OUR COLUMNISTS A Darling of Social Conservatives Burns a Bridge Commentary by Matt Friedeman The religious right in Mississippi wasn't prepared for betrayal in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. And to grant the casinos a better deal than they already had was, for many, unconscionable. But religious leaders in the state were up against all odds. Fatherhood Is More Than a Paycheck Commentary by Jane Jimenez We are at a key moment in the year for sports fans ... deciding champions in the World Series and setting up team hopes for the 2006 Super Bowl. With all the money and fame at stake, there's something even bigger for our sports heroes to pay attention to. Prayer Police Foil Another Commentary by Brad Locke Most parents want coaches who possess some sort of moral compass. So why have the prayer police nabbed a rogue high school football coach in New Jersey who's dared to lead his team in prayer before meals and games? Amnesia Commentary by David Sisler What would it be like to wake up and not remember the evil that you had done, the people you had hurt, the sins you had committed? What would you pay for a little selective amnesia? A Fool Nation Commentary by Mark Creech It's incredibly moving. Each time I hear it, tears well up in my eyes. I'm talking about Red Skelton's rendition of the Pledge of Allegiance.

...Evangelist Luis Palau says clergy at the recent Washington National Cathedral prayer service for Hurricane Katrina victims were "trembling" over what they'd be allowed to say. The evangelist says organizers of the service made him and his colleagues submit their prayers and preaching beforehand, and Christian ministers were not supposed to pray "in Jesus' name." But Palau says he was praying "to God, not to them," so he ignored some of the edits and said, "with due respect to people of other faiths, this I pray in the name of Jesus." Palau wonders, "Are we all babies?" -- and says that if he hears a Muslim pray in the name of Allah, he "won't melt." [AP]

...Several dozen members of Congress say they have sought the help of President Bush in restoring freedom of religious speech, asking him to issue an executive order permitting military chaplains to pray however God leads them. North Carolina Congressman Walter Jones says he wrote and circulated the appeal following years of complaints from military chaplains who say they are being banned from praying in Jesus' name. "We have sent a letter to the president, who is the Commander in Chief, asking [him] to please use an executive order to protect the First Amendment rights of our chaplains in the military," Jones explains. The congressman says all faiths have been affected by restraints on what they can say. He asserts there is an effort within the military to make it "politically correct" when it comes to religion. According to Jones, this has been especially tough on Christian chaplains. "In many situations, they are being discouraged from praying in the name of Jesus Christ," he offers. The Republican lawmaker says one chaplain wrote that "religious persecution is taking place in the Army on a daily basis." Jones says he has heard similar complaints from the Navy, Air Force and Marines -- and that he hopes Americans will call the White House and urge President Bush to uphold what he considers chaplains' free speech and religious rights. [Bill Fancher/AP]

...Child Evangelism Fellowship says a Maryland school district is still refusing to send students home with flyers that advertise after-school Bible clubs. The Montgomery County School system blocked the Christian group from sending materials home with students because the flyers were considered too religious. Child Evangelism Fellowship filed suit in 2001, lost in a lower federal court, but eventually won last year in an appeals court, which sent the case back to District Court. The Bush administration filed a brief in the case in support of the Christian group. The school system responded by formalizing its policy, only allowing flyers from the schools, public agencies, parent-teacher groups, sports leagues and day care groups. Meanwhile, a District Court ruled against Child Evangelism Fellowship again in March. The Christian group has filed another appeal to overturn that order. [AP]

...Several hundred crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) in North America are about to get energized by a fundraising campaign that kicks off this weekend at a NASCAR race. Care Net, a faith-based group that supports a network of almost 900 CPCs in the United States and Canada -- in partnership with Interstate Batteries -- has announced the "Charged for Life" campaign, which will direct proceeds from the sale of various batteries to the work of those centers. Care Net facilities offers free and confidential services, including pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, counseling, educational resources, and post-abortion support -- and according to the group's website, all its pregnancy centers are committed to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Care Net president Kurt Entsminger describes Interstate Batteries as "a great role model for companies seeking to make a difference in local communities." He predicts that "thousands of women" will benefit as a result of the partnership. The "Charged for Life" campaign will kick off on Sunday at the NASCAR race in Martinsville, Virginia, where the Interstate Batteries car, driven by Bobby Labonte, will feature Care Net's name and logo. Care Net also jointly owns and operates (with Heartbeat International) a national 24-hour call center, the Option Line (800-395-HELP), that -- in conjunction with its companion website PregnancyCenters.org -- helps more than 10,000 women a month and connects them with local pregnancy centers. [Jody Brown]

