OUR COLUMNISTS We Must Give -- and Go -- When Disaster Strikes Guest Commentary by Matt Friedeman John Wesley knew that giving was important, having given almost all his own money away across a lifetime. But he knew that giving wasn't enough. When disaster strikes, we must go. Condoms: Context Counts Commentary by Jane Jimenez Even with the technical expertise of Consumers Union, their report on the reliability of condoms cannot tell us what we need to know about condoms. Evidences of Faith Commentary by Brad Locke As an old year fades away and a new one blossoms, it's evident that, despite the best efforts of some, Christianity remains a timeless element in today's culture. Just a scan of recent sports headlines gives us evidence of that. Christmas As It Was Originally Celebrated Commentary by David Sisler Christmas used to mean more than great deals on computers and peripherals. The conception of Christmas used to be a teenaged girl, pregnant before marriage, drenched in sweat. She had just pushed her first child into the cold night air of an unheated, smelly barn. Tsunami -- Why God, Why? Commentary by Mark Creech If God is a loving and merciful God, why would He allow such a disaster? The Scriptures teach God didn't create the world in the state in which it is today; suffering was the result of man's rebellion against God.

...The government is asking a federal court to throw out a lawsuit filed by atheist Michael Newdow, who's trying to bar the saying of a prayer at next week's inauguration. Newdow, who is best known for challenging the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance, says using prayer in the Bush inaugural is unconstitutional. But the government says it has been happening since George Washington's inauguration in 1789 and is widely accepted. Attorney Jay Sekulow says his American Center for Law and Justice has filed a brief supporting prayer at President Bush's inauguration. He notes that federal courts dismissed Newdow's earlier lawsuit over Rev. Franklin Graham praying "in Jesus' name" at the 2001 inaugural ceremony. He also says Newdow should not expect the Supreme Court to echo its previous ban on school prayer in a high school setting. A hearing on the challenge to the Inaugural Prayer will take place on Thursday afternoon (January 13). [AP]

...Three pro-family groups are joining in the inaugural festivities next week by hosting their own celebration. Focus on the Family, Family Research Council, and American Values plan to celebrate the inauguration of President George W. Bush, of course, but also the November victory of "values voters." Tony Perkins, president of FRC, says the "Values Victory" celebration on Tuesday (January 18) will include recognition of his group's "True Blue Awards" to members of 108th Congress who received a 100 percent score on FRC's Congressional Scorecard. "These are members who gallantly stood for the family [in Congress] defending family, faith, and freedom," Perkins says. Perkins, along with Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family and Gary Bauer of American Values, will welcome more than 20 members of Congress, as well as White House representatives, at the gala event. [Jody Brown]

...The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America this week will release its three-year study on sexuality, including recommendations on whether the church should change its policies on the blessing of homosexual unions and ordination of homosexual ministers. Clergy and lay leaders of the five million-member denomination will act on the proposals at their Churchwide Assembly in August. The Evangelical Lutherans currently have no official policy on blessing same-sex relationships. The denomination allows members who identify themselves as homosexual to be ordained but expects them to remain celibate. [AP]

...A Colorado businessman who used his website to warn families about a homosexual event says he cannot understand why it has generated so much opposition and hate from homosexuals and their supporters. For the second year, the city of Telluride, Colorado, is holding its "Gay Ski Week," which attempts to attract homosexuals to the town recognized as a world-class snow skiing destination. Al Heirich promotes tourism in Telluride through his website. He thought families should have a right to know about Gay Ski Week when planning their vacations, so he posted a notice on the website. Heirich says that move generated a storm of protest from both those in the homosexual lifestyle and those who support it, who claimed his warning was discriminatory. "The hate calls [were so persistent that] I just put my phone on auto," he says. Heirich conducted a survey of potential vacationing families, and found that 96 percent of those who responded appreciated the warning he posted. "One of the major reasons families will not come here during Gay Ski Week, according to our poll, is [they] do not want to spend [their] vacation explaining homosexuality to [their] children," he says. "I don't see how that is really discriminatory or 'homophobic.'" Heirich says it is interesting that the very people accusing him of discrimination have a special week set aside exclusively for a certain group of people. [Rusty Pugh]

...A former official with the Israeli prime minister's office says there is feeling of optimism in the Jewish state about the victory of Mahmoud Abbas in this past weekend's Palestinian election. Victory Mordecai will soon be in the United States speaking to Christian groups about what Abbas' election means to the peace process. The author and lecturer says Israel hopes Abbas will be different then former PLO leader Yasser Arafat. "The optimism on the Jewish side is that maybe Mahmoud Abbas will be able to reign in the fanatic Moslem terrorists," Mordecai explains. "He got 62 percent of the vote, so actually the Palestinians are the pride of the Islamic world. They are the only ones who have their own kind of democracy." But Mordecai says Abbas, who is also knows as Abu Mazen, has made demands that are not acceptable to Israel. "Will the world crush Israel into going back to the borders of 1967? Should Israel take four million Palestinian refugees?" he asks. "Everybody understands Israel would be committing suicide [by doing that] because then the population balance would be in favor of the Moslems. And of course, giving them Jerusalem is something that no one in Israel would agree to." Mordecai says the key to success for Abbas will be if he is actually willing and able to reign in the terrorist attacks -- something Arafat refused to do. [Chad Groening]

...Staples, the office products retailer, is denying that it is discontinuing advertising with a television news syndicate because of its alleged conservative stance. Cybercast News Service reports a Staples spokesman is saying a January 14 news release from the group Media Matters misrepresents the retailer's position. The release said Staples would stop advertising on Sinclair News stations as of January 10 in response to customer concerns about injection of partisan conservative politics into its newscasts. But Staples spokesman Phil Capelli reportedly told the National Center for Public Policy Research, a conservative think tank, that Staples is non-political -- and that the ad campaign in question was ending because it was tied to the Christmas season. Capelli said Staples also plans to spend the same amount on advertising with Sinclair this year as in 2004. The Center for Public Policy Research is now challenging the earlier statements by Media Matters, which is regarded as a liberal group with a stated mission of "correcting conservative misinformation" in the media. [Ed Thomas]

...Retired federal judge Charles Pickering, Sr., says his unwavering faith in Christ sustained him during a combative nomination process in 2003. Pickering's confirmation for the federal judicial post was held up by Democrat-led filibusters in the Senate. The Mississippi native, who was later elevated to the federal bench through a recess appointment by President George W. Bush, says God gave him the strength to endure the attacks on himself and his family. He recalls the word of one of the apostles. "Paul made the statement that he had prayed for deliverance from the thorn in his side, but the grace of God saw him through," Pickering says. "You know, if God knows when a sparrow falls to the ground, and [if] God's grace was sufficient for Paul, God's grace is sufficient for all of us." The judge says he and his wife, Margaret, were "especially encouraged and uplifted by the prayers and the encouragement of people of faith in Mississippi and throughout the nation." And he adds: "I feel that our faith sustained us as we went through this situation." Pickering retired in December 2004 when Congress adjourned. He is a former president of the Mississippi Baptist Convention. [Allie Martin]

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