Christian News Brief Monthly Archive - Oct 2003
16 Oct 2003
Marriage Protection Week Observed by National Pro-Family Radio Broadcast
In observance of "Marriage Protection Week," a national pro-family radio broadcast is devoting two days to discussing the rich societal benefits of traditional marriage -- and the potential harm of same-sex "marriage." The host of the two-day series on Focus on the Family is that ministry's ps ...
16 Oct 2003
Congress Calling for More Prosecution of Obscenity By DOJ
There's a move in Congress to call for more prosecution of obscenity by the Department of Justice. A joint resolution introduced last week by Oklahoma Republican John Sullivan calls for the "vigorous" enforcement of federal obscenity laws. Attorney General John Ashcroft has indicated he will be ...
16 Oct 2003
"Day One" Rally in Washington DC
The first in a series of pro-life youth rallies was held in Washington, DC, a few days ago. Pro-life activist Eric Whittington of American Life League explains that the "Day One" rally is the springboard for a major youth event slated for October 9, 2004. "[W]e hope to have thousands of youth m ...
16 Oct 2003
North Carolina Judges Free to Speak Publicly About Political Issues
New regulations in North Carolina allow judges to make public statements about political issues. But a state judges' association is now calling on the state's Supreme Court to put a stop to that. The changes allow candidates wide latitude in raising funds for an election and to speak at politica ...
16 Oct 2003
Diversity Great - But Not Our Greatest Strength
In today's politically correct climate, "diversity" seems to be the key word when people are asked to pinpoint America's greatest strength. But Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander disagrees. He believes the key to that strength lies in something else. "Diversity is a great strength of our coun ...
17 Oct 2003
US Supreme Court to Hear Pledge Case as Expected
An attorney with a Christian legal group says he's not surprised that the U.S. Supreme Court has decided to hear the case that will determine whether the phrase "under God" should be kept in the Pledge of Allegiance. The case came to the court after the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San ...
17 Oct 2003
Terri Schiavo Feeding Tube Removed
Florida Governor Jeb Bush says "watching someone starve to death is a troubling thing" -- but using even stronger words, a group of church leaders says the forced removal of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube and other care is "wrong, cowardly, and sinful" and "a grossly immoral act." Over the obj ...
17 Oct 2003
Born Again Marine Says It Was Hard to Keep the Faith in Iraq
A born-again Marine who recently returned from Iraq says it wasn't easy to be a Christian there, because he didn't have much fellowship with other believers. Sergeant Zachary Anderson served on an attack helicopter, which meant he was always on the go -- even on Sunday. The young Christian says ...
17 Oct 2003
Scientists in China Experiment With Three Parent Babies
Another science experiment using human embryos is raising alarm bells. Scientists in China are claiming they have engineered the first-ever pregnancy in which the baby would have not two parents, but three. In fact, there were triplets, but none survived to birth. Two died of natural causes after ...
17 Oct 2003
Vanderbilt University to Remove the word "Confederate" from One of its Dormitories
The Tennessee chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) is livid over Vanderbilt University's plan to remove the word "Confederate" from one of its dormitories. Confederate Memorial Hall was erected as a memorial to Tennesseans who fought and died in the Civil War, but school offi ...
17 Oct 2003
Tom DeLay Strong Ally of Israel
House Majority Leader Tom DeLay continues to prove himself a strong ally of Israel. DeLay played a key role in a House vote this week to slap sanctions against Syria, a country well known for harboring and aiding terrorists who jeopardize Israel's security. The measure, which passed by a vote of ...
17 Oct 2003
Individual States Raise Average Taxes 48% in Recent Years
"And the beat goes on" -- at least as far as taxes are concerned. According to the American Legislative Exchange Council, individual states have raised taxes an average of 48% in recent years. One education expert says education vouchers could be a miracle of sorts if states would approve them. ...
17 Oct 2003
Not Enough Support in Kansas Legislature to Give In-State Tuition Benefits to Illegal Aliens
A Kansas state senator doesn't believe there is enough support in the legislature to give in-state tuition benefits to illegal aliens in that state. Democratic Governor Kathleen Sebelius has publicly supported the idea of giving in-state tuition breaks to illegal aliens. But Republican State Sena ...
