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December

2009

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“Protecting the constitutional principle of the separation of state and church.”  [Billboards seen around Albuquerque.]  Atheist radio programs, billboards, and conventions assault Americans across the nation.

Beware?

A classic suicidal argument, “Beware of Dogma” condemns its own dogma.  Atheism is a religion both by faith and by law.  It takes a lot of faith to believe that God does not exist – anywhere.  To know that God does not exist would require omniscience and omnipresence – qualities of God.  

The Case for Christmas

Atheist-turned-Christian Lee Strobel, former award-winning legal editor of The Chicago Tribune, is a NY Times best-selling author of nearly twenty books and has been interviewed on numerous national television programs, including ABC's 20/20, Fox News, and CNN.  http://www.leestrobel.com/Bio.htm

 

Holiday or Christmas trees?  It’s a free country.  Well, at least until government agencies prohibit the use of certain words.  Who else buys cut evergreen trees to decorate and display in their living rooms?  Jews for Hanukkah?  Blacks for Kwanza?  Muslims for Al-Hijra?   Wiccans for Yule?  Humanists for HumanLight?  Buddhists for Bodhi?  Christmas trees are for Christmas.  Christian symbolism of the Christmas Tree and other Christmas Traditions.

Christmas with a Capital “C.

GOP gets in the act of censoring the name of Christ.  The Republican Party of Bernalillo County will have its annual Holiday Party, December 20th, 2009 at 3:30 pm.  Formerly the RPBC Christmas Party, now is called a Holidy Party.  Time for another party?  Consider registering Democrat and ousting liberals in the primaries.  Consider a Christian party like the Constitution Party.  “The Constitution Party gratefully acknowledges the blessing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as Creator, Preserver and Ruler of the Universe and of these United States. We hereby appeal to Him for mercy, aid, comfort, guidance and the protection of His Providence as we work to restore and preserve these United States. This great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been and are afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here. The goal of the Constitution Party is to restore American jurisprudence to its Biblical foundations and to limit the federal government to its Constitutional boundaries.”

Preamble of the NM Constitution: “We, the people of New Mexico, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty, in order to secure the advantages of a state government, do ordain and establish this constitution.”

Liberty CouncilNaughty & Nice List of stores actively banning the name “Christmas” and those openly celebrating Christmas.

What if …

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

What if America was “free” from “religion?”  Assume for a minute that “religion” was belief in any deity or deities.  Assume that FFRF wants to eradicate all “religious” influence.  This would mean the abandonment of all Judeo-Christian principles in favor of atheist principles.  The First Amendment (FA) limits the power of government, establishing the right of free speech in a diverse society.  A Communist government, on the other hand, seeks to suppress any “truth” not endorsed by the ruling Party – applicable to both church and civil government.

“Reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else. Not in the individual mind, which can make mistakes, and in any case soon perishes: only in the mind of the Party, which is collective and immortal. Whatever the Party holds to be the truth, is truth. It is impossible to see reality except by looking through the eyes of the Party.” – George Orwell, 1984  

What FFRF is demanding, is that the vast majority of Americans who claim Christianity keep their religion to themselves while a small minority basically rule the world.  Nearly eight-in-ten (78.4%) adults report belonging to various forms of Christianity, about 5% belong to other faiths and almost one-in-six (16.1%) are not affiliated with any particular religion (May 2007 Pew Survey).  To what “morality” do atheists appeal?  The Humanist Manifesto attempts to establish an “ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity,” yet appeals to no absolute source.  Why would the opinon of atheists “guided by reason, inspired by compassion, and informed by experience” be better than the Truth claims of God Almighty?  Jesus said “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” 

Religion is Poison
Vintage Russian Propaganda Poster

Atheists claim that man is temporal, good, and evolving for the better.  The Bible says that man is eternal, sinful, and needs redemption.  What man can determine the “greater good of humanity?”  If the Party determines that genocide is necessary, then genocide is for the greater good.  If the Party determines that religion is poison, then persecuting any religious group is for the greater good.  If the Party determines that [substitute ANYTHING], then ANYTHING the Party promotes is for the greater good.

Our Founders believed that due to the sinful nature of man, government needed accountability to the people.  If the people become corrupt, then so shall the government.  “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people.  It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”  John Adams, 1776

The poster above is typical propaganda of the time, based on some truth that was distorted into a lie.  The old woman – represents the faithful of the church, mostly old women.  However, this old woman is made to look hag-like, like a witch which is part of Russian tradition, an image of something to fear – cruelly pulling the girl by her hair.  The church is crooked, and bent – there was truth in this.  Remember Rasputin was a monk, but from a rural corruption of the church.  The church of this time was associated with the “crooked” government of the tsar.  The school is straight and organized (a precept of communism – organization).  The airplane over the school represented technology and the future.  The clean-cut young man with the trumpet on the school is a counter point to the old, shadowy figure on the church holding the rope to ring the bell.   The young girl is the “good” communist youth wanting to go to the place the Party says is the “good” place.  All this propaganda was proven false, except the corruption of the Church in Russia.  A lesson to the Church in America.  Don’t wander from the Truth. – Curtis

