# 1364 (9/30) "Their Custom, Our Complicity..."

"THEIR CUSTOM, OUR COMPLICITY"- CHILD ABUSE IN AFGHANISTAN" - By: Eric Metaxas|Breakpoint.org: September 29, 2015;
http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries/entry/12/28223?spMailingID=12530784&spUserID=MTMyMjM2ODE5OQS2&;spJobID=622134810&spReportId=NjIyMTM0ODEwS0 [AS I SEE IT: I found this story very upsetting. I contacted my Congressman and Senator. There are links below for you to do the same. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO SO. - Stan]

Children are being sexually abused in Afghanistan, and our soldiers are being told to turn a blind eye. That’s got to stop.

The New York Times recently ran a disturbing story with a disturbing headline that said it all: “U.S. Soldiers Told to Ignore Sexual Abuse of Boys by Afghan Allies.” What follows is unsettling, but what’s going on is so horrific that not paying attention is a kind of complicity.

The article featured quotes from two men: Gregory Buckley, Sr. whose son died in Afghanistan in 2012, and Dan Quinn, a former Special Forces Captain. Buckley quoted his son, a Marine Lance Corporal, as saying that from his bunk he could hear Afghan police sexually abusing boys they had brought to the base. Buckley recalled his son telling him that “At night we can hear them screaming, but we’re not allowed to do anything about it . . . My son said that his officers told him to look the other way because it’s their culture.”

“Their culture” refers to what is known as “bacha bazi,” literally, “boy play.” It was the subject of a 2010 PBS documentary, “The Dancing Boys of Afghanistan.” According to Wikipedia, bacha bazi “has been prevalent in Central Asia since antiquity.” Not surprisingly, the perpetrators are powerful men while their victims are powerless boys.

Since the early 20th century there have been several attempts to outlaw the practice, but with one notable exception, these have met with limited success. The exception was the Islamist Taliban, which made the practice punishable by death. Their success in eradicating the practice was part of the reason that ordinary Afghans supported, at least initially, the Taliban’s coming to power.

Now, the Taliban is out of power, and the U.S., out of fear of offending Afghan allies, is turning a blind eye to the re-emergence of this hideous practice. This is not only morally reprehensible, it’s counterproductive: it gives ordinary Afghans a reason to view Taliban rule as “the good old days.”

Making matters even worse, servicemen like Quinn, who refuse to go along, are punished.

The Times story brings to mind another shameful chapter. In the first century or so of British rule in India, British officials turned a similarly blind eye to the practice known as sati, wherein a widow was burned alive on her dead husband’s funeral pyre. Like today, their reasons for going along with barbarity were political: they needed the cooperation of Indian elites to rule India and didn’t want to risk alienating them. Also like today, they justified their complicity by saying “it’s their culture.”

This only changed when William Wilberforce, after a twenty-year campaign, got Parliament to condition the renewal of the East India Company’s charter on the provision that teachers and chaplains be able to promote the “religious improvement” of Indians. Missionaries and other evangelicals, along with Indian reformers like Raja Rammohan Roy, succeeded in getting a ban on sati enacted in 1829. Even then, there was resistance to the ban. In the 1840s, Hindu officials complained to General Charles Napier that the ban violated their customs.Napier replied, “This burning of widows is your custom; prepare the funeral pyre. But my nation also has a custom. When men burn women alive we hang them, and confiscate all their property . . . Let us all act according to national customs.”

The Pentagon claims that there is no official policy of toleration towards bacha bazi. There was no official policy towards sati, either. Looking the other way was, and is, convenient.

Which leaves us with the question: is there a contemporary Wilberforce, Roy, or Napier among us? Americans can and must demand better from those who purport to act in our name. To not do so makes us all complicit.

[bold,italics, and colored emphasis mine]

FURTHER READING AND INFORMATION - Their Custom, Our Complicity: Child Abuse in Afghanistan. Read the New York Times article, linked below. Then contact your senators and representatives in Washington, DC--Senate members' link here[http://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/] and Representatives members' link here[http://www.house.gov/representatives/]. Your voice needs to be heard on this issue. Most importantly, pray that God would move our national leaders and our military personnel to stand for what is right.
Resources
"U.S. Soldiers Told to Ignore Sexual Abuse of Boys by Afghan Allies" - Joseph Goldstein | New York Times | September 20, 2015;http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/21/world/asia/us-soldiers-told-to-ignore-afghan-allies-abuse-of-boys.html?_r=1
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hunter on the Hunted"- Tony Perkins, Washington Update, September 29, 2015;http://www.frc.org/updatearticle/20150929/hunter-hunted
"... Despite being defended by a U.S. commander in Afghanistan for what the Green Beret called "a moral obligation to act," Martland was denied appeal. Fortunately, California Republican and Iraq veteran Rep. Duncan Hunter is doing everything he can to keep Martland's career intact. (Read his powerful op-ed here.) In letters to Defense Secretary Ash Carter and the inspector general of the DOD, Hunter argued, "To say that you've got to be nice to the child rapist because otherwise the other child rapists might not like you is one of the stupidest things I've ever heard -- totally insane and wrong."
      Show your support for Duncan Hunter and Martland by signing FRC's petition to the House and Senate Armed Services Committee. What America needs is more men of conviction -- not less. If American soldiers have to look the other way when innocent children are tortured, what exactly are we fighting for? Click here to agree.   https://www.frc.org/get.cfm?c=CHECKOUT&dmy=1C3CF518-AFB7-1630-D2CEA458FB42BF1A&srcItem=PT15I02&fromItem=&CFID=48226250&CFTOKEN=ed109487dae745d1-1BECF839-0F3D-12D1-B3F27E9E30FB2331

# 1363 (9/29) "Soul Mates? - BAD THEOLOGY, FALSE EXPECTATIONS, & DEEP DISAPPOINTMENT"

"SOUL MATES? - BAD THEOLOGY, FALSE EXPECTATIONS, & DEEP DISAPPOINTMENT" - By: Eric Metaxas|Published: September 28, 2015; http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries/entry/13/28217

You want to know one reason why so many Christian marriages end up in divorce?

Ronald Reagan once quipped that the trouble with his political opponents, “is not that they are ignorant. It’s just that they know so much that isn’t so.” Well, I’ve had a bee in my bonnet for years over something that far too many of my fellow Christians believe in that just isn’t so. I speak, gentle listener, of the whole “soul mate” nonsense, especially when it comes to finding a husband or wife.

Let me be perfectly clear: No matter how many ads for Christian dating services you hear or trendy books you read, we simply don’t have “soul mates,” at least as our confused culture understands that term. Does this surprise you? It shouldn’t. Look for that concept, by the way, in the Bible, and the only thing you can find remotely close to it is the fierce friendship of David and Jonathan. “Jonathan made a covenant with David,” Scripture says, “because he loved him as his own soul.”

Now those are soul mates, friends. But the Bible knows nothing of romantic “soul mates.” This concept is more New Age than Christian. The Huffington Post gives nine signs that you’ve found your soul mate, the first one being: “You communicate without speaking.” Okay. One New Age website, however, gives three signs you’ve “definitely” found your soul mate: “You just connect without trying,” “Your level of communication is unmatched,” and “You create your own world together.”

That’s cute, it’s nice, maybe it’s even romantic . . . but it’s certainly not biblical.

Now all of this confusion might be kind of funny if it weren’t so harmful to naïve Christians and others who’ve fallen for this idea. Because this idea implies that somewhere out there is that “perfect person” for you, and if your marriage is not exploding with intense communication, romance, and a great sex life, well then maybe it’s because your spouse is not your “soul mate.”

Men who are a little bored with their wives, or vice versa, might be tempted by a co-worker who “understands me so well and is my soul mate, or could be my soul mate.” But frankly, this is a recipe for adultery and divorce, and families end up getting dropped for “soul mates.”

Once I wrote a tribute to C.S. Lewis’s “The Screwtape Letters” called “Screwtape Proposes a Divorce,” in which Wasphead, my invented senior devil, says the following to Gallstone, the junior devil: “That [soul mates] do not exist is to be kept TOP SECRET. … Let’s be blunt: these humans are scouring the globe for someone with whom a relationship will require absolutely no work or compromise. … Many adult humans who have long ago dismissed Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny as myths somehow persist in believing this person to exist.”

The “soul mate” concept is unworkable and completely unfair to the real other person in your life. It puts enormous pressure on him or her to perform, to meet our impossible expectations. As Jerry Root and Stan Guthrie point out in “The Sacrament of Evangelism,” putting others in God’s place—expecting them to give us what only He can—is a naked form of idolatry and will only lead to deep disappointment.

