Top Seven Acts of Christian Bashing in America of 2007

FT. LAUDERDALE, Florida, Jan. 9 /Christian Newswire/ — “From murder and intimidation, to the crass and the blasphemous, 2007 was a horrendous year of Christian bashing,” said Dr. Gary L. Cass, Chairman and CEO of the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission. “Anti- Christian sentiments are being fomented in the culture and are becoming more deadly and cynical,” said Cass. “Impressionable young people are being swept up in anti-Christian hysteria, aided and abetted by a greedy, a-moral entertainment industry. Mocking Christians, blaspheming their faith and ridiculing their values has become the easy way for ‘entertainers’ to shock their way to the top.”

“The Christian Anti-Defamation Commission (CADC) calls on anti-Christian politicians, Hollywood and New York media elites to stop the Christian bashing and take responsibility for the culture of hate towards Christians they have helped to create. The CADC will work aggressively to stop this dangerous and irresponsible Christian bashing in 2008.”

1.) Colorado Church Murders–”You Christians brought this on yourselves I’m coming for EVERYONE soon and I WILL be armed to the @#%$ teeth and I WILL shoot to kill. … God, I can’t wait till I can kill you people. Feel no remorse, no sense of shame, I don’t care if I live or die. …” Posted by a troubled young man, Matthew Murray, ten hours after killing two at the Arvada missionary base and two hours before killing two at a Colorado Springs church. Churches used to be considered sanctuaries, but now they are targets for the hateful and the deranged. The CADC calls on every church to be prepared to use deadly force, if necessary, to protect their congregations.

2.) Federal Hate Crimes Bill–The 2007 Federal Hate Crimes Bill which threatens religious liberties and lays the groundwork for “thought crime,” which has no place in American law and violates the concept of equal protection under the law. As has occurred in other nations, these laws pave the way for Christians to be silenced and even arrested because they believe that homosexual acts are sinful. It is totalitarian regimes which punish thoughts, not free societies. Thomas Jefferson declares that “the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions.”

3.) Violence on San Francisco Church–In September, Christians in San Francisco spoke out against a blasphemous anti-Christian advertisement for the Folsom Street Fair, a perverted “fair” for the sadomasochistic, leather fetish community. The ad mimics the classic Christian painting of Christ at the Last Supper. In the ad, Christ and the 12 Disciples are portrayed as sexual deviants provocatively posed before a table of sex toys.

4.) Attack on Jerry Falwell–CNN reached a new low when Anderson Cooper invited Christopher Hitchens, editor of Vanity Fair Magazine, on his show the day of Jerry Falwell’s death to make critical remarks about Falwell. Hitchens made the most reprehensible and offensive remarks one can imagine against a Christian minister, Jerry Falwell, even on the day of his death. Christopher Hitchens called Falwell “a little toad … a horrible little person…an evil old man…a conscious charlatan and bully and fraud…an actual danger to democracy, to culture, to civilization.”

5.) CNN’s “God’s Warriors” and “Friends of God”–Two biased, anti-Christian documentaries were produced and aired. One by Nancy Pelosi’s daughter, Alexandra, “Friends of God” on HBO and the other by CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, “God’s Warriors.” At least they tried to act as if they wanted to be fair. Of course, they failed. Evangelicals are almost 100 million strong and very diverse but are reduced to clichéd caricatures or are portrayed as the moral equivalents of Islamic terrorists.

6.) John Edwards’s Campaign Bloggers who called Christian supporters of President Bush his “wing nut Christofascist base.” One asked, ‘What if Mary had taken Plan B after the Lord filled her with his hot, white, sticky Holy Spirit,’ to which she replied, ‘You’d have to justify your misogyny with another ancient mythology.’ They posed the thoughtful question of religious conservatives, “What don’t you lousy %#*@! +# understand about keeping your noses out of our britches, our beds and our families?”

7.) Golden Compass, the Movie–Phillip Pullman’s atheistic answer to C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia series because destroying the church and killing God in the mind of every child is the best revenge. Why be damned alone when you can take a few million souls with you and get rich on the proceeds

Evangelical Christian Leaders Seek to Establish Communications with Muslim Clerics

BEL AIR, Md., Oct. 8 /Christian Newswire/ — In September of ‘06, author Howie Gardner, Pastor of Bel Air Assembly of God in Maryland, composed a letter to the Muslim World league in Saudi Arabia. The letter has been revised a number of times at the suggestions of various missionaries and theologians. It can be seen in its present form at www.cmdialogue.com.

The following January, PrimeStar Publicity head, Helen Cook published an article about the book which went out over the Christian Newswire. The response was far greater than anticipated. Letters came in from Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia, and the Americas. Three Bible Colleges asked permission to use the letter in their curriculum. Even the chaplaincy of the United States Pentagon responded.

Ultimately Gardner came in contact with Kamal Nawash, President of the “Free Muslim Coalition Against Terrorism” (FMCAT), in Washington D. C. Nawash invited Pastor Gardner and Evangelist Angel Berrios to a Muslim service in Anandale, Virginia and then on to address a group of clerics at a luncheon that afternoon. Gardner reported “we had a very positive and encouraging exchange.”

“We did not take the usual evangelical approach of trying to convince them that the Bible is superior to the Quran. Certainly as Evangelical Christians we believe that and it would make for an interesting dialogue on another occasion. However in this forum we have attempted to stress the concept that one can denounce terrorism with denouncing Islam. There are a number of verses in the Quran which call for Muslims to take arms against ‘infidels’ and today many Muslims understand the verses to be a call to arms against Christians and Jews with the latter seeing them as an affront against themselves. In reality though, Muhammad did not regard either Christians or Jews to be infidels, quite the contrary. Rather these verses are aimed at two groups who were contemporaries of Muhammad–the Quraishi and the Collyridians. Muhammad actually makes direct reference to the latter group twice in Surah 5. Both of these groups apparently advocated not only the worship of multiple gods but also the sacrifice of innocent human beings as part of their worship.”

Our main goal has been to convince Muslim leaders, particularly those from the Muslim World League, to declare a fatwa against school curriculum being used in Saudi Arabia, Palestine and elsewhere which encourage small children to pursue the life of a terrorist.