17 Oct 2003
Springfield Missouri Getting Too Religious
A report says some residents of Springfield, Missouri, feel their city is getting too religious. To say that Springfield is a religious community may actually be an understatement. It is home to more than 300 churches and six Christian colleges, and is headquarters to the Assemblies of God. But s ...
20 Oct 2003
Radio Ministry Pioneer and Evangelist Adele Boatwright Dies at 101
Radio ministry pioneer and evangelist Adele Boatwright Carmichael has died at the age of 101. Carmichael, who served as an ordained minister for 85 years and taught Bible studies past the age of 100, became one of the first Christian ministers to use radio to spread the gospel when she started broad ...
20 Oct 2003
Better Down Syndrome Testing Likely to Increase Chances of Abortions
A new combination of tests on pregnant women has increased the likelihood more Down syndrome children will be aborted. According to an Associated Press report, a recent study of more than 8,200 women at a dozen medical centers in the U.S. showed that the combination of two blood screenings and an ul ...
20 Oct 2003
Direction in an AGe of Confusion
One of the nation's leading Second Amendment advocates says the anti-freedom crowd would rather have F-16 fighter pilots shoot down an airliner commandeered by terrorists than allow pilots to carry guns on the planes. Larry Pratt, executive director of Gun Owners of America, spoke in Memphis, Tenne ...
20 Oct 2003
Spokesman Says Look to Europe for Missions
A spokesman for an international missionary organization is reminding Christians not to overlook modern and "advanced" Europe as a mission field. As a continent, Europe is predominantly secular -- both post-modern and post-Christian. At least 14 countries in Europe contain less than 1% evangelical ...
21 Oct 2003
Former Muslim Says War on Terror is a War Between Religions
A Christian evangelist who was once a Muslim says National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice had no idea what she was talking about when she said this weekend that the war on terrorism is not a war between religions. The Bush Administration is apparently not happy with the comments of U.S. Army Lt. ...
21 Oct 2003
Retired Air Force Officer Battles Admiited Socialist for Seat in Congress
A retired U.S. Air Force officer says he is tired of the way his state is being used as a testing ground for the socialist agenda. Now the former fighter pilot says he wants to fight for family values in the U.S. House of Representatives. Greg Parke lives in Rutland, Vermont. He returned there in 20 ...
21 Oct 2003
Celebrations Planned for "National Coming Out Day" - But They're Not All Pro-Homosexual
While homosexual-affirming organizations in the Oklahoma City area make plans to celebrate "National Coming Out Day," one pro-family organization is preparing its own celebration -- of the truth that homosexuality is preventable and treatable. That is the central message of Focus on the Family's ...
21 Oct 2003
Jerusalem Women Speak: Three Women, Three Faiths, One Shared Vision
Three women of Jerusalem are visiting U.S. cities on a tour to bring the message that none of the groups they represent -- Christians, Muslims or Jews -- will really know safety until they make peace with one another. The sixth annual "Jerusalem Women Speak: Three Women, Three Faiths, One Shared ...
21 Oct 2003
Out of Eden Develops Six Session Video Series for Girls "This Is Your Life"
As teenage girls struggle to find their identity, navigate between the challenges of relationships at school, church, home and in the world, Out of Eden is helping show girls the right path. The contemporary Christian trio of sisters has developed a six-session, video-driven Bible study for girls ca ...
21 Oct 2003
Kansas Senator Vows to Block Licenses for Illegal Aliens
A Kansas senator says she has no sympathy for those who have broken the law to enter the United States illegally, so she is pledging to block any efforts to get a bill passed that would authorize illegal aliens to obtain state driver's licenses. Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius wants to find a way ...
22 Oct 2003
Larry Pratt Warns of Dangers of Banning Firearms from Law Abiding Citizens
The head of Gun Owners of America is warning conservatives of the consequences of banning firearms from law-abiding citizens. GOA's executive director, Larry Pratt, says Americans have only to look at what has happened in England to see where their own country could be heading. Pratt is taking par ...