RUSSIA: When God Is Forgotten, Time Magazine, Aug. 23, 1954
The Kremlin was getting increasingly concerned by the stubborn survival of that old "capitalistic superstition," Christianity, inside the Soviet Union. The trade-union paper Trud sent out appeals to all "local intelligentsia" to get out and sell the true faith, atheism. Doctors should propagandize their patients, veterinarians should lecture farm workers, added Radio Moscow. The Communist youth paper, Komsomolskaya Pravda, was particularly upset by religious "infection" of the young, and last week provided parents with what it considered helpful slogans to pass along to the kids: "Religion is poison—keep children away." "Bread is given us not by Christ, but by machines and collective farms." "When God is forgotten, life is better." "Without God and priests there are more sheaves in the fields."

On Atheism – A Religion by Law

The FA guarantee for free exercise of religion was originally understood to exclude atheism, since atheism was not a religion.  However, in Theriault v. Silber (453 F.Supp. 254 W.D.Tex. 1978), the court determined that the FA was too narrow.  It decided that the meaning of the FA’s religious clause should be expanded to cover those who have no religious beliefs.  Atheism may be a religion under the establishment clause.”  Malnak v. Yogi (440 F.Supp. 1285,1287 D.C.N.J. 1977)  Secular humanism may be a religion for purposes of First Amendment.”  Grove v. Mead School District (753 F.2d 1528, 1534 9th Cir. 1985)  www.wallbuilders.com

The Founders understanding of “religion” at the time of the FA is revealed from Webster’s 1828 Dictionary: RELIGION, n. relij'on.  [L. religio, from religo, to bind anew; re and ligo, to bind.  This word seems originally to have signified an oath or vow to the gods, or the obligation of such an oath or vow, which was held very sacred by the Romans.]  1.  Religion, in its most comprehensive sense, includes a belief in the being and perfections of God, in the revelation of his will to man, in man's obligation to obey his commands, in a state of reward and punishment, and in man's accountableness to God; and also true godliness or piety of life, with the practice of all moral duties.  It therefore comprehends theology, as a system of doctrines or principles, as well as practical piety; for the practice of moral duties without a belief in a divine lawgiver, and without reference to his will or commands, is not religion.

Since atheism was not a religion, it was not subject to the protection of the FA.  Now, by legal precedent, atheism and secular humanism are religions protected by the FA.  Even polls of religious affiiation include atheism.  However, this does complicate matters.  In its attempts to remove “religion” from public schools through the dogma of Darwinism, “tolerance,” and sexual freedom, the government has only established the religion of atheism and secular humanism, while prohibiting the Judeo-Christian principles of our Founders.  The FA recognizes only “Congress” as relevant to the establishment or prohibition of religion.  Therefore, States should decide how to administer the teaching of “religion” in public schools.  “Separation of School and State” is not an option when all belief systems are “religions.”  It is a difficult debate of our society – how to neither establish nor prohibit religions.  One obvious solution would be to take the decision out of the hands of government and give it to the people – choice in education.

That is why Educate New Mexico is continuing to fight for the kids of New Mexico. They are working with our state legislature to pass the "Equal Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit" which will be generated by providing individual and corporate taxpayers who file a New Mexico income tax return a tax credit for contributions to a Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO). Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO) funds are qualified, non-profit (501c3) organizations that distribute scholarships to families to be used at the school of their choice.

That is why Origins Education is continuing to fight for the kids of New Mexico. They support the New Mexico Controversial Science Topics Education Bill and provide scientific information that challenges Darwinian theory. The bill stipulates that teachers cannot be prohibited from including relevant scientific information on either the strengths or weaknesses pertaining to controversial scientific topics (including biological and chemical evolution) when those subjects are taught in the public schools. The bill pertains solely to the teaching of scientific information and specifically does not protect the promotion of any religion, religious doctrine, or religious belief. Students may be held accountable for knowing and understanding material taught, but they may not be penalized because they subscribe to a particular position on the controversial scientific topic being taught.

That is why Right to Life New Mexico, CareNet Pregnancy Center of Albuquerque, and Project Defending Life are continuing to fight for the kids of New Mexico.  The American Declaration of Independence states a foundational belief in God and the right to human life (because of that foundational belief).  “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”  Informing parents and youth of the reality of human life before birth has been one of the most effective means of changing the tide of legalized abortion.

That is why Traditional Values Action Committee and Voices for Family Values are continuing to fight for the kids of New Mexico.  Traditional marriage and family are the foundation of American society.  Remove those foundations, and society collapses.  Marriage and family are under attack on many fronts – from divorce to the homosexual agenda. 

