Huckabee Hides His Full Gospel?

Riding the Beast: Evangelicals & Politics MOTHER JONES - By David Corn and Jonathan Stein - December 10, 2007 Now that he has his moment in the political spotlight, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee does not want his days at the pulpit to be scrutinized. As Huckabee has surged to the front of the Republican pack in Iowa, his religious views have drawn media and voter attention. After all, Huckabee, a former Baptist pastor, has been campaigning as a "Christian leader." But he has vacillated on how far to interject faith into politics. At an early debate, he indicated he does not believe in evolution, but at a more recent debate, when he was asked by Wolf Blitzer if the creation of the Earth occurred six thousand years ago and only took six days, as stated in the Old Testament, Huckabee said, "I don't know. I wasn't there." During a question-and-answer session with students at fundamentalist Liberty University last month, he asserted that his rise in the polls has an explanation that is "beyond human" and is due to the power of his supporters' prayers. Afterward, he backtracked slightly, adding, "I'm saying that when people pray, things happen.... I'm not saying that God wants me to be elected." (At a victory rally held after Huckabee won a 1993 special election for lieutenant governor, Huckabee told his supporters that he had only won because God had intervened, according to the Texarkana Gazette.) With Huckabee walking this fine line, his campaign has declined to make available sermons that Huckabee delivered during his preaching days. - - - - http://www.motherjones.com/washington_dispatch/2007/12/huckabee-faith-baptist-pastor-sermons.html FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of religious, environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Huckabee: U.S. gave up on religion

Riding the Beast: Evangelicals & Politics School shootings were wake-up call, he says ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE [WEHCO Media] - By Linda S. Caillouet - June 8, 1998 SALT LAKE CITY -- Government may have dropped the ball in modern American society, but religion dropped it first, Gov. Mike Huckabee told Southern Baptist pastors Sunday night. "The reason we have so much government is because we have so much broken humanity," he said. "And the reason we have so much broken humanity is because sin reigns in the hearts and lives of human beings instead of the Savior." Huckabee, an ordained Southern Baptist minister, addressed his contemporaries at the two-day Pastors' Conference, which continues today. The three-day Southern Baptist Convention begins Tuesday here in the heartland of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the city in which the Mormons have their world headquarters. Huckabee told the pastors gathered in the Salt Palace Convention Center that while the March 1, 1997, tornadoes which struck Arkansas were tragic, at least the devastation could be clearly seen from a helicopter. In contrast, he said, the catalysts for the nation's recent school shootings -- including the one March 24 near Jonesboro that left four students and a teacher dead and 10 others wounded -- were harder to see but were driven by "the winds of spiritual change in a nation that has forgotten its God." "Government knows it does not have the answer, but it's arrogant and acts as though it does," Huckabee said. "Church does have the answer but will cowardly deny that it does and wonder when the world will be changed." The shootings were just one more wake-up call to the nation, he said. "I fear we will turn and hit the snooze button one more time and lose this great republic of ours." Huckabee said ungiving individuals are responsible for higher taxes. "I'm often asked why taxes are so high and government is so big. It's because the faith we have in local churches has become so small. If we'd been doing what we should have -- giving a dime from every dollar to help the widows, the orphans and the poor -- we now wouldn't be giving nearly 50 cents of every dollar to a government that's doing ... what we should have been doing all along." Huckabee also explained why he left pastoring for politics. "I didn't get into politics because I thought government had a better answer. I got into politics because I knew government didn't have the real answers, that the real answers lie in accepting Jesus Christ into our lives." He compared his entry into politics to "getting inside the dragon's belly," adding, "There's not one thing we can do in those marbled halls and domed capitols that can equal what's done when Jesus touches the lives of a sinner." The most basic unit of government is not the city council, quorum court or state legislature, Huckabee said. "It is Mom and Dad raising kids and teaching them respect for authority, others and God." The nation has descended gradually into crisis, Huckabee said, and repairing the damage needs to be gradual, too. He said the solution is simple: faith in Christ. Huckabee recalled the five occasions he's had to sit by the phone on the eve of an execution. "It's the greatest sense of helplessness and despair you can imagine to know we've exhausted all help and hope here on earth for that person." He also spoke of his early misconceptions of his duties as a pastor. "In one of the first churches I was assigned to, I thought I was supposed to be the captain of a warship leading the congregation into a battle against spiritual darkness," he said. "But they wanted the captain of the Love Boat. They just wanted everybody to be happy. It was not about how many people were won to Christ or how many teens were pulled away from drugs or how many marriages were saved. Instead, it was about the seniors having a great trip going to watch the fall leaves change, the teen-agers going to a better summer camp than the church across town." Huckabee concluded his speech by recalling his 10th birthday, when he accepted Christ. "I went to Vacation Bible School for all the wrong reasons -- I was told they'd give me all the cookies I could eat and all the Kool-Aid I could drink. But that day I got something better than cookies and Kool-Aid. I got the Savior. "I hope we answer the alarm clock and take this nation back for Christ." Before Huckabee spoke, more than 350 copies of his new book, Kids Who Kill: Confronting our Culture of Violence, had been placed in reporters' press boxes in the convention center press room. The slick cover of the book is a grim one -- a black-and-white, blurry photograph of a young boy pointing a gun at the reader. The most prominent part of the photograph is the round barrel of the gun. At the top of the book, this question is posed: "Are we reaping what we've sown?" The book was co-written by Dr. George Grant, director of the King's Meadow Study Center and a contributor to World magazine. The back cover states: "No more hand-wringing, no more finger-pointing. No more sound bites." It also makes a reference to the Jonesboro school shootings. Huckabee has recently been criticized by opponents claiming he has capitalized on the shootings with the publication of his book. The back cover states: "Just after lunch on March 24, 1998, four school children and a teacher were murdered by two students, ages thirteen and eleven, at an Arkansas middle school. Governor Mike Huckabee was informed of the tragedy en route from Washington, D.C. By the time he arrived, the news media were already waiting -- already polling the pundits and drawing conclusions based on the sketchiest information. The quest for quick answers has robbed us of the truth. Until now." The paperback is published by Broadman & Holman, a Nashville, Tenn., arm of the Baptist Sunday School Board. It retails for $11.99. Publicists for the book said last week they didn't expect it to arrive at the convention until today. Huckabee and his wife, Janet, left Salt Lake City immediately after his speech, and the governor did not hold a book signing at the convention. In fact, Huckabee didn't know the books had made it to the convention, said editors of the biweekly Arkansas Baptist Newsmagazine who visited with the governor shortly before his speech. Huckabee, governor since 1996, is a former president of the Arkansas Baptist Convention. He has authored one other book, Character is the Issue: How People with Integrity Can Revolutionize America, which was first publicly announced at the 1997 Southern Baptist Convention in Dallas a year ago and released last September. Other books given to reporters at the convention Sunday included a how-to boycott book aimed at the Walt Disney Co. by Richard D. Land titled Sending a Message to Mickey: The ABC's of Making Your Voice Heard at Disney. The back cover features an outline of the famous mouse's round ears and the words: "He who has ears, let him hear." The other book was Mormonism Unmasked by R. Philip Roberts, who examines the beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. http://www.ardemgaz.com/prev/jonesboro/afhuckabee08.asp FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of religious, environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

