Stop Using the
Word ‘Islam’ in Reports on Terrorism, Islamic Bloc Says
If
the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) had its way, media reporting
on terrorist activity would exclude “any reference to Islam” – whatever the affiliation,
identity or motivation of the perpetrators. The bloc of Islamic nations,
which is spearheading a drive at the United Nations to have the “defamation” of
Islam outlawed, this week voiced criticism about media coverage of recent terrorist
attacks. Without citing any specific attack, the OIC’s Jeddah-based general
secretariat said in a statement it had “noticed a tendency of a section of the
media, to interpose the word ‘Islam’ in reporting these incidences.” “It
is frustrating to see some circles, still, maliciously trying to establish conceptual
link between such evil and wicked practices and Islam, the religion that condemns,
scorns and outlaws them,” it said. MORE |
 | David
Limbaugh Commentary:
The
Christian's Future
in
the Republican Party | A
good friend of mine (let's call him Bob) is convinced that unless the GOP puts
abortion "aside as its focal point, it simply cannot win and regain power." That's
especially interesting in light of Kathleen Parker's latest column, which disses
the evangelical wing of the GOP. Bob's point is that "we've lost a majority
of women over this issue as they have become one-issue voters." It's not only
liberal women but also others who believe it's simply not the government's business...Since
the 1980s or so, says Parker, the GOP "has become increasingly beholden to an
element that used to be relegated to wooden crates on street corners.…The GOP
has surrendered its high ground to its lowest brows. In the process, the party
has alienated its non-base constituents." MORE |
| UCLA
Professor of Psychiatry Dr. Gary Small plays with a digital memory electronic
device at his office at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior
in Westwood, Calif., on Monday, Dec. 1, 2008. |  |
| Scientists
Ask, Is Technology Rewiring
Our
Brains?
What
does a teenage brain on Google look like? Do all those hours spent online rewire
the circuitry? Could these kids even relate better to emoticons than to real people?
These sound like concerns from worried parents. But they're coming from brain
scientists. While violent video games have gotten a lot of public attention,
some current concerns go well beyond that. Some scientists think the wired world
may be changing the way we read, learn and interact with each other. There
are no firm answers yet. But Dr. Gary Small, a psychiatrist at UCLA, argues that
daily exposure to digital technologies such as the Internet and smart phones can
alter how the brain works. When the brain spends more time on technology-related
tasks and less time exposed to other people, it drifts away from fundamental social
skills like reading facial expressions during conversation... MORE |
 | Jonah
Goldberg Commentary:
An
Ugly Attack on Mormons | ...At
a pro-gay-marriage rally in Los Angeles after the vote, chants of "Mormon scum!"
were reported. Envelopes containing white powder have been sent to Mormon temples
in California and Utah; vandals hit other temples. Lists of businesses to boycott
-- essentially Mormon blacklists -- have sprung up on the Internet. The artistic
director of the California Musical Theatre resigned because of pressure after
it was revealed he gave $1,000 to a pro-Proposition 8 group. It's amazing.
Hollywood liberals, who usually shout "McCarthyism!" as a first resort, see nothing
wrong with this. If Jews were attacked in this way for giving too much money to
a political cause, Barbra Streisand would already have a French passport.
MORE |
Obama's Pro-Abortion
Fanaticism Could Close One Third of Hospitals
Despite
its sneering contempt for those who respect the sanctity of human life, even Slate
is a little concerned that Obama's pro-abortion fanaticism could lead to the closure
of one third of American hospitals....You can't blame Obama for itching to sign
the bizarrely misnamed Freedom of Choice Act; for radical leftists, it creates
a win-win situation. Controlling access to healthcare is key to controlling
the population — thus the Democrats' avid interest in socializing medicine. Christianity
is hated by liberals because it provides a moral basis for resistance. Driving
Christians out of healthcare would obviously advance the liberal agenda. If the
closures cause a crisis, so much the better. As the economy has been proving so
graphically lately, every crisis is an opportunity for statists to push us closer
to socialism.. MORE |
 | Sharper
Iron Article:
The
Discipline of Pain in Parenting | by
Pastor Dan Miller -My foibles as a father are numerous and varied. My
intuitive responses to the rapid-fire ordeal of parental decision-making routinely
unveil my native blockheadedness. With this disclaimer firmly staked, I
nonetheless testify to the remarkable benefit I gain from imitating my heavenly
Father’s example as he nurtures his children. I am discovering that such imitation
provides not only wisdom for parenting, but also becomes itself a means by which
to better understand my Father. For instance, by following God as parental exemplar,
I am learning that skillful parenting occasionally commends the discipline of
choosing our children’s pain over their pleasure. MORE |
//
 | An
activist holds a red ribbon, the symbol of AIDS awareness, during a march marking
World AIDS Day in Saint Marc, Haiti, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2008. Haiti, a nation of
9 million, remains the most affected by HIV in the Caribbean. |
| Is
the Global AIDS Crisis Overblown? Some Dare To Say 'Yes'
With Brazil's
government caving in to homosexual activism, many fear America is not far behind.
