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Salt Becomes Tasteless, Silver Common as Stones
"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.
- Matthew 5:13
The king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and he made cedars as plentiful as sycamore trees that are in the lowland.
- 1 Kings 10:27
"Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. "At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. "Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. "Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold. "But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
- Matthew 24:9-14 |
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Shalom and Greetings in Christ Jesus,
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Falling Away Alert!
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When observing what is transpiring today in the world, I cannot help but sense that we are starring prophetic fulfillment in its face. However, our eschatological preconceptions amount to blindness. My point is, that as with a number of last-days prophecies I am eerily uncomfortable and filled with unease with how so many Evangelicals believe they have the whole "end time scenario" or timeline figured out including meanings of every unfulfilled passage of Scripture. It seems to slip their mind that at Christ's first coming, Jesus told the twelve apostles exactly what was going to transpire. He even disclosed more information to those closest to Him, to His inner circle of James, John and Peter, and yet none of them understood what was about to happen. In arrogance Peter tried to rebuke Jesus for stating He would "be killed, and be raised up on the third day", this right after he declared Jesus was The Messiah. And James and John were too busy discussing who would sit on His right and His left rather than to truly humble themselves in order to pay attention to the Word of God. Nothing has changed today. Whether it is the Dominionist theology of taking the Kingdom for God or the bloodless message of cheap grace, these two false gospels have leavened most of the true church today. These also make up the basis of most other false gospels including the prosperity gospel and social gospel. It therefore should not surprise us at how many "false brethren" or "false converts" have entered in among us. Over recent years, the downward spiral of apostasy has increased manifold, but what now is truly alarming is the growth and acceptance of lawlessness and the trend of what is completely antithetical to the nature of God and contrary to His Word. These are the very things that happened in the days of Noah and in the days of Lot that forced The LORD to personally intervene. As I have mentioned in previous alerts, it is not only the sexual immorality but also lawlessness and corruption of all things including both God's laws and civil laws. This will make the way for the Lawless one. This alert has a number of recent reports concerning ecumenical unity, the acceptance of homosexuality, the mixture of politics and religion, and the overwhelming decline of true biblical Christianity amidst the explosion of false religion and false spirituality. When stepping back and observing the whole picture we start to see a group collectively called "the church" that is becoming too wicked for secular society to handle. This by far is the "sign" among "signs" that we have crossed a threshold of sorts, where the church has lost it's saltiness and where silver, the price of redemption has become as common as stones just like the in the days of King Solomon. Now the world must step in to "restrain" the church because it has and is rejecting Christ and his word, therefore He is ceasing to strive. Please understand what is happening around us. The church is filled with lawsuits and legal actions and continuously has to go to "the world" in direct rebellion to 1 Corinthians 5 to settle matters since it cannot do so herself. Now we are beginning to see a complete breakdown of authority within as you will see below. The Presbytery of the Redwoods refused to enact the judgment of the highest court of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The article states in part, "Church officials said they believe that never before in the history of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has a presbytery defied the wishes of its highest court in this fashion." Now I think that many believe that these denominations and congregations long ago fell away from the truth and so why even waste time writing and sharing articles about them. However, it is here that we identify one of the biggest errors in all modern Christianity - never in The Word of God, does God distinguish between His people the way man does. In reality, there are only three types of people: 1) A person born again (saved by grace through faith) 2) A lost Jew 3) A lost Gentile Since we have the privilege of whole counsel of Scripture, we know that people were always saved by grace through faith, before Jesus birth by looking forward to the coming Messiah and walking in obedience to the revelation given them, and since His first coming we look backward to the cross. We also look forward to His return and the resurrection and rapture of the faithful remnant. Israel and Judah rebelled and fell away from the truth and therefore were taken away into captivity, but God still called them "His people" and He preserved a faithful remnant. The "church" is no less the same. Considering the seven churches described in Revelation, nearly any denomination or congregation that at one time was orthodox in its faith can be accounted for, whether they believe now or not. I would include in that group the church in Rome. When Paul wrote to the Epistle to the Romans, they were one of the soundest congregations, however, savage wolves crept in and they gradually were filled with pagan influences to such a point where this "church" could no longer be called Christian. I highly recommend reading pages 144-145 of The Dilemma of Laodicea by James Jacob Prasch for an excellent list of the principle heresies. There is now major apostasy taking place across all man-made lines of division within the church and so it should cause us comfort that the Lord does not discriminate, both for good and bad. He WILL preserve a faithful people for himself.
And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. - Philippians 1:9-11 Scott Brisk -------  NOTE: Shavuot (Pentecost) is on Sunday (Saturday night, May 26 at Sundown) 6 Sivan 5772
*To Forward this newsletter to others, send the link for the online posting (see click here above) or use the "Forward Email" link at the bottom. This way you can be sure you won't be unsubscribed by someone else. |
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"We will work with anyone who agrees with us that to redefine marriage is not a good thing for society ..."
UK: Pope Calls for Catholic Alliance with Muslim & Jewish Groups to Oppose Oppose Gay Marriage
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Building Bridges
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The Pope's representative in Britain has urged Roman Catholic leaders to form a united front with their Muslim and Jewish counterparts to oppose gay marriage
LONDON DAILY TELEGRAPH [Barclay] - By John Bingham - April 27, 2012
Archbishop Antonio Mennini, the Apostolic Nuncio, called for closer co-operation with other faiths as well as Christian denominations to put pressure on the Government over its plans to allow same-sex couples to marry.
In an address to Catholic bishops from England and Wales, he echoed the recent comments of Pope Benedict who said the Church faced "powerful political and cultural currents" in favour of redefining marriage.
His comments come after a series of high-level interventions by some Muslim and Jewish leaders last month after the Equalities Minister, Lynne Featherstone, launched a national consultation on how same-sex marriage might be introduced.
Last month the Muslim Council of Britain voiced opposition to the plans, describing it as "unnecessary and unhelpful".But, as the Islamic faith in Britain does not have the same hierarchical structures as Christian Churches, much of the Muslim opposition has been voiced through local alliances.
In Scotland, the Council of Glasgow Imams recently agreed a joint resolution describing same-sex marriage as an "attack" on their faith and fundamental beliefs.
Opinion in the Jewish community has been more sharply divided. The Liberal and Reform synagogues have given their support to same-sex marriage but rabbis within the main United Synagogues have expressed opposition. ...
Meanwhile Lord Singh, head of the Network of Sikh Organisations, recently said the proposed reforms represented "a sideways assault on religion". ...
Addressing English and Welsh bishops at their plenary meeting in Leeds, Archbishop Mennini, warned them they faced a "lengthy and probably difficult campaign".
"I wonder if we shouldn't ask for and look for more support among other Christian confessions and indeed, persons of other faiths," he said.
"It seems to me that, concerning the institution of marriage, and indeed the sanctity of human life, we have much in common with the position of the Jewish community, the Chief Rabbi and many of the more significant representatives of Islam."
Speaking in London yesterday the second most senior active Catholic cleric in England and Wales, Archbishop Peter Smith, of Southwark, said there had been no "formal" contact with Jewish groups to form a united front on the subject of marriage.
But he said: "We will work with anyone who agrees with us that to redefine marriage is not a good thing for society and will lead to more confusion." ...
Edited :: See Original Report Here
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9232269/Gay-marriage-Pope-representatives-calls-for-Catholic-alliance-with-Muslim-and-Jewish-groups.html
Vatican Lets Slip Plans For One World Government BUSINESS INSIDER [Silicon Alley Insider, Inc./Kevin P. Ryan] - By Michael Brendan Dougherty - October 24, 2011
In a widely-expected note on the financial crisis and economic justice, Vatican officials accidently call for the establishment of a One World Global "Authority" to regulate financial markets and national governments.
After gently noting that such a project is "a complex and delicate process," the document begins to capitalize the word, "Authority" in the most unsettling, conspiracy-launching way possible: A supranational Authority of this kind should have a realistic structure and be set up gradually. It should be favourable to the existence of efficient and effective monetary and financial systems; that is, free and stable markets overseen by a suitable legal framework, well-functioning in support of sustainable development and social progress of all, and inspired by the values of charity and truth. It is a matter of an Authority with a global reach that cannot be imposed by force, coercion or violence, but should be the outcome of a free and shared agreement and a reflection of the permanent and historic needs of the world common good.
The document was issued by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, an obscure office in the Vatican that usually satisfies itself with issuing vague statements on social issues.
