Devotional: The Lord will give strength unto his people...

The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace. Psalm 29:11

David had just heard the voice of the Lord in a thunderstorm and had seen His power in the hurricane whose path he had described; and now, in the cool calm after the storm, that overwhelming power by which heaven and earth are shaken is promised to be the strength of the chosen. He who wings the unerring bolt will give to His redeemed the wings of eagles; He who shakes the earth with His voice will terrify the enemies of His saints and give His children peace. Why are we weak when we have divine strength to flee to? Why are we troubled when the Lord's own peace is ours? Jesus, the mighty God, is our strength; let us put Him on and go forth to our service. Jesus, our blessed Lord, is also our peace; let us repose in Him this day and end our fears. What a blessing to have Him for our strength and peace both now and forever!

That same God who rides upon the storm in days of tempest will also rule the hurricane of our tribulation and send us, before long, days of peace. We shall have strength for storms and songs for fair weather. Let us begin to sing at once unto God, our strength and our peace. Away, dark thoughts! Up, faith and hope! ...CH Spurgeon image by Alain76

UK: 5,000 teenagers a year have repeat abortions

By Steve Doughty
07th December 2009

More than 5,000 teenagers had an abortion last year that was at least their second termination.
This means that one in 20 of the teenagers who became pregnant ended it with their second or further abortion.

It caused further controversy yesterday over the Government's teen pregnancy strategy, which has not only failed to hit its targets but last year also saw numbers of conceptions among teenagers actually increase.

Critics have accused ministers of relying increasingly on abortion to deal with teen pregnancy. the rest

Report Examines the State of Mainline Protestant Churches

Ventura, CA
December 7, 2009

When Baby Boomers were born, the Protestant landscape of America was dominated by the six major mainline denominations. (Those bodies are typically considered to be the American Baptist Churches in the USA; the Episcopal Church; the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; the Presbyterian Church (USA); the United Church of Christ; and the United Methodist Church.)

Since the 1950s, however, mainline churches have fallen on hard times, declining from more than 80,000 churches to about 72,000 today. The growth among evangelical and Pentecostal churches since the 1950s, combined with the shrinking of the mainline sector, has diminished mainline churches to just one-fifth of all Protestant congregations today. In the past fifty years, mainline church membership dropped by more than one-quarter to roughly 20 million people. Adult church attendance indicates that only 15% of all American adults associate with a mainline church these days.

A new report issued by The Barna Group focuses upon changes in the mainline churches during the past decade. The report examines shifts in both the adults who attend those churches and the pastors who lead them. the rest image by cliff1066™

United Church of Christ, Methodist, Episcopal, Presbyterians OK Abortion Funding

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
December 7, 2009

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A collection of pro-abortion religious groups authored a letter today to members of the Senate that essentially places them on record supporting taxpayer funding of abortions. The letter expresses their opposition to the Nelson amendment, released today, to remove abortion funding from the Senate government-run health care bill.

The Episcopal Church, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), United Church of Christ, and United Methodist Church are the four mainline protestant denominations to sign the letter asking lawmakers to oppose the Nelson amendment. the rest

Albert Mohler: When “Gracious Restraint” Fails — The Real Anglican Tragedy

December 07, 2009

The election of a second openly-homosexual bishop in the Episcopal Church hardly came as a surprise. Given the actions of the church in its General Convention this past summer, the question was clearly not if there would be more openly-gay bishops, but when. The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles answered that question on Saturday, electing the Reverend Mary D. Glasspool of Baltimore as an assistant bishop. She is expected to be consecrated as bishop on May 15 in Los Angeles.

Ms. Glasspool was elected on the seventh ballot, winning 153 clergy votes and 203 lay votes. Her election followed the election of another woman as a fellow assistant bishop for the diocese. More significantly, her election followed the seismic events of 2003, when the Reverend V. Gene Robinson was elected bishop of New Hampshire -- the first openly-homosexual bishop in the entire Anglican world.

Bishop Robinson's election set off a cataclysm in the Anglican Communion. That worldwide body of Anglicans appealed to its American church, the Episcopal Church, to respect the concerns of other churches and to establish a moratorium on the election of openly homosexual persons as bishops and the blessing of same-sex unions. the rest

Geraniums in the Snow

We had a bit of snow in Syracuse today, and it was a pretty picture to see it on my geraniums. I believe that this is the latest in the year that my potted plants have survived outdoors...their days are numbered though. -PD

Timothy of Florida

December 06, 2009

Well, I was sorry last night to learn that Tim Tebow, unquestionably the most beloved young man in the state of Florida, will not be leading his Gators to a third national championship game. I am breaking with long family tradition in feeling sorry; we are Penn State fans, and adhere to a certain hierarchy of hate, according to which Florida has long been pretty low down on the list -- or near the top, depending on how you want to look at it.

Nevertheless, I am fascinated by the Tim Tebow phenomenon. It is true that he is a talented quarterback, and anybody who brings two national championships home is going to be treated like a prince. But sports allegiances do not come within a hundred miles of explaining why people love him so much. No doubt there are visitors to this site who can fill in the details, but from what I gather (and sports reporters these days are notoriously unwilling to write about such things, as any number of people like Kurt Warner and Albert Pujols will testify), Tebow is the homeschooled son of Christian missionaries. He won't ever be President of the United States, because he was born in the Philippines, where his father still works, and where he himself has gone many times to assist as a missionary. His mother apparently was advised by Filipino doctors to abort him, because the placenta had gotten detached; they told her that the child would certainly die, and that her own life would be in grave danger. I am not sure of the specifics of the medical situation. Suffice it to say that she turned the doctors down and put her life, and her baby's life, in the hands of God. Timothy Tebow was born, rather long of limb and skinny, but healthy. His body shows no signs of ever having been undernourished: he is six feet five inches, upwards of 250 pounds. the rest image by Doug Kensrue

Jesus Nearly Banned at White House Inn

Is the Obama administration so afraid to offend people of other beliefs that they will seriously consider obliterating basic American traditions?
December 07, 2009
By Eric Metaxas
FOXNews.com

I can see the headlines now: "Gate-crashers Enter White House; Jesus Kept Out!" Except it almost happened. Really.

I was reading the New York Times Sunday Styles section yesterday (yep, I'm straight) when I came across an article about embattled White House Social Secretary Desiree Rogers -- she's the one who broke with previous White House tradition by inviting herself to the state dinner when she should have been at the door keeping out the loopy riff-raff.

But in the twelfth paragraph of the article there was a real bombshell: It said that earlier this year at a luncheon with other previous White House social secretaries, Ms. Rogers claimed that this year the White House would have a "non-religious" Christmas celebration. (For those of you confused by that, it's just like a "non-religious" Yom Kippur celebration, or a "non-Irish" St. Patrick's Day celebration, or an "international" July 4th celebration.) the rest

Virgin Galactic unveils commercial spaceship

posted December 7, 2009

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A spacecraft designed to rocket wealthy tourists into space as early as 2011 was unveiled Monday in what backers of the venture hope will signal a new era in aviation history.

The long-awaited glimpse of SpaceShipTwo marks the first public appearance of a commercial passenger spacecraft. The project is bankrolled by Virgin Galactic founder, British billionaire Sir Richard Branson, who partnered with famed aviation designer Burt Rutan, the brains behind the venture.