The Romney speech

Riding the Beast: Evangelicals & Politics WORLDNETDAILY - By Joseph Farah - December 7, 2007 There's much to admire about Mitt Romney's faith speech. And there are some statements that require scrutiny and sober and reflective discernment. As he stated, one of the forces that should hold our country together is the commitment to religious liberty. I agree. That means one's faith should be no barrier to the right to vote, the right to run for office, nor the right to hold office. It does not mean, however, that a candidate's faith should not be weighed as a very significant factor for voters making their choices. As Romney himself pointed out, our faith fundamentally shapes everything in which we believe. It is the lens through which we view the world. It is the glass through which we perceive truth. It is the prism that shapes our deepest values and convictions. That's why the faith of a candidate is considered so important to many Americans no matter the office. But when that office is the presidency of the United States, the importance is magnified greatly. I couldn't agree more with Romney when he states: "There are some who may feel that religion is not a matter to be seriously considered in the context of the weighty threats that face us. If so, they are at odds with the nation's founders, for they, when our nation faced its greatest peril, sought the blessings of the Creator. And further, they discovered the essential connection between the survival of a free land and the protection of religious freedom. In John Adams' words: 'We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. ... Our constitution was made for a moral and religious people.'" In fact, I used very similar words in my book "Taking America Back." Here's where I disagree – strongly. Romney said: "I believe that every faith I have encountered draws its adherents closer to God." That may be his belief, but it is simply not true. In fact, it is provably untrue – even according to the words of his own speech. Everyone has a religion – even atheists. A religion is what a person believes about God. Everyone has beliefs – even if it is a belief that there is no God, or that there are many. Romney himself acknowledged this when he referred disparagingly to "the religion of secularism." How could it possibly be true that everyone's beliefs bring them closer to God? How could it be true that everyone's beliefs bring them closer to a relationship with God? It makes no sense. It sounds nice. It tickles the ears. But it is simply false. It is, in fact, double-talk – frankly, a language Romney has mastered in his political career. Not everyone is right about God. Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:14: "[S]trait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." I believe that – as I believe everything Jesus said and every word of the Bible. Romney also plays the victim card in his speech – suggesting, in an ever-so-subtle way, that those Christians opposing him do so only because of his faith – out of some form of bigotry. He says, for instance: "A person should not be elected because of his faith nor should he be rejected because of his faith." He leaves out of the discussion, however, whether faith should be a factor that is weighed by voters. And, since faith does shape so fundamentally, as he admits, all of the deepest values and convictions one holds, why should it not be considered and considered seriously? In many ways, Romney's speech was well-crafted. But it was a political speech designed to rally a sagging campaign – or, perhaps more accurately, one that has never really caught fire despite his many charms and his seemingly limitless financial resources. Romney claims to be a follower of Jesus Christ, whom he called his Savior. He seeks the favor of Christians by making this assertion. Yet, those of us who follow Jesus know well that He never promised us an easy path. In fact, Jesus told us "ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake." Jesus actually encouraged us to look forward to that persecution, saying it would be a blessing. He didn't tell us to whine about it. Whether or not discerning, Bible-based Christians should vote for a Mormon to be their president is not really a question we have to face this year, because Romney is, as I have pointed out in the past, totally unqualified for the office on his political record. Thankfully, he even cited that deeply flawed political record: "As governor, I tried to do the right as best I knew it, serving the law and answering to the Constitution." He also said: "Americans tire of those who would jettison their beliefs, even to gain the world." Yet, even the most superficial examination of Romney's record as a politician reveals he is exactly the kind of man whose views shift with the wind and with the constituency to whom he needs to appeal. http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59074 FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of religious, environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Impact of Romney's 'faith' speech uncertain

Riding the Beast: Evangelicals & Politics 'President thinks everyone should be able to describe their religion for themselves' WORLDNETDAILY - December 8, 2007 The president believes religion should be an individual's choice, and isn't going to offer a critique on the "faith" speech given by GOP candidate Mitt Romney. White House spokeswoman Dana Perino was responding to a question from Les Kinsolving, WND's correspondent at the White House. He asked: "The president has seen or listened to or seen news coverage of Gov. Romney's speech yesterday on church and state, hasn't he?" "I do not – no, I don't – I don't know. He maybe saw news coverage this morning," Perino said. "Does he believe that this speech yesterday will have the same desired effect as a similar speech by Sen. John F. Kennedy, also of Massachusetts?" Kinsolving asked. "I don't know about that. I do know that the president thinks that everyone should be able to describe their religion for themselves," she said. Romney's speech was intended to satisfy those who are concerned about his Mormon beliefs, just as Kennedy's speech was intended to respond to concerns about the fact that until that election, the United States never had had a Catholic president. The Salt Lake City Tribune reported Romney's speech was "almost universally applauded" by Mormons. The newspaper reported: "I was absolutely thrilled," gushed LDS historian Richard Bushman, who is doing research at the Huntington Library in Los Angeles. "Mitt distinguished himself with this speech. I though he would say more about his Mormonism, but he wisely didn't" James Dobson, of Focus on the Family, called the address a "magnificent reminder of the role religious faith must play in government and public policy." However, Rev. Gregory Johnson, leader of a Salt Lake City-based group of evangelical Christians, told the newspaper he was not certain it would satisfy those "who think Mormonism is a cult." WND founder and editor Joseph Farah noted in an analysis that he agrees with Romney's statements that "one's faith should be no barrier to the right to vote, the right to run for office, nor the right to hold office." But he could not agree with other statements. "Here's where I disagree – strongly," he wrote. "Romney said: 'I believe that every faith I have encountered draws its adherents closer to God.' "That may be his belief, but it is simply not true." "Everyone has a religion – even atheists. A religion is what a person believes about God. Everyone has beliefs – even if it is a belief that there is no God, or that there are many. Romney himself acknowledged this when he referred disparagingly to 'the religion of secularism,'" Farah wrote. "How could it possibly be true that everyone's beliefs bring them closer to God? How could it be true that everyone's beliefs bring them closer to a relationship with God? It makes no sense. It sounds nice. It tickles the ears. But it is simply false. It is, in fact, double-talk – frankly, a language Romney has mastered in his political career." However, that shouldn't even be an issue for another reason, he continued. "Whether or not discerning, Bible-based Christians should vote for a Mormon to be their president is not really a question we have to face this year, because Romney is, as I have pointed out in the past, totally unqualified for the office on his political record," he wrote. http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59101 FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of religious, environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

In a Surprise, Pat Robertson Backs Giuliani

Riding the Beast: Evangelicals & Politics NEW YORK TIMES [NYTimes Group/Sulzberger] - By David D. Kirkpatrick and Michael Cooper - November 8, 2007 Rudolph W. Giuliani is a supporter of gay and abortion rights who is building his Republican primary campaign around his response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Pat Robertson, the Christian conservative broadcaster, once said permissiveness toward homosexuality and abortion led to God’s “lifting his protection” to allow those attacks. But there they were Wednesday morning, Mr. Robertson endorsing Mr. Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City, as “an acceptable” Republican “who can win the general election.” It was the latest manifestation of the deep divide in the Christian conservative movement over how to balance politics and principle in the coming era after President Bush, who once so deftly brought it all together. Many former Christian conservative allies dismissed the endorsement as an inexplicable stunt. They noted that Mr. Robertson, 77, had lost much of his influence since the heady days of his second-place finish in the Iowa caucuses 20 years ago when he ran for the Republican presidential nomination. “What support he has left,” said Connie Mackey, a vice president of the public policy arm of the evangelical Family Research Council, “is obviously going to be eroded by this very strange endorsement.” Others close to Mr. Robertson said, however, that he had decided to speak out to rebut a threat from other Christian conservative leaders to bolt the Republican Party if it nominated Mr. Giuliani or any other candidate who supports abortion rights. - - - - http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/08/us/politics/08repubs.html?ex=1352264400&en=f9d05f3919019b58&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of religious, environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Pat Robertson Backs Giuliani's Bid

