Tuesday, May 31, 2011
JMC Live Memorial Day Special
On part 1 of tonights JMC LIVE show we celebrated Miranda's birthday today and she shared a funny story of something that happened when she was about to be born.
As well as Breaking news of the day and......
Students Who "Support" Free Speech Want to Ban Conservatives From Radio & TV
http://eternalflamenews.blogspot.com/2011/05/students-who-support-free-speech...
Graduating Seniors Say Prayer Despite Atheist Complaints
http://eternalflamenews.blogspot.com/2011/05/graduating-seniors-say-prayer-de...
While Christians In Eastern Countries Are Attacked and Killed Western Countries Do Nothing To Try And Stop Them
http://eternalflamenews.blogspot.com/2011/05/while-christians-in-eastern-coun...
Algerian Churches Face Closure After Government Says They Are Operating "illegally"
http://eternalflamenews.blogspot.com/2011/05/algerian-churches-face-closure-a...
In part 2 of tonights Memorial Day Special We discussed....
Judge Rules Pastor Can Say "Jesus Christ" In Memorial Day Prayer
http://eternalflamenews.blogspot.com/2011/05/judge-rules-pastor-can-say-jesus...
Those Left Homeless By Joplin MO. Twister Celebrate Remaining Blessings
http://eternalflamenews.blogspot.com/2011_05_27_archive.html
Saturday, May 28, 2011
PREVIEW JMC Live Memorial Day Weekend Show
BEHIND the SCENES look at this week's JMC Live show
ON AIR at 9PM EST this Saturday and streaming 24/7 ONLINE!
http://www.jmclive.com
Friday, May 27, 2011
Judge Rules Pastor Can Say "Jesus Christ" In Memorial Day Prayer
The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs cannot stop a pastor from invoking the name of "Jesus Christ" in his Memorial Day prayer at Houston National Cemetery, a federal judge said Thursday.
Scott Rainey, lead pastor at the Living Word Church of the Nazarene, on Thursday filed a lawsuit requesting a temporary restraining order against the VA and its director of the Houston National Cemetery from censoring his prayer reference to Jesus.The suit argued that the government is unconstitutionally censoring his speech and engaging in religious viewpoint discrimination.
The judge hearing the case agreed with Rainey, granting his motion for the court to intercede.
"The government cannot gag citizens when it says it is in the interest of national security, and it cannot do it in some bureaucrat's notion of cultural homogeneity," U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes wrote in his three-page order. "The right to free expression ranges from the dignity of Abraham Lincoln's speeches to Charlie Sheen's rants."
This coming Monday, Rainey will be able to recite his prayer in full during a Memorial Day service at the cemetery to honor fallen U.S. soldiers. This is the third year that the pastor has been asked by the National Cemetery Council for Greater Houston to give the invocation at the event.
In his prayer, Rainey will ask God to grant peace in the nations and to families of fallen soldiers and give wisdom to the nation's leaders.
The prayer will conclude with the Lord's Prayer and one reference to Jesus: "While respecting people of every faith today, it is in the name of Jesus Christ, the risen Lord, that I pray. Amen."
New Jersey Man Who Murdered His Extranged Wife and One Other In Church Expected To Receive Life In Prison
A California man convicted of shooting and killing his estranged wife and another person inside a New Jersey church faces sentencing Friday.
Joseph Pallipurath (PAL'-ee-PYOR'-ath) of Sacramento is expected to receive life in prison without parole.
He was convicted last month of murdering 24-year-old Reshma James and 25-year-old Dennis Mallooseril, a bystander who tried to help her. He was also convicted of attempted murder for shooting another woman.
Prosecutors say Pallipurath drove across the country to confront his wife, who had left to escape what relatives say was an abusive marriage. She was killed in the vestibule of St. Thomas Syrian Orthodox Knanaya (kah-nah-NYE'-uh) Church in Clifton on the Monday before Thanksgiving 2008.
Pallipurath was arrested in Georgia within two days.
Those Left Homeless By Joplin MO. Twister Celebrate Remaining Blessings
JOPLIN, Mo. — Storm-stricken residents demonstrated their Show-Me spirit Wednesday night by celebrating their blessings and their Missouri determination instead of mourning their losses.
An event dubbed “Community Prayer Gathering” at the Joplin Family Worship Center, 5290 E. Seventh St., focused on the encouragement that could be found within a city intent on rebounding and rebuilding.
“This community is going to be OK,” said Chris Dunn, who lost his home on 18th Street near Range Line Road on Sunday afternoon in the half-mile-wide twister that tore through six miles of the city’s center. “This community is pulling together like never before. This little bitty F-5 isn’t going to stop us.”
He said his faith in God will get him through and that he sees it to be his duty to help get others through it too. He and his wife, Lisa, are transplants here, he said, but the community’s spirit keeps them here, and they intend to rebuild and not move away. “I know this is where we’re supposed to be,” he told the congregation of Pastors Dan and Cindy Wermuth and their visitors.
