Obama Ends Court Defense of Anti-Gay Marriage Law

A key provision of the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutionally biased and will no longer be defended in court by Justice Department attorneys, Attorney General Eric Holder announced Wednesday.

But he assured members of Congress that the Clinton-era federal statute, which defines marriage as between only a "man and a woman" as "husband and wife," will continue to be enforced by the executive branch until it is repealed by legislators or definitely voided by the courts.

www.politicsdaily.com/2011/02/23/obama-ends-court-defense-of-anti-gay-marriage-law/?icid=maing%7Cmain5%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk3%7C45833

U.S. Supreme Court Will Not Hear Case on Ten Commandments Display

Liberty Counsel Press release:

Washington, DC – Today the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to hear a Ten Commandments case that was previously argued at the High Court in 2005, involving the “Foundations of American Law and Government” display (Foundations Display). The Foundations Display includes the Ten Commandments on two county courthouse walls in McCreary and Pulaski Counties in Kentucky. The original lawsuit was filed by the ACLU in 1999.

This denial allows conflicting rulings at the appeals court level to stand, three of which have allowed the Foundations Display and the Sixth Circuit ruling, which has refused it. The instant case turned, not on the Foundations Display itself (which courts have upheld as Constitutional), but on the motive for erecting the display. If the motive is religious, the display is suspect, but if the motive is secular or the government officials are silent, then the display has been upheld. This silly distinction makes no constitutional sense.

Other than this case, the ACLU has lost every challenge to the Foundations Display at the court of appeals since 2005. This case presented the opportunity for the High Court to bring sanity back to the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, especially now since the makeup of the Court has changed since 2005, with Justice Alito replacing Justice O’Connor.

McCreary County v. ACLU of Kentucky was first argued at the U.S. Supreme Court in 2005 by Mathew Staver, Founder of Liberty Counsel and Dean of Liberty University School of Law. In a 5-4 decision, the Court upheld the preliminary injunction against the Foundations Display. The majority ruled that the predominate purpose of the government officials who erected two prior displays was religious. The Court sent the case back to the lower court for a full trial.

“The Ten Commandments have influenced American law and government and may be displayed in a court of law,” said Staver. “At some point the Supreme Court will have to issue a clear ruling that frees judges and lawmakers from the Establishment Clause purgatory created by its confusing rulings.”

FOUR CHRISTIAN MISSIONARIES KILLED BY ISLAMIC PIRATES

Scott Adam and his wife, Jean, of Marina del Rey, Ca were traveling around the world on their yaght, the Quest, with friends Bob Riggle and Phyllis MacKay. Their mission--distributing Bibles. Their yaght was captured last week by Islamic pirates from Somalia. The U.S. Central Command says negotiations had been under way to try to win the couples' release when they were shot. According to press reports the pirates were killed or captured following the killings.

Rarely does the press acknowledge the pirates to be Islamic terrorists, but that is exactly who they are.

More: www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/02/22/501364/main20034691.shtml

PRESIDENT'S DAY Americans Say Reagan Is the Greatest U.S. President

PRINCETON, NJ -- Ahead of Presidents Day 2011, Americans are most likely to say Ronald Reagan was the nation's greatest president -- slightly ahead of Abraham Lincoln and Bill Clinton. Reagan, Lincoln, or John F. Kennedy has been at the top of this "greatest president" list each time this question has been asked in eight surveys over the last 12 years.

More: www.gallup.com/poll/146183/Americans-Say-Reagan-Greatest-President.aspx

NEWS REPORTS FOR WEEK OF FEBRUARY 20, 2011

Hope Lutheran Church, Smethport, PA, was formally organized February 20, under the leadership of Pastor Thomas Beam. A total of 19 persons attended the first service, held at the Free Evangelical Christian Church in Smethport on Sunday morning. Others who are committed to the new congregation bring the total of its members to 26. The congregation also voted to join the North American Lutheran Church (NALC).