FMCAT posted Gardner’s letter on their web site and allowed for a free exchange between him and other Muslims as well as Christians and Jews. “Much of the response was hostile” Gardner says. But there were positive signs as well. “One Muslim woman wrote saying ‘Most of us agree with you but we do not have the courage to speak up’” he says.

Perhaps they are beginning to gain that courage though. In Saudi Arabia the Interior Ministry near the provincial capital of Al Janderea has begun organizing deprogramming classes for jihadists seeking a change of lifestyle. Their 12 step program includes art, sports and religion classes. Dr. Ahmad Hamad Jilan states “We tell them that they should give the right picture of Islam. They should not kill or bomb.” Sociologist Hameed Kahaleel notes that many of the students now have jobs, are studying in the universities and are raising families.

Still further, in Pakistan award winning director Waseem Mahmood has composed a song entitled “This is NOT Us” stressing the incompatibility between terrorism and Islam. Reportedly the song is a best-seller.

Nawash has expressed interest in inviting Evangelist Franklin Graham to Saudi Arabia to meet with Muslim clerics in a similar setting.

“Thus far the response from Christians has been slow” Gardner says. “Two denominational leaders have called me to voice their support but one of them asked not to be named as it might endanger missionaries on the field. I have received either emails or phone calls from Focus on the Family, The Martin Luther King Center, Trinity Broadcasting, John McArthur Ministries, Oral Roberts University, the offices of former Congressmen J. C. Watts, author Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church and even from Muhammad Ali Enterprises- the public relations arm of the former heavyweight champ. I should note though that NONE of these groups have given us any official endorsement as yet and both Warren and Charles Stanley have since declined their support.”

Currently Gardner, who has authored two previous books, is in the process of compiling the thoughts of local Christian and Muslim leaders on 26 different topics for a proposed third book. This one may not become a reality though as he reports “So far one Christian publisher has informed me that they have no interest in publishing a book of which 50% is written by Muslims. Stay tuned and let’s see what God will do.”

Gardner further states “We believe in the concept of a ‘Just War’ and are grateful for the courageous and necessary actions that our troops have taken in response to 9/11. However we feel that a lasting peace can never be accomplished until people are given a proper awareness of the true nature of God. And it goes without saying that God would never be pleased to see His children attacking one another.”

Christian Newswire

Court Employees Sue Court for Religious Discrimination

SAN DIEGO, October 2 /Christian Newswire/ — Advocates for Faith and Freedom filed a lawsuit today with the Federal District Court in San Diego on behalf of several employees whose constitutional right of equal access was denied by the Superior Court of San Diego when they were forced to stop using a weekly meeting place for their lunchtime Bible study.

In April 2006, Mindy Barlow, Beverly Lindahl, and Dalia R. Smith, court employees for the Superior Court, were told that their Bible study group could not meet in an empty jury room or courtroom during the lunch hour, even though other groups are allowed to use the court’s facilities. The Bible study group had been meeting since 2000 when the court initially gave them permission. Six years later, they were suddenly and arbitrarily denied use, forcing them to seek further approval. Meanwhile, the court instituted a policy requiring all individuals, groups, or organizations seeking to use court facilities to submit an application. When the Bible study participants submitted their application, the courts denied their request, stating that approval of the Bible study would violate the separation of church and state.

“The constitutional rights of these court employees cannot be ignored simply because they work for the state,” said Advocates’ Legal Counsel, Jennifer Monk. “This Bible study should be given access to court facilities in the same manner as other groups, regardless of the fact that they meet to study the Bible.”

By rejecting the court employees’ right to hold a Bible study, the San Diego Superior Court has directly violated the group members’ First Amendment rights of free speech and free exercise of religion. The lawsuit accordingly asks the Federal District Court to declare the policy implemented by the courts unconstitutional and, in doing so, to allow the Bible study to resume meeting in court facilities.

Robert Tyler, General Counsel for Advocates for Faith and Freedom commented: “It is not too surprising when government agencies misapply applicable constitutional principles, but this is the Superior Court of California - they should know better.”

Advocates’ co-counsel on the case is the American Center for Law and Justice, a constitutional legal organization based in Virginia Beach, VA.

Advocates for Faith and Freedom is a national nonprofit legal organization whose aim is to protect religious liberty in the courts. For more information, please visit www.faith-freedom.com.

Egyptian Pastor and Advocate for Persecuted Seeks to Expose ‘Spirit of Islam’

EL CAJON, Calif., Oct. 29 /Christian Newswire/ — Native-born Egyptian David Joseph, of El Cajon, Calif., in “Let My People Go So They Can Worship Me,” shares his vision that Christians “prepare the highway of the Lord” between Egypt, Israel and Assyria (Isaiah 19), by exposing the spirit of Islam, and praying for Muslims in order to win them to Christ.

In his autobiography, Joseph, now a U.S. citizen, also details the founding of his ministry to youth in Egypt in 1981, the difficulties he faced as a pastor harassed by Egyptian police, and how God led him to the U.S. in 1991, where he established an international ministry reaching Muslims for Christ.

“The spirit of Islam is a spirit of antichrist. Islam says Jesus is not the Son of God, is not God, and was not crucified. It’s also a spirit of depression, control, and violence,” Joseph said. “Christians will help prepare the highway in the Middle East for the return of the Lord Jesus by praying against this demonic spirit, and by helping to remove the stones of misunderstandings that keep Muslims from knowing who Jesus is.”

Joseph is an expert in producing materials in Arabic that answer questions Muslims have about Christianity. His ministry involves radio broadcasts, websites, and indigenous workers in over 12 Middle Eastern countries that help Christians evangelize Muslims.

He founded The Last Harvest, a 501(c)3 organization planting churches in the Middle East, in 1992; and, Advocates For The Persecuted, a 501(c)3 charitable organization that assists persecuted religious minorities in Islamic countries, in 2006.

“Christians are the largest religious minority in Egypt, and they are deprived of basic human rights,” said Joseph. “The U.S. State Department released the ‘International Religious Freedom Report’ in September stating respect for religious freedom in Egypt has declined.

