Annual Vital Signs Ministries' Christmas Celebration Tonight

There's not too much blogging going on this morning because I've got to scoot on over to Christ Community Church and get to cooking.

Cooking?

Yes, the annual Christmas Celebration sponsored by Vital Signs Ministries is being combined this year with our annual Chili Supper! And that means I'll be cooking up enough of my famous Rocky Mountain High Chili to feed 150 people. Alongside that, we'll be serving a bit of Aunt Minnie's "Frightened Chicken" Soup, followed by wassail and plenty of Christmas cookies. It's always a great time as we pro-life activists celebrate the Advent of Christ together. We'll share a few brief updates on Vital Signs happenings, savor the sweet fellowship of like-minded Christians...and, of course, dig in to the chili and extras.

For the locals who haven't yet made your RSVP, you can still come. Don't fret, we'll squeeze you in somewhere.

Watch Out for the Irish Bulls

Would you like to take a quick break for a little lesson in grammar? No, no...don't flip out. It will, like I said, be quick and I'm quite sure you'll even enjoy it. So, click on the title of this post to take a little ride with Paul Greenberg on an Irish bull or two.

Yes, Virginia; There Is a War on Christmas

CNSNews.com reports that a Christmas-themed event to raise money at a public elementary school in Warwick, N.Y., has been altered to accommodate a parent's complaints that the program would illegally spotlight a "religious" figure - Santa Claus. "Breakfast With Santa" has since been changed to "Winter Wonderland Breakfast," and -- in an effort to be inclusive of all beliefs -- the bearded one will now be joined at the Dec. 9 event by Frosty the Snowman.

Organizers made the changes after one parent charged that she and others in the community were offended that the Parent Teacher Association at the Sanfordville Elementary School was sponsoring a program geared toward one religion. That parent, who did not wish to have her name used, wrote a letter to the school board asserting that Santa represents Christmas -- a Christian holiday -- and by law, a public school is not allowed to promote religion.

Catholic League President Bill Donohue called the events at the school an "exercise in tyranny." "There is nothing in the U.S. Constitution, of course, that bans 'Breakfast with Santa' from taking place in a public school," Donohue said in a statement. "This has nothing to do with the law -- it has everything to do with bowing to the pressure of bigots."

Abortion by Midwife Promoted in Medical Journal

A good friend, Cyndy Swanson, alerted me to this preview of an upcoming Lancet article. It's a doozy. Sure, demanding that midwives be allowed to perform abortions is nothing new. With the shortage of physicians willing to be known as abortionists, anti-natal organizations have been talking about this for some time...despite the seemingly obvious dangers to women such a slide would represent. But, let's face it; the shrill demand for abortion trumps all other considerations: preborn children, morality, erosion of the sanctity of life ethic, and even women's health.

But what is new is the issue being touted by a prestigious medical journal and under the guise of a scientific study, no less.

And, oh yes; also rather new is the extremism of the rhetoric accompanying the supposedly high-minded article. An example? The outlandish claim that more women die every year from illegal abortions than were killed in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima!

Applying Sola Sciptura to Today's Preaching

What has happened to the Reformation doctrine of sola Scriptura as it applies to preaching in today's evangelical churches? How about its application to apologetics and the believer's conduct in the world? And does a lack of appreciation for this doctrine relate to the popularity of seeker-friendly pastoral leadership?

This provocative article ("Implausible as Father Christmas?") by Ranald Macaulay, found at the web site of Chistian Heritage (Cambridge, U.K.), has some enlightened and provocative answers to these questions and more. Check it out.

"Bella" Is On Its Way to Theaters

Have you heard about "Bella," the independent film directed and co-written by the young, multi-talented Mexican, Alejandro Gomez Monteverde? It is a film that just might end up with a lot of folks talking about it. After all, the romantic drama was the surprise winner of the Toronto Film Festival's top award earlier this fall and that's an honor that has frequently been an indicator of future Academy Award nominations.

But the biggest surprise is yet to come. For one of the strong themes of "Bella" is an emphasis on the sanctity of life. As Bob Novak says in this review...

