Religious News & Views

Index

Edited by Nic Samojluk

Are the Genesis Creation Days Literal or symbolic? I received the material posted below from Dr. Sean Pitman, a talented young physician whose hobby is religion. He was contacted by Zach Armstrong, who believes that the story of creation, as recorded in Genesis, should be interpreted in a symbolic manner. He argued his case using certain biblical texts allegedly suggesting that each day of creation might have been long seasons instead of literal 24 hours as interpreted by young creationists. Dr. Pitman answers each argument with reasons why he rejects this manner of reading the story of origins. This exchange is followed by Pitman's response to Desmond Ford interpretation of the Genesis record of Creation. ... Read more? Click Here!

Biblical message now criminalized. A new Colorado law is helping homosexual activists achieve their goal of forcing Christians to teach biblical condemnation of homosexuality only behind the closed doors of their sanctuaries. The as-yet untested state law promotes sexual identity "perception" to the level of skin color under state discrimination laws. Some opponents are calling it a "bona fide censorship law," and top analysts for Focus on the Family, the Christian publishing and broadcast powerhouse, are expressing concern over the "mischief" they expect to follow the signing by Gov. Bill Ritter.  As WND reported, Ritter, a Democrat, struck gender-specific restrooms and locker rooms statewide when he signed the plan into law in May. The law makes it illegal to deny a person access to public accommodations, including restrooms and locker rooms, based on gender identity or the "perception" of gender identity. ... Read More: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=66829 [Link provided by Wyjoz]

Same Sex Marriage Threatens Religious Liberty. In theory, allowing homosexual couples to marry should not threaten anyone's religious freedom. Although the social and moral implications of gay marriage are apparent to many, few realize the significant danger posed to religious freedom by the California Supreme Court ruling in May giving gays a constitutional right to marry. The Court's decision now elevates homosexuality to the same legal status as race, a protected class. This Court has refused to grant religious freedom the same status as a fundamental right, instead expressing doubt about the free exercise of religion and ruling against religious freedom consistently in a series of decisions over the past fifteen years. The net result is a legal imbalance where gay rights enjoy maximum protection, and the rights of individual religious conscience enjoy very little protection. The absurdity of the "equality" argument comes into sharp focus in this scenario. Consider that a Christian school could expel two heterosexual students for sexual misconduct without exposing itself to legal liability, but could not expel homosexual students for the same offense. This is what it means for gays to become a protected class. Instead of achieving equality, they achieve a superior status in society. ... Read More: http://www.religiousliberty.info/blog/?p=75#comments

ABC News: Sunday Shopping Banned in Croatia. The Croatian parliament has passed a law forcing shops to close on Sundays in a concession to the Roman Catholic church. The church has campaigned for years for Sundays to be devoted to family or Mass in Croatia, which is almost 90 percent Roman Catholic. But Croatians have begun spending weekends in shopping malls that have flourished across the country in the past few years and remain open seven days a week. The law adopted Tuesday and goes into effect Jan. 1. It allows Sunday shopping over the summer and Christmas holidays. The law also allows stores in gas, bus and train stations to open on Sundays year-round, along with those in hospitals. Bakeries, newsstands and flower shops are also exempt from the ban. ... Read More: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=5378375 [Link provided by Wyjoz]

Pentecostal minister plays key role in Democrat election strategy. DENVER - The request befuddled Leah Daughtry. The experienced political hand in charge of planning next month's Democratic National Convention - a self-described "black chick from Brooklyn" and ordained Pentecostal minister who keeps a Bible in her purse - didn't know what to tell the atheists. Daughtry, 44, was preparing for an Aug. 24 interfaith service that will open the Democrats' gathering here - a first for a party that hasn't always gotten God. Before her was an angry letter from a secularist group that wanted to know whether atheists would be on the podium. "Atheists speaking at an interfaith service ... does that work?" ... Read More: http://www.onenewsnow.com/Business/Default.aspx?id=184828

Texas Bible decision may start a trend. Last year, the Texas Legislature passed a law allowing Bible courses to be offered as an elective by public school districts. Recently the State Board of Education gave final approval to the courses, which will focus on the history and literature of the Bible. Jonathan Saenz is with Liberty Legal Institute, which helped craft the legal arguments for the elective course. He predicts the impact of the decision will be felt nationwide. "Texas is going to be seen as a leader on this issue," says Saenz, who argues that school districts across America want to offer a Bible elective -- and students across the country want to take it. "And you have very few state legislators sending the signal that it's okay for them to do that," he remarks. ... Read More: http://www.onenewsnow.com/Legal/Default.aspx?id=187858

