Newslinks 08/29/10

August 29, 2010 at 7:41 pm | Posted in Newslinks | Leave a comment
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Sunday’s Newslinks brought to you by At Ease Tees

Ministry Blasts ‘Gross Misrepresentation’ of Creation Museum
The Creation Museum issued a response this week refuting much of the critiques that were made in a recent LiveScience article, including the claim that non-Christians are unwelcome.

Conservative Lutherans to Form New Church Body in North America

Army Soldiers: Skipping Christian Concert Got Us Punished

Extremists Can Gain Ground Through Pakistan Flood Aid, Warns Group

Rapes of Christian Girls in Pakistan Reflect Hidden Trend

So. Baptist Pastor: We Have to Crucify Our Self-Righteousness Continue Reading Newslinks 08/29/10…

Newslinks 08/01/10

August 1, 2010 at 12:46 pm | Posted in Newslinks | Leave a comment
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Sunday’s Newslinks brought to you by At Ease Tees

LCMS President Laments Churches’ Pro-Gay Directions
The outgoing president of the second largest Lutheran church body in America lamented the directions taken on matters of sexuality by some member churches of the Lutheran World Federation.

Lutheran World Federation Elects Palestinian Bishop as President

Orthodox Anglicans Urged to Hold Fast to Sound Teaching

Conservative Leaders Sound Off Against Kenya’s ‘Pro-Abortion’ Constitution

Thousands of Christian Zionists Gather to Support Israel

Government-Incited Gang in Vietnam Attacks House Church

Energy Department Official Can’t Say How Much Greenhouse Gas Is Generated on Capitol Hill
(CNSNews.com)
– At a House subcommittee hearing last week, an Energy Department official could not answer a question from a Republican lawmaker about how much pollution is emitted in the process of generating electricity for federal government operations in the nation’s capital. When CNSNews.com asked for the greenhouse gas emissions inventory for the federal government operations in Washington, D.C., a spokesperson for the Energy Department said that greenhouse gas emissions are not measured by regions, but by each agency nationwide. The spokesperson also said that in the future, greenhouse gas emissions will be collected by zip code.

Lockerbie Probe May Prove Uncomfortable for Obama Administration
(CNSNews.com)
– The four Democratic U.S. senators probing the early release of the Libyan convicted in the Lockerbie bombing believe there were links to a BP oil deal, but their inquiry may have the unintended consequence of raising questions about just how strongly the Obama administration opposed the Libyan’s release. Scottish government ministers, stung by accusations that they released Abdel Baset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi to ease a massive oil exploration contract in Libya, are pointing out that it is the U.S. government that is blocking the release of two documents relating to the decision.

U.S. Spent $314,613 Studying Increase in Family Violence After NFL Upset Losses
(CNSNews.com)
– The National Institutes of Health spent $314,613 over two years on a study that found family violence increases about three times as much on the Fourth of July as it does after the local NFL team suffers an “upset” loss. The researchers also determined that an “upset” loss by the local NFL home team was not linked to nearly as great an increase in family violence as were Christmas Day, Thanksgiving Day, Memorial Day, New Year’s Day, and New Year’s Eve.

Sen. Baucus Won’t Say If Obama’s Controversial Recess-Appointee to Run Medicare Will Get Confirmation Hearing
(CNSNews.com)
– Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) would not say whether Dr. Donald Berwick, who received a recess appointment to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, would ever receive a Senate confirmation hearing in the committee that Baucus oversees, as the Constitution requires. On Capitol Hill last week, CNSNews.com asked Sen. Baucus, “Why didn’t you schedule a hearing for Dr. Berwick?”

Schumer’s New Campaign Finance Bill Preserves NRA Loophole
(CNSNews.com)
– An updated version of a campaign finance bill written by Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) preserves a controversial loophole that would exempt the National Rifle Association from tough new disclosure and speech restrictions during election cycles. The new bill, an updated version of Schumer’s original DISCLOSE Act, was introduced on the Senate floor on July 21 without being referred to committee.

Massive US-South Korea Naval Maneuvers Held Amid North Korean Threats
(CNSNews.com)
– Despite characteristically belligerent rhetoric, there were no reports of North Korean troop movements or threatening behavior as South Korea and the United States continued large-scale naval exercises Monday aimed at deterring aggression by the isolated communist state. A statement by U.S. Army Gen. Walter Sharp, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, said the drills were “designed to send a clear message to North Korea that its aggressive behavior must stop.”

ACLJ Asks Commission to Make N.Y. Building a Landmark to Keep 13-Story Mosque from Being Built at Ground Zero
(CNSNews.com)
– A conservative civil liberties group has formally requested landmark status for a building in lower Manhattan that an Islamic group wants to replace with a 13-story mosque and community center. The American Center for Law and Justice said it is “urging city officials to landmark the site because it stands as a symbol of America’s strength and survival in the face of brutal, sadistic terrorism.”

Rangel a liability to the party
An ethics watchdog organization believes Congressman Charles Rangel is becoming an increasing liability to the Democratic Party — thus the decision to file ethics charges against the veteran lawmaker.

AZ judge doesn’t ignore reality
Immigration reform activist Ira Mehlman is encouraged that the judge hearing challenges to Arizona’s immigration law has raised the realities of what’s happening in the state because of out-of-control illegal immigration there.

Students support prof’s conservative stand
Support is mounting for a University of Illinois professor who was fired for telling students in his Catholicism class that he agrees with the Catholic Church’s teaching against homosexuality.

Sex-ed program delayed, modified
Outrage from parents has apparently resulted in delaying the implementation of a proposed controversial sex-ed program in Montana.

Perspective: Real change is possible
As long as there are Christians willing to consecrate themselves to God in prayer for the spiritual state of America, real change is possible.

Ted Haggard Aims for Simplicity with New Church
Colorado Springs pastor Ted Haggard is done with the dark auditoriums, smoke machines, emotional hype and the dry professional preachers.

Megachurch Pastor Seeks 100,000 Christians to ‘Save America’

Traditional Marriage Group Goes on 23-City Campaign

German Christians Pray After Love Parade Tragedy

LWF President-Elect: Who Could Imagine the Holy Land without Christians?

Study: Few Americans Say Faith is Top Priority

Obama Won’t Speak In Person at Boy Scouts’ 100th Anniversary Celebration But Will Appear on ABC TV’s ‘The View’
(CNSNews.com)
– President Barack Obama, the honorary chairman of the Boy Scouts of America, will not speak in person before tens of thousands of boys gathered at the National Scout Jamboree in Virginia. However, the president is sending a videotaped message to the scouts to be played on Wednesday, the same day he will be in Manhattan to tape an appearance on ABC’s talk show “The View.”

Britain’s National Health Service, Praised by Obama’s Medicare Chief, to Undergo Cost-Cutting Overhaul
(CNSNews.com)
– Britain’s National Health Service, which rations basic health care services to control costs, will undergo major budget cuts and restructuring, ostensibly to make the government-run system less bureaucratic and more “bottom-up,” according to detailed news reports over the weekend from the United Kingdom. Dr. Donald Berwick, who recently received a recess-appointment to run the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in America, has praised Britain’s National Health Service, saying he loves the single-payer system.

U.S. Opposition to Release of Lockerbie Convict Was Clear and Consistent, State Department Says
(CNSNews.com)
– The Obama administration has no plans to release any further correspondence with Scotland relating to the release of the Libyan convicted in the Lockerbie bombing. “Nothing more needs to be released,” State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told CNSNews on Monday, after the department made public the text of a letter sent to Scottish ministers eight days before Abdel Baset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi was freed and flown home to Libya. Ahead of a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the matter scheduled for Thursday, CNSNews asked Crowley whether a final, still-unreleased document would now be made available.

President Obama Once Again Makes Erroneous Claim That Foreign Entities Can Spend Unlimited Amounts in U.S. Elections
Washington (CNSNews.com)
– President Barack Obama on Monday incorrectly stated that a landmark campaign-finance ruling allows foreign entities to pour money into U.S. elections. It’s the second time he’s made such a claim, and this time it happened while he was promoting the Democrats’ DISCLOSE Act in a Rose Garden speech. The Senate on Tuesday is taking up the legislation that would put strict new requirements on campaign advertising. The House already has passed a similar version of the bill.

Homeland Security Efforts to Combat Increase in Human Trafficking-Related Violence Along Border ‘Static,’ GAO Says
(CNSNews.com)
– In recent years there has been an increase in violence associated with human trafficking along the southwest border. Despite this, the Immigration and Custom Enforcement agency’s investigative resources committed to alien smuggling in that area have remained “static,” according to a government audit.

Opposition Mounts Against ObamaCare Tax Provision
Washington (CNSNews.com)
– Business advocates are hoping Congress scraps a tax provision in the health care overhaul law that they say is overly burdensome to smaller companies.

New Claims of ISI Terrorist Links Overshadow Pakistan’s Decision to Extend Army Chief’s Job
(CNSNews.com)
– The decision to extend the tenure of Pakistan’s powerful army chief Gen. Ashfaq Kayani comes at a time of renewed scrutiny into alleged collusion between the military intelligence agency, which Kayani oversaw from 2004-2007, and terrorists in Afghanistan. The move comes amid controversy over a cache of Afghanistan battlefield reports released by the whistleblower site, WikiLeaks, some of them describing collusion between Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) and the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Former Surgeon General Koop Calls Kagan’s Alteration of ACOG’s Partial Birth Abortion Statement ‘Unethical’ and ‘Disgraceful’
(CNSNews.com)
– In an open letter delivered last week, former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop is urging senators to vote against Elena Kagan’s nomination to the Supreme Court, in light of her role in the alteration of a medical statement about partial-birth abortion from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). “I was deeply disturbed to learn the Elena Kagan, the nominee for Supreme Court scheduled for a Senate committee vote next week, manipulated the medical policy statement on partial-birth abortion of a major medical organization, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, in January 1997,” Koop wrote in his letter.

