Christian News Brief Monthly Archive - Jul 2004
1 Jul 2004
Emergency Commission Urged to Shun Homosexual Bishop Gene Robinson and the Denomination
Conservatives upset over an openly homosexual bishop and same-sex blessings in the Episcopal Church have told an emergency commission that global Anglicanism should shun both New Hampshire Bishop Gene Robinson and the denomination unless things change. Those proposals were presented this month to th ...
1 Jul 2004
Abstinence Program Reaching Around the World
The head of an abstinence advocacy group says that the abstinence program is reaching around the world. Leslee Unruh is the founder and president of the National Abstinence Clearinghouse. She says there are three parts to what is known as t ...
1 Jul 2004
Critics Outraged over Senate Bill that use Over a Billion Taxpayer Dollars to Subsidize Promiscuity, Perpetuate Immorality, and Promote Abortion
Pro-family and pro-life critics are outraged by a U.S. Senate bill that they say will use over a billion taxpayer dollars to subsidize promiscuity, perpetuate immorality, and promote abortion. Senators John Kerry (D-MA), Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), and seven other senators are spo ...
1 Jul 2004
Researchers Working on Cure for Alzheimer's Say Stem Cells Unlikely to Yield a Cure
Researchers working on a cure for Alzheimer's say human embryonic stem cells are unlikely to yield a cure for the disease. So far, they say they have not seen any promise in using them, and the only guaranteed result is the destruction of the tiniest of humans. Carrie Gordon Earll is a bioethics an ...
1 Jul 2004
Duluth Accepting Bids on Seven-Foot Granite Slab Inscribed with Ten Commandments
In Minnesota, the city of Duluth has started accepting bids on a seven-foot granite slab inscribed with the Ten Commandments. The monument once stood outside Duluth's City Hall, and was the focus of a dispute that has raged for most of the year. The city agreed to remove the monument to settle a la ...
1 Jul 2004
Immigration Reform Activist Blasts Senator John McCain for Remarks on Immigration
An immigration reform activist is blasting Senator John McCain for recent remarks he made to a radical Hispanic group, calling for fast-track amnesty for millions of illegal aliens. McCain made his speech at the annual conference of the National Council of La Raza. Rick Oltman of the : ...
2 Jul 2004
National Right to Life Conference Underway
The annual conference for the National Right to Life (NRL) is underway in the Washington, DC, area, and there appears to be an air of optimism among the delegates. As the group's 32nd annual co ...
2 Jul 2004
Images Show Unborn Children Develop More Quickly than Previously Thought
Vivid new images show that unborn children develop a lot more quickly than previously thought. Pro-life advocates say it is further evidence that abortion takes a human life. The images were taken by professor Stuart Campbell with the 3-D ultrasound technology he developed. They show a 12-week old u ...
2 Jul 2004
Nine Alabama State Health Department Nurses Resign Over Emergency Contraceptive Dispute
Nine Alabama state health department nurses have resigned from their positions because of concerns about the agency mandating the distribution of emergency contraceptves, also known as "morning-after pills," at family planning clinics. Nurse practitioner Donna Tyner, who quit her job at a Montgome ...
2 Jul 2004
US Congress May Soon Recognize Second Victim of Abortion - The Mother
The U.S. Congress may soon recognize one of the second victims in an abortion: the woman who has the procedure. Pennsylvania representative Joe Pitts has introduced a new bill, the Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act (H.R.4543), which proposes to provide for research on, and services for ...
2 Jul 2004
Presbyterian Church USA Conservatives Warn of Split if Vote Favors Homosexual Ordination
Conservatives in the Presbyterian Church USA warn that a vote in favor of homosexual ordination this evening could split the already shrinking denomination. The PCUSA's General Assembly will consider a measure that would release local "sessions and presbyteries" from an authoritative interpretati ...
2 Jul 2004
Pro-Homsexual Movement Encourage "Silent Protest" in Churches Holding FMA Support Rallies July 11th
A pro-homosexual interfaith movement is encouraging people of faith all over the United States to protest their religious leaders' use of worship time to promote the proposed Federal Marriage Amendment (FMA) ...
2 Jul 2004
Appeals Court Tosses Lower Court Ruling Against Former Lesbian Teaching Daughter Anything "Homophobic"
An appeals court has thrown out a lower court order that barred a woman who left a lesbian relationship from teaching her daughter anything "homophobic." The Colorado Court of Appeals ruling does not settle the case, but sends it back to the lower court to determine whether forbidding religious te ...
2 Jul 2004
Heritage Foundation Analyst Robert Moffet Excited about Medicare Drug Discount Card Program
Analyst Robert Moffet of the Heritage Foundation is excited about the government's recently instituted Medicare Prescription Drug Discount Card program. He feels the premise of the $30 drug discount cards is very unique and could have a huge ...
6 Jul 2004
Upcoming Election Discussed at National Right to Life Conference
At this past weekend's annual conference of the National Right to Life, a huge topic of discussion was the upcoming election. The point was hammered home time and time again at the conference that this fall's election will be one of the toughes ...
6 Jul 2004
Michigan Residents Make Constitution Amendment Dealine - 180,000 Signatures in 7 Days
A pro-family coalition in Michigan is crediting God with a miracle after tens of thousands of signatures were gathered in one week on a petition to let the state's voters decide whether the state constitution should be amended to protect traditional marriage. After almost three months of work and w ...
6 Jul 2004
Pro Homosexual Rallies Won't Change Facts - Same Sex Unions Banned in Virginia
A Virginia-based pro-family group says all the homosexual rallies in the world won't change the fact that Virginia's legislature passed a law banning same-sex "marriage" or "civil unions." The Virginia General Assembly made it perfectly clear: the Commonwealth will not recognize as legal any u ...
6 Jul 2004
Political Science Professor Concerned About US Path with Homosexual Marriage
A political science professor is concerned about the path that the United States is heading down, now that same-sex marriage has been legalized in Massachusetts. Dr. Christopher Wolfe, author of the book Homosexuality and American Public Life, says it is important for Americans to be involved in the ...
