#1813 (12/13) PRO-LIFE SAT: "7 Years on, Obamacare Is Less Pro-Life Than Anything We Were Told"

"7 YEARS ON, OBAMACARE IS LESS PRO-LIFE THAN ANYTHING WE WERE TOLD" - Arina O. Grossu / December 15, 2016 / http://dailysignal.com/2016/12/15/7-years-on-obamacare-is-less-pro-life-than-anything-we-were-told/?

While 25 states have opted out of covering elective abortions on the Obamacare exchanges, taxpayers are subsidizing elective abortion coverage in many of the other states. (Photo: iStock Photos)

Open enrollment for Obamacare plans is well under way, having started Nov. 1 and running through Jan. 31, 2017. Not only is Obamacare proving unaffordable to millions of Americans—it is proving unconscionable for pro-life Americans who don’t want to pay for health care plans that cover abortion on demand or lack transparency about such coverage.

For the third year in a row, the Family Research Council and the Charlotte Lozier Institute have partnered to find out exclusive information about abortion coverage in Obamacare plans. Our findings for the 2017 plans show that, as was the case in 2016, a total of 25 states have opted out of covering elective abortion on the Obamacare exchange. Elective abortion refers to abortion on demand and for any reason. The 25 remaining states (and the District of Columbia) permit elective abortion coverage in Obamacare plans.

Although it is commendable that there are 25 states that have opted out of elective abortion coverage in their Obamacare plans, it should be noted that taxpayers even in those pro-life states are still paying federal taxes that are then used to pay for coverage that includes elective abortion in other states.

In 2017, an estimated 57 percent of the Obamacare exchange plans in states that have not opted out of elective abortion coverage will cover elective abortion. This amounts to around 891 plans.
In addition, four new states in 2017 will only offer plans that cover abortion, bringing the total to six locales that lack even a single pro-life plan: Alaska, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Washington.

By contrast, in 2016, Hawaii and Vermont were the only two states offering no pro-life plans.

This is a concerning development. In five additional states, 85 percent or more of exchange plans will cover abortion on demand in 2017. Those states include California, New York, Maryland, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. In three other states, the majority of exchange plans will cover abortion on demand in 2017. Those states are Oregon, Rhode Island, and Montana.

People in the above states (which are 14 in total) who do not want an abortion-covering health care plan are left with either no pro-life options, or very limited ones. So much for choice.

Another development in 2017 is that there will be 11 fewer states participating in the Multi-State Plan Program than there were in 2016. Multi-state plans are plans that are approved and operated on the Obamacare exchange by the Office of Personnel Management in various states. According to Obamacare law, by 2017, the Office of Personnel Management is supposed to enter into contract with issuers, which would offer multi-state plans in all 50 states by 2017, with at least one pro-life multi-state plan available in each state.

The reality in 2017 is that less than half of the states (only 22) offer multi-state plans—a far cry from the targeted goal in the law, since numerous issuers have discontinued offering multi-state plans. One positive development is that in 2017, none of the 203 existing multi-state plans will cover elective abortion.

In years past, our research revealed that information about abortion coverage was not transparent. Currently, plans that are being offered on the Obamacare exchanges are required to be transparent about their abortion coverage in their summaries of benefits and coverage.However, our 2017 research found that there were between one and five insurance companies in 13 states not in compliance with the legal requirements to disclose their abortion coverage: Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Montana, New Hampshire, Nevada, New York, Rhode Island, Texas, and West Virginia.

We still experienced long call wait times. HealthSource RI, for example, kept us on hold for close to one and a half hours. In some other states, plans were not published by Nov. 1, as they were supposed to be. We also experienced dead links, error messages, and website crashes. It is no wonder that states are passing the burden of operating Obamacare exchanges back to the federal government because of the expense and hassle. In fact, more than three-quarters of all states currently outsource their health exchanges to the federally facilitated marketplace on HealthCare.gov instead of facilitating their own state-run exchanges.

The incoming Trump administration and the new Congress will have their work cut out as they prepare to repeal and replace Obamacare and address its biggest problems. Our report provides three key takeaways for lawmakers.

      First, Obamacare is failing millions of Americans who are looking for affordable health care. 
      Second, it is failing millions of pro-life Americans who do not want their taxes subsidizing insurance that covers the brutal killing of innocent unborn babies. This project continues to reveal the falsehood of President Barack Obama’s statement that Obamacare does not violate the long-standing principle of the Hyde Amendment, which bars subsidies for health insurance that covers elective abortion. It does violate that principle, and the majority of Americans do not want to subsidize abortion.
     And third, companies that are not in compliance with abortion transparency regulations need to be brought into compliance as soon as possible.

One thing is for sure: Americans want lower premiums and deductibles, a transparent and hassle-free experience, abortion-free plans for themselves and their families, and not to subsidize abortion in their plans or through their tax dollars.
     The American people are ready for the unified pro-life government to deliver on its promises regarding Obamacare in 2017.

[bold, italics, and colored emphasis mine]

Arina O. Grossu, M.A. is the director for the Center for Human Dignity at the Family Research Council, where she focuses on sanctity of human life issues, ranging from conception to natural death.

#1812 (12/30) "Obama’s Actions Against Russia Are ‘Too Little, Too Late’"

"OBAMA'S ACTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA ARE'‘TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE" -  Daniel Davis / @JDaniel_Davis / December 30, 2016 / http://dailysignal.com/2016/12/30/qa-obamas-actions-against-russia-are-too-little-too-late/

President Obama announced punitive measures against Russia in response to the harassment of U.S. diplomats in Moscow, and evidence that Russia hacked the Democratic National Committee prior to the election. (Photo: Alexei Nikolsky/Ria Novosti/Krem)

President Barack Obama on Thursday took steps to retaliate against Russia for what he called “aggressive harassment of U.S. officials and cyber operations aimed at our election.” Obama’s actions include sanctioning Russian intelligence agencies and individuals as well as expelling 35 Russian government officials from the United States. “These actions follow repeated private and public warnings that we have issued to the Russian government,” Obama said in a statement, “and are a necessary and appropriate response to efforts to harm U.S. interests in violation of established international norms of behavior.”

Q. - Some in the media are saying Russian hacking helped Donald Trump win the election against Hillary Clinton. Is there any truth to that?

 A. - Hillary Clinton lost the presidential election because the American people rejected her progressive vision of America and the idea of another four years of Obama’s failed policies. She alone is responsible for her defeat.

Russia’s actions are indeed alarming, and they must be taken seriously. Russia has a proven track record of taking an interest in the internal events and election processes of NATO member countries. In this case, the forensic evidence released by the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI is detailed and persuasive in showing Russia hacked the Democratic National Committee. So Russian denials are not credible.

However, it should be noted that there is no evidence of any interference in the voting and ballot counting processes.