Was Ellen White Guilty of Plagiarism? What is also interesting here is that most of the Biblical authors quoted or borrowed from the work of other writers without reference, to include Biblical prophets - the same as Ellen White did.  So, if one brings the charge of plagiarism against Ellen White, one must also bring the same charge against many of the Biblical prophets and other authors - - if one is going to be consistent that is. But, if one wants to get really legalistic about this idea, one has to actually consider a legal definition of plagiarism. Legally speaking, the mere use of another's language does not constitute literary theft according to Attorney Vincent L. Ramik, a specialist in patent, trademark, and copyright cases. After researching about 1,000 copyright cases in American legal history, Ramik issued a 27-page legal opinion in which he concluded: "Ellen White was not a plagiarist, and her works did not constitute copyright infringement/piracy." Read More? Click here! ==>

The passion of the ungodly. This is not meant to be a political or social commentary. It's a devotional article. So here's the question to ponder: Can these people, who do not claim Jesus as Savior but have tender hearts, become citizens of the kingdom of God? They seem to be godless people to us, but they often exhibit the traits of one gracious God, who described His glory to Moses: "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin." Exodus 34:6,7 NIV. God's priorities are clear: "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8 NIV. ... Read More: http://www.thequiethour.org/resources/2008change-world.php

Religious Minorities Harassed in Azerbaijan. On December 8, 2007, a group of Seventh Day Adventist meeting in Baku at the home of Ramiz Dadashov was raided by authorities. In response to a letter of complaint to the President of Azerbaijan sent by the Institute on Religion and Public Policy, Kamal Gilijov, Chief of the Supervising Body over the execution of Laws in the field of investigations, examinations, and operative search of Internal Affairs Bodies, claimed that Mr. Dadashov was "promoting religious activity against the Islamic religion and thereto was arranging meetings at his own house where children, women and men had been involved amongst whom he was distributing books propagating their above said religion." The letter went on to say the Mr. Dadashov would probably be subject to a fine and that religious literature seized in his house "was sent to the State Committee on Religious Entities of the Azerbaijan Republic for obtaining appropriate comments." ... Read More: http://www.thecuttingedgenews.com/index.php?article=581&pageid=&pagename [Link provided by Wyjoz]

Man Sues Publishers Over Bible Verses Condemning Homosexuality. In a legal action guaranteed to shock most Americans, a gay man is suing a major publisher of Bibles claiming certain verses caused him "emotional distress." He's suing for $70 million. Bradley LaShawn Fowler, a 39-year old self-avowed homosexual from Canton, Michigan, seeks $60 million from Zondervan, a major publisher of religious books, and an additional $10 million from Thomas Nelson Publishing in his lawsuits filed in the federal court for the Eastern District of Michigan.  While observers believe Fowler is being backed by an anti-Christian or pro-gay group, according to The Grand Rapids Press (in Michigan), the plaintiff Fowler is representing himself in the legal proceedings. ... Read More:  http://www.newswithviews.com/NWV-News/news56.htm  [Link provided by Wyhoz]

Pat Robertson Charity Ministry. Remember a few years ago when broadcaster Pat Robertson couldn't stop making headlines? He had called for the assassination of Hugo Chavez, praised Liberian dictator Charles Taylor, proclaimed some bad theology about God's wrath, supported China's one-child policy, broke his promise about selling his racehorses, and used his ministry's planes for his own diamond-mining operation. Frankly, he didn't make a lot of good news. Amid all of this, donations to Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) climbed dramatically, doubling from $84 million in 1997 to $166 million in 2006. When we asked Robertson's donors why they were still writing checks, many cited CBN's humanitarian efforts. Others said they found Robertson authentic: "He is real," said one. ... Read More: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/july/19.7.html [Link provided by Hugo Schnidt]

Bush 'may convert to Catholicism'. President George Bush was given such a splendid welcome by Pope Benedict XVI yesterday that rumours started flying that the President, like Tony Blair before him, was on the verge of converting to Catholicism. It was a Vatican visit such as no other head of state has ever enjoyed. Instead of greeting him, like all previous high-ranking visitors, in the papal library of the Apostolic Palace, the Pope took Mr Bush round the medieval St John's Tower then gave him a tour of the Vatican gardens, culminating in a brief open-air concert by the Sistine Chapel Choir. The notion was given extra mileage by the fact that the President's brother Jeb, the former governor of Florida, converted to Catholicism on marrying his wife Columba, a Mexican. ... Read More: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/bush-may-convert-to-catholicism-846953.html [Link provided by Wyjoz]

Was Mark the First Gsopel Ever Written? A "Spectrum" blog authored by Gary Chartier, entitled "The Meaning of Jesus" Posted on June 2nd, 2008, generated some comments, dealing with the correct way of interpreting the life and teachings of Jesus, as recorded in the New Testament Gospels. A comment posted by one of the bloggers prompted me to post a few comments of my own. It raised the question possed by modern scholars who seem to be determined to doubt the authenticidy of the Gospel writings. Most modern theologians argue that Mark was the first Gospel ever written. Of course, this is negated by the testimony of the Fathers of the Christian Church. I could not resist the temptation of setting the record straight. I believe that the weight of the evidence points to Matthew as the author of the first Gospel ever written, and directed at the first Jewish Christians. From the above named exchange of comments posted by the bloggers, I did select some and posted them on this forum for your benefit. ... Read More? Click here ==>