Lisa Dunn said she is overwhelmed by the generosity she has found from those determined to recover from devastation. “The love and compassion in this area — wow, it’s unbelievable,” she said.
The Dunns were in Carthage when the storm hit and did not know the extent of the damage until they got near their home. They said their faith and their desire to focus on others has helped them and their daughter, Makenzie, a sixth-grader, contribute to the relief effort.
The girl has spent every day since the storm doing volunteer work at the church’s storm relief and resource operation. “She’s lost it all, but she’s going to be OK,” her mother said.
Makenzie told the crowd that her pets have disappeared. She left her little Jack Russell terrier crated when the family left home that day, and the dog knows how to open the crate. Makenzie believes the dog escaped and could be in an animal shelter. Her guinea pig is missing too.
She would like to see the remains of the family’s home. Her parents said they had been counseled to allow her a visit, but they are not ready yet.
Cindy Wermuth said the Dunns’ feelings are a testimony to “the peace of God.”
Makenzie’s optimism is an example of why volunteering is important work even when people face grievous situations.
“Volunteering takes your mind off what you don’t have,” she said.
Church members have pitched in this week to receive and distribute truckloads of donations of storm relief goods from organizations ranging from the Professional Bull Riders Association to the Pentecostal Holiness Association of Oklahoma City. A shipment from Feed the Children is expected within a few days, Cindy Wermuth said.
Read More from Joplin Globe
An event dubbed “Community Prayer Gathering” at the Joplin Family Worship Center, 5290 E. Seventh St., focused on the encouragement that could be found within a city intent on rebounding and rebuilding.
“This community is going to be OK,” said Chris Dunn, who lost his home on 18th Street near Range Line Road on Sunday afternoon in the half-mile-wide twister that tore through six miles of the city’s center. “This community is pulling together like never before. This little bitty F-5 isn’t going to stop us.”
He said his faith in God will get him through and that he sees it to be his duty to help get others through it too. He and his wife, Lisa, are transplants here, he said, but the community’s spirit keeps them here, and they intend to rebuild and not move away. “I know this is where we’re supposed to be,” he told the congregation of Pastors Dan and Cindy Wermuth and their visitors.
Lisa Dunn said she is overwhelmed by the generosity she has found from those determined to recover from devastation. “The love and compassion in this area — wow, it’s unbelievable,” she said.
The Dunns were in Carthage when the storm hit and did not know the extent of the damage until they got near their home. They said their faith and their desire to focus on others has helped them and their daughter, Makenzie, a sixth-grader, contribute to the relief effort.
The girl has spent every day since the storm doing volunteer work at the church’s storm relief and resource operation. “She’s lost it all, but she’s going to be OK,” her mother said.
Makenzie told the crowd that her pets have disappeared. She left her little Jack Russell terrier crated when the family left home that day, and the dog knows how to open the crate. Makenzie believes the dog escaped and could be in an animal shelter. Her guinea pig is missing too.
She would like to see the remains of the family’s home. Her parents said they had been counseled to allow her a visit, but they are not ready yet.
Cindy Wermuth said the Dunns’ feelings are a testimony to “the peace of God.”
Makenzie’s optimism is an example of why volunteering is important work even when people face grievous situations.
“Volunteering takes your mind off what you don’t have,” she said.
Church members have pitched in this week to receive and distribute truckloads of donations of storm relief goods from organizations ranging from the Professional Bull Riders Association to the Pentecostal Holiness Association of Oklahoma City. A shipment from Feed the Children is expected within a few days, Cindy Wermuth said.
Read More from Joplin Globe
Duluth Church Closes It's Doors On Sundays Because Congregation Have Other Things They Want To Do
Updated: 05/25/2011 01:08:17 PM CDT
For hundreds of years, people have gone to church services on Sundays. But at one church in Duluth this summer, Sunday will not be the day to congregate and celebrate the Lord.
Instead, that day will be Wednesday.
"You've got to do something bold and different once in a while," said the Rev. Peter Bagley, who has been the pastor at United Protestant Church for more than nine years.
It started with one member of the congregation who reportedly said, "I like church. I also like going to the cabin."
That sentiment, plus an annual decrease in summer church attendance, got others thinking - until they had a revelation.
"Our solution is to have our regular worship service at a time when our disciples can attend," Bagley said. "While some churches will add a Saturday night service, we have decided to take what may seem to be a very unusual step and move the whole service to another day and time."
He believes his church may be the first in the Duluth area, and maybe the first church in the state, to make such a switch. While he knows some may question whether changing the day of worship is a biblically correct thing to do, Bagley points to a similar issue raised in the Roman church during the days of the Apostle Paul.
According to Romans 14:5-6, he said, "One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it."
Charlotte Franz, pastor at sister congregation Pilgrim Congregational Church in Duluth, said she wishes United Protestant well in their endeavor.
"I hope that for their church members that it is positive and for those interested in finding out more about a church, to check this out if it better fits their schedule," she said.
