/// Back to MAIN Page    Archives for FEB 2010    Update for Sunday, February 28th, 2010 Chile Struck by One of the Strongest Earthquakes Ever One of the largest earthquakes ever recorded tore apart houses, bridges and highways in central Chile on Saturday and sent a tsunami racing halfway around the world. Chileans near the epicenter were tossed about as if shaken by a giant, and President Michelle Bachelet declared a "state of catastrophe."    MORE Abbas Warns of ‘Holy War’ Over Rachel’s Tomb Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas warns of a “holy war” over Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem. Muslims claim it is a 1,000- year-old mosque, although Islam - only 1,300 years old itself - began publicly claiming the site only 44 years ago. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu accused Abbas of “hypocrisy.” The Prime Minister announced earlier this week that the ancient tomb and the Patriarchs’ Cave in Hevron, are Jewish heritage sites that will be refurbished. Genesis Chapter 23 describes the purchase of the Patriarch's Cave by Abraham in order to bury his wife Sarah, and Genesis 35, 19 describes that Rachel "died and was buried on the road to Efrata which is Bethlehem...the sign of her grave stands until today."    MORE To the IRS, Weekly Prayer Meeting Constitutes a Church Yesterday The Columbus Dispatch did some reporting on the C Street house (an arm of the Fellowship, which we’ve reported on numerous times), noting that a group of 13 pastors are disputing its tax status as a church. While the C St. Center (the nonprofit that owns the house) doesn’t fit the traditional Christian definition of a church, that’s a bit irrelevant to the IRS.  If lawmakers meet together for Bible studies at the house, that can constitute a church.  MORE Britt Gillette Commentary: Why Study Bible Prophecy? Is bible prophecy really important? And if so, how important? And aren?t people who expend more than a passing moment examining bible prophecy simply uneducated crackpots and lunatics yearning for the destruction of the world? These are just a few of the questions bombarding today?s Christians when it comes to the study of bible prophecy. That bible prophecy is irrelevant to the Gospel or a mere playground for the mentally unstable is...  MORE Muslims Furious Over Israeli Decision to Highlight Ancient Link A decision by the Israeli government to include a location with an almost 4,000 year-old link to the origins of Judaism in a list of 150 national heritage sites has sparked an uproar among Muslims – and drawn the disapproval of the Obama administration.    MORE Head of IMF Proposes New Reserve Currency Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the head of the International Monetary Fund, suggested Friday the organization might one day be called on to provide countries with a global reserve currency that would serve as an alternative to the U.S. dollar.   MORE CNN Poll: Majority Says Government Is a Threat to Citizens' Rights A majority of Americans think the federal government poses a threat to rights of Americans, according to a new national poll. 56% of people questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Friday say they think the federal government's become so large and powerful that it poses an immediate threat to the rights and freedoms of ordinary citizens. 44%of those polled disagree. The survey indicates a partisan divide...  MORE Get Religion Commentary: Newsflash...The Bible May Be Correct ...the coverage of a recent archeological discover is worth noting. Hebrew University announced that archeologist Eilat Mazar conducted a dig just outside Jerusalem’s Old City and uncovered a section of an ancient city wall, an inner gatehouse for entry into the royal quarter of the city, an additional royal structure adjacent to the gatehouse and a corner tower. They date to the 10th century before Christ.      MORE American Thinker: Obama's Socialism ...There are as many exact definitions of socialism as there are socialists. Yet they do have common characteristics. Love of big government, nationalization of industry, massive taxation, wealth redistribution, etc. all point towards socialism. Someone like the president would not even have to say he was a socialist in Western Europe; it would be assumed quite normally, without any fuss or conspiracy....to a Brit who has seen his fair share of socialists and lives in a socialist country...President Obama is quite clearly a socialist. MORE Get Religion Commentary: Hate Crimes In the Texas Flames? One of the hottest recent stories down in Texas has been a series of church burnings. Authorities have now accused two men of arson in these cases and there are details in the life of one of these former Baptists that are interesting, to say the least.     MORE Israel Approves 600 New Jerusalem Settlement Homes  Israel has given the green light for 600 new homes in a Jewish settlement in annexed Arab east Jerusalem, the Haaretz daily reported on Friday. The development in the Pisgat Zeev neighbourhood, which has been planned for some years, was approved with modifications by the interior ministry's Jerusalem district urban planning committee on January 12, a document obtained by AFP showed.     MORE Update for Saturday, February 27th, 2010 Obama Meets With Atheist Group, Marking a First Obama administration officials met with a group of nontheists Friday morning.  The meeting has been labeled "historic" as it marked "the first time in history a presidential administration has met for a policy briefing with the American nontheist community." ...The Secular Coalition for America is an advocacy organization whose purpose is "to amplify the diverse and growing voice of the nontheistic community in the United States." The group represents atheists, agnostics, humanists and freethinkers.  MORE How Do Churches Die? How Should They? Churches close their doors every day. But is a church’s death inevitable? Who can give congregations permission to die? Should church members feel guilty for closing their facility’s doors? Peter Bush, author of In Dying We are Born: The Challenge and the Hope for Congregations, believes every church must “be prepared to die” because each will die in one of two ways. Each church must die to “deeply held understandings of life and...   MORE Chuck Missler Commentary: The Bible in Kentucky and Pagans in Colorado The Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs has campus worship areas for Protestants, Catholics, Jews, Muslims and Buddhists. It is now adding a worship area for Wiccans, Druids, and other Earth-worshiping religions on a hill above the campus. In the meanwhile, the Kentucky state senate prepares to vote on a bill to put Bible education in high school classrooms. These developments possess politically correct aspects, but they are also part of a greater spiritual battle for the souls of human beings.    MORE For First Time in US History, the Church in the South is Shrinking ...The South is changing. Urbanization and the vibrant growth of our cities have transformed the cultural landscape. Cities like RDU have become new centers of business and education, places where culture is being formed and made. And yet as our cities are advancing, the church is shrinking. For the first time in its history, the church in the South is declining at a rate faster than anywhere else in the country.    MORE American Thinker: Al Gore Is Lying Low...For Good Reason Maybe Al Gore's been advised by legal counsel to lie low. He may be the leader of the anthropogenic global warming (AGW) movement, but he's not defending it in public, not even when it's falling apart and his new fortune is based upon it. Mr. Gore and his financial backers earned millions of dollars in start-up "green" companies and carbon trading schemes. If the scam worked, he could've become the first "carbon billionaire."    MORE Colorado Springs Gazette: James Dobson Signs Off, For Now ...In recent years, Focus has experienced a downturn in donations; that has resulted in cutting its work force from 1,400 in 2002 to 860 today, and phasing out several Focus programs. Last year, Focus cut its budget from $160 million to $138 million. A reason for the downturn, experts say, is that Focus is failing to attract as many young families to its ministry as it once did. Most “Focus on the Family” radio listeners are older than 50. MORE Chuck Baldwin Commentary: Is America Becoming a Police State? ...In the name of "security" or "safety" or "protection," Americans are surrendering their liberties. Ladies and gentlemen, face it: freedom is risky business! If our Founding Fathers had wanted security or safety, they would have stayed in Europe - or at least remained a compliant colony of the Crown. So, if one wants government enslavement in twenty-first century America, one should move back to Europe - or better yet, to Red China or North Korea! Instead of demanding that government take care of us, we should be demanding that government...  MORE Megachurch Pastor Offers Advice for United Methodists A former United Methodist Church pastor who now leads a fast-growing nondenominational multi-site church has offered the struggling denomination some advice. Craig Groeschel, founder and senior pastor of LifeChurch.tv., was asked by a United Methodist leader to provide a few suggestions for the 7.8 million-member denomination as it struggles with membership decline and division. MORE Update for Friday, February 26th, 2010 James Dobson Says Final Farewell to Focus on the Family Dr. James Dobson is saying his final farewell to the ministry he founded 33 years ago. His last day at Focus on the Family is Friday. "Nothing is forever. Everything has a shelf life," Dobson said in one of his final radio broadcasts at the Colorado Springs-based organization.    MORE Study: Belief in God Helps Relieve Depression New research shows that patients on anti-depressants are more likely to experience improvement if they believe in a "concerned God." The study, released on Tuesday by Rush University Medical Center, found that patients with strong beliefs in a personal and concerned God were 75 percent more likely to get better with medical treatment for clinical depression that other patients.  