Ratzlaff's Proclamation Is Oxymoronically Amusing. But I do find one argument amusingly and oxymoronically ironic: the idea that the rest we have in Jesus "liberates" us from the fourth commandment. This means, basically, that the seventh-day Sabbath, a symbol from the old covenant, has been abolished and Christians are "freed" from keeping it. Sabbath-keeping is, says Dale Ratzlaff, a legalistic work that robs us of the rest Christ offers us in the new covenant doctrine of grace. Now, maybe I'm missing something here, but how is it that the one commandment devoted to rest, the one commandment that specifically expresses rest, the one commandment that gives us a special opportunity to rest, has been turned into the universal "New Covenant" symbol of works? The only commandment that, by its nature, is all about rest has become the iconic metaphor for salvation by works? Can you see the irony of Ratzlaff's entire premise: by resting on the Sabbath, I'm trying to work my way to heaven! ... Read More: http://www.atoday.com/content/ratzlaffs-proclamation-is-oxymoronically-amusing

Bush Bestows Freedom Medal on Ben Carson. An Adventist pioneer in pediatric neurosurgery who overcame childhood poverty and achieved worldwide renown received the highest civilian award bestowed by the United States government. On June 19, Dr. Benjamin S. Carson Sr. was awarded the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom for his outstanding contributions to medicine and his motivating influence on America's young people, U.S. President George W. Bush said during a morning ceremony in the East Room of the White House. Perhaps best known for his successful efforts in separating conjoined twins and controlling brain seizures in children, Carson is chief of pediatric neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins University Medical Institutions in Baltimore, Maryland. The inner city Detroit, Michigan native overcame a "grim future" of poverty, crime, and violence to become "a scholar, a healer, and a leader," Bush told the audience ... Read more: http://www.adventistreview.org/article.php?id=1944

Church Building Starts--After Tornado Hits. A Seventh-day Adventist Church in southwestern Missouri is being rebuilt from the ground up after a May 10 tornado obliterated the structure. The local pastor expects services to resume in the Neosho, Missouri, Seventh-day Adventist Church no more than 120 days from now. The storm struck between 6 and 7 p.m., local time, as the weekly Sabbath was drawing to a close, said Pastor Dwight Seek, who'd been in Neosho only since February. "It came through and completely leveled the church," Seek told Adventist Review by telephone. "It didn't leave anything but the basement." According to Adventist Risk Management, the damage to the 32-year-old church was estimated at $200,000. Rebuilding is underway, Seek said. ... Read more: http://www.adventistreview.org/article.php?id=1945

UC policy discriminatory toward Christian schools. The University of California (UC) school system is being accused in a federal lawsuit of discriminating against Christian schools by denying recognition of college prep courses taught from a Biblical worldview. The lawsuit stems from policies in the UC school system that deny approval of courses from private Christian schools. The UC school system has refused to accept certain college prep courses taught by Calvary Chapel High School of Murrieta. While attorneys on both sides of the issue agree that the UC school system has the right to set its admission standards, Advocates for Faith & Freedom (AFF) said the school system does not have the right to discriminate against schools teaching from a Christian worldview. ... Read more: http://www.onenewsnow.com/Journal/newsofinterest.aspx?id=115326

The Meaning of Jesus' Death. "It is a fact that in the midst of life we are faced with death. It’s also a strange kind of irony that after a lifetime of defeat sprinkled with a few thrills of victory, we gather at the memorial service or graveside of the “dearly departed” with eloquent eulogies and tributes. At such times, it seems that all the deceased’s works were not only good, they were magnificent. Their virtues are magnified and shortcomings overlooked as if they were never part of the relational equation. Due to its permanent nature and the toll the loss takes on the living, it is difficult to find virtue or meaning in death. Yet, when it comes to Jesus, there are many meanings of his death." ... Read more? Click here ===>  [The original blog includes 240 comments by readers]

 
Providential Dream In the Life of a Missionary Pilot. Of course they were eager to see the plane that had effortlessly flown me into their valley, so all walked back to the waiting plane. On the way, the missionary astonished me by saying, "I knew you were coming to visit us today. I had a dream last night that I was working in the garden just as I was this morning when I heard the sound of a plane. I looked up and saw the red nose of the mission plane pointing toward us just like it did this morning. Then it circled the mission and you waved to us and we waved to you, just like this morning. So at worship in the church this morning I told them that Pastor Barnard is coming today, so get ready. The parents believed but the children did not, and went down to the bottom of the gorge to get some firewood. They will be deeply disappointed they missed you." ... Read more:  http://www.thequiethour.org/evan/airplanes/dream.php

