Devotional: We sometimes fear to bring our troubles to God...

We sometimes fear to bring our troubles to God, because they must seem small to Him who sitteth on the circle of the earth. But if they are large enough to vex and endanger our welfare, they are large enough to touch His heart of love. For love does not measure by a merchant's scales, not with a surveyor's chain. It hath a delicacy... unknown in any handling of material substance. ...RA Torrey image

Rep. Smith: New U.S. House Arguably Most Pro-Life Ever

Friday November 5, 2010
By Kathleen Gilbert
WASHINGTON, D.C.

(LifeSiteNews.com) – Tuesday’s historic elections sent the message that more Americans want their lawmakers to consistently defend vulnerable human life and reject the president’s radical pro-abortion agenda, said the chamber's most prominent pro-life leader.

Widespread discontent with the administration's progressive agenda, particularly on abortion-funding health care, spurred voters to launch a strong pro-life Majority into the House of Representatives in the 2010 midterm elections.

“The American people have spoken, and replaced 38 pro-abortion Members with pro-life Members and replaced 14 unreliable Members with reliable pro-life Representatives,” said Congressman Chris Smith, Co-Chairman of the Congressional Pro-life Caucus. “Of the 93 Members of the Freshman Class at least 77 are committed to defending the unborn.

“January will mark the beginning of the arguably most pro-life House ever,” Smith said. the rest

Radioactive rabbit trapped near Richland

Friday, Nov. 05, 2010
 By Annette Cary, Herald staff writer

A radioactive rabbit caught at Hanford just north of Richland had Washington State Department of Health workers looking for contaminated droppings Thursday.

Contaminated animals occasionally are found at the nuclear reservation, but more often they are in the center of Hanford, far from town.

The rabbit trapped at the 300 Area caught the Department of Health's attention because it was close enough to the site's boundaries to potentially come in contact with the public -- such as if it had been caught by a dog or if its droppings were deposited in an area open to the public. the rest image

Pope Benedict XVI sees 'aggressive secularism' in Spain

6 November 2010

Pope Benedict XVI has warned of an "aggressive anti-clericalism" in Spain which he said was akin to that experienced during the 1930s.

He arrived in the pilgrimage city of Santiago de Compostela at the beginning of a two-day visit to Spain.

"The clash between faith and modernity is happening again, and it is very strong today," he told reporters on the plane, quoted by AFP news agency.

He is due to celebrate an open-air Mass and then travel to Barcelona on Sunday. the rest-video

Papal Homily at Mass for Compostela Holy Year
"Europe Must Open Itself to God, Must Come to Meet Him Without Fear"

As Haiti suffers, the world dozes

Saturday, November 6, 2010; 6:50 PM

LEVELED BY AN EARTHQUAKE, staggered by a cholera outbreak and, now, lashed by a hurricane, Haiti remains a country in dire need of critical care and sustained aid. Instead, it has been shoved once again onto the backburner of international neglect and left to its own misery.

Rebuilding Haiti after the cataclysm of last January's earthquake was never going to be easy or quick. The Haitian government, already feeble, was decimated; 28 of the 29 ministry buildings in Port-au-Prince were destroyed. At least a third of the nation's civil servants, and an even higher percentage of senior officials, died in their offices when the afternoon quake struck. The finance minister reported for work the next day despite the fact that his school-aged son had been killed. the rest

The heart of the problem, in Washington and in other donor countires, is that rebuilding Haiti has been treated as a routine development task, akin to improving an irrigation system or extending rural electrification. This makes no sense given the extent of ruination, the scale of needed reconstruction and the ongoing humanitarian suffering in Haiti.

In Russia, Search for Identity Is Caught in a Swirl of Symbols



By SOPHIA KISHKOVSKY
November 5, 2010

Excerpt:
On Red Square, meanwhile, Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox church — powerful now after decades of Soviet suppression — joined aides to President Dmitri A. Medvedev, blessing an icon of St. Nicholas hidden for decades under layers of plaster on a Kremlin tower near Lenin’s mausoleum.

The ceremony Thursday coincided not just with the Day of National Unity, but with the feast day of the revered Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, and the commemoration of Russia’s liberation from Polish occupation in 1612 — attributed to the icon’s power.

Kirill sprinkled holy water on the fresco of St. Nicholas the Miracle Worker, which was restored in a niche on the Kremlin’s Nikolskaya Tower — directly below one of the red stars placed atop the towers 75 years ago by the Bolsheviks. “The desecration and restoration of this image is a kind of symbol of the overcoming of historical divisions,” the patriarch said. the rest image

Bankruptcy of U.S. is ‘Mathematical Certainty,’ Says Former CEO of Nation's 10th Largest Bank

Story

PENNSYLVANIA: Christ Church, Philadelphia will not pay Episcopal Assessment

Posted by David Virtue
2010/11/5

Statement of Christ Church, Philadelphia to Convention of Diocese of Pennsylvania regarding Episcopal Assessment
November 5, 2010

To the members of convention in the Diocese of Pennsylvania:

By a unanimous vote of its Vestry, Christ Church, Philadelphia will not contribute its Episcopal Assessment for 2011. Christ Church will increase its contribution to the Program Budget for 2011 by the amount of its Episcopal Assessment. The total support for the Diocese of Pennsylvania from Christ Church, Philadelphia, will remain the same.

The Vestry of Christ Church, Philadelphia fully knows that by refusing to contribute its Episcopal Assessment for 2011, we lose representation in Diocesan Convention. We pray that the Convention will restore our voice and vote as diocesan canons permit, and to the other parishes that will similarly participate in this act of ecclesial disobedience.

We take this action willingly and without hesitation for two reasons: First, the decision of Charles Bennison to continue as diocesan bishop continues to threaten the Program Budget, which at this moment in time is more important to the mission and ministry of the Diocese of Pennsylvania. We discern that we are better stewards of the resources entrusted to us by increasing our support of the Program Budget.
 the rest

Toronto Bishop Makes Room for Same-Sex Blessings

Fri, Nov. 05 2010
By Lillian Kwon
Christian Post Reporter

A bishop within the Anglican Church of Canada will begin granting permission to a limited number of parishes to bless same-gender unions.

The Archbishop of Toronto, the Most Rev. Colin Johnson, issued pastoral guidelines this week to accommodate those in "stable committed same gender relationships" seeking a blessing of their commitment.