"We want this program to be a whole new beginning in a commercial era of space travel," Branson said. the rest

School Supplies with Obama logo

By Jonathon Braden
Thursday, December 3, 2009

A notebook sold to a student out of a supply machine at Mill Creek Elementary School bears a logo and slogan similar to those used in the Obama campaign last year. The supplier also distributed pencils with a similar theme.

Pencils and notebooks resembling President Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign ads have been sold in at least one Columbia school and other public schools, causing the company that distributes the materials to travel around the state yanking the supplies out of machines.

“Don’t be mad at us,” said Greg Jones, a sales representative with Pencil Wholesale. “It was a total accident.” the rest/image

Minarets in Switzerland and Crucifixes in Italy

First Things
Dec 7, 2009
Robert Louis Wilken

[Editor's Note: This is the first in a three-part series on the Swiss minaret ban.]

Two stories were front-page news last week, the President’s speech on Afghanistan and the spectacle of Tiger Woods smashing his Cadillac Escalade into his neighbor’s tree at 2:30 a.m. But two other items caught my attention, the one from Italy and the other from Switzerland.

The European Court of Human Rights ruled that crucifixes be removed from Italian classrooms. According to the blogger Fabio Paolo Barbieri, in response hundreds of mayors in Italy passed town ordinances requiring that every classroom display a crucifix. Even in red Tuscany, a historic communist region, the mayors have been sending Carabinieri to the schools to check that every classroom has its crucifix. In one case when a high school teacher tried to remove a crucifix his students revolted, and when the headmaster heard what the teacher had done he suspended him for ten days without pay.

The other story came from Switzerland where voters, and a majority of the cantons, adopted a law imposing a ban on the construction of minarets in the country. Though the initiative was opposed by most political parties, churches and businesses, a solid majority of 57 percent voted in favor of the new law. The four existing minarets in the country will be allowed to stand, but construction of new minarets is now banned. What struck me in reading editorial opinion on the decision was that the only language writers had to discuss the matter was that of human “rights.” Predictably the vote was seen as a triumph of bigotry and intolerance, an infringement of the rights of Muslim.
the rest

Evangelical Lutheran leader suggests Bible not the final authority

12/7/2009
AP

CHICAGO - The presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is suggesting that the Bible isn't the last word on homosexuality.

In a town hall meeting Sunday, Bishop Mark Hanson said, "the understanding we have of homosexuality today does not seem to be reflected at all in the context of the biblical writers." Therefore, he said, Lutherans should consider more modern views on sexual orientation.

At its churchwide convention in August, the ELCA lifted its ban on partnered gay and lesbian clergy, prompting some traditional congregations to withhold funds and begin forming a separate denomination. the rest

U.S. sees homegrown Muslim extremism as rising threat

This may have been the most dangerous year since 9/11, anti-terrorism experts say.
By Sebastian Rotella
December 7, 2009

Reporting from Washington - The Obama administration, grappling with a spate of recent Islamic terrorism cases on U.S. soil, has concluded that the country confronts a rising threat from homegrown extremism.

Anti-terrorism officials and experts see signs of accelerated radicalization among American Muslims, driven by a wave of English-language online propaganda and reflected in aspiring fighters' trips to hot spots such as Pakistan and Somalia.

Europe had been the front line, the target of successive attacks and major plots, while the U.S. remained relatively calm. But the number, variety and scale of recent U.S. cases suggest 2009 has been the most dangerous year domestically since 2001, anti-terrorism experts said:

* There were major arrests of Americans accused of plotting with Al Qaeda and its allies, including an Afghan American charged in a New York bomb plot described as the most serious threat in this country since the Sept. 11 attacks. the rest

Copenhagen climate summit: 1,200 limos, 140 private planes and caviar wedges

Copenhagen is preparing for the climate change summit that will produce as much carbon dioxide as a town the size of Middlesbrough.
By Andrew Gilligan
05 Dec 2009

On a normal day, Majken Friss Jorgensen, managing director of Copenhagen's biggest limousine company, says her firm has twelve vehicles on the road. During the "summit to save the world", which opens here tomorrow, she will have 200.

"We thought they were not going to have many cars, due to it being a climate convention," she says. "But it seems that somebody last week looked at the weather report." the rest

Business Fumes Over Carbon Dioxide Rule

Pope Benedict invites Copenhagen representatives to rediscover the ‘moral dimension of human life'

56 Newspapers to Sing As One About Copenhagen

The Cold Heart of ObamaCare

December 7, 2009
By Nat Hentoff

Much of the press coverage of the Democrats' health care legislation, now fiercely embattled in Congress, focuses on the public option, the actual long-term costs and tax increases, and the amendment barring funding for abortions. But the cold heart of Obamacare is its overpowering of the doctor-patient relationship - eventually resulting in the premature ending of many Americans' lives for being too costly.

To call the dangers of this legislation "death panels" obscures the real-life consequences to Americans, not only the elderly, of a federal government-run health care bureaucracy. In the Senate bill, for instance, Medicare doctors whose treatments each year of certain, mostly elderly, patients costs more than a set government figure will be punished by losing part of their own incomes. the rest

An internal revolt at the Business Roundtable over support for ObamaCare

California moves to ration mammograms

Episcopal Church Tensions Stirred

December 7, 2009
By STEPHANIE SIMON

The breach between conservative and liberal Episcopalians widened as a lesbian was elected an assistant bishop in Los Angeles, drawing fire from Anglicans world-wide.

The Rev. Canon Mary D. Glasspool, 55 years old, was elected late Saturday on a seventh ballot, after several votes ended in deadlocks. Open about her sexual orientation since her seminary days, Canon Glasspool has been with the woman she calls her life partner since 1988.

She is in line to become the second openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church, after the Right Rev. V. Gene Robinson, who took office in New Hampshire in 2004. the rest

Are Episcopalians now a 'sect'?

Jensen rejects vote for lesbian

Election of lesbian bishop divides Anglican community

Anglican leader urges restraint over lesbian Episcopal bishop

Bruno: If you don’t consent to Glasspool’s election you’re violating the canons-Stand Firm

The Curmudgeon's Take

What about the Christians who don't go to church?

by Jim Currin, Group for Evangelisation
Wednesday, December 2, 2009

The BBC has done it again.

From the producer who brought us The Miracles of Jesus and Around the World in 80 Faiths, we have A History of Christianity. Who says religion is dead? I heard that the programmes triple the regular BBC 4 audience when shown.

Jean Claude Bragard, the producer for BBC Religion and Ethics, has brought to life the events and issues of yesteryear with fresh insights for today. However, it is not so much the history and programme which I would like to comment on, so much as the online survey which accompanies it. the rest

Anglicans split over election of lesbian bishop

The Times
December 7, 2009
Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent

The future of the worldwide Anglican Communion was in jeopardy last night after the Archbishop of Canterbury said that the election of a lesbian bishop in the United States raised “very serious questions”.

Dr Rowan Williams added that the choice of Canon Mary Glasspool to be a suffragan bishop in Los Angeles had “important implications”. The election of Canon Glasspool, who has lived with the same female partner since 1988, is the second appointment of an openly homosexual bishop in the US Episcopal Church. It confirmed fears among evangelicals in the Anglican Communion of more than 70 million people that crucial votes at last summer’s General Convention of the Episcopal Church had in effect ended the moratorium on gay bishops. the rest

Pressure Mounts After Episcopal Church Elects Second Gay Bishop

Archbishop of Canterbury's Statement on Los Angeles Episcopal Elections

Rowan Williams cannot now prevent an Anglican schism
Rowan Williams bought himself time for a while in his attempt to hold the Anglican Communion together in its row over gay bishops. But yesterday it looked like that time is running out.