Edited :: See Original Report Here
http://www.businessinsider.com/whoops-vatican-lets-slip-plans-for-one-word-government-2011-10 Christian groups hope to help by uniting THE GASTON GAZETTE of Gastonia, North Carolina [Freedom Communications] - April 24, 2012
Three pastors will be swapping pulpits to share the message that what unites Christians is stronger than the details that make their denominations different.
Greg Ballard from Temple Baptist Church in Gastonia, Paul Brown at Covenant United Methodist Church in Gastonia and Rodney Freeman of Mount Zion Restoration Church in Gastonia will be trading podiums this week as part of a three-night "Hope Is Alive" revival to kickoff Hope 4 Gaston. ...
Hope 4 Gaston is a Christian outreach ministry made up of a group of churches, community leaders, businesses and volunteers that aims to strengthen communities in Gaston County by helping those in need. ...
Read Full Report
http://www.gastongazette.com/articles/church-70258-gastonia-three.html |
The Legacy of Charles Colson
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THE CHRISTIAN POST > Blog by Tim Challies - April 24, 2012
[...] I have been to a wide variety of Christian blogs and news sites reading the obituaries and memorials and remembrances of Charles Colson and have been surprised to note that they are have been very nearly uniformly, unabashedly positive. I am not convinced that we are doing right here.
At least to my understanding, Colson's legacy was both more and less than people are making it out to be. I didn't really understand the man in all his inconsistencies and complexities while he lived-the combination of good and bad baffled me-and I certainly don't understand him now that he has died.
Don't hear me say that Colson was a complete villain, but do hear me when I say that he leaves behind a legacy that is far more multi-faceted, far more multi-dimensional, than most people have been saying. It is a legacy that includes some dark chapters, and not only prior to his conversion.
Charles Colson leaves behind a testimony of a man who encountered grace at his darkest hour. He leaves behind a legacy of a ministry that seeks to extend grace to those who are likewise in their darkest hour. He sought to teach Christians how to think-to describe and define a biblical worldview. And then he sought to lead in the application of that biblical worldview, and this is where things become hazy, where a positive legacy collides with a woeful one, where his work for the Lord encounters his work against the Lord's church.
The fact is that as we remember this man, we remember someone who labored to strike a significant blow against the gospel, and who time and again called on the church to do the same. And this is what is absent in so many remembrances. He labored for good and positive causes, but he also labored for outright sinful causes.
Colson was a leader, a co-founder, of Evangelicals and Catholics Together, one of the efforts that must stand as part of his defining legacy. At heart, ECT made the Reformation a mistake or an over-reaction and sought to draw Protestant and Catholic back together. It made little of the gospel, suggesting that there was no unbridgeable difference between the gospel of the Reformation and the gospel of Roman Catholicism. This had potential to do terrible damage to the church and its gospel witness. Remarkably, the obituary at The Gospel Coalition mentions ECT along with Colson's other accomplishments as if it is substantially the same as Prison Fellowship. Most others do not mention it at all. ...
Then there was the more recent Manhattan Declaration, another effort to form a wide ecumenism. This Declaration addressed critical issues of our day: the sanctity of human life, the dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife and the rights of conscience and religious liberty. But it did so as Evangelicals and Catholics and Orthodox together under the banner of a common gospel. John MacArthur said it well in an article detailing why he would not sign his name to it:
It assumes from the start that all signatories are fellow Christians whose only differences have to do with the fact that they represent distinct 'communities.' Points of disagreement are tacitly acknowledged but are described as 'historic lines of ecclesial differences' rather than fundamental conflicts of doctrine and conviction with regard to the gospel and the question of which teachings are essential to authentic Christianity. ... [It would] relegate the very essence of gospel truth to the level of a secondary issue. That is the wrong way-perhaps the very worst way-for evangelicals to address the moral and political crises of our time.
[R.C.] Sproul likewise declined to put his name to the Declaration. At heart it downplayed the gospel to a lowest common denominator. It used the word gospel as if it applied in the same way to Roman Catholics and Protestants, something very consistent with what Colson held and taught throughout his years of being a leader within Evangelicalism.
In these ways and others, Colson undermined the gospel. He may not have set out to do this and he may not even have understood that he was doing this, but it remains the fact of the matter. ECT and The Manhattan Declaration stand as two prominent and public testaments to his willingness to tamper with the purity of the gospel. These things really happened and they both had the potential to be very, very destructive to the church because each one called into question the gospel, the very heart of the Christian faith.
It is not wrong of us to mention these negative aspects of his legacy along side the good. They are nothing more, nothing less, than what is true of the man. As Christians we ought to be able to deal with a mixed legacy, one of success and failure, one that is as complex and inconsistent as so many men are. Our worldview ought to be big enough to deal with such things. To portray Charles Colson as all villain is unfair to the man; to portray him as all spiritual giant is unfair to the church. Let's not be afraid to call it as it is.
Edited :: See Original Report Here
http://blogs.christianpost.com/overflow/the-legacy-of-charles-colson-9527/
Also: Moriel's Statement on Chuck Colsen
The Manhattan Declaration: Our Regretful Inability to Become a Signatory
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As in the days of Lot ...
America slides towards Gomorrah:
Obama 'On My Behalf'
Really?
... he was for it before he was against it before he was for it again
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Newsweek: May 21, 2012
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THE WEEKLY STANDARD [News Corporation/Murdoch] - By Elliott Abrams - May 9, 2012
[...] In his ABC interview, the president pretended that his much touted "evolution" had now led him, ineluctably, to speak out now, today; he simply could no longer stay silent. ABC let him off the hook, but this is not a credible account. In March, the Washington Post was reporting the debate among his advisers on whether the issue would help or hurt the reelection campaign and what, therefore, Obama should say: "Obama's top political advisers have held serious discussions with leading Democrats about the upsides and downsides of coming out for gay marriage before the fall election." ...
In fact, Obama has not "evolved"-he has changed his position whenever his political fortunes required him to do so. Running for the Illinois state senate from a trendy area of Chicago in 1996, he was for gay marriage. "I favor legalizing same-sex marriages," he wrote in answer to a questionnaire back then. In 2004, he was running for the U.S. Senate and needed to appeal to voters statewide. So he evolved, and favored civil unions but opposed homosexual "marriage." In 2008, running for president, he said, "I believe marriage is between a man and a woman. I am not in favor of gay marriage." .... To paraphrase John Kerry, he was for it before he was against it before he was for it again.
Mr. Obama's statement today is a marvel:
"I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I talked to friends and family and neighbors, when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together; when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that 'don't ask, don't tell' is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, at a certain point I've just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married."
[...] But Mr. Obama actually did bare his soul unintentionally today (perhaps the Biden disease is catching) with his astonishing characterization of American fighting men and women, whom he referred to as "those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf." Really?
Most Americans thought they were fighting for the country, not on Barack Obama's behalf. ...
Edited :: See Original Report Here
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/my-behalf_644310.html
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New York: Sept 19, 2011
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Barack Obama: Our First Gay-Female-Hispanic-Asian-Jewish President THE ATLANTIC [Atlantic Media Company] - By Eric Randall - May 14, 2012
Newsweek's cover this week declares that Barack Obama is the "First Gay President," playing on the reader's knowledge that Obama isn't himself gay, but his support for same-sex marriage earns him an honorary rainbow halo. The headline obviously calls back to 1998, when Toni Morrison declared Bill Clinton the first black president in The New Yorker, ...
Like this week's issue of Newsweek, New York magazine went big on their Morrison reappropriation. Former White House counsel Abner Mikva told John Heilemann "When this all is over, people are going to say that Barack Obama is the first Jewish president." ...
Read Full Report
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2012/05/obama-our-first-gay-female-black-hispanic-asian-jewish-president/52299/#
Likely first Foreign born Pres too!
Obama's literary agent says he was 'born in Kenya'. How did the mainstream media miss this?
LONDON DAILY TELEGRAPH [Barclay] - By Tim Stanley - May 18, 2012
[...] The latest find is a fascinating inversion of the birther conspiracy. Breitbart.com has discovered that in 1991 Barack Obama's literary agent (who also represented New Kids on the Block) published a booklet that included a biography of the future President. The audience was "business colleagues" in the publishing industry and it was designed to promote Obama's anticipated first book (later abandoned) called Journeys in Black and White. Here's how it describes the author's origins.
Barack Obama, the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review, was born in Kenya and raised in Indonesia and Hawaii. The son of an American anthropologist and a Kenyan finance minister, he attended Columbia University and worked as a financial journalist and editor for Business International Corporation. ...
Look beyond the sordid details and the big story here is that this nugget wasn't part of the wider discussion had back in 2008 about Obama's background and credentials. And why not? The documents were easy to find - the one that showed that "born in Kenya" was still being used in 2007 was on the Internet. ...