Some Pastors are Thumb Suckers.  Here is what I don�t get. Where did it become off limits to challenge a pastor? Oh, I know the Scripture "Saying, Touch not mine anointed," but that begs a different question. How do we know who is anointed and who is not? I promise you there are many pastors who are not anointed of God. Jesus called them hirelings, those who are just in it for the paycheck. I think it is time we called them out. What if I told them I was anointed to rebuke them? Presumptuous, you might say, or a bit arrogant? Maybe so. But I�m just a fan in the bleachers watching a lousy performance and pointing my fingers at the coach. Seems to me the one�s who want to criticize me are the same ones who allowed this mess to develop. They probably criticize the football coach on Friday nights at their local high school game. http://www.newswithviews.com/Daubenmire/dave116.htm [Link submitted by Hugo Schmidt]

Adventist Church Makes Inroads in Catholic Communities. Consuelo Santiz had to contend with an angry mob when she joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church. At first her new faith meant holding church secretly in her home at night. Later, as the Roman Catholic community learned a new denomination had entered the village, she saw members of her church family beaten and jailed. Breaking through the crowd surrounding a prison one evening in 2001 was the only way to deliver food to her imprisoned husband. His crime was becoming an Adventist. Santiz, 32, is one of 254 Adventists in this village of about 2,400 people. In 1995 there were none. The journey hasn't been smooth, but it's one that's made her stronger, she says. Now her poise is apparent as she speaks with ease in front of an audience--unusual in a culture where women are typically shy in public. ... Read more:  http://www.adventistreview.org/article.php?id=1906

Jordan River Stones Overgrown With Weeds. The other day I was leafing through the "Adventist World" magazine when an article written by Stephen Dumbar caught my attention, and I decided to read it. Suddenly, the following paragraph forced me to stop as I realized the implications of what the author was suggesting: "I wonder if the Jordan stones of our church have been overgrown with weeds, and if for many, God's "mighty arm" is fading from view. Or have we, like second-generation Israel, merely grown dull to the miraculous? While some have chosen to abandon the experiences of our pioneers, to topple the altars, to cover the stones, many still stop to ask, "What do these stones mean?" ... Read more? Click here ===>

British Muslim Pharmacist Under Attack for Refusing to Give Woman Abortifacient Pill. MANCHESTER, United Kingdom May 26, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A UK Muslim pharmacist is under attack for refusing to dispense an abortifacient emergency contraceptive to a British couple on the grounds that he would be violating his Islamic faith. The pharmacist of a Sainsbury chemist (drugstore) in Manchester told Chris Mellett, 29, and Kaye Walsh, 36, that it was against his Islamic beliefs to provide the couple the abortifacient drugs which they had requested. Mellett and Walsh had earlier discovered that their contraception method failed, and were looking for the abortifacient "morning-after" pill, which works by suppressing ovulation and can cause the death of a conceived embryo by making the womb a hostile environment to implantation. ... Read more: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/may/08052609.html

David Pendleton tells why he left the Adventist Church for the Catholic Church. David Pendleton was raised in a devout Adventist home in Hawaii, where he graduated from Windward Adventist School and Hawaiian Mission Academy. He earned a B.A. in history and political science from La Sierra University, where he was student body president, and an M.A. in religion from Loma Linda University. Beginning in 1996, at age 29, he won election to the Hawaii House of Representatives, where he rose to become the youngest Minority Floor Leader in Hawaii's history. Pendleton also served the Hawaii Conference of Seventh-day Adventists as religious liberty director and as a pastor until the end of 2004. In early 2007, after a number of years of soul searching and study, he informed the Conference Office that he was turning in his ordination credentials. ... Read more: http://www.atoday.com/i-have-a-lot-aloha-adventist-church-0 Read also the comments I posted there: http://www.atoday.com/i-have-a-lot-aloha-adventist-church-0#comment-36

ADRA Bridges Save Nearly 900 Lives During Cyclone Nargis. Silver Spring, Maryland.Nearly 900 people were saved from tidal waves and flooding in the Pyinsalu islands, located on the southern coast of the Irrawaddy Delta, by standing on bridges built by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) recently. As the high winds of Cyclone Nargis battered southern Myanmar's delta region and high tidal waves and floodwaters covered low-lying areas, hundreds of people flocked to at least 22 ADRA bridges that had been constructed months before to link isolated communities in the Pyinsalu Sub-Township, a patchwork of rivers and islands on the extreme southern edge of Labutta Township. One structure alone, the Lay Yin Kwin Bridge, which measures 140 feet in length, held 145 people for several hours, while the storm waters rose and then receded. ... Read more: http://www.adra.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=9213&news_iv_ctrl=1141

May 19, 1780: Darkness at Noon Enshrouds New England.1780: In the midst of the Revolutionary War, darkness descends on New England at midday. Many people think Judgment Day is at hand. It will be remembered as New England's Dark Day. Diaries of the preceding days mention smoky air and a red sun at morning and evening. Around noon this day, an early darkness fell: Birds sang their evening songs, farm animals returned to their roosts and barns, and humans were bewildered. A definitive answer came in 2007. In the International Journal of Wildland Fire, Erin R. McMurry of the University of Missouri forestry department and co-authors combined written accounts with fire-scar evidence from Algonquin Provincial Park in eastern Ontario to document a massive wildfire in the spring of 1780 as the "likely source of the infamous Dark Day of 1780." ... Read more: http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2008/05/dayintech_0519/ [Link provided by Charles Rasi]