Riding the Beast: Evangelicals & Politics ASSOCIATED PRESS - By Libby Quaid - November 7, 2007 WASHINGTON - Pat Robertson, a prominent Christian leader and social conservative, endorsed Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani on Wednesday. "It is my pleasure to announce my support for America's Mayor, Rudy Giuliani, a proven leader who is not afraid of what lies ahead and who will cast a hopeful vision for all Americans," Robertson said in a statement issued by the Giuliani campaign. The former New York mayor backs abortion rights and gay rights, positions that put him in conflict with GOP orthodoxy, and has been trying to persuade cultural conservatives to overlook their differences with him on those issues. Giuliani is best known to voters for leading New York in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Shortly after 9/11, Robertson released a statement in which he said the attacks occurred because Americans had insulted God and lost the protection of heaven by allowing abortion and "rampant Internet pornography." Robertson made no mention of his differences with Giuliani on social issues in Wednesday's statement. "Rudy Giuliani took a city that was in decline and considered ungovernable and reduced its violent crime, revitalized its core, dramatically lowered its taxes, cut through a welter of bureaucratic regulations, and did so in the spirit of bipartisanship which is so urgently needed in Washington today," Robertson said. Conservatives have split in their support for the leading Republican candidates. Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback planned to endorse John McCain on Wednesday. Mitt Romney recently announced that Paul Weyrich and Bob Jones III were on board with his candidacy. - - - - http://apnews.myway.com/article/20071107/D8SOTN7G1.html FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of religious, environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Israel’s Shattered Trust

FORWARD - By P. David Hornik - December 20, 2007 Is Israel standing up for itself at last? The U.S. National Intelligence Estimate on Iran—particularly its lead sentence that “We judge with high confidence that in fall 2003, Tehran halted its nuclear weapons program”—has caused wall-to-wall consternation in Israel, whose intelligence community is convinced that Iran has never, except possibly for a brief intermission, stopped working on its bomb. On Saturday Public Security Minister Avi Dichter, member of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s Kadima Party and previously head of Israel’s domestic security agency, called the NIE an “American misconception concerning Iran’s nuclear weapons, which is liable to lead to a regional Yom Kippur [War] where Israel will be among the countries that are threatened.” This is grave terminology in the Israeli context, referring to the Yom Kippur or October War of 1973 in which faulty or neglected intelligence led Israel to give Egypt and Syria the upper hand by reacting almost catastrophically too late to their attack. As a result Israel suffered three thousand unnecessary fatalities and neared the brink of destruction before eventually turning the tide and winning. “Something went wrong,” Dichter said, “in the American blueprint for analyzing the severity of the Iranian nuclear threat. . . . A misconception by the world’s leading superpower…has to cause concern in Israel and many other countries.” With Olmert already engaging in his idea of damage control on Sunday, saying at the weekly cabinet meeting that he was “asking the ministers to stop giving statements on Iran and the American intelligence report” and “There is no place for private comments by every single minister on such a sensitive and complex issue,” Dichter’s words could have been dismissed as those of a frustrated maverick. Also on Sunday, though, Israel ’s Army Radio reported that many cabinet members share the security chief’s view. Not surprising, then, is the Associated Press report, which also came out the same day, that last week “ Israel … dispatched an unscheduled delegation of intelligence officials to the US to try to convince it that Iran is still trying to develop nuclear weapons.” The report cites Israeli officials saying Israel , for that purpose, “intends to present information classified as top secret for security reasons.” This newfound assertiveness—or desperation—comes just after Israel reached yet-unplumbed depths of submission to America’s perceived priorities at Annapolis where, obeying U.S.-cum-Saudi demands, the Israeli representatives meekly entered the hall through a separate door and accepted Untermensch status. And even that could be seen as just a symbolization of an ongoing situation where Israel passively allows its citizens to be bombarded and its enemies to build up ominous forces on its border so as to sustain the fiction of the U.S.-orchestrated “peace process.” Conjectures that after the Annapolis conference Israel would finally move decisively against the terrorist concentration in Gaza proved wrong as Israel continues to bide time. Last week its security cabinet recommended against a major Gaza operation, citing supposed tactical successes in killing a few hundred Gaza terrorists this year even as the jihad organizations have managed to fire a thousand rockets and over a thousand mortars since the year began, keeping the nearby Israeli communities in a perpetual state of terror. But the real reason for the restraint was “peacemaking”—which means, at this point, ongoing meetings with Palestinian Authority/Fatah leaders who have clearly announced that they will never even recognize Israel as a Jewish state. Israelis who were unhappy with this charade were assured that it was all part of a U.S. strategy, ultimately working to Israel’s benefit, of demonstrating concern for the Palestinian issue and thereby putting together a bloc of moderate Arab states that would stand with America in confronting Iran. It was the NIE that burst that balloon. Now a top Israeli delegation has been scrambled to the U.S. to try and prove that Iran really constitutes the threat that supposedly was the guiding consideration all along. If it is possible to understand the Israeli approach of compliance with its superpower ally, it has long been difficult to understand the lengths to which Israel will keep itself in line. From the time the Second Intifada broke out in September 2000 till Operation Defensive Shield began in March 2002, Israel essentially let its citizens be slaughtered in the streets so as not to ruffle George Bush’s then-perception that the Palestinian territories were sacrosanct and off limits to Israeli forces. Israel has meanwhile gone along with releasing hundreds of terrorists from prison, funneling funds and weapons to Fatah, and periodically lifting West Bank checkpoints even though all these measures lead with demonstrable regularity to fatal attacks on Israeli civilians. Two years ago Israel evacuated Gaza partly, it is thought, so that then-prime minister Ariel Sharon could win a promise from Bush that Israel would eventually retain substantial lands in the West Bank . Today Israel keeps being pushed along in a “peace process” with PA leaders who say openly that they will never accept anything but total Israeli withdrawal followed by Israel ’s inundation with “refugees.” And since the pullout from Gaza , the rocket fire has climbed from a couple of hundred hits per year to about a thousand per year—still without any substantial Israeli response. Israel is now stunned by the perception that the return on all this costly compliance is the NIE—widely believed by the political and security establishment to mean the Bush administration has bowed out of confronting Iran and left Israel to face it very much alone. http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/Read.aspx?GUID=5FD31B12-CCD8-4861-A341-79D5FCD0F0FF FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of religious, environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Be Alert! Blog is Back

Greetings in Jesus, This is just a quick note to inform that the blog is back after a brief hiatus. I quit posting and began a search for a replacement blog as I have found that I highly dislike and distrust Google. And that is a big part of the problem as Google’s products usually perform quite well and are hard to replace. However, their goal seems to be to track and categorize anything and everything there is. So far, though, my search has not been to fruitful and since the blog functions as an “overflow” and a spot where I can put further resources and information I believe it is a “necessary” evil to use Google at this time. Meanwhile, I will keep an eye out for a better solution and use Scroogle’s search engine when I can. By the way, this picture was posted at Scroogle. BE/\LERT! Scott Brisk

Brazilian church leaders get U.S. jail time for cash smuggling

ASSOCIATED PRESS - By Curt Anderson - August 17, 2007 MIAMI - A husband and wife who lead one of Brazil's largest evangelical churches were sentenced to nearly five months in prison Friday after pleading guilty to smuggling more than $56,000 into the United States hidden in luggage, a child's backpack and a Bible case. Estevam Hernandes Filho and his wife, Sonia Haddad Moraes Hernandes, must serve an additional five months of house arrest in the U.S. and pay $60,000 in fines under a sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Federico Moreno. - - - The couple - known as Apostle Estevam and Bishop Sonia to their followers - lead Brazil's Reborn in Christ Church, which they founded in 1986 and which now claims hundreds of thousands of followers. Brazilian authorities are seeking the couple's extradition on charges of looting parishioners' donations for their own use. Moreno said he did not base his sentence on the possible Brazilian prosecution and accepted the couple's explanation that the $56,467 they illegally brought into the U.S. was not taken from church donations. That money will be forfeited to the U.S. government. "I'm not considering the alleged fraud in Brazil. I leave that up to the Brazilian authorities," Moreno said. The lengthy hearing took place in a courtroom packed with about 60 family members and supporters, many of whom wept loudly when Moreno delivered his sentence. Dozens of followers also wrote letters to Moreno asking for a lenient sentence. - - - Albert Krieger, one of the couple's lawyers, said they brought the money to the United States as part of a plan to gradually move their permanent residence from Brazil to Boca Raton out of fear they and their families might be targeted by kidnappers. He said the money was hidden in various belongings because the couple worried about thieves at airports. Assistant U.S. Attorney Armando Rosquete, however, said it was "bizarre" for the church leaders to hide money in a Bible case. "What I see in this case is an element of greed," he said. The couple pleaded guilty in June to failing to declare on a customs form that they were carrying more than $10,000 into the United States. They have been under house arrest at their Boca Raton home since Jan. 19. In a statement released shortly after learning of the sentence, the Reborn in Christ Church said: "In view of the court's final decision, we reaffirm our belief that "better days will come." "We shall continue praying for our Apostle and our Bishop, knowing that once they complete their sentence they will return to guide us. They know that until they return --- their flock will continue walking down the path they have pointed out," the statement said. Reborn in Christ spokesman Marcio Foffu said the Church had no further comment. http://www.theledger.com/article/20070817/APN/708170819 FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of religious, environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Police say televangelist assaulted by her husband - Weeks Charged With Assaulting Bynum

