“Watch and be ready
“Avoid Entanglements in the World”
Saturday, March 27, 2010 |
Weekend Update |
Israeli Court Says No Passover Sacrifice In Jerusalem Again This Year
The Israeli Supreme Court has rejected a petition requesting that Jews be enabled to offer the Passover Sacrifice this coming Monday, the eve of the holiday. Similar petitions have been submitted and rejected in recent years. Tuesday, a rally demanding “freedom of Jewish worship” on the Temple Mount was held in Jerusalem. MORE |
Socialism is Not Compassionate, and Why This Should Matter to Christians
Christians should care about politics because, ultimately, we care about people. Government has an increasingly large influence on the lives of people, thus we cannot ignore politics. Further, almost every law reflects someone’s idea of morality. Since God’s morality is ultimate and universal, society benefits by the Christian’s participation in the public square. That is, society benefits when biblical truth is reflected in law. MORE |
Clergy Abuse Threatens to Tarnish Pope's Legacy
The Vatican is facing one of its gravest crises of modern times as sex abuse scandals move ever closer to Pope Benedict XVI — threatening not only his own legacy but also that of his revered predecessor. Benedict took a much harder stance on sex abuse than John Paul II when he assumed the papacy five years ago, disciplining a senior cleric championed by the Polish pontiff and defrocking others under a new policy of zero tolerance. MORE |
Jesus Did Not Wear a "Kick Me" Sign
Yesterday evening I checked my mailbox. Junk mail. As usual.But this time, one of the advertisements caught my eye. It was a postcard from a church in my area—an invitation to their special Easter services. The front of the advertisement read: “We’re nearly as harmless as, well…a bunny.” Followed by a picture of one of those marshmallow “peeps.” I kid you not. I flipped the card over and read: Does the thought of going to church make you uneasy, even a little queasy? Maybe you’re worried about what to wear or what others will think. At ___, we’ve worked really hard to make your experience non-threatening, beneficial, and even fun. We have a no-pressure, laid-back style and everyone is welcome! Stop by one of our.…" MORE
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Rome Police Detain 4 US Church Abuse Victims
Four American victims of clergy sexual abuse say they were detained and questioned by Italian police in Rome after showing photos of the pope during a news conference outside St. Peter's Square. Barbara Blaine, one of the victims, said Thursday after emerging from a police station near the Vatican that officers told them a judge will decide if they will be charged...they were detained because they didn't have a permit for a news conference. MORE |
Seattle Mom: School Sent My Daughter for Secret Abortion without Telling Me
A Seattle mother is furious after learning that her 15-year-old daughter was sent by her school's health center for a secret abortion, reports ABC-affiliate KOMO. The mother, identified only as “Jill,” says her daughter was given a pregnancy test at Ballard High School's Teen Health Center, which came back positive. Rather than informing the parents, she said, the center gave the girl a pass and put her in a taxi for the abortuary, all during school hours. "They just told her that if she concealed it from her family, that it would be free of charge and no financial responsibility," Jill said. MORE |
Speaker Pelosi Praises United Methodist Support for Obamacare
During closing remarks before the House of Representatives approved passage of health care legislation, Speaker Nancy Pelosi thanked religious left groups for their enthusiastic support. Specifically cited among them was the United Methodist Church for having lobbied Congress to "Say yes to health care reform." MORE |
Jailed US Missionary Faces Business, Personal Woes
As an Idaho woman sits in a jail in Haiti, her Internet business is closing and her ex-husband is seeking sole custody of their 5-year-old daughter and 15-year-old son. Terry Silsby also has asked the courts to demand immediate return of his children's passports and require that Laura Silsby obtain "medical clearance" before having contact with them. MORE |
What Pastors Owe Their Churches
Two thousand years ago the apostle Paul, church planter and pastor par excellence, declared that he was a debtor to those to whom he ministered. He sensed an obligation to discharge, a duty to perform, and a debt to pay—both to the unsaved and to the saints in Rome (Romans 1:11–15). Ministers today are expected to labor with that same sense of indebtedness to their congregations. Why are they so obligated? The answer lies in an understanding of the dual calling of pastors. First, there is the calling by God to this specialized ministry of shepherding a local congregation (Ephesians 4:11). Being a pastor is the most notable vocation known to man. MORE | 
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DNA Identifies New Ancient Human Dubbed 'X-Woman'
Scientists have identified a previously unknown type of ancient human through analysis of DNA from a finger bone unearthed in a Siberian cave. The extinct "hominin" (human-like creature) lived in Central Asia between 48,000 and 30,000 years ago. An international team has sequenced genetic material from the fossil showing that it is distinct from that of Neanderthals and modern humans. MORE |
Greek Churches to be Taxed in Govt’s Response to Economic Crisis
The Greek government has announced it will start taxing churches as part of its efforts to get out of its financial crisis. A new draft bill to be tabled in parliament next week imposes a 20 per cent tax on the Orthodox church's real estate income, reportedly worth over 10 million Euros (US $14.8 million) a year, reports say. MORE |
Brazilian Couple Receive Criminal Conviction for Homeschooling
Despite the fact that his children passed difficult government imposed tests, and even qualified for law school at the ages of 13 and 14, homeschooler Cleber Nunes and his wife Bernadeth have been slapped with fines equivalent to a total of $3,200 for refusing to submit their children to the Brazilian school system. MORE |
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