British imams and Muslim leaders speak out against the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/
May 18, 2013

Letter published in the Sunday Telegraph here

SIR - We have serious misgivings about the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill, which seeks to legalise gay marriage.

As imams and Muslim leaders we have a responsibility to fulfil our sacred trust to God and present our view on these proposals on behalf of the Muslim communities we serve.

Marriage is a sacred contract between a man and a woman that cannot be redefined. We believe that marriage between a man and a woman is the cornerstone of family life and the only institution within which to raise children.

Muffling the Clarion Call

By Harry M. Covert
Exclusive to Virtueonline
www.virtueonline.org
May 17, 2013

In plus threescore and 10 years, that's seven decades plus for any uninitiated, I have never ever heard or seen someone of either gender being forced to read a Bible.

I want to emphasize with all the honesty and veracity of a sober judge that not in any venue throughout the world has Bible reading been pushed on anyone.

Even in our country, where freedom of religion is foremost, such conduct has never been evident to me in America's schools, jails and or prisons.

Notable Protestants Defend Marriage

by Bart Gingerich
http://juicyecumenism.com/2013/05/17/notable-protestants-defend-marriage/
May 16, 2013

At the start of May, Union University was graced with the presence of notable evangelical theologians who commented on the issues of homosexuality, marriage, the church, and society. Southern Baptist leader Russell Moore joined the Presbyterian Church (USA)'s Robert Gagnon at Union's conference, "Salt and Light in the Public Square: Charles Colson's Legacy and Vision."

Russell Moore prominently serves as the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary's dean and will soon replace Richard Land as the future director of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. Commenting on the marriage debate, Moore worried, "There are many people in America-including evangelicals-who fear they will be [notorious segregationist] George Wallace, Sr., listening to their children rebuking them for a history that's moving beyond them." He acknowledged three common approaches to address the issue.

Abortion and Infanticide

By Mike McManus
May 16, 2013

The conviction of late-term abortionist Dr. Kermit Gosnell of first degree murder in three cases is welcome news. However, it raises a disturbing question. Why is the snipping of the neck of a newborn baby any more horrific than dismembering a child of similar age in the womb?

Princeton Professor Robert George argues, "It will no longer be possible to pretend that abortion and infanticide are radically different acts or practices." He said that if we believe "In the fundamental equality of human beings - how can a right to abortion (where 'abortion' means performing an act whose purpose is to cause fetal death) be defended at all?"

This is exactly what those who support abortion do not want to consider. Not surprisingly, such folks were quick to condemn Gosnell, but uphold the right to abortion.

Christians Wrestle with Immigration Reform
Christian leaders warn against adding recognition of same-sex partners to any immigration bill

Mark D. Tooley
http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2013/05/christians-wrestle-with-immigration-reform
May 13, 2103

A dozen Christian leaders have warned against adding recognition of same-sex partners to any immigration bill. "If your or any other proposal includes [same-sex] provisions, most, if not all of us, would have to oppose it, preventing us from mobilizing our extensive networks on behalf of the bill," they told Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) in a May 1 letter. "We urge you not to tie our hands as we work together to reform our nation's broken immigration system."

"Burn it all down" isn't Christian: A Response to Mark Driscoll

Guest Contributor

By the Rev. Rich Cizik
http://www.patheos.com/
May 7, 2013

Who hasn't heard the charge that "God is going to burn it all down, so let's all drive an SUV"? If you haven't heard it, you're not paying attention. Indeed, a statement along those lines is attributed just a few days ago to Evangelical pastor Mark Driscoll. My suspicion that this off-the-cuff comment was more a joke or political commentary than it was a statement of biblical interpretation. At least I hope so, since the latter would be a more serious problem.

Sneering at Parents, Hiding Behind "Science" - The Emergency Contraception Controversy

By ALBERT MOHLER
http://www.albertmohler.com/
May 9, 2013

Looking for evidence that our society is losing its mind? Just look at the controversy over so-called "emergency contraceptives" and a federal judge's effort to make these drugs available, over the counter, to girls of any age.

Last month, Judge Edward Korman of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York handed down an order forcing the Food and Drug Administration to make emergency contraceptives, sometimes called the "morning-after pill," available without a doctor's prescription or parental permission to girls without any restriction on age.

Boy Scouts vs. Gays

by Mike McManus
May 9, 2013

Boy Scouts take this oath: "On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey Scout Law, to help other people at all times, to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight."

In 1991 Boy Scouts of America (BSA) stated , "We believe that homosexual conduct is inconsistent with the requirement in the Scout Oath that a Scout be morally straight and in the Scout Law that a Scout be 'clean in word and deed, and that homosexuals do not provide a desirable role model for Scouts.'"

WASHINGTON: Obama admin. surrenders in HHS mandate case against Bible publisher

The Editors
www.LifeSiteNews.com
May 6, 2013

At the government's own request, a federal appellate court Friday dismissed the Obama administration's appeal of an order that stopped the president from enforcing the HHS birth control mandate against a Bible publisher. The administration's retreat marks the first total appellate victory on a preliminary injunction in any abortion pill mandate case.

Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys representing Tyndale House Publishers say the administration is apparently nervous about trying to defend its position that a Bible publisher is not religious enough for a religious exemption to the mandate.

CANADA: Same-sex blessings in the Diocese of Rupert's Land

By David
http://www.anglicansamizdat.net/
April 30th, 2013

In spite of assurances given during the 2010 Anglican General Synod that the ACoC was not approving the local option (each diocese decides for itself) for the blessing of same-sex unions, many dioceses have done just that. The latest to do so is the Diocese of Rupert's Land.

Here http://www.rupertsland.ca/wp-content/uploads/RLN_MAY-31.pdf (Page 5) you will find a regurgitation of the, by now, familiar litany explaining why the diocese feels compelled to do something that 60 million Anglicans believe they should not do. The Diocese has prepared a "protocol":

The Bishop and clergy of Rupert's Land have completed preparation of a protocol for the pastoral practice of blessing same-sex unions. The protocol says why same-sex unions may be blessed in Rupert's Land parishes and how this should be done.