“The right of free speech and the right to express ideas have never been worse in Egypt than it is currently. The world community needs to give more attention to what is going on in Egypt and the other Arabic countries in the Middle East,” he said. “November 11 - The International Day of Prayer - has been designated as a day to pray for the persecuted, and particularly for Muslims who have become Christians.”

Joseph was elected president of the Middle Eastern Evangelical Churches Fellowship of America (MEFCA) in 2006.

Bookcover: www.advocatesforthepersecuted.org/pdfs/lmpgbookim age.pdf

Photo: www.advocatesforthepersecuted.org/pdfs/davidandcar oljoseph.pdf

Sample chapter: www.thelastharvest.com/Newsletter/pdf/LMPGpromo.pdf

A Martyr’s Story - From the Eyes of Victim’s Sons

SANTA ANA, Calif., Oct. 11 /Christian Newswire/ — Iran, December 1993: An Islamic judge in northern Iran condemns a zealous Christian convert from Islam - Mehdi Dibaj - to death. His crime was apostasy. Dibaj had already served 10 years in prison.

Bishop Haik Hovsepian, the leader of evangelical Christians in Iran, speaks out for his brother in Christ. He launches an international campaign for Dibaj’s sentence to be overturned.

Hovsepian’s campaign is successful. Dibaj is freed only a few days before his execution date. But there is a price to pay…a very heavy price.

On Jan. 19, 1994, Hovsepian disappears. Twelve days later his body is identified in a morgue by one of his sons. He had been stabbed 26 times.

Haik Hovsepian’s story - told through the eyes and camera lens of his sons Joseph and Andre - is now a compelling documentary called A Cry From Iran.

“This is the story of not only of my father’s martyrdom, but also of the victims who have been killed and continue to be tortured for being Christians. The chronicling of his life and death puts a focus on the many stories of persecution that are happening as we speak,” said film director and producer Joseph Hovsepian.

“This is a compelling, must-see documentary which graphically shows what Christians like Haik Hvsepian go through because they place their faith in Jesus Christ,” says Open Doors USA President/CEO Dr. Carl Moeller. “He is definitely one of our modern-day heroes of the faith.”

Joseph and Andre Hovsepian have put their heart and soul into the project, which included filming in five countries, interviews with 40 political and religion experts, family and friends, 42 months of production and 200 hours of archive footage.

Iran is ranked No. 3 on Open Doors’ World Watch List of countries where Christians suffer the most severe persecution.

A Cry From Iran is playing at selected theaters across the United States. The DVD will be available to order October 18. For more information, to order the DVD and to view a trailer from the documentary go to www.acryfromiran.com. A Cry From Iran has been produced in partnership with Open Doors International, a worldwide organization which supports and strengthens Christians who are persecuted for their faith. Go to www.OpenDoorsUSA.org.

West Bank Evangelist Challenges Islam

MEDIA ADVISORY, Oct. 8 /Christian Newswire/ — West Bank Christian Evangelist Terry McIntosh is challenging Islam to police themselves after the murder of a prominent Christian in Gaza on Sunday. McIntosh says that Islam must purge themselves of all criminal acts and teach tolerance of other religions to halt the rising threat of harm to Christians worldwide.

“Rami Ayyad’s death is the result of a radical belief system that demands adherence to Islam. He was killed because he was demonstrating the love of Christ to Muslims. He was murdered by cowards in the disguise of religion, and it was not a pious act. It was murder. Islam must purge itself of extremists, and civilized people must take a firm stand against its radical teachings. Some moderate Muslims are doing that, but it will take many voices to apply pressure upon the Islamic world to police themselves. I eagerly add my voice to the collective effort and say to radical Islam “Count me as your enemy.”

“At the same time, it’s important that we do not blame the entire Muslim community for this tragedy. Radical elements within Islam are harming their own people, and innocent people should not be unjustly held accountable. It was a criminal act by criminal extremists.”

McIntosh, a Kentucky native, has been involved in Israel and Palestine for 15 years. His evangelistic work includes the founding of a Christian chapel in the West Bank as well as numerous radio and TV appearances on Islamic owned media.

Group Sues City of Oakland to Protect Rights of Pro-Lifers

OAKLAND, Calif., Dec. 19 /Christian Newswire/ — On Wednesday, December 19, 2007, Life Legal Defense Foundation (LLDF), on behalf of Walter B. Hoye II, filed suit in Federal Court, to immediately restrain the City of Oakland from enforcing a new “bubble law” at abortion clinics. This new ordinance, passed by the Oakland City Council on Tuesday evening, December 18, 2007, makes it unlawful, and punishable by up to one year in jail, to knowingly approach within eight (8) feet of any person seeking to enter an abortion clinic, without their consent, to counsel or distribute literature to them or to urge them not to obtain an abortion. LLDF’s suit maintains that the ordinance is a content- and viewpoint-based restriction of speech and is unconstitutional on its face.

The plaintiff, Walter Hoye, is Executive Elder of the Progressive Missionary Baptist Church of Berkeley. Motivated by his moral, religious, and political beliefs, he regularly engages in pro-life counseling and leafleting at the Family Planning Specialists abortion clinic in Oakland. He is often joined by two elderly women (both over 80 years of age) from his church. Hoye told the Oakland City Council that “We are not a threat to public safety and these women aren’t even capable of harassing clinic clients!” Their activities include handing out leaflets, education about abortion and holding signs with a pro-life message. All of these activities occur on the public sidewalk, the traditional public forum for the exchange of ideas.

Bay area attorney Mike Millen, who filed the lawsuit in conjunction with LLDF, said “Rather than helping women, this ordinance prevents them from receiving valuable information about their developing baby and options which would let that baby live. It is sad that city leaders are spending time and money on laws that maximize revenue for the abortion industry at the expense of the health of women and babies.”

LLDF was established in 1989 and is a non-profit organization committed to the sanctity of human life.

World Congress of Families Calls Proposed Baby Tax ‘Suicidal’

ROCKFORD, Ill., Dec. 19 /Christian Newswire/ — World Congress of Families International Secretary Allan C. Carlson called a proposal for an Australian baby tax “suicidal.”

Barry Walters is a clinical professor of obstetric medicine at the University of Western Australia. In a recent issue of Medical Journal of Australia, Walters called for a $5,000 “baby levy” and an annual “carbon tax” of up to $800-per-child for families with more than two children.

