(Washington, DC) – The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), which is Counsel of Record in one of the pro-life cases decided today by the Supreme Court, said the high court’s unanimous decision in favor of pro-life demonstrators is a welcomed victory that once and for all puts an end to marathon litigation by ruling unanimously that a federal statute designed to go after drug dealers and organized crime cannot be used against pro-life demonstrators.
The ACLJ is Counsel of Record for Operation Rescue – one of several pro-life defendants in a racketeering suit brought by the National Organization for Women.
“This is a major victory for the pro-life community and removes a cloud that has been hanging over pro-life demonstrators for years,” said Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel of the ACLJ, who served as Counsel of Record for Operation Rescue in the case. “The Supreme Court could not have been any clearer in its decision that the actions of the pro-life demonstrators in this case fall outside the scope of the federal Hobbs Act, and therefore the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) statute - a law designed to combat drug dealers and organized crime. By ordering the lower court to enter a ruling in favor of the pro-life demonstrators and organizations in this case, a nearly two-decade-old litigation marathon has ended. It’s an important victory for the pro-life movement and finally brings an end to this meritless case.”
The Supreme Court today ruled unanimously in favor of pro-life demonstrators and organizations in the cases of Operation Rescue v. NOW. (No. 04-1352) and Scheidler v. NOW (No. 04-1244) – which were considered together by the high court.
Led by Chief Counsel Jay Sekulow, the American Center for Law and Justice specializes in constitutional law and is based in Washington, D.C.
Posted by Walt as Family Values, Social Issues at 9:52 PM EST
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By Timothy R. Furnish
Mr. Furnish, Ph.D (Islamic History), is Assistant Professor, History, Georgia Perimeter College, Dunwoody, GA 30338. Mr. Furnish is the author of Holiest Wars: Islamic Mahdis, their Jihads and Osama bin Laden (Praeger, 2005).
One of the few positive effects of 9/11 has been renewed American interest in Islam and the Middle East. Unfortunately, much of the information disseminated in the media about those topics is ignorant and misleading. This is unfortunate because any hope that the predominantly-Christian West and the Muslim world might transcend conflict requires that the former be accurately informed about the latter (and vice-versa, but that’s an issue for another column). There are in particular seven myths about Islam and Islamic history that have been repeated so often in the media that they’ve achieved conventional wisdom status.
First, it is untrue that Islam is the world’s fastest-growing religion. (Mormonism and Scientology also claim this, but few outside of Salt Lake City and Hollywood believe it.) As Philip Jenkins of Penn State University demonstrates in his work Christianity—in particular Pentecostalism—is the world’s most-rapidly growing faith. Currently there are 2 billion Christians and 1.3 billion Muslims (out of a world population of 6 billion), and in the 21st century Christianity will maintain its lead, thanks to explosive growth in sub-Saharan Africa and China.
Second, despite the claims of even President Bush in a number of public statements, Islam is not solely a “religion of peace.” Yes, there are verses of toleration in the Qur’an: Sura(chapter) al-Baqarah:256 says “there shall be no compulsion in religion;” Sura al-Furqan:65ff says that Allah will be merciful to those who repent and do good works; and Sura al-Nisa’:19ff enjoins Muslim men to provide financially for wives and ex-wives. But verses such as these are arguably outweighed by others: Sura Anfal:12ff and Sura Muhammad:3ff command the beheading of unbelievers; Sura al-Nisa’:34ff allows for beating of one’s wives and in verses 74ff and 94ff, promises great reward for those who die fighting for Allah; Sura al-Ma’idah:51 says “Believers, take neither Jews nor Christians for your friends.” Of course there are violent sections in the Bible—or at least in the Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament (Joshua and David were military leaders as much as religious ones). But no one denies that, as many—both Muslim and non-Muslim—deny these violent and misogynistic passages in the Qur’an. Many arguments can be made against such verses (they must be contextualized, they are applicable only to that time, they are metaphorical, etc.) but one cannot say they do not exist. Someone who simply rehashs that “the Qur’an teaches peace” obviously hasn’t read it. No doubt most Muslims do not read the passages about decapitation as a blueprint for today. But just as some Christians take literally, for example, the command of to Christ handle poisonous snakes (Luke 10:19), some Muslims take literally the injunction to behead unbelievers. And the latter practice is a bit more injurious to other folks than the former.