The guidelines, he acknowledged, will not be welcomed by all, with some opposing it and others feeling it is not nearly enough. But he stressed that those who disagree with same-gender blessings and those in favor of it are both recognized and affirmed in the diocese.
 the rest

Stand Firm: Dio of Toronto permits same sex blessings & forbids pastoral discipline
...More subtly...while no priest is required to perform same sex blessings, every priest is expected to facilitate them by referring couples to priests who do. And that means that every priest approached by a same sex couple requesting to have their relationship blessed must now decide whether he or she will follow Jesus or obey thisdirective. One cannot do both...

First Openly Gay Episcopal Bishop to Retire in 2013

By LAURIE GOODSTEIN
November 6, 2010

Bishop V. Gene Robinson, whose consecration as the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church set off a historic rift in the global Anglican Communion, announced to his New Hampshire diocese on Saturday that he intended to step down.

He plans to retire in January 2013 after nine years as bishop, to give the diocese enough time to elect a new bishop and get the approval of the national church, a process that can take two years.

The news took some by surprise because Bishop Robinson is an energetic 63-year-old, and mandatory retirement age for Episcopal bishops is 72. He has led a relatively stable and healthy diocese, despite predictions by some that his election would undermine the Episcopal Church in New Hampshire. the rest

“Death threats, and the now worldwide controversy surrounding your election of me as bishop, have been a constant strain, not just on me, but on my beloved husband, Mark” and on Episcopalians in the state, he said.

UK: The £100 billion annual cost of broken families

Thu, 4 Nov 2010

Kids from broken families are suffering poor outcomes and it is costing the nation up to a staggering £100 billion a year, a Government minister says.

Children raised in single parent households are nine times more likely to begin a life of crime than those who were raised by both parents, according to a stark warning by Iain Duncan Smith.

Speaking yesterday the Work and Pensions Secretary slammed Labour for undermining the role of the family, warning it had led to more crime, more poverty and poorer prospects for children. the rest

“Sadly the last Government seemed determined to undermine marriage – for example, by removing references to it from official forms.”

Christians in West told to 'prepare for persecution'

Barnabas Fund says Christians in the West need to be ready for suffering if they are to make a stand for Christ.
By Charlie Boyd
Friday, 5 November 2010

Barnabas Fund is inviting churches in the UK to dedicate one Sunday in November to the issue of persecution around the world – as well as at home.

The theme of this year’s Suffering Church Sunday, ‘Be on Your Guard’, reflects Barnabas Fund’s growing concerns over the freedom of Christians in the West.

It described as “worrying” the case this week of Eunice and Owen Johns to decide whether their Christian beliefs make them unfit to foster children. the rest

Why discrimination case was dropped against woman who posted ad seeking Christian roommate

November 05, 2010
Cami Reister
 The Grand Rapids Press

GRAND RAPIDS -- In a battle between the U.S. Constitution and federal fair housing law, the Constitution always wins.

That was the guiding force when it came to dropping a case alleging a 31-year-old Grand Rapids woman violated fair housing law when she posted a flier at her church seeking a "Christian roommate."

The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of religion. But as the case reached the investigation stage, officials from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Michigan Department of Civil Rights saw more than one constitutional issue coming into play.  the rest

Malaysia's Christians Stand Firm Despite Muslim Pressure

By Gary Lane
CBN News Sr. International Correspondent
Friday, November 05, 2010R

 KUALA LUMPAR, Malaysia -- Living as a Christian in a Muslim nation can carry severe risks and suffering.

CBN News traveled to Malaysia -- a country that presents itself as a model for Islamic moderation, yet has many former Muslims who say they are persecuted after finding Christ.

A two-hour journey from the capital city of Kuala Lumpur revealed an isolated encampment where some Christian converts say they've been taken in order to be forced back to Islam. the rest

1st Circuit Considers Whether Spiritual Healing Is a Qualified Reason for Family Leave

Sheri Qualters
The National Law Journal
November 08, 2010

Does the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) permit caregivers to accompany sick family members who travel seeking spiritual healing? That was one of two issues before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit on Nov. 4. The other was whether the employee filed adequate certification supporting her leave request.

Chief Judge Sandra Lynch and Judges Michael Boudin and Jeffrey Howard heard oral argument in Tayag v. Lahey Clinic Hospital Inc., an appeal of a January 2010 summary judgment ruling for the employer issued by Judge Patti Saris of the District of Massachusetts.

Maria Lucia Tayag sued the hospital, her former employer, in April 2008 for allegedly interfering with her FMLA right. The hospital fired her via letter on Aug. 18, 2006, after she requested leave to take a seven-week trip to the Philippines so her husband, Rhomeo Tayag, could attend a spiritual healing center. She also claims the termination was in retaliation for her attempt to exercise her FMLA rights. the rest

Devotional: Strengthen the weak hands and make firm the feeble knees...

Strengthen the weak hands,

and make firm the feeble knees.

Say to those who have an anxious heart,

"Be strong; fear not!

Behold, your God

will come with vengeance,

with the recompense of God.

He will come and save you."

-Isaiah 35:3-4

Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.
 Make level paths for your feet,
so that the lame may not be disabled,
but rather healed.

-Hebrews 12:12-13

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place

and gave him the name that is above every name,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

-Philippians 2:9-11 image

Christian woman allowed to seek female Christian roommate…for now

HUD dismisses complaint following ADF letter defending Mich. woman’s right to post ad on her church bulletin board
Thursday, November 04, 2010

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Just one week after Alliance Defense Fund attorneys sent a letter on behalf of a single woman urging the Michigan Department of Civil Rights to throw out a groundless complaint against her for seeking a Christian roommate through a post on her church bulletin board, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development issued a dismissal. The complaint alleged that the woman’s posting was illegal because of its “discriminatory” nature.

“Christians shouldn’t live in fear of being punished or penalized by the government for being Christians. This attempt to criminalize the legal and constitutionally protected activity of a single Christian woman privately seeking a Christian roommate at church is nothing short of absurd,” said ADF Senior Legal Counsel Joel Oster. “HUD did the right thing through its dismissal of the frivolous complaint. Anti-religious groups wanting to confine Christians and their beliefs within the four walls of their church or home cannot also invade those very walls by forcing their own ideas upon Christians through threats of severe punishment.”

The civil rights complaint filed against the woman by the Fair Housing Center of West Michigan, a private group, attacked her for posting, on her church’s bulletin board, a card that began with the following sentence: “I am looking for a Christian roommate….” The claimant alleged that the statement expressed an illegal preference for a Christian roommate because it excluded people of other faiths. the rest

District pays up for slamming student's rosary

Decision called 'compelling victory for the 1st Amendment'
November 04, 2010
By Bob Unruh
© 2010 WorldNetDaily

A school district in New York has agreed to a payment of nearly $25,000 for slamming a student's rosary by calling it "gang-related beads," according to the American Center for Law and Justice.