Conger: Archbishop of Canterbury urges rethink on US bishop’s election

Has the theory of the Protestant work ethic just collapsed?

By Damian Thompson
December 6th, 2009

Has a young Harvard graduate student in economics dealt a deadly blow to Max Weber’s theory that Protestantism favours economic development? Davide Cantoni has just produced a brilliantly argued paper which takes economic data from Catholic and Protestant cities in Germany from 1300 to 1900, subjects them to meticulous multivariate analysis, and finds no evidence that Protestantism per se made people richer.

Cantoni, whose CV reveals that he is a 28-year-old doctoral student with joint German and Italian citizenship, knows that he is walking into a minefield. Weber’s reputation as perhaps the greatest of all sociologists does not rest solely on his famous thesis; but it has iconic status and both drew on and developed the widely held belief that, to put it crudely, Protestants get out of bed earlier in the morning than Catholics. the rest

Piano stairs - TheFunTheory

Devotional: To be used of God...

To be used of God. Is there anything more encouraging, more fulfilling? Perhaps not, but there is something more basic: to meet with God. To linger in His presence, to shut out the noise of the city and, in quietness, give Him the praise He deserves. Before we engage ourselves in His work, let's meet Him in His Word... in prayer... in worship. ...Chuck Swindoll image

A message from Fr. Nigel Mumford

Saturday, December 05, 2009

"A HUGE THANK YOU to all who have been praying for me. There was a night when the doctors told Lynn [Torre: probably October 19th] that they couldn't do anything more for me. That was the night the special request for prayer went out. There was a huge Tsunami wave of prayer that washed over me and that is why I am here today."

Fr. Nigel also reported that he was able to put on his own socks by himself for the first time today.

Please continue to pray for:
-Immediate healing of the bedsore that is still causing him great discomfort
-Healing of whatever is causing the dizziness and nausea
-Complete healing and restoration of his lungs
-Regaining strength and use of his muscles
-Peace and stamina for Lynn

Albany Intercessor

Abortion battle could derail health bill

By CARRIE BUDOFF BROWN
12/5/09

In the past week, abortion has flared up as a major impediment to passage of a health care reform bill in the Senate, taking a similar path as it did during the House debate — from obscurity to obstacle in a matter of days.

After months of trying to craft a 60-vote coalition based on the finer points of health care policy, Senate Democrats are growing increasingly worried that abortion will upend what had become a clear path to approving the overhaul bill.

Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) sparked a fresh round of concern this week when he repeatedly and definitively vowed to filibuster the health care legislation unless it included abortion restrictions as tough as the so-called Stupak amendment in the House bill. the rest

Obama’s “Safe Schools Czar” Is Promoting Child Porn in the Classroom

Friday, December 4, 2009
Jim Hoft

Excerpts:
Safe Schools Czar Kevin Jennings was the founder, and for many years, Executive Director of an organization called the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). GLSEN started essentially as Jennings’ personal project and grew to become the culmination of his life’s work. And he was chosen by President Obama to be the nation’s Safe Schools Czar primarily because he had founded and led GLSEN (scroll for bio)...

...According to GLSEN’s own press releases from the period during which its recommended reading list was developed, the organization’s three areas of focus were creating “educational resources, public policy agenda, [and] student organizing programs”; in other words, the reading list (chief among its “educational resources”) was of prime importance in GLSEN’s efforts to influence the American educational system.

The list is divided into three main categories: books recommended for grades K-6; books recommended for grades 7-12; and books for teachers. (The books on the list span all genres: fiction, nonfiction, memoirs, even poetry.)

Out of curiosity to see exactly what kind of books Kevin Jennings and his organization think American students should be reading in school, our team chose a handful at random from the over 100 titles on GLSEN’s grades 7-12 list, and began reading through.

What we discovered shocked us. We were flabbergasted. Rendered speechless. the rest

Warning: The material at the end is very explicit.
(I can't read that stuff, so I take their word for it. I read only the first part of the story-PD)

Remove Kevin Jennings! An Open letter to Mr. Obama

Newly elected gay Episcopal bishop: Excited about church's future

December 5, 2009

The Rev. Canon Mary D. Glasspool, newly elected bishop suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, told delegates after her election that she was excited about the future of the national church. Glasspool, 55, is the first openly lesbian priest to be elected a bishop in the Episcopal Church.

"I'm very excited about the future of the whole Episcopal Church and I see the Diocese of Los Angeles leading the way into that future. But for just for this moment, let me say again, thank you, and thanks be to our loving and supporting God, a surprising God," Glasspool told delegates to the diocese's annual convention just after they elected her on the seventh balloting for one of two open suffragan, or assistant, bishop positions.

Referring to the current church season of Advent, a time of anticipation of the birth of Christ, Glasspool said, "This is my 56th Advent and I think I finally know the meaning of the word 'wait.' " The delegates laughed. Glasspool is the church's first openly gay priest to win election to the ranks of bishops since the controversial elevation of the Rev. V. Gene Robinson in 2003. the rest

Lesbian Episcopal priest elected LA assist. bishop

Devotional: Christian perfection...

Christian perfection is not, and never can be, human perfection. Christian perfection is the perfection of a relationship to God which shows itself amid the irrelevancies of human life. When you obey the call of Jesus Christ, the first thing that strikes you is the irrelevancy of the things you have to do, and the next thing that strikes you is the fact that other people seem to be living perfectly consistent lives. Such lives are apt to leave you with the idea that God is unnecessary, by human effort and devotion we can reach the standard God wants. In a fallen world this can never be done. I am called to live in perfect relation to God so that my life produces a longing after God in other lives, not admiration for myself. Thoughts about myself hinder my usefulness to God. God is not after perfecting me to be a specimen in His show-room; He is getting me to the place where He can use me. Let Him do what He likes. ...Oswald Chambers image

Fr. Nigel Update, Friday 12/4/09

9:14 AM

Fr. Nigel Mumford continues to improve, bit by bit. Yesterday was an orientation day for him in his new surroundings, so he was meeting new doctors, nurses and staff. He continues to receive some help with oxygen as his lungs are not able to manage on their own just yet. He said that his brief time on his feet attempting to walk is much like Tim Conway on the 70s television show "Laugh In" – he shuffles along with his walker. Although he would like to be gaining more strength and time on his feet, his dizziness and nausea are continuing to plague him. The doctors are trying to discover what is causing this.

Fr. Nigel is in wonderful spirits and his sense of humor is ever evident. If you know Fr. Nigel, you will know that he is keen on humor in the healing process. He is anxious to build up his strength so that he can be home by Christmas, which would be a wonderful gift.

Please pray for:
-Immediate healing of the bedsore that is still causing him great discomfort
-Healing of whatever is causing the dizziness and nausea
-Complete healing and restoration of his lungs
-Regaining strength and use of his muscles
-Peace and stamina for Lynn

Please give Praise and Thanksgiving to our God who has answered our prayers.

Because Fr. Nigel is still susceptible to infection, there is still a No Visitor policy. Fr. Nigel knows how many people are praying for him and he knows how God has listened to your prayers. If he were able, Fr. Nigel would thank each of you personally for your prayers for him and for others. May God bless you for your faithfulness in prayer and your faithfulness to Him.