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Posted by Walt as Islam at 11:17 AM EST
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Decisive factor was concern for children - "two fathers, or two mothers" – "biologically neither real nor plausible".
By John-Henry Westen
PARIS (LifeSiteNews.com) — A government commission set up at the request of the President of the French National Assembly has concluded that homosexual ‘marriage’ and adoption by homosexual couples, and medically assisted procreation for homosexual couples should not be permitted by law. The decisive factor to the report’s conclusions, after an investigation of more than a year, was the commission’s decision to act “to affirm and protect children’s rights and the primacy of those rights over adults’ aspirations.”
The Information Mission, as the commission was called, was to propose any change to the law and to administrative practices that were necessary to better protect the rights of the child and to reflect changes in the French family. The commission’s report, the Parliamentary Report on the Family and the Rights of Children, released January 27, 2006 did acknowledge that the French family has altered significantly, becoming “more diverse and less institutionalized”, but recommended nonetheless that in the best interests of children homosexual ‘marriage’ should remain prohibited.
The Information Mission made every effort to hear all views on the subject. It organized 14 round tables and heard 130 people from the diversity of French society. It traveled to Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands and Canada to assess the reforms that have been undertaken in other countries.
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Posted by Walt as Family Values, Social Issues at 12:36 AM EST
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Press Release from Focus On The Family
Despite controversy, record attendance anticipated at Saturday event
Colorado Springs, Colo. — Focus on the Family’s international Love Won Out conference on homosexuality comes to St. Louis this Saturday, Feb. 25, and organizers are anticipating record-breaking attendance numbers.
"We could not be more pleased with the response," said Mike Haley, host of Love Won Out and a former homosexual. "We will have people coming from at least 23 different states on Saturday, and we’re set to break our all-time record with more than 1,300 attendees. All despite the controversy stirred up by opposition groups in St. Louis."
Local gay activists have promised a protest the day of the event, and the host church, First Evangelical Free Church in Manchester, was vandalized last week. Just today, one of several promotional billboards, which feature the conference message that "Change is Possible" for homosexuals, was defaced with paint.
Haley said that, despite these incidents, the conference will take place as planned.
"We are here to share a message of hope and healing," he said. "Men and women who are unsatisfied living homosexually have the ability and the right to change. Love Won Out exists to encourage them, and to call on those who have gay friends and loved ones to reach out with truth and love.
"Offering people the freedom to change is not something that should be derided or attacked. While we often hear the homosexual community calling for ‘tolerance,’ there seems to be little tolerance left over for us."
Speaking of the planned protest, Haley said that opposition is common in cities Love Won Out visits. "As a former homosexual I can attest that I have faced much more intolerance since leaving homosexuality than before," he said. "But I and thousands of others know that change is possible – we have the right to share that message and the love of Christ with those who want to hear it."
Interviews are available by phone, or via Focus’ in-house satellite uplink studio, prior to the conference. A press conference will be held at noon, Saturday, at the conference: First Evangelical Free Church, 1375 Carman Rd., Manchester. Media credentials are available by request.
Media wishing to cover the event or arrange an interview should contact: Christopher Norfleet: 719-548-4570, culturalissues@family.org.
Posted by Walt as Family Values, Social Issues at 5:52 AM EST
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From an email received from K.P. Yohannan, Founder & President of Gospel for Asia.
Dear Walter,
One of our Gospel for Asia native missionaries and several other believers are in jail today because of a radical Hindu plot to frame them for the murder of a child!
Even as the open persecution of Christians in India continues to increase, this is a new low in the efforts of these extremists to stop the spread of the Gospel. Now, more than ever, powerful prayer is needed to battle this spiritual evil!
The 16-month-old child was suffering from a prolonged illness and was under medical care near Udaipur, Rajasthan. Because the parents had quarreled with the pastor’s family over some land, when the child died the radical Hindus saw an opportunity to place the blame on the Christians.
