August 2010

Christianity not accepted here: "Expelled for being Christian. That’s the fate of two college graduate school students at separate universities.... Julea Ward lost her lawsuit against Eastern Michigan University July 26. ...she was dismissed from a counseling program in March, 2009, for not affirming homosexual behavior as morally acceptable....

      "...at Augusta State University...Jennifer Keeton was told her Christian beliefs are unethical and incompatible with the prevailing views of the counseling profession. She must stop sharing her beliefs with others and change her beliefs if she’s to graduate from the program, the school has told her." See Why "Hate crime" laws ban Biblical Christianity

Judges rule against Utah highway crosses for fallen troopers: "The white, roadside crosses that currently memorialize the deaths of 14 Utah Highway Patrol troopers are unconstitutional, government endorsements of religion on public lands, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled." See Why hate crimes laws ban Biblical Christianity

Shopping mall's speech restrictions torpedoed: "...the case arose after a Matthew Snatchko was arrested at the Roseville Galleria Mall in 2007 for striking up a casual conversation with other shoppers about faith.... Pacific Justice said that under the mall's rules, shoppers are not allowed to engage in conversations about potentially controversial topics such as religion or politics unless they already know the person they are talking to. Another mall rule bans the wearing of any clothing with religious or political messages. The new ruling from the 3rd District Court of Appeal in Sacramento struck down the mall rules as unconstitutionally vague and restrictive of free speech." See Ban Truth - Reap Tyranny

July 2010

Obama says he still supports climate legislation: "Last week, Senate Democrats abandoned plans for a sweeping measure that would cap greenhouse gases blamed for global warming.... Instead Democrats hope to pass a narrower bill that responds to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and takes steps to improve energy efficiency."

 

"Godbloc filter: "GodBlock is a web filter that blocks religious content. It is targeted at parents and schools who wish to protect their kids from the often violent, sexual, and psychologically harmful material in many holy texts, and from being indoctrinated into any religion before they are of the age to make such decisions. ...GodBlock will test each page that your child visits before it is loaded, looking for passages from holy texts, names of religious figures, and other signs of religious propaganda. If none are found, then your child is allowed to browse freely.

    "Why? In the last century, the United States has seen a resurgence of fundamentalist religion. Fundamentalist Evangelicals, Mormons, Baptists, Muslims, and Jews have held back progress in science, human rights, civil rights, and protecting our environment. How can we reverse this trend and join the rest of the world in the gradual secularization of society and government?

     "Most deeply religious people are born into their religion, but even children raised in a secular household are vulnerable to content on the web. That's why we've produced GodBlock."

 

Pastor Yanked From Capitol Over 'Jesus' Prayer: "A North Carolina pastor was relieved of his duties as an honorary chaplain of the state house of representatives after he closed a prayer by invoking the name of Jesus.”

Kids can't pray at U.S. Supreme Court: "A Christian private-school teacher is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to allow constitutionally protected prayer outside the court building after her class was 'abruptly' ordered to stop praying on the grounds....'Even though they were not obstructing traffic, not demonstrating, and praying quietly in a conversational tone so as to not attract attention, a court police officer approached the group and told them to stop praying in that public area immediately,' ADF reported. 'The prayer was stopped based on a statute, 40 U.S.C. §6135, which bars parades and processions on Supreme Court grounds.'...

      "Mrs. Rigo was not engaging in a parade, procession or assembly. She was speaking in a conversational level to those around her with her head bowed.'... The group noted that the prayers are akin to routine conversations that take place during Supreme Court tours every day....'The last place you'd expect this kind of obvious disregard for the First Amendment would be on the grounds of the U.S. Supreme Court itself...'" See Our Freedom in Christ

June 2010

Supreme Court rules against Christian group that bars gays: "A university can legally deny recognition to a Christian student group that bars gays and nonbelievers, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Monday in a case that pitted anti-discrimination principles against religious freedom.... Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented." See Spiritual Warfare

The World's Oldest Collective Hatred [by Jan Markel]: "For someone to tell a Jew in Israel to 'go home'... makes no sense because they are home. They may have passed through Germany or Poland, or Russia as my grandparents did, but the Bible reveals that Israel is their home. Of all earth's inhabitants, only the Jews have a deed to a piece of land from God as recorded in the Bible. But then not even most church members even know that, let alone the monsters of the world. The destiny of the Jew is to be eternally unsafe around the world. The day is coming when friends of Israel will also feel uneasy and unsafe."

Seven Reasons Why Israel Will Never Get a Fair Shake: "'Never again.' It's what the world said after the Holocaust. Fast forward sixty five years and the only thing standing between seven million Jews in Israel and a 2nd Holocaust is their ability to fight for their own survival.... No matter how grave the provocation or how clearly Israel is in the right, the world's judgment is always against Israel. Why?" See Spiritual Warfare

Illinois abortion clinic takes another shot at Christian pro-lifers: "In the past, the workers have displayed rubber chickens hanging from nooses, a nun in a coffin, and other taunting posters with hateful messages....But Kevin Rilott... notes that the clinic's new 'decoration' reaches another level of hate for pro-life views.... The latest method... is a picture of Jesus making an obscene gesture with words at the bottom that read: 'Even Jesus hates you.' ...The pro-life advocate adds that a couple of the clinic operators whom his group has gotten to know make it clear that they despise everything about Christianity." See Ban Truth - Reap Tyranny

May 2010

Gay couple to sue over B&B snub by Christian owners: [UK] "A gay couple who were turned away by a Christian bed and breakfast owner because it was 'against her convictions' to let them share a double bed are suing her for damages. ...Mr Black, 62, and Mr Morgan, 56, reported Mrs Wilkinson to police for refusing them a room. They said she was breaching discrimination laws and that they were horrified by the former air hostess's 'outdated and abhorrent views'. But Mrs Wilkinson and her husband Francis, a former city worker, insisted they were simply living according to their values and Christian beliefs."'

College backtracks on discipline for prayer: "A lawsuit against a California college that threatened to suspend a student caught offering a prayer for a sick teacher – and another student who happened to be nearby – has been settled.... The case against the College of Alameda was brought after the school threatened the students [Kandy Kyriacou and Ojoma Omaga] with expulsion after Kyriacou was spotted by another faculty member praying with the teacher. Omaga's offense apparently to accompany Kyriacou to the teacher's office and be nearby at the time....

