/// Back to MAIN Page    Archives for JUNE 2010  Update for Wednesday, June 30th, 2010 Obama Admin: U.S. Can’t Continue As Engine That Drives the Global Economy Citing the country's trade deficit, President Barack Obama and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner each asserted last week that the United States cannot continue to lead the world economy.   MORE Study: Divorce Spreads Through Social Networks A study published by the Social Science Research Network has found that likelihood of divorce is influenced by the social network in which a person is involved. James H. Fowler and Rose McDermott of the Dept of Political Science at the Univ of California, and Nicholas A. Christakis of Harvard University, utilized a longitudinal data set from the well-known Framingham-Heart Study to explore how social networks influence divorce.  MORE Minnesota Gay Pride Fest Seeks to Block Evangelists Organizers of Minneapolis' Twin Cities Gay Pride Festival have announced they will continue their fight to bar Christian evangelists from the annual event. Planners said they might opt to hold future festivals at a private venue instead.  MORE Christian Reader: Why Marriage Is Declining ....My generation as a whole is not getting married. Certainly, there are some romances and marriages amongst my friends, but they are too few and far between. No one, it seems, can find “the right one,” and even if they think they have, guys and girls both are too comfortable with waiting around for “something to happen.” Unfortunately, a vigorous pursuit of a spouse is looked down upon, or at the least marginalized, and often rebuffed.  MORE Conservatives Slam High Court Ruling Against Christian Group The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling against a campus Christian group that had been denied legal status by a California university for failing to include non-Christian members, has provoked a disparate response from conservative groups. While several leaders decried the decision as a massive blow to religious freedom, others asserted that the decision is not as far-reaching or damaging as it may first appear.   MORE Planned Parenthood Sues Over Neb. Abortion Law Planned Parenthood has filed a lawsuit challenging a new Nebraska law with conditions the group says would ultimately ban abortions in the state.  MORE Sharper Iron:  Humanism's Delusional Dream A Humanist Manifesto was signed by thirty-four men in 1933. Scorning any notions of religion based on divine revelation, the signatories cast vision and set guidelines to achieve peace and goodwill on earth through... MORE Case Filed Against Sweden Over Seized Homeschooled Child Two legal groups partnered Friday to bring the case of a seven-year-old boy, who was removed from his Christian parents for being homeschooled, to a human rights court.  MORE Consumer Confidence Suffers Massive Collapse In June The Conference Board's consumer confidence index for June dropped sharply to 52.9, which is a horrible underperformance of expectations given that consensus had forecast a reading of 62.    MORE Israeli Leader Thanks Evangelicals at Pennsylvania  'Epicenter'  Israel's recent military action against a Turkish-sponsored flotilla sparked international condemnation.  The hostile response was part of a growing global campaign to de-legitimize Israel as a nation. But the Jewish state received a much different reception this past weekend in Philadelphia, Pa.  MORE Christian Grad Student Argues Her Case A U.S. district judge has heard arguments in a case involving a graduate student in Michigan who was dismissed from a counseling program for not affirming homosexual behavior.    MORE Joni Eareckson Tada Not Shaken by Breast Cancer After 43 years of living paralyzed from the neck down and recently learning that she now has breast cancer, Joni Eareckson Tada remains all smiles. "I want to assure you that I am genuinely content to receive from God whatever He deems fit for me even if it is from His left hand because better something from His left hand than no hand...MORE FaithShares: Investing with Biblical Values Many believers are making a greater effort to invest their money in funds that reflect their Christian values and the group 'Faith Shares' helps them do just that.    MORE Update for Tuesday, June 29th, 2010 Supreme Court: Christian Group Can't Bar Gays The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that a public school has the legal right to deny a Christian campus group recognition and funding if it bars gays from becoming voting members and taking on leadership positions. MORE High Court’s Gun Ruling Cites Intent of 14th Amendment In 1868, Republican Representative Thaddeus Stevens, who was directly involved in ratifying the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, was not ambiguous about whether the right to keep and bear arms... MORE USA Today: Looking For New Ways To Witness?  Ask an Atheist! "I told the people in my church, 'I don't like evangelizing, and I know you hate it, so I've decided that I'm formally resigning from witnessing. You're all free to do so the same,' " Henderson recalls. "I said, 'I love Jesus, you love Jesus, and we all want to connect people with Jesus. We're gonna have to figure out new ways to do it.'   MORE Dependency on Government Skyrockets According to Heritage Foundation A new Heritage Foundation study reveals that one year into the Obama administration, Americans are more dependent on the federal government than ever before in modern U.S. history. The Foundation's annual Index of Dependence on Government jumped nearly 14 percent in the past year — the largest single-year increase... MORE Judge Says Evangelist Can Preach at Gay-Pride Festival  A Wisconsin evangelist will be able to distribute Bibles and discuss sin this weekend at a Minneapolis gay-pride festival, the result of a federal court ruling Friday that could spark a First Amendment battle in the Midwest. Organizers of the Twin Cities Pride festival had sought to bar Brian Johnson, 53 years old, from distributing literature, conducting polls and engaging in theological debates on festival grounds where 200,000 people...MORE Feds Arrest 10 Agents of 'Deep Cover' Russian Spy Ring The FBI has arrested 10 people for allegedly serving for years as secret agents of Russia's intelligence organ, the SVR, with the goal of penetrating U.S. government policymaking circles. The scope and scale of the blockbuster spy case could rival the capture of Cold War era nuclear spies during the 1950s, FBI officials said.  MORE Case Filed Against Sweden Over Seized Homeschooled Child Two legal groups partnered Friday to bring the case of a seven-year-old boy, who was removed from his Christian parents for being homeschooled, to a human rights court.  MORE Albert Mohler: What Is the Future For American Manhood? What does it mean for large sectors of our society to become virtual matriarchies? How do we prepare the church to deal with such a world while maintaining biblical models of manhood and womanhood? …The real issue here is not the end of men, but the disappearance of manhood.    MORE Report Explores Americans' Small Group, Church Involvement While Catholics make up a quarter of the worshippers in America each week, they are only a tenth of those who attend small groups, Sunday School and volunteer in the church, a new report shows.   MORE Moralistic Therapeutic Deism--the New American Religion When Christian Smith and his fellow researchers with the National Study of Youth and Religion at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill took a close look at the religious beliefs held by American teenagers, they found that the faith held and described by most adolescents came down to something the researchers identified as "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism."  MORE Update for Monday, June 28th, 2010 'Ex-Muslim' Caner Loses Deanship at Liberty University A Baptist minister who toured the country to talk about his conversion from Islam to Christianity is no longer the dean of Liberty University's theological seminary following allegations he fabricated or embellished facts about his past, the Associated Press reports.   MORE In 2010, Conservatives Still Outnumber Moderates, Liberals Conservatives have maintained their leading position among U.S. ideological groups in the first half of 2010. Gallup finds 42% of Americans describing themselves as either very conservative or conservative. This is up slightly from the 40% seen for all of 2009 and contrasts with the 20% calling themselves liberal or very liberal.  MORE Hugo Chavez: Israel and US 'Empire' Are His Enemies  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez denounced Israel as a "genocidal" government on Sunday as he hosted Syrian President Bashar Assad on his first visit to Latin America. Chavez has drawn close to Syria and Iran, and cut ties with Israel last year to protest its military  in the Gaza Strip.  MORE JACK KINSELLA @ BIBLE PROPHECY TODAY  2012: The Coming Perfect Storm In early September in 1859, telegraph wires suddenly began to short out, igniting wide-spread fires across both the United States and Europe. The Earth had been hit by a perfect solar storm. A solar storm is created when the sun erupts, sending charged particles racing outward in an expanding plasma bubble of hot gas. In 1859, four crucial events came together to create that perfect storm. First the blob of plasma that was ejected hit the earth full on.  MORE Oil Spill's Psychological Toll Quietly Mounts The Gulf of Mexico oil disaster feels far worse to shrimper Ricky Robin than Katrina, even though he's still haunted by memories of riding out the hurricane on his trawler and of his father's suicide in the storm's aftermath. MORE Pope Deplores Belgian Sex Raids, Stresses Autonomy  Pope Benedict XVI lashed out Sunday at what he called the "deplorable" raids carried out by Belgian police who detained bishops, confiscated computers, opened a crypt and took church documents as part of an investigation into priestly sex abuse.   MORE Jermaine Jackson: Islam Would Have Saved Michael Jermaine Jackson, who performed with his brother Michael as a member of the Jackson 5 and later became a high-profile convert to Islam, tells the BBC World Service that the faith would have saved him. "I felt that if Michael would have embraced Islam he would still be here today and I say that for many reasons," Jackson says.    MORE 10-Year-Old Boy Used as Grand Marshal of Arkansas Homosexual Fest A 10-year-old boy is being used as Grand Marshal of an Arkansas homosexual pride parade this weekend. The move has attracted opposition from pro-family leaders, who have decried the movement's exposure of the boy to the lewd festival of sexual deviancy as "a form of child abuse."  MORE Teen Drinking Tied to Parenting Type -Firm or Indulgent Parenting style strongly and directly affects teens when it comes to heavy drinking – defined as having five or more drinks in a row – according to a new Brigham Young University study.  MORE Re-Fundamentals: Dr. John R. Rice and The King James Version ....Many extreme Fundamentalists still hold Dr. Rice in very high esteem. I’ll not fault them for doing so. Few, tho, are bold enough to admit that their hero was not King James Only, and he did use other translations... MORE Re-Fundamentals: My Journey From Legalism to Joy What do hedonism, extremism, legalism, and Fundamentalism have in common? They are all a part of my Christian journey, though not necessarily in that order. I grew up with parents who always took me to hear the Word of God. I am grateful for that, too. Extremely grateful. I would not be where I am in my life if it were not for them and... MORE Re-Fundamentals: Fundamentalist Perspective on the New Calvinism ....The New Calvinists represent the most conservative circles in broader evangelicalism. They are by no means a monolithic movement…these men share a Calvinist perspective of the gospel. Specifically, they believe that God absolutely controls every aspect of His creation, including salvation which leads them to emphasize….    MORE Police In Belgium Raid Home, Offices of Retired Archbishop Police raided the home and former office of the recently retired archbishop of Belgium on Thursday, carrying off documents and a personal computer as part of an investigation into the sexual abuse of children by Roman Catholic priests, the Associated Press reports.    MORE Hamas Founder's Son Decries Islamic 'God of Hate' The son of one of the founders of Hamas is turning his back not only on the organization that now controls Gaza, but the religion that so animates the followers of the group his father helped create.   MORE Ten Percent of Adult Homosexuals in Brazil Have HIV: Study A new study by Brazil's Ministry of Health has revealed that in the 10 most populous cities of Brazil, the rate of HIV infection among homosexuals is over 10%. According to the same agency, the overall rate of HIV infection among males between the ages of 15 and 49 years is only 0.8%, making the rate of HIV infection among adult....MORE In Germany, Youths Attack Jewish Dance Group A Jewish dance group was attacked with stones by a group of children and teenagers during a performance at a street festival in the Germany city of Hannover, police said Thursday. One dancer suffered a leg injury and the group then canceled their performance, the Associated Press reports. MORE Update for Weekend, June 26th-27th, 2010 Religious Freedom: High Court Makes Key Rulings The U.S. Supreme Court is wrapping up its latest session with key rulings involving the First Amendment. On Thursday, justices ruled that Washington state voters who signed a petition asking for a referendum on gay rights are not automatically guaranteed privacy. The signers feared being targeted for trying to protect traditional marriage.  However, the fight may not be over yet.  