Read Full Report
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/timstanley/100158834/obama-used-to-be-a-kenyan/
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After Obama's Decision on Marriage, a Call to Pastors
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NEW YORK TIMES [NYTimes Group/Sulzberger] - By Peter Baker and Rachel L. Swarns - May 13, 2012
WASHINGTON - About two hours after declaring his support for same-sex marriage last week, President Obama gathered eight or so African-American ministers on a conference call to explain himself. He had struggled with the decision, he said, but had come to believe it was the right one.
The ministers, though, were not all as enthusiastic. A vocal few made it clear that the president's stand on gay marriage might make it difficult for them to support his re-election.
"They were wrestling with their ability to get over his theological position," said the Rev. Delman Coates, the pastor of Mt. Ennon Baptist Church in Clinton, Md., who was on the call.
In the end, Mr. Coates, who supports civil marriages for gay men and lesbians, said that most of the pastors, regardless of their views on this issue, agreed to "work aggressively" on behalf of the president's campaign. But not everyone. "Gay marriage is contrary to their understanding of Scripture," Mr. Coates said. "There are people who are really wrestling with this."
In the hours following Mr. Obama's politically charged announcement on Wednesday, the president and his team embarked on a quiet campaign to contain the possible damage among religious leaders and voters. ...
[...] In taking on same-sex marriage, Mr. Obama made a point of couching his views in religious terms. "We're both practicing Christians," the president said of his wife and himself in the ABC News interview in which he discussed his new views. "And obviously this position may be considered to put us at odds with the views of others."
He added that what he thought about was "not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf but it's also the golden rule, you know? Treat others the way you would want to be treated." ...
Edited :: See Original Report Here
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/14/us/politics/on-marriage-obama-tried-to-limit-risk.html
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Black Christians in an 'Adulterous' Relationship With Obama, Says Evangelical Pastor |  THE CHRISTIAN POST - By Paul Stanley - May 17, 2012
An influential African-American evangelical pastor says that many black Christians are in an "adulterous" relationship with President Obama over the issue of same-sex marriage and that if the issue is not addressed soon, it will negatively impact the president's desire for a second term in November.
In an interview with The Christian Post, Bishop Harry Jackson, Jr., who is the senior pastor of Hope Christian Church in Baltimore, Md., and one of the nation's most outspoken black pastors, maintains that Obama has drawn a hard line on major theological issues such as same-sex marriage and expects black Christians to compromise their beliefs.
"Obama laid down the gauntlet on black leaders," Jackson said. "The question we are being forced to address is 'are you going to be black or be godly.'"
And Jackson is not alone in his sentiments.
On Thursday, a group of black ministers calling themselves the Coalition of African-American Pastors, many of whom represent the nation's fifth largest denomination, the Church of God in Christ (COGIC), are holding a press conference in Memphis, Tenn., to call on Obama to denounce his position on same-sex marriage.
The Rev. Bill Owens is a veteran of the civil rights movement and marched with Dr. Martin Luther King and other noted civil rights leaders during the peak of the movement in the 1960s. He believes Obama's evolution on the issues will have far-reaching effects on society and specifically in the black community.
"We will be spending the next weeks and months visiting black churches, asking for support from pastors and their flocks to speak up against the media-generated view that gay marriage is a civil right," Owens told CP.
"We ask President Obama to stand with the black church, on the word of God and evolve again back to the common sense biblical view that marriage is the union of husband and wife." ...
Edited :: See Original Report Here
http://www.christianpost.com/news/black-christians-in-an-adulterous-relationship-with-obama-says-evangelical-pastor-75127/
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They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him
New Book Casts Doubt On Obama's Christian Identity | |
NEWS WITH VIEWS.com - By Cliff Kincaid - May 18, 2012
The liberal media have harangued figures such as Franklin Graham when they have refused to state categorically that Barack Obama is a Christian. Now comes author Edward Klein telling Sean Hannity that Jeremiah Wright, former pastor of United Church of Christ in Chicago, told him that he "made it comfortable" for Obama to accept Christianity "without having to renounce his Islamic background."
All of this is consistent with our point, made in 2010, that Muslims could join Wright's church without giving up their Muslim faith. And while Obama accepted Christianity, in the sense of calling himself a Christian, there is no evidence that he was ever officially baptized into Wright's church. We pointed out that Obama's claim about his own baptism, as reported in his second memoir, The Audacity of Hope, is subject to interpretation because of the lack of detail about how and when he was baptized and by whom.
Edward Klein's unauthorized biography of Barack Obama, The Amateur: Barack Obama in The White House (Regnery) has generated some criticism from the right for badly mangling the facts about Obama and infanticide. ...
According to Klein's book, Wright told Obama, "Well, you already know the Muslim piece of your background. You studied Islam, didn't you?" Obama replied, "Yeah, Rev, I studied Islam. But help me understand Christianity, because I already know Islam."
Asked if he converted Obama from Islam to Christianity, Wright said, "That's hard to tell. I think I convinced him that it was okay for him to make a choice in terms of who he believed Jesus is. And I told him it was really okay and not a putdown of the Muslim part of his family or his Muslim friends."
The phrase "That's hard to tell" is mind-boggling, in view of Obama's claim to be a practicing Christian. ...
Edited :: See Original Report Here
http://newswithviews.com/Kincaid/cliff614.htm
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Farrakhan: Jesus Was a Black Muslim
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THE BLAZE [TheBlaze LLC/Glenn Beck] - By Benny Johnson - April 12, 2012
[...] Paul Gattis, a reporter for The Huntsville Times who was in the audience wrote, "[Farrakhan] also repeatedly said that it is not known if Jesus was a Caucasian, as He is typically portrayed. Farrakhan made the same point about Elijah, the Jewish prophet."
Farrakhan referenced the Jewish Seder holiday and specifically the Jewish tradition of the Prophet Elijah's arrival to each doorway on Passover night: "If Elijah was at the door and he was black, you would call 911 and say there's a n****r at the door, claiming he's Elijah! Send the police!"
Why would Jewish people be so shocked? "Because you are not trained to accept wisdom from a black person, no matter how wise that black person is" the minister explained, "Jesus was a black man."
Most astoundingly, Farrakhan made the argument that Jesus was not Christian. "Because Jesus said 'Not My will, but Thy will.' You know what we call that in Arabic? Islam. He was a Muslim." ...
More religious piety was to come. The controversial minister launched into a diatribe on the story of Cain and Abel, with his own additions.
"When Cain came to present his offering before God as a tiller of the ground, the scripture says God did not respect his offering. I don't believe that. I'd like to offer a correction. Well who are you? I'm better than those who have revised your Bible. I'm better than those who have translated it out of the original tongues and revised it to fit their purpose! What makes you better? Because I am taught of God." ...
Edited :: See Original Report Here
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/farrakhans-wild-new-claims-jesus-was-a-black-muslim-elijah-would-be-the-ner-at-the-door-plus-the-bible-was-wrong-about-cain/
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Because lawlessness is increased...
California presbytery defies church, backs minister in gay weddings |
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Defiance |
LOS ANGELES TIMES [Tribune Company] - By Maria L. La Ganga - May 16, 2012
SAN ANSELMO, Calif. - Days after President Obama announced his support for same-sex marriage, the Presbyterian Church's Northern California governing body refused to rebuke a retired minister for marrying gays and lesbians when it was legal in California.
The Presbytery of the Redwoods, which governs churches from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border, voted 74 to 18 Tuesday to reject the church's official denunciation and instead support the Rev. Jane Adams Spahr, who had been found guilty by an ecclesiastical court of violating the Presbyterian Constitution and her ordination vows for marrying 16 same-sex couples.
Church officials said they believe that never before in the history of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has a presbytery defied the wishes of its highest court in this fashion.
Opponents and supporters of gay and lesbian unions called the vote a historic event in the life of the church, which, like other mainstream Protestant denominations, has been struggling with the issue of sexual orientation for decades. ...
The lower church court that found Spahr guilty two years ago praised her "faithful compassion" and her decades of ministry to gays and lesbians throughout the country. But it ruled that she had "persisted in a pattern or practice of disobedience" and said she must be censured.
The lesbian grandmother appealed that ecclesiastical ruling all the way to the Presbyterian version of the Supreme Court, where she lost her case in February. The General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission ruled that Spahr should be rebuked by her presbytery and also upheld a warning that pastors should not represent the marriage of gay or lesbian couples as Presbyterian marriages.
