IN THE NEWS (SPRING 1999)

News service graphics are links to their sites, some pictures too.

Court overturns board's ban on same-sex books Times & Transcript, Dec. 12/98 The B.C. Supreme Court has overturned a ban by a suburban school district on books about same-sex relationships, a ruling one lawyer describes as a Canadian landmark. The school board said the books, featuring same-sex parents, weren't appropriate for children that age (kindergarten and grade 1). The three books, Asha's Mums, One Dad, Two Dads, Brown Dads, Blue Dads and Belinda's Bouquet, depict same-sex families... Education Minister Paul Ramsey welcomed the court's decision. "I think the court's action sends a very positive signal to those in Surrey, and throughout the province, who want schools to be inclusive and tolerant places for all our children," he said. "The ban on use of these books sent the opposite message." Lawyer Arvay said, "They can't ban the books for reasons of religion, for reasons that they're harmful, or age-inappropriate, or that they influence sexuality." Kindergarten and Grade 1? When schools can't ban book because they're "harmful or age inappropriate" one needs to ask what the purpose of the education is. In answer, education has increasingly become a vehicle for indoctrination into ideas and concepts espoused by the latest politically correct agendas. Critical thought is no longer encouraged, even at higher levels, as students are being taught to accept unquestionably new morals and much more. Parents cannot abdicate their responsibility to these godless systems and hope that a few hours a week, at church or home, will compensate for such indoctrination. The children are specifically being taught to not listen to voices of "intolerance." In fact, taking a stand for absolute truth – God's Truth – can never be "inclusive". Two (or more) opposing views cannot all be right, only one can. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. (7) Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. (Deut. 6:6-7) Voices of Tolerance MacLean's, Dec. 28/98 The verdict: 90 per cent of Canadians overwhelmingly say that a person's private life -- no matter how famous the individual -- should not be fuel for public consumption. In fact, if Canadians are going to take offense with anyone, it's the moralizers not the sinners. Almost seven out of 10 Canadians say they are willing to accept behavior in others that they may find unacceptable in themselves, and almost six out of ten agree that "no one has the right to impose their morality and ways of doing things on others." Consider the claim that "no one has the right to impose their morality and ways of doing things on others" for a moment. This is a recipe for anarchy. Even though a majority may now profess to believe such a statement, thankfully far fewer live by it. In fact, all laws — out of their very nature — impose their morality and way of doing things on others. A majority are thankful for this. What that six out of 10 are generally saying is that they don't want anyone imposing any law, or rule, or standard, on them that they don't agree with. For example: steal something from one of them in direct view. They're sure to tell you to stop. Of course, when you tell them that that's imposing their morality on you they'll say "Oh, sorry" and let you go. Get real. They'll still say it's wrong. You see, they have no problem imposing morality on others, as long as they agree with it. School Sued Over Witchcraft Ban Reuters, Feb. 9/99 A suburban Michigan high school could be in for toil and trouble after it was sued Tuesday for blocking an honor student from practicing her religion -- witchcraft. The ACLU called the school's actions unlawful and asked the court for a preliminary injunction while the case is being heard to lift the ban against wearing a pentacle or pentagram. Lincoln Park High School principal Tom Kolka... in a letter to parents a few months ago he announced a policy banning witches, white supremacists and Satanists as well as such accessories as black nail polish, vampire style makeup and pentacles. ACLU's Kary Moss said Siefferly was humiliated by being grouped with Satanists and white supremacists, and added that Crystal's mother, Carmela, a practicing Christian, supported her daughter's beliefs. Our new book examines this entire issue of the occult from a Christian perspective. Do you know the difference between Goths, Vampires, Witches and Satanists? Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, (11) or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. (12) Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD... (Deut. 18:10-12) Animators make Moses a Hollywood star. Times & Transcript, Jan. 2/99 "The power is real. The story is forever. The time is now." So run the breathless blurbs for The Prince of Egypt, the lavish animated movie about Moses released by DreamWorks just before Christmas. The producers took unusual pains to make Prince acceptable to religious communities. After the final credits there's even a quote about Moses from the Koran along with citations from the Old and New Testaments. The movie deviates from the Bible on one detail. According to Exodus 2, pharaoh's daughter rescued the baby Moses from the Nile and raised him as her son. But Prince follows the Koran by having pharaoh's wife as the rescuer. Having seen this well promoted movie, I must say that for a Hollywood production it is far better than most. It portrays a Biblical topic with respect and clearly attributes the supernatural and miracles to God. Like most Hollywood productions, they added a story line that is not spoken of in scriptures, namely that Pharaoh and Moses were brothers — Moses being the adopted son of Pharaoh's wife. While the theatrical additions didn't seem to detract much from the movie, the fact that it portrayed Pharaoh's wife as finding Moses (and never had Moses mother nursing him) stood out as a glaring change. Prior to finding this news article, I had searched for a reason, assuming it had to be for reasons of "inclusiveness". This Koran passage (28. Mecca.) is their chosen concession to Islam, so they could say that Judaism, Christianity and Islam supported the movie... And Pharaoh's wife said, 'He is a cheering of the eye to me, and to thee. Kill him not; it may be that he will profit us, or that we may take him for a son'... Regardless of what the news article says, there were other changes as well. Notably that Aaron didn't come out to meet Moses (and actually appeared to oppose him early on). The episode of the idolatry while Moses was on the mountain, getting the ten commandments, was skipped over as well. The bottom line is that any children seeing this movie need to hear the REAL story from the Bible. Only details? The Bible is book full of important details. And why not, God himself gave it to us — all of it is very important. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law. (Luke 16:17) Speaking of the Koran. For those wanting to believe in inclusivism and trying to harmonize all religions, the Koran has a passage that supports their goal. (2. Medina.) Verily, whether it be of those who believe (Moslems), or those who are Jews or Christians or Sabaeans, whosoever believe in God and the last day and act aright, they have their reward at their Lord's hand, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve. This is a far cry from the (exclusive) truth that God has given us about Jesus Christ... Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12, see also 1 John 2:23 and John 14:6) Abortions Increased Religion Today, Dec. 4/98 The number of abortions increased in 1996, the latest year for which statistics have been tallied. There were 1,221,585 legal abortions in 1996... the Center for Disease Control and Prevention said. Slightly more than half of the procedures were performed in the first eight weeks of pregnancy and 88% were done in the first 12 weeks. Most women who had abortions were white and unmarried; about 80% were 19 years and older. That a "Center for Disease Control and Prevention" would keep track of "procedures" speaks volumes about the low value placed on human life in western society. History is full of examples where an entire class of people have been ruled to not be fully human, providing legal justification for the subsequent (or ongoing) destruction or abuse of those people. Consider Nazi Germany. Consider the years of legalized slavery in the US and other nations where even killing your "property" was not a crime. Consider the genocide of many nations in more recent years. No matter what they call it, a baby isn't a disease and an abortion is not a procedure, it's murder. Bibles Distributed Religion Today, Dec. 17/98 Russian Christians distributed thousands of Bibles that had been confiscated for 60 years. A CoMission team heard about a warehouse of Bibles confiscated by Stalin's regime and was given permission to claim them, HCJB Radio said. As team members loaded the Bibles on a truck, they discovered a young man crying in a corner of the warehouse. The agnostic student, who had expressed hostility toward the team, was holding a Bible that bore his grandmother's signature, the ministry said. Family of Martyrs Religion Today, Jan. 25&27/99 Christians in India are shocked and outraged at the murder of a missionary and his two sons. Graham Staines, 58, and his sons Philip, 10, and Timothy, 8, who are from Australia, were reported burned to death Jan. 23 when a mob set fire to the car they were sleeping in near Manorharpur village in Keonjhar district in the state of Orissa. About 100 people attacked the car with sticks and rocks, dumped kerosene (another report said "gasoline") on it, and set it ablaze, Reuters said. People from the village tried to rescue the Staines, but the mob beat those who approached the car, the news agency reported. Staines had been working with leprosy patients for 34 years. Staines' widow Gladys said, "My husband loved Jesus Christ who taught us to forgive our enemies." ... I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. (10) They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?" (11) Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed. (Rev. 6:9-11) Satanic Church Crumbles Reuters, Jan. 26/99 Anton LaVey's Church of Satan is in disarray. Legal disputes among leaders since LaVey's death two years ago have weakened the organization, Reuters said. Its headquarters, the Black House in San Francisco, is deserted and damaged and followers suspect leaders are bilking them, reports said. LaVey's daughters Karla LaVey and Zeena Schreck reportedly have been locked in a legal dispute with Blanche Barton, his former lover and mother of his 5-year-old child. "The Church of Satan is dead as an entity," an unhappy member said. "It's high priests and magisters have become nothing more than absentee landlords trying to convince those inside and out that they still exist so money keeps coming in." It remains to be seen if the Church of Satan, as a corporate identity, is really dead. Unfortunately, the number of take-offs and the influence of it's published materials (including the Satanic Bible) still remains. In fact, rock star Marilyn Manson is perhaps the greatest promoter of Satanism to today's teens.