MORE Gulf Coast Governors Call for 'Day of Prayer'  Leaders of the Gulf Coast states have designated this Sunday as a day of prayer for all of the regions affected by the oil spill.  The governors of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, and the lieutenant governor of Florida all issued proclamations for prayer.  MORE Poll: 2 in 5 Evangelical Leaders Drink Alcohol Forty percent of evangelical leaders said they "socially drink alcohol," according to a new monthly poll. Many of them added that they only drink "in moderation," "on special occasion," or "infrequently." And they noted that they do so only with those who share similar views on alcohol consumption.  MORE London Telegraph: Jesus Will Return by 2050, Say 40% of Americans  More than 40 per cent of Americans believe Jesus Christ will return to Earth by 2050, according to a poll. Americans are largely optimistic about the future, according to a poll...By mid century, 71 per cent believe cancer will be cured, 66 per cent say artificial limbs will work better than real ones and 81 per cent believe computers will be able... MORE Powerline Blog: Sharia Law Comes To Michigan ! ! ! Under Sharia law, it is forbidden to proselytize to Muslims, and no Muslim can leave the faith. Dearborn, Michigan, is home to a substantial Muslim population, and there is strong evidence that local authorities now enforce sharia in preference to the Constitution of the United States. Thus this Associated Press story about the arrest of four Christian missionaries that took place on Friday...    MORE Found: Ancient Egyptian City from Biblical Times Egypt announces that an ancient city from 3,500 years ago – at the height of the Jewish People’s enslavement there – has been discovered by radar. Egypt says an ancient city from 3,500 years ago – at the height of the Jewish People’s enslavement there – has been discovered by radar. The announcement was made by the...   MORE USA Today: More Pastors Are Taking On A Second Job  Ray Gilder has some advice for Baptist preachers who are just starting out. Prepare to get a day job. "Make sure you have a marketable skill," said Gilder, ministries specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Convention. MORE Human Events: War In Middle East....Not 'If' But 'When' The gathering storm in the Middle East is gaining momentum. War clouds are on the horizon and, as with conditions prior to World War I, all it takes for explosive action to commence is a trigger.   MORE Israeli Gas/Oil Find Could Change Israel's Geopolitical Standing In The World  Global oil and gas exploration company Noble Energy says that initial analysis of 2D and 3D seismic data leads the firm to estimate the gross unrisked resource potential on its Eastern Mediterranean acreage to be in excess of 30 trillion cubic feet (tcf).  Noble says that at the Leviathan site offshore Israel, there are gross unrisked... MORE Apps Bring Religion into the 21st Century ...There was a time when Werle carried her leather-bound and dog-eared Bible everywhere she went, scribbling in the margins as she read. These days she accesses the Word and makes her notes on her iPod Touch.   MORE British Study Reignites Fetal Pain Debate Pro-life politicians and activists are responding to the findings of British doctors who say that the human fetus cannot feel pain before 24 weeks.  The study, which comes out of the Royal College of Obstetricians...  MORE English Town Council Rules Wooden Crosses 'Too Dangerous' for Cemeteries A council is under fire for banning crosses from one of its cemeteries - over health and safety fears. Families have been left distraught after North Somerset Council started to remove wooden crosses from its graveyards.  One woman has told how her mother-in-law's grave was targeted after she died of cancer in May.  MORE America's 'Green' Religion Being a hot topic in America, the environmentalism movement has gained momentum over the past 40 years, and one scientist thinks the radical belief in saving the planet stems from secular humanism.    MORE Joni Eareckson Tada to Undergo Surgery for Breast Cancer Disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada has been diagnosed with breast cancer and is expected to have surgery on Monday, June 28.   MORE Update for Friday, June 25th, 2010 G20 Leaders Facing Worries About Rising Deficits World leaders trickled into Canada's largest city on Thursday for global economic talks, but their resolve seemed less focused than at earlier meetings held in the fearful atmosphere of the worst downturn since the 1930s. New leaders in Australia, Japan and Britain could alter the dynamics.  MORE Latest Blunder Feeds Frustration In the Gulf ...BP's pronouncements have "absolutely no credibility," Jefferson Parish Councilman John Young said. The latest problem shows "they really are not up to the task and we have more bad news than we have good news."  MORE Hillary Clinton Urges State Dept: Let Teens Know It's Okay to Be Homosexual Secretary of State Hillary Clinton encouraged State Department employees to reach out to teens to let them know that homosexuality is okay.  MORE Feds Shut Down Louisiana’s Coastal Protection Efforts Last night, the United States Department of the Interior shut down operations by the State of Louisiana to build a series of sand berms to protect the Louisiana coastline from the massive oil slic   MORE Venezuela To Nationalize U.S. Firm's Oil Rigs Venezuela will nationalize a fleet of oil rigs belonging to U.S. company Helmerich and Payne, the latest takeover in a push to socialism as President Hugo Chavez seeks to outpace Obama ...   MORE Preachers Too Timid When Preaching on Giving, Says Report Churches risk losing out on large amounts of donations because pastors and church leaders are too timid when it comes to preaching about financial needs and the importance of giving, according to a new report out....  MORE North Carolina Atheists Declare 'One Nation Indivisible' Without God A coalition of humanist and nontheist groups has brought what they call a "patriotic message" to North Carolinians: "One Nation Indivis- ible." The phrase is plastered on billboards throughout the Tar Heel State and is intended to point out how "every U.S. citizen who doesn't believe in a monotheistic...MORE Report: Young Evangelicals, Progressives Have Connection Points There are “significant opportunities” for young white evangelicals and progressives to find common ground on hot-button social issues, a new report shows. Young white evangelicals under the age of 35 are less likely than older evangelicals to identify themselves as conservative and are more supportive of government solutions... MORE Update for Thursday, June 24th, 2010 America, 2010: Christians Hauled to Jail for Preaching Jesus One of the nation's top legal teams regarding civil and religious rights has stepped into a dispute stemming from last weekend's Arab Festival in Dearborn, Mich., where police are accused of enforcing Islamic law.   MORE Illegal Immigrants Flee Arizona and New Immigration Law ...There is no official data tracking how many are leaving because of the new law. "It's something that's really tough to get a handle on numerically," said Bill Schooling, Arizona's state demographer. "It's not just the immigration bill. It's also employer sanctions and the economy. How do you separate out the motivating factors?"   MORE Obama Administration to Force Businesses to Give Gay Partners Unpaid Leave The Labor Department plans to announce on Wednesday a new order that would extend family and medical benefits to gay couples who work for private as well as federal employers. Gay employees are included under the new interpretation of the Family and Medical Leave Act that allows workers to take up to...  MORE World Net Daily: Will Obama Really Legalize Illegals With the Stroke of His Pen? Amid buzz that President Obama may be seeking to parole or "defer action" on millions of illegal aliens in the U.S., eight Republican sena- tors are warning the president not to advance any such plan. "There's a lot we can agree on when it comes to dealing with the immigration problems in the United States....  MORE Many Americans Expect Jesus' Return by 2050 A new poll finds that many Americans are divided over whether they expect Jesus Christ to return to earth by the year 2050, according to the survey by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press and... MORE Obama Expands His Pro-Homosexual Agenda by Regulation, ‘Interpretation’ One conservative group criticized the White House for handing out "political favors" to the homosexual lobby – and vastly expanding presidential power in the process.  MORE Religious Tolerance Urged Ahead of Italy Crucifix Hearing The head of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland has called on the European Court of Human Rights to uphold the principles of freedom and tolerance ahead of next week’s decision on whether schools in Italy will be allowed to display crucifixes in public school classrooms.   MORE Jury: Philly Can't Evict Scouts for No-Gays Rule  The city of Philadelphia cannot evict a local Boy Scouts chapter from a city-owned building for refusing to admit gays, a federal jury ruled Wednesday. The city had insisted that nonprofits given free use of its property must abide by local anti-discrimination laws, which include equal protection for gays. But the jury found the... MORE Oldest-Known Paintings of Apostles Andrew, John Uncovered The oldest known images of the apostles Andrew and John have been found in a catacomb near St. Paul’s Basilica in Rome, Vatican officials announced Tuesday. Restorers said Tuesday they had unearthed the 4th-century images using a new laser technique that allowed them to burn off centuries.... MORE Israel Launches Advanced Spy Satellite Israel latest spy satellite, launched at 10 p.m. Tuesday, was already transmitting data by Wednesday morning, Army Radio reported. The Ofek 9 is equipped with a higher-resolution camera that will further enhance the ability to gather critical intelligence information.  MORE Tax the Church? In Spain, it Saves the Government Billions As liberal groups continue to push governments to tax Christian churches, data recently published by the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE) found that the Catholic Church actually saves the Spanish government billions of dollars per year in social service expenditures.   MORE N.C. Atheist Groups Object to 'God' in Pledge  Atheist groups in North Carolina have posted billboards across the Tar Heel State to protest the words, "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance.  MORE Renowned Singer Andrea Bocelli Tells Abortion Story A short video clip featuring renowned Italian singer Andrea Bocelli testifying how he could have been aborted has garnered wide attention.  MORE Update for Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010 Individuals See Health Insurance Costs Jump U.S. health insurers are raising prices by an average of 20 percent for adults age 64 and younger who buy their own policies, according to a survey released Monday.    MORE AP: Obama Inches Toward 'Gay' Agenda President Barack Obama is chipping away at his long list of promises to homosexual voters but has yet to earn the enthusiastic backing of the reliably Democratic voting bloc.  The Obama White House has accomplished more than any other on gay rights, yet has drawn sharp criticism from an unexpected constituency: the same gay activists who backed the president's election campaign. MORE Legal Group to Defend Church Reported to IRS The Christian legal group behind the Pulpit Initiative announced Tuesday that it will defend a South Dakota church that was reported to the Internal Revenue Service. Alliance Defend Fund, which launched the Pulpit Initiative in 2008 to defend the right of pastors to speak freely from the pulpit, agreed to represent Liberty Baptist...  MORE Pelosi: Climate Change Legislation is a 'Moral Issue' House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said last week that climate change legislation is a 'moral issue'--that it is a 'moral responsibility' to preserve 'God's beautiful creation.'    MORE Thomas More Law Center To Represent Arrested Christians The four evangelists who were arrested at an Arab festival in Michigan now have legal assistance. The Arab culture festival last weekend in Dearborn, Michigan, attracted about 300,000 people over a three-day period. Robert Muise of the Thomas More Law Center (TMLC) tells OneNewsNow that four Christian evangelists were sharing their faith with Moslems on Friday night. MORE Christian Child Abducted, Forced into Bonded Labor in Pakistan An 11-year-old Christian boy here is growing weak and ill from malnutrition from working in slave-like conditions for a Muslim landowner who kidnapped him and is forcing him to work off family debts, his mother said. MORE Home Depot's 'Gay Pride' Support Spotlighted Home Depot is under fire for supporting events that promote homosexuality.  Home Depot has a history of supporting homosexual events, the most recent parades in Portland, Maine, and in Boston -- that according to Randy Sharp of the American Family Association.    MORE Update for Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010 US, Israel Warships in Suez May Be Prelude to Faceoff with Iran Egypt allowed at least one Israeli and 11 American warships to pass through the Suez Canal as an Iranian flotilla approaches Gaza. Egypt closed the canal to protect the ships with thousands of soldiers, according to the British-based Arabic language newspaper Al Quds al-Arabi.   MORE Israel Eases Land Blockade of Hamas-Ruled Gaza Strip Bowing to international pressure, Israel agreed Sunday to ease its blockade of Gaza, saying it would allow all goods except weapons and items deemed to have a military use to enter the Hamas-ruled territory.   MORE Obama Fatherhood Proclamation Mentions Families with ‘Two Fathers’ While speaking Monday about fatherhood and personal responsibility, President Barack Obama made an overture to homosexual parents during his Father's Day remarks.    