Focus on the Family Explains Why Glenn Beck Interview Was Pulled

Reprinted by permission of The Christian Post

By Eric Young
Christian Post Reporter
Thu, Jan. 01 2009 07:15 PM EST

Focus on the Family got to work this week in explaining in detail why it pulled from its website an interview with a Mormon author.

“We intended no insult,” expressed ministry spokesman Gary Schneeberger, in a statement. “[W]e merely miscalculated on how best to feature Glenn [Beck], whom we greatly appreciate.”

Last week, some time before Christmas celebrations, Focus on the Family took down the interview with Beck amid complaints from the evangelical community over the former CNN host’s Mormon ties.

The interview, produced by a freelance reporter in Colorado Springs and not Focus on the Family, focuses on Beck’s recently released book, The Christmas Sweater, which has been on the New York Times Best Sellers list for Hardcover Fiction for six consecutive weeks and currently ranks at No. 1.

In the interview, Beck talked about what Christmas means to him, how he came to write the book, and what message he hoped readers will take away from the book.

“Sometimes redemption has been made into a word that people don't understand,” he said. “They need to know it's true, it's real. It's not a word, it's a life-changing force. It's transformed my life, who I was to the very core of my being. If it wasn't for me accepting the gift that the Lord gave to me, I'd be dead today.”

Since the interview was published, a number of Christians throughout the blogosphere raised flags and sounded alarms, concerned that Focus on the Family was compromising central doctrinal truths to win the culture war.

“They use Mr. Beck's story as a way to show that hope can be found in God, which is true enough; the problem is that Mr. Beck's god is not the Triune God of the Bible nor is his Jesus the Jesus of the Bible,” commented Dustin S. Seger, pastor of Shepherd’s Fellowship of Greensboro, N.C., in the co-authored blog “Grace in the Triad.”

Beck, however, maintains that the book's message can be and has been embraced by people of different faiths and should not be “censored” because of his own personal religious views. The book tells the narrative of a boy named Eddie who embarks on a dark and painful journey on the road to manhood.

“The Christmas Sweater is a story about the idea of Christmas as a time for redemption and atonement,” Beck expressed in a released statement after the interview was pulled from Focus on the Family’s CitizenLink website.

“Whatever your beliefs about my religion, the concept of religious tolerance is too important to be sacrificed in response to pressure from special interest groups, especially when it means bowing to censorship,” he added.

According to Schneeberger, however, Focus on the Family could not intimate to its evangelical base that the differences in Mormon faith and the historic evangelical faith are inconsequential.

“We can, and do, gladly cooperate with friends outside of the evangelical heritage on common causes; but in no case do we intend to alter our clear distinction as unwaveringly grounded in evangelical theology,” he explained.

But Schneeberger made sure to also distance the ministry from another that had strongly rebuked it for the article’s posting.

“[W]e do not condone the tone of communications put out from UnderGround Apologetics,” he clarified, referring to the controversial apologetics ministry that spoke out against Focus on the Family last week. “And we can without reservation say that the group's news release had nothing to do with our decision to pull the article from publication."

In their statement three days before Christmas, UnderGround Apologetics called Mormonism a cult and chastised Focus on the Family for “opening the door to false religions.”

“[T]o promote a Mormon as a Christian is not helpful to the cause of Jesus Christ,” it added.

Despite such statements and the recent move by Focus on the Family, Beck, who not long ago left CNN Headline News for a multiyear deal with Fox News, said he is “humbled and grateful” that hundreds of thousands of people from different faiths have read his book and have “appreciated its uplifting message for themselves.”

“At a time when the world is so full of fear, despair, and divisions, it is my hope that all of those who believe in a loving and peaceful God would stand together on the universal message of hope and forgiveness,” he stated.

While many Christians today still view the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the official name of the Mormon church) as a cult, more have come to view it as another religion – some going as far as calling Mormonism a fourth Abrahamic religion.

Aside from rejecting the Trinity and their belief in many gods, Mormons believe their prophet, Joseph Smith, was “the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam,” according to the Mormons’ History of the Church.

Formally listed under “cults and sects” by the Southern Baptist Convention, Mormonism was later categorized among “newly developed religions” on the North American Mission Board apologetics page.

Copyright 2008 The Christian Post. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Atheist: Africa Needs Christ More Than Financial Aid

Reprinted by permission of The Christian Post

By Ethan Cole
Christian Post Reporter
Tue, Dec. 30 2008 04:40 PM EST

The problems in Africa cannot be solved with aid money alone, but Africans need to know God, contends an atheist journalist and former politician.

Religion offers change to the hearts and minds of people – something aid cannot do, argues Matthew Parris, a former conservative British member of parliament, in a column for U.K.-based The Times.

“Now a confirmed atheist, I’ve become convinced of the enormous contribution that Christian evangelism makes in Africa: sharply distinct from the work of secular NGOs, government projects and international aid efforts,” writes Parris, who was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, but now lives in England. “These alone will not do. Education and training alone will not do.”

He went on to say, “In Africa, Christianity changes people’s hearts. It brings a spiritual transformation. The rebirth is real. The change is good.”

His seeming epiphany of the positive effects of Christianity on Africa came after a trip to Malawi before Christmas. There, he met with a small British charity that works to install pumps on wells in rural villages to keep the water sealed and clean.

Although the charity, Pump Aid, is secular, he noticed that the most impressive staff members were privately “strong” Christians. While he recalls how none of the charity team members spoke about religion, he says he saw one studying a devotional textbook in the car and another leaving for church at dawn on a Sunday.

“It would suit me to believe that their honesty, diligence and optimism in their work were unconnected with personal faith,” Parris admits. “Their work was secular, but surely affected by what they were … influenced by a conception of man’s place in the Universe that Christianity has taught.”

Meeting the Christians working with Pump Aid also triggered his memories of missionaries and Christians he met as a boy growing up in Africa.

He recalls how the African converts to Christianity that he met as a boy “were always different.” Their new religion did not confine them, but seemed to liberate and relax them, Parris says.

“There was a liveliness, a curiosity, an engagement with the world – a directness in their dealings with others – that seemed to be missing in traditional African life,” he recalls. “They stood tall.”

Christianity, he adds, also helps Africans break free from the communal and superstitious mindset that suppresses individuality. Parris criticizes the “rural-traditional mindset” for feeding into the “‘big man’ and gangster politics” in African cities that teach “exaggerated respect” for a “swaggering leader” that has no room for opposition.

But Christianity – post-Reformation and post-Luther – teaches a “direct, personal, two-way link between the individual and God” that eliminates mediation by the group or any other human being, Parris notes. It offers a framework of social life for those who want to “cast off a crushing tribal groupthink.”

“That is why and how it liberates,” Parris states.

He concludes by arguing that for Africa to be competitive with other global leaders in the 21st century, it must not only think that materials or knowledge is all it needs for development and change.

“A whole belief system must first be supplanted,” the atheist journalist contends.

He warns that removing Christian evangelism from the “African equation” may “leave the continent at the mercy of a malign fusion of Nike, the witch doctor, the mobile phone and the machete.”

Copyright 2008 The Christian Post. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Gods of Liberalism Revisited

Painting from the Cistine Chapel, by Michelangelo.

A recent Dakota Voice post, The Gods of Liberalism, generated a lengthy discussion in the comments section that some readers may find interesting. But, unfortunately, the conversation strayed far from the subject of the original article.