The Quiet Hour Peru Harvest. As the time nears for Jesus' return, Peru is emerging as one of the richest harvest fields on earth. Past outreaches sponsored by The Quiet Hour there have helped reap harvests as large as 37,355 precious souls in a single year! Knowing the potential impact, the Peru Union Mission office requested we return to their country. Bill and Jackie Tucker, along with nine other teams, are ministering in Peru right now. Their goal is to help share the gospel and reap a huge harvest through two weeks of medical clinics, Vacation Bible School, orphanage visits and nightly harvest meetings. In addition, they'll also minister to indigenous people living in the jungles of the Amazon River, isolated from the outside world. Read more: http://www.thequiethour.org/evan/peru/2007/gateway.php

Dr. James Kennedy Memorial. Now, I know that someday I am going to come to what some people will say is the end of this life. They will probably put me in a box and roll me right down here in front of the church, and some people will gather around, and a few people will cry. But I have told them not to do that because I don�t want them to cry. I want them to begin the service with the Doxology and end with the Hallelujah chorus, because I am not going to be there, and I am not going to be dead. I will be more alive than I have ever been in my life, and I will be looking down upon you poor people who are still in the land of dying and have not yet joined me in the land of the living. And I will be alive forevermore, in greater health and vitality and joy than ever, ever, I or anyone has known before. ... Read more:  http://65.240.226.104:8080/

Is Killing Murder? The use of the verb ratsach (to kill, murder) in the sixth commandment appears to be restricted to illegal killing. It is never used to refer to the death penalty or to killing in war. With respect to the death penalty we often find the Hebrew verb m�t, "to put to death" (e.g., Lev. 20:10; Num. 35:31). In the context of war the verb harag, "to kill, slay" (e.g., 2 Sam. 10:18), is commonly used. Therefore the commandment itself should not be used exclusively to determine whether war and capital punishment are right or wrong. In those areas there will be different opinions. However, we should keep in mind that the fact that defensive warfare was practiced among the Israelites does not mean that such killings were necessarily justifiable. David was involved in war and that disqualified him in the Lord's eyes from building the temple (1 Chron. 22:8). ... Read more: http://adventistreview.org/2003-1550/story4.html

ADRA Expands Emergency Relief in Myanmar. Silver Spring, Maryland--The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is expanding its response in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis, committing $265,500 in emergency funds for immediate disaster relief, and providing food assistance and medical supplies to communities in the hard-hit Irrawaddy Delta region in southern Myanmar. These funds are complemented by an additional $100,000 from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). In an effort to assist survivors, the ADRA network is funding an emergency response project that will provide food rations (rice, pulses, and salt), temporary shelter materials (tarpaulins, bamboo, and nylon rope), 5-gallon water containers, kitchen sets (bowls, spoons, and cups), tool kits, and hygiene kits to approximately 20,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) who escaped low-lying villages in the delta region during the May 2 and 3 storm. ... Read more: http://www.adra.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=9197&news_iv_ctrl=1141

Anthony Flew - The Honest Ex-Atheist. Anthony Flew, a renowned British defender of atheism, decided that the undeniable evidence for the complexity of life, its mysterious origin, and the fine tuning of the universe, was too much for him to hold to his atheistic philosophy, and prompted him to accept the notion the there must have been an Intelligent Designer who is responsible for both life and the universe that makes this possible. Watch this interview with and hear him describe his  180 degree turn in his view about the origin of life. Click on ====> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqFXducCkdo&NR=1

A Texas Sized Mess! Texas is a big state with an even bigger ego, and now it has a legal mess to match. Everyone is familiar with the incursion of government officials into the Yearning For Zion compound of the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints. We all know that 413 children [and counting]  were removed ostensibly for their own protection, and that the legal games have begun. Many questions are being asked about religious freedom, and whether the rights of the church members were violated.  Let's take a stab at asking the hard questions. For those who care about religious freedom, what should we expect of our government officials in such a situation, and what rights should we insist be respected?  First and foremost, we must begin with the obvious: there is NO religious freedom right to sexually abuse minors. ... Read more: http://www.religiousliberty.info/blog/?p=73

The Testimony of a Cult Member. My name is Liberty. I am 24 years old, and I am one of the seven virgins who was anointed by Father to carry out His purposes in pouring out the seven last plagues upon the earth. I would like to share with you the story of my own personal experience here in the land, and then how my heavenly Father chose me to be one of the seven messengers, how He led me to lie naked with Michael, and the healing I received from it. This was a gift that I could never have received in the world. What a privilege I have been given to walk with the Son of God, to talk with Him, to love Him and be loved by Him, and then for Him to appear within me. I will share with you my story�the story of my heart. ... Read more and watch the videos: http://strongcity.info/LOR/sc/2008/01/