     "The incident developed in December 2007 when an instructor at the college complained about a private, consensual prayer in a shared faculty office between a student and a sick teacher. The institution issued formal notices of intent to suspend both the student and a bystander, held disciplinary hearings and imposed written warnings." See Ban Truth - Reap Tyranny

Gary McFarlane: judge's assault on 'irrational' religious freedom claims in sex therapist case: "[The judge's] comments came as he dismissed a legal challenge by a Christian relationship counsellor who was sacked after refusing to offer sex therapy sessions to homosexual couples because it was against his beliefs. Gary McFarlane, 48, challenged his dismissal at the Court of Appeal, arguing that forcing him to go against what he sees as the Bible’s teaching represented religious discrimination." See Hating Christians

April 2010

Church warned that flag of Jesus is 'religious advertising': [UK] "Rev Mark Binney, vicar of St Andrew’s Church, Hampton, Worcs, said he had been told he needed planning permission if he wanted to fly a flag 'advertising Christianity' in future. The flag was put up outside the church in the week preceding Easter Sunday displaying the words 'This is Holy Week' and an image of Jesus on the cross." See Ban Truth - Reap Tyranny

Franklin Graham Uninvited to Pentagon Prayer Service: "Rev. Franklin Graham has been uninvited to the Pentagon prayer service because of his true and biblical statements about Islam. Two points: 1. The US military is increasingly going on record as hostile to historic Christianity. They want an American civil religion that passes politically correct muster. That civil religion would include most of the other religions of the world…except Christianity. Not surprisingly, an Islamic cleric, known for his anti-Christian hate speech, is attending the Pentagon prayer service in good standing with our military. 2. The outrageous double standard aside, Franklin Graham should take it as a compliment that he was uninvited to the American pantheon of idols to offer up a prayer along with the pagans." See Unity in an Anti-Christian World

Pluralism & Global Spirituality. Army withdraws Franklin Graham Pentagon prayer day invitation: "In a 2001 op-ed piece, Graham wrote that he does not believe Muslims are evil, but he objects to the treatment of women in Muslim countries and Islam’s historic 'persecution or elimination' of other religions.... 'I speak out for people that live under Islam, that are enslaved by Islam and I want them to know they can be free through faith in Jesus Christ and Christ alone.'

      "Council on American Islamic Relations spokesman Ibrahim Hooper said it is '“completely inappropriate' for Graham to speak in front of a military audience....

      "An Army spokesman told the Associated Press the Pentagon’s relationship with the Christian group does not violate Defense Department rules. We are an all-inclusive military,' said Col. Tim Collins. 'We hold observances throughout the year. This one happens to be a Christian-themed event.'” See Tony Blair's Interfaith Foundation

Federal judge strikes down National Day of Prayer (ten days old): "U.S. District Judge Barbara B. Crabb issued the decision in a case filed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a Wisconsin-based atheist and agnostic group that challenged the constitutionality of a 1988 federal law....'It goes beyond mere 'acknowledgment' of religion,' Crabb wrote, 'because its sole purpose is to encourage all citizens to engage in prayer, an inherently religious exercise that serves no secular function in this context.'" Is that the new legal standard? God's Warnings for our Times

Tea Party infiltrators to wear Nazi uniforms? "The man who threatened to crash tea parties with protesters wearing Nazi uniforms, carrying misspelled signs and making wild claims on TV, is an Oregon middle-school teacher who may have been working on his tea-party infiltration effort during school time, according to reports. Some tea partiers claim Jason Levin, a teacher at Conestoga Middle School in Beaverton, Ore., has been working on his 'Crash the Tea Party' website when he should have been teaching."

State poised to punish free speech at schools -- Children with traditional values may get 'detention, suspension': "The state of California is poised within days to adopt a resolution that schools be 'discrimination-free' zones – a plan one critic asserts is designed 'to stamp out the free speech of students and teachers with moral values or scientific ethics.'...The resolution states 'all public education institutes are encouraged to … identify themselves as 'discrimination-free zones' through placards, signs, notices of available services, and other appropriate identifications to create a campus climate that welcomes diversity and supports the tolerance of others.'... The proposal states 'all public education institutions, prekindergarten through university campuses, are encouraged to develop and enact policies that support tolerance and acceptance of others regardless of their race or ethnicity, religion, disability, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation.…" See Why "Hate crime" laws would ban Biblical Christianity

Tea partiers 'screaming white men,' 'racist forces': "Those are just a few of the labels used to describe participants in yesterday's tea party rally in Boston headlined by Palin, according to an account from a union leader and protest organizer posted on a socialist website. Steve Gillis, vice president of the Steelworkers Local 8751.... described his protest group of mostly Haitian-origin union workers as 'anti-racists,' fighting 'the racist forces'.... Gillis hailed his anti-tea party protest as 'a step forward for people ready to fight the capitalist system's tricks..."

Christophobia - Anti-Christian bigotry is the last fashionable hatred: "Christianity is dying. It was once the bastion of Western civilization. Now, Christianity is a pitiful remnant of its former greatness. Across the West, it is in full retreat.... [Compared to today's increasingly worldly church, God's true Church may seem to be a mere remnant. But that remnant will never die!]

 Pornography, abortion, homosexuality, promiscuity, the AIDS epidemic, soaring out-of-wedlock births, sky-rocketing divorce rates and the breakdown of the family - these are the poisoned fruits of the Playboy philosophy. MTV morality is in; Jesus is out.... The American left is following in the shameful - and much more bloody - footsteps of Marxist regimes. Instead of eradicating religious faith through the barrel of a gun, leftists use bureaucratic dictates and mass propaganda. ...

     "The same standards do not apply to Islam. Davenport's multiculturalists would never dare to remove say, Ramadan, from the calendar and rename it "Fasting Month" for fear of offending Muslims - and possibly triggering a fatwa....