Preacher has won national following with sermons about women's empowerment WXIA-TV11 NBC ATLANTA [Gannett] - By Michael King - August 23, 2007 Police said Juanita Bynum, a televangelist who has won a national following with sermons about women's empowerment, was assaulted by her preacher husband in the parking lot of an Atlanta hotel early Wednesday. Police say Bynum and her estranged husband, Thomas W. Weeks III, the founder of Global Destiny churches, met at Renaissance Concourse Hotel near Atlanta's airport to try to reconcile. Atlanta police said Weeks was charged with one count of aggravated assault and one count of terroristic threats on Thursday. Officer Ronald Campbell said that about 4 a.m. they fought in the parking lot until a hotel bellman pulled Weeks off. Campbell say Bynum was bruised around her neck and upper torso. No charges had been filed by tonight against Weeks, who left the scene according to police. Bynum is a Pentecostal evangelist who lives in Hempstead, New York and has administrative offices in Waycross. The former homemaker, hairdresser and flight attendant writes books, records inspirational CDs and preaches to millions through televised sermons. She married Weeks in 2002 in a televised wedding. http://www.11alive.com/news/article_news.aspx?storyid=102111 FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of religious, environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

"Why I Left The Prophetic Movement"

By Andrew Strom (-Nov 3, 2004). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A report on the Kansas City 'Whitedove' Conference, Oct 28-30, 2004. (-Main speakers: Bob Jones, Paul Keith Davis, Bobby Conner, John Paul Jackson - plus Jim Goll and others). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It is with great sadness that I make the following report. I said last week that the 'Whitedove' conference in Kansas City this past weekend would be a pivotal one. It certainly was pivotal for me personally. I wish I could say that there was deep repentance - that the preaching was incredibly anointed and the crowd were on their faces crying before God. I wish I could say that, but I can't. In fact, it seemed to me that the opposite was true. The saddest thing of all is that many people probably came away from this conference saying how "wonderful" and "uplifting" it was (-just as they always do). But I have to tell you, I was grieved to the core by it. Many parts of it I would even describe as spiritually "sick". Some people believe that the fall of Paul Cain into serious sin is some kind of aberration - just one individual's problem. But I am convinced that the fall of Paul Cain (-who was recognised worldwide as the 'father' of this movement) is a symptom of a much wider disease. The whole movement is sick. As I have stated in previous articles, the 'Prophetic' as we know it is really a "fallen" movement - since the early 1990's. But I always held out hope that it would somehow turn around and get back on track again. In fact, I believed that this conference was a heaven-sent opportunity for that to happen. However, after what I saw this weekend, I no longer believe this is possible. The deception is now too deep. This movement is being "given over to believe a lie" and I want no part of it. I am cutting myself off, because I cannot afford the disease to spread into what we ourselves are doing. Things have now gotten so bad that we have to separate ourselves - and to do so publicly. As you know, I requested special prayer from you all last week that a true spirit of Repentance might prevail in this conference. The reason I made this request was because God had woken me up at 6 am the previous Friday and given me a strong word about the conference. (God only wakes me up like this quite rarely - perhaps five times a year). The word He gave me was that this must be a 'repentance' conference - that this was in essence the "last chance" for the Prophetic movement because it had become more and more corrupt - centered around money and 'ear-tickling' words, false prophecy and so-on. This was a gathering of KEY prophets at a moment in time when the 'father' of the movement had just fallen. It was God's ideal moment for a truly "solemn assembly". (And yes - I did write and pass this word on - in person - to the three main leaders of the conference). However, what actually eventuated at this event seemed to me to be more akin to a circus than a solemn assembly. The music, the concert-style lighting, the stage dancers, the groaning tables stacked high with books and CD's for sale, the 'ear-tickling', the hype, the $40.00 door fee (plus extra offerings taken each session) - and that's just for starters. What really bothered me about the weekend was the total lack of any truly 'prophetic' preaching. There was some good stuff on Self-pity and Bitterness right near the start, but after that it was mostly downhill. As always, there were plenty of anecdotes and tales of angelic visitations, etc. There were Scriptures quoted and a few helpful insights. But as far as a message that truly pierces and challenges and convicts - well, don't go looking for that in THIS prophetic movement! In fact, there were warnings AGAINST any message that might come across as even slightly "condemning", and there was even one of those cute talks on the need for "loving oneself", etc. Today's prophets seem to talk a lot ABOUT the 'sword of the Lord' but never actually bring it to bear. They bring no piercing word. And thus the entire movement is open to great deception. And instead of REPENTANCE, people are getting all kinds of counterfeit spiritual experiences. There seems to be almost no discernment at all. The ON-STAGE DANCING throughout this conference was a good example. Now, I myself am a rock musician, but from the beginning these dance items had a rather 'wild' aspect to them that truly made me uncomfortable in my spirit. There was even one that came across like a sensual 'Harem' dance. Much of it really felt "off" - and almost anyone who sees the videos will tell you so. Even the worship had a very "tribal" feel to it at times. And by Day Three they were doing dance items with just loud voodoo-style drums only - and leaping around in a frenzied circle making weird cries to the super-amplified beat. The feeling in the room was so oppressive and "pagan" during this, that I could hardly even bear to stay in there. Then came one of the most shocking statements of the whole conference - from one of the main prophets. He got up and said that people may feel uncomfortable with such obviously "pagan" type dancing, but that it was originally God's type of dancing and we were just now 'stealing back' what the pagans had stolen from God! I have to admit, this was the last straw for me. What could be more blatant? What kind of 'spirits' do they think are being transmitted to people who open themselves up to that music? There is no discernment in this movement at all. Now, I do not primarily blame the dancers. They were young and possibly immature. (-They weren't actually from 'Whitedove' itself). Clearly, most of the blame lies with the main prophets who invited them in and openly endorsed and promoted what was happening the whole time. They would get up and publicly acclaim these dance items, thus ensuring that the spirit of it would pervade the entire event. And indeed it did - more and more. Remember, most of the major "movers and shakers" of the Prophetic movement were at this conference, going along with this stuff. I repeat what I said earlier: This movement demonstrates absolutely NO DISCERNMENT. I urge everyone to GET OUT NOW, before even worse is brought in. I believe this movement is RIGHT NOW being given over to deception by God - and it is going to get much worse. Even the 'spiritual' moments in this conference often had strong touches of "Charis-mania" excess about them. And this was not the 'harmless, silly' kind of excess, either. It was at a level where I believe demonic spirits of deception were clearly at work. By the last session the audience was so hyped that they threw away all inhibition and leapt into the 'pagan' dancing themselves with wild abandon. And one of the main prophets even got up and announced that there were angels in the room going around "blowing on peoples' fingers" if only they would lift them up in the air. That particular part sounds silly, but actually the whole thing by this stage had become awful beyond words. Virtually every day I came home utterly grieved and depressed. I had come to this conference with great expectancy and hope, thinking that the return of Bob Jones may bring a renewal of all that was originally good about this movement. I literally came as a 'friend' and they turned me into an enemy in the space of three days. Below are the SPECIFIC THINGS that God told me He has against this movement as a whole: -The giving and receiving of "ear-tickling" words. -The giving and receiving of money in expectation of prophecy. -False words and false teaching. -The lack of a true Repentance message. -The spiritual 'blindness' that allows familiar spirits and spirits of divination to flourish. -The failure of this movement to judge itself, meaning that God must judge it. -The idolising of well-known prophets - placing them on a pedestal. -And so on.... WHAT NOW FOR US? Well, obviously, with great sadness we must now totally cut ourselves off from today's Prophetic Movement. Any related links and articles will be removed from our web-site immediately. As you know, for some time now I have spoken of the 'John-the- Baptist' type ministries that must arise to preach REPENTANCE in the Western nations. -Preachers of righteousness with a piercing word, like the Finneys, the Wesleys and the Whitefields of old. Such ministries are essential for true Revival to come. I now see that this new move must completely "separate itself" from the influence of the existing Prophetic movement. We need a completely 'NEW' Prophetic, and to keep it from being tainted by the sickness that has infected the old, there must be a complete cutting-off and a "leaving behind". I urge all of you to take this before the Lord for yourself. We live in very dangerous times, and I believe the old Prophetic literally stands under the judgement of God. For our ministry in Kansas City, what this means is that we have to go right back to the original calling and mandate over this city, and build on that. We cannot build on the movement that came after. The 21 days of prayer and fasting, the comet that came, and the comission to preach Repentance to the Lukewarm church - these were all foundational elements. So too were the four standards of "Holiness of heart, Unwavering faith, Day and Night prayer, and Extravagant Giving to the Poor". The original Prophetic move here seemed to be relatively pure for only a few years - and then quickly became a quagmire. So we have to stick to only the original foundations - and build on that. Our Sunday night meetings in Kansas City will certainly continue. There were prophecies last year that a 'new' prophetic - a "second phase" was about to begin. I do believe this. But what we need to make sure of is that it does not become ensnared in the garbage of this previous movement. It must be totally NEW. I would ask that you forward this announcement to as many Lists as you can, and to your Christian friends. We want it as widely known as possible that we have cut off all relations with the current Prophetic movement - and why we did it. To email me with any feedback, please write to: prophetic@revivalschool.com As you can tell, it has been a terribly sad and devastating weekend for myself and my family. We would truly appreciate your prayers at this time, my friends. God bless you all. Kindest regards in Christ, Andrew Strom. _________________ http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~revival/leaving.html

