The Power of a Happy Disposition

Continual association with inferiors in age and mental training tends to make the teacher tenacious of his rights and opinions, and leads him to guard jealously his position and dignity. Such a spirit is opposed to the meekness and humility of Christ. A neglect to cherish these graces hinders advancement in the divine life. Many thus build barriers between themselves and Jesus, so that His love cannot flow into their hearts, and then they complain that they do not see the Sun of Righteousness. Let them forget self and live for Jesus, and the light of heaven will bring gladness to their souls. {CT 232.3}

No man or woman is fitted for the work of teaching who is fretful, impatient, arbitrary, or dictatorial. These traits of character work great harm in the schoolroom. Let not the teacher excuse his wrong course by the plea that he has naturally a hasty temper or that he has erred ignorantly. In his position he stands where ignorance or lack of self-control is sin. He is writing upon souls lessons that will be carried all through life, and he should train himself never to speak a hasty word, never to lose his self-control.

Above all others, he who has the training of the youth should beware of indulging a morose or gloomy disposition; for this will cut him off from sympathy with his students, and without sympathy he cannot hope to benefit them. We should not darken our own path or the path of others with the shadow of our trials. We have a Saviour to whom to go, into whose pitying ear we may pour every complaint. We may leave all our cares and burdens with Him, and then our labor will not seem hard or our trials severe.

"Rejoice in the Lord alway," the apostle Paul exhorts, "and again I say, Rejoice." Philippians 4:4. Whatever your disposition may be, God is able so to mold it that it will be sweet and Christlike. By the exercise of living faith you can separate from everything that is not in accordance with the mind of God, and thus bring heaven into your life here below. Doing this, you will have sunshine at every step. When the enemy seeks to enshroud the soul with darkness, sing faith and talk faith, and you will find that you have sung and talked yourself into the light.

We open to ourselves the floodgates of woe or joy. If we permit our thoughts to be engrossed with the troubles and trifles of earth, our hearts will be filled with unbelief, gloom, and foreboding. If we set our affections on things above, the voice of Jesus will speak to our hearts, murmuring will cease, and vexing thoughts will be lost in praise to our Redeemer. Those who dwell upon God's great mercies and are not unmindful of His lesser gifts, will put on the girdle of gladness and make melody in their hearts to the Lord. Then they will enjoy their work. They will stand firm at their post of duty. They will have a placid temper, a trustful spirit.

Counsel To Parents, Teachers & Students, pp.232-234.

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Royal Wedding Endorsement by Jamaica's Governor General

05 May 2011, London United Kingdom [Derek Morrison, BUC NEWS] Pomp, pageantry and praise – not just at last Friday's Royal Wedding at Westminster Abbey, but continued the next day at a special Day of Fellowship at Hampstead Adventist church with Sir Patrick Allen, Governor General of Jamaica.

Themed 'The Royal Wedding', the day's proceedings featured stirring and appealing musical input from the London Male Voice Choir, the Millennium Brass Ensemble, and 14-year-old Tennae Drysdale. A well-ordered procession and guard of honour mounted by Pathfinders contributed to a sense of splendour and occasion. With well over 500 people packing the sanctuary for the extended morning service, local minister Humphrey Walters delivered the morning's address based on the parable of the wedding garment, taking his cue from the royal wedding service.

Sir Patrick Allen, former President of the West Indies Union Conference, and now Governor General of Jamaica, was special guest for the day. He had attended the Royal Wedding on Friday but, he informed us, like any dedicated Adventist, looked forward to worshipping on Sabbath in church with his brothers and sisters in the Lord. Addressing a packed out congregation, Sir Patrick remarked that he appreciated the sacredness of Friday's wedding service and hoped it would help in encouraging young people to continue to uphold the institution of marriage.

Even though he has been Governor General for two years, he is still defined by many people he meets as a minister of the gospel, Sir Patrick disclosed to us. This, he says, gives him the opportunity to witness regarding his faith. He shared an example that while at the wedding he was asked about the significance of being an Adventist, and was quizzed on whether his duties as Governor General ever clashed with his Sabbath-keeping. He was able to explain that there was no inevitable conflict; that he is happy being an effective Governor General and, at the same time, a faithful Sabbath-keeping Christian. Requesting the prayers of the church, he conceded that if he were ever to turn away from the faith, everyone in Jamaica, Adventist or not, would be disappointed in him.

Key issues being championed by him and his wife, Sir Patrick informed us, revolve around the family, education and youth affairs. These, they are seeking to address from a holistic standpoint that embraces mental, spiritual, social, emotional and physical considerations. He has used his high position to implement a programme that is tagged the "I believe" initiative, where young people are empowered to find good values and use their God-given talents to build a good nation and serve God and country. Sir Patrick concluded his address by challenging us to do good, stating: "We will only pass this way but once; any good deed we can do, let us do it now, because we will not pass this way again."

Accompanying him on the day were BUC President, Pastor Don McFarlane, as well as former BUC President Pastor Cecil Perry. Also in attendance were SEC representatives, along with a number of pastors. [tedNEWS]

tedNEWS Staff: Miroslav Pujic, director; Deana Stojkovic, editor
119 St Peter's Street, St Albans, Herts, AL1 3EY, England
E-mail: tednews@ted-adventist.org
Website: www.ted-adventist.org
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Near-Zero Chance of May 11 Earthquake in Rome, USGS Says

Natalie Wolchover, Life's Little Mysteries Staff Writer,
LiveScience.com
– Mon May 9, 7:01 pm ET


According to a rumor that has circulated on the Internet for months, Raffaele Bendandi, an Italian pseudoscientist who died in 1979, predicted before his death that a massive earthquake will strike Rome on Wednesday (May 11). No one is sure that he actually made such a prediction — his chief biographer is unaware of such a prediction — but regardless, in response, Romans are taking heed and fleeing their city by the thousands.

Working in this rumor's favor is the fact that Bendandi, who also dabbled in astronomy, correctly guessed the approximate date of an earthquake in the Adriatic region in 1923, a feat for which he was later knighted. Will his alleged posthumous prediction come to pass too?

Geophysicists say no — almost certainly not. Not only are earthquakes far too chaotic to be predicted decades ahead of time, they aren't even predictable on the scales of days.

"To predict an earthquake, you need a precursory signal of some kind, and we've yet to find anything reliable," said Tom Parsons, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). "A lot of things have been tried in terms of looking for electrical signals or gas release, and paying attention to animal behavior, but none of these have turned out to be reliable."

Even if seismologists were able to identify a precursory signal indicating that an earthquake was on its way, "that would happen a few days before," Parsons told Life's Little Mysteries, a sister site to LiveScience — not more than three decades in advance. "Earthquakes and tectonic plates interact with each other in a very chaotic system, so in order to do a long-term prediction you'd have to be able to foresee all the activity over the coming 30 years. It's extremely unlikely that anyone would be able to do that."

Furthermore, if you're trying to predict an earthquake ahead of time, it would be wise to choose a location above a major fault line, not Rome. "Earthquakes are certainly not common in Rome. Most activity in Italy occurs in the Apennines," Parsons said, referring to the mountain range that runs down the center of Italy's "boot" and into its toe. "You feel earthquakes in Rome sometimes, but they happen elsewhere; there aren't major fault lines underneath the city. So in terms of predicting a massive earthquake there, it's already a kind of unlikely place."

Sometimes heightened seismic activity can hint than an earthquake is imminent, but there haven't been any rumblings in Rome raising concerns among seismologists. "To my knowledge, no, there hasn't been any abnormal activity. If there was a credible forecast I would have heard about it," Parsons said. "Even if there were abnormal seismic activity, that happens all the time without leading to a forecast. There is occasionally foreshocking events that happen in clusters but those only lead to a large event 8 percent of the time." [Infographic: How the Japan Quake Triggered Aftershocks]

The wisest move, Parsons said, is to prepare for the largest quake possible in a given area rather than focusing on predictions for a given day.

