at least two years, and passing criminal background checks.

Proponents, including President Barack Obama and Democratic leaders, say the bill offers legal standing to young people brought to the United States who have bettered themselves and served their new country, while opponents claim it is a form of amnesty for illegal immigrants.

Read More From CNN

Protestors Attack Prince Charles and Camilla's Car

Policy Clash Could Mean No Christmas For Women and Children In Domestic Violence Shelter

PLANO — Six months ago, a woman and her three children showed up at Hope's Door, a domestic violence shelter in Plano.

Under the circumstances, she knew that giving Christmas gifts to her kids this year would be impossible.

"We've made it this far, and hopefully, everything falls into place, and if it doesn't, then so be it — there will be other Christmases," she said.

Now, their only hope for gifts this Christmas is in jeopardy.

The holiday party for Hope's Door clients won't get the toys and gifts that a charity had promised to them.

"Very disappointed," said the mother of three, who did not wish for her identity to be revealed. "I don't have another means to give my children presents."

In all, 98 children and their moms at the shelter have been turned down.

Pat Tosi from Hope's Door told News 8 the charity they partnered with pulled out Tuesday because the shelter refused to hand over the names of the women in need.

Read More from WFAA.com

Wachovia Brings Back Christmas Trees!

Link to original article

Wachovia Bank's Florida branches are now free to display Christmas trees, after the corporate headquarters "clarified" a policy instructing local branches to display poinsettias only.

The change in policy marks another victory for Liberty Counsel's "Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign," which fights against the censorship of Christmas celebrations.

The bank announced its new direction just hours after LC publicly placed Wachovia on its "naughty" list for banning Christmas trees. The change enables Wachovia to move to the "nice" column on LC's annual "Naughty and Nice" list

"The problem with allowing censorship in the public or private square is it eventually becomes a forced censorship," warned Staver. "People are eventually told they cannot display Christmas trees or say 'Merry Christmas.' We must stop the erasing of our heritage."

Grandma Got Molested At The Airport

Israel Fighting Worst Wild Fires In Countries History

Israel Faces worst Wild Fires In Countries History

Court Rules Censoring Student's Valedictorian Speech About God Unconstintutional

The Montana Supreme Court on Friday ruled 6-1 in favor of a valedictorian who was barred from mentioning God or Christ in her graduation speech.

The school district in Yellowstone County violated Renee Griffith's constitutional right to free speech, the high court ruled.

"We find it unreasonable for the School District to conclude that Griffith’s cursory references to her personal religious beliefs could be viewed by those in attendance at the BHS (Butte School District) graduation ceremony as a religious endorsement by the School District," Justice Patricia O'Brien Cotter wrote in the opinion.

The decision reverses a lower court's ruling that the school district's practice of excluding expression of personal religious views in student speeches was a reasonable basis for its action against Griffith.

Griffith, one of the ten valedictorians in the class of 2008, was scheduled to deliver a speech jointly with another student at the 2008 graduation ceremony. Part of her prepared remarks included: "I didn’t let fear keep me from sharing Christ and His joy with those around me. I learned to impart hope, to encourage people to treat each day as a gift. I learned not to be known for my grades or for what I did during school, but for being committed to my faith and morals and being someone who lived with a purpose from God with a passionate love for Him."

The valedictorian was told that religious references were not permitted in graduation speeches and that she had to omit references to "God" and "Christ" in her speech. Griffith refused to do so, saying that she could not accurately convey her high school experience without mentioning these motivations for her accomplishments, actions, and life purpose.

She was offered an alternative – to change the "God" and "Christ" references to "faith."

Again, Griffith refused the changes. As a result, she was pulled from delivering the valedictory speech.

The student filed a complaint with the Montana Human Rights Bureau shortly thereafter, alleging discrimination against her on the basis of religion. The complaint was dismissed.

She then filed a complaint in the Thirteenth Judicial District, claiming that the school district violated her state and federal constitutional rights to free speech and freedom of religion. The court, however, ruled that the district's decision prohibiting Griffith from speaking did not violate the First Amendment.