MORE Dems Will Ram Through Health Care Bill Without Republican Support President Barack Obama strongly signaled that Democrats will move forward on a health care overhaul with or without Republicans, preparing his party for a fight whose political outcome will rest with voters in November. Delivering his closing argument at a 7-1/2-hour televised policy marathon Thursday, Obama told...  MORE Complaint: Liberty University Engaged in 'Partisan Politicking' Americans United for Separation of Church and State has asked the IRS to investigate Liberty University for showing a "clear pattern of partisan intervention," thereby allegedly violating its tax-exempt status. The complaint suggests that the student newspaper -- The Liberty Champion -- endorsed one of two candidates for...  MORE Federal Investigation Requested in Florida Street Preacher's Shooting Christian leaders are asking the feds to investigate the murder of two Florida street preachers. Tire Sifra and Steven Ocean were gunned down January 30 by a man to whom they had witnessed only moments before.  MORE NCAA Removes Focus on the Family Ad from Site Just weeks after the brouhaha over the Tim Tebow Super Bowl commercial ended, Focus on the Family finds itself again defending one of its pro-family ads. The National Collegiate Athletic Association has removed an FOTF banner ad from one of its websites this week.   MORE Campaign Gives Mainline Churches Megaphone to Support Gays Mainline Protestant churches are the target of a new campaign that urges "loud," rather than silent, support for gays and lesbians. Though mainline denominations already welcome LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) persons, the multifaith group Intersections says it's not enough. "[W]e must sing their welcoming as loudly as we sing the hymns," the group declares.  MORE Documentary Shows Geo. Wasington Carver's 'Deep, Abiding Faith' A noted evangelist, preacher, and professor is part of a project that explores the faith of an American hero. February 1, the first day of Black History Month, Franklin Springs Family Media released the DVD George Washington Carver: An Uncommon Way. It is narrated by Dr.Voddie Baucham, Jr., a well-known author, conference speaker, and preaching pastor at Grace Family Baptist Church near Houston.    MORE KY Senate Votes to Allow Public School Bible Classes Kentucky's state Senate has voted overwhelmingly to allow Bible classes to be taught in public schools statewide. The bill that would effectively return the Bible to classrooms across Kentucky cleared the Senate on a 37-1 vote and now goes to the House for consideration. Democratic state Sen. Kathy Stein of Lexington cast the only dissenting vote. She questioned the constitutionality of the measure sponsored by Sen. David Boswell, also a Democrat. Under the proposal, Bible courses would be offered as electives, meaning students could decide whether to take them. Iraqi Christians Flee Mosul after Series of Murders Christian families in Iraq are fleeing the northern town of Mosul in droves after a string of unprovoked murders left at least 10 believers dead, a ministry working with persecuted churches reported.   MORE Update for Thursday, February 25th, 2010 Atheism Books Found In Home of East Texas Church Fire Suspect Court records indicate one of the suspects arrested on an arson charge in the burning of churches in East Texas had assault rifles and books on demons and atheism in his home. Investigators also say 19-year-old Jason Bourque left graffiti in the bathroom stall of a ranch store. MORE EPA: 15 Yrs With No Global Warming Doesn't Mean There's No Global Warming Fifteen years with no statistically significant increase in global temperatures does not mean that the human race is not causing the climate to change, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson told CNS News on Tuesday.   MORE Judge Expected to Free Last 2 Baptist Volunteers from Jail A Haiti judge is expected to free the last two Amer- ican volunteers suspected of child kidnapping. Judge Bernard Saint-Vil said he would make his decision this week concerning Laura Silsby and Charis Coulter.  Last week, Saint-Vil released eight of the ten volunteers and held Silsby and Coulter for further questioning... MORE Obama Begins His Assault on Your Life Savings  The welfare state and your life savings are two cars heading down a one-lane road in opposite directi- ons. One must yield, or there will be a crash. For Americans who believe in the old-fashioned virtues of hard work, self reliance and respect for private property, the solution is obvious. MORE Faith Leaders Urge Feds to Investigate Murder of Street Preachers The cold blooded killing of two young Christian street preachers in Boynton Beach is being treated by police as a gang related incident, but faith leaders believe religion played an important role. They are urging the Attorney General to launch a civil rights investigation.   MORE Archaeologists Link Ancient City Wall to Biblical Account Archaeologists have found a wall in Jerusalem that dates back to the time of King Solomon and matches those described in the Bible in that era, the director of the dig said Monday.  MORE Judge Issues Arrest Warrant for Ex-Lesbian Va. Mother A family court judge in Vermont has issued a warrant for the arrest of a Virginia woman who disappeared with her daughter after being ordered to turn her over to her former lesbian partner. MORE Public Discourse: Are There Harms of Home Schooling? Despite its growing acceptance, homeschooling continues to come under attack by critics who see it as a fringe phenomenon indulged in only by religious extremists and red-state radicals. The latest of these attacks are two recently published academic papers by Robin West and by Martha Fineman that trumpet concerns about the “harms” of allowing a family to educate their children at home.   MORE Ecumenical Head: Our Call Is to Carry the Cross A Norwegian theologian was formally installed on Tuesday as the new head of the World Council of Churches. During his installation service, the Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit pronounced "Nothing except Jesus Christ, and him crucified" as his first unity call to the worldwide ecumenical fellowship. .   MORE Missouri Committee Approves Religious Liberty Measure Missouri lawmakers are proceeding with a constitutional religious liberty amendment. Joe Ortwerth, executive director of the Missouri Family Policy Council (MoFPC), tells OneNewsNow that opponents of religious liberty have been very active in trying to suppress religious expression in recent years. MORE Marriage Amendment Making Inroads in West Virginia There is movement in the West Virginia Senate to let voters decide whether to approve a constitutional amendment protecting traditional marriage. Fifteen senators have endorsed Senate Joint Resolution 14 -- a move that Jeremy Dys of the Family Policy Council of West Virginia finds encouraging. MORE Grisly Discovery at Pennsylvania Abortuary State investigators have shut down a West Philadelphia abortion clinic for the second time in two days. The investigation was launched after a woman died in November from an excessive amount of pain killers believed to have been administered by an unlicensed staff member at the Women's Medical Society facility. Cheryl Sullinger of Operation Rescue tells OneNewsNow about the grim results.  MORE Fla. School Prayer Order Is 'Blatantly Unconstitutional' A school prayer case in Florida has elevated into "nuclear war," declares one Christian attorney.  Liberty Counsel is representing Christian Educators Association International (CEAI) in a lawsuit against the Santa Rosa County School District after a federal judge denied CEAI's request to overturn a consent decree requiring faculty and staff to stop expressing their faith in public schools.      MORE Top Protestant Bishop in Germany Caught Driving Drunk The head of the largest Protestant church body in Germany was pulled over this past weekend after running a red light. What’s worse was that Bishop Margot Kassmann, 51, was found by police to have a blood alcohol level of 0.15 percent – three times more than the legal limit for driving in Germany. "I am shocked at myself for committing such a grievous error," Kassmann told the German daily Bild newspaper. "I am aware how dangerous and irresponsible it is to drink & drive. I will accept the consequences," she added. MORE Update for February 24th, 2010 Pro-Life Groups Reject President Obama’s Compromise Health Care Plan President Obama’s new compromise health care plan changes little and would still allow for federal funding of abortion, pro-life groups warned on Monday after the White House unveiled the proposal. The new plan proposes to provide $11 billion to the nation’s Community Health Centers, without any restrictions on the use of the federal funds to pay for abortion on demand. The Hyde Amendment – which bans federal funding for abortion except in the cases of rape, incest, or danger to the physical health of the mother – currently applies to Medicaid but would not affect the fund for the health centers, noted National Right to Life Committee.  Though the centers currently do not perform abortions, there is no law barring from offering the procedure. MORE College Professors Are More Likely to Believe ‘Ten Commandments are Irrelevant Today,' New Study Says College professors are more likely than the average person to believe that the Ten Commandments are irrelevant today -- and to think that America is a corrupting influence on good people, according to a new study released Monday.  MORE Al Qaeda Looking to Recruit English Speakers, Women  Al Qaeda in Yemen is actively recruiting English-speaking individuals, intelligence officials told Fox News, saying that investigators are looking for people who are more like Americans, having been born in the United States or Canada. "Anyone who can fit in and not attract suspicion" is desirable to the terror network right now, said one official. An investigative source also said that among those attracting attention by the intelligence community are women recruits. The next wave of terrorists may include Western women, possibly Canadian, with forged documents.    