In the original, the main points were the similarity of some socio-religious beliefs today that are strikingly similar to the ancient beliefs of Baalism: "The principal pillars of Baalism were child sacrifice, sexual immorality (both heterosexual and homosexual) and pantheism (reverence of creation over the Creator)." (Recommended reading for those who haven't read it.)

In Genesis 3:4,5 Eve is tempted by Satan in the form of a serpent, saying to the woman "You surely shall not die [for disobeying God]!" And then Satan promises the woman that by disobeying she will become "like God." Satan's promises were that 1) God will not actually do what He said, that is, God's Word is unreliable and 2) you can be a god, i.e., save yourself from death, through your own actions or works.

Readers of these posts may have read my story about coming to some kind of vague theism after studying anatomy, physiology and microbiology in medical school. Prior to that I was a committed atheist. My theistic beliefs allowed for some intelligent being behind the incredible design that is manifest in nature, but I was still a long way from accepting Jesus as Lord. It wasn't until almost 30 years later that I surrendered to His will and became a Christian. That conversion is quite a story that perhaps someday I'll tell in this forum.

Between theism and Christ I explored many different religions and theologies. I learned a little about Buddhism, Shinto, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, shamanism, and Celtic Druids to name a few. I found all of them interesting and all seemed to possess some truth that I easily accepted. Notice that I devoutly stayed clear of the three great monotheistic religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. I was raised a Roman Catholic and attended Mass daily through the eight years of my parochial education and less frequently for another five or six years. I thought I knew all about God and Jesus and there was no point in pursuing that any further. Besides, these exotic ancient religions were so much more esoteric and satisfying to my arrogant mind.

One day, out of boredom more than curiosity, I picked up the dusty Bible that occupied a space on my bookshelf beside the Bhagavad Gita. I began reading in Genesis with a mind to find inconsistencies and outlandish tales that would confirm my decision to reject the Bible as a source of spiritual wisdom.

In reading the passages mentioned above something struck me as novel and interesting. What Satan was saying is basically the same thing that all religions hold true, save Christianity and Judaism. In some fashion or another every other religion denies God and His Word, alleging that the Bible is just a collection of occasionally wise sayings written by men of the ancient past; implicitly claiming that God, Yahweh, is not true to His Word. Secondly, all the other religions promise eternal life (or nirvana, filial piety, or whatever) as a reward for deeds done in this life. From human sacrifice to one’s Easter Duty, they all depend upon self actualization and the reward is to become “like gods.”

Satan’s lie in the garden had taken root in man once man willingly disobeyed God, and lives with us even today. Even atheism embraces this paradigm. By denying any Supreme Being (and, of course, God’s Word), that makes man the Supreme Being; all gods within the cosmic consciousness. Humanism and New Age theology state this explicitly.

Satan continues to deceive man with the same lie that he told in the Garden. And most of the world continues to believe it.

Outrage Follows Christmas Address by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Reprinted by permission of The Christian Post

By Aaron J. Leichman
Christian Post Reporter
Sat, Dec. 27 2008 09:28 AM EST

The holiday message delivered by Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for Britain's Channel 4 television station drew a wide range of critics this week.

Although each year Channel 4 features an often controversial counterpoint to Queen Elizabeth II's traditional annual message, many disagreed with the network’s selection of Ahmadinejad, who denies the Holocaust, advocates the destruction of the sovereign state of Israel, and executes children.

"Outrage doesn't begin to explain it,” commented Ron Prosor, the Israeli ambassador to London.
In Ahmadinejad’s message Thursday, the Iranian head of state didn’t refer to rival nations or leaders by name but said Jesus Christ would undoubtedly “stand with the people in opposition to bullying, ill-tempered and expansionist powers.”

"If Christ were on earth today, undoubtedly He would hoist the banner of justice and love for humanity to oppose warmongers, occupiers, terrorists and bullies the world over,” he said, according to the English translation of the Farsi-language speech.

"If Christ were on earth today, undoubtedly He would fight against the tyrannical policies of prevailing global economic and political systems, as He did in His lifetime," he added.

Following the broadcast, the Board of Deputies of British Jews, which represents the Jewish community in the United Kingdom, expressed how offensive the Christmas Day message was.

"To invite him to deliver a Christmas message, even a so-called alternative one, fills me with disgust," the group's president, Henry Grunwald, told The Associated Press.

Channel 4 was "aiding and abetting a tyrant," added British human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell.

"This is the equivalent of giving [Zimbabwean ruler] Robert Mugabe a prime-time television slot to promote his propaganda," he said.

In response to the outcry against Ahmadinejad’s inclusion in this year’s broadcast, Dorothy Byrne, Channel 4's head of news and current affairs, said the Iranian president was picked because he is “enormously influential” as the leader of one of the most powerful states in the Middle East.

“As we approach a critical time in international relations, we are offering our viewers an insight into an alternative world view," Byrne told the press.

Since 1993, Channel 4 has broadcast an "Alternative Christmas message" featuring a contemporary celebrity delivering a message in the manner of Britain’s queen. Past message presenters include activist the Rev. Jesse Jackson, a Scottish male comedian playing Princess Diana (less than a year before her death), a celebrity chef, and Marge Simpson from The Simpsons cartoon series.

Byrne said Ahmadinejad’s message Thursday continued "a long tradition of offering a different perspective on the world around us."

Copyright 2008 The Christian Post. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Focus on the Family Pulls Interview with Glenn Beck over Theological Conflicts

Reprinted by permission of The Christian Post

By Eric Young
Christian Post Reporter
Sat, Dec. 27 2008 09:11 AM EST

Conservative ministry Focus on the Family has removed from its website an article about the latest book by former CNN host Glenn Beck in response to complaints over his Mormon ties.

“Mr. Beck is a member of the Mormon church, and … we did not make mention of this fact in our interview with him,” reads a statement prepared for the ministry’s receptionists, according to Joel Campbell, the Mormon media observer for the MormonTimes.

“We do recognize the deep theological difference between evangelical theology and Mormon theology, and it would have been prudent for us at least to have pointed out these differences,” receptionists are instructed to say to those who call in about the missing article on the ministry’s CitizenLink website. “Because of the confusion, we have removed the interview from CitizenLink."

Since last week, Beck’s interview had been featured on CitizenLink and claimed that Beck “is hoping to spread a more eternal sort of gospel through his new book, The Christmas Sweater.”

“I just want the people to understand that the message is true,” Beck said in the interview, which CitizenLink noted as being the product of a freelance reporter in Colorado Springs and not the ministry.

“Sometimes redemption has been made into a word that people don’t understand. They need to know it’s true, it’s real. It’s not a word, it’s a life-changing force,” the author continued. “It’s transformed my life, who I was to the very core of my being. If it wasn’t for me accepting the gift that the Lord gave to me, I’d be dead today.”

Since the interview was published, Christians throughout the blogosphere have raised flags and sounded alarms, concerned that Focus on the Family was compromising central doctrinal truths to win the culture war.

“They use Mr. Beck's story as a way to show that hope can be found in God, which is true enough; the problem is that Mr. Beck's god is not the Triune God of the Bible nor is his Jesus the Jesus of the Bible,” commented Dustin S. Seger, pastor of Shepherd’s Fellowship of Greensboro, N.C.

“I strongly discourage you from giving money to any religious organization that is so committed to a social agenda that they are willing to ignore the vast difference between biblical Christianity and the cult of Mormonism,” he wrote to readers of the co-authored blog “Grace in the Triad” earlier this week.

Though Beck’s social views are regarded as mostly compatible with many Christian views, his beliefs in Mormonism have been distinguished as not.

