Huckabee Finds Cash for Limited TV Ad
http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/Huckabee_Finds_Cash_for_L/2008/01/25/67398.html
Mike Huckabee's cash-strapped presidential campaign has scraped together enough money to run a new TV ad — in limited fashion.
The commercial, in which the Republican calls for abolishing the Internal Revenue Service, will air on national cable news channels over the next four days, campaign aides say. It will not, at this point, be seen on widely viewed broadcast channels in pricey Florida, which holds a Tuesday primary, or other states.
Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor and Baptist preacher, rallied evangelicals to win Iowa but has faced a string of defeats since the Jan. 3 caucuses. A South Carolina loss last week left his shoestring campaign hungry for money. Some staff left; others aren't getting paid.
The candidate acknowledged the financial troubles Tuesday.
He promised to remain in the race through the Florida primary, but his campaign schedule here has been very light and, unlike his chief rivals, he cannot afford to run TV ads in Florida's media markets. Mitt Romney, John McCain and Rudy Giuliani are pumping in some $1 million or more apiece on TV ads in the homestretch of the Florida race.
Recent polls show Huckabee trailing all three here. He ranks toward the top of some national surveys.
Aides say the campaign is raising money and more TV ads are likely before the virtual national primary day on Feb. 5.
In the spot, Huckabee speaks directly to the camera and uses key lines from his standard campaign speech.
"The IRS penalizes productivity," he says. "Let's change this nonsense to common sense. I want to be the president who nails the 'going out of business' sign on the door of the IRS."
Mormonism in Evangelical Voter Guide
http://www.newsmax.com/politics/romney_mormonism/2008/01/25/67511.html
An executive for one of the nation's leading evangelical groups says in a video voter guide that Mitt Romney has "acknowledged Mormonism is not a Christian faith," although the GOP presidential candidate has said he follows Jesus Christ and his church insists it is Christian.
Tom Minnery, senior vice president of government and public policy at Focus on the Family Action, said in an interview Friday that the comment was his interpretation of Romney's December "Faith in America" speech that was meant to reassure voters about his religion.
Minnery said that he spoke with the campaign after the video was posted this week and they did not contest his view or ask him to retract the statement.
"We've got a good relationship with them," he said.
Kevin Madden, a Romney spokesman, said in an e-mail that "campaign guides by advocacy groups consist of their viewpoints." Madden referred to Romney's faith speech when asked if the former Massachusetts governor considers himself Christian.
Romney has long been dedicated to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving as a New England area bishop and helping build a Mormon temple outside Boston, among other services.
Minnery made the comments in "Focus Action Candidate Commentary," a series of short videos meant to help voters understand the positions of leading Democratic and Republican presidential candidates on issues important to social conservatives.
The Focus Action Web site, citizenlink.org, averages about 250,000 visits a month, and is the political arm of James Dobson's Focus on the Family based in Colorado Springs, Colo. Dobson draws a radio audience in the millions and candidates compete for his support. But he has only made one endorsement in a presidential race, in 2004, backing George W. Bush.
Romney is treated favorably in the videos, compared with fellow Republican contenders John McCain, Rudy Giuliani and Mike Huckabee.
Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council in Washington, which is also linked to Dobson's ministry, calls Romney's positions "solidly conservative across the board."
Minnery argues that the media has been unfair to Romney, then says, "Mitt Romney has acknowledged that Mormonism is not a Christian faith and I appreciate his acknowledging that. He said, 'But on the social issues, we are so similar,' and that is true.'"
Minnery based his interpretation on the section of Romney's December speech in which the former governor professes "that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of mankind," then acknowledges that religions differ on their beliefs about Christ and "each religion has its own unique doctrines."
Mormons feel maligned by claims that they aren't Christian. The scriptures of Latter-day Saints include the Old and New Testament, but also include sacred books that contain the revelations of their 19th century founder Joseph Smith.
The church said in a statement Friday that "all of our dreams and future aspirations are centered in our belief in Jesus Christ."
Christian Children Books Seized in Malaysia
http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion06802.shtml
According to the news website www.malaysiakini.com, state officials from the Internal Security Ministry recently confiscated English language Christian children's books from three Malaysian Publishing House (MPH) bookstores.
The books were said to contain caricatures of prophets that "offend Muslim sensitivities." In mid-December, a total of 29 books were seized from the MPH outlet in the town of Senawang, reportedly after Islamic authorities complained about their offensive content. The six titles have been sent to the department's headquarters in Putrajaya for investigation.
On January 3, at least ten books were taken off the shelves in the MPH bookstore in Ipoh Kinta City. Books were also recently seized from MPH stores in the city of Johor Bahru.
The confiscations follow recent controversy over the Internal Security Ministry's directive to the Christian weekly publication, "Herald," to stop using the term "Allah" when referring to God or risk not having its printing license renewed.
Pray that God will strengthen Malaysian Christians to lovingly and boldly proclaim the gospel (Ephesians 6:18-20). Pray that the religious freedom of all people will be truly recognized in Malaysia.
For more information on Malaysia and the difficulties facing Christians there, go to www.persecution.net/country/malaysia.htm.
50,000,000 Abortions but National Right to Life Committee Lawyer Jim Bopp Says Now Not Yet the Time to Try to Ban Murder of all Innocent Unborn Babies
http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion06801.shtml
Recovering Republican John Lofton, Editor of TheAmericanView.com and co-host of "The American View" radio show with the Constitution Party's 2004 Presidential candidate Michael Anthony Peroutka, has issued the following statement:
Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. -- Mark 9:23
Jim Bopp's reprehensible, Godless, faithless statement (Associated Press, 12/6/07) that, "We don't think it is yet time to pursue efforts to prohibit abortion" - meaning all abortions -- is truly appalling since God says ALL murder is wrong and all abortions are murder. In this same AP story, Bopp says, erroneously: "If a law prohibits abortion in any way, it's contrary to Roe v. Wade." But, so what? Roe v. Wade is not law. And it's not law because it contradicts God's Law against murder. It's not law because courts don't make law. Thus, Roe does not need to be "overturned, as Bopp has said." It needs to be ignored!
Defending his failed strategy of compromise, his majoring in minors by seeking to merely regulate murder-by-abortion not abolish it, Bopp says: "The lessons of history, such as William Wilberforce's efforts to end slavery, teach that we must do what we can until the day when we can do more, and doing the lesser implies no capitulation on the greater."
But, this is a lie. Unlike Bopp, Wilberforce was no compromiser, no incrementalist. His anti-slavery campaign sought to ABOLISH the African slave trade and NOT to regulate it. In fact, the culmination of Wilberforce's work, which became law on March 25, 1807, was titled "An Act for the Abolition of the Slave Trade."
Unlike Bopp, Wilberforce never fought for any measure which said - after this measure was complied with - then you can trade an African slave. Wilberforce never suggested legislation to merely improve conditions on the slave ships. He never suggested any legislation which said before you can trade or own a slave you must be shown a photo of an African to see that Africans are human. NO, NO, he did none of this. Wilberforce fought unceasingly to ABOLISH slavery. And abortion is much worse than slavery because every abortion is MURDER! If Wilberforce had been - God forbid, and He did - a Jim Bopp the African slave trade would still be LEGAL!
About one thing Bopp is correct. He says, disapprovingly, that those of us who believe all abortions should be banned -- and God's Law already bans them -- have "an absolutist view." Well, yes! Amen! We are absolutely opposed to the murder-by- abortion of ALL unborn babies.
For more on this subject, please listen to "The American View" radio show 139 at here. See our web site TheAmericanView.com for the text of a Bopp strategy memo and an exclusive interview with Bopp which demonstrates, with a vengeance, that he is a man void of understanding when it comes to the pro-life issue.
If you'd like to interview John Lofton, you may reach him by calling: 301-873-4612; 410-760-8885; or by email: JLof@aol.com.
Institute Calls on Congress to Block Arms Sale to Saudi
http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion06800.shtml
WASHINGTON -- Institute on Religion and Public Policy Founder and President Joseph K. Grieboski today sent a letter to all 100 members of the United States Senate and all 435 members of the US House of Representatives calling on the members to prevent approval of the proposed $20 billion arms deal to Saudi Arabia and, "in so doing, realizing the appropriate U.S. foreign policy goals of defending fundamental rights everywhere."
