WAR OF PERCEPTION

America tolerates anti-Christian double standard

Recently in my ultra-liberal city of Portland, I found myself driving behind a car with just one bumper sticker. “So many Christians,” it read, “So few lions.” I wondered what could possess a person to adorn their car with this one homicidal sentiment—and then possess my community to let them drive around, unaccosted. A friend and I discussed later what other slogans might be put on a bumper sticker.

What if it said “So many Jews, so few gas chambers”? It could read, “So many blacks, so few nooses.” Or “So many Muslims, so few Abu Ghraibs.” How long would it take for a car with that sticker to be pulled over? Twenty minutes?  

The double standard is evident everywhere.

A superior court judge recently ruled that the National Education Association can discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation—if they’re discriminating against ex-gays. The NEA refused to let an ex-gay organization run an information booth at their conference, and the judge said this was fine. The DC Office of Human Rights said ex-gays aren’t protected from discrimination because their sexual orientation obviously isn’t “immutable;” (they abandoned practicing homosexuality). This kind of wordplay just shows the power of legal activists to manipulate discrimination laws to protect some citizens not others.

The Washington Times reports that a ten-year-old New Hampshire girl has been ordered to attend public school; the state disapproves of her mother’s firm Christianity and says she must be exposed to other religious faiths. Would they have done this to a Jewish or Muslim child? Unlikely.

By “exposure to other religious faiths,” the court really means “exposure to severe skepticism about Christianity.” In time for next Easter, children’s author Philip Pullman will treat us to his latest book, The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ. The book claims the apostle Paul cooked up the “story” that Jesus was divine. Pullman told The Times that Paul’s “fervid imagination” is the only reason anyone thinks Jesus was the incarnated God. A rep from Canongate Books calls it a “book of genuine importance, a radical and ingenious retelling of the life of Jesus that demystifies and illuminates this most famous and influential of stories.” But you don’t have to wait until Easter for more pseudo-history claiming to uncloak the real facts about Jesus’ illegitimacy, bastard love child with Mary Magdalene, or other attacks on the faith. Christmas is right around the corner, and it brings scholarly attacks on Christianity as dependably as supermarket poinsettias.

The double standard also extends to those notorious cartoons. The Danes’ one-panel Mohammed cartoon created a ruckus around the world. Jews fight back too: the Arab European League is being prosecuted for a one-panel cartoon less than reverent about the Holocaust. But what about Christians? An entire comic book, Prince of Pieces, skewers a zombie Jesus—and no one fears hate crime charges. By Sam Miserendino, the comic book is about “a pissed off zombie Jesus returning to devour the flesh of sinners…As one character wryly observes, "For two thousand years you've been eating His flesh and drinking His blood... Now it's His turn."” The comic book isn’t even enough; a film is in the works, too.

This is not a time for Christians to go silent. Visit www.truthtellers.org for easy-to-follow steps to protest legislative threats to our freedom: threats going forward in Congress right now. This matters far more than protesting even the most grotesque media assault.

There is something each of us can do. My youngest sister reposted one of our stories on Facebook. Sheets of letters to the president, protesting his upcoming signing of the hate bill, sit near our fax machine. I’ve been considering how to carve out twenty minutes daily to call Congress, or commit to call just twenty names.

We need to make protest part of our daily lives, as the attack only thickens. There is reason for hope. Democrats dominate both houses of Congress, making them highly vulnerable at this time of intense voter dissatisfaction. God could still reverse the insidious tide sweeping us out to anti-Christian, anti-freedom seas—if we unite our faith with action.

What really empowers rampant anti-Christianity?

So few Christians who will put lions in their cages.

By Harmony Grant

ALERT! - " Hate Bill Put on Hold in Senate Judiciary" - Ted Pike

By Rev Ted Pike

On Monday, May 4, Sen. Edward Kennedy's office told me that, although hearings on his hate crimes bill, S. 909, were not scheduled, Judiciary could vote on Tuesday to send it immediately forward to the floor of the Senate.

There was no discussion of the hate bill in Judiciary on Tuesday.