MORE Rush Limbaugh: President Obama Is Addicted to Lying Talk-radio icon Rush Limbaugh says the president has an addiction, and it is lying. "Since addiction is a big thing to be discussing, Obama has an addiction," Limbaugh said today. "Obama's addiction is lying. Obama's addiction is power," Limbaugh said. "He's a control freak who doesn't trust people. ... He has no concept of reality. ... Barack Obama and freedom don't mix any better than oil and water.   MORE Obama’s Proposal Includes Individual Health Insurance Mandate The health care plan proposed by President Barack Obama on Monday includes an individual mandate requiring every American to have health insurance despite concerns from Republican lawmakers and legal experts that the provision is not constitutional. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), the longest-serving Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, has called the constitutionality of an individual mandate into question. Meanwhile, more than 30 state legislators have either passed or are considering legislation that would not require residents of their states to buy health insurance.  MORE Calif. Pastor Weighs in on Abortion, Homosexuality, Woods' Buddhism Southern California pastor Greg Laurie took on some "hot button" issues from the pulpit on Sunday, covering everything from capital punishment and homosexuality to Tiger Woods' apology. Commenting on the professed faith of pro golfer Woods, he stated, "Here's the problem with Buddhism: they don't believe in a personal God that is there to forgive a person." He cited Stephen Prothero, a Boston University professor on Buddhism, who said that in the Buddhist tradition "no matter what Woods says or does, he is going to have to pay for whatever wrongs he's done." "There's no accountant in the sky wiping sins off your balance sheet, like there is in Christianity." MORE Obama's ‘New’ Health Care Plan Would Use Taxes to Pay for Abortions President Barack Obama unveiled his plan for health care reform on whitehouse.gov on Monday, but pro-life legislators and advocates said the "new" proposal mostly mirrors the Senate bill and, in particular, allows for taxpayer money to be used to fund health plans that cover abortion.  MORE Planned Parenthood and Children's Sexual Rights The International Planned Parenthood Federation is the umbrella organization for 180 Planned Parenthood organizations around the world.  It recently released a report called "Stand and Deliver: Sex, health and young people in the 21st century."  The term "young people" refers to anyone over the age of 10.   MORE Southern Baptists Called to Repent, Grip Reality of 'Lostness' Southern Baptists need to repent of their pride, boasting and disunity and return to God and His vision. That was the sobering call Dr. Ronnie Floyd made Monday as he presented a highly anticipated report charting out a new course for the nation's largest Protestant denomination.    MORE Pakistani Christian Beaten for Refusing to Convert to Islam The four older Muslim brothers of a 26-year-old Christian beat him unconscious here earlier this month because he refused their enticements to convert to Islam, the victim told Compass.    MORE Gene Tests Contribute to Selective Abortions As prenatal screening seems to be resulting in selective abortions, and as some of the most devastating inherited diseases are declining, one doctor fears what this logic could mean in the future.   MORE Survey: Obama Support Down Among Christians President Obama’s support among born-again Christians has decreased after a year in office, a new survey shows.  Among all born-again Christians, 35 percent are satisfied with the job the president is doing, according to a survey conducted by The Barna Group. Back in the 2008 election, 42 percent of all born-again adults voted for then Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.  “   MORE Al Mohler: Tiger Woods’ Buddhist Confession ...The public confession made by Tiger Woods and watched by millions of viewers last Friday was, in the main, much like the confessions made by others, ranging from former President Bill Clinton to evangelist Jimmy Swaggart....Woods publicly reclaimed his Buddhist identity, having been raised in the philosophy of Thai Buddhism by his mother. The two key sentences are these: "Buddhism teaches that a craving for things outside ourselves causes an unhappy and pointless search for security. It teaches me to stop following every impulse and to learn restraint."   MORE Markell Op-Ed: No Power In Vampire Blood Christianity Today online says that vampires are hot stuff right now even for Christians. Visit a Christian bookstore or publishing house Web site and you might be surprised how many vampire-themed books you will see. What's wrong with the picture? Legions of people will tell you that nothing is wrong. They are, in fact, trying to sanctify vampirism. Stephanie Meyer's popular Twilight series is cashing in to be sure. Her four books which have sold over 17 million copies, and two movies thus far, are setting new records. MORE ////// Update for February 23rd, 2010 Investigators Arrest Two in Texas Church Arsons Two young men connected with a string of church fires in east Texas were arrested Sunday. Jason Robert Bourque, 19, and Daniel George McAllister, 21, were charged with arson of a Dover Baptist Church building. They also may face charges for deliberately burning nine other churches.   MORE India: Image of Boozing Jesus Christ Upsets Christians  Christians in India's northeast are outraged after a picture showing Jesus Christ holding a beer can and a cigarette was discovered in primary school textbooks. The image appeared in a handwriting book for children in church-run schools in the Christian-majority state of Meghalaya, where it was used to illustrate the letter "I" for the word "Idol".    MORE Pope Says Body Scanners Defile Personal Integrity Pope Benedict XVI has criticized the use of airport body scanners, saying that despite the threat of terrorism, “the primary asset to be safeguarded and treasured is the person, in his or her integrity.” He told an audience from the aerospace industry at a weekend meeting at the Vatican: “Respecting these principles can seem particularly complex and difficult in the present context . . .  MORE Debate Heats Up Over Pulpit 'Electioneering' A Christian law firm is leading public debate on whether pastors can talk about political issues and candidates from the pulpit. Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) recently co-sponsored a debate on the constitutionality of Internal Revenue Service restrictions on the free speech of pastors. Erik Stanley, senior legal counsel with ADF, faced off against Barry Lynn of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which argues that "pulpit-based electioneering" violates federal law and corrupts the true mission of faith communities.   MORE Iran Arrests Evangelical Leader; Shuts Down Church Iranian authorities recently arrested a “low-keyed” evangelical pastor and shut down his church, a news agency specializing in Iranian Christians reported. The Rev. Wilson Issavi of the Assyrian Evangelical Church in Kermanshah, a remote city in western Iran, was arrested by security agents and taken to an unknown location on Feb. 2, the Farsi Christian News Network reported Monday.     MORE Climate scientists withdraw journal claims of rising sea levels Scientists have been forced to withdraw a study on projected sea level rise due to global warming after finding mistakes that undermined the findings. The study, published in 2009 in Nature Geoscience, one of the top journals in its field... predicted that sea level would rise by between 7cm and 82cm by the end of the century.    MORE Homeland Chief: Domestic Extremism is Top Concern Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says terrorists who are U.S. citizens or live in the country legally and plot against the U.S. are just as big of a concern as international terrorists. She says that when she started as secretary a year ago, the focus was largely on international terrorists who want to harm U.S. interests. But in the past year, more of the violent extremism that has been seen overseas...   MORE Wisconsin Presbytery Approves Ordination of Openly Gay Man In a closed meeting, a regional body of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) on Saturday voted to ordain a partnered homosexual.   MORE AP Finds All Baptist Group's 'Orphans' Had Parents Although a U.S. Baptist group said it was trying to rescue 33 "orphans" by taking them out of earthquake- ravaged Haiti, all the children have close family still alive, The Associated Press has found.  MORE Teacher Cries 'Hate Crime' Over Bible Left on Desk An eighth-grade teacher has accused her students of committing a "hate crime" and being "cruel" because they left a Bible on her desk and a Christmas card with the word "Christ" underlined.  MORE 7th Day Adventist  School Teacher Arrested for Alleged Sex with Student A religion teacher at a private Christian-based high school in Washington state has been arrested on suspicion of having sex with a female teenage student there, police said Saturday. Scott A. Spies, a teacher at the Auburn Adventist Academy, was arrested Tuesday and booked into King County jail, said Sgt. David Colglazier of the Auburn police. He is being held on $150,000 bail for investigation of molestation, indecent liberties and sex with a minor, police said.  MORE Florida School District Faces Suit Over Prayer Ban A Christian legal group announced Saturday its intention to sue a Florida county school district in an attempt to restore the rights of faculty to pray.  The lawsuit comes in response to a federal judge's decision Friday to uphold a consent order that the Santa Rosa School District agreed to follow after a lawsuit was filed against it in 2008 by the American Civil Liberties Union.      