Just hours after President Bush's arrival in Riyadh, the Administration said it notified Congress of its intention to offer the Saudis a controversial package of advanced weaponry as part of a multibillion-dollar deal with Gulf Arab allies. The announcement begins a 30-day review period in which congress could try to block the deal, which includes satellite-guided weaponry and high-tech munitions.
"The President's proposed arms sale to Saudi Arabia is a flagrant violation of the President's policies outlined in his Second Inaugural Address, as such military support would embolden a nation that exemplifies the worst qualities of tyranny and violation of fundamental rights. According to our State Department, Saudi Arabia is a country with innumerable violations of human rights," the letter stated.
The letter went on to highlight the innumerable human rights violations committed just in the last year by the Saudi regime.
In conclusion, Mr. Grieboski stated to the House and Senate members, "It is hard to imagine a country that could be more oppressive towards it people than Saudi Arabia is today. President Bush's 20 billion dollar arm sale not only ignores those 'who live in tyranny and hopelessness' but actually arms and strengthens their oppressors. It is with these human rights violations in mind that we request that you remember the words the President has forgotten. Vote no on authorizing the 20 billion dollar arms sale to Saudi Arabia for America's fight against tyranny and extremism, the cause of human rights worldwide and, most importantly, the oppressed peoples of Saudi Arabia 'yearning to breathe free.' Freedom, hope and justice depend on your action."
The full text of the letter can be found at www.religionandpolicy.org or on The Grieboski Report at grieboskireport.blogspot.com.
Judge Roy Moore and Foundation for Moral Law Applaud Paul W. Bryant High School for Showing Christian Movie Which Americans United for Separation of Church and State Wants Censored
http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion06799.shtml
Former Alabama Chief Justice Roy S. Moore and the Foundation for Moral Law sent a letter today to the Tuscaloosa Public Schools applauding Superintendent Dr. Joyce Levey and Principal Amanda H. Cassity for showing the movie, Facing the Giants at Paul W. Bryant High School (PWBHS). The Foundation also urged school officials to ignore the absurd demand by Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AUSCS) to ban the movie from all district schools. In a letter dated January 15, 2008, AUSCS claimed that showing Christian movies in a public school violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
The Foundation's letter, on the other hand, explained that the Establishment Clause prohibits only a "law respecting an establishment of religion" and said AUSCS's "thinly-veiled threats rely on shrill demands and general confusion about this area of the law in an attempt to cow the Tuscaloosa school district into quiet capitulation." The letter continued:
"The simple fact is that showing a movie at PWBHS, even one with 'an explicitly Christian message,' as AUSCS breathlessly puts it, does not violate the First Amendment's proscription that 'Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.' No amount of selective case excerpts or citations can change that."
The letter notes that court cases interpreting the Establishment Clause are hardly so clear-cut as AUSCS would make it out to be, and that AUSCS is trying "to leverage that confusion to achieve its radical, secularist agenda--at PWBHS and around the country."
Judge Moore said,
"Facing the Giants is a positive, uplifting, family-friendly movie that shows the value of faith in a sovereign God through the powerful story of an underdog football team that beats the odds and the 'giants' they face on the field. If instead of a clean Christian movie PWBHS students had been shown an R-rated movie depicting violence, sex, and/or profanity, it is likely that groups like Americans United for Separation of Church and State would be defending the school and crying 'censorship' if such a movie were banned. Their hypocrisy and anti- Christian sentiment knows no bounds."
The Foundation for Moral Law's letter warned the school district that to "specifically target Christian movies for censorship, as AUSCS calls for, would demonstrate a policy of hostility toward religion." The letter urges the Tuscaloosa schools not to give in to AUSCS's demands.
The Foundation for Moral Law, a national non- profit legal organization, is located in Montgomery, Alabama, and is dedicated to restoring the knowledge of God in law and government through litigation relating to moral issues and religious liberty, as well as education consisting of forums for pastors, judges, and the general public.
For more information about the Foundation for Moral Law, please visit www.morallaw.org.
More Churches Bombed in Iraq
http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion06798.shtml
Two car bombs were detonated within two minutes of each other outside churches in the northern Iraq city of Kirkuk on January 9. A bomb exploded at approximately 4:40 p.m. outside the Cathedral of Kirkuk and was followed by another blast less than a mile away, outside the Assyrian Christian Maar Afram church.
Buildings, cars and surrounding houses were damaged in the explosions but no people were injured. The attacks came three days after four churches and three convents were damaged in similar coordinated bombings.
Pray for protection of Iraqi Christians as they serve God in this tense rgion. Pray that they will stand firm in their faith at all cost.
Pray that they will not be fearful but trust in the Lord to sustain and guide them (Rev. 2:10).
For more information on the persecution of Christians in Iraq, go to www.persecution.net/country/iraq.htm.
Iowa Grandmother Jailed for Discouraging Abortion; Anti-Christian Bigotry Run Amok
http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion06796.shtml
FT. LAUDERDALE, FL -- In March, 2007, Donna Holman was convicted of a charge of "harassment" as she engaged in "sidewalk counseling" to discourage women from entering a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in Iowa City, Iowa. Judge Karen Egerton found Mrs.Holman guilty on the hearsay testimony of Planned Parenthood employees. The woman Mrs. Holman allegedly harassed did not even show up for the hearing. Despite being unable to confront her accuser and offer exculpatory evidence, the Iowa Supreme Court declined to review the case.
"While murderers and rapists run free, a harmless 72- year-old Christian grandmother, Donna Holman, must languish in jail for having the temerity of speaking out on behalf of the unborn," said Dr. Gary Cass, Chairman and CEO of the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission. "The double standards of justice used against pro-life Christians are staggering. If Donna Holman had been a union or homosexual activist she would have been released and the trumped up charges dropped. Donna is only guilty of caring for the weakest and most vulnerable among us. The courts are guilty of aiding and abetting the abortion industry as it plies its bloody trade on bodies of innocent babies while harming unsuspecting women. It is especially troubling that she is beginning this ordeal on the eve of the 35th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision.
"This case makes a mockery of the judicial system," continued Dr. Cass. "The interests of justice have been ignored. Mrs. Holman only sought to exercise her rights free speech, religion and peaceable assembly in an attempt to protect the unborn. The Iowa State Bar should begin an immediate investigation of Judge Egerton's behavior," said Dr. Cass.
The Christian Anti-Defamation Commission is a non- profit organization devoted to protecting the rights of Christians to confidently live their faith. Dr. Gary Cass has degrees from Westminster Theological Seminary. He previously served as Executive Director of the Center for Reclaiming America for Christ, an outreach of Coral Ridge Ministries founded by the late Dr. D. James Kennedy.
Foundation for Moral Law Agrees to Defend Evangelist Michael Marcavage, Arrested for Publicly Preaching to Halloween Revelers in Salem, Mass.
http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion06795.shtml
The Foundation for Moral Law, a non-profit, religious-liberties legal organization led by Judge Roy Moore, has agreed to represent Michael Marcavage of Repent America against the misdemeanor charges filed against him for preaching in a Salem, Mass. public square on Halloween night, Oct. 31, 2007.
Even though Salem's laws allow the use of speech amplification until 10:00 p.m., Salem police officers on Halloween night confiscated Mr. Marcavage's megaphone at 8:30 p.m., threw him to the ground, and arrested him on charges of allegedly violating the noise ordinance and "disorderly conduct"--all for calmly preaching the gospel to a large crowd of Halloween revelers. See the video of Mr. Marcavage's arrest here.
About this case, Judge Moore said:
"Michael Marcavage believes he is called by God to preach a message of repentance and forgiveness of sin. He is just as free to preach that message in Salem, Mass., as the Halloween party-goers are free to listen to, disagree with, or ignore him. Instead of protecting his rights to free speech and freedom of religion, however, the Salem police decided to shut Mr. Marcavage up by unlawfully arresting and charging him. It seems that the days of "witch hunts" are not over in Salem."