Aside from rejecting the Trinity and their belief in many gods, Mormons believe their prophet, Joseph Smith, was “the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam,” according to the Mormons’ History of the Church.

“Every man and woman must have the certificate of Joseph Smith, Junior, as a passport to their entrance into the mansion where God and Christ are," claimed Brigham Young, a 19th century president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“Clearly, Mormonism is a cult,” the ministry Underground Apologetics expressed in a statement opposing Focus on the Family’s promotion of Beck.

“Through the years, Focus on the Family has done great things to help the family and has brought attention to the many social ills that are attacking the family,” the ministry stated.

“However, to promote a Mormon as a Christian is not helpful to the cause of Jesus Christ,” it added. “For Christians to influence society, Christians should be promoting the central issues of the faith properly without opening the door to false religions.”

Since the debut of Beck’s The Christmas Sweater six weeks ago, the 284-page hardcover has not only hit the New York Times Best-Sellers List but has also climbed up to No. 1 multiple times.

In addition, a “living play” of the book also debuted in 420 movie theaters nationwide last week featuring theatrical animation, specially-created projections and a Christmas musical score from a 10-piece orchestra and Broadway gospel singer.

Based on a personal true story, The Christmas Sweater is a narrative of a boy named Eddie who embarks on a dark and painful journey on the road to manhood.

Copyright 2008 The Christian Post. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Merry Christmas Still More Popular Than Happy Holidays

Reprinted by permission of The Christian Post


By Jennifer Riley
Christian Post Reporter
Wed, Dec. 24 2008 09:49 AM EST

A vast majority of Americans still say “Merry Christmas” instead of the more politically correct greeting “Happy Holidays,” a recent poll shows.

More than three out of four Americans (77 percent) say they greet with “Merry Christmas,” according to a Fox News poll taken Dec. 9-10. And 21 percent say they feel obligated to say “Happy Holidays,” a more inclusive greeting that can also apply to Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and other celebrations.

“I feel better when someone greets me in a store with ‘Merry Christmas’ because Christmas is about the birth of our Savior Jesus,” said Steve Krotoski, who leads Pray Daily America – a ministry that prays for the country everyday.

“Without Jesus, people have no hope and are dead in sin,” he added. “The true meaning of Christmas is important.”

Regular churchgoers (82 percent), rural Americans (83 percent), and Republicans (87 percent) are the most likely to say “Merry Christmas,” the poll found.

The groups most likely to say they feel pressured to use a generic “Happy Holidays” greeting are Democrats (28 percent), urbanites (28 percent) and Northeasterns (25 percent).

Results from the Fox news poll are comparable to a survey by The Pew Research Center for the People & the Press in 2005.

In the Pew survey, most Americans (60 percent) said they prefer that stores and businesses greet customers by saying “Merry Christmas.” Only one-in-four (23 percent) preferred the use of terms such as “Happy Holidays” and “Season’s Greetings,” while 17 percent of respondents said they do not care which greeting is used.

The Pew survey also found that a large majority of Americans (83 percent) said displays of Christmas symbols should be allowed in public places. But less than half (44 percent) said they approve of Christmas symbols being displayed alone, without Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and other holiday symbols.

Copyright 2008 The Christian Post. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Some Consider the Stark Realities Behind Christmas

Reprinted by permission of The Christian Post

By Lillian Kwon
Christian Post Reporter
Tue, Dec. 23 2008 12:19 PM EST

Stages are set, sermons are ready, and tickets are nearly all reserved for the thousands of seats in megachurches across the country as they begin numerous Christmas services this week.

But while everyone anticipates a joyous and grand Christmas observance, many preachers are rejecting the hoopla around the season and pointing people to a moment in history that's far humbler and darker than people typically hear about.

"Christmas time is all about the announcement," said Pastor Steven Furtick of Elevation Church in Charlotte, N.C. "There's this triumphant 'joy to the world, the Lord has come.' Christmas is about the greatest announcement ever made."

"But there's something not often said about the Christmas story," the pastor of one of the fastest growing churches in the country told congregants Sunday.

That includes the situation of the virgin Mary.

"When God finally spoke out of 400 years of silence to Mary, He didn't drop the messiah out of the sky on the wings of an angel ... He chose a virgin girl in a hick town and He said 'I'm about to bring the Son of God into the earth,'" Furtick explained.

But it wasn't necessarily good news to Mary, who is believed to have been a teenager at that time and was engaged to Joseph.

"How do you think it went over with Mary?" the pastor posed. "You think she wore the scarlet letter?"

"This is about the most devastating news that a teenage girl can get," but Mary still responded with faith and obedience.

Over in Birmingham, Ala., at another fast-growing megachurch, Pastor Chris Hodges also called congregants to look beyond the celebrations and deeper into the Christmas story.

"The whole story centers around a time that was incredibly dark," said Hodges of Church of the Highlands on Sunday. "If there was ever a time of hopelessness, it was during that time."

"God intentionally sends His son during a time of hopelessness because I think it's one of the major messages of Christmas," he added.

The Birmingham megachurch already held on Monday two of its seven Christmas services. And like the past 25 years, Hodges is making sure this year's Christmas worship experience is all about Jesus.

Evangelist and Pastor Greg Laurie at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, Calif., is making a similar effort to help believers see past the commercial Christmas and know the real message.

On Sunday, Laurie officially canceled "Christmas" – at least the hyped version that many people "buy into" today.

"The very word 'Christmas' has been pirated, emptied of its meaning," Laurie told thousands at his megachurch Sunday. "Some prefer to use the more politically correct terminology (i.e. Happy Holidays)."

"But I actually think those things are not as bad as those people who say 'Merry Christmas' and not know what it means," he said.

"I suggest we cancel Christmas and instead celebrate the birth of Christ."

The primary Christmas message is that "God came to us," said Laurie. "That's a staggering thought."

And while other religions call followers to follow a creed or do certain works to find peace or reach heaven, Christianity says "it's done ... for you at the cross," Laurie reminded congregants.

"The message of Christmas is ... God is not only with us but God comes in us. Being a Christian is not merely following a creed, but having Christ himself live in you."

Also recognizing the challenges many face today during hard economic times, the pastor encouraged Christians that even if the holiday does not deliver the harmony or peace or even gifts that people expect during this season, what this "sin-sick world" needs is only Jesus.

"We don't need good will, we need the messiah. We don't need presents, we need His presence," he said.

Many churches are observing Christmas on Dec. 24 with special services, with some of the larger churches holding additional worship times in the days leading up to Christmas Eve to accommodate bigger crowds.

Copyright 2008 The Christian Post. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

The Powerful Humility of Christmas

By Marie Jon'

The Christmas season is like no other time of the year. In spite of the freezing weather people have to contend with, most folks reveal a certain happy sparkle in their eyes. Maybe it's because the season brings with it optimism about the future. For those within the Christian faith, there is an understanding that there is more to come. We hold fast and trust in God's faithful promise of the "blessed assurance" (John 10:28).

Yes, it's true that Christians especially have reason to feel merrier. This is the season that points to the First Advent of the Savior's entrance into the universe that He created. And with confidence and anticipation, we await the Savior's Second Advent, known to many as the Second Coming of Christ.

The message of Christ has had a positive impact on the entire world. Christ willingly became like us so that we may one day experience the glories of heaven with Him.

One of the many things my family enjoys at Christmastime is to take turns reading out loud the story of Christ's birth. It brings us together. As we read line upon line from the Word of God, we reflect upon its magnificent beauty.