MORE AP: Panel Approves Bible Classes for Public Schools In Kentucky Kentucky may follow the lead of Texas and other states in allowing Bible classes to be taught in public schools. Kentucky's Senate Education Committee has unanimously approved legislation that would effectively return the Bible to the state's classrooms. Democratic state Sen. David Boswell of Owensboro is sponsoring the legislation, which he said is modeled after a measure approved by Texas...   MORE Demand for Bible Outstripping Supply in China The U.K.-based Bible Society has reported a growing demand for copies of the Bible in China where an estimated 500,000 people convert to Christianity every year. Although some four million Bibles were printed and distributed across China last year, the rapid growth of the church year on year means that demand for Bibles is now outstripping supply, according to the Bible Society.      MORE //// Update for February 22nd, 2010 Rep. Pence: Stop Using Taxpayer Money to Fund Planned Parenthood Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) earned a standing ovation at CPAC when he said the United States has a moral obligation to the unborn, and that the time has come to stop funding Planned Parenthood with money from pro-life American taxpayers.     MORE Florida Library Denies Access to Christain Group, Is Sued A Florida library slammed the door on a Christian organization and now faces a federal court lawsuit. Anthony Verdugo of the Christian Family Coalition (CFC) sought access to a public library room in New Smyrna Beach for a seminar entitled "Religion in America." But Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) attorney Joel Oster says they were denied usage strictly on the basis of the religious speech...    MORE Liberty University Enrollment Tops 50,000  When the late Rev. Jerry Falwell founded Liberty University in 1971, he set a goal of enrolling 50,000 students and building "the greatest Christian school in the world." Twenty-nine years later, that goal has been met, although not perhaps in the way Falwell envisioned. At the start of the spring semester last month, enrollment totaled 57,371 at the Lynchburg school. The twist: 45,000 are learning online.   MORE Freed Haiti Baptist Volunteer: I Thought  We Had All the Paperwork Jim Allen, one of the eight American volunteers freed from jail in Haiti, said he believed the team had all the paperwork necessary to take Haitian children to an orphanage in the Dominican Republic. “We were told that all the documents required to get kids into the Dominican Republic she (team leader Laura Silsby) had,” said Allen to Anderson Cooper on CNN’s “AC360” Friday evening. “And on the Haitian side there were some documents that we needed to acquire and that was part of our goal also.”  MORE Military Leaders Face Grilling On Gay Ban Lift Lawmakers this week will press the military's top uniformed officers for the first time on whether they think repealing "don't ask, don't tell" makes sense or would be too disruptive. The testimony from each of the service chiefs on Capitol Hill will be crucial to the debate in Congress on whether to repeal the 17-year-old law, which bans gays from serving openly in the military.   MORE Megachurch Floods Charlotte with Jesus' Love Love is in the air in Charlotte, N.C. Jesus' love, that is. One of the fastest growing churches in the country is sending out a refreshing message to the city: We're not here to condemn but to love.    MORE Update for February 20th-21st, 2010 Attorney: Missionaries Were In Haiti to Help An attorney for a Texas man who was held nearly three weeks in Haiti says it's a relief that eight of the ten Baptist missionaries are now on U.S. soil..."These are some good Christian people who went to try to help Haiti, and in Jim's case to help repair and build orphanages," he shares.   MORE Uncle Sam Has His Eye On Your 401(k) You did the responsible thing. You saved in your IRA or 401(k) to support your retirement, when you could have spent that money on another vacation, or an upscale car, or fancier clothes and jewelry. But now Washington is developing plans for your retirement savings....In plain English, the idea is for the government to take your retirement savings in return for a promise to pay you some monthly benefit in your retirement years.   MORE Benny Hinn 'Shocked' by Divorce Papers After more than 30 years of marriage, faith healer Benny Hinn may be heading to divorce court.Benny Hinn Ministries on Thursday confirmed that his wife, Suzanne Hinn, filed a petition for divorce in Orange County Superior Court on Feb. 1. She cited irreconcilable differences.  MORE New Findings Cast Increasing Doubt on Schiavo’s Death by Bobby Schindler  -During my family's battle to save my sister Terri Schiavo from death by dehy- dration, a tremendous amount of debate raged over whether or not she was in what the medical prof- ession refers to as a persistent vegetative state (PVS). Indeed, the PVS diagnosis was used as one of the deciding factors in whether my sister should live or die. It was the core catalyst in the court ordering the removal of Terri’s food/water.   MORE Kentucky Committee OKs Bible Classes for Public Schools A Kentucky Senate Education Committee on Thursday approved a bill that would set up guidelines for Bible courses to be taught in public schools. The committee members unanimously approved legislation that calls on the Kentucky Board of Education to establish parameters for an elective course on the Bible that focuses on the Christian Holy Book’s influence on literature, art, music, morals, oratory and public policy.   MORE Freed Baptist Volunteers Arrive in Miami  Eight of the ten American volunteers detained in Haiti for the past three weeks on suspicion of child abduction were finally released and arrived in Miami early Thursday morning.  The baptist volunteers, mostly from two Idaho churches, arrived at Miami International Airport on a U.S. Air Force C-130 cargo plane shortly after midnight. After they cleared U.S. Customs, at about 1:25 a.m., seven of the...  MORE Attorney: The Truth Will Come Out Now That Missionaries Are Released An attorney for one of the Baptist missionaries released Wednesday evening from a Haitian jail says the truth will now begin to emerge about those who were arrested. Jim Allen, a contractor from Amarillo, Texas, joined nine other Christians on a mission trip to Haiti several weeks ago. The group has since made headlines after being arrested and charged with child kidnapping.    MORE Atheists Produce 'How-To' On Destroying Roadside Memorials A Christian organization is denouncing an atheist group for a campaign that aims to desecrate roadside crosses. Anglican Bishop Council Nedd, who heads the organization In God We Trust, tells OneNewsNow his staff ran across the website AtheistActivist.org.      MORE Christian Student Killed in Iraq; Fourth Murder in Days The bullet-riddled body of a 20-year-old Christian student was found on the street of the northern Iraqi city of Mosul Wednesday. Wissam George was missing since that morning when he left for school, a police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Agence France-Presse. George was studying to be a teacher. George is the fourth Christian to be gunned down in Mosul since Sunday.     MORE Salvation Army Reaches Settlement in Church-State Suit The Salvation Army and the New York Civil Liberties Union have reached a settlement in a longstanding suit that sought to prevent the evangelical organization from violating church-state separation when providing social services.  MORE Sen. Jim DeMint: ‘America Is Teetering Towards Tyranny’ Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) told a standing-room-only crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Thursday that Democrats in Congress and the White House are the inspiration for a revolution that he and fellow conservatives hope is sweeping the nation ahead of the '10 mid-term elections. MORE Top Climate Official: 15 Years With No Global Warming Is Not a Trend When asked yesterday whether she agreed or disagreed with one of the world’s top climate-change scientists that there had been no statistically significant global warming over the last fifteen years, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator Jane Lubchenco would only... MORE Fed Is Sued For “Not Fair” Pastor Tax Break The Freedom from Religion Foundation is suing the federal government, saying that the tax break it gives pastors is, in the words of co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor, “not constitutional, … not fair, and …  not necessary.” In fact, she told The Tennessean, “We think the law is rotten at the core.” MORE Sports Fans Come Dangerously Close To Idolatry ...Americans are consuming sports on an unprecedented scale. The ancient Romans, long considered the gold standard for how sports-crazed a culture could be, were dilettantes compared to the sports fans of this century. The Romans could squeeze 50,000 spectators into the Coliseum for gladiatorial contests—a quaint assemblage next to the 107,000 seats regularly sold for University of Michigan or Penn State...  MORE Poll: Mississippians Most Likely to Attend Church Frequently Mississippians were more likely to attend a religious service on a weekly or almost weekly basis than the people of any other state, according to the second annual Gallup poll on religious service attendance. The people of Mississippi were also found in 2008 to be the most frequent servicegoers, but this year were even more likely to attend service weekly with 63 percent saying they "attend church, synagogue, or mosque” at least once a week or almost every week. Last year, 60 percent said the same.   MORE World’s Oldest Pastor Dies at 101 in Japan The world’s oldest actively serving pastor died this past weekend in Japan. He was 101 years old. The funeral service of the Rev. Tsuneharu Oshima was held Monday in Kobe city, Nagoya, Japan.    MORE /////// Update for February 17th-18th, 2010 Watchdog: Murder of Street Preachers in Florida Is 'Alarming' The murder of two young street preachers in Florida by a teenager whom they shared the Gospel with is “alarming,” said a spokesperson for a religious freedom watchdog group.  