Attorneys at the Foundation for Moral Law will vigorously defend Mr. Marcavage against the charges brought against him. The next court hearing in this case is scheduled in Salem District Court for January 23, 2008. If the case is not dismissed, a trial will most likely be scheduled within the next month or so.
The Foundation for Moral Law, a national non-profit legal organization, is located in Montgomery, Alabama, and is dedicated to restoring the knowledge of God in law and government through litigation relating to moral issues and religious liberty, as well as education consisting of forums for pastors, judges, and the general public.
For more information about the Foundation for Moral Law, please visit www.morallaw.org.
Book Finds Missing Link Between Evolution, Racism
http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion06794.shtml
PETERSBURG, Kentucky -- Author Ken Ham and theologian Dr. A. Charles Ware take a groundbreaking look at one of the human race's greatest problems - racism - in "Darwin's Plantation: Evolution's Racist Roots." Along the way, they also tackle the questions of the origin of all the people groups, skin "color," and interracial marriage.
Ham is the president of Answers in Genesis and the new Creation Museum, ministries that uphold the authority of the Bible from the very first verse. Ware is the president of Crossroads Bible College (training Christians to reach a multiethnic urban world) and a national leader in promoting multiethnic ministry.
With Darwin's birthday coming Feb. 12, and his 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of the publication of "On the Origin of Species" little more than a year away, the time seems right for an accurate assessment of his legacy.
Ham and Ware show that although racism certainly did not begin with Darwin, his beliefs did more to fuel racism than the ideas of any other single individual. "Racism is a consequence of sin in a fallen world infused with evolutionary thinking," Ham writes.
The subtitle of Darwin's "Origin of Species" is "The Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life." Darwin himself writes in "The Descent of Man" that he would rather be descended from a monkey than a "savage."
Even Stephen Jay Gould, the late leading evolutionist, agreed that the publication of "Origin of Species" had a negative impact on the discussion of racial issues. "Biological arguments for racism may have been common before 1859, but they increased by orders of magnitude following the acceptance of evolutionary theory," he wrote.
Ham and Ware note that evolutionary theory made its way to American shores during the time of the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation (the 1860s).
"Without the legal ability to enforce slavery, many people turned to the theories of Darwin to justify racism in its many forms," the book says. "They began to use evolution as justification of their views that African-Americans were an inferior 'race' and a 'sub- species' that was not really fully human and not deserving of fair and equal treatment."
Ham, originally from Australia, studied environmental biology at the Queensland Institute of Technology. He notes that the remains of perhaps 10,000 Aborigines, some slaughtered as "specimens," were shipped to Britain to prove that they were the "missing link."
Perhaps most tragically, Hitler used evolutionary thought to justify his concept of a "master race" and the extermination of the Jews and other so- called "inferior" groups of people.
"As soon as one believes that human beings have evolved from creatures of lesser intelligence, it is an easy corollary to assume that some people groups are more evolved than others," the book says.
Ultimately, though, the book is not about assigning blame. Instead, it sets out a Biblical blueprint for harmonious race relations. In fact, with man's history of racial conflict, the authors say that "GRACE (God's Reconciliation At Christ's Expense) relations" provides a much better model than race relations. This concept mirrors the teaching found in a compelling exhibit inside the Creation Museum on the origin of the different people groups.
Ware adds: "'Darwin's Plantation' presents the scientific and Scriptural case for the origin of the so- called races and of their skin color and eye shapes, plus what the Scriptures teach about still-controversial issues like interracial marriage."
The authors paint a picture of a world where churches are multiethnic and interracial marriage is no longer a problem. How can this happen? According to this book, it can only happen when Christians accept the Bible's truth that there is only one race - the human race (Acts 17:26; Genesis 1).
Answers in Genesis is a biblical apologetics ministry which conducts more than 300 teaching meetings each year, hosts an award-winning Web site and produces the "Answers" radio program heard on more than 900 stations throughout the United States. The high-tech Creation Museum, which opened in May, has seen over 300,000 visitors in less than eight months of operation.
Crossroads Bible College is a Christian undergraduate institution in Indianapolis whose particular concern is to train men and women of many cultural and ethnic backgrounds for effective roles in Christian service.
Christian's House Bombed in Jijiga, Ethiopia
http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion06793.shtml
The house of a Christian family was damaged by a bomb in the southeastern city of Jijiga on the evening of January 12, according to VOMC sources. Terefe Feleke, his wife, and their two children were in the house at the time of the attack but none of them were seriously injured.
The roof of the house was destroyed by the bomb blast. While searching the compound, the police found another bomb set to explode a few hours later.
Thank the Lord for keeping Terefe and his family safe from serious harm. Pray for Christians in Jijiga, where Muslim mobs have recently mounted several attacks against Christians in an attempt to drive them out of the region.
Pray that they will to stand strong in their faith, and demonstrate Christ's love and prayers for their persecutors (Rev. 3:11; Matthew 5:43-48).
For more information on the persecution facing Christians in Ethiopia, go to www.persecution.net/country/ethiopia.htm. Video reports are available online at www.persecution.tv.
Four House Church Leaders Released from Labor Camp in Hubei Province after Unprecedented Legal Victory; Three Female Leaders Still Held
http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion06792.shtml
WUHAN, Hubei -- In an unprecedented legal victory after CAA's legal aid, 4 House church leaders were released from their labor camp in Hubei province last week. In a stunning ruling on January 8, 2008, the Hubei Provincial Re-education through Labor Administration Committee decided to repeal the decision made by the Re-Education through Labor Administration Committee of Enshi Autonomous Region. After the ruling, four leaders were released while they were serving in their labor camp.
Photo: the Decision Paper by Hubei Provincial Re- education through Labor Administration Committee for ordering the release of the church leaders
Four male church leaders and five female leaders were arrested and sentenced to 18 months and 12 months re-education through labor respectively on August 6, 2007 after they were detained on July 15 when they were found having Sunday worship service together at the home of Ms. Qin Daomin. They were accused of the "crime of engaging in organizing and making use of an evil cult organization to undermine the enforcement of State laws." Since then, two female leaders have been serving their sentence at their homes because of illness and having an infant baby. On October 9, 2007, CAA helped hire attorney Wu Chenglian from Beijing who filed an administrative legal review to Hubei Provincial Re-education through Labor Administration Committee requesting to overturn the previous decision by its city level Committee.
After 3-months deliberations, the final ruling said "after reviewing the applicants' application for reconsideration and the answers and evidence submitted by the respondent, this committee believes that the decision of education through labor of En Zhou Lao Jue Zi [2007] No. 00038 made by Education through Labor Administration Committee of Enshi Autonomous Region is not based on clear facts and is not supported by sufficient evidence."
"We are truly pleased by the ruling from the Hubei government. This is clearly another victory of the rule of law in China," said Bob Fu, "We certainly hope the other three female leaders can be released from their labor camp because they were related to the same case."
The 9 sentenced leaders are from Anhui, Hubei, Henan and Shanxi provinces. The four men who were released are Mr. Wang Caizhang(34-year-old), Mr. Ma Zhao(35-year-old), Mr. Yang Situan(39-year-old) and Mr. Du Dongliang(32-year-old). The five women are Ms. Qin Daofang(40-year-old), Ms. Hu Rong(42-year- old), Ms. Li Mei (42-year-old), Ms. Ren Xianxue (35- year-old),Ms. Qin Daomin(33-year-old). Mr. Yang Situan and Ms. Ren Xianxue are husband and wife with three children at school. Ms. Qin Daofang and Qin Daomin are two biological sisters and their father Mr. Qin Hongjun (65-year-old) was sentenced to ten days administrative detention for hosting the Sunday worship service at his home. He was also severely beaten.