Organizations like FFRF have money from supporters to influence “unbelievers” with their propaganda of “separation of church and state” – a phrase not found in the Constitution or its Amendments.  Please consider supporting the conservative organizations above with an end-of-year donation to help equalize the playing field.   Ask your church to pray for and add a budget line for these and other conservative organizations.  Support these organizations with calls to your Legislators and Congressmen.  For a model of what NM can do with your support, see the AZ Policy Council.  Apathy is our worst enemy, inspired by satan.  Thanks to FFRF for a reminder to reconsider our Founding principles.


Action

Focus on the Family President and CEO, Jim Daly, joined Chuck Colson, Professor Robby George, Bishop Harry Jackson, and scores of other Christian leaders, in issuing the Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience.

"Because the sanctity of human life, the dignity of marriage as a union of husband and wife, and the freedom of conscience and religion are foundational principles of justice and the common good, we are compelled by our Christian faith to speak and act in their defense. In this declaration we affirm: 1) the profound, inherent, and equal dignity of every human being as a creature fashioned in the very image of God, possessing inherent rights of equal dignity and life; 2) marriage as a conjugal union of man and woman, ordained by God from the creation, and historically understood by believers and non-believers alike to be the most basic institution in society and; 3) religious liberty, which is grounded in the character of God, the example of Christ, and the inherent freedom and dignity of human beings created in the divine image."

The seven-page document closes with this strong statement of conviction: "Because we honor justice and the common good, we will not comply with any edict that purports to compel our institutions to participate in abortions, embryo destructive research, assisted suicide and euthanasia, or any other anti-life act; nor will we bend to any rule purporting to force us to bless immoral sexual partnerships, treat them as marriages or the equivalent, or refrain from proclaiming the truth, as we know it, about morality and immorality and marriage and the family. We will fully and ungrudgingly render to Caesar what is Caesar’s. But under no circumstances will we render to Caesar what is God's."

As of Nov 25, over 110,500 people had signed their names to the document. Please read, download the entire declaration, and/or sign your name in agreement.

www.ManhattanDeclaration.org

Call/Email Your Senators and ask him/her to support an amendment to include the Stupak-Pitts anti-abortion funding language in H.R. 3950.


Community

Sanctity of Life Awareness and Unity Day in Santa Fe will be on Fri, Jan 22 (anniversary of  Roe vs. Wade tragedy). This is the largest Pro-Life event in New Mexico. Last year over 3000 people were there for the march from the Cathedral to the Round-house. Please mark your calendar and plan to attend.  More details at Project Defending Life.

Albuquerque Right to Life will host a luminaria memorial on Sat, Jan 23, at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 7500 Paseo Del Norte NE, Albuquerque.  One thousand luminaria bags with five names written on each bag will be placed at the cemetery beginning at 3:30PM.  More than 5000 unborn children are aborted in New Mexico each year so this service is to honor each one of them.  A memorial service in the chapel will commence at 5:30PM and will Include the four seventh grade students who were winners at the Christian Heritage Speech Contest.  Also one of Albuquerque’s board Members who experienced abortion personally will share her story with us.  Please join us to remember the children. If you have questions, please call Charlene at 505-345-4423. 

Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, Sun, Jan 24. 

·         http://www.rtl.org/sohls.html

·         http://www.sohls.org/

·         http://www.care-net.org/custom/aboutsohls.php

Doug Axe will be the presenter at the IDnet science meeting on Tue, Jan 26 at the UNM Law Building.  Doug is doing some very interesting research on proteins and the assembly of proteins.  His work has a direct implications for origin of life theories. 

Joe Renick, Mike Kent, and Mike Edenburn will be teaching a semester-long Intelligent Design class on Monday nights (6:30-9:30) for the Albuquerque Christian College starting Jan 11.  The class can be taken for credit with tuition of $750 or it can be audited for $375.  Some scholarships may be available.  A tentative outline for the class is given below.  

1/11    Introduction to intelligent design (Renick)
1/18   Objectives of the intelligent design movement (Renick)
1/25   Showing and discussion of Expelled (Renick)
2/01   Evidence for design in cosmology and physics I (Kent)
2/08   Evidence for design in cosmology and physics II (Kent)
2/15   Evolution in perspective I (Edenburn)
2/22   Evolution in perspective II (Edenburn)
3/01   Evidence for design in biology (Edenburn)
3/08   Book review of Signature in the Cell
3/15   Perspectives on science (Kent)
3/22   Science and Christianity (Renick)
4/05   Intelligent design in education (Renick)
4/12   Legal background and religious views (Edenburn)
4/19   Survey of intelligent design literature (Kent)
4/26   Book reviews of student selected books (Kent)

40 Days for Life will be held Feb 17 - Apr 2 (during Lent). Nationwide, over 600 babies were saved during the Fall 40 Days campaign. Please plan to participate during Lent and help save more lives. More information at www.40daysforlife.org/albuquerque.


NM Science Foundation / Community Impact News
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