She said her congregation also has been taking stock of what she called a "habitual way to operate" and see if it's really effective in today's world.
"We didn't consider taking away Sunday," she said. "For us it was more about doing things cooperatively with other people. I think more and more churches are realizing we just can't operate out of habit."
To that end, Pilgrim is joining Hope United Methodist Church, Chester Park United Methodist Church and United Baptist Christian Church for services on the Sundays of Memorial Day weekend, July 4 weekend and Labor Day weekend.
"I think it's a way of building relationships in a time when attendance is down for all of us," she said. "I think of this as a time of experimenting with things. We'll try it and evaluate and see if it works."
Crystal Cathedral To Be Sold As Church Files For Bankruptcy
SANTA ANA, Calif -- SANTA ANA, Calif. - The Crystal Cathedral, the gleaming architectural landmark in Orange County that has been a Southern California attraction for decades, will be sold as a method of exiting Chapter 11 bankruptcy and reconciling millions in debt, church officials confirmed Thursday.
A reorganization plan could be filed in a Santa Ana court as early as Friday.
The Garden Grove megachurch, founded by Robert H. Schuller, was also the birthplace of the enormously popular weekly televangelist series "Hour of Power." But faced with decreasing revenues over the last few years, the church filed for bankruptcy protection in October, saying it owed more than $50 million to creditors, including vendors who assisted in the church's famed Christmas and Easter services.
Worship services and community outreach programs would not be affected by the reorganization, church spokesman John Charles said.
Under the proposed plan, the 40-acre campus would be sold to a real estate investment group, which alleviates financial pressure from a $36-million mortgage, Charles said. He would not divulge the sale price or the investment group.
The church also has a guaranteed option of leasing the campus for 15 years. After four years, the church can buy back the core portions, including the 10,000-pane cathedral, the 13-story Tower of Hope, the welcome center and the cemetery.
"It's great news," Charles said. "It gives us the opportunity to pay everybody off and start fresh."
The only building the church cannot buy back is the four-story Family Life Center on the campus, said Marc Winthrop, a bankruptcy lawyer for the church. The center is already for sale.
The plan, which could be approved at a June 1 bankruptcy court hearing, will allow the cathedral to repay more than 550 creditors in the next 42 months.
Since filing for bankruptcy, the church has been mired in controversy. Financial documents related to the case revealed generous pay and tax allowances for cathedral officials. Then, in March, choir members were outraged after being asked to sign a sex covenant some perceived as anti-gay.
New Course Teaches Christians To Mirror Christ In Any Business Venture
Living as a Christian in today's society can be a challenge. But mirroring Christ in any business venture can be even more of a challenge, something Patrice Tsague is well aware of.
Tsague is a Christian business man, training believers to build kingdom businesses through his ministry known as the Nehemiah Project.
"It's about Christians recognizing that their business is their platform for ministry. It's their pulpit," he explained.
Don't Leave Your Faith at Home
Tsague says too many Christians leave their faith behind when operating in the business world.
"They have falsely concluded that business is about making money. My faith is about praying, going to church and doing all these Christian activities and not brought the two together," he said.
Through his Biblical Entrepreneurship course, he teaches business leaders to use the Bible as a guide for exercising Godly stewardship.
"Business has gotten a bad reputation. It's because people have chosen to use the wrong motivation and the wrong practices," said Jerome Leonard, president of the Taylor Leonard Corporation.
The Nehemiah Project works in partnership with Regent University's Center for Entrepreneurship. The center's director, Dr. John Mulford, says the need for core Christian values is vital.
"Over and over again, I hear people saying, 'I'll never do business with another Christian because I've been burned,'" he told CBN News.
Multilevel Marketing or Pyramid Scheme?
One popular business opportunity pursued throughout the Christian community is multi-level marketing. It's model compensates workers not only for sales they personally generate, but also for the results from sales people they recruit.
Hundreds of these companies exist -- selling everything from clothing to jewelry to vacations.
Many Christians are attracted to multi-level marketing companies such as Mary Kay Cosmetics, Avon and Amway. Experts agree that while many of these companies are viable business models - they urge believers to use caution.
"When you appeal to greed, then the person who's doing it isn't thinking about providing a service in a value to someone. He's just trying to figure out how am I going to make more money," Mulford explained.
Some argue it follows the same business model as pyramid schemes. Those illegal business practices promise participants payment, service or ideals primarily for enrolling other people rather than supplying any products or services.
"Unfortunately the way that's it's done there has not been too much difference between multi-level marketing and pyramid schemes," Tsague said.
"As Christians, we've got to ask the question, 'Am I getting into this thing because I'm trying to make more money or am I getting into this because I really want to serve people?'" he said.
"'And if all I do is serve people and never recruit one person can I still be successful?' If the answer is no, then that is a pyramid scheme," he added.
Mulford and Tsague both agree that the bottom line for Christians is to do business God's way.