The four male church leaders were released from the following labor camp:
Enshi Zhou Labor Camp
Shi Jia Po Reeducation through labor camp, Liu Jiao Ting town, Enshi city, Enshizhou, Hubei province (zip code: 44500)
The three women's labor camp address:
Hubei Provincial Female Reeducation through labor camp
Team 2, Female Reeducation through labor camp, Te Yi Hao, Wunan Tielu, Hongshan district, Wuhan city,
Hubei province
Contact Phone number: +86-27-88422136(Labor camp management bureau) or +86-27-88422142 (inside labor camp)
Communicate your concern for the three still imprisoned female leaders to the Chinese authority at the following address:
Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong,
Embassy of the People's Republic of China
2300 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington DC 20008
http://www.china-embassy.org/
TEL: 202-7456743
Fax: 202- 588-0032; 202-7457473
Director of Religious Affairs: (202) 328-2512
Audio Bible Ministry Gives Out 10,000 Bibles
http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion06790.shtml
ALBUQUERQUE -- Audio Bibles are being given out and downloaded by the thousands in Albuquerque and its surrounding communities. In fact, area churches have distributed more than 8,500 Audio Bibles in MP3 format to their congregations, challenging them to listen through the whole New Testament in 40 days. More than 1,700 people have also downloaded their free New Testament from the ministry's website, FaithComesByHearing.com.
"You've Got The Time Albuquerque is off to a great start," said Jerry Jackson, Faith Comes By Hearing's founder and president. "The launch has been very successful with many churches beginning their Audio New Testament listening right after Christmas," said Jackson. "Every week, more and more churches are getting scheduled to do their Bible saturation program," Jackson said.
Launched in mid-December by Faith Comes By Hearing, You've Got The Time Albuquerque is an Audio Bible listening campaign designed to reach the unchurched, strengthen local congregations and equip people with practical and life-changing Audio Bibles.
Throughout 2008, church leaders from nearly every denomination here will distribute free Audio New Testaments and KidzBibles to every man, woman and child in their congregation. Then they will challenge their congregations to listen to the entire New Testament by spending only 28 minutes a day over a period of 40 days. Participating churches will then receive offerings for Faith Comes By Hearing's international recordings and programs, which help poor and illiterate people in other countries hear the Word of God in their own language.
Local church leaders view this campaign as a way to grow their church's faith as well as contribute to worldwide outreach.
"You've got to get the Word in and then get the Word out," said Pastor Larry Moss of Heights Cumberland Presbyterian Church. "You can't give out what you haven't received," he said.
As part of this listening campaign, leaders at Heights Cumberland Presbyterian Church have given out more than 300 Audio Bibles, and recently Moss requested 75 more. Moss said his congregation received their MP3-formatted Audio New Testaments Jan. 6.
"We had a blast," he said, concerning the initial distribution. "The very first thing I heard from people was how much it meant to have different character voices and not just a single narrator," Moss said. "Every person who listened said they loved the dramatization and the background sound, too."
Moss said that the congregation and leaders at Heights Cumberland Presbyterian Church enjoy listening to the Audio Scriptures so much that they have committed to fund the recording of the Kyrgyzstan language in Central Asia.
"We are really going to push Bible listening hard for the next 40 days. The act of hearing the Word of God is such a powerful thing," Moss said.
Faith Comes By Hearing is also offering free Audio New Testament downloads at their website, FaithComesByHearing.com. Listeners can choose from one of 10 English versions or from 260 other languages.
"We hope that people who have never personally read or been exposed to the entire New Testament will take this opportunity to decide for themselves the value of the Bible," Jackson said.
"I don't know of any movement in history in which an entire geographical area has been offered a free New Testament in so many languages," Jackson said. "Albuquerque may be making history."
Ten more area churches will hand out Audio Bibles at their services on Sunday, Jan. 20.
To download your free Audio New Testament or to view the list of participating churches, visit FaithComesByHearing.com.
Chinese Believers Targeted
http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion06789.shtml
SANTA ANA, CA -- The Open Doors' director for China summarized Christian persecution in China in 2007 by saying that most Chinese can't practice their religion openly.
The Chinese Communist Party waged a secret campaign against unregistered house churches from mid-June until the end of November. The government police investigated "the content of sermons, personal history of house church evangelists and the sources of their funds." On November 18 authorities detained 40 church leaders from China Gospel Fellowship in Xiancheng County in Henan Province.
The director said many house church Christians are told they must stop their meetings. Some are fined. Some pastors are also locked up for a few days or sent to labor camps. For Christians living in the countryside, it often is difficult to obtain study Bibles and Christian books or attend a Bible school.
The Chinese government is carefully crafting an image of religious tolerance leading up to the Summer Olympics in Beijing, which start August 8. But the facts tell a different story.
Pastor Zhang Rongliang sits in a prison cell despite a judge's previous statement that "insufficient evidence and ambiguous facts" surrounded his case, and that Zhang would be judged fairly. Zhang was sentenced in July 2006 to seven and a half years in prison for "attaining a passport through cheating" and "illegal border crossing."
Zhang, leader of the China for Christ house church movement, was arrested without a charge on December 1, 2004. He had been detained five times before and had already spent a total of 12 years in prison. Zhang, who has major health problems, still has preached the gospel in prison and brought many to the Lord.
As a result of the continued persecution in China, Open Doors USA has launched a countdown to the Summer Olympics called "One Minute/One Year/One Country." The goal of the campaign is to unite believers in the West to pray for their persecuted Chinese brothers and sisters in faith. Already over 1,300 prayer warriors have signed up for the campaign, which began last fall. Believers who participate in the campaign will receive a monthly prayer email calendar and also a daily email brief. Both will include updated information on China and specific prayer requests.
Christians are asked to pray for at least one minute each day; if possible at 8 p.m. Beijing time. To sign up for the campaign, go to www.OpenDoorsUSA.org or www.opendoorsusa.org/content/view/156.
"The Beijing Olympics start August 8; so we need to blanket Chinese believers right now with our prayers," says Open Doors USA President/CEO Carl Moeller. "There are reports of increased pressure on house church leaders, raids and arrests and the expulsion of foreign missionaries. The raids and arrests are expected to increase as the start of the Olympics draws closer. China wants to weed out the potential 'troublemakers' and put its best foot forward to the world. And Christians are caught in the crossfire. Prayer is our No. 1 weapon."
An estimated 200 million Christians worldwide suffer interrogation, arrest and even death for their faith in Christ, with another 200 to 400 million facing discrimination and alienation. Open Doors supports and strengthens believers in the world's most difficult areas through Bible and Christian literature distribution, leadership training and assistance, Christian community development, prayer and presence ministry and advocacy on behalf of suffering believers. To partner with Open Doors USA, call toll free at 888-5-BIBLE-5 (888-524-2535) or go to their Website at www.OpenDoorsUSA.org.
Kenya church massacre survivors ask court to stop talks
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/kenya.church.massacre.survivors.ask.court.to.stop.talks/16497.htm
Survivors of a church massacre in Kenya went to court on Friday to try to stop former UN boss Kofi Annan leading mediation efforts and said some participants in the talks were guilty of human rights abuses.
About 700 people have died in ethnic clashes and riots since President Mwai Kibaki's disputed re-election at December 27 polls.
In the worst single incident, 30 members of Kibaki's Kikuyu tribe were killed on January 1 by a mob who set fire to the church where they had sought shelter near Eldoret in the Rift Valley.
Thirty-seven survivors, many of whom suffered severe burns in the attack, appealed to the High Court in Nairobi on Friday.
"We want Kofi Annan restrained from continuing with peace talks since some of the people he is involved with ... have influenced the violence," they said in their lawsuit.
It was not immediately clear when the court might rule on their petition.
Annan on Thursday brought Kibaki and his rival, opposition leader Raila Odinga, together for their first private talks on how to end the crisis.
But hopes for a solution were dampened as both sides launched a fresh round of verbal recriminations, and ethnic clashes centred on another Rift Valley town, Nakuru, killed at least a dozen people.
Philippines set to free notorious priest killer
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/philippines.set.to.free.notorious.priest.killer/16491.htm
The Philippines said on Friday it was freeing a notorious killer who murdered an Italian priest 23 years ago and then claimed to have eaten parts of his brain.
Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said Norberto Manero was granted executive clemency by former president Fidel Ramos in 1998, setting aside a life sentence for the 1985 murder.
