Christian News Brief Monthly Archive - Aug 2004
2 Aug 2004
Iraqi Christians Targeted
Dozens of Iraqi Christians are either dead or wounded after assailants triggered coordinated explosions outside five churches in Baghdad and Mosul during Sunday services. The first major assault on Iraq's Christians seemed to confirm their fear of being targeted as suspected collaborators with Amer ...
2 Aug 2004
Conservative Democratic Senator Warns His Party to Return to Pro-Family Values
A conservative Democratic senator has issued a stern warning to his party's leadership. Georgia Senator Zell Miller has called on his party to get more in step with the nation by returning to the pro-family values it used to espouse. "They're either going to have to come back or they're going to ...
2 Aug 2004
9/11 Commission Warned Serious Consequences
In its report to Congress, the 9/11 Commission warned of serious consequences if reforms were not made within the intelligence community. At the same time, it praised the FBI for leading the way in those reform efforts. Former FBI White House special agent Gary Aldrich, who has been watching the cha ...
2 Aug 2004
Is Sandy Berger Off the Hook?
Former National Security Advisor Sandy Berger has been under investigation for months because he took classified documents from the National Archives days before e was scheduled to testify before the 9/11 Commission. It appears he will not be paying a price for his actions. Florida senatorial candid ...
2 Aug 2004
UN to Play Ceremonial Role in Iraq
A former Defense Department official doesn't think the United Nations will ultimately play more than a ceremonial role in the rebuilding of Iraq. The three-day meeting of the Iraqi National Conference is wrapping up as delegates select members of a 100-seat assembly that will help govern the countr ...
2 Aug 2004
San Diego Citizens Decide Fate of Veteran Memorial
Citizens of San Diego will be able to decide the fate of a hilltop cross in a city park. Last week, San Diego City Council members voted to give residents a chance to determine the future of the Mount Soledad cross
2 Aug 2004
Ten Commandment Monument on Tour in Tennessee
The Ten Commandments monument banished from Alabama's state courthouse is being displayed this week at public rallies across Tennessee. The first rally was held over the weekend in Dayton, where about 75 people turned out to see the granite monument displayed on a flatbed truck. Many stepped up a l ...
3 Aug 2004
Bush to Appeal to Roman Catholics
On Tuesday afternoon, President Bush will appeal to a key segment of voters who could help him win crucial swing states -- Roman Catholics. Bush is scheduled to address the annual convention of the Knights of Columbus -- the world's largest lay Catholic organization with 1.7 million members. About ...
3 Aug 2004
Kerry Breaks 30 Year Record and Loses Point in Poll After DNC
A new poll shows John Kerry has failed to get the much anticipated "bounce" coming out of the Democratic National Convention. Kerry and his team had been hoping his numbers would jump at least a couple of percentage points in the wake of all the media coverage of the convention in Boston. But a CN ...
3 Aug 2004
Democratic Party Not Fully Representing American Society
The results of several polls are causing people to question claims that the Democratic Party represents the mainstream of American society. The New York Times, Washington Post, and Boston Globe recently conducted polls on the role of values. They found that overall, 50 to 75 percent of people in gen ...
3 Aug 2004
Bush's Endorsement of Security Czar Causes Skepticism
There's some skepticism over President Bush's endorsement of a security czar to oversee the nation's intelligence community. Former FBI special agent Gary Aldrich is not so sure he likes the idea of another level of bureaucracy introduced into the war on terror. He prefers the idea of the preside ...
3 Aug 2004
APA Members In Need of Head Examinations
A pro-family advocate says the American Psychological Association is nothing more than a professional lobbing groups for the radical homosexual lobby. Last week, the American Psychological Association announced it ...
3 Aug 2004
Alabama Chief Justice Appeals His Case
Roy Moore is appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court to reclaim his job as Alabama's chief justice. Moore says he was ousted for expressing his belief in God when he refused a federal court order to remove his Ten Commandments monument from the state courthouse rotunda. In a legal brief, Moore's attor ...
4 Aug 2004
Search Continues for American Missionary
The Honduran Army has found the wreckage of a small plane in the mountains of western Honduras but are still searching for the American missionary pilot. Michael Hines took off Saturday from El Salvador bound for the Honduran coast, where he was to pick up a group of people. He never arrived, and hi ...
4 Aug 2004
DNC Closes With Muslim Prayer
A conservative activist and former presidential candidate hopes the Republican Party will show more discernment than the Democrats by not inviting Muslims with ties to terrorists to take part in their convention. Gary Bauer, chairman of ...
4 Aug 2004
Vietnam Veteran Speaks Against Kerry
A Vietnam veteran is speaking out against John Kerry's statements about being a patriot and supporting the military. Throughout his campaign, the Democratic National Convention, and now on his cross-country tour of America, Kerry has spoken of his patriotism and his pro-defense record. However, Was ...
4 Aug 2004
Laura Bush v. Teresa Heinz-Kerry
A California radio talk-show host says America is taking note of the differences between First Lady Laura Bush and the woman who wants to take her place: Teresa Heinz-Kerry, wife of John Kerry. Responding recently to the chant of "four more years" by Bush supporters, Mrs. Kerry said: "Four more y ...
4 Aug 2004
Bush Moves to Adopt Proposals from 9/11 Commission
President Bush's move to adopt proposals from the 9/11 Commission is being welcomed by at least some on Capitol Hill. Texas Senator John Cornyn has added his voice to those who support the president's recent announcement to institute some of the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. "I'm pleas ...
4 Aug 2004
Website for Hispanics Seeking Border Security
A Colorado lawmaker says there are a large number of Hispanics in America who believe the government is not going enough to secure the nation's borders. The Republican congressman is praising a new website for Hispanics who are concerned about immigration law enforcement. The mission statement for ...
4 Aug 2004
Number of Children Being Home-Schooled are Rising
The Department of Education says almost 1.1 million students were home schooled last year -- up 29 percent since 1999. In surveys, parents offer two main reasons for home schooling: 31 percent cite concerns about the environment of regular schools, and 30 percent want the flexibility to teach religi ...