"There's a lot of interest in chasing down predictions, but you should simply be prepared for the largest earthquake possible in a given area and build and retrofit buildings to be able to withstand a quake of that magnitude," he said.

"When you're trying to predict an earthquake on a given day, you'll have chaos with people panicking and trying to leave the city — I see that that's already happening in Rome. It's much better to understand the likely largest event in the coming years and build accordingly."

This article was provided by Life's Little Mysteries, a sister site to LiveScience. Follow Natalie Wolchover on Twitter @nattyover.

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Geopolitics & Terrorism

Date: 05-08-11

Host: John B. Wells

Guests: Craig Hulet, David B. Sereda

Guest host John B. Wells (email) was joined by geopolitical analyst Craig B. Hulet, who discussed the recent developments in the Middle East, the War on Terror, bin Laden's role in 9-11, and what he sees for the future of the United States. "We do not have to look beyond our shores to see the face of the enemy," he declared, "and it is in corporate America." Hulet contended that the continual consolidation of corporations is "creating fewer and fewer of the most powerful." These power brokers, he said, have no national, religious, or ethnic loyalties and are, instead, driven purely by accumulation of wealth and influence.

Regarding the recent death of Osama bin Laden, Hulet observed that "there's never just one simple explanation" for why certain major events happen when they do. That said, he opined that the timing of bin Laden's demise seems to be connected to the ongoing uprising in Libya. To that end, Hulet noted that Moammar Gadhafi had been "one of our best sources" against Al Qaeda and that the Libyan dictator even claimed that bin Laden was behind the unrest in his country. However, the resources in Libya, notably oil, are of paramount interest to the corporate power brokers, so "that meant it was time for bin Laden to go," in order to clear the way for toppling Gadhafi. Similarly, Hulet asserted that the war in Afghanistan is predicated on building a massive oil pipeline and that the United States will "never leave" the country unless the installation is secure.

Looking ahead to the future, Hulet speculated that gas prices could rise to 5 or 6 dollars a gallon during the Summer. Beyond that, he warned that, within the next four or five years, "we're going to see suicide bombing on our soil, here in America." He lamented this prediction, but observed that he "can't help but follow my analysis." On an international level, Hulet declared that "in twenty years, China is going to dominate the globe." He explained that the "monopoly corporate structure" prefers the Chinese business model as opposed to the American free enterprise system. This, he said, is why so many jobs are shipped to China and will continue to be outsourced from America. Chillingly, Hulet said, that, on an individual level, he has no advice for resisting this trend and, "collectively, I just don't have much hope."
...

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Pope Blesses U.N. Flag

by Daniel Taylor
Old-Thinker News
April 29, 2008
from OldThinkerNews Website

Pope Benedict XVI spoke to the U.N. General Assembly on Friday, warning nations against undermining the authority of the United Nations by acting unilaterally.

The Pope also found time to bless the U.N. flag.

Reuters reports, "Countries that act unilaterally on the world stage undermine the authority of the United Nations and weaken the broad consensus needed to confront global problems, Pope Benedict said on Friday.

The international community must be, "capable of responding to the demands of the human family through binding international rules," said the 81-year-old pope, who spoke after meeting privately with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Pope Benedict XVI reaches to touch and bless a United Nations flag at the U.N. headquarters in New York April 18, 2008.


He said the notion of multilateral consensus was, "in crisis because it is still subordinated to the decisions of a few, whereas the world’s problems call for interventions in the form of collective action by the international community."

The Pope’s comments are of little surprise, given the fact that he has previously called for a "New World Order" to combat terrorism, environmental problems, as well as economic imbalances during his Christmas 2005 speech. Pope John Paul II also called for a new world order in a 2004 new years speech.

An interesting perspective on these comments comes from a 1970’s report called the "World Order Models Project." The report was funded by the Carnegie Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation, and was directed by Council on Foreign Relations member Saul H. Mendlovitz.

Richard A. Falk, also a CFR member, contributed work to the project.

The project called for the formation of a world government complete with global taxes, a general disarmament program and the elimination of the nation state.

The WOMP project also planned on selling these globalist ideals to the world by using prominent world leaders to promote the plans and begin molding the international dialectic around globalist perceptions. The Pope was named as a possible outlet.

The project states, "Symbolic world leaders such as the Secretary General of the United Nations or the Pope might espouse [the WOMP agenda]… as a program for the future…

These kinds of external developments… would initiate a world order dialectic within American politics that would begin to break down decades of adherence to [the Westphalian system] and its infrastructure of values, perceptions and institutions."

In a 1997 paper presented to the Research Department of the Air Command and Staff College, Maj. Bart R. Kessler outlined the plans of the World Order Models Project and many other globalist initiatives. His paper can be read here.

Reference to the use of the Pope in promoting globalist ideology, as well as citation, can be found here on this report.

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The Religious Face of the New World Order:

From the Vatican to the White House to the United Religions Initiative

By Lee Penn

When the Pope agrees with Mikhail Gorbachev, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Henry Kissinger, the new President of the European Union, and other pecular leaders on the need for global governance and a new world order, we can know that the world has indeed experienced a “harmonic convergence” and entered a new age.

(pdf file)

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A Gutsy Treasure Trove

Ever since last Sunday (May Day) two peculiar terms have been used repeatedly by the mainstream media when referring to the surprising attack and killing of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan; And they are Gutsy and Treasure Trove.

President Obama is being called Gutsy for (his heroic role in) ordering the successful military operation that ended the life of the arch villain and suspected mastermind behind the fatal terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

Supposedly a Treasure Trove of incriminating evidence (intelligence) was seized at the compound where OBL had lived since 2005.

Here's the dilemma: Gutsy how? You are given information that a long sought after enemy has been located; After this all you have to do is decide when you want to take him/her down, now or later. It's that simple. Now what's Gutsy about that?

Now, if you had to go yourself to confront and interact with the assailant, then that would be Gutsy! That is what the Armed Forces do, they are quite Gutsy.

It's been mentioned that a Treasure Trove of items were removed from the "luxurious mansion" where OBL was hiding. They have identified several video recordings in which OBL practiced his recorded messages. They now say that he was a narcissist who was obsessed with how he looked in the videos he produced; and going so far as dying his gray beard black for the taping of his recorded messages (threats).
What I personally know about debriefings after a mission is that "all" the information gathered is annotated and discussed at that time.
How can there be all this piecemeal, drop at a time sequence of frivolous data?
This whole operation smells. Now they are asking - if Pakistan knew that OBL was where he was? Come on? Pakistan's ISI is now more knowledgeable (accountable) than the OSI? Or, maybe the NSA?
Narcissistic, heh? I can pin that tail on another donkey...


Related:

Interview with Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani ‎
RealClearPolitics - 2 days ago
... right now and that gutsy for (decision he made to go ahead and send those ... It is a treasure trove of information. It might even lead to the capture of) ...

Tony Blair and Rick Warren - Saddleback Civil Forum (March 6, 2010)

Pastor Rick Warren and Rt Hon Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of Britain, engage in a candid discussion during the Saddleback Civil Forum on Peace in a Globalized Society at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., Sunday evening, March 6.

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Temple City SDA Church Youth Praise & Worship Band - One Way (Hillsong United)

Uploaded by coolair2545 on Jan 13, 2010


This is the Temple City SDA Church Youth Praise & Worship Band playing at a Youth Night Program in the Youth Chapel at the Temple City Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Temple City, California. (Southern California).

Is It Time for Spanish Adventist Music to Rock?