But Ramos left office soon thereafter and Manero's release was held back by successive governments.
"We are aware that delaying release of the prisoner is punishable under our revised penal code," Gonzalez said, adding the Catholic Church did not contest Manero's release.
The convict's lawyer, Persida Acosta, told reporters Manero would leave the national penitentiary late on Friday.
Manero, his two brothers and three other companions were convicted for the abduction and murder of Tulio Favali, a member of the Rome-based Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME), on the southern island of Mindanao.
Manero, a member of a militia known for torturing and killing suspected communist rebels, gained notoriety for the murder when he boasted he ate parts of the priest's brain after shooting him. The gang claimed the priest was a communist sympathiser.
All the other members of the gang have been freed after serving jail time.
Favali's fellow priests said they had no objections to freeing Manero because they believed he had paid for his sins.
"The sadness remains that a priest, a just man, is dead but this must not block the road to forgiveness," Romulo Valles, Archbishop of Zamboanga on Mindanao island, said in a statement posted on the church group website.
Orissa Christians told to 'convert or die'
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/orissa.christians.told.to.convert.or.die/16477.htm
Christians in India’s Orissa state who were victims of the recent wave of communal violence are now being told to “covert or die” by Hindu extremists.
The ultimatum issued by the Hindu extremists has forced some Christians to abandon their religion altogether, according to the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), a Bangalore-based Christian advocacy group.
"I am forced to convert to Hinduism whether I like or dislike; I cannot say further and my life is in danger," Promond Digal, 32, from the violence-hit Kandhamal district, told GCIC.
A clash over a decorative arch for the Christmas celebrations on December 24 led to large-scale communal violence and attacks against churches throughout the district. Four people were confirmed dead while, 95 churches and 730 houses were burnt down or destroyed after several days of violence, according to the All India Christian Council (AICC).
Earlier this month, a fact-finding team from the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) of India accused Hindu fundamentalists of perpetrating “organised and pre-planned attacks” against the Christian community.
The commission pointed to the possible involvement of organisations including Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Coucil), Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (National Volunteers’ Organization or RSS) and their affiliates.
AICC and GCIC, on the other hand, have openly accused the Hindu organisations of being responsible for the attacks on Christians.
Furthermore, although the anti-Christian violence has apparently subsided, ”fundamentalists are going to individual families with guns and threatening them to become Hindus," GCIC said.
Christians who have converted to Hinduism expressed their helplessness about changing their religion.
"Fundamentalists came and threatened me and my family and said if you do not change your religion prepare to leave the village or die, there was no other way than to accept Hinduism," said B Digal, 60, from Gochhapada village.
Samonary Digal, a Catholic in the Kandhamal district, similarly reported how the members of the RSS “warned me to prepare to die or to leave the place if you do not become Hindu”.
“Finally I had to accept what they say," he admitted
According to social worker R Nayak, 25 Dalit families of Mahasingh village were converted to Hinduism on December 25.
“They were forced to drink mixed water of cow dung, ghee and perform the Hindu ritual," he reported
"They live under threat and convert then. They live under danger and panic."
Another forced convert, who did not want to disclose his name, said he was told, "If you cannot be a Hindu, we will finish you off and set fire your entire house.”
However, he added, “I and my family have left the faith but God will remain with us."
Relief organisations, including Christian NGOs, are not yet allowed to go into the violence-struck districts. Food distribution from the state government, meanwhile, seems to be improving, GCIC reported.
Orissa state is the site of the 1999 slaying of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his sons – Philip, 10, and Timothy, 8 – who were burned to death as they slept inside their vehicle after a Bible study class. It is the only Indian state that has a law requiring people to obtain police permission before they change their religion – a move designed to counter missionary work.
Singers turning 'American Idol' into platform for abstinence
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/singers.turning.american.idol.into.platform.for.abstinence/16484.htm
The teens aspiring to become the next "American Idol" for the 2008 season are vocal about more than just their passion for singing.
Potential stars like Amy Catherine Flynn, who got a green light from judges at the Knoxville, South Carolina, auditions on Wednesday, are making it no secret to the public that they support sexual abstinence.
When the 17-year-old Catholic High School student was asked to share something about herself, she said she was the captain of the school's dance team and a STARS (Students Teaching And Respecting Sexuality) panelist.
Flynn said she goes to schools to talk about abstaining from sex, drugs and alcohol.
Before she sang her rendition of “Reflections" to the judges, Flynn even gave Simon Cowell a short speech on abstinence.
If Flynn makes it past the Hollywood semifinals, which will air next month, she would follow in the pro-abstinence footsteps of late American Idol winner Jordin Sparks, who says she wears a purity ring as a symbol of her commitment to sexual abstinence before marriage.
At the Dallas auditions last Wednesday, 19-year-old Bruce Dickson also stood by his position on abstinence.
Asked to share something about himself, Dickson told judges and millions of viewers that he had never kissed a girl.
"What?" Randy Jackson asked. "On purpose?"
"On purpose," Dickson said. "On my wedding day, that will be my first kiss."
He told judges that he wanted to "save everything for that one special woman".
But his commitment to purity was not well received.
Jackson's advice to Dickson after judges voted him out was to "go kiss some girls".
Ryan Seacrest, the host of the show, ended the segment with these remarks: "Maybe next year he'll come back less a boy and more a man."
However, Dickson said he has not been dissuaded from his decision despite the ridicule he has received.
In response to Seacrest's comments, Dickson replied, "A real man would rather wait than just do whatever with whoever," reported Cybercast News Service.
"I respect women and don't think of them as a sexual object, and I'm the freak?" Dickson said.
On last week's segment, Dickson was shown wearing a key pendant on a necklace, which represents his commitment to remain pure before marriage.
His father, Mike, was shown wearing a heart pendant with a cut-out where the key fits into. His father would give the heart necklace to Dickson's future wife when he eventually does marry.
Dickson, who said his family is Christian and attends a non-denominational church, shared that divorce and other problems in their extended family led the Dicksons to challenge their children to practise abstinence.
He added that his decision was not forced but something he made after he was taught how important it was.
"This is an important thing for me, and I knew I might not be able to handle it on my own, so I asked my father to help me," Dickson told CNS.
Many groups which promote abstinence among teens often encourage parents to play a supportive role in their children's decision.
For example, Purity Ball, an event hosted by several youth ministries around the US, fathers are asked to show their daughters how special they are and how much they are loved. At the end of the dinner and dance event, daughters make a pledge to their fathers to remain virgins until marriage.
True Love Waits and A Silver Ring Thing are other organisations that embolden teens to respect themselves in the face of a culture that tells them to give in to peer pressure.
Idol singer Sparks is one of many teens who wears a ring reading "True Love Waits", given to her by her parents when she was 13.
"My parents gave me a purity ring and talked to me about waiting until I'm married to have sex," she said in earlier reports. "It wasn't forced; it just made perfect sense. It's going to be awesome to say to my husband that I waited my whole life for him."
10 Iraq Churches Bombed in 2 Weeks
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20080122/30944_10_Iraq_Churches_Bombed_in_2_Weeks.htm
The tenth Iraqi church bombed within two weeks recently occurred in the northern city of Mosul, injuring two people and destroying part of the church structure.
A suspicious car abandoned outside of the Al-Tahira Chaldean church in Al-Shiffa district of the city exploded before a bomb squad could disarm the device, according to the Christian persecution news agency Compass Direct. The blast slightly wounded a police officer and a little girl.
“It happened behind the cathedral, where we normally give our Christian instruction, but was at a time when we had no activities,” said Chaldean Auxiliary Bishop of Baghdad Shlemon Warduni, according to Compass.
No worshippers were inside the church at the time of the explosion, but damages were done to church windows, the front door and a wall around the church grounds.
The attack last Thursday was the second on the Al-Tahira Church, which was also attacked about two years ago, according to Agence France-Presse.
Al-Tahira joins a chain of recent violence targeted at Christian places of worship, most notably the seven churches and convents bombed in what appeared to be coordinated attacks on Jan. 6.