MORE Washington Times: Disparate Faith Groups  Come Together In Disaster Relief For every hurricane, earthquake or flood, there is help: food, bottled water, crews of volunteers nailing shingles to brand new roofs. What even grateful recipients of that aid may not realize is that much of it comes from an unlikely hodgepodge of religious groups who put aside their doctrinal differences and coordinate their efforts as soon as the wind starts blowing. Southern Baptists cook meals from Texas to Massachusetts....   MORE Christian Evangelists Arrested at Arab Festival In Michigan Police in the heavily Arab Detroit suburb of Dearborn say they arrested four Christian missionaries for alleged disorderly conduct at an Arab cultural festival. Police Chief Ron Haddad says his department made the arrests Friday. The four, who are free on bond, insist they only spoke with people who wanted to speak with them. MORE Ten Commandments Translated Wrong, Claims Scholar The Ten Commandments don't forbid coveting or killing, claims Dr. Joel M. Hoffman, a noted Bible scholar and linguist who has applied modern translation techniques to the Bible.  Hoffman reports that the commandment commonly quoted as "thou shalt not covet" is more accurately translated as "do not take," and that the commandment applies only to actions, not to states of mind. MORE Afghan Christians Plead for Help After Calls For Their Execution A group of Afghan Christians living in exile in India have issued an “urgent” plea to the international community to help Christians still living in Afghanistan following the recent call for their execution by a gov't minister. MORE Survey: Obama Approval Drops in Muslim Countries Confidence in President Obama dropped in predominantly Muslim countries over the past year, a new Pew Research Center report found. The U.S. president’s ratings based on confidence that he will do the right thing in world affairs dropped as much as 10 percent in Turkey from 2009 to 2010...   MORE Bye Bye Bifocals, Hello Electronic Spectacles Traditional bifocals could become a thing of the past with the invention of electronic glasses that automatically adjust to let their wearer view objects at different distances. The spectacles, which are due to be launched in the US this year and the UK next year, use lenses that change their strength when... MORE Dating For a Decade? Young Adults Aren't Rushing Into Marriage  Whirlwind courtships are a thing of the past. Today's 20-somethings, psychologists, sociologists and economists explain the relationship trend.  MORE COLUMBUS (OHIO) DISPATCH: Why Did God Allow the Lightning Strike of the Ohio Jesus Statue? God doesn't give interviews, but a lot of people say he speaks to us - and he's pretty ticked. After the 65-foot-tall sculpture of Jesus in Monroe, north of Cincinnati, was struck by lightning and burned to a crisp this week, online chatter settled on a handful of theories....   MORE Idaho School Battle Over Bible Ongoing A court battle over the banning of religious books being used in Idaho school classrooms continues. The Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) filed an appeal with the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals contesting a federal judge's decision to dismiss a lawsuit it had filed on behalf of Nampa Classical Academy. MORE Proof: Tax Dollars Going To Abortions Members of Congress have received requested information from the General Accounting Office on how abortion organizations spend federal tax dollars. Former Colorado Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave, who is now a spokesperson for the Susan B. Anthony List, takes a look at the pro-abortion groups. MORE Sex Offender Asks N.H. High Court to OK Church Attendance A sex offender in New Hampshire who spent seven years in prison for his crimes is asking the state's supreme court to grant him permission to attend a church with a chaperone.   MORE Update for Monday, June 21st, 2010 OBAMA'S FATHER'S DAY PROCLAMATION: 'Families Come In Many Forms...Two Fathers....' ...Nurturing families come in many forms, and children may be raised by a father and mother, a single father, two fathers, a step father, a grandfather, or caring guardian.  We owe a special debt of gratitude for those... MORE Are Moral Codes for Religious Schools Legal? Do private secondary schools have the right to set up their own moral code of conduct for teachers and staff? A federal court could help to decide the answer to that question.   A former teacher at Southland Ch School...  MORE Will Genetic Modification Bring Prosperity Or Disaster of Unprecedented Magnitude? In recent years, scientists around the globe have made absolutely stunning advances in the field of genetic modification.  For decades, researchers have been decoding DNA and transplanting genes from one organism into another, but over the past decade things have been taken to a completely new level.  MORE Congress Worries That Solar Flares Could Spell Disaster High-energy electric pulses from the sun could surge to Earth and cripple our electrical grid for years, causing billions in damages, government officials and scientists worry. The House is so concerned that the Energy and Commerce committee voted unanimously 47 to 0 to approve a bill allocating $100 million to protect the energy grid from this rare but potentially devastating occurrence. MORE Christians Urged to Oppose U.K. Government's Pro-Gay Agenda Christian Concern for our Nation is calling on Christians to take action after the U.K government outlined its pro-homosexual agenda this week.  Minister for Women and Equalities Theresa May set out plans on Wednesday to tackle prejudice against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in all aspects of life, including...  MORE Court Allows Pastor to Distribute Christian Literature to Muslims A federal court panel decided Thursday to allow a Sudanese Christian pastor to distribute religious literature and discuss his Christian faith to Muslims attending a large Arab festival while his case is pending on appeal. MORE American Thinker: Islam Is Antithetical to Religious Freedom ...The American public has been confused by Obama's statements and actions that bring into question the Christian faith he professed prior to his election. It is certainly confounding that Obama would recite the Muslim call to prayer in Arabic during a New York Times interview in 2007 and call it the "prettiest sound on earth."   MORE American Thinker: What of Overseas Reports of Obama Claiming to Be Muslim? ...Even if Gheit's claim isn't true, or was misreported, every country in the free world must be cognizant of the catastrophic sea change that has taken place in the leadership of the free world -- as witnessed by events over the past year. Barack Obama took an oath to protect and defend the Constitution, and yet whether he is a Muslim or not, he has undeniably gone around the world promoting Islam and Sharia (Islamic law).  MORE Indonesia: Church Closure in Indonesia Called Unconstitutional at Hearing In a hearing in its lawsuit against a local government, a representative for a church that Bekasi, West Java officials summarily closed earlier this year told an administrative court that the action was unconstitutional. MORE Ancient Beehives Found in Israel Yield 300,000 Yr. Old Bees Honeybee remains found in a 3,000-year-old apiary have given archaeologists a one-of-a-kind window into the beekeeping practices of the ancient world. “Beekeeping is known only from a few Egyptian sources, from a few tombs and paintings. No actual hives have been found,” said archaeologist Amihai Mazar.  MORE Bill Salus: Is Ezekiel 38 Imminent? Current Middle East events are definitely stage setting for the final fulfillment of the Israeli War prophecies of Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38-39. Turkey's recent newsworthy gyrations against Israel has got the “EZEKIEL 38 NOW” advocates rightfully at the edge of their seats. Now, Turkey and Iran, both members of the Ezekiel 38-39 prophecy, share a common enmity toward Israel. MORE Israel To Build Massive Desalination Plant The Israeli government on Sunday approved the construction of a massive new water desalination plant to help the arid country deal with a severe shortage. The construction of the Sorek plant, named after the area south... MORE Believing Life's 'Signature in the Cell' Over Darwin Several scientists are now agreeing that it takes more faith to believe in evolution than it does to believe in a creator.  They say new discoveries inside the very building blocks of life are giving more evidence all the time that there's an intelligent design behind all life on earth.  MORE Reformed Bodies Sign Off on Merger The two largest reformed church bodies officially merged on Friday to become the World Communion of Reformed Churches, representing more than 80 million Christians.   MORE Update for Weekend, June 19th-20th, 2010 FCC Moves to 'Regulate' Internet The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted on Thursday to begin the formal process of bringing the Internet under greater federal control – a move sought by both President Barack Obama and FCC Chairnman Julius Genachowski--even though federal law calls for an Internet "unfettered by Federal or State regulation."    MORE 16 Burning Questions About The Gulf Of Mexico Oil Spill The Gulf of Mexico oil spill is a national nightmare that seems to have no ending.  Every day new details come out that are even more shocking than what we learned the day before.  The truth is that life will never be the same in the Gulf of Mexico or for those who live along the Gulf coast.  Now Barack Obama has made a big Oval Office speech and has tried to convince all of us that he is in charge of the crisis. MORE FDA Under Fire for New 'Emergency Contraceptive' Pill The Food and Drug Administration is under fire from pro-life groups over a new drug under consideration that opponents say may induce early abortions. Ulipristal, with the proposed trade name of Ella, is described by the FDA as an “emergency contraceptive” that can prevent pregnancy up to 120 hours after intercourse.     MORE Pro-Family Pastor Officiates—and Celebrates—at Limbaugh’s Fourth Wedding Rush Limbaugh’s June 5 marriage to girlfriend Kathryn Rogers has generated a lot of discussion. Much of it is about his surprise reception singer, Sir Elton John — but a few people have commented on his choice of pastor. ...Some have questioned why Hutcherson, well-known for his pro-marriage stand, would preside at the thrice-divorced Limbaugh’s ceremony. The former Dallas Cowboys linebacker uses a football analogy to explain why he felt he ought to be a part of it: "The Buffalo Bills went to the Super Bowl and they lost a lot of times, but they never gave up," Hutcherson said. "Rush Limbaugh never gave up on the institution of marriage."   MORE Reports Say Obama Admitted He's a Muslim Two media reports are serving to fuel speculation about Barack Obama's religious beliefs. Obama with Christian and Muslim symbols bigSince before he was elected, controversy has stirred over the extent of President Obama's ties to Islam. During the campaign, he spoke openly of both his Muslim upbringing and his adult conversion to Christianity. But now two major Middle East media outlets -- Nile TV International and Israel Today Magazine -- are reporting that... MORE Anti-Islam Sentiment Rises In Europe A national defense and terrorism expert is encouraged that an anti-Islamic party led by a controversial Dutch politician made a very respectable showing during the recent elections in the Netherlands. She sees it as a sign that Europeans are growing tired of the growing influence of Islam on the continent. MORE Wall St. Journal: Florida Public School 'Adopted' By Local Baptist Church,  ...Then, a local church stepped in and "adopted" the school. The First Baptist Church at the Mall stocked a resource room with $5,000 worth of supplies. It now caters spaghetti dinners at evening school events, buys sneakers for poor students, and sends in math and English tutors. The principal is delighted. So are church pastors. "We have inroads into public schools that we had not had before," says Pastor Dave McClamma. "By befriending the students, we have the opportunity to visit homes to talk to parents about Jesus Christ." MORE Rights Are Restored to Michigan Pastor A federal appeals court has granted an emergency motion to allow a pastor to distribute Christian literature to Muslims in Dearborn, Michigan. Pastor George Saeg immigrated to the United States from Sudan -- but... MORE Netherlands: Muslim Converts to Christianity Live in Fear Muslims who become Christians in the Netherlands often have to deal with persecution. Harassment by former coreligionists are on the order of the day, and death threats come regularly. The Gave foundation is sounding the alarm. Other sources confirm the threats.   MORE Sharper Iron: Legalism & the Insecurity of Our Times Legalism is an ugly thing to those outside it, but often a beautiful thing to those within it. Legalism is any system whereby the merits of man contribute in any way to his standing with God. For those who have been delivered from the works-righteousness mentality, legalism is bondage, an oppressive system that distorts the grace of God and often turns out neurotic believers who wear themselves out trying to keep up. But to those within legalistic systems, legalism is a refuge from the insecurities of life and the uncertainties of our world. This is one of the reasons why it is so difficult to talk someone out of a legalistic.... MORE World Cup Official Prevents Player From Talking Faith Wayne Rooney, who wears a cross and rosary beads during training, was reportedly interrupted by a World Cup official while discussing aspects of his Catholic faith.    