Thought of the Day – “True religion is the foundation of society, the basis on which all true civil government rests, and from which power derives its authority, laws their efficacy, and both their sanction.” Edmund Burke

WHO’S THE GRAND MARSHALL, THE GRINCH?

In the ongoing assault on Christmas, a religious float won’t be allowed in Denver’s annual Parade of Lights this year. If that wasn’t enough, the mayor has ordered city hall workers to stop saying “Merry Christmas.” Is something in Denver’s water supply inducing secularist hysteria?

The Faith Bible Chapel, Denver’s largest evangelical church, wanted to enter a float with the message “Merry Christmas,” and a choir singing Christmas carols. That’s too religious, according to parade organizers! During the Christmas season, someone might be offended by the celebration of Christmas.

At the same time, the parade will include a tribute to homosexual Native Americans (who could possibly be offended by that?), belly dancers, Kung Fu performers and – of course – Santa Claus.

Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper has ordered city employees to say “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.”

William Donahue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, is up in arms: “This is only the beginning of the Christmas season and already the anti-Christmas crusade is in high gear. In the name of ‘separation of church and state,’ they distort it. In the name of diversity, they crush it. In the name of tolerance, they obliterate it. Which is why we need to call them for what they are – cultural fascists.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself. There’s nothing sensitive, tolerant or compassionate about banning manifestations of a holiday/holy day that’s celebrated by 96% of the American people. Rather, it’s part of an agenda to re-write our country’s Christian history and purge Judeo-Christian morality from our public life. There’s nothing ho-ho-ho about that.

MAKE THE YULETIDE GAY?

The United Church of Christ – a mainline, liberal denomination – is airing 30-second   television commercials touting its “tolerance.”

The spots show burly bouncers standing outside a church and deciding who may enter. A narrator says: “Jesus didn’t turn people away. Neither do we.” And, “like Jesus – the United Church of Christ (UCC) seeks to welcome all people, regardless of ability, age, race, economic circumstances or sexual orientation.”

This is a deliberate distortion of the Gospels’ message. Jesus said, “Go and sin no more,” not “do what you want.” He embraced the sinner, not the sin.

I don’t know of any Bible-faithful church that turns away homosexuals. As pastors, we believe that those who’ve fallen are especially in need of salvation. But, like Jesus, we don’t tell them to keep sinning – that they can’t help themselves, that it’s their nature, that their sinful behavior makes them a minority. Tens of thousands of ex-homosexuals attest to the power of the Word to cleanse and heal.

Since 1965, the national membership of the United Church of Christ has plummeted from 2.1 million to 1.3 million. Does the leadership of the UCC ever wonder why their church needs to spend $18 million advertising to fill the empty pews? People are looking for a message of hope, not politically correct inclusiveness.

SENATE SWINGS TOWARD LIFE

An article in today’s New York Times (“Changing Senate Looks Better to Abortion Foes”) highlights the latest liberal case of post-election jitters – pro-lifers will have more allies in the new Senate.

South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle – practically a poster boy for abortion on demand – will be replaced by John Thune, a staunch pro-lifer. Senators-elect John Vitter (Louisiana) and Dr. Tom Coburn (Oklahoma) also are committed to protecting the unborn.

NARAL Pro-Choice America considers 50 members of the new Senate to be “anti-choice” (i.e. pro-life), 29 to be dogmatically pro-abortion, and 21 to be somewhere in between. Fifty votes isn’t quite a majority, but it could be with Vice President Dick Cheney casting his vote to break a tie.

Several tests will come up early next year, including the proposed Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act, which would require women seeking an abortion after 20 weeks to be informed that Congress has determined that unborn children feel pain – and to be offered pain-relieving medication for the child.

While the abortion lobby continues to insist that the public is on their side, polls tell a different story – how different depends on how questions are phrased. In the latest New York Times/CBS News Poll, 34% said abortion should be generally available, 44% want tighter restrictions, and 21 percent would ban abortion completely.

On issues like partial-birth abortion, parental notification, informed consent and fetal homicide laws, the American people come down squarely on the side of life.

While it certainly wasn’t the only issue, in the last election, millions of voters cast their ballots for candidates dedicated to curtailing – or eliminating – the human carnage that’s a stain on the soul of our nation.

ACTION TODAY

 

FAIRNESS FOR BUSH JUDGES

The American Center for Law and Justice has launched a “Petition to End Judicial Filibusters.” Signers are demanding a change in the Senate rules to prevent a filibuster of judicial nominees.

Currently, it takes 60 votes to cut off a filibuster. In other words, 41 senators can block a vote on a candidate for the bench. That’s undemocratic and a radical departure from the Senate’s traditional role to advise and consent.

Since 2001, liberal Senators have prevented up-or-down votes on 10 nominees for the Court of Appeals. All were well-qualified and highly regarded. Leaders of the filibuster effort said they were “too extreme” (translation: they believe judges should interpret the law, instead of making it).

While it currently takes 60 votes to invoke cloture, the Senate can change its rules by a simply majority. The challenge will be to give some Republicans the courage to do the right thing. Rest assured the liberal media will present the move as dictatorial -- when, in fact, it would end the tyranny of the minority.

For more information about the Petition to End Judicial Filibusters, visit the Center’s website – http://www.aclj.org.