OUR COLUMNISTS Discipleship, Training, Holiness -- Greater Needs Than Prosperity Commentary by Matt Friedeman Discipleship and theological training aren't nearly as exciting as a million shouting Nigerians with hands lifted to heaven in pursuit of healing, financial prosperity. But, exciting or not, it is the real need of the hour in Africa. The Pregnant Elephant in the Room Commentary by Jane Jimenez "Comprehensive" has come to mean "condoms and birth control" in debates about sex education. The next time an educator promotes comprehensive sex education to you, ask them if they present the harmful consequences of abortion to young people. Loathing Leon Commentary by Brad Locke Leon, of beer commercial fame, hyperbolically epitomizes our current superstar athletes. Even Randy Moss isn't that arrogant and ingrown -- I don't think -- but as with all good humor, there is an underlying truth present in the Leon character: individuality is the god of many an athlete. 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. The 'Monkey See, Monkey Do' Approach to Science Commentary by Mark Creech The scientific community and the public educational system have essentially embraced a "monkey see, monkey do" approach to science, which is justified by a court's distortion of the First Amendment that establishes evolutionary humanism as the quasi-official religion of the public schools.

...A pro-family group has been threatened with a lawsuit after warning parents about a pro-homosexual campaign of "tolerance" that targets elementary school students. The American Family Association (AFA) has been threatened with a lawsuit for an article that appeared in the January 2005 issue of the AFA Journal, which exposed the campaign. The threatened lawsuit as well as the campaign itself have come from the We Are Family Foundation (WAFF), which has produced a video/DVD that is scheduled to be shipped to the nation's 61,000 elementary schools. The music video reprises the song “We Are Family,” using well-known characters from children’s television. A teacher’s guide will accompany each DVD. Research by AFA Journal into the content of the WAFF website found a number of pro-homosexual materials available for download either by parents, teachers, or children. According to information available at the WAFF website, says AFA, the lesson plans to be distributed tell teachers how to introduce students to "the concepts of homophobia and compulsory heterosexuality." AFA says one of the teacher's guides available at the WAFF website says children should be taught to reject the idea "that women are 'naturally' or innately drawn sexually and emotionally toward men, and men toward women." Attorneys representing WAFF told AFA to "render a public apology" for the AFA Journal article or WAFF would “commence an action” in U.S. district court. But AFA founder Don Wildmon says an apology is not forthcoming. "Our facts are well documented and truthful. No apology is necessary for telling the truth," says Wildmon. "Parents need to be aware that their children could be required by the school to participate in a discussion promoting the homosexual lifestyle." And the issue, he says, has nothing to do about one of the high-profile characters featured in the video. "Contrary to what many media accounts have said, this issue is not about SpongeBob [SquarePants] being homosexual," the AFA founder explains. "It is about an attempt to promote homosexuality to elementary school children." [Jody Brown]

...A Philadelphia judge has overturned an order that barred four Christian activists from picketing within 100 feet of homosexual-themed events. Judge Pamela Dembe calls that restriction an unreasonable restraint on free speech. The Repent America activists -- four adult men and one female minor -- still face inciting to riot and hate crime charges for urging homosexuals to repent at last October's "Outfest" in Philadelphia. But after viewing a 22-minute videotape of events leading to their arrest, Judge Dembe indicated she might dismiss the entire case at a pretrial hearing next month. In her words, "It all amounted to annoyance on both sides, but it did not amount to criminal behavior that I can see." Brian Fahling, senior trial attorney for the Center for Law & Policy -- a group working to defend the Philadelphia activists -- says it is clear the judge understands and values the First Amendment. "And because of that, she recognized that what is depicted in that video -- which captures everything at issue in this case, as we have been saying all along -- is classic peaceful First Amendment activity," the attorney says. The next hearing date for the four adults is February 17. The trial date for 17-year-old Lauren Murch is February 18. [AP/Jody Brown]

...A coalition of pro-life organizations has urged the U.S. Supreme Court to rethink its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and abolish abortion in America. Calling itself the "Abolition of Abortion Coalition," the group made its appeal on the steps of the high court over the weekend. Sharon Turner, spokesperson for the Coalition, said abolition of the murderous procedure is necessary. "Those that are here, and all those who care with us, understand [that] this is what we need -- the abolition of [abortion]," she said. "Just as in the days of slavery, it needs to come to an end." Earlier in the week, Norma McCorvey -- the woman who was assigned the name "Roe" in the landmark case -- urged the Supreme Court to overturn her case and make abortion illegal. [Bill Fancher]

...The week of inaugural celebrations in Washington, DC, turned to deep disappointment for many pro-lifers with the news that the Republican National Committee chose a pro-abortionist for its co-chair. Greg Quinlan, executive director of the Pro-Family Network of Ohio, had stated in mid-week that the selection of Joann Davidson was the "wrong choice" because the former speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives "does not represent the values of the rank and file of the GOP." And although Davidson has now promised not to promote her pro-abortion views while in the leadership position, Bush supporters such as Gary Bauer of American Values regard the GOP's decision as a slap in the face. ""I guess after all these years here [in the nation's capital] I've come to expect that this is what both the party establishment and RINO -- Republican In Name Only -- elected officials do," Bauer says. "It doesn't make me happy. I wish we could stop it. But it's not surprising." Other pro-life supporters are also expressing outrage and disappointment over the Davidson decision. [Bill Fancher]

