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. Liberty or Libertine? Commentary by Jane Jimenez As we work to teach our children the value of saving sex until marriage, we must look ourselves full face in the mirror. We must admit that our culture has used our love affair with liberty to enslave us to our passions. 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."

...There's word that a group of Democratic and Republican senators have struck a deal that will allow the Democrats to continue their filibuster activities. In return, the Democrats would allow an up-or-down vote on five of President Bush's judicial nominees, including Priscilla Owen of Texas. CNN and the Washington Post say two of the seven nominees the president has put forward -- William Myers and Henry Saad -- would continue to be blocked by the Democrats. The Post reports that the six GOP senators willing to compromise with the Democrats include John Warner of Virginia, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, John McCain of Arizona, and Mike DeWine of Ohio. The Democrats involved include Robert Byrd of West Virginia, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, and Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut. [Fred Jackson]

...An American who was jailed in Malaysia for sharing his Christian faith with Muslims plans to keep living there with his wife and daughter. Rick Rupert and another American, Zach Harris, were released without charges after ten days of confinement and interrogation. Rupert says they shared the gospel with their interrogators and with other prisoners, some of whom trusted Christ. He believes "the prize that's awaiting the Muslims who will believe in Jesus" outweighs the risk of his being jailed again or even killed. [AP]

...The Texas Senate has passed a measure to restore parental rights that were taken from them by the Roe v. Wade decision 32 years ago. By a 25-5 vote, the Texas Senate passed the Parental Consent for Abortion law. The measure simply states that an abortionist may not perform an abortion on a minor without the written permission of the parents. Dr. Joe Pojman, executive director of the Texas Alliance for Life, says if the bill becomes law, the lives of many babies will be saved. "This bill restores some rights to parents -- the rights to protect their young daughters from abortion providers," he notes. "And those rights were taken away by the U.S. Supreme Court [in 1973] in the tragic Roe v. Wade decision. Every year in Texas, there are more than 3,500 abortions performed on very young girls. We're talking about girls 17 years of age and younger -- and in none of those cases do parents have a right to intervene to protect their daughters from abortion." Pojman says he is optimistic the Texas House will also pass the bill, and almost certain pro-life Governor Rick Perry will sign it if it comes to his desk. [Rusty Pugh]

...An anti-human cloning activist insists a corporate hoax is clouding the cloning debate. Dorinda Bordlee of the Bioethics Defense Fund claims the corporate cloning hoax is all about money. "[B]iotech companies ... can make millions of dollars because they can patent the human cloning method and sell these embryonic stem-cell lines to other university researchers," she says. "So there's a big financial incentive to do human cloning research even though it is producing zero human treatments or human cures." Meanwhile, adult stem cells have produced 58 cures and successful treatments. But using someone's own stem cells to cure themselves is not a process that can be patented and sold. Bordlee says most Americans are not getting the true story. [Bill Fancher]

...President Bush may get a cool reception on Saturday (May 21) when he delivers the commencement address at an evangelical Christian college in Michigan. A letter protesting Bush's policies with 130 signers -- about one-fifth of Calvin College's faculty and staff -- is to appear in Saturday's edition of the Grand Rapids Press. New Testament professor David Crump says he and other signers object to the Iraq war and Bush's economic and environmental policies. "As faculty members we wanted to let the American public understand that American Christianity, American evangelicalism, orthodox Christianity is really represented by a much broader spectrum of opinions than is typically represented in the 'religious right' and its close association with this administration," the educator remarks. Crump says many Calvin College graduates may also wear buttons or armbands to protest the president's visit. [Jim Brown]

...Christian families have a new tool for family devotions. Chad Williams is a business owner in the Nashville area who struggled with regular devotions for his family. Williams says he came up with the idea of putting 15-minute devotions on a DVD. The result is "Family 15," an eight-week collection of interactive devotions on DVD. Williams says the devotions are tailored for families with preschoolers to teenagers. "These are the days that your kids will remember, when you're sitting with them and making eye contact with them, just talking about who God is and how He moves in our lives and the resource that He is. If this tool would help them, I would encourage them to get it because they will build some great memories with their families." Family 15 also includes a special CD-ROM for teens, an audio CD, prayer journal, and leader's guide. [Allie Martin]

...One of the "Big Three" networks is switching from God to ghosts. Because of low ratings, CBS has dumped Joan of Arcadia, the show starring Amber Tamblyn as a girl who talks to God. It is being replaced by a series in which Jennifer Love Hewitt talks to dead people. Ghost Whisperer will take over Joan of Arcadia's Friday night time slot. Still, Tamblyn says she thinks the show ended well. "I'm just happy that we ended the show on a good note at the end of the second season," the young actress says. "I'm really going to miss everybody. It's like a family there, and I love them -- but that's life, I guess." Ratings have fallen for Joan of Arcadia this season, and CBS chairman Les Moonves says that in terms of attracting an audience, "talking to ghosts may skew younger than talking to God." [AP]

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