Here’s another thing. The “soul mate” idea suggests that marriage is all about me, that I need to find someone who understands me perfectly, who makes me happy. Marriage should be about finding someone you can make happy. In the great teaching on marriage in Ephesians, for example, husbands are told to lay down their lives for their wives, as Christ did for the church.

As J. R. R. Tolkien once wrote to his son, “No man, however truly he loved his betrothed and bride as a young man has lived faithful to her as a wife in mind and body without deliberate conscious exercise of the will, without self-denial.”

So folks, let’s drop the whole “soul mate” talk, shall we? Marriage can be wonderfully satisfying, but that’s the result of God’s grace, hard work, and self-sacrificial love. And that is the truth.

[bold, italics, and colored emphasis mine]

FURTHER READING AND INFORMATION - As  Eric points out, the idea of a soul mate is a cultural trend and not a view found anywhere in scripture. Making a marriage successful, Tolkien proposed, is a choice of the will and an invitation to self-sacrifice—a concept that has much more depth than the "soul mate" craze.  Click on the links below to read more of Tolkien’s and Lewis’s thoughts on marriage.

RESOURCES
"Screwtape Proposes a Divorce" - Eric Metaxas; http://ericmetaxas.com/writing/essays/screwtape-proposes-divorce/
"Letters to Michael Tolkien" - J. R. R. Tolkien | 1941; http://glim.ru/personal/jrr_tolkien_42-45.html
"9 Signs You've Found Your Soulmate (If You Believe In That Sort Of Thing)" - Kelsey Borresen | The Huffington Post | June 26, 2014;http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/26/finding-soulmate_n_5501502.html

# 1362 (9/28) "The Clean Power Plan Is a Great Way to Make the Poor Poorer"

"THE CLEAN POWER PLAN IS A GREAT  WAY TO MAKE THE POOR POORER" - Nicolas Loris / September 25, 2015 / http://dailysignal.com/2015/09/25/clean-poor-plan/ [AS I SEE IT: While Pope Francis spoke unexpectedly in America about the need to care for the poor, it's frustrating that he spent so much of his speaking time promoting the so-called climate change (remember when it was called "global warming" and even before that "global cooling?") As this article explains, proposals such as those being advanced by our President will do nothing to affect changes in our climate but will have devastating consequences on the poor of the word. It's very distressing when the Pope lends his moral authority to such ill-advised proposals. - Stan] 
------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------
With the pope visiting America, the Obama administration has been adamant in pushing the message that climate change will hit the poor the hardest. They’re omitting one small but critical word, though. It’s climate change policies that will hurt the most vulnerable citizens. And not just in the United States, but around the world.

In the U.S., the federal government is embarking on a troubling regulatory path—one that will drive up energy costs for families and businesses, drive out employment opportunities, and have a minuscule impact, if any, on the global climate system.

Take the administration’s recently finalized Clean Power Plan. It will require drastic cuts in the carbon dioxide emissions of 47 states, and will shift America’s energy economy away from affordable, reliable energy to more expensive, politically preferred sources. The higher costs will adversely impact poor minority families and seniors on fixed incomes the most, because transportation and residential energy costs represent a larger portion of their budget. Energy bills represent approximately one-fifth of low-income Americans’ budgets, disproportionately affecting black and Hispanic communities.

When their costs rise from heavy-handed regulation, it takes away opportunities to put food on the table or provide basic health care. According to a 2011 National Energy Assistance Directors poll of low-income families, 24 percent went without food for a day, and 37 percent went for medical and dental coverage to pay for higher energy bills. Nearly 1 in 5 had a family member become sick because their home was too cold. The real-world implications of regulations that increase energy costs are nothing to scoff at or dismiss.

Keep in mind, the federal government’s carbon dioxide regulations have nothing to do with reducing pollution or addressing a health concern. Carbon dioxide is a colorless, odorless, non-toxic gas. The Clean Power Plan is predicated solely on carbon dioxide’s alleged impact on the climate.

In fact, the name “Clean Power Plan” is misleading in and of itself. America’s power plants are largely clean of the pollutants that we know have adverse health effects.

What makes the economic pain more difficult to swallow is that the benefit derived from these regulations is almost too small to even measure. According to climatologist Paul Knappenberger, the Clean Power Plan will mitigate only 0.018 degrees Celsius of warming over the next 85 years. Even the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Gina McCarthy, has admitted that unilateral action will do very little to impact climate change.

McCarthy urges the U.S. to be a leader. But including 100-percent carbon dioxide emissions cuts from the entire industrialized world would avert warming by merely 0.278 degree Celsius by the turn of the century. The U.S. can and should be a leader, but not in making people poorer with regulations devoid of any meaningful environmental benefit.

In many respects, the U.S. has shown how it can be a leader in providing affordable, reliable energy and eliminating energy poverty. When countries have open access to resources, private property rights, and opportunities for domestic and foreign investment, innovative technologies and entrepreneurial minds will help meet the world’s energy needs. And because energy is a key building block to any economy, new opportunities, increased standard of living, and improved health will be the result.

No matter the energy technology or source (renewable, nuclear, or conventional), the world can best meet energy needs through free markets. Policies that operate from the four pillars of economic freedom—rule of law, limited government, regulatory efficiency, and open markets—do more than stimulate economic growth and innovation. They expand access to energy and improve the environment.

There are ranges of energy poverty across the earth. In America, low-income minority families are struggling to make ends meet. Around the world, 1.3 billion people are without dependable power. More than 2.5 billion people use animal waste, leaves, wood, and charcoal to cook their food and heat their homes.

It’s time to clear the air. If policymakers want to lift their citizens out of energy poverty and into overall higher levels of prosperity, they need to root their policy prescriptions in economic liberty.
(Originally published in the Bradenton Herald.)

[bold, italics, and colored emphasis mine]

Nicolas Loris, an economist, focuses on energy, environmental and regulatory issues as the Herbert and Joyce Morgan fellow at The Heritage Foundation. Read his research.

"Obama’s Climate Policy Under Scrutiny Amid Pope Francis’ US Visit" - Natalie Johnson/ September 23, 2015 http://dailysignal.com/2015/09/23/pope-francis-endorses-obamas-climate-agenda-which-critics-say-will-be-devastating-to-the-poor/

#1361 (9/27) SUNDAY SPECIAL: "...SEEING REFUGEES THROUGH GOD’S EYES"

"Loving the Foreigner - SEEING REFUGEES THROUGH GOD’S EYES" - By: Eric Metaxas| Breakpoint.org: September 21, 2015;
http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries/entry/12/28180?spMailingID=12458249&spUserID=MTMyMjM2ODE5OQS2&spJobID=621490675&spReportId=NjIxNDkwNjc1S0 [AS I SEE IT: While the writer of this article does mention it points to Scripture encouraging us to care for the foreigner,I'd like to note things we could be doing as Christians : 1) PRAY for those fleeing war but also persecution to find new places to call home; 2) PRAY for the Christians in the countries being fled to to have the ability to help care for these refugees, and in so doing gain favor to share the gospel with them; and 3) Decide on which Christian relief agency God is directing you to, and GIVE what you can to their efforts. (I've given through Open Doors. Note below.) - Stan 

Turmoil in the Middle East has created one of the worst human disasters of our time, and a tough problem. How we think and talk about it matters.

On September 9th, Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, urged European Union members to distribute 160,000 migrants among member nations. The unfolding humanitarian catastrophe, which has resulted in at least 2500 deaths by drowning, is largely being driven by people seeking to escape the civil war and the rise of ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

Words can scarcely do justice to the scale of the crisis. An estimated 11 million people, more than half of Syria’s population, have been displaced. While most have remained within Syria, nearly four million of them have fled to neighboring Lebanon, Jordan, and especially, Turkey. The sheer numbers—one in every five people in Lebanon is a Syrian refugee—have overwhelmed these countries’ capacity to respond. And now they’re attempting to reach Europe, increasingly via Turkey. More than 30 thousand Syrians are applying for asylum every month and the number shows no sign of ebbing.

That’s a brief summary of the numbers. The question is: what do we do about it? The honest answer is: I don’t know, not with any certainty. In addition to the sheer magnitude of the problem, there are other considerations: the economic, political, cultural, and yes, religious impact of the refugees on the counties that will host them.

There are already signs that the influx of Syrian refugees, who are mostly Sunni Muslims, has destabilized Lebanon’s already-fragile sectarian balance. And it’s an understatement to say that European countries have struggled when it comes to assimilating previous generations of Muslim immigrants.