6 Jul 2004
Battle for Marriage = Imminent Vote
Pro-marriage advocates are preparing for round two of the battle for marriage. The "Battle for Marriage -- Imminent Vote" program, which is set to air on the evening of Sunday, July 11, is aimed at energizing the grassroots as Congress prepares to vote on the Federal Marriage Amendment. Organizers ...
6 Jul 2004
Arizona Congressional Candidate Won't Make Opponent Homosexuality an Issue - But Says People have Expressed Concern
An Arizona state representative seeking to unseat long-time congressman Jim Kolbe says there are people in the district who are concerned about the ten-term lawmaker's homosexual lifestyle. But his challenger doesn't want to make it an issue. Randy Graf knows he faces an uphill battle to defeat Ko ...
6 Jul 2004
LA Residents May get Chance to Vote on Cross on County Seal Issue
Residents of Los Angeles County in California now have an opportunity to voice their opposition to the removal a cross from the official county seal. The Campaign for California Families, based in Sacramento, is making available on its ...
6 Jul 2004
Senator McCain Called to Task for Criticism of Unmanned Border Probes
An immigration reform activist is calling Senator John McCain to task for his criticism of the Homeland Security Department's use of unmanned drones to find illegal alien lawbreakers. McCain recently told the annual conference of the National Council of La Raza that the use of the drones is an exam ...
6 Jul 2004
The Da Vinci Code Drawing More Criticism - Book Not Based on Fact
The religiously-themed best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code is drawing more criticism over its claim of being grounded in fact. Early laments were issued by Catholic and Protestant conservatives, but now they are coming from decidedly liberal quarters. In the liberal Protestant magazine The Christia ...
7 Jul 2004
Bush Scores Victory with Conservative Judicial Nominee
The Bush administration has finally scored a victory with a conservative judicial nominee. It was close, but when they finally voted Tuesday night, senators approved Bush's nomination of Arkansas lawyer Leon Holmes as a federal judge. The vote was 51-46, with six Democrats joining most Republicans ...
7 Jul 2004
Christian Coalition of Georgia Releases Judicial Voters Guide
The Christian Coalition of Georgia is releasing its first judicial voters guide. It's a closely watched attempt to install more conservatives on state courts -- and includes a list of questions about social issues like homosexual ...
7 Jul 2004
Mississippi Pro-Lifer Shocked Federal Judge Halting Law to Protect Women
A Mississippi pro-life activist is expressing shock and outrage that a federal judge has halted enforcement of a law designed to protect the health of women. The goal of the group Pro-Life Mississippi is to save unborn children by s ...
7 Jul 2004
Utah Attorney General Speaks Out at Independence Day Extravaganza
Utah's attorney general wielded a golden sword, castigated the U.S. Supreme Court for overturning an anti-pornography law, and warned e-mailers of unsolicited smut that he was on their case. And former presidential candidate Alan Keyes said denying God is a fundamental assault on the moral foundati ...
7 Jul 2004
Porn Site Visitors May Already be in Trouble Without Knowing it
People who visit pornography websites may be in trouble already and they don't even know it. Porn sites are deceptive when it comes to content, and many people who visit the sites -- thinking they are legal sites -- can face a rude awakening. Pat Trueman, a consultant with ...
7 Jul 2004
Southern Baptist Convention President Encourages Christians to Vote God's Values
The new president of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is encouraging Christians to vote in a manner that will help reflect godly values and principles. Dr. Bobby Welch, who believes strongly that every American citizen ought to vote, says the ...
7 Jul 2004
New Law Makes it Easier to Express Religious Beliefs in Workplace
A new law will make it easier to express religious beliefs in the workplace. The Workplace Religious Freedom Act of 2003 (Senate Bill 893) [PDF] will be getting lots of at ...
7 Jul 2004
Author Says Manners in America have Become Outdated to Many
An author and former journalist says that "good old-fashioned manners" in America have become outdated to the majority. Brad Miner says he wrote The Compleat Gentleman to help bring back good manners to the United States. The author says just by looking at a baseball game from the 1920s, one can s ...
8 Jul 2004
Pastors for Peace Send Aid to Cube Despite Embargo
School buses and other vehicles loaded with Bibles and with medical and office equipment have crossed the border into Mexico on a relief trip to Cuba. It was the 14th straight year that Pastors for Peace, an American humanitarian aid ...
8 Jul 2004
AFA to End Boycott of MTV Sponsors
The American Family Association initiated a boycott of sponsors on MTV following the much-publicized Super Bowl halftime show featuring partial nudity, lewd dancing and vulgar MTV-style lyrics. The good news is that at least one of the targeted ad ...
8 Jul 2004
NEA Removes Member from Office for Voicing Criticism of Homosexual Award Recipient
A conservative leader in the National Education Association (NEA) has been removed from office because she chose to criticize a homosexual. Diane Lenning, chairperson of the National Republican Educators' Caucus, was removed from her position because she objected to the NEA giving a special award t ...
8 Jul 2004
Kerry - Edwards More Conservative than even Ted Kennedy
The Mississippi Republican Party says if you thought Ted Kennedy was liberal, be advised that he doesn't hold a candle to the Democratic presidential ticket of John Kerry and John Edwards. The GOP group says that according to the non-partisan National Journal, Senator Ted Kennedy -- who has "long ...
8 Jul 2004
Nebraska City City Council Won't Open Meeting with Prayer
The Papillion, Nebraska, city council will not open with a prayer after a resolution to do so failed for lack of a second. Councilman Jerry Anderson proposed the resolution for its first reading Tuesday night but other council members did not acknowledge it. Some said they did not discuss the matter ...
8 Jul 2004
Ohio Church Sharing Gospel While Pumping Gas
A church in Ohio is spreading the love of Christ by filling gas tanks, wiping windows, and checking oil. The members of Milan Baptist Church went to a local gas station and paid the station $250 to lower the cost of 1,000 gallons of regular gas by a quarter. During the two hours before the gas sold ...
