Atheistic Assault Continues Against Military Members
Blake Page claims religion is the reason he resigned this past week from being a cadet at the U.S. Military Academy. Five months prior to graduation, Page asserted he felt discriminated against for being “non-religious.” The president of the West Point Secular Student Alliance (an affiliate of the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers) and the Director of Military Religious Freedom Foundation Affairs at West Point declared in a vitriolic blog post:
While there are certainly numerous problems with the developmental program at West Point and all service academies, the tipping point of my decision to resign was the realization that countless officers here and throughout the military are guilty of blatantly violating the oaths they swore to defend the Constitution. These men and women are criminals, complicit in light of day defiance of the Uniform Code of Military Justice through unconstitutional proselytism, discrimination against the non-religious and establishing formal policies to reward, encourage and even at times require sectarian religious participation. These transgressions are nearly always committed in the name of fundamentalist evangelical Christianity.
Page asserts the U.S. Military Academy makes prayers mandatory, that cadets participating in religious activities receive preferential treatment and that officers in general display open disrespect for non-religious cadets. He wrote in his resignation letter, “I do not wish to be in any way associated with an institution which willfully disregards the Constitution of the United States of America by enforcing policies which run counter to the same.” School officials confirmed Page’s resignation was accepted and that he is being discharged honorably. Spokesman Francis DeMaro, Jr., however, stated the former cadet’s claim that prayer is mandatory is untrue. He said, “The Academy holds both official and public ceremonies where an invocation and benediction may be conducted, but prayer is voluntary. As officers, cadets will be responsible for soldiers who represent America’s great diversity in faith and ethnic background. The Academy provides cadets the opportunity to foster an understanding regarding the fundamental dignity and worth of all.”
The founder and president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, Mikey Weinstein, called Page’s resignation an act of great courage. He claimed, “We have the Christian Taliban running amok unchecked in the technologically most lethal organization ever recorded in human kind. There’s no problem except that we have a small document called the Constitution that separates state and religion.” Weinstein, however, commended West Point for providing Page with an honorable discharge and not punishing him for his actions. Not everyone views Page’s resignation as an act of courage. Charles Clymer, a former 2013 classmate who was forced to separate from the Academy due to medical reasons, wrote an open letter on the Secular Student Alliance’s Facebook page. Describing himself both as a Christian and an “aggressive, outspoken liberal,” Clymer noted his outspokenness regarding the “injustice of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’, the limited career options of women who serve our country in uniform, and…a very broken system of addressing sexual assault at the Academy and in the Armed Forces in general (among other things).” In his address to Page, he relayed:
I’m angry and disappointed with you over this article, and I say that as someone who very much supports the separation of Church and State. I believe religion belongs in one’s private life, and apart from certain, limited allowances for those who have a faith they practice, government employees should never be given preferential treatment and upon such instances, leaders who allow that to happen should be counseled and/or punished. . . . I never, not even once, witnessed, heard about, or even thought it implied that non-religious cadets face discrimination of any kind at the Academy. I saw widespread homophobia and sexism but never any negative sentiment towards those cadets who identified as Atheist or Agnostic. In fact, the closest thing I ever observed that looked like a pro-Christian bias were the few cadets who believed Islam is evil, and that was a very small fraction of our class. The vast majority of Christian cadets treated non-Christian cadets with respect insofar as their beliefs are concerned. And I should again point out that I spent the better part of two years calling out homophobia and sexism when I saw it, and it wasn’t as though I was “known” for being a Christian in our class. I didn’t exactly spend my free time in Christian-based organizations or attend church services, regularly. I did sing in Gospel Choir for a few semesters but never heard any sort of anti-Atheist remarks during my participation with them. They treated everyone with respect, regardless of faith, gender, or sexuality. My point is that, try as I might, with all my stereotypical, sensitive liberal feelers in tune, I can’t remember ever seeing or hearing about negative experiences of Atheists, Agnostics, or other Non-Christians at the Academy. . . . As a person who prides myself on maintaining honesty in regards to how minorities (of any kind, including spiritual) are treated, I can say with confidence that are you are either blatantly lying or, at the very least, being incredibly misleading with how you represent the Academy’s religious environment.
Clymer noted Page’s poor performance as a cadet, having failed in multiple leadership positions. Page was facing separation from the Academy for medical reasons related to mental health, which likely contributed to his poor performance. He struggled at West Point following his father’s suicide. Diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety, he was disqualified from being commissioned as an officer. He asked to resign rather than face separation, a proposition accepted by Academy officials. According to Clymer, Page “went behind their backs and claimed the resignation was done to protest Christian Fundamentalists at the Academy, which is a whole lot of bull$h!#.” Page responded by saying he was unconcerned about the perception of others. “That’s really fine. I am not trying to talk about myself. I am trying to talk about church and state.”
It appears, nonetheless, that Page’s actions are actually more about himself than about the separation of church and state. Press reports regarding his resignation have generally failed to note he was facing separation from West Point due to mental health related issues. Weinstein and others will cite this as one of the “countless” instances of “discrimination” against non-theists. The truth of the matter is that this vocal and aggressive minority seeks to overthrow the rights of theists by removing the free exercise of religion in public. They believe essentially that any public demonstration of faith should be deemed illegal – viewing people of faith (particularly evangelical Christians) as “criminals” and extremists (i.e., “Christian Taliban running amok unchecked”). It is time for theists to actively and prolifically defend their rights, rights guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States.
* * * * *
SOURCES:
Blake Page, “Why I Don’t Want to be a West Point Graduate”
Charles Clymer, “The Truth about Cadet Blake Page and Why West Point is Not Anti-Atheist”
Michael Hill, The Huffington Post, “Blake Page, West Point Cadet, Quits Military Academy Over Religion”
Billy Hallowell, The Blaze, “Atheist West Point Cadet Quits the Academy, Citing ‘Christian Proselytizing’ & ‘Criminal’ Constitutional Violations”
Moni Basu, CNN, “West Point Cadet Quits Over Religion”
Thanksgiving: A Presidential Proclamation
General Thanksgiving
By the PRESIDENT of the United States Of America
A PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANKSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:”
NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and assign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed;– for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish Constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;– for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;– and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleased to confer upon us.