But none of this excuses indifference or inaction, especially for Christians. After all, the Scriptures make it clear that God cares a great deal about how his people treat the foreigners in their midst. Leviticus 19 tells us “The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”

Ezekiel 47 says that the foreigner among you “shall be to you as native-born children of Israel. With you they shall be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. In whatever tribe the sojourner resides, there you shall assign him his inheritance, declares the Lord God.”

As if to underscore the importance of these commands, the New Testament opens with the genealogy of Jesus, which lists 42 men and five women. Besides Mary, the women listed—Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba—have one thing in common: they were all foreigners.

Then there’s Matthew 25. The word translated “stranger” in the passage “I was a stranger and you welcomed me” is xenos, the Greek word for “foreigner.” What’s more, the Greek word translated “welcomed,” sunago, means to join or gather together, as well as to receive into one’s home. It’s the same word from which we get “synagogue.”

But it was Jesus who went beyond Leviticus’ command to treat the stranger as one of our own, and instead, commanded us to treat them as we would treat Him.

As I said earlier, I’m not certain as to what the specific policy response to this crisis should be. There are legitimate economic and security concerns. But Christians should not allow these concerns to become an excuse for a response that amounts to “yeah, it stinks to be you.”

We should oppose appeals to fear and dehumanizing rhetoric. We may not know exactly what to do about the crisis but we do know how to talk about the people caught up in it. And in an age of careless and often callous rhetoric, that’s a start.

FURTHER READING AND INFORMATION - Loving the Foreigner: Seeing Refugees through God’s Eyes - Eric has highlighted the question on this issue: what can we do? Along with further information about this crises, we've listed below some Christian organizations with boots on the ground helping Syrian refugees. Volunteer your time or funds and participate in making a difference.
RESOURCES
"E.U. Nations Urged to Accept 160,000 Migrants" - James Kanter | New York Times | September 9, 2015;http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/10/world/europe/europe-migrant-crisis-jean-claude-juncker.html?_
"The Daily Struggle of Lebanon’s One Million Syrian Refugees" - Micah Garen | Vanity Fair | December 20, 2013;http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2013/12/lebanon-syrian-refugees-video
"Christian aid groups work to dry Syrian refugees’ tears" - Jonathan Merritt | Religion News Service | November 13, 2014;http://jonathanmerritt.religionnews.com/2014/11/13/christian-ministries-work-dry-tears-syrian-refugees/
ORGANIZATIONS
"What You Need to Know: Conflict in Syria, Children, and the Refugee Crisis " - World Vision staff | September 16, 2015;http://www.worldvision.org/news-stories-videos/syria-war-refugee-crisis
Open Doors USA - https://secure2.convio.net/ccod/site/Donation2?df_id=7560&7560.donation=form1&_ga=1.40340898.1244772779.1442587848
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service - http://lirs.org/

# 1360 (9/26) PRO-LIFE SAT: "Pope Francis on Abortion’s “Innocent Victims:” 'It’s Wrong to Look the Other Way or Remain Silent' ”

"POPE FRANCIS ON ABORTION'S 'INNOCENT VICTIMS:' 'IT'S WRONG TO LOOK THE OTHER WAY OR REMAIN SILENT'”- Steven Ertelt,SEP 23, 2015
|http://www.lifenews.com/2015/09/23/pope-francis-on-abortions-innocent-victims-its-wrong-to-look-the-other-way-or-remain-silent/ [AS I SEE IT: As much as the Pope's strong pro-life comments were encouraging, it was confusing that he called the very pro-abortion Congresswoman Nancy Peolosi a "strong Catholic." He also missed opportunities if even indirectly calling out those like President Obama who steadfastly do nothing to protect the unborn. THAT was disappointing. - Stan]
   
In a speech to the nation’s Catholic bishops, Pope Francis encouraged them to remain vigilant in their opposition to abortion and he listed unborn children among those innocent people who the bishops must keep at the top of the priority list of people who deserve protection.

The pontiff lists “the innocent victim of abortion, children who die of hunger or from bombings, immigrants who drown in the search for a better tomorrow, the elderly or the sick who are considered a burden, the victims of terrorism, wars, violence and drug trafficking, the environment devastated by man’s predatory relationship with nature – at stake in all of this is the gift of God, of which we are noble stewards but not masters.”

“It is wrong, then, to look the other way or to remain silent,” he says. “Ever present within each of them is life as gift and responsibility. The future freedom and dignity of our societies depends on how we face these challenges,” the Pope continues.

Father Frank Pavone, the head of Priests for Life, told LifeNews he is encouraged by the Pope’s remarks before the bishops and at the White House this morning. “Anyone who was listening to the words of Pope Francis heard, as I did, very profound implications for our fight against abortion,” he said. “When the pope spoke of having an opportunity to offer ‘words of encouragement’ to lawmakers as they guide the nation in fidelity ‘to its founding principles,’ he was clearly referring to the Declaration of Independence and its guarantee, first and foremost, of the right to life.”

Pavone concluded: “And when he spoke of building a tolerant society, ‘rejecting every form of unjust discrimination,’ we can see that abortion is the ultimate injustice and discrimination against the unborn. When the pope says we must defend the rights of everyone, that clearly includes the unborn.”

In Cuba, Pope Francis on Sunday told a group of nuns, priests, bishops and seminarians to protect their “smallest” and most vulnerable members, including unborn children. CNN reports that he also said Jesus shines in the lives of hidden and ignored people, referring to those who suffer from degenerative diseases.

Later that evening, he said, “Children aren’t loved, they’re killed before being born. The elderly are thrown away, because they don’t produce. Some countries have euthanasia. But in some others there a hidden euthanasia. The youth is thrown away because they have no job opportunities.” Additionally, he criticized prenatal testing that can detect fetal abnormalities and cause some parents to abort their babies.

As LifeNews previously reported, earlier this month, Pope Francis wrote a letter explaining that the Catholic Church will be making it easier for women who have obtained abortions to seek forgiveness from their priests. “One of the serious problems of our time is clearly the changed relationship with respect to life. A widespread and insensitive mentality has led to the loss of the proper personal and social sensitivity to welcome new life. The tragedy of abortion is experienced by some with a superficial awareness, as if not realizing the extreme harm that such an act entails,” the Pope wrote.

“Many others, on the other hand, although experiencing this moment as a defeat, believe that they have no other option. I think in particular of all the women who have resorted to abortion. I am well aware of the pressure that has led them to this decision,” the Catholic Church leader wrote. “I know that it is an existential and moral ordeal. I have met so many women who bear in their heart the scar of this agonizing and painful decision.”

“What has happened is profoundly unjust; yet only understanding the truth of it can enable one not to lose hope. The forgiveness of God cannot be denied to one who has repented, especially when that person approaches the Sacrament of Confession with a sincere heart in order to obtain reconciliation with the Father,” he continued.

He concluded: “For this reason too, I have decided, notwithstanding anything to the contrary, to concede to all priests for the Jubilee Year the discretion to absolve of the sin of abortion those who have procured it and who, with contrite heart, seek forgiveness for it. May priests fulfill this great task by expressing words of genuine welcome combined with a reflection that explains the gravity of the sin committed, besides indicating a path of authentic conversion by which to obtain the true and generous forgiveness of the Father who renews all with his presence.”

Although some pro-abortion Catholics have argued that Pope Francis’ gesture is a sign that the Church is becoming more “progressive” on abortion, this is completely false. Pope Francis said that Christians should offer grace and mercy to post-abortive women but simultaneously stand strong against abortion.

At a meeting with Catholic bishops in South Africa, Pope Francis said, “Abortion compounds the grief of many women who now carry with them deep physical and spiritual wounds after succumbing to the pressures of a secular culture which devalues God’s gift of sexuality and the right to life of the unborn. The sacrament of reconciliation, in particular, must be rediscovered as a fundamental dimension of the life of grace.”

Additionally, in 2013, Pope Francis reiterated the Catholic Church’s pro-life stance and promised that they will never compromise on their opposition against abortion. He said, “I want to be completely honest in this regard. This is not something subject to alleged reforms or ‘modernizations’. It is not “progressive” to try to resolve problems by eliminating a human life.”

[bold,  italics, and colored emphasis mine]

# 1359 (9/25) "10 Ways to Pray for Muslims for the Next [2] Days"

"10 WAYS TO PRAY FOR MUSLIM FOR THE NEXT [TWO]Days" - By Caitlin Burke, September 22, 2015;
http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2015/September/10-Ways-to-Pray-for-Muslims-for-the-Next-5-Days/ [NOTE: I just came across this item Thurs. afternoon, the third day of the Haji. It will still guide you in praying for Muslims participating today and Sat. AND it will give you an idea of the religious rituals they undergo. Pray also for the families of the hundreds who were tragically killed the other day at the pilgrimage, that the loss of loved ones may lead their relations to consider leaving Islam.]