MORE Boston Reverses Decision on Christian Group Boston city officials have righted a wrong against a Christian group. Alliance Defense Fund attorney Joel Oster tells OneNewsNow the Boston Centers for Youth and Families established a policy of refusing to allow groups to use its facilities to express religious speech.    MORE Eternal Viewpoint: The Spiritual Nature of Singing When God gives the believer a command in scripture, it is safe to assume that the command touches an area of life in that is naturally opposite from divine intentions...Singing to the Lord is unnatural. In other words, it is not our natural response as human beings, even as those who have been born again. So God commands it and believers are responsible to obey. But have you ever tried to sing about spiritual things and sensed a personal lack of genuine sincerity, feeling more contrived than full of joy? MORE Vatican Takes On Christian Fundamentalists Over Israel It’s not easy walking through the minefield called Middle Eastern politics, and a Vatican document released Sunday managed to criticize Israel, Egypt, Islam and even Christian fundamentalists.   MORE Update for Friday, June 18th, 2010 Southern Baptists Denounce Oil Spill, Pro-Gay Bills, Divorce in Churches On the closing day of their annual meeting, Southern Baptists approved resolutions denouncing those responsible for the massive gulf oil spill, opposing pro-gay legislations, and lamenting the "scandal of Southern Baptist divorce." "God has designed us with a dependence on the natural resources around us and has assigned...  MORE Bachmann: Obama Exceeding Constitution In Ordering BP to Surrender Funds Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-Minn.) said Tuesday that President Barack Obama is exceeding his legitimate constitutional authority in telling BP it must set up an independent fund, not controlled by the company, for compensating victims of the Gulf oil spill.   MORE New Jobless Claims Up Sharply as Layoffs Persist  The number of people filing new claims for jobless benefits jumped last week after three straight declines, another sign that the pace of layoffs has not slowed. Initial claims for jobless benefits rose by 12,000 to a seasonally adjusted 472,000, the Labor Department said...    MORE Washington Post: Arkansas Preacher Tends to Families of Flood Victims As a prelude to Father's Day, Graig Cowart planned to preach to his Baptist congregation about the importance of family. When survivors of a deadly flash flood showed up at his church wet and worried, he opted for works over words.  "The last thing they need is a sermon," Cowart said. MORE Atheists Invited to White House Interfaith Meeting Student atheist leaders are bragging that they were recently invited to the White House to participate in a meeting on interfaith service projects on college campuses. The Secular Student Alliance boastfully proclaimed...  MORE Cornerstone President Ron Hembree Dead at 72 The Christian community is mourning the recent passing of Ron Hembree, president of the Cornerstone TeleVision Network.  The 72-year-old author and evangelist passed away in his Murrysville, Pa. home last Thursday... MORE Obama Makes 'Positive' Step to Fill Religious Freedom Post President Obama has made a “positive first step” to fill the empty Ambassador-At-Large for International Religious Freedom post, said a Christian ministry serving persecuted believers.    MORE Report: $1 Billion in Tax Dollars Given to Abortion Advocates More than $1 billion in federal funds have gone to abortion advocacy organizations over the past eight years, according to a newly released report.  In the first-of-its-kind report, the non-partisan Government Accountability Office details the amount of tax dollars received by six organizations between 2002 and 2009.   MORE AP: Church Says Softball Team with Lesbian Coach Can't Play In Their League  women's softball coach in Tennessee says her team was banned from a church league after learning she was a lesbian.  Jana Jacobson told a Memphis newspaper, The Commercial Appeal, that officials at Bellevue Baptist Church told her she had a deviant lifestyle and her team would not be allowed to compete. MORE 'Jesus' Billboards an Issue In Bible Belt State Kentucky is challenging roadside signs that call attention to Jesus. Jimmy Harston, who lives near Scottsville, has put up signs along highways calling attention to Jesus in several states -- but he has run into roadblocks only in his home state of Kentucky. Harston tells OneNewsNow he felt a call from heaven to put up the signs.  MORE Thomas Nelson Publishers Acquired by New York Firm The private equity firm Kolberg & Co. led a group of investors to acquire a majority stake in Christian publisher Thomas Nelson, announced Thomas Nelson Tuesday in a press release. As part of the deal, Publisher's Weekly reports, Kolberg plans to appoint 55% of the Thomas Nelson board of directors, including the innovative publishing mogul Jane Friedman, CEO of the digital-only publishing firm Open Road Integrated Media and former CEO of HarperCollins, as well as several Kolberg senior execs..     MORE Pastor Says 1997 Church Response to Rape Case Was Regrettable The pastor of Trinity Baptist Church expressed regret yesterday for aspects of how the Concord church responded to the alleged rape of a 15-year-old parishioner in 1997, including having the girl stand before the congregation and allowing the accused rapist to remain a church member for years afterward. MORE Update for Friday, June 18th, 2010 Southern Baptists Denounce Oil Spill, Pro-Gay Bills, Divorce in Churches On the closing day of their annual meeting, Southern Baptists approved resolutions denouncing those responsible for the massive gulf oil spill, opposing pro-gay legislations, and lamenting the "scandal of Southern Baptist divorce." "God has designed us with a dependence on the natural resources around us and has assigned...  MORE Bachmann: Obama Exceeding Constitution In Ordering BP to Surrender Funds Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-Minn.) said Tuesday that President Barack Obama is exceeding his legitimate constitutional authority in telling BP it must set up an independent fund, not controlled by the company, for compensating victims of the Gulf oil spill.   MORE New Jobless Claims Up Sharply as Layoffs Persist  The number of people filing new claims for jobless benefits jumped last week after three straight declines, another sign that the pace of layoffs has not slowed. Initial claims for jobless benefits rose by 12,000 to a seasonally adjusted 472,000, the Labor Department said...    MORE Washington Post: Arkansas Preacher Tends to Families of Flood Victims As a prelude to Father's Day, Graig Cowart planned to preach to his Baptist congregation about the importance of family. When survivors of a deadly flash flood showed up at his church wet and worried, he opted for works over words.  "The last thing they need is a sermon," Cowart said. MORE Atheists Invited to White House Interfaith Meeting Student atheist leaders are bragging that they were recently invited to the White House to participate in a meeting on interfaith service projects on college campuses. The Secular Student Alliance boastfully proclaimed...  MORE Cornerstone President Ron Hembree Dead at 72 The Christian community is mourning the recent passing of Ron Hembree, president of the Cornerstone TeleVision Network.  The 72-year-old author and evangelist passed away in his Murrysville, Pa. home last Thursday... MORE Obama Makes 'Positive' Step to Fill Religious Freedom Post President Obama has made a “positive first step” to fill the empty Ambassador-At-Large for International Religious Freedom post, said a Christian ministry serving persecuted believers.    MORE Report: $1 Billion in Tax Dollars Given to Abortion Advocates More than $1 billion in federal funds have gone to abortion advocacy organizations over the past eight years, according to a newly released report.  In the first-of-its-kind report, the non-partisan Government Accountability Office details the amount of tax dollars received by six organizations between 2002 and 2009.   MORE AP: Church Says Softball Team with Lesbian Coach Can't Play In Their League  women's softball coach in Tennessee says her team was banned from a church league after learning she was a lesbian.  Jana Jacobson told a Memphis newspaper, The Commercial Appeal, that officials at Bellevue Baptist Church told her she had a deviant lifestyle and her team would not be allowed to compete. MORE 'Jesus' Billboards an Issue In Bible Belt State Kentucky is challenging roadside signs that call attention to Jesus. Jimmy Harston, who lives near Scottsville, has put up signs along highways calling attention to Jesus in several states -- but he has run into roadblocks only in his home state of Kentucky. Harston tells OneNewsNow he felt a call from heaven to put up the signs.  MORE Thomas Nelson Publishers Acquired by New York Firm The private equity firm Kolberg & Co. led a group of investors to acquire a majority stake in Christian publisher Thomas Nelson, announced Thomas Nelson Tuesday in a press release. As part of the deal, Publisher's Weekly reports, Kolberg plans to appoint 55% of the Thomas Nelson board of directors, including the innovative publishing mogul Jane Friedman, CEO of the digital-only publishing firm Open Road Integrated Media and former CEO of HarperCollins, as well as several Kolberg senior execs..     MORE Pastor Says 1997 Church Response to Rape Case Was Regrettable The pastor of Trinity Baptist Church expressed regret yesterday for aspects of how the Concord church responded to the alleged rape of a 15-year-old parishioner in 1997, including having the girl stand before the congregation and allowing the accused rapist to remain a church member for years afterward. MORE Update for Thursday, June 17th, 2010 Obama’s Approval Low—Especially Among Church-Goers, Married, Over 65 President Barack Obama's weekly approval rating is at an all-time low for his presidency, according to the Gallup Poll, and it is especially low among those 65 or older, those who are married, and those who attend church... MORE Middle Class Is Abandoning Obama, Only Poor Are Behind Him The middle class is abandoning President Barack Obama, according to data released by the Gallup Poll. The only income grouping among which a majority still says they approve of the job he is doing are those earning $2,000 per month or less.    MORE Gulf Oil Spill Seeps into Spiritual Life Twice a day, precisely at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., alarms ring on dozens of cell phones, alerting those participating in the Rev. Jim Woodard's week-old Internet prayer initiative to spend one minute praying for relief from the BP Gulf oil spill.  In Meraux, Cesar Lopez rises each morning at 4:30 a.m. and says the rosary, as he does every day, remembering especially to pray for relief for families stricken economically by the spill.  MORE Economic Collapse Blog: The Coming Death Of Las Vegas There are quite a few U.S. cities that are complete and utter economic disaster zones in 2010 (Detroit for example), but there is something about the demise of Las Vegas that is absolutely stunning.     MORE Ken Connor: America Going 'Out of Business?' ...As ludicrous as it seems, our government's response to an economic crisis fueled largely by reckless borrowing and spending has been to… borrow and spend more. The decision-makers at the top have embraced the fallacious notion that a nation can spend its way to prosperity using borrowed money. MORE Opinion: The Dominant Force In World Financial Markets In 2010 Is Fear Extreme volatility is not a sign of health for financial markets.  But in 2010 financial markets around the globe are experiencing unprecented volatility.  Why?  It is because the world financial system is gripped by fear. MORE Thomas Kinkade Arrested for Suspected DUI Artist Thomas Kinkade spent a night in jail after being arrested Friday in California on suspicion of drunken driving.The Monterey County Herald reports that Kinkade, 52, was booked into the Monterey County Jail Friday night and was released Saturday after posting bail.   MORE Ten Commandments Called Unconstitutional The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 that the purpose of the Ten Commandments display placed in the Courts of McCreary and Pulaski Counties is religious and it violated the Establishment Clause of the Constitution. However, Judge James L. Ryan recommended a rehearing with the full Sixth Circuit panel of Judges...   MORE Christianity Today: More On the Famous Jesus Statue Struck by Lightning They say it only takes a spark to get a fire going.  The famous “Touchdown Jesus’ statue outside Solid Rock Church in Monroe, Ohio was hit with a lot more than a spark, and some Christians are trying to understand. MORE Southern Baptists Adopt Changes to Tackle 'Lostness' After nearly two hours of debate, Southern Baptists on Tuesday overwhelmingly adopted major changes to tackle shrinking membership and to penetrate the "lostness" of the world.    MORE Bryant Wright Named New SBC President Atlanta-area pastor Bryant Wright was elected Tuesday to serve as the new president of the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the country.  Bryant Wright, senior pastor of the 7,600 member Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, Ga., won the run-off election for president of the Southern Baptist Convention with 55 percent of the vote.... Wright has a strong missions emphasis. His church has sponsored seven mission churches... MORE Women Say Scientology Forced Them to Have Abortions The St. Petersburg Times reports that two former members of the Church of Scientology’s elite Sea Organization leadership group have filed lawsuits in federal court, alleging that the church violated labor laws and forced them to abort two children.     