OUR COLUMNISTS So, Now the Church Is the New Whipping Boy for the GOP? Commentary by Matt Friedeman While acknowledging GOP Senator Tom Coburn has courage to "slap around" the Religious Right, columnist Matt Friedeman questions the lawmaker's accusation that the church has played a role in food stamp fraud. A Failure to Love (Part 1) Commentary by Jane Jimenez St. Patrick's Day brings stories of love to the front page. In our quest to find that perfect love, we might be well served to consider the reasons that love fails. Ask, and You Shall Receive Knowledge Commentary by Brad Locke Asking "lazy" questions can come in handy when you're interviewing someone about an event or another person that you've been unable to gather much information about. It's also okay if you're asking questions about life or about God -- provided you're committed to digging until you find the real truth. The Need for Wisdom in an Age of Intellectual and Spiritual Insanity Commentary by Mark Creech Never has there been a day when wisdom, both intellectual and practical, was more needed than today. Yet, we're not seeing much wisdom. In fact, we're seeing just the opposite.

...President George W. Bush has been asked whether he thinks war in Iraq and the rise of terrorism are signs of the apocalypse. The unusual question came during a question-and-answer session held yesterday at the City Club of Cleveland, Ohio, and seemed to catch the president off guard. "I haven't really thought of it that way," was his initial response, Associated Press reports. But then Mr. Bush went on to explain that he is "more of a practical fellow" and that his focus is on defeating "an enemy that still wants to hurt us" and dealing "with threats before they fully materialize." However, the commander-in-chief noted that he believes a strong hand is needed against Iran because of that country's threat to Israel. Because of that, the president said, Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons. Bush added that the United States "will use military might to protect" its ally Israel. [Fred Jackson]

...A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that syphilis is on the rise, especially among homosexual men. The report found that syphilis has increased 81 percent among men since the year 2000, while it has declined among women over that same period. And Bob Knight of the Culture and Family Institute believes the figures show yet another contribution to society from the homosexual lifestyle. "The homosexual activists like to say that these diseases are an equal threat to everyone," he says, "but the CDC statistics show that syphilis is falling among women and yet increasing astronomically among men who have sex with men. So it shows that homosexual activity, in and of itself, is very dangerous." And the pro-family spokesman maintains that this increase among homosexual men is not random or incidental. "This reflects a pattern we've seen with other diseases," he says, "including gonorrhea and new strains of tuberculosis that are affecting men who have sex with men and who also have HIV." Homosexuality is a demonstrably dangerous lifestyle, Knight contends, and he feels the government should do all it can to dissuade people from getting involved in it. [Bill Fancher]

...A spokesman says San Francisco's new archbishop has made it clear that placing children in same-sex households conflicts with Roman Catholic teachings on homosexuality. Spokesman Maurice Healy says Archbishop George Niederauer has asked the social services arm of the Archdiocese of San Francisco to bring its adoption program "fully in sync" with church teaching, which states that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered." Niederauer, who was installed last month, first offered his thoughts on the subject last week following an announcement by the Boston Archdiocese that it would stop providing adoption services because Massachusetts requires homosexual men and women to be considered as prospective parents. Similar laws exist in California and seven other states. Since 2000, five of the 136 adoptions facilitated by Catholic Charities of San Francisco have been to same-sex couples, according to the agency's executive director. He says he understands the new archbishop's remarks to be a guideline, not a ban. [AP]

...A spokeswoman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) says it's opposed to every proposal being considered by the U.S. Senate that would effectively give amnesty to millions of illegal aliens already in the country. Susan Tully, National Field Director of FAIR, says the Bush administration is pushing the plan introduced by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, a plan that she contends is most beneficial to illegal aliens and most detrimental to American sovereignty. The centerpiece of Specter's plan, Tully says, is a so-called gold card "that would enable illegal aliens to enter the U.S. at will and work at any job, with no labor market and no other test needed, but would deny them citizenship." She feels the proposal discourages legal immigration. "Why would you spend thousands of dollars, respect the immigration laws and stand in line?" the FAIR spokeswoman asks. "Why would you not just come in, get a job, apply for a gold card, and ... never become a citizen?" Tully feels the plan demonstrates that the Bush administration is not serious the war on terror or protecting America's borders and calls the gold card plan "an outrageous, unbelievable proposal." [Chad Groening]

...An annual employee satisfaction survey that seeks to identify the best Christian places to work in America has awarded top honors this year to a ministry that works in the border cities of Mexico. Amor Ministries, founded in 1980 by Scott and Gayla Congdon, is a non-profit organization that strives to provide education and mission experiences that change people while addressing spiritual and physical poverty and positively affecting the future of the church. Amor pursues these goals through several programs that support Mexican families, including house building, a back-to-school program, house sponsorship opportunities, and a food bank. The survey, administered by the Best Christian Workplaces Institute (BCWI), involved more than 10,600 employees in 93 organizations across the United States in its effort to identify great workplaces with a Christian mission or Christian values. The BCWI's top 40 survey finalists are published in the April issue of Christianity Today magazine. Finalists in the "Products and Services" category include such groups as the Alliance Defense Fund, the Christian Medical & Dental Associations, and the Association of Christian Schools International. The 4th annual Best Christian Workplaces award ceremony was held on March 15 at the Christian Management Associations convention in Denver, Colorado. [Jenni Parker]

...A Christian student organization is suing a Dallas-area school district, alleging that officials prohibited it from posting information about its Bible study group. Students Witnessing Absolute Truth claims in the federal lawsuit that other officially recognized clubs were allowed to post details on the Plano Independent School District's website, but their religious group was denied equal access. It is the second religious discrimination suit filed against the Plano district by Liberty Legal Institute (http://www.libertylegal.org). The first was filed on behalf of a student who was prohibited from distributing religious-themed gifts. That case remains in litigation. [AP]

...A ministry spokesman says Christian leaders need a place to retreat from the pressures and cares of church servanthood. According to Byron Paulus, Life Action Ministries' executive director, an outreach of the organization is providing a way for churches to give their leaders time off in a place of renewal and refreshment: a private retreat center on the St. Joseph River in Buchanan, Michigan, less than 90 miles from Chicago -- a place called "The Lodge." Statistically, Paulus notes, some 1,500 pastors leave their churches every month due to conflict, burnout or moral failure, and 80 percent of pastors say their ministry has negatively affected their families. Surveys reveal other facts suggesting pastors need a place where they can rekindle their love for Christ and the church. "The Lodge provides a peaceful setting for pastors and their wives to gain new perspective," the Life Action spokesman explains. "It is a sanctuary for sanity in a relentless world." And with eight guest suites, he adds, it is also an ideal setting for staff, leadership, marriage or prayer retreats. There, group sessions are led by a "pastor's pastor," a seasoned veteran of full-time Christian service who understands ministers' struggles. Each retreat includes devotionals, prayer, and time for rest and personal reflection. "The retreats work miracles," Paulus says, "even though pastors at first say they can't get away, they can't afford it, or they fear the reaction of their congregations," he said. In fact, he notes, about half of the pastors who come to The Lodge do so courtesy of thoughtful church members. [Jenni Parker/RNS]

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