     "The Founding Fathers emphasized that the constitutional republic depended upon a vigorous religious society.... 'Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people,' said John Adams. 'It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.'" See Washington's Farewell Address, 1796

Christian Nurse to Fight On in 'Cross Row': "Tribunal finds ‘No Discrimination’ despite ruling Christian nurse cannot wear a cross for religious reasons though a Muslim can wear a hijab for religious reasons." See Preparing for Persecution

City opens door a crack for home Bible studies: "Officials in the city of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., who had ordered participants of a home Bible study either to purchase an unobtainable city permit to meet or shut down, now are relenting a little. City officials have said the Bible study targeted earlier for banishment can continue to meet, but they are keeping the threat of forced closures for potential use against other Bible studies." See Don't Mention Jesus

February 2010

Teacher cries 'hate crime' over Bible left on desk: "An eighth-grade teacher has accused her students of committing a 'hate crime' and being 'cruel' because they left a Bible on her desk and a Christmas card with the word 'Christ' underlined. Melissa Hussain, an Apex, N.C., science teacher at West Lake Middle School, is suspended with pay and may lose her job after she purportedly clashed with students on the subject of religion and sent students to the school office when they asked about the role of God in creation during a lesson about evolution.

       "Hussain wrote on her then-public Facebook page that it was a 'hate crime' when her students left a Bible on her desk.... She complained about students singing 'Jesus Loves Me' and wearing Jesus T-shirts. Hussain said she 'was able to shame her kids' over the incidents. 'I can't believe the cruelty and ignorance of people sometimes,' Hussain wrote on the social networking site. She said she wouldn't let the Bible incident 'go unpunished.'....

      "Hussain's friends responded by posting comments on the teacher's Facebook page ... calling the parents of Hussain's students 'bigoted, stupid and uncaring.' Another friend suggested Hussain bring a poster to class of NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. with a swastika drawn on his forehead because doing so would be 'teaching" students a lesson.'" See Preparing for Persecution

Christian teacher 'forced out' after complaining Muslim pupils praised 9/11 hijackers 'as heroes': [UK] "A Christian teacher yesterday claimed he was forced out of his job after complaining that Muslim pupils as young as eight hailed the September 11 hijackers as heroes.... The predominantly Muslim youngsters openly praised Islamic extremists in class and described the September 11 terrorists as 'heroes and martyrs'. One pupil said: 'Don't touch me, you're a Christian' when he brushed against him. Others said: 'We want to be Islamic bombers when we grow up', and 'The Christians and Jews are our enemies - you too because you're a Christian'." See Loving evil more than good

Religious affiliation on ID cards rejected: "...religious affiliation on ID cards has created problems for Christians in predominantly Islamic nations.... Turkey was requiring people to disclose their beliefs in violation of the European Convention on Human Rights and the national constitution.... Christians and other religious minorities in Turkey often have been subjected to discrimination based on identification of their religious affiliation.... 'It has been known to affect whether they get a job or not, how people look at them, whether they are accepted for a post or an application of some sort." See Day of No Return

Mall to Christians: God talk banned! "...a youth pastor was arrested at the Galleria Mall in Roseville, Calif., for having a conversation about religion with two other people. Matthew Snatchko... was interrupted in the middle of a conversation by a security guard. A second guard joined the confrontation and told Snatchko he was being placed under citizen's arrest for 'trespassing.' The pastor said he agreed to leave but instead, the guards grabbed him, roughly shoved him against a storefront window and handcuffed him tightly enough to draw blood. ...he was booked on charges of battery and trespassing.

      "...the charges were dropped, but officials with the Pacific Justice Institute decided to pursue a case against the mall over the impact of the policy on free speech....

      "Snatchko originally was confronted during a casual conversation with two other shoppers about faith when a store employee listened to the conversation and alerted mall security guards. Besides the ban on conversations with strangers about religion or politics, the mall also bans any clothing with religious or political messages." See Evangelism: Our witness to His love

The Crucifixion of Brit Hume: "During the Roman Empire’s secularist era those who acknowledged the deity of Christ were frequently fed to the lions to entertain – for lack of a better word – the 'progressive' elites of the day. ... You don’t see it when Muslims proselytize in government schools....

     "'Tom Shales, media critic for the Washington Post... demanded that Hume apologize and called his Christian remarks ‘even only a few days into January, as one of the most ridiculous of the year.’ MSNBC’s... Keith Olbermann accused Hume of attempting 'to threaten Tiger Woods into converting to Christianity'.... Commenting on the Huffington Post, 'Kandaher' bypassed Hume altogether and aimed his vitriol directly at his Creator: 'anyone (sic) watched ‘The passion of Christ’? I thorouhgly (sic) enjoyed it. Nothing like watching this bloke getting beaten up!" See Mocking God

Video: Brit Hume "comes out" as Christian & and faces much criticism for sharing his Christian view.

As Jesus told us, "...because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.... If they persecuted Me they will persecute you... for they do not know the One who sent Me." John 15:19-21

Federal court says Christian-themed license plates Unconstitutional! "A federal judge ruled Nov. 10 that a South Carolina license plate featuring cross, a stained-glass window and the words 'I Believe' violate the constitutionally mandated separation of church and state.... A federal judge ruled that a Christian-themed license plate in South Carolina 'amounts to state endorsement not only of religion in general, but of a specific sect in particular.'...

     '"There is free speech for every group in this state besides Christians,' [Lt. Gov. André] Bauer said.... 'Every citizen has the right to free speech in this country. I don't understand why witnessing in public is considered unconstitutional." See Ban Truth - Reap Tyranny

October 2009

Congress passes 'Pedophile Protection Act': "The AFA said, 'Everywhere hate crimes laws have gone into effect, they have been quickly used to intimidate, silence and punish people of faith who express deeply held religious objections to the normalization of homosexuality. 'Such laws not only punish officially disapproved speech and thought, they create two tiers of victims. Under hate crimes laws, some victims get more protections than others, which violates the fundamental American principle of equality under the law.'" See Why "Hate crime" laws would ban Biblical Christianity

September 2009

Christian hotel owners hauled before court after defending their beliefs in discussion with Muslim guest: "A Christian couple have been charged with a criminal offence after taking part in what they regarded as a reasonable discussion about religion with guests at their hotel. Ben and Sharon Vogelenzang were arrested after a Muslim woman complained to police that she had been offended by their comments. They have been charged under public order laws with using ‘threatening, abusive or insulting words’ that were ‘religiously aggravated’....The couple, whose trial has been set for December, face a fine of up to £5,000 and a criminal record if they are convicted....