Washington State to Allow Pharmacies A Choice in Stocking ‘Morning-After Pill’
(CNSNews.com)
– Pharmacists in the State of Washington may soon be free to choose the medications they want to provide in their pharmacies after a lawsuit prompted the state’s pharmacy board to reevaluate the current regulations. Pharmacists in Washington currently are required to stock the “morning-after pill,” which is marketed as Plan B, regardless of any moral or ethical concerns they may have.

Ford alive because of bailouts?
While GM and Chrysler struggle financially, the other of the “Big Three” — the one that refused government bailout money — is doing fine.

GOP faction challenges military ban
A conservative military watchdog says a “gay Republican group” is attempting to use the courts to bring irreparable harm to the military.

AZ law simply good business practice
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer recently called the owner of the Phoenix Suns basketball team to task for his opposition to the state’s tough immigration enforcement bill.

Praying pro-lifers see positive results
Pro-lifers who prayed at a well-publicized abortion clinic in Illinois are claiming success after a number of women chose life over abortion.

Perspective: Pornography and women
Dignity is not a quality most girls value — it’s not a quality they see held in high regard, or modeled by our female cultural icons.

‘No Leverage’ in Newt Gingrich’s Ground Zero Mosque Argument
Newt Gingrich offers a “provocative” argument about the proposed Ground Zero mosque and Saudi Arabia’s church building policy, but it has “no leverage,” said a religious freedom expert.

Anglican Panel Rejects Proposal to Cut Episcopal Church

PC(USA) Pensions Board Proceeds Cautiously with Domestic Partner Benefits

Evangelicals Confront Western Europe’s Spiritual Malaise

U.S. Should Help N. Korean Orphans, Say Korean-Americans

Christian Nursing Student Nearly Dies from Assault in Pakistan

Biden Claims $600 Billion in Stimulus Funds Spent — ‘We’re Building a Government That Delivers More Bang for the Buck Than Ever Before’
(CNSNews.com)
– Vice President Joe Biden says “Americans deserve a government that actually works,” and he also assured liberals that the Obama administration is “trying to build a government that delivers much more bang for the buck than it ever has before.” In remarks on Tuesday, Biden said the government has spent $600 billion in economic stimulus funds — “and we’re seeing waste, fraud, and abuse claims at just about two-tenths of 1 percent of the entire amount of money spent.”

Hoyer Refuses to Rule Out Raising the Retirement Age to Address Social Security
(CNSNews.com)
– House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer on Tuesday would not rule out raising the retirement age in attempt to save Social Security. “What I have said, in a speech that was pretty specific, was that I think everything needs to be on the table,” Hoyer said.

EPA Puts ‘Environmental Justice’ Front and Center in Its Rulemaking Process
(CNSNews.com)
– The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released a 55-page “guidance” to help its employees “advance environmental justice” for low-income and minority communities. “Achieving environmental justice is an Agency priority and should be factored into every decision,” the document says.

Progress Towards July 2011 Troop Drawdown in Afghanistan Mixed, U.S. Envoy Says
(CNSNews.com)
– Richard Holbrooke, the U.S. special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, when questioned during a Senate panel hearing, indicated that the progress towards Obama’s July 2011 drawdown date is mixed, and he added that “there is no single answer yet to this extraordinarily complicated situation.”

Rep. Pence: Medicare Chief Berwick ‘Not Entitled to That Job,’ Must Explain Praise for UK ‘Socialist Health Care System’
Washington (CNSNews.com)
– Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) says he is concerned about the prospect of health care rationing following the recess appointment of Dr. Donald Berwick to serve as the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services. “I think it was wrong for the president to bypass the confirmation process at a time when the American people are so focused on legislation where the ink is barely dry,” Pence told CNSNews.com.

Democrat Postpones Senate Hearing on Lockerbie Controversy, After Key Witnesses Rebuff His Request to ‘Clear the Air’
(CNSNews.com)
– Accusing Scottish and British officials and BP executives of “stonewalling,” the Democratic senator who was to have chaired a hearing this week on the Lockerbie controversy announced Tuesday that it would be postponed. “We are at a place where no witnesses of consequence has the courage to step forward and clear the air,” Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey told reporters. With the key witnesses declining to attend, Tuesday’s postponement announcement was not unexpected.

Afghanistan Presses U.S. to Take Firmer Line With Pakistan Over Terror Links
(CNSNews.com)
– Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s national security council chided the U.S. government Tuesday for not taking a tougher line with Pakistan over its alleged collusion with terrorists operating in Afghanistan. The unauthorized leak of U.S. military documents revealing collaboration between members of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) and the Taliban and other jihadist groups may slow down Karzai’s recent policy of seeking warmer relations with Islamabad.

Key cause of AIDS ‘off the table’
Pro-family activist Peter LaBarbera says an important aspect was missing from last week’s International AIDS Conference in Vienna, Austria, when the Obama administration pledged the support of the U.S. in the global fight against AIDS.

Perspective: Hide-and-seek hypocrites
When a piece of legislation dubbed the “DISCLOSE Act” surfaces, the voter’s instinctive reaction should be: What are the politicians trying to hide now?

Seniors’ group blasting Berwick
A conservative alternative to AARP is speaking out against President Obama’s healthcare agenda and recent appointment to oversee Medicare and Medicaid.

Choi sees ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ at work
Elaine Donnelly thinks the U.S. military was extremely lenient in its treatment of an officer who engaged in radical homosexual activism before he was discharged for his sexual orientation.

Candidate criticized for remark about Islam
A Republican candidate for governor of Tennessee is being criticized by a Muslim rights group for questioning whether Islam is more of a cult than a religion.

Gospel Music Association Moves Dove Awards to Atlanta
The Gospel Music Association (GMA) said it was taking a “bold step” Tuesday in hosting the next Dove Awards in a place outside of Nashville for the first time.

LWF 11th Assembly Concludes with ‘Message’ to Churches

Report Reveals Ineffectiveness of Methodist Structures

Fla. Church Plans ‘Burn a Quran’ Day to Mark 9/11

ELCA Presiding Bishop Calls for Immigration Reform in Letter to Obama

Spain Orders Judge to Return Salary Over Gay Adoption Trial

Fed’s argument against AZ law ‘ludicrous’
An Arizona sheriff on the front lines in the battle against illegal immigration believes the Supreme Court will ultimately have to overturn Wednesday’s ruling that blocked implementation of most of the new state measure cracking down on those who are in the country illegally.

Conscience vs. creed
Some Democratic senators say they don’t feel a need to accept all of their churches’ teachings.

Court sides with university, ADF to appeal
Alliance Defense Fund will appeal the federal court decision that allows Eastern Michigan University to expel Christian student Julea Ward from the counseling program for not affirming homosexual behavior as morally acceptable.

Perspective: Shirley Sherrod, quit while you’re ahead
Andrew Breitbart erred in not viewing Shirley Sherrod’s entire NAACP speech — but she shouldn’t be given a pass for her own past racist comments.

Educator excellence – a fair expectation
A Christian educator is praising a decision by the Washington, DC, public school system to fire more than 240 teachers because of poor performance.

Free Enterprise — Not Government Oversight — Key to GM Turnaround, Say Company Officials
(CNSNews.com)
– Free enterprise and the American marketplace – not the guiding hand of government – have revitalized the beleaguered automaker General Motors, which expects to announce another profitable quarter, according to GM officials. President Barack Obama plans to visit a GM plant in Hamtramk, Michigan on July 30, and his administration is linking GM’s return to profitability with the bailout of the old GM the administration orchestrated last summer.

Republicans Say Obama’s Drilling Moratorium Could Have Taxpayers Picking Up Tab for More Unemployed Oil Workers
(CNSNews.com)
– Critics of the Obama administration’s moratorium on offshore drilling say it will put more workers on the unemployment rolls – at taxpayer expense — especially those in the Gulf region, which is struggling to recover from the April 20 Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion and subsequent oil leak. Marking the 100th day after the disaster on Wednesday, House Republicans held a press conference to denounce both the moratorium and Democrat-sponsored legislation arising from the oil spill.

Reid: Democrats’ Energy Bill Will Create Jobs and Lower Energy Costs for Consumers
Washington (CNSNews.com)
– Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Wednesday the Senate’s energy bill is necessary for the “environment and for national security.” He also said the legislation will generate jobs and lower energy costs for consumers. But Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), ranking member of the Senate Energy and Public Works Committee, indicated that the Senate’s energy bill will eliminate jobs by making Obama’s oil drilling moratorium permanent.

Michelle Obama’s Request for Birthday Wishes for Her Husband Links to Donation Page
(CNSNews.com)
– It seems like a nice gesture –- an e-mail message from a loving wife, urging thousands of people to join her in wishing her husband a happy 49th birthday by signing an electronic birthday card. But in Washington, D.C., nothing is that simple. The electronic card to Barack Obama also serves as a Democratic Party fundraiser.