There is a report that the Nebraska Synod has released Bethel Lutheran Church of Holdrige, but we have not yet confirmed this information.

JOHN PAUL II TO LIE IN STATE FOR BEATIFICATION

VATICAN CITY, Feb 18, 2011 (AFP) - The Vatican on Friday said late pope John Paul II's coffin will lie in state after his beatification on May 1 and warned the two million plus pilgrims expected against possible ticket touts.

The coffin, which is currently in a crypt under Saint Peter's, will be displayed inside the basilica after the beatification ceremony and he will then buried "in private" in the basilica, the Vatican said in a statement.

John Paul died in 2005 and was replaced by Pope Benedict XVI.

The beatification, which comes after Vatican authorities attributed a miracle to John Paul earlier this year, is the first step to sainthood.

The Vatican has said it expects as many as two and a half million people to flock to Rome from around the world to honour the popular Polish pope.

More:
www.news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/World/Story/A1Story20110218-264308.html

Gov’t Has Borrowed an Additional $29,660 Per Household Since Obama Signed Stimulus

(CNSNews.com) - The federal government has borrowed an additional $29,660 per household in the United States since President Barack Obama signed his economic stimulus law two years ago.

That brings the total national debt to $125,475.18 per household.

At the close of business on Feb. 17, 2009, the day Obama signed the $787-billion law, the national debt stood at $10.79 trillion ($10,789,783,760,341.41), according the Bureau of the Public Debt. At the close of business on Feb. 16, 2011, the national debt stood at $14.13 trillion ($14,129,889,690,377.50)—an increase of $3.34 trillion (3,340,105,930,036.09)

More: www.cnsnews.com/news/article/gov-t-has-borrowed-2966055-household-oba

THIS WEEK'S NEWS FROM CHURCHES

Living Word Lutheran Church, Milbank, SD, a new mission work associated with the LCMC, reports a baptized membership of 249.

A new LCMC congregation, Hosanna Lutheran Church, is being organized in Watertown, SD.

Peace Lutheran Church, Sioux Center Iowa, first vote in October 2010 to leave the ELCA was passed with 95%. A second vote was taken January 2011 and passed with 92%. The congregation has joined LCMC.

A new NALC congregation is being organized by Pastor Thomas Beam, a stand-up pastor in Smethport, PA. They are meeting temporarily at the Evangelical Free Church in town. First service will be Feb. 20 at 9:00 am.

Muslim Brotherhood to form political party

Egypt’s long banned Muslim Brotherhood said Tuesday it intends to form a political party once democracy is established, as the country’s new military rulers launched a panel of experts to amend the country’s constitution to allow democratic elections later this year.

The panel is to draw up changes within 10 days to end the monopoly that ousted President Hosni Mubarak’s ruling party once held, which it ensured through widespread election rigging.

Generals from the Armed Forces Supreme Council, which now rules Egypt, said Tuesday the military wants to hand power to a government and elected president within six months, the firmest timetable yet outlined.

More:

www.online.worldmag.com/2011/02/15/muslim-brotherhood-to-form-political-party/

Homeschool Bill Dropped after Thousands Protest

A proposed Illinois bill to mandate homeschool student registration was dropped after 4,000 home schooling families flooded the state capitol to protest.
Homeschoolers and advocates from several state groups including Illinois Christian Home Educators (ICHE) and Home School Legal Defense showed up at Tuesday’s hearing to urge state lawmakers to leave them alone. The overwhelming response against the bill led lawmakers to reconsider the proposal.

“I would love for Sen. Maloney to understand that this is a hot potato and to leave well-enough alone,” said David Smith of the Illinois Family Institute.

Illinois is one among a dozen states where homeschooled children are not required to register with state education officials.

Chicago Democrat Sen. Edward Maloney’s proposed bill calls for mandatory registration and recognition of non-public elementary and secondary schools in order to ensure that all state students are participating a in “state approved educational institutions and programs.”