     "‘Ben and Sharon do not accept they were threatening, abusive or insulting. ‘They are committed Christians and it is the defence’s contention that they have every right to defend their religious beliefs and explain those beliefs to others who do not hold similar views.’... Neil Addison, a prominent criminal barrister and expert in religious law, said: ‘The purpose of the Public Order Act is to prevent disorder, but I’m very concerned that the police are using it merely because someone is offended."

Curriculum plan would remove mention of Christmas: "A proposal for new social studies curriculum in Texas public schools removes a mention of Christmas in a sixth-grade lesson, replacing it with a Hindu religious festival....

     "The draft proposal being considered by the State Board of Education won't be formally adopted until next May for the 2011-2012 school year. The standards will remain in place for the next decade, dictating what is taught in government, history and other social studies classes in elementary and secondary schools. The standards also will be used to develop state tests and by textbook publishers who develop material for the nation based on their largest market, Texas.... The proposal, which is set to be debated during a hearing next week, removes the words Christmas and Rosh Hashanah. Diwali, a Hindu festival, is added." See Spiritual Warfare

Lawsuit: Holiday Inn targeted Christians: "A lawsuit has been filed by a Christian organization against the Holiday Inn Select located in Naperville, Ill., for refusing to allow Americans for Truth About Homosexuality to hold an event there. 'Imagine the hue and cry that would have erupted had the Holiday Inn Select hotel ... canceled a 'gay' organization's scheduled banquet after its leader told the hotel that some Christians might protest the event,' the organization said..." See Why hate crimes laws would ban Biblical Christianity

Church-bell 'noise' under attack – in America: "The dispute focuses on the city ordinance that even city officials have conceded is vague.... Nevertheless, on the strength of neighbors' complaints and the existing statute, one pastor already has been convicted and sentenced for violating the city ordinance with church bells....'No one should be sentenced to jail and probation for doing what churches have traditionally done throughout history, especially when the sound of the church's bells does not exceed the noise level that the law allows for ice cream trucks.'" See Purging the Memory of our Christian Roots

August 2009

Woman accused of contempt for dinner blessing: "A Florida school district worker whose husband read a prayer at a private banquet has been cleared of contempt accusations brought by the American Civil Liberties Union." See Ban Truth - Reap Tyranny

Shocking terror ties to Christian girl's family mosque: "The Muslim parents of a young Christian runaway who fears for her life are devout members of mosque with ties to numerous terrorist leaders.... Fathima Rifqa Bary, 17, an honor student and cheerleader, was raised in a Muslim family in Columbus, Ohio. She became a Christian four years ago.... But Bary, a native of Sri Lanka, hitchhiked to a bus station and ran away from home July 19 because she says her family will murder her in what is known as an 'honor killing' for converting to Christianity....

      "'The primary issue in this case is the clear and present danger that is presented by the Noor Center mosque and its ties to terrorist activity and the Bary parents' devotion to, relationship with, and regular participation in the Noor Center.' ...the CEO of the Noor Center, Hany Saqr, has direct ties to the Muslim Brotherhood....

      "Saqr had also been an imam, or Islamic religious leader, for another mosque in the same area of Columbus at the same time the largest-known al-Qaida cell in the United States was operating out of that mosque.... Saqr's subordinate, Ismail Elbarasse, was one of the top Hamas operatives in the country and had provided at least $735,000 to Hamas at that time." See Hope, Hate & Human Nature

Legal victory after church kicked off campus: "A public college that banned a church from meeting on its property has scrapped its policy of discrimination and is now allowing equal access to campus facilities."

 'Hate crimes' brings pro-'gay' cash to your town: "The probable new 'hate crimes' law may lead to prosecution of pastors, Christian leaders and even 'Joe-Christian-on-the-street' for having the wrong opinion about homosexuality or cross-dressing. A lesser-discussed evil twin product of this legislation, however, is federally financed youth and police indoctrination programs....

     "The House and Senate versions of the bills (H.R. 1913 and S. 909) both say this: 'The Office of Justice Programs of the Department of Justice may award grants... to State, local, or tribal programs designed to combat hate crimes committed by juveniles, including programs to train local law enforcement officers in identifying, investigating, prosecuting, and preventing hate crimes.' ... Such programs will be reinforced by police training about who the real hate groups are: Christian traditional families. These horrifying people are in your town, your community! What can be done to stop them? Congress has just decided." See Why "Hate crime" laws would ban Biblical Christianity

July 2009

Nurse 'forced' to help abort: "A Brooklyn nurse claims she was forced to choose between her religious convictions and her job when Mount Sinai Hospital ordered her to assist in a late-term abortion against her will.... The hospital even exaggerated the patient's condition and claimed the woman could die if the nurse, a devout Catholic, did not follow orders.... 'It felt like a horror film unfolding,' said Catherina Cenzon-DeCarlo.'... During her job interview, an administrator asked Cenzon-DeCarlo whether she'd be willing to participate in abortions. She flatly said no. The nurse said she put her beliefs in writing. ... 'I emigrated to this country in the belief that here religious freedom is sacred.'" See Ban Truth - Reap Tyranny

State House edits 'Jesus' from pastor's prayer: "Stoltzfoos had been invited ... to open Tuesday's session of the House with a prayer as guest chaplain. The pastor declined the invitation after someone on McCall's staff told him he could not use Jesus' name in the prayer. 'First of all, I don't see how Jesus is denominational. The whole Christian world is called after him,' Stoltzfoos said. '...if you want me to pray, then I have to pray to the one thing I know. I only know one God personally. I only serve one God. How do I do something that dishonors him?'

      "The policy -- not yet three months old -- requires guest chaplains to first submit their prayers in writing and then, if deemed necessary, agree to change their words to meet 'nondenominational' guidelines established by McCall's staff.... It is not an attempt to silence religious leaders, McCall spokesman Bob Caton said, but rather an effort to prevent taxpayers from having to foot the bill of a lawsuit if someone objects to a prayer's contents and chooses to sue the state."

