THE 10 ABSOLUTE WORST PLACES IN THE WORLD TO BE A CHRISTIAN

January 8, 2014, The Blaze

Open Doors USA, an organization that monitors and exposes Christian persecution around the globe, has released its “2014 World Watch List” — a report that highlights and ranks the worst nations in the world to be a Christian.

Topping the list this year are countries known for brutal government crackdowns or for the uncontrolled and murderous tactics of extremist groups within their borders.

The absolute worst places to be a Christian this year are: North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.

The below graphic shows the top 10 most brutal countries for believers; the 2013 results are also present to the right, so you can see where these nations placed last year (for a full explanation on the 2013 results, read our previous coverage):

CONTINUED.  

SEN. TED CRUZ ISSUES MAJOR GAY MARRIAGE WARNING FOR PASTORS AND CHRISTIANS, ALIKE

Supporters of traditional marriage often fear the free speech ramifications that could emerge as as result of increasing support for gay marriage in the United States. But are these worries really legitimate?

In an interview with CBN’s David Brody, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican, joined in this chorus, warning that the push in favor of same-sex unions could, indeed, put First Amendment protections at risk.

“If you look at other nations that have gone down the road towards gay marriage, that’s the next step of where it gets enforced,” he said of hate speech regulations that are in place in other countries.

“It gets enforced against Christian pastors who decline to perform gay marriages, who speak out and preach biblical truths on marriage and that has been defined elsewhere as hate speech — as inconsistent with the enlightened view of government,” Cruz added.

CONTINUED:  http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/07/23/sen-ted-cruz-issues-major-gay-marriage-warning-for-pastors-and-christians-alike/

Time is running out as World War III looms on the horizon

As detailed by well known Erwin W. Lutzer in his book “When a Nation Forgets God,” an unidentified Christian pastor shared a story with him of someone living in Germany during the Nazi takeover. The person sharing the story was a churchgoing Christian and a member of a small church located adjacent to railroad tracks.

Every Sunday morning, according to this eyewitness, the congregation could hear the whistle of the train in the distance, the noise of the wheels over the tracks, and as the train passed, the cries coming from inside the train. The cries were those of the Jews being transported to concentration camps, a process that occurred with regularity each Sunday morning during their worship service.



According to this eyewitness, week after week the whistle would blow and the church members dreaded the sounds they heard. The screams tormented them. So, what did they do? As the train approached and in anticipation of the screams from the Jews, herded like cattle into the train cars, the Christians sang louder to drown out the screams. Soon, they heard them no more.


The eyewitness ended his account by describing the torment of hearing the train whistle in his sleep, and pleaded for forgiveness for not only himself, but for all of those who called themselves Christians but did nothing to intervene.


Regardless of your faith or station in life, chances are great that you are exactly like that eyewitness, and equally, if not more accountable for the actions of our government today. What is coming is going to be far worse than the world has ever seen, and is going to blindside many. Don’t be one of them.


World War III is looming like the train whistle in the distance   A global war of unimaginable atrocities is being planned as I write this. It has been in the works for some time, yet few will want to read what I have written. Rather, most will instead choose to “sing louder” to drown out the screams of innocents, except this time, the screams will be too loud, too frequent, and too many.


The United States of America has been overtaken from within by a group of heartless and soulless individuals with designs on reshaping the world into a state of global governance. They are members of both political parties, and part of their plans include reshaping the Middle East at any cost, including the inevitable and incalculable cost of human life. Currently at the helm is Barack Hussein Obama, although his way was paved by the majority of his predecessors and elected officials of both parties.


He was purposely selected as the man for the job to insure that the inappropriately celebrated Arab Spring that swept North Africa and the Middle East was conducted as planned. It was a staged and orchestrated event by the globalists and those in power in the U.S. and elsewhere. Using your tax dollars and in your name, the United States has been providing funding and operational support to the groups toppling governments in favor of radical Islamic control. Such control is nothing but a necessary means to an end. While many correctly decry the brutality of Islam, few realize that is a tool of the globalists. They are not thinking big enough. The lie is bigger than you have been told   CONTINUED:  http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/56239?utm_source=CFP+Mailout&utm_campaign=bfcd19a9a0-Call_to_Champions&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d8f503f036-bfcd19a9a0-291132961

Clash of Faith and Tyranny

Sharon Sebastian: Clash of Faith and Tyranny
February 8, 2013

Tyrants in-the-making initially display the veneer of compassion for “their people.” They make irrational promises of a utopian existence to garner support of the masses. Their power often emanates from public adulation. Such adulation, combined with a tyrant’s narcissistic inability to be self-critical, imbues a superiority that progresses into self-worship. The greater their power, the more tyrants succumb to self-glorification even to the point of challenging the laws of God. Progressively, they enforce an aberrant legal system with fines, penalties and punishments to force compliance to their will. Those who disagree, pay severe retributions. Devaluing life is key, in that it allows for mistreatment or eventual eradication of selected groups whether they are in opposition or indefensible numbers. Absolute control comes with the power to decide the death of citizens without legal oversight. It is the way of tyrants.