The Israeli left unmasked

A Burdensome Stone WORLDNETDAILY - By Aaron Klein - June 11, 2007 JERUSALEM - Much has been said here and abroad about controversial statements made in recent weeks by a yarmulke-wearing, prominent international leftist Jewish leader and senior activist of Israel's "peace camp" who called on Israel to cease being a Jewish state and instead model itself after Europe. But I think most people are missing the point. Avraham Burg, once an important Knesset member in Israel's leftist Labor party, recently published a book, "Defeating Hitler," in which he repeatedly compared various Israeli Jewish policies with that of Nazism. "To define the state of Israel as a Jewish state is the key to its end. A Jewish state is explosive. It's dynamite," said Burg, who once was Israel's Knesset speaker and was considered by some a hopeful for prime minister. Burg, a scion of one of Israel's founding families, also served as chairman of the Jewish Agency and the World Zionist Organization, both of which are major Jewish organizations. Burg said Israel's Law of Return, which allows all Jews seeking sanctuary in Israel to become citizens, is similar to Nazi rule, even though it was created in response to genocidal Nazi crimes. The law helped Jews escape persecution in countries such as Germany, Russia and Yemen. "The Law of Return is an apologetic law. It is the mirror image of Hitler. I don't want Hitler to define my identity," Burg said. He compelled Israelis to obtain foreign passports. He said Israel should model itself after the European Union and become a multinational state, and he urged the Israeli government to allow the EU more influence in its affairs. The leftist Israeli leader said Israel should learn from the assimilation and inter-marriage of Jews in the U.S., where Jewish individuals marrying non-Jews has become a major phenomenon. Burg criticized what he called Israelis' "closed conception" of religion, which he stated is "orthodox, not humanist and not universal." He said other alternatives to Judaism must be offered. Burg now is a citizen of France. He retired from Israeli politics and departed Israel in shame after it was disclosed he may have engaged in election corruption and vote tampering while trying to become chairman of the Labor party. He also was accused of illicit business practices. He is still active as a leader in Israel's peace camp, which calls for the establishment of a Palestinian state and Israeli evacuations of the Gaza Strip, Golan Heights, West Bank and eastern sections of Jerusalem. Burg has been condemned by many politicians and commentators here and abroad as a self-hating Jew who is encouraging anti-Semitism. One Knesset member called for Burg to be denied a burial plot in Israel's national cemetery reserved for the country's leaders. But what many seem to be missing is that Burg's views are not renegade. They are representative of the Israeli left. Burg's reasoning is the same as those petitioning for more EU control of Israel's affairs and for evacuations from biblical Jewish territories and holy sites. Burg comes from the school of people like Geneva Initiative leader Yossi Beilin, Labor Chairman Ehud Barak, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and their ideological godfather and mentor, Shimon Peres, who officially becomes Israeli president later this week. So many around the world wrongly believe the conflict in Israel is about territory. They think the Israeli left mainly wants to cede land to the Palestinians while the right stands against land giveaways. In actuality, the main Israeli political battle is between a left that wants Israel to be a secular, European-like state, and the religious right, which sees Israel as a Jewish country defined by national Zionism. It's a battle that will ultimately determine the future of Israel. Growing up in a Jewish community in the United States, I was fortunate enough not to have experienced the kind of anti-Semitism that permeates places like France and, increasingly, the UK. But European anti-Semitism pales in comparison to its venomous counterparts in Israel. That's right, Israel. It wasn't until I moved here to open WND's Jerusalem bureau in February 2005 that I fully understood what anti-Semitism is. The hatred many secular, leftist Israelis feel for the religious is so deep I cannot do it justice with words. The secular leftist media routinely demonize the religious. I've seen the way secular Jewish security forces brutally squash legal religious Jewish protests at the direction of leftist politicians. I've borne witness the past few years to the enactment of institutional anti-Semitic laws, such as deeming religious Jewish construction in strategic territory illegal while ignoring rampant illegal Arab building; or denying Jews the right to pray at or even visit Judaism's holiest site, the Temple Mount, during most hours of the day. This great divide extends itself to the streets. Religious and secular cities are mostly separated. Just try talking to a secular leftist Jew in Tel Aviv about religion and God and watch his or her face wither in anger. But many Israeli leftists politicians and activists are more enterprising than the average leftist Israeli. They disguise their hatred of Judaism with specific political policies. Just like Islamic terrorists who claim their attacks are aimed at ending America's military presence in the Middle East or our support for Israel when the jihadists' real goal is worldwide domination of Islam, leftist Israeli leaders state their aim is to create a Palestinian state when their true intention is the establishment of a secular Israeli country by stabbing at the lifeline of religious Zionism with evacuations of the West Bank - the biblical heartland and center of the religious Zionists movement - and with the division of religious Jerusalem and stationing of foreign troops on Israel's borders. Already, the religious Jewish communities of the Gaza Strip were uprooted and international forces were deployed along the Israeli-Lebanese border. Burg is not a maverick. He is a leftist politician who knows he has no chance at being re-elected, so he was able to take off his mask and expose his true beliefs and the real nature of Israel's internal war. And he didn't blurt these things out during a spontaneous interview; he detailed his views in a book he said took him three years to compose. Some believe Burg could have become Israel's prime minister. What if he had achieved Israel's highest office before he let loose his real beliefs? Why isn't anyone asking whether Israel's current prime minister, who seeks to evacuate the Jewish West Bank and sections of Jerusalem, shares Burg's anti-Jewish views? What about Ehud Barak, who as prime minister in 2000 announced at Camp David he was ready to cede the Temple Mount and who offered PLO leader Yasser Arafat a state within rocket range of Israel's population centers? And what about all the Israeli leftist politicians who regularly petition for placing EU or U.N. troops in Gaza or the West Bank? Sure, some Israeli leftist politicians, including Beilin and some from Olmert's party, condemned Burg, but I believe they did so because they were angry at him for exposing them. The admitted anti-Jewish Burg once held some of the most prestigious leadership positions in world Jewry. Why isn't anyone questioning whether top leaders of Jewish organizations now share his beliefs? Perhaps Burg's revelations about the left help explain why, as I reported, the leaders of the Jewish National Fund, which collects hundreds of millions of dollars in Jewish donor funds for the stated purpose of Jewish settlement, has been ceding Jewish-owned properties to Arabs in key sections of Jerusalem and other Israeli cities designated by the left for evacuation. The JNF, which proudly posts pictures of leftist leader Peres on its newspaper advertisements, has been allowing Arab squatters to live completely illegally on millions of dollars worth of Jewish-owned land purchased for Jewish settlement. Perhaps Burg's admissions might also help explain why, as I reported, mainstream U.S. Jewish groups, including the leadership of United Jewish Communities, one of the most financially endowed Jewish organizations on the planet, neglected the plight of religious Jewish refugees evacuated from Gaza in 2005 who didn't receive most compensation promised to them by the Israeli government. The uprooted national religious Gaza Jews still live in terrible conditions in refugee camps and suffer from low employment and a host of other problems. The UJC largely ignored the Gaza Jews while instead funding initiatives with Jewish money to aid Israeli Arabs. The esteemed Jewish organization finally started helping a bit after they were exposed and angry Jewish donors demanded action to help the Jews of Gaza. So, while many are resoundingly condemning Burg for his anti-Jewish views, I thank him for unmasking the true beliefs of the Israeli left. Perhaps now the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be understood in its proper context. http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=56608 FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of religious, environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Etruscans Were Immigrants From Anatolia In Ancient Turkey