Senators DeMint and Brownback Open to GOP Filibusters to Force Hearing on Medicare Chief
Washington (CNSNews.com)
– Sens. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) on Wednesday indicated that they are open to filibustering any and all legislation in the Senate until a confirmation hearing is held for Dr. Donald Berwick, who was recently recess-appointed by President Obama to head the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

GAO: Some Mexican Drug Traffickers ‘Specialize’ in Smuggling Aliens From Countries With Ties to Terrorism Into the U.S.
(CNSNews.com)
– Some Mexican drug-trafficking organizations are involved in smuggling potential terrorists across the southwestern border, according to the Government Accountability Office. “Aliens from countries of special interest to the United States such as Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, and Pakistan…illegally enter the United States” across the southwest border, the GAO’s Richard Stana said in a report issued July 22.

Dem Governors Condemn ‘Patchwork’ AZ Law; GOP Governors Hedge
(CNSNews.com)
– As a federal judge in Phoenix barred enforcement of major elements of Arizona’s immigration law Wednesday, Democratic governors continued to express their opposition to a “patchwork” of state laws, while GOP state executives were split on the issue.

Pro-Life Groups Seek Probe Into Kagan’s Clinton-Era Role in Partial Birth Abortion Debate
Washington (CNSNews.com)
– More than 30 pro-life organizations are calling on senators to investigate Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan’s record on partial-birth abortion while she served as a Clinton administration attorney. The pro-life groups are concerned about discrepancies between Kagan’s testimony before Congress and written documentation of her influence on medical organizations while advising President William J. Clinton on partial-birth abortion.

Tanker Incident Raises Concerns About Oil Transit Through Persian Gulf
(CNSNews.com)
– Mystery surrounds an incident in which a laden oil tanker was damaged in the Strait of Hormuz Wednesday. Maritime and shipping officials are at odds over whether an intentional explosion or a freak wave hit the tanker. The incident again highlights the vulnerability of the world’s most important energy waterway, one which Iran has periodically threatened to block, in retaliation for international pressure over its nuclear program.

Japan Welcomes News That U..S Envoy Will Attend Hiroshima Commemoration for First Time
(CNSNews.com)
– The State Department announced that U.S. Ambassador John Roos would represent the U.S. at the August 6 event at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, “to express respect for all of the victims of World War II.” Asked why the gesture was being made at this time, spokesman Philip Crowley said, “At this particular point, we thought it was the right thing to do.” Japanese media attributed the decision to President Obama’s agenda of pursuing “a world without nuclear weapons.”

Faith Leaders Protest Arizona Immigration Law
Some religious leaders from Arizona and elsewhere are coordinating nationwide protests against the state’s new immigration law, which takes effect Thursday.

Mayors Urged to Resist Atheists’ Demands to Drop Invocations

Episcopal Head Talks Conflict, Diversity, Immigration

Fla. Megachurch Readies Oil Spill Kids for Back to School

Christian Relief Group: Kyrgyzstan in Turmoil

Pastor in Russian Republic of Dagestan Killed

Hoyer: Expiration of Bush Tax Cuts Equals a ‘Republican Tax Increase’ on Middle Class
(CNSNews.com)
– House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said on Wednesday that the expiration built into the Bush tax cuts is a “Republican tax increase” for “working Americans,” and that Democrats have “no intention” of allowing it to go into effect. “We’re going to act and make sure that the Republican phase out and increase in taxes does not end as they provided for in the laws they passed.”

Obama Administration Giving Millions to States to Build Their New Health Insurance Exchanges
(CNSNews.com)
– The Health and Human Services Department on Thursday moved ahead with its plans to establish “the health insurance marketplace of the future.” It announced “two key steps” – including $51 million in grant money — in its effort to “partner with states” in setting up the new health insurance exchanges.

Obama, Who Ended D.C.’s Voucher Program, Talks About Improving Education for Children ‘Born in the Wrong Neighborhood’
(CNSNews.com)
– The Obama administration is phasing out a program that allows underprivileged children to get scholarships to expensive private schools in Washington, D.C., such as Sidwell Friends, the school the Obama girls attend. Nevertheless, Obama on Thursday spoke about his “obligation to lift up every child” to help them achieve a quality education.

DNC Chair Kaine Complains of Media Effort to ‘Brand’ Sherrod, but Stops Short of Calling FoxNews ‘Racist’
(CNSNews.com)
– Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine refused Wednesday to say whether he agreed with former DNC Chairman Howard Dean that FoxNews “did something that was absolutely racist” by airing the Shirley Sherrod video and story. But Kaine also didn’t rule it out. Kaine told CNSNews.com at a news conference Wednesday, “It is outrageous that there was this effort to brand her and use her to suggest that she and others were being divisive.”

Administration Stresses Pakistani Cooperation, But Haqqani Threat Persists
(CNSNews.com)
– Administration officials and senior military officers are emphasizing that Pakistan’s cooperation in routing terrorists has improved significantly in the last 18 months, but the ongoing threats posed by the Taliban faction known as the Haqqani network shows there is a long way to go. Despite tens of thousands of leaked U.S. military documents alleging collaboration between members of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) and terrorists fighting coalition forces in Afghanistan, the administration insists Pakistan has changed direction.

Conservative Media Watchdog Issues Ethics Challenge to Washington Post
(CNSNews.com)
– Conservative media watchdog L. Brent Bozell III is calling on Washington Post Executive Editor Marcus Brauchli to fully divulge the involvement of several Post employees with the controversial Journolist e-mail list. The association, he said, puts the paper’s credibility and impartiality in doubt.

NY Congressman Calls for Probe of Funding for Mosque Near Ground Zero and Its Promoter
(CNSNews.com)
– Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) is calling for an investigation into the funding for a proposed Islamic community center at Ground Zero, as well as the imam who is promoting the project. “I think we should investigate the imam who is going to be at that mosque,” King said. “He is portrayed as being a moderate, a bridge builder. The fact is he was on television after 9/11 saying the U.S. brought this on themselves.”

No abortion funding – ‘an empty promise’
Irrespective of a presidential executive order and rule rewriting ordered by America’s Health and Human Services secretary, healthcare reform does provide for tax-funded abortions — so says a government report.

Perspective: The enablers of Charlie Rangel
Drain the swamp? Lead the most ethical Congress in history? House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is the world’s worst cleaning lady.

Obama’s ‘credibility gap’
President Obama recently spoke at a town hall meeting where he told his listeners that “things could be worse,” but a dean of a major university says he doesn’t understand how.

‘Modern family’ film not all right
Focus on the Family’s Plugged In is raising a warning flag about a movie called The Kids are All Right, which is making its way into American theatres.

Perspective: Knowing your enemy
Only three Americans doubt that terrorist acts plotted against Americans have been inspired by the Muslim call for jihad — unfortunately, they’re all in the White House.

GOP: Obama developing ‘backdoor amnesty plan’
The Obama administration is considering ways it could go around lawmakers to let illegal immigrants stay in the United States, according to an agency memo.

Another Democrat facing ethics charges
A second House Democrat, Rep. Maxine Waters of California, could be facing an ethics trial this fall, further complicating the midterm election outlook for the party as it battles to hold onto its majority.

Outrage over local salaries
Residents of a California city are outraged after learning of the high salaries their city council members make by working for a town where many live in poverty.

U.S. adoption market on the rise
Bethany Christian Services, the nation’s largest adoption agency, is reporting a higher interest in adoptions.

A papal first
Church officials say Catholics will have to pay admission of up to $39 to attend two of the public events in England to be led by Pope Benedict XVI during his visit in September.

‘Vampire’ Author Anne Rice ‘Quits’ Christianity
Interview with the Vampire author Anne Rice declared Wednesday that she “quit being Christian.”

Evangelical Body: Cancel ‘Burn a Quran’ Day

Baptists from 105 Countries Unite in Honolulu

House Bill Seeks to Permanently Ban Abortion Funding

Progressive Christian Weighs In on Influence of Religious Left

Suspected Islamists Shoot 5 Christians to Death in Pakistan

Newslinks 07/25/10

July 25, 2010 at 5:24 pm | Posted in Newslinks | Leave a comment
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Sunday’s Newslinks brought to you by At Ease Tees

Ahead of Key Kabul Meeting, Clinton Woos Pakistan With Aid, But Wants More Counter-Terror Measures
(CNSNews.com)
– Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s plans to reconcile with elements among the Taliban will take center stage in Kabul Tuesday, when the world’s foreign ministers meet to discuss the country’s future…

Maryland Becomes Second State to Offer Federally Funded Abortions under Obamacare
(CNSNews.com)
– Maryland will join Pennsylvania as the second state to use federal tax dollars to pay for abortions under the new health care law signed by President Barack Obama in March, according to information released by Maryland’s State Health Insurance Plan…

New Regulations Outline Content, Transmission Standards for Every Americans’ Electronic Health Records
(CNSNews.com) – New regulations issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Tuesday outline federal standards for the electronic health records that every American must have by 2014…

Obama to GOP: Restore Unemployment Benefits Now
Washington (AP) –
President Barack Obama took aim at Republican lawmakers Monday, accusing them of holding the public hostage to Washington politics by blocking extended unemployment benefits for millions of out of work Americans…

Pro-Lifers Win a Round in Health Care Overhaul
Washington (AP) –
Abortion foes have scored a victory and traditional allies of the Obama administration are grumbling about a decision to ban most abortion coverage in insurance pools for those unable to purchase health care on their own… Continue Reading Newslinks 07/25/10…

Newslinks 07/11/10

July 11, 2010 at 11:55 am | Posted in Newslinks | Leave a comment
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Sunday’s Newslinks brought to you by At Ease Tees

Atheists put billboard on Billy Graham Parkway
A statewide coalition of atheists and agnostics has placed billboards in six North Carolina cities, including one along the Billy Graham Parkway in Charlotte.