Apparently, members of the local Hindu nationalist political party advised the parents to dash their dead child’s body against some rocks, breaking its bones. They then took the body to a doctor for a post-mortem examination.
Only after threats from the radical Hindus did the physician reluctantly file a false report, citing murder as the cause. Then the radicals advised the parents to file murder charges against Pastor Kasota and 10 other Believers Church members, including four other pastors, saying the murder was part of a plot to grab land for a church building.
My dear friend, this terrible incident is just one more example of how desperate the radical Hindus are in their efforts to stop lost people from hearing the Good News of Jesus Christ.
As I have said many times before, this is a spiritual battle, and such battles can only be won through prayer and fasting. So I call on you today to pray for these, our Christian brothers and sisters. Please pray that the accused will be granted bail, and that the police and courts will see through this sinister plot by the radicals.
Pray also that God will protect our pastors, their families and church members during this tense time. Pray that this incident will not be a hindrance to the sharing of the Gospel, and that this trap will be used by God for good, according to His purpose.
Thank you for your prayers at this critical time.
K.P. Yohannan
Founder & President
Gospel for Asia
Posted by Walt as Persecuted Church at 1:38 PM EST
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Christian Defense Coalition applauds President Bush for his comments on the attack on the Golden Mosque, but is troubled that the President has yet to speak out against the Alabama church burnings.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 22 /Christian Wire Service/ — In a press release last week the Christian Defense Coalition asked "what the response of the White House would have been if ten abortion clinics were burned in eight days? Or, ten mosques?" Today we have the answer. It took just hours for the President to rightly respond to the damage to one mosque.
Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition, comments, "The Christian Defense is very disappointed that President Bush has not publicly spoken out on the church burnings in Alabama. Sadly, these attacks may now be spreading to Christian businesses and other Christian places of worship. With an entire community living in fear, it is important that Mr. Bush provide leadership and assurance that the federal government is doing all within their power to apprehend those behind these hate filled attacks.
"The White House needs to send a clear message to the American public when a church is attacked we are all attacked. And, when a church is attacked faith and religious expression are under attack. I am troubled by the lack of the public response by the White House especially when one considers how they may have responded if ten abortion clinics were burned in eight days. Our message to the President is simply do the right thing and publicly condemn these church fires and assure us that this administration will not tolerate attacks on faith."
Rev. Patrick Mahoney led a delegation to Alabama to tour the damaged churches and initiated the first fund to help with the rebuilding.
Posted by Walt as News Events at 1:32 PM EST
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Reaction of the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, The Most Revd Peter Akinola on recent events in Nigeria. It is unfortunate that it is obvious that the Muslims do not want to live in peace with other non-Muslims.
Having watched with sadness and dismay the recent development in some States in the Northern part of this Country where many Christian Churches and other property have been wantonly destroyed by some Islamic fundamentalists, the Christian Association of Nigeria is compelled to issue the following statements:
- From all indications, it is very clear now that the sacrifices of the Christians in this country for peaceful co-existence with people of other faiths has been sadly misunderstood to be weakness
- We have for a long time now watched helplessly the killing, maiming and destruction of Christians and their property by Muslim fanatics and fundamentalists at the slightest or no provocation at all. We are not unaware of the fact that these religious extremists have the full backup and support of some influential Muslims who are yet to appreciate the value of peaceful co-existence.
- That an incident in far away Denmark which does not claim to be representing Christianity could elicit such an unfortunate reaction here in Nigeria, leading to the destruction of Christian Churches, is not only embarrassing, but also disturbing and unfortunate.
- It is no longer a hidden fact that a long standing agenda to make this Nigeria an Islamic nation is being surreptitiously pursued. The willingness of Muslim Youth to descend with violence on the innocent Christians from time to time is from all intents and purposes a design to actualize their dream.