9 Jul 2004
British Study Reinforces Link Between Induced Abortions and Breast Cancer
A new British study is reinforcing what many in the medical community already know: there is an undisputable link between induced abortions and breast cancer. Karen Malec, who is with the Coalition on Ab ...
9 Jul 2004
Hate Crimes Bill Violates Concept of Equal Protection
A pro-family leader says recently passed legislation that adds sexual orientation to the causes behind "hate crimes" ignores God's laws and elevates sinful behavior. When the Senate added "sexual orientation" to a hate crimes amendments on a defense spending authorization bill, many of those Re ...
9 Jul 2004
Mormon Church Speaks Out in Support of Federal Marriage Amendment
The Mormon Church, long known for its emphasis on the importance of strong families, has taken an official stand on the Federal Marriage Amendment. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has issued a statement in favor of the constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. The statement ...
9 Jul 2004
Poll Reveals Ties Between Faith and Voting
A Gallup poll has examined the ties between religion and preferences at the polls. Analyst Joseph Carroll says the U.S. is still a predominantly Christian nation. Among the Protestants surveyed, 56 percent said they were in favor of President George W. Bush, with 39 percent for Senator John Kerry. G ...
9 Jul 2004
Pastors Concerned over Immodest Dress in Church
The president of the American Decency Association says pastors around the U.S. have been voicing their concerns about the immodest dress they are seeing in their churches. Bill Johnson, who recently distributed an e-mail message addres ...
9 Jul 2004
Virginia Legislators Unintentionally Give State a Day Off on Sundays
It's back to the drawing board for Virginia lawmakers who didn't remember the Sabbath when they recently rewrote "blue laws" that mandate Sunday closings. Governor Mark Warner has summoned the General Assembly to return Tuesday to fix the legislative mistake that gives workers Sundays off. The g ...
9 Jul 2004
Chick-fil-A Closed on Sundays - Business as Usual
A spokesman for a well-known restaurant chain says the company has never regretted keeping its stores closed on Sundays. The comment came in reaction to the recent move in Virginia that accidentally brought back "blue laws" banning work on the Sabbath. The law, passed by legislators and signed by ...
12 Jul 2004
Lesson in 5 Suspected Terrorists Freed from Cuba - Found in Iraq Fighting
A military analyst says a lesson can be learned from the news that five of the suspected terrorist fighters released from prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have been found back in Iraq, fighting against Americans. Under pressure from the United Nations and the political left, U.S. officials abruptly r ...
12 Jul 2004
Scalia Praised for Chastising Supreme Court
A conservative legal group is applauding Justice Antonin Scalia, who recently chastised his fellow Supreme Court members for delving into matters the court should avoid even considering. Matt Staver of Liberty Council believes the high court is trying to metamorphose into a different entity. "The S ...
12 Jul 2004
Increase in Kids Being Put on Drugs to Control Behavior
A psychiatrist with the Christian Medical Association says the U.S. is seeing an unfortunate increase in kids being put on drugs to control their behavior. Dr. Robert Rogan notes that using drugs for kids with behavior problems was hardly tho ...
12 Jul 2004
International AIDS Conference Opens with a Challenge
The International AIDS Conference opens with a challenge to world leaders to do more to combat the raging global AIDS epidemic. Joining that call was Cristo Greyling, the African advisor to World Vision, an international Christian relief organization. He says future generations with hold nations acc ...
12 Jul 2004
18 Year News Veteran Launches American Christian Television Service (ACTS)
After 18 years of working in secular television news, a Memphis-based man has answered God's call to use that experience to minister to his Christian brothers and sisters in a unique way. Jamey Tucker had covered the "religion beat" in such TV markets as Huntsville, Alabama, and Memphis, Tennesse ...
12 Jul 2004
Christian Themed Games a Small, but Growing Market
Christian-themed products are a tiny but growing chunk of the eleven billion dollar video game industry. Fueled by Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ and the Left Behind novel series, developers are hoping to excite and inspire without the gore and violence associated with many of the more secu ...
12 Jul 2004
New Educational Tool Designed to Teach Children About Charitable Giving
The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) has developed a new educational tool designed to help churches teach children about charitable giving, even as they assist needy families in acquiring seeds, tools, and farming skills. Through the “Great Growers Children’s Giving Project” youth g ...
13 Jul 2004
Arlen Specter Commended for FMA Stance Shift
Pro-family groups are commending Pennsylvania's Senator Arlen Specter for his apparent change of heart about the Federal Marriage Amendment. Up until recently, the senator was expected to vote against the FMA, which defines marriage as between one man and one woman. However, his name recently appea ...
13 Jul 2004
Pressure Approach on Catholic Politicians defying Teachings Approved by Vatican Cardinal
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, facing pressure to sanction Catholic politicians who defy church teachings, says that a top Vatican cardinal approves of their approach. During a meeting in Denver last month, the U.S. bishops said Roman ...
13 Jul 2004
Cardinal Roger Mahoney Called to Task for Criticism of US Border Patrol
The chairman of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus is calling Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahoney to task for his criticism of the U.S. Border Patrol. Cardinal Mahoney sent a letter to the Bureau of Customs and Border ...
13 Jul 2004
All Men Created Equal... Nations are Another Story
A former U.S. Defense Department officials says while all men are certainly created equal, the same cannot be said for all nations. For that reason, according to author and conservative pundit Jed Babbin, the United Nations has a major problem because it "presumes, and assumes, and requires that na ...
13 Jul 2004
US Supreme Court Asked to Overturn Ohio Ten Commandments Decision
The American Center for Law and Justice has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn an appeals court decision banning Ten Commandments monuments at public schools in Adams County, Ohio. Lower courts ruled that the monuments violated separation o ...
13 Jul 2004
Mel Gibson Reportedly Helping to Finance LA County Seal Cross Defense
Actor and filmmaker Mel Gibson is reportedly planning to pour vast amounts of money into an effort to keep a small cross in place on Los Angeles County's official seal. According to Australia's Herald Sun newspaper, the producer-director of the recent international box-office smash The Passion of ...