Q. - President Obama took new measures Thursday to retaliate. What will those measures achieve?

A. Obama’s announcement of sanctions against sections of Russia’s intelligence community and expelling 35 Russian diplomats from the U.S. is welcome but long overdue. This is too little, too late.
     Putin respects two things: strength and consistency. Over the past eight years, Obama has shown neither of these traits. This is why Russia felt confident enough to take the actions that it did.

Q. - What steps should Congress and the White House take to investigate the extent of Russia’s actions?

 A. - Any investigation into this matter needs to be independent, bipartisan, and given enough time to do a comprehensive job. Obama’s rushed internal review lacks creditability.

Q. - The U.S. has military superiority over Russia, but technology has become more important than ever to our national security. Just how serious is the cyber threat from Russia?

A.- As The Heritage Foundation’s 2017 “Index of U.S. Military Strength” states, “Russia seeks to maximize its strategic position in the world at the expense of the United States,” maintains “incredibly advanced” cyber warfare capabilities, and assesses “the overall threat from Russia as ‘aggressive’ and ‘formidable.’”

The U.S. intelligence community has continued to serve us skillfully and often gallantly to keep all Americans safe 24/7. That needs to be a priority now and in the future.

[bold, italics, colored, and underlined emphasis mine]

Daniel Davis is the commentary editor of The Daily Signal.

#1811 (12/29) "John Kerry Takes a Parting Shot at Israel in Middle East Speech"

"JOHN KERRY TAKES A PARTING SHOT AT ISRAEL IN MIDDLE EAST SPEECH" - James Phillips / December 28, 2016 / http://dailysignal.com/2016/12/28/kerry-takes-a-parting-shot-at-israel-in-mideast-speech/?

Secretary of State John Kerry delivered a detailed speech Wednesday defending the Obama administration’s recent abstention on a U.N. Security Council vote condemning Israeli settlements. Kerry claimed that the decision to permit the passage of the one-sided resolution was aimed at “preserving the two-state solution” to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which “is now in serious jeopardy.” The 70-minute long lamentation amounted to a passionate defense of his own failed diplomatic efforts to renew Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

Kerry proposed six principles that should guide future negotiations, including secure borders for both Israeli and a Palestinian state, a “fair and realistic” solution to the question of Palestinian refugees, and designating Jerusalem as an “internationally recognized capital of the two states.” Billed as a “comprehensive vision” of Arab-Israeli peace, Kerry’s speech boiled down to a jeremiad against Israeli settlers, whose “agenda is defining the future in Israel.”

Kerry assumed a high-minded moralistic tone that was detached from reality. He focused obsessively on settlements as impediments to peace while glossing over the harmful role played by Palestinian terrorism, the continuing incitement of the Palestinian Authority, and the failure of Palestinians to abide by their commitments under the Oslo peace accords. Kerry’s tunnel vision regarding the settlements, and his paying only lip service to Israeli security needs, were major reasons for the failure of his diplomatic efforts to jump-start the long-stalled peace talks.

Kerry failed to mention that when Israel did freeze settlement expansion for 10 months during the Obama administration’s first term, no progress was made on peace negotiations because the Palestinians ruled out any concessions.

Moreover, settlements can be dismantled if necessary to reach a peace agreement. Israel removed all of its settlers in Gaza and turned over the territory to the Palestinian Authority in 2005. The move backfired when Hamas staged a bloody coup to expel the Palestinian Authority in 2007 and transformed Gaza into a terrorist base for destroying Israel. As long as Hamas retains a stranglehold on Gaza, there is no realistic chance for a stable Israeli-Palestinian peace. Yet rather than focus on defeating Hamas militants who reject peace negotiations and even Israel’s right to exist, the Obama administration has chosen to chastise Israel at the U.N.

Kerry’s speech comes during a historic low point in U.S.-Israeli bilateral relations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused the U.S. of colluding with the Palestinians by allowing last week’s resolution to be adopted by the U.N. Security Council. Kerry denied that “somehow the United States was the driving force behind this resolution.”

Israel is concerned that the Security Council resolution is a harbinger of more anti-Israeli actions at the United Nations, which has a long history of siding against Israel. France plans to host an international conference attended by 70 countries next month to endorse an international framework for Mideast peace. Israeli officials worry that the conference’s recommendations may then be enshrined in another U.N. Security Council resolution before Obama leaves office on Jan. 20.

At a time when Russia and Iran are slaughtering thousands of civilians in Syria and ISIS continues to inflict carnage, it is unseemly that the Obama administration has gone out of its way to censure, isolate, and undermine Israel, a longtime ally.

Kerry’s speech is one more reminder that the Obama administration, even in its waning days, remains much more concerned about engaging adversaries than it is about alienating allies. Its self-righteous tendency to lecture and berate friends while accommodating adversaries, such as Iran and Cuba, is a major reason that its foreign policy has been such a disaster.

[bold, italics, and colored emphasis mine]

James Phillips is the senior research fellow for Middle Eastern affairs at the Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy Studies at The Heritage Foundation. He has written extensively on Middle Eastern issues and international terrorism since 1978. Read his research.

"Obama to Israel: Drop Dead" - Cal Thomas : Dec 29, 2016; http://townhall.com/columnists/calthomas/2016/12/29/obama-to-israel-drop-dead-n2264256
"US Has Participated in Other UN Resolutions Chiding Israel" - Josh Siegel / December 27, 2016; http://dailysignal.com/2016/12/27/us-has-participated-in-other-un-resolutions-chiding-israel/ 
"Israel Green-Lights Settlements After UN Snub" - Saagar Enjeti / December 27, 2016; http://dailysignal.com/2016/12/27/israel-green-lights-settlements-after-un-snub/
"Angry at Netanyahu, Obama Administration May Stop Defending Israel at UN. Why They Shouldn’t." - Brett Schaefer / James Phillips / March 20, 2015 / http://dailysignal.com//2015/03/20/angry-at-netanyahu-obama-administration-may-stop-defending-israel-at-un-why-they-shouldnt/?_ga=1.179513636.1463327000.1443979968  
"Obama Administration Courts Iran While Slapping Israel" - James Phillips / March 20, 2015 / http://dailysignal.com//2015/03/20/obama-administration-courts-iran-while-slapping-israel/?_ga=1.145771828.1463327000.1443979968
"Obama vs. Netanyahu: Colliding World Views" - James Phillips / March 18, 2010; http://dailysignal.com/2010/03/18/obama-vs-netanyahu-colliding-world-views/?_ga=1.108087554.1463327000.1443979968

#1810 (12/28) "Post-Truth, the Word of the Year - FEELINGS HAVE REPLACED FACTS"

AT"Post-Truth, the Word of the Year - FEELINGS HAVE REPLACED FACTS" - By: John Stonestreet| Breakpoint.org: Nov. 22, 2016; http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries/entry/13/30143

Is our culture losing touch with reality? The folks who pick the official “word of the year” think so.

