OUR COLUMNISTS Repent or Resign -- What to Say and Not Say from the Evangelical Pulpit Commentary by Matt Friedeman Pastors ought to have the constitutional right to say whatever they want from their pulpits. Even inappropriate and stupid things. But a political right doesn't necessary mean the better part of wisdom. SIECUS Redefines Humanity Commentary by Jane Jimenez Since the beginning of history, mothers and fathers have come together in a married sexual union designed to create children and families. When did this change ... and why? Vain Superstition Commentary by Brad Locke Can a ballplayer sitting in the dugout with a rally cap on really affect the outcome of a game? No more than Pharaoh could have submitted to Moses' request before all the plagues had passed. Amnesia Commentary by David Sisler What would it be like to wake up and not remember the evil that you had done, the people you had hurt, the sins you had committed? What would you pay for a little selective amnesia? 'The One Supreme Asset of the National Life' Commentary by Mark Creech Echoing the words of the great preacher Peter Marshall, columnist Mark Creech says "a mother's role in the family is pivotal to the nation." Indeed ... moms are, as Marshall stated, the "keepers of the springs."

...One pro-family leader is worried that American Christians could be facing a new form of inquisition. Gary Bauer of the Campaign for Working Families senses that anti-Christian feelings are on the rise among some segments of America. He says he is concerned that born-again believers could be facing tough days ahead. "I'm concerned about the possibility of real persecution in the United States toward conservative Christians," Bauer states. "Harper's Magazine this week has a cover story entitled 'The Religious Right's War on America.' So there's a lot of rhetoric out there, very hateful rhetoric, aimed at traditional Christian conservatives -- and that can be very dangerous." Many Christian leaders have expressed their worry over the increase in "hate speech" aimed at Christians and the lack of public uproar over it. [Bill Fancher]

...Florida State football coach Bobby Bowden says Air Force coach Fisher DeBerry is fighting the government over the role of religion on his team. The Gazette newspaper reports Bowden told the Southern Colorado Fellowship of Christian Athletes that DeBerry is embattled "because he happens to be a Christian, and he wants his boys to be saved." Noting that he feels the same way about his athletes at Florida State, Bowden added, "We know we're going to get challenged on it, but that's what we believe in. I ain't gonna back down." Last season, DeBerry was asked to remove a banner from the Air Force Academy's locker room which included the lines "I am a Christian first and last" and "I am a member of Team Jesus Christ." The Pentagon is investigating claims of religious intolerance at the Academy. Bowden told the fellowship, "The problem with us Christians is we won't speak out." [AP]

...A religious public-interest law firm is filing suit on behalf of a pro-life student who was attacked by a security guard outside a Washington, DC, abortion clinic. The American Center for Law and Justice says Daniel Heenan, a college student from Virginia, was assaulted by a Planned Parenthood security guard in front of the abortion clinic. ACLJ attorney Jim Henderson says Heenan had not provoked the guard in any way, and was simply exercising his free-speech rights by participating in a prayer vigil. Henderson says ACLJ is suing Planned Parenthood and Harry James, the security guard. "As sad as it is to say, Planned Parenthood is entitled under the law to have this business and to make their profits from doing abortions," the attorney says. "But what they're not entitled to do is take away ... the public's right to use the sidewalk for free speech and for prayer and for those kind of activities." Henderson says Heenan was within his legal rights to be on the sidewalk when he was assaulted. The attorney says if the lawsuit is successful, Heenan will be the direct beneficiary but "all of the students who engage in the same activity with him will also have the benefit of the result." [Rusty Pugh]

...Supporters of parental rights in California have let their voices be heard on the issue of parental notification before a girl under the age of 18 can undergo an abortion. As a result of a petition drive that netted more than a million signatures, California Secretary of State Bruce McPherson has certified an initiative that, if approved by the state's voters, will require parents be notified at least 48 hours before their minor daughter is scheduled to have an abortion. The number of valid signatures is projected to exceed 680,000; 598,105 are needed for the initiative to qualify for the ballot. Sacramento-based Capitol Resource Institute says momentum in the state is building for parental rights. "Current law renders parent helpless to know about the abortions of their children," explains CRI's Karen England. "How can parents be expected to help their child physically, emotionally, and psychologically when they are completely left in the dark?" The initiative, says England, is not about abortion, but about parental rights. "Regardless of how a person views abortion, it is outrageous for parents to be utterly disrespected by being left intentionally unaware that their daughter will undergo an abortion -- a major medical procedure," she says. Voters could decide the issue as soon as this fall, if a special election is called; otherwise it would appear on the June 2005 primary ballot. [Jody Brown]

...The president of American Life League is calling on the pro-life community to rise up against legislation in the U.S. House that would authorize federal funds for embryonic stem-cell research (ESCR). The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005 (HR 810), if passed, would repeal the Bush administration's current policy limiting federal funding of human ESCR to cells obtained from human embryos before August 2001. ALL's Judie Brown says while that policy in and of itself is "fatally flawed," HR 810 further advances the act of killing pre-born children -- "and that is completely unconscionable," she adds. "Terminating human embryos for research is ethically and morally corrupt. It is nothing short of murder," Brown says. "No human being has the right to decide that any particular group of children is not worth saving." She says President Bush's policy created a "slippery slope" in America and is not consistent with the president's professed "culture of life." She says the nation can never achieve that status when it allows "the most vulnerable and innocent of our society to be sacrificed." HR 810, sponsored by Republican Michael Castle of Delaware and Democrat Diana DeGette of Colorado, currently has more than 200 co-sponsors, 24 of them Republicans. [Jody Brown]

...An English language advocate says Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano is more interested in currying favor with the liberal media than with the people of her own state -- and that is why he believes the governor vetoed a proposal that would have made English the official language of the state. Jim Boulet is executive director of English First, which is working to make English the official language in all 50 states. Boulet says he was disappointed in Napolitano's veto, and describes it as a victory for political correctness. "They'll do the politically correct thing. They'll give praise to the New York Times. They'll be person of the week on ABC News. But if they stand up for the opportunity of immigrants to learn English by supporting official English bills, well, they won't get that praise," he laments. Boulet also has a problem with the governor's statement that lawmakers have yet to adequately fund programs for English learners. "To say ... that schools are not adequately funded -- I mean, how much more gold-plated does public education have to be before people start saying, 'You know, what we're doing isn't working very well,'" he wonders. Boulet says Americans must change their mindset that taxpayers should pay for teaching English to people who often enter the U.S. illegally. [Chad Groening]

...China says it's sincere about wanting to establish formal relations with the Vatican after a 50-year break, but insists the church must first sever its relations with Taiwan. China forced its Roman Catholics to cut ties with the pope in 1951 and refuses to have any contact with governments that have official relations with Taiwan. In Rome, Taiwan's ambassador to the Holy See insisted that Taiwan is not the obstacle in the Vatican's relations with China. He said, "China uses Taiwan as a pretext, while the real problem is that of religious freedom." [AP]

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