13 Jul 2004
Black Leader Not Surprised Bush Refused NAACP Speaking Engagement - Says Blacks Should Boycott the NAACP
A conservative black leader who has called for a boycott of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People says he is not surprised that President George W. Bush has again refused to address the organization's annual convention. NAACP president and CEO Kweisi Mfume has blasted Bush ...
14 Jul 2004
Minnesota Ten Commandments Display Bought by Minneapolis Church
An embattled Ten Commandments monument will be moved from Duluth, Minnesota, to the Twin Cities area. Celebration Church, a nondenominational church in Lakeville, beat out 12 other prospective buyers by bidding more than $15,000 for the seven-foot granite slab. The church's administrator says Celeb ...
14 Jul 2004
Edwards Nod for VP Fails to Impress North Carolina Voters
Senator John Kerry's decision to choose John Edwards for his vice presidential running mate has apparently failed to impress voters in Edwards' home state of North Carolina. A new USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll indicates Democratic hopes that the selection of Edwards would broaden the list of battlegro ...
14 Jul 2004
National Legal and Policy Center Waging War on Jesse Jackson Financial Supporters
Peter Flaherty, president of the National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC), says his organization is waging an ongoing campaign to stop corporate America from giving money to Jesse Jackson, and progress is being made. However, the NLPC is calling t ...
14 Jul 2004
New Study on Adolescent Delinquency
Researchers with the National Study of Youth and Religion (NSYR) have announced the publication of a new study on adolescent delinquency that explores how young people's behavior is affected by religious characteristics -- not only t ...
14 Jul 2004
Sam Brownback Forced to Take Back Podium from His Own Guest Speaker on Gay Marriage
A rabbi's statement that members of Congress should not hire homosexuals in their offices prompted the senator who organized the news conference to take back the podium. Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas intervened after Rabbi Yehuda Levin warned that members of Congress who employ homosexuals would ...
14 Jul 2004
Pro-Homosexual Magazine Featuring Homosexuals Travelling as Christians - Draws Criticism
The director of research for a pro-family group is concerned about the effects of a pro-homosexual magazine's feature on a male homosexual couple who travel as a Christian duo. Recently the Advocate interviewed Jason and deMarco about their faith and their music. But Ed Vitagliano of the ...
14 Jul 2004
Gateway Films/Vision Video Releases New Video Series Exploring Differences between Muslim and Christian Faiths
Gateway Films/Vision Video has announced the release of a new video series that explores the differences between the Muslim and the Christian faiths. "Christianity and Islam" is hosted by best-selling author Dr. Timothy George, who is also dean of Beeson Divinity School at Samford University. The ...
14 Jul 2004
Anne Graham Lotz Draws on Jesus During Times of Hardship
During the past several years, Christian author and speaker Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of evangelist Billy Graham, has endured a number of personal problems. Recent trials include her mother's declining health, a fire that destroyed her husband's dental office, and damage to her personal property ...
15 Jul 2004
Senator Takes Exception With Democratic "Wasting Time" Accusation
Prior to defeating the Federal Marriage Amendment (FMA) Wednesday, Democratic senators and party operatives chastised Republicans for what they called "wasting time," a criticism to which one Texas senator has taken strong exception. During this week's U.S. Senate debate on the FMA, Democrats ins ...
15 Jul 2004
Black Spokesman Jesse Lee Peterson Renew's Call for NAACP Boycott
Conservative black spokesman Jesse Lee Peterson, founder of Brotherhood of a New Destiny (BOND), is using the occasion of the annual convention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) as an opportunity to renew his call for a boycott of that organization. "The NAAC ...
15 Jul 2004
Three Judge Panel Upholds Lower Court Decision - Ohio Judge Must Remove Ten Commandments
A three-judge federal panel has ruled that an Ohio judge cannot post the Ten Commandments in his courtroom. The Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel upheld a lower-court decision requiring Judge James DeWeese to stop displaying a Ten Commandments poster. DeWeese also had a poster of the Bill of ...
15 Jul 2004
Late Term Abortion Nurse Fed Up - Walks Away from Job
Operation Rescue West (ORW) reports that a Kansas late-term abortion nurse, fed up with the child-killing business, has walked away from her job in the employ of notorious abortionist George Tiller. Formerly Yolanda Yoho had a signific ...
15 Jul 2004
International Aids Conference Pits "ABC" against "CNN"
An international AIDS conference has pitted "ABC" against "CNN," but this dispute is not over television. The ABC approach to AIDS prevention involves emphasis on three areas: Abstinence, Being faithful, and finally, Condom use. On the other hand, the CNN approach emphasizes Condoms, Needles, an ...
15 Jul 2004
University of Utah Settles Free Speech and Religion Lawsuit
The University of Utah has settled a lawsuit brought by a Mormon drama student who refused to recite lines containing the "f-word" and the Lord's name as a curse. The settlement will let students opt out of activities that conflict with their religious beliefs, as long as a professor and universi ...
15 Jul 2004
Catholic Church in Mexico Draws Criticism from Colorado Congressman
A Colorado congressman is criticizing members of the Catholic Church in Mexico for deliberately aiding people who want to enter the United States illegally. Representative Tom Tancredo, chairman of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus, says Catholic churches all along the U.S. border are prov ...
16 Jul 2004
Black Conservative Activist Outraged at Goldberg's Comments
Black conservative activist and columnist Mychal Massie, who writes for WorldNetDaily.com, is expressing outrage, not only at comedian Whoopi Goldberg's recent anti-Bush diatribe at a Democratic Party fundraiser, but also at the Kerry-Edwards ticket for endorsing the obscene remarks. With a wine bo ...
16 Jul 2004
New York Church Responds Favorably to Cosby Comments
A New York church is responding to recent strongly-worded criticism of the black community by comedian and author Bill Cosby. According to an Associated Press report, the popular comic has recently ruffled feathers with his remarks, such as his assertion that the gains of the civil rights era are be ...