And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions;– to enable us all, whether in publick or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us); and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.
GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.
(signed) G. Washington
Source: The Massachusetts Centinel, October 14, 1789
Geaux Liberty!
Christian students from Louisiana State University, who are ardent football fans, paint their upper bodies during games. Known as “The Painted Posse,” the group was formed in 2003 and has become a fixture at LSU home games, appearing on national television broadcasts, ESPN and in Sports Illustrated. Members of The Posse had their picture taken at the LSU – South Carolina game. Officials sent out the photo of the students in a Geaux-Mail newsletter to the student body, but removed the crosses painted on The Posse’s bodies with digital technology. The students were dismayed when they viewed the photo, which appeared to be otherwise unedited. Cameron Cooke, one of the students, told CampusReform.org, “I was a bit surprised, because our pictures get used so frequently, and the cross had never been edited before. The cross painting is important to me because it represents who I am as a Christ follower.” Herb Vincent, an LSU spokesman noted that the school altered the image to prevent other students from being offended. “We don’t want to imply we are making any religious or political statements, so we air-brushed it out, Only one of the students, who didn’t appreciate it, actually contacted us about it. So next time, we’ll just choose a different photo.” LSU plans to steer clear of any photos with religious overtones when it sends out athletic promotional materials.
In a land where freedom of religious expression and freedom of speech are touted as rights, political correctness has found a way around the Constitution. Whenever people of faith express their views, they are simply ignored by those who “wish to remain neutral.” Such neutrality negates expression, implicitly conveying the idea that there is absolutely no room to discuss “private matters” (e.g., religion, politics, ethics) in a “public forum.” The more society at large embraces such an outlook, the greater individual liberties erode. It is important for people to politely, intelligently and firmly exercise their freedoms, or else those liberties will soon be gone.
Battle for the Military’s Soul
A recent article by James Dao in the New York Times reported that groups of atheists and secular humanists are “pushing for the appointment of one of their own to the [military] chaplaincy.” Dao notes, “Joining the chaplain corps is part of a broader campaign by atheists to win official acceptance in the military. Such recognition would make it easier for them to raise money and meet on military bases. It would help ensure that chaplains, religious or atheist, would distribute their literature, advertise their events and advocate for them with commanders.”
Jason Torpy, a former Army captain and president of the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers, believes atheistic chaplains would be able to perform all the functions religious chaplains do, including counseling troops and helping them follow their faith traditions. He stated, “Humanism fills the same role for atheists that Christianity does for Christians and Judaism does for Jews. It answers questions of ultimate concern; it directs our values.” Torpy has requested to meet with every military branch’s chiefs of chaplains to discuss his proposal.
At Fort Bragg, NC, a group called Military Atheists and Secular Humanists (MASH), has asked the military to appoint an atheist lay leader at the post. MASH chapters at Fort Campbell, KY, and MacDill Air Force Base, FL, are planning on doing the same. They desire to have access to chapel sanctuaries and meeting rooms, and for lay leaders to lead “services” in lieu of chaplains. Atheist leaders acknowledge the contradiction of seeking the chaplaincy or receiving recognition from the chaplain corps, but they believe the imprimatur of the chaplaincy will alleviate the fears atheists have of being ostracized for their worldviews. They claim Christian beliefs pervade military culture, and create subtle pressures on non-Christians to convert. As an example, they point to the Army’s Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program, which was created to help soldiers deal with stress and prevent suicide. The program assesses emotional, social, family, and spiritual well-being. Atheists erroneously claim the program is “rife with religious code words that suggest a deity or afterlife.” The Army rightly contends the program helps determine whether a soldier has “a strong set of beliefs, principles or values” that can sustain one through adversity, and that it does not gauge one’s religion.
Atheists also objected to an event held at Fort Bragg last autumn – “Rock the Fort.” Sponsored in part by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, the event was overseen by the post chaplains with the approval of the post commander, Colonel Stephen Sicinski. Money and manpower were provided for the event, and was held on the parade grounds. Attendance at the event was voluntary, and the commander noted that the event was intended to boost morale and “bolster the faith.” In response, Sergeant Justin Griffith has recruited a star lineup of atheistic musicians and speakers, including Richard Dawkins, to headline “Rock Beyond Belief,” and requested the commander to provide similar resources for it. Colonel Sicinski has refused, saying the event will not draw enough people to justify the use of the parade grounds. He added that it would not be right to use money from religious tithes which came from chapel attendees, which helped finance Rock the Fort. Griffith has appealed.
Griffith is also considering becoming an atheist chaplain. He would first have to earn a college degree, then a graduate degree in theology, be ordained, spend two years in pastoral ministry, and be commissioned. He would also need to receive an ecclesiastical endorsement from a “qualified religious organization,” a role the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers hopes to fulfill.
Paul Vicalvi, executive director of the National Association of Evangelicals Chaplain Commission – the largest representative body of chaplains in the U.S. Armed Forces and Veterans Administration – is “puzzled” by the atheists’ request. Interviewed by Katherine T. Phan of The Christian Post, the retired Army chaplain with over 30 years of service, failed to see the logic behind it. He remarked, “Traditionally chaplains are seen as a person [sic] of a higher power faith. It would redefine the chaplaincy if a non-faith person becomes a chaplain.” Vicalvi noted troops with atheistic beliefs or values who seek care already have psychologists and counselors in the military, most with a secular humanist background. He also emphasized that chaplains are also required to provide emotional and spiritual care to all military personnel, including non-believers, pointing out, “Evangelical chaplains are taught to respect the faith or the lack of faith of anyone in the military. It’s not that we’re against people who don’t have faith or think they are lesser persons. We are there and we respect everyone. That is our fundamental teaching.” During his service as an Army chaplain, Vicalvi counseled fellow soldiers from a variety of backgrounds, including Wiccans. He rejected the characterization made by atheists that chaplains “push Christianity down people’s throats,” adding that if Christian-themed events are organized, they are not funded with appropriated monies, and attendance is always voluntary.
