OUR COLUMNISTS Religious Communities Hardly Score with TIME Commentary by Matt Friedeman You'd think that in trying to identify a hundred people who have had a positive influence in the world over the past year, that TIME Magazine could drum up a healthy list of those known for their relationship with God and service to those less fortunate. Think again. GOWYL (Get On With Your Life) Commentary by Jane Jimenez Much of the dialogue about marriage is focused on the problems of modern marriage. Is marriage doomed to failure ... even extinction? My 'Worthless' Job Commentary by Brad Locke Ever wonder why you are doing what you're doing? Not all of us are given lead roles. But God does not look down on the supporting actors, if you will, or think them less important than anyone else. The Gospel of Judas: A Betrayal of the Truth Commentary by Mark Creech It's being hailed as the greatest archaeological find in the last 60 years. But those who either promote or embrace extra-biblical revelation such as the Gospel of Judas betray the truth, even as the real Judas Himself did, and crucify the Son of God afresh.

...Christian conservatives hoping to stop courts from legalizing homosexual "marriage" are getting mixed signals from the White House on a federal marriage amendment to the Constitution. President Bush supports the amendment, but Vice President Cheney does not. On "Fox News Sunday," First Lady Laura Bush would only say that Americans want to debate the issue, adding that it must be done with "a lot of sensitivity" and not "as a campaign tool." She was joined by Mary Cheney, the vice president's lesbian daughter, who said defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman would be "writing discrimination into the Constitution." But on CNN's "Late Edition," Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist pledged to bring the amendment before the Senate next month to stop judges from redefining marriage. [AP]

...A Republican leader in Congress believes last Friday's Minutemen rally in Washington, DC, is an example of a predicted "backlash" caused by illegal immigrant demonstrations. House Majority Whip Roy Blunt of Missouri says the Minutemen rally shows that many Americans are not sympathetic to the recent pro-illegal immigrant demonstrations. He believes in many cases these efforts have had the opposite of the intended effect. "The demonstrations, the boycott, all the things that have called attention to the illegal immigrant problem in the country have actually had just the reverse impact of what the organizers would want to have," Blunt says. "People are more concerned about this issue than they were a year ago or a month ago." The House's approach to the illegal immigration problem is the best course for America, the congressman contends. That course, Blunt explains, involves securing America's borders and enforcing existing immigration laws before considering the nation's workforce needs. The White House is expected to announce this evening a plan to support the border protection efforts of the Border Patrol by bringing in National Guard troops. According to Associated Press, fewer than 10,000 Guardsmen would be involved. [Bill Fancher]

...A member of the National Council of Churches (NCC) is suggesting that people's salvation may be tied to how they welcome illegal immigrants. Joan Maruskin of Church World Service, a branch of the NCC, recently spoke at a Family Research Council-sponsored forum on immigration. In her address, Associated Press reports, Maruskin quoted the words of Jesus to back an apparently works-based notion of salvation: "'Truly I say to you, just as you did it to one of the least of these, you have done it to me,'" she said, going on to tell the audience that "Our salvation, according to Jesus, is directly tied to our welcoming the stranger." However, another panel member at the forum, John O'Sullivan, quickly took Maruskin to task for her remarks, saying he regarded much of what she said as "a species of moral bullying." O'Sullivan, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, warned that churches should think twice about receiving any and all illegal immigrants or extending support to them without question. "Supposing Herod is deposed by a Republican government and flees to this country," the Hudson Institute spokesman said. "Why, the churches would almost certainly give him sanctuary at this point, because they're not going to look into whether or not he has a record of child abuse." The United States has a right and responsibility to regulate who enters the country, O'Sullivan added. [Fred Jackson]

...Illegal immigration is costing the American taxpayer billions of dollars in support services, which is one reason why some critics claim guest worker amnesty programs do little more than import poverty into the United States. Phil Kent of the American Immigration Control Foundation believes that s exactly what the current level of illegal immigration is doing and it is the last thing America needs. "What we don't need in this country is a rising underclass of people making less than $10,000 a year and having less than an 8th-grade education," he asserts. If the illegal immigrant influx is not curbed, Kent predicts that the ever-mounting demands of this imported underclass on America's healthcare, education and welfare systems will have a staggering price tag. [Bill Fancher]

...Groups that support laws allowing Americans to exercise their Constitutional right to own firearms are pushing hard for more so-called "Stand Your Ground" laws. According to these laws, citizens may legally use a firearm or other means to defend themselves from attackers. Erich Pratt of Gun Owners of America says his group has been very active in pushing for the passage of "Stand Your Ground" and other "conceal-carry" legislation. "The problem is that there's a view out there on the other side," Pratt says, referring to members of the James Brady campaign and other gun control and anti-gun activists. The Gun Owners of America spokesman says such people do not believe in allowing private citizens to defend themselves and their loved ones when they are being carjacked or mugged or attacked. "They don't think it's ever appropriate to be using a gun like that," he asserts. "They would prefer that we call 9-1-1." But more states are realizing that the passive, anti-gun solution is not working, Pratt adds. What is working, he says, is letting good citizens protect themselves, their families, and their property without fear of being treated worse than the criminals. [Rusty Pugh]

...Christian author and speaker Josh McDowell is excited, not alarmed, by this week's release of The Da Vinci Code movie. McDowell, who has documented the evidence for Christianity for decades, says this is a wonderful time for Christians to answer questions raised by the film and the novel on which it is based. He says viewers who wonder if there was really a church conspiracy to declare Jesus divine or hide his marriage and parenthood can be shown solid evidence to the contrary. McDowell's latest book, The Da Vinci Code: A Quest For Answers, is one of many resources that have been released to help Christians defend and explain what they believe about Jesus. [AP]

...One expert says Islam's worldview is making massive inroads in Europe and could do the same in America. Randall Terry, who has spent a couple of years in intensive study of Islamic history, believes that religion's violent worldview is more misunderstood than people realize. While most of Islam's followers personally "would never cut someone's head off," Terry says, "most Muslims don't even know that Muhammad cut people's heads off. The reality is that Islam as a worldview is diametrically opposed to the freedoms that have grown steadily in Christendom." The contrast between the two faiths is seen in their origins, the scholar contends, noting that "Jesus Christ died to start Christianity," while "Muhammad killed to start Islam." And another difference, Terry adds, is that freedom flourishes in a Christian context, while Islam fosters oppression. "The right to elect our government, the right to criticize our government, the right to practice any religion we want or no religion, the right to criticize someone else's religion -- all of those freedoms, including freedom of speech and freedom of the press, ... don't exist in the Islamic world because they are contrary to the words of Muhammad," he asserts. And as Islam gains ground in America, Terry says, this puts the Muslim religion even more at odds with Christianity. He fears the friction between these two incompatible worldviews could continue to escalate in the U.S. toward the conflict level they have reached in Iraq. [Bill Fancher]

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