The organization had brought the dispute to officials at Oneida Middle School in Schenectady, N.Y., after they banned the rosary, classifying it as gang-connected.

The district earlier had changed its policy, but the case brought on behalf of student Raymond Hosier couldn't be resolved because of the issues of liability and damages.

The agreement for the payment of attorney's fees and other issues now can allow the case to conclude, officials said. the rest

Christian pilgrimage is booming

Thu, Nov 04, 2010
AFP

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA - As the Roman Catholic Church suffers paedophile scandals and falling congregations, Pope Benedict XVI will on Saturday spotlight one centuries-old Christian tradition whose popularity is soaring.

The Way of St. James pilgrimage route, which ends in the medieval Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela, is attracting record numbers.

And it's not just those seeking religious salvation who are embarking on what is known in Spanish as the Camino de Santiago, as has been the case since the Middle Ages, but also growing numbers of non-believers in search of spiritual renewal. the rest

Nanoshells appear to kill cancer at root

Houston invention may decrease stem cells that drive tumor growth

By TODD ACKERMAN
 HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Oct. 28, 2010

Heated gold nanoshells, the touted Houston invention now in cancer trials, appear to help kill diseased cells at a previously unreachable root level, according to new research.

In a mouse study published Wednesday, Houston researchers showed that the use of tiny gold-coated particles to deliver heat to breast cancer tumors already treated with radiation not only shrank the tumor but also dramatically decreased the population of cancer stem cells. Cancer stem cells self-renew and drive the growth of tumors.

"This is a study of extraordinary significance," said Dr. Wendy Woodward, a radiation oncologist at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center who participated in the research. "We have worked with every imaginable drug and genetic therapy to make cancer stem cells sensitive to radiation without success until this." the rest image

UK: Govt silent on plight of faith-based adoption agencies

There has been a decline in the number of adoptions.
Wed, 3 Nov 2010

Fewer children in care are being adopted into loving families. The Government wants to change that but will not talk about the sexual orientation laws that have shut down faith-based adoption agencies.

In a bid to get more children adopted, the coalition has called for an end to the ban on mixed-race adoptions.

But ministers have said nothing about the faith-based adoption agencies that have been shut down or secularised because of their beliefs on marriage. the rest

11 Christians arrested in Eritrea's latest 'cleansing'

4 November, 2010

Eritrea (MNN) ― The governor of the Southern Zone of Eritrea has ordered a crackdown on Christians living in his province.

As a result, Eritrean security officials rounded up Christians from the cities of Mendefera, Dekemharre and Dibarwa. Greg Musselman of Voice of the Martyrs Canada says, "Just when you start to think that perhaps the Eritrean government is going to relax the situation toward evangelical Christians, those hopes again are dashed."

Police also confiscated TVs, video players and other electronic equipment that belonged to the Christians. According to reports from International Christian Concern and Assist News, most of the detained belong to the Full Gospel Church, an evangelical church that was among those that were banned by Eritrean officials in 2002. the rest

What Does God Really Look Like?

November 03, 2010
By Marcia Morrissey

I come at this question from a little different point of view. I lost my sight when I was 24 years old. I am totally blind, and have never seen my husband, son, daughter-in-law, or two precious granddaughters. I know them intimately -- they are the closest people to me in my life -- but I have never "seen" them. My son, David was born about four years after I lost my sight, and I was blind when I met and married my husband, Ed.

Yet I do "see" them. I can see them profoundly, in so many other ways. Through my other senses I "see" them. I can touch them, hear them, know them in the inside; their personalities, and all that that involves -- ups, downs, moods and more. the rest

I really don't have to know what they, or God really looks like now. I know, love, and have an intimate relationship with my family, friends, and with God, and that is enough for me. That is true sight.

Religion in the 2010 Elections: A Preliminary Look

November 3, 2010
by Greg Smith

Two of the largest religious groups in the electorate followed the same basic voting patterns in the 2010 elections for the U.S. House of Representatives as they have in prior elections: white Protestants voted overwhelmingly Republican and religiously unaffiliated voters cast their ballots overwhelmingly for Democrats. But Catholic voters, who had favored Democratic over Republican candidates by double-digit margins in the last two congressional elections, swung to the GOP in 2010. And within all three of these major religious groups, support for the Republican Party rose this year compared with 2006, matching or exceeding their levels of support for the GOP in any recent election. Republican gains among religious groups parallel the party’s broad-based gains among the overall electorate and white voters in particular.

Analysis by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life of National Election Pool (NEP) exit poll data reported by CNN shows that white Protestants,1 a group that has long been one of the key components of the GOP coalition, voted for Republicans over Democrats in their congressional districts by a 69%-29% margin. This marks an increase of 6 points in Republicans’ share of the white Protestant vote compared with 2008, and an 8-point gain for Republicans compared with the last midterm election in 2006. the rest

Abortion Groups NARAL, Planned Parenthood, Emily’s List Dejected After Election
Abortion advocacy groups are dejected following the shellacking they faced on Tuesday in the Congressional and state midterm elections....

Bart Stupak's Seat Goes to Pro-Life GOP Physician
...After Stupak’s much-decried decision to vote for health care, Benishek’s little-noticed campaign took off in this working class, Roman Catholic district that has only elected pro-life Democrats since Roe v. Wade...

 Oklahoma becomes first state to ban Sharia law
Oklahoma on Tuesday approved a ballot measure blocking judges from considering Islamic or international law when making a ruling...

Pro-Life Democrats Ousted as Election Centers on the Economy
Abortion issues seemed left in the dust as economic concerns drove this year's election, but on Tuesday voters ousted several pro-life Democrats and ushered in fiscal conservatives who tend to oppose abortion...

International campaign launched against Anglican Covenant

By Matthew Davies
 November 03, 2010

[Episcopal News Service] The campaign against the Anglican Covenant was stepped up a gear on Nov. 3 with the formation of an international coalition that says the covenant would constitute "unwarranted interference in the internal life of the member churches of the Anglican Communion, would narrow the acceptable range of belief and practice within Anglicanism, and would prevent further development of Anglican thought."