...Some conservative Christians are asking questions regarding the faith of President Bush based on his recent actions. Christian social commentator John Lofton is upset over some things the president has done lately, including the chief executive's praise of the Koran during his inauguration speech last week. "It was deeply distressing to hear President Bush mention the Koran, which is a vehemently anti-Christian [and] anti-Jewish document, in the same breath with the Old and the New Testaments," Lofton says. The columnist also notes that in his Christmas address, Bush failed to mention the name of Christ -- yet he honored Ramadan and an Indian holiday that features an eight-legged elephant god. And today's (January 24) March for Life in Washington, DC, follows on the heels of the president's approval of a pro-abortion woman for the number-two spot on the Republican National Committee. Lofton has written a column wondering just what kind of faith President Bush has. [Bill Fancher]

...The executive director for the Christian Medical Association says all the different types of alternative medicines can be very confusing, and that Christians need to sort them out. Dr. David Stevens says alternative therapies can range from prayer to yoga to herbal supplements -- and can be put into three different categories: the good, the bad, and the ugly. "That's why a couple of years ago we produced a resource called The Alternative Medicine: The Christian Handbook," Stevens says, "[in an attempt] to help people sort through the issues ... knowing how to approach this whole area, how to evaluate it, and also [how] to look for the particular things that should be of concern to Christians." Stevens says some non-traditional therapies come from Eastern mysticism and incorporate spiritual aspects that Christians do not often consider. He says Christians do not realize that when they are using the therapies, they are in fact taking part in that false religion. And he recommends caution be exercised when using herbal therapies. "Alternative medicines are not subject to the same safeguards as traditional medicines. They are treated like foods by the government," he explains. "In other words, they don't have to be proven to be effective, and there's no standardization in how these are produced and manufactured." The CMDA spokesman cites a study conducted recently that examined different preparations of St. John's wort, a herbal supplement, and found "everything from zero percent active ingredients to up to a 180 percent what it said on the label." Stevens says most alternative medicines have no scientific proof they even work or that they are safe. He says the best plan is to inform your doctor before starting any type of non-traditional medicine. [Mary Rettig]

...A survey of more than 800 senior citizens who occasionally gambled during the last year reveals as many as 11 percent of them could be labeled "at risk." Eight-hundred-forty-three people over the age of 65 were surveyed by phone in a joint Veterans Administration and University of Pennsylvania study. Reportedly, at least 70 percent of those surveyed had gambled once in the past year, many at casinos. Ninety-two of those said they had spent $100 or more in a single bet, or often bet more than they really could afford to lose. According to Keith Whyte of the National Council on Problem Gambling, both are indications of habits that place anyone at risk to become addicted to gambling. But for seniors in particular, he says, it might be more than they can recover from. "It's a huge concern," Whyte says. "We believe that for folks on a fixed income, they are much less likely to be able to go back into the work force to rebuild that nest egg as younger people with gambling problems can do." Complicating matters are the earlier retirements of this generation of seniors which, according to Whyte, leave them with both time and money on their hands -- time increasingly filled with gambling in response to lifestyle risk factors inherent to even non-gambling seniors, like loneliness, isolation, boredom, and depression. [Ed Thomas]

...In Texas, the president of Baylor University has quit in the wake of repeated attacks by some faculty and alumni members who opposed his goals for the Baptist-affiliated school. The Dallas Morning News says Dr. Robert Sloan's difficulties started in September 2001 when he announced "Baylor 2012," a ten-year strategic plan that included "reaffirming and deepening Baylor's Christian mission." Twice that vision had been unanimously endorsed by Baylor's Board of Regents. But some faculty members protested, saying such a stand would threaten the university's academic reputation by stressing religious beliefs over qualifications when hiring new professors. They also rejected the idea of requiring religious doctrine in teaching. At a press conference announcing the change in leadership, Sloan acknowledged that "the natural side effect of change is conflict" and that the school "is not immune to the discomfort and insecurity generated by change." As he put it: "My leadership has often been a lightning rod for that discomfort." Sloan will officially step down in May and will then assume the vacant chancellor's job on June 1. [Fred Jackson/Jody Brown]

...Dozens of churches in India's Andaman and Nicobar islands have either disappeared or been irreparably damaged by last month's tsunami. But thousands of Nicobarese Christian tribespeople are still clinging passionately to their faith. Christians comprise just two percent of India's one billion people, but represent more than one-fifth of the population in the Andaman and Nicobar islands. The tsunami death toll in the island chain is nearly 1,900, with more than 5,000 still missing. In relief camps, hundreds of Nicobarese huddle each morning and evening as pastors conduct prayers in their language. One village chieftain says, "We are now holding tightly to our religion." An Indian Christian relief coordinator says eight pastors were killed, 18 churches have vanished, and 15 more were severely damaged. But he says, "We are making plans to rebuild all of them." [AP]

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