Silencing the Christians: "Are we teaching our future leaders tolerance at the expense of moral convictions? On this episode of 'Speechless.... Silencing the Christians,' a Georgia Tech student leader receives death and rape threats after she opposes the school’s liberal feminist policies." See Spiritual Warfare

High Court allows Kent school to block Bible club: "The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to stop the Kent School District from blocking a group of Christian students from forming a Bible club on a high school campus."

June 2009

Sorry, no Christian talent allowed: 7-year-old blocked from using religious song in sign language performance: "A public elementary school in Oakley, Calif., told a seven-year-old second grader that she would not be able to perform her sign language accompaniment to the song 'We Worship You' at the school's evening talent show because the song is Christian." See Don't Mention Jesus

University requires permit to hand out Bibles: "The policy is in place to protect the entire BU community.... You just can't hand things out without approval,' Mickanis' e-mail said. Giving away Bibles on the campus of Bucknell University is at your own peril.... 'Bucknell promises free speech, but it delivers selective censorship,' said FIRE President Greg Lukianoff. 'Bucknell administrators have gone out of their way to abuse and even invent policies in attempts to silence these students, all the while professing to respect free speech." See Preparing for Persecution

Right-wing extremists face extra scrutiny: "'I am more concerned with the threat from the Christian-identity groups than the homegrown Islamic terrorists,' said Maria Haberfeld, a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. 'It's a disaster waiting to happen. The fact that this guy did what he did may be symptomatic of things to come.'...

      "Carol Swain, a law professor at Vanderbilt University and the author of 'The New White Nationalism in America,' said that such writings on the Internet can help inspire a so-called 'lone wolf,' who is not formally involved with any group, to carry out violent acts....

      Does her concern include ordinary peace-loving Christians us?  Scroll down to "May" at Homeland Security

Court to government: San Francisco officials say calling church 'hateful,' 'callous' serves 'secular' purpose: "Authorities in San Francisco who called the beliefs of the Catholic Church 'hateful,' 'callous,' and an 'insult,' – and urged members to disobey them – have been given the go-ahead by a panel of judges on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to express such hate because it serves a 'secular' purpose....

      "'The policy of San Francisco is one of totalitarian intolerance of Christians of all denominations who oppose homosexual conduct,' Thompson continued. 'My concern is that if this ruling is allowed to stand, it will further embolden anti-Christian attacks.'" My High Tower: Seeing the world from His perspective

May 2009

Christian cross complaint targets nation's faith factor: "A cross erected in the remote southern California desert by U.S. veterans in memory of their lost World War I buddies has become the focal point for an effort by the American Civil Liberties Union to eradicate references to Christianity from America's heritage. But now a campaign has been assembled to fight back, to honor the veterans who have kept the nation safe for generations and to endorse the right of the public to acknowledge those efforts.... The cross was covered in a bag when the court's ruling was released, and later encased in a plywood box so that no one could inadvertently see the representation of Christianity, officials said."

Home: No place for Bible study: "A San Diego pastor and his wife claim they were interrogated by a county official and warned they will face escalating fines if they continue to hold Bible studies in their home.

     "...a county government employee knocked on their door on Good Friday, asking a litany of questions about their Tuesday night Bible studies, which are attended by approximately 15 people. 'Do you have a regular weekly meeting in your home? Do you sing? Do you say 'amen'?'... 'Do you say, 'Praise the Lord'?' The pastor's wife answered yes.

     "She... was then told, however, that she must stop holding 'religious assemblies' until she and her husband obtain a Major Use Permit from the county.... And if they fail to pay for the MUP, the county official reportedly warned, the couple will be charged escalating fines beginning at $100, then $200, $500, $1000, 'and then it will get ugly.'...

     "... oppressive governments, such as communist China or Nazi Germany, worked to repress home fellowships, labeling them the 'underground church' or 'subversive groups,' legally compelling Christians to meet only in sanctioned, government-controlled 'official' churches." See Preparing for Persecution

'Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell' for Christians: "...military sources confirmed that Bibles sent to American troops in Afghanistan, intended as gifts that soldiers could give to the Afghan people, have been confiscated and destroyed. The Bibles, published in Pashtu and Dari, the predominant Afghan languages, were sent by an American charity.  ...[They] were reportedly burned. It is a shame that the Christian holy book gets such shabby treatment, especially considering the extraordinary lengths to which our military has been ordered to go so as not to 'defile the Koran. ....At Gitmo our soldiers are required to use two hands and to wear gloves when handling that book in order not to offend Muslims.

     "This Bible blunder pales in comparison to the scandalous contents of books sent all over the world by Muslim governments and interest groups. Congressman Frank Wolf has worked tirelessly to get the State Department to investigate controversial textbooks used at two Islamic schools in Northern Virginia. Some of these books have 'intolerant' and 'shocking' material, including anti-Semitic and anti-Christian material." See Spiritual Warfare

Enforced “Diversity” will make Britain “First Modern Soft Totalitarian State: "An attempt in the House of Lords to insert a freedom of speech clause was shot down.... Colebatch cited 'innumerable cases' over the last decade in which public employees such as nurses, policemen, teachers, marriage commissioners and others have been threatened with the sack or suspension or disciplinary measures for sharing, or even privately revealing, their religious beliefs....