Eighteen-year-old Jeriah Woody, whose street name is “Plug,” is charged with two counts of first-degree murder. Woody allegedly shot and killed Tite Sufra, 24, and Stephen Ocean, 23, on Jan. 30 after they shared about Christ with him...  MORE Strandberg Op-Ed: Focus On the Family Is Another Watchman Falling Off the Wall Some funny business is going on at Focus on the Family. James Dobson is stepping down, ceding his microphone to new leadership. Mr. Dobson, a 73-year-old child psychologist, announced that he is going to launch a new radio show with his son in March. He said, "I cannot watch the world continue in a moral decline without offering guidance." Founded in 1977 by Dobson, Focus on the Family has built an audience estimated at 1.5 million daily listeners in the U.S. and more than 200 million worldwide. Its mission is "nurturing and defending the God-ordained institution of the family and promoting biblical truths worldwide." Jim Daly will be the guy taking the reins of the ministry. He is said to have a markedly different style and set of priorities. "I don't see evil behind everything," Daly said.  MORE Climategate U-Turn: No Global Warming Since 1995 The academic at the center of the ‘Climategate’ affair, whose raw data is crucial to the theory of climate change, has admitted that he has trouble ‘keeping track’ of the information. Colleagues say that the reason Professor Phil Jones has refused Freedom of Information requests is that he may have actually lost the relevant papers.  Professor Jones told the BBC yesterday there was truth in the observations of colleagues that he lacked organisational skills, that his office was swamped with piles of paper and that his record keeping is ‘not as good as it should be’. MORE Syracuse University Chapel Appoints First Pagan Chaplain Hendricks Chapel recognized Mary Hudson as its first pagan chaplain on Feb. 1, in line with its goal of being more inclusive of all religions on campus....Syracuse University may be only the second university in the nation to have a pagan chaplain, Hudson said. The only other one she was aware of is at the University of Southern Maine. Hudson said she hopes her appointment will help the SU community become more aware and understanding of the pagan community. Although she said there is more awareness and...   MORE Ezekiel's Tomb On the Edge of Destruction A short fifteen-minute drive outside Kerbala, Iraq, one can witness the frontlines of the clash between East and West, Islamism and progress. There, in the small town of Al-Kifl, lies -- at least at the time of this writing -- the 2,500-year-old Tomb of the Prophet Ezekiel. But for the first time in recorded history, the Tomb is threatened not by the collateral damage of war, nor the ignominies of thieves and bandits, but by a planned, government-authorized, and taxpayer-funded demolition.   MORE Albert Mohler Op-Ed: Are Preachers Too Silent About Sex? More sex in the pulpit? That's the call from the Religious Institute -- a liberal organization that advocates "progressive" understandings of human sexuality. The group has issued a new report, "Spirituality and Religion 2020" that spells out goals for the next decade. As a Religion Dispatches press release about the report explains, "While conservative pastors preach against homosexuality, pre-marital sex, and abortion, in the nation's more progressive pulpits, church leaders offer little or no guidance regarding human sexuality..." MORE NARAL Seeks Pro-Choice License Plate; Proceeds Go to Pl'd Parenthood Abortion-rights advocates have been unable to halt the "Choose Life" license plate variations in nearly two-dozen states, so now they're working to balance the bumper debate. Activists are pushing a "Trust Women/Respect Choice" license plate in Virginia, which would become only the fourth state...  MORE Netanyahu Delcares Ezekiel 37 Fulfilled The leader of a Messianic Jewish ministry is pleased that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently proclaimed the fulfillment of the prophecy in Ezekiel, Chapter 37.  Speaking on the recent 65th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz in Poland, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proclaimed the fulfillment of the prophet Ezekiel's vision of the valley of dry bones. Netanyahu said, "Armed with the Jewish spirit, the justice of man, and the...    MORE 'Lawyer' for Americans in Haiti Faces Charges The Dominican legal adviser to the ten American Baptist volunteers facing charges of child kidnapping in Haiti is himself wanted in El Salvador on charges of human trafficking and in the United States for human smuggling.  Jorge Torres Puello, who was hired by the families of the Americans for legal advice, is accused of operating an international sex trafficking ring using women and girls from the Caribbean and Central America. He allegedly lured girls by promising modeling contracts instead made them prostitutes. MORE SBC Membership Drops Again; Catholics Rebound The nation’s largest Protestant denomination reported a decline in membership for the second year in a row, according to the National Council of Churches’ 2010 yearbook of churches. The Catholic Church, mean- while, rebounded from last year’s reported membership loss with a 1.49 percent growth, joining church bodies including the Assemblies of God and the Church of God in Christ as the few large U.S. denomin- ations with reported growth. MORE Cutting Edge Media Campaign Links Abortion to Racism A controversial new media campaign in Georgia links the racism of Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, with the disproportionate numbers of African-American abortions performed in the United States every year. MORE Report: Recession Keeping Marriages Intact, For Now After years of increase, the divorce rate in the United States fell in 2008, a new report shows, and research suggests it may be the result of the recession. "[M]any couples appear to be developing a new appreciation for the economic and social support that marriage can provide in tough times..."  MORE Why Are Christians Always the Villain in TV,  Movies? A Hollywood screenwriter says it is no accident that Christians are often portrayed in a negative light in movies and television shows. Andrew Klavan has worked with well-known actors such as Clint Eastwood and Michael Douglas. The screenwriter is also a bestselling author who is often called on... MORE Kenneth Starr Named Baylor University President The world's largest Baptist university has named Kenneth Winston Starr, who is most well-known for his work as special prosecutor in the Clinton scandals, as its next president.   MORE 'Good Without God' Billboards Now up In Sacramento  "Are you good without God? Millions are" is the message on 10 new billboards in the Sacramento, CA area. The billboards, which are part of a nationwide campaign that began last year, were put up by the Sacramento Area Coalition of Reason. It's an umbrella organization for a variety of groups... MORE SC School Prayer Club Allowed To Meet Georgetown, South Carolina, will have a student prayer group at the local high school, in spite of complaints by Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU).     MORE Heckling of Israeli Ambassador 'Shameful' An Arab-American and terrorism expert says it's absolutely shameful that the University of California-Irvine (UCI) allowed a group of Muslim students to heckle the Israeli ambassador to the United States during a recent address on campus.   MORE 'Shocking' Trend in India: Child Traffickers Posing as Missionaries North east India has a high concentration of Christians, but there are fears that this fact is being exploited by criminals disguising themselves as missionaries and evangelists in order to traffic children.  MORE University Student Gets Probabtion for Evangelist Assault A Middle Tennessee State University student has entered a plea agreement on a charge that she assaulted an evangelist on campus last year. The Daily News Journal of Murfreesboro reports that 23-year-old Michaela Morales received nearly a year of probation, must do 24 hours of community service... MORE Gayle Haggard's Book Makes NY Times Bestseller List Gayle Haggard’s book explaining why she decided to stay with her husband, former evangelical leader Ted Haggard, after his drug and sex scandal has made the New York Times’ Bestseller List.   MORE /// Update for February 15th-16th, 2010 ALBERT MOHLER COMMENTARY: Vanishing Christianity? A Lesson from the Presbyterians "Liberal Protestantism, in its determined policy of accommodation with the secular world, has succeeded in making itself dispensable." That was the judgment of Thomas C. Reeves in The Empty Church: The Suicide of Liberal Protestantism, published in 1996. Fast-forward another fourteen years and it becomes increasingly clear that liberal Protestantism continues its suicide -- with even greater theological accommodations to the secular worldview. The latest evidence for this pattern is found in a report just released by The Presbyterian Panel, a research group that serves the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) [PCUSA]. The panel's report is presented as a "Religious and Demographic Profile of Presbyterians, 2008." The report contains relatively few surprises, but it is filled with data about the beliefs of Presbyterian laypersons and clergy.   MORE Deficit to Explode with Obama’s Spending Plans Even With Economic Recovery It's bad enough that Greece's debt problems have rattled global financial markets. In the world's largest economic and military power, there's a far more serious debt dilemma. For the U.S., the crushing weight of its debt threatens to overwhelm everything the federal government does, even in the short-term, best-case financial scenario — a full recovery and a return to prerecession employment levels. The government already has made so many promises to so many expanding "mandatory" programs.    MORE Two Street Preachers Gunned Down in Florida Two Weeks Ago...  