Ireland Against Abortion

"My entire life I was pro-choice — who was I to tell another woman what she could or couldn’t do with her body? But when I was 18, I became a Christian and I dove into the medical books, I dove into science," Ireland told Tarts while promoting her insightful new book "Real Solutions for Busy Mom: Your Guide to Success and Sanity."

"What I read was astounding and I learned that at the moment of conception a new life comes into being. The complete genetic blueprint is there, the DNA is determined, the blood type is determined, the sex is determined, the unique set of fingerprints that nobody has had or ever will have is already there."

Quotes from Ireland Hammers Abortion

Great to see a Hollywood person with the courage to speak out on the other side. I saw Ireland on the Huckabee show a few weeks ago speaking on this subject. While I'm no doctor I thought she handled the issue well including pointing out that while some women claim a right to abortion because of rights to their own body, that their argument fails when one discovers babies with male genitals (which normally are not associated with a woman's body) as well as distinct blood types.

Miss California USA comments on Gay Marriage

"As co-director of the Miss California USA, I am personally saddened and hurt that Miss California believes marriage rights belong only to a man and a woman," said Lewis in a statement. "I believe all religions should be able to ordain what unions they see fit. I do not believe our government should be able to discriminate against anyone and religious beliefs have no politics in the Miss California family."

Quote from Miss California Sparks Furor With Gay Marriage Comments on Miss USA Telecast

Note the hypocrisy: Lewis states he believes "all" religions should be able to ordain what unions they see fit".... but I suppose in his view that doesn't apply to Miss California's heritage and faith.

If this is the case, I'm SURE it wouldn't apply to mine! ... for I don't think the government has any business sanctioning that which God forbids!

Christianity Uninterrupted

Many often suggest a future demise or end of Christianity, and some even speak of a " world without religion", but consider the following quote (which follows discussion of all the things which opposed Christianity and the truth of the gospel in it's early days)...

All these things were arrayed against the truth, and yet it won its way. And if these things could not impede it when it was a streamlet, shall they succeed it now that it is a mighty river?" God is on the side of truth, and its early victories are a pattern and pledge of its constant and complete triumph over all antagonistic forces." (The Biblical Illustrator, vol. 15, p. 524)

Mother Nature and Deliberate Design

Professor Francis McGlone, now based at Unilever after an academic career where he carried out research into nerve response, says this is likely to be a deliberate "design".

"We believe this could be Mother Nature's way of ensuring that mixed messages are not sent to the brain when it is in use as a functional tool."

Inconsistency or Blind Design?

Above quote from BBC Article Scientists find 'pleasure nerves' suggests "Mother Nature" produces "deliberate 'design'".

... and they accuse Christians of believing a myth?

Jesus Interrupted and Bart Erhman pwned on Colbert Report

Pretty good apologetics...from an unlikely source!

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A good video response to scriptural critics:

Quote from Al Mohler

Do American Christians really believe that Christianity benefits by being associated with all that America represents in the Muslim world? To many Muslims, America appears as the great fountain of pornography, debased entertainments, abortion, and sexual revolution. Does it help our witness to Christ that all this would be associated in the Muslim mind with "Christian" America?(Quote from Al Mohler's Blog)

Interesting point. Noteworthy.

For full article, see here.

Obama and Muslim Faith

While many Americans have historically failed to distinguish between the church and the state, perhaps Obama's latest claim will change that...

Speaking on behalf of the country, Obama stated:

"we will convey our deep appreciation for the Islamic faith, which has done so much over the centuries to shape the world."

See video here.

Additionally, if such an effort is made to ensure "separation of church and state" when it comes to the Christian faith, should not the same efforts be applied when it comes to the Islamic "faith" (note - President Obama expressed appreciation not for Islamic "nations" but the "Islamic faith".)

This is all a reminder that one's hope and allegience should be found in Christ and his kingdom, and not in the things of this world.

A reminder as well that democracy alone (or democracy apart from the gospel) is not the "savior" some think it is, but can be destructive and dangerous.

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Christianity is more than just a religion or a philosophy. It is more than just a few rules and platitudes to live by. Christianity is a worldview that is based upon the most important event in the history of the world, that being the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

Read More...

Population Debate Position

On Wednesday, Malta’s delegation reiterated its stance that no position or recommendation should “create an obligation on any party to consider abortion as a legitimate form of family planning, reproductive health rights, services or commodities.” It added that the phrase “abortion should be safe” can lend itself to the interpretation “that abortion can be completely free of medical and other psychological risks, while ignoring altogether the rights of the unborn.”

Quote taken from article entitled Population Debate

Well put! Thanks for the input from the delegation from Malta.

Islam and Legalism in the Bedroom

One of the law's most controversial articles legislates the frequency of sexual relations between Shiite husbands and wives. Article 132 says the husband has a right to sex every fourth night unless the wife is ill.

But the United Nations Development Fund for Women has said the law "legalizes the rape of a wife by her husband."

Quotes taken from here.

Isn't it sad when sexual relations within marriage come down to this ... legalism in the bedroom!

If one is going to go so far as to be legalistic and define rights "to sex every fourth night unless the wife is ill", next will be the need to define what qualifies as sex (length of time, type of activity, the quality, etc., etc., etc.) ... And besides, where does God proclaim "every fourth night" as a right ... or only every fourth night as a right?

How much better the ideal set forth in the Scripture of mutual and sacrificial love between a husband and wife where "The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife." (1 Cor 7:14)

Legalistic religion begets legalistic needs and restraints, but grace based relations and truth (as found in Christianity) leads to freedom and mutual self-offering.

Islam - A Religion of Peace

I'm starting a new post listing illustrations...

First Illustration

Not a Bad Person

I'm starting a new list of those who claim: I'm not a bad person or "he(/she) is not a bad person"

First on the list:
Randy Green who said he was "not a bad person" as he was sentenced Thursday for slitting Ray Pike's throat Aug. 15 on a trail in Gloversville. Story here.

Christian Heros Engaging Culture

I just finished reading an article by John Piper in World Magazine entitled Over My Dead Body Son.

It made me pause and think why men such as John Piper and Al Mohler are heros in my book (though I may differ from them on a select few issues) and the reason is they not only display faithfulness and character within the Christian tradition but they are constantly applying the truth and engaging the culture. My hats off to them! ... and I point out their example hoping to encourage other Christians to follow their example!

Why Does God Permit Evil (ByFaith Article)

It is simply meant to illustrate a point: If our hearts tell us there is evil in the world—that certain acts are horribly wrong because they transgress our dignity and worth—then retreating to atheism doesn’t help us, since atheism—to be consistent—can’t provide a basis for human dignity in the first place. In this regard, evil is just as much a problem for the atheist as it is for the believer.

Dr. Jay Sklar (Assoc. Prof. of Old Testament at Covenant Theological Seminary) has written an excellent article for ByFaith Magazine on the subject "Why Does God Permit Evil?" Here's the link. I commend it both for those who struggle with this questions as well as for believers for edification and a resource when called upon to provide an answer to this question.