More than 2 million Muslims began the annual hajj pilgrimage, Tuesday, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

The hajj consists of five intense days of ritual and prayer in Islam's holiest city. The pilgrimage to Mecca is among the five main pillars of Islam and must be carried out by every adult Muslim who is physically and financially able, at least once in their lives. By performing the hajj, pilgrims believe the series of rituals and prayers will erase their past sins. Muslims believe the hajj traces the paths of the Prophets Abraham, Ishmael and Mohammed.

During the hajj, many Christian organizations are encouraging people to pray for the Muslims in Mecca. Missionary David Garrison told CBN News there are already a huge number of Muslims coming to Christ in the Islamic world. "There's never been a time of greater conflict between the house of Islam and the West," Garrison said. "And yet, at this very time is when the Holy Spirit is drawing Muslims to faith in Christ. What I hope is simply that brothers and sisters around the world, who recognize the work of the Holy Spirit, would see that this is our moment to be loving and kind and witnessing and praying for Muslims, because God is in fact doing a great work, in our day."

The ministry organization Christar published an article educating Christians on what's taking place each day of the hajj. They have suggested a different prayer for each specific day.

Day One: Participants wash and put on plain white garments that represent the equality of all pilgrims. They travel to the tent city of Mina, where they spend the night.

1. Pray that the spiritual focus of this time will cause many Muslims to think about what they believe.
2. Ask God to bring believers into the lives of those who take part in the hajj this year.

Day Two: Pilgrims continue to Arafat, where they stand or sit from noon to sunset, invoking Allah for mercy and seeking forgiveness for sins. 3. Pray that Muslims will experience the true forgiveness that is available through Christ alone.

At sunset, pilgrims leave for Muzdalifah, where they spend the night under the open sky. 4. As many pilgrims stay up all night to pray, ask God to reveal Himself to them.

Day Three: Pilgrims take part in the "stoning of the devil," throwing seven stones at a wall representing Satan. Muslims believe that Abraham threw stones at the devil to resist the temptation to sacrifice his son Ishmael. 5. Pray that Muslims will be delivered from Satan's lies.

Men shave their heads or cut their hair, while women cut the ends of their hair, as a sign of humility and purity. 6. Pray that many Muslims will understand that true purity is possible only through Christ.

Pilgrims slaughter an acceptable animal or pay to have an animal sacrificed in their name.
7. Pray that many Muslims will understand that Jesus, the true Lamb, died as a substitutionary sacrifice for sin.

Pilgrims circle the Kaaba (a cube-shaped building at the center of the most sacred mosque in Mecca) seven times, and run or walk seven times through tunnels between the hills of Safa and Marwah. 8. Pray that God would show many pilgrims that works and rituals cannot save them.

Day Four:Pilgrims "stone the devil" again by throwing stones at each of the three walls. This ritual also symbolizes the repudiation of a person's own "internal despot," or low desires and wishes. 9. Pray that many Muslims will realize that they are unable to turn from sin on their own.

Day Five:After a final stoning of the walls, pilgrims return to Mecca for a farewell circuit around the Kaaba, and the pilgrimage is over. 10. Ask God to open the eyes of Muslims to see that we are born in sin, and that salvation is a free gift, not something we can obtain by works.

[bold, italics,and colored emphasis mine]

# 1358 (9/24) "What Pope Francis Told Obama About Religious Liberty"

"WHAT POPLE FRANCIS TOLD OBAMA ABOUT RELIGIOUS LIBERTY" - Leah Jessen/ @_LeahKay_/ September 23, 2015 / http://dailysignal.com/2015/09/23/what-pope-francis-told-obama-about-religious-liberty/ [NOTE: The mainstream press hardly mentioned that the Pope spoke on this subject. Apparently he had more to say than they were inclined to share.]

Pope Francis and President Barack Obama at the White House. (Photo: Polaris/Newscom)

Pope Francis, with allegiance to Catholic doctrine, spoke out in support of religious liberty to the 11,000 ticketed guests on the South Lawn of the White House Wednesday. In his speech, the pope made clear that religious liberty is an important freedom in the United States.

“With countless other people of goodwill, [American Catholics] are likewise concerned that efforts to build a just and wisely ordered society respect their deepest concerns and their right to religious liberty,” Francis said. Francis continued in his slow, accented English, “[A]ll are called to be vigilant, precisely as good citizens, to preserve and defend that freedom from everything that would threaten or compromise [religious liberty].” Francis has stated previously that religious liberty is a “fundamental right.” President Barack Obama, in his remarks to welcome the pope, acknowledged, “Here in the United States, we cherish religious liberty.”

In reaction to the pope’s speech at the White House, Roger Severino, director of the DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society at The Heritage Foundation, told The Daily Signal: “Pope Francis explicitly joined the U.S. bishops’ call to defend religious liberty and turned to address Obama directly when he mentioned things that would ‘threaten and compromise it.’” Severino added, “While President Obama mentioned the persecution of Christians abroad in his remarks, Pope Francis chose to highlight the deep concerns of people of faith about the state of religious freedom here in America.”

The First Amendment guarantee of religious freedom has been at the forefront of political debates in America recently. After the U.S. Supreme Court decision in June to legalize gay marriage in America, Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis cited her religious beliefs when she stopped issuing marriage licenses. She was ordered by a federal court to issue marriage licenses even though same-sex marriage went against her faith. Davis wound up in jail after she did not comply with the court order. She was later released after a national outcry that drew Republican presidential candidates to her defense.

Davis is not alone. Turmoil over religious liberty is a growing concern for others in the United States. Blaine Adamson, a Kentucky print shop owner, refused to print gay pride festival T-shirts due to his religious beliefs. While the Supreme Court ruled in Adamson’s favor, saying that he had the right not to print the shirts, other decisions have gone the opposite way.

For instance, Washington florist Barronelle Stutzman was sued for discrimination after she chose not to make a floral arrangement for a gay customer’s wedding. Her case is now being considered for review by the Supreme Court.

Others have been fined for not compromising on their religious beliefs. Oregon bakers Aaron and Melissa Klein were ordered by the government to pay a $135,000 penalty for refusing to bake a cake for a lesbian couple’s wedding.

In addition to his defense of religious liberty, the pope also spoke out for traditional values. Francis warned that the institution of marriage and family need to be protected. Severino said the pope’s top priorities on his trip to the United States are marriage, family, and religious liberty.

[bold and italics emphasis mine]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"As Pope Francis Visits the US, Here Are 5 Facts About American Catholics" - Kate Scanlon / @scanlon_kate / September 23, 2015 ;http://dailysignal.com/2015/09/23/in-honor-of-pope-francis-visit-to-the-us-here-are-5-facts-about-american-catholics/

# 1357 (9/23) "Obama's Faith Isn't the Issue, But..."

"OBAMA'S FAITH ISN'T THE ISSUE, BUT..." - David Limbaugh | Sep 22, 2015; http://townhall.com/columnists/davidlimbaugh/2015/09/22/obamas-faith-isnt-the-issue-but-n2055003/page/full [AS I SEE IT: This incident reminds me of when Franklin Graham called into question President Obama's Christian faith and was forced to back down. It also is worth noting that the press rarely reports that over the years of the Obama Presidency polls have consistently found that more and more Americans have expressed uncertainty about whether or not the President is a Christian. As this article points out, it's hard to know he is based on his actions. ("...for a tree is recognized by its fruit." - Mt. 12:33) - Stan]

Once again the media are hyping an issue that has nothing to do with the problems confronting this nation. Shame on them for trying to manufacture a controversy -- again -- about President Obama's faith.

During a town hall event for Donald Trump in Rochester, New Hampshire, Thursday night, a questioner said that Obama is a Muslim and that "he's not even an American." Democrats, the media and some Republicans pounced on Trump for not condemning the questioner. For all the media's obsession over it since, you'd think Trump himself called Obama the 12th imam. They are badgering every other candidate to repudiate Trump and affirm that Obama is a wonderful Christian.

This manufactured diversion is one reason Trump is so popular. The critics think they can finish Trump (and others who won't denounce him) with political correctness -- his lack of which has helped catapult him to the top. Why do the irreligious media believe they can credibly lecture anyone about faith? Why should they take umbrage at a lone questioner's calling Obama a Muslim? They act as though calling someone a Muslim is slander per se. By their lights, it ought to be a compliment.