Brazilian activists have launched several lawsuits to silence Christian opposition
of homosexuality, and a Christian author has been both censored and fined over
comments in his book. Mat Barber, with Liberty Counsel, believes America will
likely follow suit. "It's really chilling, and people need to be aware that
this is not a threat that is isolated to Brazil or Europe or Canada," he contends.
"It's coming to our shores (America) as well." MORE |
///
| EDITORIAL
POLICYNews
For Christians is a free ministry designed to present current issues to the Christian
community. We are conservative in our politics and Independent Baptist in
our theology, but the articles linked on these pages are from myriad sources and
viewpoints. The fact that we make these available does not mean that we
adhere to the views of the authors. Sometimes we link to material in which
we completely disagree for the purpose of showing directions and trends in modern
culture. Again, the appearance of an article or news item DOES NOT
denote our approval of the source or the viewpoint espoused. Please use
common sense and Biblical discernment in your reading. |
//// |
| // |
| Friday,
December 5th
Gospel Light
'Shines' After Mumbai Terror Attacks
K.P.
Yohannon, founder of Gospel for Asia, says India remains in a state of shock in
the aftermath of deadly terror attacks.
Read
More | Anglicans
Form 'Authentic Christian Presence'
Theological
conservatives upset by liberal views of U.S. Episcopalians and Canadian Anglicans
formed a rival North American province Wednesday, in a long-developing rift over
the Bible that erupted when Episcopalians consecrated the first openly gay bishop.
Read
More | Teacher
Forces Teens To Question Being 'Straight'
The
mother of a Wisconsin teenager was stunned when her high school senior brought
home a questionnaire assigned by his English teacher that asked, among several
provocative questions, "Is it possible that your heterosexuality stems from a
neurotic fear of others of the same sex?" Read
More | Salvation
Army Leader to Lose Job for Violating Marriage Policy
A Salvation Army
leader is likely to be terminated after he announced his engagement to a woman
who is not affiliated with the organization. He was suspended this week for violating
the Army's marriage rule. Read
More | Study
Suggests Good Cheer May Spread Itself
When
you're smiling, the whole world really does smile with you. A paper being published
Friday in a British medical journal concludes that happiness is contagious - and
that people pass on their good cheer even to total strangers.
Read
More | Economic
Crisis, Treatment of Israel - a Connection?
An
author and end-times scholar believes the current U.S. economic crisis can be
traced to the Bush administration's continued efforts to divide Israel's covenant
land, including the city of Jerusalem, to create a Palestinian state.
Read
More | Washington
State: Atheists Put Up Sign In Capital Building
A
group of atheists and agnostics has placed a sign at the Capitol building that
says, in part: "Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and
enslaves minds." Read
More | Christianity
Today: Foreknowledge Is for God, Not Us
A
successful new test developed by researchers at the Chinese University of Hong
Kong can now test unborn children to discern if they have cystic fibrosis, b-thalas-
semia, or sickle cell anemia—ailments caused by a single mutated gene.
More |
Activists
Target Mormons for Gay-Marriage Ban's Success in California
In the nearly
four weeks since Election Day, gay activists and thousands of their supporters
have rallied outside Mormon temples around the country, protesting the Mormons
support for California's Proposition 8. Read
More | Church
Ad Banned for Being Offensive to Gays
An
advertising watchdog has banned a newspaper ad – run by a Belfast, Ireland, church
– condemning homosexuality. Read
More | Christians
in Orissa, India Fear Violent Christmas
Christians
in India's Orissa state are anticipating Christmas with fear as Hindu extremists
have called for a state-wide bandh, or forced shut-down on all sectors of society,
on Dec. 25 – a move that could provide Hindu extremists the pretext for attacking
anyone publicly celebrating the birth of Christ.