Because we are in the midst of the holiday season, I believe the Christmas story should be shared. It begins with a special announcement that went forth from Caesar Augustus. The decree proclaimed that the entire kingdom would have to be registered. The very first census took place while Cyrenius was governing Syria. Everyone had to return to their home city and register their names.

Joseph, a carpenter by trade, went up from Galilee and out of the city of Nazareth into Judea to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem. Joseph was of the house and lineage of David. He took with him his wife Mary, who was with child. They were a blessed couple whose marriage would be remembered throughout the ages.

While in Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to her first-born son. She lovingly wrapped the baby in swaddling clothes and bedded Him in a manger because there was no room at the inn.

At that time, shepherds were living in the open fields, keeping watch over their flocks at night. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord stood before them. The shepherds became frightened. The glory of the Lord shone all about them. They had no idea of what was to take place within a matter of hours, and its great importance.

The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day, in the city of David, a Savior which is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you. You will find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger" (Luke 2:10-12).

"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men" (Luke 2:13-14).

In the book of Luke, Chapter Two, we read that all the world was being taxed at the time that Christ was born. If we had been living back then, we might have seen it on the front page of the Jerusalem Times. However, the biggest story then (and now) had nothing to do with government or Caesar and his big tax-and-spend programs. It was about a little baby boy who was both God and man.

The Christmas story reminds unbelieving skeptics that there is a God to whom the whole world eventually will have to account. The Almighty has already fulfilled His part to save all humankind by the way of the Cross. All that we need do is respond to God's love and live our lives as Christians. Others will follow and believe in Emanuel — God with us.

It's amazing and incomprehensibly awesome that God actually came to this world in human flesh and dwelt amongst us. Yet, in today's society we pick up the newspapers to find articles about some poor lost souls who can't stand the idea of a Nativity scene being displayed in the public arena, while the ACLU steps in with a lawsuit to curtail the free expression of religion.

President Ulysses S. Grant set aside Dec 25th as a federal holiday during a time when our nation had been severely divided by a civil war. He believed that a Christmas holiday would help unite the country. Unfortunately, there is an extremely vocal, small-minded minority who are against any religious aspects to this celebration. With the help of the liberal media, they are bound and determined to change things. They continually try to subvert America's Judeo-Christian beliefs. Every Christian needs to become seriously pro-active against those who try to undermine and attack the faith of America's founding fathers.

The Good News is "For this is how God loved the world: He gave his unique Son so that everyone who believes in Him might not be lost, but have eternal life" (John 3:16). The angels in heaven rejoice over the miraculous love of God.

History was made on that night in the town of Bethlehem, while most of the people were sleeping. They were not aware that God Himself had just stepped into their midst, and that thousands of years of prophetic promises had just come to fruition.

The arrival of Jesus Christ would surprise the Hebrew theologians of that time. They would find themselves confused concerning the prophecies of their Messiah's first and Second Coming. For, you see, the citizenry and their religious leaders were expecting a great political leader who was capable of and willing to remove the heavy yoke of the Roman Empire, and set the nation of Israel free. They were looking for a man with a higher education and one who could easily take his place in society with the great Sanhedrin. However, that was not who God sent us, because that is not what we needed.

Years ago, an unknown author wrote some amazing words: "If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer. But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior."

If there were such a thing as a time machine, we could step back in time and space where we could behold Jesus, lying asleep in a manger as helpless as any other child. What a wondrous and glorious sight that would be!

We would find Wise Men who came from afar to bring their gifts to a baby child. This Christmas season, give a gift to the one who loves you so much that He died just for you. Give your heart to Jesus without hesitation.

The Word of God says that the whole reason God came was to "seek and to save that which was lost." He humbled Himself especially for you.

While many will enjoy the Christmas tree and the sumptuous holiday dinner, how many will take a moment to ask: Why was Jesus born? When people envision Christ in a manger, the truth will become as clear as the driven snow. The Lord was thinking about them while in the courts of heaven.

Is there a single good reason to say "No" to an everlasting kind of love? Christ knows you better than anyone else. "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

This Christmas season is when families gather together all across this great and beautiful country of ours. Take time to remember our heavenly Father's love.

Merry Christmas, everyone. Rejoice!

Song: Star Of Wonder

Marie Jon' is a political/religious-based writer and founder of www.DrawingClose.org and www.PeoplePoliticallyRight.com — sister websites to RenewAmerica. Marie extends her hand of welcome; visit DrawingClose and receive your free gift of salvation by taking an online Bible study.

Marie's writings have appeared on many sites, including The New Media Journal, ChronWatch, and ABCNews, to name a few. Marie brings a refreshing and spirited point of view that is reflected in her writings. Marie is a nurse, a lay student of the Bible, and a patriot. She is an advocate for American troops serving abroad, as well as the Blue and Gold Star Mothers of America and their families. Marie enjoys Townhall.com radio, Rush Limbaugh, Bruce Elliott Saturdays 5AM-9AM EST and her friend Larry Elder.

Rick Warren: Christian Liberalism is 'Marxism in Christian Clothing'

Reprinted by permission of The Christian Post

By Jennifer Riley
Christian Post Reporter
Tue, Dec. 16 2008 03:35 PM EST

Best-selling author, social activist and megachurch pastor Rick Warren described the social gospel supported by many of the mainline churches as “Marxism in Christian clothing.”

“[W]e don’t need to care about redemption, the cross, repentance. All we need to do is redeem the social structures of society and if we make those social structures better the world will become a better place,” explained Warren as he described the beliefs behind those who support the "social gospel," in his interview with Beliefnet.com, which was posted Monday.

“Really in many ways it was just Marxism in Christian clothing,” he criticized. “[I]t was in vogue at that time that if we redeem society then man will automatically get better. It didn’t deal with the heart.”

Warren, recognized as one of the most socially active Christians in the world, did not hold back his criticism of those who call themselves Christians but seek to make the world a better place by focusing on the body – issues of poverty, disease, social justice and racial justice – and not the soul.

But he also disagreed with their counterpart – Christians who disregard the body altogether while caring only for the soul and personal morality.

“Who’s right? Well in my opinion they’re both right,” Warren concluded. “Part of my desire as a leader is to bring these two wings back together. I think we need them both.

“I think it’s very clear that Jesus cared about both the body and the soul. He cared about both personal and social issues and I think they’re both important but there’s been this split.”

Historically, evangelicals were leaders when it came to changing society, Warren pointed out. Evangelicals were at the forefront of the abolition of slavery, with pastors leading that movement. It was also evangelicals who were on the frontlines of calling for the right of women to vote and protesting child labor laws.

“That’s my whole job is I’ve gotta reawaken what I call the 19th Century evangelicalism,” Warren said, noting that Protestantism split in the 20th Century with mainline Protestants on the side of the social gospel and evangelicals and fundamentalists who emphasized morality and salvation.

The evangelical pastor noted that the mainline groups have “died,” pointing out that mainline denominations have been in decline for 40 years while charismatic and evangelicals have continued growing.

“There are more Muslims in America than there are Episcopalians,” Warren highlighted. “There’s less than 2 million of them (Episcopalians).”

In addition to the social gospel, Warren's interview with Beliefnet also covered negative views of Christianity, human problems and God’s plan, gay marriage and divorce, and the Bush administration’s policy on torture.