2011 Billbord Music Awards Un-Family Friendly Show Has Parents Television Counsil Outraged
Charlie Butts - OneNewsNow - 5/27/2011 8:40:00 AM
The Parents Television Council (PTC) is urging the public to voice its objection to a sexually explicit segment of the recent 2011 Billboard Music Awards show, which aired on television.
But PTC notes this is not the first time the Billboard Music Awards show has shown extreme content to viewers. In 2002, for example, Cher used an expletive on stage. The next year, Nicole Richie made a statement using multiple choice words.
"We are urging folks to contact ABC and let them know how outraged they are by the content," Henson notes. "You can go to ParentsTV.org right now to take action. We are also asking folks to contact some of the sponsors, many of whom should have known better," she adds.
The Parents Television Council (PTC) is urging the public to voice its objection to a sexually explicit segment of the recent 2011 Billboard Music Awards show, which aired on television.
The PTC's primary mission is to promote and restore responsibility and decency to the entertainment industry and answer America's demand for positive, family-oriented television programming. Communications director Melissa Henson explains that though the awards show was rated suitable for children at least 14 years old, it was aired during a time when children of all ages could have been watching.
"They opened the broadcast with an S&M (sadomasochism)-themed performance by Rihanna and Britney Spears, in which they were dressed in dominatrix outfits," Henson reports. "They were singing lyrics along the lines of 'sticks and stones may break my bones, but chains and whips excite me.'"
The PTC communications director contends it was completely unacceptable for Disney, which owns ABC and purports to be a family-friendly network, to make such material available to children, especially since there was no advance warning about the content.But PTC notes this is not the first time the Billboard Music Awards show has shown extreme content to viewers. In 2002, for example, Cher used an expletive on stage. The next year, Nicole Richie made a statement using multiple choice words.
"We are urging folks to contact ABC and let them know how outraged they are by the content," Henson notes. "You can go to ParentsTV.org right now to take action. We are also asking folks to contact some of the sponsors, many of whom should have known better," she adds.
Those supporters include Old Navy, McDonalds, and Chevrolet.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
8 Yr Old California Boy Helps To Replace Tattered American Flag
OCEANSIDE, Calif. -- When an 8-year-old Oceanside boy noticed that an American flag flying above the city pier was tatterend and torn, he immediately launched a campaign to rectify the situation.
"The Young Marines promotes discipline, leadership, and teamwork," young Luke Smith said.
Luke already possesses those qualities, and he wears his Eagle Young Marines uniform with pride. The group, sponsored by the Marine Corps League, is similar in many ways to the Boy Scouts. It promotes academic, physical and character development.
When Luke was participating in a 5K run at the Oceanside Pier, he noticed something that bothered him.
"I was actually standing right under this pier at the starting line. I looked up at the flag and noticed it was all ripped up and tattered," he said.
So Luke used those leadership and teamwork skills to make a difference by writing the following hand-written letter:
"Dear Mr. Mayor,
During my last visit to the pier, while I was looking around, I saw the American flag at the top of the pole waving in the breeze. I felt proud, then I was sad. The flag was all ripped up and tattered. I think it was disrespectful to our country and the people who fight for it. I would be pleased if you would replace it.
Thank you, sir, for your attention.
Your friend, Luke Smith, 8 years old"
When Oceanside Mayor Jim Wood saw the letter, he took action.
"Because of all the cutbacks within the City of Oceanside, like everywhere else, we don't have the eyes and ears out there like we used to. So, we have a young lad like this who spotted a problem- a tattered flag in the City of Oceanside -- in a military town, it was fantastic," Wood said . "It was something that bothered him and I thought it was great. I gave it to the city manager and replaced the flag."
Wood sent Smith a letter of proclamation, which Smith said he will cherish every day, especially this Memorial Day weekend.
Read More From Fox 5 San Diego
Algerian Churches Face Closure After Government Says They Are Operating "illegally"
Christians plan to attend services this weekend despite intimidation tactics.
ISTANBUL, May 25 (CDN) — Seven Algerian churches face closure this week after the governor of their province sent them written notice that they were operating “illegally.”The notice on Sunday (May 22) from Police Chief Ben Salma, citing a May 8 decree from the Bejaia Province governor, also states that all churches “in all parts of the country” will be closed for lack of compliance with registration regulations, but Christian leaders dismissed this assertion as the provincial official does not have nationwide authority.
“All buildings permanently designated for or in the process of being designated for the practice of religious worship other than Muslim will be permanently closed down in all parts of the country, as well as those not having received the conformity authorization from the National Commission,” Salma stated in the notice.
On Sunday (May 22) the governor of Bejaia sent a statement to the president of the Protestant Church of Algeria (EPA) informing him that all churches in the province were illegal because they were unregistered. Registration is required under controversial Ordinance 06-03, but Christians report the government refuses to respond to or grant their applications for registration.