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Posted by Walt as Islam, Persecuted Church at 2:54 PM EST
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I have heard that an Englishman has professed himself a Mahometan because he is charmed by the polygamy which the Arabian prophet allows his followers. No doubt the prospect of four wives would win converts who would not be attracted by spiritual considerations. If you preach a gospel which makes allowances for human nature, and treats sin as if it were a mistake rather than a crime, you will find willing hearers. - C.H. Spurgeon
Posted by Walt as C.H. Spurgeon Gems, Islam at 7:06 AM EST
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On Nov. 30, U.S. District Court Judge David Hamilton ruled that specific references to Christ or Jesus in opening prayers at the Indiana House were unconstitutional because they violated the First Amendment clause of the U.S. Constitution which prohibits the establishment of religion. House Speaker Brian Bosma called the decision “intolerable” and has said he intends to appeal the decision.
Judge David Hamilton based his decision on the fact that Jesus or Son was mentioned 29 times in 45 transcripts of the proceedings. He ruled that those number show that Christianity beliefs are being advanced within the House.
Since November, House members have been meeting in the back room for their prayers ending 189 years of praying before the Legislation session.
Last week the Indiana House took a stand against the decisions. The Indianapolis Star reported:
The Indiana House sent a message Monday to the federal court judge who banned the word "Jesus" from official prayer by voting 83-0 to oppose the decision.
"It’s time to bring our prayer from the back of the room to the front of the room," said House Minority Leader B. Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend.
The Senate approved a similar resolution last month. Neither resolution has the force of law.
Hamilton’s ruling declared that the House violated the U.S. Constitution when it allowed invocations that referred to Jesus Christ.
Bosma, R-Indianapolis, said Monday he has asked the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to halt the order.
Again an activist judge stops a 189 year tradition with the wack of his gavel. Federal judges should have more accountability when interpreting the law. The first amendment says nothing about endorsing any particular faith. Instead, it says the government cannot make law a state mandated religion.
Posted by Walt as Constitutional Issues at 1:19 AM EST
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Censorship In Our Public School Systems Is Not New!
The debate between evolution and intelligent design is heating up again. Both Ohio and Wisconsin state school boards are proposing legislation to outright ban the teaching of intelligent design.
The proponents for intelligent design are standing up to this censorship in science. The Capitol Times in Wisconsin reports:
Gary McCaleb, senior legal counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, a Christian law firm based in Scottsdale, Ariz., said in an interview that his firm would take a hard look at the legislation.
"Mandating a point of view and trying to enshrine your current science in law is, to me, just scientists begging for disaster," McCaleb said. "It’s very problematic to have scientists trying to shut down the debate."
Attie said he and the other UW scientists backing the bill are doing just the opposite.
"We’re trying to uphold standards for science education, but by no means do we want to stop discussion. We’ve very interested in discussing this issue at length, but we want truth in labeling. Intelligent design is religion and it’s not science."
In the Ohio battle against intelligent design, the Ohio state school board took a giant step backwards in regards to teaching science. The Christian Educators Association International in a press release Ohio Censors Science Options:
“Last Tuesday, the Ohio Board of Education took a giant step backwards by sterilizing Ohio public school science standards of any critical analysis of the theory of evolution,” says Finn Laursen, Executive Director of the Christian Educators Association. “The result is inevitably a chilling effect upon intellectual inquiry.”
The Ohio state board voted eleven to four to delete teaching material that would allow students to be able to “describe how scientists continue to investigate and critically analyze aspects of evolution.” Board member Martha Wise led the charge to remove any science not supportive of evolution out of the state’s standards, despite the objections of those, including Laursen, who had been pleading with her to reconsider.
In her communication with Laursen, she explained that the state science lesson plan, Critical Analysis of Evolution, may lead students to Intelligent Design, then to Creationism, and then to God.
“Wise fears that encouraging critical thinking might land the state of Ohio in court,” says Laursen. “Since when should we be afraid of where intellectual inquiry may lead?”
The Ohio Board’s decision comes in the wake of a court ruling in Dover, Pennsylvania, that stopped the district there from informing students that evolution is a theory and that Intelligent Design is another theory; the district had suggested to students that they could investigate these issues on their own.
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Posted by Walt as Creation at 10:10 PM EST
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