OUR COLUMNISTS Cast Your Vote: Who Is More 'In the Bubble' – George W. or Newsweek? Commentary by Matt Friedeman "Bush's World," reads the front cover of this week's Newsweek. "The Isolated President: Can He Change." Hilarious, really. Small Acts of Courage Commentary by Jane Jimenez Alert! Leaders predict the end of the world as we know it! Do we have time to save the world? On the Same Team? Commentary by Brad Locke What sports ultimately teaches us is that the only way to succeed is through unity. Individuals must learn to harmonize their efforts so that the team can achieve great things. The body of Christ is no different. The Church Joins the World -- and Almost No One Notices Commentary by David Sisler In the spirit of the season, churches all over our nation will have a very spiritual experience by being closed in celebration of the birthday of our Savior. No matter how you phrase it, no matter how you spin it, that is a prime example of evangelical Christianity having lost its way. Hawaii Supreme Court: The Unborn Are 'Not Human Beings' Commentary by Mark Creech The ruling in the case and Hawaii's penal code clearly define personhood on the basis of functionalism. The Holy Scriptures, however, define one's personhood not by what one does but by what one is.

...Relief work continues in countries hit by last year's Indian Ocean tsunami. Since that December 2004 disaster, workers with Compassion International have built homes, provided assistance to displaced workers, and supplied aid to refugees. Shortly after the tsunami hit, Compassion's Asia area office mobilized to help the Aceh Province in Northwestern Indonesia. By the first week in January, more than 30 professionals and volunteers were in Banda Aceh. Paul Moede, vice president with Compassion International, says the work continues and this has been "a great year of growth. "We founded eight different survivor or refugee camps," he notes, "so we provided the immediate needs of food and nutritional supplements, cooking supplies, tents -- and trauma counseling." Also, Moede says the ministry has been involved in "really a whole gamut of livelihood restoration," setting up loans for coffee shops, tailor shops, and automotive businesses. To date, donors have contributed more than two million dollars to Compassion's Tsunami Disaster Relief Fund. [Allie Martin] "

... As the world conducted ceremonies to remember the tragedy of the Central Asian tsunami this week, questions continue to crop up as to why many in the earthquake and tsunami zones remain homeless and why more infrastructure has not been restored. At least one spokesman for an experienced disaster aid agency says such operations take time. A recent news report in the Financial Times about the amount of overhead costs for the United Nations in their expenditures of donated tsunami relief funds has raised many eyebrows. But World Vision president Richard Stearns says people have to understand what it takes to undergird large scale relief operations and also need to realize that the scope of this one was unprecedented. During a recent appearance on Fox News he explained that, as a result of the tsunami, the "equivalent of the populations of Seattle, Boston, and Washington were made homeless, and overhead is to be expected when you set up a massive relief operation like this." Also, Stearns commented, it takes much longer to rebuild a society than most people suspect for all kinds of logistical reasons, and "we can't expect this to happen in a year." Stearns feels the tsunami affected region has done pretty well in the push toward recovery, and he says the level of progress thus far is acceptable. [Ed Thomas]

...The Reverend Tristan Emmanuel says that for evangelical Christians, "there is a form of persecution taking place in Canada." Emmanuel says the legalization of same-sex marriage, and hate crimes laws that criminalize discrimination against homosexuals, have fueled an intolerance against Bible-believing Christians. The executive director of the Ontario-based Equipping Christians for the Public-Square Centre warns that that's what American evangelicals could face in the years ahead. Emmanuel is urging his fellow believers to help vote Canada's Liberal government out of office in next months' national election. But he says many Canadian Christians tell him they are ready to give up and move to the United States. [AP]

...The Russian Orthodox Church has broken off relations with the Church of Sweden over the latter's recognition of same-sex unions. Metropolitan Kirill, who heads the Russian church's external relations department, said in a statement that the church's synod "expressed its categorical condemnation of these actions." The Swedish government has recognized same-sex civil unions since 1994 and the Church of Sweden this year approved special blessing ceremonies for such unions. The Church of Sweden, a Lutheran denomination, counts most Swedes as members, although many are non-observers who became members when it was the state church. [AP]

... A litigation attorney with the Thomas More Law Center, a national public-interest firm that defends the religious liberty of Christian and pro-family clients, says he understands the political considerations that prompted Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum to resign his position on the Michigan-based law firm's advisory board. Law Center Executive Director and Chief Counsel Richard Thompson says Santorum apparently wanted to avoid a political firestorm over the firm's defense of intelligent design in a case involving a school district in Dover, Pennsylvania. "We certainly understand that the issue of intelligent design is very controversial and that he is involved in a hotly contested senatorial race," Thompson says, "and maybe his position as a member of advisory board was something he wanted to remove from the political debate." In any case, he adds, political maneuvering is not his firm's primary concern. "Politics many times is a matter of compromise, but the Thomas More Law Center does not compromise its principles, and we go forward in court defending what we think is appropriate," he says. Thomas More's area is not politics but "litigating the Constitution," Thompson adds. [Chad Groening]

... Despite growing government deficits, at least one economist feels 2005 has been a banner year for the United States economy. Pat Toomey of the "Club for Growth" says despite all the problems the nation faced in the past year, the U.S. economy experienced unbelievable expansion. "The mid-eighties, after the Reagan tax cuts, was the last time we had an economic performance this strong for this long," he points out. Not only is unemployment below five percent and home values and home ownership at a record high, but "the total net worth of Americans is at an all time record high," he says. Meanwhile, Toomey adds, the prospects for the coming year suggest that the next 12 months may be even better for Americans than 2005 has been. [Bill Fancher]

...A former Israeli ambassador to the United Nations says he disagrees with those who believe being allowed to participate in next month's Palestinian elections will have a positive transforming effect on the terrorist group Hamas. Dore Gold does not think it is a good idea for the terrorist organization to take part in what many hope will be a democratic process in the Palestinian-controlled territories. Although some proponents of the move point to the successful participation of the Irish Republican Army in 1998, the former ambassador says, "There's a big difference between the IRA and Hamas." For instance, he points out, "The IRA wants to throw the British out of Northern Ireland; the IRA does not want to destroy London, does not want to eradicate Great Britain. Hamas wants to eradicate Israel. In fact, it wants to replace most of the countries in the Middle East like Jordan and Egypt; therefore, Hamas is a dangerous revolutionary organization similar to al Qaeda in both tactics and goals, and we have to be very careful." As to whether taking part in the upcoming elections will change Hamas members, Gold warns, "I think the democratic process will empower them and make them more dangerous." [Chad Groening]

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