From Beth Strickland
Albany Intercessor

San Clemente Rector Elected a Bishop

December 4, 2009

The Rev. Canon Diane M. Jardine Bruce, rector of St. Clement’s by-the-Sea Church in San Clemente, Calif., has been elected the first woman to serve as a bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.

Canon Bruce won on the third ballot, drawing 134 votes among the clergy and 237 among the laity. She was elected to fill one of two suffragan bishop positions. The diocese’s electing convention will resume its business on Saturday with the five remaining nominees and clean slates.

The Rev. Canon Mary Douglas Glasspool, who serves as canon to the bishops in the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland, was the only other nominee in a six-person slate to attract more than 100 votes in the clergy and lay deputations. the rest

Bp. David Anderson: AAC Update

December 4, 2009

Beloved in Christ,

I hope that you and your family had a wonderful time together on Thanksgiving Day. It is one of the weeks that the AAC doesn't publish the weekly email update, but as I travel I find that so many people read our updates, and are disappointed if we skip a week, or if I am traveling and don't write a column, that it makes me feel a little guilty.

In today's news we note that The Living Church has released an article by The Rev. Dr. Ephraim Radner entitled "Misreading History," which pokes holes in Bishop John Chane's distorted presentation of marriage. Dr. Radner is a member of The Anglican Communion Institute (ACI). The ACI and its companion Communion Partners have pledged to honor the Windsor Report process, including the call of the Anglican Primates to halt lawsuits. This cessation of lawsuits is one of the moratoria called for by the Anglican Communion Primates.

It is surprising then, that one of the Communion Partner (CP) dioceses, Tennessee, and their bishop broke ranks with the rest of the CP dioceses and initiated a lawsuit against St. Andrew's Church in West Nashville, asking a state court to give the property to the diocese. It raises a question as to the extent of the Diocese of Tennessee's commitment to the moratoria and the Windsor Report process.

On the west coast, the TEC diocese of Los Angeles is preparing to vote this Saturday to fill two Suffragan bishop positions that are open. The question looming over the diocese is, will Los Angeles follow New Hampshire and elect a non-celibate homosexual as a bishop? Of the retiring bishops, one is a straight black male, and the other an Hispanic male who is gay (he transferred into TEC from Mexico).

Among the candidates are a white, partnered homosexual female priest, a white, partnered homosexual male priest, two straight women, one black and the other white, and two straight Hispanic men. This is quite "politically correct": with three men and three women, or three white candidates, two Hispanic candidates and one black candidate, or four straight and two homosexual candidates. With the cross currents of interest in the diocese, it is thought that the white female lesbian candidate, the Rev. Glasspool, might very well be one of the two elected. This election happens Saturday, so you might wish to check the internet Saturday afternoon PST to see if outcomes are posted.

While we are on sexuality issues, Bishop M. Thomas Shaw III of (Eastern) Massachusetts has granted permission for priests in his diocese to officiate at same-sex weddings. Yes, since the state of Massachusetts now permits same-sex marriage, priests aren't talking about blessing same-sex unions any longer, it is marriage in the Church that they are offering.

One item that is causing a great deal of concern in the Western world is a private member's motion in the Uganda legislature imposing draconian punishments for homosexual behavior and those who aid or abet it in any way. Some say it is in response to western homosexual recruitment in the schools in Uganda, but however the problem is described, the punishments which include the death penalty and life imprisonment seem beyond comprehension. It should be noted that the legislation is proposed by an individual and not by the government, and it is likely that wise leaders will see that the legislation is not passed. Great concern was raised in the past when the legislature in Nigeria had severe punishments proposed for similar behavior, but in the end no such legislation was passed or implemented. We pray that wisdom may prevail in Uganda and other ways will be found to address concerns over this issue.

Early last week before Thanksgiving, news began to surface about an incredible All Saints' Day Litany done at Saint John's Episcopal Church, Harrison, Arkansas. David Virtue broke the story about the Rev. Seamus Doyle, rector, and then one of our sources faxed us the actual litany used that morning. This litany is in the same category as the Druid Episcopal priests in Pennsylvania and the Seattle Muslim Episcopal priest, and as bizarre as these three instances are, they are an indicator of how the faith of the Jefferts Schori Episcopal Church is continuing to degrade.
The Litany moves from orthodox to heresy in the second intercession, where it progresses to, "Holy men and women who worshipped the All Holy One as Rama, Visnu or the Lord Krishna, forest hermits, ascetics and wise ones whose lives were incarnations of the holy books- the Vedas, Upanishads and Gita - " And then all respond, "All you Hindu saints; we praise you, for holy are you." Then the Litany moves to Buddhist saints. Also warranting inclusion are Confucius, Lao Tzu and Chanug Tzu and all Chinese (pagan) saints. Then special mention for the "Holy prophet Mohammed and all holy saints of Islam, all who surrender to the will of Allah: Holy Martyrs of Islam. . . " Does he also mean the "holy martyrs" of 9-11?

Then the litany touches on the Incas of Peru, "holy" Mayans and Aztecs of Mexico, the followers of the God of the Pygmies, etc. This Episcopal litany, used in an Episcopal Eucharist service, refers to the "holy Aztecs" - who slaughtered thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of innocent victims, cutting out their still-beating hearts and then throwing the lifeless bodies down the precipitous steps of the Aztec temples. Has the Episcopal bishop authorized this litany for use in his diocese? What is the Rev. Seamus Doyle thinking? You can draw your own conclusions, but first go to Virtueonline.org and read the actual text of the litany that David Virtue has posted.

While we are on the subject of Episcopal Church outrages, we have to sympathize with Bishop Mark MacDonald who has served the Episcopal Church as Bishop of Alaska, and interim Bishop of Navaholand, and as a Bishop-on-loan to the Anglican Church of Canada under the Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori's supervision. Now he is told by Jefferts Schori that his work with the Anglican Church of Canada will require him to renounce his Holy Orders in TEC. It must be understood that this new doctrine adopted by TEC is uniquely the Jefferts Schori Doctrine, and not something that has been true in the past.

When I served in South Dakota as rector of Emmanuel Parish, Rapid City, our bishop, Walter H. Jones, who was originally from Canada, was elected bishop of Rupert's Land and Metropolitan of the area, and he went back to Canada with the TEC House of Bishops' blessings. There was no demand that he renounce orders in TEC, and that was fortunate, since when he retired, he moved back to South Dakota, and was again able to function under the authority of the Diocesan Bishop of South Dakota until his unfortunate death a few years later.

I do not understand why even the uber-liberals don't see this new Jefferts Schori Doctrine for what it is - a departure from any sense of the church catholic. Bishop MacDonald is quoted as saying, "The Christological doctrine of the catholicity of the church is at stake." Read the entire article by George Conger and be amazed.

Now to things that move the church in the right way. A few months ago, I met with other bishops and leaders from the Anglican, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Evangelical communities in Manhattan to discuss the issue of marriage in our church and culture, and what could be done to strengthen the Biblical concept of marriage being a lifelong faithful union between a man and a woman. A statement now called the Manhattan Declaration is the outgrowth of that meeting. A number of issues that touch on marriage, including the value of all human life, including those not yet born, were of concern to those present. If you haven't yet read it, I would encourage you to go to the Manhattan Declaration site, read it, and if you are in agreement with us, add your name to the list of those who have endorsed it.