22 Oct 2003
Center for Constitutional Litigation and Policy to be Created in Lynchburg, Virginia
An Orlando-based Christian law firm has announced a partnership with Liberty University in what is being called a strategic plan to renew the American legal culture. Liberty Counsel will join forces with Liberty University's School of Law, which opens next August, to establish a Center for Constitu ...
22 Oct 2003
Talk to Your Kids to Improve Verbal Skills
Researchers say that if parents want their babies to get a head start in verbal skills, the best thing the parents can do is talk to them. University of Oxford researchers say the more parents talk and sing to their infants, the better they will do with language and numbers. Dr. Dare Baldwin, a psyc ...
22 Oct 2003
18 Violent Deaths in Public Schools in the Last Several Weeks
The nation's public schools have been the scene of 18 violent deaths in the last several weeks. USA Today reports that since mid-August when most students returned to school, young people have died at the hands of classmates, strangers, and even parents. These stabbings, shootings, gang-related fi ...
22 Oct 2003
Army Lt. General William Boykin Gets Support After Observations on Islam
Campaign for Working Families and other groups are expressing support for a U.S. military officer and evangelical Christian who is drawing fire for his observations on Islam. Army Lt. General William Boykin, a top Bush Administration official in the war on terror, is being targeted by media for comm ...
23 Oct 2003
It's the Parents Job to Protect Their Homes From Online Porn
An expert on the dangerous and damaging effects of pornography wants to get the word out that it is the job of parents to protect their homes from the onslaught of online pornography. James Lambert, author of the book Porn in America, says most parents are unaware of how much pornography there is on ...
23 Oct 2003
Religiously Active Parents of Teens Have Stronger Relationships
A newly released report indicates that mothers and fathers in religiously involved U.S. families with adolescents age 12 to 14 are more likely to have significantly stronger relationships than families that are not religiously active. These findings were released by sociologists with the National St ...
23 Oct 2003
No Deals with North Korea
A conservative military pundit and former Reagan advisor does not think the United States or any freedom-loving nation should make deals with North Korea in order to try to get the rogue regime to scrap its nuclear weapons program. At the recent Asian summit, President Bush tried to drum up support ...
23 Oct 2003
Joe Lieberman Speaks out on Boykin and Islam
According to Associated Press reports, Senator Joe Lieberman feels moderate Muslims were needlessly offended when U.S. Army Lt. General William Boykin suggested that Allah is an idol and that the war on terrorism is a fight against Satan that must be won "in the name of Jesus." While Lieberman cha ...
24 Oct 2003
Michael Schiavo Challenges Jeb Bush on Feeding Tube Reinsertion
Associated Press reports that Michael Schiavo, husband of Terri Schiavo, a brain-damaged woman at the center of a bitter right-to-life battle in Florida, will go to court next week to argue that Governor Jeb Bush's order to reinsert his wife's feeding tube was unconstitutional. Since 1990, when Te ...
24 Oct 2003
Frank Gaffney Discouraged about Chances for Peace in Israel
The president of the Center for Security Policy says after attending a recent summit in Jerusalem, he is very discouraged about the chances for peace in Israel. Frank Gaffney says things have really gotten worse since he last visited Israel before the Oslo peace process began. "A lot has changed, I ...
24 Oct 2003
Online Porn Affects Families and Pastors Alike
A leading expert on pornography says it is not surprising that many Christian households have a problem with Internet porn, since a recent survey revealed that an alarming number of pastors admit having viewed pornography online. Author James Lambert says two recent polls concerning Internet pornogr ...
24 Oct 2003
Don't Expect Feds to Curb SPAM Flow Anytime Soon
In a recent commentary, author and Sojourners executive editor David Batstone warned Americans not to expect their federal government to do anything soon to rescue them from the predations of aggressive Internet advertisers that use SPAM, e-mail viruses, and other invasive techniques to bombard comp ...
24 Oct 2003
Window of Opportunity Opens for Christians in Vietnam
According to an organization that trains Christians to teach overseas, a new window of opportunity is opening up for Christians in Vietnam. Educational Services International is an organization that offers training programs to prepare Christians who want to teach overseas, training them cross-cultur ...
