Christian activists to protest university's honoring of Margaret Sanger

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. (W.) March 20, 2008 -- Activists are scheduled to gather tonight outside of the Dodd Auditorium on the campus of the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia, to protest against the racism and bigotry of Margaret Sanger.

The school is featuring a lecture series that includes a focus Margaret Sanger's life. Sanger is the founder of Planned Parenthood.

The protests plan on praying outside the school and holding up signs featuring some of Sanger's quotes, including:

"We don't want the word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population."

"Eugenics is the most adequate and thorough avenue to the solution of racial, political and social problems."

"The mass of Negroes, particularly in the South, still breed carelessly and disastrously." -- From Sanger's "Negro Project"

Kaitlin Clare, the project director for the Christian Defense Coalition, said: "It is a shame and a disgrace that the University of Mary Washington, an institution that was once only for women, that is named for a great women in American history, and prides itself on teaching and empowering women today, would honor Margaret Sanger, an avowed racist and bigot. Ms. Sanger's racist views have created a legacy of pain and hurt for women and other minorities."

Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition, added: "Over the past few days, America has had to confront the ugliness of racism and bigotry. The overwhelming lesson learned is, that on every level racism must be condemned and repudiated. That is why it is so troubling for the University of Mary Washington to feature such an avowed racist and bigot as Margaret Sanger as part of their 'Great Lives Lecture Series.'

"The founder of Planned Parenthood was determined to reduce the number of African-Americans through her 'Negro Project.' She believed in eugenics which was the same philosophy that Adolf Hitler embraced in supporting the killing of six million Jews. We will be out praying and holding signs as a public witness against racism and injustice."

Christian bookstore raided

CAIRO, Egypt (W.) March 19, 2008 -- A Christian bookstore was raided by police in Cairo last week, according to Advocates for the Persecuted.
Jan Fletcher, executive director of Advocates For The Persecuted, is now urging Christians around the world to contact Egyptian consulates to express concern about a police raid.
Egyptian police arrested Shenouda Armia Bakhait midday Saturday, March 15, confiscating books, compact discs, and issues of a newspaper read by Christians in Egypt.
He was released Sunday night after posting bail.
David Joseph, president of Advocates For The Persecuted, said eight undercover policemen stormed into the Nile Christian Book Shop.
"They spent two hours searching everything in the bookstore," he said. "Mr. Shenouda was interrogated for more than five hours."
The Nile Christian Book Shop opened in 2006 in a location that first housed a bookstore in 1890.
"We posted a suggested letter we'd like to see sent to Egyptian consulates on our website at www.advocatesforthepersecuted.org," said Fletcher. "Sending this letter is an important step Americans and Canadians can take to present a clear message to Egypt's government that the sizable population of Christians in Egypt, estimated to comprise 8 to 10 percent of the population, should have the right to distribute and obtain Christian literature."

Calif. bill called anti-marriage

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (W.) March 17, 2008 -- A California bill that would give people living together many of the same rights married people have is being criticized by the Campaign for Children and Families (CCF).

The bill ensures that unwed parents remain unmarried, CCF said.
State Sen. Carole Migden (D-San Francisco) sponsored the bill that CCF said would allow cohabitating men and women to receive every marriage right and all marriage benefits that married husbands and wives receive under California law. Under SB 1066, more than 300 spousal rights – which CCF said are meant to bond together a husband and wife in the law – would go to unmarried couples. The bill passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 11. Last year, the same bill failed to pass the Legislature.

"SB 1066 rewards unwed parents for not getting married," said Campaign for Children and Families President Randy Thomasson. "This foolish bill promotes cohabitation just as government welfare programs subsidized illegitimacy. SB 1066 ensures that unwed parents remain uncommitted. Why get married if you can get the legal rights and benefits of marriage without saying 'I do?' And what about the kids, who research shows do much worse in unmarried environments? SB 1066 is bad public policy. It's blind to the evidence that marriage is 1000 percent more stable than shacking up."