29 December 2009 Ruben Sanchez

“Rock music is evil, it comes from the African spiritualist rhythms and a Christian should not listen to it.” The first time I heard such a declaration was the summer of 1998, in the Adventist Seminary Schloss Bogenhofen, Austria. In my church of Barcelona, Spain, music was hardly an issue. Of course, there were some who said that certain types of music were harmful, even with subliminal messages if played backwards, but music never made its way to our public sphere.

Eleven years later, specifically in Valencia, Spain, starting December the 4th and continuing for four days, the Spanish association of Adventist university students and graduates, (AGUAE) celebrated its 35th convention, this time addressing the issue of music. And fortunately, it was discussed with such rigor and honesty that declarations like the one that opens this post would not have stayed in tune.

Instead of a list of dos and don'ts, the theme was broad reflection on the youth congress theme: “Music in the Life of the Christian."

Given that attendance included 160 registered attendants with more than 250 persons on Saturday, half of them younger than 35 signaled that the topic of music was not chosen by chance. The question of "music" has become a hot issue in Spanish Adventism.

Álvaro Calvo, director of the Spanish Adventist music school J.S. Bach, based in Sagunto, published last July a post about adoration in the Spanish Adventist church with the headline “Lord, teach us how to adore”. Among others, he pointed out the need to worship with “different songs sung in a new way” and emphasized saying that “we need to renew urgently our chants”.

Calvo, as well as the former J.S. Bach school’s director, Adriana Perera, are fully convinced that the music we play in church requires an update. Thus, six years ago, they started an ambitious project with the Adventist Spanish Union (UAE) in order to provide every Spanish church with new hymnals filled with contemporary Christian music. Due to several problems, which are unclear, it is not finished yet. The Union says it is going to be ready by 2010, this time for real.

Last November, we Spaniards received the Nuevo himnario adventista para jóvenes, a coproduction by the Adventist publishing houses ACES, APIA and Pacific Press. Over time, this new hymnal will replace the current hymnal which was last revised in 1962.

In addition to these publications, there are several other factors that made a conversation about music and worship timely, if not essential.

The first one is a new generation is seeking guidance. Youth born between late 80’s and early 90’s do not enjoy the music played in the Spanish church. They speak English; their parents do not. They carry their mp3 players full of Gospel and contemporary worship music, among others, and they want to sing these styles of music when adoring the Lord. There are already some churches that have included these style in some of their services.

The second one is that the current generation in control has seen the native Adventist membership decline in the last fifteen years. Without immigration, the Union would have been closing churches. On the other hand, these very same parents perceive that singing 17th century chants is not the best way to give an incentive to their children to remain in the church.

The third and final aspect is immigration itself. During the last 10 years, Spain has received five million of people from Latin America, Europe and North Africa. If in 1998, foreign population in Spain was just a 1.6% of the total, nowadays it represents 12% of 46 million inhabitants. Of course, our churches have been impacted by this, but in even more significant ways. Among the around 15,000 Adventists now present in Spain, more than a 60% are immigrants coming from South America and Romania. South Americans say that we, Spaniards, sing with a lack of joy. Romanians accuse us of a lack of reverence.

This explains why, where possible, congregations have been split up into cultural groups and, where not possible because of a lack of money and/or membership, coexistence is a challenge, and music the bone of contention. The fact is that when, for instance, drums are used in the service, most conservatives stand up and leave the church because they do not want to be part of the "blasphemy." At the same time, the musicians who see them leave call them "fanatics."

What lies behind these attitudes and behaviors is known very well by anyone familiar with Adventism.

In this context, AEGUAE invited five musicians to discuss the topic of music in our church: the already mentioned Calvo and Perera, along with Wayne Bucknor, María José Jimeno and Arturo Balué. All together delivered six talks and four workshops that made us reflect and debate about adoration through music.

Bucknor, a teacher at Oakwood University, musician, composer and music minister, gave some advice on how to manage a music ministry in our churches. Jimeno, an Adventist Spanish singer-songwriter joined with Perera did a workshop music composition. Balué, a student of modern music and a guitar player in several christian music groups, offered a workshop to help incorporate and improve the guitar‘s role in our church service.

Perera, a current professor at Oakwood University, Huntsville, Alabama, is both a musician and a composer. She stated that the Bible has more than 500 references to music and that if we study them, we can conclude that music, in the context of worshiping God, is a means to reflect Jesus.

“Jesus has always been the center of adoration”, Perera pointed out. She explained that Jesus as God is both transcendent and immanent. His double condition can help us comprehend the different musical manifestations given throughout history.

Catholics and Anglicans, for example, have produced music towards God’s transcendence while Evangelicals and Pentecostals have preferred to focus their worship on His immanence.

From the beginning, according to Perera, religious music has tried to dissociate itself from secular music. As early as the 6th century, Pope Gregory I set the rules for Christian music. Gregorian chant, for example, aims for a feeling of restraint. It promotes contemplation and tries to move us away from the worldly. It has no instruments because back at the pre-scientific time when it was defined, existing instruments were associated with hypnotism.

Later, Luther, inspired by already existing folkloric melodies, created what is known as the Lutheran Choir. Even though his songs were not used in mass, they were sung during weekly meetings. Luther’s intention, said Perera, was to change doctrine by changing the liturgy. It is said that priests feared his songs more than his preaching. Luther changed the music because he want to change his culture's aesthetic, theological, philosophical and social ideals.

Nowadays, if we observe our current prospects, we see two factors we may take into account. On one side, we have to admit that contemporary religious music still carries medieval guidelines. On the other side, it is being said that technology has demolished the barriers between popular and educated music.

In light of this evidence, Perera rejected the need for a list that demarcates music. Instead, she said, “when we love God and we are willing to adore Him in spirit and truth, we may not need any list that contains what we can and we cannot do”.

However, Perera reminded us that sometimes theory is easier than practice: “in the United States, 85% of the churches have been torn apart during the last ten years due to worship issues." As noted earlier, this is also a cause for division in the Iberian Peninsula.

Touching more on music's cultural aspects, Calvo, also a musician and composer, said, “In Spain, Latin-Americans emphasize rhythm, Romanians pay much attention to harmony and Spaniards are crazy about melodies.” That said, he emphasized, that "we cannot forget that rhythm, harmony and melody constitute songs.”

Something similar seems to have happened back in the New Testament times when we read that we should adore God with psalm, hymn, and spiritual song. Psalms come from the Jewish tradition; hymns come from the Greek tradition, and spiritual songs, which might have come Barbarian or Arabic traditions. These all came from different cultural sources, but they shared a common goal: to praise the Lord.

Calvo advocated for a clear separation between secular and religious music but rebuked any intention to declare some instruments moral and some immoral.

Doubts and questions were discussed by a panel chaired by Bucknor, Calvo and Perera. In this meeting it was said that we should not label any music as evil just because of its origin, as we sometimes do with African music. It was noted, as well, that Art History shows us how art generally evolves, moving between reason and feeling and vice versa, like a pendulum. Today, we find ourselves with an inherited Anglo-Saxon music, which put a lot of weight on reason, living as postmoderns, we are more interested in emotions.

But AEGUAE’s last convention not only reserved time for theory and practice. It dedicated some time to enjoying music. On Saturday night, the J.S. Bach Choir and Orchestra delighted us and the next night, Bucknor took us to heaven with a tremendous piano recital.

Worship music was played by the NTM group. With drums, bass, guitar, keyboard, piano, violins and voices, NTM performed the music that may well be the rule in Spain in ten years from now: North American worship translated into Spanish. Of course, there were some who stood up and left the room outraged. Nonetheless, those who stayed with an open mind left Valencia with the joy and peace of the One, know through truth and through spirit.
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Source: http://spectrummagazine.org/blog/2009/12/29/it-time-spanish-adventist-music-rock
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A Masterpiece of Satan's Deceptions

The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. Deut. 29:29.


