Christians duty to the authorities

Enoch and Elijah died. I thought I would put up a few links.

 

WHERE are ENOCH and ELIJAH?

Bible Studies - Did Enoch and Elijah Die?

Elijah, Enoch, and Moses

Where Are Enoch and Elijah? by Herbert W. Armstrong (1892-1986)

Did Enoch Die? Scriptures say Yes...

Some relevant verses that speak of Enoch.

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Genesis 5:24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

It doesn't say he died, it says he was not and that God took him as is repeated in Hebrews 11:5 below. The apostle Paul states about Enoch ‘that he should not see death’ yet states in verse ‘13 These all died in faith…’

Can you die yet not experience death? Yes, you can.

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Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.

3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Shooting Sarah Palin | Opinion | Jewish Journal

Shooting Sarah Palin

By David Suissa

http://www.jewishjournal.com/ opinion/article/shooting_sarah_palin_20080917/

Grund comment: Click on the above link for the original story and >here< for an excellent video.

                            The Jewish Journal does excellent stories; go to their home page >here<

Gov. Sarah Palin with filmmaker Elan Frank
Photo courtesy Elan Frank

I was visiting with a friend and Israeli war hero the other day, a guy with great stories named Elan Frank, and all we could talk about was Sarah Palin.

 
Let me explain. Frank was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1982 after he rescued 25 Israeli soldiers caught in a nighttime terrorist ambush deep inside Lebanon. The conditions were so risky that Frank's co-pilot suggested they abort the mission. Frank ignored the advice, and under intense enemy fire, he made a daredevil 360 degree move to speed up the helicopter's landing and rescue the troops.

That was 26 years ago. Now Frank is a busy filmmaker.

Earlier this year, he called the office of the governor of Alaska to ask permission to shoot Sarah Palin for his new film, a documentary about powerful women of the world. Because he had spent a lot of time in Alaska, he'd heard about the feisty Palin and thought she'd be a natural.

Well, guess what? She said yes.

So there he was in Alaska a few weeks later, with his camera practically glued for several days to the eight-months-pregnant governor as she went about her daily business.

As fate would have it, soon thereafter Palin became the most talked-about woman on the planet, and Frank became the proprietor of film footage everyone wanted to see.

While I sat in his office last week, he took several calls from the press, including one from a producer at Fox television, who's flying him to New York this week to appear on Fox News' "On The Record With Greta Van Susteren."

Frank hasn't yet decided what to do with all the footage. Eventually, he hopes to make it part of his "Great Women" series and air it on a major television network.

I couldn't wait that long, so he gave me a sneak preview of several hours of raw footage, including lots of private, off-the-cuff moments.

Here's my conclusion after observing Palin in action: If you're rooting for Obama-Biden this November, there's reason to be nervous.

I don't say this because I discovered something new and extraordinary about Palin. Rather, it's that everything I saw reinforced the attributes that make her a winner.

For starters, she's a likeable adrenalin junkie who doesn't shy from public exposure. Palin gave Frank unusual access, so we got to see, on a typical day: Palin discussing legislative strategy with her chief of staff; reviewing the bidding process for the $40 billion Alaskan gas pipeline; making jokes about having to dust her office; schmoozing with lawmakers; asking pointed questions of her aides; inviting Oprah, on camera, to visit Alaska; speaking emotionally about fighting for oppressed women around the world; rushing under a snowfall to greet her 7-year-old daughter at a school bus stop; flirting with her husband and calling him "the boss"; playing the flute by a window; and, while talking to an aide on the phone in her kitchen and making dinner for her daughter, reminding the daughter not to stuff herself on potato chips.
Through it all, Palin was upbeat and cheerful -- but you can sense an underlying edge. Frank's camera captured some of that edge by showing the forceful movement of her hands when she felt strongly about something, or the occasional subtle glare when something didn't please her.

There's little doubt about Palin's competitive streak; she couldn't have succeeded in the rough world of Alaskan politics without one. Yet, unlike other driven politicians like Hillary Clinton, whose steely demeanor and exaggerated enthusiasm can turn off or intimidate people, Palin uses her folksy charm to disarm people. It's the proverbial fist in the velvet glove.

Beyond that, there's one sobering thought for sophisticated liberals who are aghast at the possibility that this caribou-hunting evangelical supermom will snatch defeat from their jaws of victory.

She's a quick study.

Unlike a well-known current resident of the White House, she's not intellectually lazy or impatient with details. What I saw was a probing, engaged woman who's always on -- and is anything but a naïve, small-town hick.

I wouldn't be surprised if she looks more and more savvy as the campaign heads to the finish line. Unlike her critics who see her as a shooting star who will flame out, I see an ambitious newcomer to the big time who's got enough street smarts to quickly improve herself. (The question, of course, will be how quickly she can catch up and make up for her lack of national experience.)

Frank saw all of those things and more when he hung out with Palin in Alaska. Frank himself is an independent who's staunchly pro-Israel, and whose primary concern as a voter is the global threat of nuclear-based terrorism.