An invited audience including Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez gathered at the National Geographic Society's auditorium in Washington Monday night for a screening of "Bella," an independently produced feature film. No mere movie, it offers hope for the beleaguered anti-abortion movement to reverse the political tide running against it.

This was the eighth such screening in Washington. Monday night's audience reflected the reaction in more than 100 showings nationwide: an emotional experience for a stunning exhibition of cinema art that unexpectedly won a Toronto Film Festival award. It is no propaganda film but a dramatic depiction of choices facing an unmarried pregnant woman.

"Bella," unknown to the general public, has generated excitement and anticipation in conservative Catholic and other anti-abortion circles. The problem is getting the film in movie theaters around the country for its public premiere early next April. That is never easy for an independent film with no box office names, but the problems are magnified when its message runs counter to the social mores of Hollywood...

The rest of Novak's column about "Bella" is here.

MSM Misunderstands Breast Cancer/RU-486 Issue

The University of California study claiming that the RU-486 abortion drug might help reduce the risk of breast cancer was one of the MSM's pet stories of this past week. But though quite widely reported, the story was also quite poorly reported with elemental scientific facts left out entirely. Here's a LifeNews story that gives a much fairer, fuller picture.

Saddleback Church Defends Invitation to Obama

Not surprisingly, this AP report reflects the spirit that Rev. Rick Warren and Saddleback Church hope will mollify the opposition engendered by his invitation for Senator Barack Obama to play a starring role in the Church's upcoming "AIDS Summit." However, key issues go unaddressed by this article, especially the dangerous error of inviting an extremist on abortion and homosexual privilege to be given a place of honor (and elevated publicity) in an evangelical church.

As I commented in an earlier post, Warren is being used just as Bill Clinton used Rev. Bill Hybels a few years ago. And with the erosion of intelligence, consistency and will within the evangelical community to fight (principally and prayerfully) against the tide of secularism, Rev. Warren's timing couldn't be worse.

Obama is an active aspirant for the U.S. presidency and is, therefore, desperately trying to win inroads into America's Christian community (despite his alarming distortions of biblical theology and his championing of heinous evils like killing children in the womb). Rev. Warren is blessing him with a most undeserved gift.

It is one thing (and a good thing, at that) to lovingly, patiently speak with one's enemies in private settings or even in open debate. It can also be acceptable for a Christian to cooperate with people who disagree with him when engaged in a specific purpose; i.e. tossing sandbags against a busted levee or, yes, certain activities related to helping people avoid AIDS.

But what Warren and Saddleback Church are doing (for all their rhetoric and even their naive goodwill) is something altogether different. They are giving an esteemed honor to a very ambitious, crafty politician who aggressively campaigns for the most abhorrent wickedness. And even Obama's campaign against AIDS is (or, God help us, certainly should be) much different than what biblical Christians should support: plane loads of condoms and instruction in "safe" promiscuity.

No, not even Sen. Brownback's participation in the Saddleback AIDS Summit can excuse this terrible error on the part of Rev. Warren. We must continue to pray that he will yet make the best decision; namely, dis-invite Barack Obama and explain plainly why. At the very least, the furor caused by pro-life leaders opposed to Warren's mistake should cause the pastor to emphasize publicly his deep revulsion over Senator Obama's penchant for perversions.

Are Americans Cheapskates?

...After the Asian Tsunami two years ago, the U.S. government pledged $900 million to tsunami relief. American individuals donated $2 billion -- three times what government gave -- in food, clothing, and cash. Private charities could barely keep up with the donations.

Americans' preference for voluntary contributions over forced giving through government is one way in which Americans differ from other people. (Don't think it's forced? See what happens if you don't pay your taxes.)...

I don't know how many of you caught "Cheap in America," John Stossel's ABC News segment last night, but I hope you did. It was very good and most enlightening. But, even if you missed it, you can at least read Stossel's eye-opening column right here.

And then, since you'll be encouraged in your charitable spirit, why not follow through with a thank-you to Mr. Stossel for the ongoing excellence of his ABC journalism. (You can find an e-mail response right under his name at the Town Hall column.) Following in the footsteps of Cal Thomas (and very few others), Stossel has bravely resisted the leftist dominance of the MSM (mainstream media) and his stories continue to be relevant, fact-based, and genuinely helpful.