"If the rebuke against Janie had been delivered today, then all ministers who marry same-gender couples in jurisdictions where it is legal would have a disciplinary precedent against them," said Rev. Beverly Brewster, another of Spahr's attorneys. "That's what we avoided today." ...
Although the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) does not explicitly prohibit same-sex marriage, it defines marriage as "a civil contract between a woman and a man." Through the course of Spahr's three trials, that definition was upheld.
However, the Presbyterian General Assembly - the church governing body that meets every two years - is poised to vote on the issue when it meets in Pittsburgh in July. When it met in 2010, it voted to allow gays and lesbians to be ordained as ministers; a year ago, that decision was ratified by a majority of the church's 173 presbyteries.
But since the issue began to heat up in 2007, an estimated 200 congregations have voted to leave the PCUSA, and about 200 more are in the process of leaving, said Carmen Fowler LaBerge, president of the conservative Presbyterian Lay Committee.
Most left because of these issues, she said, and most have decided to join denominations that hew more closely to a strict interpretation of the Scripture. ...
Edited :: See Original Report Here
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0516-minister-rebuke-20120516,0,1095731.story
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May we find wisdom in ourselves, amen.
The council that kept its prayers - by dropping God | |
LONDON DAILY TELEGRAPH [Barclay] - By Jasper Copping - April 29, 2012
A council has dropped references to God from the prayer with which it opens meetings, under pressure from secularist campaigners.
For as long as anyone can remember, councillors in Gloucestershire have stood up for a brief prayer before their meetings get under way.
But when three agnostic and atheist members staged a protest against the historic practice by remaining seated, the chairman decided something must be done to retain council unity.
So he hit upon an apparently ingenious solution: from now on, the prayer would still be said - but with all references to God removed.
So rather than asking "may He give us wisdom to carry out our duties ...", the chairman now states "may we find the wisdom ..." - and the "prayer" still ends with the chairman leading other members in saying "amen".
The authority is one of dozens across Britain which have recently scrapped or significantly altered their custom of saying prayers at the start of meetings under pressure from secular campaigners, who argue the practice breaches their human rights and excludes non-believers and people from other faiths. ...
Edited :: See Original Report Here
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9233924/The-council-that-kept-its-prayers-by-dropping-God.html
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To pray for, or Protest against our Leaders?
Chicago: Trinity Episcopal Church to make full use of fenced lawn for NATO protests
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The Social Gospel
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Benedictine University Told To Set Up Potential Shelter For NATO Summit Evacuees
WBBM-TV CBS2/12 CHICAGO, ILLINOIS [CBS Corporation] - May 3, 2012
LISLE, Ill. - CBS 2 has learned that Benedictine University has been asked by the American Red Cross in DuPage County to set up emergency shelters in case there are evacuations from Chicago during the upcoming NATO summit.
The Lisle campus has been told to plan for as many as 1,000 evacuees.
This follows CBS 2's exclusive story last week that the Red Cross in Milwaukee has been asked by the city of Chicago and the Secret Service to set up shelters there.
The designated Red Cross shelter would be inside the Rice Fitness Center. Bleachers would be pushed against the wall, and cots would cover the floor.
Benedictine is one of dozens of colleges, universities, community centers or churches standing by just in case Chicagoans must leave their homes because of violence or any other reason connected to the NATO summit. ...
Meanwhile, a Near South Side church just blocks from McCormick Place is offering itself as a haven to anti-NATO protesters coming in from out of town.
The pastor of Trinity Episcopal Church plans to make full use of its expanse of fenced lawn. ... as many as 60 protesters who will ... camp out for days.
"We feel that this is quite clearly within the mission of the church to identify with these groups who are struggling on the side of the poor," the Rev. Errol Narain says.
Narain says he'll be marching himself during the NATO protests. ...
Edited :: See Original Report Here
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/05/03/benedictine-university-told-to-set-up-potential-shelter-for-nato-summit-evacuees/
Israel Not Invited to NATO's Chicago Summit
ASSOCIATED PRESS - By Slobodan Lekic - May 11, 2012
BRUSSELS - Israel will not be invited to NATO's May 20-21 summit in Chicago, the alliance's top official said Friday. But he denied that alliance member Turkey had blocked Israel's participation.
Read Full Report
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/israel-invited-natos-chicago-summit-16326438#.T61HxM3u4p1
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Half of All Americans Believe Bible, Quran, Book of Mormon Hold Same Truths
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THE CHRISTIAN POST - By Stoyan Zaimov - April 17, 2012
An in-depth study released by the Barna Group on behalf of the American Bible Society found that 50 percent of Americans believe the Bible, Quran and the Book of Mormon hold different expressions of the same truths. The survey also found that Americans' reliance on the Bible has decreased slightly in 2012 from 2011, although the Christian holy book retains an important place in people's lives. ...
Mormonism, which has been in the news lately because of Mitt Romney, the likely GOP presidential candidate and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, registered a slight gain in terms of recognition - six percent of people interviewed said the Book of Mormon is sacred or holy, which is up two percent from 2011. The Bible, on the other hand, dropped by four percent to 82 percent in the same question. ...
People's motivation for reading the Bible also slightly changed. Fifty-five and 10 percent of respondents respectively said they read the Christian holy book to bring them closer to God or because they needed comfort, which was down from 2011. However, 17 percent of respondents, a growing number, said they were turning to the Bible to help them solve a problem in life, or because they needed direction.
In terms of faith and politics, people were largely split on the role religious belief has to play in the political realm. However, a significant majority (79 percent) disagreed that the Bible teaches Americans should vote for people of the same faith, while 33 percent of people said they would vote for an atheist. The more secular, younger generation (between ages 18 and 29) were more open to the idea, and 47 percent said they are ready to vote for an atheist candidate.
In addition, 47 percent of all adults said that according to them, the Bible has too little influence over American society - but 16 percent said that it has too much influence, a number up by two percent from 2011. ...
Edited :: See Original Report Here
http://www.christianpost.com/news/half-of-all-americans-believe-bible-quran-book-of-mormon-hold-same-truths-73390/
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More Americans tailoring religion to fit their needs
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USA TODAY [Gannett] - By Cathy Lynn Grossman - September 13, 2011
[...] [O]ne of the key findings in newly released research that reveals America's drift from clearly defined religious denominations to faiths cut to fit personal preferences.
The folks who make up God as they go are side-by-side with self-proclaimed believers who claim the Christian label but shed their ties to traditional beliefs and practices. ...
"We are a designer society. We want everything customized to our personal needs - our clothing, our food, our education," he says. Now it's our religion.
Barna's new book on U.S. Christians, Futurecast, tracks changes from 1991 to 2011, in annual national surveys of 1,000 to 1,600 U.S. adults. All the major trend lines of religious belief and behavior he measured ran downward - except two.
More people claim they have accepted Jesus as their savior and expect to go to heaven.
And more say they haven't been to church in the past six months except for special occasions such as weddings or funerals. In 1991, 24% were "unchurched." Today, it's 37% .
Barna blames pastors for those oddly contradictory findings. Everyone hears, "Jesus is the answer. Embrace him. Say this little Sinners Prayer and keep coming back. It doesn't work. ...
When he measures people by their belief in seven essential doctrines, defined by the National Association of Evangelicals' Statement of Faith, only 7% of those surveyed qualified.
Barna laments, "People say, 'I believe in God. I believe the Bible is a good book. And then I believe whatever I want.'"
Edited :: See Original Report Here
http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2011-09-14/america-religious-denominations/50376288/1
One in Four Believers Are 'Christians in Name Only,' According to Survey
THE CHRISTIAN POST - By Allison Summers - October 18, 2011
Changing the Face of Christianity Inc., a non-profit corporation dedicated to reversing negative Christian stereotypes, has released the results of a quiz designed to determine how well Christians live the teachings of Jesus Christ. Through the quiz, the organization found that one in four self-proclaimed Christians admit that they do not live according to Christ's teachings. ...
http://global.christianpost.com/news/one-in-four-believers-are-christians-in-name-only-according-to-survey-58496/print.html
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Oprah Winfrey Confesses Christ During NYC 'Lifeclass' Tour?
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THE CHRISTIAN POST - By Nicola Menzie - April 26, 2012
Oprah Winfrey, appearing in New York City during the Monday broadcast of her "Lifeclass," professed to being a Christian twice during her introduction, which one publication took as evidence of her confession in Christ. The Black Christian News Network suggested that Winfrey was a "secret follower" of Jesus and those critical of Winfrey's confession were akin to Pharisees.
In what appears to be an opinion piece on Winfrey's Monday night confession, BCNN writes that Winfrey has made her Christian faith clear to her millions of fans and "before the entire world for the glory of God and the Lord Jesus Christ." ...