Euthanasia weighs evenly on U.S. morality scale
Gallup’s most recent “Values and Beliefs” survey shows an even split among Americans on the issue of doctor-assisted suicide.

Reformed churches merger approved
The World Alliance of Reformed Churches and the Reformed Ecumenical Council have agreed to merge into the World Communion of Reformed Churches.

When is someone brain dead?
In order to make sure doctors reach the correct conclusion in determining brain death, new guidelines that call for a lengthy examination have been developed.

Joni Eareckson Tada Not Shaken by Breast Cancer
After 43 years of living paralyzed from the neck down and recently learning that she now has breast cancer, Joni Eareckson Tada remains all smiles. Continue Reading Newslinks 07/11/10…

Newslinks 05/30/10

May 30, 2010 at 8:50 pm | Posted in Newslinks | Leave a comment
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Sunday’s Newslinks brought to you by At Ease Tees

Palin supports Arizona crackdown on illegals
As calls spread for an economic boycott of Arizona, the state’s governor enlisted the help of former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin on Saturday to defend a new law cracking down on illegal immigration.

Pro-life groups find useful tool in Obamacare
Pro-life proponents are using a provision in the new health reform law to limit abortion coverage by private insurers.

Birth rate drops, problems rise
According to newly released government statistics, the U.S. birth rate has dropped below replacement level.

Game-fixing charges
A Pennsylvania man is accused of trying to bribe referees to rig basketball games in favor of the church team he coached.

‘Cry of the Orphan’ Kicks Off 2010 Campaign
Americans nationwide will gather throughout this week to pray for the needs of the children, workers and families of the foster care system as pro-adoption ministries ban together to raise awareness of the orphan crisis.

Evangelicals Urge Caution in Probing Moroccan Crackdown

Appeals Court Refuses to Rehear Ky. Commandments Case

Atheist Groups Condemn Stealing of Mojave Cross

Judge Proposes June 16 for Date of Prop 8 Closing Arguments

Haggards Incorporate St. James Church in Colorado

Did White House jump the gun re: AZ law?
An immigration reform organization says the Obama administration clearly needs to have all its “ducks in a row” before talking about filing suit against Arizona’s new immigration enforcement bill.

Perspective: Stay classy, Mr. President
The practice of sowing division and discord while simultaneously condemning the sowing of division and discord has become the Obama way.

Bill could ENDA congressional careers
There is a slim possibility that the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) could come up for a vote this week — perhaps as soon as Wednesday.

Perspective: Healing from homosexuality
The truth of homosexuality is that it is, like so many other things, a sin — and the truth about healing from homosexuality is that, like so many other sins, it can be done. I should know.

Shift in allegiance forecasts change in leadership
A Republican congressman who is running for a Senate seat to represent Kansas says the radical policies of President Obama and the Democratic-controlled Congress have been a wake-up call for the American people, who appear ready to elect Republicans this fall.

Pelosi to Aspiring Musicians: Quit Your Job, Taxpayers Will Cover Your Health Care
(CNSNews.com)
– House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said this week that thanks to the new health-care reform law, musicians and other creative types could quit their jobs and focus on developing their talents because taxpayers would fund their health care coverage. “We see it as an entrepreneurial bill,” Pelosi said, “a bill that says to someone, if you want to be creative and be a musician or whatever, you can leave your work, focus on your talent, your skill, your passion, your aspirations because you will have health care.”

Kagan Helped Craft Clinton Strategy for Blocking Partial-Birth Abortion Ban
(CNSNews.com)
– Solicitor General Elena Kagan helped devise President Bill Clinton’s political strategy for sustaining his veto of the partial-birth abortion ban in 1997. As a result of Clinton’s successful veto that year, the ban was not enacted until 2003. Kagan co-wrote a May 13, 1997 memo urging Clinton to support two Democratic amendments that were being offered as substitutes for the partial-birth abortion ban and that were designed to give cover to Democrats who wanted to vote against the ban but be on record as in some way opposing late-term abortions.

Senate Homeland Security Committee Probes U.S. Contracts With Companies Doing Business With Iran
Washington (CNSNews.com)
– From 2005 to 2009, the Defense Department held $880 million worth of contracts with seven international corporations that do significant business with Iran in the oil, gas and petrochemical sectors, and Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) wants to know why.

Palin Says She Connects to ‘Tough, Gun-Toting, Pioneer Feminism’
(CNSNews.com)
– Former Gov. Sarah Palin (R-Alaska) said on Friday she feels a connection with what she called the “tough, gun-toting” Western feminism of Annie Oakley, which she contrasted with the feminism found in “the faculty lounge at some East Coast women’s college.”

Americans Under 30 Most Likely to Take Uncompromising Stand for Right to Life, Says Gallup Poll
(CNSNews.com)
– The pro-abortion left appears to be losing the battle for the heart and soul of the rising generation of Americans, according to new data released by the Gallup poll. Americans in the 18 to 29 age bracket are now more likely than their elders to believe abortion should be illegal in all circumstances, and they generally oppose abortion in greater numbers than Baby Boomers.

L.A. Mayor: Illegal Immigration Adds to ‘Economic Might’ of Deficit-Ridden California
Washington (CNSNews.com)
– Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa told CNSNews.com Thursday that illegal immigration has not contributed to his city’s budget problems, but has added to the “economic might” of California.

Iran Agrees to Ship Its Nuclear Fuel to Turkey in Effort to Avoid U.N. Sanctions
(CNSNews.com)
– Trying to avoid a fourth round of U.N. sanctions, Iran on Monday signed a nuclear fuel swap deal with Turkey. The deal has some of the developing world’s most powerful nations rallying around Tehran, in a fresh challenge to the Obama administration’s claims to have achieved a unified international stance against Iran.

Thailand on Edge After Rebel General Dies
(CNSNews.com)
– Thailand’s turmoil looked set to deepen Monday after a renegade army general who sided with anti-government protestors died, four days after he was shot by an unidentified sniper. The incident sparked a new round of deadly violence in the once-stable Southeast Asian country, an important U.S. ally in the region.

Missionary released from Haitian jail
The last of 10 American missionaries detained while trying to take 33 children out of Haiti is free after being sentenced by a Haitian judge to jail time she already served.

Perspective: From Episcopal church to Islamic center
Where for more than 100 years a house of Christian worship stood, there now stands an Islamic Awareness Center – compliments of the Episcopal Diocese of Central New York.

Congressman to resign over affair
Indiana Republican Rep. Mark Souder says he’ll resign from Congress effective Friday over an affair with a staffer.

Caner faces questions about Muslim past
The Southern Baptist minister who leads Liberty University’s seminary has sold thousands of books and toured the country as a former Muslim who discovered Jesus Christ. Now there are allegations he fabricated or embellished his past.

Feature: Home on the ‘Ranch’
Passing on godly principles to children who deserve a childhood – and introducing them to Jesus – is the purpose of Quinn’s Ranch in Alabama.

Conservative Anglicans Lament Ordination of 2nd Gay Bishop
The ordination of two women bishops, one of whom is a partnered lesbian, was a moment of celebration for some 3,000 Episcopalians gathered in Long Beach, Calif., on Saturday. But for others, it was a moment of alienation and sorrow.

Poll: More Americans Say U.S. Morality Getting Worse

Southern Baptists Mark 3rd Year of Membership Decline

Baptist Megachurch Commits $115M for Massive Campus

Ex-Israeli Special Agent Confirms ‘Son of Hamas’ Story

Liberty U Bestows Honorary Degree on Glenn Beck

Obama Administration Commiserates With China About Human Rights Violations in Arizona
(CNSNews.com)
– In a “candid and constructive” human rights dialogue with Chinese officials last week, Obama administration officials brought up Arizona’s new immigration-enforcement law, telling the Chinese Communists it was an example of a “troubling trend” in the United States and an indication of “discrimination or potential discrimination” in American society. Ironically, the State Department’s most recent report on human rights in China indicates that the government there restricts the internal travel of its own citizens.

White House: Kagan Broke No Law Restricting Military Recruiters at Harvard
Washington (CNSNews.com)
– The White House will not explore whether Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan violated the law when she did not allow military recruiters at Harvard Law School. A conservative advocacy group, however, says Kagan’s refusal to comply with federal law by cooperating with military recruiters at Harvard is reason enough for the Senate to reject her nomination as Supreme Court justice.

If Confirmed to Supreme Court, Kagan May Have To Recuse Herself in Health Care Cases
(CNSNews.com)
– If confirmed to the Supreme Court, Elena Kagan may have to recuse herself if the health care reform law comes before the high court. That’s because as solicitor general of the United States in the Obama administration, Kagan may have helped craft a legal defense of the law or given advice to Congress or the White House on how to draft the statute. Historically, Supreme Court justices recuse themselves from hearing cases in which they have previously been involved.

White House Health Czar Repeats False Claim of Lower Health Costs
(CNSNews.com)
– White House health care czar Nancy-Anne Deparle repeated the claim that the health care reform law signed by President Obama will result in lower health care costs despite a well-known government report to the contrary.

Kagan Advocated Campaign Restrictions While Serving as Clinton Adviser
(CNSNews.com)
– Before arguing to uphold government restrictions on campaign speech as U.S. solicitor general, Elena Kagan had advocated such limits while serving in the Clinton administration.