It would also be good to let ABC know your appreciation for John Stossel's work. In fact, why not go so far as sharing those opinions with the other networks? It is always better to be a "shiner" than a mere "whiner." The appropriate contact information is listed below. And, you can use as a reference the quick note I zipped out this morning via e-mail to CBS Evening News, 60 Minutes, CNN, NBC's Dateline, and NBC News.

Dear CBS,

I happened to catch John Stossel's excellent segment last night, "Cheap in America," over on ABC. Wow. It was an eye-opening, relevant program and one based on facts rather than what so often passes for journalism nowadays; namely, slogans, selective emotions and leftist ideology. Conservative (read "old school" reporting) can yet be alive on networks other than Fox. The increasingly popular Stossel is proving that (and proving his worth) over at ABC -- why doesn't CBS give us a bit more of this approach? Thanks for listening.

Denny Hartford

And yes, I sent thank-you notes to both ABC and to Stossel himself. Your turn.

ABC
77 West 66th Street
New York, New York 10023
Web site: http://www.abcnews.com

CBS
524 West 57th Street
New York, New York 10019
Web site: http://cbsnews.cbs.com/

CNN
P.O. Box 105366
One CNN Center
Atlanta, Georgia 30348
e-mail: feedback@cnn.com; cnn.onair@cnn.com;
crossfire@cnn.com
Web site: http://cnn.com

NBC
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, New York 10112
e-mail: dateline@news.nbc.com; nightly@news.nbc.com
today@news.nbc.com; MTP@nbc.com
Web site: http://www.msnbc.com

The Bombshell News Story that Never Was?

Ah, the Western media.

It turns out that the bombshell story of Thanksgiving weekend, the burning alive of six Sunni civilians as they left Friday mosque services, may not have happened.

But even when the bloggers shine the light on the MSM's egregious mishandling of the affair, there are no corrections, no apologies, no shame.

Here's Michelle Malkin's commentary on the matter.

'Tis the Season to Be Grinchy

The Family Research Council comments on the selective censorship of the anti-Christmas spirit...

As organizers of the German Christkindlmarket festival in Chicago can testify, 'tis the season for attacks on religious liberty. The city ordered that the annual fair reconsider its promotion of the new film "The Nativity Story" on the grounds that it might offend non-Christians. Cindy Gatziolis, a spokesman for the Mayor's Office of Special Events, said the city doesn't want to be "insensitive" to people of diverse faiths. A spokeswoman for New Line Cinema, the studio producing the movie, responded by saying she finds it hard to believe that non-Christians who attend an event called "Christkindlmarket" would be caught off guard by the presence of products having to do with Christmas.

Rather than accommodate all religions, these so-called pluralists have marginalized America's largest. Towns and businesses everywhere are sending the message that when it comes to tolerance, 86 percent of the American population need not apply.

It's a sad commentary on the world's "freest" country if a public Christmas festival is no place for the Christmas story. Celebrating the holidays, whether it's Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, is a fine idea, but it's also fitting that the invitation and respect be extended to Catholics and Protestants. All we want for Christmas is consistency.

Taking the Congressional Oath on the Koran?

Keith Ellison, D-Minn., the first Muslim elected to the United States Congress, has announced that he will not take his oath of office on the Bible, but on the bible of Islam, the Koran.

He should not be allowed to do so -- not because of any American hostility to the Koran, but because the act undermines American civilization.

First, it is an act of hubris that perfectly exemplifies multiculturalist activism -- my culture trumps America's culture. What Ellison and his Muslim and leftist supporters are saying is that it is of no consequence what America holds as its holiest book; all that matters is what any individual holds to be his holiest book.

Forgive me, but America should not give a hoot what Keith Ellison's favorite book is. Insofar as a member of Congress taking an oath to serve America and uphold its values is concerned, America is interested in only one book, the Bible. If you are incapable of taking an oath on that book, don't serve in Congress. In your personal life, we will fight for your right to prefer any other book. We will even fight for your right to publish cartoons mocking our Bible. But, Mr. Ellison, America, not you, decides on what book its public servants take their oath...