Human knowledge of both material and spiritual things is partial and imperfect; therefore many are unable to harmonize their views of science with Scripture statements. Many accept mere theories and speculations as scientific facts, and they think that God's word is to be tested by the teachings of "science falsely so called." 1 Timothy 6:20. The Creator and His works are beyond their comprehension; and because they cannot explain these by natural laws, Bible history is regarded as unreliable. Those who doubt the reliability of the records of the Old and New Testaments too often go a step further and doubt the existence of God and attribute infinite power to nature. Having let go their anchor, they are left to beat about upon the rocks of infidelity.

Thus many err from the faith and are seduced by the devil. . . . Human philosophy has attempted to search out and explain mysteries which will never be revealed through the eternal ages. If men would but search and understand what God has made known of Himself and His purposes, they would obtain such a view of the glory, majesty, and power of Jehovah that they would realize their own littleness and would be content with that which has been revealed. . . .

It is a masterpiece of Satan's deceptions to keep the minds of men searching and conjecturing in regard to that which God has not made known and which He does not intend that we shall understand. It was thus that Lucifer lost his place in heaven. He became dissatisfied because all the secrets of God's purposes were not confided to him, and he entirely disregarded that which was revealed concerning his own work in the lofty position assigned him. By arousing the same discontent in the angels under his command, he caused their fall. Now he seeks to imbue the minds of men with the same spirit and to lead them also to disregard the direct commands of God.

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Maranatha, p.135.

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Lucha libre wrestling tags into Bremerton

By MIKE BALDWIN
Central Kitsap Reporter Sports Writer
May 05 2011, 2:16 PM


Ron Sutherland, known as El Gringo Loco, is held by professional wrestler Raven at a match in Poulsbo last August. Sutherland won the match, describing it as the biggest win of his career, and he returns to the ring Thursday in Bremerton to help celebrate Cinco de Mayo. La Poblanita will host lucha libre at 5:30 p.m. Admission is free for the event
courtesy photo


Saul Vargas couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo than to host lucha libre wrestling in the parking lot of his Bremerton grocery store.

Vargas has hosted dances and other festivities at La Poblanita, which also doubles as a Mexican restaurant, but Thursday marks the first time the latin wrestling circuit takes place at the corner market.

“We love having a big party,” said Vargas, who opened La Poblanita four years ago.

The matches start at 5:30 p.m., but Vargas encourages people to arrive at 3:30 p.m. for food, drinks and a raffle. All ages are welcome.

There will be ice cream, barbecued meals and Mexican dishes on hand. Alcohol will also be available. Admission is free.

All donations at the nonprofit event benefit the Kitsap Seventh Day Adventist School in Bremerton. Any attendee who donates will qualify for raffles that include a variety of prizes.

Vargas got the idea to host lucha libre from his friend and promoter, Ron Sutherland, the talent booker at the Suquamish Tribal Center. Sutherland runs a pro wrestling league, which features monthly matches at the center.

When the crowd is made up of mostly adults, the fighters may use chairs and other items, but Sutherland said Thursday’s fights will be “clean,” meaning wrestlers won’t shed blood or use profane language.

“The point is to have a fun show on a great holiday for everyone to see,” Sutherland said. “It’s an important part of the culture so we want to put on a great show.”

The main event is a Lumberjack-Mexican match between El Vagabundo and Juvi 775. In addition, Sutherland, filling in for Mr. Pink, will wrestle as his alter-ego El Gringo Loco versus Angel Azul. Mr. Pink suffered an injury and will miss the Cinco de Mayo fight, Sutherland said.

The field of wrestlers will include four from Mexico and others from Western Washington, he added.

For more information, contact Vargas at (360) 373-7522.

Central Kitsap Reporter Sports Writer Mike Baldwin can be reached at mbaldwin@centralkitsapreporter.com or (360) 308-9161 ext. 5058.

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Documentary film The Adventists wins award for televised film

Public Broadcasting release highlights denomination's health work

3 May 2011, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States
ANN staff


The documentary film The Adventists won a Gabriel Award as this year's outstanding nationally released televised film on religion.

The Gabriel Award, established in 1965, is considered one of North America's top media awards for a "values-centered view of society and humanity."

"We released the film to [Public Broadcasting Stations] stations last spring at a time when our country was deeply embroiled in the health care debate as an alternative to the media's focus on health and economics," said Martin Doblmeier, producer of The Adventists.

"The story offered a way to speak about health care in terms of faith -- that health care could be 'sacred work,' that caring for the body was caring for the 'temple of God' and many people resonated with those ideas," Doblmeier said.

The Gabriel Awards are sponsored by the Catholic Academy for Communication Arts Professionals.

Source: Adventist News Network

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Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal Holds News Conference on the Flooding in His State

To view go to: http://abcnews.go.com/video/video?id=6046305

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Janet Napolitano Hails US Border Security in Post-9/11 World

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 4, 2011, before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on Southwest border security progress. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

By DEVIN DWYER (@devindwyer)
May 4, 2011

Nearly a decade after five of Osama bin Laden's followers infiltrated the U.S. and carried out the terrorist attacks of 9/11, top lawmakers and Homeland Security officials today hailed improvements in border security but warned of the threat still posed by those who enter the country legally and overstay their visas.

"One of the great achievements since 9/11 is the extent to which we have secured our borders against those who would come in to do us harm," said Senate Homeland Security Chairman Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., at a committee meeting in Washington.

"Despite a lot of congressional effort and DHS effort, we still lack an exit system that will effectively identify people who've overstayed their visas in real time," he said. "This both undercuts the legitimacy of the law we have ... but it also threatens our security."

The Pew Hispanic Center estimates that between 4 million and 5.5 million -- nearly half -- of all undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. entered the country legally and then remained beyond the expiration of their visas.

A new Government Accountability Office report released today concluded that 36 percent of the roughly 400 individuals convicted of terrorism-related crimes in the U.S. since 2001 were "overstays."

"Despite the killing of Osama bin Laden, we must never forget that the battle against Islamic extremism is still very much on," said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, the ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee.

The GAO found that Immigration and Customs Enforcement -- the agency responsible for enforcing visa overstays -- has allotted only 3 percent of its work force to investigating individuals who have not left the U.S. when their visas expired.

The agency has arrested approximately 8,100 people who have overstayed, according to the report. But a GAO examination of a computerized U.S. immigration system that tracks U.S. visitors found a backlog of 1.6 million potential overstays that had not yet been reviewed.

The Department of Homeland Security is considering ways to beef up its tracking of the arrival and departure of immigrants and share the information with other agencies, officials said.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, though, said that stepping up investigations of those who overstayed visas or entered the country illegally was costly and labor intensive, especially if they had not committed a crime to make themselves more easily identifiable.

Napolitano said she has asked Congress for additional funds to sustain enforcement programs and hire more officers, but because of federal budget constraints, some of the requests have been turned down.

"We have to have some way to parse the population that is already in the country illegally given that we are only given the resources to remove about 400,000 people per year," she said. "We want to focus on those who are security threats, who are criminals and who are fugitives."

Still, Napolitano has said that by many measures the borders are as secure, and scrutiny of arriving foreign visitors is higher than ever before.

Apprehensions of illegal migrants crossing the nation's borders, a key indicator of illegal immigration, have plummeted, down 47 percent in the past four years, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

The number of illegal immigrants arrested and deported from the U.S. has reached record highs, with a growing emphasis on capturing those engaged in criminal activities, the agency says. The U.S. removed more than 392,000 immigrants last year and is on pace to eclipse that number in 2011.