He's not overly worried about Palin's lack of experience on the world stage. He's seen too many "experienced" and worldly politicians fall flat on their faces, and he sees in Palin a "natural-born leader" with good intuition who knows how to ask the right questions.

He thinks Palin is the opposite of what they call in Israel a "freyer" (a sucker or a fool), meaning that she'll see right through the deceptive tactics of sneaky lizards like Ahmadinejad of Iran or Assad of Syria, who he believes would outmatch a well-intentioned and articulate diplomat like Barack Obama.

So yes, Frank seems to have fallen under her spell. But Frank is no freyer himself. This is a war hero who spent seven years in the Israeli army fighting a wily foe. He knows all about deception. He doesn't trust easily. He can tell real from fake and tough from soft.

If Sarah Palin is anything, he says, she's real and tough.

And in a dangerous world, Frank sees the appeal of a lioness who's real and tough. Especially a lioness who learns quickly, loves her country and hates to lose.

Shooting Sarah Palin | Opinion | Jewish Journal

Obama Salute Goes Back Further Than We Knew

Here's the Obamaniac "Sign of Progress":

…and here's a photo from the history books…

The German Propaganda Archive provides this caption:

The hands of the Führer organize his speech. This picture captures Hitler's hands as he speaks of the unity of the National Socialist and socialist ideas.

LOL, the Big O...

Witness to Santa Monica Gang Members

Watch this on-the-street witness encounter and watch the use of God's Law (Ten Commandments) get put into practice as Kirk witnesses to hardened gang members at Santa Monica, Southern California.

Jumpcut - Witness to Santa Monica Gang Members

AN INSIDER'S WARNING - LAKELAND - True or False Revival?

Andrew Strom is author of the first book on the Lakeland outpouring. He spent 11 years in the same Prophetic movement as Todd Bentley. Here he tells why he questions the Lakeland revival, the angel Emma, the New Age kundalini shakti qigong spontaneous movements, etc. What will it take to see real Revival? 

 

 

        #1- AN INSIDER'S WARNING - LAKELAND - True or False Revival?

#1- AN INSIDER'S WARNING - LAKELAND - True or False Revival?

 

       #2- AN INSIDER'S WARNING - FLORIDA REVIVAL - True or False Outpouring?

#2- AN INSIDER'S WARNING - FLORIDA REVIVAL - True or False Outpouring?

      

       #3- AN INSIDER'S WARNING - LAKELAND - TODD BENTLEY - True or False?

#3- AN INSIDER'S WARNING - LAKELAND - TODD BENTLEY - True or False?

 

        #4- AN INSIDER'S WARNING - LAKELAND - True or False Revival?

#4- AN INSIDER'S WARNING - LAKELAND - True or False Revival?

 

       #5- AN INSIDER'S WARNING - LAKELAND OUTPOURING - TODD BENTLEY - True or False?

#5- AN INSIDER'S WARNING - LAKELAND OUTPOURING - TODD BENTLEY - True or False?

ADF: Wisconsin student wins settlement in “JOHN 3:16” drawing case

 

Wisconsin student wins settlement in “JOHN 3:16” drawing case

Freedom of religious expression no longer banned under school grading policy

ADF files motion to halt policy in “JOHN 3:16” drawing case

MADISON, Wis. — A settlement reached between Alliance Defense Fund attorneys and the Tomah Area School District means the district will respect students’ constitutional right to religious expression in their artwork.
“Christian students shouldn’t be penalized for expressing their beliefs, so we’re pleased that this settlement will make sure that no longer happens,” said ADF Senior Legal Counsel David Cortman.  “It was clearly unconstitutional for the school to enforce a policy in such a way as to bar religious expression by a Christian student while allowing other types of religious expression by other students.  No school policy can require a student to surrender his First Amendment rights.”
On March 28, ADF attorneys filed a federal lawsuit after a teacher told a student at Tomah High School to either remove or cover up a Scripture reference depicted in a piece of artwork, citing a grading policy that banned depictions of “blood, violence, sexual connotations, [or] religious beliefs.”  Students who portrayed demon-like creatures in their art, however, were not censored.
On April 15, ADF attorneys filed a motion for preliminary injunction against the district (www.telladf.org/news/story.aspx?cid=4475).  The school district then decided to pursue settlement of the case.
Under the terms of the settlement, Tomah Area School District officials have removed the ban on religious expression in class assignments.  The student’s artwork, which initially received a “zero,” has now been graded.  Additionally, Tomah High School has removed from school records any and all references to the disciplinary actions taken against the student.
A copy of the stipulated dismissal filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin in A.P. v. Tomah Area School District is available at www.telladf.org/UserDocs/APSettlement.pdf.
ADF is a legal alliance of Christian attorneys and like-minded organizations defending the right of people to freely live out their faith.  Launched in 1994, ADF employs a unique combination of strategy, training, funding, and litigation to protect and preserve religious liberty, the sanctity of life, marriage, and the family.