Genesis 10:32 These are the families of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, by their nations; and out of these the nations were separated on the earth after the flood. SPACEDAILY - by Staff Writers - Jun 20, 2007 Nice, France - The long-running controversy about the origins of the Etruscan people appears to be very close to being settled once and for all, a geneticist will tell the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics today. Professor Alberto Piazza, from the University of Turin, Italy, will say that there is overwhelming evidence that the Etruscans, whose brilliant civilisation flourished 3000 years ago in what is now Tuscany, were settlers from old Anatolia (now in southern Turkey). Etruscan culture was very advanced and quite different from other known Italian cultures that flourished at the same time, and highly influential in the development of Roman civilisation. Its origins have been debated by archaeologists, historians and linguists since time immemorial. Three main theories have emerged: that the Etruscans came from Anatolia, Southern Turkey, as propounded by the Greek historian Herotodus; that they were indigenous to the region and developed from the Iron Age Villanovan society, as suggested by another Greek historian, Dionysius of Halicarnassus; or that they originated from Northern Europe. Now modern genetic techniques have given scientists the tools to answer this puzzle. Professor Piazza and his colleagues set out to study genetic samples from three present-day Italian populations living in Murlo, Volterra, and Casentino in Tuscany, central Italy. "We already knew that people living in this area were genetically different from those in the surrounding regions", he says. "Murlo and Volterra are among the most archaeologically important Etruscan sites in a region of Tuscany also known for having Etruscan-derived place names and local dialects. The Casentino valley sample was taken from an area bordering the area where Etruscan influence has been preserved." The scientists compared DNA samples taken from healthy males living in Tuscany, Northern Italy, the Southern Balkans, the island of Lemnos in Greece, and the Italian islands of Sicily and Sardinia. The Tuscan samples were taken from individuals who had lived in the area for at least three generations, and were selected on the basis of their surnames, which were required to have a geographical distribution not extending beyond the linguistic area of sampling. The samples were compared with data from modern Turkish, South Italian, European and Middle-Eastern populations. "We found that the DNA samples from individuals from Murlo and Volterra were more closely related those from near Eastern people than those of the other Italian samples", says Professor Piazza. "In Murlo particularly, one genetic variant is shared only by people from Turkey, and, of the samples we obtained, the Tuscan ones also show the closest affinity with those from Lemnos." Scientists had previously shown this same relationship for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in order to analyse female lineages. And in a further study, analysis of mtDNA of ancient breeds of cattle still living in the former Etruria found that they too were related to breeds currently living in the near East. The history of the Etruscans extends before the Iron Age to the end of the Roman Republic or from c. 1200 BC to c. 100BC Many archaeological sites of the major Etruscan cities were continuously occupied since the Iron Age, and the people who lived in the Etruria region did not appear suddenly, nor did they suddenly start to speak Etruscan. Rather they learned to write from their Greek neighbours and thus revealed their language. Archaeologists and linguists are in agreement that the Etruscans had been developing their culture and language in situ before the first historical record of their existence. "But the question that remained to be answered was - how long was this process between pre-history and history"" says Professor Piazza. In 1885 a stele carrying an inscription in a pre-Greek language was found on the island of Lemnos, and dated to about the 6th century BC. Philologists agree that this has many similarities with the Etruscan language both in its form and structure and its vocabulary. But genetic links between the two regions have been difficult to find until now. Herodotus' theory, much criticised by subsequent historians, states that the Etruscans emigrated from the ancient region of Lydia, on what is now the southern coast of Turkey, because of a long-running famine. Half the population was sent by the king to look for a better life elsewhere, says his account, and sailed from Smyrna (now Izmir) until they reached Umbria in Italy. "We think that our research provides convincing proof that Herodotus was right", says Professor Piazza, "and that the Etruscans did indeed arrive from ancient Lydia. However, to be 100% certain we intend to sample other villages in Tuscany, and also to test whether there is a genetic continuity between the ancient Etruscans and modern-day Tuscans. This will have to be done by extracting DNA from fossils; this has been tried before but the technique for doing so has proved to be very difficult." "Interestingly, this study of historical origins will give us some pointers for carrying out case-control studies of disease today," says Professor Piazza. "In order to obtain a reliable result, we had to select the control population much more carefully that would normally be done, and we believe that this kind of careful selection would also help in studies of complex genetic diseases." http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Etruscans_Were_Immigrants_From_Anatolia_In_Ancient_Turkey_999.html FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of religious, environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Understanding Persecution of Christians in Name Only

