Is Christianity Under Siege In America?

Watch video from MSNBC's "Hardball with Chris Matthews".

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Legalized Gay Marriage Makes Christian Adoption Illegal

One consequence that has emerged as a result of the legalization of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts is that now Christian adoption agencies have become illegal. Except for calls by Republican Governor Mitt Romney for exemptions for religious organizations, efforts by political leaders have been non-existent. Making homosexuality a civil right has now caused every Bay State child – both natural and adopted – to lose the right to have both a loving mother and loving father. Read more at LifeSite.net.

Battle Brews over Gay Paper in Ohio Library

One trustee wants the Outlook Weekly removed from shelves.

TAKE ACTION: If you live in Central Ohio, get involved here.

A Saad Day

As reported by Citizenlink.org, another casualty emerged as the latest victim of Senate partisan politics. Despite having a "well qualified" rating by the American Bar Association, and after enduring five years of filibustering and Democratic obstructionism, Judge Henry Saad, the president's nominee since 2001 for a vacancy on the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, finally gave up and withdrew his name from consideration. The sad reality is many judicial seats throughout the land remain vacant due to Democratic-led filibustering – a furtherance of an unprecedented trend in American politics.

Are stay-at-home moms a drain on society?

Good Morning America says yes. Listen here.

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Is God’s Love & Forgiveness Unconditional?

ThatTheyMayB1.net COMMENTARY
By Ed Nicholson

This morning, I was awaken again, I was reminded afresh, to the realities of God’s unconditional love. Sadly, I was also reminded how a lot of people in the world and in the church have the mistaken notion that the unconditional love of God means that our standing before Him is not dependent on our actions. But is this right?

First, we must recognize God’s love is unconditional in that the act was initiated by Him. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Even though we were bad, and doing bad, He loved us. Despite our rebellion, His love was still magnificently and sufficiently initiated towards us from the cross of Calvary by Jesus. Ephesians 2:5 qualifies our state of being at that time when Paul says, “even when we were dead in transgressions.” God loving us was not predicated in any way by our actions. One thing we should all understand, is that dead people don’t contribute to anything. It is by His actions on the cross that God offers us unconditional love.

Secondly, we must recognize His unconditional love is not predicated by the type of people we are. God offers His love to all people – both pretty good people, and pretty bad people; and people of all races, nations, genders, and even “sexual orientations.” You can safely say that in this way, God is inclusive. The Bible says God offered His love to the whole world. (See: 2 Cor. 5:14-15; 1 Tim. 2:6; Heb. 7:27; 9:12-10:2; 1 Pet. 3:18.)

But now that He offers the unconditional love, our experience to that love is conditional based on our response. We need to do something with it; we choose to either receive it or reject it. And it is in this response to that unconditional offer of love which makes our experience to that love conditional.

Think about the words “if” and “then.” These words are transitional devices that imply condition. We find them throughout the Old and New Testaments in description to how God relates to people. If people received His unconditional love, then they would be blessed by Him and through Him. And if people rejected His unconditional love, then they would be cursed as they deservedly receive His wrath.

If you reject this unconditional offer of love to all, your relationship is on a particular footing. In this case, you can keep running your life, doing what you want, and you will eventually stand on that Day – left to your own resources – in your attempts at fulfilling God’s standards of acceptability. Your attempts will be futile as you take the brunt of His perfect judgment.

On the other hand, you can individually choose to accept His love by receiving His provision for your sin. By allowing Jesus’ righteousness to be put to your account, you will stand acceptable before the Judge on that Great Day. And Christ – the only perfect and good Person – will be honored as your Great Deliverer and Savior. If you receive this unconditional offer, you will enter into a right relationship with Him.

But notice another important point: something is required of you if you respond in acceptance to God’s unconditional act of love. And that requirement is your very life. Jesus says, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it” (Mark 8:35). This act of offering ourselves to Him is a continuous, moment-by-moment act of surrender, repentance, confession, and obedience. It is a response of gratitude for what He has already done. (2 Cor. 5:13-14). And it is our spiritual act of worship (Romans 12:1-2).

Do you see the distinction between God’s unconditional love and God’s conditional love? The unconditional nature of God’s love to us is found in God’s actions, not ours. The conditional aspect of God’s love comes into play in regards to our actions – namely, our response to His actions. We are doing something about His unconditional act of love. We are either choosing it or we are rejecting it.

Our love towards others has similar unconditional and conditional elements to it.

Our love of others should be unconditional in that it should not be conditional on their response. This, I believe, is what Jesus meant when He said love your enemies. Do your enemies love you or hate you? Of course they hate you. That’s why they are your enemy. But Jesus says to offer your love to them anyway. He is speaking here about unconditional love.