This is intended to offset projected energy use during the child’s lifetime, to counter global warming.

“If adopted, the professor’s proposal would have the effect of throwing gasoline on a fire,” Carlson commented.

“Australia’s birthrate is currently 1.75 - less than half of what it was in 1960 and well below the number of births-per-woman needed just to replace current population (2.11),” Carlson noted.

“Who does Walters think will pay his pension, if not children from large families when they become workers?”

Carlson continued: “Any human contribution to global warming is a function of poor stewardship of the earth, not total population size.”

Carlson noted that, contrary to Walters’ assertion, a recent Michigan State University study actually showed that married households contribute less to global warming than single person households. The former (with or without children) are more environmentally efficient and use significantly less energy and resources than single households according to Jianguo Liu, an ecologist whose analysis appears in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ( www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/0707267104v1 ).”

“Unlike the effect an additional child will have on global warming, demographic decline is a verifiable reality. Worldwide, fertility rates have dropped by half in the last 50 years. There are now 6 million fewer children in the world (ages 0-4) than there were in 1990.”

If nothing else, Walters’ proposal unmasks the real agenda of environmental extremists, which is anti- child, anti-family and ultimately anti-life.

World Congress of Families is an international pro- family movement. World Congress of Families IV - held in Warsaw, May 11-13, 2007 - was attended by 3,900 delegates from 64 countries. World Congress of Families V is now in the planning stages and accepting host proposals for 2009 or 2010 ( www.worldcongress.org).

The World Congress of Families (WCF) is an international network of pro-family organizations, scholars, leaders and people of goodwill from more than 60 countries that seeks to restore the natural family as the fundamental social unit and the ’seedbed’ of civil society. The WCF was founded in 1997 by Allan Carlson and is a project of The Howard Center for Family, Religion & Society in Rockford, Illinois (www.profam.org). To date, there have been four World Congresses of Families - Prague (1997), Geneva (1999), Mexico City (2004) and Warsaw, Poland (2007).

They Will Know We Are ______ By Our Love..

Somehow, I don’t think people will fill the blank in with “Moslems.”

If you don’t believe me, do a quick tally of how many hateful comments come back to my articles.

If Islam were so great AND people followed it rightly, people wouldn’t be upset and say “F@$# YOU!”
They would say, Hey Salib, you’re wrong and here’s why. Will pray that you see the light. Love in Mohammed..”

But they don’t! They roll out the anger and threats in their oh so wide vocabulary.

So I guess that the only thing I can say is “Hey, I stand by my beliefs, will pray that you see the light. Love in Christ, Salib.”

Christian Bashing: The Last Acceptable Bigotry

Christian Bashing: The Last Acceptable Bigotry
New Group to Fight Back Against Anti-Christian Threats
FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., Dec. 5 /Christian Newswire/ — As Christians around the country are met with violence and marginalization, Dr. Gary Cass, has founded the Christian Anti- Defamation Commission (CADC) a new organization that aims to counter threats to millions of Christians’ First Amendment rights. While the overwhelming majority of Americans are professed Christians, it has become routine for the media and elites to openly mock and trivialize Christians because they choose to express their faith.

In his new book Christian Bashing and the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission, Dr. Cass examines the threats, slurs and violence being perpetrated against Christians–and the apathetic reaction of American society. “When controversial statements are made against certain groups, there is a demand for an immediate apology. When anti- Christian sentiments flow from the media, there is never a response–until now,” said Dr. Cass.

“When a group known as the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a group of radical homosexual agitators, recently disrupted a Catholic mass in San Francisco, the reaction from the entire religious community was a big yawn. It is time for Christians to stand up and call bigotry by its rightful name and to fight back when defamed.”

“It is clear that persecution has not ceased to exist in the modern era. Defamation, which leads to marginalization and persecution, is not an irrational fear for Christians,” writes Dr. Cass.

According to Christian Bashing, some of the recent egregious examples of religious bigotry include:

In Illinois, an employee of a national insurance company was fired for writing an op-ed in support of traditional marriage, even though he did it on his own time and on his own computer.

Christopher Hitchens, on the day Jerry Falwell died, appeared on CNN and referred to Falwell as, “a little toad … a horrible little person… an evil old man… a conscious charlatan and bully and fraud.”

Bill Maher, who regularly belittles Christians, began his HBO program on May 18 with a vicious, blasphemous attack on the Christian faith, making lurid remarks associating Holy Communion with homosexuality.

An employee of an Idaho computer company was fired after displaying Bible verses in his cubicle–in response to a pro-homosexual flyer distributed by the company.

Howard Stern on his nationally syndicated radio show said, “If I was president, I would have you (pro- lifers) gassed. I would march you into the ovens.”

Kathy Griffin, a self-identified militant atheist, was honored for her cable reality show. Upon receiving her reward she said, “A lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this. He had nothing to do with this, …suck it Jesus! This award is my god now!”

The Christian Anti-Defamation Commission is a non- profit organization devoted to protecting the rights of Christians to confidently live their faith. Dr. Gary Cass has degrees from Westminster Theological Seminary. He previously served as Executive Director of the Center for Reclaiming America for Christ, an outreach of Coral Ridge Ministries founded by the late Dr. D. James Kennedy.

Goodbye, Month of Hypocrisy (By Kareem Amer)

This article was originally posted on Wednesday, October 25, 2006. Sharp-eyed readers will note that Kareem was arrested soon after that date. This article is taken from Faith Freedom International. Special thanks to them and everyone who helped. Please keep them, Kareem, and others like Kareem in your prayers this month (and every month!).
+Salib+

On February 22, 2007, Egyptian blogger Abdel Kareem Nabil Suleiman, better known by his Internet pseudonym Kareem Amer, was sentenced to four years in prison for criticizing Islam and Egyptian President, Hosny Mubarak, on his personal blog .

The article below is a translation of an entry he published after Ramadan in 2006. It was translated by Baal and other Faith Freedom International volunteers.

Permission is granted to reproduce this translation on any Web site, organization, blog, human rights group, etc., provided an explicit reference to this Web page is provided.