Commentary for the July 21, 2007 edition of Be Alert! Persecution of believers in Jesus the Messiah is clearly growing daily and globally, especially now in the Western nations that traditionally (because of the gospel) have seen very little of what the Communist, Islamic and third world pagan nations have long suffered (at least since the Protestant Reformation). My fear has long been that persecution would break out in the West before the return of Christ, as there is no statement in the Word of God that declares otherwise. Many have connected the tribulation period with persecution in the West but that is not necessarily so as the spread of the gospel in traditional places of persecution like China for example could actually result in an eventual lowering of persecution while the falling way in United States could bring about a sudden increase in a relatively short period of time if the Lord tarries. Please understand that this is just a hypothesis for an example and not a prophecy. If the church here in America is already incapable of standing against the insidious seductions of the serpent, how much more the outright attack of the dragon? That said, I would like to frame a few of the articles from a biblical worldview before you read on although as you will see many of the reports are already written from a Christian perspective coming from World Net Daily, a source that has become a powerful voice for the persecuted church. Christians as a whole along with the Jewish people are persecuted and discriminated against each an every day more so than any other group of people in the world, yet you would never find this just reading the regular press. This is the sad truth and as seekers of the truth we need to realize that whether the slant is left or right, it is almost always turned away from persecuted Christians unless it can be tied into some “other” cause like the sudden increase in articles concerning persecution of Mormons, persecution of the like that has not occurred for many years. You will notice a few common themes and without a doubt militant Islam, false religions such as Hinduism and Communist dictatorships still lead the way in the current trend of persecution. But what is sometimes most sickening is when commercialism becomes a reason to persecute as you will see in the two articles concerning China and the 2008 Olympics. I would not doubt that greed is also one of the motivating factors behind the proposed law against pharmacists in the U.S. Yes they hide behind the civil rights crusade and that definitely plays a big role, but money still rules at the end of the day. Under article number 9, Gaza --- There are true churches and false churches under attack. Concerning the false churches, there are two ways through which we must view persecution of “Christians” in name only in order to understand events biblically. To further complicate matters we know that there are some true believers within these churches that have false gospels. But I am convinced that if they are true believers, at some point they must “come out of her” as the Lord commands them or they will take part in receiving her judgments and tribulations. There are also those who like many of us (including yours truly) who used to belong to such a false church and whom the Lord is now calling to also come out. Hence, why our job is so important to continually preach the gospel, especially the true gospel of the kingdom, and proclaim the full council of God’s word (including the not so “positive” stuff), something that has been virtually missing from the majority of sermons for the last generation and even longer in many cases. This report is a perfect case in point that illustrates a number of complications that arises out of persecution of the church. In this case Gaza’s Roman Catholic community was attacked during the civil war between Hamas and Fatah last month. There are a number of points to consider: 1) Through the eyes of an unbeliever, someone who takes the name of Christ is a "Christian", so a “Christian” is a "Christian". Outside of a person who studies religions they mostly do not and definitely cannot tell the differences between different types of believers unless they see it lived out. So in this sense it is persecution because of Jesus name. 2) God uses can and does use persecution to refine his true church so this may cause those who really do love Him and are seeking truth to look harder and come to faith in the true gospel. 3) At the same time (and this is a hard one for many) God uses this sort of judgment on those who have fallen into the worship of false gods and idols. He did this many times with ancient Israel and now we see he has and enemy of God (the Moslems, whose religion fits the definition of anti-Christ to a “T”) destroying something that could very well be even more of an abomination in His sight – idols baring His name that break the 2nd commandment officially condoned by another religion whose leader wears the title “anti-Christ” (vicarious christos [Lat] antichristos [Gr]) across his chest. That said, I can guarantee you that any statues of Jesus, Mary of Joseph, or anyone else for that matter (including the Statue of Liberty here in the US) that are still standing after the tribulation period and the wrath of God is poured out will be promptly destroyed when Jesus sets up His millennial kingdom on earth. I apologize if that sounds to harsh but that is what the scripture declares and if that is a problem, then your problem is not with me but with God. Finally, we are seeing the rise of militant homosexual activism targeting Christians, but now it is the laws and legal authorities that are doing the bidding. I sadly can only see this as a result of a church that for the majority has been asleep. Most still don’t have a clue what is happening and one day they will go to do one of their “seeker friendly”, non-evasive gospel events and still wind up getting arrested for it. That is when the stones will come crumbling down. May those who have insight among the people be there to help shine lights in the darkness when that day comes. BE/\LERT! (Scott Brisk)

“Playing God” -Scientists in Final Stage of Creating Man-made Life

As in the days of Noah Genesis 6:12 God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth. Ed. Note: Man is working on synthetic lifeforms and bio tech. We know that demons can possess both man and beast so my question is - just how much biological material is needed in an artificial creation of man before what man has made can be possessed by a demonic spirit? Revelation 13:15 And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed. THE DAILY GALAXY NETWORK - By Rebecca Sato - June 21, 2007 Dr Craig Venter, who has led the private sector effort to sequence the human genome, has been working for years to create a man-made organism. He says his company Synthetic Genomics Inc, has nearly completed the journey to create the world’s first free-living artificial organism. According to Venter, it will only be a few more weeks before manmade life is unveiled in his very own laboratory. “It will be one of the bright milestones in human history, changing our conceptual view of life.” Said Venter. Others have a less “bright” view of Venter’s work—they say it could be potentially dangerous. It has been suggested that this type of technology could turn out to be the scary side of “playing God”, since it invariably suggests the chance that dangerous organisms could be inadvertently (or purposefully) unleashed on a world unprepared to deal with the consequences. Because there is no precedence, scientists don’t know for sure what kind of negative impact is possible. While control measures have been suggested, such as using software to spot purchases of DNA sequences that could be used as weapons, there is no comprehensive regulation in the field of synthetic life. Watchdogs say we’re taking a big gamble that the science will stay a step ahead of nefarious uses. Even if artificial biology could be kept under control and appropriately monitored—something many say is near impossible—activists and researchers are concerned that the technology may be exclusively locked up for commercial gain. Synthetic Genomics Inc, has filed controversial patents on synthetic bugs that would make fuels such as ethanol or hydrogen, and likely make a lot of money for those involved, as well. It has also filed an international application at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) which names more than 100 countries where the institute may seek monopoly patents. The J Craig Venter Institute's US patent application claims exclusive ownership of a set of essential genes and a synthetic "free-living organism that can grow and replicate" made using those particular genes. In early June, the ETC Group, a watchdog organization based in Canada, which monitors developments in biotechnology, launched a campaign against Venter’s patent application. They called on patent offices to reject applications on life forms. ETC’s Jim Thomas says that Venter’s company is poised to become the “Microbesoft” of synthetic biology. The company announced a deal June 13 with energy giant BPPLC to identify and modify naturally occurring microbes with the capability to turn coal or oil below the earth’s surface into cleaner fuel. Microorganisms “have the potential to provide all the transportation fuel we need in the U.S.,” says Venter. “I joke that I’m going from the gene king to the oil king.” The thing is, no one really thinks he’s joking. Venter says he's been expecting attacks on his work. "Patents are a hot word, and people are afraid of synthetic organisms." He says this research is merely the "tip if the iceberg", and future possibilities include bugs that clean up pollution, or signal when they detect explosives. Indeed, the technology may end up providing beneficial solutions to some of the planet's biggest problems, and Venter has won kudos for bringing together a panel of bioethicists, religious leaders, and biowarfare experts to study the issues. The consensus for that particular group was that the research shouldn't be stopped, but that synthetic organisms must be controlled and contained. According to Venter, Environmental groups shouldn’t be fighting his work, but rather be “ecstatic about what we are doing, since we provide one of the clear alternatives to burning oil and coal.” Very few would argue that there are no potential goods coming out of this type of work, but experts strongly caution that the potential negative consequences cannot be ignored. “While creating new life may not be playing God,” says Arthur L. Caplan, director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania, “it has revolutionary implications for how we see ourselves. When we can synthesize life, it makes the notion of a living being less special.” And there’s a perception that synthetic biologists may be “manipulating nature without knowing where they are going.” he says. “There are arrogant scientists, and our friend Venter may be one of them.” http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2007/06/playing-god-sci.html#more FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of religious, environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Rick Warren OK With Harry Potter