She appealed.

The high court ruled that the school district violated its own written policies of non-censorship. One of the policies states that "the school administration shall not censor any presentation or require any content" and that students who are selected to speak may choose to deliver "an address, poem, reading, song, musical presentation, prayer or any other pronouncement of their choosing."

"We hold that the School District violated Griffith’s right to freedom of speech under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution when it impermissibly censored the content of her valedictory speech based on the viewpoint she expressed," the court concluded.

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FBI Arrests Man Accused Of Generating A Third Of The World's Computer Spam

MILWAUKEE -- A 23-year-old Russian is accused in Milwaukee of generating a third of the world's computer spam.An FBI agent in Milwaukee is credited with bringing down the 'king of spam,' a 23-year-old Moscow man accused of controlling a network of infected computers generating an estimated 10 billion unwanted e-mails a day.A federal criminal complaint says the FBI and the Federal Trade Commission have been tracking Oleg Nikolaenko since at least 2007.He was arrested last month during a visit to Las Vegas. He's scheduled to appear in federal court in Milwaukee Friday.

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U.S Veteran Dies After Winning Fight To Prove He Is Alive

Caswell County, NC -- A local veteran died Thursday morning, hours after getting his benefits reinstated by Veterans Affairs due to confusion that he was already dead.

Floyd Holmes' wife, Marie Holmes, called WFMY News 2 earlier this week when she felt like she hit the end of the road in the battle to get her husband's disability payments returned.

Marie said there was a confusion after Floyd Holmes' son died several months ago. The Social Security Administration though Floyd Holmes died. She said the couple straightened that out, but ever since, Floyd had not received his disability check from the VA.

Floyd's health problems started with colon cancer, which lead to the removal of his large intestines and then problems with his kidneys.

WFMY News 2's Justin Quesinberry reached out to the VA Tuesday, and on Wednesday morning, Marie said she received a call from a VA representative saying they were going to reinstate his check in the next five days.

"The first thing I thought, it's a crying shame that it took me this long to get through to somebody that had authority to do something," she said after she was told about the reinstatement.

Marie Holmes called WFMY News 2 Thursday afternoon and said her husband died Thursday morning. She said she was thankful for the WFMY team working to help reinstate her husband's benefits.

WFMY News 2 received the following statement Thursday afternoon from Kerry Meeker of Veteran's Affairs:

"The Department of Veterans Affairs is deeply saddened by the death of Veteran Floyd Ross Holmes, Jr., and extends sincere condolences to his family and friends. We will work closely with the Holmes' family to provide the benefits earned. As of Dec. 1, Mr. Holmes received all retroactive benefits payments due and his spouse will receive an additional benefit within 30 days," she said.

Read More from digtriad.com

Store Advertises Offering Beer And Cigarettes For Food Stamps Plus $1

PLANT CITY, Fla. - A new advertisement from a Plant City grocery store is causing some concern. The promotion basically offers to accept food stamps in exchange for cigarettes and beer.

The ad offers beer and cigarettes for $1 for customers who use food stamps to purchase large quantities of meat. The store owner calls it a promotion, but some call it a loophole in the law.

It’s illegal to use food stamps to buy things like beer and cigarettes, but what’s listed in the ad appears to be perfectly legal.

The ad for the Price Buster Food Center in Plant City offers large quantities of meat, such as 27 pounds of beef for $60. The very top line of the ad reads, "EBT & Food Stamps Accepted." If the customer pays just one extra dollar, the store will throw in cases of beer or cigarettes.

The bargain has some customers concerned. “It bothers me. Cigarettes and beer should definitely not be part of a food stamp promotion,” said customer Tina Brodowski.

ABC Action News asked store owner Jeffrey Housholder if the promotion is a loophole that allows customers to use food stamps to buy beer and cigarettes. “Well, they can use their EBT cards, they can use their credit cards, they can pay me cash. It’s all the same deal to everybody,” Housholder responded.

