Tag: politics

Stand Up for Religious Freedom – “attacks threaten every American” – Washington Times

Peanut Gallery: Join a “Stand Up for Religious Freedom” rally near you. I’m headed for Charleston, SC this morning. You can find a rally near you here.

Even if you don’t quite understand what the big deal is, it ought to trouble you that the HHS mandate is such a big deal to so many — and not just to Catholics. Several Protestant institutions also have filed suit against the HHS mandate, including Wheaton College and Houston Baptist University.

SCHEIDLER: Religious freedom attacks threatens every American – Washington Times. By Eric Scheidler – Thursday, October 18, 2012

HHS mandate is only the beginning

Despite 10 months of controversy — including a public clash between the White House and the U.S. Catholic bishops, countless rallies and protests across the country and the filing of dozens of federal lawsuits — many liberals and independents remain puzzled by the fight over the Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate contained in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare. They don’t understand how conservatives can insist that the HHS mandate constitutes an unprecedented attack on religious freedom.

The mandate, announced by the Obama administration in January and finalized in February, requires nearly all employers to provide contraceptives and abortion-inducing drugs through their health plans, regardless of any moral objections. Continue reading “Stand Up for Religious Freedom – “attacks threaten every American” – Washington Times” →

Top 5 Reasons to Vote for Romney/Ryan

Peanut Gallery: Special thanks to Teresa Rice at Catholibertarian for bringing this video to our attention. Please check out her blog here.

Please pray for Syrian believers – Day 6

Peanut Gallery: How do Christians survive as minorities in Islamic countries? Not easily… although in Syria, Christians have enjoyed relative freedom and autonomy and have integrated well into Syrian life.

“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.” Titus 3.1-2 NIV

But the Sectarian Civil War  (pitting ruling Alawites against opposition Sunni Muslims) have caught Christians in the crossfire… and everything has changed. How to respond?

In this crisis, Syrian Christians have adopted this motto of a Lebanese pastor who lived through the heat of the civil war in his country –

Our loyalty is to Christ, Our submission is to the laws of the land, and Our love is to all. (With love from Syria….)

“In May 2011, International Christian Concern indicated that Christians in Syria were more afraid of the anti-government protesters than of the government itself, because under the Syrian Assad government there has been tolerance towards religious minorities.” (Wikipedia)

Please join me in prayer: “My people are hurting….”

  • For peace in the country and an end to the bloodshed.
  • For God’s rich mercies on the suffering people.
  • For the safety and protection of the churches, keeping the church’s faithful witness.
  • For wisdom and vision for church leaders.
  • For the glory of the living God to dwell in the Church.
  • To empower the Church to reach out to the suffering, to share the divine cure of the gospel, and to speak the word of the Lord in all boldness.
  • That the evil powers of darkness will be defeated in our land.
  • That the values of false religion will be exposed for what they are and despised and rejected by many.
  • For many souls to come to know the love and forgiveness of Christ and to enjoy His saving grace.
  • That the Lord would send wise, God-fearing counselors to the decision-makers in all parties in the country.

Please pray for Syrian believers – Day 5

Peanut Gallery: Please pray for the hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees who have been forced out of their homes and have fled the country.

“Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when  did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my  brothers,you did it to me.’”  Matthew 25.37-40 ESV

Open Doors: An estimated, “300,000 people are now refugees from Syria, that’s triple the level of just three months ago,” reports Jerry Dykstra from Open Doors. In spite of the traumatic and chaotic circumstance, God continues to draw people to Himself. Dykstra adds, “We hear reports that many Christians are sharing with their Muslim neighbors. So even in the midst of this terrible tragedy, we see the Lord working.”

Hundreds of thousands of Syrians have fled the country into such neighboring countries as Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon, according to the United Nations.

“The violence has pushed people out of their homes, fleeing for their lives,” a Christian pastor in Syria paints a picture for Christians in the West of the rapidly deteriorating, horrific conditions in the war-torn country. “Many are displaced internally and many others are external refugees living in the most humiliating circumstances, deprived of even shelter, clean water, power, food and medical care.” (Open Doors)

Meanwhile, the refugee crisis grew ever more acute, with the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR saying that between 2,000 and 3,000 people were fleeing across borders every day from Syria.

The total number of refugees now stood at more than 340,000, Melissa Fleming, a UNHCR spokeswoman, said in Geneva.

“And now into the winter months, more and more of these people are going to be living in camp situations. So more and more of these people are going to be spending the winter in tents,” she said.  (Reuters)

Please join me in prayer: “My people are hurting….”

  • For peace in the country and an end to the bloodshed. For God’s rich mercies on the suffering people.
  • For the safety and protection of the churches, keeping the church’s faithful witness.
  • For wisdom and vision for church leaders.
  • For the glory of the living God to dwell in the Church.
  • To empower the Church to reach out to the suffering, to share the divine cure of the gospel, and to speak the word of the Lord in all boldness.
  • That the evil powers of darkness will be defeated in our land.
  • That the values of false religion will be exposed for what they are and despised and rejected by many.
  • For many souls to come to know the love and forgiveness of Christ and to enjoy His saving grace.
  • That the Lord would send wise, God-fearing counselors to the decision-makers in all parties in the country.

Please pray for Syrian believers – Day 4

Peanut Gallery: “Loving your enemies” is literally being put to the test by Christians in Syria.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”  Matthew 5:43-45  NKJV

Context: Over the past 20 months, the civil war between President Bashar al-Assad’s forces and the Free Syrian Army has caused approximately 30,000 casualties, mostly civilians, according to several reports….

The cities of Aleppo and Homs have become especially dangerous for Christians. “A lot is being destroyed in Aleppo,” one of Open Doors’ contacts in the city reports. “Extreme violence is being experienced in the last few weeks. You can see the results of it in the old city and in other neighborhoods and surrounding villages. There is a lot of destruction. We see that their apartments are easily confiscated by the rebels to be used for snipers,” the spokesman continues.

“The Christian community is the only group that doesn’t fight back or doesn’t protect property with guns. So when the rebels search a place to stay or to use for their battle, they choose the houses and apartments of the softest target – the Christians.” (Open Doors)

The City of Homs is a major industrial center, and with a population of at least 652,609 people, it is the third largest city in Syria after Aleppo to the north and the capital Damascus to the south. Its population reflects Syria’s general religious diversity, composed mostly of Arabic-speaking Sunni Muslims and Alawite and Christian minorities. The city boasts a number of historic mosques and churches and is close to the Krak des Chevaliers, a world heritage site.  (Wikipedia)

Please join me in prayer…

■  For peace in the country and an end to the bloodshed. For God’s rich mercies on the suffering people.
■  For the safety and protection of the churches, keeping the church’s faithful witness.
■  For wisdom and vision for church leaders.
■  For the glory of the living God to dwell in the Church.
■  To empower the Church to reach out to the suffering, to share the divine cure of the gospel, and to speak the word of the Lord in all boldness.
■  That the evil powers of darkness will be defeated in our land.
■  That the values of false religion will be exposed for what they are and despised and rejected by many.
■  For many souls to come to know the love and forgiveness of Christ and to enjoy His saving grace.
■  That the Lord would send wise, God-fearing counselors to the decision-makers in all parties in the country.