——————————————————————————–

For the first time since I was five, I found sufficient courage in myself to refuse fasting Ramadan this year. This is despite all the difficulties, obstacles, and challenges that accompanied me during the implementation of this decision. It restored in me a portion of my free will, which was stripped from me when I used to find myself compelled to perform practices and acts with insufficient conviction, only for the sake of courtesy to those who are around me if nothing else.

I emerged from this successful experience with new perspectives about the show-off society that we live in, in which the individual is fated to display a measure of hypocrisy to the society so he can get the approval of those around him, even if what is inside him were completely different [from his outward display].

Several years ago, a member of the Egyptian Parliament came forward with a bill that criminalizes those who publicly eat in the Ramadan daytime: A law which sends a clear message to the non-fasting to be hypocrites of the society by convincing those around them that they are fasting just like they are. This is in spite of the fact that the rite of fasting is supposed to be a private matter between the person fasting and his deity. However, what happened during the Islamization of our societies caused fasting to turn from a personal act of worship of the believers who wish to perform it to a habit that must be outwardly displayed so as to not affect the feelings of those fasting; as though the non-fasting should refrain from food and drinks in front of the fasting people in order to help them delay their desire for food and drinks until Iftar*!

Although this bill never saw daylight, this law is already applied in one way or another in the Egyptian street, as a way of life. We find the cafe’ and restaurants closing their doors until the hours of Iftar. Additionally, fast foods, juices, and drinks are not allowed to be sold during the daytime under the argument that everybody is supposed to be fasting, and that the person not fasting should veil away far from the sights of the people, on the grounds that he is plagued with this matter and he has to hide while breaking the fast!

The Month of Fasting [Ramadan] has turned into a public auction of hypocrisy. Everybody vies to prove that they are more hypocritical than others in various ways. It is very natural to find many who cannot tolerate fasting and so they eat, or you find them not performing the fast because they are not convinced of it, or because they do not essentially believe in it, or because they are not Muslims to fast in the first place. Nevertheless, the people’s stares at them force them to pretend to fast in order to avoid the looks of inferiority that the society directs to whoever abandons his customs and goes against the great majority of people’s consensus.

If it happened to be that someone was to publicly not fast in the Ramadan daytime, then do not enquire about all the insults he receives, either directly or by finding people’s eyes following him with fiery and intrusive stares. These looks make the non-faster imagine they are intruding him inside, and they wish to transform into sharp daggers that stab him until he makes his last breath.

When I was a child in elementary school, my classmates used to mock-celebrate their non‑fasting classmates in the Ramadan daytime with a song with the following lyrics:

Ya faater Ramadan,
ya khaaser deenak!
Sikkeenat al-jazzaar,
tiqta’ masaareenak!

[O non-fasting in Ramadan,
O loser of your faith!
(May) the knife of the butcher,
Cut your innards!]

This is how we were educated, as children on this harsh-worded song that wishes to have the intestines of the non-fasting person during Ramadan cut off. This displays an integral part of the looks that we fast-breakers receive during the Ramadan daytime from the society and people around us.

Last Friday, I was in Cairo with a friend. A short time before Iftar, we felt hungry so we decided to have lunch in the first place we find in our way. It seems that bad luck placed us in front of a Kentucky Fried Chicken branch in the middle of the city. We purchased what we wanted and headed off to the eating hall. It had not occurred to me that the time of Iftar had not come yet. I was surprised to find the restaurant completely filled with families who appeared to be waiting for the Iftar cannon so they can eat. My friend and I sat in the midst of the crowd and started eating. All what happened then was that our table turned into a theatre, with everybody staring at us as if we had come from another planet. Consequently, our eating turned into unbearable pain from all the stares haunting us from those around us.

On the night of Eid ul-Fitr**, I sent several letters to my friends telling them, “Kullu ‘aamin wa antum bikhair.” ["May you be well every year."] I was talking to a non-Muslim friend of mine, and I started congratulating her as well. She interjected, saying that she is not a Muslim, but I explained to her my position by saying that I am congratulating her for the end of the Month of Hypocrisy, and not for any other occasion.

To every human who had to display to people a face different from his true face during this month…

To every person who suffered from the stares of people, and their satirical and offensive remarks, for not matching them in hypocrisy…

To every human being who respected himself and apostatized from Islam…

“May you be well every year.”

——————————————————————————–

* Iftar: The evening meal breaking the Muslim fast. It occurs immediately after sunset.

** Eid ul-: An Islamic holiday celebrated at the end of Ramadan.

A Dog Named Mohammed

I don’t quite get what’s going on in these, but if it’s anti-Islamic, I’m there!

Click to see Modoggie!

Salib

PS=Note that I did say anti-ISLAMIC and not anti-MOSLEM. Get it right!

Hospital Chaplain Danny Harvey Fired for Praying In Jesus Name

30 Churches will march around hospital after hospital CEO Louis Bremer resigns
LEESBURG, Fla., Sept. 14 /Christian Newswire/ — Hospital Chaplain Danny Harvey, recently fired for praying “in Jesus name” by the Leesburg Regional Medical Center, will hold two press conferences, Friday at 2 pm, and Saturday at 8:30 am, on the public steps of City Hall (corner of 5th and Main) in Leesburg Florida.

Clergy and citizens from over 30 churches will gather at 8:15 am, to march around the hospital at 9:00am, on Saturday 15 Sep, starting from the steps of Leesburg City Hall. The marchers will walk in silent prayer for two-miles around the South Campus of the hospital, wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the rallying cry, “My Jesus, My Freedom, My Stand.”

Public outcry in support of Chaplain Harvey has already resulted in the sudden resignation of hospital CEO Louis Bremer, the same man who publicly supported Human Resource director Darlene Stone who fired Chaplain Harvey for praying in Jesus name.

Hospital Board Chairman Bill Binneveld (available for public comment at 352-323-5001 through secretary Angela Lackey) personally received CEO Louis Bremer’s resignation, but remains undecided about Chaplain Harvey’s current request to be reinstated.

Hospital Spokeswoman Diane Maimone wrote, “the issue was not about praying in the name of Jesus Christ, as has been claimed.” But documents newly available at www.prayinjesusname.org prove that Chaplain Harvey was directly threatened by hospital administrators with termination if he continued to pray in Jesus name in public.