"I am not talking about religion," she emphasized. "I am a Christian, that is my faith. I'm not asking you to be a Christian. If you want to be one I can show you how. But it is not required. I have respect for all faiths. All faiths. But what I'm talking about is not faith or religion. I'm talking about spirituality."
She added, "My definition [of spirituality] is living your life with an open heart, through love... allowing yourself to align with the values of tolerance, acceptance, of harmony, of cooperation and reverence for life.
"There is a force energy consciousness divine thread, I believe, that connects spiritually to all of us, to something greater than ourselves. ...
"My favorite Bible verse - because I am Christian - is Acts..something... it says [in Acts 17:28] 'in God I live and move and have my being.' And you want to know why I'm so successful? Because I knew that at four-years-old," Winfrey told her audience.
The lifeclass on "Spiritual Solutions" also featured a series of New Age teachers, including Chopra, Elizabeth Lesser, Eckhart Tolle and others, sharing their definitions of "spirituality." ...
The first person to comment on BCNN's report was Christian minister and Internet evangelist Bill Keller, who found the suggestion that Winfrey had confessed to be a Christian questionable.
"I guess after losing 140 million she needed to take a different strategy," wrote Keller, whose ministry is found at Liveprayer.com. The minister was apparently referencing Winfrey's public acknowledgment earlier this month that making and keeping OWN profitable has been a challenge.
"When she renounces all of the New Age garbage she sold and made MILLIONS on for the past 10 yrs...when she calls homosexuality what God calls [it]...a SIN AND ABOMINATION...when she denounces the legalized killing of babies...let me know...otherwise...just hype to help her failing empire," he added.
Despite Winfrey's confession on several occasions to being a Christian, observers claim she actually professes a form of pantheism, the teaching that God is everything and everyone, an abstract force rather than a personal Being. ...
Edited :: See Original Report Here
http://www.christianpost.com/news/oprah-winfrey-confesses-christ-during-nyc-lifeclass-tour-73813/
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One in seven thinks end of world is coming: poll
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REUTERS [Thomson-Reuters] - By Chris Michaud - May 1, 2012
NEW YORK - Nearly 15 percent of people worldwide believe the world will end during their lifetime and 10 percent think the Mayan calendar could signify it will happen in 2012, according to a new poll.
The end of the Mayan calendar, which spans about 5,125 years, on December 21, 2012 has sparked interpretations and suggestions that it marks the end of the world.
"Whether they think it will come to an end through the hands of God, or a natural disaster or a political event, whatever the reason, one in seven thinks the end of the world is coming," said Keren Gottfried, research manager at Ipsos Global Public Affairs which conducted the poll for Reuters. ...
Responses to the international poll of 16,262 people in more than 20 countries varied widely ...
About one in 10 people globally also said they were experiencing fear or anxiety about the impending end of the world in 2012. The greatest numbers were in Russia and Poland, the fewest in Great Britain.
Gottfried also said that people with lower education or household income levels, as well as those under 35 years old, were more likely to believe in an apocalypse during their lifetime or in 2012, or have anxiety over the prospect. ...
Ipsos questioned people in China, Turkey, Russia, Mexico, South Korea, Japan, the United States, Argentina, Hungary, Poland, Sweden, France, Spain, Belgium, Canada, Australia, Italy, South Africa, Great Britain, Indonesia, Germany.
Unedited :: Link to Original Posting
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/01/us-mayancalendar-poll-idUSBRE8400XH20120501
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Doomsday 2012: New Age Hippies head for French village of Pyrenean for modern Noah's Ark
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Hippies head for Noah's Ark: Queue here for rescue aboard alien spaceship
THE INDEPENDENT on SUNDAY, UK [Alexander & Evgeny Lebedev] - By Oliver Pickup - March 25, 2012
[...] A rapidly increasing stream of New Age believers - or esoterics, as locals call them - have descended in their camper van-loads on the usually picturesque and tranquil Pyrenean village of Bugarach. They believe that when apocalypse strikes on 21 December this year, the aliens waiting in their spacecraft inside Pic de Bugarach will save all the humans near by and beam them off to the next age.
As the cataclysmic date - which, according to eschatological beliefs and predicted astrological alignments, concludes a 5,125-year cycle in the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar - nears, the goings-on around the peak have become more bizarre and ritualistic.
For decades, there has been a belief that Pic de Bugarach, which, at 1,230 metres, is the highest in the Corbi�res mountain range, possesses an eery power. Often called the "upside-down mountain" - .... Since the 1960s, it has attracted New Agers, who insist that it emits special magnetic waves. ...
Upwards of 100,000 people are thought to be planning a trip to the mountain, 30 miles west of Perpignan, in time for 21 December, and opportunistic entrepreneurs are shamelessly cashing in on the phenomenon. While American travel agents have been offering special, one-way deals to witness the end of the world, a neighbouring village, Saint-Paul de Fenouillet, has produced a wine to celebrate the occasion.
Jean-Pierre Delord, the perplexed mayor of Bugarach, has flagged up the situation to the French authorities, requesting they scramble the army to the tiny village for fear of a mass suicide. It has also caught the attention of France's sect watchdog, Miviludes. ...
Edited :: See Original Report Here
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/hippies-head-for-noahs-ark-queue-here-for-rescue-aboard-alien-spaceship-7584492.html
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Everything but the truth in "Babylon" - truth is bad for business.
Another Holiday: Another marketing gimmick
'Cinco de Mayo' - Plenty of beer, little history |
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Image of the All Holiday Beast
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ASSOCIATED PRESS - By Russell Contreras - May 2, 2012
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Here's what Cinco de Mayo has become in the U.S.: a celebration of all things Mexican, from mariachi music to sombreros, marked by schools, politicians and companies selling everything from beans to beer.
And here's what Cinco de Mayo is not, despite all the signs in bar windows inviting revelers to drink: It's not Mexico's Independence Day, and it's barely marked in Mexico, except in the state of Puebla, where the holiday is rooted in a complicated and short-lived 1862 military victory over the French. ...
[...] The holiday has spread from the American Southwest, even though most are unaware of its original ties to the U.S. Civil War, abolition and promotion of civil rights for blacks.
Often mistaken for Mexican Independence Day (that's Sept. 16), Cinco de Mayo commemorates the 1862 Battle of Puebla between the victorious ragtag army of largely Mexican Indian soldiers against the invading French forces of Napoleon III. Mexican Americans, during the Chicano Movement of the 1970s, adopted the holiday for its David vs. Goliath storyline as motivation for civil rights struggles in Texas and California.
Over the years, the holiday has been adopted by beer companies as a way to penetrate the growing Latino market, even as the historical origins of the holiday remain largely forgotten. ...
"It's very similar to how Irish-Americans celebrate St. Patrick's Day," said Vallejo. "One way they can honor their ethnicity is to celebrate this day, even when most don't know why." ...
Edited :: See Original Report Here
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/05/02/cinco-de-mayo-plenty-beer-little-history/
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Mother's Day is top Non-Religious Holiday for Church Attendance (followed by "Other" and "Homecoming") | |
LIFEWAY RESEARCH Blog - By Ed Stetzer - May 11, 2012
If you saw the front page of of USAToday this morning, you saw a new study by LifeWay Research shows that other than Easter and Christmas, Mother's Day may be the most likely day people will attend church. In the survey of 1,000 protestant pastors, Mother's Day (59 percent) ranked third behind the standard religious powerhouse holidays of Easter (93 percent) and Christmas (84 percent).
Here are a few key parts:
How much "holy" folks invest in either holiday is shaped by tradition, and, quite simply, the calendar. Father's Day falls during summer vacation season.
"If both holidays were the second Sunday in May, my hunch is attendance would be nearly the same," says Pastor Ross Sawyers of 121 Community Church in Grapevine, Texas.
Family dynamics matter, too. Dads may be church-averse, but moms have clout.
"Christmas, Easter, and Mother's Day have become the three days of male holy obligation when their wives and mothers are able to guilt them into the pews," says David Murrow.
People play favorites when it comes to gifts, too. Pam Danzinger of Unity Marketing , which tracks shopping, says 50% plan to buy a gift for mom, but only a third will shop for Dad.
You can read the LifeWay Research release here.
It should, however, come as no surprise that Easter and Christmas top the poll. The Mother's Day data is important, particularly as we head there this weekend-- it is an attendance opportunity. Also of interest in the research was the prominence of "Homecoming" in the results.
A traditional celebration of the anniversary of church's founding, Homecoming is typically celebrated by more established churches, especially in the South. In fact, pastors of churches in the South are most likely to select Homecoming (9 percent) as the third highest attended Sunday of the year. No other region had more than one percent of pastors make this selection. ...