Copyright 2008 The Christian Post. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Presbyterian Church Seeks to Deal With Churches Leaving Denomination

Reprinted by permission of The Christian Post

By Lillian Kwon
Christian Post Reporter
Tue, Dec. 16 2008 02:48 PM EST

The departure of congregations from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) poses major risks, including the threat to both church unity and independence from the state, says one leader in the denomination.

Kears Pollock, moderator of the Pittsburgh Presbytery, has invited fellow Presbyterians to join an "informative" convocation, titled "Our Freedom of Religion at Risk – A Presbyterian Crisis," next year amid an exodus of a growing minority of congregations from the PC(USA).

"The unity of the church is at risk from within and from without," Pollock states in his invitation to the Feb. 19, 2009, event. "The current activities of some congregations and ministers encouraging division within the church can lead to subordination of the church to the state particularly when congregational sessions/trustees file civil suits against Presbyteries."

Pollock was addressing the court battles between congregations that left the denomination and their presbyteries – regional bodies of the PC(USA) – over church property ownership.

According to a June report by the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly, 40 presbyteries face, or have faced, legal battles or similar challenges.

Pollock believes involving the courts threatens the religious practices of the denomination. "Court orders to prevent presbyteries from dealing with division, disorder, disobedience, dismissal and determination of the true church threaten the beliefs and practices of our denomination," according to a promotional flier for the convocation.

"The evolving civil law in many jurisdictions appears intent on adopting a default condition of requiring all non-hierarchical denominations to be treated as congregational in character ignoring the Biblical and historical nature of Presbyterian ecclesiology," Pollock stated.

"It weakens the constitutional barrier against government interference in religion."

Conservative Presbyterians who have left the PC(USA) have argued that the denomination has abandoned its Reformed roots and biblical foundation. Controversy was stirred in 2001 when the General Assembly – the denomination's highest governing body – did not affirm the "singular" saving Lordship of Jesus Christ. Conservatives became even more discontent when the 2006 General Assembly adopted a resolution that some believe allowed leeway for homosexual ordination.

Furthermore, this past summer the high governing body voted to remove from the denomination's constitution the requirement that clergy live in "fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman or chastity in singleness." The proposal has been relegated to the presbyteries for approval.

The Pittsburgh moderator suggested that Presbyterians in property disputes are practicing "me centered" religion.

"We have not emphasized fully that Christ’s church is not the building where one worships. Nor is the church the congregation of one’s membership. Rather, we are one church united by the shared covenant through Christ and ultimately, through ecumenism, connected with the whole church, catholic," Pollock stated.

The Feb. 19 convocation will be webcast on the Pittsburgh Presbytery website.

Copyright 2008 The Christian Post. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Playboy 'Apologizes' For Nude Virgin Mary on Cover But Dodges Responsibility

Reprinted by permission of The Christian Post

By Aaron J. Leichman
Christian Post Reporter
Mon, Dec. 15 2008 06:36 PM EST

A model posing as the Virgin Mary on the cover of the Mexican edition of Playboy magazine led the U.S. headquarters to recently issue a formal apology.

The offensive Dec. 1 edition, which was published only days before a major Mexican festival dedicated to the mother of Jesus, shows model Maria Florencia Onori standing in front of a stained glass window with only a white cloth to cover her head and select parts of her body.

The cover line reads: “We Adore You, Maria” or "We Adore You, Mary" in Spanish.

In a statement on Friday, Chicago-based Playboy Enterprises Inc said the Mexican edition of the magazine is published by a licensee, and the company did not approve nor endorse the cover.

"While Playboy Mexico never meant for the cover or images to offend anyone, we recognize that it has created offense, and we as well as Playboy Mexico offer our sincerest apologies," the company stated.

Raul Sayrols, publisher of Playboy Mexico, meanwhile claimed the image “is not and never was intended to portray the Virgin of Guadalupe or any other religious figure.”

“The intent was to reflect a Renaissance-like mood on the cover," he expressed in a statement.

In response, Fr. Jonathan Morris, an American Roman Catholic priest and vice-rector of the Legionaries of Christ seminary in Rome, slammed the Playboy statement as a "non-apology apology."

"[W]hat does it say about a company and its executives when they are willing to communicate a lie so big and bold that even they know it will fool no one?" he posed Monday in his Fox News blog.

But Morris also said there would be little use in loudly crying "sacrilegious," "crude," "demeaning," or "foul" over the controversial cover shot.

"After all, those adjectives are all applicable to the magazine itself," he stated.

According to reports, Playboy Mexico printed 100,000 copies of the issue, which hit the stands seven days before the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and eleven days before the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The Virgin Mary is venerated by Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox as well as some Anglican, Lutheran, and Methodist Christians.

Copyright 2008 The Christian Post. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Mike Adams on townhall.com: Sea of Faces

Mike Adams writes a regular column on townhall.com and I have been a faithful reader for several years. Attracted to his iconoclastic, sometimes sardonic style, I particularly enjoy it when he takes on the politically correct, intelligently challenged members of the academic elite.

Dr. Adams, like this writer, came to be a believer and a Christian relatively late in life after suffering with the delusions of the material self and arrogant pride much of his adult life. In this, and a subsequent column, The Shadow Proves the Sunshine, Dr. Adams explains a little about his conversion and his understanding of what it means to be a Christian.


Sea of Faces

Late one morning in May of 1996, I stuck my head out of the window of James and Stephanie’s Manhattan apartment to get some not-so-fresh air while I drank my morning coffee. We were just getting up before noon after a long night of talking God and politics at an Irish pub called Peter McManus’ located somewhere around 20th Street. I looked down at the droves of people flooding the streets for the noon lunch break wondering whether it was possible for God to have a plan for each one of their lives as well as a concern for each one’s well-being.

Those questions may seem odd for one to ponder over morning coffee but they aren’t so strange for one who just weeks before had broken the chains of atheism that had bound him for so long. Just because I renounced atheism one day on the way out of a damp prison in Quito, Ecuador, did not mean I instantly became a Christian. That would not happen until years later when I recognized that a personal relationship with God was not only a possibility but an indispensable aspect of Christianity.

Since that time I’ve had the opportunity to share my faith with a lot of people. In fact, many people who read this column tell me to stop doing it. My awareness that it gets under their skin is the principal reason I continue. Christianity is not always comforting and those most annoyed with it are often the closest to conversion.

It should go without saying that I’m always pleased to hear when a reader turns to Christ. There’s no greater joy than hearing the good news that someone has accepted the Good News. By the same token, there is nothing more devastating than hearing of a reader turning away from Christianity. That happened to me recently when a fellow I once witnessed to said, “I still believe in God but I feel like he only intervenes in my life when he wants to (expletive) with me.”

The fellow who told me that also said he was not a “conservative Christian” like me but instead a “more liberal Christian.” He may or may not know that he’s on the verge of no longer being a Christian at all.

Perhaps the most accurate thing my reader has recently said about Christianity is that I am a conservative Christian. That conservatism is reflected in two things I believe to be absolutely certain about the life of a Christian:

1) I believe that - because we live in a world broken by sin and occupied by fundamentally flawed individuals - storms are inevitable. If all hell has not yet broken loose in your life it soon will. Chaos would not be so pervasive if people were as fundamentally good as the so-called liberal Christian deems them to be.

2) When all hell breaks loose in life, each individual is faced with the choice of moving toward the Cross or away from the Cross. Every person in every tumultuous situation chooses one or the other of these two options. A man has no one but himself to blame for the consequences of making the wrong decision – though the so-called liberal Christian probably dislikes my emphasis on free will.