ADF: Wisconsin student wins settlement in “JOHN 3:16” drawing case - Alliance Defense Fund - Defending Our First Liberty

An Overview of the Book of Jasher

 

There are also many contradictions to the Bible in the book of Jasher. Here are just a few…

Jasher 13:5 says that Abram went to the land of Canaan at the age of 50 then back to Haran and back to Canaan at age 75, Genesis 12:4 states that Abram was 75 when he departed Haran.

Jasher 18:9 states that one of the angels tells Abraham that Sarah will have a son, but Gen. 17:16 says that God told Abraham.

Jasher 22:44-45 says the Lord got the idea of presenting Isaac as an offering from Isaac’s boast to Ishmael. We know, of course, that God is sovereign and as it says in Gen. 22:1-2 & 12 that the Lord was testing Abraham.

Genesis 28:5 states that Isaac sent Jacob to Padan-aram unto Laban but Jasher 29:11 says that he fled to the house of Eber and hid there for 14 years.

Jasher 47:9 says Isaac dies, according to the chronology of Jasher, Joseph was in Egypt but in Gen. 35:29 Isaac died before Joseph had his dreams.

Simeon could not be bound in Jasher 51:37 but in Genesis. 42:24 Simeon is bound before their eyes.

• More Contradictions

Jasher 51:26-32 -- The brothers tell Joseph (whom they don’t recognize) that they are looking for their brother (him). Genesis 42:6-14.

Jahser 78:12-13 -- Pharaoh proclaims no more straw but same amount of bricks (before Moses goes to Pharaoh.) Exodus 5:1,7-8 says it happened after Moses confronts Pharaoh.

Jasher 80:1 "and at the end of two years the Lord sent Moses to Pharaoh" while Exodus 7:14-15 says, "The Lord said unto Moses get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning.

Jasher 80:2-51 lists these Plagues;

1. Waters into blood (v. 3) / Exodus 7:20

2. Frogs (v. 6) / Exodus 8:6

3. Lice (v. 10) / Exodus 8:17

4. The Lord sent all kinds of beasts into Egypt and destroyed all Egypt ( v.13) / Not in Exodus

5. Fiery serpents, scorpions, mice, weazles, toads (v. 14) / Not in Exodus

6. Flies, hornets, fleas, bugs, gnats (v. 15) / Exodus 8:24

7. All reptiles and winged animals came and grieved the Egyptians (v.16) / Not in Exodus

8. God ordered the Sulanuth from the sea, she had long arms, 10 cubits in length and she went upon the roofs and uncovered the raftering and flooring and stretched forth her arm and removed locks and bolts and opened the houses of Egypt. (v. 19-21) / Not in Exodus

9. Pestilence (v.24) / Exodus 9:3

10. Burning inflammation (v. 27) / Not in Exodus

11. Boils (v. 28) / Exodus 9:10

12. Hail and fire (v. 30-31) / Exodus 9:23

13. Locusts (v. 33) / Exodus 10:13

14. Darkness (v.36) / Exodus 10:22

15. First born killed (v. 43) / Exodus 12:29

• Wholly Unbiblical Portions of Jasher

There are also many areas that are completely unbiblical.

In Jasher 42:30-41, Rachel talks to Joseph from the grave. This is of course necromancy and is an abomination unto the Lord (Deuteronomy 18:11-12).

According to 53:18-22 Benjamin used a "map (or chart) of stars" to find Joseph. Deuteronomy 18:10 forbids this. It is an abomination to be "an observer of times" (astrologer).

Judah threatens Joseph 54:1-68 with annulations but Genesis 44:14-34 is a plea for Benjamin’s release.

Chapter 71 of Jasher states that Moses was 18 years old when he left Egypt. (Could this be Rabbinical tradition?) He didn’t go to Midian but to Cush and becomes king (72:34-36) and is king over Cush for forty years (73:2), then he goes to Midian where Reuel puts him in prison for 10 years because Reuel thinks Moses is wanted by the Cushites. In the book of Acts (7:23-30) Stephen, inspired by the Holy Spirit, stated the Moses was in Egypt for 40 Years before going to Midian for another 40 years.

Jasher 81:3-4 claims that the Israelites sojourned in Egypt for 210 years whereas the Scripture says in Exodus 12:40-41 it was 430 years.

Jasher 81:40-41says that all but Pharaoh perished in the Red Sea. Pharaoh thanks the Lord and the Lord sends an angel who casts him upon the land of Ninevah where Pharaoh reigned for a long time. Scripture (Exodus 14:23 & 28) states that all perished.

Jasher 32:1-40 -- Esau comes to harm Jacob but angels of the Lord scare Esau, v.55 Esau fears Jacob. Genesis 33:3 Jacob bows seven times to Esau.

Jasher 43:35 -- Isaac went from Hebron to comfort Jacob, his son, because Joseph is dead (sold). Gen. 35:27-29 Isaac died before Joseph even dreamed his dreams.

