A school district in California had an interesting money raising idea… have people buy memorial bricks and allow them to put phrases on them, then they were to be used in a wall at the school. BUT, some folks decided to quote Bible verses… well, we can’t have students see Bible verses… so they are scrapping the whole idea and returning $45,000.00 in cash! Wow! That Bible stuff must be REALLY dangerous!

California School District Cancels Fundraiser After Submission of Scripture-Inscribed Bricks

“A California school district has canceled a fundraising program featuring memorial bricks, scuttling proceeds of $45,000, after two women submitted Bible verses in their tributes.

The two women, Lou Ann Hart and Sheryl Caronna, had filed a court complaint in January against the Desert Sands Unified School District after the district blocked them from placing the Bible verses on bricks to be installed in walkways at Palm Desert High School in Palm Desert, Calif., about 10 miles east of Palm Springs. The women sought an injunction against the district to compel it to allow the scripture bricks.

Instead, school district officials have decided to rescind the fundraiser and refund money of every community group or individual who purchased a memorial brick, according to a court filing last week with the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

The move has angered advocates of religious freedom in the public sphere.

‘Christians should be allowed to express themselves on public school campuses just like everyone else,’ David Cortman, an attorney for the Alliance Defense Fund, said in a written statement. Alliance Defense Fund, a conservative Christian organization, initiated the lawsuit for Hart and Caronna.

‘It is cowardly to shut down everyone’s participation in this program simply out of animosity toward Christian speech,’ Cortman said. ‘There is absolutely nothing unconstitutional about a Bible verse on a brick when a school opens up a program for anyone to express a personal message. The school could simply have allowed the Bible verses, but instead, it chose to punish everyone.’

Hundreds of other messages had been accepted for the bricks, Cortman’s organization said, including inspirational and religious themes, such as a quote from Mahatma Gandhi and a Bible quotation — ‘Yes, it is possible’ — written in Spanish.

Hart, of Palm Desert, and Caronna, of Rancho Mirage, were informed after submitting their bricks that they would not be included because the religious content risked an unconstitutional establishment of religion, Alliance Defense Fund officials said.”

This is neat. Think of it as a thought experiment. Imagine a regular swimming pool, with a “deep end” and a “shallow end.” There is a given amount of water in the swimming pool in total. That amount of water, we shall say, represents the total value of the economy. Basically, the total value of all of money available in the economy. If more water is actually produced (outside the system) and added to the economy, then, that would be the equivalent of adding water to the pool from an outside source.

However, this is not what is being proposed by the current administration. They say, instead, “Tax the rich!” Then, via programs of various sorts, they propose to give that money confiscated from “the rich” to “the poor.” This is the proposed plan.

However, let’s look at our pool. If we remove water from the deep end of the pool, and carry it around, and dump it into the shallow end off the pool, what happens? Nothing. The water level simply evens out. I can dutifully scoop up water all day from the deep end, and dump it in the shallow end, and, in the end, I will have accomplished nothing.

So it is with taking money from what “the rich” have produced and giving it to “the poor.” No water is really ever added, only re-distributed. Which, interestly enough, is what Obama said he wanted to do before he was elected. So, why should anyone be surprised?

Not a surprising headline, actually, there are a lot of laws that Obama has chosen not to enforce, or simply ignore. In my humble, personal opinion, his is one of the most lawless administrations ever. But, this one is rather amazing! Here is an excerpt from an email from Champlain Klingenschmitt:

“Yesterday the Obama Administration ordered the Justice Department to stop defending the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act [DOMA] which prohibits homosexual ‘marriage’ and defines traditional marriage between one man and one woman. All 50 states may soon be forced to welcome homosexual ‘marriage’ in federal court, unless their individual members of Congress intervene. The Hill newspaper reports U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder left open the possibility that individual Congressmen would be permitted to defend DOMA law, if they choose to join lawsuits in place of the Obama Administration.

Associated Press reports, ‘In a major policy reversal, the Obama administration said Wednesday it will no longer defend the constitutionality of a federal law banning recognition of same-sex marriage. Attorney General Eric Holder said President Barack Obama has concluded that the administration cannot defend the federal law that defines marriage as only between a man and a woman.’

At a December news conference, Obama said his position on gay marriage is ‘constantly evolving.’ [It's not evolving. He wants gay marriage.] But Traditional Values Coalition Director Andrea Lafferty said, ‘This unprecedented power grab demands the immediate reaction of the United States House of Representatives, who must do everything possible to fight back against what can only be described as a despotic and alarming attack on the rule of law.’

Congress has authority to defend traditional marriage DOMA lawsuits if the President won’t. Will your Congressman defend traditional marriage?”