If they believed that Obama is a Bible-believing Christian, they'd be hammering him themselves. And if his religion is so important to them, why didn't they probe it when it would have mattered -- the 2008 campaign? Oh, that's right. They were too busy denying the spiritual bond with his pastor-mentor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

I watched the video of the questioner, and I think Trump tried to just laugh off the man's comments without making a statement either way. He did seem to agree that we should look into the alleged jihadi training camps, but that's about it. That wasn't enough for the media, which insist that Trump should have eviscerated the fellow. But let me ask you: If someone challenges Obama's faith, are we required to say we believe he is a Christian even if we doubt it? Can't we just politely ignore the matter and move on?

I see no point in raising Obama's Christianity anymore, but the media are forcing it. Forgive me for not falling all over myself to affirm Obama's Christianity. It's true we can't know for sure what's in a person's heart, but we can observe his statements and behavior. Obama's assertions mean little to me these days. He emphatically asserted not too long ago that he believed marriage should be between a man and a woman. He told us we could keep our doctors and insurance plans when he knew that wouldn't be true. This is not a man with a track record of authenticity. And he is not a person who has shown any allegiance to Christian values.

For 20 years, he attended Wright's church, where black liberation theology and anti-Americanism were preached with abandon. It shouldn't shock you -- as I've said before -- that Wright's church was more race- and Marxist-oriented than Christ-centered.

Additionally, throughout his presidency, Obama has gone out of his way to belittle Christianity. He demeaned "bitter" Midwesterners who "cling to guns or religion." He mocked Scripture by saying: "Which passages of Scripture should guide our public policy? Should we go with Leviticus, which suggests slavery is OK and that eating shellfish is an abomination? Or we could go with Deuteronomy, which suggests stoning your child if he strays from the faith." It's hard for me to believe that any God-fearing person would ridicule God's Word like this.

Obama likened the Christian Crusades to present-day Islamic terrorism. He trampled the conscience rights of Christians when he forced employers to provide abortion-inducing drugs under their Obamacare health plans. He invited a host of anti-traditional Catholics to the White House to meet Pope Francis. He paved the way for the Supreme Court's fiat legalizing same-sex marriage, knowing that it would lead to further assaults on Christians' religious liberty.

He has taken Christmas themes out of White House Christmas cards, has removed references to religion from his Thanksgiving speeches, has omitted "the Creator" when quoting from the Declaration of Independence, supports abortion on demand and protects the abortion factory Planned Parenthood. His administration has sought funding for all kinds of sexual education but not those reflecting traditional values.

Obama has also shown preferential treatment toward Islam, from apologies for the U.S. military's accidental burning of Qurans to blocking Middle Eastern Christians' access to the White House, effusively praising Islam and overstating its role in America's heritage, supporting the building of a mosque at ground zero, refusing to attribute terrorist attacks to radical Islam, rewriting government documents to remove terms potentially offensive to Muslims, such as "jihad" and "radical Islam," turning NASA into a Muslim outreach effort, labeling the Fort Hood shootings "workplace violence," and so much more.

If you want to see whether Obama embraces the precepts of the Christian faith, research the many curious statements he's made on the subject.

In the end, though, the question is not whether Obama is a Christian -- he's perfectly free not to be one -- but whether Trump or others should be forced to condemn those who question Obama's faith even if they, too, doubt it. I don't believe for a second that the media and Democrats are the slightest bit offended about allegations concerning Obama's faith. They don't care about his faith. They are just trying to make Trump look like a mean-spirited, racist kook -- nothing more, nothing less. Thank goodness he didn't take the bait.

[bold and italics emphasis mine]

David Limbaugh, brother of radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh, is an expert on law and politics. He recently authored the New York Times best-selling book: "Jesus on Trial: A Lawyer Affirms the Truth of the Gospel."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Still Defending 'Christian' Obama"- | Brent Bozell,  Sep 23, 2015;
http://townhall.com/columnists/brentbozell/2015/09/23/still-defending-christian-obama-n2055662/page/full

# 1356 (9/22) "The Day Every Christian in Pakistan Remembers"

"THE DAY EVERY CHRISTIAN IN PAKISTAN REMEMBERS" - By Lubna Thomas Benjamin, CBN News, September 21, 2015; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2015/September/The-Day-Every-Christian-in-Pakistan-Remembers/ [AS I SEE IT: I visited churches in Pakistan in June, 1979. I still remember even back then of Christians telling me that they were thinking of leaving the country because of hard times coming for the Pakistan Christians, ie. persecution. I did not sense back then what the believers were referring to but now that it has become an Islamic state I realize they were very perceptive. However, as you'll  note in the follow-up article that follows (noted in part), Christians who remain are a remnant who are willing to stand strong for their faith. Let's remember them in prayer, even as we pray that we will stand strong whatever the persecution we end up facing, yes, even here in America! - Stan]

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1: 2-4 (NIV)

September 22, 2013 is a day that every Christian in Pakistan remembers. It's the day when twin suicide blasts swallowed up the lives of dozens of worshippers and changed the lives of hundreds in All Saints Church in Peshawar.

On that Sunday, none of the believers thought it would be their last one. The carnage has left others alone, sick, injured and with a sadness that the survivors can't overcome. The pain of losing the dear and loved ones in such a barbaric way will always remain with them. The church where once they all worshipped together is now a reminder of the time when they lost their loved ones. However, the attacks have not weakened the survivors' faith; rather, it has made them stronger.

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.  James 1:12 (NIV)

Talking to the victims and the survivors of the Peshawar Church blast reveals nothing but the strength and the faith that these Christian still have, even after going through the biggest tragedy of their lives."The (victims) of the blast still go to the church and they are not scared," Asher Ashkar Gohar said. Gohar was in the church that day and had prepared a special Bible study for the youth group for that particular Sunday.

"As I opened my file to share my thoughts with my friends after the church service, I heard a blast. At that time, I didn't know that it was a suicide attack," he said. Gohar recalled the suffering and the pain he saw all around as he was taken to the hospital with severe injuries. "It took me almost a year to get fully recovered from my injuries. However, I still have scars which would always remind me of that day," he said.

During my conversation with Gohar, I could sense the conviction and the strength he still bears.
"It has made me much stronger as God has given me the strength to overcome the pain that day has inflicted upon me and all the survivors," he said. Gohar, 23, is now pursuing his Masters' degree in English literature at the University of Peshawar and is actively working with the youth of the church. Just like Gohar, every other victim of the bombings demonstrates the resilience that these Christians have. The most painful part is that each one of the survivors have lost either a family member or a very closer relative.

Yasir Bhatti, another young Christian man from Peshawar, shared his memories of that day. 
"I was preparing the youth for a project named 'Run for the Nation' Marathon. As I was discussing with my friends the plan to go about it, all of a sudden we were all shaken by the roar of the blasts," Bhatti said. Even after going through the pain and misery of losing close relatives in the attacks, Bhatti's faith and commitment to God is undeterred. "My faith has never decreased, rather it has increased after that incident," he said.

Bhatti, who also suffered severe injuries in the blasts, talked about not only the physical scars, but also of the emotional distress he and other victims still feel deep down in their hearts from losing the near and dear ones. "The survivors have uncertainty in their minds for the future," he said. "As the time goes by, it is even getting harder as the religious intolerance is increasing." "So, as the fear of living here for the Christians is growing, that day will always be the reminder of losing the loved ones," he continued. "But one factor gives me and the bereaved families comfort and that is the love of God. I know God is with us and He will give us relief from all our pains."

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2 (NIV)

[bold and italics emphasis mine]

*Lubna Thomas Benjamin, a native of Pakistan, is a freelance writer and a 2011-2012 Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow.

"Christians in Pakistan Stand to Defend Churches" - By Lubna Thomas Benjamin, CBN News, Friday, July 17, 2015;http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2015/July/Christians-in-Pakistan-Stand-to-Defend-Churches/

"... Christian attendance after the attacks has surged because believers are proud to spend their lives as servants of Christ and be remembered as martyrs for Jesus. The rise in attacks against churches coincides with an overall increase in terrorist attacks in Pakistan. Taking on terrorism is a gigantic task for a government already overwhelmed with challenges ranging from economic instability, an energy crisis, and maintaining daily law and order.

Christians make up only about 2 percent of Pakistan's population but the state is bound by the Constitution to protect the rights of minorities. Article 36 says: 'The State shall safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of minorities.' Unfortunately, successful assaults against churches and individual Christians make that provision nearly meaningless....As a result, a group of Christian men are forming a strategy to fight the threat of terrorism in Pakistan. After the attacks in March, 16 young men banded together to form a security team to defend local churches. The inspiration behind the formation of this team is Luke 11:21 from the Bible: "When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe."The team's goal is not to point out the government's failings, but to defend churches...