The coalition -- made up of Anglicans in Canada, England, New Zealand and the United States -- has launched a website, called "No Anglican Covenant" that it says provides resources "for Anglicans around the world to learn about the potential risks of the proposed Anglican Covenant." the rest

The US Conservative Landslide

Bill Muehlenberg
3.11.10

The map of America is looking very red indeed at the moment. While splashes of blue are to be found, red is the dominant colour throughout. For the politically naive, red is the colour of the Republican tsunami which has just rolled over the United States, while blue is the colour of the decimated Democrats.

This midterm election has been a conservative landslide in many respects. Although the Senate is still in Democratic control (only just), in every other area the Republicans have taken decisive control. This is how the numbers seem to stack up (with a few seats still to be decided).

In 2008 there were 257 (out of 435) Democrats in the House of Representatives. Now there are only 191. The Republicans went from 178 to 243, a massive gain of 65 seats. That makes this the biggest election win in 70 years. Even Obama’s former Senate seat in Illinois was lost to the Republicans. the rest

"The lesson of the 2010 campaign is that most Americans do not want more government in their lives, they want less. They do not want handouts from President Obama. They want him and other politicians like him off their backs and out of their wallets.”

A Communique from the Anglican/Al-Azhar Dialogue Committee

Anglican Communion News Service
 November 4, 2010

The Joint Committee, which is composed of a delegation from the Anglican Communion and from Al Azhar Al Sharif held its eighth annual meeting in Cairo on 27-28 October 2010 corresponding to 19-20 Dhu Al-Qi’da 1431. This was held in accord with the agreement signed at Lambeth Palace on 30 January 2002 by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Grand Imam of Al Azhar.

The Grand Imam His Eminence Dr Ahmed el Tayyib welcomed the Joint Committee in his office and members of the Anglican delegation congratulated upon his accession to the position of the Grand Imam of Al Azhar, presenting him with greetings and congratulations from the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Archbishop also invited Dr el Tayyib to visit Lambeth Palace in London. The Grand Imam has accepted this invitation, the details of which will be agreed at a later time.

The two co-Chairs, Sheikh Ali Abdel Baki Shehata and Bishop Alexander John Malik, opened the meeting. Sheikh Baki noted how recent global developments had made positive engagement and dialogue between Muslims and Christians absolutely vital. It was essential for the good of all humanity. Bishop Malik commented on the importance of dialogue becoming an instrument of hoped-for peace and understanding, and noted the need to take positive steps to help achieve this. the rest

34 warships sent from US for Obama visit

Press Trust of India
November 04, 2010

New Delhi: The White House will, of course, stay in Washington but the heart of the famous building will move to India when President Barack Obama lands in Mumbai on Saturday.

Communications set-up, nuclear button, a fleet of limousines and majority of the White House staff will be in India accompanying the President on this three-day visit that will cover Mumbai and Delhi.

He will also be protected by a fleet of 34 warships, including an aircraft carrier, which will patrol the sea lanes off the Mumbai coast during his two-day stay there beginning Saturday. The measure has been taken as Mumbai attack in 2008 took place from the sea.  the rest

Coconuts removed from trees in preparation for Barack Obama's India trip
...But as well as the usual security measures that come with welcoming a a visiting dignitary, Indian authorities have decided to go one step further, by removing all natural threats to the president as well... image



Devotional: There is tremendous relief in knowing...

“He told me everything I ever did.” -John 4:39

There is tremendous relief in knowing that His love to me is utterly realistic, based at every point on prior knowledge of the worst about me, so that no discovery can disillusion Him about me, in the way I am so often disillusioned about myself, and quench His determination to bless me. There is, certainly, great cause for humility in the thought that He sees all the twisted things about me that my fellow-men do not see (and I am glad!), and that He sees more corruption in me than that which I see in myself (which, in all conscience, is enough). There is, however, equally great incentive to worship and love God in the thought that, for some unfathomable reason, He wants me as His friend, and desires to be my friend, and has given His Son to die for me in order to realize this purpose. ...JI Packer image

Albert Mohler: The Morning After-What Does it All Mean?

Evangelicals tend to swing between extremes when it comes to politics and elections. We are too easily elated and too readily depressed. Make no mistake. The election results of 2010 will lead to big changes in Washington and far beyond.

That in itself is good news. But all this must be put in a truly Christian context.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

The meaning of the 2010 election is destined now to be the Great Debate of the next political season. While this is true after most election days, it is especially true this year, given the scale and scope of the political change this election will bring about. The scale is seismic, and the scope is vast. In terms of national politics, this election amounts to a megashift.

What does it all mean? It is far too early to answer that question in any comprehensive sense. After all, a good number of the races are yet too close to call. We do know that Republicans will control the U.S. House of Representatives and by a considerable margin. The political equation of the Senate has been reset, as has the context in many of the states. For the third national election in a row, the party in power received a resounding repudiation — a political reversal that is clearly intended to send a message. the rest image

Christians are supposed to be the people who know the dangers of investing either too much, or too little, confidence in the political system. The election is over. Now is the time for Christians to pray for those who were elected and for the government they will serve. Things are going to get interesting fast.

Fate of Iraqi Christians will worsen, experts fear

By Philip Pullella
 Wed Nov 3, 2010 

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - With al-Qaeda declaring war on Christians in Iraq and no end to political instability in sight, Catholic experts on the Middle East fear the fate of the minority Christian community there will only worsen.

The pessimism followed the bloodiest attack against Iraq's Christian minority since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. Fifty-two hostages and police were killed on Sunday when security forces stormed a church that had been raided by al-Qaeda-linked gunmen.

The bloodbath struck fear deep into the hearts of remaining Iraqi Christians and confirmed some of the worst concerns of a Vatican summit on the Middle East held last month that warned of a continuing exodus of Christians from the lands of the Bible. the rest

Muslims in Bangladesh Beat, Deprive Christians of Work

Political fortunes go up and down, but the LORD endures forever...

by Raymond Dague

Political fortunes go up and down, but the LORD endures forever. I am happy about yesterday’s election,.. mostly. A candidate that I supported is still a post-election night cliffhanger, but many of the races went the way I wanted them to go. But win, loose or draw, there is a danger in putting our energies into the results of an election, and that danger is that we look too much to temporal things, and too little to eternal things. The image of the kingdom of man is temporal and skewed and uneven as seen in a defective mirror, but the image of the kingdom of God is clear in the sight of the LORD and of those who follow the Lord Jesus.

