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OBAMA'S NEBULOUS CHRISTIANITY -Print
A recent Pew Research Poll reports that as many as 20 percent of Americans - and as many as 31 percent of Republicans - consider President Barack Obama to be a Muslim. Only one-third of the populace thinks he is a Christian, and 43 percent do not know what religion Obama upholds. The doubts about Obama's Christianity have mounted since March 2009, when Pew estimated that 11 percent of Americans considered Obama a Muslim. After Obama's recent comments asserting the right of Muslims to build a mosque near New York's Ground Zero, the same poll may have demonstrated an even higher margin of doubt about Obama's faith in Christ.
President Obama has declared that he is a Christian. He describes a milestone of his faith - public confession and acceptance of Christ - as taking place at an altar call in Rev. Jeremiah Wright's church over twenty years ago. Obama broke ties with Wright and that particular church body, which was widely accused of being un-American and un-Christian, and he now holds a membership at the United Church of Christ although he does not attend regularly.
Last week, White House Deputy Communications Secretary Jen Psaki reiterated the official position on Obama's religious belief, saying, "President Obama is a committed Christian, and his faith is an important part of his daily life. He prays every day, he seeks a small circle of Christian pastors to give him spiritual advice and counseling, he even receives a daily devotional that he uses each morning."
Neither Obama nor the White House seem eager to spell out details, however. "I have a deep faith," Obama has explained. "I'm rooted in the Christian tradition."
Many Christians doubt the depth of Obama's actual commitment to Jesus Christ. Obama's multi-cultural and multi-religious upbringing certainly did mold his perspective on salvation. His roots in Christianity developed in a complex soil of many influences, and the result is a plant with fruit alarming to most conservatives - Obama's belief that, "there are many paths to the same place."
Religious Upbringing:
Obama was born to a non-practicing Muslim father and raised in Indonesia, a primarily Islamic country. His father left his mother when Obama was only two. In childhood, Obama attended a private Catholic elementary school in Jakarta that taught students of both Christian and Islamic backgrounds, and he claims to have heard both catechism and Koranic readings in the classroom. He was raised by an agnostic but "spiritual" mother who brought him to church on holidays, and later, occasionally took him to Buddhist temples for worship.
During the 2008 Saddleback Civic Forum, speaking before what was likely a Christian majority, Obama declared that it was Jesus who saved him, a Jesus he has a personal relationship with. He also doesn't want that personal relationship to influence him in governing. He explained to Cathleen Falsani of the Chicago Sun-Times, "I am a great admirer of our founding charter (the Constitution) and its resolve to prevent theocracies from forming and its resolve to prevent disruptive strains of fundamentalism from taking root in this country. I think there is an enormous danger on the part of public figures to rationalize or justify their actions by claiming God's mandate. I don't think it's healthy for public figures to wear religion on their sleeve."
To Obama, the United States is not a Christian nation, but a nation in which Christians are allowed the freedom to worship as they choose along with peoples of all other faiths."
President Obama may not be Muslim, but his brand of Christianity leaves enough leeway to cause confusion and concern among evangelicals. "My particular set of beliefs may not be perfectly consistent with the beliefs of other Christians," Obama told Newsweek. "There's the belief, certainly in some quarters, that if people haven't embraced Jesus Christ as their personal savior, they're going to hell."
In a discussion with Franklin Graham, Mr. Obama explained, "I do not believe that my mother, who never formally embraced Christianity as far as I know, went to hell."
There is no evidence that Obama has ever practiced Islam, but critics point to a history of Obama public comments lauding the accomplishments of the Islamic world, the beauty of the Islamic call to prayer, and his willingness to quote the Koran in speeches. Graham's portrait of Obama's faith is guarded:
"If you're willing to ... let Jesus Christ be the lord of your life, God will forgive your sins, he'll heal your heart and that's the only way you can become a Christian," Graham said. "If the president has done that, then I would say he's a Christian ... Now it's obvious that the president has renounced the prophet Mohammed and he has renounced Islam and he has accepted Jesus Christ ... So I just have to believe that the president is what he has said."