One of the questions asked is, "OK, I signed it, now what?" That is a fair question. One thing, and the first thing, is to pray and intercede, for apart from the Lord's assistance we can do nothing. The second thing to do is to study and learn about these issues. The Declaration itself is a great guide to research into the issues raised, historically, theologically and politically. A third is to visit the FAQ tab on the Manhattan Declaration site, so you can help defend the concepts to those who may have questions. Fourth, talk to your friends, neighbors, family, church members about this, and use email and Facebook, etc. as means to spark conversation. If you are a member of a civic group, see if you or someone else could discuss the Declaration regarding its impact civically and culturally. Additionally, be active in your political party to advance the issues that the Manhattan Declaration espouses. Talk to your legislators and make sure they are correctly understanding your perspective.

For the sake of the Kingdom of God, for our souls and for the church, it helps to be actively working on positive things in our life that advance Kingdom priorities; it brings a joy and peace that the world cannot provide.

Blessings and peace in Christ Jesus,
The Rt. Rev. David C. Anderson,
Sr.President and CEO, American Anglican Council

The Myth of Theological Liberalism

Dan Wallace
posted December 4, 2009

Last week nearly 10,000 people invaded the French Quarter of New Orleans for a three-day conference. It wasn’t a convention of Mardi Gras mask-makers, a congregation of Bourbon Street miscreants, or an assembly of Hustler devotees. No, this was the annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. This is a collective of the world’s religious scholars. SBL is the largest society of biblical scholars on the planet. The program of lectures and meetings is the size of a phone book for a mid-sized city. Too many choices! So many great biblical scholars were there: N. T. Wright, Jon Dominic Crossan, D. A. Carson, Bart Ehrman, Stanley Porter, Frederick Danker, Alan Culpepper, Craig Evans, Robert Stein, Joel Marcus, April Deconick, Elaine Pagels, John Kloppenborg, R. B. Hays, Peter Enns, Buist Fanning, Harold Attridge, Luke Timothy Johnson, Peter Davids, Craig Keener, Ben Witherington, Rikki Watts, Robert Gundry, Emanuel Tov, Walter Brueggemann, Eric Myers, Eugene Boring, J. K. Elliott—that’s just a small sampling of the names. Liberals and evangelicals, theists and atheists, those who are open and those who are hostile to the Christian faith—all were there.

Overall, the Society of Biblical Literature is comprised of professors who teach religion, humanities, biblical studies, history, ethics, English literature, and theology at virtually all the schools in the nation that offer such subjects. Not just the United States, but a multitude of other countries are represented (although because of the long distances and short conference, many scholars did not come). Private schools, public schools, elite schools, and unknown schools—all were represented. Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge, Tübingen, Chicago, Duke, Dallas Seminary, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Fuller Seminary, Princeton, Yale, Biola, Claremont, Manchester, Durham, St Andrews, Westminster Seminary, Wheaton, Gordon-Conwell, Emory, TCU’s Brite Divinity School, SMU, University of Texas, Northwestern University, Rice, Brandeis, London School of Theology, Münster University, Notre Dame, community colleges, even unaccredited schools were represented.

As remarkable as it may sound, most biblical scholars are not Christians. I don’t know the exact numbers, but my guess is that between 60% and 80% of the members of SBL do not believe that Jesus’ death paid for our sins, or that he was bodily raised from the dead. The post-lecture discussions are often spirited, and occasionally get downright nasty. the rest

What’s Worth Paying For When Buying Vitamins

By LESLEY ALDERMAN
December 4, 2009

When I stock up on ibuprofen (my painkiller of choice), I typically buy a 500-count bottle of a store brand like Kirkland or Rite Aid. After all, ibuprofen is ibuprofen. Each pill costs me about 3 cents — or only one-third the cost of 9-cent Advil.

Yet, when it comes to vitamins — which I take only when I feel run down — I turn to name brands like Centrum or Nature Made. My thinking has been: Why mess around with quality when it comes to the essential ABCs?

But now that I’ve done some research, I might soon change my vitamin-buying ways. Read on to find out why. the rest image by bradley j

Senate Passes Amendment that Could Mandate Abortion Coverage in Insurance Plans

Thursday December 3, 2009
By John Jalsevac
December 3, 2009

(LifeSiteNews.com) - The Senate on Thursday approved the Mikulski amendment by a vote of 61-39. All Republicans except Senators Vitter, Snowe and Collins voted against the amendment, and all Independents and Democrats except Senators Nelson (NE) and Feingold voted for it.

Pro-life leaders opposed the amendment over concerns that it provides authority that could be used to mandate abortion coverage in private insurance plans.

Specifically, the amendment states that anything classified as preventive care or screenings for women by the Health Resource and Services Administration (HRSA) would become a mandated covered service. However, if the HRSA were to recommend abortion as a preventive care, insurance plans would have to cover abortion. the rest

Modern-Day Lepers

Churches try to balance grace and accountability toward sex offenders.
Bobby Ross Jr.
12/03/2009

Convicted of indecent liberties with a teenage girl when he was 20 and attempted second-degree rape years later, James Nichols served his prison time—and then found himself back in police custody.

His offense: going to church.

Authorities said the 31-year-old Nichols violated a new North Carolina law that bars sex offenders from coming within 300 feet of any place intended primarily for use, care, or supervision of minors.

Nichols was arrested after worship at Moncure Baptist Church because the church has child-care facilities for families attending services. He is challenging the constitutionality of the law, claiming it violates his religious freedom. the rest

Gore cancels climate conference event

By Jennifer Harper
December 3, 2009

Former Vice President Al Gore on Thursday abruptly canceled a Dec. 16 personal appearance that was to be staged during the United Nations' Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, which begins next week.

As described in The Washington Times' Inside the Beltway column Tuesday, the multimedia public event to promote Mr. Gore's new book, "Our Choice," included $1,209 VIP tickets that granted the holder a photo opportunity with Mr. Gore and a "light snack."

Berlingkse Media, a Danish group coordinating ticket sales and publicity for the event, said that "great annoyance" was a factor in the cancellation, along with unforeseen changes in Mr. Gore's program for the climate summit. The decision affected 3,000 ticket holders. the rest

Homeland Security chief warns of threat from al-Qaeda sympathizers in U.S.

By Spencer S. Hsu
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, December 3, 2009

Al-Qaeda followers are inside the United States and would like to attack targets here and in other countries, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Wednesday night.

The secretary's comments were her bluntest assessment yet of terror threats within the country, and they came one day after President Obama, in announcing his decision to send 30,000 additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan, warned that extremists have been "sent here from the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan to commit more acts of terror." the rest

Hertz sued over Muslim prayers

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Hertz Global Holdings Inc., the second-largest U.S. rental car company, was sued by former employees who say its policy of allowing Muslims to take daily prayer breaks discriminates against non-Muslim workers.

Katie Barkley and Shirley Harris, who worked as part-time drivers moving Hertz cars from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to other locations, claim Muslim employees were given as many as three paid, 15-minute prayer breaks each shift while non-Muslim employees were denied equal time off, according to the suit filed Nov. 30 in federal court in Atlanta.

Barkley and Harris lost their jobs in February when Hertz fired all 120 drivers at Hartsfield and replaced them with contract drivers, according to the lawsuit, which seeks class-action status as well as back pay and other damages. the rest

Religious Leader Tells Planned Parenthood Rally Abortion a "God-Given Right"

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
December 3, 2009

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- During the rally yesterday sponsored by the Planned Parenthood abortion business and other leading pro-abortion groups, Rev. Carlton Veazy told the small gathering of hardcore activists that abortion is a "God-given right." Veazy is the head of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice.