Read
More | Christian
Activist Rises to Pakistan Cabinet Post
A
prominent and long-time Christian human rights activist was recently appointed
as Pakistan’s federal minister for minorities affairs and recruited as a member
of the cabinet – the first time a minorities affairs minister has a cabinet-level
post. More |
Economics,
Religion Played Integral Role in Proposition 8 Success
Voters' economic
status and religious convictions played a greater role than race and age in determining
whether they supported the Nov. 4 ballot measure outlawing same-sex marriage in
California, a new poll shows. Read
More | ..../////
Thursday,
December 4th
Bill Targets
Religious Discrimination in Schools
The
first House bill filed for the 2009 legislative session seeks to clarify where
the line is drawn on allowing religion in public schools, but opponents say the
bill is an ideologically driven measure that will create more problems than solutions.
More |
Chinese House
Church Alliance Faces Further Restriction
China
Aid Association has learned that at 7 a.m. on November 28, 2008, Pastor Zhang
Mingxuan, head of the Chinese House Church Alliance, was forcibly taken by four
plain-clothed officers from Henan Public Security Department and City of Nanyang
to the building where Nanyang Municipal Union Hotel is located. More |
No 'Common
Ground' In Obama's Pro-Abortion Picks
A
leading pro-life activist in Washington says Barack Obama's appointments of Hillary
Clinton and other proponents of abortion to key positions in his administration
contradict his stated desire to find "common ground" on the issue of abortion.
Read
More | Atheists:
Remove 'God' From Kentucky Terrorism Law
A
group of atheists is demanding that Kentucky remove a reference to God in the
state's Homeland Security policy. Read
More | England:
'Gay' Bible Angers Christians
A
gay version of the Bible, in which God says it is better to be gay than straight,
is to be published by an American film producer. Read
More | Conservatives
To Form Rival To Episcopal Church
Conservatives
within the Episcopal Church angered by the liberal views of the church's leaders
plan to form a rival denomination. Read
More | Mostly
Black Alabama County Sets 'Barack Obama Day' As New Holiday
A small central
Alabama county whose mainly black residents gave Barack Obama more than 70 percent
of the vote on Election Day has created an annual holiday in honor of Obama.
Read
More | Mike
Huckabee On Where Obama Will Steer America
Mike
Huckabee believes Barack Obama is far too astute a politician to fall into the
trap of implementing a far-left agenda in the early stages of his presidency.
More |
Joe Carter:
The Faith of Obama
In
2004, Obama gave an interview to Chicago Sun Times columnist Cathleen Falsani
in which he talks in detail about his faith. The full transcript had never been
published in a major publication until yesterday... Read
More | Thomas
Nelson Publisher Lays off 54
Today,
was a very difficult day at Thomas Nelson. We informed fifty-four of our friends
and co-workers (about 10% of our workforce) that we have eliminated their jobs,
effective this Friday. Read
More | Planned
Parenthood Incriminated Again Today
Planned
Parenthood blatantly tells a 13-year-old child to lie about the age of the man
who got her pregnant Read
More | Abortion
Now Number One Cause of Death in Spain
Abortion
is now the number one cause of death in Spain, and represents the most common
type of violence against women in the formerly Catholic country, according to
a new report by the international Institute for Family Policy.
Read
More | Will
Homosexuals Silence America's Christians?
With
Brazil's government caving in to homosexual activism, many fear America
is not far behind. Brazilian activists have launched several lawsuits to
silence Christian opposition of homosexuality, and a Christian author has been
fined... Read
More | ....//
Wednesday,
December 3rd
Silence 'deafening'
over murder by homosexual
Pennsylvania
pro-family activist Diane Gramley is questioning why there is no outrage over
the murder of a college student by a homosexual.