Housholder says he’s not doing anything illegal, and he’s right. The USDA says because the deal is available to anyone, even customers who aren’t using food stamps, and because the beer and cigarettes are a separate charge, it appears to be within the law.

But Terry Field with the Florida Department of Children and Families says that insignificant one dollar charge appears to be just a way to sidestep the law.

“It may not be technically illegal, but it certainly doesn’t seem to pass the smell test,” Field said.

Housholder argues that his store has been hit hard by the economy, and this is just another way to bring customers in.

“Plant City has lost probably about 8 to 10,000 residents in our area. We’re just trying to broaden our advertising and reach out to more people,” Housholder said.

Field says it could lead to misuse of the food stamps program.

“To know that they’re using food stamps to buy food simply because they’re getting a bonus of cigarettes or alcohol, that’s a little problematic,” Field said.

Read More from ABCActionNews.com

Maine Woman Collects Socks For U.S Soldiers

SANFORD, Maine -- The mother of a Maine soldier serving in Afghanistan has launched a mission to collect comfortable socks for soldiers overseas.Deborah Walsh, of North Berwick, started Socks For Soldiers after her son Daryl requested a few pairs of sturdy, comfortable socks as a Christmas present.Walsh said that most people will never realize what a simple pair of warm and well-padded socks can mean to a fighting soldier.

"It turned out to be a blessing, because people have really reached out. I've had the most wonderful conversations with people who want to do something, but didn't know what to do."

- Deborah Walsh

She's specifically looking for Smartwool socks -- a popular hiking sock that she said allows soldiers to better endure Afghanistan's rugged terrain and harsh weather conditions.At nearly $15 a pair, Walsh said she couldn't provide the socks for soldiers overseas alone, so she launched Socks For Soldiers to find others willing to help."It turned out to be a blessing, because people have really reached out. I've had the most wonderful conversations with people who want to do something, but didn't know what to do," Walsh said.

Walsh said people from all over have donated dozens of socks for the cause. She is working on sending her second batch to her son's platoon.

Read More From WMTW.com

Fire Destroys Historic Chapel In Gettysburg PA

GETTYSBURG, Pa. -- An early-morning fire involved four buildings in Gettysburg, Adams County, on Friday.
IMAGES: See Fire Scene In Downtown Gettysburg
The fire broke out along the 100 block of Chambersburg Street
The blaze started at about 3:30 a.m. and involved a private residence, a coffee shop, an Adams County Rescue Mission shelter and a Civil War chapel on the southside of the street.The wooden chapel, which the U.S. Christian Commission owns, was destroyed. Fire officials said another blaze broke out in that building in 2004.No injuries were reported. The cause is under investigation.Six families, who were living in the shelter, were displaced. The American Red Cross is assisting them.Additions to the chapel may have been built with illegal permits. Borough officials recently issued an order to vacate the property.

click to read more from WGAL.com

Police Beef Up Security After Church Is Robbed 3 Times

BOSTON -- Boston police are searching for the thief who squeezed through a broken glass window at the Mission Church in Roxbury and was caught stealing on a surveillance camera.It's the third time in the past month that the church, which was the site of the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy's funeral in 2009, has been burglarized. Police are now beefing up patrols in the area.A white man with a reddish beard and a pink or red baseball cap, between 20 and 30, can be seen on the video breaking into the church office about midnight Monday.A church priest said the man stole a gold object. He called the theft disturbing and unsettling."It's nothing that anyone knows about. Nothing that we use on a regular basis. It might have been just some box that didn't have a whole lot of stuff in it, but no money," said the Rev. Raymond Collins."He walked past the shrine offering box," Collins said.The first theft took place in early November when a stained glass window was broken, and $300 was stolen from donation boxes. On Nov. 22, a burglar stole $150 after breaking in.It is not clear whether the same person committed all three burglaries."The video indicates that he appears to be somewhat in need and unstable, and that he needs some help. We do not know what he was after," Collins said.The priests will meet with police again Wednesday and will implement more stringent security measures. The Mission Church is not the only church that has been the target of burglars recently, and police said they were going to try to provide pastors with more security advice.