The rally was a time for abortion advocates to rally together to press for taxpayer funding of abortions and saw a small crowd of just a few hundred people -- compared to the 100,000 or more who attend the March for Life.

Veazy was the closing speaker for the Stop Stupak rally and he told the activists they had more than merely a so-called constitutional right to an abortion. the rest

Devotional: We have a God...

We have a God who delights in impossiblities.
...Andrew Murray image

PB: Convention Vote Changed Nothing

December 3, 2009

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori gave a wide-ranging radio interview during her pastoral visit to the Diocese of Atlanta.

National Public Radio affiliate WABE-FM has posted an eight-minute interview with the Presiding Bishop by veteran reporter Denis O'Hayer.

The archived segment began in mid-sentence as Bishop Jefferts Schori answered a question about General Convention’s Resolution D025. That resolution said that God “has called and may call” gay and lesbian persons to ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church.

“It does not represent a change. It represents a reaffirmation of what church law has said for a long time,” the Presiding Bishop said.

General Convention approved canonical changes in 1994 that prohibit discriminating against potential candidates based on their sexual orientation.

“The conversation’s been going on in the Episcopal Church for 45 years,” the Presiding Bishop said. “The reality is that same-sex unions are blessed in many churches of the Anglican Communion; not just in the United States or Canada, but also in England — not officially, but that is also reality.” the rest

What Obamacare Will Do To Seniors

Sen. Tom Coburn M.D., R-Oklahoma

Tuesday, December 01, 2009
This was from the Senate debate early this morning. If you didn't hear it on the radio this afternoon, you really owe it to yourself to watch what this health care "reform" debate is leading to, if President Obama and the Democrats get their way. Found here

Stars lined up for new audio Bible

Michael York, Richard Dreyfuss, Jason Alexander and hundreds of others lent their voices to quite a creation: a 79-CD, elaborate audio portrayal of the Old and New Testaments.
By Martha Groves
November 16, 2009

Once Jesus signed on, it was easy to enlist King Solomon and Moses.

Jim Caviezel (Jesus), Malcolm McDowell (King Solomon) and Richard Dreyfuss (Moses) were among hundreds of actors who lined up to create "The Word of Promise Audio Bible," all 98 hours and 79 CDs of it.

The nearly four-year project, released last month,was the inspiration of Carl Amari, a Chicago-area producer behind "Twilight Zone Radio Dramas," "Mystery Theater" and other radio programs.

"I always thought it would be cool to do a radio drama of the Bible," said Amari, who grew up "not real religious" in the Catholic Church. "You're dramatizing the greatest story ever told. It's God's word. How can you make God's word lift off the page? With great actors, great sound effects and music." the rest

Website Amazon

Confrontation threatened over women bishops issue

Thursday, 3rd December 2009
By Toby Cohen

Confrontation is threatened by traditionalists in response to the latest news from the Revision Committee on Women in the Episcopate which has ruled out the structural changes demanded by those opposed to women bishops.

After its third meeting, the Committee said it was “unable to identify a basis for specifying particular functions for vesting which commanded sufficient support both from those in favour of the ordination of women as bishops and those unable to support that development. As a result all of the proposals for vesting particular functions by statute were defeated.

“The effect of the Committee’s decision is therefore that such arrangements as are made for those unable to receive the episcopal ministry of women will need to be by way of delegation from the diocesan bishop rather than vesting.”

The remaining options are to simply allow women to become bishops in the same way men would, or to do so with an accompanying Code of Practice which would advise on pastoral oversight for those unhappy with women bishops. the rest

Reminding Caesar of God’s Existence

A very un-Manhattan-like declaration.
December 1, 2009

Right before Thankgiving, a group of Christians held a press conference in Washington announcing that “because we honor justice and the common good, we will not comply with any edict that purports to compel our institutions to participate in abortions, embryo-destructive research, assisted suicide and euthanasia, or any other anti-life act; nor will we bend to any rule purporting to force us to bless immoral sexual partnerships, treat them as marriages or the equivalent, or refrain from proclaiming the truth, as we know it, about morality and immorality and marriage and the family.”

Their Manhattan Declaration concluded: “We will fully and ungrudgingly render to Caesar what is Caesar’s. But under no circumstances will we render to Caesar what is God’s.”

One of the declaration’s co-authors, Princeton professor Robert P. George, talked to National Review Online’s Kathryn Jean Lopez over the holiday about the statement and the future.

Interview

Gov. Paterson will not re-introduce gay marriage bill to State Senate unless passage a sure thing

By Kenneth Lovett
Daily News Albany Bureau Chief
Thursday, December 3rd 2009

ALBANY - Gov. Paterson Thursday morning said he has no plans to re-introduce a gay marriage bill next year unless its passage is assured.

Paterson called for an up or down vote on gay marriage in the state Senate this year, only to see the measure rejected overwhelmingly 38-24 on Wednesday.

"I won't reintroduce the issue unless I see substantial change in the position of the legislators," Paterson said Thursday morning on WHAM-AM in Rochester. the rest

Abortion showdown looms in Senate

Dec 03, 2009
The Associated Pres

"Senators debating health care legislation are headed for a clash over abortion, the issue that threatened to derail the bill in the House. Anticipating the showdown, hundreds of abortion rights supporters gathered on Capitol Hill Wednesday to call on senators to keep new abortion restrictions out of the health care bill. Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., plans to unveil an anti-abortion amendment as early as Thursday that abortions rights supporters inside the Senate and out say they can't support. Nelson says he won't vote for the underlying bill without his strong abortion language. But opponents say his amendment doesn't have the votes to pass."

"The outcome could be critical in determining the fate of President Barack Obama's signature health overhaul agenda. At issue is how abortions would be handled in the health care bills. ... Behind the scenes, Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., who opposes abortions but wants to vote for the overall health care bill, has been working to find language that could satisfy both sides" (Werner, 12/2).

Politico reports that as abortion supporters rallied on the Hill Wednesday to urge the Senate to oppose an anti-abortion amendment such as the one inserted by the House in the health bill, "opponents are up with radio ads thanking lawmakers who supported it. The Susan B. Anthony List is airing ads praising Reps. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) and Joe Pitts (R-Penn.) for voting in favor of the amendment, which would prohibit insurance plans in the federal exchanges from covering abortion services. The group raised $20,000 online in the last 24 hours to air the ads" (12/2). the rest

Russian Orthodox threat to Lutheran Church

Wednesday, 2nd December 2009
By George Conger

The Russian Orthodox Church has threatened to suspend ecumenical relations with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany (EKD) in the wake of the election of Bishop Margot Kaessmann as its leader.

On Nov 11 the Russian newspaper Kommersant quoted the head of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations Archbishop Hilarion of Volokolamsk as having said Moscow might suspend dialogue with the EKD as it did not recognize the validity of women ministers. the rest

TEC's L.A. diocese meets to choose new bishops; Two candidates are gay

Wednesday, December 2, 2009
By DAVID OLSON
The Press-Enterprise

The continuing controversy over the role of gays and lesbians in the Episcopal Church moves to Riverside on Friday, when delegates to the Los Angeles diocese's annual convention will decide whether to appoint openly gay priests as assistant bishops.