Although no one was killed in the attacks, they have caused serious damage to many of the church buildings.
Iraq’s Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki appeared shortly after the bombings to express deep concern for his country’s Christian minority and vow more protection.
But many Christian leaders lament that no one is actually helping Iraqi Christians, who are extremely vulnerable because they have no political or military influence in a war-wracked country caught in daily sectarian crossfire.
“Many people have been killed and many have been kidnapped this year, so our people are very sad and afraid,” Bishop Warduni said.
The Chaldean priest noted that terrorists not only attack churches but also mosques, according to Compass.
Iraq’s persistent violence combined with targeted aggression against Christians have forced hundreds of thousands of Christians to flee the country. Most end up hiding out as illegal aliens in neighboring countries where they cannot officially be employed and where their children cannot go to school.
It is estimated that Christians make up nearly half of all refugees leaving the country, although they make up less than three percent of the country’s population. Also troubling is the fact that there are only about 600,000 Iraqi Christians remaining in the country, down from 1.2 million before the 2003 U.S.-led offensive.
Many human rights experts have warned that if there is no intervention, the Iraqi Christian population could become extinct through emigration and persecution.
DEBKAfile reports: Moskva missile carrier takes part in big Russian navy maneuver starting in Mediterranean Tuesday
http://www.debka.com/headline.php?hid=4932
Russia has drawn eleven warships from its Black Sea and Atlantic Northwest fleets for a joint war game in the Mediterranean to underline its drive for a naval presence in all the world’s seas and oceans. They will rendezvous off Malta Tuesday, Jan. 15. The flagship Moskva is on its way from Sevastopol.
DEBKAfile’s military sources report: Air carrier Admiral Kutznetsov is on current missions in the Mediterranean, escorted by four ships, including the large anti-submarine Admiral Levchenko and the command and supply ship Sergei Osipov . On its decks are 47 Su-33 fighter-bombers and 10 helicopters.
Dmitry Medvedev, President Vladimir Putin's chosen successor, said Friday, Jan. 11: “Russia must restore its sea power.” Speaking at the giant Russian Barents Sea base of Murmansk, he commented: “The Soviet Union's naval might commanded respect - I won’t say feared, but respected.”
As part of their maneuvers, under the command of Vice Adm. Vladimir Maximov, the Moskva and other units will launch ship-to-air, marine missile interceptor and shore-to-ship missiles and carry out air force drills. During the joint fleet’s 71-day stay in the Mediterranean, the Russian vessels will call in at eleven ports of 6 countries, while carrying out three tactical maneuvers with target practices.
DEBKAfile reports that the Russian vessels will dock at the two Syrian military ports of Tartous and Latakia. Another flotilla led by the Ivan Bubnov fuel tanker will call in at Tripoli, Libya, to set up a logistical base for the vessels taking part in the exercise.
The Bubnov’s commander, Capt. Igor Dygalo, said this would be the Russian Navy’s first call in Libya in five years.
Medvedev’s Murmansk visit and his declaration of intent to revive the Russian navy exacerbated Russian-Norwegian strains in the Barents Sea.
Norway feels threatened by what it sees as a renewed Russian demonstration of strength by the buildup of Russian warships and submarines close to its shores. In the Soviet era, Russian fishing boats on spy missions for the navy were wont to interfere with Norway’s fishermen.
Moscow counters by accusing the Norwegian navy and air force of harassing Russian fishermen.
The extended Russian war games take place in one of the most crowded waters in the world, the Mediterranean, challenging its domination by the US Sixth Fleet and NATO. Israel and its navy are negatively affected. The fact that the Russian vessels will only visit Arab - not Israeli ports - bespeaks Moscow’s decision to strengthen its ties with Arab states and their military options vis-Ã -vis Israel, a reminder of Moscow’s massive support of Arab military forces in the Cold War.
Iran Plans on Destroying Tomb of King Cyrus, Friend of the Jews
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/124898
Iran is planning on submerging the tomb of King Cyrus (Coresh), the Persian King known for authorizing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Holy Temple.
According to a report by Omedia, an Iranian organization is demanding that the International Criminal Court take action against those responsible.
The Iranian ayatollahs are planning on destroying the tomb as part of a general campaign to sever the Persian people from their non-Islamic heritage; Cyrus was thought to be a Zoroastrian and was one of the first rulers to enforce a policy of religious tolerance on his huge kingdom. Journalist Ran Porat quoted a young Iranian who said that the measures being taken by the Islamic Republic’s regime include the destruction of archaeological sites significant to this heritage.
“The government is in the final stages of constructing a dam in southern Iran that will submerge the archaeological sites of Pasargad and Persopolis – the ancient capital of the Persian Empire,” the report states. “The site, which is considered exceptional in terms of its archaeological wealth and historical importance, houses the tomb of the Persian King Cyrus.”
Cyrus, who lived from 576-530 BCE, liberated Babylonian Jewry from their exile in the famous Declaration of Cyrus (mentioned in the book of Ezra in both Hebrew and Aramaic).
A group of Iranian academics opposed to the regime’s policies founded a group called the Pasargad Heritage Foundation with hopes of getting the United Nations involved in protecting the historical site. Most recently, the foundation filed a petition with the International Criminal Court against the Iranian official in charge of maintaining the sites, charging him and his bureau with "crimes against humanity, due to the systematic state-sanctioned destruction of the culture of the ancient Iranian world and its historical heritage."
Though the city of Pasargad is a ruin, Cyrus’s Tomb has remained largely intact and it has been partially restored to counter its natural deterioration over the years.
Cyrus was praised in the Tanach (Isaiah 45:1-6), though he was also criticized for believing the false report of the Cuthites, who wanted to halt the building of the Second Temple. They accused the Jews of conspiring to rebel, so Cyrus in turn stopped the construction of the temple, which would not be completed until 516 BCE, during the reign of Darius the Great, the grandson of Queen Esther.
Israeli PM: All Options Open on Iran
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5geQPSlbLaYgF8CqPnKtBychk-IIQD8U5PRR81
JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Ehud Olmert warned Monday that all options are open when it comes to keeping Iran from obtaining atomic weapons, his clearest sign yet that Israeli could use force against a nation considered among its most serious threats.
Addressing a closed meeting of the parliament's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Olmert was quoted as saying that Israel would not accept an Iran armed with nuclear weapons.
Iran has always insisted that its nuclear weapons program is for peaceful purposes, and a recent report by U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that Iran suspended its nuclear weapons program in 2003. However, Israel continues to warn that Iran's goal is to acquire nuclear weapons.
Israel considers Iran a serious threat because of suspicions over its nuclear program and its long-range missile capabilities. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has repeatedly called for Israel to be "wiped off the map," and there is evidence that Iran bankrolls extremist anti-Israel groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Palestinian areas.
A participant in the Monday committee meeting said Olmert warned, "Israel clearly will not reconcile itself to a nuclear Iran," adding, "All options that prevent Iran from gaining nuclear capabilities are legitimate within the context of how to grapple with this matter."
The meeting participant spoke on condition of anonymity because the session was closed.
Olmert discussed the Iranian threat with President Bush during his visit to Jerusalem last week. Afterward, Bush declared that Iran remained "a threat to world peace," but reasserted his commitment to trying to resolve the dispute diplomatically.
Israel has been warning about Iran's nuclear program for more than a decade. It has said that since Iran threatens not only Israel but also Europe and the Middle East, Israel will not take the lead in the struggle to keep Iran free of nuclear weapons.
Even so, there has been speculation all along that Israel might mount a pre-emptive strike at Iran, similar to its 1981 Israeli attack on the Iraqi nuclear reactor.
However, experts have pointed out that the Iranian nuclear facilities are spread around the country, many of them hidden, and doubt whether Israel has the military capability of destroying Iran's nuclear program.
Meir Javedanfar, an Israel-based Iran analyst, said Olmert refused to rule out a military option "in order to increase the urgency to find a diplomatic solution."
"I think this is Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's way of making sure that the international community stays alert on the Iranian nuclear issues," Javedanfar said. "The concern in Israel is that after the (U.S.) report, the world is just going to sit and watch Iran continue with its nuclear weapons program."