The Christian satire website, Babylon Bee, has had a lot of great headlines. One of my favorites so far: “Progressive Evangelical Leaders Meet to Affirm Doctrine of ‘Sola Feels.’” Adherents to this imaginary creed believe that “things that make us feel bad…are wrong. The things that give us all the happy feels…are true, right, and good.” Now of course, the scary part about satire is how closely it often mirrors reality.

On a related note, Oxford Dictionaries has released its 2016 word of the year: “Post-truth,” which they define as “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” I can hardly think of a better description of where we are right now as a culture. In fact, for those of us who’ve spent years calling out what Pope Benedict called “the dictatorship of relativism,” it’s tempting to say, “welcome to the party, guys!”

But the concept of “post-truth” is a bit different from garden variety relativism. It doesn’t discount the existence of truth. Rather, a post-truth society is one in which truth takes a back seat to emotion—where feelings effectively replace facts. And that’s exactly what we’ve seen over the course of this year’s election.

For example, the melt-down among what many are calling the “snowflakes” on college campuses over President-elect Trump is the most obvious example. Despite exit polls showing that a huge percentage of eligible millennial voters stayed home on Election Day, many of these students just can’t handle the outcome. Their schools are sending letters of condolences, canceling exams, even offering hot chocolate and hugs from administrators. Faced with a reality that contradicts what they feel should have happened, many just can’t cope.

A post-truth culture also leads us to equate disagreement with hatred. Loving me means agreeing with me. And as many conservative speakers who’ve been chased from university campuses by angry students can tell you, when feelings are equated with a person’s identity and even reality, contradicting those feelings is the same as attacking the person.

The post-truth culture can also lead us to ignore reality altogether. I’ve made it clear on BreakPoint that I find some of our next president’s past words, especially about racial minorities and women, troubling, to say the least. But in this post-truth, post-fact, post-reality environment, many have hijacked legitimate concerns in order to play the victim. Just look at the panicked reaction from gay and lesbian activists, who are behaving as if Donald Trump plans to persecute their community.

But there are no facts to support this hysteria. If anything, our next president has been far friendlier to the LGBT agenda than I’m comfortable with, even calling the Supreme Court’s Obergefell ruling “settled law.” Trump hasn’t committed to protecting the bakers, florists, photographers, and others who’ve been hounded for not participating in same-sex weddings. But all these facts don’t matter when so many feel that the president-elect threatens their way of life.

And of course, post-truth culture dominates Facebook and Twitter feeds. Just look at the epidemic of fake news that marred this election. Even Christians too often fall for completely fabricated headlines and hoaxes, largely because they validate our feelings.

So where does all this leave us? Well, the Bible has plenty to say on the subject of truth. In fact, we follow the One Who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, Who came into the world to testify to the truth, a truth which—He told His disciples—would set them free. Truth must govern our emotions, not the other way around.

The 2016 word of the year doesn’t bode well for our culture. We must insist on prioritizing facts before emotions. The “doctrine” of “sola feels” is supposed to be a joke. So let’s make sure it stays that way.

[bold, italics, and colored emphasis mine]

RESOURCES
"Progressive Evangelical Leaders Meet To Affirm Doctrine Of ‘Sola Feels’" - Babylon Bee | October 26, 2016; http://babylonbee.com/news/progressive-evangelical-leaders-meet-affirm-doctrine-sola-feels/

"‘Post-truth’ named 2016 word of the year by Oxford Dictionaries" - Amy B Wang | Washington Post | November 16, 2016; https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/11/16/post-truth-named-2016-word-of-the-year-by-oxford-dictionaries/?utm_term=.7ab2bcbba417

"Check Before You Post" - John Stonestreet | The Point | November 11, 2016; http://www.thepointradio.org/point-home/entry/38/30099

"Facebook fake-news writer: ‘I think Donald Trump is in the White House because of me’" - 
Caitlin Dewey | Washington Post | November 17, 2016; http://www.thepointradio.org/point-home/entry/38/30099

Relativism: Feet Firmly Planted in Mid-Air - Francis J. Beckwith, Gregory Koukl | Baker Books | October 1998; http://www.colsoncenterstore.org/product.asp?sku=0801058066

True Truth: Defending Absolute Truth in a Relativistic World - Art Lindsley | InterVarsity Press | May 2004; http://www.colsoncenterstore.org/product.asp?sku=0830832351

#1809 (12/27)"Georgia Student Sues After His Public School Censored Him From Sharing His Faith on Campus"

"GEORGIA STUDENT SUES AFTER HIS PUBLIC SCHOOL CENSORS HIM FROM SHARING HIS FAITH ON CAMPUS" - Leah Jessen / December 21, 2016 / http://dailysignal.com/2016/12/21/georgia-student-sues-after-his-public-school-censored-him-from-sharing-his-faith-on-campus/? [AS I SEE IT: I would be interested to know if just THIS student sharing his Christian faith was prevented from doing so or if others sharing alternative views on any other subject were also similarly restricted. In any case, this kind of limitation on free speech rights of individuals has been going on much too long and we need more courageous students to challenge these speech zones, and yes all the way to the Supreme Court. - Stan]

A Georgia college student is suing his school over the his First Amendment right to free speech. (Photo: Tetra Images Tetra Images/Newscom)

A student in Georgia has sued his school after he claims the public college prohibited him from sharing his Christian faith on campus. Lawyers for Georgia Gwinnett College student Chike Uzuegbunam filed a lawsuit against the school on Monday. Uzuegbunam “believes it is his duty to inform others” of his evangelical Christian beliefs and “for their own benefit, that they have sinned and need salvation through Jesus Christ,” the lawsuit says.

“Today’s college students will be tomorrow’s legislators, judges, commissioners, and voters,” Casey Mattox, senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom, said in a statement.“That’s why it’s so important that public universities model the First Amendment values they are supposed to be teaching to students, and why it should disturb everyone that [Georgia Gwinnett College] and many other colleges are communicating to a generation that the Constitution doesn’t matter.”

Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian nonprofit legal organization representing Uzuegbunam, says the university cannot censor Uzuegbunam because it would be a violation of his First Amendment rights. “The First Amendment guarantees every student’s freedom of speech and religion,” Travis Barham, Alliance Defending Freedom legal counsel, said in a statement. “Every public school—and especially a state college that is supposed to be the ‘marketplace of ideas’—has the duty to protect and promote those freedoms.”

The student says officials at his college restricted his ability to share his faith with other students, limiting him to free speech in a small zone and requested he ask permission in advance to use the space. The lawsuit claims the college “burdens his free speech because he is prohibited from saying anything that might offend, disturb, or discomfort anyone who happens to hear him lest he be punished for ‘disorderly conduct.’” All students must submit a free speech zone request three days prior to using the two small speech zones on campus, the lawsuit says. The college has a “Freedom of Expression Policy” that requires students to submit a free speech area request form, along with all publicity materials, for all activities in the designated free speech area.

“Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) is committed to providing a forum for free and open expression of divergent points of view by students, student organizations, faculty, staff, and visitors,” the college’s student handbook says. “GGC also recognizes its responsibility to provide a secure learning environment which allows members of the community to express their views in ways which do not disrupt the operation of the college.”

The Freedom of Expression Policy says: "Reasonable limitations may be placed on time, place, and manner of speeches, gatherings, distribution of written materials, and marches in order to serve the interests of health and safety, prevent disruption of the educational process, and protect against the invasion of the rights of others as deemed necessary by Georgia Gwinnett College." The college defines the free speech zones as “the concrete area/walkway between Student Housing and the Student Center or the concrete in front of the Food Court area, Building A.” The areas are “generally available from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Friday,” the handbook says. “On occasion upon written request, other areas and other times may be authorized, and the college reserves the right to modify the free speech areas based on the operational needs of the institution,” the policy adds.

Alliance Defending Freedom calls the zones “ridiculously” small and says they take up less than 0.0015 percent of the campus. The school stopped the student named in the lawsuit from handing out religious literature and talking to students about his religion this past summer even after he followed the protocol set by the college, Alliance Defending Freedom claims.

The student claims that in August, he was allegedly following school rules while “preaching the love of Christ.” Campus police stopped him after about 20 minutes because of “some calls” complaining about him, according to the lawsuit. “If students want to speak—whether through oral or written communication—anywhere else on campus, then they must obtain a permit from college officials,” the lawsuit says. “Thus, students may not speak spontaneously anywhere on campus. If students violate this policy, they violate the college’s Student Code of Conduct and expose themselves to a variety of sanctions, including expulsion.”

A spokeswoman for the college told The Daily Signal that Georgia Gwinnett College is unable to comment on the lawsuit. “Officials at Georgia Gwinnett College were not notified of the lawsuit and cannot comment on pending litigation,” the spokeswoman told The Daily Signal in an email. “When Mr. Uzuegbunam tried to share his religious views in one of the speech zones after reserving it for this purpose, defendants required him to stop because his speech had generated complaints [and] informed him that his speech constituted ‘disorderly conduct’ because it had generated complaints,” the lawsuit goes on to say.

The lawsuit requests that the school suspend its policy on free speech zones.

[bold, italics, and colored emphasis mine]

#1808 (12/26) "Protect Egyptian Christians - WASHINGTON NEEDS TO SEND A MESSAGE"

"Protect Egyptian Christians - WASHINGTON NEEDS TO SEND A MESSAGE" - By: John Stonestreet|Breakpoint.org: Dec. 22, 2016; http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries/entry/13/30273

As a politician friend of mine says, “When folks feel the heat they see the light.” It’s time for the Egyptian government to see the light about protecting Christians.

On December 11th, a suicide bomber killed at least 25 worshippers and injured 49 more during Sunday Mass at St. Peter’s Coptic Church in Cairo. The attack was only the latest in a series of outrages committed against Egypt’s native Christian community. Less than three weeks ago, I told you on BreakPoint about a series of attacks in Minya, which is 150 miles south of the Egyptian capital. Those attacks were described as part of a “disturbing wave of [Islamist] radicalism” that has emerged after the overthrow of the Muslim Brotherhood in 2013.

This time, it was ISIS who claimed responsibility for the atrocity which was, they said, part of its “war on polytheism,” the Islamic epithet for Christian belief in the Trinity. ISIS has promised more of the same. In a masterpiece of obtuseness—or is it just invincible ignorance?—the New York Times said that the attack suggested that ISIS “was prepared to single out Egyptian Christians much as it did minority Shiites in countries like Iraq and Syria.” Uh… well, notice who was missing from the Times’ list of targets—Iraqi and Syrian Christians, not to mention Yazidis and other religious minorities.

For its part, the Egyptian government was quick to focus attention on what it saw as the real outrage: criticism by groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch for its failure to protect Egyptian Christians from these kinds of attacks. A Foreign Ministry spokesman accused human rights groups of demonstrating an “unacceptable tolerance to terrorism.”

Now if you’re thinking “Wait . . . what?”—well, welcome to the world of our Egyptian brethren. Copts have been, at best, second-class citizens since the 1952 coup that created the modern Egyptian state. Repression, discrimination, and violence have all been part and parcel of their existence. While the Egyptian government obviously didn’t attack the worshippers at St. Peter’s or attack Christians in Minya, the Egyptian government is largely indifferent to the fate of its Christian citizens.

Actually, it’s even worse than that. Mistreating Copts was the way that Egypt’s rulers, including the present one, have burnished their Islamic identity. And, until recently, virtually no one, especially in the West, said “boo!” about it. The sad truth is that Copts had to start dying in significant numbers for anyone to take notice, and that “anyone” includes their brethren in the West.

That was then, so what about now? Historically, the treatment of Christian minorities, in Egypt or elsewhere, has never figured prominently in American foreign policy. This is a bipartisan failing. And if it’s going to change, we must take the lead. The outgoing administration was rightly criticized by Christians for its failure to address the issue. The incoming one is thought to be more receptive to our concerns. The fate of our brethren in places like Egypt and the rest of the Middle East is a good place to test our hypothesis.

In the aftermath of the American election, there were reports that the Egyptian government was gratified by the results, believing that the new administration would provide Egypt more assistance in its fight against the Muslim Brotherhood and ISIS. Mind you, Egypt already receives nearly $1.5 billion in military and economic aid from the U. S. And that means this: If the Trump administration says, “You need to do more to protect Coptic Christians,” the Egyptian government will have to listen. Never forget, our first appeal on behalf of our Coptic brethren needs to be made on our knees.  And after you pray, let President-elect Trump know how you feel.

How? I hear he checks Facebook and Twitter. And pretty soon, he’ll have a White House address.

[bold, italics, and colored emphasis mine]

RESOURCES- Be a voice for our Christian brothers and sisters who are not heard. As John urged, pray first, then speak up to promote protection for Christian minorities under siege in many parts of the world, and especially the Coptic believers in Egypt.  For more information, click on the links below.
"HRW, Amnesty International statements on church bombing show tolerance of terrorism" : Foreign ministry spokesperson Amira El-Fekki | DailyNewsEgypt.com | December 14, 2016; http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2016/12/14/604712/
"Egypt's Christians in the cross-hairs" - Khaled Diab | AlJazeera.com | December 14, 2016;http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2016/12/egypt-christians-cross-hairs-161213143256890.html
They Say We Are Infidels: On the Run from Isis with Persecuted Christians in the Middle East
- Mindy Belz | Tyndale Momentum Publisher | April 2016; http://www.colsoncenterstore.org/product.asp?sku=9781496411471
The Lost History of Christianity: The Thousand-Year Golden Age of the Church in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia--And How It Died- Philip Jenkins | HarperOne Publishers | November 2009; http://www.colsoncenterstore.org/product.asp?sku=9780061472817

#1807 (12/25) CHRISTMAS: "It's Not about the Manger - CHRISTMAS AND THE INCARNATION"

"God's love is too much for Him to leave us alone." 