     "Beckford wrote that the public sector in Britain is engaging in an all-out campaign against Christianity.... The operating principle, he said, is government suppression of freedom of speech and religion.... Once the laws are in place, he writes, 'there will be little to stop future governments or local authorities interpreting ‘equality and diversity’ in different ways to silence other groups - atheists, perhaps, or climate change skeptics.'” See Endurance

Homosexual activists target, expose pro-family voters: "Arkansas voters who signed petitions and then voted to limit adoption strictly to married couples are getting unwelcomed publicity.... 'Now this gay group out of Massachusetts has acquired the names of all the people who signed the petition to place the measure on the ballot here in Arkansas,' he notes. 'They got those from the secretary of state, and they've entered those into a database, and they've put them up on the Internet.' Cox considers it a form of harassment against people for standing up for what they believe." See Taking a Stand

April 2009

Hate Crimes Legislation Draws Criticism from Christian Groups: "Hate-crimes legislation (in other countries), which is basically identical to the proposed U.S. legislation for all intents and purposes, has turned out to be the precursor to even more oppressive hate-speech legislation, which directly squashes any opposition to the homosexual lifestyle or even affirmatively promoting traditional sexual morality." See Why "Hate crime" laws would ban Biblical Christianity

Christian charity worker suspended for saying he did not believe in same-sex marriage: "David Booker, 44, was chatting about his faith with co-worker Fiona Vardy during a late shift at the hostel in Southampton.... He told her he was opposed to same-sex marriages and to homosexual clergy but denied being homophobic and said that he had homosexual friends. The next evening, Mr Booker was suspended from his £19,000-a-year post.... His employers told him the action was taken for 'events that happened last night'. On March 30 he received a formal suspension notice which alleged that he 'seriously breached' the charity's code of conduct 'by promoting your religious views which contained discriminatory comments regarding a person's sexual orientation.'" See The War on Hate Bans Christian Values

Crosses, Bibles banned from hospital chapel: "Administrators at a hospital in Australia have thrown the crosses, crucifixes and Bibles out of their chapel to comply with new rules that followed the construction of a special prayer room for Muslims. ...The move... was made to avoid offending Muslims or Hindus who may be at the hospital.... Hospital staff members told the newspaper while the chapel was built for Christians, the goal apparently now is to create a neutral space." See Purging the Memory of our Christian Roots

March 2009

Jewish groups denounce Oliphant Gaza cartoon: "The syndicated cartoon published Wednesday in newspapers across the country depicts a goose-stepping uniformed figure wheeling the Jewish symbol as it menaces a small female figure labeled 'Gaza.' ...'The imagery in this cartoon mimics the venomous anti-Semitic propaganda of the Nazi and Soviet eras... It is cartoons like this that inspired millions of people to hate in the 1930s and help set the stage for the Nazi genocide.' ... 'It employs Nazi imagery by portraying Israel as a jack-booted, goose-stepping headless apparition'.... Oliphant, who won a Pulitzer Prize in 1967, is one of the most widely syndicated editorial cartoonists in the world." See MAP of the huge Muslim block determined to crush tiny Israel

U.K. Deports Christians under new Immigration Rules: "A prominent Christian musician and a team of college-age missionaries were recently deported from the United Kingdom under new immigration rules that require religious workers to be sponsored by a licensed organization and obtain visas to enter the country....

      "...Christians have to operate under the radar all over the world,' said Judy Littler Manners, a Christian leader based London. 'But this is the first time they may be forced to do it in this country.'...

      "Christian leaders inside the U.K. said few ministries are fully aware of the complex new Home Office regulations, which were quietly introduced late last year. The rules require that religious workers be sponsored by an organization that has registered with the government, and applicants must pay a fee to obtain a work visa."

      This happened to a missionary friend of ours who was scheduled to participate in a Christian missionary training session in London. She was not allowed to leave the airport and was sent back to America.

“In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Elementary blots out 'In God We Trust': "Administrators at Lakeview Elementary School [in Tennessee] told parents that the posters... mentioned 'God' and are therefore precluded by school board policy and prohibited in the hallways as inappropriate. Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund... filed a lawsuit today on behalf of 10 parents and their children, seeking an injunction against banning private religious expression on student-made posters.

      "'Christian students shouldn't be censored for expressing their beliefs.... It's ridiculous as well as unconstitutional to cover up these references to God and prayer – one of which is the national motto itself – on posters announcing a student-led activity.' ....'The Constitution prohibits government officials from singling out religious speech for censorship....'" See Purging the Memory of Our Christian Roots

February 2009

Gift bag bomb explodes at Christian missionary's home: "Christian missionary Gary Stevenson thought the pink, gift-wrapped bag he found on his doorstep was a present left for one of his toddler daughters, but when he brought it inside his home, the bomb within the bag exploded. Stevenson suffered multiple lacerations and burns, deep cuts on his head and chest, and underwent surgery to remove shrapnel from his liver. But he is expected to make a full recovery. His daughters, age 1 and 3, were away with their grandmother at the time." See Depravity

Christian nurse row: now teachers could be disciplined for discussing religion: "A new code of practice ... states that classroom staff must 'promote equality and value diversity'. An alleged lack of commitment to this requirement, which is insisted upon by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, was used to suspend Caroline Petrie, the Christian nurse who offered to pray for an elderly patient.... The GTC draft guidance states that registered teachers must 'act respectfully towards all children and young people, parents, carers and colleagues, regardless of their socio-economic background, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, race, religion or beliefs'. ...

     "Mike Judge, a spokesman for The Christian Institute, said: 'Are we going to see Christian teachers suspended because they mention God, or prayer, or church?...

      "'There is a witch hunt against Christians and it is time it stopped. Churches pioneered bedside care for the sick and education for the disadvantaged. Now they are being squeezed out by the 'tolerance intelligentsia' who tolerate anything as long as it is not Christianity.... 'What this shows is that equality and diversity policies which are purported to promote tolerance end up imposing censorship and a new intolerance."

The faith that gave birth to tolerance is no longer tolerated! "How did America go from Pilgrims seeking freedom to express their Judeo-Christian beliefs to today’s discrimination against those very beliefs in the name of tolerance?" See Is this America? Part 5

Counselor suspended after teens hear Christian music: "The complaint explains the counselor took the four teen girls on the field trip during the summer of 2006, first to a 5 kilometer run and then to the beach. 'At the beach, the group encountered a 'Surf Jam' taking place at the Huntington Beach Pier. The group also overheard Christian music for about 10 minutes while they were eating.'... After the outing, the counselor was ordered into a 'disciplinary meeting' that focused on the inappropriateness of Christian music."