The number of Border Patrol agents has more than doubled since 2004, unmanned aerial drones patrol the U.S.-Mexico border from California to Texas and construction has been completed on all but three miles of the southern border fence approved by Congress.

"The steps that have been taken constitute the most comprehensive and dedicated effort to border security that our country has ever deployed," Napolitano told the Senate panel today.

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Owners of Nine Mile Point Unit 1 probing Monday night's automatic shut down

Published: Tuesday, May 03, 2011, 10:31 AM Updated: Tuesday, May 03, 2011, 10:58 AM

By Charley Hannagan / The Post-Standard


Scriba, NY – The owners of the Nine Mile Point Unit 1 this morning are trying to figure out why the recently refueled nuclear reactor automatically shut down at 8:51 p.m. Monday.

The plant responded according to design and automatically shut down with all rods that control the nuclear reaction fully inserting into the reactor, Constellation Energy Nuclear Group said this morning.

"The plant is in a safe and stable condition," the company said in a news release.

The reactor restarted April 19 after being out of service for maintenance and refueling.

“We’re working to identify the cause of the shutdown and to complete any repairs that are necessary to return the unit to service safely and reliably,” said Jill Lyon, speaking for Constellation.

Lyon, citing business reasons, would not comment on when the reactor is expected to return to service.

Nuclear power plants are designed to automatically shut down in response to certain indications and conditions, the company said.

Nine Mile Unit 1 had been operating at 47 percent power when the shutdown occurred on Monday night.

Unit 1 Operators had lowered reactor power on April 26 based on indications within the feedwater system. The plant had been operating at reduced levels while equipment repairs were in progress, the company said.

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Heritage: White House in 'Amateur Hour'

Thursday, 05 May 2011 02:56 PM

By David A. Patten

The Obama administration’s handling of the aftermath of the operation to kill Osama bin Laden has devolved into “amateur hour,” Heritage Foundation expert Dr. James Jay Carafano tells Newsmax.

Although Carafano praised the Seal Team Six operation that initially took out bin Laden, the administration’s conflicting accounts of the operation have been counterproductive, he said.

Carafano told Newsmax Wednesday that it’s been “total amateur hour” since President Barack Obama’s announced bin Laden’s death.

Initially, said Carafano, White House Homeland Security adviser John Brennan appeared to be clever by portraying bin Laden as hiding behind one of his wives and using her as a human shield.

“It was a great line, but if it’s not true, the damage to your credibility makes you look amateurish,” he said. “Not to have your facts straight is just inexcusable.”

The administration has modified its account of the kill mission several times. It now appears that no firefight occurred, and that the al-Qaida mastermind was not armed when the Seals took him down.

A woman who rushed toward the Seals was shot in the leg, but not killed. And there is no indication that bin Laden used her for cover.

“I just thought it was stunning and unbelievable, that they would give out details and then say they may or may not have been accurate -- unbelievable amateur hour,” Carafano told Newsmax.

“Legitimacy is everything in a war of ideas,” he added.

Carafano, a 25-year U.S. Army veteran who is considered one of the nation’s leading experts in defense and homeland security, agrees with the administration’s decision not to release the grisly images of bin Laden’s corpse. Extremists could use the images to try to make bin Laden appear to be a martyr, he said.

“We should be doing everything possible to delegitimize, and denigrate, and humiliate the ‘legend’ of bin Laden,” Carafano said. “And nothing should be done that could glorify or enhance his stature.”

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Nemesis List: Snoopy the PC

Allan MacDonell 2 hours ago

Subject: Atlanta-based Aaron's Inc.

Occupation: Aaron’s bills itself as the nation's leader in the sales and lease of residential furniture, consumer electronics and home appliances.

Alleged Crime: Renting computers that track customers’ keystrokes and take screenshots and snap webcam pictures of renters as they use the devices at home—and transmitting the images and data to computers back at the Aaron’s store.

The Bad Part: Customers were unaware the spyware came standard with the rental.
Police state, or just the customer scan room at Best Buy? (Photo: Ahmed Jadallah/Reuters)

The Accusers: A Wyoming couple, Brian Byrd, 26, and his wife, Crystal, 24, have filed a federal lawsuit against Aaron’s.

Nemesis Unveiled: A store manager in Casper, Wyoming, came to the Byrd home on December 22, intending to repossess the computer. Brian Byrd showed the manager a signed receipt. The manager showed Byrd a picture of Byrd using the computer—taken by the computer's webcam.

Victim Reaction: "It feels like we were pretty much invaded, like somebody else was in our house," Byrd told the AP. "It's a weird feeling. I had to sit down for a minute after he showed me that picture."

Victim Concern: "Crystal gets online before she gets a shower and checks her grades," Brian Byrd said. "Who knows? They could print that stuff off there and take it home with them."

Nemesis Excuse #1: Computer privacy experts said Aaron's has the right to equip its computers with software it can use to shut off the devices remotely if customers stop paying their bills.

Nemesis Excuse #2: Aaron's, with more than 1,800 company-operated and franchised stores, said the Byrds leased their computer from an independent franchisee.

Why Believe the Victim?: The Byrds’ attorney said police had determined the image was shot with spyware made by Pennsylvania-based Designerware LLC, and that the spyware is installed on all Aaron's rental computers.

Nemesis Excuse #3: Aaron's said it believes that none of its more than 1,140 company-operated stores had used Designerware's product.

The Nemesis Will Not Shut Off: According to the lawsuit, components are soldered into the rental PC’s motherboard and cannot be uninstalled.

Victim Final Words: "I've got a 5-year-old boy, and sometimes he gets out of the tub running around for 20, 30 seconds while we're on the computer. What if they took a picture of that? I wouldn't want that kind of garbage floating around out there."

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Allen West Offers National Day of Prayer Speech

Photo (Courtesy) http://weaselzippers.us/2011/05/05/allen-west-america-rooted-in-its-judeo-christian-faith/

Kevin Derby's blog Posted: May 5, 2011 11:13 AM

Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Allen West offered the following speech on Thursday on the National Day of Prayer:

"A Mighty Fortress is our God"

Psalm 91 "The Soldiers Psalm" ... Verse 2; "I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust."

Psalm 46:1, "God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea."

Psalm 11:3 "If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?"

We have come here this morning on a day set aside to remember from whence our strength comes. This week began with a great piece of news for America, the personification of evil, Osama bin Laden was killed by our U.S. Navy SEAL special operators.

On this National Day of Prayer, I can attest without any doubt that before those brave Warriors launched their mission, they prayed. Prayer is the means by which we can find refuge in our Lord God as we face trials, tribulations, and tumultuous times.

When the foundations of America were attacked and destroyed on Sept. 11, 2001, we found ourselves as a Nation doing that which is best, praying. We found ourselves doing as it says in Psalm 34:6, "This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him And saved him out of all his troubles."

In our congressional office there is a simple portrait hanging on the wall facing my desk. It is a portrait that reminds me where great leaders find strength in times of troubles. It is a portrait which reminds me of the faith and conviction that enabled a ragtag bunch of 13 colonies to come together and triumph.

It is the portrait of General George Washington kneeling beside his horse, hands clasped, and head bowed in the snow of Valley Forge.

It was a time characterized by the immortal words of Thomas Paine, "These are the times which try men's souls. The summer Soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that STANDS it now, deserves the love and thanks of men and women."

I know that before you can stand against the evils, trials, and challenges we all face ... we must first kneel in prayer.

As we trust in God through the power of prayer we can say as it says in Romans 8:31, "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us."

This America is rooted in a Judeo-Christian faith tradition which finds its cornerstone of communication, prayer.

Thomas Jefferson stated, "Can the liberties of a Nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my Country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever."

And George Washington stated, "No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the invisible Hand which conducts the affairs of men more than the people of the United States ... We ought to be no less persuaded that the propitious [favorable] smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a Nation which disregards the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself ordained."