Edited :: See Original Report Here
http://www.edstetzer.com/2012/05/new-research-mothers-day-is-to.html
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Vatican in turmoil after letter 'reveals plot to assassinate Pope'
|  THE INDEPENDENT, UK [Alexander & Evgeny Lebedev] - By Michael Day - February 11, 2012
Sensational claims of a plot to assassinate Pope Benedict XVI have whipped Italy into a frenzy and focused the world's attention on the poisonous atmosphere seeping through the corridors of the Holy See.
The Italian daily newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano published an unsigned letter, written in German, which spoke of a Mordkomplott - death plot - against Benedict and quoted the Archbishop of Palermo, Paolo Romeo, as predicting that the Pontiff would die with in 12 months. The anonymous missive, dated 30 December and marked "strictly confidential for the Holy Father" claims to report comments Cardinal Romeo made on a trip to Beijing last year.
It was handed to a papal aide, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, last month by Cardinal Dar�o Castrill�n Hoyos of Colombia. The paper did not explain how Cardinal Castrill�* came by the letter, but Marco Lillo, the reporter who broke the story, said German was used to convey the information directly to the Pope, who is German, while throwing prying eyes off the scent. ...
It is a well-known fact that Benedict is unpopular among many Church figures. But experts said the letter was more likely an indication of a plot to cause political mischief than murder. ...
Edited :: See Original Report Here
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/vatican-in-turmoil-after-letter-reveals-plot-to-assassinate-pope-6720044.html
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Vatican besieged by leaks, conspiracies
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ASSOCIATED PRESS - By Nicole Winfield - February 11, 2012
VATICAN CITY [...] The most explosive story to hit newsstands came on Friday: reports that the Vatican had received a confidential letter last month from a top Vatican official describing how an Italian cardinal visiting China had spoken about a presumed plot to kill Benedict this year. The document also said the pontiff was grooming Milan's archbishop as his successor. ...
Veteran Vatican correspondent Andrea Tornielli said the reports showed a clear power struggle is under way inside the Vatican, "the outcome of which is uncertain yet devastating," concerning both the fate of the pope's deputy, Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, and any future conclave to elect the next pope.
Another Vatican commentator who has been highly critical of Bertone's leadership, Sandro Magister, put it this way in a recent column: "The secretary of state is increasingly alone, in a curia he does not govern and with a pope he does not help." ...
Some of the leaked documents have carried the processing stamp of the Vatican secretariat of state, implying an internal leak. Other reports have been based on information from Rome judicial authorities. Regardless, however, none of them appear to be so grave as to cause significant harm to the Holy See, particularly given that the Vatican has taken a remarkable steps in the past year to be more transparent in its financial dealings and cooperative with international requests for financial data. ...
Edited :: See Original Report Here
http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Vatican-besieged-by-leaks-conspiracies-3277070.php#page-1
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U.S. adds Vatican to money-laundering 'concern' list
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Most vulnerable centers includes all members of the Group of Eight countries, including the United States
REUTERS [Thomson-Reuters] - By Philip Pullella - March 8, 2012
VATICAN CITY - [...] The 2012 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report was made public on Wednesday ...
It was added to the list because it was considered vulnerable to money-laundering and had recently established programs to prevent it, a State Department official said.
"To be considered a jurisdiction of concern merely indicates that there is a vulnerability to a financial system by money launderers. With the large volumes of international currency that goes through the Holy See, ...
Last year, the Vatican adapted internal laws to comply with international standards on financial crime.
The Vatican is seeking inclusion on the European Commission's so-called "white list" of states who comply with international standards against tax fraud and money-laundering. A decision on its inclusion is expected in June. ...
The category of most vulnerable centers includes all members of the Group of Eight countries, including the United States, Germany, Italy and Russia, because the size of their economies and banking systems can facilitate money-laundering. It also includes small centers such as Britain's Channel Islands. ...
Vatican Bank Has Scandalous Past
The Vatican Bank, founded in 1942 by Pope Pius XII, has been in the spotlight since September 2010 when Italian investigators froze 23 million euros ($33 million) in funds in Italian banks after opening an investigation into possible money-laundering.
The bank said it did nothing wrong and was just transferring funds between its own accounts. The money was released in June 2011 but the investigation is continuing.
The Vatican's new financial transparency laws set up internal regulations to make sure its bank and all other departments adhere to international regulations and standards, and cooperate with foreign authorities.
Two months ago, Italian newspapers published leaked internal letters which appeared to show a conflict among top Vatican officials about just how transparent the bank should be about dealings that took place before it enacted its new laws. ...
Edited :: See Original Report Here
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/08/us-vatican-laundering-idUSBRE82710J20120308
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Pope calls in Opus Dei troubleshooter to uncover source of Vatican leaks
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Cardinal given 'pontifical mandate' to hunt Holy See staffers releasing documents on corruption claims in 'Vatileaks' scandal
THE GUARDIAN [Guardian Media Group, UK] - By Tom Kington in Rome - April 26, 2012
Vatican staffers who have been leaking embarrassing letters about corruption and nepotism inside the tiny city state are to be hunted down by a crack squad of cardinals led by a senior member of the religious group Opus Dei.
Irritated by the anonymous release of documents to the press this year, Pope Benedict has named Cardinal Julian Herranz, 82, to lead a three-man team which will haul in staffers for questioning and rifle through files until they catch the perpetrators of what has been dubbed "Vatileaks". ...
Herranz was a long-time personal secretary to Josemar�a Escriv� , the now canonised founder of Opus Dei, which has been accused of excessive secrecy, strict control over members and undue influence within the Vatican - a reputation pushed by Dan Brown's thriller The Da Vinci Code.
One of two cardinals who are members of the group, Herranz has insisted that Opus Dei has "no hidden agenda" and is only interested in the "the message of Christ", but he does appear to be cut out to be a Vatican troubleshooter, once stating that "men need to act decisively, like Jesus Christ - who was a real man". ...
Any employees now nabbed by Herranz and his team in the Vatileaks probe could be fired or face canonical punishment if they are clerics. ...
Edited :: See Original Report Here
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/26/pope-opus-dei-vatican-leaks
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Family Battle Offers Look Inside Lavish TV Ministry |
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Paul & Jan Crouch |
NEW YORK TIMES [NYTimes Group/Sulzberger] - By Erik Eckholm - May 4, 2012
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. - For 39 years, the Trinity Broadcasting Network has urged viewers to give generously and reap the Lord's bounty in return.
The prosperity gospel preached by Paul and Janice Crouch, who built a single station into the world's largest Christian television network, has worked out well for them.
Mr. and Mrs. Crouch have his-and-her mansions one street apart in a gated community here, provided by the network using viewer donations and tax-free earnings. But Mrs. Crouch, 74, rarely sleeps in the $5.6 million house with tennis court and pool. She mostly lives in a large company house near Orlando, Fla., where she runs a side business, the Holy Land Experience theme park. Mr. Crouch, 78, has an adjacent home there too, but rarely visits. Its occupant is often a security guard who doubles as Mrs. Crouch's chauffeur.
[...] Almost since they started in the 1970s, the couple have been criticized for secrecy about their use of donations, which totaled $93 million in 2010.
Now, after an upheaval ... one son in this first family of televangelism has ousted the other to become the heir apparent. A granddaughter, who was in charge of TBN's finances, has gone public with the most detailed allegations of financial improprieties yet, which TBN has denied, saying its practices were audited and legal.
The granddaughter, Brittany Koper, and her husband have been fired by the network, which accused them of stealing $1.3 million to buy real estate and cars and make family loans. "They're just trying to divert attention from their own crimes," said Colby May, a lawyer representing TBN. Janice and Paul Crouch declined requests for interviews.
In two pending lawsuits and in her first public interview, Ms. Koper described company-paid luxuries that she said appeared to violate the Internal Revenue Service's ban on "excess compensation" by nonprofit organizations as well as possibly state and federal laws on false bookkeeping and self-dealing. ...
"My job as finance director was to find ways to label extravagant personal spending as ministry expenses," Ms. Koper said. This is one way, she said, the company avoids probing questions from the I.R.S. She said that the absence of outsiders on TBN's governing board - currently consisting of Paul, Janice and Matthew Crouch - had led to a serious lack of accountability for spending. ...
The Gospel of Prosperity
On the air, the Crouches combine uplifting talk with encouragement to give to the Lord, and so be repaid. This "prosperity gospel" is shared by several televangelists who appear on TBN. But many conventional Christian leaders regard it as a sham.