Want an antidote to the defects of the temporal? How about Sunday worship? Prayer and bible reading each morning in the privacy of your morning? Getting together with others Christians during the week to share the struggles of faith? Giving to the church and to those in need (whether or not the gift is tax deductable)? Reaching out to those who are hurting in your circle, and maybe even to those just beyond your circle? Turning your prayer and directed energy to the need of another, and not just to self? All of these will help us look to eternal things, whether the election goes the way we want, or does not.

Be at church this Sunday at 10:00 am at  Church of the Holy Trinity or wherever you worship the LORD.

(picture of Onondaga County Courthouse in Syracuse NY reflected off a nearby building-photo by Raymond Dague)

Republicans Take Control of House; Boehner Expected to Replace Pelosi As Speaker

Wednesday, November 03, 2010
By Calvin Woodward, Associated Press

Washington (AP) - Republicans drew on the support of independents and the energy of tea party activists to fashion a resounding victory in the House in midterm elections, increased their strength in the Senate and quickly served notice they intend to challenge President Barack Obama with a conservative approach to the economy. the rest

The Economist: The Republicans strike back
"TONIGHT," exulted Rand Paul, the victorious Republican candidate for the Senate from Kentucky, "there's a tea-party tidal wave." And so, in almost all respects, it was: the Republicans, fired up by the enthusiasm of tea-party activists, look set to pick up some 60 seats in the House of Representatives. That makes it the biggest upheaval in the House since 1948, exceeding even the Republican landslide of 1994. It entirely undoes the Democrats' gains of 2006 and 2008, and serves as a massive rebuke to Barack Obama. The president can no longer count on a Democratic majority in Congress to enact his agenda; he will now have to recast his presidency in the light of America's abrupt jerk to the right.



Brilliant Thoughts from Post-Tsunami, Hurricane-Ravaged, Earthquake-Shaken America

The rise and fall of Nancy Pelosi

Racist Tea Party? GOP Welcomes Diverse Cast of Newcomers

California marijuana initiative defeated

Arizona, Oklahoma Voters Reject ObamaCare Insurance Requirement

Wesley J. Smith: Obamacare: Repudiation!

A Round Up of Pro-life Governor’s Races

WSJ: Voters repudiate the Pelosi Democrats and the Obama agenda

The whole of the Maine legislature has flipped to the GOP



The midterms may have saved a superpower: Americans say no to US decline
...After the immense damage of the last two years, the midterms have offered the United States an opportunity to reverse course and get back on its feet. The world needs a powerful, successful, dynamic and prosperous America, where individual liberty and freedom are the driving forces, rather than the overbearing deadweight of federal government. The American people have spoken, and the White House must be held to account.

Iowa ousts 3 justices over gay marriage

Wednesday November 3, 2010
By C. David Kotok
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

Iowa voters punished three justices of the Iowa Supreme Court for their 2009 ruling legalizing same-sex marriages.

The results do nothing to overturn the controversial 7-0 ruling by the court but sent a loud message that a majority of Iowa voters remained angry that the court — not the Legislature — had overturned the state’s ban on same-sex marriages.

Ousted was Supreme Court Chief Justice Marsha Ternus, along with Justices David Baker and Michael Streit. They happened to be the three Supreme Court justices who faced a retention vote on Tuesday’s ballot. the rest

Breakaway Anglican Bishop Responds to Fourth Lawsuit

Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2010
U.S. - An Anglican bishop in Texas is facing his fourth lawsuit, two years after he led his diocese out of The Episcopal Church.

The Rt. Rev. Jack Iker on Friday filed a response to the latest suit, submitted by All Saints' Episcopal Church in Fort Worth, contending that it constitutes "malicious prosecution."

"There can no longer be any doubt that this litigation is intended to harass, intimidate, bankrupt, and divert the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, its Corporation, and its leadership – particularly Bishop Iker – from carrying out the mission of the Church," the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth stated.

Iker is currently affiliated with the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone. A majority of the Diocese of Fort Worth voted in 2008 to withdraw from The Episcopal Church – the U.S. arm of Anglicanism – and realign with the overseas province. They left over what they believe is the U.S. body's departure from Christian orthodoxy and Anglican tradition. A minority remained. the rest

ACORN files for bankruptcy on Election Day

Blames 'political onslaught,' 'barrage of unmitigated accusations'
November 02, 2010
By Aaron Klein
© 2010 WorldNetDaily

ACORN, a national registration organization accused of rampant voter fraud, celebrated this Election Day by declaring it is filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

"For over 40 years ACORN has fought the good fight," Bertha Lewis, the group's CEO, said in a news release today.

Lewis blamed a "barrage of unmitigated accusations" that took their toll on the organization while "ongoing political onslaught caused irreparable harm." the rest

Scientists May Have Discovered a Cure for the Common Cold (and Lots of Other Viruses)

A new virus-killing technique could hit the market in just a few years
By Dan Nosowitz
11.02.2010

Any immunology textbook will tell you that once a virus enters a cell, the only way to knock that virus out is to kill the entire cell. But a new study from the Laboratory of Molecular Biology at Cambridge has shown a way to kill a virus from within the cell, leaving the virus defeated and the cell victorious and intact. This could be huge--not just a cure for the common cold, but for all kinds of other viruses as well.

The study, which will be published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, tackles a fundamental of immunology. It has long been assumed that the body's last chance to eliminate a virus is before it enters a cell--once it's inside, it's game over. You can kill the cell, but doing that too often is harmful to the body's health. But this new study shows that the body actually has its own in-cell defense mechanism that can attack viruses once they've entered a cell--and they're hopeful that this defense mechanism can be enhanced through external means, making the cells even stronger.

Antibodies in the bloodstream attach themselves to free-floating viruses, and are taken intact with the virus once it enters into a cell. Before that virus gets a chance to hijack the cell, a naturally occurring protein called TRIM21 recognizes the antibody, and further notices that there's an interloper (the virus) attached to it--which, according to the strict bouncer-like rules of the TRIM21 protein, is not allowed. (Antibodies can't roll one-virus deep, is what I'm saying.) The TRIM21 protein then triggers the cell's defense mechanisms, which can destroy the virus in as little as one or two hours--long before the virus has a chance to take over the cell. the rest image

Presiding bishop, other Christian leaders meet with Obama on election eve

Group raises issues of poverty, peace and justice
By Matthew Davies
November 02, 2010

[Episcopal News Service] Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori joined leaders of other mainline Christian denominations in meeting with President Barack Obama on Nov. 1, the eve of the midterm U.S. elections, to express gratitude for his leadership and to address national and international issues of peace, justice and poverty.

