Interesting Exclusion from the Upcoming Economic Stimulus Package

President Obama's proposed economic stimulus plan makes a deliberate and unconstitutional attempt to censor religious speech and worship on school campuses across the Nation, according to a lawyer who argued related cases before the U.S. Supreme Court 20 years ago and won them all.

"This isn't like a convenient oversight. This is intentional. This legislation pokes its finger in the eyes of people who hold religious beliefs," Jay Sekulow, chief of the American Center for Law and Justice. 

The problem in Obama's economic stimulus bill comes from a provision that states: 

"PROHIBITED USES OF FUNDS. - No funds awarded under this section may be used for modernization, renovation, or repair of facilities used for sectarian instruction, religious worship, or a school or department of divinity; or in which a substantial portion of the functions of the facilities are subsumed in a religious mission."

The wording that specifically targets religious speech already has been approved by the majority Democrats in the U.S. House and all GOP members opposed it.

In the Senate, Jim DeMint, R-S.C., proposed an amendment to eliminate it, but again majority Democrats decided to keep the provision targeting religious instruction and activities.

Obama doesn't have to go to war against Islam he has already declared it on Christianity.

Now to be fair this includes all religions, however, because Christianity is by far the largest religious group in America it becomes the most affected and discriminated against.

If God doesn’t judge America, He will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah!”

Comparisons of our current predicament with the Great Depression of the 1930s are very misleading because both the personal and business debt levels then were less than 5% of what they are today. In the 1930s, most homeowners had 30-50% equity in their homes versus the 5-10% for tens of millions of homeowners today. Americans entered the 1930s with huge savings and little debt. Today they have zero savings and huge debt. The financial pain, delinquency, bankruptcies and impoverishment will be much greater in the current depression than in that of the 1930s.

Furthermore, the Americans of the 1930s were a hardened and resourceful lot. They had come through the “hard times” of World War I, and were tested by the “hard times” of the Great Depression, which then prepared them for the rigors of World War II. Their character, toughness, morality, ingenuity, resilience, and sense of community was a far cry from our population of today.

America today is not the America of the 1930s. We have lost our moral and spiritual moorings over the past four or five decades—ever since we ordered God out of our schools and public places. We have become a drug-saturated, divorce-plagued, greed-driven, promiscuous society where dishonesty from the White House to Wall Street, from the media to the grass roots, has become the norm. Billy Graham’s famous quip rings in our ears: “If God doesn’t judge America, He will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah!”

Great Excerpt from an Article Written by Chuck Missler.

Obama More Popular Than Jesus

There has been too much to blog about since Obama took office. However, this one takes the cake. Harris Interactive Poll just released their list of American Heroes. For the first time since the poll has been kept Jesus has been ousted from the number 1 spot by no other than our beloved Messianic president. Obama. Seriously? If you think our economy sucks now wait until Jesus reads this report. 

The Fox link is more reader friendly, the Harris link is the actual research and survey.

http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/pubs/Harris_Poll_2009_02_19.pdf

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/02/21/poll-obama-popular-jesus-gandhi-king/

Conservative Groups Declare Obama's Stimulus Bill a War on Prayer

A provision in the House-passed stimulus bill -- banning money to be used to renovate schools from being spent on facilities that allow "religious worship" -- has ignited fury among those who claim it discriminates on the basis of faith and violates the right to free speech. Read more about this on: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/02/04/conservative-groups-declare-obamas-stimulus-war-prayer/

Okay, so it has been awhile since I posted. I have been watching the peaceful transition of power because it is an amazing thing that doesn't happen that often. I wanted to give Obama a chance to show he is capable but so far his presidency has been an absolute train wreck. A flubbed oath - which was redone without the bible. A reversal on past abortion policies. Failed nominations of Tax invading politicians. Iran saying America has gone weak because Obama wants to talk. Al-Qaeda #2 wanting his terrorist comrades to attack American interests because Obama didn't say anything about Gaza in the inaugural speech. The stimulus package is loaded down with absolute crap. Geez, this guy might resign in his first 100 days.

So much for "the one".

Putting Christ Back in Christmas

This is awesome. Very creative use of viral/guerilla tactics spreading the true story of Christmas.

Members of a church in Kansas City, Ks., are protesting the secularization of Christmas by dressing like Jesus at their jobs, malls and restaurants.

The 600-member church posted videos on YouTube of congregants wearing Christ-like garb in public — which they say has led other churches across the country to consider similar demonstrations.

"A lot of businesses and people are saying that they have to say, 'Happy Holidays' and 'Season’s Greetings,'" church receptionist Chelsea Johnston told FOXNews.com. "They’re not allowed to say 'Merry Christmas.' It makes us upset because that is the holiday and it goes against our freedom of speech."

Pews or Shoes?

My mind works differently than most others. It is completely random a great deal of the time. My brain is equivalent to an Allen Iverson crossover (video references below), you never know which way it is going to go. Erin, my wife, is the only person that I know who can link my disparate ideas.

Last night I began wondering, what do churches do with their old pews? After “doing the Google” on old pews, apparently there is a huge market for repairing and replacing worn out pews. This got me thinking that our churches are doing a whole lot of sittin’.

I am all for having people in the pews, but wouldn't it be better if Christians had to repair their shoes before the church needed to repair the pews? The church has an attractional, come to us mindset, but the world has a missional, come to us need.

The bible says in Matthew 28:19
”Therefore go and make disciples.” It doesn’t say to develop another new program and hopefully they will come to us. 

For most people, church consists of about 4.5 – 6 hours a week (Sunday and Wednesday). What are we doing with the other 162 hours? Do we serve our friends, neighbors or co-workers by going to them? Are we active in visitations or hosting a home group? Are we serving in the nursery or greeting guests at the door?

If you evaluate your own life or the church body as a whole, is it pews or shoes? Unfortunately, for most people and churches its pews.

We need to ask God to show us opportunities to serve and witness - then with courage and boldness act upon them.


On a side note:
Our pews (chairs) at First Baptist Jenks are pretty new looking. I think it is because Mark Powell has us stand for most of the service. We don't do the aerobic form of worship service where you are up-and-down the whole time. That would certainly increase the wear and tear. We are more into endurance and stamina.

Some seriously nasty, ankle-breakin' moves. Gotta watch these, even my boy Kobe gets shook.

Athens on the Bema - 8 Days of Rioting

Athens, Greece seems to still be chained to the Bema Seat. 

Bema is a Greek word for "step". The Bema, in Athens, was a raised stone platform in which a judge would preside over a court of law. Often, there were metal loops that convicted rule breakers would be chained to and beaten. Apostle Paul was chained to the Bema and beaten for preaching against the traditional Jewish laws.

The riots were sparked by the shooting death of a 15 year old kid by a local policeman, however, that was only the straw that broke the camels back. Athens has a host of political, economical and social problems. The range from corrupt politicians (Are all politicians corrupt?), high unemployment and infrastructure problems. Sound like any other countries you may know? 

Remember everyone in Greece - the missionaries doing the Lord's work and those that still haven't heard the true message of Christ.

On a side note ever wonder how a petrol bomb works: 

Thank God for protective clothing.