"Prosperity theology is a false theology," said R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. Between its message and its reputation for high spending, Mr. Mohler said, "TBN has been a huge embarrassment to evangelical Christianity for decades."
While TBN said it provided tens of millions of dollars' worth of free advertising time to conventional charities like the Salvation Army and a few million dollars in some years for aid to disaster victims, it is forthright about its overriding purpose: "to spread the Gospel to the world" through its cable systems, satellite transmitters and, now, via computers and smartphones. ...
Clearly, many viewers have heartfelt responses. In 2010, TBN received $93 million in tax-exempt donations, according to its tax report. The company also had $64 million in additional income from sales of airtime and $17 million in investment income that year.
It spent $194 million operating its far-flung network and investing in new programs. The company was in the red for the year, but could draw on its cushion of $325 million in cash and investments.
Rusty Leonard, an independent tax expert and the leader of Wall Watchers, a charity watchdog group that has long criticized TBN for financial secrecy, said televangelists often escape penalties for extravagant spending because the definition of taxable "excess benefits" is subjective, and authorities are reluctant to challenge religious groups. ...
A TBN spokesman said executive salaries were recommended by independent consultants. In 2010, Mr. Crouch received $400,000 as president, Mrs. Crouch $365,000 as first vice president.
On the air, Mr. and Mrs. Crouch tell viewers that they have almost no personal assets. But that only underscores the problem, said Tymothy S. MacLeod, a lawyer for the Kopers. "It's the tax-exempt company that is giving them this opulent lifestyle." ...
Alain Delaqu�ri�re contributed research from New York.
Edited :: See Original Report Here
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/05/us/tbn-fight-offers-glimpse-inside-lavish-tv-ministry.html
Charisma publishes response of TBN's official Attorney/Spokesperson on the ongoing crisis:
TBN Says NYT Expos� Misses Mark of Sound Journalism
CHARISMA [Strang Communications/Stephen Strang] > Opinion - By Colby May - May 8, 2012
Reporter Erik Eckholm's May 5th article in The New York Times purports to present an objective expos� on Christian television leader Trinity Broadcasting Network. In reality, however, the article is based on little more than the meritless and contrived civil lawsuit filed by Brittany Koper, the granddaughter of TBN's founders, Dr. Paul Crouch and Mrs. Janice Crouch-a suit that was itself designed to divert attention from Mrs. Koper's own embezzlement and misappropriation of ministry money. ...
Read Full Report
http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/33365-tbn-says-nyt-expose-misses-mark-of-sound-journalism
Suit alleges financial fraud at TBN ministry
LOS ANGELES TIMES [Tribune Company] - By Christopher Goffard - March 23, 2012
The Trinity Broadcasting Network, which bills itself as the world's largest Christian network, is embroiled in a legal battle involving allegations of massive financial fraud and lavish spending, including the purchase of a $100,000 motor home for family dogs. ...
Read Full Report
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0323-televangelist-feud-20120323,0,7963175.story
Lawsuits bring scrutiny to Trinity Broadcasting
ASSOCIATED PRESS - By Gillian Flaccus - March 22, 2012
Televangelists Paul and Jan Crouch have faced plenty of mountains building their religious broadcast empire - among them allegations of a homosexual tryst and a prolonged battle with the Federal Communications Commission - but the most recent attack on the founders of Trinity Broadcasting Network comes from their own flesh and blood. ...
Read Full Report
http://articles.boston.com/2012-03-22/news/31225950_1_tbn-paul-crouch-largest-christian-broadcasting-network
Allegations "Absurd and Contrived," Trinity Broadcast Lawyers Say
KNBC-TV4 NBC LOS ANGELES, CA [NBC Universal] - By Vikki Vargas and James Hourani - February 24, 2012
The founders of the Trinity Broadcasting Network claim the Costa Mesa based network is the largest Christian broadcasting network in the world.
But Paul and Jan Crouch are facing accusations of financial misconduct from members of their own family. ...
Read Full Report
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/TBN--Calls-Financial-Misconduct-Allegations-Absurd-and-Contrived-140385153.html
'God help anyone who would ...get in the way of TBN'
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER [Freedom Communications/Providence Equity Partners LLC.] - By Teri Sforza - February 14, 2012
[...] On Thursday, Feb. 9 - the same day that our story ran online - Paul Crouch and his son, Matt, were having a live chat on TBN's "Behind the Scenes." Paul was reminiscing about how TBN began back in 1973 - God spoke to him as he was driving on MacArthur Boulevard - and the conversation took a turn that Koper's attorney finds somewhat menacing.
"You know what's funny Dad?" Matt said (at minute 8:38 on the video). "There have been a few attempts in the TBN history to upset TBN, to stop TBN, to - there have been a few fools in the 38, 39 year history, coming up on 40 years, and you know what, any attempt at stopping TBN - they have no idea who they're actually pushing into the corner. You and Mom get pushed in a corner, God help you. That's a lesson I've learned from you, seriously."
Paul Crouch responded: "God help anyone who would try to get in the way of TBN, which was God's plan. ... I have attended the funerals of at least two people who tried.... ...
Read Full Report
http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2012/02/14/god-help-anyone-who-would-get-in-the-way-of-tbn/148868/
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TBN practices and procedures violate the IRS Code and State and Federal Laws | Confidential memo: 'TBN practices ... violate the IRS Code'
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER [Freedom Communications/Providence Equity Partners LLC.] > THE OC WATCHDOG - By Teri Sforza - May 15, 2012
Insiders have apparently been ringing warning bells over how the nonprofit Trinity Christian Center of Santa Ana spends its millions for quite some time - but when the granddaughter of Jan and Paul Crouch started getting serious about running a tighter ship, her family turned on her and ultimately called for her head a la John the Baptist, according to explosive documents recently filed (and promptly sealed) in Superior Court.
"We know this is a lot at once, but Michael and I feel it's in TBN's best interest to get these issues resolved to protect the ministry," Brittany Koper wrote to her grandfather, Paul Crouch, in a confidential memo dated Aug. 30, shortly after she and husband Michael Koper were appointed treasurer and secretary.
"We think current TBN practices and procedures violate the IRS Code and State and Federal Laws.... we do not feel comfortable being Secretary/Treasurer without bringing these issues forward," the memo says. ...
We at The Watchdog got hold of the records during a 24-hour window when they were public. Trinity asked that they be sealed until a hearing can determine whether they are stolen or forgeries. Machinations on that issue continue in court today, including an attempt by Trinity to stop the Register from publishing what's in them.
We'll be telling you about what's in the documents in greater detail coming days. ...
Edited :: See Original Report Here
http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2012/05/15/confidential-memo-tbn-practices-and-procedures-violate-the-irs-code/154792/#more-154792
TBN to judge: Stop Watchdog blogger
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER [Freedom Communications/Providence Equity Partners LLC.] > THE OC WATCHDOG Blog - By Teri Sforza - May 18, 2012
[...] It is not often that we, personally, are called out in court documents. But last week, Trinity filed an emergency motion in Orange County Superior Court seeking to, among other things, block the Register from publishing stories based on the declaration of Brittany Koper, the granddaughter of Jan and Paul Crouch.
The rather explosive internal records in Koper's declaration were stolen, TBN said. The 180-page document was filed on Thursday, May 10, the day we got it; and sealed on Friday, May 11, until the court decides its fate. Trinity tried to convince the court that we at The Watchdog obtained it illegally, after it was sealed, and that the court should thus stop us from writing about it. ...
We'd like to note that there was no threat involved; we simply contacted Trinity's lawyer, Colby May, on Friday, and told him we'd be putting our story together on Monday and would like Trinity's take on it all.
That, apparently, set off quite a stir. Trinity rushed into court, seeking a contempt order against Koper's attorney - charging him with leaking the documents after the seal order was issued - and seeking some sort of action against us for allegedly unlawful news gathering.
"What to do with the Orange County blogger, Teri Sforza, is a more challenging problem," Trinity's motion read. "But this Court can issue some orders that case law supports, at least to keep the status quo to determine if these records are in fact stolen and/or are forgeries...." ... This being a nation with a free press - where the Pentagon Papers sort of set the bar - Trinity was not successful in halting publication either time. ...
Edited :: See Original Report Here
http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2012/05/17/tbn-to-judge-stop-watchdog-blogger/155112/
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Famed "Brownsville Revival" Church faces financial struggles
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ASSOCIATED PRESS - By Jay Reeves - March 30, 2012
PENSACOLA, Fla. [...] At its height, the "Brownsville Revival" drew as many as 5,500 people a night for six years - estimates put the total between 2.5 million and 4.5 million people. Donations poured in as the Brownsville Assembly of God added staff, built a massive new sanctuary and opened a school for preachers.