Jello:
Obama's statements do raise some questions. What-- if any-- advantage does Barack Obama see in choosing Christ? Why did he choose Christ and not another of his many perceived paths to God? If, in the name of inclusion and acceptance, he sees nothing sacred in Jesus Christ, what will he do to preserve the role of Christianity in America's heritage and America's future? As a self-declared follower of Christ, is he willing to present a loving but unyielding example of Christ to the world?
Obama's resolve feels discomfortingly like gelatin. It's lukewarm at best, and very dangerous at worst. As James Dobson told Newsweek, he believes the President is "deliberately distorting the traditional understanding of the Bible to fit his own world view, his own confused theology." He presses pluralism onto American society and denies the power of Christ whom he says saved him.
"So what?" some say. Plenty of Americans believe that a president's religious views are personal and that we the people should only care about his policies. The fact is, however, that a president's religious views can strongly affect his policies in a variety of ways. Regarding Israel, for instance.
US-Israeli Relations:
A July 12th Rasmussen survey reported that only 15 percent of Americans believe that US relations with Israel will improve over the next year, and 44 percent expect things to remain on shaky ground. As many as 31 percent of Americans expect the two allies' relationship to change for the worse. Israeli ambassador to the US Michael Oren reports that the chemistry between Obama and conservative Prime Minister Netanyahu is so strained, US-Israeli relations are at the worst they've been in 35 years. According to The Daily Telegraph, Oren privately met with foreign ministry workers a week before this month's meeting between Netanyahu and Obama, telling them, "Relations (between Israel and America) are in a state of tectonic rift in which continents are drifting apart."
As a Christian, the President of the United States should want to do everything within his power to protect and defend Israel, develop and maintain the best of relationships with her, and secure her standing in the world. Obama, under the purported guise of reaching out to the Islamic world, does more to improve relations with them than he does to improve relations with the US ally Israel.
Is Obama's faith a nebulous "feel-good" belief system that has a mere veil of Christianity? Or does his "deep faith" truly identify with, not just a Christ who forgives, but also a Christ who reigns? Though a politician may not be expected to hold his own as a theologian, the leader of the free world should be capable of clearly conveying his beliefs and intentions, if not to the entire world, at least to his own constituents.
EMBRYONIC STEM-CELL THERAPIES BANNED FOR NOW - Print
The ban on federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research is back in effect for now. U.S. District Chief Judge Royce C. Lamberth issued a temporary injunction on Monday, putting a damper on plans by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to increase funding for embryonic stem-cell research.
Soon after his inauguration, President Barack Obama lifted the restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research that President Bush had put in place in 2001, opening the door wide for US taxpayers to fund experimentation on human embryos. In the recent lawsuit, the NIH was accused of illegally funding embryonic stem-cell research and diverting money away from research that uses adult stem cells in therapies.
The Dickey-Wicker Amendment to the federal budget bans federal funds from being used for research that destroys human embryos. The amendment has been attached to the budget every year since 1996. The past three administrations have allowed federal funds to pay for research using embryonic stem-cells as long as private funds handled the actual destruction of the embryos. Judge Lamberth ruled that, no, the research funding could not be divided neatly that way.
"ESC (embryonic stem-cell) research is clearly research in which an embryo is destroyed," Judge Lamberth said. He added: "To conduct ESC research, ESCs must be derived from an embryo. The process of deriving ESCs from an embryo results in the destruction of the embryo. Thus ESC research necessarily depends upon the destruction of a human embryo."
Therefore, research that receives federal funds cannot be involved in ESC experimentation.
Labs across the country are putting their ESC research on hold, but aren't throwing out existing experiments. The Justice Department is appealing the ruling, and further litigation will have to fully settle the matter. In the meanwhile, ESC research backed by private funds is still free to continue.
While embryonic stem cells are notably versatile, their use can be tricky. Not only does the research destroy human life at the embryonic stage of development, prompting serious moral objections, but embryonic stem cells can cause tumors and are often rejected by the patient's body. Some researchers are determined to use embryonic stem cells despite these serious problems, but plenty of companies have simply decided to pursue research that avoids harming embryos.