The controversial law was introduced in 2006 to regulate non-Muslim worship. In 2008 the government applied measures in accordance with Ordinance 06-03 to limit the activities of non-Muslim groups, ordering the closure of 26 churches in the Kabylie region because they were not registered. No churches had been closed down since then.
EPA members argue, however, that the law is impossible to implement as officials refuse to register their churches despite efforts to comply. They said the authorities apply the law when they want to harass churches.
“It’s always the same thing,” Mustapha Krim, president of the EPA, told Compass. “They use this law when they want to pester us.”
On Monday (May 23) members of the EPA were scheduled to visit the Minister of Religious Affairs. Instead, however, they were received by one of his deputies, who told them the ministry was not aware of the decision of the Bejaia governor. The meeting was not constructive, according to Krim.
Krim, a resident of Bejaia, sounded relaxed and pragmatic on the phone, but he was adamant that the EPA members had no intention of closing their churches. The letter from the governor did not include a closure date, nor did it give any further reasons local authorities made this decision.
The governor of Bejaia is not particularly religious, according to Krim, making his order to close the churches of his province even more bemusing, he said.
The churches of Bejaia have submitted the documentation the controversial law requires, and the government’s unwillingness to give official permission for the churches to operate is a matter for officials, not churches, to resolve, asserted Krim.
“There are no precise reasons given [for the order to close],” Krim said. “They said we have to be in conformity to the law. We’ve always tried to do this and have submitted all that they requested. Now it’s up to them to give us the authorization and do what they need to do.”
According to the governor’s statement, if the churches do not comply, authorities may use force. The leaders of the churches in Bejaia have decided to conduct church services this weekend as scheduled and “see what happens,” said Krim, who also expects police to show up.
“For now, on Friday and Sunday there will be church meetings like always, but we expect that we may encounter the police,” he said. “They have the authority to intervene.”
He and the leaders of the other Protestant churches of Bejaia will meet on Thursday (May 26) to discuss a plan in the event of a police presence and force. He said some of the Christians have expressed fear and have many questions.
Asked if he thought this could mean the beginning of more closures of churches across Algeria, Krim said, “It is possible they are capable of doing things like this. We have no intention to close, and we have mobilized people to pray so that God can intervene.”
Despite efforts to comply with the ordinance, no churches or Christian groups have received governmental approval to operate, and the government has not established administrative means to implement the ordinance, according to the U.S. Department of State’s 2010 Report on International Religious Freedom.
Read More From Compass Direct
MSNBC News Host Suspended Indefinetly For Calling Talk Radio Show Host "Right Wing Slut"
Ed Schultz gave a 4-minute long apology for calling fellow radio talk show host Laura Ingraham a "right-wing slut" during his program. Schultz says he is indefinitely suspended from his show for the time being.
"On my radio show yesterday, I used vile and inappropriate language when talking about talk show host Laura Ingraham. I am deeply sorry, and I apologize. It was wrong, uncalled for and I recognize the severity of what I said. I apologize to you, Laura and ask for your forgiveness. It doesn't matter what the circumstances were. It doesn't matter that it was on radio and I was ad libbing. none of that matters. none of that matters. What matters is what I said was terribly vile and not of the standards that I or any other person should adhere to. I want all of you to know tonight that I did call Laura Ingraham today and did not make contact with her and I will apologize to her as i did in the message that I left her today. I also met with management here at MSNBC, and understanding the severity of the situation and what I said on the radio and how it reflected terribly on this company, I have offered to take myself off the air for an indefinite period of time with no pay. I want to apologize to Laura Ingraham. I want to apologize to my family, my wife. I have embarrassed my family. I have embarrassed this company. And I have been in this business since 1978, and I have made a lot of mistakes. This is the lowest of low for me. I stand before you tonight in front of this camera in this studio in an environment that I absolutely love. I love working here. I love communicating with all of you on the radio and the communication that I have with you when i go out and do town hall meetings and meet the people that actually watch. I std before you tonight to take full responsibility for what I said and how I said it, and I am deeply sorry," Schultz said on his MSNBC show this evening.
After Schultz delivered his statement the show cut to a commercial break. When the show returned after the pause MSNBC morning personality Thomas Roberts was now hosting.
Read More from Real Clear Politics
"On my radio show yesterday, I used vile and inappropriate language when talking about talk show host Laura Ingraham. I am deeply sorry, and I apologize. It was wrong, uncalled for and I recognize the severity of what I said. I apologize to you, Laura and ask for your forgiveness. It doesn't matter what the circumstances were. It doesn't matter that it was on radio and I was ad libbing. none of that matters. none of that matters. What matters is what I said was terribly vile and not of the standards that I or any other person should adhere to. I want all of you to know tonight that I did call Laura Ingraham today and did not make contact with her and I will apologize to her as i did in the message that I left her today. I also met with management here at MSNBC, and understanding the severity of the situation and what I said on the radio and how it reflected terribly on this company, I have offered to take myself off the air for an indefinite period of time with no pay. I want to apologize to Laura Ingraham. I want to apologize to my family, my wife. I have embarrassed my family. I have embarrassed this company. And I have been in this business since 1978, and I have made a lot of mistakes. This is the lowest of low for me. I stand before you tonight in front of this camera in this studio in an environment that I absolutely love. I love working here. I love communicating with all of you on the radio and the communication that I have with you when i go out and do town hall meetings and meet the people that actually watch. I std before you tonight to take full responsibility for what I said and how I said it, and I am deeply sorry," Schultz said on his MSNBC show this evening.