Psalm 11:3 asks us a simple question, "If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?"

The answer is simple, this Nation will pray when its foundations are being destroyed.

We must pray for our economic security and the blessings of long-term sustainable job-growth policies.

We must pray for our national security to ensure this great Republic, the grand experiment in individual liberty is preserved for future generations.

We must pray for the restoration of the American family and the sanctity of innocent life.

We must pray that the ideological chasm which now separates our America can be closed.

We must pray as it states in II Chronicles 7:14, "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and PRAY and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin, and HEAL their land."

Yes, I believe as it states in Jeremiah 29:11-13 ... "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and PRAY to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."

I know that this is a time when the restoration of our faith and belief in the power of prayer as a Nation will result in the promise of Romans 5:3-4, "And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope" ... and not a hope in Man."

As it says in Phillipians 4:13 ... "we can do ALL things" ... which is why I know the greatest days of America lie ahead as we remember this day and the power of Prayer.

In closing, I know that certain individuals and their media allies will be chomping to attack these words I share today. They shall cry separation of church and State ... but that principle does not apply to separating me from my faith and belief in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, our Savior Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the power of prayer. And it does not apply to separating this great Nation from its Judeo-Christian faith heritage.

We must never dwell in the realm of fear nor shy away from our convictions if we believe the simple admonition of Isaiah 54:17, "No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from me, Says the Lord."

I am not a perfect Man, but my daily prayer is the Lord's Prayer as found in Matthew, Chapter 6, and the prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10, "O that you would bless Me indeed and enlarge my territory, that your hand would be with me, to protect me from evil, so that I will not cause harm, and God granted him as he requested."

Therefore, on this 60th Annual National Day of Prayer, I implore this Nation and all of you here to lift your eyes unto the Hills, where we shall find our strength. Mount up with wings like Eagles. Run and never grow weary. Walk and never faint.

And never forget, that before you STAND strong, you must first kneel in prayer.

God bless you all, God bless America.

Steadfast and Loyal!

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The War Time President REDUX

The NEW Investigative Journal

Added Apr 16, 2011, Under: Headlines

When I was broadcasting shows on Genesis Broadcasting (GCN) and Republic Broadcasting (RBN), things got dicey when I began concentrating almost daily on Vatican and Jesuit intrigue RBN cut me off the air when I would not quit talking about the Vatican. During my tenure there, station management brought on several Jew bashing shows to counteract my concentration on Rome.

After Republic cut me off back in 2006, I left GCN on my own accord since there was a station rule saying one host could not criticize another one on air. This rule was designed to protect Alex Jones. Although Alex criticized me, I know if I returned the favor, I’d be gone. Furthermore, I am positive Alex is a Vatican shill and so I realized this station, like RBN, were set up as gatekeeper networks.

I spent the next several years broadcasting mostly on a small Christian network called Liberty Radio Live. Listenership there is minimal and I left six months ago when it became exceedingly difficult to make ends meet.

I will be back live Monday after technical computer difficulties with First Amendment Radio who will play my live broadcast every afternoon at 5pm Eastern time. My archives will then be placed here on The Arctic Beacon on a subscription pay to play basis. There will be a nominal subscription cost which should make it at least sensible to continue on.

Just click on the link below and here is an old broadcast if you would like to get a small taste of what’s ahead in March.

—Greg Szymanski

watch?v=VRFG9K_Nf_8&feature=player_embedded

http://arcticbeacon.com/audio/2008/2008-LRN/02-2008-LRN/0204-2008/0204-2008-LRN-Hr1-Hr2.mp3

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None Dare Call It Treason

A review of John Stormer's book by Carrie Hurd
Note: Carrie wrote this review for our local homeschool support group's April, 2001 newsletter.

As we have shared in past newsletters, we love to haunt any place that sells books. I recently picked up a book at the local food bank garage sale whose author looked familiar. With a quick read of the back cover the little old paperback went into my bag. It wasn't until a few weeks later that my oldest daughter, Lindsey, came to me saying, "Mom, have you read any of this book yet? You've got to read this, it is fascinating." Again, a few days later she came to me and said "Mom, at least read this chapter on education." Thus was my introduction to one of the most intriguing books I have read in some time.

The book, None Dare Call It Treason, by John A. Stormer was written in 1964 and sold over a million copies in just 6 months. It is a very readable compilation of facts from hundreds of Congressional investigations of communism and books written at that time on communism and socialism. I don't remember learning much about communism in high school or college, and never learned about the communist takeovers of Poland, Rumania, China, Korea and Cuba. This book defines and exposes communism from the 1940's - 1960's and also the part many in our government played in supporting the Communists -- fascinating!

This book is a must read for us as homeschoolers, if for no other reason than the chapter on education. Stormer presents an excellent history of John Dewey and other education reformers and their communist influence on the American education system. This book reads a bit like present day conspiracy theory book, but it was written 40 years ago, and the things he wrote about have happened and are present realities that we see all around us. Some of the other topics included in this chapter are: Textbook Revisions, Class Hatred (multiculturalism), Anti-Free Enterprise (look at Bill Gates), In the Lower Grades (the intentional erosion of academic achievement) and Internationalism (vs. patriotism).

I guess the most amazing and shocking revelation for me was the full understanding of the enslavement and murder of 600 million people under Lenin and Stalin. Add to this the millions who are still enslaved in communist China. We should think of these men and women in China, who today are being forced to abort their children and who are mutilated and killed if they dare go against the communist government and have more than one child. Communism is not dead. We and our children need to understand it and remember that it still very much exists today.

In the middle of reading None Dare Call It Treason, I providentially began reading The Pastor's Wife by Sabina Wurmbrand. I didn't even think about it being related to the Stormer book until I was half way through it (I could not put it down, I was worthless for almost an entire day). In 1949, when Soviet propaganda was asserting that free Christian worship was being tolerated behind the Iron Curtain, the communists arrested Pastor Richard Wurmbrand in Rumania for secret Christian activities. He was in prison for 14 years and Sabina, his wife was imprisoned and enslaved in different work camps for over 3 years. Pastor and Mrs. Wurmbrand lived and wrote, first-hand of the horrors of communism that John Stormer was writing about to enlighten the American people in his book. What these saints went through at the hands of the communists is unimaginable. They faithfully worked to build the church in spite of persecution. They only left Rumania when they were made aware that the churches outside the Iron Curtain had no idea what the communists were doing to people, specifically Christians. They testified in the early 60's in some of the congressional hearings that Stormer sited in his book.

If you are not familiar with The Voice of the Martyrs, you should be. It was established by Richard Wurmbrand to help persecuted Christians all over the world. Mr. Wurmbrand also wrote a book entitled Tortured for Christ and was active in his ministry until his recent death. The Wurmbrand books can be reasonably purchased from The Voice of the Martyers, PO Box 443, Bartlesville, OK 74005. (There are some passages in The Pastor's Wife that frankly discusses sexual matters, so I would not give this book to any of my children before reading it myself. I don't recommend it for anyone under at least 16.)

I think communism would be an excellent unit study for any of our older homeschool children. I have found two other excellent resources that should be great to include. Veritas Press offers One Day In the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn in its 9th grade curriculum. My two older daughters have both read and enjoyed this book (I plan to read it soon). Here is a quote from the back of the book: "This extraordinary novel is one of the most significant and outspoken literary documents ever to come out of Soviet Russia. It is both a brutally graphic picture of life in a Stalinist work camp and a moving tribute to man's will to prevail over relentless dehumanization. A masterpiece of modern Russian fiction." Veritas offers a $15 hardback, you should be able to find a soft back at Half Price Books for just a few dollars.