In Vicalvi’s opinion, “Humanism is a religion. It’s a basis of motivation, ethics, day-to-day decision making,” however, “It’s not a power beyond themselves, or higher power, but they do have a god and it’s man. Humanists would claim that they have the power within themselves to be whatever they want to be.” Ultimately, he views the atheists’ demands for chaplains as less about the needs of the troops, and more about a vocal minority of new atheists desiring to spread its anti-Christian movement from the public square into the military.
Violation of Freedoms
On February 2, 2011, an assistant pastor, Brett Coronado, and two elders from Calvary Chapel (Hemet, California), Mark Mackey and Ed Flores, were at the Department of Motor Vehicles prior to its opening. One of the men, Mr. Mackey, began reading his Bible out loud while there. A security office approached him and demanded that he stop, which he refused to do. Shortly thereafter, a California Highway Patrol officer arrested Mr. Mackey. At the time of the arrest, no reason was given validating the detention even though the officer was asked which law had been broken. Mr. Mackey was brought up on charges of “impending an open business” under California Penal Code Section 602.1(b). Though it is not shown on the video, Coronado and Flores were arrested by another CHP officer on the same charge — “impending an open business,” though neither read the Bible out loud or preached on the premises.
The charge of “impeding an open business” was enacted to protect businesses against protesters blocking entrances of an open businesses. Not one of these men at any time blocked individuals from entering the DMV. Their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech, exercise of religion, and assembly were violated.
Jennifer Monk, Associate General Counsel for Advocates for Faith & Freedom, stated, “This is an abuse of power on the part of the CHP. The arresting officer could find no appropriate penal code to use when arresting these men. The purpose of the arrests appears to have been to censor them.” The men were released, and the District Attorney has not pursued any criminal charges up to this point. Advocates for Faith & Freedom has filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of these three men for violation of their right to free speech and for unlawful arrest. A copy of the complaint can be found here.
Free from Unwanted Speech
Rankin County Courthouse
Last month, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled 8-1 that Albert Snyder, a father mourning over the loss of his Marine son – Matthew – in battle and grieving over the mocking protests held at his funeral, had to yield to First Amendment protections for free speech. The decision, which sided in favor of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, and it’s Democrat-activist leader, Fred Phelps,* was made in order to protect “even hurtful speech on public issues to ensure that we do not stifle public debate.” The Westboro group has held demonstrations at military funerals all over the nation, contending that God is punishing the military for the nation’s tolerance of homosexuality. At the demonstrations they hold up signs containing messages such as, “Thank God for dead soldiers,” and, “Thank God for 9/11.” Justice Samuel Alito, the lone dissenter, stated Snyder merely desired to “bury his son in peace,” while the protesters “brutally attacked” Matthew Snyder to attract public attention. He continued, “Our profound national commitment to free and open debate is not a license for the vicious verbal assault that occurred in this case.” In my opinion, a funeral is not a public event in which debate is invited. Rather, it is a private event for family members and friends to gather to mourn the loss of their loved one. If Phelps and his group want to hold up such signs at the main gate of a military installation, then let them. But not at a funeral service.
I’m not the only one who believes that military members should be honored for their sacrifices, and that their funerals should be left unmolested by the likes of Phelps and his ilk. USMC Staff Sergeant Jason Rogers, who was killed in action in Afghanistan on April 7, was buried in Brandon, Mississippi, on April 16. The funeral procession was greeted by thousands of local Rankin County citizens who stood by the roadside to pay their respects. This display of honor was captured by the dashboard camera from Mississippi State trooper Elmo Townsend (see below). In it you will find no traces of the Westboro group.
One of the Westboro protestors showed up in a Brandon convenience station a few days before the funeral, scorning the Marine and denouncing the US. Utilizing his free speech resulted in getting his “arse waxed,” as one local put it. Police were called to the scene, but the beaten protestor was unable to give much of a description of the individual who had beaten him. Though a large crowd had gathered to witness the event, not one single person could recall what happened exactly.
On the day of the funeral, most of the protestors were unable to evacuate the motel parking lot because pick-up trucks were parked directly behind each vehicle with a Kansas license plate. Police were called to the scene, but the wrecker service notified them that they were running on a busy schedule and would be unavailable for several hours. The owners moved their trucks eventually, after the conclusion of the funeral service. A few of the protestors were able to make their way to the funeral, but police detained them for several hours for questioning. There was a concern they might have been involved with criminal activity in the area, but after the inquisition it was determined they had not been involved and were permitted to resume their business. It seems likely that Phelps, the disbarred attorney and Democrat activist, will pursue legal action in Mississippi. One doubts if such action would receive a warm welcome in the Rankin County Courthouse, or if it would even make its way to the Supreme Court.
*Phelps ran for major office in Kansas as a Democrat at least four times. As governor on the Democrat ballot in 1990, 1994, and 1998, and as senator in 1992. He also ran in Topeka as a Democrat candidate for mayor in 1993 and 1997. He has been associated with Al Gore, and his son, Fred Phelps, Jr., was a Gore delegate at the 1988 Democrat convention. During that same year, the Phelps hosted a Gore fundraiser in Topeka. According to Phelps, the Westboro members “ran” Gore’s 1988 campaign in Kansas.
HT: The Hayride
Shariah 4 America
Last month, Columbia University freshman Anthony Maschek, a former U.S. Army staff sergeant who was awarded the Purple Heart after being shot 11 times in a firefight in northern Iraq three years ago, was jeered and castigated as a “racist” when he spoke on in favor of welcoming ROTC on campus. Maschek told those gathered at the assembly, “It doesn’t matter how you feel about the war. It doesn’t matter how you feel about fighting. There are bad men out there plotting to kill you.” The courageous veteran was heckled for his comments. It was on this very campus which Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was made welcome with open arms.