An interesting question. Will anyone support the rule of law in this country? On this issue, illegal immigration, and a host of other fronts? Are we a nation of laws, or have we spiraled down into an anarchy? Here’s a link to a message I ministered on “The Mystery of Lawlessness.”

Click on this link to urge Congress to enforce the law, even if the President won’t!

NC banned prayer in Jesus’ name over six months ago in the Legislature. Now, the ban has been reversed! I just got this email from Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt, and his “Pray in Jesus’ Name” campaign:

“I have GREAT news. YOU just scored another victory for Jesus’ name. Because YOU signed our free petition in July, August, and January, and we faxed over 250,000 petitions to all 170 members of the North Carolina State House and Senate, they have reversed their ban and restored the right to pray in Jesus’ name before legislative sessions.

I just got off the phone with North Carolina state legislator Paul Stam, who announced the North Carolina legislature has now reversed their 6 month ban on prayers ending ‘in Jesus name’ and the new policy is to never screen or censoring prayers, period.

‘We’ve been in session four days now, and on the first day a former Governor [Martin] led the prayer, and he prayed ‘in Jesus name,” said Stam. ‘We also have a new House Speaker [Tom Tillis, R-Mecklenberg County] whose policy is to simply not preview or censor the prayers, and let the person pray however they want to pray. The election made a difference, since we have a new [Republican] majority, and a new government, so we have a new prayer policy too.’

When I asked if this was a written policy, he said ‘the new Speaker’s verbal policy is simply to not pre-screen the prayers. The previous Speaker simply misinterpreted the written policy, but now he’s gone, since his party lost the election.’ In July last year, Democrat Speaker Joe Hackney had improperly fired Pastor Ron Baity as honorary chaplain because the pastor prayed ‘in Jesus name.’

I called Pastor Ron Baity who said he has not yet received an apology for his wrongful termination, but he is glad the policy was reversed. ‘My own representative Larry Brown reached out to me and invited me to come back again and pray in Jesus’ name on the floor, and I hope they can get approval for me to do that in two weeks,’ Pastor Baity said, thanking me for how YOU stood with him by signing a petition to all North Carolina legislators. “I think it’s a good victory. It’s a whole new attitude in this [state] government since the election. This new legislature may even allow the people to finally vote on the [traditional] marriage amendment. We’ve been fighting that battle for seven years.’

North Carolina now makes the 10th major victory we’ve fought and won for the right to pray ‘in Jesus name,’ after previously helping to reverse bans in New York, California, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Oklahoma, Virginia, and for U.S. Military Chaplains.”

Praise God! This is not only a victory for believers, but also against government censorship of free speech!

This update from the Family Research Council:

“Constitution 1, ObamaCare 0

On Wednesday, the Senate was scheduled to start hearings on the constitutionality of ObamaCare. Turns out, they won’t need too. Today, Federal Judge Roger Vinson of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida struck down the entire health care law–including the individual mandate–as a violation of Americans’ constitutional rights. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), which President Obama signed into law last year, not only forces people to purchase health insurance but also funds abortion with federal tax dollars. FRC’s Director of the Center for Religious Liberty, Ken Klukowski, wrote the amicus brief (http://www.frc.org/legalbrief/fl-v-us-hhs-frc-amicus-brief-nd-fla-pdf) for FRC in this case, arguing that if the “individual mandate” is unconstitutional, then the entire law must be struck down. (We filed the only brief focusing exclusively on how the individual mandate cannot be severed from the law.) Apparently, Judge Vinson agreed with our legal position, relying heavily on it in his own written opinion. As FRC, 26 states, and the majority of voters have argued, the U.S. Constitution doesn’t empower the federal government to strong-arm its citizens into spending their own money on health insurance. Any day now, we expect the U.S. Senate to vote on Senator Jim DeMint’s (R-S.C.) legislation, S. 192, to repeal the health care law. After this lesson in Constitution 101, the Senate would save taxpayers a lot of time and money if they followed the lead of the House and repeal this unconstitutional law in its entirety. Only then can we move on to health care reform that both works and is constitutional.”

So… Obama has now come out in favor of overthrowing Hosni Mubarak in Egypt. He gave a speech recently that basically said that EVERY country that has a legitimate government MUST respond to the majority of the people and “respond” to their desires. Perhaps he should have given our government’s response to a MAJORITY of people saying that they did not want Obamacare as an example… oh, no… wait… never mind.

Anyway, there are ~ 250,000 demonstrators in Egypt. A lot, certainly. But only about 1/3 of 1 percent of the population. There are 60% of the American people that don’t want Obamacare… oh wait, bad example again!

In 2009, when a secular populace in Iran wanted freedom, and demonstrated against the Muslim extremists in power in Iran, Obama did nothing, said nothing.

