OUR COLUMNISTS We Must Act -- If We Don't, We Lose Guest Commentary by Matt Friedeman Beware of the "healing" that so many think has to happen in the aftermath of the national election. If morality is really the issue, then it is not healing but repentance that is necessary. Politics, Religion and Sports Commentary by Brad Locke Wanna start a fiery debate? A verbal throwdown? A rousing row? A good old brouhaha? Then start talking about politics, religion or ... sports. Bush Re-Election Helped from Unexpected Source Commentary by David Sisler I have a theory about why George W. Bush was re-elected. If homosexuals had not flaunted their Scripture-violating lifestyle in the face of God and man, the marriage issue would not have been on the 2004 ballot in 11 states. And George W. Bush may well have been defeated. Freedom's Hardest Work: A Veteran's Day Salute Commentary by Mark Creech How easy it is to take our freedom for granted! But freedom is not free. It has an exacting price, one that requires the beneficiaries of freedom to do its work.

...The battle continues over whether Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter will become the next chairman of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee. Many pro-family groups see Specter as a liberal Democrat masquerading as a Republican -- and they are making the argument that because conservative voters are largely responsible for getting President Bush re-elected, their concerns about Specter need to be taken seriously by the White House and Republican senators. Bolstering their arguments are articles quoting Specter from interviews given to Pennsylvania newspapers before the election in which he promised to block pro-life and what he called "extremist" judges appointed by President Bush. For example, WorldNetDaily quotes an article from the Bucks County Courier Times in which Specter seemed to proudly remind people that he "led the charge" against President Ronald Reagan's nomination of Robert Bork to the U.S. Supreme Court. In a book Specter wrote, he criticized Bork as being unwilling to see the Constitution as a "living, growing document ... responsive to the needs of the nation." Conservatives say Specter's words represent the kind of thinking that has led to today's activist judges who are making new laws from the bench, instead of upholding the Constitution. [Fred Jackson]

...Florida Baptists have unanimously approved a resolution calling for a state constitutional ban on homosexual marriages. The Florida Baptist Convention, at its annual meeting in Jacksonville, passed without discussion the resolution calling for an amendment that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman. The Baptists, representing one million Floridians, say traditional marriage is "the God-ordained building block of the family and the bedrock of society." But Governor Jeb Bush says the federal Defense of Marriage and Act and state law are currently enough to block recognition in Florida of same-sex marriages performed elsewhere. [AP]

...An attempt to remove segregationist language from Alabama's state constitution has apparently been defeated. But the aftermath of Amendment 2's failure involves questions about intentions, loyalties -- and an aide to former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore. Both state supreme court candidate Tom Parker and Moore, Parker's former boss, as well as many others, were opposed to Amendment 2 because of language in the bill that critics said could open the door for federally ordered tax increases to fund schools. That was not how the bill was written, according to Tuscaloosa-area Representative Gerald Allen. He says the original language strictly addressed the removal of segregationist laws, but was effectively twisted in committee. "There was some language added that should not have been added," he says. "It compromised the bill; it certainly did." Because of Parker's ties to the pro-Confederacy group League of the South, charges of racial bigotry were directed toward those who helped to defeat Amendment 2 -- which perhaps make it even more important that a new version of the bill is being submitted this coming legislative session. That version, Allen says, will not be used to try to slip in veiled provisions for tax increases -- and he is hopeful it also will sooth any fears of racial bigotry still ruling Alabama politics. [Ed Thomas]

...Far from being depressed over last week's election, Hollywood is already considering how to profit from it. Christian film reviewer Ted Baehr of MovieGuide.org says, "The big buzz at the film markets this week is the best thing you can have is a film with Christian content -- and if you don't have one, write one." He shares that at two recent events -- the American Film Market and the Screenwriters Market -- he has heard reports of Hollywood calling for "Christian scripts." In addition, he says, agents who had never previously thought about a Christian production are thinking about reaching "the 'red' part of America," where Baehr says the audience for such fare is located. Meanwhile, Baehr says Christians in Hollywood are already producing some great films. His favorite right now is The Incredibles, with The Polar Express coming soon for the Holidays. But he says the old saying "you are what you eat" also applies to the entertainment we feast our eyes on. To avoid spiritual pollution, he recommends learning about films in advance on his website. [AP]

...The governor of Texas has endorsed the first San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival taking place in his state this weekend. The event, slated for November 11-13, will host more than 30 independent Christian film shorts produced by a new generation of Christian filmmakers. Governor Rick Perry acknowledges the role of faith in the Lone Star State. "Faith plays a central role in the lives of many Texans, giving meaning and providing the strength needed to meet the challenges of a new day," he says, adding that the Festival "serves as an affirmation of faith and reinforces the role of film as an avenue of expression and entertainment." The president of Festival organizer Vision Forum Ministries says his group is concerned with more than just film content. "Our concerns with Hollywood transcend genre and category," says Doug Phillips. "They point to a systemic disrespect for Christianity and the values Christianity teaches. Hollywood needs more than incremental improvement. It needs a heart transplant." Phillips says the mission in founding the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival is to "cultivate an independent film market that is a reflection of the beauty, hope, and encouragement only found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ." [Jody Brown]

...The beauty, hope and encouragement of the gospel is certainly not the focus of Kinsey, a soon-to-be-released film biography of Alfred C. Kinsey, the man some say is most responsible for the sexual revolution. Focus on the Family says the movie fails to tell the true story of the sex researcher and the harm his work brought to American culture. Kristi Hamrick with Focus' Kinsey Impact Project explains. "Alfred Kinsey perpetrated a fraud on American parents by claiming that his perversions were normal and that children should be encouraged to follow in his footsteps," she says, "and the fraud is continued [today] at taxpayer expense." According to Hamrick, the Sex Education and Information Council of the United States (SEICUS), an offshoot of Kinsey's work, "indoctrinates children with the flawed assumptions" of Kinsey's work. Hamrick, a media commentator and analyst, will be assisting the media with their coverage of the sex researcher's record in light of the publicity surrounding release of the film from Fox Searchlight Pictures. [Jody Brown]

...A pro-family activist and former presidential candidate says there are now no excuses for President Bush not to move strongly forward to advance the conservative agenda during his second term. Gary Bauer, chairman of American Values, believes it is up to Bush to take advantage of his solid election victory to advance a pro-family agenda. "A lot more work has to be done by the White House to stop same-sex marriage. A lot more work and a lot more of a battle needs to be fought to get conservative judges on the court so that religious liberty can be protected and we can stop abortion on demand," Bauer says. "So all the things are lined up now. It's totally up to the president." The conservative spokesman predicts liberals in the Senate will make their judgments based on the strength of the president's moves. "If they see a president who is adamant and committed to getting pro-life judges on the courts, then I think these liberals ... will blink; they will back down," he says. "But if they sense division at the White House, or a lack of nerve or a lack of will on these issues, then they will fight as hard as they can." [Chad Groening]

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