Campaign for Children and Families is urging Californians to call their state senator, state assemblymember, and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to urge SB 1066's defeat.

"If unmarried couples want stability and security, they should get married," said Thomasson, "and the legal rights of marriage will accompany their good decision. The evidence shows that marriage is much more healthy, secure, and long-lasting than is shacking up for men, women, and the children they often produce."

Fridays with ... Casting Crowns -- Part 4

'God, help us'
ATLANTA (W.) March 14, 2008 -- Casting Crowns bassist Chris Huffman admits that on the road, it's critical to find time with God.
You'd expect that from a member of Christian music's top band.
But he said it is tough to find time when the band is on the road.
"We all try to have some personal time with God every day. Whether it’s just a few, 15, 20 minutes praying to God, reading the Bible, then praying, just spending some time telling God who He is and praising Him for everything He does," Huffman said.
It has its challenges, however.
"A lot of times we get hectic, very busy on the road. When you try to keep to the schedule, it's really hard to make time. But that's what really matters most, making the time to do that."
The band also has time together to pray and do devotions.
"Even if we don’t have our individual times, we pretty consistently have a band Bible study before we go and play the concert that night," Huffman said. "A lot of guys, they listen to a real upbeat song to get them excited, ready to play. For us, we're on our knees, praying, saying, 'God, help us. We're gonna mess this up right away if you don't do something.' We know full well if we try to be rock stars it's going to go bad pretty quick. We've witnessed that many times, where we get a little ahead of ourselves. We hve many stories of serious mess ups on stage. It’s all just for good laugh now, just a reminder of Who’s in cotnrol."

Judge rules in favor of ministry

MILLERSVILLE, Tenn. (W.) March 11, 2008 -- The United States District Court for Middle Tennessee ruled that the city of Millersville, Tenn. violated the constitutional rights of Layman Lessons when it threatened application of a "pending zoning ordinance" as a means of blocking the ministry's use of a commercially zoned property, a Christian law firm said. "The court rejected the city's contention that, as long as it had a pending ordinance that addressed Layman Lessons' intended use of this property, it could indefinitely delay acting on the ministry's application," said Larry Crain, a senior attorney with the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) and lead attorney for the plaintiff. "In essence, the court ruled that 'justice delayed is justice denied.'" When Layman Lessons, a Christian ministry, formed to aid the homeless and destitute, it faced problems after it applied for a use permit for a commercially zoned property in Millersville, a town 17 miles north of Nashville: The city planner issued a letter rejecting the application due to a then-pending ordinance that, if passed, would have limited all religious and nonprofit uses on any commercial lot in the city. That, in essence would have resulted in Layman Lessons' application being placed on indefinite hold. Judge Thomas A. Wiseman, Jr. concluded that through these maneuverings the city denied Layman Lessons its constitutional rights, violating the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). As a further hurdle to the ministry's use of the land, the city imposed a so-called "buffer strip" requirement on the property, ACLJ said. Such strips, which require an expensive privacy fence to be constructed around the property, had heretofore only been required when a commercial property abutted a residential property. The Layman Lessons' property was surrounded on all sides by commercially zoned properties. The city of Millersville had argued that it could not be held liable under RLUIPA for the actions of employees who were not part of the top echelon of policymakers. Judge Thomas A. Wiseman, Jr. rejected this argument ruling that the actions of the city planner and city manager constituted a violation of RLUIPA. The city will be responsible for a portion of Plaintiff's legal fees. "Judge Wiseman's ruling confirms that Tennessee is still a place where the rights of the 'Davids' cannot be casually usurped by the "Goliaths" of this world," said Crain.

