Pastor John MacArthur: Democrats "Adopted the Sins of Romans 1 as Their Platform"
Evangelical pastor and author John MacArthur said the Democratic Party had "adopted the sins of Romans 1 as their platform," CNSNews.com reports. "And as you know," MacArthur told his Southern California congregation Sept. 30. "I'm not one to talk about politics as such, but I was essentially amazed that one of the historic parties here in the United States adopted the sins of Romans 1 as their platform. Parties which used to differ on economics now differ dramatically on issues that invade the realm of God's law and morality . . . In an ideal situation, their platform would mean that the government passes out condoms so people can fornicate at will. For those who happen to get pregnant in the process, the platform advocates that you kill the baby at the will of the mother, up and including the ninth month. At the same time, it advocates homosexual marriage, which is an oxymoron, and utter impossibility, and a gross violation of the law of God. . . All of that is Romans 1. Romans 1 says God will judge, God has judged,throughout human history, nations that experience sexual freedom. . . .And then Romans 1 says God will judge those nations that advocate homosexual behavior, men with men, women with women, doing what is unnatural." The Democratic Party voted to include support for same-sex marriage in its platform at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. At the convention, the party also affirmed its endorsement of Obamacare, which includes a regulation requiring virtually all healthcare plans to cover sterilizations, contraceptives and abortion-inducing drugs. God's name was also initially omitted from the platform, though it was eventually reinserted.
(Religion Today Daily Headlines - Dec. 17, 2012)
Mike Huckabee: Removing God From the Clasroom Leads to Violence in Schools
In response to the deadly mass shooting Friday in Newtown, Conn., former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said new laws regulating guns won't deter such shootings, linking the removal of God from the classroom to increased violence in schools, CNN reports. "We ask why there's violence in our school but we've systematically removed God from our schools," Huckabee said on Fox News. "Should we be surprised that schools have become such a place of carnage? Because we've made it a place where we don't want to talk about eternity, life, what responsibility means, accountability. That we're not just gonna have to be accountable to the police if they catch us but one day we stand before a holy God in judgment. If we don't believe that, then we don't fear that. People are going to want to pass new laws. This is a heart issue....laws don't change this kind of thing." Huckabee made similar comments following the mass shooting at a movie theater in Aurora, Colo., earlier this year,saying violent acts should not be a surprise considering the removal of God from public forums.
(Religion Today Daily Headlines, Dec. 18,2012)
Atheist Billboard in Times Square Dubs Jesus a "Myth"
The group American Atheists has put up a billboard in Times Square with an anti-Christian message, WORLD News Service reports. The billboard features a picture of Santa Claus and the caption "Keep The Merry!" above a picture of Jesus with the caption "Dump the Myth!" American Atheists' David Silverman told Fox News: "Most Christians are really atheists who feel trapped in their family's religion. They need not be Christian to enjoy the holiday season." Silverman said a private donor paid more than $25,000 to have the billboard posted above a nightclub in the crossroads of the world for one month, ending Jan. 10, 2013. "We chose Times Square because it is a place where people go to shop and be festive, which has nothing to do with religion," Silverman said. Lamar Outdoor, the advertising giant that leased the space to Silverman's group, said it wasn't the company's place to censor the message.
(Religion Today Daily Headlines, Dec. 18,2012)
North Korean Rocket Launch Bodes Ill for Christians
North Korea's successful rocket launch is putting an end to some of the mystery surrounding its new leader, Kim Jong Un, with many world leaders saying he is now proving to be just as provocative as his late father, Kim Jong Il. According to CBN News, this may also mean more trouble for North Korean Christians and those trying to reach the closed country with the gospel. "The message to them is 'Don't mess with me; I not only have the weapons, I have the delivery capacity now,'" said Jung Hoon Lee, Yonsei University professor. Many North Koreans publicly celebrated the rocket launch, which the White House called "regrettable and highly provocative." Meanwhile, human rights groups say North Korea is increasing its persecution of Chrtistians under Kim Jong Un's leadership, and targeting those who help them. The country is not only sending a growing number of spies to China and to border patrol locations to search for those who help the Korean refugees, but is increasing scrutiny of underground Christians within North Korea. Open Doors USA estimates about 50,000 to 70,000 Christians are living in horrific conditions in labor camps, some who have been "tortured so severely they cannot walk anymore."
(Religion Today Daily Headlines, Dec. 14, 2012)
Christianity in Britain Losing Ground to Islam, Secularism
New figures from the 2011 Census show that the number of people who identify as Christians in England and Wales has fallen by 4 million over the last 10 years going from 37.3 million in 2001 to 33 million last year, the Religion News Service reports. Meanwhile, the number of people declaring themselves to be atheists rose by more than 6 million, to 14.1 million. "It should serve as a warning to the churches that their increasingly conservative attitudes are not playing well with the public at large," said Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society. Others have detected similar shifts: The 2012 British Social Attitudes Survey showed that only about half of Britons claim a religious affiliation, down sharply from 20 years ago when two out of three did. Barely a quarter of young people identify themselves as religous. The new figures also show that Islam is the U.K.'s second largest religion, at 2.7 million. Hinduism is third, at 817,000, and the number of identified Jews rose from 260,000 to 263,000.
(Religion Today Daily Headlines, Dec. 14, 2012)
CAIR Urges Michigan Governor to Veto Anti-Sharia Bill
As Michigan lawmakers are working on a bill that could ban sharia (Islamic law) in their state, the Muslim activist group Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is urging Gov. Rick Snyder to veto any legislation that would block Islamic law if it should reach his desk, CBN News reports. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Dave Agema (R-Grandville), doesn't specifically mention Islam or sharia - only "foreign laws that would impair constitutional rights" - but supporters have said they are concerned about the use of sharia spreading. CAIR issued a statement criticizing what it called the "anti-Islam bill" and urged that it be rejected. At least 4 states are considering similar measures.
(Religion Today Daily Headlines, Dec. 14, 2012)
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