In the early 90's TBN produced the movie China Cry, which was the true story of Nora Lam. Set in China some thirty years before the bloody Tiananmen Square massacre, this movie portrays the harsh reality of the repressive communist regime and Nora Lam's indomitable will to survive. You should be able to get this at Blockbuster.

I understand from Rick and Lynette Driggers that there is an excellent video on communism narrated by Ronald Reagan. Sorry, I was unable to get more information from them before this had to be submitted. It should be well worth searching for.

It appears that None Dare Call It Treason is out of print. Zshops at Amazon.com show to have 39 copies for as little as $2.00 for a hardcover. John Stormer has more recently written None Dare Call It Education: What's Happening to Our Schools & Our Children? My good friend Michelle tells me that another of his books, Growing Up God's Way is her all-time favorite child-training book, especially recommending his chapter on Character. Both are currently available at Amazon.




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COMECE Bishops see in the Arab Spring a clear sign of hope

#138 - Mai 2011



The COMECE Bishops dedicated their Spring Plenary Session to “Christian Churches in Maghreb and Mashriq”.

Although there has been ferment for quite some time in the countries of the Middle East and North Africa, few people could have anticipated the revolutions and regime changes in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. In his opening address at the Plenary Session, Mgr Adrianus van Luyn, President of COMECE, admitted, “When we decided at the beginning of January that the next Plenary Assembly should focus on the Middle East, we were still recovering from the shock of the bloody attacks against Christian churches in Egypt and Iraq. The pressing plight of Christians in these countries seemed to us sufficiently important for us to occupy ourselves with this more thoroughly at our meeting. Despite the developments in recent weeks, the position of religious minorities – not only Christians – remains precarious.” However, following the different popular uprisings occurring in the past few months, great expectations as well as many questions were raised that became more pressing than the question of Christians in the Middle East: What developments should we expect following the retreat, even the expulsion, of the former dictators? Is there any real chance that western-style democracy could gain foothold in these countries when, in contrast with the political changes in 1989, there is no earlier tradition of democracy to provide firm ground? What can the new European External Action Service actually do in this area?

Looking for answers to all these questions, the COMECE Bishops had the opportunity to listen to reports from experts from several European institutions, especially the EU’s new European External Action Service. Furthermore, in order to better understand the new situation in the Arab world, COMECE invited Professor Khalife, a specialist in geopolitics, Mgr Soueif, the Maronite Archbishop of Cyprus (and also the special Secretary of the recent Synod on the Middle East), and Cardinal Antonius Naguib, Catholic Patriarch of the Copts in Alexandria. All three had already met together in Strasbourg during the European Parliament’s Plenary Session in April, to report to the MEPs and the media on the situation of Christians in the Arab world.

Worries and hopes arising from the Arab Spring

Cardinal Naguib’s report to the COMECE Bishops dwelled in particular on a number of concrete issues that were causing problems with respect to the Egyptian Constitution. In its Articles 40 and 46 the Constitution states that citizens are equal under the law, whatever their race, language or creed, and that the State guarantees freedom of conscience and freedom of practice of religious rites. In parallel, Article 2 of the Egyptian Constitution stipulates that Islam is the State religion, Arabic its official language and that Sharia (Islamic jurisprudence) is the principal source of legislation. This article, the second of the 211 articles making up the Egyptian Constitution, has a dominant position and all articles that follow are subordinate to it. Practice bears this out : the law courts of the country clearly make the principles of freedom subordinate to the Islamic Sharia law. Similarly, observance of Sharia law influences how Egypt ratifies international Treaties, sometimes to the point of cancelling out their effectiveness. This is the case with the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights, ratified by Egypt in 1982.

Despite these reservations, Cardinal Naguib added “The 25th of January revolution generated hope that the constitution would be changed. In consideration and anticipation of the criticality of the early post-revolution phase, the Churches decided not to raise the issue of Article 2. The objective is clearly to enhance the national cohesion that emerged during the revolutionary movement... It is, however, the intention to re-address this crucial topic in a later phase, in which a change of constitution will take place.”

Cardinal Naguib sees two advantages in this Arab Spring – it is multiconvictional and led by the younger generation. “That’s why we were so happy to see the harmonious and total unity between Moslems and Christians at the beginning of the revolution. We have seen the Egyptians come together, drawn by a common cause and a common objective: Copts and Muslims joined hands against the regime of President Hosni Mubarak .The mixed crowd chanted, ‘We are one’, holding up Qurans and Crosses.”

He further believes that the youth of this movement is also a harbinger of hope. In fact, the promoters of “Change in 2011” are mainly young people (60% of the population of the Middle East and of North Africa are aged under 30) who have had the advantage of a mostly good education and are perfectly able to use the internet and its possibilities. But their prospects for the future are bleak indeed.

He therefore called upon the COMECE Bishops to support this movement of hope, particularly by helping young people to acquire some knowledge of politics and democracy and to train themselves in leadership.

Echoing the conclusions of the Synod on the Middle East, the COMECE Bishops, at the end of their Plenary Assembly, declared their strong belief that Christians in these countries share the same citizenship with their fellow citizens of other religions and that every one of them belongs fully to their societies. The Bishops called upon them to play their part, on the basis of their faith, in the change towards democracy in their countries, side by side with their fellow citizens.

These are the recommendations that the COMECE Bishops wish to present to the European Union:

- Greater and more concrete solidarity among the Member States of the EU is urgently needed to help in facing the inflow of migrants and refugees from North Africa and the Middle East (as provisioned in Directive 2001/55/EC on temporary protection)

- the EU should help in improving the deplorable situation in these countries by developing new tools to efficiently foster modernisation and democratisation in their societies

-in the context of changes in the Arab world, the EU should stress the importance of granting equal rights to all citizens of those countries, irrespective their ethnic or religious origin; including Christians.

For their part, the Bishops discussed the following possible actions:

- to organise regular exchanges with the Bishops’ Conferences of North Africa and the Middle East in order to assess better the expectations of their local population towards the EU;

- to encourage reflexion on “Democracy and Religion” together with Christians and Muslims from North Africa and the Middle East;

- to promote the social and political education of young people from North Africa and the Middle East

They also addressed a letter to their fellow Bishops in the Middle East and North Africa in which they expressed their solidarity and shared communion in prayers.

The insecurity and threats that Christian minorities are facing increasingly often in the Arab World are clearly intolerable. The COMECE Bishops expressed similar concern about the way religious minorities are sometimes treated in Europe. They therefore called upon all citizens, especially Christians, as well as the political leaders in Europe to assume their responsibilities for promoting dialogue between cultures and civilisations in Europe as well as in the rest of the world.

As Mgr van Luyn acknowledged, the Catholic Church has no coherent strategy, nor plans of action or ready-made responses to face this challenge. On the other hand, she is able to offer her help in discussing and drawing up solutions. Hence the COMECE Bishops have taken concrete actions in support of this movement of hope in the Arab world, and from analysing the situation they have drawn several lessons for application to we Europeans: the duty of majorities towards the minorities in Europe and the need for dialogue between religious communities.