March organizer Pastor John Kimer said, “This march was inspired by Chaplain Danny Harvey, but this march is not protesting the hospital, or demanding his job back, but for the churches to unite in the community, and stand up for the name of Jesus Christ.”

Former Navy Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt, who made national headlines after facing court- martial for praying in Jesus name in uniform, will join the march. “We want Chaplain Harvey reinstated,” Kingenschmitt said, “The fact CEO Louis Bremer resigned in the face of public scandal should serve as a warning to employers everywhere, that the American public will not tolerate religious discrimination against chaplains or any employees who pray in Jesus name, or share their faith in public.”

American Legion Blasts 9th Circuit’s Cross Ban

INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 10 /Christian Newswire/ — The leader of the nation’s largest veterans organization criticized last week’s decision by the 9th Circuit Court to remove a cross from a World War I veterans memorial in California’s Mojave Desert as the beginning of the “slippery slope of extreme secularism.”

“This is one more prime example of wrong-headed political correctness and one more critical reason why the current Congress must pass the Public Expression of Religion Act,” said American Legion National Commander Marty Conatser. “This is not about freedom of religion. The First Amendment also says Congress shall pass no law ‘prohibiting the free exercise’ of religion. The cross is an important symbol to millions of veterans, some of whom had to make the ultimate sacrifice for this nation.”

Referring to the federal Court’s September 6 decision, Conatser said that across the nation litigation is being brought by the ACLU and other groups attacking the Boy Scouts, the public display of the Ten Commandments and other symbols of America’s religious history. “Today’s lawyers and judges are outlawing the values and religious symbols that the Founding Fathers revered and proclaimed as the very foundation of the American republic,” he said. “Today it’s a memorial. Tomorrow, these same judges can order the removal of crosses on veterans gravestones, the dismissal of military chaplains and the closure of base chapels.”

Conatser pointed out that a loophole in the current law allows the ACLU and other groups to collect millions of dollars in attorney’s fees from the taxpayers, who, by and large, support the memorials.

Congress, in 2004, passed legislation that transferred one acre of the Mojave Desert Memorial on which the cross sits to private ownership, in exchange for five acres of land and thereby effectively removing it from federal jurisdiction. But the circuit court decreed that the federal government couldn’t exchange federal lands for private lands in order to maintain the cross that has been the center of the Mojave Desert Veterans Memorial for three quarters of a century.

The American Legion is spearheading a nationwide effort to develop a grassroots groundswell of support to pass legislation in Congress that would amend federal law to prevent the use of the legal system in a manner that extorts money from state and local governments.

“Passage of ‘The Veterans Memorials, Boy Scouts, Public Seals, and Other Public Expressions of Religion Protection Act of 2007′ (PERA) would prevent the ACLU from mugging America’s taxpayers in this manner,” Conatser said. “I hope all Americans who are angry about this, write their senators and representatives and demand that they pass PERA. The bills, H.R. 725 and S. 415 are languishing in the Judiciary Committees of both chambers. It’s time for Congress to make this public law, before other veterans’ memorials are literally desecrated at the whim of judges.”

The American Legion was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and patriotic youth programs. The Legion’s 2.7 million wartime veterans work for the betterment of their communities through more than 14,000 posts across the nation.

Controversy Intensifies Between Christians and Mormons Over New Movie, September Dawn,

Released August 24
HOLLYWOOD, Aug. 31 /Christian Newswire/ — September Dawn fires controversy not only between Christians and Mormons, but within the media. Catch phrases from media reviews such as “anti-Mormon,” “ham-fisted tale,” and “a distortion of history” have only fueled the flames.

The movie’s controversial screenplay, co-written by Carole Whang Schutter and Christopher Cain, is based on the true life story of a wagon train of Utah settlers who venture into Mormon territory and stop there at the wrong time. On September 11, 1857, in Mountain Meadows, more than 120 innocent men, women, and children were slaughtered because they were not Mormons.

According to Wayne Atilio Capurro, the great-great grandson of Philip Klingensmith, the Mormon Bishop of Cedar City, Utah, in 1857, his ancestor, portrayed by Jon Voight in the film, was a participant in the Mountain Meadows Massacre and one of three men assigned to deliver personally to Brigham Young the valuables taken from the murdered immigrants.

The controversy regarding Mountain Meadows Massacre began in 1857 and continues today following the airing of September Dawn:

“September Dawn presents a ham-fisted cautionary tale of religious fanaticism that would have been hooted out of even 19th-century theaters as melodrama of the most lurid kind…” –Chris Kaltenbach, Baltimore Sun

“The early reviews are in on September Dawn, the long-gestating drama set against the Mountain Meadows Massacre–and it’s a critical slaughter.” — Sean P. Means, movie critic, The Salt Lake Tribune

“The leadership of the LDS religion has a 150-year history of blaming the Indians, blaming the victims and scapegoating their members while denying all responsibility for a crime that disgraced humanity. They continue to do so in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.” –Wayne Atilio Capurro, ancestor of Mormon Bishop and author of White Flag

Carole Whang Schutter, born in Honolulu, Hawaii, began her writing career at age 54. She is a motivational speaker and has appeared on TV and radio shows. Her enduring interest in religion and passion for history led her to write September Dawn, her first screenplay, in collaboration with Director/Producer Christopher Cain.

India Bombing Shows Terrorism Growing

HYDERABAD, India, August 26 /Christian Newswire/ — “India is no longer safe from terrorist attacks,” declared Gospel for Asia founder and President K.P. Yohannan in the wake of two deadly bomb blasts in one of the nation’s largest cities over the weekend.

“The frequency of terrorist attacks and the presence of terrorists is increasing in India, a nation historically known for peace and harmony between all religions.”

Dr. Yohannan made the comments following news of two deadly bomb blasts, minutes apart, in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad. One explosion was at an open-air amusement park, while the other devastated a popular restaurant. At least 40 people were killed and nearly 100 were injured.

Investigators have stated in their preliminary assessment that terrorist groups based out of Bangladesh and Pakistan are suspected, but so far no one has claimed responsibility. Hyderabad has a large Muslim population and heritage dating back approximately 400 years. In May, at least 14 people were killed in an explosion outside the city’s Mecca Masjid, one of India’s most famous mosques.