The foundation for modern despotism was laid in mid-1800 when the false scientific justification to deny God as Creator started with a man named Charles Darwin. Darwin’s theory of evolution divided humans into superior and inferior status. Darwin, in his own writings, labeled people of color, in particular black people, as sub-par and sub-human. The theory was eventually applied to poor, white Europeans. The appeal of such a theory held great appeal to men who both denied the existence of God and sought personal and political superiority. Among them was Karl Marx, the father of Communism, who was so pleased with Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution that he sent him gifts, including a signed copy of Das Kapital in 1873 inscribed: “From a devoted admirer to Charles Darwin, Karl Marx.“ Equally grateful to Darwin were mass murderers Lenin, Stalin, Mao and Hitler. All wrote of Darwin’s influence on them and their policies to oppress masses of people. (For more on Marx, Lenin, Stalin, Mao and Hitler’s views on evolution, see Chapter 5 of Darwin’s Racists – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, (www.DarwinsRacists.com).

Socialism seeks to diminish God in society. Marxism’s goal is to ultimately rid society of God. Exposure of both ideologies occurs when the tyrant’s diktats openly collide with God given rights and laws. Christian Purge: The Hitler Factor states: Adolf Hitler allowed religions. Early in his political career, he praised Catholicism. Initially, he also was favorably inclined toward Christianity. In time, as he garnered power, Hitler came to find Christianity particularly troublesome when Christian pastors spoke out against his systematic annihilation of Germany’s Jews. Hitler set out to wash the veneer of Christian beliefs from German society. He sought a new religion that would spring from the Nazi party with the pagan Swastika as its symbol to replace the Cross as he sought to transform Germany into a new nation. In time, Hitler allowed comment that: “You can be German or you can be Christian, but you can’t be both.” Hitler declared, “Evolution was the natural order of things,” allowing him to debase Jewish people, homosexuals and the disabled to a lower evolutionary scale and send them to death camps for extermination. He allowed that, “National Socialism and Christianity cannot co-exist together.” Historians record that Hitler’s religious views vacillated as his power grew until it became difficult to discern if the god Hitler actually worshipped was himself.

Hitler created the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazis) and surrounded himself with men who were atheists or occultists who shared the desire to replace Christianity with a religion that did not require conscience. Men like Hitler’s Deputy Chancellor of the Reich, Rudolph Hess, and Heinrich Himmler, who oversaw the Nazi death camps, were occultists. Himmler stated a preference for the faith of anti-Semitic Muslims who were willing to die for the German cause to attain a reward in their heaven. German school children were indoctrinated to sing praise songs, “Hitler is our Savior, Hitler is our Lord.” Hitler made his memoir, Mein Kampf, the official bible of Nazism.

CONTINUED:  http://bwcentral.org/2013/02/clash-of-faith-tyranny/

The Need For A Christian Worldview Of Freedom And Economics

A Christian worldview regarding the economy is essential if America is to recover its eroding economic leadership in the world. A Christian worldview of economics is predicated upon the fact that man is born sinful (Ephesians 2:3), does not prosper by injustice (Ephesians 4:28), should work (2 Thessalonians 3:10), should not be dependent on anyone (1 Thessalonians 5:11-12), respects private property (Exodus 20:15), prospers through diligence (Proverbs 21:5), resists the envy of other people’s property (Exodus 20:17), believes that rich and poor are esteemed the same by God (Exodus 30:15), and that righteousness can yield abundance (Proverbs 16:8).

The Christian worldview also elevates the power of freedom. The Bible espouses the freedom to choose (1 Corinthians 6:12), that God makes us free (John 8:36), that freedom requires morality (Psalm 119:45), wherever God is honored there is freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17), that true freedom is based upon love (Galatians 5:13), that freedom requires discernment (1 Corinthians 8:9), and that the truth will set you free (John 8:32).


Some liberal Christians like Jim Wallis believe that the Bible prescribes socialism in Acts 4:32-35 and social justice (redistribution of private property), but this represents a failure in hermeneutics. This is a failure in thinking because the example presented in Acts 4:32-35 is characterized by the volitional decision to share private property. The passage is explicit in that the property shared is privately owned (antipodal to the state-owned model of socialism) and that the redistribution is not compulsory (also antipodal to state-run socialism). There is no Biblical support for state-run socialism. Those who try to twist the scriptures to support socialism neither understand the meaning nor understand how the world operates.


Capitalism is an economic system where production, distribution, and trade are privately owned to yield a profit for those who have made the investment to support that objective. It should be done in a largely free marketplace where the government respects private property and the legal system protects contractual law. Problems arise based upon the moral and ethical failure of owners (committing fraud), the market (committing theft), or the government (limiting freedom and violating property rights).

Winston Churchill eloquently observed that “The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings. The inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.” Thomas Jefferson rebuked the notion of government control: “Were we directed from Washington when to sow, and when to reap, we should soon want bread.” Margaret Thatcher said that “Socialist governments traditionally do make a financial mess. They [socialists] always run out of other people’s money. It’s quite a characteristic of them.”