27 Oct 2003
Pro-Family Group Rallies 50,000 Pastors to Support Traditional, Biblical Marriage
A pro-family group is attempting to rally at least 50,000 pastors in America to take a committed stand in support of traditional, biblical marriage. ChurchCoalition.com is asking pastors to sign an online pledge in defense of the biblical concept of marriage as between one man and one woman, and st ...
27 Oct 2003
New YWCA President and Feminist Fired This Month
Earlier this month, six months after being named the new president of the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA), feminist Patricia Ireland was fired. According to a YWCA spokeswoman, the organization proved to be the "wrong platform" for Ireland's advocacy of women's issues and social jus ...
27 Oct 2003
Pro Homosexual Activists Attempt to Block Promotion of Army General
A military analyst is denouncing efforts by homosexual activists to stop the promotion of an Army general. They claim he failed to prevent violence against homosexuals under his command. Maj. General Robert Clark was in command at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, when a homosexual private stationed there ...
28 Oct 2003
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has Plan to Break Democrats Logjam
A report says Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has come up with a plan for breaking the Democrat-constructed logjam of President Bush's judicial nominees. However, a pro-family leader is concerned that the Republican leader's plan could be derailed by resistance within his own party. According ...
28 Oct 2003
Democrats Filibusters Slow Senate Accomplishments
For a group which just voted themselves another raise, the U.S. Senate isn't getting a lot accomplished. That is largely because Senate Democrats have been so successful in their use of filibusters. The filibusters have worked because Republicans cannot find the votes to blast through the blockad ...
28 Oct 2003
Two Pastors in Australia Taken to Court for "Inciting Hatred Against Muslims" During Seminar
A group dedicated to exposing and fighting Christian persecution says a court case in Australia should be a wake-up call for all Western Christians. In March 2002, Pastors Daniel Scot and Danny Nalliah of the Christian ministry "Catch the Fire" held a seminar in Victoria, Australia, about jihad. ...
28 Oct 2003
Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Celebration Expected to be Short Lived
Now that both houses of Congress have passed the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003, pro-lifers are reveling in the victory. But the celebration may be premature. Concerned Women for America's congressional liaison Michael Schwartz does not expect the procedure to actually be outlawed for qui ...
28 Oct 2003
Palestinian Poll Says Concessions Will Not Bring Peace
There are those in the Bush Administration who dominate the Middle East peace debate, convincing the president that if enough concessions are made by Israel, peace will flourish. A recent Palestinian poll indicated that is flawed thinking. Heritage Foundation terrorism expert Jim Phillips says the ...
28 Oct 2003
State Department's Pleasing Nature Threatening America's Security
An author and investigative reporter says the State Department is so obsessed with getting along with everybody that it is willing to cover the tracks of tyrannical regimes like North Korea. Joel Mowbray recently released his new book Dangerous Diplomacy: How the State Department Threatens America ...
28 Oct 2003
Promise Keeper's Conference Year Ends
The conference year for a prominent men's ministry in the United States has come to a close. "It's a wrap!" exclaims a press release from the Colorado-based Promise Keepers ministry in reference to a year of activities that saw 18 arena conferences, a pastors' conference, a prison conference, ...
29 Oct 2003
Bush Calls on God to Bless Muslims
President Bush has called on God to bless Muslims and has described Islam as a religion which enriches American life. The president's warm embrace of Muslims came last night at a White House "iftar" dinner to honor their Ramadan celebrations. He was joined by Secretary of State Colin Powell, ot ...
29 Oct 2003
GOP Should Stick with the Religious Right
Gary Bauer suggests that if success is the price the GOP has had to pay for being aligned with "the religious right," then the Republican Party would do well to ignore the counsel of one of former President Bill Clinton's cronies. The pro-family leader is referring to a recent column penned by D ...
29 Oct 2003
Report Says Increasing Number of Adoption Agencies Willing to Place Children with Homosexual Couples
Pro-family groups are disturbed by a report out today that says an increasing number of adoption agencies are willing to place children with homosexual couples. A new survey finds that about 60% of the nation's adoption agencies now accept applications from homosexuals, but resistance remains stro ...