Media Still Silent A religious liberty group warned Saturday  that "Anti-Christian hostility is getting increasingly deadly" in the United States after two street preachers were shot and killed by a teenager who apparently opposed their message. "The increasing demonization of Christians in our culture makes some feel its open season on Christians," said Gary Cass of the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission. Tite Sufra, 24, and Stephen Ocean , 23, were shot to death late Saturday, January 30, in Boynton Beach in the U.S. State of Florida, where they evangelized, after meeting 18-year-old Jeriah Woody, local police said.  MORE Caroline Glick Op-Ed: Palin's Friendship With Israel ...Palin bellowed that on issues of foreign policy, there is no room for self-delusion. As she put it, "National security, that's the one place where you've got to call it like it is." And then, "We need a foreign policy that distinguishes America's friends from her enemies and recognizes the true nature of the threats that we face." If her address wasn't enough to convince Americans - and specifically American Jews - that Palin thinks supporting Israel and standing up to Iran are the keys to US national security, then there was her interview on Fox News Sunday.     MORE Serial Arsonist on Rampage: Churches Burned In TX Residents of eastern Texas are on edge, worried in the wake of what may be a serial arsonist on the loose with an appetite for burning churches to the ground.  At various intervals since New Year's Day, 11 churches in the state have gone up in flames, and authorities have ruled nearly all of them arson. A $25,000 reward is offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the fire starter.  "The disturbing part is it changes everyone's lifestyle," said Neal Franklin, fire chief in Tyler, where two churches have been destroyed. "It changes our attitude."  Franklin told the Dallas…   MORE UK Daily Mail: Collapse of the Euro Is 'Inevitable' The European single currency is facing an 'inevitable break-up' a leading French bank claimed yesterday. Strategists at Paris-based Société Générale said that any bailout of the stricken Greek economy would only provide 'sticking plasters' to cover the deep- seated flaws in the eurozone bloc.      MORE 3 Sketches Released in Texas Church Fires Probe Sketches of three people sought in connection with the spate of church fires in eastern Texas were released Friday along with a plea to the public. MORE British Airways Worker Loses Religious Discrimination Case A British Airways check-in worker who refused to hide her cross necklace at work has lost her case against the airline in London's Court of Appeals but will likely take it up to the Supreme Court.    MORE Evangelical Panel Responds to Avatar Phenomenon, Popular Culture With "Avatar" now the highest-grossing movie of all time, some evangelical Christians are wondering how to respond to the cultural phenomenon. Some have slammed the film for promoting pantheism and an anti-human message. Others have joined fellow moviegoers in literally applauding the film...  MORE Church of England Declares Evolution, Faith Are Compatible The Church of England's governing body on Friday approved a motion that emphasizes the compatibility of belief in both God and science.   MORE New Hampshire Legislators Poised to Pass Pro-Gay School Law If you live in New Hampshire, promotion of homosexuality and transgenderism could be coming to a classroom near you. That’s because liberal legislators and gay activists in New Hampshire are dead set on pushing through a state law that calls for school districts to include those themes in curricula. And yet again, this is being done in the name of “safety” and preventing bullying.    MORE China Officers Urge Economic Punch Against U.S. as Punnishment Senior Chinese military officers have proposed that their country boost defense spending, adjust PLA deployments, and possibly sell some U.S. bonds to punish Washington for its latest round of arms sales to Taiwan. The calls for broad retaliation over the planned U.S. weapons sales to the disputed island came from officers at China's National Defence University and Academy of Military Sciences, interviewed by Outlook Weekly, a Chinese-language magazine published by the official Xinhua news agency.   MORE Planned Parenthood Pushes Sex Education for Kids as Young as 10 A new report by the International Planned Parenthood Federation is advocating that children as young as 10 be given extensive sex education, including an awareness of sex’s pleasures.The report, “Stand and Deliver,” charges that religious groups, specifically Catholics and Muslims, deny their young access to comprehensive sexual programs and education.   MORE German Foreign Minister Backs Idea of European Army  Germany supports the creation of a European army in the long term so that the EU can be a "global player," Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle told the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. "The long-term goal is the establishment of a European army under full parliamentary control. The European Union must live up to its political role as a global player. It must be able to manage crises independently. It must be able to respond quickly, flexibly and to take a united stand," he said.    MORE In Presbyterian Church, 36% Believe Jesus Is Not the Only Way A poll of members of the Presbyterian Church USA shows a significant percentage of them now reject the exclusivity of the gospel message. The Statement of Faith of the nation's largest Presbyterian denomination says God through Jesus Christ delivers followers "from death to life eternal." But a poll of Presbyterians" found that 36 percent of members disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement: "Only followers of Jesus Christ can be saved." MORE 2011 Budget Increases Funding for Planned Parenthood President Obama's proposed budget for 2011 includes more than $327 million for Title X, the program that funds Planned Parenthood.  That's a $10 million increase. Carrie Gordon Earll, senior director of issue analysis for Focus on the Family Action, said even though the funds cannot go to pay for abortions, any time Planned Parenthood funding is increased, it's cause for concern. MORE Psychiatrists Mull Renaming Sexual Disorder The American Psychiatric Association is considering changing Gender Identity Disorder (GID), to Gender Incongruity. GID is a conflict between a person's physical gender and the gender with which he or she identifies. Dr. George Rekers, distinguished professor of neuropsychiatry and behavioral science at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, said it's pure politics.    MORE Students Take Countercultural Stand, Choose Sexual Purity In the lead up to Valentine's Day, students around the world are making a stand against the cultural message that encourages sexual promiscuity and promoting their choice of purity.    MORE Wilson Op-Ed: White House in Denial over Iran Nuclear Announcement Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has announced to the world that his terrorist sponsoring nation is capable of enriching uranium to make an atomic bomb. Russia and China, permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, have assisted Iran in this endeavor.     MORE Honey Bee Decline Linked To Falling Biodiversity The decline of honeybees seen in many countries may be caused by reduced plant diversity, research suggests. Bees fed pollen from a range of plants showed signs of having a healthier immune system than those eating pollen from a single type, scientists found.     MORE ///// Update for February 13th-14th, 2010 Minnesota Churches Consider Charging Fees For Weddings, Funerals, etc Churches encourage prayers for the poor and the sick. That's why so many have started praying for themselves. In response to hard times, some churches are considering charging fees for Sunday schools, confirmation classes and other services. "Perhaps this is the wave of the future," said the Rev. Timothy Johnson, director of the Minnesota Church Ministries Association. He said the fees — as well as staff cutbacks and even church foreclosures — were signs of economic stress wracking the state's churches. But critics say it's a mistake for churches to charge for services, like a doctor or a plumber does. What's next, they ask: Pray-for-pay? Salvation via MasterCard?   "The financial problem is just a symptom," said Tracee Swank, a church consultant with the nonprofit Indiana-based Church Doctor Ministries, which advises churches nationwide. "We want people to give out of a sense of what God is blessing them with — which is a totally different worldview" from paying a business for a service. Adjusting to a financial shortfall, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church of St. Paul is considering charging a $30 fee for Sunday school and confirmation class.     MORE Feds Admit They Wronged Pro-Lifers Pro-life Wisconsin is raising serious questions about information gathered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) since information was inappropriately shared with the Middleton (Wisconsin) Police Department. Peggy Hamill, director of Pro-Life Wisconsin, tells OneNewsNow the federal agency has acknowledged the "threat assessment." "The Homeland Security Civil Rights Department concluded that the investigation had been an improper use of department resources and also inappropriately directed against activities protected by the First Amendment," she reports. The agency concluded law enforcement inappropriately engaged in the collection, retention, and sharing of information on groups protesting a Univ. of Wisconsin abortion facility. MORE Sharper Iron: Baptist Missionaries In the News The press is full of reports about Baptist missionaries who have been arrested in Haiti. They are accused of—and formally charged with—attempting to abduct children illegally into the neighboring Dominican Republic, ostensibly with the purpose of eventually selling the children into adoption. The missionaries have been moved from lodging in a public building and sent to jail. Jail in Haiti. Jail in a Haiti that has been decimated by earthquakes. I admit that my first reaction when I heard the story was, “Oh, no! Another black mark against Fundamentalists.” As it turns out, these missionaries were from Southern Baptist churches. Still, they wear the names Baptist and missionary, and as far as most people are concerned, that has implications enough for the rest of us who are Baptists concerned with missions. Naturally, the American press is playing up the story, focusing mainly on the two words Baptist and missionaries. To read the reports in the...  