These Ivy League students are paving the way for Shariah Law in America. Anthony Maschek is correct, there are “bad men out there plotting to kill you.” They’re plotting on killing those who oppose Islam, they’re already plotting on how to reshape the American landscape once they have control. In fact, they are already discussing what to do with the Statue of Liberty. The Shariah 4 America website declares with one of its articles, “Muslims without Shariah are like Fish out of Water.” They intend to implement Shariah Law in this land, and then act accordingly, including demolishing the Statue of Liberty. The article discussing the landmark declares:
One of the founding principles of the Islamic constitution is to ensure that all sovereignty and supremacy belongs solely to [Allah]; the Shari’ah is a practical manifestation of this sovereignty and supremacy because it seeks to establish His command in society. The status of a nation subsequently does not depend on its number, strength or technological advancement, but rather how much it submits to the commands of God. When a nation seeks to be free from such commands, then ultimately it will meet its destruction. [emphasis added] The Statue of Liberty, designed by Frederic Bartholdi, stands on Liberty Island in New York Harbor; representing Libertas, the Roman (false) goddess of Freedom, it is symbolic of the rebellious nature of the US constitution that elevates the command of man over the command of God. [emphasis added] In Islam, the public veneration of idols and statues is strictly prohibited. This has forced sincere Muslims to develop realistic plans that will aid in the removal of the Statue of Liberty. [emphasis added] Due to the scale of the task at hand, it is highly likely that rigorous safety checks will need to be employed before the demolition of the Statue of Liberty can commence; thus as a temporary measure, it is proposed that a large burkha is used to cover the statue, thereby shielding this horrendous eye sore from public view as well as sending a strong message to its French creators. [emphasis added] Post demolition, it is recommended that a minaret be built as a fitting replacement, allowing the glorification of God to be proclaimed daily as well as act as a powerful reminder of the superiority of Islam over all other ways of life. [emphasis added]
If you cherish democracy, then you have no other choice than to oppose this radicalized religion.
Islamists Protest “Leniency”
INDONESIA – A mob of a thousand Islamists in Java burned two church buildings and damaged another in addition to attacking police officers on February 8th to “protest” the “lenient” sentence given to a Christian convicted of blaspheming Islam. Antonius Bawengan, 58, received the maximum sentence possible, five years’ imprisonment, for distributing literature which allegedly denounced Islam. The mob screamed that Bawengan should have been put to death. Ambassador Scot Marciel posted a statement on the U. S. Embassy websate, remarking that the U.S. agrees with the “vast majority of Indonesians” who deplore the violence which took place. The ambassador also encouraged the Indonesian government to continue fostering tolerance among all communities and protecting their rights.
Please pray for the Christians in Indonesia in general, and for Antonius Bawengan in particular.
‘House of Horrors’
Dr. Kermit Gosnell, 69, operated an abortion clinic from 1979-2010 which has been described as a “filthy, foul-smelling ‘house of horrors’” which regulators overlooked for years. He was charged today (Jan. 19, 2011) with eight counts of murder, infanticide, conspiracy, and abortion at 24 or more weeks (which is prohibited by Pennsylvania law, except to save the life of the mother or to avoid serious risk to her). Dr. Gosnell has been accused of delivering seven babies alive and then killing them with scissors, and with responsibility for a woman who died from an overdose of painkillers. Nine of Gosnell’s employees, including his wife, have also been charged.
Prosecutors called the gruesome case a “complete regulatory collapse.” State regulators ignored complaints about Gosnell, including 46 lawsuits against him, and made just five annual inspections since the clinic first opened. The inspections generally characterized the clinic as “satisfactory.” Inspections ceased altogether in 1993 because, according to prosecutors, a “pro-abortion rights attitude” set in after Democratic Governor Robert Casey left office. Casey was an advocate for the pro-life position. Seth Williams, Philadelphia District Attorney, accused state Health Department officials of “utter disregard” for the safety of women undergoing abortions, and declared the testimony of officials “enraged” the grand jury. Nonetheless, he noted he could find criminal offenses with which they could be charged. According to the report, “These officials were far more protective of themselves when they testified before the grand jury. Even (Health Department) lawyers, including the chief counsel, brought private attorneys with them — presumably at government expense.” The state was reluctant to investigate Gosnell, according to Williams, because of the “sensitivity of the abortion debate.”
The clinic reeked of cat urine because the animals were permitted to roam the facility freely. Instruments used by Gosnell were not sterilized properly, and disposable medical supplies were reused constantly. Late-term abortions, in which babies are dismembered in the uterus and then removed in pieces, is more common than partial-birth abortions, in which babies are extracted partially before being put to death. Prosecutors insist Gosnell “induced labor, forced the live birth of viable babies in the sixth, seventh, eighth month of pregnancy and then killed those babies by cutting into the back of the neck with scissors and severing their spinal cord.” Hundreds of babies were murdered in the squalid clinic in this fashion according to Williams. These murders will not be prosecuted because Gosnell destroyed many of his files. Prosecutors also noted that Gosnell falsified ultrasound examinations, which determine how far along pregnancies are, by teaching staff members to hold the probe in such a manner that the unborn babies would look smaller. Four clinic employees were also charged with murder, and five more, including Pearl Gosnell, Pearl, with conspiracy, drug and other crimes. All are in custody.
Gosnell earned his medical degree from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and is board certified in family practice. He started, but did not finish, a residency in obstetrics-gynecology, according to authorities. “He does not know how to do an abortion. Once he got them there, he saw dollar signs and did abortions that other people wouldn’t do,” stated Assistant District Attorney Joanne Pescatore. Gosnell insisted previously he is innocent of any crimes, and predicted he would be acquitted if charged.