The bill would require homeschools to register their students with the Illinois State Board of Education annually.
More: www.christianpost.com/news/ill-homeschool-bill-dropped-after-thousands-protest-49007/

MAINLINE CHURCH MEMBERSHIP DECLINE CONTINUES, BUT MORE SLOWLY

The National Council of Churches has released their annual report on church membership in the United States. The report states: "The direction of membership (growth or decline) remains very stable. That is, churches which have been increasing in membership in recent years continue to grow and likewise, those churches which have been declining in recent years continue to decline." Aptly stated.

The report also stated that income across the churches decreased by $26 million.

Churches reporting a decline in membership included:
The Southern Baptist Church, 16,160,000, down .42%.
The United Methodist Church, 7,774,931, down 1.01%.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 4,542,868, down 1.96%.
The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, 2,312.111, down 1.%.
The Episcopal Church, 2,006,343, down 2.48%.
The American Baptist Church, 1,310,505, down 1.5%.
The United Church of Christ, 1,080,199, down 2.83%.

Those reporting an increase in membership included:
The Roman Catholic Church, 68,503,456, up .57%.
Jehovah's Witnesses, 1,152,686, up 4.37%.
Seventh Day Adventist Church, up 4.31%.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, up 1.42%.
Assemblies of God, up .52%.

More: www.wfn.org/2011/02/msg00045.html

GENERAL JAMES JONES, FORMER SECURITY ADVISOR, SAYS GOD WANTS OBAMA TO CREATE PALESTINIAN STATE

Former US National Security Advisor James Jones on Monday said that he believes it is God’s will that President Barack Obama push hard for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which Jones called the epicenter of all the world’s problems.

Speaking at the Herzliya Conference in Israel, Jones said, “I’m of the belief that had God appeared in front of President Obama in 2009 and said if he could do one thing on the face of the planet, and one thing only, to make the world a better place and give people more hope and opportunity for the future, I would venture that it would have something to do with finding the two-state solution to the Middle East.”

Jones insisted that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the “knot that is at the center of the mass” of all regional and most global diplomatic problems today. This conflict, said Jones, “is one of the most important issues on the planet.”

www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/22650/Default.aspx

Rains Continue, Sea of Galilee Rises, Desalination Limps Along

Hadera Desalination Plant in Israel

After a very late start, the winter rains appear to be here in force – and the Kineret and Israel's aquifers are benefiting. Israel still looks to desalination, however.

Since it reached its lowest point this year – 214.12 meters below sea level on Dec. 11 – the Kineret (Sea of Galilee) has gained 43 centimeters (over 17 inches), and now stands at 213.69. This is still 69 centimeters (2 feet 4 inches) below the government-mandated red line, considered to be unhealthy for Israel’s largest fresh-water body and main water provider.

Meanwhile, it is a matter of consensus that desalination must be a major part of the ultimate solution to Israel’s water problems – but bureaucracy is slowing down construction of the newest desalination plant in Ashdod. The current point of contention is a 4-agorah (1.1 cent) gap between the price per cubic meter demanded by the Mekorot Water Company and the price the Finance Ministry agrees to pay. The difference means 11 million shekels ($2.97 million) a year.

More:

www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/142260

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/142260

Ky. Senate Passes Bill to Teach Bible in Public Schools

The Kentucky Senate passed a bill Wednesday that would add Bible classes to the curriculum in public schools.

The measure would direct the Kentucky Board of Education to create guidelines on a curriculum around the Bible. According to the proposal, students would be able to take a Bible course as a social studies elective centered on the Hebrew Scriptures, Old Testament of the Bible, the New Testament, or a combination of the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament of the Bible.

Sen. Joe Bowen (R-Owensboro), the bill's sponsor, said the purpose of the legislation is Bible literacy.

More:
www.christianpost.com/article/20110210/ky-senate-passes-bill-to-teach-bible-in-public-schools/