5 Aug 2004
Body of Missionary Mike Hines Found near Plane Wreckage
The daughter of American missionary Mike Hines says his body has been found near the wreckage of his small plane, which crashed in the mountains of Honduras during the weekend. Mary Ann Nunez says her 66-year-old father was an Assemblies of God missionary who ministered in Latin America for more tha ...
5 Aug 2004
DNC Religious Outreach Advisor Supported Michael Newdow "Under God" Case
The Democratic National Committee's new religious outreach advisor supported atheist Michael Newdow's effort to stop schoolchildren from reciting the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. Rev. Brenda Bartella Peterson, an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), ...
5 Aug 2004
Two Mosque Leaders in FBI Custody
Two leaders of a mosque in Albany, New York, are in FBI custody today in the wake of an extensive sting operation. Associated Press reports the two Muslim men were arrested on charges stemming from an alleged plot to help a man they thought was a terrorist purchase a shoulder-fired missile. Authorit ...
5 Aug 2004
Christian Medical Association Denounces APA Endorsement of Homosexual Marriage
A spokesman for the Christian Medical Association is denouncing the American Psychological Association's endorsement of homosexual "marriage." APA president Diane Halpern said recently that the organization will adopt a policy supporting h ...
5 Aug 2004
Supreme Court Moving Away from Constitutionally Based Decisions
The head of a Christian legal group says the U.S. Supreme Court is moving further away from making Constitution-based decisions and is relying instead on changing philosophies. Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel says the justices on the high court are b ...
5 Aug 2004
Vietnam Vet has Harsh Words for Kerry
A Vietnam veteran and former Green Beret says the veterans who support Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry have changed their stories about the Massachusetts senator's exploits as a "Swift Boat" captain in Vietnam. Ted Sampley, one of the founders of
5 Aug 2004
Conservatives Take out Ads in Boston - Call on Kerry and Edwards to Resign Senate Seats
A conservative website and political action committee has taken out ads in Boston-area newspapers, calling on John Kerry and John Edwards to resign their Senate seats because they haven't been in Washington enough to do their jobs. William Green, founder and president of RightMarch.com, says Senato ...
5 Aug 2004
Video Bible Being Marketed by Pennsylvania Ministry
A Bible targeting the video and Internet generation is being marketed by a Pennsylvania ministry. Back in 1991, James Fitzgerald says he was looking for a way to make the Bible more appealing to people. Fitzgerald came up with the idea of producing the Bible in a video format. He has now released th ...
6 Aug 2004
Illinois to Have Memorable Fall Election
Voters in Illinois may be in for a memorable fall election season that includes debates between two gifted orators. Two major Chicago newspapers are reporting that former presidential hopeful Alan Keyes has indicated to Illinois GOP officials he will accept their invitation to run for the U.S. Senat ...
6 Aug 2004
Reverend Supported Removal of 'Under God'
A Roman Catholic advocacy group says it's glad if it helped get the Democrats' new religious outreach advisor to quit. The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights revealed that Rev. Brenda Bartella Peterson supported atheist Mi ...
6 Aug 2004
Floridians Cautioned About Electronic Voting
A Florida senatorial candidate is urging the state to take precautions in the upcoming elections to ensure computer glitches don't impair the outcome. Conservative Christian candidate Larry Klayman does not trust computerized voting. He says a recent incident in Dade County has heightened his conce ...
6 Aug 2004
Gospel Singer Blackmailed
A man who blackmailed a gospel singer by threatening to reveal the performer was homosexual has been sentenced to almost two years in prison and ordered to pay restitution. Walbert Farmer of Johnson City, Tennessee, claimed that "moral outrage" led him to extort about $15,000 from Dove Award-winni ...
6 Aug 2004
Parental Notification Amendment May Not Appear on Florida Ballot
Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union have joined forces to prevent Florida parents from knowing if their children are about to have an abortion. Jim Sedlak of STOPP International, an organization opposed to Planned Parent ...
6 Aug 2004
Sermon on Stealing Surprises Police
A Minnesota pastor got more than he bargained for after a sermon on stealing. Pastor Derek Rust of Hosanna Lutheran Church in Lakeville was preaching a series on the Ten Commandments. As part of his sermon on the 8th commandment, Rust put up special amnesty bins to encourage sticky-fingered parishio ...
6 Aug 2004
Single Christians Fitting In to The Family Church
A columnist for ChristianSinglesToday.com says sometimes the Church forgets to address the needs of this growing demographic of single people. Camerin Courtney, herself a Christian single woman, says she wants to cast a positive light on this period of life. But it is unfortunate, she adds, that chu ...
6 Aug 2004
California Becoming Gambling Mecca
One segment of the population is often overlooked in the gambling boom. A recent report in the Los Angeles Times indicates that California is quickly becoming a gambling mecca. But one result of the betting room -- pathological addiction -- is receiving little, if any, attention from public official ...
9 Aug 2004
Keyes to Run for Senator in Illinios
Former presidential candidate Alan Keyes has announced that he will run as the Illinois Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate. Keyes, a former Maryland radio and television commentator, told a cheering crowd in suburban Chicago, "The battle is for us, but I have confidence -- because the victory ...
9 Aug 2004
Kerry May Threaten Security of American Family
A recent report by Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee (CWALAC) warns that presidential candidate John Kerry may threaten the security of the American family, despite his attempts to appeal to religious voters ...
9 Aug 2004
SC Officials Continue Prayers
Some local officials in South Carolina are continuing their traditional prayers at meetings, despite a federal appeals court ruling that specifically Christian prayers violate separation of church and state. Charleston County Councilman Tim Scott says they still have "Christ-specific prayers." Ber ...
9 Aug 2004
Which Party Protects the Unborn?
A pro-life Democrat says both major parties fall short when it comes to protecting the life of the unborn. Former Boston Mayor Ray Flynn is one of many pro-life Democrats, despite his party's official pro-choice platform, which supports abortion and opposes all pro-life judicial nominees. Although ...