MORE UK Methodist Church 'Prepared to Go Out of Existence' for Mission The Methodist Church told the Church of England that it is prepared to cease existing if it serves the needs of the Kingdom. Addressing the Church of England’s General Synod on Thursday, Methodist President the Rev. David Gamble said:  “We are prepared to go out of existence not because we are declining or failing in mission, but for the sake of mission," he continued. “In other words we are prepared to be changed and even to cease having a separate existence as a Church if that will serve the needs of the Kingdom.”   MORE Researchers Probe Direct Link Between Brain Activity, Spirituality Brain surgery patients who have had tumors removed from the back part of their brain were more likely demonstrate greater spirituality after the operation than those who had tumors removed from the frontal area of their brain, according to researchers behind a new study. Though past neuroimaging studies have linked activity within a large network in the brain that connects the outer areas of the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes with spiritual experiences, information on the causative link between such a network... MORE US Missionaries May Spend Weekend In Haiti Lockup Ten U.S. missionaries arrested trying to leave earthquake-crippled Haiti with a busload of children may be spending the weekend in jail despite a judge recommending their provisional release. The prosecutor who got the case Thursday afternoon told The Associated Press he would respond to the judge by next week. All public offices are closed Friday, the quake's one-month anniversary that is aday of mourning.  MORE Church of England Grants Full Pension Rights to Gay Clergy & Partners The Church of England’s governing body has passed a motion in favor of giving civil partners of deceased gay clergy the same pension entitlements as heterosexual widows or widowers. The motion was put forward by the Rev. Mark Bratton, priest at St John the Baptist church in Berkwell, near Coventry. MORE Look What They're Erasing from U.S. History! A state board of only 15 people will vote on whether to revise U.S. textbooks to omit references to Daniel Boone, Gen. George Patton, Nathan Hale, Columbus Day and Christmas. The Texas State Board of Education will also vote on a proposal to substitute the term "American" with "global citizen." Mathew Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, is warning Americans to speak up before only eight people, with a majority vote, have a chance to literally rewrite American history.  MORE 9th, 10th Texas Church Fires Ruled Arson Two churches in East Texas that were damaged by fires this week were the victims of arson, authorities said Thursday. That makes Dover Baptist Church and Clear Spring Missionary Church near Tyler, Texas, the ninth and tenth churches to have been deliberately burned this year in the Lone Star State. MORE Seminary President Labels Sou. Baptist Mission Strategy 'Heresy' The president of Liberty Theological Seminary has labeled a method used by Southern Baptist missionaries to spread the gospel in Muslim lands deceptive and heretical. In a podcast interview on the SBC Today blog, Ergun Caner blasted the "Camel Method," developed by longtime mission strategist Kevin Greeson to engage Muslims into talking about Jesus using a familiar legend from Islam. The story goes that every good Muslim knows 99 names for Allah, but there is a 100th name that was revealed only to the camel.  MORE Poll: 61 Percent Say Start from Scratch on Health Care Reform According to a new poll from Rasmussen Reports, a majority of Americans agree with the Republican leadership that Congress should scrap its current 2,000-page health care overhaul plans and start afresh. Rasmussen asked likely voters: “Is it better to build on the health care plan that has been working its way through the House and Senate, or should Congress scrap that plan and start all over again?” Just 28 percent said it would be better to build on the current plan, as the White House has indicated it wants to do, while 61 percent said the whole thing should be scrapped. Eleven percent were unsure.    MORE NARAL Dedicates Annual Report to Abortionist Dr. George Tiller In a new status report on women’s reproductive rights, a pro-abortion group gives the nation a cumulative grade of “D,” based on state and federal legislation it sees as “pro-choice” or “anti-choice.” NARAL Pro-Choice America dedicated its 2009 report, "Who Decides: The Status of Women's Reproductive Rights in the United States," to the late George Tiller, the abortionist who was shot and killed last year by a man with a history of mental problems.  MORE UK Telegraph: Atheists Just as Ethical as Churchgoers Atheists are just as ethical and have as strong a moral compass as churchgoers, new research shows. People who have no religion know right from wrong just as well as regular worshippers, according to the study. The team behind the research found that most religions were similar and had a moral code which helped to organise society.  But people who did not have a religious background still appeared to have intuitive judgments of right and wrong in common with believers, according to the findings, published in the journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences. Dr Marc Hauser, from Harvard University, one of the co-authors of the research, said that he and his colleagues were interested in the roots of religion and morality.  MORE Planned Parenthood Report Blasted as Disturbing Conservatives say a new report released by International Planned Parenthood Federation on comprehensive sex education is inappropriate and oversexualizes ten-year-olds. "This report isn't about doing what is right for young people and certainly not about offering them the very best options in life. It is about advancing an ideological agenda that is hostile to traditional families, religious faith and...  MORE Probation Levied Against Alabama Abortion Clinic A Planned Parenthood clinic in Alabama has been placed on probation after an undercover probe by the student-led pro-life group Live Action. The investigation -- prompted by one of Live Action's video "stings" over the last year -- revealed that the Birmingham facility was encouraging minors to...  MORE Iowans Stymied on Marriage Amendment Vote Iowans will not have a chance to vote on a constitutional amendment for marriage protection anytime soon. Two rules were invoked in the State House to force a vote to send the proposed amendment to the people -- to no avail. MORE Remains of Christian Filmmaker Found in Haiti The State Department has confirmed that a body found in rubble from the earthquake in Haiti is that of David Hames, who had been working on a filming project for the Christian children's ministry Compassion International.  MORE ///////// Update for February 10th-11th, 2010 Jenny Sanford: I Look To My God in Times of Crisis Jenny Sanford, soon-to-be ex-wife of disgraced South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, said she looks to her Christian faith and to God during times of crisis. In an interview with CNN’s “Larry King Live,” South Carolina’s first lady talked about her new memoir, Staying True , which hits bookstores Friday and recounts her 20-year marriage and the affair that ended it. “I think it is an honest account of the values I hold dear and the things that I turn to in times of crisis or in a busy political life to keep myself very solid and grounded in my faith, my values,” Sanford said Monday night. “I look to my faith, I look to my God, I look to my friends, and I look to my relationship with my family.”  Sanford rejected the suggestion that she wrote the book out of retribution, using instead the word catharsis to explain her motive for writing Staying True. She also said she hopes when her four teenage sons are ready to read the book, they will understand why she made the decisions she did and understand the values she holds dear.    MORE Church of England is 'Living in the Past', Says BBC's Head of Religion  The BBC's head of religion has accused the Church of England of "living in the past" and said that the corporation should not give Christianity preferential treatment.   Aaqil Ahmed, a controversial executive whose appointment last year prompted more than 100 complaints, said: "I think all the faiths should be treated in the same way. I don't believe in treating any faith differently."  He dismissed claims that the BBC was marginalising religion as overly simplistic and argued that Christianity, in particular, was already covered well on television.  His comments come on the eve of a debate at the General Synod, the Church's parliament, over the BBC's treatment of Christianity. There has been growing concern at top levels of the Church over the corporation's approach to religion, with warnings that it must...   MORE State Department Rebuffs Call for Clinton Intervention In Haiti Abduction Case Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will not get directly involved in the case of the 10 Americans detained in Haiti on child abduction charges, a State Department spokesman said Tuesday. "It would be highly unusual for the secretary of state to intervene in a case involving the judicial process of another country," spokesman P.J. Crowley said in an off-camera question-and-answer session. Reginald Brown -- the Washington lawyer who represents one of the detained Americans -- sent a letter to Clinton on Tuesday asking her to personally intervene with Haitian authorities. "This is all the result of a colossal misunderstanding and we are hoping it will resolve itself," Brown said about the arrest and detention of his client, Jim Allen, and the other nine Americans. "We would appreciate it if you could continue to devote significant personal attention to this matter, as we are confident that with your assistance this misunderstanding could be quickly resolved." MORE Two More Church Fires In Texas! Recent fires that destroyed or damaged several churches in eastern Texas were likely set by an individual or a group of people, federal authorities said Tuesday.  