Read the entirety of this weighty and wise Dennis Prager column right here.

"Hitt Piece" from NY Times Writer Strangles the Truth About Abortion

Last spring New York Times "reporter" Jack Hitt wrote an editorial in which his ardent pro-abortion sympathies overwhelmed the scientific, legal and moral truths about the case he was supposedly writing about. What else is new for the Times?

In his editorial, Hitt poignantly described his visit to a woman sentenced to 30 years in prison for, what Hitt described as, having undergone an illegal abortion. Wrote Hitt, "I was there to see Carmen Climaco. She is now 26 years old, four years into her 30-year sentence...She'd had a clandestine abortion at 18 weeks, not all that different from D.C.'s, something defined as absolutely legal in the United States. It's just that she'd had an abortion in El Salvador."

Uh, excuse me, Mr. Hitt.

The 30 year sentence given Climaco was, in fact, because she strangled her baby after he was born. It was not abortion but infanticide. Forensic examination showed the baby had been delivered alive at full term but was killed by Climaco shortly thereafter and stuffed in a box under her bed.

The New York Times has yet to correct this grievous error. And therefore, pro-life advocates in El Salvador are writing to the Times leadership, asking that the basic elements of fairness be applied. Would you like to join them? Read through the LifeSite report here and use the links at the bottom of the story to contact publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr. and president/general manager Scott H. Heekin-Canedy (two names...two titles...you might want to send him two letters).

“What Does Hillary Think?”

New Report Raises Disturbing Questions about Hillary Clinton and Abortion

Judicial Watch, a public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, recently released a special report based upon examination of new documents in the Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock, Arkansas. According to the report’s introduction: “Judicial Watch’s research of Clinton Archives has turned-up additional, never-before-seen records detailing Team Clintons’ strong support – both politically and ideologically – for attacking the pro-life movement and aggressively expanding the ‘culture of death,’ especially with public funding.” Below are a couple of excerpts from the Judicial Watch press release but I suggest you also zip over and read the full report as well.

• The Clinton Archives contain a memo from Domestic Policy Council staffer Bill Galston to President Bill Clinton, suggesting the president “lower the public profile” of the administration’s radical pro-abortion policies: “…it is essential to regain our balance on cultural matters. . . . we should not go out of our way to emphasize issues that reinforce the impression that we are somehow outside the cultural mainstream.” Galston specifically cited radical, early moves of the Clinton administration: “. . . gays in the military, political correctness on campus, quotas, and reproductive services contained within a health care proposal.”

• The Galston memo includes a two-page discussion of the Hyde Amendment, weighing legislative tactics, public opinion and political strategy, ending with President Bill Clinton’s handwritten question, “What does Hillary think?” next to the “decision” section of the memo.

Pro-Life Leaders Ask Rick Warren to Change His Mind About Barack Obama Publicity Stunt

A press release signed by such veteran pro-life leaders as Phyllis Schlafly, Judie Brown, Tim Wildmon, and Joe Scheidler is designed as a sincere appeal for Rev. Rick Warren to realize the terrible mistake he's making by giving over his pulpit to Senator (and abortion enthusiast) Barack Obama. Here's the statement:

As those who have worked to defend preborn children from the horrors of abortion in America and who have stood uncompromisingly against the legalized slaughter of an estimated 50 million Americans in the womb since 1973, we join with one voice in expressing our indignation and opposition to Rick Warren's welcoming of Senator Barack Obama to his church on December 1, 2006. Rick Warren is bringing Senator Obama to his church to speak for his Global Summit on AIDS and the church and to take an AIDS test in front of the cameras at a noon press conference.

Senator Obama comes to Rick Warren's church believing that abortion should be kept, "safe and legal". When Barack Obama campaigned for the U.S. Senate in 2004, his wife wrote a fundraising letter for him that revealed his support of partial-birth abortion. She said Obama's position is that the "partial-birth abortion ban . . . is clearly unconstitutional and must be overturned." Support of partial-birth abortion goes a lot farther than the politicians who want abortion to be "safe and legal." Senator Obama actually supports the barbaric practice of allowing abortionists to kill babies by allowing them to be partially, born, their skulls punctured and their brains sucked out. Further, he repeatedly opposed an anti-infanticide bill in the state of Illinois that only passed after he left. Killing a child at any stage of life is a violation of God's clear command, "Thou Shall Do No Murder". In addition,Obama's solution to the growing AIDS crisis has been and continues to be the widespread distribution of condoms, not chaste behavior as directed by the Bible.