29 Oct 2003
Defense Analyst Believes the Chinese Are "Up to No Good" in Space
A national defense analyst says it is quite clear that the recent manned space flight by the Chinese was not done for peaceful purposes, but to develop the ability to exercise control of space. A number of military observers have expressed their concerns about the Chinese incursion into space. One ...
29 Oct 2003
Dream Act a Huge Amnesty Bill Rather Than Educational Initiative
An immigration reform organization says Senate Republicans are trying to disguise a huge amnesty bill for illegal aliens as merely an educational initiative. The bill, sponsored by Utah Republican Orrin Hatch, is being called the "DREAM Act." The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minor ...
30 Oct 2003
Senate Democrats Block Another Judicial Nomination
Democrats in the U.S. Senate have succeeded again in blocking another of President Bush's judicial nominees. As in previous cloture votes designed to break Democrats' ongoing filibuster against those nominees, Republicans fell six votes short (54-43) in an attempt to bring the nomination of U.S. ...
30 Oct 2003
Circle K Change of Ownership May Result in Porn Back on Shelves
A pro-family group is worried that an ownership change will result in a convenience store chain going back to selling pornographic material. A few years ago, under pressure from pro-gamily groups -- most notably the American Family Association -- Circle K removed all pornographic magazines from its ...
30 Oct 2003
Double Standard of Palestinian Militants v. Terrorists
There are many types of double standards in this world today, but one pro-Israel advocate says the worst is how Palestinian terrorists are viewed. Gary Bauer of the Campaign for Working Families says he is angered by the way the world views the Palestinian homicide bombers. "It's absolutely amaz ...
30 Oct 2003
New Bill in Congress Protects Gun Manufacturers from Frivolous Lawsuits
Second Amendment advocates are celebrating a new bill in Congress that would protect the manufacturers of guns from frivolous lawsuits. Many city administrations and anti-gun groups have targeted the makers of guns in legal actions resulting from the use of those guns by criminals. Erich Pratt of ...
30 Oct 2003
Iran Has Nuclear Capabilities
With most of the world's attention focused on the war against terrorists in Iraq and Israel, there's another huge threat looming in the Middle East. Josh Block of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee says Iran has nuclear capabilities -- a fact it has been hiding from the world for decade ...
31 Oct 2003
Republican Congressmen Accuse Group of Democratic Senators of Religious Bias
Some Republican congressmen are accusing a group of Democratic senators of religious bias. The charge comes as Democrats continue to stonewall several of President Bush's judicial nominees. The latest rejection came on Thursday when Republicans failed to get enough support in the Senate to end th ...
31 Oct 2003
South Korea Partner Country with Compassion International
More than five decades ago, 35 poverty-stricken children in South Korea experienced the love of Christ through Rev. Everett Swanson. Now, in a real-life example that "what goes around, comes around," citizens in that Asian nation will have the opportunity to provide assistance to children in need ...
31 Oct 2003
Lawsuit Settled Against Abortion Provider Who Did Not Disclose Health Risks
The nation's first lawsuit against an abortionist for not disclosing health risks associated with abortion has been settled -- and one group says that should send a strong message to the medical establishment. The case centers around the proven link between abortion and breast cancer, and the negl ...
31 Oct 2003
Clinton Legacy Clarified in New book "Legacy: Paying the Price for the Clinton Years"
An author and magazine editor hopes his recently published book will set the record straight about the true legacy of the Bill Clinton presidency. Rich Lowry, editor of National Review, says he talked to former Clinton aides, FBI agents, and even members of Congress in putting together Legacy: Payi ...
31 Oct 2003
Midwest Immigration Summit
Illegal immigration is not just a Southwestern problem. That is what immigration reform activists from around the Midwest are discussing on Friday at the Midwest Immigration Summit in Indianapolis. Susan Tully is Midwest field director for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, one of the ...
31 Oct 2003
Evangelism Explosion International Shares the Gospel Worldwide
A Florida-based ministry has helped Christians effectively share the gospel worldwide for more than four decades. It was in 1961 when Dr. D. James Kennedy founded "Evangelism Explosion International." Since that time, millions worldwide have been trained to share the gospel with friends and str ...