Update: Asia Bibi
PAKISTAN – An Islamic imam, Maulana Yousef Qureshi, offered 500,000 rupees ($5,800 USD) on December 3, 2010, to anyone who murdered Asia Bibi if the court fails to implement capital punishment against her. Asia Bibi was found guilty of “insulting” Muhammad and sentenced to death by hanging under a blasphemy law which is utilized frequently in Pakistan to persecute non-Muslims. Two days later, Nawa-i-Waqt, a major Pakistani newspaper, issued a call for Muslims to decapitate the wife and mother of five if she is not hanged to death. The newspaper declared, “The punishment handed down to Asia Bibi will be carried out in one manner or the other.” Prior to these calls for murder, Bibi’s appeal drew demonstrations all over Pakistan.
Islamists in the Lahore high court blocked an offer of pardon by President Zardari. The governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer, who called publicly for a pardon, was gunned down this past week by a police guard in Islamabad. The Moaviya, an Islamist group, has declared its intention to mount a suicide attack on the Sheikhupura district jail where the 45-year-0ld Bibi is being held. An intelligence report issued last week has corroborated the threat.
There are currently 131 individuals being imprisoned across Punjab on blasphemy charges. 11 have been sentenced to death, including Bibi, the first woman to be given the death penalty. Though no one has been executed officially by the government following a conviction under the controversial law, since 1990, 35 individuals accused of blasphemy or defending those charged with blasphemy, have either been victims of extra-judicial killing or found dead in prison under suspicious circumstances.
Coptic Christians Face Continuing Persecution
A bombing of a New Year’s Eve service at the Church of the Two Saints in Alexandria, Egypt, left 21 Coptic Orthodox Christians dead. Riots erupted following the bombing, with frustrated Copts attacking Muslims in a nearby mosque. The Copts have complained bitterly that the government permits attacks against the nation’s historic Christian community by Islamists who desire Egypt’s absolute submission to Islam. Fifty-two anti-Christian incidents occurred the last two years without a single perpetrator being prosecuted.
The U.S. State Department’s 2010 International Religious Freedom Report, released this past November, revealed the Egyptian government restricts religious freedom in favor of Islam – the official state religion – despite its constitution guaranteeing freedom of religious belief and practice. According to the report, Christians are discriminated individually and collectively, particularly in government employment. The government often arrests, detains and harasses converts from Islam to Christianity, and often refuses to provide them with new identity documents indicating their chosen faith. The government’s refusal to prosecute crimes against Christians contributes to a climate of impunity, encouraging additional assaults by Islamists. In 2009, the government destroyed a quarter of a million pigs, devastating the livelihood of a large community of Christians in Cairo, claiming the action would prevent swine flu.
Leonard Leo, chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, an independent bipartisan government panel, stated the Egyptian government has failed to take sufficient action to halt the repression and discrimination against Christians, or to punish individuals responsible for severe violations of religious freedom. Regarding the New Year’s bombing, Leo declared, “This attack all too clearly demonstrates the ongoing problem of unchecked violence against Christians in Egypt. At present, there is no real deterrent for those who target Egyptian citizens because of their religious identity. Until there is justice and accountability, the Christian minority, and other minorities in Egypt, will remain vulnerable to extremists and terrorists.”
Islamists are promoting anti-Christian sentiment among ordinary Egyptian citizens according to Youssef Sidhom, the editor of a Coptic newspaper. Sidhom noted, “The infiltration of political Islam into our education, our schools, into the hearts and minds of school teachers and into our school books and is extremely dangerous because it produces innocent children who are infected by the version of Islam that does not accept the other and preaches non-acceptance of Christians.”
Asia’s Appeal Draws Demonstrations
NBC has recently picked up the story regarding Asia Bibi, the Christian mother of five who has been sentenced to death by hanging under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws. The death sentence has received condemnation across the globe and placed pressure upon the Pakistani government to overturn the verdict, but Islamic groups have threatened civil war if the government pardons Bibi or attempts to amend the law.
Ashiq Masih, Bibi’s husband, has gone into hiding with their children because Islamists are out to kill the family. He continues to insist Asia was the victim of old score-settling in their village of Ittan Walli, where his family was just one of a pair of Christian families. In an interview with NBC News, Qari Muhammed Salem, the local Islamic cleric in Ittan Walli, accused Masih of lying and insisted Bibi is guilty. He claims she confessed her crime before the entire village and begged for forgiveness.
Bibi’s attorney has filed an appeal with the High Court in Lahore. If the appeals process is protracted, Pakistani President Asif Zardari could consider a pardon. Shahbaz Bhatti, the nation’s Minister for Minority Affairs, submitted a report to Zardari which concluded the charges were baseless. Other acquittals in similar cases have resulted in the assassination of both judges and accused persons. The accused have often been murdered inside prisons or outside courtrooms just after being released. Bhatti promised, “We will protect Asia and her entire family. No harm will come to them.” Nonetheless, Islamic groups have held demonstrations across Pakistan with reports of a possible pardon for Bibi, and Zardari has been warned that a violent backlash will be unleashed if the death sentence is commuted. At one such rally, organized by the “Movement for the Protection of the Prophet’s Honor,” protesters chanted, “We are ready to sacrifice our life for the prophet.”
Please continue to pray for Asia, Ashiq, and their children, and for the nation of Pakistan.
Musial: All-Star American
The greatest St. Louis Cardinal of all-time, Stan Musial, is going to be recognized as one of the greatest Americans of all-time. Musial, who turned 90 on November 21, is going to receive one of the nation’s highest civilian honors, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Medal of Freedom is awarded for “especially meritorious service to the security or national interests of the United States or to world peace or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.” Musial is beloved in St. Louis, not merely because of his past accomplishments as a life-long Cardinals’ baseball player, but because of the contributions he has made to the community since retiring. A civic icon, Musial is the eighth baseball player to win the Medal. Winners from other sports include Jesse Owens, Bear Bryant, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and John Wooden.