"On All Saints' Day, it was very good to gather with the president to speak words of support for him as a leader, particularly his work on behalf of so many people on the margins," Jefferts Schori told ENS. "We expressed our concern for the divisive rhetoric so prevalent in our society today. We also expressed gratitude for his administration's concern for the poor and hungry, and our hopes for continued work on the economic situation in this nation, on Middle East peace, and on the travel ban and restrictions on religious work in Cuba."

The Christian leaders included members of the National Council of Churches, which represents 45 million people and 100,000 congregations in the United States, and the global humanitarian agency Church World Service.  the rest

The delegation also included Episcopal Bishop Johncy Itty, chair of the CWS board of directors; Bishop Mark Hanson of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; and representatives of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Church of the Brethren, Armenian Church of America, Greek Orthodox Church of America, Presbyterian Church (USA), Moravian Church, Religious Society of Friends, Reformed Church in America, United Methodist Church, Orthodox Church in America, United Church of Christ, and the Progressive National Baptist Convention.

The Quiet Power of Our Sacred Honor

Nov 2, 2010
Elizabeth Scalia

A friend who teaches high school Social Studies recently lamented to me that her students come up from middle school with such a vague idea of what has made America unique among nations since its founding—and what its character has meant to the rest of the world—that she is forced almost to play Devil’s Advocate against the nation’s own history, in order to entice them to its defense.

It is a backwards way of teaching, she admits. Over the past several decades the social and historical curriculum has reduced the time spent on civics and founding documents in order to amplify the broadly social aspects of American history. As a result, students have a solid grasp of the fact that the nation is imperfect and that the citizenry has worked to address those imperfections. Less clear to them, however, is how honorable-in-intention America has been, from the writing of the Declaration of Independence until today, and why that intention has mattered in history.

Her students have no sense of American “identity” as a national and united force not just against certain ideas, but for others. They don’t understand why they should think any better of America than any other nation, “but get them to justify the Berlin Airlift,” she says, “and then you see the lightbulbs go on, and suddenly they become excited. Wow, America sacrificed her own blood, her own resources, in order to save the people they defeated! That’s cool! the rest image

Our children and young adults have watched adult America veer incautiously leftward, like a driver slipping lanes because he’s been distracted by a text message; and we will not emerge from that mistake unscathed. But we can make this a teachable moment for our students and ourselves; if we move forward with quiet resolve and honorable intentions we may yet manage to rescue our representative republic from the collision force of a generation that has been bearing down and driving hard for years, against everything that came before itself.

Election Day 2010 Live results (Townhall)

image by Stephen Moore

Senate

House of Representatives

Governors

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FOX News live

Legal Insurrection-Election Day 2010 Live Event

Mexico: 4 US citizens killed in separate attacks

By OLIVIA TORRES
The Associated Press
Tuesday, November 2, 2010

CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico — Four U.S. citizens were shot to death in separate attacks in the border city of Ciudad Juarez, Mexican authorities said Monday.
Chihuahua state prosecutors' spokesman Arturo Sandoval said Edgar Lopez, 35, of El Paso, Texas, was killed Sunday along with two Mexican men when gunmen opened fire on a group standing outside a house.

On Saturday, a 26-year-old U.S. woman and an American boy were slain shortly after crossing an international bridge from El Paso. Giovanna Herrera and Luis Araiza, 15, were shot to death along with a Mexican man traveling with them just after 11 a.m., Sandoval said.

Sandoval said authorities also identified a 24-year-old woman killed Friday inside a tortilla shop as Lorena Izaguirre, a U.S. citizen and El Paso resident. A Mexican man was also found dead in the store.
the rest

Kids' book prizes to include gay and lesbian award

By HILLEL ITALIE
AP National Writer
 Mon Nov 1, 2010

NEW YORK – An award for gay and lesbian literature will be included in the American Library Association's annual announcement of children's prizes, a list which features the prestigious and influential Caldecott and Newbery medals.

The library association issued a statement Monday saying that the Stonewall Children's and Young Adult Literature Award has been added to the ALA's Youth Media Awards, watched closely by educators and librarians as they decide which books to add to their collections. The Stonewall prize honors "English-language works for children and teens of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered experience." Stonewall awards for adult books were started nearly 40 years ago, but the children's category only now.

Books with gay and lesbian themes often place high on the association's yearly report of works most criticized and threatened with removal by parents and educators. "And Tango Makes Three," Justin Richardson's and Peter Parnell's acclaimed picture story about two male penguins who become parents, topped the list from 2007 to 2009. the rest

Election Day 2010

"Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote"
- George Jean Nathan image by Theresa Thompson

Canada: Law to stop coerced abortions faces uphill battle

By BRIAN LILLEY
 Parliamentary Bureau
November 1, 2010

OTTAWA — Debate was feisty Monday morning in the House of Commons as MPs argued the pros and cons of a private member's bill that would make it a crime to coerce a woman into having an abortion.

Winnipeg MP Rod Bruinooge, chairman of the parliamentary pro-life caucus, introduced Bill C-510. The bill proposes up to a five-year prison sentence for a person found guilty of coercing a woman into having an abortion, and up to two years for a person found guilty of attempting to coerce a woman to do so.

“This will send a clear message to everyone in Canada that coercing a woman into ending her pregnancy when she has chosen to remain pregnant won’t be tolerated,” Bruinooge told the Commons as debate began on his bill. the rest

Iraqi police commander held in church attack

Nov 2, 2010

BAGHDAD (AP) -- Iraqi authorities are holding a police commander for questioning in connection with this week's deadly attack on a Catholic church in Baghdad.

The police commander was detained on Tuesday under Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's orders.

Baghdad military operations spokesman Maj. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi refused to identify the commander by name but says he was in charge of the Karradah neighborhood in central Baghdad where the Our Lady of Salvation church is located. the rest

Baghdad church hostage drama ends in bloodbath

Iraqi survivors tell of hiding in priests' dressing room amid gunfire, blasts
...The attack came during a Sunday evening Mass celebrating the church's founding. And even in a place where a sectarian war has killed hundreds in car bombings, executions and mass kidnappings, the seizure of the Syrian Catholic Church, with 120 worshipers inside, ranked among the worst acts in the country's recent history...

...An hour into the attack, militants inside the church roared, "God is great! God is great!" A fresh explosion jolted the building. Screams rang out...

...People cried, "Please help us! We are Christians!"...

..."The soldiers tried to raise my head not to look at the ground and see the corpses. I felt I was stepping on bodies," she said. "I noticed the black robe of one of the priests."...