Two of the six candidates to replace two retiring assistant bishops are openly gay. If one or both of them is elected, he or she would become the first bishop in a same-sex relationship elected since V. Gene Robinson was chosen to head the New Hampshire diocese in 2003. That action led dozens of conservative parishes and four dioceses to vote to leave the Episcopal Church. No openly gay bishop has been consecrated since then.

The selection of another gay bishop could upset church conservatives, both in the United States and in the worldwide Anglican Communion of which the 2.1-million-member Episcopal Church is a part. the rest

Duin: Episcopalians eye gay bishop

More for Less? The absurd logic behind the public option.

by Stanley Goldfarb
12/02/2009

Excerpt:
The reason we have an expensive health care system is due to every part of the health care system. Malpractice costs, great availability of technology and advanced care even in small community hospitals, aggressive care in the last year of life (of course, it is not easy to know it is the last year of life), cross subsidization of medical education and research by large teaching hospitals, innovative therapies that cost hundreds of millions of dollars to develop and whose developmental costs must be recaptured, enormous levels of regulation on hospitals and medical providers, and increasing capacity to treat patients with enormously complex medical conditions.

If we ask the health care system to provide each of these components in a fashion that Americans have come to expect and yet demand that it continue to provide all these components with reduced payments, only a catastrophe awaits us. The system is at the breaking point now. Emergency rooms, which are used primarily by those with health insurance as documented in a study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association in October 2008 are enormously overcrowded. Only about 17 percent of E.R. visits in the United States were by uninsured patients, about the same as their share of the population. Providing universal health insurance coverage would not change the underlying situation. The Urban Institute report would have us believe that reducing payments for emergency services would somehow reduce this problem? the rest

Obamacare's biggest hurdle: The Manhattan Declaration

Jill Stanek
December 02, 2009

On Nov. 20, the historic Manhattan Declaration was unveiled, just what my distraught spirit had been yearning. I became its 218,525th signer.

The Manhattan Declaration is a momentous 4,700-word manifesto authored by Chuck Colson, Dr. Robert George and Dr. Timothy George, with input from many Orthodox, Catholic and evangelical leaders. Colson calls it "one of the most important [documents] in my lifetime."

The Manhattan Declaration draws a line in the sand on the three paramount issues of our time: the sanctity of human life, the sanctity of marriage as the holy and conjugal union of husband and wife, and the rights of religious liberty and conscience. the rest

Sign the Declaration

E-mail-theft-gate: Senator Barbara Boxer's new name for Climategate

By Damian Thompson
December 3rd, 2009

Senator Barbara Boxer (D-Calif) thinks those responsible for Climategate should face criminal charges. “Wow, that’s a bit harsh,” I thought when I read it.

On closer inspection, however, Boxer was calling for prosecution of the hackers, not the resourceful prof and his pals. As she told the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee yesterday: “You call it Climategate; I call it E-mail-theft-gate.”

E-mail-theft-gate. Sorry, Babs, but I don’t think it will catch on. Except, perhaps, at the BBC. the rest

New York state lawmakers vote against gay marriage

December 2, 2009
By Edith Honan
NEW YORK

(Reuters) - New York state lawmakers voted against legalizing gay marriage on Wednesday, dashing gay rights activists' hopes that it would become the sixth U.S. state to allow same-sex couples to wed.

The New York state senate voted down the legislation 38 votes to 24. Governor David Paterson, a Democrat who supports gay marriage, had said he would have signed the bill into law if it had passed.

"This is an enormous victory," said Maggie Gallagher, the leader of the National Organization for Marriage, which opposed the law. "What you saw was the will of the people .... The culture really hasn't shifted on gay marriage."

Iowa, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont have legalized gay marriage, while 40 U.S. states have specific laws that ban gay marriage. Last month, voters in Maine chose to repeal a law that had legalized gay marriage. the rest

The senate has voted against the gay marriage bill, 38-24.

China Christians sent to labour camps

2009-12-02
BEIJING

(AFP) - Police in northern China have sentenced five Christian church leaders to two years of "education through labour" after they protested against a police raid on their church, a rights group said Wednesday.

The punishments came after a Shanxi province court last week sentenced five other leaders of the same church to up to seven years in prison for trying to protect the unregistered church from demolition, said ChinaAid, a US-based Christian rights group.

"To arbitrarily send five innocent citizens to labour camps is in direct violation of international human rights covenants," the head of ChinaAid, Bob Fu, said in a statement. the rest

In South Korea, abortion foes gain ground

Though they're technically illegal, abortions are prevalent and rarely discussed in the political sphere. One doctor has become the face of a movement to change that.
By John M. Glionna
November 29, 2009

Reporting from Seoul - For nearly two decades, obstetrician Shim Sang-duk aborted as many babies as he delivered -- on average, one a day, month after month.

"Over time, I became emotionless," the physician said. "I came to see the results of my work as just a chunk of blood. During the operation, I felt the same as though I was treating scars or curing diseases."

Shim, 42, eventually came to despise himself, despite the money he earned from the procedures. So, two months ago, he founded an activist group of physicians who refuse to perform abortions and advocate prosecution for doctors who continue to do so. the rest

Atheist Group Takes ‘Godless Holiday’ Campaign Nationwide

Tuesday, December 01, 2009
By Matt Cover, Staff Writer

(CNSNews.com) – The American Humanist Association is expanding its “Godless Holiday” advertising campaign to five major American cities this Christmas -- taking its message of a holiday season without religion nationwide for the first time.

The ads read: “No God -- no problem! Be good for goodness’ sake. Humanism is the idea that you can be good without a belief in God” and feature several people in red and white Santa hats. The new ads come on the heels of an AHA campaign last year which asked “Why believe in a God?” and featured ads on public transit in Washington, D.C.

Previously, the atheist campaign had been confined to the Washington, D.C., area, with signs and advertisements featured prominently on the city’s Metro subway trains and buses. the rest

Devotional: Only with Christ has authentic joy made its appearance...

Only with Christ has authentic joy made its appearance and the only thing of ultimate importance in our lives is to learn to see and know Christ, the God of grace, the light and joy of the world. Our joy will be genuine only when it no longer depends on things that can be stripped from us and destroyed and when it has its basis rather in those innermost depths of our existence which no worldly power can take from us. Every external loss should turn us back to these inner-most depths and better dispose us for our true life... To celebrate Advent means to bring to life within ourselves the hidden Presence of God. It takes place to the extent that we travel the path of conversion and change our cast of mind by turning from the visible to the invisible. As we travel this path, we learn to see the miracle of grace; we learn that there can be no more luminous source of joy for human beings and the world than the grace that has appeared in Christ. ...Benedict XVI
image by nick russill

Members flee Church of Sweden in droves

1 Dec 09

The Church of Sweden (Svenska Kyrkan) is bleeding members at an increasingly rapid pace, at the same time as membership rolls in Islamic, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox Christian assemblies are on the rise.

Between November 2008 and October 2009, nearly 72,000 people, or roughly 1 percent of the church's 6.8 million members, asked to leave, according to church statistics reviewed by the TT news agency.

The number of people abandoning Sweden's largest church is roughly 20,000 more than the previous year.

Church of Sweden spokesperson Henrik Pederby was unable to point to any specific reason why more people are leaving the church. the rest

Fr. Nigel Update, Tuesday 12/1/09

9:31 AM
Albany Intercessor

Today will be the last day that Fr. Nigel Mumford will be in the ICU. We Praise You Lord and we thank You for all of the healing that is taking place! He will be moving to "Rehab" for his physical rehabilitation. He will be strengthening his muscles, especially his legs. He is fighting severe dizziness and nausea when he tries to stand, which is understandable after all of this time on his back. This is his 53rd day in the hospital! He said that his head is spinning as though he were on a merry-go-round. As a result of all of this time in the hospital, he has developed a bedsore that is causing him serious pain and discomfort.