Cardinals’ manager Tony La Russa stated, “It’s so well-deserved. He’s such an amazing, remarkable man, professional and everything that it’s very exciting and it’s well deserved.” Bud Selign, the Commissioner of Major League Baseball, commented, “I am truly thrilled that the White House has honored Stan Musial with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, joining other legends of our game like the great Jackie Robinson, Roberto Clemente, Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Buck O’Neil, Henry Aaron and Frank Robinson. Stan Musial is an extraordinary human being, a great American and one of the best players in the history of the game. He has long been a treasure of St. Louis, but he represents all the best of our national pastime. Today, our game salutes Stan Musial on this highest honor from our country.” Cardinals’ principal owner, Bill DeWitt, Jr., added, “It’s terrific. It’s a great honor for him. I called him today and congratulated him. It’s the highest civilian honor. He was obviously pleased. He deserved it. He’s been an exemplary ambassador for the game and he’s been a great public servant since he’s formally gotten out of baseball. Of course, he never leaves it. But he’s one of those unique individuals who has contributed so much.”
During a 22-season Major League career, Musial garnered a .331 lifetime batting average, amassed 3,630 hits (475 of them home runs), 1,951 RBIs, and scored 1,949 runs. He was selected as an All-Star 24 times (during a portion of his career, two All-Star games were played each year), won seven batting titles, and named the National League Most Valuable Player three times. Musial would have played for 23 seasons had he not missed joined the U.S. Navy in 1945 to fight during World War II. He was inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame during his first season of eligibility (1969), receiving over 93 percent of the vote.
A Presidential Proclamation of Thanksgiving
General Thanksgiving
By the PRESIDENT of the United States Of America
A PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANKSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:”
NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and assign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed;– for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish Constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;– for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;– and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleased to confer upon us.
And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions;– to enable us all, whether in publick or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us); and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.
GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.
(signed) G. Washington
Source: The Massachusetts Centinel, October 14, 1789
Pakistani faces execution for ‘blasphemy’
Asia Bibi, a 45-year-old mother-of-five and a Christian in Pakistan who has been imprisoned since June 2009 for “blasphemy,” was sentenced to execution this past Monday. Bibi denies the charges. She told investigators she is being persecuted for her faith in a nation where Christians face routine discrimination and harassment. Her husband, Ashiq Masih, stated, “I haven’t told two of my younger daughters about the court’s decision. They asked me many times about their mother but I can’t get the courage to tell them that the judge has sentenced their mother to capital punishment for a crime she never committed.”
Bibi was imprisoned shortly after a Muslim mob attacked her. Rescued by police, she was taken to a police station for her own safety. While at the station, the mob – which included Islamic clerics – called for death, claiming she had spoken ill of their prophet, Mohammed. The police then registered a blasphemy case against her.
Mrs. Bibi’s case will be appealed. While no one has ever been executed under Pakistan’s blasphemy law, because they are generally freed on appeal, as many as ten individuals have been murdered while on trial. Human rights groups believe the law is often utilized to discriminate against religious minorities. Ali Hasan Dayan of Human Rights Watch declared the law is out of line with the rights guaranteed by Pakistan’s constitution, and should be repealed. He stated, “It’s an obscene law. Essentially the blasphemy law is used as a tool of persecution and to settle other scores that are nothing to do with religion. It makes religious minorities particularly vulnerable because it’s often used against them.”
Election Day
With Election Day being tomorrow (Nov. 2), the Rev. Dr. Michael Horton points us back to St. Augustine and provides a thoughtful reminder regarding the Christian’s ultimate citizenship.
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A Tale of Two Kingdoms by Michael Horton 
There is no better time to refresh our memories about the “two kingdoms” doctrine than at election time in the United States, when American Protestantism often seems divided more by its political allegiances than its faith and practice.
In the aftershocks of the sacking of Rome by the pagans in 410 a.d., the great church father Augustine, bishop of Hippo, wrote his famous City of God. Jerome, another celebrated church father, had collapsed in despair: “What is to become of the church now that Rome has fallen?” No doubt as a patriot, Augustine felt the same wound, but as a Christian pastor he greeted the event as a providential opportunity: God had brought the mission field to the missionaries. The question was whether there were many “missionaries” left in an empire that had weakened the faith precisely to the extent that it had fused it with civil religion.
Whether we face a similar possibility in our own civilization, we certainly stand in need of the wisdom that Augustine brought to the crisis. Like all great books, his City of God is interpreted rather differently by various schools. However, it is indisputable that it helped to create what came to be called the doctrine of the two kingdoms.
According to Augustine, the distinction between the two cities — the city of God and the city of man — is grounded in the two loves: love of God and love of self. The former leads to genuine fellowship and a communion of mutual giving and receiving, while the latter engenders strife, war, and the desire to exercise domination over others.
Ultimately, Augustine says, these two loves and two cities are themselves grounded in God’s eternal predestination. Although the city of man is destined to perish, God is both creating a new city (the church) from its ruins and preserving the old city by His common grace until ultimate peace and justice arrive with Christ’s return. In this era of common grace, God “sends rain on the just and on the unjust” and calls us to imitate His clemency (Matt. 5:43–48). So Christians have two callings: the high calling in Christ to belong to His body and the calling to the world as citizens, parents, children, friends, coworkers, and neighbors. Because God is still faithful to His creation, there is the possibility of an earthly city with its relative peace and justice; because God is faithful to His electing purposes, there is a church in all times and places that brings true peace and justice. He does this first of all by uniting sinners to Christ, and then one day by eradicating all strife from the earth at Christ’s return.
Consequently, each city has its own polity, serving distinct ends through distinct means. Although some of its citizens are converted to citizenship in the city of God, the earthly city is always Babylon. Like Daniel, believers pray for the city, work in the city, contribute to the city’s general welfare, and even fight in its armies. However, they never forget that they are exiles and pilgrims. Babylon is never the promised land.