In the meanwhile, adult stem-cell therapies continue to show progress.
Cancer Reduction: RNL BIO Co., Ltd, announced July 27th that fat cell-derived stem cells have been shown to suppress cancer in preclinical tests. Mice infused with melanoma were found to have cancer reduction compared to the control group when they were treated with human fat-derived stem cells.
Repairing Hearts: The Mayo Clinic in Rochester has been having success in repairing hearts damaged by myocardial infarctions through the use of stem cells derived from bone-marrow.
Incurable Diseases: Seven children infected with the (sometimes fatal) blistering disease recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa were treated with stem-cells from their bone-marrow. Between 30 and 130 days after the stem cells were implanted, the children's wounds improved and they showed a reduction in blister formation.
Stories abound of successful stem cell therapies using alternatives to stem cells from human embryos. While those who have been working on embryonic stem-cell research now find themselves in limbo, plenty of beneficial research is able to continue right now without destroying human life.
"I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well." - Psalm 139:14
BACK TO SCHOOL: FAITH IN THE CLASSROOM - Print
It's that time of year again, when moms can buy four boxes of crayons for a buck, and students around the country are starting to pile books into their lockers and desks. If you are a proud parent, now is the perfect time to have a discussion with your children about their faith and some of the challenges they may face in the coming months.
The role of religion in public schools continues to be a hotly debated issue. Some public school teachers avoid the mere mention of religion in their classrooms because they are afraid of facing a student's lawyers or losing their job. Other teachers would like to talk about religion, but don't know what they are allowed to say and what would be considered "crossing the line." Many teachers, students, and parents have questions concerning religion in public schools, and may wish to take a moment to explore some of the resources available.
A publication by the First Amendment Center called Finding Common Ground: A Guide to Religious Liberty in Public Schools can be downloaded for free (click on the link below). Finding Common Ground is a guidebook that explains teachers' and students' religious rights. It gives information concerning a wide variety of subjects such as equal access, judicial court rulings, and religious holidays. Below you will also find a link to the United States Department of Education Guidelines on Religious Expression in Public Schools.
Freedom of Speech
The Supreme Court has ruled that students retain their freedom of speech and expression when at school. According to the 1969 Supreme Court decision in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District, a school may only silence students if they are actually disrupting school discipline. That is, a student's freedom of expression does not give him or her the right to interrupt class. However, during free time, students are free to:
• Read their Bibles
• Talk to peers about religion and pray with their peers
• Wear clothing with Christian symbols and messages
• Pass out religious tracts
Equal Access
If a secondary public school receives any federal funding and if it allows any other non-curriculum clubs (like the chess club or the glee club) to form, then it must allow students to form Bible clubs or other religiously oriented organizations on campus with the same rights to the facilities as other clubs. Religious clubs are guaranteed the right to official recognition, which means the school must offer them access to the school newspaper, bulletin boards, and the public announcement system et al. Religious clubs, however, must be student-initiated and student-led. The students may invite outside speakers, but the club must be organized and led by the students themselves.
Educational Opportunities
Because religion is such an integral part of history and politics and the human experience in general, it is a relevant topic in the classroom setting. Teachers and students are free to discuss different religions and the impact religion has on society. While teachers must maintain a neutral position with the students, students are free to offer their own personal opinions on religious matters. (Teachers are free to discuss religious issues with their own peers outside of the classroom.)
Students may write papers on religious subjects, including the Bible. The Bible has had an enormous impact on history and literature and is an important book to know, even from a secular viewpoint. Literature from Shakespeare to Faulkner is full of allusions to the Bible, which can only be fully appreciated with a working knowledge of God's Word.
Teachers
Teachers also retain their First Amendment rights at school, but at the same time represent the school while in the classroom and at school events. Therefore, public school teachers are not permitted to "force their religion" on students. However, teachers do have a lot of freedom to teach about religion for educational purposes. They may teach on comparative religions, including Christianity. They may discuss the impact religion has had on history and science and literature. They may even discuss religion with students one-on-one, if the student initiates and maintains the conversation and is not compelled to agree with the teacher's position.