Pelosi: Obama’s Budget a ‘Blueprint for Economic Stabilization’ for America, Designed To ‘Reduce the Deficit’
(CNSNews.com)
– House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) recently said that President Barack Obama’s fiscal year 2010 budget of $3.6 trillion was a “blueprint for economic stabilization for our country.” The Treasury Department, however, has reported that the United States posted a budget deficit for the month of April nearly four times the $20.91 billion shortfall registered in April 2009.

Sen. Rockefeller Tells Neil Armstrong: ‘I Am a Substantial Skeptic of Human Spaceflight’ and America’s Drive to Explore is Not All ‘Glorious’
(CNSNews.com)
– Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Chairman John D. Rockefeller (D-W.V.) says he is “a substantial skeptic of human spaceflight” and that not all outlets for American exploration are “glorious.”

Neil Armstrong, Jim Lovell, Gene Cernan: Obama’s NASA Plan a ‘Blueprint for a Mission to Nowhere’
(CNSNews.com)
– Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, Jim Lovell, the commander of Apollo 13, and Apollo 17 astronaut Eugene Cernan, the last man on the moon, have determined that President Barack Obama’s plan to cut funding for NASA’s Constellation manned space program is a “blueprint for a mission to nowhere” — a message Armstrong and Cernan pointedly delivered in person to a Senate committee last week.

Napolitano Admits She Hasn’t Reviewed ‘In Detail’ Arizona Immigration Law She’s Criticized
(CNSNews.com)
– Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, who has been a vocal critic of the new Arizona immigration law, told Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Monday that she had not reviewed the law in detail, but nevertheless repeated criticism she made in April on ABC’s “Good Morning America” that the law is a “bad law enforcement law.” Last week, Attorney General Eric Holder told a House panel he had not read the ten-page law, either.

Fuel Swap Deal Does Not Address Core Issues of Iranian Nuclear Dispute
(CNSNews.com)
– Heritage Foundation senior research fellow James Phillips said the Obama administration must reject and denounce the nuclear fuel swap agreement signed in Tehran on Monday “as yet another Iranian ploy to stall efforts to impose further sanctions, without addressing the core problem of Iran’s drive for nuclear weapons.”

Turkey-Brazil-Iran Nuke Deal May Put More Pressure on Israel
(CNSNews.com)
– Following his success in helping to broker a nuclear fuel swap agreement with Iran, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will likely add to the pressure currently facing Israel over its undeclared nuclear arsenal, according to a leading Turkish commentator. Israel, which has yet to respond formally to the agreement signed in Tehran on Monday, has long been troubled by Ankara’s increasingly outspoken criticism of Israeli policies on one hand and its warming relations with Israel’s foes – including Iran, Syria and Hamas – on the other.

Haiti Convicts then Frees Jailed U.S. Volunteer
Laura Silsby, the leader of the ten U.S. volunteers accused of illegally taking dozens of children out of Haiti, was convicted Monday but then freed to return to the United States.

Prison Ministry: Supreme Court Ruling Gives Minors a Chance

Case Against ‘Homosexuality Is Sin’ Preacher Dropped

Mission Leader: Why So Few Christians in Japan?

Falwell: Measurements of Success in Ministry Are Messed Up

Indian Missionaries Call It a ‘Privilege’ to Suffer

American Idol Judge Ellen DeGeneres Asks Female Contestant to Sing Love Song to a Woman
(CNSNews.com)
– American Idol judge Ellen DeGeneres picked a love song written to be sung by a man to a woman for contestant Crystal Bowersox–a single mom with a boyfriend–to perform on the show’s semifinal program on Tuesday night. The song, “Maybe I’m Amazed,” written by Paul McCartney and dedicated to his now-deceased wife Linda McCartney, includes the repeated lyric “baby, I’m a man” in the chorus.

Democrats’ See A ‘Significant Blow to the Republican Party’ in Tuesday’s Elections
(CNSNews.com)
– In their post-primary spin, Democrats say they won “the most significant election contest” of the day – the only race to pit a Republican against a Democrat. The Democrat Party’s main talking point: “If the GOP couldn’t win here, it’s not going to have an easy time netting the 40 House seats in November it needs to retake the House.”

McCain: ‘Insulting’ for Obama State Department to ‘Compare’ Arizona Anti-Immigration Law to China’s Human Rights ‘Abuses’
(CNSNews.com)
– Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) said it was “outrageous” for a top Obama administration State Department official to “compare” Arizona’s anti-illegal immigration law with Communist China’s “human rights abuses.” He also told CNSNews.com that the official, who “did not read the law,” reflects “the liberal elite” that does not know the difference between “a state acting in a constitutional fashion and a regime that’s responsible for the deaths of millions of its citizens.”

McCain, Kyl Demand Top Obama State Dept. Official Retract Statement and Apologize for Likening AZ Immigration Law to Chinese Human Rights Violations
(CNSNews.com)
– Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) Tuesday called on the top Obama State Department official responsible for human rights issues to “retract and apologize” for telling officials of the Communist government of China that Arizona’s new immigration-enforcement law is an example of a “troubling trend in our society” and for portraying Arizona as the moral equivalent of Communist China.

At Previous Human Rights Session, U.S. Responded ‘Forthrightly’ to China’s Concerns About U.S. Practices
(CNSNews.com)
– The Obama administration’s approach to human rights dialogue with China – “an open discussion where you not only raise the other guy’s problems, but you raise your own” – appears to contrast to that of its predecessor. The latest controversy involving remarks by Assistant Secretary of State Michael Posner has focused attention on a forum that has long been dogged by Beijing’s hypersensitivity to criticism of its rights record.

Obama Urged to Issue Executive Order on Human Right to Ensure U.S. Compliance With U.N. Treaties
(CNSNews.com)
– The U.S. State Department is asking state and local human rights commissions to help it prepare an obligatory report to the United Nations on how the U.S. is advancing the human rights set forth in various treaties. Those state and local groups are now pressing President Obama to issue an executive order establishing a domestic human rights infrastructure that would help the U.S. meet its obligations to “respect, protect and fulfill human rights for all.”

Hoyer: No Plans Yet by Democrats To End Fannie, Freddie Bailouts
(CNSNews.com)
– House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) could not say what action Democrats are planning to end the federal bailouts of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac or when his party planned to take action. Hoyer, speaking to reporters on Tuesday at his weekly press briefing, said only that the House Financial Services Committee was “looking at” what to do with the failed mortgage giants that played a central role in the 2008 economic crisis.

Congress Pushing for Unilateral Gasoline Sanctions Against Iran Despite Progress at U.N.
(CNSNews.com)
– “It is my expectation that Congress will soon send its own strong, targeted Iran sanctions bill to President Obama’s desk,” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said on Tuesday. Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.), cosponsor of the Senate bill, said Congress would not “retreat” from its own sanctions initiative regardless of what the U.N. does.

Tuesday’s theme: Anti-DC, anti-establishment
With the electorate’s intense anger reverberating across the country, this is all but certain: It’s an anti-Washington, anti-establishment year. And candidates with ties to either better beware.

Incumbent Lincoln staggers to runoff
Arkansas Senator Blanche Lincoln has failed to win the majority of votes in the Democratic primary. She now faces a three-week fight with Lt. Governor Bill halter for her party’s nomination.

Boycott target Movie Gallery shutting down
Movie Gallery — at one time the second largest video outlet chain in North America — is closing down. A pro-family group implies that informed consumers can take credit, at least in part, for shuttering a distributor of porn movies.

Quinlan: ‘Why does Pepsi fund hate?’
PFOX president Greg Quinlan raised some pointed questions at a recent PepsiCo shareholders meeting.

Perspective: The U.S. Dept. of Blame America First
Obama Democrats have now mastered the treacherous art of the pre-emptive global apology.

Pastors Challenged to Be Under-Rowers, Never Retire
Pastors are not called to be the captain of the ship, said Pastor Charles Swindoll. Rather, heir job is to hold an oar and row.

‘Secondary Disaster’ Concerns Raised as Haiti’s Hurricane Season Nears

3 Christian Relief Staff Abducted by Gunmen

Pakistani Official Fires 15 Christians Over Faith

Methodist Panel Wants to Nix Clergy Job Guarantees

Charter School Considers Appealing Decision on Religious Texts

Perspective: Anti-incumbency … or anti-liberalism?
The message is clear: Obama and the Democrats misread the 2008 elections — and now, thanks to the voters, they’re paying for it.

Playing politics with education standards
The Texas State Board of Education is getting closer to adopting new social studies guidelines for the classroom. But some liberal groups are not pleased with the conservative values added to the standards, and they want to delay the vote.

Does ObamaCare cross constitutional lines?
Another lawsuit has been filed in an effort to halt implementation of President Obama’s healthcare reform law.

Preaching homosexuality as sin not against the law
Charges have been dropped against a British street preacher arrested for speaking against homosexuality in a public area.

Will Kagan submit to ‘hollow charade’?
As Republican senators continue their background investigation of Obama Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan, a conservative critic says they need to be looking very carefully at some of her past statements.

Senate Democratic Whip Compares Sealing the Mexican Border to Trying to Keep Drugs Off of I-95
Washington (CNSNews.com)
– Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said the effort to secure the U.S.-Mexico border is like trying to guarantee that “no narcotics and no guns are going to pass illegally” along I-95, a major East Coast highway. “Imagine the challenge that would pose to any governmental unit trying to enforce it,” Durbin said.

Mexican President Denounces Arizona Law Despite Laws Against Illegal Immigration in His Own Country
(CNSNews.com)
– At a joint press conference in the White House Rose Garden on Wednesday, President Barack Obama and Mexican President Felipe Calderon criticized Arizona’s new law against illegal immigration. In Calderon’s Mexico, however, illegal immigration is punished with fines and deportations.