In the decade after being the home of the largest Pentecostal outpouring in U.S. history, the church has been on the edge of financial ruin. It racked up $11.5 million in debt, to be paid after the out-of-town throngs and its former pastor moved on.
The red ink is mostly unknown outside the congregation.
"Every Monday I find out what the (Sunday) offering was and we decide what we can pay this week," said the Rev. Evon Horton, Brownsville's current pastor. "The good news is last week we paid our mortgage. The bad news is it drained our bank accounts."
The paid staff is down to six from around 50, ... About 800 to 1,000 worshippers total attend two Sunday services, but most pews go empty in the 2,200-seat sanctuary. Another 2,600-seat sanctuary built just for the revival is used for a gym, community classes and storage. ...
Almost three years after the revival trickled down to its last nightly service in 2001, the longtime former pastor, the Rev. John Kilpatrick, moved on. He now runs a bustling church and traveling revival ministry based across the state line in Daphne, Ala. ...
Word spread of people being miraculously healed and converted, and revival services were soon held four and five nights a week. ...
The church began buying up nearby houses and razing them for parking, Horton said. It took in millions in donations and revenue from items like music CDs, but the church used mortgages to expand rather than cash. ...
The Pensacola News-Journal raised questions at the time about the revival's finances and claims of miraculous healings, but the crowds kept coming.
Horton said he's still unsure what happened to all the money, but he's concentrating on the future. "What good would it do me?" he asked.
Kilpatrick said he doesn't recall the financial details, but he's saddened by his old church's struggles. ...
Kilpatrick went on to found the Church of His Presence in Daphne, about 50 west of Pensacola. In 2010, he began the "Bay Revival" with another traveling evangelist, Nathan Morris.
Ed. Note: Original Headline: AP Enterprise: Church of famed revival struggles
See:
Edited :: See Original Report Here
http://news.yahoo.com/ap-enterprise-church-famed-revival-struggles-082525075.html
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"Not one stone here will be left upon another" Apostate congregations, affiliations and denominations are crumbling
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And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
- 1 Peter 2:4-5
This is like that ...
And He said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down."
- Matthew 24:2
Church closes its doors after 188 years WATERTOWN DAILY TIMES Watertown, New York [Johnson Newspaper Corp.] - By Matthew Bultman - January 23, 2012
POTSDAM - The year was 1824. James Monroe was president of the United States. The first steam-powered locomotive was introduced to the world. One of Beethoven's great masterpieces, "Symphony No. 9", premiered in Austria. And the First Baptist Church of Potsdam was born.
On Sunday, 188 years later, members of the small church gathered in the halls of the Leroy Street worship center one final time as they said goodbye to each other and the church they called home.
Rev. Joanna LouckyRamsey, pastor since 1998, stood in front of the small congregation seated on folding chairs. ...
The church that made it through a fire in 1971, and a subsequent move to the Victorian home at 24 Leroy St., ultimately couldn't escape the financial pressure, leaders said. ...
With its bank account slowly dwindling away and membership numbers at an all-time low, the church had to make a tough decision.
They tried cutting back pastor duties to part-time. They explored merging with another church in the area. But in the end, the church decided it was best to shut its doors for good, holding the last official service on Christmas Day. ...
Edited :: See Original Report Here
http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20120123/NEWS05/701239953
Bankrupt Crystal Cathedral ministry names choice for new home
LOS ANGELES TIMES [Tribune Company] - May 16, 2012
The Crystal Cathedral ministry, home of the "Hour of Power" broadcast, could be relocating to a Catholic church down the street sooner than originally expected.
In at meeting Wednesday night, Crystal Cathedral President John Charles announced that St. Callistus in Garden Grove was the only option the bankrupt ministry is considering when it has to relocate the congregation from the famed Crystal Cathedral campus within three years to make way for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange.
"We can move forward in a place, that for the first year, is rent-free," Charles said.
As part of a $57.5-million bankruptcy deal, the Catholic Church has offered the congregation, founded by the Rev. Robert H. Schuller, the other church property at a discounted rate. After the first year, the rent would be $25,000 per month. ...
Read Full Report
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/05/bankrupt-crystal-cathedral-ministry-could-be-moving-soon.html
PCUSA to Lay Off More Workers
THE CHRISTIAN POST - By Anugrah Kumar - May 12, 2012
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) plans to cut more jobs and reduce budget for the next two years in the wake of economic woes and membership losses. ...
Last May, PCUSA became the fourth Protestant denomination in America to give ordination rights to openly gay and lesbian clergy by ratifying a constitutional amendment. Months later, the denomination ordained its first openly gay minister in Madison, Wis. Dozens of congregations and individuals have parted ways with the denomination since then, and its current membership stands at about 2 million.
Read Full Report
http://www.christianpost.com/news/pcusa-to-lay-off-more-workers-74841/
Largest Presbyterian Church in Colorado Votes to Leave PCUSA
THE CHRISTIAN POST - By Michael Gryboski - April 23, 2012
The largest Colorado congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA) has voted to leave the denomination over theological differences.
First Presbyterian Church of Colorado Springs voted Sunday morning to leave the Pueblo Presbytery of PC(USA) in large part due to the denomination's decision in 2010 to allow the ordination of non-celibate homosexuals. ...
Read Full Report
http://www.christianpost.com/news/largest-presbyterian-church-in-colorado-votes-to-leave-pcusa-73748/
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Pat Robertson Repudiates the Gospel
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The broadcaster's advice to divorce an Alzheimer's patient is more than an embarrassment.
CHRISTIANITY TODAY [CTI Publications] - By Russell D. Moore - September 15, 2011- (Web-only), Vol. 55
This week on his television show Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson said a man would be morally justified to divorce his wife with Alzheimer's disease in order to marry another woman. The dementia-riddled wife is, Robertson said, "not there" anymore. This is more than an embarrassment. This is more than cruelty. This is a repudiation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. ...
Marriage, the Scripture tells us, is an icon of something deeper, more ancient, more mysterious. The marriage union is a sign, the Apostle Paul announces, of the mystery of Christ and his church (Eph. 5). ... This love is defined not as the hormonal surge of romance but as a self-sacrificial crucifixion of self. The husband pictures Christ when he loves his wife by giving himself up for her. ...
A woman or a man with Alzheimer's can't do anything for you. There's no romance, no sex, no partnership, not even companionship. That's just the point. Because marriage is a Christ/church icon, a man loves his wife as his own flesh. He cannot sever her off from him simply because she isn't "useful" anymore.
Pat Robertson's cruel marriage statement is no anomaly. He and his cohorts have given us for years a prosperity gospel with more in common with an Asherah pole than a cross. They have given us a politicized Christianity that uses churches to "mobilize" voters rather than to stand prophetically outside the power structures as a witness for the gospel.
But Jesus didn't die for a Christian Coalition; he died for a church. ...
Edited :: See Original Report Here
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/article_print.html?id=93731
Also:
Pat Robertson Says Divorce Okay if Spouse has Alzheimer's"I know it sounds cruel, but if he's going to do something he should divorce her and start all over again," broadcaster advises on 700 Club. CHRISTIANITY TODAY [CTI Publications] - By Tobin Grant - September 14, 2011 [...] Robertson said. "I hate Alzheimer's ... because here is a loved one-this is the woman or man that you have loved ... suddenly that person is gone. They're gone. They are gone. But I know it sounds cruel, but if he's going to do something he should divorce her and start all over again. But to make sure she has custodial care and somebody looking after her." ... Robertson said that the viewer's friend could obey this vow of "death till you part" because the disease was a "kind of death." Robertson said he would understand if someone started another relationship out of a need for companionship. ... Read Full Reporthttp://blog.christianitytoday.com/ctliveblog/archives/2011/09/pat_robertson_s.htmlPat Robertson: Mitt Romney an 'Outstanding Christian'THE CHRISTIAN POST - By Anugrah Kumar - October 2, 2011 In an interview published Saturday ..., Chairman Pat Robertson said he liked Mitt Romney's politics and saw the Mormon presidential candidate as an "outstanding Christian." Although many evangelicals are skeptical of the Mormon faith's claim to Christianity, Robertson called former Massachusetts Governor Romney an "outstanding Christian" in an interview with The Associated Press. But when asked if he was alright with a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the White House, the 81-year-old head of the television network refused to answer. ... Read Full Reporthttp://www.christianpost.com/news/pat-robertson-mitt-romney-an-outstanding-christian-57017/
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