9 Aug 2004
Government Intervenes with Morning After Pill
An Alabama pro-family advocate is applauding the U.S. federal government's intervention on behalf of state health department nurses who object to being forced to distribute an abortion drug that is marketed as a contraceptive. The Bush Administration has informed the Alabama Department of Health th ...
9 Aug 2004
Church Health Survey Translated into Spanish
Spanish-speaking churches across the U.S. have a new tool for assessment of church health and growth. The Church Health Survey, a 160-question diagnostic instrument based on the six functions of a church as defined in Acts 2:42-47 (worship, fellowship, discipleship, evangelism, ministry, and prayer) ...
9 Aug 2004
Westerners Immigrating to Israel
Israeli officials say they hope a recent trend in Westerners immigrating to Israel will continue. More than 200 North America Jews have recently moved to Israel. In the past month Israel has twice seen single-day mass immigrations to the Jewish State from the West. David Miller, an immigrant from Co ...
10 Aug 2004
Washington Judge Unfit?
A pro-family leader says Washington Judge William Downing should be removed from office as unfit. Downing ruled last week that homosexuals should have the right to marry in the State of Washington, which has a Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) on the books. Far from being surprised by the judge's acti ...
10 Aug 2004
Abercrombie & Fitch Using Sex to Sell
A Michigan pro-family advocate says another major clothing retailer is using sex to sell its products, and concerned Christians need to let the company know that they do not like it. Bill Johnson, president of the American Decency Associat ...
10 Aug 2004
American Olympian to Represent God
America's top-ranked female archer is a home-schooled Christian who hopes to shoot straight for God and country at the upcoming Olympic games in Athens. Jennifer Nichols of Cheyenne, Wyoming, told Religion and Ethics Newsweekly, "I want to represent my country well, but the foremost thing in my mi ...
10 Aug 2004
CEO of Sky Angel Satellite TV Service Passes Away
Robert W. Johnson, founder, chairman and CEO of the Sky Angel satellite TV service, has passed away at age 66, succumbing to heart failure Thursday evening, August 5. A media technology innovator and visionary, Johnson devoted nearly 25 years ...
10 Aug 2004
SwiftVets.com Webmaster Speaks Out
The webmaster for a group of Vietnam veterans responsible for a controversial anti-Kerry ad says those Swift boat vets have valid questions about John Kerry's military record. Scott Swett manages an Internet site called SwiftVets.com, where the ad can be found. He says the former soldiers in the ad ...
10 Aug 2004
Kerry Says Embryonic Stem-Cell Research is Ethical
Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry says he believes "it is entirely within ethical bounds to do embryonic stem-cell research." But a spokesman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Richard Doerflinger, says such research kills embryonic human life -- unlike the use of adult stem c ...
10 Aug 2004
Kerry Offends Former Green Beret
A Vietnam veteran and former Green Beret says he is deeply offended by John Kerry's accusations that massive war crimes were committed in Vietnam by American soldiers. Ted Sampley, one of the founders of Vietnam Veterans Against John Kerry, says the Democratic nominee and his supporters have been l ...
10 Aug 2004
New Booklet Released on Problems with Sex Ed Programs
The National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families has just released a new booklet that sheds light on problems with modern sex education programs. Written by S. Michael Craven, the coalition's vice president for Rel ...
11 Aug 2004
Bible to be Removed from Monument in Texas
A federal judge in Houston, Texas, has given Harris County ten days to remove a Bible from a monument outside its civil courts building. Judge Sim Lake ruled that the display is unconstitutional and ordered the county to pay $41,000 in court costs and attorney's fees. Lake said Harris County should ...
11 Aug 2004
Media Coverage for RNC Expected to Differ From DNC Coverage
A media watchdog organization says viewers certainly will not see the same kind of "puffed" coverage at the upcoming Republican National Convention as they saw at the Democratic convention two weeks ago. Tim Graham, director of media analysis at the
11 Aug 2004
McCain Attacks Swift Boat Veterans
John McCain is under fire for attacking a group that has been criticizing John Kerry's claim of being a war hero. Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, which includes men who served in Kerry's Vietnam unit and their commanding officers, have challenged the Democratic presidential nominee's claims to war ...
11 Aug 2004
Republicans Happy to See Keyes Run for Illinios Senate
Republicans are praising the decision of former ambassador and one-time presidential candidate Alan Keyes to run for the Senate in Illinois. Ruby Carter of the Word Alive Full Gospel Baptist Fellowship is thrilled by the thought of Keyes in the U.S. Senate, she says, "because he stands for morals, ...
11 Aug 2004
Deputy Defense Secretary Warns of Some Muslim Clerics
Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz says some Muslim clerics are offering terrorists "ideological sanctuary." Wolfowitz told the House Armed Services Committee that "extremist clerics provide cover by sanctioning terrorism or by recruiting new adherents or by intimidating moderate clerics." ...
11 Aug 2004
Bush's Guest Worker Program Generating Controversy
President George W. Bush's so-called Guest Worker Program for illegal immigrants is generating controversy, even among key Republicans. The new program has caused angst among many GOP conservatives who have voiced their opposition to it. One of these is Senator Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, who says pass ...
11 Aug 2004
eMediaLINK Sponsoring 2005 Short Film Awards
LifeWay Christian Resources' streaming media service, eMediaLINK, is sponsoring the 2005 Short Film Awards, a digital filmmaking competition, for which entries are now being accepted. Participants may be experienced or even first-time filmmakers, and are invited to submit their original short films ...
12 Aug 2004
Bush's Choice for CIA Director Brings Mixed Reactions
Reaction to President Bush's choice of U.S. Congressman Porter Goss of Florida to head the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has been mixed among supporters of the Bush administration and others. Former White House special agent Gary Aldrich is glad to see a new CIA director chosen, but he is somew ...
12 Aug 2004
Michael W. Smith to Perform at RNC
Christian musician Michael W. Smith has been announced as one of the performers at the Republican National Convention that starts August 30 in New York. Smith is a personal friend of President Bush and sang "Above All" at the prayer service in Washington National Cathedral after Bush's inaugurati ...