The initiative by this young group of the Christian men is a huge step forward to defend the churches and an act of bravery by these young Christian men. They are not security guards by profession, but their determination and perseverance to protect the churches is too strong to be shaken. The eagerness of the team to expand their area of working in other churches would be the perfect example of unity against any threat. Their message is very clear that they are going to defend the churches until their last breath.

[bold and italics emphasis mine]

# 1355 (9/21) "House Passes Bill to Hold Planned Parenthood Criminally Liable for Harvesting Aborted Babies Still Alive"

"HOUSE PASSES BILL TO HOLD PLANNED PARENTHOOD CRIMINALLY LIABLE FOR HARVESTING ABORTED BABIES STILL ALIVE" - Steven Ertelt, Sept. 18, 2015 | http://www.lifenews.com/2015/09/18/house-passes-bill-to-hold-planned-parenthood-criminally-liable [AS I SEE IT: It's incredible that we live in a time when such a bill as this is necessary. Can we really believe America is a place where God would continue to bless much longer? - Stan]
  
The House of Representatives today[last Friday] approved a pro-life bill that would hold the Planned Parenthood abortion business criminally liable for harvesting body parts from aborted babies who are technically still alive. The center for Medical Progress has released 10 videos catching and exposing Planned Parenthood officials selling aborted babies and their body parts. One of the most shocking videos caught the nation’s biggest abortion business harvesting the brain of an aborted baby who was still alive.

The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, sponsored by pro-life Congressman Trent Franks would make failure to provide standard medical care to children born alive during an abortion a federal crime. It would also apply stronger penalties in cases where an overt act is taken to kill the abortion survivor. Under the pro-life bill there is also a civil right of action for mothers of children who survive an abortion to hold the abortion provider accountable.

Congressman Chris Smith implored the House to pass the bill. “Undercover videos by the Center for Medical Progress have again brought into sharp focus that some babies actually survive abortion,” the New jersey congressman said. ”

Dr. Savita Ginde, Medical Director of Planned Parenthood Rocky Mountains says “sometimes we get—if someone delivers before we get to see them for a procedure—they are intact…”  that is, Madame Speaker,  born alive. Breathing, crying, gasping for air. One fetal tissue broker describes on the video watching a “fetus …just fall out.” And left to die.”

“We have a duty to protect these vulnerable children from violence, exploitation and death. Humanitarian due diligence requires that born alive babies be taken to a hospital to obtain care and enhance prospects of survival,” Smith added. “Abortion clinics have no incentive whatsoever to save the child. Abortion clinics do not have neonatal intensive care units—they are in the business of killing babies, not saving them.”

“The Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act (H.R. 3504), authored by pro-life champion Trent Franks simply says any child who survives an abortion must be given the same care as any other premature baby born at the same gestational age.  This legislation builds on the landmark Born Alive Infant Protection Act of 2002 authored by Steve Chabot by adding important enforcement provisions,” he concluded.

The House voted 248 to 177 for the bill with 239 Republicans voting for the bill and 5 Democrats joining them. No Republicans voted against the pro-life bill while 177 Democrats voted against it. One member voted present.

A po-life sneator says he will introduce the Senate version of the bill on Monday. Senator Ben Sasse told LifeNews.com that he will introduce companion legislation in the Senate when Congress resumes its work on Monday.He said: “If this isn’t the most non-controversial sentence in American politics, it’s time to check our national conscience: newborn babies must receive care and attention. Societies are judged by how we care for the vulnerable and surely anyone with a heart— regardless of where they stand on the abortion debate— should be able to agree that our laws should protect newborns. I’m grateful that a bipartisan majority of the House stood up for babies and I look forward to introducing companion legislation in the Senate next week.”

Despite passage of the bill, the Obama administration says President Barack Obama would veto the measure. The position statement explaining the opposition to the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act says the pro-life bill “would impose new legal requirements related to the provision of abortion services in certain circumstances, which would likely have a chilling effect, reducing access to care.” As pro-life Congressman Chris Smith explains, this has Obama on record once again opposing care for babies born alive who survive abortions. Obama clearly either believes that killing babies after they are born is a reasonable part of an abortion or he fears that abortion companies like Planned Parenthood would stop doing abortions before they would be willing to comply with a requirement to save the babies that survive them.

“Late yesterday the President demonstrated that his subservience to Planned Parenthood is absolute and without question,” said Smith. “Blindly following the orders of Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the country, the President issued an extreme unequivocal statement that he would veto the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, a bill that simply says a child that survives an abortion must be given the same care as any other premature baby born at the same gestational age and forbidding acts of lethal violence against such babies.”

Smith told LifeNews.com: “We are talking about babies that have been BORN ALIVE and are separate from their mothers,” Smith said. “Yet President Obama’s extreme obsession with promoting abortion doesn’t stop with killing unborn children. Even abortion survivors are not safe from this President and Planned Parenthood.  Can we not treat these tiny infants as a person—as patients? According to the Abortion President and the largest abortion provider in the nation, the answer is a resounding NO.

Smith continued: “These extreme statements demonstrate just who we are dealing with in the White House, but the question remains. Will Members of the House and Senate follow the lead of the abortion giant, Planned Parenthood? Or will they at least draw a line at infanticide and vote for a law protect abortion survivors and ensure people like Kermit Gosnell who kill babies who survive abortions are prosecuted and brought to justice?” ...

[bold and italics emphasis mine]

"House Votes to De-Fund Planned Parenthood After it Sells Body Parts From Aborted Babies:" - Steven Ertelt, Sept. 18, 2015   | http://www.lifenews.com/2015/09/18/house-votes-to-de-fund-planned-parenthood-after-it-sells-body-parts-from-aborted-babies/
"The House of Representatives voted today [FRIDAY] for legislation that would temporarily de-fund Planned Parenthood while an investigation continues into it s sale of aborted babies and their body parts."

"What Life Looks Like at 18 Weeks" - Kelsey Harkness / September 21, 2015; http://dailysignal.com/2015/09/21/what-life-looks-like-at-18-weeks/
"A debate over life is commencing this week...Watch the video at this weblink to see life at 18 weks ...and hear from both sides in this contentious debate."

# 1354 (9/20) SUNDAY SPECIAL: "Dare To Be A Daniel?"

"DARE TO BE A DANIEL?" - Marvin Olasky | Sep 15, 2015;
http://townhall.com/columnists/marvinolasky/2015/09/15/dare-to-be-a-daniel-n2051865/page/full

WWJD bracelets were useful in their time and could still be helpful now, but “What would Jesus do?” ran into the problem of all hypotheticals: On those political issues that Jesus left to the Caesars and would-be Caesars, we’d have to guess.

That’s why a better bracelet formulation might be WDDD: What did Daniel do? Amazingly, Daniel of the Bible for at least 66 years, from 605 to 539 B.C., was a Babylonian public servant who really did try to serve a strange public while remaining true to God. He faced down two death threats and saw his friends survive a third.

I’d like to write about Daniel in several columns, beginning this month when WORLD is running some articles about education. After all, Chapter 1 of Daniel’s memoir shows his traumatic entry to nonbiblical higher education: Militants from an enemy land pulled Daniel from his hometown, Jerusalem, and forcibly enrolled him in a three-year immersion program in Babylonian culture and language.

Daniel’s response conveyed both acceptance of God’s plan for him and resistance to his captors. He obviously studied hard and gained, through God’s grace, “learning and skill in all literature and wisdom” -- yet he declined to eat the rich food and wine offered in the dining hall, and instead lived on vegetables.

It’s possible Daniel abstained from meat for dietary reasons (although he apparently ate it later) or because it would have been sacrificed to idols (but vegetables were as well). Reformation-era commentator Heinrich Bullinger (1504-1575) offered a better explanation: that “the king should not entice him by this sweet poison.” John Mayer (1583-1664) similarly noted the temptations of “dainty and delicate keeping” and said Daniel’s example shows “it is no part of felicity in respect of worldly things to have the wherewithal to eat and drink daily of the best.”

Today we might refer to “golden handcuffs,” where individuals get used to a certain standard of living and don’t want to lose it. Westminster Theological Seminary professor Iain Duguid points out in his commentary on Daniel that if Satan can “instill in us a sense of dependence upon the material comforts that make up our way of life ... then he can far more effectively draw us away from the Lord.”