Read More: http://www.thebostonchannel.com/r/25969655/detail.html

High School Player Flagged For Praying After Touchdown

TACOMA —

Sports and religion clashed at the State High School Football playoffs in Tacoma Monday night. During the 2A semifinal game between East Valley and Tumwater one of the stars of the game got flagged for doing something millions of Americans do every day.

Like he's done so many times this season, Tumwater star running back Ronnie Hastie powered his way into the end zone then dropped to a knee and pointed to the sky.

"It's just something I do every time I get in the end zone to honor my Lord cause I play for him, I give him the glory cause he's the one that gives me the strength," said Hastie.

Except this time, the referee flagged Hastie for unsportsmanlike conduct, a 15 yard penalty and the fans were peeved.

"I think it was a pretty lousy call I think it's just a game, even if it is a prayer it should go on."

According to the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association's rules players cannot draw attention to themselves. So, when Hastie scored and raised his hand to heaven the refs said he was doing just that.

Hastie was humble about the call, "I was just confused cause I've done it every game and then I got flagged for it, I learned now so."

Even Tumwater's Head Coach Sid Otton believes the refs probably got the call right.

"If it's a rule and they made it then I agree with it because it's in there. I admire the young man. He's a great player, great person off the field too," said Otton.

The 15 yard penalty did not affect the outcome of the game, Tumwater still won big time, but one Tumwater fan told us it's legal to pray in his city in the end zone, but apparently not in Tacoma.

"Well, I thought it was pretty crummy that kids can't give thanks in public."

Read More: http://www.q13fox.com/news/kcpq-no-praying-in-the-end-zone-112910,0,4538168.story

U.S Veteran Fights To Prove He Is Alive To VA

Caswell County, NC -- An Army veteran is trying to prove he's alive so he can receive needed disability benefits.

Floyd Holmes, Jr. is sick, but alive. His wife, Marie, said after Holmes' son died several months ago, the Social Security Administration thought Floyd Holmes died. She said the couple straightened that out, but ever since, Floyd Holmes has not received his disability check from Veteran's Affairs.

"I'm about to have a nervous breakdown. I'm going to tell you the truth, I can't even think straight anymore. I get to walking around and doing circles, because I don't know what to do," Marie Holmes said.

Colon cancer started his health problems.

"It cost him his large intestines, then they got the infections, cost him his kidneys, which cost him his breathing," she said.

"I want those benefits back before we lose our home, before we freeze death," she said.

Floyd Holmes received treatment at a VA hospital as recently as the last couple of weeks, she said.

"They can't think he's dead, that's for darn sure or they're working on a dead man," she said.

Marie Holmes and an employee from the Durham VA Medical Center said they have not been able to get in touch with the proper people at Veterans Affairs regional office in Winston-Salem.

Read More:

http://www.digtriad.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=151200&catid

Giant Menorah In Central ParkTo Mark Start Of Hanukkah

(CNN) -- A giant menorah will light the sky above New York on Wednesday to mark the start of Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday celebrated for eight days and nights.

Jews celebrate Hanukkah by lighting candles each night in a menorah, an eight-branch candelabra with a ninth, elevated branch known as a shamash.

Organizers will light the first candle of what they called the world's largest menorah at Central Park. Lighting of the menorah will be held at 5:30 p.m. daily through December 8.

The 32-foot high, gold-colored, 4,000 pound steel structure features genuine oil lamps, according to organizers. It has glass chimneys to protect the lights from strong winds.

The menorah marks Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights that mostly falls in December.

"The menorah stands as a symbol of freedom and democracy, strength and inspiration, delivering a timely and poignant message to each person on an individual basis," said Rabbi Shmuel M. Butman, director Lubavitch Youth Organization.