Fridays with ... Casting Crowns -- Part 3

"Learn to be teachable"

ATLANTA (W.) March 7, 2008 -- Chris Huffman isn't usually the guy people think of when they think of Christian music's top band Casting Crowns.
That distinction goes to the front man, Mark Hall.
Huffman is the man behind the scenes, the bassist.
"Most bassists in bands, they're usually the quiet guy in the band," Huffman said (pictured to the far right). "That's definitely me. Unless you get me going on something, I don't say a whole lot."
But there's more to the silence than meets the ears.
"It's not that I don't want to talk," he said. Huffman recounted a typical occurrence that happens when the band prays or has devotions before a concert.
"Sometimes, the good things are said and there's nothing I can add to it," Huffman said. "A lot of times the words are taken out of my mouth and I can't really improve on it."
Huffman said recently he's had a chance to connect with other bassists. He taught a class full of bassists when his church hosted a worship band conference.
"I just leveled with the guys," Huffman said. "You may get down at playing bass because ... you don't hear many bass solos. It's more of a background instrument. But at the same time, it's a lead instrument in that it holds the music together. I try to at least encourage any bass player I meet to just keep pressing on and always learn to be teachable. That was one of the first things someone told me when I was first learning to play bass--learn to be teachable and you'll always learn something new."
He said even when he taught the class of bassist he learned something.
"They taught me a lot," Huffman said. "Even sometimes the teacher can end up being a student."

New Israel bomb shelters inaugurated

SHLOMI, Israel (W.) March 6, 2008 -- Nine Israeli communities now have 1,690 working bomb shelters thanks to a Chicago-based nonprofit organization.

The bomb shelters were officially dedicated this week, with a ceremony attended by Israel's Defense Minister Ehud Barak (pictured on left) and International Fellowship of Christians and Jews founder and President Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein.
During the ceremony, Barak and Eckstein toured one of the newly rehabilitated shelters in the area and also presented the shelters' keys to each of the town's mayors.

The project began last year and cost $10 million. It involved upgrading shelters located in privately owned residential buildings, providing protection for thousands of people.

"Given the escalating threats of war and terrorism against Israel, the completion of these shelters could not have come at a better time," Eckstein said." I'm heartened to know that thanks to our donors who gave so generously to fund this critical project, residents of northern Israel will have safe places to take refuge in the event of attack."

Barak commended the fellowship for its work.

"Although we hope there won't be a need for the residents to use these shelters, their lives are now more secure," he said. "On behalf of the State of Israel, the Ministry of Defense and the citizens of Israel, I want to thank Rabbi Eckstein and IFCJ for the security they are bringing to Israel."

70 house church leaders, 3 minors detained in China

SHANGQIU CITY, China (W.) March 4, 2008 -- China Aid Association has reported the arrest of 70 Christians in China who were attending Bible training last month.

China Aid said 250 people were present at the Bible training when more than 20 police officers entered the home of Xue Weimin. Police arrested 80 of the people present but released 10 people. Those being detained are being charged with "making use of a cult to violate law enforcement." Of the 70 being detained 50 (39 women, 11 men) are being held in prison.

China Aid also reported that three minors were being detained in Xinyuan County, Xinjian Province.

UN closes sessions non-government organizations

NEW YORK (W.) March 3, 2008 -- The United Nations announced Monday that all negotiating sessions on the draft document to come out of the 2008 Commission on the Status of Women would be closed to NGO (non- government organization) representatives, Concerned Women for America said.
CWA said while closed sessions are not unusual as the negotiations "heat up" towards the end, closing sessions at the beginning of the drafting process "is unprecedented ."
Janice Crouse, CWA's director and senior fellow, said the "lack of openness is creating a storm of protest among the NGOs who are here at the UN from round the world for the expressed purpose of influencing the outcome of the resolutions that will be finalized at this session of the Commission on the Status of Women." Some think the UN is "railroading pet programs" through the sessions.
Crouse said the concern is that without NGO input "the agreements will represent the leftist UN positions without any counterbalance from the conservative NGOs. The leftist NGOs will agree with the U.N. positions; it is the conservatives that are being blocked."