Police discovered 16 other unexploded devices in Hyderabad, including one in a movie theater, which has prompted the closing of theaters throughout the city.

“The entire city is paralyzed, and all the roads are blocked,” Dr. Yohannan reported. A number of Christian ministries are based in Hyderabad. One of GFA’s main Bible colleges is located nearby, as well as its regional administrative headquarters.

While Dr. Yohannan admits that this tragedy makes it more complicated for GFA missionaries and pastors to do their work in the area, it is also an opportunity to share the love of Christ with those affected.

“We have to look at this from God’s perspective,” he explained. “We all belong to God-India belongs to God. The enemy of mankind is seeking to destroy people’s lives; we must be agents of peace and Christ’s compassion.”

He and other GFA leaders are asking the Body of Christ around the world to pray for this situation.

“Pray for the Muslim community in India, a significant percentage of our population, that they will experience God’s mercy and love. Pray that extremist groups like the Taliban will not have an influence in India.

“Pray also that we as the Body of Christ will be His true representatives during this time. We want to be peacemakers and help in whatever way we can.”

Gospel for Asia is a mission organization involved in evangelism and church planting in Asia’s unreached regions. Currently Gospel for Asia supports more than 16,500 native missionaries in 10 countries. On average, these missionaries establish approximately 10 fellowships every day among unreached villages and people groups. Gospel for Asia is also committed to training native missionaries in its 54 Bible colleges.

Chinese Government Launches Nationwide Campaign Against Uncontrolled Religious Activities

Massive Arrests Occurr in Inner Mongolia, Liaoning, Xinjiang, Jiangsu, Henan, Shandong, and Anhui

MIDLAND, Texas, Aug. 24 /Christian Newswire/ — China Aid learned that Chinese central government has launched a nationwide targeted campaign to clamp down the so-called “illegal religious activities” since mid-July 2007. Reports indicate massive arrests have occurred in at least 8 provinces including Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Jiangsu, Henan, Shandong, Shanxi and Anhui. Some are still being detained for receiving bibles while some were persecuted by having their water and electricity cut off by the government because of hosting Sunday schools at home.

Photo: the criminal detention notice to Xinjiang Christian businessman Zhou Heng for receiving 2 tons of Bibles

According to a report posted at the official website on July 6 by the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), Mr. LIU Jiaguo, deputy Minister of MPS, urged all local officials to start a one month campaign to “severely crack down illegal religion and evil religious activities” in order to eliminate the political unstable elements in the countryside. (The Chinese text of his speech can be viewed in both the official news report and MPS website)

According to CAA investigators reports:

Seven house church leaders have been detained since August 21 from a house church meeting in Inner Mongolia. Four pastors from Liaoning province including pastor QIN Tao(29 year-old), WANG Cong (34 year-old), WANG Shengjun(34 year-old), WANG Youjun(47 year-old) along with three Christian women leaders from Inner Mongolia were taken away from their worship location at Leizhiwa village, Kouhe town, Kulun Qi, Inner Mongolia. They are detained at the PSB office of Kulun Qi now.
One church leader was detained with two others and all three were wounded during a raid of a house church at Jianhu city, Jiangsu province on August 19 while the believers were having their Sunday worship service. That same church was attacked on July 11 when they hosted a summer VBS for 150 children.
Three church leaders from Henan, Anhui and Shanxi were detained for five days when they took some Sunday school literature from a house church at Zaolin village, Guanjin town, Xincai county, Henan province on August 17.
Three church leaders were detained from 5 to 10 days as administrative punishment on August 9 while they were having a worship meeting at Qinghe town, Yutai town, Shandong province. The names of the detained are pastor DU Dafeng, CHENG Zhenan and Ms. Yue Ying.
A well-known Christian businessman Mr. ZHOU Heng has been under criminal detention since August 3. He was arrested when he tried to pick up 2 tons of Bibles at a bus station sent by someone from another province to distribute to local believers. A number of local house church leaders and believers had been questioned since then. According to his detention paper sent to Mr. ZHOU’s wife CHEN Jihong, brother Zhou Heng was put “on criminal detention on suspicion of illegal business operation at 21:00 on August 3, 2007.” He could face up to 15 years imprisonment if convicted. Currently, ZHOU Heng is being detained at Xishan Detention Center by Urumqi Municipal Public Security Bureau, Xinjiang. The Chinese government only allows the official sanctioned churches to print and distribute limited number of bibles.
On July 14, 2007, Sister Kong Lingrong and several young Christians between the ages of 10 to 15 were reading the Bible and praying in the house when Li Zhizhong, head of Company 4, Regiment 31, 2nd Agricultural Division of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps of the Communist Party of China, Wang Cairong, deputy director of the company, Zhang Chunlan, the political director, and Jiang Wei, member of the security staff of the company, came in and said this was an illegal gathering and that children are not allowed to believe in Jesus. Sister Kong Lingrong told them that she was only reading some Bible passages to them and telling them how to be a true human being. Sister Kong also showed them a copy of “United Nations Convention on Children’s Rights.” They asked: “Where did you get these things?” They questioned the students and asked them which grades they are in and who are their class instructors. After that, the persecution against sister KONG intensified. Sister KONG was told she conducted illegal gatherings at her home. They also ordered her to write a statement of self-criticism and self- examination on this matter. On July 20, Wu Zhilu, deputy political commissar of the company, four policemen from the local police station, six leaders and over 20 people from the TV station, water station, and five to six other work units, stopped electricity and water services to Sister Kong Lingrong’s house. It was reported in that night’s news program on the company’s TV channel.

Ruan Boping: Regiment leader of Regiment 31, 2nd Agricultural Division, Xinjiang Construction Corps. Office Tel: +86-996-435-0666
Political Commissar of Regiment 31, 2nd Agricultural Division, Xinjiang Construction Corps. Office Tel: +86- 996-435-0046
Comprehensive Management Office of Regiment 31, 2nd Agricultural Division, Xinjiang Construction Corps. Office Tel: +86-996-435-0015 Phone number of Sister Kong Lingrong’s residence +86-996-435-3020
Public Security Bureau

“The Chinese church believers are faithful peace- makers in building a stable moral society in China,” said Rev. Bob Fu, President of CAA. “We call upon the Chinese government to correct this grave misunderstanding by allowing these faithful to contribute more social service without fear of arrest and retribution.”