The shamash, which is lit first, is used to light the others candles each night of the holiday.

The holiday of Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after Syrians were chased out of the Holy Land. It also marks the eight days that a menorah burned with one day's worth of oil.

Celebrants exchange small gifts during Hanukkah.

Read More At: http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/12/01/new.york.menorah.lighting/index.html

Atheist Group Spends $20,000 For Bilboard To Say Jesus's Birth Is A Myth

MYFOXNY.COM - A group called the American Atheists has paid for a huge billboard on Route 495 outside the Lincoln Tunnel in North Bergen, N.J., that is raising some eyebrows.

The billboard shows a silhouette of the Three Wise Men approaching the Nativity, with the words: "You KNOW it's a Myth / This Season, Celebrate REASON!"

The group says the billboard is not designed to convert Christians to atheism. Rather, Dave Silverman, a spokesman for the American Atheists, says the sign is designed to encourage existing atheists who are going through the motions of celebrating Christmas to stop.

On its website, the group also states that the billboard is meant to "attack the myth that Christianity owns the solstice season" and to "raise the awareness of the organization and the movement."

The American Atheists said the billboard cost $20,000. It is scheduled to remain on display through the holiday season.

Smithsonian Removes Controversal Video After Catholic Group Makes Complaint

Found at NewsMax.com

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery quickly removed a video Tuesday that was part of an exhibit after complaints from a Catholic group that the images were sacrilegious.

Catholic League President Bill Donohue said the video by artist David Wojnarowicz depicting ants crawling on a crucifix was "hate speech" and designed to insult Christians.

After he was alerted to the piece Monday night by a New York Post reporter, Donohue began a campaign to urge Congress to cut public funding for the Smithsonian museum complex, he told The Associated Press.

"This is not the first time the Smithsonian has offended us," he said. "I'm going to cast my net much wider. Why should the government pay for this? ... How dare they take our money to fund attacks on (our religion)."

The Smithsonian receives public funding for its staff and facilities, but its exhibits are funded privately.

It's unusual for the Smithsonian to bow to public complaints so quickly, and curators were aware the exhibit could be controversial. Smithsonian spokeswoman Linda St. Thomas said the museum is responsive to its public audience but will stand behind the overall exhibit. The piece in question was on a video kiosk, and visitors had to call it up to view it. It was not a dominant part of the exhibit.

Donohue said his group has objected in the past to an article in Smithsonian magazine that he said was anti-Catholic and also to the museum featuring the work of artist Andres Serrano in 1996 because he had created a piece years earlier that placed a crucifix in his urine.

National Portrait Gallery Director Martin Sullivan said in a statement about the current video that Wojnarowicz's intention was to depict the suffering of an AIDS victim. He said the museum did not intend to offend anyone.

"I regret that some reports about the exhibit have created an impression that the video is intentionally sacrilegious," Sullivan said.

The video was made when the artist was suffering with AIDS in Mexico in the 1980s, Sullivan said. Part of the idea is that humans are made in Christ's image and that "we're all going back into the earth, that we're decaying," he said.

"If you look at Latin American art and imagery, really over time there are a lot of portrayals of Christian iconography with suffering, agony and death," Sullivan said.

The piece is part of the first major museum exhibit to show how sexual orientation and gender identity have shaped American art. The exhibit of 105 works is on view through February.

Portrait Gallery spokeswoman Bethany Bentley said attention on the video "has become a distraction to the larger themes of the exhibition." No visitors complained about the exhibit the day after Thanksgiving, one of the museum's busiest days of the year, she said.

When told the Smithsonian removed the video, Donohue said he was "relieved they made the right decision" and that the removal relieves his objections "a great deal." He said he did not object to the exhibit as a whole but specifically to parts he considered anti-Christian.

In the past, the New York-based Catholic League has protested an exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum that included a portrait of the Virgin Mary, surrounded by elephant dung. Then-Mayor Rudolph Giuliani called for city funding to the museum to be frozen, but a judge later ruled the move violated the First Amendment.