Barna study says "unchurched" more complicated to define

Survey suggests definition of church changing

VENTURA, Calif. (W.) March 3, 2008 -- A new Barna Group study says the definition of church is changing in America.

Barna says with Americans pursuing a growing number of "church" options, some of the traditional measures of church health also are being redefined. Barna says popular measures such as the percentage of people who are "unchurched" - based on attendance at a conventional church service - are now out of date.

Why? Because there's an emergency of new forms of faith communities, such as house churches, marketplace ministries and cyberchurches, which Barna says must be figured into the mix. The study says as a result of these new forms of church, calculating the percentage of Americans who can be counted as "unchurched" is more complicated.

The fact that millions of people are now involved in multiple faith communities - for instance, attending a conventional church one week, a house church the next, and interacting with an online faith community in-between - has rendered the standard measures of "churched" and "unchurched" much less precise, Barna says.

According to Barna, one way of examining people's participation in faith communities is by exploring how they practice their corporate faith engagement. Unveiling a new measurement model, Barna identified the following five segments: Unattached, who don't attend a conventional church, which represents 23 percent of adult Americans; Intermittents, who are "under-churched," meaning they they've gone to church periodically in the past year but not necessarily during the past month. They represent about15 percent of adult Americans; Homebodies, those people who don't go to a conventional church but attend house church. They represent about 3 percent of adult Americans; Blenders, those who experiment between traditional churches and other forms of faith communities. They also represent about 3 percent of adult Americans; and Conventionals are those who go to traditional, congregational-style local church. They represent 56 percent of American adults.

The Barna study found an increase in ministry crossover in the U.S. According to the study, one out of five adults had been involved in two or more types of churches: a conventional church, a house church, a real-time ministry event online, etc.

Here's a glimpse at what Barna found:

Among adults who were churched (either conventionally or alternatively) 15 percent had experienced the presence of God or expressed their faith in God through a faith-oriented website within the past month. Half as many (7 percent) said they had such an experience through a real-time event on the Internet;

One out of every eight churched adults (13 percent) said they had experienced the presence of God or expressed their faith in God through a ministry that met in the marketplace during the past month;

Twice as many churched people (28 percent) said they had experienced the presence of God or expressed their faith in God through their involvement with a special ministry event (such as a worship concert or community service activity).

A majority of the public claimed to have experienced the presence of God or expressed their faith in God through some form of interaction with religious television or radio programs.

The study also found, that compared to regular churchgoers, the Unattached are:

more likely to feel stressed out

less likely to be concerned about the moral condition of the nation

much less likely to believe that they are making a positive difference in the world

less optimistic about the future

far less likely to believe that the Bible is totally accurate in its principles

substantially more likely to believe that Satan and the Holy Spirit are symbolic figures, but are not real

more likely to believe that Jesus Christ sinned while He was on earth

much more likely to believe that the holy literature of the major faiths all teach the same principles even though they use different stories

less likely to believe that a person can be under demonic influence

more likely to describe their sociopolitical views as "mostly liberal" than "mostly conservative."

However, six out of 10 adults in the Unattached category (59 percent) consider themselves to be Christian. Barna said even more surprising was the revelation that 17 percent of the Unattached label themselves born again Christians - defined as people who have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that they consider to be very important in their life, and who believe that they will experience Heaven after they die because they have confessed their sins and accepted Christ as their savior.

"The numbers consistently point out that those who live without a regular face-to-face faith connection tend to be relatively isolated from the mainstream of society, tend to be non-committal in institutional and personal relationships, and typically revel in their independence," said George Barna, who runs the Barna Group. "Attempting to get them involved in the life of a church is a real challenge. The best chance of getting them to a church is when someone they know and trust invites them, offers to accompany them, and there is reason to believe that the church event will address one of the issues or needs they are struggling with at that moment."