12 Aug 2004
Pro-Life Youth Group Challenges Political Movement
A youth-oriented pro-life group is challenging a political movement that involves popular music artists who claim to be advocating for positive change in America. MoveOn.org recently announced the launch of "Vote for Change," a new music industry-based political effort that includes acts such as P ...
12 Aug 2004
Kerry At Odds With His Church
Once again, Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry is at odds with his church -- this time over the issue of destroying human embryos for research. Kerry contends that "it is entirely within ethical bounds to do embryonic stem-cell research," or ESCR. But Richard Doerflinger of the U.S. Confer ...
12 Aug 2004
Bishop Speaks About The Faith-Based Initiative
A prominent urban minister says tax-funded religious charities should serve everyone, while retaining their right to hire only fellow believers. Bishop T.D. Jakes of The Potter's House church in Dallas says his church has provided input but has not taken funds from President Bush's faith-based ini ...
12 Aug 2004
Kerry's Economic Advisor Blames Bush's Tax Cuts for Deficit
A former Clinton cabinet member, now an economic advisor to John Kerry, is blaming Bush's tax cuts for the growing deficit. Robert Rubin says the tax breaks enjoyed by millions of Americans in recent years are destroying the U.S. economy. According to him, the ten-year projections of deficits by so ...
12 Aug 2004
American Evangelist in Jerusalem Speaks Out
An evangelist based in Jerusalem says it is time for Christian individuals and congregations to speak up for the people who gave them the Holy Bible. Clarence Wagner is an American Evangelical Christian who moved to Israel and helped to found the ministry known as Bridges for Peace. Wagner says born ...
13 Aug 2004
Bush Poll Numbers Climbing
The latest Gallup poll has some good news for President George W. Bush. Polling numbers indicate that he has climbed back over the 50 percent mark in his approval rating -- that is, that about half of the American public feels he is doing a good job. As USA Today notes, no president who was at or ab ...
13 Aug 2004
Planned Parenthood Selling Sexually Explicit Goods
A group dedicated to shutting down Planned Parenthood says the abortion provider will stop at nothing to promote sexual activity to children. Jim Sedlak, executive director of the American Life League's STOPP International, believes Planned Parenthood has a singularly nefarious goal: to introduce c ...
13 Aug 2004
Education is Greatest Weapon Against Abortion
A spokesman for the National Right to Life organization says the greatest weapon against abortion is education. NRL's Director of Education, Randy O'Bannon, believes teaching people the truth about abortion and its aftermath will be a key element in changing the hearts of America on the issue. "F ...
13 Aug 2004
Australia Same Sex Marriage Ban Now Official
Australia's ban against same-sex marriage is now official. Lawmakers there have voted 39 to 7 in favor of a marriage amendment bill that reads, "Marriage means the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life." Cybercast News reports that government ...
13 Aug 2004
Benji Makes Screen Return Next Week
A canine hero that won the hearts of a previous generation is returning to theater screens across the U.S. next weekend. Next Friday (August 20) Benji Off the Leash! will be premiering nationwide. The movie follow ...
13 Aug 2004
Tennessee Pastor Helps at SBC Convention
A pastor from East Tennessee spends one week each year helping media from around the world report on the largest evangelical denomination in the United States. Tom Mooty is pastor of First Baptist Church in Wartburg. However, each June he takes a break from the pulpit to run the audio and video feed ...
13 Aug 2004
North American Jews Fulfill Dream of Moving to Israel
Thousands of North American Jews are fulfilling their lifelong aspiration of emigrating to Israel, thanks to the assistance of a Jerusalem-based organization. More than 1,500 Jewish immigrants from the U.S. and Canada are expected to settle in Israel this summer through the efforts of Nefesh B'Nefe ...
13 Aug 2004
Churches Unite Against Legalized Gambling in Nebraska
More churches are uniting to fight the expansion of legalized gambling in Nebraska. Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists, Mormons and members of the Church of Christ held a rally in Lincoln yesterday. Leaders from nearly all of Nebraska's major denominations gathered in Omaha last month to form a church ...
13 Aug 2004
Feminist "Mean Girl Mentality" Infecting Military
A military watchdog believes the radical feminist agenda has resulted in what she calls a "mean girl mentality" in American society, and for that reason, it should come as no surprise that a female soldier is enmeshed in the Abu Ghraib prison controversy. A military tribunal at Fort Bragg, North C ...
16 Aug 2004
Church Continues Despite Charley's Damage
Hurricane Charley has ruined both houses and houses of worship in Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte, Florida -- but Christians there still gathered for Sunday worship. At Christ the King Lutheran Church, which was damaged, Rev. LeeRoy Martin put out a hand-painted sign advertising outdoor services and ...
16 Aug 2004
Councilwoman Gwen Miller Ends Christian Prayer at City Council Meetings
Just north of Punta Gorda, pastors have been told they can no longer pray in the name of Jesus when asked to open city council meetings with prayer. The St. Petersburg Times says for years, pastors in the Tampa, Florida, area have given invocations at council meetings that praised Jesus Christ and r ...
16 Aug 2004
Barack Obama's "Faith is One that Admits Some Doubt"
The Democratic candidate for U.S. Senator from Illinois is contrasting his religious faith with that of his Republican opponent. On ABC's This Week, Barack Obama said he is a Christian who attends church regularly, but his "faith is one that admits some doubt." Obama said Alan Keyes, on the other ...
16 Aug 2004
Congressman Alexander's Decision to Switch Political Parties Influenced by Faith
A Louisiana congressman who recently switched from the Democratic to the Republican Party says his faith played a major role in the decision. Rodney Alexander says he simply could no longer handle the liberal direction of the Democratic Party. "I know there are some Democrats out there who are Chri ...
16 Aug 2004
Young Americans National Foundation Conference Wraps Up
Politically conservative college students have wrapped up a conference in Washington. The Young America's Foundation national conference welcomed hundreds of conservative college students to the nation's capital for several days of intense study ...