Obama Says Administration Taking ‘Very Close Look’ at Arizona’s Immigration Law for Civil Rights ‘Implications’
(CNSNews.com)
– President Barack Obama said his administration is taking a “very close look” at Arizona’s new anti-illegal immigration law, examining it for any “implications, especially for civil rights.” He did not say whether he’s read the law.

Sestak Has ‘Moral Imperative’ to Answer Questions on White House Job Offer, GOP Congressman Says
(CNSNews.com)
– Fresh off his win over incumbent Sen. Arlen Specter in the Pennsylvania Democratic primary, Rep. Joe Sestak should still be obligated to answer questions about a job he says the White House offered to him if he agreed not to run against Specter in the primary, a leading House Republican said. “Could the reason why Congressman Joe Sestak refuses to name names is because the very people who tried to bribe him are now his benefactors?” Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said in a statement Wednesday.

Accused of Sinking South Korean Ship, North Korea Threatens ‘All-Out War’
(CNSNews.com)
– Tensions rose on the Korean peninsula Thursday after South Korea accused North Korea of torpedoing its warship in March, drawing a sharp response and threats of “all-out war” from Pyongyang. The U.S. and Japanese governments quickly voiced support for South Korea, with the White House condemning the North Korean “act of aggression.”

Ahead of White House Visit, Lebanese PM Meets With Syrian President, Seeks Talks With Hezbollah Leader
(CNSNews.com)
– Preparing for his first official visit to Washington next week, Lebanon’s U.S.-backed Prime Minister Saad Hariri has held “coordination” talks with Syrian President Bashir Assad and reportedly plans to meet Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. The U.S. government has listed Hezbollah as a “foreign terrorist organization” since the FTO designation was first established in 1996.

Democratic Leader Hoyer Doesn’t Know Whether Obama Administration was Prepared for Oil Spill
(CNSNews.com)
– House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said he did not know whether the Obama administration was prepared to combat the oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Hoyer also said it was “accurate” that the federal government had not been properly checking up on British Petroleum and its oil rigs.

Jews for Jesus Founder Dies at Age 78
The founder of Jews for Jesus died Wednesday, leaving behind a pre-written message to members of the ministry.

Billy Graham Wants to Preach Again

Texas Board Expected to Vote on Social Studies Curriculum

FEMA Official Apologizes Over Faith-Based Shirts Request

Christians Upset Over UK’s First TV Abortion Ad

Ministry Leader Sees Answer to Thailand’s Woes in Greater Equality

Congress’ attitude re: families a ‘recipe for disaster’
A pro-family leader in Washington, DC, is expressing shock and disappointment at the news that a Republican congressman who championed conservative values was forced to resign because of an affair with a staff member.

Deportation not a ‘feasible’ fix, says Land
Conservative evangelical leader Dr. Richard Land says the issue of illegal immigration must be solved soon.

Asian majority a college crisis?
The University of California is proposing tinkering with admissions requirements because a large proportion of their students are Asian.

Mojave cross replaced, taken down
Authorities say a Mojave Desert cross that replaced the stolen one honoring America’s war dead was illegal, so it’s been taken down too.

Perspective: The shady ShoreBank bailout
Taxpayers may be on the hook for helping rescue a Chicago bank with Obama ties that is too politically connected to fail.

Democrats Have No Plan for Dealing with Fannie and Freddie; Ignore Republican Proposal
(CNSNews.com)
– House Democrats appear to have no plans for dealing with the failed mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, despite acting on dozens of other matters in the two months since Republicans proposed a way to rescue the two government-sponsored enterprises. So far, taxpayers have spent $145 billion to keep Fannie and Freddie solvent, and that tab is expected to go much higher.

Hoekstra: Resignation of Director of National Intelligence Results From ‘Obama Administration’s Rampant Politicization of National Security’
(CNSNews.com)
– Rep. Pete Hoekstra of Michigan, the ranking Republican on the House intelligence committee, says the resignation of Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair is “a disturbing sign of the stranglehold the Obama White House has placed on America’s intelligence agencies.”

Gulf Spill Sparks Drilling Debate Along Party Lines But Gov’t Says Less Than 0.001% of Oil Spilled in Federal Waters Since 1980
(CNSNews.com)
– Congressional hearings on the Gulf oil spill reveal the political divide between pro-offshore drilling lawmakers and those who cite the accident as a reason to halt any expanded drilling in the Gulf. Government reports show that less than 0.001 percent of oil culled from rigs in federal waters has been spilled in the last 30 years.

As Sestak Repeats Charge of Job Offer, White House Still Ducks Detailed Answer
Washington (CNSNews.com)
– Rep. Joe Sestak, the Democratic nominee for Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate seat, said again this week that the White House offered him a job to keep him from challenging Sen. Arlen Specter in the Democratic primary. But White House spokesman Robert Gibbs has declined to provide any response, other than to repeat that nothing “problematic” occurred.

Will the Obama Administration Accept China-Pakistan Nuclear Collaboration?
(CNSNews.com)
– Analysts in India and the U.S. are voicing concern that the Obama administration may tolerate a Chinese bid to build more nuclear power reactors in Pakistan, despite Islamabad’s poor non-proliferation record. The U.S. has been trying to win Beijing’s support for fresh U.N. Security Council sanctions against Iran.

Facebook Accused of Hurting Muslims With ‘Anti-Islamic Sentiments’
(CNSNews.com)
– The Facebook page at the center of angry protests in Pakistan because of depictions of Mohammed also has been blocked in Saudi Arabia, the latest development in a controversy first sparked almost five years ago by a Danish newspaper’s publication of cartoons satirizing Mohammed.

Replacement Memorial Cross Torn Down
A cross similar to the one that was stolen nearly two weeks ago was mysteriously erected in the Mojave National Preserve but quickly removed after authorities said it was illegal.

Global Day of Prayer to Celebrate 10-Year History

Evangelicals: Let’s Talk about Sex to Reduce Abortions

Scientists Successfully ‘Boot Up’ Cell with Synthetic DNA

Conservative Anglicans in U.S., England Propose Clergy Swap

Seasoned Pastors Reveal Mistakes, Regrets in Ministry

TX adopts new social studies curriculum
Texas schoolchildren will be required to learn that the words “separation of church and state” aren’t in the Constitution and evaluate whether the United Nations undermines U.S. sovereignty under new social studies curriculum.

Perspective: Socialism’s not in the Bible
Having placed 50 percent of America’s economy under government control, the Obama administration is now angling for a tighter grip on the financial sector.

Will Pro-Life Caucus still be effective?
In the aftermath of passage of the healthcare reform bill, a question arises as to whether the House Pro-Life Caucus has meaning anymore.

Jews for Jesus founder dies
The founder of the group Jews for Jesus has died after a long battle with prostate cancer. Moishe Rosen was 78.

Pakistani gov’t ordered to block Facebook
A Pakistani court has ordered the government to block Facebook because of a page that encourages users to post images of Islam’s prophet Muhammad.

Christian Biochemist: First ‘Synthetic Cell’ Strengthens Case for Design
A biochemistry expert at the science-faith think tank Reasons to Believe is among those hailing the recent creation of the first-ever “synthetic cell,” though not for the same reasons as most.

Conservative Watchdog Leader Issues Warning to Evangelical Groups

ACLJ Takes Up Case of 7th Grader Suspended for Wearing Rosary

Indiana Rep. Resigns After Affair Confession

Kagan Confirmation Hearings Set to Begin June 28

Rev. Wright: Obama Threw Me Under the Bus

Graduation-time controversies
A high school in Indiana has decided it will no longer screen graduation speeches, and a district in Connecticut is being challenged on its plan to hold graduation ceremonies in a church building.

‘Lesson 9’ deep-sixed
A lawsuit by a group of parents — and lots of complaints — has led to the removal of controversial pro-homosexual curriculum in a California school district.

Perspective: No more borders, please!
What do the state of Arizona and the Cincinnati Reds’ organization have in common? Both are simply doing their job to protect the innocent.

Kagan: Support unconstitutional measure for political gain
A leaked memo from Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan is raising eyebrows among pro-life groups.

Catholic bishops pull away from civil-rights group
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has withdrawn from the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights following the latter’s published support for Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan, who is pro-abortion.

‘Obama White House Is Admitting That Their Health Care Plan Will Ration Health Care,’ GOP Senator Says
(CNSNews.com)
– President Barack Obama’s nominee to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is a strong supporter of the government-run health care system in Britain. In a 2009 interview about Comparative Effectiveness Research, Donald Berwick said, “The decision is not whether or not we will ration care – the decision is whether we will ration with our eyes open.” In choosing Berwick, the Obama administration is implicitly admitting that the health care law passed by the Democrats in March will lead to the rationing of health care, said Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.).

Islamic Nations Praise Obama’s Outreach and U.S. Plans to Close ‘Islamophobia Prison’ at Guantanamo
(CNSNews.com)
– President Obama’s Cairo speech to Muslims, his plan to shut down the detention center at Guantanamo Bay and the dropping of language deemed offensive to Muslims are among the positive developments highlighted in the Organization of the Islamic Conference’s new report on “Islamophobia.” Areas requiring more work include winning the Obama administration over to the OIC-held position on the need for legal recourse to counter “religious defamation.”