All Saints Day!

Ye watchers and ye holy ones,

bright seraphs, cherubim, and thrones,

raise the glad strain, Alleluia!

Cry out, dominions, princedoms, powers,

virtues, archangels, angels' choirs:

Alleluia! Alleluia!

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

O higher than the cherubim,

more glorious than the seraphim,

lead their praises, Alleluia!

Thou bearer of th' eternal Word,

most gracious, magnify the Lord:

Alleluia! Alleluia!

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Respond, ye souls in endless rest,

ye patriarchs and prophets blest,

Alleluia! Alleluia!

Ye holy twelve, ye martyrs strong,

all saints triumphant, raise the song:

Alleluia! Alleluia!

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

O friends, in gladness let us sing,

supernal anthems echoing,

Alleluia! Alleluia!

To God the Father, God the Son,

and God the Spirit, Three in One:

Alleluia! Alleluia!

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
John A.L. Riley image

Colson: It's not the time to withdraw from politics

We Must Not Despair
Chuck Colson with Catherine Larson
11/01/2010

The evidence is clear: Many Christians have grown weary of the culture wars. Compared with prior years, Christians have little visible presence in this season's election campaign, and certainly younger evangelicals see the conservative religious agenda as strident and often offensive. What's more, prominent Christian leaders are telling us to take a sabbatical from politics—a seductively appealing message for so many fatigued by our 30-year-long uphill struggle.

At the same time, secularists berate Christians for the culture wars, claiming that we are trying to impose our bigoted agenda on them. Often intimidated, Christians fear raising controversial questions.

But someone should ask: Who started the divisive culture wars in the first place? Far from being the aggressors—as the press would have us believe—religious conservatives have simply been responding to the relentless secularization of American life. the rest

UK: Court to decide whether Christian couple can foster children

by Nathan Black, Christian Post
Monday, November 1, 2010

A Christian couple in England has made several attempts to provide foster care to children but has been blocked because of their views on homosexuality.

Eunice and Owen Johns were scheduled are coming before the High Court on Monday and their attorneys say the outcome of the case could impact the future of Christian foster carers and adoptive parents.

"It may not be long before local authorities decide that Christians cannot look after some of the most vulnerable children in our society, simply because they disapprove of homosexuality," the Christian Legal Centre said. the rest

New Rules Worry Christian Colleges

Government's solution to for-profit problems may threaten schools' autonomy.
Naomi Schaefer Riley
11/01/2010

Today the Department of Education (DOE) will finalize a new set of regulations that have many private colleges and universities concerned and religious institutions downright alarmed. Formulated in response to allegations of financial-aid fraud at some for-profit institutions, these 80-odd pages of rules contain 14 different directives, one of which could provide a back-door threat to the ability of Christian colleges to control curriculum, admissions, and hiring standards. (Another rule, requiring for-profit universities to demonstrate a minimal rate of post-graduate employment, has been delayed after it drew protests.)

The directive, mandated for implementation by July 1, 2011, asks states to develop a procedure (if they don't already have one) to license private educational institutions. The procedure must be a "substantive" one, and if schools do not comply the states are required to take "adverse action" against the institutions. (Under current law, as long as a school is approved by a federally recognized accreditor and is allowed to operate in a particular state, that school will be eligible to receive Title IV financial aid for its students.) the rest

BBC accused of neglecting Christianity as it devotes air time to pagan festival

By Laura Caroe
1st November 2010

The BBC has been criticised for extensive coverage of a pagan festival to mark Halloween and accused of neglecting Christianity.

The corporation’s 24-hour news channel devoted considerable time to the celebrations in a riverside meadow where witches gathered to celebrate mark Samhain, the turning of the year from light to dark.

Dressed in hooded gowns, women were seen standing in a circle around a cauldron while ritualistic acts were conducted. the rest

Anglicans who defect to Rome 'could share CofE churches'

Anglicans who defect to Rome in protest at plans to ordain women bishops could be allowed to continue worshipping in their Church of England buildings, a leading official said today.
By Tim Ross, Religious Affairs Editor
01 Nov 2010

Hundreds of priests and parishioners are expected to take up the Pope’s offer to convert to Roman Catholicism and join a new body for Anglicans who disagree with the ordination of women bishops when it is established next year.

Church authorities have insisted that defectors will not be able to retain their parish buildings when they leave the Anglican family.

But today the Church’s most senior official, William Fittall, raised the prospect of a historic compromise.

Mr Fittall, secretary general of the General Synod, said it would be “entirely possible” for those who convert to Roman Catholicism to be allowed to share their former churches with Anglicans who remain in the Church of England. the rest

In memory of Mr. Donald Charles Unsworth

posted November 1, 2010

 Mr. Donald Charles Unsworth, age 78 of Rome [GA], passed away at home surrounded by the love of his family on September 6, 2010...

...Mr. Unsworth was a veteran of the United States Air Force where he served at Kessler Air Force Base. He was a Rome City Police officer and later became Safety Director of the Floyd County Police Department....

...The family respectfully asked in lieu of flowers that memorial contributions be made to the American Cancer Society or to the campaign of whoever is running against President Barack Obama in 2012. Full obituary here

Struggling woman has to sell Obama letter to help pay for house
A struggling mom who wrote to President Obama about her financial hardship and received a handwritten response from him saying, "Things will get better!," has had to sell the letter to an autograph dealer to help pay for a house...

Reason TV: What we saw at the Restore Sanity rally

Sanity is apparently in the eye of the beholder, as is coherence.

Queen Elizabeth II to inaugurate Church of England General Synod

ACNS
 November 1, 2010

Synod to debate the Big Society and the Anglican Communion Covenant

Her Majesty The Queen will inaugurate the Ninth General Synod of the Church of England in Church House, Westminster on Tuesday 23 November. The Inauguration ceremony will follow the Eucharist in Westminster Abbey, at which the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, will preside and Dame Mary Tanner (a President of the World Council of Churches) will preach.

This Synod will reflect some significant changes amongst its membership: 35% of the elected members of the General Synod are starting their first ever five-year term; the proportion of elected clergy who are female has increased from 21% to 28%; and women now make up 46% of the elected laity membership (up from 40%). the rest

Death toll rises to 58 in Baghdad church attack

2010-11-01
BAGHDAD

(Xinhua) -- The death toll from Sunday's church attack in Baghdad has rise to 58 while 75 others were wounded, an Interior Ministry source said Monday.