16 Aug 2004
Homosexual Recovery Group Starts Major Ad Campaign
A Christian group that helps people break free of homosexuality has started an advertising campaign in major cities across the country. One man featured in the ads says doing that was the furthest thing from his mind. Randy Thomas says he broke away from the homosexual lifestyle in May 1992 when he ...
17 Aug 2004
Cave Discovery May Have Been Used by John the Baptist
Archaeologists say they've found a cave near Jerusalem where John the Baptist may have baptized his disciples. Inside the cave, a huge cistern with 28 steps leads to an underground pool. During a tour of the cave, archaeologists discovered ancient wall carvings they say tell the story of the fiery ...
17 Aug 2004
Florida Court Strikes Down Law Letting Students from Failing Public Schools Attend Private Religious Schools at Taxpayer Expense
A Florida appeals court has struck down a law that lets students from failing public schools attend private religious schools at taxpayers' expense. In 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court swept aside a major hurdle to voucher programs, ruling that such use of tax dollars does not violate separation of Chu ...
17 Aug 2004
Ohio Group Suing City of Cincinnati
An Ohio-based pro-family group is suing the city of Cincinnati and the Hamilton County Board of Elections for deceiving the voters about a city code that prohibits the granting of special protected status to homosexuals. Phill Burress, president of Ci ...
17 Aug 2004
Annual Best Party Schools List Released
As parents get set once again to spend thousands of dollars for their children's college education, the annual list of "Best Party Schools" has been released. It is a list pu ...
17 Aug 2004
Expert Warns US Against Letting Guard Down Despite Recent Successes Against Terrorists
An intelligence expert says the recent successes in rounding up terrorists shouldn't deceive the United States into letting its guard down. All over the world, anti-terrorism efforts have bagged dozens of terrorists lately, and some of them have been highly ranked in the al-Qaeda network. Many lawm ...
17 Aug 2004
Vietnam Vet Deeply Offended by John Kerry "War Crimes" Accusations
A Vietnam veteran and former Green Beret says he is deeply offended by John Kerry's accusations of massive war crimes in Vietnam by American soldiers -- as well as by his total defense of Vietnamese atrocities. Ted Sampley, one of the founders of Vietnam Veterans Against John Kerry, says the Democr ...
18 Aug 2004
Judge Turns Away Challenge to Massachusetts 1913 Law on Marrying Out of State Couples
A judge in Massachusetts has turned away a legal challenge by eight homosexual couples who didn't want the state to enforce a 1913 law that banned same-sex "marriages" for out-of-state couples. Govenor Mitt Romney of Massachusetts -- the first state in the U.S. to recognize such unions -- had cit ...
18 Aug 2004
Jerry Falwell to Open Law School
Rev. Jerry Falwell will open a law school next week in hopes of training a generation of attorneys who will work to outlaw abortion, same-sex "marriage" and other issues that he believes the legal establishment has forced on the public. Falwell says, "We want to infiltrate the culture with men an ...
18 Aug 2004
Evangelist Says ACLU Responsible for Public Awareness of God's Law
A California evangelist says one of the most liberal organizations in the country is responsible for increasing the public's awareness of God's laws. Ray Comfort is president of Living Waters Ministries, a ministry that equips Christian ...
18 Aug 2004
Hopes Rest on Upcoming Election for Judicial Nominees in Democrat Created Limbo
A conservative legal watchdog group hopes the upcoming elections will help resolve the problem of Democrats blocking President Bush's judicial nominees. Senate Democrats are still blocking the confirmation vote for more than two dozen of the president's judicial nominees. Meanwhile, there are more ...
18 Aug 2004
Senate Candidate John Thune Says South Dakota Ready for a Change from Daschle
The South Dakota Republican who is challenging Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle thinks the people of his state are ready for a change. John Thune says Daschle does not represent the conservative values of the state. The GOP challenger says Daschle has spent more than $10 million in television ads ...
18 Aug 2004
Questions Raised on Why Kerry Refusing to Release Military Medical Records
Questions are being raised over why John Kerry is refusing to release his military medical records as a way of clearing up the controversy over his Purple Heart awards. Cliff Kincaid of the think tank America's Survival wonders why Kerry ...
18 Aug 2004
"What Hollywood Believes" an Effective Witnessing Tool
Evangelist Ray Comfort says his new book about movie stars and their spiritual beliefs is an effective witnessing tool. In his book What Hollywood Believes, Comfort examines the religious beliefs of stars such as Jerry Lewis, Elizabeth Taylor, John Wayne, and many others. The book also includes a se ...
18 Aug 2004
New Paraphrase of New Testament takes "Creative License" to the Extreme
A new paraphrase of the New Testament called Good as New: A Radical Retelling of the Scriptures takes some striking liberties with the text. Instead of the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus like a dove at his baptism, Good as New says: "A pigeon flew down and perched on him. Jesus took this as a sign ...
19 Aug 2004
UNC Defends Refusal to Recognize Christian Group
The University of North Carolina is defending its refusal to recognize a Christian fraternity that won't let unbelievers join. Alpha Iota Omega will not receive student fee money this year because it wants to rem ...
19 Aug 2004
California Legal Group Helping Churches with Tax Exempt Status
A California-based legal group that specializes in defending individuals' and groups' religious freedoms is providing a resource to churches as they deal with threats to their tax-exempt status because of sermons on social and political issues. The Church and Politics, which has been mailed out to ...
19 Aug 2004
"Sensitive" Arresting of Illegal Aliens Draws Criticism
A suggestion from a Homeland Security official that authorities need to be more "sensitive" when they arrest illegal aliens is drawing a lot of criticism. Phil Kent of the American Immigration Control Foundation was stunned by Asa Hutc ...
19 Aug 2004
Texas Parental Consent Law Preventing Many Abortions
A pro-life advocate in Texas says even with limitations, a parental notification law in the Lone Star State is accomplishing what its authors intended. In its first three years of implementation, the Texas Parental Notification Law has helped prevent many abortions. But the law contains a loophole k ...