Awlaki Not Among FBI’s ‘Most Wanted’ Terrorists; No Reward Offered for His Capture
(CNSNews.com)
– Anwar al-Awlaki, the U.S.-born Islamic cleric who in a new video clip urges Muslims to kill American civilians, does not appear on the FBI’s list of wanted terrorists and the government has yet to place a reward on his head. Likewise, no references to Awlaki could be found Monday on the Web site of the U.S. Embassy in the Yemeni capital, Sana’a.

Brennan: U.S. Should Foster ‘Moderate Elements’ of the Terrorist Group Hezbollah
(CNSNews.com)
– President Obama’s counterterrorism adviser John Brennan called Hezbollah a “very interesting organization” in remarks last week at a Washington think tank, and he said the United States needs to “build up the more moderate elements” of Hezbollah, which the State Department has designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

DEA: No Comment on Drug Cartel Obtaining Intelligence Reports That DEA Provided to High-Level Mexican Authorities
(CNSNews.com)
– The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency declined to comment on reports that a drug cartel from the northwestern Mexican state of Sinaloa had access to documents detailing Mexico’s counter-narcotics operations, including information that the DEA had provided to high-level officials in Mexico’s Public Safety Department.

Senate Passed Financial Bill Contains Debit Card Price Controls
(CNSNews.com)
– The recently passed financial regulatory bill contains a little-noticed provision allowing the government to set price controls on the fees banks charge retailers who accept debit cards.

FCC Says It Has ‘No Record’ of Any Communication to or from Its Chairman Mentioning Limbaugh, Hannity, Levin, Beck, Ingraham or Savage
(CNSNews.com)
– The Federal Communications Commission says it has “no records” of any communication either “to or from” its chairman that mentions Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Glenn Beck, Laura Ingraham or Michael Savage. The FCC made the declaration in response to a Freedom of Information Act request by CNSNews.com that sought all its records reflecting communications from FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski mentioning the popular radio hosts.

Senate Democrats Pass Bill Allowing Gov’t to Collect Addresses, ATM Records of Bank Customers
(CNSNews.com)
– Senate Democrats united to pass a financial regulatory bill that allows the government to collect data on any person operating in financial markets at any level. The bill would create the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection and empower it to gather the names and addresses of account holders, ATM and other transaction records, and the amount of money kept in each customer’s account. Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) said that Democrats who claim this new bureaucracy will protect consumers are misleading the public.

Rep. Kennedy Says Mexican President ‘Right On’ in Criticizing Arizona Immigration Law
Washington (CNSNews.com)
– Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told CNSNews.com that Mexican President Felipe Calderon was wrong to criticize Arizona’s anti-illegal immigration law, adding that Calderon had also “mischaracterized the law.” Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.), however, said that Calderon was “right on” in criticizing the new law.

Obama’s Comment That Nations Are Defined by Bonds, Not Borders, Called ‘Wishful Thinking
(CNSNews.com)
– It is wishful thinking on the part of the president to imply that borders are no longer important, one policy analyst told CNSNews.com.

Study: Parenthood Does Not Make for Active Churchgoers
A new study debunks the common assumption that once a couple hits parenthood, they’ll put Sunday church services back on their calendar.

Gay Marriage Support Gains Slightly in U.S.

Rick Warren Tells Passive, Fake Christians to Find Another Church

Second Wave of Deportations Hits Foreign Christians in Morocco

Iran Acquits Two Female Converts of Apostasy

Pentecost Festival Draws Thousands to London

Gates will support proposed immediate ‘gay’ ban lift
Defense Secretary Robert Gates is reluctantly supporting a White House-backed proposal in Congress that would immediately repeal the law banning homosexuals from serving openly in the military.

Study the Constitution – what a concept…
Defenders of the new social studies standards just passed by the Texas State Board of Education say it will encourage students to go back to the Constitution and First Amendment to learn about religious freedom.

Obama’s policies = ‘economic Armageddon’
After completing a research paper on President Obama’s economic policies, a spokesperson for Concerned Women for America concludes that they could be catastrophic for the nation.

Rifqa faces cancer treatment
A former Muslim who was pastor of a church in Columbus, Ohio, says 17-year-old Christian convert Rifqa Bary has told him she has a very aggressive form of uterine cancer.

School’s hands-off approach the right choice

An Indiana pro-family leader is applauding a high school for deciding it won’t screen speeches at its commencement ceremony.
Obama’s Nominee to Run Medicare: ‘Please Don’t Put Your Faith in Market Forces’
(CNSNews.com)
– Dr. Donald Berwick, nominated by President Barack Obama to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, published an article in the British Medical Journal, advising leaders of Britain’s socialized health care system: “Please don’t put your faith in market forces.” The article, published in the July 26, 2008 issue of the BMJ, compared the U.S. health care system unfavorably to the British system, which Berwick said he was “romantic about.”

White House, Congressional Dems Reach Agreement to Force Vote on Repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell
(CNSNews.com)
– The White House and congressional Democratic leaders reached an agreement Monday night on a “compromise” that could force a vote within days on a bill to end the military’s Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy on homosexuality — after the congressional elections. “Tonight, President Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made a back room deal that disregards the views of our troops and uses the military to advance the political agenda of a radical special interest group,” Family Research Council President Tony Perkins said in a statement.

New York Times’ Front Page Announces U.S. Expansion of ‘Secret Military Acts’ in Middle East
(CNSNews.com)
– The New York Times, giving America’s friends and foes a heads-up, reports that Gen. David Petraeus signed a “secret directive” in September authorizing “a broad expansion of secret military activity” in the Middle East.

Poll Finds 65 Percent of Texas Voters Still Support Off-Shore Drilling
(CNSNews.com)
– Nearly two-thirds of all Texans believe off-shore drilling should continue, despite the Gulf oil spill, according to a new poll. The poll places Texas voters in line with the national average of 64 percent of Americans who support offshore drilling, according to the Rasmussen Report.

Dave Matthews: ‘Too Bad If We Have To Pay a Little Extra Money for Gasoline’
(CNSNews.com)
– Grammy award-winning musician Dave Matthews told CNSNews.com that higher energy prices are what “we have to do” to protect the environment. He also said although he admires the military, he would like to see it downsized.

Rocker Dave Matthews: ‘I Would Pack the Bags’ and Leave Afghanistan and Iraq
(CNSNews.com)
– Grammy award-winning musician Dave Matthews told CNSNews.com that if he could, he “would pack the bags” and remove U.S. troops from Afghanistan and Iraq, adding that the ongoing wars there are a “big disappointment.” He also said there is enough evidence that “fighting for peace is a broken model.”

Despite U.S. Prodding, China Does Little More Than Call for Restraint on the Korean Peninsula
(CNSNews.com)
– As South Korea and the United States turn up the pressure on North Korea over the sinking of a South Korean warship, Kim Jong-il’s closest ally looks unwilling to do or say anything about the incident beyond its customary calls for calm. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in Beijing for bilateral strategic and economic talks, urged China Monday to “work together” with the U.S. to address the “serious challenge provoked by the sinking of the South Korean ship.”

Force-feeding the repeal
Family Research Council leader Tony Perkins is accusing President Obama and congressional Democratic leaders of making a backroom deal to force a vote on overturning the law on homosexuals serving in the military.

Perspective: The White House-Sestak stonewall
With three Democrats now implicating the president in dirty backroom schemes, “trust us” won’t cut it — and neither will “shut up and go away.”

White House ‘agitator’ sees dark days for Dems
A senior member of the White House press corps believes the Republican Party will take control of Congress in November and set about immediately to repeal “ObamaCare” — and that, the veteran journalist predicts, might not bode well for the president.

Christian faith – America’s historic backbone
The president of Westminster Theological Seminary believes the proclaimed “father” of the United States would be appalled at the direction the nation is headed.

National Guard to the border
An immigration reform organization is welcoming the Obama administration’s announcement to heed the call from desperate border states to dispatch thousands of National Guard troops to the southern border and help deal with the problem of illegal crossings into the U.S.

Will Graham Brings ‘Reality’ of Christ to Aussies
Third generation evangelist Will Graham has joined world-class entertainers and speakers in Australia to present the Gospel and “the reality of life.”

‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Compromise Reached; Vote Expected Soon

Supreme Court to Hear Ariz. Christian School Case

Fund Shortage Threatens to Close L.A. Homeless Center

Minn. Church Takes First Step to Exit ELCA

Hindu Nationalists Plan ‘Religious Cleansing’ in Madhya Pradesh District

Rep. Hoyer: Obama Medicare Nominee Qualified, Rationing Already Happening
(CNSNews.com)
– House Majority Leader Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said the man nominated to run Medicare and Medicaid, Donald Berwick, is qualified to oversee the two massive government health care programs despite Berwick’s claim that the government must ration health care. Hoyer added that health care rationing is already happening in America — because not all Americans can afford it.

Boehner: Republicans ‘Committed to Repealing the Health Care Law’ If They Take Back House
(CNSNews.com)
– House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Tuesday that the House Republican leadership is “committed to repealing the health care law” if Republicans win a majority in the House in the November elections. Boehner  also announced the launch of the House Republicans’ new Web site, AmericaSpeakingOut.com, where citizens can submit ideas for congressional Republicans to consider making part of their agenda.

Obama Should Visit U.S.-Mexico Border to See the Threat to Americans Firsthand, Republican Senators Say
(CNSNews.com)
– On the same day President Barack Obama announced he was ordering 1,200 National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, two Republican senators from Arizona said it’s about time – and it’s too few troops.