Donohue said he didn't believe the artwork at the Smithsonian was intended to portray an AIDS patient.

"If they're concerned about making a statement about AIDS, they could have chosen a better way to do it instead of insult us," he said. "I have more respect for art than these people do apparently."

Mother, Father and Their New Baby Share Same Birthday

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- When Jamal White, Jr. entered the world Wednesday at Regions Hospital he had already accomplished something with extremely long odds. He managed to share the same birth date with his parents, Tiara and Jamal White, Sr.

Jamal, Jr. was born on Wednesday, Nov. 24, the same birthday shared by his parents, who live in Saint Paul.

"He's the best birthday present we could ever had," Tiara told KARE, "Now his birthday will be the only one that matters to us."

Jamal Jr. was born at 10 a.m. Wednesday, and is a healthy 7 pounds, 13 ounces. He's the first child for both Jamal and Tiara.

"It's just fate!" said Jamal, Sr. about sharing the same birth date with his wife and first child.

The couple already shared the same last name when they met in 2009. Jamal, Sr. told Tiara, "It's fate. Same last name and birthday!"

Tiara laughed. "I didn't believe him at first. Then he showed me his drivers license and sure enough, same last name, same birthday!"

Tiara, who was born at the same hospital, didn't need any I.D. for her end of that conversation. Her birthdate, 11-24-1989 appears in a tatoo on her left shoulder right below the word "Saggitarius."

It wasn't planned that way and the birth was not induced to create a birthday that will be easy for the White family to remember.

"They told us he was due November 19th," Tiara said, "And that if he wasn't born by the 26th they'd induce labor."

When she went into labor on the 23rd, she thought for sure the babe would come that day.

"It was a really long labor," Jamal said.

"Yes, he hung in there, almost as if he was determined to come on the 24th," Tiara added.

The odds of three persons in the same family sharing the same birthday, according to one mathematician, is one in 133,155. Although the dynamics of that probability equation (365 x 365)would be affected by the fact that Jamal's parents chose to be together.

click to read full story from kare11.com

President Obama To Freeze Federal Wages For 2 Years

Click to read full story from CNNMoney.com

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- President Obama will announce a two-year freeze in the wages of federal employees Monday, with the intention of saving $60 billion over the next 10 years.

Obama was scheduled to announce the proposal later Monday.

According to an administration statement, the two-year pay freeze will save $2 billion for the remainder of fiscal year 2011, $28 billion over the next five years, and more than $60 billion over the next decade.

The freeze does not apply to military personnel, but will apply to all civilian federal employees, including those in various alternative pay plans and those working at the Department of Defense.

"This freeze is not to punish federal workers or to disrespect the work that they do," the White House said in a statement. "It is the first of many actions we will take in the upcoming budget to put our nation on sound fiscal footing -- which will ask for some sacrifice from us all."

Wycliffe Bible Translators Raise $250M To Help Finish Last 2,000 Translations

click to read original article from Christian Post.com
The world’s largest Bible translation organization has already raised nearly $250 million, or one-fourth of its $1 billion goal, for the campaign to translate the Bible into every language by 2025.

Even in the current economic tough times, supporters donated generously and helped the campaign make significant progress within two years, said Wycliffe’s president. The ten-year Last Languages Campaign has the ambitious goal of beginning Bible translation for all languages that still need the scriptures by 2025.

“To raise nearly a quarter of a billion dollars in two years is impressive even in a booming economy. In the current climate, it’s nothing short of miraculous,” said Bob Creson, Wycliffe USA president and CEO. “We are so grateful to God and our supporters who partner with us to make sure that all people have access to the Bible in the language and form that is most meaningful to them.”

When the campaign first launched in November 2008, an anonymous donor gave an astounding sum of $50 million to Wycliffe for the Last Languages Campaign. It was the largest single gift in the ministry’s 75-year history.

