# 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] 
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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.

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"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."
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"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)

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*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.

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