Fires that broke out at two churches near Tyler on Monday have not yet been ruled arson, but authorities are investigating them as such. They were reported within an hour of one another and there were signs that at least one of the churches had been broken into.  MORE American Thinker: Tim Tebow's Super Story Tim Tebow has earned the right to have his story heard in any venue. He has won the Heisman trophy and two national championships, as well as an endless list of career awards and records. But all of that is meaningless compared to the young man Tim Tebow is underneath the pads. Tebow is perhaps the most widely respected athlete of this generation, in any sport. Even his competitors have nothing but praise for him. In a world in which athletes cheat on their wives and get arrested on a fairly regular basis, Tebow's work ethic, morality, and inspiration to others is more than just a breath of fresh air.   MORE Baptist Missionaries Get New Attorney There are new developments in the case of the ten Americans charged with child kidnapping in Haiti. The ten were arrested last month trying to take 33 Haitian children across the border into the Dominican Republic. They were charged last week with child abduction and criminal association. MORE Haitian Officer: U.S. Baptist Team Made Earlier Attempt to Take Children The American team of volunteers on trial for abduction charges related to 33 Haitian children had tried to take dozens of other children across the border, said a Haitian police officer.  A few days before their arrests, the ten volunteers attempted to take 40 children to the Dominican Republic, the officer, who requested not to be identified for fear of reprisals, told CNN on Monday. The officer thwarted the group's plan after he was alerted by a concerned citizen about the bus loaded with Haitian children. MORE Inmate Denied Access To Sermon CDs The Rutherford Institute has filed suit against the Virginia prison system it says has violated an inmate's constitutional right to practice his religion.  In September 2009, prison inmate Kyle Mabe ordered music and sermon CDs to further his Christian faith. Rutherford Institute founder John Whitehead picks up the story. "The St. Brides Correctional Center, which is a small prison in Chesapeake, Virginia, denied him the right to hear the sermons," he explains. "They said music CDs are okay, but you can't have any sermons." MORE Homosexual Advocates Claim 'Hate Speech' Over Public-School Flyers A campaign has been launched in Montgomery County, Md., to classify the speech of advocates for people who choose to leave the homosexual lifestyle as "hate speech," which then could be banned under a new law signed last year by President Obama..."You people are like the KKK but only in the form of religion … you should be ashamed of yourselves."    MORE 'Satan's Video Game' Makes Super Bowl Appearance The Super Bowl ad claimed, "Hell awaits," and players who fire up "Dante's Inferno" on their Xbox 360 can dive right in to slay all sorts of demons and dark lords to save the girl from Satan's grasp.  There's even a level where players can take on knife-wielding unbaptized babies. Kill enough of them, and players will unlock an "achievement" called the "Bad Nanny" award.   MORE Psychologists Explore Religion, Morality Link Psychologists in a new study suggest that moral judgments operate independently of religious background.  And by this, they conclude that religion is a by-product of evolved, non-religious, cognitive functions. Contributing to the ongoing debate over the origins and evolution of religion, Dr. Ilkka Pyysiainen of Finland's University of Helsinki and Dr. Marc Hauser of Harvard University evaluated existing theories by specifically exploring the link between religion and morality.  MORE Moroccan Authorities Raid Bible Study, Arrest Christians A large, military-led team of Moroccan authorities raided a Bible study in a small city southeast of Marrakech last week, arresting 18 Moroccans and deporting a U.S. citizen, area Christian leaders said.   MORE Conservatives Blast Military Bases Stocking Morning-After Pill Conservative groups have denounced the recent decision requiring that all U.S. military bases worldwide carry the controversial contraceptive pill, Plan B. "In the last year we have witnessed the Obama Administration move from the status quo of abortion as legal and available in health care plans to aggressively promoting U.S. government funded abortions," noted Jeanne Monahan, director of Family Research Council...    MORE Watchdog Sees Rise in Reported Persecution Cases in China There was an increase in the number of reported persecution cases against Christians in China last year, according to a religious freedom group that specializes in Chinese house churches. In its “Annual 2009 Persecution Report,” ChinaAid Association revealed a 19 percent increase in number of Christian persecution cases compared to data from 2008.     MORE N.H. Pastor: Good Marriages Are Not by Accident The biblical institution of marriage is foundational in our society and yet it is the most difficult value to sustain today, said a Raymond, N.H., pastor.Kicking off National Marriage Week on Sunday, Raymond Baptist Church Pastor Kevin McBride began a mini-series on marriage to re-examine the biblical foundation for marriage and help strengthen marriages that may be struggling.      MORE Moroccan Authorities Raid Bible Study, Arrest Christians A large, military-led team of Moroccan authorities raided a Bible study in a small city southeast of Marrakech last week, arresting 18 Moroccans and deporting a U.S. citizen, area Christian leaders said.   MORE /////// Update for February 8th-9th , 2010 Wall St. Journal: Focus on the Family Seeks 'Broader Tent' Focus on the Family, the evangelical radio ministry that grew into a powerhouse of the religious right, enters a new era this month as founder James Dobson steps down, ceding his microphone to a leader with a markedly different style and set of priorities. Mr. Dobson, a 73-year-old child psychologist, will record the last of his daily radio broadcasts for the Colorado Springs-based ministry this month. Taking over from him will be Jim Daly, an M.B.A. who has been with the ministry for two decades and became its president in 2005. On the radio since the late 1970s, Mr. Dobson has built an audience estimated at 1.5 million daily listeners in the U.S. and more than 200 million world-wide. He began his ministry advising parents, urging, for instance, a firm hand in child discipline, including spankings with a paddle. In the past two decades, Mr. Dobson pushed into politics by funding ad campaigns and mobilizing his radio audience to bombard Congress with calls on hot-button legislation.    MORE Sarah Palin: Obama's Agenda Will Be Short-Lived Sarah Palin is predicting a good year for conservative candidates for public office, saying the policies of President Barack Obama and Democratic leaders in Congress will be short-lived. The 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee told the National Tea Party Convention in Saturday that a string of recent Republican victories at the polls, including Scott Brown's longshot win in last month's special Senate election in Massachusetts, bodes well for conservative candidates this year. She told the convention in Tennessee that if ...  MORE Haitian Lawyer for Jailed US Missionaries Fired The Haitian lawyer for 10 U.S. Baptists charged with child kidnapping tried to bribe the missionaries' way out of jail and has been fired, the attorney who hired him said Saturday night. The Haitian lawyer, Edwin Coq, denied the allegation. He said the $60,000 he requested from the Americans' families was his fee. Jorge Puello, the attorney in the neighboring Dominican Republic retained by relatives of the 10 American missionaries after their arrest last week, told The Associated Press that he fired Coq on Friday night. He had hired Coq to represent the detainees at Haitian legal proceedings. Coq orchestrated "some kind of extortion with government officials" that would have led to the release of nine of the 10 missionaries, Puello charged. MORE Palin Targets Obama In 'Tea Party' Speech Taking aim at President Barack Obama and the Democrats, Sarah Palin has told a 'tea party' convention in Nashville that the country is ripe for another revolution. Noting his party's dismal showing in elections since Obama moved into the White House a year ago with talk of hope and promises of change, Palin asked the gathering: "How's that hope-y, change-y stuff workin' out for you?"   MORE Netanyahu: Israel Open to Peace Talks With Syria Israel's prime minister attempted to end a war of words with Syria on Sunday, saying his country is open to peace talks with its longtime enemy. Israeli and Syrian officials have traded threats over the past week, raising concerns of an escalation between two countries that have officially been at war for more than 60 years. Israel desires peace agreements with "all of its neighbors," Netanyahu told his weekly Cabinet meeting.  MORE Southern Baptists Ask Obama to Help 10 Missionaries in Haiti Leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation’s largest Protestant denomination, have asked President Obama to “do everything within the authority of your office” to free the American missionary team charged with abduction in Haiti. In a letter dated Feb. 5, the leaders said it is “the consuming passion” of Southern Baptists to share the good news with the world and to “love every person He has created.”   MORE