MORE Ray Pritchard: Five Excellent Bible Study Websites The Internet offers a vast array of websites for those wanting to study the Bible. You can find everything from devotional studies to outlines to sermons to Greek and Hebrew exegesis. Thousands of public domain Bible commentaries are now available. These days I do most of my Bible study online. Years ago I would stack my desk with 20-30 books while preparing my sermons. Today I can find most of what I need online no matter what Bible passage I am studying.     MORE Family of 17-Year-Old Somali Girl Abuses Her for Leaving Islam The Muslim parents of a 17-year-old Somali girl who converted to Christianity severely beat her for leaving Islam and have regularly shackled her to a tree at their home for more than a month, Christian sources said. MORE Chuck Colson: 'Synthetic' Life In May, headlines around the world proclaimed “Scientists Create Life!” The news prompted people to fantasize about a world in which, as one writer put it, we can “think about what sort of life-form we’d like to make -and then design and build it in much the same way we build a bridge or a car.” MORE Update for Wednesday, June 16th, 2010 AP Poll: Most Are Unhappy With Obama On Oil Spill Americans have become just as dissatisfied with President Barack Obama's work on the Gulf oil spill as they were with his predecessor's handling of Hurricane Katrina, according to a poll released Tuesday.    MORE Government Puts Employers On Notice Over Health Costs The Obama administration had a message Monday for employers who want to keep federal bureaucrats from rewriting the rules for their company medical plans: Don't jack up costs for workers, and you won't have to worry about interference from the new health care law.    MORE 6-Story Jesus Statue In Ohio Struck By Lightning A six-story statue of Jesus Christ was struck by lightning and burned to the ground, leaving only a blackened steel skeleton and pieces of foam that were scooped up by curious onlookers Tuesday. The "King of Kings" statue, one of southwest Ohio's most familiar landmarks, had stood since 2004 at the evangelical Solid Rock Church along Interstate 75 in Monroe, just north of Cincinnati.   MORE London Daily Mail: EU Chief Warns of Nightmare Vision for Europe Democracy could ‘collapse’ in Greece, Spain and Portugal unless urgent action is taken to tackle the debt crisis, the head of the European Commission has warned.  In an extraordinary briefing to trade union chiefs last week, Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso set out an ‘apocalyptic’ vision in which crisis-hit countries in southern Europe could fall victim to military coups or popular uprisings as interest rates soar and public services collapse because their governments run out of money.    MORE Muslim Student Group Suspended for Disrupting Israeli The University of California, Irvine, has suspended a Muslim student group for at least a year because of loud heckling that disrupted a talk by Israel's ambassador.    MORE Suspicious Actions Follow Murder of Pastor in Assam, India A pastor in Assam state was murdered and cremated without being identified last month before family members learned of his death when they saw a photo of his body in a newspaper.     MORE Miley Cyrus: 'I'm Not Trying To Be Slutty' ...."I'm really comfortable with my body, I work really hard to be fit and to know that I can wear whatever makes me most comfortable. I feel more comfortable dressing with a little less, which is just how I've always been," she said. "Now I'm able to do that a little more freely and, also, I've just grown up to be this way too. It's not like this was me five years ago. It's me now, presently."    MORE God Makes Sense Even Amid Pain, Says Author Hundreds of thousands of lives are swept away in a massive tsunami. Six million people are murdered for their race. Is it sensible to believe in God amid such suffering?    MORE Trial Opens On Boy Scouts' Philly Headquarters The Boy Scouts is on trial in Philadelphia -- at issue is whether the Scouts' policy on homosexuals allows them to remain in their longtime base of operations. In a case that opened yesterday, the City of Brotherly Love is trying to evict the Boy Scouts from their building, constructed 80 years ago on city-owned property and provided rent free in perpetuity -- that is, forever. MORE Conservative Anglicans Trusting God in Property Dispute The Virginia Supreme Court has sided with the Episcopal Church in a property dispute.  VirginiaThe unanimous decision was a disappointment to nine Virginia congregations that split from the Episcopal Church over the denomination's acceptance of homosexuals, the ordination of women, and other issues. MORE Bible Groups Forge Alliance to Spark Bible Reading Revival Two U.S. Bible organizations have joined forces to fight the decline of Bible engagement in America, where only 46 percent of people say they read the Bible in a given a week outside of church.    MORE Update for Tuesday, June 15th, 2010 Obama To Use Oil Spill To Push His Economy Killing Climate Change Bill  Never one to to allow a "good crisis" to go to waste, Barack Obama is pledging to use the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico as an opportunity to push the U.S. Congress to pass his controversial climate bill.  In fact, during a recent interview Obama directly compared the current crisis in the Gulf to 9/11, and indicated that he believed that it would fundamentally change the way that we all look at energy issues from now on.  But the truth is that Obama's climate bill is the same economy killing legislation that it was before the BP oil spill.     MORE Jimmy Dean, Sausage King & Baptist, Dies at 81 Jimmy Dean, a country singer star who was perhaps best known for his sausage brand, has died at 81.  In 2008, Dean donated 1 million dollars to Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, Texas.   MORE USA Today: Christian Colleges Flourish in Distance Learning Environment  The question facing universities looking to compete in the booming market for online higher education is not so much how to do it, but how to distinguish themselves from the rest. In this, Christian universities appear to have a built-in advantage. And many are seizing the opportunity to expand their footprint.   MORE Arab States Grant Legitimacy to Hamas The head of the Arab League visited Gaza on Sunday, effectively ending the Arab world's isolation of Hamas and placing the league at odds with the U.S view that Hamas should be shunned until it renounces violence and recognizes Israel.  Arab League chief Amr Moussa, who crossed into southern Gaza... MORE Friends of Israel: Middle East Nations Head For Confrontation Michael Freund writes in The Jerusalem Post, “Something is stirring in the Middle East.” How right he is. And it isn’t good for Israel or the nation’s supporters. “The winds of war are blowing,” Freund writes, “picking up speed with each passing day, and the threat to Israel is growing steadily more alarming.” Freund’s analysis shows how anti-Israel sources are driving events to the precipice of a devastating confrontation.     MORE Conservatism Could Still Conquer in California With GOP candidate Meg Whitman already flashing ads across TV screens, and as jabs from opponent Jerry Brown compare her to a Nazi propagandist, California's candidates are preparing to battle it out in the November general election. MORE Hundreds of Bibles Burned by Iranian Authorities The Iranian security forces have burned hundreds of Bibles, according to the Farsi Christian News Network (FCNN). A spokesperson for FCNN said, "This action [of burning the Bibles], which has been confirmed by informed sources, was aired on a site belonging to the Pasdaran paramilitary organization, is nothing less than shameful and the persons responsible must be identified and exposed to the whole world."   MORE Abby Sunderland, Teen Sailor, Is a Christian Rescue craft are on their way to recover 16-year-old Abby Sunderland, the teenager who tried to become the youngest sailor ever to circle the globe alone. Members of the Sunderlands’ church, Blessed Hope Chapel in Simi Valley, Calif., heard the news at a late-night prayer meeting for Abby on Thursday evening, according to the Ventura County Star. "We just know that Abby is in his hands and nobody can snatch her from his hands," Pastor Joe Schimmel said   MORE In Pennsylvania, the Church Bake Sale is Back in Business Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell has signed a bill into law which protects church bake sales, potlucks and similar events from sanction by state food inspectors, according to WHTM. Pennsylvania church leaders—and, no doubt, church bake sale cooks—welcomed what became known as the “Pie Bill.”   MORE Evangelical Christians, Jews Unite Behind Israel at Kentucky Rally Christians have a biblical duty to stand with Israel in conflicts with other nations or it will suffer punishment from God, several speakers said at a "Stand with Israel" rally on Sunday.   MORE SS Teacher Killer of Calif. Girl Found in Suitcase Gets Life  In Prison A Sunday school teacher who pleaded guilty to kidnapping and murdering a neighbor girl in Northern California made a tearful apology to the victim's family Monday as she was sentenced to prison for the rest of her life. MORE Wall St. Journal:  White House Takes Cues from Liberal Think Tank on Spill  If you want to see where President Barack Obama’s response to the Deepwater Horizon disaster is heading, try following the urgings of the Center for American Progress. The liberal think tank with close White House ties appears to have more influence on spill policy than the president’s in-house advisers. MORE U.S. Blood Ban for Gays Remains  The federal Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability (ACBSA) voted 9-6 Friday to maintain current blood-donation rules, which effectively forbid practicing homosexuals from donating blood. Specifically, the rules defer any prospective blood donor if he is a man who has had sex with another man since 1977, approximately the beginning of the AIDS outbreak. MORE Update for Weekend, June 12th-13th, 2010 Kagan's Views on Religious Freedom Revealed Elena Kagan, President Obama's nominee to the Supreme Court, was involved in a number of issues concerning religious freedom according to documents released Friday, The New York Times reports.   MORE Egyptian Official: 'Israel May Strike Iran Next Month' The Egyptian government believes July will be a decisive month that may see an Israeli military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities, according to a senior Egyptian security official speaking to WND. The official said Egypt already has implemented security measures that take into account an Israeli strike against Iran within the month...  MORE Bill Salus: Understanding the Geo-Politics of Palestinianism vs. Zionism Presently there are two conflicting ideologies competing for sovereignty of the Holy Land. They are Zionism and Palestinianism. Recognizing their powerful affects upon the geo-politics of the Promised Land is prerequisite for achieving a comprehensive understanding of what’s driving today’s Mideast conflict. MORE Sharper Iron: Extraterrestrials or Spirit Beings?  Have you noticed the spike of interest in extraterrestrial beings lately? As scientific evidence for intelligent design continues to defrock the theory of evolution, leading atheists are lining up to concede that life on planet earth may have been seeded by designing aliens. The notion of a creator God is unconscionably irrational, we are told. Apparently the idea of paternalistic aliens should pose no problem for the enlightened. Whatever contribution aliens may ...  MORE Cities Warned To Stop Targeting Christians Unfairly Some months ago, officials in Elk River, Minn., reversed a policy banning religious meetings at its public library at the urging of Alliance Defense Fund attorneys.   Now letters have gone out from ADF to more than 150 other government jurisdictions across the nation asking them also to correct policies that illegally target the religious content of community activities.   MORE Lawmakers Move to Allow Abortions in Military A little-known amendment that would allow abortions at military hospitals is advancing in Congress. Tucked inside the massive Pentagon policy bill is a provision that would lift the ban on privately-funded, elective abortions.MORE Crist Drops Pro-life Message From Campaign Website With a decision on an important abortion bill pending, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist probably tipped his hand by deleting a pro-life message from his campaign website. The bill, which the Florida Senate and House passed and sent to the governor on Tuesday, requires doctors to perform an ultrasound on a woman before she can undergo an abortion, although it gives the woman the option of not viewing the sonogram.  MORE Court Orders Crystal Cathedral to Pay Musicians Four musicians who said they haven't been paid by the financially strapped Crystal Cathedral for services rendered won their cases in small claims court Monday. Guitarist Bill Kilpatrick, keyboardist Don French, percussionist Kenneth Park and bassist Randy Gravett, who all played with the "Hour of Power" orchestra, won judgments in their favor. Kilpatrick received $1,155, French $3,718.75, Gravett $700 and Park $1,672.50.     MORE Fla. Christian School Fires Teacher Over 'Fornication' Claims A former Florida teacher said the administrators of a Christian school where she was employed fired her because she became pregnant just before her wedding, MyFoxOrlando.com reported.  Now, she has filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against the private school in St. Cloud, Fla. MORE Jesus Ultrasound Poster Fuels U.K. Abortion Uproar A newly revealed poster picturing the ultrasound of an unborn Jesus with a halo is adding fuel to the abortion ad uproar in the United Kingdom.  