More than 2,000 languages still lack translations of the Bible, leaving more than 350 million people without Scripture in their own languages. The Last Languages Campaign was launched to gather people, prayer and financial resources to at least start Bible translation in all remaining languages within our lifetime.

“In spite of economic uncertainty at home and a daunting task abroad-including political roadblocks, security concerns, restricted access to certain locations and the sheer number of languages yet to be translated – we are is participating in the greatest acceleration of the pace of Bible translation in history,” Creson said. “These financial resources will ensure that the mission stays on this pace.”

There are more than 6,000 languages spoken in the world and about a third of them do not have Scripture translation. The Last Languages Campaign will use cutting-edge translation techniques to accelerate the pace of language development and Bible translation from 125 years to 17 years.

In 1999, Wycliffe was averaging 20 new translation starts a year and there were about 3,000 languages left.

Ten years later, however, Wycliffe had 109 new translation starts in 2009. The average new translation starts for the past 10 years is 75, noted Paul Edwards, executive director of Wycliffe’s Last Language Campaign, in an earlier interview with The Christian Post.

“Our hope and desire as we look at 2010-2011 is that North American churches can wake up to and choose to engage in this thrilling, final lap,” said Edwards. “Can you name another 2,000-year-long continuous movement that is going to have its closing in our lifetime?”

The exact amount given in pledges to the Last Languages Campaign as of Oct. 31 is $231.5 million.

Founded in 1942, Wycliffe Bible Translators exists to make the Bible accessible to all people in the language and form that is most meaningful for them. Nearly 6,000 translators, linguists, aviators, humanitarian workers, educators and administrators, along with dozens of partnering organizations, are working in 90 countries on six continents.

Besides Bible translation, Wycliffe also contributes to community development by establishing water purification systems, AIDS education, human rights and community empowerment programs.

2 Churches Torn Down In Tanzania

click to read original article from Christian Post.com
ZANZIBAR, Tanzania (CDN) - Radical Islamists are suspected in the demolition of two church buildings on Tanzania’s semi-autonomous island of Zanzibar on Sunday (Nov. 21), as members of the congregations have since received death threats from Muslims.

The church buildings belonging to the Tanzania Assemblies of God (TAG) and the Evangelical Assemblies of God Zanzibar (EAGZ) in Masingini village, five kilometers (nearly three miles) from the center of Zanzibar city, were torn down at about 8 p.m., said Bishop Fabian Obeid of EAGZ. Mwera police received reports on the attacks on Monday morning (Nov. 22).

The latest in a string of violent acts aimed at frightening away Christians in the Muslim-dominated region, the destruction on the island off the coast of East Africa has raised fears that Muslim extremists could go to any length to limit the spread of Christianity, church leaders said.

“One Muslim was heard saying, ‘We have cleansed our area by destroying the two churches, and now we are on our mission to kill individual members of these two churches – we shall not allow the church to be built again,’” said one church member who requested anonymity.

The TAGT brick building was under construction and nearing completion; members of the congregation had gone to worship in their new building for the first time on Sunday. The EAGT building where more than 30 members met was a mud structure.

EAGT Pastor Michael Maganga and TAG Pastor Dickson Kaganga said they were fearful about the future of the church in Masingini. Pastors in Zanzibar have scheduled a meeting on Saturday (Nov. 27) to discuss how to cope with the destruction of the two buildings, said the chairman of the Pastors Fellowship in Zanzibar, Bishop Leonard Masasa of EAGT church.

Muslim extremists in Zanzibar, in concert with local government officials, have long limited the ability of Christians to obtain land for erecting worship buildings. In some cases they have destroyed existing buildings and put up mosques in their place.

Frustrated at obtaining government help to apprehend criminals, church leaders said they have little hope that the perpetrators of Monday’s attacks will ever be caught. In most cases the government sides with the attackers, delaying investigation out of fear of upsetting the majority Muslim population that opposes the spread of Christianity.