19 Aug 2004
Columbia Shuttle Widow Denounces Judges Order
The widow of Columbia astronaut Rick Husband is denouncing a federal judge's order to remove a Bible display from outside Houston's civil courthouse. Evelyn Husband told hundreds of protesters, "I love my country, and I love God. And I don't want to raise my children in a city that no longer hon ...
20 Aug 2004
Ministry Crew Assists In Repair From Hurricane Charley
Emergency crews from Samaritan's Purse are helping repair houses for families hit hard by Hurricane Charley. The first of two tractor-trailer units loaded with emergency tools and suppl ...
20 Aug 2004
Military Chaplains Learn to Minister Under Fire
Prospective military chaplains learn how to minister under fire at the U.S. Army's Chaplain Center and School at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. The 13-week course ends with a three-day field exercise. On the first day of a recent exercise, chaplain trainees were given 15 minutes to prepare remarks d ...
20 Aug 2004
Retired Surgeon Says Overseas Prescription Purchase Bad Idea
A retired surgeon with the Christian Medical Association says the Illinois governor's idea to purchase drugs abroad for cheaper rates may not be such a good idea. Governor Rod Blagojevich says his state will start a program within a month to ...
20 Aug 2004
New Book Discusses Racial Profiling
A best-selling author and syndicated columnist hopes her new book will debunk a 60-year-old myth about the internment of people of Japanese lineage during World War II. That myth, according to Michelle Malkin, is being used to paralyze America's efforts to win the war against Islamic terrorism. Mal ...
20 Aug 2004
New Book to Assist Christian Financial Plans
A Christian financial planner says too many believers are needlessly stressed out about finances. In his new book From Debt to Life, Dr. Kregg Hood lists ten steps he says will beat a credit crisis and build financial freedom. Hood says many Christians want to manage their finances better, but they ...
20 Aug 2004
South American Evangelists Increase In Numbers
The Bible Belt has moved south -- south of the equator to Brazil. Each year, millions of Bibles are produced in South America's largest country, which is experiencing a religious awakening coupled with the rapid growth of Evangelical churches. The Brazilian Census Bureau says Evangelicals grew from ...
23 Aug 2004
Voters Overturn Same Sex Marriages
An attorney with the Alliance Defense Fund is pointing out an overlooked trend in the controversy over the legalization of same-sex marriage in the U.S. In a recent Baptist Press editorial, attorney Jordan Lorence pointed that the ...
23 Aug 2004
Past Olympians Stress Abstinence
Past Olympians Carl Lewis and Joe Deloach are urging young people to be champions for God and their future spouses by remaining abstinent until their wedding day. The former gold medallists took part in "An Evening with the Olympians True Love Waits" rally on Sunday at the base of the Acropolis in ...
23 Aug 2004
WWII Book Offers Internment Explanation
Best-selling author Michelle Malkin, who is the daughter of Asian immigrants, is taking on revisionist historians that she believes misrepresent the facts about America's internment camps. She says it is completely offensive and unfair to mislead the current generation of school children about the ...
23 Aug 2004
Pope Says Morals Are Being Overlooked
Pope John Paul says humanity's rapid progress in science and technology risks overlooking moral values, especially in areas like human cloning. In a message to this week's church-organized meeting on the theme of progress, the pope insists that advanced research must not become an end in itself. S ...
23 Aug 2004
Atlanta Man Makes A Difference
A pro-family activist says a Georgia man is living proof that one person can influence some advertisers not to sponsor anti-family activities. According to the station website, an Atlanta radio station known as "99 X" hosted what was called a "Naughty Night." Held at a local nightclub, the event ...
23 Aug 2004
Missionary Couple Murder: Hate Crime?
Reports suggest the execution-style killings of a Christian missionary couple in California last week may have been a hate crime. Police are going door-to-door in the coastal town of Jenner, seeking clues to the murders of 23-year-old Lindsay Cutshall of Ohio and 26-year-old Jason Allen of Michigan. ...
23 Aug 2004
Former Naval Officer Refutes Kerry's Claims
A former Naval officer who has co-written a book refuting what John Kerry has claimed about his days in Vietnam says the vast majority of officers who served with Kerry do not believe he is fit for the presidency. John O'Neill is part of the group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. Even before his book ...
24 Aug 2004
Newdow to Challenge Pledge of Allegiance Again
Atheist Michael Newdow says he will refile his challenge to recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools. The Supreme Court has had its final say in a case on the Pledge, at least for now, having refused to overturn its previous ruling against Newdow. Back in June the justices ruled that ...
24 Aug 2004
Christians Hope Schwarzenegger Veto's Bill
A California "hate crime" bill known as SB1234 has just passed the state assembly by a vote of 51-24 and will next proceed to the desk of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for signing. Many Christian and pro-family ...
24 Aug 2004
Will Homosexual Marriage Make It To Michigan Ballot?
The head of a pro-family group Michigan is confident that a ban on homosexual "marriage" will go before voters in November. He says this after the two Democratic members of the Board of State Canvassers voted against certifying more than 464,000 signatures in favor of the amendment. They deadlocke ...
24 Aug 2004
Will Ohioans See Same Sex Marriage on November Ballot?
An Ohio pro-family activist says homosexual marriage proponents have already started filing legal challenges in an effort to stop the people of Ohio from voting on a constitutional amendment to ban homosexual marriage. Phil Burress, president of the Cincinnati-based
24 Aug 2004
Archbishop Supports Parish Split
Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi, the Anglican primate of Uganda, has declared his full support for two Southern California parishes that broke away from the American branch of the Anglican Communion over the denomina ...
24 Aug 2004
GA Tries Faith-Based Program in Prisons
Georgia is trying a new faith-based program at six state prisons. Hundreds of inmates have signed up for the program, which seeks to teach them personal responsibility, morals, life skills and respect for themselves and others. Most Georgia prisons employ chaplains, and inmates can attend Bible stud ...
24 Aug 2004
Latest SBVT Ad Hurts Kerry's Claims
A conservative leader says a new ad from the group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth could be John Kerry's Achilles' heel. The Kerry camp has been hopping mad in recent days over a Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ad in which the group questions Kerry's claims of heroic deeds during his days in Vietnam. ...