After Schultz delivered his statement the show cut to a commercial break. When the show returned after the pause MSNBC morning personality Thomas Roberts was now hosting.
Read More from Real Clear Politics
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Man gave own life to save wife from Joplin tornado
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
While Christians In Eastern Countries Are Attacked and Killed Western Countries Do Nothing To Try And Stop Them
- Article by: MARK GRANQUIST
- Updated: May 22, 2011 - 8:49 PM
Around the world, and especially in Africa and Asia, Christian populations are suffering severe discrimination and brutal attacks. Thousands are being killed. Systematic campaigns are being waged against Christians simply because of their faith, and it is not too dramatic to suggest that these are forms of ethnic cleansing and genocide.
Yet there is little awareness of these continuing atrocities in the West, and even less response.
Christianity is no longer a predominantly Western religion. Since 1900, there has been a startling growth of Christianity in Latin America, Africa and Asia, to the point that now, 65 percent of the world's 2 billion Christians live on one of those three continents. Christians now constitute the largest single religious group in Africa. Close to 350 million Christians live in Asia. But this dramatic growth has also fanned the flames of religious persecution and hatred against them.
In northern Nigeria, deadly religious violence occurs with regularity, killing hundreds at a time. Christians in Ethiopia have seen the destruction of 57 churches; thousands of Christians have been displaced, and some have been killed. In Sudan, the government has waged a decades-old war against Christians in southern part of the country. In Egypt, radicals now use the façade of democratic reforms to ramp up their continuing war against Coptic Christians, while the army looks the other way. Christians have lived in Iraq for 1,800 years, but recent violence threatens their very existence as a community. In Pakistan, religious violence and anti-blasphemy laws are used to suppress Christians, while prominent Christian politicians and their defenders are assassinated. In India, religious radicals attack Christian converts, while courts and political assemblies take away their rights. Religious violence against Christians occurs with depressing regularity in Indonesia, while the Chinese government cracks down on Christian churches, especially those that have chosen not to register with the communist government. In many countries around the world, anti-Christian activists have hijacked political processes to codify severe discrimination against Christians, making it illegal to convert to Christianity, while encouraging conversions from Christianity.
If you were to read carefully in the media, it would be easy to compile a much longer list of outrages; many other incidents are never covered in the Western press. There is certainly enough evidence to suggest that there are organized campaigns of terror and death against Christians in Africa and Asia. Groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Al-Qaida in Iraq, the Taliban in Pakistan and Hindu fundamentalists in India (among others) openly admit their actions against Christian populations.
Yet the silence from the world community is deafening. Occasionally the U.S. State Department will issue some toothless protest after a particularly egregious event, but nothing ever seems to change. The world community seems to notice little, and to care even less; many "moderates" in Asian and African countries seem cowed by the violence.
Western countries seem to have a double standard when it comes to the rights of religious groups around the world, especially religious minorities. Just look at the widespread indignation that occurred when a lunatic pastor and his congregation in Florida threatened to burn a copy of the Qur'an. The media was (rightly) filled with denunciations. But a similar desecration of a Christian work or holy symbol is usually met with little or no response.
The world, especially the West, has an exquisite sensibility to the rights of non-Christians around the world. But Christians are suffering daily in Africa and Asia. Where is the outrage?
Indiana University Bloomington's Campus Says There Is No Place On Campus For Christian Restaurant Chick-Fil-A
Posted on May 25th, 2011 at 7:45 am by Scott Tibbs
“Chick-Fil-A has no place on Indiana University Bloomington’s campus, A campus that values diversity!” – Tagline for the “Kick Chic-Fil-A off IUB’s Campus!” group on Facebook.
OK, so let me get this straight: In order for Indiana University Bloomington to value diversity, we must practice discrimination by banning Chick-fil-A from campus for holding opinions that are not approved by militant homosexuals. Somehow, I am pretty sure that discrimination does not honor diversity and tolerance.
Militant homosexuals claim to want “tolerance,” but that is a fraud. What they actually demand is acceptance. If you do not accept homosexuality as a moral choice, you must be censored and/or punished. This is a very intolerant way of dealing with disagreement, but this is nothing new for militant homosexuals at Indiana University.
We saw this in action back in 2003, when militant homosexuals demanded that the university censor Professor Eric Rasmusen’s MyPage site due to politically incorrect statements on his blog. (See previous articles from September 8, 2003, September 14, 2003, September 21, 2003, September 24, 2003 and October 4, 2003.)