When one responds to tragedy by moving towards the Cross it is impossible to believe that God only intervenes in men’s lives when he wants to (expletive) with them. The closer one moves to the Cross, the more one understands that God really is willing to intervene in the lives of men. One also understands that God does it because he loves all of his children and wants to have a real and permanent relationship with them.

That is why I am so irritated with self-proclaimed liberal Christians like John Shelby Spong. Those like Spong who either deny the importance of the resurrection or deny its occurrence altogether share a transparent political motivation. If you get too close to the Cross, you get too close to the reality of sin and its consequences. And then you alienate valuable political allies.

Mike Adams is a criminology professor at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and author of Feminists Say the Darndest Things: A Politically Incorrect Professor Confronts "Womyn" On Campus.

Ripped Away

By Marie Jon'

Imagine being suddenly ripped away from your home and left standing in an unfamiliar place that completely contradicted your way of life. The extreme pressures are overwhelming. You find yourself in a society that you were never raised to believe in and that no one can sufficiently explain. One could describe the feeling as an unfavorable.

I'm afraid that many people living in our country are feeling just this way. The horrendous, rapid pace of social change is throwing us off balance. It seems that we're living in a different place.

What has happened to America? Our social mores and values are being redefined. What can be done?

Christians have to resist these dramatic changes because they do not conform to the teachings of a loving yet firm God. “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.” (Luke 11:23)

At a recent Bible study class I was asked if I would be ready to die for my faith. My response was “absolutely not.” The thought of dying doesn’t appeal to me. However, I believe if that moment were to actually come, God would give me the courage to do it rather than denying my Lord.

Have you ever wondered if you had it in you to become a martyr, ready to die for your faith? While going through the prophecies of the Bible, I found an answer that gave me hope. It’s a powerful thought that provides an unmovable confidence. No matter what might come my way, I can face it. Here is that prophecy and true the story that helped me reach my conclusion.

There once lived a young man named Daniel, who was just eighteen years old. This exemplary teenager could inspire many to get up early on the Lord’s Day and attend their churches’ weekly Bible classes.

Total strangers approached Daniel. They meant him no good, to say the least. The city he once lived in was totally wiped out. All the beautiful homes that once stood in his neighborhood were left in smoldering ruins. He and his friends and neighbors were bound in chains and unwillingly taken off to a land where everyone spoke in a strange language and held strange customs.

And oddly enough, this uncanny happening was pre-told in the written Word. The Israelites knew it was coming. The dramatic fulfillment of an old prediction was made clear to them by the prophet Isaiah years before it happened. Look at 2 Kings 17-20; Isaiah predicted:

“‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the Lord.”

Everything that took place was exactly as Isaiah had predicted. Sometime between 606 and 605 B.C., the Babylonian armies overtook the royal city of Jerusalem and laid it to destruction.

Daniel was just one member of the royal family who became a victim of another ruler of ancient times. The entire family was carried away in chains, along with Daniel’s neighbors. They were forced to march hundreds of miles across the burning desert to the city of Babylon. They felt humiliated because they were subjected to the shame of slavery.

Daniel was placed into servitude in the home of a pagan king. While most young men would begin living their adult lives, he became nothing more than a slave. Daniel felt helpless. What was there to look forward to?

However, as bad as that was, his personal situation could have been a whole lot worse. At least he was not put to work in the fields or forced to work in a rock quarry.

Daniel was given a job in the palace of the king. One of the first things he was asked to do was graduate from the Royal University of Babylon.

King Nebuchadnezzar had an extraordinary master plan for world domination. The king took the brightest and the best, and put them through his own universities so that they would learn to think like the Babylonians and rule over the conquered Israelites.

Over time, the king knew that the people of Israel would settle in to their new way of life. By using Daniel he felt assured his brilliant strategy would work. He counted on no uprisings against his Babylonian kingdom. Rather than beat, starve or use other cruel measures to isolate and alienate his captives, Nebuchadnezzar’s plan was to simply absorb them into the empire.

It is a plan that is being used today right here in the United States of America. It’s much easier for the ungodly to entice people into open sin by changing the way they think. It’s better than fighting them tooth and nail.

One way to achieve silencing any opposition is by telling our school age children that Darwinism is the be all and end all. There is no open debate allowed in the sciences for “Intelligent Design", neither in grade school, high school, nor universities of higher education.

Today, we sadly find ourselves in a rapidly changing world. Values are changing. The world is telling us that nothing is right or wrong, and that everything’s a matter of personal preferences.

Like the Trojan Horse, we allow the entertainment media into our homes. Today’s Pop music is seductive and devoid of morals. The melodies and the lyrics are no longer about boy meets girl and puppy love. It is any wonder why our society is spinning out of control?

Our teenagers are encouraged to become sexually active. Our public schools allow Planned Parenthood to pass out free condoms and birth control pills. However, babies are still being born out of wedlock, and worse, abortion on demand has hardened our society. There is no remorse connected with aborting an unwanted pregnancy.

While evil seems to chase God’s people, some lose their way and peacefully join the ranks of the secular progressive way of life. It's perfectly fine to allow the gay community to dictate to the rest of society regarding their version of marital Nirvana.

The Babylonian education program was much like our own public school system. They were lacking in the moral values of the God of the Bible. Our faith will not grow if we can't call the words of God to mind. America needs to become known as the people of the Bible. It’s our heritage, and we're losing it.

During the time of his captivity, Daniel exhibited special qualities of intelligence. Given the choice between working in the rock quarries all day or attending the best schools the Babylonians had to offer, the choice was a no-brainier. However, the Bible unfolds the rest of the story. In spite of the cushy living conditions, Daniel didn’t have it so easy. He faced much greater difficulties in the opulent palace.

One would believe that Daniel took a big sigh of relief, thankful that his prison sentence wasn’t any worse. But even at his young age, he had common sense and could see past the luxurious perks. Daniel recognized that Nebuchadnezzar wanted to change everything he stood for.

Little by little, Israelites were stripped of everything that made them Hebrews. They were unwillingly given new names. In our day and age, that doesn’t seem like a bad thing. People change their names all the time. Many immigrants took on slight changes to their last names as they entered Ellis Island. Not so in the ancient world. To change your name was to change your character. Your name represented who you were and what you stood for.

Parents chose their children’s names very carefully. They wholeheartedly believed that your name would dictate your course in life. Your name would help shape your character. The right name would give you a better chance at a good life.

The king of Babylon wanted to change the character of every Hebrew. So he simply changed their names and sat back to see the fruits of his labor. (Daniel 1:6, 7 NKJV):

“Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. to them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego.”

Originally, Daniel’s name meant, “God is my judge.” Hananiah meant “Jehovah (or Yahweh) is gracious.” Mishael means “the one who belongs to God,” and Azariah means “Jehovah helps.”

The young men were named as a special tribute to The Almighty. Because Nebuchadnezzar didn’t want them to remember their Hebrew religion, he removed their identity and gave them pagan names of Babylonian gods instead.

Belteshazzar became Daniel’s new name. The king brazenly believed he had won the battle over the human mind. His strongest weapon was the ability to make people accept the culture of the general population. The reason we find the city of Babylon all through Bible prophecy is because of its powerful symbol of religious confusion, especially in the last days.

The Book of Revelation describes a people who have become drunk with the wine of Babylon. People who will be alive to see the Second Coming of Christ are found immersed in false teachings and bad philosophy. Liberal doctrines lead them astray, thus their moral judgments will leave them seriously impaired.