Jasher 81:38 -- "And the Waters of the sea were divided into twelve parts…." Exodus 14:22 "And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left."

• From The Author’s Imagination?

There are the areas that seem to come from the imagination of the writer, such as Jasher 7:24-30; This passage says the skins that God made for Adam and his wife went to Enoch after their death, then to Methuselah, then to Noah, then Ham stole them and gave them to Cush. They were then passed to Nimrod who became strong when he put on the "magic" garments. Jasher 27:1-11 says that Esau kills Nimrod and takes Adams skins.

Jasher 36:30-35 -- 120 terrible animals from the wilderness came to the asses of Anan. Their shape was from the middle downward of the children of man, and from their middle upward some the likeness of bears, some keephas with tails behind them from between their shoulders reaching down to earth.

Jasher 61:15 -- Zepho kills beast, half man and half animal, "from the middle upward it resembled a man, and from the middle downward it resembled an animal."

Jasher 67:8-52 -- Balaam, Job, and Reuel in Egypt at the same time. Reuel takes Joseph’s stick and returns to Midian.

Jasher 70:1-33 -- At age 3 Moses puts Pharaoh's crown on his head.

Jasher 73 -- King Moses of Cush raises storks to devour serpents that guard city.

Jasher 77:26-51-- Moses beholds the sapphire stick (67:41) in the garden of Reuel with the name of Lord God on stick. (Adam took stick from Eden then it came to Noah, then to Shem, then to Abraham to Isaac, Jacob took it then in Egypt and he gave it to Joseph. After Joseph died Reuel took it and planted it.)

It is obvious that "The Book Of Jasher" is certainly not inspired by the Lord. I heartily disagree with the those in the introduction of the volume that claim "they find nothing in Jasher that contradicts the Bible. Therefore, I can only conclude that while Jasher is an interesting book to read, the reader must be very discerning as to the truth of all or any of the writings in Jasher.

An Overview of the Book of Jasher

Examining Doctrines Forums > Bible Canon

 

The Book of Jasher contradicts the Bible in many places, examples follow:
Jasher 13:5 says that Abram went to the land of Canaan at the age of 50 then back to Haran and back to Canaan at age 75, Genesis 12:4 states that Abram was 75 when he departed Haran.
Jasher 18:9 states that one of the angels tells Abraham that Sarah will have a son, but Gen. 17:16 says that God told Abraham.
Jasher 22:44-45 says the Lord got the idea of presenting Isaac as an offering from Isaac’s boast to Ishmael. We know, of course, that God is sovereign and as it says in Gen. 22:1-2 & 12 that the Lord was testing Abraham.
Genesis 28:5 states that Isaac sent Jacob to Padan-aram unto Laban but Jasher 29:11 says that he fled to the house of Eber and hid there for 14 years.
Jasher 47:9 says Isaac dies, according to the chronology of Jasher, Joseph was in Egypt but in Gen. 35:29 Isaac died before Joseph had his dreams.
Simeon could not be bound in Jasher 51:37 but in Genesis. 42:24 Simeon is bound before their eyes.
There are also many areas that are completely unbiblical.
In Jasher 42:30-41, Rachel talks to Joseph from the grave. This is of course necromancy and is an abomination unto the Lord (Deuteronomy 18:11-12).
According to 53:18-22 Benjamin used a "map (or chart) of stars" to find Joseph. Deuteronomy 18:10 forbids this. It is an abomination to be "an observer of times" (astrologer).
Judah threatens Joseph 54:1-68 with annulations but Genesis 44:14-34 is a plea for Benjamin’s release.
Chapter 71 of Jasher states that Moses was 18 years old when he left Egypt. (Could this be Rabbinical tradition?) He didn’t go to Midian but to Cush and becomes king (72:34-36) and is king over Cush for forty years (73:2), then he goes to Midian where Reuel puts him in prison for 10 years because Reuel thinks Moses is wanted by the Cushites. In the book of Acts (7:23-30) Stephen, inspired by the Holy Spirit, stated the Moses was in Egypt for 40 Years before going to Midian for another 40 years.
Jasher 81:3-4 claims that the Israelites sojourned in Egypt for 210 years whereas the Scripture says in Exodus 12:40-41 it was 430 years.
Jasher 81:40-41says that all but Pharaoh perished in the Red Sea. Pharaoh thanks the Lord and the Lord sends an angel who casts him upon the land of Ninevah where Pharaoh reigned for a long time. Scripture (Exodus 14:23 & 28) states that all perished.
Jasher 32:1-40 -- Esau comes to harm Jacob but angels of the Lord scare Esau, v.55 Esau fears Jacob. Genesis 33:3 Jacob bows seven times to Esau.
Jasher 43:35 -- Isaac went from Hebron to comfort Jacob, his son, because Joseph is dead (sold). Gen. 35:27-29 Isaac died before Joseph even dreamed his dreams.
Jasher 81:38 -- "And the Waters of the sea were divided into twelve parts…." Exodus 14:22 "And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left."