Acceptance is very different from tolerance. As Mike Adams points out, “Tolerance presupposes a moral judgment.” Militant homosexuals who demand that Chic-fil-A be punished for donations to unapproved issue-advocacy organizations do not know the first thing about tolerance. For them, it is “My way or the highway.”
Let’s keep in mind that there is absolutely no evidence that Chick-fil-A has in any way discriminated against any student at Indiana University, either in employment or in providing services to customers. If that were the case, there would be legitimate grounds for removing the chain from campus. Simple disagreement with homosexuality is not legitimate grounds for punishment by the Thought Police that militant homosexuals fantasize about.
Finally, read the description for the group written by an alleged “student” at Indiana University:
As many of you know Chick-fil-a is a chain of restaurants that Openly donate food and money to some of the most hateful Anti-Gay organizations in the country including Focus on the Family, the Ruth Institute, the National Organization for marriage, and many others!
Chick-Fil-A is currently located in the basement of The Wells library, a place thousands of students pass through everyday. The library is a place where every student, facility member, and staff member should feel welcomed and safe. This can be hard to do when a company that is so ingrained in the Anti-Gay movement is right under their noses.
As Students we have a voice and the right to stand up and defend ourselves and our University against Homophobia and Bigotry!
"The Lion King' and "Beauty and The Beast" Animator Leaves Disney For God
By Eryn Sun | Christian Post Correspondent
When Davy Liu left behind a six-figure salary and a job most animators could only dream about, it was only just the beginning.
For the former Disney animator who worked on such classic films as “The Lion King,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Aladdin” and “Mulan,” one mission stood above the rest – fulfilling God’s will for his life.
In an interview with The Gospel Herald, Liu shared about his new, God-given dreams, which were no longer centered on winning an Oscar, but on doing the Kingdom’s work, despite financial obstacles and family disapproval.
“Fulfilling the will of God is more important than earning worldly wealth because the treasures on earth are temporary, but the treasures stored in heaven are for an eternity,” Liu stated.
Having worked in Hollywood for over a decade ever since he was 19, the talented artist revealed why he chose to abandon such an illustrious and highly coveted job, during what appeared to be the very pinnacle of his career.
“When I worked in Disney, deep down in my heart, I was always discontent. At that time, I thought to myself, ‘Why is it that movies and artworks produced by Christian film are oftentimes made with low budgets or made in an unattractive manner?’”
“[I] asked God in my prayer and God told me that it is because good artists have given their best to the world.”
Desiring to offer his best to God instead, Liu decided to quit his job and dedicate himself to producing inspiring, character-based animated stories of faith.
“I hope to inspire young souls to experience life through faith,” he explained in a statement. “There is more to life than meets the eye.”
At 31, Liu founded Kendu Films, a unique media company dedicated to producing inspiring stories of faith. Adopted from Philippians 4:13, which states, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength,” he created the name “Kendu,” which is pronounced like “can do.”
The Taiwan-born animator, with inspiration from “The Lion King” and personal devotions spent in Scripture, developed the idea to create a series of Bible-themed animations, with each story depicting a Bible story from the perspective of an animal.
From script writing to background drawing, there is no detail that Liu is not thoroughly responsible for.
Entitled the “Invisible Tails” series, Liu plans to complete 12 stories over 12 years, culminating in an animated movie based on all 12 books. The first four books have already been published in a condensed form, hoping to garner attention for potential investors. The works include: “Giant Leaf,” “Fire Fish,” “Jordan’s Guest” and “The Royal Feast.”
“My vision is that our animated films’ final measure of success will not be the volume of Happy Meals or toys sold, but that we inspire and instill into our future generations more courage, truth, honesty, and integrity,” he relayed in a statement.
Although some of his stories have been published as children’s books, the Herald explains that Liu actually produced the animations for adults.
“The truth is that grown-ups really enjoy watching animations – little children do not understand the hidden message. The recent box-office hits such as ‘Toy Story’ and ‘Up’ produced by Pixar all have very touching messages.”
“Most people have misconceptions of Jesus and don’t understand the culture from within, let alone, understand the Bible,” he added. By watching the Bible stories in theaters, Liu hopes that audiences everywhere will be able to relate to the characters and experience the power of God.
With no regrets about giving up his Hollywood career, having also worked with George Lucas, the Warner Brothers Animation, and other notable corporations, Liu finds every day joyful.
No End In Site For NATO In Libya
BRUSSELS (AP) -- The military campaign in Libya began with what seemed a narrowly defined mission: to enforce a no-fly zone and protect civilians from attack.
Two months later, the campaign has evolved into a ferocious pounding of the country's capital, Tripoli, in what appears an all-out effort to oust Moammar Gadhafi. But that goal remains elusive, raising the prospect of a quagmire in the desert. And the political will of the countries involved is being sorely tested.