UK: Primary school receptionist 'facing sack' after daughter talks about Jesus to classmate: "Her daughter Jasmine had been overheard by a teacher discussing heaven and God with a friend and had been pulled to one side and told off." See Persecution

Police chaplains lose cross in wake of federal lawsuit [Spokane]: "The cross is coming off the official patch worn by Spokane Police Department chaplains after a federal lawsuit prompted changes inside the police chaplains office. The removal of the cross stems from a lawsuit filed against the city.... [It] said the patch was illegal and the department's requirement that chaplains adhere to the Judeo / Christian ethic was also unconstitutional because government cannot favor one religion over another. So now the city has agreed to remove the patch and change the criteria so now non-religious people can also become chaplains. The head of the chaplains board... called it an attack on Christianity..." Read the section on the First Amendment in this article:  Obama's Faith-Based Partnerships BAN TRUTH

Pro-life pastor prepares for sentencing: "His approach was simply to carry a sign that said 'Jesus Loves You. Can We Help?' and offering those who wanted it some information about alternatives to abortion.'.... A complaint was filed and [Pastor Walter] Hoye was found guilty in spite of proof to the contrary. 'There was a video taken of him doing this, and it shows that he was not harassing anybody.... In fact, he was being harassed by escorts from the abortion clinic.'" See Ban Truth - Reap Tyranny

January 2009

Stimulus to ban religious worship: "President Obama's proposed economic stimulus plan makes a deliberate – and unconstitutional – attempt to censor religious speech and worship on school campuses across the nation.... The wording that specifically targets religious speech already has been approved by the majority Democrats in the U.S. House – all GOP members opposed it.

     "Critics argued schools would accept any money offered, then impose a ban on religious events.... 'This is a direct attack on students of faith, and I'm outraged Democrats are using an economic stimulus bill to promote discrimination,' DeMint said." See Don't mention Jesus

 

Christians are becoming social pariahs in Britain: "The Radio 2 host said that he feels unable to talk about his faith on his show because he fears how people would react. He argues that society has become increasingly intolerant of the freedom to express religious views. 'You can't express views that were common currency 30 or 40 years ago,' he said. '...it's almost socially unacceptable to say you believe in God.'" See Don't conform to the ways of the world

 

Evangelical Comfort Zone Comes to an End: "The period of widespread indifference toward those who take the Bible literally and believe in God, the Creator of the universe, seems to have come to an end....” See CHANGE! New world, New ways, New minds, New gods

December 2008

Dozens of Christmas Displays Vandalized, Pastor Assaulted: "...a 50-year-old figure of the Baby Jesus was stolen from a Washington Park [Ohio] display and later found hanging from a ceiling fan at the alleged thief’s apartment.... [Louisiana:] a 38-year-old man and two teenagers were arrested for vandalizing Christmas lawn displays at five different homes.... [Tennessee:] A 50-year-old statue of a shepherd was decapitated at a Nativity center.... [Texas:] A Nativity scene....was splattered with red paint....Pastor James Dennis Warman was struck repeatedly in the head by two assailants on Dec. 7. He is now in a medically induced coma and not able to speak, and he may have brain damage..." See Ban Truth - Reap Tyranny

September 2008

Five Chaplains Lose Jobs for Praying 'In Jesus' Name': "Virginia Governor Tim Kaine is defending why his administration forced the sudden resignation of five Virginia State Police Chaplains because they prayed publicly 'in Jesus' name.' Police Superintendent Col. W. Steven Flaherty single-handedly created then enforced a strict 'non-sectarian' prayer policy at all public gatherings, censoring and excluding Christian prayers, then accepted the resignation of five chaplains who refused to deny Jesus or violate their conscience by watering down their prayers."

British Muslims Offended by Christians Praying during Ramadan: "A Christian group in Oxford has apologised to the city’s Muslims for having the audacity to organise a day of prayer during Ramadan. Oxford's Muslims found it ‘ill-conceived and insensitive’, not to mention ‘grossly insulting and inflammatory’.

      "The Muslim Education Centre of Oxford (MECO) has accused the Evangelical group ‘Open Doors UK’ of preaching ‘evangelical propaganda’. Do not Muslims preach Islamic propaganda? Do the Christians in Oxford complain about this? Would the Muslims of Oxford apologise or even care if the Christians did complain about it?" See Why "Hate crime" laws would ban Biblical Christianity

July 2008

Muslim-led UN Resolution Draws Attention: The Organization of the Islamic Conference "put forward what's called a '[Combating] Defamation of Religions' resolution which would amend the U.N.'s Declaration of Human Rights and would make it a criminal act and violation of international law to 'defame another religion.'... [It] only mentions one religion by name: Islam. '...there's nothing about preventing the defamation of Christianity... which means if you were spreading the gospel, it would be deemed defamatory towards Islam and would be [considered] a crime.'  ...that is similar to the tactic used by homosexual activists in Canada and Europe to silence Christians. ...

      '"If you look at the resolution,' he continues, 'it would literally change the entire scope of human rights law on an international basis. They would encourage [all other nations] -- after the resolution is passed by the member states, which are all the countries in the U.N -- to pass laws that would mandate [that] you could not speak out against another religion."

      If this becomes an international standard, it will fast divide genuine Christian from the cultural Christian. Only those who truly love God will risk their lives and comforts for the privilege of following Jesus and sharing His gospel. See Biblical versus Cultural Christianity

Offend a homosexual... Go to prison for 5 years: "Christians will face prison for speaking out against homosexuality if Brazil's Senate passes a bill approved unanimously by its House of Representatives.... The bill also seeks to penalize private and public school administrators with up to three years in prison if they refuse to hire openly 'gay' teachers. According to the CNA, the measure will force prison time for any 'moral, ethical, philosophical or psychological expression that questions homosexual practices.'... '[A] priest, a pastor, a teacher or even an average citizen who says in a sermon, a classroom or public conversation that homosexual acts are sinful, disordered or an illness could be denounced and detained.'