Examining Doctrines Forums > Bible Canon

Israel's Gift to the World

  Israel's Gift to the World

By Alan M. Dershowitz
New York Post | 5/5/2008

As Israel celebrates its 60th birthday, the world should recognize the enormous gifts the Jewish state has given the world. Israel has exported more lifesaving medical technology to the far-flung corners of the earth than any nation of comparable size. It has done more to protect the environment, to promote literature, music, the arts and sciences, to spread agricultural advances and to fight terrorism within the rule of law.

Israel has created a legal system that is the envy of the world, with a Supreme Court that is open to all with few, if any, restrictions on its jurisdiction. As America's most liberal Supreme Court Justice William Brennan observed when he visited Israel in 1988:

"It may well be Israel, not the United States, that provides the best hope for building a jurisprudence that can protect civil liberties against the demands of national security. For it is Israel that has been facing real and serious threats to its security for the last 40 years and seems destined to continue facing such threats in the foreseeable future. The struggle to establish civil liberties against the backdrop of these security threats, while difficult, promises to build bulwarks of liberty that can endure the fears and frenzy of sudden danger - bulwarks to help guarantee that a nation fighting for its survival does not sacrifice those national values that make the fight worthwhile."

Yet despite these disproportionate contributions to the world, Israel has proportionally more enemies than any nation on earth. Moreover, the intensity of the enmity directed against the Mideast's only democracy is unexplainable on any rational basis.

It is remarkable indeed that a democratic nation born in response to a decision of the United Nations should still not be accepted by so many nations, groups and individuals. No other United Nations member is threatened with physical annihilation by other member states so openly and without rebuke from the general assembly or security counsel.
No other nation has been subjected to so many threats of boycott, divestiture, and delegitimation than the Jewish state. No other nation with such high standards of morality has ever been regarded as so immoral by so many members of the media, academia, and the intellectual elite.

Israel's enemies have learned how to take advantage of its high standards of morality. They understand what Golda Meir meant when she said to the terrorists: "We can perhaps forgive you for killing our children but we cannot forgive you for making us kill your children." Islamic extremist leaders who preach the culture of death are indeed trying to make you kill their children, because they know that every time you accidentally do, they win as big a victory as when they deliberately kill one of your children. That is why they fire their rockets from densely-populated areas knowing that you have no choice but to try to destroy their launching pads and knowing that in the process you may kill some innocent people. It is a win-win situation for them and a lose-lose situation for you.

I agree with the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin when he said that Israel should try to make peace as if there were no terrorism and fight terrorism as if there were no peace process. No nation can be expected to endure repeated and systematic attacks against its civilian population, even when those attacks come from civilian areas. No nation can make peace with terrorists who seek not compromise, but total defeat of their enemy.

Israel's continuing efforts to fight terrorists within the rule of law and within the reasonable constraints of human rights and civil liberties may be among Israel's most enduring contributions to the civilized world. Israel's fight is our fight. Israel's struggles are our struggles. Israel's victory over terrorism will be our victory - a victory that will benefit the entire world.

So let the entire free world join Israel in its celebration of sixty years of nationhood, since no nation in the world has contributed more per capita to the general welfare of the people of this planet than Israel.

Happy Birthday to Israel - may she go from strength to strength and from success to success, and may she finally experience the kind of peace and legitimacy she has sought since her creation on the ashes of the Holocaust 60 years ago.

Article

Court rules in favor of T-shirt

 

Court rules in favor of T-shirt

Jeff Johnson - OneNewsNow - 5/5/2008 6:00:00 AM

A federal appeals court is upholding a student's right to wear a T-shirt that promotes a Christian viewpoint on the issue of homosexuality.

One day after the pro-homosexual "Day of Silence" in 2007, administrators at Neuqua Valley, Illinois, High School ordered senior Heidi Zamecnik to cover the message "Be Happy, Not Gay" on her T-shirt -- although students had been allowed to wear T-shirts with messages celebrating homosexuality the previous day.
But Attorney Nate Kellum with the Alliance Defense Fund says Heidi and another plaintiff, Alex Nuxoll, are pleased with the decision from the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to allow such shirts. "He's able to use the T-shirt stating, 'Be Happy, Not Gay,' as a way of communicating his firm Christian belief that homosexual behavior does not lead to happiness," says Kellum.
Kellum notes public school officials have to understand that if they allow some students to publicly express their viewpoint on an issue, they must allow other students to voice differing opinions on the same topic.

Court rules in favor of T-shirt (OneNewsNow.com)

Faith Exposed: Missionary News - Tribal Chant

  New Tribes Mission

My arm stretched out to the clock by the bed. "Is it possible that it's already 2:45 in the morning?" I said to Chris, awake beside me.

Sing-song-y chants competed with the normal jungle night sounds and it meant there would be no sleep tonight.
In the first months living in the jungle, we grew to love our lullaby of clicking and chirping insects as we drift off to sleep.

But last night they were drowned out by hours of chanting and dancing. Even the dogs were quieted this night by the unusual activity.