The Libyan opposition remains weak. NATO, the North Atlantic military alliance which took over command of the campaign from the U.S. on March 31, appears to have no clear exit strategy. Two of the allies, Britain and France, have descended into public squabbling over bringing the fight closer to Gadhafi with attack helicopters. And the French foreign minister said Tuesday his country's willingness to continue the campaign was not endless.
Part of the challenge lies in the original U.N. resolution: It authorized the use of air power but forbade ground troops, even as it authorized "all necessary means" to protect civilians following Gadhafi's brutal suppression of the popular uprising against his rule.
From Yugoslavia to Iraq, recent history has shown that ousting a regime through air power alone is, at best, exceedingly difficult.
In Libya, it is not for lack of trying. What seemed at first to be limited strikes on military targets - tanks heading for the rebel-held city of Benghazi here, some anti-aircraft batteries there - has now expanded to the point that early Tuesday saw the biggest bombardment of the capital since the conflict began.
The targets have come to include, for example, Gadhafi's presidential compound; one of the leader's sons was killed April 30. NATO's official line is that the compound was a command-and-control center and it was not trying to kill Gadhafi. But clearly no one in the alliance would have shed a tear had the Libyan leader died.
There are signs of frustration, or perhaps desperation, among the allies. To avoid anti-aircraft fire, the campaign at first relied largely on high-altitude precision bombing, generally from above 15,000 feet (4,500 meters) - nearly three miles (five kilometers) high. But France said Monday that it now plans to deploy helicopter gunships to hit targets more precisely in urban areas while risking the lives of fewer civilians.
So far, no allied servicemen or women have been killed in the campaign. But by using helicopters and flying far lower, the French would be putting their pilots at greater risk, underscoring their intense desire to finish the Libyan operation sooner rather than later.
"I can assure you that our will is to ensure that the mission in Libya does not last longer than a few months," Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said during a question-and-answer session at the French parliament Tuesday.
He said the action "may take days, weeks in my opinion (but) certainly not months."
The danger to pilots could be significant. Although Libya's surface-to-air missile network has been effectively destroyed, Gadhafi's forces are said to retain hundreds of heavy machine guns, automatic cannon and shoulder-launched missiles that would pose a danger to helicopters at lower altitudes.
In past conflicts, NATO has shied away from using slow-moving and low-flying helicopters and AC-130 gunships against opponents with such weaponry.
Facebook Page Calls For Beating Of Saudi Women Drivers
A campaign has been launched on Facebook calling for men to beat Saudi women who drive their cars in a planned protest next month against the ultra-conservative kingdom's ban on women taking the wheel.
The call comes as activists are demanding the release of Manal al-Sharif, a Saudi woman who was jailed for defying the ban.
The page, titled "The Iqal Campaign: June 17 for preventing women from driving," refers to the Arabic name for the cord used to hold on the traditional headdress worn by many men in the Gulf, advocating the cord be used to hit women who dare to drive.
It has drawn over 6,000 "likes" on the popular social networking website.
Some on the page proposed distributing boxes of Iqals to youths and encouraging them use them to hit women who participate in the June 17 protest.
One joked about the price of Iqals going up due to men buying them before the protest.
The issue has sparked debate in the Saudi press.
The renowned novelist Abdo Khal, writing in Okaz, deplored the ban on women driving, and said he did not know "whether to laugh or cry" over the proposed Iqal campaign.
Ahmed Sayed Atif, writing in Al-Watan, called for women be allowed to drive, and that they not arrested for not possessing a driver's licence, as can happen now.
Meanwhile, a Facebook page titled "We are all Manal al-Sharif: a call for solidarity with Saudi women's rights," has been growing in popularity, with its number of "likes" rising by about 5,000 to more than 19,000 in a day.
"It is not a revolution, it is not a plot, it is not a gathering and it is not a protest -- we are only requesting to drive our cars," one post on the page said.
And a petition launched by Gulf intellectuals calling for the release of Sharif has garnered over 300 signatures.
According to Al-Watan, a 37-year-old Saudi woman who had repeated Sharif's experiment in driving in the town of Al-Ras, northeast of Riyadh, was arrested at a supermarket by a police patrol accompanied by members of the religious police.
She was driving with her mother and aunt at the time, according to the newspaper, which said she was released a few hours later.
Dog Nurses New Born Liger Cubs In China's Xixiakou Zoo
Two liger cubs - a cross between a male lion and a female tiger - are being nursed by a dog at a zoo in Weihai, eastern China.
Four cubs were born at the Xixiakou Wildlife Zoo earlier this month but only two survived.
The mother stopped feeding the cubs after a few days so the dog, which had recently had its own puppies, was enlisted to help.
Ligers are extremely rare and are thought to only be born in captivity.
Zoo spokesman Cong Wen said it was not clear why the tiger had stopped feeding her cubs, the Associated Press reports.
But she said that after some initial problems, the pair were feeding well from their canine stepmother.
Although they are a different species, tigers and lions are able to breed together.
Ligers are the largest known cat, usually growing much larger than either parent.
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