16 Jul 2004
Some Roman Catholic Dioceses Fighting Lawsuits May File Bankruptcy
Some Roman Catholic dioceses fighting lawsuits for clergy abuse may be ready to join the Portland, Oregon Archdiocese in filing for bankruptcy protection. The head of the Diocese of Tucson, Arizona, says it may be the "best way to respond to all victims." Bishop Gerald Kicanas has been meeting wit ...
16 Jul 2004
Catholic Charity's Fund Drive Separate from Bankrupt Archdiocese of Portland
Organizers of a Catholic charity's fund drive in Oregon want everyone to know that they're completely separate from the bankrupt Archdiocese of Portland. The St. Vincent de Paul capital campaign starts Saturday, but organizers say donors may be reluctant to give if they believe their donations cou ...
16 Jul 2004
Selma Alabama Congregation Suing City Council for Right to Demolish Building they Already Own
A congregation in Selma, Alabama, is suing the local city council for the right to demolish a building the church already owns. Members of First Baptist Church, located in downtown Selma's historic district, asked permission to tear down the century-old YMCA building that the church had purchased i ...
16 Jul 2004
Billy Graham Crusade Scheduled to Take Place this Fall At Pasadena's Rose Bowl
Preparations continue for a Billy Graham crusade scheduled to take place this fall at Pasadena's Rose Bowl. The event was originally scheduled for this month but postponed until mid-November after Graham broke his Pelvis in May. Another crusade in Kansas City, Kansas, was moved to early October. Lo ...
16 Jul 2004
Tom Ridge Warns US Intelligence Agencies Increasingly Concerned that Next Al Qaeda Target Could be Wall Street
Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge warned last week that U.S. intelligence agencies are growing increasingly concerned that Al Qaeda's next U.S. target could be the heart of America's economy, Wall Street. David Horowitz, publisher of FrontPagemag.com, says if Al Qaeda had been able to carry ou ...
19 Jul 2004
Capitol Hill Shaken by the Voices of Americans Supporting Traditional Marriage
The head of a Christian legal organization says Capitol Hill has been shaken by the voices of Americans who support traditional marriage and want it protected from judicial efforts to redefine it. Despite losing the vote that would have ended a Democratic filibuster of the Federal Marriage Amendment ...
19 Jul 2004
Homosexuals "Wed" to Celebrate FMA Defeat
In the shadow of Pike's Peak, 50 homosexual couples have exchanged wedding vows to celebrate the U.S. Senate's defeat of the Federal Marriage Amendment. The "weddings," performed by ministers of the Metropolitan Community Church, are legally invalid since Colorado does not recognize same-sex uni ...
19 Jul 2004
Ten Commandments Monument to go on "God Bless America" Tour
A veterans group, with the blessing of ousted Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, plans to move his Ten Commandments monument out of storage at the state judicial building this evening to take it on a national "God Bless America" tour. The granite monument has been out of public view for nearly a yea ...
19 Jul 2004
ACLU in Virginia Vows to Continue Fight to Protect Nudist Children
In Virginia, the American Civil Liberties Union is vowing to continue its fight against a new state law aimed at keeping children away from nudist camps unless there is parental supervision. Last week, a federal judge denied an attempt by a summer camp owner and the ACLU to have the measure struck d ...
19 Jul 2004
Bush Praised for Denying Funding to United National Population Fund
The largest public policy women's organization in America is applauding President George W. Bush for defending victims of China's force abortion policy. Last week, the president reaffirmed his strong stance against coercive abortion by denying $34 million in federal funds to the United National Po ...
19 Jul 2004
Missionary to Palestinians Says Israel Strategy to Prevent Bombings is Working
A missionary to the Palestinian people says the new strategy being employed by Israel to prevent homicide bombers is apparently working. While the Israeli government credits the security fence with stopping homicide bombers, a missionary to the Palestinian people -- who for safety reasons must remai ...
20 Jul 2004
Vandalism of Crosses Emblematic of how America Treating Christianity
A Kansas pro-life activist says the vandalism of crosses meant to memorialize aborted children is simply emblematic of how America is treating Christianity. Every day that Wichita, Kansas, abortionist George Tiller is open for business, volunteers from the Kansas Coalition for Life (KCFL) set up whi ...
20 Jul 2004
Gunmen Burst into Church in Indonesia and Open Fire
Police in Indonesia say unidentified gunmen burst into a Christian church and opened fire, killing the female minister and wounding four worshipers. The killing Sunday evening took place in Central Sulawesi province, where Muslim-Christian clashes have left at least 1,000 people dead since 2001. A s ...
20 Jul 2004
Freedom of Religion in China "A Complete Farce"
An Oklahoma-based ministry says freedom of religion in China is "a complete farce" -- and points to recent arrests of church leaders as proof of that accusation. The Voice of the Martyrs reports ...
20 Jul 2004
Bishop Says Roman Catholic Church must Improve Screening to Prevent Ordination of Homosexual Priests
Indiana Bishop John D'Arcy says the Roman Catholic church must improve its screening of seminarians to keep homosexual from being ordained as priests. D'arcy, who heads the Fort Wayne-South Bend Diocese, was in Boston Sunday to attend Mass in the parish where he grew up. He said the U.S. Conferenc ...
20 Jul 2004
Black Conservative Columnist Convinced NAACP Has Reached New Lows
After monitoring last week's annual meeting of the NAACP, a black conservative columnist says he is convinced the oldest "civil rights" organization in the country has reached new lows. Mychal Massie is on the National Advisory Council of the black conservative group ...
20 Jul 2004
Kerry Invited to Speak at Celebration of Concerned Women for America
Turnabout in politics is apparently fair play. When President Bush declined an invitation to speak at the NAACP's convention earlier this month, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry took advantage of the opportunity to taunt the president, telling the convention that "when you're the pres ...
20 Jul 2004
Movement Started to Charge Michael Moore with Breaking Canadian Election Law
A college student in Canada has started a movement to charge American movie producer Michael Moore with breaking Canadian election law. On June 23, just five days before Canada's election, Moore sounded off on his movie Fahrenheit 9/11 and told Canadians not to vote for Stephen Harper, the Conserva ...