As Fr. Nigel has taught us to pray, we will pray as accurately as possible.

Please pray for:
-Relief from the nausea and dizziness as he tries to stand
-Healing of the bed sore
-Strengthening of all of his muscles, but especially for his legs, so that he can "walk out of the darkness", as he put it
-Continued healing of his lungs
-Strength for Lynn as she ministers to Fr. Nigel

Glory to God for the miracle that He has worked through Fr. Nigel. "Glory to You, Lord God of our fathers; You are worthy of praise: Glory to You." BCP 90

As it turns out, the 300+ E-cards that Fr. Nigel received at Saratoga Hospital, although they were a bit of an inconvenience, they were actually also a gift. Fr. Nigel told me that the volunteers that were printing the messages were reading them as they were printing them, and your messages were ministering to the volunteers and the staff. God works in wondrous ways. Today will be the last day that you will be able to send Fr. Nigel an E-card. If you have already sent one, then please don’t send another, but if you haven’t - today is your day.
Send e-card-click here

Blessings to all of you for your continued prayer for Fr. Nigel and your Praise of our Lord, who is our healer and redeemer.

Harvard Study: Planned Parenthood is an Abortion Business and Business is Bad

by Mauricio Roman
November 30, 2009

Despite profits of $85 million in 2008, Planned Parenthood is facing serious financial difficulties.

According to a recent Harvard Business School case study, Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) is structured as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with multiple affiliates, each of which is also a 501(c)(3) non-profit. The national entity lobbies on national policy, sets affiliation standards, and leases its "Planned Parenthood" brand to affiliates, each of which has its own independent board and management structure, and so enjoys independence in its day-to-day operations. the rest

Bishop Mark MacDonald: ‘Catholicity Is At Stake’

December 1, 2009
The Rev. George Conger

The Rt. Rev. Mark MacDonald has questioned Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori’s assertion that he must renounce his orders as a bishop of the Episcopal Church because of his ministry in Canada.

The former Bishop of Alaska and Assistant Bishop of Navajoland now serves as the Anglican Church of Canada’s National Indigenous Bishop.

Bishop MacDonald told The Living Church he was “shocked and surprised” by the Presiding Bishop’s remarks on his ministry, adding that he has “written to her asking for clarification.”

“I am on loan to the Anglican Church of Canada under the PB’s supervision. I have an unofficial position, with no set authority or jurisdiction,” he said.

“I was in conversation” with the Presiding Bishop “well before I took the position” in Canada, Bishop MacDonald said. “I had never heard at all that this would be seen as a de facto renunciation of my orders.” the rest

Study Finds Ozone Hole Repair Contributes To Global Warming, Sea Ice Melt

The 20th century's biggest environmental success may exacerbate the 21st century's biggest environmental crisis
By Stuart Fox
12.01.2009

In 1985, scientists from the British Antarctic Survey found a giant hole in the ozone layer of Earth's atmosphere over the South Pole. This discovery prompted a largely successful international effort to ban CFCs, the chemicals largely responsible for man-made thinning of the ozone layer.

Unfortunately, a new analysis from Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) suggests that stopping ozone depletion may actually increase global warming and speed up sea level rise. This discovery pits two important environmental missions against each other, while highlighting the complexity of our effect on the planet.

SCAR's findings indicate that the extra radiation allowed through the atmosphere by the depleted ozone above Antarctica created wind patterns that cooled the eastern, more densely ice-covered, section of the continent. Those weather patterns partly protected Antarctic ice from the ravages of global warming. the rest image

Sandra Bullock: A blessing to meet, portray a real Christian

Associated Press

12/1/2009

LOS ANGELES - Actress Sandra Bullock says meeting Leigh Anne Tuohy, who she portrays in The Blind Side, showed her there really are some Christians who "walk the walk."

The film, which opened the week before Thanksgiving, presents the true story of the Tuohys -- a well-off white family in Tennessee -- who welcome a homeless black youth into their home and then adopt him as their son. That young man, Michael Oher, became an All-American selection for Ole Miss and a first-round draft pick. He now plays for the NFL's Baltimore Ravens.

Bullock says thanks to the Tuohys, who attend Grace Evangelical Church in Memphis, she now has "faith in those who say they represent a faith." Getting to know Leigh Anne Tuohy, says the actress, showed her that religious faith can be authentic. "She was so open and honest and forthright," Bullock shares, "and I said, wow, I finally met someone who practices but doesn't preach." the rest

Pro-Life Victory as Northern Ireland Abortion Guidelines Rejected by High Court

Monday November 30, 2009
By Hilary White
BELFAST

(LifeSiteNews.com) - Pro-life advocates in Northern Ireland are celebrating a major court victory today as the Belfast High Court has ordered the recall of health guidelines that they said would have undermined and effectively overturned the province's pro-life laws.

Lord Justice Girvan found that the guidelines failed to deal properly with conscientious objection to abortion and counseling on abortion. The judge said the guidelines were open to misinterpretation, saying the language was "ambiguous" and left doctors and staff unclear as to what was expected of them. The judge said the guidelines needed to be absolutely clear, otherwise they represented "a trap to the unwary."
the rest

'A Christmas Carol': The Joy of Second Chances

Mark Earley
Prison Fellowship Ministries
November 30, 2009

You know the names even if you've never read the story. Ebenezer Scrooge; Tiny Tim; the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come—they've been an integral part of our culture for well over 150 years.

The tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, the miser who is transformed by a ghostly intervention into a good and generous man on Christmas Eve, is one that never seems to grow old.

And this year is a good chance to be introduced to A Christmas Carol, whether for the first time or for the hundredth. the rest image

Argentine judge stops gay marriage

Monday, 30 November 2009

A judge in Argentina has overturned a ruling that would have allowed the first gay marriage in Latin America.

Judge Marta Gomez Alsina, in the capital Buenos Aires, ordered Tuesday's planned wedding of Alejandro Freyre and Jose Maria Di Bello suspended.

The court website said she had ordered the wedding blocked until the issue could be resolved by the Supreme Court. the rest

Kowtowing to China: A new report details how Beijing influences American academics

by Gary Schmitt
12/01/2009

One of the best kept secrets in Washington is the continuing valuable service provided by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. The commission, established by Congress in late 2000, reports to Congress annually "on the national security implications of the bilateral trade and economic relationship" between the U.S. and China. Composed of a dozen government outsiders who are appointed by the minority and majority leadership in the Senate and the House, the commission is a forum intended to provide an on-going report card on the costs and benefits associated with the U.S. giving the People's Republic permanent "most favored nation" trade status and opening the door to its entry into the World Trade Organization.

Every year, the commission's report has policy nuggets that those who follow China and Asian economic and security issues come to rely on. This year's report, published just recently, is no different. While the report covers a rich variety of topics--such as Chinese trade practices, industrial policy, military modernization, intelligence, cyber-security and Chinese regional policies--the 2009 report also includes an important new section on the PRC's efforts to control "information" about China not only inside its borders but abroad as well, including in the United States. There is interesting data on PRC's use of American lobbying firms, public relations teams, think tanks, and print and electronic media. the rest