The Lead Story

Thought Provoking Article by Marvin Olasky

2010-06-07T07:06:05-07:00

Marvin Olasky shares a thought provoking article on Townhall.com.

The Dots Some Don't Want to Connect

2010-05-19T12:28:15-07:00

by Mark Steyn

What with the Fort Hood mass murderer, the Christmas Pantybomber and now the Times Square Bomber, you may have noticed a little uptick in attempted terrorist attacks on the U.S. mainland in the last few months.

Rep. Lamar Smith did, and, at the House Judiciary Committtee, he was interested to see if the attorney general of the United States thought there might be any factor in common between these perplexingly diverse incidents.

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David Horowitz at UCSD

2010-05-13T06:38:42-07:00

This is amazing. I thought for sure she was going to dance around the issue but she really showed no apprehension in answering his final question.

Safe Speech

2010-05-12T10:57:48-07:00

A recent interview with Franklin Graham was posted on the Newsweek website. The print version omits comments from Franklin Graham that provide key context. Those sections have been highlighted in gray below.

Safe Speech
The Rev. Franklin Graham says the expression of his religious opinion of Islam isn't really that divisive.

By Jon Meacham and Lisa Miller

Newsweek Web Exclusive
May 5, 2010
Franklin Graham, infuriated by his disinvitation from the National Day of Prayer ceremony at the Pentagon, went on a media tour earlier this week, arguing that he was being discriminated against for his Christian beliefs. He will pray Wednesday outside the Pentagon and at other locations throughout the nation's capital. NEWSWEEK editor Jon Meacham and religion editor Lisa Miller met with the son of the evangelist Billy Graham on Monday in NEWSWEEK's offices. Excerpts from their conversation:

Meacham: Would your sense of Christian humility not lead you to see the point of critics who say that, because of the things you have said [calling Islam "wicked" and "evil"], you could possibly be more divisive at a state-sponsored occasion than unifying?
Graham: Well, sure, someone can try to make that argument. But you have—what is it?—80 percent of America claims to be of the Christian faith. OK, so there may be 20 percent that may be offended, but it won't be 20 percent.
JM: I'm in the 80 percent, and I'm offended.
FG: That I mention Jesus Christ [in prayer]?
JM: No, sir, by what you said about Islam, because I think it's more divisive than unifying.
FG: Nine years ago I said it was wicked and evil.
JM: And you just repeated that here.
FG: No, I repeated what I said nine years ago.
JM: But you still believe it.
FG: Sure. But, again, I don't go out and speak about it. I just have to ask you: what they do to women, is that wicked or evil?
JM: I would go to the cross for your right to preach in almost any forum, in any way you want. But I also completely understand the argument that the point of a public religious service, to some extent, is to be as unifying as possible; the place for a sectarian argument is simply not there.
FG: I am who I am. I don't believe that you can get to heaven through being a Buddhist or Hindu. I think Muhammad only leads to the grave. Now, that's what I believe, and I don't apologize for my faith. And if it's divisive, I'm sorry. I think yelling "Allahu Akbar" as you're flying jet airplanes through buildings and killing 3,000 Americans—that was evil and it was wicked. And I've not heard one Islamic leader around the world stand up and say that was a terrible thing … If Catholics had flown into these buildings in the name of Catholicism, the pope would have been on TV that night denouncing them, saying this was wrong and what they did was sin. It would be nice if we could just all sit around and hold hands and sing "Kumbaya." It would be great, but that's not the world we live in.
JM: Do you believe that Christianity is under siege?
FG: Oh, yeah.
JM: I think we are an incredibly hospitable country—
FG: We are.
JM: —to all faiths.
FG: We are, no question—
JM: I think that's a good thing. I don't know that you do.
FG: Of course I think it's a good thing. And when the Muslims wanted to celebrate Ramadan at the Pentagon, I didn't write a letter and voice objections even though I strongly disagree with their religion. And the practices of their religion I think are violent against not only minorities, but [also] to themselves and to women. But I didn't say anything. I'm not one to make an issue about it. And when they want to have their prayer service on Capitol Hill, on public property, supported by the Obama administration, I didn't write a letter to my senators and congressmen. But why can't we as Christians have our own program?
Miller: Forgive me, but you're not being disinvited because you're Christian.
FG: I'm being disinvited because of my faith and what I believe.
LM: You're being disinvited because of things you've said about the Muslim faith.
FG: Which is my faith, which is what I believe.
JM: I understand the principle. You're arguing religious freedom—that your liberties have been abridged by this disinvitation.
FG: I think the Obama administration better be careful. Millions of evangelical Christians voted for him in the last election.
JM: Are you suggesting that the Obama administration is soft on Islam?
FG: I think the whole nation is soft on it. You have to go back to the Bush administration—I think they were soft on it, and I think this administration is too. No question. And there's still the concern with many people about what Obama really believes. Obama's father was a Muslim, so the Islamic world sees him as a Muslim. Now, he has told me personally that he believes in Jesus Christ, and he is a Christian. He said that to me again last week. And I said, "Mr. President, thank you for sharing that with me, I appreciate that." So I believe what he says. The Islamic world, though, they see him as one of their own. So if the president and his administration wants to cut guys like myself out, that's fine. But it's just sending a signal to the evangelical community that, you know, our people aren't important to him.

Comedy Central Developing New Cartoon

2010-05-06T10:39:35-07:00

Comedy Central is developing a new cartoon about Jesus Christ. My colleague summed it up when she said, “ Did you see this? I want to cry.”

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White House Quietly Courts Muslims in the US

2010-04-19T07:44:41-07:00

Excerpted from "White House Quietly Courts Muslims in the US" in the New York Times:

When President Obama took the stage in Cairo last June, promising a new relationship with the Islamic world, Muslims in America wondered only half-jokingly whether the overture included them. After all, Mr. Obama had kept his distance during the campaign, never visiting an American mosque and describing the false claim that he was Muslim as a “smear” on his Web site.

Nearly a year later, Mr. Obama has yet to set foot in an American mosque. And he still has not met with Muslim and Arab-American leaders. But less publicly, his administration has reached out to this politically isolated constituency in a sustained and widening effort that has left even skeptics surprised.

Read the Article in the New York TImes

Minister of Finance

2010-03-31T08:59:27-07:00

Joel Osteen was recently interviewed for Vanity Fair. When asked if he had ever sinned, his response was:

“Oh, sure,” he answered surprisingly. “I’m sure I have. I mean, I think we’ve all sinned, so I can’t say that I’ve never … ” He looked suddenly bashful. “I’ve never done anything you’d call ‘terrible.’ I haven’t done drugs. Victoria’s the only girl I’ve ever dated.” Victoria, his glamorous wife of 22 years, is also a pastor. “I’m probably squeaky clean—I don’t have to say it,” Mr. Osteen added.

There is no 'think' when it comes to the question of sin - the Bible says all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).

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A Little Levity

2010-03-22T13:55:19-07:00

The recent healthcare news has thoroughly depressed most Americans. It may be time for a little levity.

Money Can't Buy Happiness

2010-02-11T11:00:52-08:00

A man makes a fortune, realizes that money can't buy happiness and then gives it all away!

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Perspectives on Egypt

2010-02-08T11:20:42-08:00

Perspectives: Egyptian Christians call for right to build churches.

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