- Max Lucado

"It's Not about the Manger - CHRISTMAS AND THE INCARNATION" -  By: Chuck Colson|Breakpoint.org: Dec. 25, 2009; http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries/breakpoint-commentaries-archive/entry/13/13916

[AS I SEE IT: When we celebrate the birth of Jesus, let us always remember that THAT day is not when God entered the world. At the first CHRISTmas, the Son of God had already been with us for around 9 months. The moment he was conceived in Mary's womb, the unborn child was here; he just had not been birth. Similarly, EVERY unborn child is already here with us and their parents are already parents! So, don't let those who support abortion tell you that the  unborn child is not "human" or of value until birth. From conception, EVERY child is alive 
and precious! - Stan]

 The manger scene inspires a sense of awe and comfort to the hearts of Christians everywhere. But we often forget the staggering implications of Christmas.

What image does the mention of Christmas typically conjure up? For most of us, it is a babe lying in a manger while Mary and Joseph, angels, and assorted animals look on. Heartwarming picture, but Christmas is about far more than a Child’s birth—even the Savior’s birth. It is about the Incarnation: God Himself, Creator of heaven and earth, invading planet earth, becoming flesh and dwelling among us.

It is a staggering thought. Think of it: The Word—that is, Logos in the Greek, which meant all the knowledge that could be known—the plan of creation—that is, ultimate reality—becomes mere man? And that He was not born of an earthly king and queen, but of a virgin of a backwater village named Nazareth? Certainly God delights in confounding worldly wisdom—and human expectations.

Thirty years after His humble birth, Jesus increased the Jews’ befuddlement when He read from the prophet Isaiah in the synagogue at Nazareth: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor...to proclaim release to the captives...to set free those who are downtrodden...” Jesus then turned the scroll back and announced, “Today, this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” In effect, the carpenter’s Son had just announced that He was the King.

So yes, the birth of Jesus is a glorious moment, and the manger scene brings comfort and joy and Christmas cheer. But it should also inspire a holy terror in us—that this baby is God incarnate, the King who came to set the captives free, through His violent, bloody death on the cross as atonement for us, His unworthy subjects.

It is through the Incarnation God sets His grand plan in motion. He invades planet earth, establishing His reign through Christ’s earthly ministry. And then Christ leaves behind an occupying force, His Church, which is to carry on the work of redemption until His return and the kingdom’s final triumph.

Do we get this? I am afraid most of us are so preoccupied, distracted by last-minute Christmas shopping and consumerism, that we fail to see God’s cosmic plan of redemption in which we, as fallen creatures, are directly involved. The average Christian may not “get” this announcement, but those locked behind bars do. Whenever I preach in the prisons, and I read Christ’s inaugural sermon, Luke 4:18, and when I quote His promise of freedom for prisoners, they often raise their arms and cheer. The message of Jesus means freedom and victory for those who once had no hope. They are not distracted by the encumbrance of wealth and comfort.

People in the developing world get it, too. Whenever I have shared this message with the poor and oppressed people overseas, I see eyes brightening. Stripped of all material blessings, exploited by earthly powers, they long for the bold new kingdom of Christ.

Today is Christmas. Go ahead and enjoy singing about, and celebrating, the birth of the Savior. Set up a manger scene in your home. But do not forget this earth-shaking truth: The birth of the Baby in the manger was the thrilling signal that God had invaded the planet. And that gives us the real reason to celebrate Christmas.

[bold, italics, and colored emphasis mine]

"Mary and Joseph Could Have Aborted Their Role, But They Trusted God Instead." - Ryan Bomberger, DEC 23, 2016 | http://www.lifenews.com/2016/12/23/mary-and-joseph-could-have-aborted-when-facing-an-unplanned-pregnancy-but-they-trusted-god/

HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING!

Hark the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn king"Peace on earth, and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled
Joyful all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With angelic host proclaim,
"Christ is born in Bethlehem"

Hark the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn king"
Christ, by highest heaven adored
Christ the everlasting Lord
Late in time behold him come
Offspring of the favored one
Veiled in flesh, the God had seen
Hail the incarnate deity
Pleased, as man with men to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn king"

Hail the heaven born prince of peace
Hail the son of righteousness
Light and life to all he brings
Risen with healing in his wings
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn king"

#1806 (12/24) PRO-LIFE SAT: "Born-Again Babies - SAVED BY SURGERY IN THE WOMB"

ATTENTION: Please SCROLL DOWN this page to find the article titled on this post in LARGE BRIGHT BLUE CAPITAL LETTERS. Thank you.)

"God's love is too much for Him to leave us alone." 

- Max Lucado

PRAYER MATTERS:"To clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the disorder of the world." - Karl Barth; "Prayer is inviting God into a seemingly impossible situation and trusting/resting in His love and grace to accomplish His perfect will in His perfect time and for His greatest glory." - Stan 

URGENT: 12/13- American Center For Law and Justice: On trial for their faith, two Christian Pastors in Sudan face death. Christian Pastors Hassan Abduraheem and Kuwa Shamal have been brutally imprisoned for nearly a year – 359 days – in deplorable conditions. Their trial has been delayed time and time again.Their churches miss them. Their families need them. They face possible death sentences because they are Christians. At the ACLJ, we've launched a massive international legal advocacy campaign for their freedom. We're preparing critical legal letters to Sudan, raising their case with world leaders, and preparing action at the U.N. They could be sentenced to hang for their faith if the world is silent. Christian Pastors Hassan and Kuwa need your voice now. 
     Time is of the essence, as the trial continues. Our silence could be their death.
Other Christians facing death in Sudan are now free because you spoke out. Demand Sudan free Pastors Hassan and Kuwa now. Sign Our NEW Petition: Save Christian Pastors from Death...https://aclj.org/persecuted-church/save-christian-pastors-from-possible-death?
URGENT: 12/16 - American Center For Law and Justice: A Christian pastor in Turkey was just imprisoned. He is in danger. American Pastor Andrew Brunson - a U.S. citizen from North Carolina - has been falsely charged with "membership in an armed terrorist organization." The charging documents state no "evidence has[] been gathered" against him. He has been a Christian pastor in Turkey for the past 23 years. Pastor Andrew had been in a detention center since October 7, 2016, but he was just transferred to prison. During his 63-day detainment, he was denied access to his Turkish attorney. Turkey - our NATO ally - has begun increased crackdowns on Christians. If convicted, Pastor Andrew could face years in prison based on extremely serious - and false - charges.
      At the ACLJ, we're representing the family, mobilizing our international resources - including our offices in the region - demanding Pastor Andrew's freedom. We must act quickly before it is too late. Pastor Andrew's Turkish attorney is filing an urgent appeal of his arrest today. Pastor Andrew urgently needs your voice now. Demand his freedom.https://aclj.org/persecuted-church/free-american-pastor-andrew-brunson?