But even this unconditional love towards both friends and foes, in a sense – in a real sense – contains a conditional aspect, especially in regards to its origin. God first initiates this love in us, and through us, and to us. It is therefore dependent on God. Then, and only then, as this love pours out of us towards others through our life and through our lips, is it available to others without favoritism or discrimination. We don’t love others because they love us. We love others because God loves us. We find in 1 John Chapter 4: “We love because he first loved us.” (v. 19) In verses 10 and 11, it says, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

Now what people do as you extend your – or should I say His – unconditional love is up to them. That’s their choice. You can’t force it on them. They may choose to reject it. If so, then there is no loving relationship between the two of you. As the saying goes, “It takes two to tango.”

This love phenomena dealing with the unconditional act that originates from God and the conditional response-relationship is also true in regards to the phenomena of forgiveness. We are called to forgive those that offend us. Why? For the same reason we love people. God loves us, therefore, we ought to love others. Similarly, God forgave us, therefore, we ought to forgive others:

“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” (Colossians 3:13-14)

But just like love, forgiveness only takes place in the relationship if the offer is accepted by the other. This is why Jesus said don’t forgive those who are unrepentant. “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.” (Luke 17:3) He is speaking of forgiveness here in regards to the relationship. In other words, don’t be fooled into thinking the relationship is OK when the other person refuses to accept your unconditional offer of forgiveness. If they are not repentant, then they will not receive what you are willing to give. That’s why the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah each said to God concerning unrepentant men: “do not forgive them” (Isaiah 2:9); “Do not forgive their crimes or blot out their sins from your sight” (Jeremiah 18:23). Basically, what’s true with love is true with forgiveness: “it takes two to tango.”

In closing, know that God’s Love and Forgiveness both operate in the same way here: the act by the initiator is unconditional whereas the relationship is conditional. On the one hand, understand they are unconditional first in that they don’t originate from us but from God. It originates from His actions, not ours. Furthermore, it’s unconditional in that He freely offers it to us all. On the other hand, realize that this doesn’t mean that His love and forgiveness function unconditionally in every way, and at all times, and to all people. How one relates to this unconditional love and forgiveness is conditional, or is based on the response of the respective recipient or rejecter – both initially as well as continually. At any time we accept it, in that way we enter into a right-standing relationship to Him. At any time we reject it, in that way we are in a wrong-standing relationship to Him.

God offers all of His love and forgiveness to you today. I hope and pray your response will be to accept it.

copyright © 2006 www.ThatTheyMayB1.net, All Rights Reserved

Was Afghanistan Truly Liberated? This Will Be The Test

The outcome concerning the trial of Christian convert Abdul Rahman for crimes against Islamic law will show whether Afghanistan has indeed become a civil government.

Watch video.

TAKE ACTION (provided by Citizenlink.org):

1. Please take time to pray for Abdul Rahman -- that he will stand firm in his faith and be protected.

2. Pray also for the Church in Afghanistan.

3. Please contact President Bush and your members of Congress, and remind them that American soldiers – many of them Christians -- paid the ultimate price to liberate Afghanistan, and they did not do that so that Christians could be killed. For contact information, click here.

4. Please write and e-mail polite letters to the Embassy of Afghanistan asking it to look into the matter. Express your concerns to President Karzai's government. Be respectful.

"It's best to communicate a positive message," Nettleton suggested. "Tell them something like: 'We love your country. We want the best for your country -- but we are concerned about our Christian brother. Putting Christians to death is not in your best interest. We urge you to release this man and give legal protection to converts in Afghanistan.'

"Don't try to tell them how to run their country, but do express the fact that you are concerned about a Christian brother who is on trial. Ask the Afghanis why he is on trial, and remind them that their new constitution says people have freedom to practice their religion, yet this man is on trial for doing just that."

Embassy of Afghanistan
2341 Wyoming Ave NW
Washington, D.C. 20008
Telephone: 202-483-6410
E-mail: Info@embassyofafghanistan.org

Study Finds Child Molesting 150 Times Greater in High Schools than Catholic Church

As reported by the Family Research Council, in a recent Whistleblowers magazine article titled "Predators":

“Professor Carol Shakeshift of Long Island's liberal-leaning Hofstra University compared the 10,667 young people who were reported abused by Catholic priests over a fifty-year period (1950-2002) with an estimated 290,000 students who claimed physical sexual abuse by public school employees during a much shorter time period (1991-2000). If confirmed, this would mean abuse in public schools is more than 150 times as prevalent as that alleged against priests. . . . we will wait to see if the media places as much attention on what appears to be a far greater problem. For every one child abused in the Catholic Church, 150 have been abused by school employees. This is exactly why parents must be involved in their child's education and interact with their school.”

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The Amazing Story Behind One Episode of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"

Family’s adopted kids share how they found healing and love after abusive pasts.