International Community Has ‘Responsibility and Duty to Respond’ to Ship Sinking by North Korea, Clinton Says
(CNSNews.com)
– On Wednesday, one day after North Korea threatened to sever all remaining ties with South Korea, North Korea did not prevent South Korean employees from entering a joint industrial project that employs thousands of North Koreans. The Stalinist regime warned, however, that it would bar entry to South Koreans if Seoul resumes anti-Pyongyang propaganda broadcasts along their shared border, which South Korean President Lee Myun-bak has said he would do.

Suspected Terror Mastermind Free to Rail Against India and ‘Blasphemy’
(CNSNews.com)
– Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, the Islamist leader released from house arrest by Pakistan’s highest court, remains one of that country’s most outspoken advocates of jihad against India, and he is now free to press his case that the U.N. should declare ‘blasphemy of prophets’ a capital offense.

Bill Requires Rhode Island to Pay Taxpayers Interest on Delayed Tax Refunds
(CNSNews.com)
– Several Rhode Island state congressmen have introduced a bill requiring the state to pay the same rate of interest after 60 days on tax refunds owed to taxpayers that the state assesses for overdue taxes.

Evangelicals Hold First National Prayer Day for Creation
Evangelical leaders from several prominent organizations gathered on Capitol Hill Tuesday to pray, repent and sing about creation care.

Ariz. Pastor’s Worry: Criminalization of Ministry Work

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Deal Deemed ‘Political Charade’

Recovering Porn Addict: Lord Is Not Shocked by Our Humanity

Runaway Teen Convert Rifqa Bary Battles Cancer

Texas Lutheran University President Resigns

Vote pending on ‘political payoff’
A law firm that defends and promotes Christian heritage and moral values says May 27 could be the date when the greatest military in the world is sacrificed as a political payoff to homosexual activists.

SNAP disappointed by Vatican, DOJ
An Oregon man abused by a priest has sued the Vatican and is now trying to get the U.S. Supreme Court to accept the case.

Another abortion bill vetoed
Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry late Wednesday vetoed an abortion bill that would put strict limits on when private health insurers can cover the procedure.

The whistle is working
Operation Rescue’s whistleblower program is attracting helpful undercover information on abortion facilities.

‘Holy water’ accusation affects teachers

Some local ministers in Florida are coming to the defense of two teachers who have been removed from their classrooms and are under investigation for allegations they offended an atheist colleague.
Majority of Americans Believe Future of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Should be Left Up to Military Commanders, Zogby Poll Finds
(CNSNews.com)
– Fifty-nine (59) percent of Americans think military leaders, rather than Congress, should be making the decision about the military policy on homosexuality, according to a poll released Tuesday by the Family Research Center…

Senate Leader Reid: Some Republicans Call Unemployed Americans ‘Bums’ and ‘Hobos’
(CNSNews.com) –
As the unemployment rate in the United States approaches 10 percent, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said that some “on the Republican side” have called out-of-work Americans “bums” and “hobos.” He also said the unemployed are people who legitimately “cannot find work for long periods of time,” and he disagreed with those who suggest that unemployment is a “never-ending issue.”…

‘Synthetic’ Cell Research Isn’t Frankenstein Science, but Raises Troubling Questions, Analysts Say
(CNSNews.com)
– The recent report that scientists have created a “synthetic cell” for the first time has raised several questions about the societal and ethical implications of such technology…

Biden: $787 Billion Stimulus Bill Created ‘New Ideas on How to Spend Government Money Wisely’
(CNSNews.com)
– Heading up a Middle Class Task Force roundtable discussion on Wednesday, Vice President Joe Biden said that one of the benefits of the $787 billion stimulus package signed into law in February is that it has generated new ideas for dealing with economic problems, including unemployment…

Obama’s July 2011 Draw-Down Date for Afghanistan Sends Mixed Messages, Former Afghan Presidential Candidate Says
Washington (CNSNews.com)
– Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, a candidate in the 2009 Afghan presidential election, said the July 2011 date set by President Barack Obama for U.S. troops to draw-down from Afghanistan is problematic because it creates a perception of mixed messages about U.S. commitment to the country…

Brennan Names Al Qaeda and Affiliates as the Enemy, Silent on Hezbollah, Others
(CNSNews.com)
– President Obama’s counter terrorism advisor framed America’s enemy Wednesday as “al-Qaeda and its terrorist affiliates,” but said nothing about anti-U.S. Islamists not affiliated to the network led by Osama bin Laden…

Sebelius: Rationing Advocate is ‘Absolutely Right Leader At This Time’ to Run Medicare
(CNSNews.com)
– Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said on Wednesday that Dr. Donald Berwick, an advocate of health-care rationing nominated by President Barack Obama to run Medicare and Medicaid, is “absolutely the right leader at this time” to run the government’s largest health-care entitlement programs…

As Harvard Law Dean, Kagan Did Not Require Study of U.S. Constitutional Law But Did Require Study of International and Foreign Law
(CNSNews.com)
– Elena Kagan, President Barack Obama’s choice to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens on the Supreme Court, is best known for moving Harvard Law School away from the 100-year old “case-law method” of legal study…

Democrats’ War Funding Amendment Would Allow Homosexuals to Serve in Military
(CNSNews.com) –
Democrats in the both the House and Senate are trying to amend the 2011 war funding bill to allow gays, lesbians, and bisexuals to serve in the military, a move opposed by the heads of all four branches of the armed services…

Senate Considers Union Pension Bailout
(CNSNews.com)
– A Senate committee will consider on Thursday a bill introduced by Sen. Robert Casey (D-Pa.) that critics say would create a taxpayer-backed bailout of multi-employer pension funds that are in critical financial condition…

Homeland Security Subcommittee Chairman: ‘I Want To See A Little More Than 1,200’ National Guard Troops at Border
(CNSNews.com)
– Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), chairman of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border, Maritime and Global Counterterrorism, echoed the view of House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) on Thursday, telling CNSNews.com that the 1,200 National Guard troops President Barack Obama is deploying to the U.S.-Mexico border are not enough to secure the region…

National Security Strategy Coy About Darfur Crisis
(CNSNews.com)
– The conflict in Darfur was given short shrift in the Obama administration’s first National Security Strategy, with a single direct reference that lays no blame for the enduring crisis…

Congress bows to gay agenda, repeals DADT
Congress has given in to pressure from gay activists and the White House and voted to repeal the “don’t ask, don’t tell” ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military. (See House vote)

Lifting of another ban sought
The FDA has launched the process to lift the 27-year-old ban that prevents homosexuals from donating blood.

Perspective: Play a fiddle, watch it burn
Homosexual activists and their allies (like Barney Frank) are muscling their agenda through Congress — with nary a peep from the nation’s conservative talking heads.

Nobama on Memorial Day
President Obama is under fire for deciding to skip the annual Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Cyrus….
A Christian mother and author has written an open letter to the parents of Miley Cyrus about the career path the young star is on.

House Votes to Repeal DADT Despite Military Opinion
The U.S. House voted Thursday to repeal the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law that bars gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military.

Anglican Head Reprimands U.S. Church over Lesbian Bishop

Jewish Group Condemns WCC ‘Anti-Israel’ Peace Week

Mosque Plan Near 9/11 Site Is ‘Indecent,’ Says Ex-Muslim

Megachurch Pastor Ed Young Recovering from Surgery

Trial over ‘Insulting Turkishness’ Again Yields No Evidence

Don’t ‘protect’ children from truth
A California bill opposing Christian ideals in social studies textbooks has passed a 6-2 vote and is making its way into the Senate.

Iowa’s same-sex union isn’t marriage
A report that homosexuals are streaming into Iowa to get married is not entirely accurate.

Kagan’s past still raising concerns
Americans United for Life is expressing fresh concern over President Obama’s nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court.

No Muslim prayer room
A German court says that a Berlin high school doesn’t have to provide a 16-year-old Muslim student with a private room to pray in during school hours.

The atheist and the Illinois cross
A Chicago-area atheist is unhappy that $20,000 in state money is going to an 11-story cross on southern Illinois’ highest point, and he wants the landmark’s overseers to give the money back, or be sued.

Another graduation prayer, another investigation
The ACLU of Montana is asking the state Board of Regents to investigate whether the invocation and benediction given during the Montana State University-Northern graduation ceremony unconstitutionally promoted Christianity.

Forum helps Christians vote biblically
A conservative activist says the tide on the West Coast may turn to favor conservative voters if they choose to vote in accordance with their values, and he is providing them a tool to utilize in the primary election.

Don’t ‘protect’ children from truth
A California bill opposing Christian ideals in social studies textbooks has passed a 6-2 vote and is making its way into the Senate.

Child’s trachea healed by adult stem cells
Adult stem cells, which do not involve the killing of a human embryo, have proven useful in yet another area of medical treatment.

Newslinks 04/25/10

April 25, 2010 at 3:00 pm | Posted in Newslinks | Leave a comment
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Negative policy comments not ‘racist’
A black Christian conservative activist says those who don’t support President Barack Obama’s policies are not racist.

‘Pro-life Democrat’ – R.I.P.
A conservative writer says the retirement of Congressman Bart Stupak is the official “obituary” for the phrase “pro-life Democrat.”

Perspective: The ‘pro-choice’ fraud exposed
Well done, Barack Obama…you’ve just proven something that pro-lifers have been fighting to demonstrate for 40 years: the abortion movement has never been about choice.

Obama’s goal? Socialism at all costs
Author Jerome Corsi says it will be very difficult to reverse the socialist policies of Barack Obama, even if Republicans take over control of Congress next year.

Family-friendly = box office-friendly
Family-friendly movies continue to make an impact at the box office, and some are even receiving critical acclaim. Continue Reading Newslinks 04/25/10…


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