My Personal Update - 12/9: THANKS for your continued prayers as I’ve started my third week at my new job. I had an accident last Sunday in falling from a ladder (from wearing the wrong kind of shoes I suspect) and hurt my tail bone. Please PRAY for my healing and protection from other injuries. I’ve had occasions of disappointment with my fellow workers but also am encouraged to have met other workers in the store that I’ve sought to encourage. Please PRAY that this Christmas season esp. I will be able to share the gospel with at least one person; THAT would be the best thing I would want this season. Also, PRAY that I'm protected from ill health. It turns out that there isn’t any health insurance that would be reasonably priced for me. I basically need to try to stay healthy at least till I am working full-time for the store chain, something that probably won’t happen for at least another year. I obviously will need to try to avoid ladders for awhile (: Finally, please be PRAYING that I make the right decision as to how to ensure what savings I have.

PRAY FOR AMERICA: THANK GOD for His many blessings on America throughout it's history. May we then ask that AMERICA once again be a blessing TO GOD, by once again submitting to HIS will in our affairs - both personal and national - that He may truly "heal our land." (2 Chron. 7:14) Short of that, we should not be saying "God Bless America"but instead "God be merciful towards America!" Rev. Franklin Graham: "I do know that the president defends Islam and chastises Christians, rebukes our allies and befriends our enemies, and fully supports gay marriages and abortion but denies the religious freedoms of those who don't agree. Our nation is ridiculed abroad and morally crumbling within. We are in trouble. We have turned our back on God."

PRAY FOR OUR LEADERS:  1) Pray esp. PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP and his advisors that they would select Godly leaders who will be accountable to do an excellent job (or be fired!) ; that he would seek God's wisdom and be enabled to lead our country effectively in the years ahead; and 2) Pray our leaders at every level of government will Spirit-filled, leading us with Godly wisdom and integrity; that they will  only pass legislation and enact policies that will benefit Americans today as well as future generations and NOT do any lasting harm.

SUPREME COURT: PRAY that the justices sitting on the Supreme Court will only hand down decisions that are in the best interests of our country now and for future generations.

BE Prepared TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST ABORTION (...because ALL Babies Matter!): Go to: LIFE Training Institute - http://prolifetraining.com/resources/five-minute-11/  
Be Prepared TO ENGAGE WITH THE PC CULTURE: Go to:"Tactics" -
http://townhall.com/columnists/mikeadams/2016/04/29/tactics-n2154983;"Asking Questions"- 
http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries/entry/13/29295

World-Wide Prayer Requests:

 This is a photo of 3 of Asia's daughters holding a picture of their imprisoned mother.

A Christian Mother's Mandatory Death Penalty Could Be Overturned. PRAY and Sign the Petition Now! - https://aclj.org/persecuted-church/save-christian-mom-asia-bibi-from-execution? -Almost 6 years ago, when Asia Bibi defended her faith at her workplace, the workers accused her of insulting the Islamic prophet Mohmmed. She was soon arrested on blasphemy charges and sentenced to death by hanging by a local judge. She has been languishing on death row for 6 years - separated from her husband and five kids because of her Christian faith. Since then, lawyers and human rights activists have been working around the clock to appeal the case and give her  a second chance at life. Pakistan's Supreme Court was supposed to hear a final appeal but has postponed the hearing without explanation. When it is finally held, the hearing could  result in Asia being finally released. OR it could decide to have her hanged. If executed, she would be the first woman executed under Pakistan's brutal blasphemy law. The American Center for Law and Justice has been aggressively advocating for her. 

     Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is asking Christians around the world to PRAY for the folloiwing: 

That Asia would be acquitted.

For her strength and restoration during and after the hearing.

For wisdom and protection for Saiful Malook, her lawyer; and for the judges hearing her case.

For the wider Christian community who may face a backlash whatever the outcome of the appeal.

For an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Pakistan, to maintain calm in the country.

For justice for others accused of blasphemy, and that the government would urgently amend the blasphemy laws.

Don't let them execute Christian mom Asia Bibi!; SIGN the petition and PRAY for this court decision! [I've been praying in addition that , should she be released and the situation be too tense for her and her family to remain in Pakistan, they would be able to find asylum in another country, possibly even the U.S. - Stan]

Learn about Christian Persecution; Check out the World Watch List:
http://live.opendoorsusa.org/wwl/?utm_source=action&utm_medium=email&utm_content=content-banner&utm_campaign=may-2016
PRAY for the ON-GOING crisis now happening in IRAQ/SYRIA.  Pray that coalition forces will be able to destroy the leadership and infrastructure of ISIS.
"Why It's Becoming More Difficult to Be a Christian in INDIA" - 03-03-2016;
http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2016/March/Why-Its-Becoming-More-Difficult-to-Be-a-Christian-in-India

----------------------------------------------------------------------

"Born-Again Babies - SAVED BY SURGERY IN THE WOMB" - By: John Stonestreet| Breakpoint.org: December 20, 2016; http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries/entry/13/30258 [AS I SEE IT: I admit that when I first read about this surgery and this unborn BABY being saved in the womb, I was not very moved. Then, I realized that Praise God! these kinds of surgery have become more common over the years such that they are almost commonplace. AND they serve as a constant reminder that babies in the womb - as Jesus Himself was for 9 months - are worth our protection, and never our destruction. - Stan]

Did you know that babies can be born again? No, it’s not theology I’m talking about but science, and the implications are enormous.

While in her mother’s womb, Lynlee Boemer developed an exceedingly rare tumor that grows near the tailbone at the base of the spine. According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, the tumor appears in only one out of 30,000 to 70,000 live births. Now in about half these children, the tumor is harmless. But for the rest, like little Lynlee, the tumors can create stress on their developing hearts. In Lynlee’s case, the tumor had grown as big as her body. Her mother, Margaret, said, “It almost looked like a baby with two heads.” While other specialists recommended an abortion, those at Texas Children’s Fetal Center said there was a chance the child could be saved.

There was no time to lose. “Little Lynlee’s heart showed signs of failing, so we knew that it was urgent,” said Dr. Darrell Cass. Lynlee was just 24 weeks along and weighed only one pound. During the emergency operation, Cass and another pediatric surgeon made an incision, pulled Lynlee from the uterus, exposing her tiny frame from her legs to her torso. At one juncture, Lynlee’s heart almost stopped. The doctors resuscitated her, removed the massive tumor, gently placed Lynlee back inside her mother, stitched up the womb, and then waited. Three months later, on June 6, a very healthy Lynlee Boemer was born via C-section. Margaret Boemer understandably is thrilled. “It was her second birth, basically,” she told a local TV station. Such procedures are becoming more and more commonplace across the country.