‘America’s Worst Enemy, Itself’

The Speeding Train and the Foolish Driver
SAN DIEGO, Aug. 23 /Christian Newswire/ — It isn’t as though we are unfamiliar with the concept of the speeding train and the foolish driver who believes that they can outrun that train across the tracks; only to be crushed beyond recognition. But when you look at America, some Americans are wondering if we are in a similar race for our very own existence. Of course any person can point out some of the top dangers to America, whether it’s bio-terrorism, illegal immigration or nuclear war. But the maddening reality is that we do not understand that WE are our own worst enemies. Here are a few examples that should make us begin to wonder if we are the largest group of lemmings to commit collective suicide.

We want to protect ourselves from the onslaught of illegal immigrants and yet we have created the demand for cheap labor by having cheap abortion which kills millions of pre born Americans. Additionally, millions of Baby Boomers have looked forward to their retirement and yet they have promoted the aborting of millions of children who could have financially supported the now failing social security system. To add injury to insult, many children who did survive this abortion holocaust have been taught by their parents that it is acceptable to get rid of pre born babies if they are expensive and inconvenient. This widespread belief will make the case in the future, that Mom and Dad should also be euthanized if they are the same kind of burden to their children. In the interest of not offending anyone, the vast majority of Pastors will not speak on the issue of abortion from their pulpits. Yet these same Pastors will wonder why their churches are not filled with the youthful voices of children, who might have brought the gospel to their community.

We have clearly patted ourselves on the back for being so tolerant of homosexuals, the cohabitation of heterosexuals and no fault divorce; when all the while destroying the very institution that is meant to keep our society stable; a godly marriage. But in typical hypocrisy we will continue to pity the broken home and the single parent family when we ourselves have encouraged it to continue by tolerating immoral relationships. Public schools are teaching promiscuity and homosexuality and are trying to figure out why so many young people have STD’s and HIV. Even Police officers across the land will risk life and limb to protect children from harm and yet the very same officers will march in gay pride parades which encourage children to participate in the destructive lifestyle of homosexuality.

We are so rightfully concerned about the environment, when the environment of our soul is so stagnant with hedonism, pride and materialism. With this kind of spiritual wasteland, we simply cannot offer the spring water of Christ to those who need it. It also seems rather strange that most environmentalists are very silent about our waterways being filled with the waste water of chemical abortifacient drugs that are destroying the very sexual makeup of ponds and rivers. They also seem very silent on the environment of the womb being destroyed by abortion and multiple sex partners. When will they actually care about pre born children as much as they care about baby seals?

We invite people to come to our country to become citizens and yet we fall all over ourselves to accommodate their culture and their ways, instead of demanding that they become real Americans. We have somehow forgotten that they have come to our country because of the value of what we are as a nation. We should never replace that with the very culture that people flee. To make matters worse, we invite the people of Islam who are religiously bound to overthrow the countries they live in, whether by law or sword to come to our beloved country, living among us, giving sanctuary to those who want to destroy us.

Remarkably we go all over the world to teach countries about representative government and yet Americans are seldom represented by their elected officials. Their parties prop up people that do not represent our best and brightest, but rather many wealthy, power hungry elitists. Most parties play both sides of the political fence thus misrepresenting their own party platform. Many of us are still waiting for real statesmen who fear God and obey His Word. It would be refreshing to have leaders who are not afraid to utter the words, “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord” and “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord”, and actually mean it.

We had such great disdain for being under the tyrants of Britain and were willing to pay the ultimate price to be free. But now we cower before the Federal government as though we no longer were a land ‘for and by the people.’ States have given up their constitutional sovereignty and instead wait in line to be blessed once again, by the kings of Washington DC. Our representatives are enamored with taxes and spending without restraint as they continue to create departments and programs outside of their God given authority and outside of the U.S. Constitution. Many times law enforcement, government leaders and judges punish the righteous, while funding and praising those who do evil.

The godly prophets are considered fools and yet the fools are proclaimed wise. The profane is now called holy and evil is called good. We are certainly in trouble. Though I am very worried about bioterrorism, illegal immigration and nuclear war; the most frightful and troubling thought is that we are not only driving that car in a race with the train, but most Americans seem indifferent to the real coming train wreck of America. It appears that few are trying to stop and consider whether it worth losing such a race; but then again, we might either offend someone or be accused of being hateful. But shouldn’t we be recapturing what it means to really love God, our neighbor and even ourselves?

Radical Islam is Not Politically Correct

WASHINGTON, July 23 /Christian Newswire/ — Colonel David Hunt told Fox News last week that our soldiers could have killed Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri in 2005. However, they were stopped from taking any action by then Secretary of State, Donald Rumsfeld.

What were the reasons for this insane decision? We are told that it was to protect the fragile democracy of President Musharraf in Pakistan and to further President Bush’s goal of establishing democracies. When will we realize these people do not want a democracy, they want a government controlled by Radical Islam?

Apparently Bush thinks by insisting upon giving them a democratic form of government they will accept it. What President Bush doesn’t seem to realize is that these people are not our friends, they are our sworn enemies.

Why don’t we understand that Radical Islam is the greatest threat America has ever faced since World War II? Why don’t we understand the words of Jihad being spoken nearly every day by Iran’s President Ahmadinejad? Why don’t we realize that Radical Islam teaches its followers to lie to non-believers?

Don Swarthout, President of Christians Reviving America’s Values (CRAVE) said, “The real question is, Why doesn’t America realize these Radical Islamic countries are our sworn enemies and that we must be defeat them by a show of force? Force is the only thing they understand.”

Swarthout said, “America has to wake up very soon to the real threat these people pose to our nation. Our leaders talk about the amount of chatter heard today like it is nothing. They had better wake up to the fact that Al Qaeda and Radical Islam are very real threats to us.”

Swarthout concluded, “We have become so politically correct that we have lost track of how America should act. Those who teach tolerance are really teaching us not to express our true opinions. Whatever happened to our freedom of speech everyone is always hollering about? Where is the value in not saying anything when you strongly disagree with something?

I Had Nothing To Do With This Video…

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