Instead, Sen. Patrick Leahy, Judiciary chairman, said he will inform us when he has decided to move the hate bill through Judiciary, or hold hearings -- if hearings are to be held. He says he will give one week's notice at www.judiciary.senate.govif the hate bill is to be considered. This means at least a week's delay -- if we can trust Leahy, which I don't.

Yet, possible delay is very good news! It gives lovers of freedom time to thoroughly blacken the reputation of S. 909, accurately describing it as a pedophile-protecting hate bill. Complete documentation for this claim is provided by NPN's latest 9-minute video "Stop the Pedophile-Protecting Hate Bill!" on the home page at www.truthtellers.org.

With Democrats in control of Congress and a President pledged to sign the hate bill, they are in a position of great advantage. We have known it would take a great deal of activism by American patriots and a miracle of God to defeat the hate bill, and we have been watching to see what He would do. Viewing hearings in the House Judiciary Committee on April 22-23, I recognized His way of deliverance when Democrats refused Rep. King's amendment excluding homosexual pedophiles from special federal protection. As soon as the bill passed out of committee, I issued an e-alert and was on the radio dramatizing this unbelievable error of judgment and urging all lovers of freedom to call members of the House, urging them not to vote for a bill that protects pedophiles.

Then, when Rep. Alcee Hastings defiantly proclaimed on the floor of the House last week that not only pedophilia but all of the other 546 sexual deviancies, or paraphilias, listed by the American Psychiatric Association would be specially protected under the hate bill, I knew the Lord had delivered the hate bill forces into our hands. We had been given an issue capable of defeating the hate bill where other arguments would fail. Every American, whether conservative or liberal, religious or non-religious, has a visceral disgust at those who rape little boys and girls.

Within hours of Hastings' verbal indiscretion, I increased my media warnings that the hate bill was a pedophile-protecting bill! The next day, our new video, making visual and audible Hastings' declaration, was posted at www.truthtellers.org.

I was very gratified that two of the most outspoken evangelical watchdog groups, Janet Porter's Faith2Action and Traditional Values Coalition, soon appreciated what the Democrats had given us.

In a conference call last week with evangelical leaders, hosted by Dr. Wiley Drake, I explained to Janet and others why the pedophile-protecting issue should be magnified. She had me on her syndicated radio show (85 affiliates) to explain this new approach to her evangelical audience. This morning, WorldNetDaily (circulation seven million) published her dynamic and incisive call for Christian protest of what she calls the "Pedophile Protection Act."

Similarly, I was able yesterday to reach a very large evangelical audience. Janet interviewed me again, as did Pat Kiley and Dr. Laurie Roth -- interviews broadcast over at least 325 radio stations, largely Christian, Salem Media affiliates. The seven national broadcasts I did yesterday, ending with Jeff Rense, reached well over a half million Americans, challenging them to call Congress demanding an end to the "pedophile-protecting hate bill."

Democrats Reconnoiter

Without a doubt, massive protest calling, which largely jammed phone lines of Senate Judiciary members Monday morning, is causing Democrats to pause. Cocky and overconfident after their stunning House victory last week, they now seem to be proceeding with caution. Sen. Kennedy's office would betray nothing of strategic importance on Tuesday, nor would Sen. Leahy's. With Democrats one vote shy of a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, are they considering waiting until Al Franken is seated, something that could consume months? Or will they move the hate bill forward rapidly without hearings, counting on pro-hate bill Republicans to give them the necessary advantage? At this time, no one but Democrat power brokers knows the answer to these questions.

One thing we do know: Even though the liberal media and most of the largest mainstream conservative talk shows and print media remain silent regarding even the existence of the hate bill in Congress, you and I, through venues such as talk radio and the internet, are capable of wielding a very large black brush -- a brush that can tar the federal hate crimes bill as the most despised legislation in American history.

Call 1-877-851-6437 toll free or 1-202-225-3121 toll. Names of all Senate members are posted on the action page at www.truthtellers.org.

Tell all Senators: "Please don't vote for the pedophile-protecting federal hate crimes bill, S. 909. Please insist on Judiciary hearings to debate this very dangerous, freedom-threatening legislation."