21 Jul 2004
Coalition of Prayer Launches Effort Focusing on November Election
A nationwide coalition of prayer has launched an effort focusing on the upcoming elections in November. The Presidential Prayer Team, which now boasts three-million participants, says when Christians pray, they "open a window f ...
21 Jul 2004
Protestant Population in US Declining
A new survey suggests that the United States won't be a majority Protestant nation in years to come, due to a precipitous decline in affiliation with many Protestant churches. A study by the University of Chicago's ...
21 Jul 2004
Church Helps Keep Ten Commandments Monument in Duluth
A church has helped keep a disputed Ten Commandments monument in Duluth, Minnesota. The monument once stood outside Duluth's city hall, but was removed as part of a settlement of a federal lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union. The Celebration Church of Lakeville bid more than $15,000 ...
21 Jul 2004
Utah Settles Ten Commandments Dispute - Sells Monument AND the Land it Sits On
A Ten Commandments monument that sits in a park in Duchesne, Utah, no longer belongs to the city. Duchesne's city council has sold the monument and the land it sits on to three of Irvin Cole's daughters for $250. Cole's family donated the granite monument to the city in the late 1970s. The sale i ...
21 Jul 2004
Planned Parenthood "Sexualizing" the Nations Youth
A pro-life advocate says Planned Parenthood will stop at nothing to promote sex to children -- because in the end, it means they will able to sell more contraceptives and perform more abortions. Planned Parenthood recently conducted a "Nobody's Fool 2004" conference in Waco, Texas. The ...
21 Jul 2004
Black Pastor Says Bush Wise not to Address NAACP
A black pastor from Tennessee who took part in civil rights marches in the 1950s and 1960s says President George W. Bush was wise for not accepting an invitation to address the recent convention of the NAACP. Pastor Bill Owens is with the Metropolitan Institutional Church of God in Christ, base in M ...
21 Jul 2004
US Soldiers Upgraded to First Class Seats - Compliments of Other Passengers
A flight home turned into a show of gratitude for American soldiers. Nine U.S. soldiers were recently boarding an American Airlines flight from Atlanta to Chicago. The troops were heading home from Iraq for a two-week break. One businessman on the flight exchanged his first-class seat for a soldier ...
22 Jul 2004
Oceanside California City Council Takes a Stand for God
Either the members of the Oceanside, California, city council don't read the news -- or they don't care what the ACLU thinks. The city fathers of this Southern California coastal community decided earlier this month to make official what they first considered almost two years ago: adding the phras ...
22 Jul 2004
Specific Issues on Path to White House
With both major campaigns spending at record rates, one commentator says the winning path to the White House will boil down to a battle of specific issues. Free Congress Foundation president and conservative icon Paul Weyrich believes the ...
22 Jul 2004
IRS Complaint Filed Against Arkansas Pastor
Americans United for Separation of Church and State has filed an IRS complaint accusing an Arkansas minister of violating tax rules against endorsing candidates. The group says that during a July 4 sermon, pastor Ronnie Floyd of First Baptist Church of Springdale showed a picture of President Bush a ...
22 Jul 2004
Canadian Lesbians Married 5 Days... Now Want Divorce
They had been together for ten years, but it took only five days for one lesbian couple to decide "marriage" wasn't going to work for them. The two Toronto women were among the first homosexual couples to legally marry in Canada -- but now they want a divorce, which is proving to be a bit of a pr ...
22 Jul 2004
Petition Circulating to Protect Kids from Scenes in DVD Movies
A conservative online advocacy group is encouraging parents to sign a petition in support of a piece of legislation that would clarify the freedom families have to determine what they allow to be viewed while watching a DVD movie they have rented or purchased. Recent innovative technology permits pa ...
22 Jul 2004
Spiritually Rich Video Games
Not all video games have sex and violence. Some have a spiritual theme. One -- from a company called Two Guys Software -- is called "Eternal War: Shadows of Light." You play an angel named Mike whose job is to save the life of a troub ...
22 Jul 2004
"W" Ketchup.... An Alternative to Supporting John Kerry
A condiment company that has only been in operation for a few weeks has struck a note in the political realm. "W" Ketchup chairman Bill Zachary says their product is for the taste discriminating and the politically conscious. "The idea sta ...
23 Jul 2004
Federal Appeals Court Upholds Ban on Town Council Prayer
A federal appeals court has upheld a judge's ruling that the Great Falls, South Carolina, Town Council cannot open its meetings with a prayer that mentions Jesus Christ. A three-judge panel of the Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that such prayers amount to an unconstitutional ...
23 Jul 2004
ABC, NBC and Fox Now Allow Affiliates to Preempt Offensive Programming
ABC, NBC, and Fox have now joined CBS in allowing their affiliates to preempt programs they feel are offensive. The decisions may have been prompted by recent rumblings that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) was about to rule on the restrictive nature of the affiliates' contracts. But Mel ...
23 Jul 2004
Tony Blair Takes Stand for Traditional Family Values
The prime minister of Great Britain has taken a stand for traditional family values. In a recent speech, Tony Blair lashed out at the culture of what he called the "swinging sixties." Blair said that the young people of the decade who lacked parental discipline and had no sense of responsibility a ...
23 Jul 2004
Religious Denominations Unite to Defeat Gambling Initiative
Leaders from nearly all major religious denominations in Nebraska have formed a coalition to defeat two proposed gambling initiatives that could be on the November ballot. One would allow two casinos anywhere in the state. The other would legalize two casinos in Omaha and also would allow thousands ...
23 Jul 2004
Ommission of God Reference in WWII Memorial Raises Concern
The president of the Christian Defense Fund says a glaring omission in the new World War II Memorial needs to be addressed. Patrick Mahoney says the lack of any mention of God, faith, or prayer in the monument is very troubling. He says his group will try to raise private funds to place a General Do ...