In the strongest possible terms, we oppose Rick Warren's decision to ignore Senator Obama's clear pro-death stance and invite him to Saddleback Church anyway. If Senator Obama cannot defend the most helpless citizens in our country, he has nothing to say to the AIDS crisis. You cannot fight one evil while justifying another. The evangelical church can provide no genuine help for those who suffer from AIDS if those involved do not first have their ethic of life firmly rooted in the Word of God. Accordingly, we call on Pastor Rick Warren to rescind his invitation to Senator Obama immediately. The millions of silent victims who have died because of the policies of leaders like Senator Obama demand a response from those who believe that life is a gift from God. The name of the seminar at which Senator Obama will be appearing is entitled, " We Must Work Together." No, Mr. Warren, Mr. Obama, we will never work with those can support the murder of babies in the womb.

Phyllis Schlafly, President and Founder, Eagle Forum
Judie Brown, President, American Life League
Tim Wildmon, President American Family Association and American Family Radio
Joe Scheidler, President, Pro-Life Action League
Cheryl Sullenger, Operation Rescue
Matt Trewhella, Missionaries to the Preborn
Brannon Howse, President, Worldview Weekend, Christian Worldview Network
Janet Folger, President, Faith2Action
Peter LaBarbera, President, Americans for Truth
Greg Cunningham, President, Center for Bioethical Reform, Lake Forest, California
Peggy Hamill, Director, Pro-Life Wisconsin
Cal Zastrow, Christian Action for the Preborn
Dr. Vic Eliason, President, VCY America Radio Network
Ingrid Schlueter, Host, Crosstalk Radio Talk Show
Kevin McCullough, Host, Musclehead Revolution, WMCA Radio
Chris Rosebrough, Capo Valley Church, San Juan Capistrano, California
Rev. Ken Silva, Apprising Ministries
Linda Harvey, President, Mission America

Christians Losing Their Own Children

This alarming note from a Laurie Goodstein story in last month's The New York Times:

"Despite their packed megachurches, their political clout and their increasing visibility on the national stage, evangelical Christian leaders are warning one another that their teenagers are abandoning the faith in droves.

At an unusual series of leadership meetings in 44 cities this fall, more than 6,000 pastors are hearing dire forecasts from some of the biggest names in the conservative evangelical movement.

Their alarm has been stoked by a highly suspect claim that if current trends continue, only 4 percent of teenagers will be "Bible-believing Christians" as adults. That would be a sharp decline compared with 35 percent of the current generation of baby boomers, and before that, 65 percent of the World War II generation.

While some critics say the statistics are greatly exaggerated (one evangelical magazine for youth ministers dubbed it "the 4 percent panic attack"), there is widespread consensus among evangelical leaders that they risk losing their teenagers."

Hat tip: World Congress of Families

Christians More Aware of Entertainment Stars Than Their Own Leaders

The sociological studies of George Barna (shown at left) are always interesting, always valuable but, in recent years, almost always disturbing too since his research reveals the severe erosion of knowledge, faith and commitment among Americans who refer to themselves as Christians.

Barna's latest study concentrates on the huge disparity of recognition by Americans (even Christians) of, on the one hand, religious leaders and, on the other, entertainment celebrities.

For instance, 57% of the adults surveyed said they had never heard of James Dobson. Maybe not much of a surprise but what about the fact that nearly half of all "born again Christians" didn't know who James Dobson was! Wow. 68% of the adults surveyed had no knowledge of T.D. Jakes (including 55% of all "born again Christians") And Tim LaHaye? Well, although Dr. LaHaye is a former pastor, an influential writer and activist, the husband of Concerned Women for America founder Bev LaHaye, and co-author of the best-selling fiction series of all-time, three out of four adults don't have a clue who he is. Likewise, 63% of the "born agains!"