Strong City Cult and Michael. These pages are written by Wayne Bent / Michael Travesser and members of Strong City. Our community will be the focus of the documentary film Inside A Cult on the National Geographic Channel, scheduled to be broadcast on May 10, 2008. We would like to share what really happened behind the scenes, and the truth about our community and experience here. Inside A Cult is a remake of the End of the World Cult documentary broadcast on Channel 4 in the U.K. on 12 December 2007. ... Read more and watch these videos describing the strange cultic teachings and behavior of these former Seventh-day Adventists. http://strongcity.info/LOR/sc/2008/03/

Strong City Cult and Michael Travesser. When Messiah Michael took up residence in my flesh, then all hell broke loose, as it were.  The time of trouble such as never was began immediately.  I then began to hear some of the most sensational information about me.  I was accused of crimes that I never thought of committing.  I have been accused of motives that were very alien to me.  I learned the depths of man's evil.  I had never been fully conscious of this evil until Michael came into me.  I have never been so fiercely hated until the Son of God was Who I AM. And, I have never so fiercely hated evil until Michael appeared in me. ... The bond was posted from the funds that feed and clothe the little flock here.  This also included mostly the Social Security funds that some here receive, which were being used for the rest of this year of rest. ... Read more and watch the videos of this former SDA pastor: http://strongcity.info/

Thoughts on another post-Adventist cult. You folks might be interested in knowing about a former Seventh-Day Adventist minister named Wayne Bent, who has openly claimed that God told him that he is the second coming of Christ. In Dec. of 2007, the BBC broadcast a documentary that Firefly Productions made about him and his disciples, who refer to themselves as Strongcity. The National Geographic channel recently broadcast a re-production of the same documentary. Strongcity has responded with a documentary of their own. The day after their movie was posted on the internet, state authorities apprehended 3 minors from Strongcity. ... Read more and watch the video: http://www.spectrummagazine.org/blog/2008/05/07/lets_talk_about_sects

America Needs a Leader Like This. Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to get out of Australia, as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks. Quote: "IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take it or leave it. "We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society . Learn the language! Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home,  because God is part of our culture." ... Read more ==>

Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy. Forgiveness, in fact, eclipsed the tragic story, trumping the violence and arresting the world's attention. Within a week of the murders, Amish forgiveness was a central theme in more than 2,400 news stories around the world. The Washington Post, The New York Times, USA Today, Newsweek, NBC Nightly News, CBS Morning News, Larry King Live, Fox News, Oprah, and dozens of other media outlets heralded the forgiving Amish. From the Khaleej Times (United Arab Emirates) to Australian television, international media were opining on Amish forgiveness. Three weeks after the shooting, "Amish forgiveness" had appeared in 2,900 news stories worldwide and on 534,000 web sites. ... Read more: http://www.josseybass.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0787997617.html

Is 'Let Him Who Is Without Sin Cast the First Stone' Biblical? When Dallas Theological Seminary professor Daniel Wallace examined New Testament manuscripts stored in the National Archive in Albania last June, he was amazed by what he did not find. The story of the woman caught in adultery, usually found in John 7:53-8:11, was missing from three of the texts, and was out of place in a fourth, tacked on to the end of John's Gospel. "This is way out of proportion for manuscripts from the 9th century and following," Wallace said. "Once we get into that era, the manuscripts start conforming much more to each other. Thus, to find some that didn't have the story is remarkable." ... Read more: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/aprilweb-only/117-31.0.html [Link submitted by Hugo Schmidt]

Has NASA Discovered Joshua's "Lost Day"? In the tenth chapter of the Old Testament book of Joshua, it is recorded that the Sun "stood still." The story often circulates that NASA scientists, using computers to calculate orbits for the Earth and Sun, discovered that there was a "lost day." Upon further examination, so the story goes, these scientists used their computers to find this missing day, proving the biblical record to be accurate. Is this story true? From time to time stories such as the one described above appear "in church bulletins and religious publications, or even on the Internet" as factual and true. No doubt those who propagate such information mean well, and have as their ultimate goal a defense of the Bible against the slings and arrows of infidelity. However, the story is untrue. An investigation reveals the following details. ... Read more: http://www.apologeticspress.org/modules.php?name=Read&cat=1&itemid=2468  Read more? Click here: ==>

Another Christian Martyr in Iraq. When "Muhammad" first converted to Christianity from Islam, he kept his new faith a secret. In fact, the first person he told outside of his wife and son was a Christian named "Joseph." He knew the risks of sharing his faith with others in his homeland of Iraq but felt led to do so anyway. So he witnessed to his extended family. Following radical teachings of Islam, family members killed Muhammad. Muhammad's widow sent Muhammad's friend "Joseph" an e-mail after the martyrdom of her husband. She wrote: "I have bad news. Muhammad is dead. Our family killed him for sharing his new faith in Jesus Christ. I miss him dearly. Muhammad left me two important things: my son and our Bible. I'll never forget why he died. He died for Jesus. I believe Jesus will help me. Tell the people [other Christians] to pray for me." [Clipped from "The Voice of the Martyrs"]