O'Hair Diaries to be Sold Associated Press, Jan. 12/99 The diaries of atheist Madalyn Murray O'Hair will be auctioned to pay debts. O'Hair, whose lawsuit removed mandated prayer from U.S. public schools, has been missing for three years. She owes $250,000 in back taxes to the IRS. ... The 2,000 handwritten pages reveal the hidden thoughts of America's foremost atheist crusader, including her loneliness, money problems, and political ambitions. "I want money and power and I am going to get it," the diaries read. "By age 50, I want a $60,000 home, a Cadillac car, a mink coat, a cook, a housekeeper." There are also glimpses of doubts about her cause and its impact on her life. "I think atheism is done for this time. I have failed in marriage, motherhood, as a politician." ...At times there appear to be cries of despair. "Somebody, somewhere, love me," is written six times, sometimes in a box set apart from the rest of the text. O'Hair's diaries show the futility and emptiness of a life with no purpose. As an avowed Atheist she could find no meaning beyond the here and now. When relationships, possessions, and aspirations failed she had no hope. Another report said that a Bible was found among her possessions. It's sad to think that the love she was looking for was right in front of her. (Read Psalms 53:1 and Prov. 28:26). On a related note. O'Hair mysteriously disappeared a few years ago and no trace has been found of her. Yet a false petition still circulates in print and on the web about one of her supposed initiatives. We have an updated article related to that here. Pope in Mexico Associated Press, Jan. 24/99 A million faithful packed a dusty Mexico City racetrack Sunday to hear a call to arms from Pope John Paul II — a summons to take to the streets and confront the challenge of Protestant evangelism. John Paul urged his audience to ignore the seductions of what he called "fallacious and novel ideologies" and to spread the word of the (Roman Catholic) church — a central theme of his visit, in which he called upon his followers to aggressively combat significant inroads made by Protestantism.

Edited by Brent MacDonald of Lion Tracks Ministries. All editiorial comment is in italics. (c) 1999. This electronic version is formatted different than the original. Feel free to duplicate as long as the sources are cited.