Some Christians have taken a lesson from the Babylonians by mixing God’s truth with error. They are no longer able think for themselves. (Thessalonians2:7): “The mystery of iniquity doth already work,” and it’s happening today.

The ancient empire of Babylon was built on the ruins of the tower of Babel. After the flood, the human race became very haughty. They build a monument to their greatness. However, The Almighty put a stop to it by confusing their language. Even today, the word “Babel” or “Babylon” means unintelligible gibberish.

The Bible speaks of a special end time message that goes to the entire world. (Revelation 14:8 NKJV):

“And another angel followed, saying, ‘Babylon is fallen, is fallen.”

The prophecy can’t possibly be referring to the literal ancient city of Babylon, because the old ancient city has been gone for centuries. God says that Babylon will never be rebuilt: Isaiah 13.

Just before the end time, however, ”spiritual” Babylon will prevail over the citizens of the world. They will find themselves in a state of religious confusion. The scriptures portray a very sad picture of where the human race is heading. Within the opening chapter of the Book of Daniel, one can envision the issues that Daniel was facing and we see a little glimpse of what we are going to face as time goes by.

The secular progressives of today are trying to woo us to their way of thinking, just as the Babylonians tried with an eighteen-year-old. Daniel was continually tempted; his lifestyle and religious beliefs were under fire.

In today’s world, our morals have been thrown to the wayside. We are bombarded on a daily basis with the temptation to conform. Everything changes in direct opposition to the Word of God. The amazing thing is that it was all predicted in the book of Revelation: (Revelation 18:3, 4 NKJV)

“‘For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.’ And I heard another voice from heaven saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.’”

There is a Holy Spirit clarion call going out to America and to the world. Christian activism calls for a people who will stand tall and true. There is more at stake than ever before. Liberalism undermines America. It compromises our convictions, while many wander away from God. Secularism often equals atheism. They offer every evil under the sun without condemnation or shame.

In your heart, you know that this is true. There is a part of you that remembers what life was like when people still believed in their faith, and you know that you would like to stand up for what’s right. You have a desire to never throw in the towel.

If what you feel is righteous indignation, then hold fast. Cling to Jesus. You can walk away from every temptation that this world has to offer, and live a life with no regrets.

The story of Daniel tells us what we can do. Against all odds, anyone can stand for God. If only more Christians embraced the “Daniel approach” to life, maybe this world wouldn’t be in the compromising moral mess it finds itself in.

Men and women, with a strong determination and the help of the Word of God, must stand against the falsehoods of spiritual Babylon.

Become part of the answer, and not the problem. Begin today. Allow the voice of Jesus to call you to stand firm while ignoring worldliness. Understand that He is leading you to make something better out of your life. Get on your knees and pray that you may feel His gentle touch. Crave the kind inner strength that a young man once had in the palace of a pagan king.

Will you pray and ask God to help you stand firm?



The Ishtar Gate of Babylon was built during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar II (604- 562 BC). The foundations of the gate were discovered between 1899 and 1914, including numerous glazed bricks and unglazed figures. The gate resides at the Pergamon Museum in Berlin.

Related Reading:
Babylon: The Jewel of the Semites-Youtube
Exhibition in Berlin- Babylon
Take a tour of Babylon: Flickr Photos

Marie Jon' is a political/religious-based writer and founder of www.DrawingClose.org and www.PeoplePoliticallyRight.com — sister websites to RenewAmerica. Marie extends her hand of welcome; visit DrawingClose and receive your free gift of salvation by taking an online Bible study.

Marie's writings have appeared on many sites, including The New Media Journal, ChronWatch, and ABCNews, to name a few. Marie brings a refreshing and spirited point of view that is reflected in her writings. Marie is a nurse, a lay student of the Bible, and a patriot. She is an advocate for American troops serving abroad, as well as the Blue and Gold Star Mothers of America and their families. Marie enjoys Townhall.com radio, Rush Limbaugh, Bruce Elliott Saturdays 5AM-9AM EST and her friend Larry Elder.

Appeals Court to Decide on Gideon Bible Distribution in Public Schools

Reprinted by permission of The Christian Post

By Lawrence Jones
Christian Post Reporter
Fri, Dec. 12 2008 09:07 AM EST

A federal appeals court in St. Louis heard arguments Thursday in a case involving the distribution of Gideon Bibles to children in public schools.

The South Iron R-1 School District formerly had a policy that allowed outside religious groups to distribute Bibles to fifth graders during the school day.

The policy prompted a lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union, which sued the district in September 2006, demanding a stop to the distribution.

Catherine D. Perry, a lower federal court judge, ordered a halt to the Bible distribution, calling it "an instrument of religion."

Following the order, the district then adopted a written equal access policy that treats the distribution of secular and religious literature outside of class on an equal basis. Under the new policy, outside groups could apply to distribute literature from stationary tables in two designated locations but were prohibited from distributing material inside classrooms.

Mathew D. Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel, who represents the school district in the case, asked the appeals court Thursday to reverse the ruling.

"The Bible cannot be singled out for special penalties like contraband. How ironic that in America, until recent times, the Bible formed the basis of education, and now its mere presence is radioactive in the opinion of some judges," said Staver in a statement.

"The Founders never envisioned such open hostility toward the Christian religion as we see today in some venues. To single out the Bible alone for discriminatory treatment harkens back to the Dark Ages. America deserves better. Our Constitution should be respected, not disregarded."

At issue during the hearing was whether the permanent injunction entered by Perry was based on the revised policy or the former policy.

Staver argued before the court that the permanent injunction did not take the new policy into appropriate consideration.

"It would be inappropriate for this previous injunction based upon a specific incident to literally gut the public forum and single out one single piece of literature...namely the Bible," stated Staver.

The court is expected to issue a decision in a few months.

Copyright 2008 The Christian Post. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Evagelical Leader Resigns after Controversial Remarks on Abortion, Homosexuality

Reprinted by permission of The Christian Post

By Michelle A. Vu
Christian Post Reporter
Fri, Dec. 12 2008 08:12 AM EST

Long-time evangelical lobbyist Richard Cizik has resigned as the vice president of governmental affairs for the National Association of Evangelicals, the group announced Thursday.

After nearly three decades at the helm of the NAE’s political arm, Cizik has decided to leave the organization after a storm of controversy enshrouded him following remarks he made about abortion and gay marriage in a recent interview.

NAE President Leith Anderson explained, in a letter to the group’s board of directors, that Cizik in the interview had “responded to questions and made statements that did not appropriately represent the values and convictions of NAE and our constituents.”

Although Cizik later expressed regret, apologized, and affirmed the NAE’s values, there was “a loss of trust in his credibility as a spokesperson among leaders and constituents,” Anderson wrote.

“[B]ecause Richard traveled to a previously scheduled international conference in Europe shortly after the airing of the broadcast it was not possible to meet with him until his return,” the NAE president explained. “He and I have recently met together and mutually concluded that his resignation is a difficult but appropriate decision.”

In a National Public Radio (NPR) interview last week, Cizik said that a pro-life Christian could still find reason to support an abortion rights candidate, and admitted he voted for now President-elect Barack Obama in the Virginia primary.

He also conceded to believe in homosexual civil unions, which the overwhelming majority of NAE constituencies do not support. Regarding gay marriage, Cizik said he currently does not support redefining marriage, but is “shifting” on the issue.

His comments sparked a firestorm of protest and criticism by pro-life, pro-traditional marriage Christians – including NAE members and constituencies - and forced the NAE president to release a letter last week reassuring the group’s board of directors that Cizik has confirmed his support of NAE values and positions.