Don't let up on your calling to the Senate. Leahy, Kennedy, and Reid are counting on the furor to die down, as other issues and manufactured distractions compete for our attention. They think time is on their side. Actually, it's on ours. In the days, perhaps weeks to come, we have the opportunity to drive home again and again and again to every Senator that voting for a pro-pedophile hate bill is potential political suicide.

Samson Blinded: A Machiavellian Perspective on the Middle East Conflict

Shoher's Musings

The book's dedication could be expanded to include Baruch Goldstein. Isn't he a criminal? For one, aren't Bonnie and Clyde criminals, and yet they became popular, almost positive characters.

An “Eye For An Eye”

I disagree with Goldstein on technicality, the place. Terrorists do not largely attack synagogues, and he should not shoot in a mosque. An idea behind an eye for an eye is very clear connection between damage and retribution. Had he been shooting in a bus - like the terrorists do - many would find that less objectionable.

Hurrah For Osama!

I love bin Laden! I was telling the Israelisfor years to start reprisals against Saudi oil facilities to stop financing of Wahhabism and Palestinian terrorists. The only one who listens is Osama. Oil corporations are greedy but cowardly. Few attacks will sent them looking for more stable sources - Russian, Central Asian, and American. Without Saudi money, Islamic clerics worldwide will abandon Wahhabism. That will not extinguish terrorism, but will dry its religious support base. Besides, I believe in vengeance. So, hurrah to Osama! Go on against the Saudis!

Censorship

We launched a petition to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities, and what is really odd, the number of news agencies that refuse us coverage because of the violence involved. They have no problem to cover Islamic terrorism or Iraqi insurgency, though. In politically correct societies, media forget that they serve to deliver news, and begin censoring opinions. Done with government censorship, welcome to corporate censorship. Back to the violence, everyone lauds police violently catching violent criminals. Not violence per se is bad, but only initiated violence; we object violence that initiate damages, not violence that mitigates them.

Religion Of Peace?

Some rabbis, mostly Reform, tell us that Judaism is a religion of peace, and we should not introduce violence. My reply is, Read the Tanakh! Moses killed the Egyptian. Hebrews incessantly warred in Sinai, and Joshua exterminated the Canaanites. Prophets urged Jews for the utmost intolerance toward idolaters, and many respected Jewish kings led expansionist wars. Psalmist was much less than loving toward enemies (remember where that hate-no-one-love-your-enemies is from?) Maccabees were everything but nice to Jewish gentilizers, and neither was bar Kochba. Modern Israelis violently swept Arab enemies in every war, and only the pseudo-liberal government prevents the Jews from carving a decent state for themselves.

Judeo-Christianity

What a bizarre notion Judeo-Christianity is! Judaism and Christianity are the different poles, practicality and idealism. Jews do not preach poverty and humility. Judaism and Christianity are incompatible, not parts of the same culture. If anything, Islam is closer to Judaism than Christianity is. It is also repugnant to side with people who oppressed and exterminated Jews for millennia against Muslims who were reasonably tolerant to the Jews. Peaceful relations with Christians are perfect, but lumping Jewish heritage together with Christian doctrine is abominable.

“Cooks Can Govern The Country”

Opponents of Revisionist Zionism tout Einstein's condemnation of Zhabotinsky. If Zhabotinsky understood nothing in physics, why assume Einstein understood anything in politics? Menachem Begin and Arik Sharon were great soldiers, but they committed major political mishaps. Lenin exaggerated when remarked that cooks can govern the country. Politics is an art, and requires high and specialized skills.

Divine Intervention

Nazis exterminated European Jews; how can we still claim the divine protection and biblical rights? The Lubavitcher Rebe remarked that he sees divine intervention in Germany, the military superpower, being crashed. Also in being a few months short to develop nuclear bomb. But the German annihilation of Jews reminds of the generation of Egyptian bondage that perished in Sinai steppe. Only free Hebrews were to enter the Promised Land with Joshua. Could not it be the divine intention to keep the shtetl Jews out of Israel? In the last moment, the divine compassion saved the remnant: the accursed Stalin died before realizing the already launched relocation of the remaining Jews to Siberia, exactly the place the Nazis initially fathomed for their bloodless extermination.