In 2011, now that a Muslim extremist populace in Egypt wants freedom from a primarily secularist government, so that they can have an Islamist state, Obama stands up for them! Things to make you say, “Hummmm!”

The State Senate of Hawaii has banned prayer by voice vote, becoming the first of all 50 states to fully ban the traditional practice of allowing visiting pastors to pray before legislative meetings.

Now keep in mind, this is not a ban on just “praying in Jesus’ Name,” which is a terrible trend that is facing us today! No, this is a total ban on all prayer! By anyone, of any religion!

Obviously, anyone that wants to pray in the privacy of their own homes can pray… but, in their government, they have chosen to exclude God. Pray for the state of Hawaii!

This is the Europe we are supposed to be “emulating” according to liberals? This man WAS preaching, but he was arrested for something he said quietly in a “side” conversation with a man and said that God considered homosexuality a sin. And He (God) does! That is definitive if you simply read and believe the Bible. Something that has not been against the law, even in England… at least up until now.

Christian preacher arrested for saying homosexuality is a sin

“Dale McAlpine was charged with causing ‘harassment, alarm or distress’ after a homosexual police community support officer (PCSO) overheard him reciting a number of “sins” referred to in the Bible, including blasphemy, drunkenness and same sex relationships. The 42-year-old Baptist, who has preached Christianity in Wokington, Cumbria for years, said he did not mention homosexuality while delivering a sermon from the top of a stepladder, but admitted telling a passing shopper that he believed it went against the word of God.”

Expect this kind of thing in the near future here in the US… if the current administration has it’s way, and passes the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA.) Together with the expansion of “hate crimes,” they will soon have the power to silence believers! But we will not refuse to speak the Word of God!

Yesterday, a Federal Judge ruled that the “National Day of Prayer” is unconstitutional! An email I got about this says: “Focus on the Family reports Judge Barbara Crabb ruled today [in favor of atheist complainers at the Freedom from Religion Foundation] that government recognition of prayer violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Crabb claimed her decision “carries out the Founders’ plan of preserving religious liberty to the fullest extent possible in a pluralistic society,” [she actually believes the Founding Fathers, who prayed to the Judeo-Christian God in Congress, now suddenly oppose public acts of prayer?]” Yeah, right! I checked it out to be sure it wasn’t a hoax passed around on the Internet, but it is true… sadly!

Judge: Natl Day Of Prayer Unconstitutional

Believer’s Stand United Message on this ruling

“The National Day of Prayer, honored in the United States for more than a half-century, is unconstitutional, a federal judge in Wisconsin has ruled. In a 66-page opinion issued Thursday, U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb said the holiday violates the “establishment clause” of the First Amendment, which creates a separation of church and state.”

The suit was brought by the “Freedom FROM Religion” group. Like THEY represent the majority of Americans! Riiight!

I think what this country needs right now is a National YEAR of Prayer to pray to turn around the socialist, anti-American direction our great country is descending into! They can’t keep us from praying on our own… what do you say? Let’s pray for America!

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chron. 7:14)

Kenneth Copeland has an organization called “Believers Stand United” (BSU) run by by his son-in-law, Dr. Stephen Swisher (Kellie Copeland Swisher’s husband.) I just got this email from him to the mailing list:

“Dear BSU Partners and Friends,

Happy New Year! And what a year it’s going to be as we stand together for freedom. As a matter of fact, we have an opportunity right here at the first of the year to make our voices heard.

Again the atheist group Freedom From Religion based in Madison, Wisconsin is making another attempt to halt free exercise of faith in America. This group has filed a lawsuit to abolish the National Day of Prayer, which will be commemorated in 2010 on May 6. This group of atheists/agnostics claim that the National Day of Prayer, which has been an organized yearly event in our Nation since 1952, creates a ‘hostile environment’ for nonbelievers and that it violates the First Amendment.

You and I are aware that this day of prayer clearly does not violate the First Amendment, neither does it create a so-called hostile environment, as this day is strictly voluntary and it is open to people of all faiths, who may freely elect to be involved or not.

The great patriot Alexander Hamilton said in the heat of the American Revolution, ‘We must stand for something…or we will fall for anything.’ Now is the time to stand up and be counted for the Lord Jesus Christ.

What can you do? Two specific things:

1) E-mail the White House at www.whitehouse.gov/contact and let them know your firm support for the National Day of Prayer

2) Contact your U.S. Senator at www.senate.gov and Member of the U.S. House of Representatives at www.house.gov

Most importantly as we take action we pray for the atheists in this organization as well as other misguided people who seek to block freedom in America as opposed to foster and encourage it.”

Amen, my brother!