But apparently the letter was not enough to cool down the heat directed at Cizik and subsequently the NAE. Cizik resigned Wednesday night.

The former NAE VP is perhaps best known for his advocacy on climate change – a cause that has inflamed the anger of prominent conservative Christian leaders who declared that he does not speak for them and many evangelicals when he states global warming is real and mainly human-caused.

Arguing that Cizik misrepresented evangelicals, the group of prominent evangelical leaders – which included Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family - attempted to get Cizik fired, but failed in 2007.

Time magazine, however, applauded Cizik for his climate change advocacy and rewarded him by naming him as one of its top 100 most influential people in the world for 2008.

But aside from the divisive issue of climate change, Cizik has been a tireless advocate on behalf of a long and diverse list of issues during his 28-year tenure at NAE. Those issues include anti-persecution legislation, laws against human trafficking, pro-family bills, protection of children, justice and compassion for the poor and vulnerable, sanctity of human life, opposition to abortion on demand, and more recently the campaign against the genocide in Darfur.

Prominent evangelical figure Chuck Colson of Prison Fellowship, in response to Cizik’s resignation, said:

“He was gradually, over a period of time, separating himself from the mainstream of evangelical belief and conviction. So I'm not surprised,” Colson said, according to Christianity Today magazine. “I'm sorry for him, but I'm not disappointed for the evangelical movement.”

Meanwhile, Mark Tooley of the conservative Washington-based Institute on Religion and Democracy commented:

“Both Rev. Cizik and the NAE leadership made a wise decision in his departure. Cizik had lost credibility for advocating positions that were not those of the NAE or most Evangelicals,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of IRD, Tooley hopes the NAE can “now focus on theological and ethical convictions that evangelicals hold strongly in common.”

Tooley added that he wishes Cizik well and expressed gratitude for his “long history of service to evangelicals” that has “laid the groundwork for many opportunities.”

The National Association of Evangelicals is composed of over 50 denominations and 45,000 churches, representing about 30 million constituents. The NAE vice president’s resignation is the latest leadership controversy for the organization, which was just settling down after its former president, Ted Haggard, resigned due to a drug and sex allegation scandal in 2006.

Copyright 2008 The Christian Post. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Chuck Colson Honored With Presidential Citizens Medal

Reprinted by permission of The Christian Post

By Katherine T. Phan
Christian Post Reporter
Thu, Dec. 11 2008 05:01 PM EST

President George W. Bush presented the Presidential Citizens Medal to Prison Fellowship founder Chuck Colson on Wednesday, honoring over 35 years of dedication in proclaiming the transformative message of Jesus Christ to prisoners, ex-prisoners, and their families.

The former top aide to President Richard Nixon was among the 23 individuals and one posthumously who were recognized with the second highest honor for a citizen during a private ceremony in the Oval Office.

Colson was the first member of the Nixon administration to go to prison for Watergate-related offenses. He was convicted of obstruction of justice in relation to the Watergate scandal that engulfed the Nixon administration.

After serving his sentence, Colson founded Prison Fellowship in 1976, which conducts Christian-based outreach to prisoners, ex-convicts, crime victims and their families.

"Through his strong faith and leadership, he has helped courageous men and women from around the world make successful transitions back into society," the White House said in the recipient citations. "The United States honors Chuck Colson for his good heart and his compassionate efforts to renew a spirit of purpose in the lives of countless individuals."

The award was created by President Richard Nixon in 1969 to recognize U.S. citizens “who have performed exemplary deeds of service for their country or their fellow citizens.” It is one of the highest honors the President can confer upon a civilian, second only to the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Colson, who became a born-again Christian during Watergate, credited the honor to God's grace.

"Whatever good I may have done is because God saw fit to reach into the depths of Watergate and convert a broken sinner," said Colson in a statement. "Everything that has been accomplished these past 35 years has been by God’s grace and sovereign design."

He thanked everyone involved with Prison Fellowship Ministries.

"I do not treat this medal as mine," he said. "It is, like in the military, a unit citation. The staff of Prison Fellowship, the thousands of volunteers and the hundreds of thousands of donors have made this possible. So while I am overwhelmed in gratitude to God, I am grateful to all those associated in this movement called Prison Fellowship."

Another recipient on Wednesday was John P. Foley, S.J., who serves as president of the Cristo Rey Network, an association of Catholic high schools that serve urban young people through an innovative work-study model.

"Father John Foley has successfully reached some of our Nation’s most vulnerable youth and instilled in them a love of learning. Through his spiritual leadership of a faith-based education system that partners with the community, he has provided opportunities for young people to achieve their dreams," according to the White House citation.

Approximately 100 people have been awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal, including Hank Aaron, Muhammad Ali, Archibald Cox, Senator Bob Dole, Elizabeth Taylor and Jeana Yeager.

Copyright 2008 The Christian Post. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

British Cardinal Says Religion Viewed as 'Private Eccentricity'

Reprinted by permission of The Christian Post

By Jennifer Riley
Christian Post Reporter
Wed, Dec. 10 2008 05:20 PM EST

The head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales expressed frustration this week that religion is seen as a “private eccentricity” in Britain, where it is increasingly treated with hostility.

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, Archbishop of Westminster, criticized what he sees as growing intolerance towards those with religious beliefs, especially people who maintain pro-life and pro-family values.

“The progressive secularization of the cultural environment and the accompanying decline in religious practice means that religious belief of any kind tends now to be treated more as a private eccentricity than as the central and formative element in British society that it is,” Murphy-O’Connor wrote in an editorial this week in U.K.’s The Independent newspaper.

He went on to write that atheists have become “more vocal and aggressive” against people of faith, while an “unfriendly climate” exists for people of all religions in Britain.

However, there is one positive result from secularization, the Cardinal offered - more tolerance for Catholics.

“Over the past 40 years, social prejudice against Catholics has largely disappeared, and Catholics have been fully assimilated into the mainstream of British life,” he said.

But this acceptance is only in the religious realm, and does not extend to intellectual and cultural acceptance.

With the culture, Catholicism and other religion have a conflict because modern British society has a “dislike of absolutes,” which he suggested stems from a “revulsion for totalitarianism.”

The conflict is most apparent for Catholics and other faiths when it comes to issues like “the absolute value of every human life” and “the central importance of the family and the institution of marriage” to a “rightly ordered society.”

“Catholics are not alone in watching with dismay as the liberal society shows signs of degenerating into the libertine society,” the Cardinal said, noting Catholic positions are shared by other Christians, Jews, and Muslims.

The Catholic Church welcomes diversity and pluralism just like secular society, the Archbishop said, but when they undermine the institutions of marriage and family then they will be harmful to society.

“The vocal minority who argue that religion has no role in modern British society portray Catholic teaching on the family as prejudiced and intolerant to those pursuing alternatives,” he wrote in his editorial. “Catholic teaching is clear that all unjust discrimination is wrong, but this teaching cannot accept the relativistic acceptance that all approaches are equivalent. British society champions tolerance and freedom, but that freedom is dependent on responsibility.”

“A simplistic belief that right or wrong is an individualistic construct denies our responsibilities to neighbor and wider society,” Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor added.

The Cardinal concluded by calling for an “open, tolerant and vibrant public square” where individuals of different opinions and beliefs can have their voices heard. He urged people of all faiths to not sit out of the debate, but to engage in them and to live exemplary lives to correct the parts of British society they believe is wrong.

Copyright 2008 The Christian Post. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.