24 Aug 2004
Kerry Should Clean Up His Campaign
Paul Weyrich of the Free Congress Foundation believes presidential hopeful John Kerry should clean up his own back yard when it comes to the campaign ad controversy. Kerry has accused the Bush camp of being behind the attack ads that chal ...
24 Aug 2004
Bush's Immigration Policies Cause Voters to Turn
An immigration reform activist says dissatisfaction with President George W. Bush's immigration policies is compelling a number of long-time Republicans to take their votes elsewhere. Susan Tully, Midwestern field director for the Federation for A ...
25 Aug 2004
Delaware School District Defies ACLU
A Delaware school district has defied a demand by the American Civil Liberties Union to stop opening school board meetings with prayer. Despite the ACLU's threat of a lawsuit, the Indian River School District in ...
25 Aug 2004
Medical Journals Censoring Abortion - Breast Cancer Link
The Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer says medical journals are censoring scientific discourse on the link between abortion and breast cancer. The group recently pointed out that two medical journals -- Lancet and Cancer Epidemi ...
25 Aug 2004
Appeals Court Keeps Bible in Display... For Now
An appeals court has temporarily blocked a judge's order to remove a Bible from a monument outside Houston's Harris County courthouse. Federal Judge Sim Lake had given the county until midnight Tuesday to remove the Bible after attorney Kay Staley sued, claiming it was offensive to her and other n ...
25 Aug 2004
Court Bans Prayer at School District Staff Meetings
Prayer has been banned at the staff meetings of one Arkansas school district, regardless if the teacher who originally objected to the prayers is present or not. According to Associated Press reports, the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a lower-court decision forbidding the prayers d ...
25 Aug 2004
Ten Commandments on Display - Fargo Latest Battleground
An Alabama Ten Commandments monument on a national tour has been displayed outside City Hall in Fargo, North Dakota, where a similar monument faces a court challenge. The traveling monument recently was removed from Alabama's state courthouse, where it had been installed by the state's former chie ...
25 Aug 2004
Tancredo Write In Candidate for President?
House Immigration Reform Caucus Chairman Tom Tancredo says he is flattered that a number of Republicans have indicated they will write in his name for U.S. president this fall. The Republican lawmaker says these voters are obviously unhappy with how the GOP candidates want to handle immigration. "I ...
25 Aug 2004
Terrorists Learning from Illegal Immigrants
An immigration watchdog group says terrorists may be learning lessons from Hispanics who illegally cross America's borders. Phil Kent of the American Immigration Control Foundation says there are disturbing accounts of incidences along ...
25 Aug 2004
CB Radio Making Comeback in UK
A somewhat older form of communications technology is enjoying a new wave of popularity in the United Kingdom. The practice of broadcasting church services on Citizens' Band or CB radio frequencies has been going on for several years now in Ireland and, increasingly, is being permitted in other par ...
26 Aug 2004
NY Federal Judge Says Ban on Partial-Birth Abortions Unconstitutional
A federal judge in New York has declared a federal ban on partial-birth abortion unconstitutional. The judge says the law lacks a health exception for the mother. Joe Giganti with American Life League says the decision is not surprising -- and tha ...
26 Aug 2004
Poll Shows Most Married Women to Vote For Bush
A new poll indicates that if you want to know how a woman is likely to vote, check to see if she's wearing a wedding band. The USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll found that most married women say they will vote for President Bush in November, while unmarried women -- by a 2-to-1 margin -- say they will supp ...
26 Aug 2004
Bush's 'Guest Worker' Program Accepted
The Republican Party's platform committee has embraced President Bush's "Guest Worker" program, which many critics are calling another amnesty plan for illegal aliens. The committee, meeting in New York prior to next week's GOP Convention, voted to endorse the controversial program, which allow ...
26 Aug 2004
Court May Review 'Under God' Issue Later
Although for now atheist Michael Newdow's bid to remove the phrase "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance may be over, a pro-family lawyer is warning that the U.S. Supreme Court has probably not heard the last of the issue. The court has told Newdow it will not revisit its rejection of his cas ...
26 Aug 2004
Louisville Post Offices Refuse Holy Bears
HolyBears, Inc., the Texas-based designer/marketer of a line of plush toy bears with inspirational and patriotic messages, recently announced that U.S. Post Offices in Louisville, Kentucky, will cease carrying the company's products due to ...
26 Aug 2004
Louisiana School Stops Prayers
A public school district in Louisiana has agreed to stop allowing prayers before football games and other school events. That settles most of the demands in a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union against the Tangipahoa Parish School Board. A federal judge will be asked to decide wheth ...
26 Aug 2004
Kerry's Purple Heart Falsely Awarded?
A member of a Vietnam Veterans group opposed to John Kerry believes there is ample evidence that at least one of his Purple Hearts was awarded for an incident that did not involve enemy fire. In a controversial television ad, the group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth has been questioning whether Kerry ...
26 Aug 2004
Reward Offered to Find Murderer of Christian Camp Counselors
A $10,000 reward is being offered to help find whoever killed two Christian camp counselors whose bodies were found on a beach north of San Francisco. Sonoma County Sheriff's Lieutenant Dave Edmonds says he hopes the reward prompts someone to come forward with information that will lead to a suspec ...
27 Aug 2004
Some Blame Cheney Remarks on Republican Hierarchy
A pro-family activist claims Vice-President Dick Cheney's remarks earlier this week in support of homosexual marriage were orchestrated by the Republican hierarchy. Dr. Janice Crouse of the LaHaye Institute believes Cheney' ...
27 Aug 2004
Judge Praised by Concerned Women for America
Concerned Women for America (CWA) is applauding Frederick County Circuit Court Judge John R. Prosser's August 27 ruling that the State of Virginia has jurisdiction over a case involving a custody dispute between a toddler's biological mother an ...