ChurchAds.Net’s “Baby-Scan Jesus” poster, which will be used for a 2010 Christmas campaign, has already started stirring debate months before... MORE CNS News: Public Says Federal Debt Equal to Threat from Terrorism The American public thinks the federal government’s debt is as much a threat to the future of the country as terrorism, a new Gallup survey finds. The same survey also shows that the public trusts Republicans more than Democrats on both issues. The survey, taken May 24-25, asked Americans which issues they considered threats to America’s future well-being. Terrorism and federal government debt tied for first place, with 79 percent of respondents saying... MORE Judge Orders Boy's Return to School That Suspended Him for Wearing Rosary A federal district court extended an order on Wednesday that allows  a 13-year-old boy to return to his public school wearing his rosary until at least Sept. 10.      MORE Methodist Seminary is 'Abdicating' Christianity, Says Theologian Despite a Methodist seminary president's insistence that he is not compromising Christianity by turning the school into a multi-religious one, evangelicals and conservative Christians remain unconvinced.    MORE Virginia High Court Rules Against Breakaway Conservative Anglicans Nine conservative Anglican churches were dealt a blow Thursday when the Virginia Supreme Court overturned a lower court's ruling that favored the breakaway congregations. The long battle over multimillion-dollar church properties continues to rage on three years after The Episcopal Church sued the group of nine churches after they left the denomination.    MORE La. Senate Committee Rejects Church Guns Bill A Louisiana Senate committee has voted against allowing concealed weapons to be carried inside places of worship. The 3-0 vote by the Senate Judiciary B Committee on Tuesday effectively shelved H.B. 68 after the legislation cleared the House in a 74-18 vote.   MORE Ban on Ky. Commandments Displays Upheld by Federal Appeals Panel A federal appeals court panel has upheld a permanent injunction against three displays of the Ten Commandments at local courthouses in two Kentucky counties. MORE Update for Thursday, June 10th, 2010 Obama Says Situation In Mideast Is 'Unsustainable'  President Barack Obama called Wednesday for sharply limiting Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip in the wake of the botched Israeli naval raid that's straining U.S. and Israeli relations with allies around the world.   MORE Conservative Women Triumph in Primary Races Tuesday's primaries brought more victories for the Tea Party and conservatives - and many of those winners were women.  The winners made it clear that they plan to bring change to Washington.  MORE Gulf Oil Spill Slowing or Bigger than We Thought? Crews in the Gulf Coast are pointing to progress as they capture more oil from the leaking British Petroleum well near Louisiana. The latest government estimate revealed about 630,000 gallons of oil a day are being contained. BP also released a high resolution video that shows the clearest pictures yet of the leak.  MORE Pro-Life Minister Arrested by D.C. Police for Challenging Planned Parenthood Facility Fence Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney of the Christian Defense Council was arrested Tuesday on a charge of unlawful entry after praying inside a fence surrounding both the entry to the Planned Parenthood of Metro- politan Washington, D.C., building and a public walkway. Mahoney, director of the pro-life group and an ordained minister in the Reformed Presbyterian Church, said he should be allowed to pray, walk, or sit on the walkway that is directly in front of the Planned Parenthood building because it is public property – but he could not  because the fence keeps out the public. MORE Most Evangelical Leaders OK with Birth Control A majority of evangelical leaders approve of artificial methods of contraception, a new survey reveals. The National Association of Evangelicals, which represents more than 45,000 churches in the United States, released a report Tuesday showing that nearly 90 percent approve of contraception.   MORE Flexing Regional Muscles, Turkey Drifts Away From the West Turkey's ever more activist foreign policy, which has opened a gulf with its former ally Israel, also is putting Turkey increasingly at odds with the traditional positions held by its partner in NATO, the United States.   MORE Afghans Protest Christian Aid Groups Two Christian aid groups were recently suspended from Afghanistan over claims that workers were proselytizing. The offense carries the death penalty and now, the accusations are sparking protests from Muslims...  MORE Albert Mohler Op-Ed: Homosexuality and the Military — What’s Really at Stake? Get ready. Big changes are coming to the United States military. Congress seems poised to pass legislation that would call for the elimination of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy put in place in 1993.   MORE North Carolina 7th Graders to Learn About IUDs, Abortifacients, Condoms North Carolina schools are preparing to implement the "Healthy Youth Act," signed on June 30, 2009 and set to take effect in the 2010-11 school year. It states that students from 7th to 9th grade should be taught "about the effectiveness and safety of all FDA-approved contraceptive methods in preventing pregnancy."     MORE Most Christians Cannot Explain their Faith, Says Apologist The faith of most Christians, even that of many pastors, will not stand up to intellectual scrutiny, according to renowned apologist Josh McDowell. This is a concern because pastors’ inability to present biblical truth comprehensibly and relevantly has led to children from Christian families leaving the church...   MORE RUSSELL MOORE WEBLOG:  Is It Wrong to Display a Picture of Robert E. Lee? Below is the latest “Questions and Ethics” query. Help me answer this question by telling me your thoughts in the comments.  Dear Dr. Moore, I’m a young minister in Texas, and a faithful reader of your stuff. Here’s my problem. In my home, I have on the wall a painting of General Robert E. Lee. Underneath is his quote on the definition of a gentleman. A close Christian brother and I have been in a kind of an intense debate about it. My friend agrees with me that General Lee actually personally condemned slavery. But he thinks history’s representation of Lee (fighting for the Confederacy with all the accompanying issues of human slavery) could make my display of this painting a stumbling block to the cross, citing Paul’s letters to the Corinthians. What do you think?    MORE 13-Year-Old Self-Aborts Baby: 30-Year-Old Boyfriend Buries Body A 30-year old Pennsylvania man has been accused of raping a 13-year-old girl and burying the body of their child after she performed a home abortion on herself with a pencil.      MORE Conn. School Board Resumes Church Graduation Battle The Enfield Board of Education in Connecticut decided Tuesday night to re-enter a court battle over holding graduations at a church. Just days after voting not to appeal a federal judge's ruling barring two high schools from holding graduations at First Cathedral, the board reconvened for a re-vote and chose to rescind....   MORE 'Courageous' Film Resonates with Actors, Supporters  It’s personal. That is the feeling among many of the actors and supporters of the film “Courageous,” which is currently in production. During a special media and guest visit Tuesday, people on the set expressed how the fourth film by Sherwood Pictures – the makers of “Fireproof” and “Facing the Giants” – touches a nerve...  MORE Update for Wednesday, June 9th, 2010 Tea Party Rides Anti-Incumbent Wave as 12 States Pick Candidates In early returns Tuesday , South Carolina GOP state Rep. Nikki Haley, a tea party favorite, jumped ahead of three rivals with a double-digit lead in her bid to become the first woman elected governor of her state, but a runoff was a possibility. Elsewhere,political outsiders from coast to coast tested their strength on the busiest day of an unpredictable primary season. MORE  Palin to Obama: 'Give Me a Call' Sarah Palin says President Barack Obama's acknowledgment that he hasn't directly spoken to BP's chief executive shows it "bodes well to have some sort of executive experience before occupying the Oval Office." The former Alaska Governor made the comment Tuesday on her Facebook page. Then she outlined her own experience. Palin also urges Obama to contact experts who have held oil companies accountable. "Give them a call," she writes. "Or, what the heck, give me a call."  MORE Investigators Probe Slaying Inside Arkansas Church Investigators returned Monday afternoon to the scene of the murder of an 80-year-old woman Sunday.  Lillian Wilson was found dead inside the Central United Methodist Church around 12:45 p.m. Cross County Sheriff’s Detective Keith Vaughn told AP that Wilson appeared to have suffered blunt force trauma to the head.   MORE Messianic Jews Lose Israeli Court Case Four and a half years after hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Jews disrupted a Messianic Jewish service, throwing chairs and assaulting some of the members, an Israeli court ruled against the Messianic Jews’ civil suit this week. MORE Pope Benedict Renews Call for International Efforts in Middle East Pope Benedict XVI reiterated Sunday his call for an “urgent and concerted” international effort to resolve the ongoing tensions in the Middle East before such conflicts lead to greater bloodshed.     MORE Boston Area: Church Workers Charged With Stealing Collections wo church workers have been charged with stealing from two parishes and police say both apparently thought they were working alone. The Archdiocese of Boston contacted Wayland police last Thursday concerned that someone was possibly stealing money from the weekly collections at St. Zepherin's and St. Ann's churches.   MORE Anglicans Cut Episcopalians From Ecumenical Bodies The Anglican Communion has suspended U.S. Episcopalians from serving on some interfaith bodies because of the election of a lesbian as a bishop in California. The U.S. church opened a rift in the global communion, and within its own ranks, seven years ago by electing a gay man, V. Gene Robinson, as bishop of New Hampshire.   MORE London Times: Schools Leave Christianity In the Wilderness Schools have been accused of ignoring the views of their Christian pupils while paying careful attention to children of other faiths. According to Ofsted, the schools inspectorate, teachers are failing to educate children in the core beliefs of Christianity, ignoring their legal obligation to do so. An Ofsted report released today says stories from the Bible are often used simply to teach children about their feelings or about how to empathise with the sick, but their religious significance is neglected.  MORE Miley Cyrus: Role Model to Racy Pop Star? For several years Miley Cyrus, the star of the Disney Channel's "Hannah Montana" television series had been seen as a good role model for young girls. Now the "Popcorn Princess" as she has been called, seems to be following the path of Madonna and Britney Spears.     MORE Muslims Order Christians to Leave Village in Pakistan The head of a Muslim village last week ordered 250 Christian families to leave their homes in Khanewal district, Punjab Province, local residents said.  MORE Update for Tuesday, June 8th, 2010 A Moral Debate: Why Capitalism is Best for America Analysts often divide conservatives into two big groups -- social conservatives and economic conservatives. As Washington liberals push hard to convert America into something less capitalist and more socialist, both camps of conservatives are realizing how a country runs its economy also has a huge impact on its social and moral issues.  Conservatives are used to seeing social controversies like abortion or gay marriage as moral issues. Battles over economics, though, are rarely cast in moral terms.  MORE U.S.’s $13 Trillion Debt Poised to Overtake GDP President Barack Obama is poised to increase the U.S. debt to a level that exceeds the value of the nation’s annual economic output, a step toward what Bill Gross called a “debt super cycle.”     MORE Rabbis: Flotilla Clash Similar to Gog and Magog Prophecy The Rabbinical Council of Judea and Samaria issued a statement Thursday in which it said that the results of the incident in which Israel intercepted a flotilla trying to break the naval blockade of Gaza seem like the Biblical description of “the beginning of the Gog and Magog process where the world is against us, but which ends with the third and final redemption.” MORE Oil Spill Prayer Chain Stretches Across Miss. Beach Christians along the Mississippi Gulf Coast are turning to their faith as they see the devastating impact of the oil spill in nearby Louisiana.  Thousands of believers joined to form a 26-mile prayer chain in Gulfport, Sunday, asking God to protect the people and beaches in Mississippi.  MORE USA Today: Protestant Pastor on the Job Hunt....Good Luck in This Market By the time she graduated from Vanderbilt Divinity School in May 2009, the Rev. Kara Hildebrandt could translate a passage from the Greek New Testament with relative ease and write a sermon like a pro.  Then she hit the clergy glut.  Too many preachers, too many small churches and a bad economy make this one of the worst job markets for Protestant ministers in decades.    MORE Helen Thomas retires in flap over Israel remarks Longtime Washington journalist Helen Thomas abruptly retired Monday as a columnist for Hearst News Service following remarks she made about Israel that were denounced by the White House and her press corps colleagues.  MORE Thousands Protest NYC Ground Zero Mosque Thousands of people from across the U.S. assembled in New York City on Sunday to voice their opposition to a proposed mosque planned to be built near Ground Zero. Although not legally binding, the plan for the construction of the mosque was approved overwhelmingly by a New York City community board in May.    