The kingdom of God advances through the proclamation of the Gospel, not through the properly coercive powers of the state, although the church may take advantage of the relative peace that is possible in the earthly city (City of God, 19.26–27). These two cities we find “interwoven, as it were, in this present transitory world, and mingled with one another” (11.2). The good things that we do with non-Christian citizens to preserve and enlarge society really are good, but they are not ultimate goods. The earthly city will never be transformed into the city of God this side of Christ’s return in glory. A Christian would then approach politics not with the question as to how the world can best be saved, but how it can best be served in this time between the times.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the national covenant that Israel made with God at Sinai was regularly invoked as an allegory for Christendom. Crusades against “the infidel” (often Muslims) were declared by popes with the promise of immediate entrance into paradise for martyrs. Kings fancied themselves as king David, leading the armies of the Lord in cleansing the Holy Land. The very idea of a Christian empire or a Christian nation was a serious confusion of these two cities. It was against this confusion of Christ’s kingdom with Israel’s theocracy that Luther and Calvin launched their retrieval of Augustine’s “two kingdoms.”
Like Augustine, Luther emphasized the distinction between “things heavenly” and “things earthly,” righteousness before God and righteousness before fellow humans. On one hand, the Reformers were rejecting Rome’s confusion of Christ’s kingdom, which is extended by the proclamation of the Word, and earthly kingdoms. On the other hand, they were also opposing the Anabaptist movement, which regarded the earthly city as simply evil and unworthy of Christian involvement.
Opposing what he called the “contrived empire” of Christendom, Calvin says that we must recognize that we are “under a two-fold government…so that we do not (as commonly happens) unwisely mingle these two, which have a completely different nature.” Just as the body and spirit are distinct without being intrinsically opposed, “Christ’s spiritual kingdom and the civil jurisdiction are things completely distinct. …Yet this distinction does not lead us to consider the whole nature of government a thing polluted, which has nothing to do with Christian men.” These two kingdoms are “distinct,” yet “they are not at variance” (Institutes of the Christian Religion, 4.20.1–2).
Like Augustine, Calvin simultaneously affirms the natural order and its inability to generate an ultimate society because of sin. Bound to God as Creator in the covenant of creation, all human beings are heirs to a cultural mandate that they have transgressed. However, the cultural mandate is distinct from the Great Commission that belongs to the covenant of grace. The goal of common grace is not to perfect nature, but to restrain sin and animate civic virtues and arts, so that culture may fulfill its own important but limited, temporal, and secular ends, while God simultaneously pursues the redemptive aims of His everlasting city.
Responding to the radical reformers’ insistence that a commonwealth is only legitimate if it is ordered by biblical law, Calvin declares, “How malicious and hateful toward public welfare would a man be who is offended by such diversity, which is perfectly adapted to maintain the observance of God’s law! For the statement of some, that the law of God given through Moses is dishonored when it is abrogated and new laws preferred to it, is utterly vain” (Institutes, 4.20.8, 14). After all, Calvin says, “It is a fact that the law of God which we call the moral law is nothing else than a testimony of natural law and of that conscience which God has engraved on the minds of men” (Institutes, 4.20.8, 14). Even unbelievers can rule justly and prudently, as Paul indicates even under the more pagan circumstances of his day (Rom. 13:1–7).
When Jesus Christ arrived, He did not revive the Sinai theocracy as His contemporaries had hoped. Instead of driving out the Romans, He commanded love for our enemies. Gathering the new Israel — Jew and Gentile — around Himself, by His Spirit, through Word and sacrament, Jesus inaugurated the kingdom of grace that will be manifested one day as a kingdom of glory. In this time between His two comings the wheat grows together with the weeds, the sons of thunder are rebuked for calling down judgment here and now on those who reject their message, and the faithful gather regularly for the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, the breaking of the bread, and the prayers (Acts 2:42). Through its administration of Gospel preaching, baptism, the Supper, prayer, and discipline, the church is God’s new society inserted into the heart of the secular city as a witness to Christ and the age to come when He will be all in all.
In our Christian circles in the United States today, we can discern a “Christendom” view, where some imagine America to be a Christian nation invested with a divine commission to bring freedom to the ends of the earth. Of course, Christians have an obligation both to proclaim the heavenly and everlasting freedom of the Gospel and the earthly and temporal freedom from injustice. But they are different. When we confuse them, we take the kingdom into our own hands, transforming it from a kingdom of grace into a kingdom of glory and power.
We also recognize an opposite view, more characteristic of the Anabaptist perspective, as evangelist D. L. Moody asserted: “I look upon this world as a wrecked vessel. God has given me a lifeboat and said to me, ‘Moody, save all you can.’” In this view, improving the lot of our neighbors in the world is like polishing the brass on a sinking ship. Christians are often encouraged to focus almost exclusively on personal salvation (their own as well as that of others), unsure of the value of their secular vocations.
But we need not choose between these two kingdoms. Citizens of both, we carry out our vocations in the church and the world in distinct ways through distinct means. We need not “Christianize” culture in order to appreciate it and participate in it with the gifts that God has given us as well as our non-Christian neighbors. Though called to be faithful in our callings until Christ returns, with Abraham, we are “looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Heb 11:10, hcsb).
Principal Punished for Private Religion
The principal of Foothill School, Craig Richter, appeared in a brief video promoting the Santa Barbara Community Prayer Breakfast (Santa Barbara, California). The event was organized in order to support educators. A member of the Goleta Union School District viewed the video on YouTube, and the school district later ruled that Richter violated “the separation of church and state.” He was placed on a disciplinary performance plan and was threatened with having his contract terminated. Alliance Defense Fund senior counsel, Joseph Infranco, stated, “The district’s contention that he was somehow violating the Constitution is not only unfounded, but absurd, as the video itself suggests.” Richter spoke mostly about the profession of educators in the 30-second video, and thanked breakfast attendees by stating, “For educators to be acknowledged and prayed for is both an encouragement and a great honor. Your support of the community prayer breakfast is appreciated.” ADF filed a lawsuit on behalf of Richter against the school district this past Tuesday. William Rehwald, who is representing Richter, noted that the principal’s advertisement was conducted as a private citizen speaking on an issue of public concern, and that the school district violated his Constitutional right to freedom of speech.