CONTINUED:  http://www.westernjournalism.com/the-need-for-a-christian-worldview-of-freedom-and-economics/

This sleeping giant (illegal population) is already awakened…

How does one win an election when unemployment is over 8 percent, gasoline prices are close to four dollar a gallon, when Christianity is under attack in a Christian Nation, when there is an invasion of illegals from around the world into the USA; when blunders are made on the international scale such as aiding the Muslims extremists take over the reign of power in north Africa( Egypt) ; when our fellow Americans are denied military rescue such as in Benghazi Libya; when the administration is involved in selling arms to the Mexican mafia causing the death of our own law officers under the code name of “Fast and Furious”; when our own Law officers such as sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Arizona is constantly under attack by the federal government; when the national debt is closely reaching the moon; when millions of our money (sic) are still sent to foreign countries whose friendship toward the USA is in doubt; when a health care law is about to take affect that would impose hardships to employers, to Christian institutions and to the elderly and could be the end of the best medical practice in the world; when for the first time since the depression of the 30s the value of our dollars is losing ground on the daily basis? How can anyone be reelected with all the problems we are facing and are bound to face?


There are two lines of thoughts. One is that the Republican Party depended too much on the status of our Nation economy and did not bother to let the voters know more about President Barrack H Obama. The other thought is that there might have been too many people that voted that they were not legally entitled to. Is this possible?

CONTINUED:  http://patriotsforamerica.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=2734278%3ABlogPost%3A444746&xgs=1&xg_source=msg_share_post

THE BLAZE: Pastors Unite Against IRS to Deliver ‘Pulpit Freedom Sunday’ Political Sermons (Poll)

Pastors Unite Against IRS to Deliver ‘Pulpit Freedom Sunday’ Political Sermons (Poll)

It’s that time of year, again. On October 7, 2012, hundreds of Christian pastors are going to be taking to their pulpits with overtly political messages in an effort to challenge a restrictive Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) tax code. The calculated event, “Pulpit Freedom Sunday,” is an annual initiative that seeks to rally believers against the government’s regulations on pastoral political endorsements.

The situation, as TheBlaze has noted in the past, is a complicated one. While there are certainly political issues that preachers can discuss from the pulpit, churches’ tax-exempt status prevents faith leaders, at least in part, from partisan preaching. Thus, if a church wants to enjoy tax benefits, it must comply.

THE HISTORY OF THE CONTROVERSIAL IRS CODE

Many pastors claim that the co-called “Johnson Amendment,” an IRS code that was added in 1954, causes such fear among some clergy that they end up erring on the side of not addressing controversial social and political issues (read a complete history of the controversial amendment here).

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/pastors-unite-against-irs-to-deliver-pulpit-freedom-sunday-political-sermons-poll/

Separation Of Church And State: Then And Now

The term “separation of church and state” is being thrown around more every day, but it seems that its origin and meaning still escapes many Americans, even those who should know better. Even among Christian conservatives, there are now some who constantly check themselves at the door of separation of church and state before making private or public decisions or statements, readily accepting the popular understanding of the phrase.

The problematic reality of the situation is that they are being misled by those whose intentions are dishonest and far from the promotion of free speech and religion. Most political conversations now initiated, concerning the separation of church and state, claim that the separation they speak of is based upon the U.S. Constitution. In reality, this phrase is found nowhere in the Constitution; neither is their argument. The anti-freedom argument of separation of church and state contends that no reference, audible or visible, to any biblical or Christian tenet should be allowed in any federal or state facility (or in any decision made therein.)


Their unfounded claim is made in citation to the First Amendment to the Constitution, effective December 15, 1791. Amendment I states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Obviously, the exact phrase that is so popular among this crowd is not present in this amendment. The phrase “wall of separation between the church and the state” actually originated from a letter written by Thomas Jefferson to the Baptists of Danbury, Connecticut on January 1, 1802. This religious group, like many today, had learned just enough about the governmental terminology that had been established concerning the church and the state to entertain the possibility that the government meant to turn completely away from the interests and influences of Christianity and Bible teaching. That was their fear. The purpose of Jefferson’s letter was to remove their fears and to assure them that this “wall” was being erected to protect their religious freedom, in that it was meant to keep the state out of the church’s business, not to keep the church out of the state’s business. The respect or display of Judeo-Christian faith is not the sort of “establishment” being addressed in the First Amendment. This faith had already been established long before the writing of the Constitution.

It’s easier to put the true intent of the nation’s founders into perspective when we consider their plight in the earlier American colonies and, for some of them and many of their ancestors, in the mother country of England. There, under the British monarchy, the Church of England and the government were one in the same. Both entities infiltrated the other, causing citizens’ lives, well-being, and freedoms to suffer. This “establishment” of a state religion is what the founders wished to avoid in the independent separation of their young nation of the United States from British control. Their intention was never to remove the free expression or practice of religion from public or private American life. Quite the contrary was true.

In fact, 52 of the 55 founders of the Constitution were members of the established colonial orthodox churches. As the very first Supreme Court justice, John Jay, in a private letter to Jedidiah Morse in 1797, said that “Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.” In 1798, John Adams said, “We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

Based upon historical record, these views were also shared by others, such as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Dr. Benjamin Rush. Although the nation was not officially founded to be a Christian nation, in that it was not penned into founding documents that “the United States of America is to be solely representative and influenced by Christianity,” by the very nature of the Founders’ faith and actions, it should be clearly understood that America was, from the beginning, a Christian nation. The Declaration of Independence mentions God four times and clearly states that “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” By any contextual interpretation, it can only be concluded that the “Creator” being spoken of in this document is the God of the Holy Bible.