In 2009, officials in Mwanyanya-Mtoni colluded with area Muslims to erect a mosque in place of a planned church building of the EAGZ, Pastor Paulo Kamole Masegi said.

Pastor Masegi had purchased land in April 2007 for a church building in Mwanyanya-Mtoni, and by November of that year he had built a house that served as a temporary worship center, he said. Soon area Muslim residents objected.

In August 2009, local Muslims began to build a mosque just three feet away from the church plot. In November 2009, Pastor Masegi began building a permanent church structure. Angry Muslims invaded the compound and destroyed the structure’s foundation, the pastor said.

Church leaders reported the destruction to police, who took no action – and also refused to release the crime report, so that the case could not go to court, Pastor Masegi said.

Meantime, construction of the mosque was completed in December 2009. The planned church building’s fate appeared to have been sealed earlier this year when Western District Commissioner Ali Mohammed Ali notified Pastor Masegi that he had no right to hold worship in a house.

Zanzibar is the informal designation for the island of Unguja in the Indian Ocean. The Zanzibar archipelago united with Tanganyika to form the present day Tanzania in 1964.

Muslim traders from the Persian Gulf had settled in the region early in the 10th century after monsoon winds propelled them through the Gulf of Aden. The 1964 merger left island Muslims uneasy about Christianity, seeing it as a means by which mainland Tanzania might dominate them, and tensions have persisted.

18 Former ACORN Workers Convicted or Admitted Guilt in Election Fraud

The scandal-plagued ACORN may no longer exist, but its tarnished legacy lives on in court, as the activist group and its former employees face criminal punishment.

So far this year, at least 18 former workers have admitted guilt or been convicted on varying charges of election fraud. The punishment has ranged from probation to several months of prison time.

ACORN, once a powerful advocate for low-income and minority voters, shuttered its operations amid plummeting revenues in March, six months after conservative activists posing as a pimp and prostitute caught on video some of the group's employees offering them tax advice.

But the group is still facing charges in Nevada on conspiracy to commit the crime of compensation for registration of voters.The trial, originally scheduled to begin Monday, has been postponed likely until next year.

Former workers across the country already are being punished for their criminal activities

In Miami, seven former ACORN voter registration canvassers were convicted of "false swearing-in an election," and sentenced to probation and community service and banned from participating in future political campaigns, according to court documents.

In Pennsylvania, six of seven former ACORN workers who were charged in an investigation were convicted of unsworn falsification and interference with election officials. Four have reached a plea agreement on reduced charges and will serve two years of probation. Cases against two others who entered pleas to reduced charges are pending.

Charges against the seventh, Eric Jordan, are not being prosecuted because Jordan has pleaded guilty to much more serious charges, including aggravated assault, resisting arrest and carrying firearms without a license.

In Milwaukee, three former ACORN workers have been convicted of election fraud.

Last week, Kevin Clancy was sentenced to 10 months in prison for his role in submitting falsified voter registration forms before the 2008 election. Clancy will start his sentence once he finishes another sentence he is currently serving for armed robbery.

Clancy's co-worker, Maria Miles, who pleaded guilty to election fraud in August, will be sentenced on Dec.

6.

In September, Frank Walton pleaded guilty to submitting 54 fake voter registrations during the 2008 presidential campaign. He faces up to 42 months in prison and a $10,000 fine when he's sentenced Dec. 6.

In Washington state, Kendra Lynn Thill was convicted in March of voter registration fraud in the 2006 midterm election. In Nevada, a former ACORN supervisor pleaded the equivalent of a no-contest in a case alleging that canvassers were illegally paid to register voters during the 2008 campaign. But while Amy Busefink's plea acknowledges the state had evidence for a conviction at trial, her lawyer said she still plans to challenge the constitutionality of the state law prohibiting paying canvassers based on the number of voter registration forms they turn in.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/11/26/acorn-workers-convicted-admitted-guilt-election-fraud/#ixzz16QbdW9qd