Neither the principal nor school staff members attended the prayer breakfast because the school district chose not to participate due to traffic safety concerns. Foothill staff were not informed that the district didn’t want to participate due to the alleged promotion of religion or supposedly crossing the line of separation between church and state. John Whitehead, president of the Rutherford Institute, stated several Christians like Richter are filing lawsuits because Christianity is being barred from the public arena. He noted cases such as the South Orange-Maplewood school district in New Jersey banning Christmas trees, Christmas music, and even the use of the name “Christmas” for the holiday in public spaces.
Youquing Church Raided
Authorities in Youqing, Sichuan Province, China, raided a house church on September 26. Church members were beaten, furniture was destroyed, Christian literature was confiscated, and 500 Yuan ($75 USD) was taken. The authorities claim the meeting was illegal, and took twenty of the church members to the police station for interrogation. Five of the members were released after their families posted bail, but the other fifteen were detained for several hours. While in detention, two of the members were beaten by the police chief. Church members who returned to the police station after their initial release in order to retrieve personal property were given fifteen-day sentences for “disrupting the public order under the guise of religion.”
Please pray for the members of the Youqing Church to remain strong in their faith, and for the hearts of those in positions of authority to be changed by God’s grace.
HT: ChinaAid / Voice of the Martyrs
Pastor in Turkmenistan Unjustly Accused
On August 27, Pastor Ilmurad Nurliev of the Light to the World Church in the town of Mary, Turkmenistan, was arrested on charges of “swindling.” Authorities began questioning church members earlier this year (2010) and pressuring them to make accusations against the pastor. One church member was notified she would be imprisoned if she did not comply. Since then, three individuals succumbed to the threats and provided written statements to authorities claiming the pastor extorted 1,400 Manats ($491 USD) from them. Two were women who now regret the statements greatly. The pastor’s wife, Maya, and other church members maintain the allegations are false and were obtained only under compulsion.
All non-Islamic religious communities in Turkmenistan are subjected to tight government controls and continual surveillance. Other faiths are unable to acquire, open or maintain places of worship freely. They are also prohibited from offering religious education, or publishing or importing religious materials.
Please pray for Pastor Nurliev, his family, and the members of the Light to the World congregation. Pray that the case will be brought to trial quickly and that justice will prevail. Pray also that neither Pastor Nurliev’s health nor faith will fail during his imprisonment.
HT: Forum 18 / Voice of the Martyrs
Praying for Cancellation
Pastor Terry Jones and the members of the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, plan on burning 200 copies of the Quran this Saturday in order to protest the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Jones, author of Islam is of the Devil, informed CNN’s ‘American Morning’ show that the burning is designed to send a message to radical Islamists. The local fire department has denied a required burn permit, but the minister has vowed to press forward with the event nonetheless.
Gen. David Petraeus, the U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, has warned that the event would be exploited by the Taliban, cause American forces to face greater danger, and endanger American efforts. Several hundred Muslims, mostly students, gathered outside Kabul’s Milad ul-Nabi mosque on Monday to protest the congregation’s planned event. Wahidullah Nori declared, “We call on America to stop desecrating our Holy Quran!” while the crowd chanted, “Death to America!” Jones, who has received over 100 death threats himself, stated, “We are weighing the thing that we are about to do. What it possibly could cause, what is our actual message, what are we trying to get across?”
The message that Jones and Dove World Outreach will send to Muslims worldwide is one of disrespect. For those who say they are concerned with Islam, particularly radical Islam, burning Qurans will simply fan the flames of fanaticism and violence. I’m sure that Pastor Jones felt a sense of grief when Islamists showed contempt for Christians by burning Bibles and destroying crosses. Rather than acting in similar fashion, the members of Dove World Outreach would do well to heed the words of the Lord Jesus Christ:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
- Gospel of St. Matthew 5:43-48
I, for one, pray the event will be canceled, and hope a more constructive event will take its place.
UPDATE: On Sept. 9, 2010, Pastor Jones and the folks at Dove World Outreach decided to cancel the event. I’m thankful.
Presidential Proclamation 4845
On May 20, 1981, Ronald Reagan issued Presidential Proclamation 4845, which declares:
There is no institution more vital to our Nation’s survival than the American family. Here the seeds of personal character are planted, the roots of public virtue first nourished. Through love and instruction, discipline, guidance, and example, we learn from our mothers and our fathers the values that will shape our private lives and our public citizenship.
Cutting the Air Force Chaplain Corps
Due to mandates set by Congress, the U. S. Air Force is reducing its number of chaplains. The cuts are fiscally motivated, seeking to balance competing mission requirements with limited resources. A total of 544 chaplains were serving in active duty slots this spring, but only 465 positions will be retained by September 30, 2011.
Some military experts question the Air Force’s decision to cut chaplains, who often can offer troops immediate confidential counseling. Marriage and family issues are the most-cited reason airmen and family members seek counseling from a chaplain’s counsel, although combat-stress counseling cases increased 350 percent between 2007 and 2009. Overall, chaplain counseling sessions have increased 37 percent over the past two years. The cuts also come at a time when the Air Force’s suicide rate is increasing. This year alone, just through May 7, it is suspected 22 active-duty airmen took their own lives. That is over half the total number of active-duty suicides for all of 2009.
For a full story regarding this issue, please see:
“Troops: Loss will be felt when Air Force cuts Chaplain Corps by 15 percent.”
Afghan Leader Calls for Execution of Christians
Parliamentarian Abdul Sattar Khawasi advocated the execution of all Christians who had come from a Muslim background and were televised being baptized and praying in Farsi. The Islamist declared, “Those Afghans who appeared in this video film should be executed in public; the house should order the attorney general and the [intelligence agency] to arrest these Afghans and execute them.” Students at Kabul University rioted after viewing the televised reports, shouting death threats and demanding the immediate expulsion of all foreigners accused of proselytizing. The Afghan government suspended all operations by the U.S. based World Church Service and of Norwegian Church Aid.
Please pray for God to open doors for religious liberty in Afghanistan, and for His mercy upon those who have converted recently from Islam to Christianity.
