OUR COLUMNISTS Time for the Church to Demand Commentary by Matt Friedeman A high level of ideological commitment to evangelistic action and a lower level of secularism separates the church significantly from, say, the Rotary Club. Today, one senses that people yearn to belong to something with greater meaning and sense of purpose than the local civic organization. One-Stop Shopping Commentary by Jane Jimenez Comprehensive sex education ... it's being sold all over America. The best thing about comprehensive sex education, we parents are told, is that it teaches our children everything. That's right ... everything. The T.O. Show Commentary by Brad Locke When does someone stop being worth the trouble? When do an athlete's shenanigans start costing a team more than a fat contract? When do you deliver an ultimatum? 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? A Rebuttal, Promises, and Challenge to the Raleigh News & Observer Commentary by Mark Creech Columnist Mark Creech responds to charges from a North Carolina newspaper that he misinformed readers and thereby created "negative perceptions of traditional media."

...The Colorado Springs, Colorado-based Focus on the Family ministry is bringing its international Love Won Out (LWO) conference to Birmingham, Alabama, on September 17. Metropolitan Church of God will host the one-day event, which is designed to educate and equip attendees on the issues surrounding homosexuality, as well as to provide help for the individuals who are struggling -- or whose loved ones are struggling -- with their unwanted same-sex attractions. Conference host Mike Haley, a former homosexual, says he and thousands of others know firsthand that there is a way out of the homosexuality for those who want to leave that lifestyle, and LWO's ministry exists to help those people. "While the gay life is often glorified in 'pride' festivals and through the media, we offer a distinctly different message, one of hope and healing for those who don't share that sense of pride," Haley says. "The issues of homosexuality and same-sex 'marriage' are becoming increasingly politicized in our culture, but Love Won Out's message continues to focus on the hope and love that is found in Jesus Christ," he adds. Birmingham-area homosexual activists have announced plans for a counter-conference to be held in response to LWO. Haley says unfortunately the tolerance that the homosexual community usually calls for is not extended to the message of the Love Won Out conference. [Jenni Parker]

...A think tank is showing support for fired conservative talk show host Michael Graham, who was let go by a Washington, DC, radio station because he linked Islam with terrorism. Frank Gaffney of the Center for Security Policy, who recently defined Graham as "one of the first 'killed in action' in the war of ideas," agrees with the former talk-show host in describing the radical elements of Islam. "It is much more a political totalitarian philosophy and program than it is a religion," Gaffney asserts. "Michael Graham had the courage to talk about the nature of that ideology and its efforts to take over Islam." However, the Council on American-Islamic Relations called for the radio commentator's firing and ABC, which owned the station, gave in to the demand. But the Center for Security Policy spokesman maintains that Graham tacked a controversial issue that needs to be addressed. "What these Islamofacists have in mind," Gaffney says, "is very clearly taking over Islam and turning the faith into a terrorist organization." [Bill Fancher]

...President Bush says Iraq's draft constitution protects freedom of religion, even though it declares, "Islam is the official religion of the state and is a basic source of legislation." It also says, "No law can be passed that contradicts the undisputed rules of Islam." But the draft constitution also guarantees "freedom of creed and religious practices" for Christians and other minorities. The U.S. ambassador to Iraq says that makes it "one of the most progressive governing documents in the Muslim world." Speaking to reporters in Texas, Bush acknowledged there is disagreement among Iraqis about the draft constitution. Sunni Arabs have refused to endorse it. Iraqis will vote in October to accept or reject the document. [AP]

...Islamic terrorism expert Robert Spencer of Jihad Watch contends that President George W. Bush does not comprehend the difficulties in countries like Iraq when he says the West can help build democracies in the Islamic world. Spencer, author of the newly released book, The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam and the Crusades, feels the World War II analogy Bush sometimes uses in talking about democracy in Iraq is a faulty one. "The president really doesn't seem to have understood the depth of the problem there," the author says. "He likes to refer to Japan and Germany and say, 'Look, they had no democratic tradition, and yet we founded thriving democracies there.' But it's different in Iraq because Nazism and State Shinto had been discredited after World War II, but nothing has discredited political Islam in Iraq." Meanwhile, the Jihad Watch spokesman says very few people realize what is going on in liberated Afghanistan, where, "If you look at the details of the Afghan constitution and the extent that the Taliban still holds sway in the country, what we've got now is 'Taliban Light' and not a break from a Taliban regime but just less of it." He notes that both Afghanistan and Iraq in their provisional constitutions have made obeying Islamic law paramount. "And so, what have we fought for," Spencer asks, "but to create two new states that could end up as bad as Saudi Arabia and Iran?" He says there is no point in the U.S. remaining in these countries if regimes like these will be the result. [Chad Groening]

...California minister Wiley Drake is encouraging Christians to hold rallies to counter anti-war protestor Cindy Sheehan. A caravan of conservative activists and military families, coordinated by the group Move America Forward, recently stopped in Crawford Texas as part of its "You Don't Speak for Me Cindy" tour. Drake, pastor of First Southern Baptist Church of Buena Park, hosted the caravan and held a rally in the demonstrators' honor. The minister believes U.S. troops need to know that most Americans support their efforts. Drake says after having served two terms of duty in Vietnam and "having been treated as a second-class citizen when I came back from Vietnam -- because I was called a baby killer and everything else -- I still believe when we're at war we can voice our opinions privately about whether we agree or disagree." However, the California pastor says he feels those who voice their opposition publicly are "doing a disservice to those men and women who are there [fighting in Iraq]." He says he disagrees with the message that such anti-war activists, "in this particular case with Cindy Sheehan, for example," are sending America's troops. So instead, Drake says, "We want to say to our troops that we may not agree with Bush on everything, and we may not agree with the war in every aspect, but we are here to support you. So that's why we had a 'Support the Troops' rally and invited and hosted the Move America Forward group and their tour called 'You Don't Speak for Me, Cindy.'" [Allie Martin]

...A U.S. immigration reform organization's spokesman says a recent poll out of Mexico should convince even the Bush administration that it is time to take more effective action in response to the illegal alien influx coming across America's southern border. The poll, released by the Pew Hispanic Center, found that more than 40 percent of Mexicans still living in that country would move to the U.S. if they could, and that one in five said they would do so illegally if necessary. Rick Oltman of the Federation for American Immigration Reform feels those statistics should serve as a wakeup call to U.S. politicians. He says, "Any volume of people that are willing to make that kind of move, that are willing to say they're going to do it -- and we've already seen tens of millions of people do this over the years -- should prove the point that we have got to secure that southern border." That is especially true, Oltman points out, considering the fact that some illegal aliens are bound to be coming into the U.S. to do harm. "Included in that group of people who are simply looking to have a better life are going to be criminals and terrorists and drug traffickers, child molesters, sexual predators," he notes. "They're all going to be coming in with this large group of people." At this point, with the release of the recent poll's findings, Oltman says it should be "absolutely clear to everyone in the country, including the current administration in Washington, DC, that we must do everything we can to have an effective deterrent force on that southern border." [Chad Groening]

...Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez says his government could request the extradition of Rev. Pat Robertson for suggesting that American agents should kill him. Speaking to delegations at a meeting of the Organization of American States in Caracas, Chavez said Venezuela will take "legal action in the United States" against Robertson and "could even request his extradition." On his TV show The 700 Club last week, Robertson called for Chavez' assassination, saying the U.S. should "take him out" because the Venezuelan leader poses a danger to the region. The founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network later issued an apology. Jesse Jackson, who is visiting Venezuela, has offered support for Chavez, saying Robertson's statements were immoral and illegal. [AP]

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