The Falling Away Ephesians 5:11 Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them LIGHTHOUSE TRAILS PUBLISHING - June 21, 2007 According to the June 21st issue of Rick Warren's weekly newsletter, the headline above is accurate. This week's Ministry Toolbox, which is Warren's way of communicating with pastors and church leaders around the world, has a link titled "Recommended Reading List." While the list is actually that of contemplative promoter James Emery White, (a contributor to Warren's newsletter), it ended up on Warren's own newsletter as recommended reading. On the Recommended Book list is the following description of the upcoming Harry Potter release: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling. Though the seventh and final installment is yet to be released (July 21, to be exact), when it does, it will be well-worth reading. Though some would disagree, I am one to put Rowling's work in the camp of fantasy literature, along with Lewis and Tolkien, with her use of magic more mechanical than occultic. I found her earlier six volumes instant classics of the genre, and the final book will undoubtedly cement this series as among the best written. Clearly, Rick Warren is OK with Harry Potter or this would not be promoted on his website as well as in his e-newsletter. While many people think Harry Potter is harmless (even many Christians), facts should not be ignored. Some of those facts are presented by research analyst Ray Yungen. He explains what he has discovered about Harry Potter: There are probably very few people in the western world who haven't heard of the Harry Potter book series phenomenon. Not just millions, but tens of millions of adults, adolescents, and children have read these books or seen the movie versions of them. Going by the numbers of the books that have been purchased, few under 25 have not been influenced to some degree by the adventures of this boy wizard. And many ask, what is wrong with that? The Potter series, though fiction in the technical sense, does make a very real connection to the realm of metaphysics in one spot specifically. In the book called Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, one of the main characters, a professor, tells her class that they will learn divination or see into the future. It's at this point that the book departs from the world of make believe, and enters into the actual teachings of Wicca (witchcraft). The teacher informs the students: Crystal gazing is a particularly refined art. We shall start by practicing relaxing the conscious mind and external eyes, ... so as to clear the Inner Eye and the superconscious. All one has to do is type in the word "superconscious" on Google on the Internet and see just how highly promoted that term is. It comes up nearly 130,000 times! Keep in mind, this term is used specifically within the context of metaphysics, and is never used in a non-metaphysical sense. What this means is that any impressionable young person who reads this term, could become more open and comfortable with the mystical realm in real life. This is what you would be taught if you attended a real school of witchcraft. Relaxing the conscious mind is, of course, meditation, and the Inner Eye is an occult term used for the Third eye chakra from which all psychic powers, such as divination, spring. But the absolute clincher is the term "superconscious." If you were to ask any New Age teacher, guru, or practitioner what the "superconscious" is, you would get the same answer--it's the New Age concept of God. In fact, Buckland's Complete Book Of Witchcraft actually uses the term "Superconsciousness" in reference to what or to whom witches tune into during meditation. There is another more subtle, yet perhaps more far-reaching aspect to the Potter books. In the series, those people who are "non-magical" or ordinary are called "muggles." They are portrayed as dull, backward, and lacking in personality. It is inferred that if you are a "muggle," you are living an inferior and unsatisfying life. Now if there were no such thing as "muggles" this comparison would be meaningless. How can you feel bad about being something that doesn't exist? But, as I have already shown, The Prisoner of Azkaban presents real witchcraft. So then, not to have access to the "superconscious" makes one a "muggle," (i.e., a non-mystic). This means that the spiritual beliefs of potentially millions of young people, many of them from conservative homes too, may be altered if they pick up this outlook, even subconsciously; thus the Harry Potter books may be a highly effective tool in giving the New Age movement a boost that is unimaginable. It will implant in the minds of multitudes that to fail to embrace mysticism makes you, well, muggle-like. (from For Many Shall Come in My Name, 2nd ed., pp. 94-95) The fact that Rick Warren has given the green light this week to Harry Potter through his recommendation of James Emery White's reading list could have disastrous effects on the spiritual lives of countless people, potentially 400,000 pastors (the number who have done the Purpose Driven Life program) and the millions of congregants who sit under the teachings of these pastors. Rick Warren's continuous promotion of the New Age (e.g., emerging spirituality, contemplative (mysticism), spiritual formation, ecumenism, etc.) has drawn virtually no response by most of today's Christian leaders. Either they have wholeheartedly supported Rick Warren's teachings or have perhaps, and just as detrimental, said nothing at all. This week's uplifting of Harry Potter is just another Purpose Driven step away from biblical truth and a closer view of the occult. Interestingly, five and a half years ago in 2001, Rick Warren ran a story on his website that spoke up against Harry Potter (http://www.pastors.com/RWMT/?ID=28&artid=1274&expand=1). That article made a clear statement that Harry Potter was dangerous for kids because of its witchcraft element. All we can say to that is, "You've come along way Rick Warren!" See link below for more related information http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/index.php?p=703&more=1&c=1 FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of religious, environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

How media pervert Mideast reality

A case study in what's wrong with 'fair and balanced' reporting *The following is an excerpt from WND founder Joseph Farah's latest book, "Stop The Presses! The Inside Story of the New Media Revolution." WORLDNETDAILY - By Joseph Farah - May 3, 2007 Let me ask you this: Do you think the world's news media give Israel a fair shake? I'll prove to you they do not. The largest, most powerful and influential news-gathering organization in the world is the Associated Press. I've mentioned its importance earlier. It is a cooperative of the newspaper industry and has become even more pervasive in the last twenty years as private, full-service news services like United Press International have shrunk in size and scope, becoming virtually irrelevant - and leaving in their wake one gigantic media monopoly. In November 2003, AP put together a list of "recent terror attacks around the world." Here is that list in its entirety: August 5, 2003: A suicide bomber kills 12 people, injures 150 - Jakarta, Indonesia - Jemaah Islamiyah, a Southeast Asian group linked to al-Qaida. May 16, 2003: Bomb attacks in Morocco kills 28 people injures 100+ - "international terrorism," and local militant groups linked to al-Qaida. May 12, 2003: Four explosions rock Riyadh, the Saudi capital, eight Americans are among those killed. In all, the attack kills 35 people, including 9 attackers. May 11, 2003: A bomb in southern Philippine city, killing at least 9 people and wounding 41 - Muslim separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front. December 30, 2002: A gunman kills 3 American missionaries at a Southern Baptist hospital in Yemen - gunman, belonged to an al-Qaida cell. November 28, 2002: Suicide bombers kill 12 people at an Israeli-owned beach hotel in Kenya and two missiles narrowly miss an airliner carrying Israelis. October 12, 2002: Nearly 200 people, including 7 Americans, are killed in bombings in a nightclub district of the Indonesian island of Bali. Authorities blame Jemaah Islamiyah. October 6, 2002: A small boat crashes into a French oil tanker off the coast of Yemen and explodes, killing one crewman. October 2, 2002: Abu Sayyaf guerrillas detonate bomb in a market in Zamboanga, Philippines, killing 4 people - Four more bomb attacks in October blamed on Abu Sayyaf, linked to al-Qaida, kill 16 people. June 14, 2002: Bomber blows up truck at the U.S. consulate in Karachi, Pakistan, killing 14 Pakistanis - Harkat-ul-Mujahedeen, linked to al-Qaida. April 11, 2002: A suicide bombing with a gas truck at a historic Tunisian synagogue on the resort island of Djerba kills 21 people, mostly German tourists. September 11, 2001: Hijackers slam jetliners into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and a fourth hijacked jet crashes in a Pennsylvania field, killing nearly 3,000 people. December 30, 2000: Explosions in Manila strike a train, a bus, the airport, a park near the U.S. Embassy, and a gas station, killing 22 people - attack linked to Jemaah Islamiyah. October 12, 2000: Suicide attackers on an explosives-laden boat ram the destroyer USS Cole off Yemen, killing 17 American sailors. August 7, 1998: Nearly simultaneous car bombings hit the U.S. embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya, killing 231 people, including 12 Americans. Do you notice anything strange about this list? It notes Islamic terrorism all over the world since 1998, but completely disregards all such terrorism directed at the citizens of one country and one country only - Israel. Worse yet, AP's worldview generally reflects the thinking - if you want to call it that - of the mainstream, establishment Western media. That's why hundreds of newspapers actually published this list without blinking an eye, registering a protest, or asking any questions. This was not the first time such a list was prepared and circulated by AP. The news organization published a similar list May 19, 2003 - again, no attacks on Israel were included. At the time this list was published, more than a thousand Israeli civilians had been killed by Islamic terrorists since the fall of 2000. Many thousands more had been injured. But none of this counts, according to AP. Let me give you some more evidence of this bias and how it manifests itself in the news coverage you read and watch. In 2002, following the 9/11 attacks, I was stunned to realize the New York Times no longer accepted as historical fact that a Jewish Temple once stood upon the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Beginning at that point, news stories began referring to "the Temple Mount, which Israel claims to have been the site of the First and Second Temples." - - - -

*Emphasis Added Read Full Report http://wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55495

FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of religious, environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.