As school starts up again, continue to pray for those faithful teachers who are striving to teach students according to righteousness in the face of an increasingly liberal education establishment - and for those students who are willing to stand up for their faith and be a light to their peers rather than just going along with the crowd.
IMPORTANT NEWS HEADLINES
Israel Will Defend Its Citizens Ayalon Tells Iran »
August 24, 2010
Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon this week told the Iranian people by radio that a regional war initiated by Teheran was a distinct possibility, adding that "Israel is committed to defending its citizens and if attacked will act accordingly." "A fear exists that Iran - as it becomes more pressured by sanctions – will goad those under its patronage in Hizbullah and Hamas to initiate military action against Israel. There's also a possibility that Iran will make a military move against the Arab Gulf states and harm the flow of oil to the world, in which case the entire situation will degrade into widespread confrontations."
- The Jerusalem Post
US Must Hold The Course In Afghanistan »
August 24, 2010
The man in charge of the United States Marines, who has just returned from a tour of Afghanistan, has said President Obama's plan to start withdrawing troops next summer has given sustenance to the enemy. General James Conway said that it will be a few years before the time is right to hand over to Afghan forces in some key areas. He says America is growing tired of war, but his troops sense conditions are turning their way. He said their only concern was expressed by a person who told him to not let the country go wobbly on us.
- BBC News
Arabic To Be Required Study In Israeli Schools »
August 24, 2010
The Israeli authorities are introducing a new scheme to make Arabic-language classes compulsory in state schools. The programme, which will start in 170 schools in northern Israel, will make lessons mandatory for fifth graders. Education officials hope the scheme, called "Ya Salam", will turn language into a cultural bridge and promote tolerance between Jews and Arabs. Arab students currently are required to learn Hebrew while Jewish children can take Arabic as an additional language.
- BBC News
So You Want To Homeschool- »
August 24, 2010
The new school year looms, but you've decided that, for the first time, you and your student aren't going to be a part of it. No more brick-and-mortar institution for you guys. Excellent. Making your decision is, in fact, the first step. Don't underestimate the importance of crossing the t's and dotting the i's. Some regions are home-school friendly and encourage parents who are taking responsibility for their children's education. On the other hand, some regions require home-schoolers to toe the line very carefully. You can save yourself a lot of grief simply by being well prepared...
- The Washington Times
The Ground Zero Provocation »
August 20, 2010
Radical Islam ... has changed the course of nations and affected the lives of millions. It is the reason every airport in the West is an armed camp and every land is on constant alert. Ground Zero is the site of the most lethal attack of that worldwide movement, which consists entirely of Muslims, acts in the name of Islam, and is deeply embedded within the Islamic world. These are regrettable facts, but facts they are. And that is why putting up a monument to Islam in this place is not just insensitive but provocative.
- National Review Online
ISRAEL TOURS
The Issachar Tour
Insider’s look at the Israel of today, with Dan Stolebarger.
Oct 30 – Nov 10, 2010 (In Israel Oct 31 – Nov 9)
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Mark »
"Finishing Well" is the name of the game.
"Finishing Well" is the name of the game. Here was a rich, young ruler - a 1st century "yuppie" if you will - who, although getting off to a rather problematic beginning, finished well, indeed.
A rich young ruler questioned Christ about what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. Mark's Gospel includes a detail that Matthew and Luke failed to mention: " And Jesus looking upon him loved him..." This hints at the possibility that young John Mark himself may have been that rich young man
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Technology and the Bible - DVD »
by Chuck Missler
“Except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened:”
– Matthew 24:22
If we were reading this in 1860 - before the Civil War - we would have a difficult time anticipating that “all flesh” could wipe itself out with muskets and bayonets! But today a potential nuclear cloud hangs over every geopolitical decision on the Planet Earth.
We take passages in the Bible for granted, often failing to recognize the technological changes that are implied by them. In this briefing we’ve assembled a small sampling of technology statements, which we hope will reveal a perspective that may surprise many.
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MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK
And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.
- Psalms 39-7 KJV
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