Other evidence of the country’s traditional Christian heritage can be clearly observed in the nation’s Capital and in other public institutions elsewhere. The words “In God We Trust” are emblazoned over the Speaker of the House in the U.S. Capitol. The Supreme Court building, built in the 1930’s, contains a carved monument above its East entrance featuring Moses holding stone tablets representing the Ten Commandments. God is mentioned, including Bible verses, in the stone architecture of various Federal buildings and monuments in Washington, D.C. The liberty bell also contains an engraved Bible verse. In every presidential swearing-in ceremony, prayers have been offered, and every U.S. president has uttered the words “So help me God” as they were sworn in on the Bible. Every president who has given an inaugural address has invoked the name of God in their speech. Other courtroom oaths have also always invoked God, and chaplains have always been included on the public payroll. God is mentioned in the original Constitution of all 50 states. Including official festivities under every administration at the White House, our nation has also always celebrated Christmas to commemorate the Savior’s birth.

CONTINUED:  http://www.westernjournalism.com/separation-of-church-and-state-then-and-now/

‘Moses Shaped America’: Despite the Naysayers…America Really Is a Judeo-Christian Nation

On his Thursday evening program, Glenn Beck welcomed Tim Ballard, historian and author of a new book detailing how the Founding Fathers were spiritually moved to created the United States based on Biblical prophecy — particularly as it relates to the ancient Hebrews. “The Covenant: America’s Sacred and Immutable Connection to Ancient Israel” is a book that will likely prove a fascinating read for both history-buffs and faith-keepers alike. Beck and Ballard discussed the importance faith had on the Founders and delved into the spirituality that guided them in their quest to establish a more perfect union.

Whether one believes in the more mystical elements of Ballard’s work, it raises awareness of a subject all-too prevalent in American life today.  America as a Judeo-Christian nation

A familiar narrative among those who refuse to accept that religion played a role in the nation’s founding, or who seek to scrub all reference to “God” from view, is that the United States was founded not by Christians, but by “deists“; not upon the Judeo-Christian ethic or tenets of the Bible itself, but rather on some idea of “pluralism” divined from thin air.

These naysayers typically assert that religious influence is “nowhere to be found” in the nation’s founding documents, nor in the framework of America’s government and legal system. Not even a depiction of Moses carrying two tablets of the Ten Commandments displayed in the highest court in the land is enough to prove to secularists that Judeo-Christianity has always been an integral part of the United States.

CONTINUED:  http://www.theblaze.com/stories/moses-shaped-america-despite-the-naysayers-america-really-is-a-judeo-christian-nation/

Seek His Face and Earn His Grace

by Diane Rufino

"God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that His justice cannot sleep forever." --- Thomas Jefferson


What is happening in the US? Are we turning away from God, as many claim, or are we witnessing just the opposite? Are we seeing the error of our ways and turning towards Him?

Are we, as a nation, witnessing a Christian restoration or an atheist transformation?

I think the answer is that both forces are engaged in a great struggle. The progressive nature of our courts combined with the misinterpretation of our Bill of Rights, as well as the Fourteenth Amendment, and combined with the enormous power of the liberal media have allowed the atheist movement to have greater force than it deserves. To counter that movement, Christians and Christian organizations must fight against incredible odds, most notably the courts, the "wall of separation," and the liberally-biased media. It comes as no surprise that our government and the "establishment" is harboring an increasing hostility towards faith. Yet the Christian resistance is growing.

We've taken God out of our schools and out of our seats of government. We've removed crosses and other Christian symbols from public squares and from national cemeteries. We've perverted the meaning of the First Amendment with a phrase that appears nowhere in the Constitution - the "Wall of Separation" - so that we can systematically remove important and traditional human values from society and avoid expensive lawsuits. The First Amendment was not written to protect people and their laws from religious values but rather it was written to protect those values from government and government tyranny. We've watched as a Culture of Immorality has enveloped the country starting with the counter-culture revolution of the 1960s and are suffering from its natural consequences. Yet churches are growing larger. In 1973, the Supreme Court announced that women can kill their unborn under the constitutional protection of "privacy," but 39 years later, the pro-life voice grows louder and stronger.

We have a huge segment of society benefitting from the hard work, property, and taxation of others. About 50% of Americans are being used to support the other 50% in a lifestyle that the government continues to redefine and upgrade. This is institutionalized sloth and envy -- two of the Christian mortal sins. Some say it is the new form of slavery. Indeed, every person who benefits from the effort and property of another is himself a petty tyrant and a slave master. Yet as the entitlement ranks increase, the outrage against such human decay builds and people are urging a return to the policies of ethics, morality, and personal responsibility. As long as people can embrace these values, there is the hope of earned success and human dignity.