So far, two rounds of U.N. sanctions have failed to force Iran into abandoning its enrichment of uranium, a process that could be used to develop weapons. Israel is actively pushing for further U.N. action.
Israel is widely believed to have a considerable arsenal of nuclear weapons, though its government has never admitted that, preferring a policy of "ambiguity" as a way of deterring attackers.
Radio Host Shares Gospel after Son's Death
http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/309477.aspx
While Christian radio personality Rick Burgess was speaking at a Christian conference on January 19, he received "the most horrible news a father could ever receive."
Burgess' two-year-old son, Bronner, drowned in the the family's swimming pool.
But to the surprise of many, the conference didn't come to an abrupt end. It was given new life.
Hope through Despair
Upon hearing the news, the faithful co-host of WZZK's "Rick and Bubba Show" would not give in to the despair the enemy wanted him to embrace; he let God work through the tragedy.
"The minute this happened, I knew what God wanted me to do," Burgess told the 4,000 people attending his son's service on January 22 in Birmingham, Alabama, just three days after his death. "I don't say that because of any pride in my flesh. I'm saying that because I walk with Him, I pray with Him, I talk to Him, and when I tell Him I would be ready and then He says, 'Are you ready?' I didn't want to say, 'Well, no. I'm caught off guard by this.'"
Burgess said he clung to the passage in John 16:33 when he got the news, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." He said he drew comfort from this because he knew his Savior was right there with him, and that He was more powerful when he was weak.
Even though the organizers of the Tennessee conference were ready to cancel the rest of the schedule because of Bronner's death, Burgess would not allow it.
"My son's eternity is not in question, but 7,200 other people who are here at this conference - there are hundreds of thousands of them - and their eternity hangs in the balance," said Burgess to the organizers. "So suck it up, get out there and finish the fight, because if we shut this conference down, Satan wins this situation, not Christ."
Burgess does not believe that God took his son, who he lovingly referred to as "Cornbread" on his radio show. Instead, he says that God allowed Bronner to be taken for a higher purpose.
"The Bible says all of our days are numbered, every one of us," Burgess said. "But He allowed him to be taken so that He could be glorified - and no other reason - not to punish us, not to bring us heartache and pain. He did it so that the Kingdom would be glorified."
How to Cope?
Burgess shared how he handles the loss of Bronner.
He said that Bronner is "in the care of the only Father who loves him more than me."
"If you were to leave your children in someone's hands and they said 'You're going, who would you like to take care of your child until you get back?' wouldn't you love it if they said, 'I'll tell you what, I'll find somebody who loves your child more than you do.'" Burgess explained.
"You see, that's our situation. Though we miss him and we'll miss him for years and years to come, according to how long God keeps us here -- we know He is in the care of a Father who loves him more than I do - to the Father that he really belongs to," he said.
Burgess also recounted the intimate talk he had with God as he made the long flight back from Tennesse to his home in Alabama.
"What are you trying to teach me?" he asked. "This is a hard lesson."
Burgess says that this was God's response:
"What I want from you is for you to go to the next level in spreading the Gospel of the Good News. Hundreds and thousands of people around the world are going to listen to you because you've lost a little son, and that breaks everybody's heart. And they're going to be watching you. They're going to be watching you and your circle of fellow believers. The world will be looking and saying 'How about your God now?' I want them to be perplexed. I want them to look at you and your friends and go 'How?' So we can say, 'We can't - but Christ can.'"
Then Burgess addressed the crowd, "And if you don't know Him, this world will devour you. And if you do know Him, be about His business in the meantime until He returns."
Shortly afterward, he gave a candid portrayal of what he felt at the time.
"I want so much to go home to my baby and take my family with me. And we will. We'll get there," Burgess shared. "But if I left now... what God told me on that plane (if I come back now), 'If I bring you here to where your baby is now, people will perish. People you know will perish. So don't be so selfish that you want to come now and leave them to go to hell.'"
The Enemy Defeated
Burgess acknowledges that the enemy tries to deal many blows to Christians, but he asserts that Satan miscalculated and made a mistake by attacking his family through Bronner's sudden tragic death.
"He should have never come after us," Burgess said. "And when I say family, I speak about this family, but I also speak about my family of believers because all of you have gone into action in a way that is making our Savior smile. If God asked me to give up a son so that some of you will live in eternity, it is well."
Shining the Light through the Darkness
Burgess addressed the doubts expressed to him after his son's death, "Why would this happen?" and "I thought God loved us."
"Well, let me clear that up real quick for all of you," explained Burgess. "And God looked at us - and we have the gulf of sin between us - and He said 'They can't come to Me. I've got to go to them. And He took on that flesh and He suffered for you and He suffered for me. He suffered a gruesome, humiliating death because our sin is so nasty. And He died on that cross for you and me - and this is the part some of you need to get - when He didn't have to."
Burgess then moved to wipe away any lingering doubt listeners might have had about God's love in the midst of trials.
"I think He's on record for how much He loves you and how much He loves me," Burgess said. "So don't you ever take this situation and say, 'I thought God loved Rick and Sherri and this family.' He did love me. That's why He died for me. Anything else I get, I don't deserve because I didn't deserve that."
Encouraging the Flock
Using the opportunity to remind those attending the memorial service that Jesus is the only way to heaven, as outlined in John 14:6, Burgess shared the song that helped him get through his son's death. He told listeners about the encouragement he found in the lyrics "I am weak, but He is strong," from the song "Jesus Loves Me."
Burgess then challenged the believers in attendance and cited a study revealing that 90 percent of Christians profess to have never shared the Gospel with anyone.
"I want the death of our child to energize all believers to get about the business of preaching the Gospel," he urged.
On the Rick and Bubba Web site, the following statement can be read:
"The Burgess family wants to give all honor and glory to God for the many blessings He has given us, especially the life of Bronner Burgess," it states. "And while we do not understand, we know who is in charge and His will be done in life and in death."
The beloved Bronner is survived by his parents, Rick and Sherri Burgess, and his four siblings, Blake, Brandi, Brooks and Brody.
If you would like to send your condolences and prayers to the Burgess family please click here. Those wishing to make a contribution to a memorial fund that will give back to ministries in honor of Bronner can learn more by clicking on Scott Dawson Evangelistic Association.
Iraq Most Dangerous Place for Christians?
http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/310127.aspx
An Englishman who pastors a church in Baghdad says the city is the most dangerous place in the world to be a Christian.
Canon Andrew White, known as the "Vicar of Baghdad," recently sat down with CBN News and talked about the plight of Christians in Iraq.
White pastors St. George's Anglican Church in the heart of Baghdad. He says while conditions in Iraq's capital may be better, overall, he says they're still terrible.
He claims Baghdad remains the most dangerous place in the world. He told CBN News what life has been like for Baghdad Christians in the past year.
"The two largest Christian neighborhoods of Dora and Karada are now void of all Christians," White said. "They had bullets put through their doors, they had letters warning them to leave, and they were given a choice - either you pay the Jizya tax or you convert to Islam, or we kill you. Of my church in Iraq, I have 1300 members in my church in Baghdad and we have six men left. All the rest have been kidnapped or killed."
Because of the violence to Christian men, White now ministers to a church mainly of women and children. It's a flock he describes with joy. I've never loved a congregation like I love my people in Baghdad and they love me as well. We just worship and serve Jesus.
He says they serve Jesus in the midst of dismal circumstances.
"Many Christians have had to leave their homes," White said. "They're now sleeping in churches, including the major Assyrian churches in Karada. They do not have food. they do not have water. They do not have rent money. and so being part of church and the work of church is not just providing a place for them to worship the Almighty, it is providing every need in life."
A Call to People in the West
White points out many Christians have returned to Baghdad simply because they're no longer allowed to stay in Syria or Jordan.
"(People in the West) should know we cannot survive without their help and their support. We need them at this time," he said. " They are your brothers and sisters. It doesn't matter where you are in the world, they belong to you. They love you and they see that they're part of a community and sometimes they say to me, 'why don't our brothers and sisters in the West help us?' Aand I say to them, 'I don't know.'"