Lessons About Forgiveness & Confession. In Mark 14:21, Jesus uttered a woe upon the "man who betrays the Son of Man." But suppose that man were to confess and repent? In this connection, contrast the actions of Judas and Peter following their separate betrayals of Jesus. After witnessing Jesus' condemnation by those who had arrested Him, Judas, "seized with remorse," returned the betrayal money to the authorities; and his words seemed most appropriate: "I have sinned, for I have betrayed innocent blood" (Matt. 27:3, 4, NIV). In contrast to Judas' public display of regret, Peter's tears of penitence were shed in silence; nor did he return to Caiaphas' judgment hall to make amends for his shameful betrayal. Yet, the one was condemned, the other forgiven. What was the crucial difference? ... Read more: http://ssnet.org/qrtrly/eng/08b/less04nkjv.html

God Cares for His Children. A critical test of the decency of any society, ancient or modern, is the value it places upon the most vulnerable of its members; and there is none more vulnerable than children. Jesus' regard for these tender ones must have come as a breath of fresh air to those poor mothers two thousand years ago when He vigorously defended their children's right of access to Him, when He made time in His hectic calendar for these tiny tots, time to touch them and to bless them. God is like that, Jesus' action said. He cares for the children and, by extension, all who are vulnerable and exploited. He is the God of the underdog. As He sat there with these little ones looking into His face, Jesus must have thought of what we call "the Slaughter of the Innocents" by Herod on account of Him (Matt. 2:16-18), and the bloody edict of an ancient pharaoh against all Jewish male infants (Exod. 1:15, 16). Jesus came to model a God who was the complete antithesis of these murderous psychopaths. ... Read more: http://ssnet.org/qrtrly/eng/08b/less04nkjv.html [As I read these comments, I asked myself: Will the Adventist Church ever include the genocide of the unborn that is taking place today? Aren't they children--smaller though in size--as well?]

The Amazing Jew. Israel is the one of the 100 smallest countries in the world with less than 1/1000th of the world�s population. Yet her contributions to make the world a better place far exceed her numbers and resources. I have listed some of her more significant achievements below along with achievements by Jews living outside of Israel. In spite of their few numbers, Jews have received 126 Nobel Prizes, including 43 for medicine. This represents over 20% of all awards worldwide during the 20th century. In chemistry, Jews have been honored with 28 Nobel Prizes, which is 19% of the world total and 28% of the U. S. total. In economics, Jews have received 21 Nobel Prizes, which is 38% of the world total and 53% of the US total. In literature, Jews have received 12 Nobel Prizes, which is 12% of the world total and 27% of the U.S. total. In physiology and medicine, Jews have received 52 Nobel Prizes, which is 29% of the world total and 42% of the U.S. total. ... Read more: http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/April17/1722.html

Pope meets with Boston abuse victims. WASHINGTON _ Pope Benedict XVI, in a dramatic move likely to alter forever the image of his pontificate, met this afternoon with five victims of clergy sexual abuse from Boston. The private meeting, which was first reported by the Globe this afternoon and has since been confirmed by the Vatican, was brokered by Cardinal Sean P. O�Malley of Boston. The meeting took place at the papal nunciature, which is the home of the pope's ambassador to the United States. The meeting did not appear on the pope's schedule, but took place during the window between a Mass this morning at Nationals Park and a talk that he is to deliver later this afternoon to Catholic educators gathered at Catholic University of America. ... Redad more: http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2008/04/exclusive_pope.html

Changing lives in the Philippines. He started to pray with a new will to hang on for dear life. He awoke many hours later. The seas had calmed. As he slowly became aware of his surroundings, still hung over, he began to look around to try and figure out where he was. He realized he was in a cove of one the islands. Palm trees lined the shores with their tops broken off half way down and others on the ground. The whole beach looked devastated. Soon several local people came down to the beach as they heard the sound of his engine. He motored to shore. People immediately started asking many questions about what had happened to him. Then they pointed to his motor and asked how it could be running with the spark plug under water? They then noted that his rice in the boat was dry. The fish and coffee were also dry. They asked him, "How you can explain this?" He had no explanation and said it could only be that the Lord had decided to spare him that day. ... Read more: http://www.thequiethour.org/evan/philippines/2008/miracle.php

Jewish Sanhedrin Honors George W. Bush as Chief Prince of Meshech and Tubal. An historic event occurred in Jerusalem this January, an event chronicled widely in Israel's newspapers but omitted entirely by America's Zionist controlled and owned press. President George W. Bush, visiting the nation of Israel, was presented with a rabbinical decree, the Scroll of Bush. The Scroll declared that he, Bush, is none other than the prophesied Gog, of the land of Magog; that is, Chief Prince of Meshech and Tubal. . ... Read more: http://www.libertyforum.org/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=news_news&Number=296157156  [Link sent by Wyhoz]