23 Jul 2004
GOP Statesman Tired of Rampant Spending
One of the GOP's revered statesmen is taking a bold stand against the "team member" concept of party loyalty. Maryland Republican House member Roscoe Bartlett says he is tired of governmental spending projects he considers unconstitutional -- so he is taking a stand. "I'm becoming increasingly ...
26 Jul 2004
Hillary Clinton on Delegates Minds
Although her name is not on the ballot this time around, a survey shows Hillary Clinton is on the minds of a lot of delegates at this week's National Democratic Convention in Boston, Massachusetts. An Associated Press survey has found that Mrs. Clinton is the choice of more than a quarter of the de ...
26 Jul 2004
Republicans Getting Support of Evangelical Christians
Republicans appear to be getting higher levels of support among Evangelical Christians than they were four years ago. That is according to a poll conducted this month by the University of Pennsylvania's National Annenberg Election Survey. Among registered white Protestants who describe themselves a ...
26 Jul 2004
Focus on the Family Voter Registration Drive Launched
Focus on the Family has announced the launch of a wide-ranging voter registration drive, marked by the activation of iVoteValues.org, the centerpiece of the ministry's campaign to register more than a million Americans to vote in the November ...
26 Jul 2004
Homosexual Bishop Gene Robinson Attracting Some Parishoners
While the consecration of a homosexual bishop has prompted many Episcopalians to leave the church, it also has attracted some new members. A New Hampshire woman who quit the Catholic church because of its molestation scandals says she was impressed by the Episcopal Church's consecration of the open ...
26 Jul 2004
Pastors Doing Ride Along with Pasadena Cops
Lately when residents of Pasadena, California, see police cars drive by, they are not only seeing police officers. Pasadena pastors are riding on patrol with the police so the clergy can see what the law enforcers encounter on the street. The program was started after the fatal shooting of Maurice C ...
26 Jul 2004
New Report Very Upbeat on Overall Family Life
The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics has released a very upbeat report. It says overall family life, education, and the health of children is improving. One of the most positive aspects of young life in 2002 was that fewer teenage girls were giving birth. Dr. Reginald Finger, ...
26 Jul 2004
Israeli spokesman Praises Bush
An official spokesman for the government of Israel is praising President George W. Bush for supporting Israel's disengagement plan and that nation's refusal to allow Palestinian refugees the so-called "right of return." Dr. Alon Ben-Meir, a professor of international relations at New York Univer ...
27 Jul 2004
ELCA has Another Gay Clergy Member
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) frowns on homosexual clergy, but the parishioners at a Lutheran church in Minneapolis applauded when Jay Wiesner was ordained on Sunday. Wiesner will be installed at Bethany Lutheran Church next month. His ordination was the third of an openly homose ...
27 Jul 2004
Ohio Pro Family Group Out to Protect Marriage
An Ohio pro-family group says it is crucial for the state constitution to be amended to prevent courts from promoting same-sex "marriage." In the fight against homosexual marriage, the goal of the group Citizens for Community Values is simple: t ...
27 Jul 2004
Devout Christian Runs for Minnesota Supreme Court
Tim Tingelstad has made his faith the cornerstone of his campaign for the Minnesota Supreme Court. Tingelstad is a devout Christian who is against abortion, quotes the Bible in his campaign literature, and favors using state funds for religious schools. He says that while his candidacy "is an act o ...
27 Jul 2004
Washington's Violent Videogam Law Struck Down By Federal Judge
A federal judge has struck down Washington State's bid to keep violent video games out of the hands of impressionable young people. Washington's Violent Videogame Law was designed to restrict the selling or renting to minors of games that depict the killing or injury of law enforcement officers. H ...
27 Jul 2004
NEA to Mobilize Anti-Bush Pro-Kerry Campaign in September
The president of the United States' largest teachers union says the group will be a major factor in this year's presidential election. Reg Weaver is head of the National Education Association (NEA). After the union gave its support to Democratic candidate John Kerry, Weaver told union members that ...
27 Jul 2004
Both Parties out for the Ex-Pat Vote
Both of the major political parties in the U.S. are working hard to recruit votes from American citizens living abroad. The results of the 2000 election are still very fresh in the public mind. After much squabbling, recounting, and even a battle in the courts, Republican George W. Bush was determin ...
27 Jul 2004
Churches Pushing to Register Voters
Across the nation, churches are trying to get their members registered to vote. Some of the efforts are extremely organized, including one in Washington State. The goal is 60,000 new Christian voters by election day. At the head of the push is Pastor Joseph Fuiten of Cedar Park Assembly of God, one ...
27 Jul 2004
Senate "Security Czar" Suggestion Still Garnering Criticism
A suggestion from the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence that a "security czar" oversee all intelligence agencies and their reports continues to garner criticism. Former White House FBI special agent Gary Aldrich says he does not see the need of adding "another layer of bureaucracy" to ...
28 Jul 2004
Suspicion Surrounds Berger Document Removal
A former U.S. House of Representatives investigator maintains he is suspicious about the circumstances surrounding the removal of sensitive documents from the National Archives by former National Security Advisor Sandy Berger. As the former chief investigator for the House Committee on Government Re ...
28 Jul 2004
Attorney General Unseals 42 Count Indictment of Texas Based Muslim Charity
Attorney General John Ashcroft has unsealed a 42-count indictment charging a Texas-based Muslim charity with funding terrorists. The Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development is accused of giving more than $12 million to people and groups tied to Hamas from 1995 to 2001. Charges include conspi ...
28 Jul 2004
Voters to Decide Fate of Cross on Mount Soledad
In San Diego, a July 27 vote of the City Council ensured that local citizens will get an opportunity to weigh in on the fate of a 43-foot concrete cross atop Mount Soledad. In a 5-3 vote, the council decided to ...
28 Jul 2004
Ohio Homosexuals Have Different View of "Family"
An Ohio-based pro-family advocate says for pro-homosexual groups, the definition of "family" is whatever they want it to be -- provided it is not limited to one man and one woman. A petition is being circulated in Ohio to have an amendment to the state constitution placed on the November ballot th ...