What competed with the jungle began around 4:30 in the afternoon. An elderly Banwaon man chanting in staccato bursts was followed by a procession of people moving forward with measured steps to the meeting place in the middle of the village — and right beside our house.

As night fell the dim lighting illuminated the open-sided house packed with Banwaons huddled under blankets on the floor or stepping over the huddles.

 
Like relay runners handing off batons, the chanters belted out the sing-song-y rhythms for about 20 minutes or so until the voice began to fade and crack. That was apparently the signal for the next leader to begin.

We couldn't peel our faces away as we watched from our bedroom window, the perfect perch, out of the way and causing no distractions.

At 4 in the morning, the rhythm was notched up a bit and several young men and women scrambled out of their blankets to take part in a graceful dance that circled around those few managing to keep their spot among those sprawled around on the floor.

We watched unwearied by the long hours straining to hear the words that danced about with the people. It all finally came to an end by 11:30 the next morning as they tumbled out of the meeting house for food and rest.

As we soaked in this new experience, we prayed God would help us stay diligent studying this new language. We could understand only a few words that floated up to our window that night. It thrilled our hearts that those words were about God and His Son, Jesus and the work of His blood on the cross for them.

The chanting was of praise and thanksgiving for God the Holy Spirit teaching their hearts through the Word and guiding their praise.

We don't hear much talk about the old days of fearing the evil spirits that once ruled their lives. And we may never fully know what those all-night chants used to mean to them or for what purpose they were performed.

The Banwaon tribe has second generation believers. Praise God that He has shown them His love and given them a new purpose to chant.

Grund Comment: Please consider giving to New Tribes Mission.  If not possible to donate, please pray for them and the important work they do.

NTM Mission News: Tribal Chant

ADF: School says transportation OK for student clubs...unless they’re Christian -

 

Grund Comment: Please consider giving to ADF. But always pray for them.

ADF attorneys file complaint and restraining order against La. school unconstitutionally discriminating against Christian students

LAKE CHARLES, La. — Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund filed a lawsuit and a request for a temporary restraining order against Calcasieu Parish Public Schools Thursday.  School officials prohibited students of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes club from using school buses to attend an event even though the school does not prohibit other clubs from using the buses.

 
“Christian student groups shouldn’t be discriminated against because of their beliefs,” said ADF Senior Counsel David Cortman.  “All student groups have the same First Amendment rights, and schools cannot deny benefits to one club while granting the same benefits to another.”

ADF attorneys pointed out in a letter to the school district that Christian students should not be denied transportation to the event simply because the club and event concern religious subject matter, especially when it allows non-religious clubs similar access to transportation.  After school officials failed to respond favorably to the letter, ADF attorneys filed suit.

If the court grants the request for the temporary restraining order, the FCA club will be allowed to attend the May 1 event.  Non-club-related activities for which the school has used its buses for approved field trips include movies, bowling, alligator hunting, and trips to the shopping mall.

 
A copy of the complaint in A.W. v. Calcasieu Parish School Board filed with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana is available at www.telladf.org/UserDocs/AWcomplaint.pdf.  The motion for temporary restraining order is available at www.telladf.org/UserDocs/AWTRO.pdf.

ADF is a legal alliance defending the right to hear and speak the Truth through strategy, training, funding, and litigation.

www.telladf.org

ADF: School says transportation OK for student clubs...unless they’re Christian - Alliance Defense Fund - Defending Our First Liberty

Israel's UN ambassador calls Carter 'a bigot'

 

NEW YORK - Israel's ambassador to the United Nations on Thursday called former President Jimmy Carter "a bigot" for meeting with the leader of the militant Hamas movement in Syria.

Carter, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, "went to the region with soiled hands and came back with bloody hands after shaking the hand of Khaled Mashaal, the leader of Hamas," Ambassador Dan Gillerman told a luncheon briefing for reporters. The diplomat was questioned about problems facing his country during a wide-ranging discussion with reporters lasting more than an hour. The briefing was sponsored by The Israel Project, a Washington-based, media-oriented advocacy group.
The ambassador's harsh words for Carter came days after the ex-president met with Mashaal for seven hours in Damascus to negotiate a cease-fire with Gaza's Hamas rulers. Carter then called Mashaal on Monday to try to get him to agree to a one-month truce without conditions, but the Hamas leader rejected the idea.
The ambassador called last weekend's encounter "a very sad episode in American history." He said it was "a shame" to see Carter, who had done "good things" as a former president, "turn into what I believe to be a bigot."

... for the rest of the story, follow the link...

Israel's UN ambassador calls Carter 'a bigot' (OneNewsNow.com)

101 Scientific Facts and Foreknowledge From The Bible

 

Grund comment: This is neat!

101 Scientific Facts & Foreknowledge

Science means knowledge, and true science always agrees with the observable evidence. Scientific research continues to unfold the wonders and mysteries of our universe. Interestingly, there is one book that has anticipated many of these scientific facts. That book is the Bible.

Psalm 19:1-3 – The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard.