"Our latest reports said that 58 people were killed and 75 others wounded by the gunmen attack and the operation of the Iraqi security forces to release dozens of hostages in Karrada church," the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Among the dead were 43 civilians, most of them women and children hostages, ten security members and five gunmen, the source said, adding that 15 security members were among the wounded. the rest

Pope denounces Baghdad church attack, urges peace

Obama is dismantling private health care

By Bill Wilson
October 30, 2010

Unable to eliminate private health care coverage in America in one fell swoop with his new socialized medicine law, President Obama has decided to dismantle what’s left of the free market system brick-by-brick via a relentless regulatory barrage.

Availing himself of the broad discretionary powers included in his unconstitutional new law, Obama is drawing a bead on private health plan providers’ business models, their profits as well as the quality of care they provide.

Not content with forcing private insurers to pay for new coverage requirements, Obama is now dictating how they can – and cannot – spend money collected from health care premiums. As a result, he is forcing them to make decisions that will undermine patient safety and care, while at the same time threatening the sustained viability and profitability of their operations.  the rest

Obama's economists missed what voters plainly saw

Former President Bush Throws Out First Pitch At World Series

Nicely done!-video here

Britain’s Leading Bioethicist: Human Life Itself has No Value

Wednesday October 27, 2010
By Hilary White
LONDON

(LifeSiteNews.com) – Unlike gold and platinum, life does not have value in itself, a member of the House of Lords and a campaigner for assisted suicide said in a televised debate last week. Medical professionals need to change their attitude towards assisted suicide, to take into account the wishes of patients who request to die, said Baroness Mary Warnock, known in Britain as the “philosopher queen” of bioethics.

“There is no moral justification why the opinions of judges, lawyers and doctors should override those of the patient [who has expressed a wish to die],” she said.

“The mission of doctors is to help people, to make their lives better not worse. Sometime death is more desirable than life.” the rest

Obamacare Endgame: Doctors Will be Fined or Jailed if they Put Patients First
by Dr. Elaina George

If Obamacare is completely implemented, doctors will no longer be practicing medicine. They will instead become the drones tasked with deciding who gets the meager healthcare crumbs doled out by the bureaucrats who have the ultimate power over patient life and death. Those who are deemed to have illnesses that require treatments which are not cost effective can expect a one way ticket to a hospice. the rest

Episcopal leader stresses core mission

October 31, 2010
By Jay Tokasz
NEWS STAFF REPORTER

The Episcopal Church’s presiding bishop said Saturday in Buffalo that she believes divisiveness over issues of sexuality and Biblical interpretation has subsided in recent years, and the church is continuing its historical tradition of being at the forefront of the cause for social justice.

Members of the Episcopal Church may not agree with each other on issues such as whether gay people should be ordained as bishops, but those issues “aren’t essential enough to their life of faith” to separate Episcopalians from the church, Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori said in an interview with The News.

Jefferts Schori, elected in 2006 as chief pastor of 2.4 million Episcopalians in 16 countries and 110 dioceses, including the Episcopal Diocese of Western New York, made her first visit to the area Friday and Saturday to participate in the diocese’s 173rd annual convention. the rest

But Jefferts Schori insisted the Episcopal Church isn’t about numbers but about being a prophetic voice.

"I am the most sued Anglican Bishop in all of North America" - Jack Iker

The following is a transcription of Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth Bishop Jack Iker's remarks to the United Kingdom's Forward in Faith's National Assembly on Saturday, Oct. 16 in London, England.
Transcription by Mary Ann Mueller
http://www.virtueonline.org/
October 30, 2010

Bishop Iker: Good afternoon everyone, and thank you for this opportunity to speak to you briefly and share in your Assembly. As I was listening to your conversation yesterday afternoon, it struck me that it was very similar to the conversations of course, that are going on in my own diocese.

When [FiF-UK Director] Stephen (Parkinson) asked me if I would speak briefly this afternoon I said: "Well, what would you like to talk about?" He said: "Oh, tell them about the litigation. You should get some good laughs out of that." the rest

FCA Southern Africa conference ends on a high note.

FCA South Africa Conference Ends with Statement of purpose and commitment to the Orthodox faith clearly stated at GAFCON
October 31st, 2010
The Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans in South Africa has been concluded its second annual conference in Port Elizabeth from October 27-29. This was a time of felowship for members of FCA – SA from six of the costal dioceses in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa (ACSA), as well the Church of England in South Africa (CESA) and international visitors from four continents.

The Diocesan Bishop of Port Elizabeth, Bethlehem Nopece welcomed participants from the Dioceses of Cape Town, False Bay, Durban, Natal, and George, along with Bishop P.J.Lawrence, Bishop of Nandyal in the Church of South India, Bishop Glenn Davies, Bishop of North Sydney, Australia, Bishop Desmond Inglesby, Presiding Bishop of the Church of England in South Africa, and bishops of the Anglican Church in North America, officiating for the first time in Southern Africa - Bishop John Guernsey of the Diocese of the Holy Spirit and Bishop Bill Murdoch of the Anglican Diocese of New England.

We were truly blessed by the teaching and preaching of Bishops John Guernsey and Bill Murdoch from ACNA. They had a timely word for the Church in this region which is widely believed to be the beachhead for the risionism of TEC and the Canadian provinces on the African Continet. the rest

Requiem for the Pelosi Democrats

Veteran Democratic Rep. Brian Baird says that job creation should have been priority 'number one, two and three.'
OCTOBER 30, 2010
By JOHN FUND
Washington

It took Democrats in the House of Representatives 40 years to become out-of-touch enough to get thrown out of office in 1994. It took 12 years for the Republicans who replaced them to abandon their principles and be repudiated in 2006. Now it appears that the current Democratic majority has lost voter confidence in only four years.

How did this happen? And what does the increasing speed of voter backlash mean for Republicans who will likely take control next Tuesday?

For answers, I decided to chat up Rep. Brian Baird, a six-term Democrat from Washington state. Even though he's never won re-election with less than 56% of the vote, Mr. Baird is retiring because the brutal congressional commute makes it impossible for him to see his twin five-year-old boys grow up. He's not sticking around, like so many former members of Congress, to lobby inside the Beltway. That allows him to be candid about Congress and his party. the rest

Our divisive president, redux
...With the country beset by economic and other problems, it is incendiary that the president is not offering a higher vision for the nation but has instead chosen a strategy of rank division. This is an attempt to distract from the perceived failures of his administration. On issue after issue this administration has acted in ways that are weakening the office of the president.