OUR COLUMNISTS The Most Consequential Body in the World -- Your Local Church Commentary by Matt Friedeman There are many things that compete with that local expression of Christ in our evangelical culture today -- TV preachers, great books, dynamic Christian singers. But the local church is God's primary method to channel holiness to the world. Sex Without Value Commentary by Jane Jimenez Some would have us believe that condom-friendly programs will teach our children exactly what they need to know about sex. Think again. Fading Aura Commentary by Brad Locke Coaching is a job saddled with increasing demands but decreasing gratitude. This imbalance has driven many a fine man to desperate measures, which in turn has stripped him of his dignity and uprightness in the eyes of players, owners, athletics directors, fans and the media. Movie Ratings: Public Service or Bankable Assets? Commentary by David Sisler The writer of Proverbs warned against moving or changing the ancient boundaries. When the standard keepers are the ones who callously change the boundaries, there is not much hope that the old ways will be restored. If there is any hope that change will come, it will be at the ticket window. Juvenile Murderers: They Couldn't Have Known Better Commentary by Mark Creech Tuesday, March 1, 2005, was not a good day for justice. Sally Satel, who is a medical doctor, a practicing psychiatrist, and a lecturer at Yale Medical School, said the decision by the Supreme Court to abolish the death penalty for juveniles was an assault on personal responsibility.

...Officials in the Coptic Christian Church say they're relieved that religious fanaticism apparently wasn't the motive behind the killing of an Egyptian Christian family in New Jersey. A tenant who rented an upstairs apartment and another man are charged with murdering the Jersey City family during a robbery. The bodies of the father, mother, and their 15- and 8-year-old daughters were found in January. Members of the Coptic Christian community had feared that they were killed by Islamic extremists who were angered by the father's web chat-room postings under the screen name "I love Jesus." But prosecutors say the suspects, who have pleaded innocent, are paroled drug offenders with debts. More than $3,000 was withdrawn from the victims' bank account using their ATM card. Investigators used surveillance video from the cash machines. [AP]

...In Arkansas, a school teacher who sued his district over prayers has now lost his lawsuit. A federal court jury in Little Rock has ruled that a former art teacher failed to prove he was fired by an Arkansas school district for complaining about religious discrimination and Christian prayers in public school. During the trial, Judge Susan Webber Wright held the Devalls Bluff District in contempt for allowing Christian prayers at a May 2004 graduation service. But the jury says Peter Warnock did not show that he was fired because he is not Christian and had sued the district. Superintendent Charles Archer said he fired Warnock for abusive, obnoxious behavior that drew complaints from other teachers, staff, and students. Warnock admitted during testimony that he wrote a letter to Archer three days before his firing that said the district was permeated with what he called a "rural, contemptuous, redneck attitude." Witnesses also said Warnock repeated those comments loudly in front of visitors to the school. [AP]

...Evangelical Christians seeking to build a bridge for the gospel with Moroccan Muslims plan to undertake a historic dialogue in their country the first week in May. In order to do so, the Christians will sign a pledge not to proselytize while visiting with Moroccan leaders and clergy May 2-9. The National Clergy Council is the point group for the ongoing Moroccan outreach attempts. Spokesman Dane Rose says the pledge is part of a strategy to build trust with nationals -- the way they do with each other in their culture. "The purpose of the gathering is to develop a relationship with the Moroccan people," Rose explains. "Something that's very important to the Moroccan people and their culture is developing a relationship before you actually can talk to them about highly important matters. In this case, obviously, it's Christianity and our belief in Jesus Christ." Rose says the Clergy Council is hoping to create more understanding of, and comfort with, Christianity among Moroccan leaders to help ease reported harassment of practicing Christians in the country. [Ed Thomas]

...A conservative activist says if you're looking for radicals, the U.S. Supreme Court is the place to start. Author and political commentator Mark Levin says the Supreme Court is the last bastion of radicalism left in America today. The high court, he says, confers rights on terrorists, confers benefits on illegal immigrants, and seeks to eliminate all references to religion from the public square. "They want to deny you and me our free-speech rights before an election," he adds, "but they have no problem with upholding cyberspace child pornography as a constitutional right." Levin says the judicial activists on the high court believe they can do anything they want when, in reality, it is the people who decide the issues of the day -- not nine elevated lawyers. [Bill Fancher]

...Republicans are already looking to find a successor to follow in President Bush's steps, and so far all the leading names seem to pro-choice. Among the leading GOP presidential contenders in 2008 are names like Condoleezza Rice, John McCain, and Rudi Giuliani. An attribute they all share, however, is being pro-choice -- although they describe themselves as "mildly" or "regrettably" pro-choice. Doug Scott of Life Decisions International says that dog won't hunt. "They understand that it's not exactly the most popular thing to be [pro-choice], especially in the Republican Party, but just in general it's going alienate people," Scott says. Consequently, he says, they just try to avoid the issue and point out that at least they are not "a raving liberal Democrat who supports all abortions anytime, anywhere." Scott contends pro-lifers will not buy those efforts to water down their views and what those views mean. [Bill Fancher]

...The first in a series of children's animated adventures about heroic Christian men and women is now available. It features the inspirational life of a missionary who once said, "He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep, in order to gain what he cannot lose" -- and Jim Elliott gave up all he had, including his life, to spread the gospel to the Auca Indians in Ecuador. "The Jim Elliott Story," the first episode in The Torchlighters series, retells Elliott's adventure of faith from his college years through his cruel martyrdom at the hands of the people he wanted so desperately to lead to Christ. The animated series was recently announced by the Christian History Institute in association with International Films and The Voice of the Martyrs. "The Jim Elliott Story" can be purchased in DVD or VHS format through Vision Video, Inc. CHI says the second episode in the series will be available later this year. It will be based on the life of William Tyndale. [Jody Brown]

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