Since 1995, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has performed more than 1,400 fetal operations, including one three years ago that saved the life of Tucker Roussin, who at 24 weeks of gestation was diagnosed with intrapericardial teratoma, an extremely rare, rapidly growing tumor in the sac surrounding the heart. Today Tucker is a normal, thriving three-year-old.

Fetal surgeries today—in which the baby is in or out of the uterus—can treat or cure a growing variety of problems, including spina bifida, lung malformations, bowel obstructions, and many other conditions. Such born-again babies have much to teach us. First, of course, they remind us of the preciousness of every human life and the need to continually improve our medical skills and technology in order to protect them. J. William Gaynor, a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon at Children’s, says, “The pioneering fetal surgery to remove a tumor from a baby’s heart is an incredible breakthrough and an innovation … that can be provided to a family who receives this devastating diagnosis.” Praise God that hope increasingly is available!

Second, they remind us of the double-talk of the so-called “pro-choice” movement. Note that Dr. Gaynor removed a tumor from “a baby’s heart.” But those who support abortion rights often use modern euphemisms such as fetus, clump of cells, or product of conception to disguise the identity of the unborn child. Yet this highly qualified physician, and others like him, call it what it is—a baby!

Third, born-again babies expose the insanity of abortion. Isn’t it ironic that Baby Lynlee could have been aborted without legal consequence before her surgery, then would have been protected during the surgery, and then would have been able to be aborted at any time in the three months after the surgery? As I said, this is insane.

Babies in utero who can be dismembered legally up to the very moment before emerging from their mother’s womb can, with a little more thought and care, be brought into God’s world and live a life that glorifies Him. As Mother Teresa said so powerfully, “Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want. This is why the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion.”

Friends, thank God for the growing number of born-again babies among us—and let’s redouble our efforts for the cause of life.

To get started, come to BreakPoint.org and join our nationwide prayer effort to end abortion—simply download a free copy of the “21 Days of Prayer for Life.” It’s a great tool for families, individuals, churches and small groups to join the life movement. 

[bold, italics, and colored emphasis mine]

FURTHER READING AND INFORMATION - John reminds us that every life is precious, and that's the foundation on which the "21 Days of Prayer for Life" prayer guide is built. Click here to read the guide, or download the "21 Days" app on your phone and pray for specific topics each day.

"21 Days of Prayer for Life" - http://www.breakpoint.org/21days

"Baby Partially Removed From Womb For Surgery, Then Put Back" - Jack Fink | CBS Dallas-Ft. Worth | October 21, 2016; http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2016/10/21/baby-partially-removed-from-womb-for-surgery-then-put-back/

"Fast-growing heart tumor removed from baby still inside the womb" - Mary Brophy Marcus | CBS News | November 29, 2016; http://www.cbsnews.com/news/heart-tumor-fetal-surgery-baby-inside-womb/

"Baby 'born twice' thrives after life-saving surgery" - A. Pawlowski | Today.com | October 21, 2016; http://www.today.com/health/baby-thrives-after-emergency-fetal-surgery-remove-tumor-t104242

"In world first, Philly surgeons remove fetal heart tumor during pregnancy" - Tom Avril | Philly.com | November 25, 2016; http://www.philly.com/philly/health/20161127_In_world_first__Philly_surgeons_remove_fetal_heart_tumor_during_pregnancy.html

"Remembering When Mother Teresa Left Hillary Clinton in Stunned Silence on Abortion" - 
Dave Andrusko | Lifenews.com | March 16, 2016; http://www.lifenews.com/2016/03/16/remembering-when-mother-teresa-left-hillary-clinton-in-stunned-silence-on-abortion/

#1805 (12/23) "Why I Took My Daughter to Lay Wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery"

"WHY I TOOK MY DAUGHTER TO LAY WREATHS AT ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY" - Cully Stimson / December 20, 2016 / http://dailysignal.com/2016/12/20/why-i-took-my-daughter-to-lay-wreaths-at-arlington-national-cemetery/?

Each December, volunteers gather to lay wreaths at the tombstones of U.S. servicemen and women at the Arlington National Cemetery. (Photo: iStock Photos)

Capt. Loyal Ray Blackwood, U. S. Navy, was laid to rest with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery on a sweltering day last summer. Born in 1925 in Alabama, he enlisted in the Navy in 1942, later received his commission, and served aboard the USS Compton in the South Pacific where he and his crewmates provided anti-submarine and anti-aircraft support during the Battle of Okinawa. After World War II, Blackwood earned a law degree, married Sue Jones, and joined the Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps. He retired after 30 years of active duty. He was a loyal and devoted churchman, played golf, loved watching the Crimson Tide play football, and sang in a barbershop quartet.

I served as the senior escort commander at his dignified funeral last summer. Wearing my ceremonial full dress (choker) white uniform, with sword and black mourning sash, large medals and white gloves, I had the honor of being the senior military officer at the time-honored event—one of over two dozen at Arlington that day. After the church ceremony, I walked alongside the petty officer in charge, and in front of the horse-drawn caisson that carried Blackwood to his final resting place in Section 8 of the hallowed cemetery. It was 91 degrees and extremely humid.

When we finally got to the gravesite, following a prayer, and after the 21-gun salute, I received the carefully folded American flag from the head casket bearer, walked over to Mrs. Blackwood, kneeled in front of her, and, with a lump in my throat, said, “On behalf of the president of the United States, the United States Navy, and a grateful nation, please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for your loved one’s honorable and faithful service.” With tears welling up in her eyes, she nodded and whispered, “Thank you.” I stood, stepped back one step, and rendered a solemn hand salute for seven seconds, and marched off.

Five months later, last Saturday, I found myself back at Arlington National Cemetery on a cold, icy morning in Washington, D.C. My family and I joined my daughter’s scout troop and tens of thousands of other people to lay fresh Christmas wreathes on the tombstones of the over 400,000 active-duty service members, veterans, and their families laid to rest in our most revered military burying ground.

Volunteers ranged from very young children to very senior citizens, Americans and foreigners, along with active-duty U.S. service members and their counterparts from other countries, some in full uniform. Men, women, and children of every race, religion, political persuasion, and walk of life gathered in the freezing rain and cold to pay respect to those loyal men and women who served and now lay in peaceful repose at Arlington. As we bundled up for the morning ritual, I reminded the girls of the significance of what they were about to do. As a third generation naval officer, and the son of a World War II vet, I thought they should know why what they were about to do was important. I reminded them that it happened to be the 72nd anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, one of the bloodiest and most brutal battles in Europe, pitting a quarter-million German troops in the Ardennes against Lt. General George Patton’s battered divisions. I explained how Adolf Hitler’s counteroffensive ultimately failed, but it cost the U.S. Army over 100,000 casualties.