Why do we believe in God? Researchers at the University of Oxford will spend �1.9 million investigating why people believe in God. Academics have been given a grant to try to find out whether belief in a deity is a matter of nature or nurture. They will not attempt to solve the question of whether God exists but they will examine evidence to try to prove whether belief in God conferred an evolutionary advantage to mankind. They will also consider the possibility that faith developed as a byproduct of other human characteristics, such as sociability. ... Read more: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article3393198.ece [Link submitted by Zuccarelli, Anthony]

The Harris Poll - The Religious and Other Beliefs. That very large majorities of the American public, and almost all (but not all) Christians believe in God, the survival of the soul after death, miracles, heaven, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the Virgin birth will come as no great surprise. What may be more surprising is that half of all adults believe in ghosts, almost a third believe in astrology, and more than a quarter believe in reincarnation � that they were themselves reincarnated from other people. Majorities of about two-thirds of all adults believe in hell and the devil, but hardly anybody expects that they will go to hell themselves. These are some of the findings of a Harris Poll of 2,201 U.S. adults surveyed online between January 21 and 27, 2003, using the same methods used by Harris Interactive to forecast the 2000 elections with great accuracy. ... Read more:  http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=359  [Link submited by Zuccarelli, Anthony ]

Bearing the Silence of God. Statements such as, "More Christians have died for their faith in the 20th century than in all other centuries of church history combined," and, "It is estimated that two-thirds of all the martyrs in Christian history died in the 20th century," are frequently used in reports and writings on worldwide persecution today. More Christians are killed than are saved from execution at the last minute. More Christians stay locked in prison, beaten and tortured, than are able to walk free, guided by miraculous escape plans. More Christians suffer lifelong deprivation of their most basic civic and economic rights. More converts from Islam give up their faith than stay Christians, and those who remain in the church struggle with lifelong battles with shame, depression, and isolation, caused by the loss of ties to their families, communities, and nations. ... Read more: [Link sent by Hugo Schmidt] http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/march/29.41.html?start=1

Life Without Limbs. It is a great privilege to welcome you to the Life Without Limbs.org website. My name is Nick Vujicic and I'm 25 years old. I was born without arms or legs and given no medical reason for this condition. Faced with countless challenges and obstacles, God has given me the strength to surmount what others might call impossible. Along with that, the Lord has placed within me an unquenchable passion to share this same hope and genuine love that I�ve personally experienced with more than two million people all over the globe. Traveling extensively to over 19 nations, I've been extremely humbled by the continuous opportunities that the Lord has given me to share my testimony along with the hope that I have in Jesus with people in so many nations and situations. ... Read more: http://www.lifewithoutlimbs.org/ [Link sent by Wyjoz]

Court Declares Three Adventists Guilty in London Scam. A London court has found three Adventist men guilty of swindling the equivalent of millions of dollars out of fellow church members. The Southwark Crown Court sentenced ring leader Lindani Mangena, 24, to seven years in jail on March 10 for "fraudulent trading, money laundering and carrying on an unauthorized investment business," according to the City of London Police. The trio bilked fellow church members out of US$6.3 million. Mangena reportedly posed as a trader in London's financial district and promised some 1,000 church members exponential returns on their initial investments within six months. But the men used most of that money to fund lavish trips, apartments and car purchases, according to the British Broadcasting Corp. ... Read more: http://www.adventistreview.org/article.php?id=1733

Former British PM Blair to Teach Religion Course at Yale. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has accepted a one-year appointment at Yale University to participate in a course on the connection between religion and globalization. Blair's appointment as Yale's Howland Distinguished Fellow during the 2008-09 academic year was announced March 7. Blair served as British prime minister from 1997-2007 and converted from Anglicanism to Roman Catholicism last year. He plans to launch a foundation this year dedicated to improving interfaith relations. Richard C. Levin, Yale's president, said: "As the world continues to become increasingly inter-dependent, it is essential that we explore how religious values can be channeled toward reconciliation rather than polarization. Mr. Blair has demonstrated outstanding leadership in these areas." ... Read more: http://www.adventistreview.org/article.php?id=1731#3

Christians Wrong About Heaven, Says Bishop. N.T. "Tom" Wright is one of the most formidable figures in the world of Christian thought. As Bishop of Durham, he is the fourth most senior cleric in the Church of England and a major player in the strife-riven global Anglican Communion; as a much-read theologian and Biblical scholar he has taught at Cambridge and is a hero to conservative Christians worldwide for his 2003 book The Resurrection of the Son of God, which argued forcefully for a literal interpretation of that event. It therefore comes as a something of a shock that Wright doesn't believe in heaven � at least, not in the way that millions of Christians understand the term. ... Read more: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1710844,00.html