MORE Israel Stations Nuclear Missile Subs Off Iran Three German-built Israeli submarines equipped with nuclear cruise missiles are to be deployed in the Gulf near the Iranian coastline.  The first has been sent in response to Israeli fears that ballistic missiles developed by Iran, Syria and Hezbollah, a political and military organisation in Lebanon, could hit sites in Israel, including air bases and missile launchers. MORE Truck Drivers Find God at Mobile Chapel Daniel Mullins walked awkwardly into the middle of Sunday service at the Wilco Travel Plaza mobile chapel looking confused and worn out. After spending an hour talking to a chaplain, Mullins emerged from the back room with a sheepish smile on his face.      MORE Haggard Draws 160 People to New Church Nearly four years after being fired from his previous church, Ted Haggard returned to the pulpit on Sunday as a "changed" man and with a new church.  Some 160 people gathered in a barn next to Haggard's home in Colorado Springs, for the first service of St. James Church, according to The Gazette. MORE Update for Monday, June 7th, 2010 American Thinker: Christians, Conservatives Beware of Westboro Funeral Case The obnoxious family that calls itself the Westboro Baptist Church is an example of how it is sometimes difficult to take the long view of freedom. Patriotic, constitutional conservatives, however, should be cautioned about the WBC military funeral case now in the news. It has potential for mischief against conservative activists.    MORE CBN News: Is the Mainstream Media an Enemy of Christian America? Political comedien Bill Maher says religion is a "neurological disorder." MSNBC's Keith Olbermann called prolifers "Christian jihadists." CBS News Anchor Katie Couric claims Christian values are "repugnant"  Christian America is under attack. The enemy? The mainstream media.   MORE Andrea Tantaros Op-Ed: Pelosi Uses Religion to Advance Liberal Agenda During times of trials and tribulations, many people turn to Christ to help them through. It seems Sister — I mean Speaker of the House — Nancy Pelosi is no different. With speculation brewing that Democrats are poised to lose big in the fall midterm elections and the balance of power at stake, is Nancy Pelosi turning to Jesus...  MORE CSMonitor: In Louisiana, People Hope – and Pray – For a Gulf Oil Spill Miracle The nation spent Wednesday riveted by a live video feed of BP’s latest attempt to stop the geyser of oil infiltrating the Gulf of Mexico, but in Louisiana, sights were set on the heavens as residents gathered at First Baptist Church of Chalmette to pray. One by one, they stood and asked God for .. MORE Vatican Takes On Christian Fundamentalists It’s not easy walking through the minefield called Middle Eastern politics, and a Vatican document released Sunday managed to criticize Israel, Egypt, Islam and even Christian fundamentalists. The 46-page text, “The Catholic Church in the Middle East: Communion and Witness,” will serve as a working document for a meeting...  MORE Allies of Liberty Professor Are Silent in the Face of Inquiry The future of a prominent Southern Baptist preacher who converted from Islam may depend on which version of his past is closer to the truth. Ergun Caner's supporters know him as a devout Muslim who discovered Jesus Christ at an Ohio church and became a popular leader at Liberty University, the Virginia evangelical school founded by the Rev. Jerry Falwell.  His critics have a different version...     MORE IRS Nears Action on Church Pensions The Internal Revenue Service is drafting guidance that could require employers with religious affiliations to warn workers when their pensions have lost their federal safety net.   Over the past decade, more than 100 employers, including hospitals, schools, nursing homes, charities and other nonprofits, have converted their pension plans to "church plans," a largely unregulated category of pensions that generally cover clergy...  MORE Time Magazine Praises Today's 'Kinder and Gentler' Christianity Young evangelicals seem to be cut from a different cloth than their forbearers, and that's got the secular media praising the Lord. In "Young Evangelicals: Expanding Their Mission," Time contributor Amy Sullivan celebrated that the younger generation of evangelical Christians represent a "kinder and gentler" Christianity that defies the "fire-and-brimestone conservatism" associated with the older generation of evangelicals.   MORE Euro Currency May Be About to Die The euro will have broken up before the end of this Parliamentary term, according to the bulk of economists taking part in a wide-ranging economic survey for The Sunday Telegraph. The single currency is in its death throes and may not survive in its current membership for a week, let alone the next five years, according to a selection of responses to the survey – the first major wide-ranging litmus test of economic opinion in the City... MORE Augusta Chronicle: Short Term Mission Trips Criticized as 'Vacations' ...Short-term missions, such as World Changers, have skyrocketed in popularity in the past four decades. With the increase come questions about the efficiency of missions conducted by lay people, who use vacation slots to volunteer for one- or two-week trips in the U.S. and abroad.    MORE Christian Leaders Admit Church Unity Still Long Way Off Ecumenical, evangelical and Roman Catholic leaders have conceded that there are still many obstacles to unity in the body of Christ but stress they remain committed to the journey.   MORE Protestors to Rally Against Ground Zero Mosque Plans A protest rally has been scheduled for Sunday afternoon against the proposed construction of a mosque at the Ground Zero site in lower Manhattan. MORE Update for Weekend, June 5th-6th, 2010 Churches Scramble To Meet FCC Rules On Wireless Mics  American churches have less than two weeks to change their wireless microphone equipment or face more than $100,000 in fines.  In January, the Federal Communications Commission mandated that anyone using wireless microphones on the 700 MHz band must stop by June 12 in order to make room for use by police, fire and emergency services. A church using microphones on frequencies between 698 and 806 MHz must stop...  MORE AP: Despite Pressure, Israeli PM Firm on Gaza Glockade  Israeli forces seized a Gaza-bound aid vessel swiftly and without meeting resistance on Saturday, preventing it from breaking a naval blockade of the Hamas-ruled territory days after a similar effort turned bloody. GAZ807 Israel has faced mounting international pressure to lift...    MORE Obama Offers More Benefits for Gay Federal Employees President Obama expanded benefits to same-sex partners of gay federal employees on Wednesday.  The new benefits include relocation expenses, family assistance in cases of hardship transfers, child-care services and subsidies, and adoption counseling, among others.  MORE Eternal Viewpoint: Apology and Forgiveness are Marks of Masculinity You probably already know about the perfect game of Armando Galarraga that was wasted by umpire Jim Joyce. It is the kind of story that forces you to think about some important things.    MORE Kagan Helped Defend Late-Term Abortion Ban Veto As an aide to former President Bill Clinton, Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan helped defend her boss' veto of a measure that would have banned late-term abortions with few exceptions, according to files handed over to Congress Friday.    MORE Report: Teens Cite Religion, Morals for Not Having Sex Around two in five never-married female and male teenagers have had sex, a newly released study shows. The proportion of 15- to 19-year-olds having sexual intercourse has steadily decreased over the past couple of decades, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report.   MORE Christians, Jews Outraged Over Comedy Central Jesus Parody Jewish, Christian, and conservative leaders are lambasting JC, the new Comedy Central parody about Jesus Christ, as a "vile and offensive" example of anti-Christian bigotry.    MORE Christian Groups Respond to Central American Disasters Various Christian groups are working to meet the immediate needs of people suffering from the flooding, mudslides and a volcanic eruption in Central America. MORE School Board Bows Out of Church Graduation Fight The board of education in Enfield, Conn., voted Thursday against appealing a federal judge's ruling barring two high schools from holding graduations at a church.      MORE Update for Friday, June 4th, 2010 Giuliani Rips Obama’s Handling of Oil Spill Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Guiliani, whose tireless leadership in the days and weeks after 9/11 made him a national hero, has accused President Obama of doing everything wrong in his handling of the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. “It couldn’t be worse,” Guiliani said Wednesday when asked by Fox News’ Sean Hannity to rate Obama’s performance. MORE Abortion Foes Claim Victories at State Level  It’s not just in the halls of Congress where abortion opponents are advancing their agendas.  At least 11 states have passed laws this year regulating or restricting abortions, and bills have passed at least one house of the legislature in four others, The New York Times reports.   MORE Comedy Central's 'J.C.' is 'Designed to Be Offensive to Christians,' Group Says A newly formed group of conservative and religious leaders announced Thursday that it is going to ask advertisers to refrain from spending any money on Comedy Central’s proposed show “J.C.” – an animated program that the network has said would depict Jesus Christ as wanting to “escape the shadow of his famous father and live life in New York City as a regular guy.” MORE Can 'Separation' for Married Couples Be a Good Thing? "Separation" for the Gores may serve as the "salvation" for their marriage as they take a breather, said an evangelical marriage expert. Though Focus on the Family marriage expert Glenn Stanton says it's becoming clearer that the trajectory of Al and Tipper Gore's marriage is more in the divorce direction, he pointed out that the famous couple hasn't used the D-word just yet.  MORE Anti-Israel Resolution Makes U.N. Look ‘Foolish,’ Mideast Expert Says The rapid condemnation of Israel by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), made without a full knowledge of the facts, makes the international body look 'ridiculous,' says a leading Middle East expert.   MORE Armenian Church Sues Getty Museum Over Bible Pages he Armenian church has sued the J. Paul Getty Museum to demand the return of seven pages ripped from a sacred Armenian Bible dating back to 1256. The Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America filed the lawsuit Tuesday in Los Angeles.      MORE Jimmy DeYoung: Secret Meeting Could Decide the Fate of Europe's Crisis A secret meeting of the elite financial leaders of the world being held in one of Spain's most exclusive resorts may hold the future of the Euro, Europe's common currency, in its hands as it meets to discuss the fate of the Euro and the economic crisis facing the European Union.  MORE Episcopal Head Rejects Disciplinary Actions The head of The Episcopal Church is troubled by efforts within the Anglican Communion to discipline the U.S. body over its pro-gay actions. In a recent letter to U.S. Episcopalians, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori said the proposal to impose sanctions against dissident churches is a "push toward centralized authority" – the very thing Anglicans repudiated when they separated from the Roman Catholic Church.    MORE Sharper Iron: Should Bible-Believing Christians Be Politically Conservative? One of the surprises of my online interactions over the last few years has been the discovery that some who take the Bible very seriously are, nonetheless, leery of political conservatism, especially in its American form.  But I believe this antipathy toward conservatism is due to a combination of factors, none of which have to do with what the Bible teaches. MORE Accusations of Rape in a New Hampshire Church The Concord Monitor, one of our local papers is reporting on the 1997 rape of a teenage girl by a member of Trinity Baptist Church in Concord, New Hampshire. The victim was apparently relocated to the home of a Christian family in Colorado to protect her from her assailant. Meanwhile, the alleged perpetrator remained free. The victim has recently come forward and the police have arrested the alleged rapist.     MORE Russell Moore: Walker Percy...Twenty Years Later ...Others have sought to argue that the difference for Walker Percy was medical or sociological or even historical. These probably all—in God’s providence—played a role, but more significant, I think, is Percy’s Christian appro- priation of the interplay between life and death, hope and despair. “Death makes honest men of all of us,” says a character in one of Percy’s novels. “It makes people happy to tell the truth after a lifetime of lying.” MORE Will Dudding Sermon: Freedom From Legalism ...There are two kinds of legalistic forms that are addressed – the first is dead formalism and the other is deceitful religion. You will find that legalism takes on forms that look very Orthodox and that use all the same Christian jargon that we use, yet it is not truly Christian because it misses the point that the formalities are supposed to point to – that is Christ!. MORE Out of Ur: Small Churches Are the Next Big Thing? ...Zogby prophesies that “The church of the future will be a bungalow on Main Street, not a megastructure in a sea of parking spaces. It’s intimacy of experience that people long for, not production values.”...small congregations are uniquely positioned to carry the gospel into the world in the 21st century. MORE Update for Thursday, June 3rd, 2010 Isolated Israel Begins to Deport Activists, But Stands Firm on Blockade At the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, where a regular month-long session began this week, the prepared agenda was set aside Tuesday for an "urgent debate" on the flotilla incident.    