Hamas

Hamas' victory benefits Israel. Efficient terrorists will become corrupt, non-delivering politicians. Involving them in political process is the most straight way to discredit them.

Major Terrorist Attack Brewing

Bin Laden's offer of truce concerns me a lot. Earlier, he offered the West to convert, and himself as spiritual guide for that conversion. The symbolism is there, Osama shows that he tried every option to spare the West. It looks like a major terrorist attack is brewing.

So much attention to Rafsanjani's anti-Israeli pronouncements... His is mere rhetoric, common among Muslims. The attention will only provoke him to talk more in the same vein.

Rendering Unto Caesar

At the request of the White House, Georgetown University covered up all the symbols in Gaston Hall, before the Great Man spoke, including IHS, the millennia-old monogram for the name of Jesus Christ.
Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus, had adopted the monogram in his seal and it became an emblem of the Jesuit order.

When it comes to rendering unto Caesar, Georgetown is not going to be outshone by Notre Dame, which stole a march by offering the nation’s avatar of abortion a doctorate of laws degree, honoris causa.

Actually, it is regrettable the IHS in Gaston Hall was not covered up in shame the first week of Lent. For that week Georgetown’s feminist and homosexual clubs, such as GU Pride, put on a Gomorrah festival about alternative lifestyles called “Sex Positive Week.”

Monday, according to The Newman Club, featured a speaker for Black Rose, which “provides a forum for many different expressions of power in love and play. This can include dominance & submission, bondage and discipline, fetishism, cross-dressing, to name a few.”

Ash Wednesday’s talk was “Torn About Porn,” advertised as a “discussion about arguably alternative forms of pornography that are not supposed to be exploitative, but rather radical and empowering.”

Saturday’s talk was by a pornographic film director and was titled “Relationships Beyond Monogamy.”

At Loyola of Chicago that week, the Student Diversity and Cultural Affairs Office presented “Brother to Brother,” a film the Newman Society reports, about “a homosexual African-American who is transported in time to cavort with the allegedly homosexual Langston Hughes.”

The movie is said to be part of “a semester-long ‘Color of Queer Film Series,’ sponsored by the university.

At Catholic Seattle University, that first week of Lent was “Transgender Awareness Week,” featuring a “session on allegedly transgender Bible heroes and heroines and ‘Criss-Cross Day’ where students are encouraged to ‘come dressed for the day in your best gender-bending outfit.”

This is surely anecdotal evidence to confirm Newsweek in the conclusion reached in its cover story of Holy Week, “The End of Christian America.”

Indeed, not only are many once-Catholic colleges and universities now wandering in what Pope Benedict XVI calls a “desert of godlessness,” Catholic belief and practice are not remotely what they were before Vatican II. Where three-fourth of Catholics attended mass weekly in the 1950s, today it is one-fourth. A third of all Catholics raised in the Faith have fallen away.

One in ten American adults is a lapsed Catholic. Catholicism’s quarter of the population is maintained only by mass immigration and, secondarily, by conversions.

Self-identified Christians in the United States have fallen from 86 percent of the population in 1990 to 76 percent today. Those who say they have no religion have doubled as a share of the nation from 8 to 16 percent. Where 69 percent of Americans said we are a Christian country in 1990, only 62 percent say that today.

America is being systematically de-Christianized and secularized.

For the social, moral and cultural revolution of the 1960s, rooted in non- and anti-Christian beliefs and values, has captured the culture, and converted many of the young. Among Americans 18 to 29, a fourth profess to be atheist, agnostic, or of no religious faith.

The figure is surely higher among the college young.

Second reason for the triumph of secularism is that it long ago captured the Supreme Court. Since the Everson decision of 1947, justices have expunged Christianity and all its books and symbols from the public square and public schools.