Read
More | Graham
Speaks Against Abortion at Megachurch
Evangelist
Franklin Graham delivered a message Sunday night at Harvest Christian Fellowship
in Riverside, Calif., mixing a bit of politics into his call for repentance. He
emphasized the sin of murder, in particular abortion. Read
More | UN
Resolution protects Islam, omits other religions
The
United Nations General Assembly is considering passage of a resolution called
"Combating Defamation of Religion." Read
More | Divorce
rate increases in Marine Corps, Army
The
divorce rate among soldiers and Marines increased last year as military marriages
suffered continuing stress from America's two ongoing wars. There were an estimated
10,200 failed marriages in the active duty Army... Read
More | Barack
Obama: God's Choice?
Did
God play a role in the election of Barack Obama, and could the Democrat even be
God's sovereign choice for our next president? The answers to those questions
vary widely, depending on who is doing the answering.
Read
More | Students
Lie, Cheat, Steal, But Still Say They're Good
In
the past year, 30 percent of U.S. high school students have stolen from a store
and 64 percent have cheated on a test, according to a new, large-scale survey
suggesting that Americans are too apathetic about ethical standards. Read
More | Am
Thinker: Why the Obama Birth Certificate Issue Is Legitimate
Does this Barack
Obama birth certificate issue bug you because, although improbable, it's possible
that he's not a natural born citizen, isn't eligible to be President under the
Constitution, and this issue could be bigger than Watergate -- or any other "gate"
in history? Read
More | Atheist
Sign Joins Nativity Scene at Wash. Capitol
An
atheist group has unveiled an anti-religion placard in the state Capitol, joining
a Christian Nativity scene and "holiday tree" on display during December.
Read
More | Britain
Thinking of Joining Euro?
Britain
is considering joining the eurozone as a direct consequence of global financial
turmoil, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said Sunday. More |
Is Republican
Party Moving On Without Christians?
The
Family Research Council is expressing frustration that some of the new leaders
of the Republican Party want social issues like abortion and same-sex marriage
to take a back seat to an agenda of smaller government and lower taxes.
More |
..../////
Tuesday,
December 2nd
Obama Keeping
Promises Made To Homosexual Groups
President-elect
Barack Obama is moving swiftly to appoint homosexual activists to positions within
his administration. Read
More | It's
Official: U.S. In A Recession Since December 2007
The
National Bureau of Economic Research said Monday that the U.S. has been in a recession
since December 2007, making official what most Americans have already believed.
Read
More | Anger
Expressed Over eHarmony Decision
A
well-known Christian activist says it's outrageous that the founder of the world's
largest online dating site has bowed to the pressure of homosexuals. Read
More | Americans
Pass Economic Woes to Churches
Americans
are adjusting their expenditures and cutting back wherever possible to adapt to
the economic downturn, which includes for many people reducing donations to churches,
according to a new survey. Read
More | Iraqi
Refugee: I'd Rather Go to Hell Than Go Back
An
Iraqi Christian taking refuge in Syria is adamant about not returning to his homeland,
which - like for many other believers fleeing the sectarian violence-rife country
- has brought him so much pain and suffering Read
More | TX
Schools Pushed To Censor Scientific Discussion
Educators
in the state of Texas are debating science curriculum. At issue is whether teachers
can discuss the strengths and weakness of all scientific theories. More |
Schwarzenegger
Declares Fiscal Emergency In Calif.
Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a fiscal emergency Monday and called lawmakers
into a special session to address California's $11.2 billion deficit. More |
The Best and
Worst of TV Advertisers
The
Parents Television Council has released its annual list of the best and worst
advertisers. Read
More | Sixth
Circuit: Vatican Can Be Sued For Sexual Abuse
In
a landmark ruling Monday, the Sixth Circuit concluded that the Vatican could be
held liable for negligence in sexual-abuse cases filed in the U.S
Read
More | Abortion
Increases Women's Mental Health Problems: New Study
Women
who have an abortion face a 30% increase in the risk of developing common mental
health problems such as depression and anxiety, according to a new study from
the University of Otago, Christchurch. Read
More | Lawmaker:
Homeland Security Should Credit God
A
lawmaker says the state's Homeland Security office should be crediting God with
keeping the state safe. Read
More | Report
Suggests CIA Covered Up Role in Missionary Death
A
top-ranking Republican said he will call for a new federal inquiry into an alleged
CIA cover-up in the 2001 military attack on a small plane in Peru that killed
an American missionary and her infant child. Read
More | ..../////
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