WARNING:
THE FOLLOWING CONTAINS
DEEPLY MOVING CONTENT

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Update on the Culture Wars

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FCC Sends Message To Broadcasters on Indecency

Regulator levies a multimillion-dollar fine on CBS.
-- Citizenlink.org

In an effort to protect children, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) slapped CBS with a significant fine for broadcast indecency. CBS was fined for a 2004 program titled "Without a Trace" that featured a number of teens engaged in group sex. Read more.

Mega-church Pastor: “I have grown a church of baptized pagans.”

-- Together For The Gospel

AFA, 18 Other Pro-Family Organizations Call For One-Year Boycott of Ford Motor Company

The American Family Association (AFA) and other pro-family organizations have called for a one-year boycott of auto giant after Ford reneges on pledge to protect the family. AFA is asking individuals to sign the Boycott Ford pledge.

TAKE ACTION: To see the extensive support Ford is giving to the homosexual cause and to sign the pledge, go to: www.BoycottFord.com.

True Repentance

True repentance is not feeling bad about the bad things you do and saying to yourself “I’m better than that,” and then sincerely striving to offer your best efforts at cleaning yourself up through right living. True repentance happens when you first realize you are not a good person and will never be good enough. The process of true repentance continues as you next identify the only way you can be made right before God. After embracing this one-of-a-kind provision for your sin, true repentance then becomes manifested as you naturally respond to what God has supernaturally accomplished.

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U gotta hear this. Imagine seeing Conan O'Brien learning how to share Jesus with people. FUN-knee!!!
That's what this guy's like. After he struggles a bit with witnessing to a couple people, he gets on the radio with Ray Comfort and callers who call in. They all give him pointers on how to improve in his witnessing. This is when things get hilarious! LOL. Not only will you laugh, but you'll be encouraged to share your own faith, and learn some tips on how to be effective. To download this show of The Way of the Master Radio program to your computer, right-click (PC) or control-click (Mac) here and select Save Target As.


Smear Campaign on Dobson Continues
Hear the latest misinformation about Dr. James Dobson here.


Do you know what YOUR problem is?!!!
We say we believe "it's not by works" and "God is holy" and "we are sinners." But are these simply religious slogans? Do we really understand what we say we believe? Are our churches really teaching what these important professions of faith actually mean? To find out, listen to this edition of the White Horse Inn.


Marital Infidelity: The Greener Grass Syndrome. How to get out of it. How to avoid it.
Listen here: part 1 / part 2 / part 3

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The Pot (the Left) Calling the Kettle (the Right) Black

The liberal left says that public funds should not be used towards any programs that actively advance any particular religious worldview. They argue on the fallacious grounds of the so-called “separation of church and state” principle that is supposedly found somewhere in our constitution. Well, then I ask the left, why do they not oppose the promotion of the teachings of religious guru Wayne W. Dyer on the publicly funded entity of PBS? I’ll tell you why: because it advances their type of religion. They’re tolerant of religion, as long as it agrees with what they believe. But any religion that disagrees with their worldview, they cry “separation of church and state.” There’s a word for this. It’s called hypocrisy.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH:

“The Christian faith is not true because it works; it works because it is true. It is not true because we experience it; we experience it -- deeply and gloriously -- because it is true. It is not simply "true for us"; it is true for any who seek in order to find, because truth is true even if nobody believes it and falsehood is false even if everybody believes it.”

-- Os Guiness

Attention: Parents & Teachers of High School Students

The Alliance Defense Fund brought to my attention something I wanted to pass along to those of you who walk the halls of America’s high schools. Find out more about The Day of Truth (April 27th, 2006) by going to www.dayoftruth.org.

Watch a short video about it here.

Ken Blackwell leads GOP hopes

Strong support for black Christian conservative in Buckeye state.

-- Townhall.com

The Da Vinci Code: The Latest Assault on Christianity – Are you ready for the movie?

Get prepared here: Part 1 / Part 2 *

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To further address the claims in the Da Vinci Code, go to: www.rbcdavincicode.org.

To watch a trailer to the movie, click here.

TAKE ACTION: CNN intentionally refers to Dr. James Dobson as “Reverend”

-- Citizenlink.org

Write quick letter to CNN here.

Homosexual Activists Launch New Attack On Ex-Gay Movement

Pro-family groups reaffirm that change, though not easy, is possible. -- Citizenlink.org

Anne Lamott’s views on abortion are not Christian

Anne Lamott shared what she really thinks about abortion in a recent op-ed piece in the Los Angeles Times. Many Evangelicals will be shocked to read it. I’ve also included Albert Mohler’s response to her comments.

Shocking News! Cuddle Puddles: Are they coming to a high school near you?

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Abortion Debate? What debate? Pro-Abortionists Are Close-Minded Toward Honest Discussions

When pro-life advocates invite their foes to public debates, leaders of abortion-on-demand simply don’t show up. There’s no dialogue because the pro-abortionists are afraid to engage. They know they have no leg to stand on. Read more at AlbertMohler.com.