      "...the president of Brazil said 'opposing' homosexuality makes you a sick person, and he believes such thoughts need to be criminalized.... Brazilian chief Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva... held the First National Conference of Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals, Transvestites and Transsexuals to condemn the biblical belief that homosexuality is wrong.... Calling for 'the criminalization of homophobia,' he said opposition to homosexuality is 'perhaps the most perverse disease impregnated in the human head.' He said 'prejudiced' people need to 'open their minds and clean them.'" See Why "Hate crime" laws would ban Biblical Christianity

 

Evangelicals Support Conversion Code: "The World Council of Churches... said Wednesday that the process was formally joined by the World Evangelical Alliance.... WCC said the code of conduct should serve as an 'advocacy tool in discussions with governments considering anti-conversion laws (and) help to advance the cause of religious freedom.' The rules should also address concerns in other religions about Christians seeking converts, and inspire those faiths to 'consider their own codes of conduct.'... The council noted, however, that none of the partners involved intend -- nor have the means -- to impose the code of conduct on their constituencies, but they all trust that it will be able to ‘impact hearts and minds’ and allow for ‘moral and peer pressure.’” See UNESCO's Declaration on the Role of Religion and The Evangelical Manifesto

May 2008

Bible bonfires inside Israel: "Messianic 'Jews for Jesus', who are closely linked with Evangelical Christian groups from America and now number up to 15,000 inside Israel, called for an official investigation after orthodox students from a yeshiva in the town of Or Yehuda allegedly dumped and burnt hundreds of copies of the New Testament. These had been distributed to Ethiopian immigrant families in the town. At first, the action was defended.... as 'purging the evil among us', but he was quick to backtrack. Ultimately, he blamed 'three or four' hotheaded students for a 'spontaneous act' which led to an international public relations disaster. ...

     "...a group of religious Zionist rabbis called for a boycott of this year's International Bible Quiz after discovering that one of the four finalists from Israel, Bat-El Levi, an 11th-grader from Jerusalem's Pisgat Ze'ev neighborhood, was a messianic Jew." See Persecution

March 2008

Canada orders ministry by Christians shut down: "The Canadian government has ordered a Christian ministry that teaches doctrine and the differences between Christians and cults shut down because its reference materials were 'critical' of the beliefs of those who are not Christian....

     "'Canada is no longer a Christian nation,' she said. 'And watch out America!.' The issue of the ministry's charities license in Canada, allowing it to operate as a ministry, came up during a routine audit of the ministry's finances...."

      Though the main issue seems to be tax-deductible status, the growing hostility toward Biblical truth may should concern every Christian. We don't fit the world's vision of a unifying global spirituality. See Marching toward Global Solidarity and Why hate crimes laws would ban Biblical Christianity

 

When preaching becomes a crime: "In 1774, a young James Madison, while traveling through Culpeper County in Virginia – well before he became our fourth president – passed by a jail where a number of Baptist preachers had been incarcerated for nothing more than preaching without an official government license. One of these 'criminals' preached from a window of the jail to any who would listen. Madison would never forget the dedication of those brave preachers – nor the audacity of the officials who had jailed them...." See Why "Hate crime" laws would ban Biblical Christianity 

February 2008

Texas Governor Urges Protection for Boy Scouts of America: "Texas Gov. Rick Perry, an Eagle Scout himself, is now the father of an Eagle Scout.... He described the Boy Scouts organization as a moral beacon for the rest of the country, adding that's why it has become a target for the secular left.... '...the Boy Scouts of America, with its clearly-stated belief in God, adherence to a strict moral code and steadfast focus on shaping young men, is the trophy buck that the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) and their friends would like to hang above the fireplace,' Perry said ....

     "The scouts have won court battles against the ACLU, which attempted to force the organization to accept homosexual scout masters and abandon adherence to a belief in God. 'Now, the secular left has shifted its attacks to public entities that have sponsored scout events at city parks, public schools, even the Department of Defense,' Perry said. 'They have gone after anyone with access to public funds to prevent them from providing space to the Boy Scouts.  ...they are winning some of these lawsuits.... In some instances, just the threat of a lawsuit has compelled certain public organizations to close their doors to the scouts. In other instances, city officials sympathetic to the secular agenda are creating new policies that ban access to city facilities for scouts.'

       "In one instance, the Boy Scouts were evicted from a facility in Philadelphia that they had rented for one dollar a year for almost a century. The city told the scouts they would have to pay fair market value -- $300,000 a year -- unless the Boy Scouts renounced its policy on excluding openly homosexual scoutmasters. The scouts declined and were forced from the building. '...The scouts actually built that facility more than 80 years ago and gave it to the city for free.'" See Ban Truth - Reap Tyranny

 

California Irony: Cathedral City Calls Church Message a "Nuisance": "A small church has found itself facing the wrath of local government for a simple yet profound message painted on its roof.... Pastor Nimmons took his message outside the church walls, painting the word 'Eternity' in large letters on the roof of the church. Pastor Nimmons' intent was to encourage passers-by to consider where they would spend eternity....

     "'By its own definition, this sign ordinance is directed toward business advertisements for goods or services, which this message plainly is not.'" See Why "Hate crime" laws would ban Biblical Christianity

January 2008

Brampton, Ontario - Shades of Stalinist Russia [Canada]: "...bureaucrats in Toronto's western-most suburb decided to have a look at the way churches, mosques, temples, and other 'places of worship' have traditionally been exempted from paying property taxes.  ...soon a study was launched on 'Places of Worship'. It was all done very quietly....

     "...to this day, Brampton hasn't produced a copy for public perusal.... But last summer, someone with a bit of sympathy for the churches leaked a copy. A draft of the report - the one that doesn't even officially exist - is about a hundred pages long.... [It indicates that--]

   • All 'non-worship space' owned by religious organizations (offices, kitchens, nurseries, fellowship halls, parking lots, etc) would become subject to property taxes. Only the sanctuary space [or the altar] would be tax exempt...

   • The study recommends a redefinition of what constitutes 'places of worship' - including a removal of provisions expressly allowing church properties to be used for 'community services' such as day care centres, soup kitchens, etc.

   • There is a recommendation for major restrictions on new church start-ups...

   • The study sets a stated goal of having only one 'place of worship' for every 10-thousand residents....

   • And the real shades of Stalinist Russia come with the proposed regulations on 'house churches.'

     "Regularly-scheduled private gatherings in homes would be restricted to no more than 20 people - children included....

     "What if I don't like the particular 'place of worship' that the City of Brampton designates for my neighbourhood?" See Ban Truth - Reap Tyranny