We have a president who wants ever so strongly to have government compel religious groups to provide birth control and abortion services - services that so fundamentally offend religious principles and offend our constitutionally protected Right of Religious Conscience - to further the agenda of Women's Rights. But instead, our country realized that a line had been crossed and the president was forced to retreat from his policy. The fight of gays and lesbians for the right to marry may cause many, particularly our unprincipled youth, to argue "Why Not?" but it causes countless others to re-connect with their religious values.

So, is it possible we are witnessing a Christian revival?

Those who came to America's shores did so under an apparent covenant with God. As Governor John Winthrop pledged in 1630 on board the Arbella, which set out for America's shores:

"Thus stands the cause between God and us. We are entered into covenant with Him for this work. We have taken out a commission. The Lord hath given us leave to draw our own articles. We have professed to enterprise these and those accounts, upon these and those ends. We have hereupon besought Him of favor and blessing. Now if the Lord shall please to hear us, and bring us in peace to the place we desire, then hath He ratified this covenant and sealed our commission, and will expect a strict performance of the articles contained in it; but if we shall neglect the observation of these articles which are the ends we have propounded, and, dissembling with our God, shall fall to embrace this present world and prosecute our carnal intentions, seeking great things for ourselves and our posterity, the Lord will surely break out in wrath against us, and be revenged of such a people, and make us know the price of the breach of such a covenant.

CONTINUED:  http://forloveofgodandcountry.com/

Sun Journal Letters to the Editor--New Bern, NC

Marriage Amendment Letters:

Of the 12 letters published today on the Marriage Amendment 9 were against and 3 for it. Shows the paper’s left leaning doesn’t it. Not surprising of those 9 folks against the amendment were 5 Democrats and 3 unaffiliated and one person who does not appear to be from Craven County at all. The three folks who wrote in favor of protecting the sanctity of marriage 2 were Republicans, again, not surprising. Most of the letters were out and out lies and nonsense.


For the real facts on the issue:  Read “What It Does” a letter fro Jerry Schill, Co-Chairman of the Craven-Pamlico Christian Coalition, my friend and a very honorable man.

Sun Journal Letter to the Editor: What it does by Jerry Schill


April 22, 2012

Regarding the Marriage Amendment:

• Gay marriage and domestic partnerships are illegal under CURRENT North Carolina law, passed by the General Assembly.


• If the Marriage Amendment passes on May 8, gay marriage and domestic partnerships will CONTINUE to be illegal. However, the definition will have the added protection of a constitutional amendment. The amendment makes it clear that marriage shall be the only domestic legal union recognized in North Carolina.


• The passage of the Marriage Amendment will not ADD any rights to gays but neither does it take any away.


• The amendment does NOT take away private contractual rights for unmarried couples.


• The amendment does NOT prohibit local governments or the UNC System from providing benefits to unmarried partners.


• The amendment does NOT interfere with benefits that private employers provide to gay couples.


• The amendment will NOT harm North Carolina’s economy. Gay marriage has been illegal in our state for several years, and the amendment will not change that fact from an employer’s or business standpoint.


So, if it’s already illegal and does not ADD any gay rights or take any away, what’s the point with all this?


Activist judges! By putting the measure in our state’s constitution, we add protection from judicial activism which has been way too prevalent in our country.


Another question is why are Christians so engaged on this issue? I certainly cannot speak for all but I know many of us have been concerned about the eroding moral fabric and the disintegration of our family structure for a lot of years. We have witnessed what’s been happening but have done little to reverse it. We have had little help from the leadership in our churches, especially from the pulpit. We love our state and our country, and have decided to get engaged rather than just go to another meeting and talk about it and complain about “those in charge”.


To paraphrase Popeye the Sailor Man, “That’s all we can stands and we can’t stands no more!”


On May 8, please vote FOR the Marriage Amendment, which will define marriage IN OUR CONSTITUTION between one man and one woman as the only legal union recognized in North Carolina!

Jerry Schill
Co-chair
Craven-Pamlico Christian Coalition and Craven County coordinator for the passage of the Marriage Amendment

http://www.newbernsj.com/articles/regarding-105961-amendment-letter.html

Video…4,000 Christians Show up at North Carolina Capital to Support Marriage Amendment

Video…4,000 Christians Show up at North Carolina Capital to Support Marriage Amendment


http://ncrenegade.com/elections/breaking-video-4000-christians-show-up-at-north-carolina-capital-to-support-marriage-amendment/#more-14294

An Important Message to NC District 3 Residents: Wayne Langston

Note: CCTA is a non partisan organization. We do not endorse any particular candidate or political party. News items are presented for you the reader to help you become informed and reach your own conclusions.



An Important Message to NC District 3 Residents:


It is with great gratitude that I extend my heartfelt appreciation for your support during this campaign. The issues North Carolina and the nation face will only be solved by God-fearing, conservative-based elected officials who are elected by citizens of Christian Faith. Citizens, like you, who have had enough of the political nonsense, are now standing tall on their traditionalist base, and I say, “God bless you all” for your courage.

Now more than ever, it is time for Christians to stand together united with one goal – to reassert our values and faith on our states and our country! The first Amendment to the Constitution of the United States defines clearly that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” Government must stay out of the business of religion. Those of faith however, have every right in government! Our republic belongs to the people.