28 Jul 2004
Eagle Forum Head Says US Needs to Heed Bush's Warnings about Activist Judges
The head of Eagle Forum says the United States needs to heed the warnings of President George W. Bush about activist judges. In her new book The Supremacists: the Tyranny of Judges and How to Stop It, Phyllis Schlafly says the citizens of A ...
28 Jul 2004
American Missionary Held Hostage by Muslim Rebels Returns to Philippines
An American missionary who was held hostage by Muslim rebels for more than a year has returned to the Philippines under tight security to testify against her abductors. Gracia Burnham, whose husband Martin was killed during a bloody military rescue mission in June 2002, has been invited to testify o ...
28 Jul 2004
Canada Marijuana Use Rate Among 15 and Older Doubles in Last 13 years
Statistics Canada reports the proportion of Canadians 15 or older who say they have used marijuana, the drug derived from the cannabis plant, has nearly doubled in the last 13 years. A spokesman for the government agency says the jump could reflect a more accepting attitude towards the drug, and the ...
29 Jul 2004
Planned Parenthood Sinks to New Low with Pro-Abortion T-Shirts
A pro-life advocate says Planned Parenthood has sunk to new lows with the release of a T-shirt that brazenly promotes abortion. Viewers of the Democratic National Convention coverage this week got a sneak peek at the latest offering from Planned Parenthood: T-shirts with the words "I had an abortio ...
29 Jul 2004
CBHD Comments on Ron Reagan Jr.'s Stance on Embryonic Stem-Cell Research
Dr. John Kilner, president of the Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity (CBHD), is criticizing Ron Reagan, Jr.'s stance on embryonic stem-cell research (ESCR)
29 Jul 2004
Kerry Arrives in Boston Aboard a Water Taxi... Show-Boating?
One of the founders of a group of Vietnam veterans dedicated to the defeat of John Kerry thinks the Democratic presidential candidate was show-boating when he entered Boston aboard a water taxi yesterday. Kerry was accompanied by a number of men who served with him in Vietnam as he entered the Charl ...
29 Jul 2004
US Trial Lawyers Celebrate Selection of John Edwards as VP Candidate
The official selection of John Edwards as the vice presidential candidate for the Democratic Party is being celebrated by trial lawyers all across the United States. Cliff Kincaid of the think tank America's Survival believes trial lawyer ...
29 Jul 2004
Human Rights Campaign President Sides with Kerry and Edwards for Legalization of Same-Sex Marriages
On Wednesday, Human Rights Campaign President Cheryl Jacques addressed the Democratic National Convention, calling for equal rights for homosexual, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Americans and for the nationwide legalization of same-sex marriage. Jacques mentioned her lesbian partner and their t ...
29 Jul 2004
Bishop Says Christians Should Be 'Tolerant and Respectful' of Homosexuals
One of America's most prominent black ministers says legalization of homosexual marriage "has to stop short of the doorsteps of the Church." Bishop T.D. Jakes of The Potter's House church in Dallas says Christians should be "tolerant and respectful," but freedom of religion means that toleranc ...
29 Jul 2004
Separation of Church and State v. First Amendment
Barry Lynn's organization, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, is taking aim at ministers and priests who voice any political opinions or views from the pulpit. North Carolina Representative Walter Jones says Lynn is out to stifle free speech in churches throughout the land. " ...
29 Jul 2004
Prayers Ending in Jesus' Name Voted Unconstitutional
To avoid a lawsuit, a city councilman in Fredericksburg, Virginia, did not give the opening prayer at Tuesday night's council meeting as planned. Councilman Hashmel Turner, who is also an associate minister at a Baptist church, yielded to council members' requests to let someone else give the invo ...
30 Jul 2004
Sandy Berger Hiding Something?
A former Clinton Administration military attaché says he is not surprised that Sandy Berger, Clinton's one-time national security advisor, would take sensitive documents from the National Archives. But retired Air Force officer Buzz Patterson feels Berger would not have acted so "blatantly stupid ...
30 Jul 2004
Prayer and Ten Commandments Removed from Missouri School, Woman Receives Settlement
A woman has accepted a settlement in her federal lawsuit challenging the display of a plaque featuring the Ten Commandments in a Missouri school cafeteria. The Humansville School District has agreed to pay Carrie Roat $45,000, refrain from displaying religious symbols and prevent school officials fr ...
30 Jul 2004
Kerry/Edwards Radical Pro-Abortion Position Not Matching Half of the Democratic Party
National Right to Life (NRL) is calling attention to the pro-abortion platform adopted by the Democratic National Convention (DNC), which in effect excludes the 47 % of the nation's Democrats who are pro-life. In a recent statement, NRL noted that the DNC endorsed a platform that continues to call ...
30 Jul 2004
University Changes Policy, Student Run Christian Newspaper Funded
The University of Oklahoma has changed its policy on how student organizations are funded after two students claimed the school discriminated against them by refusing to fund their religious newspaper. Ricky Thomas and James Wickett filed a federal lawsuit in February claiming the university violate ...
30 Jul 2004
Fourth Annual 'The Truth For Youth' Week Kicks Off
Starting Monday, August 2, American Family Radio (AFR) and Revival Fires International will begin hosting the fourth annual "The Truth For Youth" week, a promotion with special programming that will air on 204 affiliate stations across the United States. In a unique evangelism outreach, the sponso ...
30 Jul 2004
New Children's Video Series Based on Paws & Tales Radio Drama
Insight for Living, the Bible-teaching radio ministry of Chuck Swindoll, has announced plans for a new series of animated children's videos based on the Paws & Tales radio drama, which airs on 450 radio outlets worldwide. The videos will feature the same cast of loveable characters from the weekly ...
30 Jul 2004
Five Christian Missionaries Released
Five Christian missionaries abducted recently in India have been released. The missionaries, who were working through the ministry Gospel for Asia (GFA), were kidnapped last weekend by Hindu extremists. The five were church planters in the state of Karnataka. K.P. Yohannon of GFA says although there ...