Jeremiah 10:12 – He has made the earth by His power, He has established the world by His wisdom, and has stretched out the heavens at His discretion.

Romans 1:20 – For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.

This booklet presents 101 scientific facts found in the Scriptures. Many of these facts were penned centuries before they were discovered. Scientific foreknowledge found only in the Bible offers one more piece to the collective proof that the Bible is truly the inspired Word of the Creator. How does this affect you? The last several pages provide the answer – you need to read them carefully.

...Follow the link below...

Eternal Productions - 101 Scientific Facts and Foreknowledge

SEED of EXTINCT DATE PALM SPROUTS After 2,000 YEARS

 

SEED of EXTINCT DATE PALM SPROUTS After 2,000 YEARS

It has five leaves, stands 14 inches high and is nicknamed Methuselah. It looks like an ordinary date palm seedling, but for UCLA- educated botanist Elaine Solowey, it is a piece of history brought back to life. Planted on Jan. 25, the seedling growing

in the black pot in Solowey’s nursery on this kibbutz in Israel’s Arava desert is 2,000 years old — more than twice as old as the 900-year-old biblical character who lent his name to the young tree. It is the oldest seed ever known to produce a viable young tree. The seed that produced Methuselah was discovered during archaeological excavations at King Herod’s palace on Mount Masada, near the Dead Sea. Its age has been confirmed by carbon dating.

Scientists hope that the unique seedling will eventually yield vital clues to the medicinal properties of the fruit of the Judean date tree, which was long thought to be extinct…. The Judean date is chronicled in the Bible, Quran and ancient literature for its diverse powers — from an aphrodisiac to a contraceptive — and as a cure for a wide range of diseases including cancer, malaria and toothache.

For Christians, the palm is a symbol of peace associated with the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. The ancient Hebrews called the date palm the “tree of life” because of the protein in its fruit and the shade given by its long leafy branches. The Arabs said there were as many uses for the date palm as there were days in the year. Greek architects modeled their Ionic columns on the tree’s tall, thin trunk and curling, bushy top. The Romans called it Phoenix dactylifera — “the date-bearing phoenix” — because it never died and appeared to be reborn in the desert where all other plant life perished. Now Solowey and her colleagues have brought this phoenix of the desert back to life after 2,000 years.

The ancient seeds were found 30 years ago during archeological excavations on Mount Masada, the mountaintop fortress on the shore of the Dead Sea where King Herod built a spectacular palace. When the Romans conquered Palestine and laid waste to the Temple in Jerusalem, Masada was the last stand of a small band of Jewish rebels who held out against three Roman legions for several years before committing mass suicide in A.D. 73. Archaeologist Ehud Netzer found the seeds, which were identified by the department of botanical archaeology at Israel’s Bar-Ilan University. Then they were placed in storage, where they lay for 30 years until Sallon heard about the cache. “When we asked if we could try and grow some of them, they said, ‘You’re mad,’ but they gave us three seeds,” she said.

Sallon took the seeds to Solowey, who has cultivated more than 3,000 date palms and rarities like the trees that produce the fragrant resins frankincense and myrrh. Solowey admits she was skeptical about the chances of success with this project. “When I received the seeds from Sarah, I thought the chances of this experiment succeeding were less than zero,” said Solowey, cradling the precious seedling in a specially quarantined section of her nursery on the kibbutz. “But Dr. Sallon insisted and I took this very seriously. Lotus seeds over 1,000 years old have been sprouted, and I realized that no one had done any similar work with dates, so why not give it our best shot – and we were rewarded.” “It’s certainly the oldest tree seed that’s ever been sprouted.

Wheat seeds from pharaohs’ tombs have been sprouted, but none of the plants have survived for very long. Before this, the oldest seed grown was a lotus from China, which was 1,200 years old,” she said. “I’m very excited. I wasn’t expecting anything to happen. I’m really interested in finding out what the DNA testing is going to show. I know that date seeds can stay alive for several decades. To find out that they can stay alive for millennia is astonishing.” …

When the Romans invaded ancient Judea, thick forests of date palms towering up to 80 feet high and 7 miles wide covered the Jordan River valley from the Sea of Galilee in the north to the shores of the Dead Sea in the south. The tree so defined the local economy that Emperor Vespasian celebrated the conquest by minting the “Judea Capta,” a special bronze coin that showed the Jewish state as a weeping woman beneath a date palm. Today, nothing remains of those mighty forests…. The ancient Judean date, renowned for its succulence and famed for its many medicinal properties, had been lost to history. Until now. ~Matthew Kalman, SF Chronicle Foreign Service.

2007 November « redbowtie motivation

Ted Turner's Next Prophecy: Food Riots 'Going to be More Commonplace'

 

After forecasting cannibalism from global warming, media mogul-turned-U.N. Foundation chairman appears on CNBC and ties 'global climate change' to 'an ever-increasing population.'
 

The current food shortage is going to get worse before it gets better – at least that’s the way the founder of CNN sees it.