We are a peace loving people to a fault when it comes to allowing government to run roughshod over us. Politicians are not smarter, braver, or more religious than us. They are human beings who have followed a path and then succumbed to the power of the office. We must put an end to corruption by electing faith-based men and women who will focus on the truth and rely on their faith, values, and fairness to make the tough decisions.

As a citizen, your help is needed now! Why? Because we can’t sit idly by and do nothing any longer – we must act now and we must continue to voice our opinion.


 Your vote does count – Vote
 Your voice is important – Encourage others to vote
 Speak your mind – Respectfully notify your politicians about your concerns. Tell them what you expect of them, and
 Hold them accountable for their actions once in office.

My name is Wayne Langston and I am proudly running for the North Carolina House District 3 seat, and I want you to know where I stand on these issues:

 Small & Limited Government  Major Educational Overhaul
 Less Regulation  Increase in Military Strength
 Reduced Taxes  Commonsense Energy Independence
 Voter ID  NO Ferry Tax
 Lower Corporate Taxes  Reduced Administrative Costs
 Pro-Life  Accountability and Transparency
 States’ Rights  Marriage between 1 Man & 1 Woman
 Fairness & Equality  Business Friendly State = Jobs

Friends, I ask you to help me help our state. My heart and faith are exposed so that you may know me better. I am for God, Family and Country and I ask for your support, on May 8th, with my pledge that I will strive each day, to represent our interests openly and honestly in a Godly way. Please feel free to contact me via email me with any questions or concerns. I look forward to hearing from you.

Kindest regards,

Wayne Langston
NC House Candidate, District 3


LangstonForNCHouse@yahoo.com

Psalm 33:12 - Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD.

Christian Derangement Syndrome: Bill Maher and the Huffington Post Have It!

by Diane Rufino, March 2012

Not long ago, a blogger wrote: "Recently, my Biology teacher threw a bible across the classroom! Not that I am a Christian, but that's not how you treat other peoples religion. When we asked him why he did it, he said 'That book is full of lies.' Every time I'm in his class, he always talks about how there are many mistakes in the Bible. He's always criticizing the Bible."

What is it about Christianity that causes so many people to become deranged? Why do they it so much more than other religions?

Years ago, liberals suffered a similar type of derangement whenever President Bush was in the limelight. It was called the Bush Derangement Syndrome (BDS). Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was a perfect example. She couldn't pass an opportunity to use the microphone, on any occasion, to call Bush names and criticize his every move. I remember one year, President Bush started his State of the Union Address by congratulating Pelosi on being the first woman Speaker of the House and graciously introducing her as a woman of integrity. She sat there, all smiles, taking in the moment and lavishing the praise he was giving her in front of the entire nation. Yet the minute the Address was concluded and Pelosi was able to get in front of a microphone, her demeanor changed, the rabies kicked in, and she let loose a vitriolic diatribe against Bush. I believe I saw saliva foaming at her mouth. The foaming was not always indicative of BDS, but we often saw it in members of the liberal media. Its goal was not necessarily to show that President Bush was bad for the country - because they never were able to make that case - but rather to show that he was bad for people's mental health. At least that's the way I saw it.

And now we have a similar syndrome - Christian Derangement Syndrome. Similarly, while their goal apparently is to show that Christians are bad for the country, they will never be able to make that case. In fact, the more they carry on, it's much clearer that they are the ones that are harmful. Rather, their default goal is to show that Christians are bad for the mental health of non-believers.

A teacher at Capistrano Valley High School in Mission Viejo, California, was accused of violating the Establishment Clause by repeatedly making statements critical and derogatory of religion in his AP European History class. For example, he told his class: “When you put on your Jesus glasses, you can’t see the truth.”

He also said: “Aristotle was a physicist. … He argued that there has to be a God. Of course that’s nonsense.” And he made this comment, among many others: "The people who want to make the argument that God did it, there is as much evidence that God did it as there is that there is a giant spaghetti monster living behind the moon." The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held that the teacher was using appropriate critical thinking skills to teach his students. I imagine that if it were the other way around, and the teacher had been praising God, the Ninth Circuit would have held that there was an improper establishment of religion.

A kindergarten teacher in New Jersey saw the name "Jesus" on a Thanksgiving poster made by one of her students and instantly removed it from a display she made of the class posters out in the hall. God forbid someone should walk by and see that name!! In the spirit of the Thanksgiving holiday, the teacher asked the students to make posters depicting what they were "thankful for." The child at issue wanted to thank Jesus. The child was 5 years old. It was a kindergarten hallway. Imagine the confusion the child suffered, being taught one thing at home and in church but being punished for it by her teacher.

And then there's the personal, one-man crusade led by rabid atheist Michael Newdow. He is the man who went to court to try to stop children from being able to say the Pledge of Allegiance in school because it includes the offensive phrase "Under God." He alleged that the words "under God" in the pledge amounted to an establishment of religion, in violation of the First Amendment. He brought the case on behalf of his 9-year-old daughter who he didn't even have custody of. He also brought the case in spite of the fact that the girl herself wanted to continue saying the pledge and didn't want the lawsuit filed. The district court held the pledge was constitutional but the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 vote, reversed the decision and held that recitation of the pledge with the words "under God" in the school system violated the Establishment Clause. To celebrate the decision by the Court of Appeals, Time Magazine did a story on Newdow and made him their "Person of the Week."