27 Aug 2004
Louisiana Set to Vote on Same Sex Marriage Ban
A pro-family advocate says pending any last-minute intervention by the Louisiana Supreme Court, residents in that state will go to the polls to vote on a constitutional amendment banning same-sex "marriage." Ohio and Michigan have already had the will of the overwhelming majority of the people ove ...
27 Aug 2004
Immigration Reform Not Likely to be Discussed at RNC
Republican Congressman Tom Tancredo feels fairly certain immigration reform will not be a major topic of discussion at the GOP convention next week. However, the Colorado lawmaker may take a bold step to advance the issue in the future. Tancredo, who was once told by Bush advisor Karl Rove not to da ...
27 Aug 2004
Planned Parenthood of LA Hit with Complaint Over Endorsing Kerry and Denouncing Bush
Attorneys have filed a formal complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice and the Internal Revenue Service, alleging electioneering violations by Planned Parenthood of Los Angeles (PPLA). According to the complaint, PPLA employees were on stage at a political event for Democratic presidential cand ...
27 Aug 2004
"God Gap" More Significant in Politics
Close ties between religious conservatives and the Republican Party are increasingly mirrored by the Democrats' reliance upon secular and anti-religious voters. Political scientists say polls correlating religious behavior or belief with party alignment show the "God gap" is more significant than ...
27 Aug 2004
Barlow Girl Stands up for Teenagers and Young Adults
An all-girl Christian band is trying to encourage teenagers and young adults to live for Christ regardless of cultural trends. Alyssa, Rebecca, and Lauren Barlow make up Barlow Girl. The sisters describe their sound as Christian rock with h ...
27 Aug 2004
150,000 Expected at SD LifeLight Christian Festival
Next week's LifeLight Christian festival cold double the population of South Dakota's largest city. Based on campground reservations and other numbers, organizers expect at least 150,000 people to be in Sioux Falls -- population 130,000 -- during the Labor Day weekend festival. The more than 100 b ...
30 Aug 2004
RNC Platform Skirts Issue of Ten Commandments
The party platform awaiting ratification today at the Republican National Convention doesn't take a firm stand on public display of the Ten Commandments. Delegates from Alabama wanted the platform to endorse a bill that would outlaw court rulings abridging a public "acknowledgment of God." Former ...
30 Aug 2004
RNC Underway - Don't Expect Fireworks
The GOP convention is under way today in New York City amid the tightest security ever seen for such an event. But a former Republican congressman do not expect much fireworks inside Madison Square Garden. Bob Barr says today's conventions go out of their way to avoid controversy. "It's not reall ...
30 Aug 2004
Expect Much the Same from Media's RNC Coverage
A media watchdog says to get ready for the major television networks to provide very predictable coverage of this week's Republican National Convention. As Republicans begin their convention in New York City, Tim Graham of the Media Research Center
30 Aug 2004
Kansas Prosecutor Accused of Targeting Pro-Life Woman
A Christian attorney says his pro-life client was targeted by a Kansas prosecutor because she is pro-life and the district attorney is pro-abortion. Wichita resident Karen Myers was charged with misdemeanor failure to obey and obstruction following an incident in which she was holding a pro-life sig ...
30 Aug 2004
Democratic Party "The Party of Gay Marriage"?
Citing statistics from voting records, a pro-marriage group in Minnesota has concluded that the Democratic Party "has become the party of gay marriage." At a press conference last week, the Minnesota Citizens in Defense of Marriage made i ...
30 Aug 2004
Petition Circulating for National Marriage Holiday
A group of marriage traditionalists feels it is vital in today's society to honor the union of a man and a woman and is gathering signatures on a petition to promote legislation that would honor marriage with a nat ...
30 Aug 2004
Mitchell South Dakota to Enter Ten Commandments Fray Voluntarily?
A former city official wants to place a monument featuring the Ten Commandments and the Lord's Prayer in a city park in downtown Mitchell, South Dakota. Former city councilman Elmer Taplin says it is important to take a stand for America's heritage. Mitchell Mayor Alice Claggett says she does not ...
30 Aug 2004
CIA Restructuring Should get the OK
A conservative leaders says the controversial proposal to restructure the Central Intelligence Agency should get the okay just because of the man who proposed it. Kansas Senator Pat Roberts, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, wants to see the CIA broken up into three divisions: operationa ...
31 Aug 2004
Michael W. Smith Says He's Never Seen so Much Hatred of a President
Christian singer Michael W. Smith says he's never seen as much hatred directed at a president as there is today toward President Bush. Smith will sing his patriotic anthem "There She Stands" at the Republican National Convention Thursday night before Bush speaks. Smith -- who is a close friend of ...
31 Aug 2004
Amonst RNC Demonstrators is a Group Protesting other Protestors
There are more than a 100,000 demonstrators outside the Republican National Convention, but they are not all anti-Bush. Not all of the demonstrators seen in news reports are opposed to the Republican Party. There is one group that is opposed to demonstrators.
31 Aug 2004
Bill Clinton Denounces the "I Vote Values" Campaign From Church Pulpit in New York
Former President Clinton has denounced the Southern Baptist Convention's "I Vote Values" campaign from a church pulpit in New York. The nation's largest Protestant denomination is using a website to register voters and compare the pres ...
31 Aug 2004
Cherokee Nation Officially Endorses 1 Man 1 Woman Marriage Definition
An Oklahoma-based Indian tribe took only about a month to decide that marriage should be limited to the union of one man and one woman. The rest of the Sooner State will vote on that matter this fall. Earlier this month, the tribal council for the Cherokee Nation -- based in Tahlequah, Oklahoma -- f ...
31 Aug 2004
Protecting the Unborn is Not a Partisan Issue
American Life League (ALL) says protection of unborn children is not a partisan issue -- and that's why their latest pro-life ad features public figures, both Republican and Democrat, who are pro-abortion and who claim to be Catholic. In Tuesday ...
31 Aug 2004
High Tech Bullying
As if there aren't enough worries already about what children see on the Internet, now comes word of a new problem that can hurt them in a very personal way. Bullying has gone high tech. Kids are finding e-mails and cell phone text messages that are deeply personal and downright ugly, says Family N ...