When we got to Arlington and walked into the cemetery, we walked to the first of many 18-wheeler semis loaded with boxes of fresh wreathes, each of which had a red ribbon tied into a bow at the top. The girls walked up to the back of the open trucks, stuck out their arms, and a volunteer placed a pine-scented wreath on each tiny arm. We were directed to a section of Arlington, and we showed the girls how to place the wreaths, gently, at an angle, leaning up against the tombstone, with the red bow at the top. Some girls, mimicking other adults, placed the wreaths gingerly against the white stones, stood silently, and made the sign of the cross. Others, as they laid the sticky pine wreath against the stone, said the name of the fallen out loud, as other adults were doing around them.

Thinking about Blackwood and the funeral last summer, I told the girls that each tombstone told a story about a real person, where and how they served, and sometimes who they were married to.
Inspired by Blackwood, I challenged each of the girls to tell the story of one of the fallen. One by one, the girls found a tombstone, kneeled down, and told the rest of their troop the story, which went something like this: "This is the story of Private First Class … he was born on … he fought in World War II, earned the Purple Heart, and was married to …:" At one tombstone, one of the girls observed that the soldier’s wife died on her birthday, at the age of 90, and remarked, “That is so sad. But she lived a long, good life. Indeed.

In this fast-paced world in which we live, with the 24/7 news cycle and the internet, the elation or depression experienced by the recent national election, and now the run-up to Christmas and Hanukkah, it is really difficult to step back and be thankful for the most important things in our lives—family, faith, friendship, and the profound blessing of living in the United States and being an American citizen.

To those who have worn her uniform, and those who wear it proudly today—thank you.  And thank you, Blackwood, and the millions like you, who did your duty with loyalty and honor.

[bold, italics, and colored emphasis mine]

Charles “Cully” Stimson is a leading expert in national security, homeland security, crime control, immigration and drug policy at The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Legal and Judicial Studies and the Center for National Defense. Read his research.

#1804 (12/21) "Evangelicals and Assisted Suicide" - PLAYING GOD IS ALWAYS WRONG -

"Evangelicals and Assisted Suicide" - PLAYING GOD IS ALWAYS WRONG" - By: Eric Metaxas| Breakpoint.org: December 21, 2016; http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries/entry/13/30269 [AS I SEE IT: Just as 38 percent of evangelicals supporting assisted suicide bothers me, I am just as disturbed that as many as 25% (that's one-fourth) of evangelicals support abortion. That too speaks to me that something is wrong in evangelical thinking in our post-Christian society. - Stan]

If it’s right to oppose the killing of human beings at the beginning of life, why do so many evangelicals say it’s okay near the end of life?

Evangelical support for the pro-life cause is both well-known and extensive. The Pew Research Center says a full 75 percent are still willing to tell a pollster that “having an abortion is morally wrong.” But there’s disturbing news when it comes to evangelicals and another pro-life issue: assisted suicide. According to Lifeway Research, 38 percent of those who profess to be evangelical—nearly four in ten—agree with the following statement: “When a person is facing a painful terminal disease, it is morally acceptable to ask for a physician’s aid in taking his or her own life.”

In other words, physician-assisted suicide is okay—at least in some circumstances. So how in the world is that “pro-life”? Yes, a majority—62 percent—of evangelicals oppose euthanasia. But as BreakPoint This Week co-host Ed Stetzer says, it’s not nearly good enough.

“A shockingly high number of evangelicals believe that it is now okay for people to take their own lives when they see fit,” Ed notes. “When we filter the biblical truth that God gives and God takes away, that God creates and God ends, this 38 percent is quite disturbing.”

Disturbing indeed. How did we get here? For one thing, Lifeway’s Scott McConnell says too many Christians are not thinking like Christians. “Traditional Christian teaching says God holds the keys to life and death,” Scott says. “Those who go to church or hold more traditional beliefs are less likely to see assisted suicide as morally acceptable. Still, a surprising number do.”

It might be that the desire to avoid suffering at all costs—one of the cornerstones of today’s post-Christian worldview—trumps any and all biblical considerations. No wonder that in November, Colorado voters gave the thumbs-up to Proposition 106, also known by its Orwellian title: “The End of Life Options Act.” Among many of its problems, Proposition 106 does not require psychiatric evaluation for patients requesting suicide—this despite the fact that many suicidal people are suffering from depression and could be helped!

What makes all this even more troubling is that so many evangelicals and other Christians have imbibed this secular outlook. It certainly is not Christian. “Let me be clear,” Ed says: “No one wants to suffer. It is a result of our fallen world. All of creation, indeed, all of humanity, groans under the weight of sin and death …. Of course, we don’t run toward pain and suffering, willing it upon ourselves. But neither shall we flee from it as though it has no use.”

Ed then goes on to quote scriptures that show how God wills suffering in our lives to build character, endurance, and hope—and he reminds us that we can agree with the apostle Paul that “the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

This fallen world cannot provide what only heaven offers. Nor should it. Richard Baxter, the great eighteenth century Puritan pastor, reminds us that our sufferings and extremities can glorify the God who allows them in our lives in ways that few other things can. “If our rest was here,” Baxter said, “most of God’s providences must be useless. Should God lose the glory of his church’s miraculous deliverances… that men may have their happiness here?” As difficult as it is to suffer or to watch our loved ones suffer, playing God is always wrong, whether at the beginning of life—or at its end. There can be purpose in pain. And there is hope, for today and tomorrow.

As Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians, Jesus “was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but … we will live with him by the power of God.” Amen.

[bold, italics, and colored emphasis mine]

FURTHER READING AND INFORMATION - As Eric advises, many Christians need to re-examine their theology on end-of-life issues. The scriptures are clear that we are to trust our lives to God, even in the midst of suffering.

"Recent Research on End-of-Life Issues Reveal Holes in Our Theology " - Ed Stetzer, Laura Nichols | Christianity Today | December 9, 2016; http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2016/december/recent-research-on-end-of-life-issues-reveal-holes-in-our-t.html?share=iqNMbI8v/u8L1/k21%2Bgfbzim4KogPJRD
"Helping Others Say 'No' to Assisted Suicide: Making the Case for Dignity at the End of Life" - John Stonestreet | BreakPoint.org | October 12, 2016; http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries/breakpoint-commentaries-search/entry/13/29966

"A Suicidal Ballot in Colorado: Will the Right to Die Become a Duty to Die?" - John Stonestreet | BreakPoint.org | October 11, 2016; http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries/breakpoint-commentaries-search/entry/13/29964

Life's Worth: The Case Against Assisted Suicide - Arthur J. Dyck, Dennis P. Hollinger, Francis J. Beckwith | Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company | November 2002; http://www.colsoncenterstore.org/product.asp?sku=0802845940