White pleads the cause of his beleaguered church around the world. He also works for a political solution in Iraq and reconciliation between Shiite and Sunni Muslims. He meets with Iraqi and U.S. leaders like General David Petraus, who often attends St. George's. Even in the current climate, White warns what will happen if the U.S. pulls out of Iraq.
"If the U.S. were to pull out, there would be total and utter mayhem. The country would fall to pieces even worse. The violence would accelerate and the violence would be worse than you could possibly imagine. We went in there; we've got to see the work finished. And it will finish. But it's not ever going to be easy."
A Bright Future Ahead
Despite the hard road, White sees a bright future for the Middle East. He says in Isaiah 19, the Bible predicts a holy highway will one day stretch from Egypt through Israel all the way to Assyria or modern day Iraq.
"I think that God is so involved here in this region and the fact that God in his son Yeshua Ha Mashiah will come back to this holy city of Jerusalem, we see that this whole region is intrinsic to God's plan and his purpose," he said. "Even though everything is terrible, even though everything we see is awful, I know that ultimately it's in the hands of The Almighty, and it's glorious."
Israel Wants No Responsibility for Gaza
http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/309651.aspx
A top Israeli defense official said Thursday that Israel wants to relinquish all responsibility for the Gaza Strip, including the supply of electricity and water, now that the territory's southern border with Egypt has been opened.
"We need to understand that when Gaza is open to the other side, we lose responsibility for it," Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai said, according to his office. "So we want to disconnect from it."
"We want to stop supplying electricity to them, stop supplying them with water and medicine, so that it would come from another place," Vilnai said.
Breach Planned
According to the Israeli daily Haaretz, a source close to the Rafah-based Popular Resistance Committees(PRC) said the destruction of the wall along the Philadelphi corridor Wednesday had been planned for months.
While PRC prepared the wall for destruction, local residents said Hamas deployed men to saw through the steel rods so the wall would crumble when the 20 land mines planted along a half-mile section were detonated.
Now, Egyptian officials are trying to slow the mass exodus of Palestinian residents from Gaza.
Tens of thousands of Gaza residents fled across the border to Egypt, where the market opened early to welcome them.
Israel imposed a blockade on the Gaza Strip a week ago, in response to increasing rocket and mortar shell attacks on southern Israel, allowing only minimal humanitarian supplies and fuel for a power station.
On Wednesday, Egypt permitted Palestinians to come and go freely across the border, but now they're trying to organize the massive crowds.
Years ago, the Israeli Defense Forces(IDF) built the steel and concrete wall along the Philadelphi Corridor -- the narrow strip of land at the Egyptian border, separating the Gaza Strip from the Sinai.
Germany Commemorates Holocaust Victims
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/310650.aspx
BERLIN - Germany's parliament on Friday acknowledged the country's special responsibility in the battle against anti-Semitism and racism.
"We remember an unthinkable crime against humanity and a systematic mass murder," lower house president Norbert Lammert said during a commemorative parliamentary session. "After the bitter experiences of the last century, we do not tolerate any kind of extremism, racism and anti-Semitism - nowhere in the world and especially not in Germany."
"We Germans want to do justice to our special responsibility," he said.
Six million Jews were killed in the Nazi Holocaust of World War II.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Horst Koehler attended the session, held in advance of Sunday's international day of remembrance of the Holocaust.
Later Friday, Merkel said it was a "miracle" that Jewish life had returned to Germany 63 years after the Nazi genocide.
Still, during a speech at a conference in Berlin, she voiced concern that anti-Semitism and anti-foreigner sentiment survive today, and that even educated people were susceptible to "crude thoughts and disguised anti-Semitism."
The United Nations has established Jan. 27 as an annual Holocaust remembrance day, marking the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp in Poland.
This year's anniversary - the 63rd - falls on Sunday and will be marked with ceremonies around the world.
Super Bowl Event Showcases Players' Faith
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/307755.aspx
When tuning in to the Super Bowl, visions of fierce clashes, halftime commercials and raging parties often fill our heads. The last thing many would consider the event to be is a Christian outreach.
But the Christian sports ministry, Athletes in Action, uses the Super Bowl as an opportunity for sports fans to fellowship with present and former National Football League stars and to hear their stories.
The day before the New England Patriots go head-on with the New York Giants at the University of Phoenix Stadium on February 3, the 2008 Athletes in Action Super Bowl Breakfast will be held in Phoenix and simulcasted to churches across the nation.
It is now one of the premier events held during Super Bowl week.
I Didn't Know He Was a Christian
If you're a football fan, you're likely to recognize more than a few of the NFL stars showing up for the 21st annual Super Bowl Breakfast.
It will feature personal faith testimonies and life stories of stars from both Super Bowl teams, as well as Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr, Cincinnati Bengals Hall of Fame Tackle Anthony Munoz and Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy.
Emceeing the event will be former San Francisco 49'ers all-pro tight end and three-time Super Bowl champion Brent Jones, who will be on hand for the presentation of the annual Bart Starr award. The honor will go to the current NFL player selected by his peers who "exemplifies outstanding character and leadership on and off the field, in his home and in the community."
This year's finalists are Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner, San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomilson and Chicago Bears wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad.
Former and current NFL players receiving the award, who served as positive role models to their families, teammates and communities over the past years, have been the Packers' Reggie White, the Patriots'/Jets' Curtis Martin, the Seahawks' Steve Largent, the Bears' Mike Singletary, the Vikings' Cris Carter, the Bengals' Anthony Munoz, the Redskins' Darrell Green and the Buccaneers' Derrick Brooks.
You Don't Have to Be in Phoenix
If you're not planning to travel to the Southwest at the time of Super Bowl XLII, you don't have to miss out on the powerful event.
It takes place on Saturday, February 2 from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. MST at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa in Phoenix, but men from across the nation can take part in the celebration of faith, too.
Annually attracting more than 2,000 to the actual event, the NFL-sanctioned Super Bowl Breakfast will also be a 90-minute live simulcast. Downloadable promotional materials are available.
Churches are invited to host the event, and help with planning and preparation can be obtained by clicking here.
For those who are unable to participate in the event, the Super Bowl Breakfast is also available on DVD.
Athletes in Action is partnering with SER Media and Church Communication to bring America this year's event, which is co-chaired by Phoenix Suns Chairman Jerry Colangelo and Mike Ingram, president of El Dorado Holdings, Inc.
The breakfast is one of the four Athletes in Action Sports Legend Series events, which include the NBA All-Star Weekend, Legends of the Hardwood Breakfast and Night of Champions. They are all held to honor athletes and coaches who model exemplary character, values, integrity and faith.
Iowa Legislature Opens with Muslim Prayer
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/310693.aspx
When the Iowa legislature convened last week, many became outraged over the session's opening prayer given by a Muslim imam.
Imam Muhammed Khan of Des Moines spoke in both Arabic and English during his four-minute prayer. He prayed for "victory over those who disbelieve," and "protection from the great Satan," a move many believe was more of a political statement.
Read Khan's entire prayer here: http://www.radioiowa.com/gestalt/go.cfm?objectid=7A0CCC01-BDAA-6498-80C253DC26AD6663
Pastor Steve Smith of the Evangelical Free Church in Albert City, Iowa, was among those concerned about the prayer. He protested that the statement "those who disbelieve" included all non-Muslims.
"This is a request in the Iowa legislature for God to grant the Muslims victory over every non-muslim, not a request for salvation," Smith said.
He added that the term "Great Satan" has often been used by radical Muslims to describe America. Some thought using the phrase was a push, considering the recent wars in the Middle East.
Khan made no specific mention of Iraq or the war on terror during his blessing.
"I'm not concerned about a Muslim imam opening the legislature in prayer," Smith explained. "But it concerns me with the statements that were made. He interpreted this prayer from his understanding of Islam."
Another Representative agreed with Smith and said he addressed his concerns to the proper authorities.
Khan was the guest of State Representative Ako Abdul Samad of Des Moines, who is also a local Muslim leader.
The Iowa Senate began their session with prayer by a Catholic priest.
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