Ted Turner was interviewed by CNBC’s Bob Pisani on the April 25 “Closing Bell.” He addressed the recent food shortages causing rationing and riots all over the globe and said it’s just a sign of things to come.

“There are a lot of different problems being caused by an ever-increasing number of people in a finite-sized world,” Turner said. “The resources of the planet just can’t keep up with the demand and I’m afraid this going to be more commonplace. I’m afraid we’re just seeing the tip of the iceberg. It’s very complicated I do want to say.”

...follow the link for the rest of the story...

Ted Turner's Next Prophecy: Food Riots 'Going to be More Commonplace'

Global rice squeeze hitting U.S. consumers

 

George Raine, Chronicle Staff Writer

Friday, April 25, 2008

The climbing global price of rice and other staples shows no sign of leveling off, given caps placed on exports and various supply-side squeezes. As a result, food experts predict hunger and poverty in poor nations along with a restricted supply of grains coupled with rising prices in this country.

The worldwide rice crisis lapped over into the United States this week when Costco Wholesale and Wal-Mart's Sam's Club, the two biggest warehouse retail chains, limited the amount of bulk imported rice customers can buy. Sam's Club said the restriction is due to "recent supply and demand trends."

The shortage reflects restrictions on exports by major rice producers, notably India, Vietnam and Egypt, followed on Wednesday by Brazil, causing imbalance in world markets. These nations acted to ensure adequate domestic supplies amid rising world prices for preferable varieties of long-grain rice. Drought has contributed to the shortage, as has hoarding, experts say.

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Global rice squeeze hitting U.S. consumers

NHS Lothian and Ramadan - Statement

Grund Comment: It has been brought to my attention that the story Daily Express- Doctors give in to Muslims  which I posted on 9/11/07 was not correct. I posted the statement below the purple text.

One of my questions: why are not emails sent from top management to senior managers about the sensitivities to Jews cultural issues or Hindu cultural issues or Buddhist cultural issues or Christian cultural issues?

When my CIO (my boss) gets an email from the CEO (*his* boss) suggesting that he do something, you darn well know that the CIO will take it as a "do it" type suggestion, kinda like the "i'm volunteering you' type thing.

So although the particulars may be incorrect, the essence of the article is correct.

One group, based on religion is making everyone else jump through hoops.

NHS Lothian and Ramadan - Statement

THERE is no question - despite reports in the national and local media - that staff in NHS Lothian have been ordered not to eat at their desks for fear of offending Muslim colleagues. Nor is there any question that NHS Lothian will be moving vending machines.

However NHS Lothian has a duty to be sensitive to needs of people of all faiths and no faith.

This story stems from an email sent to NHS Lothian and other health boards by a private public affairs consultancy. This email gave helpful background information to organisations across Scotland about Ramadan, a major Muslim religious celebration.

The email contained information on the requirements placed on Muslim colleagues and patients in observing Ramadan.

It contained a couple of suggestions for maintaining productivity. It suggested that working lunches could be difficult for Muslim colleagues who would be fasting, if observing the celebration. It also suggested organisations should consider, if felt appropriate, temporarily changing the route of food trolleys to be sensitive to colleagues who adhere to the Muslim faith. These suggestions - not orders - have been greatly exaggerated in the media and given a force they do not have.

The email was forwarded to a small number of senior managers across NHS Lothian for background information only.

It was not forwarded as a policy directive, nor was it in any way an official NHS Lothian document.

15 August 2007

NHS Lothian and Ramadan - Statement

Behind the Run on Rice

 

Despite bumper crops in Vietnam and India, export limits and bans have created a global shortage and driven up prices

At the Costco in San Francisco, rice is all the rage. Not long after the 10 a.m. opening on Apr. 24, the warehouse club was well on its way to selling out the day's supply of Thai jasmine rice. Within an hour, customers cleared three pallets loaded with 50-lb. bags of Super Lucky Elephant brand jasmine rice from Thailand. Real estate broker Mary Jane Galviso snapped up two bags—the limit imposed by this particular store. "This is very frightening," says Galviso, who hails from Orosi, a rural community in California's Central Valley, more than 200 miles southeast of San Francisco. Her local grocery, which specializes in Filipino foods, has run out of Thai jasmine.

In a dramatic development for U.S. consumers this month, shoppers and Asian and Indian restaurant owners started panic-buying two of the highest-premium varieties of rice—Thai jasmine and Indian basmati. That led many grocers to run out of the rice, and warehouse clubs including Costco and Sam's Club imposed limits on how much rice shoppers can buy.

The restrictions placed by Issaquah (Wash.)-based Costco (COST) vary across the country, while Sam's Club, a division of Wal-Mart Stores (WMT), limited its customers to four 20-lb. bags of rice. "We've heard of cases where restaurant owners are hoarding three weeks' supply of rice in their basement, which is obviously more than they currently need, which makes the situation even worse," says Richard Galanti, Costco's chief financial officer.

...follow the below link for the rest of the story...

Behind the Run on Rice