But it's a much different story with entertainment figures: Mel Gibson was known to 96% of those surveyed; Rosie O’Donnell to 95%; Denzel Washington to 93%.

It represents yet another example of how Christianity is losing its influence in American culture. Argues Barna, "You cannot make a difference in someone’s life if you do not have entrée in that life. In our society, even clergy compete for people’s attention and acceptance. One of the reasons that the Christian faith is struggling to retain a toehold in people’s lives is because even the highest-profile leaders of the faith community have limited resonance with the population.”

He continues, “The survey statistics suggest that perhaps Christian individuals are more attuned to matters of culture and entertainment than to matters of faith. People pay attention to what they deem important. These figures may be another indicator that millions of Christians invest more of their mental energy in cultural literacy than in biblical literacy.”

Too Early to Lift the Boycott of Wal-Mart?

Late last week I posted an entry here about the American Family Association rescinding their call for a boycott of Wal-Mart. Not surprising with the Christmas shopping season getting underway, that post (you can re-read it here) has been one of the "most visted" of the month.

Well, I said in that entry that although Don Wildmon was convinced of Wal-Mart's change of heart, I certainly wasn't. And I wondered if other groups who had joined the boycott were going to be swayed by what I suspected might be merely a cosmetic move by the multi-national company. The answers are coming in. Here's the Family Research Council's response:

Before you put Wal-Mart on your naughty list this Christmas, a recent corporate statement shows that the company is trying to make amends for its pro-homosexual actions. In a press release made public before the biggest shopping day of the year, Wal-Mart says it will "no longer make corporate contributions to support or oppose controversial issues unless they directly relate to their ability to serve their customers." To dispel the unrest over its political leanings, the statement went on to say, "Wal-Mart does not have a position on same-sex marriage, and we do not give preference to gay or lesbian suppliers." This was welcome news to Rev. Don Wildmon, president of the American Family Association (AFA), who has since cancelled AFA's post Thanksgiving boycott.

Other groups, like Ohio's Citizens for Community Values (CCV) organization, are taking a "wait and see" approach. CCV President Phil Burress refuses to call off his group's boycott until Wal-Mart takes back its $25,000 donation to the Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce or ends its membership next year.

For a company that has suffered a loss of profits and credibility among consumers, only time will tell if Wal-Mart can win back its base. It will take high standards, not just low prices, to persuade America's families.

The New Media Darlings: Liberal Pseudo-Evangelicals

Newsweek magazine is the latest MSM mouthpiece to try and sell the "New Evangelicalism" idea to the American public -- this being the cherished hope of liberals that pseudo-evangelicals like Ron Sider and Tony Campolo are creating a revolution against the leadership of Jerry Falwell, James Dobson, D. James Kennedy and the like. Why would the left desire this shift? Easy. The "New Evangelicalism" distorts the Bible's teaching and thus discourages believers from taking effective stands against abortion, homosexuality, divorce, euthanasia, excessive government spending, isolationism, and other issues so dear to the liberals.

Here's an invigorating commentary on the matter from Don Feder.

Reagan Was Right -- About Oh So Many Things

Our dear pal Janine Lehman sent along this wonderful collection of Ronald Reagan quotes to get our day started off right. I pass on the delight.

Said Janine, "You don't realize how much you miss him, until you read and remember some of the stuff he said and stood for:

"Here's my strategy on the Cold War: We win, they lose."

"The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help."

"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant: It's just that they know so much that isn't so."

"Of the four wars in my lifetime none came about because the U.S. was too strong."

"I have wondered at times about what the Ten Commandment's would have looked like if Moses had run them through the U.S. Congress."

"The taxpayer: That's someone who works for the federal government but doesn't have to take the civil service examination."

"Government is like a baby: An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other."

"The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a government program."

"I've laid down the law, though, to everyone from now on about anything that happens: no matter what time it is, wake me, even if it's in the middle of a Cabinet meeting."

"It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first."

"Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it."

"Politics is not a bad profession. If you succeed there are many rewards, if you disgrace yourself you can always write a book."

"No arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women."

"If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under."