Voluntary prayer, the Ten Commandments, Bible reading, Christmas plays and carols, Nativity scenes, Easter vacation, before-game prayers, benedictions at graduations—all have been ordered terminated by unelected judges—against the will of the majority.

Abortion on demand, too, was imposed by judicial fiat.

Thus, as America ceases to be a Christian country, it is ceasing to be a democratic one.

Consider. In every referendum in 16 states, where homosexual marriage has been on the ballot, majorities ranging from 52 to 86 percent have voted to outlaw it as an absurdity and an abomination.

Yet, in Massachusetts, California and Iowa, unelected judges have imposed it, as they will in other states, regardless of what the people want or how the people vote. For secularism has become the established religion of the American state and judges are the high priests of the new order.

Yet, one wonders if they know what lies at the end of the road upon which they have set the nation.

For five decades, Americans resisted Godless Communism. If they come to realize they did so to save Godless Capitalism, or Godless Socialism, what happens to loyalty and love of country?

To love one’s country, said Edmund Burke, one’s country ought to be lovely. If this is not God’s country anymore, whose country is it?

By Patrick J. Buchanan

Bishop Richard Williamson Ordered To Leave Argentina

An English bishop who denies the holocaust has been ordered to leave Argentina.

Bishop Richard Williamson has been give ten days to leave the country or face expulsion after global controversy over his views and the Vatican’s attitudes towards them.

The Argentine Interior Ministry said Bishop Williamson’s statements on the Holocaust “profoundly insult Argentine society, the Jewish community and all of humanity by denying an historic truth”.

An international furore erupted last month after Pope Benedict XVI lifted the excommunication of Bishop Williamson, along with three other bishops of the ultra-conservative sect, the Society of Pope Pius X.

Bishop Williamson denies any Jews died in gas chambers - calling such claims “lies” - and says that no more than 300,000 died in Nazi concentration camps. The commonly accepted figure is six million.

Bishop Williamson had been head of La Reja seminary in Buenos Aires since 2003 but he was removed from that job last week.

The Argentine interior ministry said that Bishop Williamson had not declared “his true activity” as the director of the seminary on immigration forms, and had “concealed the true motive for his stay in the country” by claiming to be an employee of a non-governmental body.

The government said it had been unaware of Bishop Williamson’s position until recent publicity, but added that his views were a factor in the decision to expel him.

Guillermo Oliveri, the government’s secretary for religious affairs, said: “I absolutely agree with the expulsion of a man residing in our country following his statements [denying] one of the greatest human tragedies.”

Christian Bouchacourt, the director the Latin American branch of the Society of Pope Pius X, said at the time of his dismissal that Bishop Williamson’s views “in no way reflect the position of our congregation”.

Tonight the Vatican said it had no comment on the Argentine decision. Bishop Williamson is thought to still be in Argentina and it is unclear where he might go.

The row started last month when the Pope decided to lift the excommunication, imposed in 1988. The Vatican explained that his aim was to bring the Society of Pope Pius X back towards unity with the Church, and that he had been unaware of Bishop Williamson’s views.

Two weeks ago the Vatican ordered Bishop Williamson to recant his statements “in an absolutely equivocal and public fashion”. Pope Benedict XVI met American Jewish leaders to say that Holocaust denial was “intolerable” and that he wanted to offer “the hand of friendship” to Jews.

The Vatican was trying to close down a row that had seen other faith leaders and even Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, criticise the decision to lift Bishop Williamson’s excommunication.

Bishop Williamson has apologised for the anguish caused by his views, which he first expressed in 1989, but not for the views themselves.

The Society of Pope Pius X was founded by the French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre in revulsion at the liberalising reforms of the second Vatican Council of the 1960s.

Bishop Williamson, an Old Wykehamist and Cambridge graduate, converted to Rome from Anglicanism at the age of 30. “I knew the world was going to hell in a handbasket and the Catholic religion is the only answer,” he explained.

“I believe that the historical evidence is strongly against, is hugely against, six million Jews having been deliberately gassed in gas chambers as a deliberate policy of Adolf Hitler,” he told Swedish television last month, days before the Pope’s decision.

Chris Smyth / TimesOnline