Johanna Touzel

translated from the original French

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Words of Counsel

Photo (Courtesy) http://hillsidechristianschools.com.p4.hostingprod.com/

It is in the order of God that the physical as well as the mental powers shall be trained; but the character of the physical exercise taken should be in complete harmony with the lessons given by Christ to His disciples. Those lessons should be exemplified in the lives of Christians so that in all the education and self-training of teachers and students the heavenly agencies may not record of them that they are "lovers of pleasures." This is the record now being made of a large number, "Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God." 2 Timothy 3:4. Thus Satan and his angels are laying their snares for souls. They are working upon the minds of teachers and students to induce them to engage in exercises and amusements which become intensely absorbing, and which are of a character to strengthen the lower passions and to create appetites and passions that will counteract the operations of the Spirit of God upon human hearts. {CT .281.1

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All the teachers in a school need exercise, a change of employment. God has pointed out what this should be-- useful, practical work. But many have turned away from God's plan to follow human inventions to the detriment of spiritual life. Amusements are doing more to counteract the working of the Holy Spirit than anything else, and the Lord is grieved. {CT 281.2}

Those teachers who have not a progressive religious experience, who are not learning daily lessons in the school of Christ, that they may be examples to the flock, but who accept their wages as the main consideration, are not fit for the solemn position they occupy. "Take heed therefore unto yourselves," the word of God declares, "and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood." "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind." Acts 20:28; I Peter 5:2. These words are spoken to the teachers in all our schools, which are established, as God designed they should be, after the example of the schools of the prophets, to impart knowledge of a high order, not mingling dross with the silver. But false ideas and unsound practices are leavening that which should ever be kept pure, institutions in which the love and fear of God should ever be first. {CT 281.3}

Let the teachers learn daily lessons in the school of Christ. "Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me," He says; "for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Matthew 11:29. There is altogether too little of Christ and too much of self. But those who are under the dictation of the Spirit of God, under the rule of Christ, will be ensamples to the flock. When the Chief Shepherd shall appear, these will receive the crown of life that fadeth not away. {CT 282.1}
"Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time." I Peter 5:5, 6. {CT 282.2}

All self-uplifting works out the natural result--making character of which God cannot approve. Work and teach; work in Christ's lines, and then you will never work in your own weak ability, but will have the co-operation of the divine. {CT 283.1}

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." Verse 8. He is on the playground, watching your amusements, and catching every soul whom he finds off guard, sowing his seeds in human hearts, and gaining control of human minds. He is present in every exercise in the schoolroom. Those students who allow their minds to be deeply excited over games are not in the best condition to receive the instruction, the counsel, the reproof, most essential for them. {CT 283.2}

Physical exercise was marked out by the God of wisdom. Some hours each day should be devoted to useful education in lines of work that will help the students in learning the duties of practical life, which are essential for all our youth. {CT 283.3}

There is need of everyone in every school and in every other institution being, as was Daniel, in such close connection with the Source of all wisdom that he will be enabled to reach the highest standard in every line. The love and fear of God was before Daniel; and conscious of his amenability to God, he trained all his powers to respond as far as possible to the loving care of the Great Teacher. The four Hebrew children would not allow selfish motives and love of amusements to occupy the golden moments of life. They worked with willing heart and ready mind. This is no higher standard than every Christian youth may reach.

Our workers--ministers, teachers, physicians, directors--all need to remember that they are pledged to co-operate with Christ, to obey His directions, to follow His guidance. Every hour they are to ask and receive power from on high. They are to cherish a constant sense of the Saviour's love, of His efficiency, His watchfulness, His tenderness. They are to look to Him as the shepherd and bishop of their souls. Then they will have the sympathy and support of the heavenly angels. Christ will be their joy and crown of rejoicing. Their hearts will be controlled by the Holy Spirit, and they will have a knowledge of the truth which merely nominal believers can never gain. {CT 284.1}
We do not half comprehend the significance of the Saviour's lessons. We do not realize how much they mean to the beings He has created. He loves the human race. Do you ask how much? I point you to Calvary. But earthly cares and earthly interests hide from our view the things of heavenly origin, so that their importance is not understood. If ministers and teachers had a deeper sense of their spiritual need, they would enter upon their work filled with the realization of the sacredness of their trust, and a higher life would circulate through our churches and institutions. {CT 284.2}

Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students (1913), pp.281-284.

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David Wilkerson Laid to Rest

Tue, May. 03 2011 06:27 AM EDT

By Alison Matheson


(Photo: Times Square Church via The Christian Post)
Times Square Church Senior Pastor Carter Conlon preaches to the congregation. The megachurch in New York City held its own private funeral to remember the late David Wilkerson, founding pastor of Times Square Church, on Sunday, May 1, 2011. Wilkerson died on April 27 in a car accident.


Times Square Church and Teen Challenge founder the Rev. David Wilkerson was laid to rest at a private funeral on Monday.

Wilkerson, who also founded World Challenge Ministries, was driving with his wife in Tyler, Texas, last Wednesday when his car collided with a truck.

He died at the scene, while his wife was rushed to hospital where she remains under observation. He was 79.

The funeral at Rose Heights Church of God, in Tyler, was attended by members of Wilkerson's family and close friends, including evangelist Nicky Cruz.

Current Times Square Church pastor Carter Conlon was also present at the service.

He was quoted by Charisma Magazine as saying, "It's hard to honor a great man."

Times Square Church has confirmed that a memorial service will be held in New York City on May 14 at 2 p.m. ET to give members of the church and the public the chance to pay their respects.

The service will be streamed live worldwide via the church's website.

A simultaneous translation of the service will be available in 10 different languages via conference call lines, details of which will also be posted on the church's live stream page.

Anticipating a crowd of thousands during the memorial service, Conlon chose to lead his congregation in their own private time of mourning on Sunday.

“It's our time to mourn and to celebrate the life of our beloved founding pastor, David Wilkerson,” the senior pastor said. “By May 14, cameras and the eyes of the world will be on this church. People will be coming from all over the world.”

Paying tribute to “Brother Dave,” as he liked to be called, Conlon spoke of the nearly 17 years he was trained by Wilkerson at Times Square Church. He was taught to be humble and to constantly seek the power of the Holy Spirit.

“Every time we look at the glory of this sanctuary ... we're going to have that constant reminder of our founding pastor and how he let Jesus Christ so use his life and so brought glory to the name of Christ and touched our lives and led us in a way that we should go,” Conlon said.

“One of the hallmarks of Brother Dave's life and ministry is that people were radically transformed by the power of almighty God,” he said to applause. “Many went on into ministry and became great soul winners.”

Reading the official obituary, Conlon described Wilkerson as a man of unlimited faith, a fearless witness of Christ’s saving power, and a spiritual father to generation upon generation.

And he wasn’t one for fanfare, he continued, noting that Wilkerson turned down invitations to meet with world leaders. Rather, he was an advocate for the poorest of the poor and a friend to the outcast and hurting.

“He ran his race well. He lived life to the very fullest … with a radical love for Jesus.”

Tributes have poured in since last Wednesday's accident. One relative, Rick Wilkerson Jr., described Wilkerson as a "true hero" and "a man of conviction not convenience."

"He lived what he preached. We will miss him greatly!" he tweeted.

Joel Houston, son of Hillsong Church founder Brian Houston, paid testimony to the impact of Wilkerson's bestselling book, The Cross and the Switchblade, in which he gave an account of his ministry among New York gang members and drug users.

It was this book that "seeded NYC in my heart" as a place for ministry, said Houston, who is now helping to lead Hillsong NYC, the Australian-based church's first U.S. plant.

"So grateful for the life and legacy of David Wilkerson," he tweeted.

Over 50 million copies of the book have been sold and it has been translated into 30 languages.

Conlon announced that they are currently searching for a larger venue to accommodate the crowd expected to show up for the memorial service later this month. Madison Square Garden was ruled out because it is currently under renovation.

Prepping the congregation for the large crowd, Conlon informed them that they will be called to serve and comfort others who also have been impacted by Wilkerson.

“We are most likely going to be called as a congregation to give our place and to allow those who are coming from around the world to gather here and to mourn and to say goodbye to their friend,” he said.

“The days of mourning will be upon us for a while but ... joy is coming again in the morning. Thank God for the joy.”

Speaking from a personal standpoint, the senior pastor added, “I get tremendous personal comfort from the thought of Brother Dave dancing around the throne of God.”
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