Free of dependence on King Nebuchadnezzar’s largesse, Daniel and his three friends aced their oral exams: “In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters.” That academic success soon became a life-or-death matter: Chapter 2 describes the king’s maddening dream of statues and his threats to kill all his advisers, including Daniel, unless they gave him details of the dream and its meaning.

Daniel used his stellar academic record to gain a hearing with the king, and then let the captain of the king’s guard take credit by telling Nebuchadnezzar, “I have found among the exiles from Judah. ...” Daniel did not take any credit: “There is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries ... this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have.” Daniel interpreted the dream as a prophecy of government decline from gold to silver to bronze to iron to an unstable mix of iron and soft clay. (Progressives love to talk of biological and social evolution, but ruinous mutation and devolution are more frequent.)

Ironically, Chapter 3 shows how Nebuchadnezzar turned Daniel’s identification of his reign as golden into an assault on religious liberty: The king ordered construction of a golden idol 90 feet tall. Daniel’s three friends -- Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego -- practiced passive resistance: They did not destroy an idol as they would have been obliged to do within the borders of Israel, but simply refused to bow to it when everyone else did. They did not run away. They did not hide. They also did not fight back. They told Nebuchadnezzar that God could rescue them, but they did not know if He would.

How different that is from our current fight or flight tendencies! These three chapters of Daniel, and the three I plan to discuss in a subsequent column, teach us much and also leave us with a question: Where was Daniel while his friends walked into a fiery furnace?

[bold and italics emphasis mine]

Marvin Olasky is editor-in-chief of the national news magazine World. For additional commentary by Marvin Olasky, visit www.worldmag.com. 

# 1353 (9/19) PRO-LIFE SAT: "TODAY is My GENday"

 "TODAY is My GENday" - by Stan M. Yonashiro. [NOTE: This is basically a re-posting of what I first wrote on my GENday 3 years ago.] 

Never heard that term before? Well, I first came up with the term around my birthday three years ago. So what do I mean by a GENday?

     Well, if you know anything about me, you probably know that I am MOST passionate about the on-going American Holocaust against the unborn conducted through abortion for more than 40 years now. I've spoken out for the sanctity of human life and against abortion in various forums since 1989, the year I risked getting arrested for blocking the entrance to 7 different abortion clinics and spent 3 days in jail for one of those actions. (I described that in 2 previous blogs.) I've also helped raise funds for more than  a dozen times for local pregnancy resource centers as well as speak out for Life in non-verbal ways every chance I get.

     Well, several years ago, I read an article that made aware that we actually celebrate the birth of Jesus – Christmas – but that in reality that’s NOT when God actually entered our world physically as a human being. Think about it. Jesus actually CAME into our world the day he was CONCEIVED in Mary’s womb. (How wild is it to realize that technically the Son of God dwelled  inutero for 9 months?) And so, in truth, we should be celebrating the day He was conceived, NOT the day He was born, because by then He had already been in our world for around 9 months!

     It's incredible to realize that if Jesus had entered the world  today, as an "unplanned pregnancy" He could have been aborted. But in the Jewish society of over 2,000 years ago, they knew that the unborn was a person, that it was a  precious life even without sonograms.(Note the reference to "the baby" in Elizabeth's womb in Luke 1:41.) Sadly, too many today abort their unborn children because they are somehow convinced that the unborn is not really a person until they are born.

     But because life DOES begin at conception – as the Bible, and now sonograms, make clear – I believe that esp. we who are pro-life need to regularly note not just our BIRTHdays but also the day we were conceived. By doing this, we remind the world that the day of our conception is when life begins, and because of that it is from THAT day that all life  becomes too precious to be considered aborting.

      But then, how does anyone know the day when they were conceived? Well, I believe that we can presume that we were each conceived approximately 9 months previous to our birth day - or the date 3 months after our birthday. And so, since my  birth day is June 19th, my day of conception would have been around Sept. 19th (the previous year).Yes, this does then make me  9 months older than if I were just marking my birthdays, a thought that some might not want to think about.

     Then, why call it a person’s "GENday"? Well, I’ve been trying to figure out what to call that anniversary of my day of conception and have finally decided that since Genesis in the Bible is called the “book of beginnings," GENday (a shortened form of "Genesis Day") would be a good term for (about) the day each of our lives actually began! 

     And so, beginning two years ago, I now ONLY celebrate my GENday, Sept. 19th and no longer celebrate my birthday. Of course, I will always be thankful to my Mom for giving birth to me. But I want to help others note that each life begins at conception - not on the day of our birth - and that therefore each life needs to regarded as sacred and protected from that day. 

     Will the idea of celebrating our GENday ever catch on with those who profess to be pro-life? Well, I’d like to believe it might, at least I do pray it might. If YOU consider yourself pro-life, will YOU consider celebrating YOUR GENday from now on? Of course, you would still be free to ALSO celebrate your birthday. So, actually, celebrating  your GENday will give you another day to PARTY each year. And is there any of us that cannot use another reason to celebrate something each year?  Cool, huh? 

       I know... you might be thinking that this is a bit much. But then, I think it's a simple way for all who say they stand for the sanctity of all unborn life, to help the world to understand this Biblical –as well as scientific – truth that life begins at conception, not birth. 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"We Must Reawaken Society’s Appreciation of Unborn Babies Killed in Abortions" -  Maria Gallagher, Sept. 15, 2015| http://www.lifenews.com/2015/09/15/we-must-reawaken-societys-appreciation-of-unborn-babies-killed-in-abortions/

# 1352 (9/18) "Radical Islam Post 9/11: 'They Have Tentacles Everywhere' "

"RADICAL ISLAM POST 9/11: 'THEY HAVE TENTACLES EVERYWHERE'" - By George Thomas, September 12, 2015;
http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2015/September/Islam-Post-911-They-Have-Tentacles-Everywhere/

[Last] Friday marked the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on America. Fourteen years after terror was unleashed on our shores, the threat posed by radical Islam continues to grow around the world.

According to CBN News Terrorism Analyst Erick Stakelbeck, al Qaeda and its affiliates are still plotting death against the enemies of Islam. "Al Qaeda has actually expanded its reach since 9/11 and is present in more countries today than it was on 9/11 when we were attacked," Stakelbeck said. Radical Islam is stronger and in more countries than ever before. CBN Terrorism Analyst Erick Stakelbeck tells us why.

Unlike in 2001, experts say the terror threat today is more pervasive, as terrorists -- often operating in small cells or as lone-wolves like the Boston Marathon bombers -- are driven to murder and mayhem in the name of Islam. Stakelbeck says ISIS, unlike any other terror group, has mastered the call to jihad.

"ISIS, among the younger generation of jihadis, especially here in the West, ISIS is the cool thing," he explained. "They are so active on social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, they are everywhere, ISIS is a phenomenon." That phenomenon continues to gobble up vast swaths of territory in the Middle East, leaving behind a reign of terror and tears.

"We're fleeing from ISIS and the Syrian regime," one refugee said. "Even before yesterday, ISIS entered our village so we had to flee." Formed in 2013, ISIS has quickly become a virulent, wealthy, transnational terror organization that is constantly recruiting. And now a U.S. official told the BBC they're also using chemical weapons in Iraq and Syria.

"They have tentacles everywhere," said Robert Spencer, author of The Complete Infidel's Guide to ISIS. "People don't know that they are not just in Iraq and Syria, where they already control the territory the size of Great Britain."

"But because they claim to be the only legitimate government among Muslims all over the world, the caliphate, they also have territory in Libya and they have gotten the allegiance of other jihad groups in Nigeria, the Philippines, Yemen, all over the world," he said.

Remember when President Barack Obama referred to ISIS as the 'JV' team? Well according to revelations this week by The Daily Beast intelligence officials were altering reports on ISIS to fit the president's assertion that the United States was winning the war against them and other terrorists in Syria and Iraq. "He wants to give the portrayal that ISIS is on the run and that limited U.S. airstrikes are having a great effect on ISIS, but meanwhile the facts on the ground say otherwise," Stakelbeck said.

Meanwhile ISIS and al Qaeda remain deeply opposed to one another, with al Qaeda chief Ayman al Zawahiri just this week releasing a tape blasting ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.Still, the two groups remain committed to their mission against their enemies.

And, not to be outdone by ISIS, al Qaeda is out with its latest magazine, issued days before today's 9/11 anniversary. In it, the group calls for more lone-wolf attacks and assassination operations against some of America's richest men, including Bill Gates, the Koch brothers, and Warren Buffett.

As America remembers the horrific scenes of 9/11, authorities are still concerned about another major terror attack, as well as those 'lone-wolf' operations. They also worry about the possibility that such attacks -- like those in Paris this year and elsewhere -- could become more and more common. And like 9/11, they would be carried out in the name of Islam.

