IS UNCLE SAM REALLY UNCLE SCROOGE?

In the wake of the Asian Tsunami disaster (which left an estimated 140,000 dead and hundreds of thousands homeless), the elite – which loves to scorn its own country – is indicting America as stingy, tight-fisted, and a nation of skinflints willing to spend trillions on defense but reluctant to contribute pennies for disaster relief.

It’s true that, initially, the Bush administration pledged $35 million. But that was when the death toll was thought to be closer to 10,000. Currently, our commitment stands at $350 million, and could rise to $1 billion.

The United States gives more in foreign aid than any other country – over $16 billion in 2003 alone. Moreover, private entities (including churches, charities and foundations) gave over twice that amount – more than $35 billion last year. The day after the earthquake, CARE provided food and water purification supplies for 8,000 in Sri Lanka.

Although Indonesia is the most populous Moslem country, the Arab world has not been conspicuously generous. Oil rich Kuwait dug deep in it pockets and came up with a measly $2 million – during a year when the nation is running a surplus of $10 billion.

When it comes to disaster relief – and international giving generally – America can be proud of its record. Others may talk compassion – the US practices what it preaches.

Vision America is challenging pastors across the USA to lead their congregations to work through various Christian relief efforts and sponsor a village in a Moslem country. What better way to sow the seeds of the Gospel than to give in the name of Christ.


CHRISTIANITY IN DECLINE

Christian pollster George Barna has been taking the nation’s spiritual pulse for decades. His recent findings are cause for alarm.

Based on 10,000 telephone interviews conducted in 2004, Barna ascertained that the number of “unchurched “ Americans (those who seldom or never attend services) nearly doubled in the past decade – growing from 38 million adults to 75 million.

This trend is most pronounced among men, individuals under 40, singles and residents of the East and West Coasts.

In part, according to Barna, the problem lies with the fact that many evangelical churches fail to inspire members, and many of the mainline Protestant churches have abandoned Christianity.

Barna found that only 51% of all senior Protestant pastors have a Biblical worldview – i.e., believe that God is omniscient and omnipotent, that Jesus never sinned, that Satan is real, that the Bible is unerring, that salvation is only through Christ, etc. When pastors abandon Biblical absolutes, how can the laity be inspired to believe?

Amidst these grim findings, there are glimmerings of hope. There seems to be a modest revival underway where it’s most needed. In Washington state, Oregon and California, daily Bible reading increased from 29% in 1994 to 44% in 2004 – a 52% increase. In the same states, church attendance rose 24%.

Significant majorities of the American people favor “one nation under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance, public display of The Ten Commandments (as well as other religious symbols) and the teaching of creationism in the public schools. Sizeable majorities also oppose same-sex marriage and the ordination of homosexual clergy.

Barna demonstrates that at heart our cultural crisis is a spiritual crisis. Rather than despairing, we should be encouraged to work all the harder – and all the smarter – for a genuine revival in America.

SECULARISM – AMERICA’S ESTABLISHED CHURCH

In an article in a recent issue of Christianity Today, Jewish scholar David Klinghoffer unmasks America’s most influential religion – secularism.

This “denomination” now has the allegiance of 7.5% of the American people – and growing. Its adherents tend to be young, unmarried, affluent and overwhelmingly liberal. (Almost 80 percent of secularists describe themselves as left of center.)

Klinghoffer says it’s time to treat secularism for what it is – a dogma using “aggressive means in advancing their political agenda and spreading their faith.” The secularist creed includes Darwinism, abortion-on-demand, feminism, homosexual rights and the radical transformation of the family.

Says Klinghoffer, “Young children are plainly being targeted for conversion to Secularism.” The primary medium of secularist proselytizing is the public schools – whose funding is extracted from believers.

Through sex education, values education, diversity training and evolutionism, secularists are indoctrinating future generations in their anti-Christian belief system.

It’s good to see a Jewish intellectual acknowledging what some committed Christians have long known – the so-called separation of church and state is not meant to apply to the left’s favorite religion: secularism.

GREASING THE SKIDS FOR ALTERNATIVE LIFESTYLES

For further evidence of the take-no-prisoners approach of homosexual activists – and their fellow travelers – consider the controversy that’s erupted over Gay Ski Week (Feb 26-March 6) in Telluride, Colorado.

The Telluride Ski Resort, sponsor of the downhill orgy, is quite indignant over warnings posted on a local website -- an online guide to the community, operated by resident Al Heirich.

Heirich posted a notice on his site, warning tourists with children that they might want to avoid Telluride at that time. The town goes all out to make sodomites feel welcome during Gay Ski Week, with events like The Pleasure Hunt, Drag Races and a dance with a title that can’t be repeated here.

The Telluride Ski Resort called Heirich’s warning “discriminatory” and demanded that he remove all links to the resort from his site. For his part, Heirich calls the move a “bullying tactic.”

Heirich isn’t demanding that homosexuals not visit the town. He isn’t even asking the town not to engage in its highly questionable promotional activities. He’s simply saying that parents who don’t want their 5-year-olds exposed to cross-dressers on skis have a right to be told what’s going on.

The Telluride Ski Resort is one of many businesses eager to pander for profit. In the name of inclusion, it’s fully prepared to facilitate the decline of public morals. Christians would be well advised to avoid the Telluride Ski Resort not just that one week, but throughout the year.

Al Heirich is a voice of reason on a mountain slope of insanity.

More than ever, now is the time for Patriot Pastors to join Vision America and collectively say: “Enough is enough!” America needs revival, and revival will come when God’s people put their faith into action.