[The case eventually reached the US Supreme Court in 2004. The Court held that Michael Newdow didn't have standing to bring the case in the first place, so the pledge was affirmed].

A little over fifty years ago, in 1954, when the phrase “under God” was added to the Pledge of Allegiance by Congress, the vote was unanimous. The decision to insert the words "under God" was made "to recognize a Supreme Being" and advance religion at a time "when the government was publicly fighting against atheistic communism." Furthermore, when President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the act which added the phrase "under God," he announced: "From this day forward, the millions of our school children will daily proclaim in every city and town, every village and rural schoolhouse, the dedication of our Nation and our people to the Almighty."

CONTINUED:  http://ncrenegade.com/editorial/christian-derangement-syndrome-bill-maher-and-the-huffington-post-have-it/

Sun Journal New Bern, Letter to the Editor: Prayer, by CCTA Member, Tyker Gonzales

March 9, 2012
After reading this past Sunday’s paper and the letters to the editor, one struck my eye, and actually my heart. It was a rebuttal letter referring to Mrs. Dorothy Vogel’s letter about prayer, specifically the right to do so in the name of Jesus Christ. While reading the rebuttal there seemed to be anger in the writing that came forth through the words and I would like to help explain some issues that I hope will remove any anger.


First, I do believe that praying in the name of Jesus is a freedom. Until the past few years it was never questioned. It was just something that most of us (here in the Bible belt especially) are used to doing because Jesus says in the Bible, "And whatever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son," so this is why Christians pray in the name of Jesus. It’s not meant to offend anyone (although for some reason it does); it’s never been a mandate for all to participate, in fact to the contrary. Just as God gives each one of us a choice in whether or not to believe in Him, His Son and the Holy Spirit, He never would force us to love Him let alone force us to pray to Him. By giving us this choice, He shows His love for us. If you don’t believe, that is absolutely up to you, but according to the Christian belief, a lack of thereof will not land you in a positive place after death. Again let me stress, this is not mandated; all are choices. That is true freedom. Christians are supposed to be Christ-like, therefore they also give others their freedom in whether or not to participate in prayer or sharing in the faith.


Let me explain it this way: I have children. I love them both with every part of my being and I want them to love me in the same manner, but I can’t make them love me. Even if I could it wouldn’t be the same; they would be more like robots. I want them to love me because THEY WANT TO. To a Christian, what is love? "Love is patient, love is kind, love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek it’s own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the Truth, ... Love never fails … now abide in faith, hope and love, but the greatest of these is love." This is how I want to be loved, this is how God wants to be loved, this is how, if we truly love, are supposed to be, loving others as ourselves, again all by choice, one that we are supposed to be free to make.


Why would anyone think that because a prayer is offered in Jesus’ name, that all in attendance are being forced/mandated to pray? All prayer is, is showing love, love of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and love for the people. Why does that offended people? What a sad place this world is in when love becomes offensive.


Now, America was formed on the basis of freedom. Separation of church and state was placed to keep the government from mandating religion on its people. Offering a prayer before meetings, school gatherings or any other function is again, not a mandate of participation and I am unaware of any such event with the disclaimer that "all must pray." If there are those who wish not to, they can just remain silent for a few moments. It is however a freedom that those who are leading whatever said event can chose to do as individual people of this great free nation. If the leaders of such events were Muslim, Buddhists, Jewish or any other religion, I would expect their prayers to be offered, but it certainly doesn’t mean I would be forced to pray with them either. If the ones leading are refused the right to pray in whatever name they chose as members of this nation, isn’t that in itself a violation of their freedom?


Did the people themselves not vote these representatives of the people into office? If the people didn’t want "Christians" in office then one would assume they wouldn’t vote for one. However in this country, the majority of voters choose who will represent them and we happen to have (I’m proud to say) seven Christian men who represent Craven County as commissioners. They all pray, they all have the right to pray, as they believe in or out of office. If the majority of the voters of this county wanted otherwise, they would have voted for others who were non-believers. But the amazing fact is, most folks who have run for these offices are also Christian. If and when our country reaches a point of a majority of atheists or any given religion other then Christianity, I suppose we will have to follow the will of the people then, but we are not there now.


I watched an interview with one of the Rowan County commissioners. The Rowan commissioners are continuing to pray with no changes even in light of the recent courts decision. The reporter asked a question as to this particular commissioner’s position with upholding the Constitution (referring to the separation of church and state). His response was beautiful … he stated that his hand was on the BIBLE as he took the oath, what about his personal rights of freedom of religion and speech?


I am not angry, but again am hurt that so many who claim the title of Christian would rather keep silent then to exercise their freedom of religion and speech. Jesus said, "You will be persecuted for my name’s sake." If we don’t speak His name no one will have to worry about persecution. There are hundreds of examples throughout the Scriptures where silence was not an option. If the disciples had been silent, Christianity would have been over 2,000 years ago. If the Jewish descendants had been silent, their faith and populations would have become extinct.