[bold and italics emphasis mine]

# 1351 (9/17) CONSTITUTION DAY - "What Happens When Americans Stop Revering the Constitution?"

"WHAT HAPPENS WHEN AMERICANS STOP REVERING THE CONSTITUTION?" - Arthur Milikh/ September 17, 2015 / http://dailysignal.com/2015/09/17/what-happens-when-americans-stop-revering-the-constitution/

On Constitution Day, we offer our gratitude to the framers of the Constitution while honoring the document they produced. (Photo: istockphoto)

National holidays are about gratitude. On Veterans Day we honor veterans by offering our gratitude for their service and sacrifice. On Thanksgiving we offer our appreciation, as Washington explains in the first Thanksgiving Day Proclamation, to God and nation.

Today, on Constitution Day, we offer our gratitude to the framers of the Constitution while honoring the document they produced.

The Founders
     Having such a holiday makes America unique: rather than elevating our founders to the status of saints or trusting in hearsay reports about their deeds, we look upon them as statesmen of remarkable genius. While other nations often embellish their mythical origins, our records are open, and our founders require no mythology to demonstrate their superiority.

Comparing what occupied Founders’ minds and ours is helpful. At stake was founding a great nation—the first of its kind—that protected natural rights, established commerce and scientific innovation, all of which would lead to unprecedented prosperity. In carrying this out, much of the world has followed in their footsteps, with varying degrees of success.

On the 228th anniversary of the Constitution’s birthday, we might remember our great fortune to have had a group of geniuses at the helm of our state, while asking ourselves if anyone would be capable of writing the Constitution anew.

The Constitution
     Jefferson called the work of our Founders “unquestionably the wisest Constitution ever yet presented to men.” Its ingenuity and depth is sometimes difficult to fully appreciate because we are so thoroughly engrossed and formed by the order it created. Many Americans tend to believe that the key elements that define our nation are spontaneous and natural, but they were established by the Constitution.

For example, the Constitution established the conditions for our nation’s many miraculous works—not the least comes from technological innovation and the progress of science. In Article 1 Section 8, the Constitution secures intellectual property rights which enkindles both the ambition for innovation and delivers on the promise of wealth to individual innovators and inventors. By creating these conditions, the Constitution spreads the entrepreneurial spirit. A telling example of this was seen in the 1990s, when the inventor of the M-16, Eugene Stone, met the inventor of the AK-47, Mikhail Kalashnikov. The former flew in on his own plane; the latter could barely afford a plane ticket to Moscow.

Another example is free markets, which work only with the establishment of respect and protection for property rights by sufficient governmental force, combined with sufficient limits on that force.

But these are only two among many possible examples of how to rediscover the specific means by which it has secured “the blessings of liberty” that we enjoy today. James Madison did not think that all citizens would clearly understand every theoretical aspect of the Constitution. In fact, the workings of the “wisest and freest governments,” Madison writes in Federalist 49, do not require perfect understanding of all citizens, but the government’s “stability” depends on reverence for it.

What happens when this reverence is lost?
     In our time, preserving reverence is still an issue, but too much stability has become the direct obstacle. As Tocqueville predicted, it will not be revolutions that threaten our constitutional order, but the centralization of an administrative state which will silently take more and more freedom away from citizens while subverting the Constitution in the process. The modern administrative state’s disregard for the Constitution’s separation of powers and careful system of checks and balances not only subverts our Constitution but perhaps more importantly diminishes its respectability. Oddly enough, in such circumstances, only public outcry originating in reverence for the Constitution could remedy these trends.

By celebrating the past, national holidays aim to unify a people’s sentiments. But, as Lincoln observes, the further we stray from the events we honor, “like everything else, they must fade upon the memory of the world, and grow more and more dim by the lapse of time.”

How do we do this with our Constitution? Perhaps by recalling that the Constitution does not operate of its own accord; that it does not rule providentially over us. Its operation requires understanding and reverence. This can come only from knowledge of the benefits it has bestowed upon the American people, which we attempt to safeguard by celebrating it nationally, at least once a year.

[bold and italics emphasis mine]

Arthur Milikh is assistant director of the B. Kenneth Simon Center for Principles and Politics at The Heritage Foundation.

"James Madison, Self-Government and the Importance of Self-Control" - Colleen Sheehan / September 17, 2015; http://dailysignal.com/2015/09/17/taking-measure-of-our-liberty-james-madisons-aspiration-for-self-government/
"Here’s What Chipotle and Boy Scouts Have to Do with the Constitution" - Kate Scanlon / @scanlon_kate / October 20, 2014;http://dailysignal.com/2014/10/20/heres-chipotle-boy-scouts-constitution/

# 1350 (9/16) "All Lies On Planned Parenthood"

"ALL LIES ON PLANNED PARENTHOOD" - Tony Perkins, Washington Update, September 10, 2015;http://www.frc.org/updatearticle/20150910/all-lies [AS I SEE IT: As has been shared in earlier posts (such as Monday's #1348), the debate that has gone on in the House committee investigating Planned Parenthood is well worth time on nightly news programs. But tragically the mainstream media has pretty much censored all coverage of the hearings. If you ever wondered whether there was any bias in the media, the lack of coverage by ABC, NBC, CBS, and I assume PBS on this should finally convince you. - Stan]

As revealing as David Daleiden's undercover videos are, they're exposing a lot more than Planned Parenthood. The summer scandal is also pulling back the curtain on where several politicians stand. As the first House hearing proved, a number of Democrats seem perfectly content -- if not proud -- to support a group nonchalantly carving up tiny humans for dollars.

Yesterday, their allegiance was on full display, as they doggedly defended an organization whose grisly side business has yet to affect its lucrative relationship with American taxpayers. House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) desperately hopes to change that, inviting women who survived the excruciating procedure Planned Parenthood profits from, to testify. "Do not tell me these are not children," pleaded Gianna Jessen. "A heartbeat proves that. So do I."

As she shared, Jessen's mother tried to abort her seven months into pregnancy -- and failed. Gianna was told later that "a bucket of formaldehyde in a utility closet" was meant to be her fate until two nurses intervened and saved her life. "Planned Parenthood is not ashamed of what they have done or continue to do," Gianna said. "But we will have to give an account, as a nation, before God, for our apathy and for the murder of over 50 million children in the womb. Every time we falter in courage as individuals and fail to confront this evil, I wonder how many lives have been lost in our silence... How many children have died and been dismembered, and their parts sold, for our ego, our convenience, and our promiscuity? How many Lamborghinis were purchased with the blood of innocent children?"

While the rest of the room was taken aback by her emotional testimony, Democrats sat almost passively -- until it was time to defend Planned Parenthood. Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee was one of the most militant, insisting that the idea that life has value is old-fashioned. "It's a new America," he insisted after a heated exchange. "We are not going back to [Dwight Eisenhower's] America." Then, as liberals are wont to do, he tried to twist the discussion into something it wasn't: a hearing to overturn Roe v. Wade. "It's about abortion, period. For me, Planned Parenthood is part of my DNA. It's one of the finest organizations in this country. It helps women, women of color, poor women, and it gives them a choice."

Organizations that brag about the butchery of innocent children are not "fine" -- nor are they helping women. And while Democrats want desperately for Americans to believe that Planned Parenthood is the only option for women's health care, the reality is (as ADF's maps show) far different. As Goodlatte himself pointed out, there are more than 13,000 health clinics in the country that aren't under investigation for criminal activity -- and more importantly, provide compassionate, honest, and proficient care to women in need. The idea that Republicans are fighting to take those services away is a prime example of how the liberals lie and distort the truth.

"The dollar amount [for women's health care] will be exactly the same..." Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) explained. "It will go to other organizations that are not involved with what looks like criminal activity." No one is advocating that women lose care -- they're advocating that they get better care. And that doesn't include risky procedures, manipulated to produce a better "harvest."

An example of those procedures was at the center of an extremely eye-opening exchange between Goodlatte and the Democrats' witness, Priscilla Smith, who was asked if she thought the "dilation and evacuation" abortion is "humane." She responded that, yes, "for a fetus, a pre-viable fetus, a D&E procedure is a very humane procedure." A stunned Goodlatte replied, "...Your view of humanity and mine are very different." And that, on a very fundamental level, is the problem. This debate is about a lot more than Planned Parenthood or even a half-billion taxpayer dollars. It's about the inherent dignity and worth of each God-created life. A dignity, many Americans believe, is worth fighting for.

[bold, italics, and colored emphasis mine]