...A California-based Christian activist who spent 30 years in the homosexual lifestyle says Christians need to be aware of an organization known as the Republican Unity Coalition, which he believes has stayed under the "Christian radar." According to its own website, the Coalition -- "a gay-straight alliance of Republican leaders, working to encourage tolerance and to address concerns of gay and lesbian Americans" -- came about as an outgrowth of the George W. Bush campaign in 2000. Christian activist James Hartline says the RUC has one goal: "to make homosexuality a non-issue within the Republican Party." He contends the group will "turn the party into pacifists when it comes to dealing with the gay agenda." And Hartline says the RUC has some pretty heavy hitters, including a former Republican senator and president. He points out that retired Senator Alan Simpson is the group's honorary chairman, and that the RUC Advisory Board includes former President Gerald Ford as well as Jim Kolbe, a homosexual congressman from Arizona. "These are liberal Republicans who are not strong advocates of Christian conservatism," the former homosexual states. Hartline says the RUC is fully committed to opposing a Constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman. [Chad Groening]

...Aid workers with the Southern Baptist Convention are assisting survivors of the recent killer earthquake in Pakistan. It is estimated that more than 40,000 people died when the earthquake hit October 8 on the Pakistan-India border. SBC missionaries have been in the area for years and are able to use their contacts and knowledge of the local customs and languages to bring aid to those in need. One SBC worker, who cannot be identified because of security concerns, says conditions are desperate. "So many of the people are homeless," he says. "You're seeing videos on television -- that's exactly what's happened here. All those homes are down; people are just hunkered under trees and whatever kind of shelter they can find." The Southern Baptist worker says as many tents as possible are being purchased and provided to those left homeless so they at least have some kind of shelter for their protection. No Southern Baptists serving in Asia were hurt in the earthquake and its immediate aftermath. [Allie Martin]

...The American Tract Society is encouraging Christians to use Halloween as a chance to spread the gospel of Christ. This year, the ATS is unveiling a Halloween evangelistic campaign known as "Light Up the Night." Christians are encouraged to leave their front porch light on to attract people to their doors on Halloween night. ATS spokesperson Donna Skell says special tracts are available which help share the gospel in a unique situation. "There are more people who take advantage of the fact that someone is ringing their doorbell asking them for something, and use that time to give out the message of the gospel along with their candy treat," Skell says. "We know that there still are a lot of believers who will [leave their house] that evening or just not bother with Halloween, [but] we're encouraging them instead to use this time as an opportunity instead of shying away from it." ATS has a Halloween resource kit available at Christian bookstores. [Allie Martin]

...A new British study confirms what many have said for years -- a mother is the best caretaker for her children. The study by British childcare expert Penelope Leach contends that the social and emotional development of children cared for by someone other than their mother "is definitely less good." Denise Kanter heads a California-based organization called Considering Homeschooling Ministry, an outreach of the Morningstar Educational Network. She notes Leach's study is not the first to come to that conclusion. "What's happening is the press doesn't [typically] pick ... up [such reports]," Kanter observes. "So the fact that this made headlines is very exciting for us, because I think the public needs to know that, yes, children are better off emotionally and academically when they're brought up by their parents." The British study found that babies and toddlers fared worst when they were given group nursery care. [Jim Brown]

...People who are offended by radio or television broadcasts now have an easier way to voice their complaints to the Federal Communications Commission. FCC advisor Penny Nance gave the good news to the public this week. "The FCC is pleased to announce changes to the FCC website that will entail a new complaint form and process for filing complaints about broadcast material," she stated. According to Nancy, the new site -- called the "Obscenity/Indecency/Profanity Home Page" -- allows individuals to just "point, click, and complain." The FCC expects complaints to rise as people become aware of the ease of operation. [Bill Fancher]

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