I had a friend tell me to turn the other cheek, but this is not my cheek to turn. I will gladly let anyone criticize me, dislike me, reprimand me, and give them additional opportunities to do so and still love them while praying for them. But I cannot be silent while the main faith that this nation was founded upon is continually denied the freedom of being represented.


I will love ALL willingly, I will keep my faith and I will pray in Jesus’ name always especially for those who persecute the faith in whatever form.


Tyker Gonzales, Cove City, NC 

http://www.newbernsj.com/articles/sunday-104955-letter-past.html

Liberal Pastor Jim Wallis: America Is ‘Not a Christian Nation

It‘s Never Been a Christian Nation’

Pastor Jim Wallis’ support for the Occupy Wall Street movement and his leftist inclinations are widely documented. The progressive pastor, who has served as a faith adviser to President Barack Obama, is no stranger to controversy. In an interview that will air nationwide at Lifetree Café locations in the coming days, Wallis made some startling statements about America’s history and heritage.



Lifetree is a weekly, coffee shop-like environment and event series in which individuals come together to explore issues related to God and culture. These events are planned at locations — mainly churches — around the nation and sometimes feature pre-taped videos. In a video to be aired this week, Wallis made the bold claim that America is not a Christian nation.


CONTINUED:
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/lib-pastor-jim-wallis-america-is-not-a-christian-nation-%e2%80%94-its-never-been-a-christian-nation/

The Craven-Pamlico Christian Coalition: Meeting

The Craven-Pamlico Christian Coalition

will hold its first meeting of the year this coming Monday, January 16th, at Golden Corral in New Bern. The meeting begins at 7:00pm; however, guests are encouraged to arrive early for a meal to foster informal discussion and fellowship.

The meeting is open to all interested citizens. This year will be a very busy and important one for our country, and particularly for people of faith.

The coming months will prove to be very busy for the Craven-Pamlico Christian Coalition as we take a close look at all candidates and their positions on the issues.

The following will be on the agenda for Monday’s meeting:

2012 ELECTIONS:  We will be discussing what role CPCC will play in the upcoming elections, both the primary and the general election. For example, will we circulate our own voter’s guide? Will we sponsor candidate forums as we have in the past?

GOD & COUNTRY BANQUET:  In addition, we will be announcing the “Keynote Speaker” for this year’s GOD & COUNTRY BANQUET! Write the date on your calendar: September 17, 2012!

PRO-LIFE EFFORTS:  CPCC was listed as an organizational plaintiff in last fall’s litigation filed against the City of Jacksonville regarding protests at the Crist Clinic, an abortion provider. The plaintiffs were represented by the Thomas More Society and were successful in that litigation that now allow protests, with certain limitations, when we want and where we want. The Thomas More Society represented us at no charge, as they are a non-profit whose purpose is specifically to represent pro-life causes. We will also discuss at our meeting the possibility of the Craven-Pamlico Christian Coalition sending a donation to the Thomas More Society for the expenses they incurred on our behalf.


For more information on this meeting or about the Craven-Pamlico Christian Coalition, contact Jerry Schill, Co-Chair, at 252-514-0381.

Drive aims at getting Christians to vote--'We feel that's vital; that's something that has to be done'

What should Christians do if they want to see their values represented in government? Vote. That's the idea behind the coming "Citizenship Sundays" on Dec. 4 and Dec. 11, organized by Wallbuilders President David Barton and Restore America. Barton said only about half of evangelical Christians registered to vote ever go to the polls, meaning some 58 million let others decide the nation's future for them. So the drive to get them registered and get them to the polls – even during primaries – is heating up. Barton also has put together what he says is a Christian voter guide.


CONTINUED: http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=373673&utm_source=WallBuilders+Mailings&utm_campaign=c43ab7912e-Christians_to_Vote_News12_9_2011&utm_medium=email#ixzz1fszQWLuV

Rick Perry’s New Campaign Promise: ‘I’ll End Obama‘s War on Religion’

I like this ad--why is Perry always better in the ads then on interviews and debates?
Has President Barack Obama declared an open war on religion? While some would say with certainty that he has, others would openly defend the president’s purported personal faith and devotion to the Almighty.


But GOP presidential candidate Rick Perry, for one, believes that Obama has been less-than-friendly to people of faith in America.

In fact, in a new campaign advertisement running in Iowa, Perry takes some hard jabs at the president’s faith record, while attempting to rally evangelicals. The 30-second spot starts with Perry saying, “I‘m not ashamed to admit that I’m a Christian.”

VIDEO AND MORE:http://www.theblaze.com/stories/rick-perrys-new-campaign-promise-ill-end-obamas-war-on-religion/

MSNBC Host’s Anti-Gingrich Rant Interrupted by Someone Delivering…Her Belts

Atheists Demand Marines Remove Cross Commemorating Fallen U.S. Soldiers

The more they complain the more they present Atheisim as a sort of religion, it is time we fight back folks!  We are a republic (rule of law founded on Judea Christian principles) not a Democracy (mob rule)!~Lynn
Read the story here!http://www.theblaze.com/stories/atheists-demand-marines-remove-cross-intended-to-commemorate-the-lives-of-fallen-u-s-soldiers/