MORE Obama Proclaims LGBT Pride Month, Pushes Repeal of Defense of Marriage Act Citing his commitment to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), President Obama on Friday issued a proclamation declaring June 2010 'Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month.'     MORE Survey: Teens More Accepting of Out-of-Wedlock Pregnancy Among teens in the USA, the percentage who have had sexual intercourse or say they'd be pleased if they or their partner were to get pregnant hasn't changed much since early in the decade, and there appears to be a growing acceptance of having babies outside marriage, a government report said Wednesday.    MORE 30 Shocking Quotes About The Gulf Of Mexico Oil Spill That Reveal the Real Horror of This Disaster It is incredibly hard to put into words the absolute horror that is happening in the Gulf of Mexico right now.  The millions of gallons of oil that have gushed into the Gulf of Mexico and BP's efforts to fight the massive leak are turning the Gulf into a lifeless toxic stew of oil and chemicals. MORE FNC: Gaza-Bound Flotilla’s Links to Terrorists, Mob Chanted ‘Death to Jews’ On Tuesday’s Special Report with Bret Baier, FNC correspondent Dana Lewis filed a report in which he noted some of those on board the Gaza-bound ships that were boarded by Israel were from a Yemeni group that has "murky links to al-Qaeda," and others from an extreme group in Turkey believed by Israelis to have terrorist links...   MORE Bible Prophecy Today: Turkey Turning Against Israel President Obama and the rest of the United States government should immediately and unequivocally condemn all of the activists who used live weapons, stun grenades, metal poles and other weapons to viciously attack Israel naval forces without provocation.    MORE Conservative Christians Seek to Replace Calif. Judges Conservative Christians have launched a movement in an effort to replace four California judges with their own in a judicial election next week. Better Courts Now (BCN), founded by the late Pastor Don Hamer of Zion Christian Fellowship in San Diego, is throwing its support behind four conservative Christian candidates to replace...  MORE Russell Moore: Ecological Catastrophe & the Uneasy Evangelical Conscience For too long, we evangelical Christians have maintained an uneasy ecological conscience. I include myself in this indictment.  We’ve had an inadequate view of human sin....a laissez-faire view of government regulation of corporations is akin to the youth minister who lets the teenage girl and boy sleep in the same sleeping bag at church camp because he “believes in young people.” MORE The World Council of Church's Anti-Israel Peace Week A Jewish human rights organization denounced an upcoming World Council of Churches’ peace event as “blatantly anti-Israel.” The Simon Wiesenthal Center was referring to the World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel, which began Saturday and will run until June 4.     MORE Bible Prophecy Today: Homeland Security Calls Good Evil Mosab Hassan Yousef tells Americans that they have no idea about the dangers ahead. Who is this young man and should we pay attention to his warning? Yousef is the son of Sheikh Hassan Yousef, a founding leader of Hamas. The organization is a brutal terrorist outfit responsible for endless carnage not only against Israel...   MORE Young Southern Baptists Urged Not to Walk Away Yet A Southern Baptist pastor is urging younger Baptists who may have doubts about the denomination not to abandon ship just yet. As the Southern Baptist Convention prepares to embrace the Great Commission Resurgence this month, Pastor J. D. Greear wants fellow SBC members to know that the new movement is...   MORE Re:Fundamentals: David Cloud, Dollywood, And Separation ...Cloud’s stance is extreme and indicative of why people scoff at Fundamentalists as being against anything that is fun. The issue with Dollywood at this point is not separation.  One should simply discern what is best for them and their families.  To lay it down as a rule that Christians shouldn’t go to Dollywood is a legalistic rule reminiscent of the Pharisees.  After all, it makes a law where Scripture does not.  It is teaching for doctrine the commandments of men. I believe in separation, but separation of this sort is not Biblical.    MORE Ted Haggard to Pastor New Church in Colorado Ted Haggard, the evangelical leader who fell from grace after a gay sex scandal in 2006, announced on Wednesday that he will start a new church in Colorado Springs.    MORE For Christians In Iraq, the Threats Persist The small bomb exploded inside the courtyard of the motherhouse just moments after Sister Maria Hanna received an anonymous phone call warning her to get her nuns out of the area.     MORE Update for Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010 BP Stock Tumbles As Feds Announce Oil-Spill Probes, Market Plunges BP's stock plummeted and took much of the market down with it Tuesday as the federal government announced criminal and civil investigations into the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. BP engineers, meanwhile, tried to recover from a failed attempt to stop the gusher with an effort that will initially make the leak worse.  MORE First Human Infected With Computer Virus Via RFID Implant A scientist at the University of Reading has become the first person in the world to be infected by a computer virus. Dr Mark Gasson, from the School of Systems Engineering, contaminated a computer chip which had been inserted into his hand as part of research into human enhancement and the potential risks of implantable devices. MORE Are We About To Witness The Greatest Banking Consolidation In U.S. History? As the number of bank failures in the United States continues to accelerate, many analysts are warning that we could soon see unprecedented changes in the U.S. banking industry.  In fact, there are some economists that are warning that we could be about to witness the greatest banking consolidation in U.S. history.  As dozens of small and medium size banks have failed, the megabanks have systematically been gobbling up larger and...  MORE From Bush to Obama: Sanctity of Human Life Day to Gay Pride Month President Barack Obama has for the second year in a row issued a proclamation declaring June "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month."  While prior to his leaving office President George W. Bush issued a Sanctity of Life Day proclamation for 2009, such a proclamation was rejected by President Obama for 2010.   MORE Gary Coleman's Quick Removal off Life Support Raises Questions The death of Gary Coleman has elicited reactions of surprise and sadness from Americans who had come to know and love the actor through his role on the popular situation comedy Diff'rent Strokes during the late 70s and early 80s. However, what is not being discussed in the mainstream media... MORE Israel's Split with Turkey Deepens Israel has warned that its naval forces will prevent a Turkish-led flotilla of eight blockade-running ships carrying 10,000 tons of aid for the besieged Gaza Strip, a confrontation that could deliver the death blow to the crumbling alliance between Israel and Turkey.     MORE With Obama's Blessings, Lesbian/Gay/Bi Month Kicks Off The day after the House and a Senate committee voted to repeal the U.S. military's ban on homosexuals serving openly in the military, President Barack Obama ushered in another month-long celebration of the homosexual lifestyle. MORE OneNewsNow Perspective: Why We're Losing the 'Gay' Debate Last Friday, Democrats led the House of Representatives in passing legislation to allow the open practice of homosexuality in the United States military for the first time in our history.  This is a catastrophic move that is coming as the result of political correctness trumping common sense. MORE Christian Post Op-Ed: Straight Talk to Church Members about Their Pastors I know. Pastors aren’t perfect. But they do have one of the toughest jobs in the world. Regardless of the church polity, they do have to answer to every church member. Please allow me to speak to you who are church members. I know most of you love your pastor. I know most of you respect your pastor. But you may not know how you can best help your pastor.   MORE Illinois Planned Parenthood To Face the Music A Dupage County judge has denied a motion to dismiss a lawsuit against a Planned Parenthood abortion facility in Illinois.    MORE NY Judge Allows Student to Return to School, Wear Rosary A federal judge issued permission Tuesday to allow a 7th grader who was suspended for wearing a rosary to return to school. U.S. District Court Judge Lawrence Kahn issued a Temporary Restraining Order to the school district that allows 13-year-old Raymond Hosier to resume classes and wear the rosary to school starting...      MORE 9/11 Mosque - the Propaganda Coup of All Time An author and former terrorism prosecutor says it's an affront to common sense and decency that an Islamic mosque is going to be built near the site of the former World Trade Center towers and officially dedicated on September 11, 2011.     MORE Christians Wary of Human Trafficking ahead of World Cup With the South African World Cup less than two weeks away, there is continued concern that the event will be used for human trafficking.  It has been estimated that between 40,000 to 100,000 people may be trafficked during the World Cup.  MORE Update for Tuesday, June 1st, 2010 Israel's Pre-emptive Raid on Flotilla Turns Deadly; Cities on High Alert Israeli naval patrol boats intercepted eight blockade-running vessels in international waters on Sunday night in an attempt to turn back the protestors away but nevertheless deliver the cargo to the people of Gaza. The boarding turned violent when protestors attacked the commandos with sticks, knives and hammers   MORE Syria, Lebanon Say Flotilla Attack Can Lead to War  Syrian President Bashar al—Assad and Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri said on Monday that Israel’s attack on a flotilla of aid bound for Gaza threatens to ignite a war in the region. Syria and Lebanon “condemn the heinous crime committed by Israel through the brutal attacks on unarmed civilians on board the Freedom Flotilla,” both leaders said in a joint statement, after a pre— planned meeting in Damascus.    MORE Israel To Deploy Nuclear Submarines Off Iran Coast Israel is to deploy three submarines equipped with nuclear cruise missiles in the Persian Gulf, the Sunday Times reported on Sunday. According to the Times report, one submarine had been sent over Israeli fears that ballistic missiles developed by Iran, and in the possession of Syria and Hezbollah, could be used to hit strategic sites within Israel, such as air bases and missile launchers.      MORE Bible Prophecy Today: Monetary Crisis Paving Way For the Final Fuhrer Try as I might to get away from thinking on the stupefying swiftness with which the world's monetary crises are reshaping our existence, I cannot. I consider only the so-called peace process being foisted upon Israel by the American administration and other members of the Quartet - the United Nations, European Union, and Russia - to be of slightly more profound prophetic importance than the current economic chaos.     MORE Veterans Having Tough Time Finding Jobs  The nation's unemployment rate continues to hover just under 10 percent. But America's veterans are having an even harder time finding a job. The unemployment rate for veterans between the ages of 20 and 24 is 20%.  MORE Poll Finds Debt-Dogged Americans Stressed Out The economy trudges ahead yet debt dogs many Americans, stressing them out even as they firm up their own financial foundations. There are new jobs produced but old worries persisting for people despite belt-tightening and boosted savings, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll.  MORE Catholic School Fires Math Teacher Who May Not Believe in God A math teacher who said in an online survey that she did not believe in God has been fired by an Iowa Catholic school after her views were discovered on her Facebook profile.     MORE Forced Abortions - the Sad Truth An Illinois-based pro-life group says lost in the politics of the abortion debate is the surprising evidence that most -- not some -- abortions are unwanted or coerced, and many are forced.   MORE Calif. Senate Passes Bill to Counter Texas Curriculum The California Senate passed a bill Friday to prevent the new Texas social studies curriculum from unknowingly affecting its textbooks. In a bipartisan 25 to 5 vote, state lawmakers approved SB 1451 that requires California’s Board of Education to review and report any discrepancies between the new Texas curriculum and...  MORE Conn. Town Can't Hold Graduations in Church, Judge Rules The Enfield school board says it voted to hold services June 23 and 24 at The First Cathedral in Bloomfield because it had enough space at the right price.     MORE Are Missionaries a 'Threat' to Sri Lanka? Buddhist leaders in Sri Lanka may soon pass an anti-conversion law that would punish Christian missionaries working in the country. The proposed law calls for penalties, including fines and prison time for anyone who tries to convert a Sri Lankan citizen from one religion to another by using force, fraud or allurement.  MORE Atheist Questions State Funding for Cross Landmark A Chicago-area atheist is unhappy that $20,000 in state money is going to an 11-story cross on southern Illinois' highest point, and he wants the landmark's overseers to give the money back, or be sued. Atheist Rob Sherman has told the group Friends of Bald Knob Cross that a religious symbol getting taxpayer money is inappropriate.  MORE /

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