Delegates at the DNC Boo “Jerusalem” and “God”

The conventions have dominated the news cycle over the past couple of weeks, but a surprising event at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) has left us appalled. Over the course of the last week, it was odd to see that the Democrats’ 2012 platform made not one mention of “God,” whereas the Republican platform makes mention of God 12 times! In addition, there was no statement in the DNC platform about Jerusalem being the capital of Israel. In the past, this has been one point where the Republican and Democratic platforms have always aligned.

It seems that, due to the public outcry and pressure to remain relevant to faith-based voters, the DNC has now recanted. A motion was made to reinstate language about Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and the term “God-given,” into the platform.

However, it did not come easily. You can watch the video below to see that the DNC chairman had to call these changes to a vote three times before he eventually passed the motion. And, even then, it was met with boos from the audience of Democratic delegates.

Watch the video by clicking on the image below:

Wine Country Vintners to Church: “We don’t want your kind out here!”

Can churches and wineries coexist? That is the question at stake right now in the face of a Riverside County hearing in Temecula, CA. Calvary Chapel Bible Fellowship ("The Barn") is gearing up to file a federal lawsuit against the County of Riverside in the event that the County continues its ban on churches in the Temecula Wine Country, an area that is being expanded from approximately 7,000 acres to over 18,990 acres. A public hearing will occur on Wednesday, August 22, 2012, over the fate of churches in this region. The hearing will position the Wine Country Vintner’s Association against the church congregation and many other Christians from the area.

Trying to be a good neighbor, Pastor Clark Van Wick met with a few vintners in an attempt to appease them, but was told, “We don’t want your kind out here.”

In 1999, the Barn received permission from the County to build a new church in Wine Country after a hotly contested public hearing process where the same vintners opposed the building of the church. However, shortly after this, the County quietly passed a new ordinance banning all churches from the Wine Country. The Barn was grandfathered-in and was the only existing church in the Wine Country at the time. Although the church could still meet in the Wine Country, it would never be able to expand its facilities any further because of the ban that was in place, and no other churches would be able to operate in the Wine Country.

The Barn just recently learned of the ban on churches when it sought to obtain a permit to expand its church facilities and to build a small private country school for grades K-8. Of course, the expansion of the facilities is now prohibited.

Under the current and future zoning ordinances, Wineries are allowed to have giant weddings, concerts and plays, but no new churches can assemble to worship. And the only existing church, the Barn, is prohibited from expanding. Robert Tyler, Advocates’ General Counsel, stated, “Although religious liberty is often exercised in the form of free speech, as in the incident surrounding Chick-fil-A, it is more often exercised in the form of believers assembling together for the common purpose of worshipping God, holding church services, and studying the Bible.” He continued, “We must defend the right to assemble against discriminatory zoning laws and land use regulations or else governmental officials will be able to zone out Christians whenever it is politically expedient.”

Christians in the area have become aware of this situation, and they have taken action! Local churches have submitted over 3,200 letters to the County asking to overturn the ban. For more information on reversing the ban on churches, including links to a television interview and newspaper articles, go to www.WineCountryFreedom.Com.

ACTION POINT

Hundreds of area Christians and church members are expected to attend the planning commission hearing. As a sign of thanks, the church will serve Chick-fil-A to all those who attend during the lunchtime break. If you can and are in the area, please join us and voice your support of churches in Wine Country!

Hearing details: August 22, 2012 9:00 AM Riverside County Planning Commission Hearing Temecula City Hall 41000 Main Street Temecula, CA

What Will America Look Like in 2016?

That is the question at the heart of the upcoming movie, 2016: Obama’s America, directed by conservative journalist Dinesh D’Souza. If Obama is elected for another term, in what direction will he take our beloved nation? Digging into Obama’s past and political aspirations, Dinesh tries to find the truth behind Obama’s agenda for America. With the film opening nationwide this month, some people complain that it is too close to the election to release this type of movie. However, Dinesh stated that he learned some tricks from another documentarian …Michael Moore:

“When he released ‘Fahrenheit 9/11’ in 2004 ahead of the election, it sparked intense debate. I learned some lessons from Michael Moore, and hopefully he might learn some lessons from me about handling facts.”

Regarding the movie itself, Dinesh said, “This film is a thriller, whatever you think and regardless of your politics, you are going to leave this movie going ‘wow, I had no idea this was the man that has been in the White House for the past four years.” (emphasis added)

One Washington, D.C. journalist screened the film and declared, “It scared the h- out of me!” Dinesh says the film is so shocking because "much of the material was unreported by mainstream media.”

We look forward to seeing this movie and in welcoming Dinesh as our keynote speaker at this year’s Justice 2012 Gala! If you would like to hear more from Dinesh about “Liberating America,” please consider joining us this year at Justice 2012 at the Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa on Saturday, October 6th.

ACTION POINT

Here is a list of theaters where the movie 2016: Obama’s America will be playing. If it is playing in your area, we encourage you to go see it, and let us know what you think!

Also, if you’d like to hear more from Dinesh D’Souza, consider attending our Justice 2012 Gala.

Purposes that Cultivate Our Hearts

Dear Partner, Over the last two years, my family has developed a particular passion for the people of Haiti due to three recent mission trips my children and I have taken with the Haiti Endowment Fund. Our first mission trip was scheduled just before the earthquake that devastated this small island nation. The earthquake delayed our first trip to Haiti for a short time, a time during which Christian ministries and American humanitarian aid poured into Haiti.

While bringing basic necessities to the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, I have reflected upon the intolerable circumstances of living in Haiti and the blessings we cherish in the United States. If you were born in Haiti, you would likely have suffered from the lack of clean water, lack of food, unending sickness, political corruption, and widespread Voodooworship. However, if you were born in the U.S., you would have likely benefited from the abundance of clean water, healthy foods, antibiotics, democratic values, and widespread Christianity.

Because of God’s blessings, we have been the most generous nation in the world with the provision of humanitarian aid. More importantly, however, Americans have exported Christianity worldwide through the passion of missionaries and humanitarian organizations. In the context of this experience, I have come to view the necessity of our work at Advocates through a clearer lens.It is apparent to me that our work in the U.S. defending liberties has more  importance than  merely  protecting our  individual  right to go to church  or to share our faith.  Rather, the importance of our work extends beyond these liberties to the ability of Christian organizations within the U.S. to initiate and expand their ministries such that their impact is felt worldwide.

For example, we often represent churches that are seeking to rent public facilities in order to hold services but are often denied on the misunderstood application of the so-called “separation of church and state.” Sometimes, churches are wrongfully prohibited

from occupying their own property and, in one specific case, a church-affiliated school was told that it could only expand if the Christian school provided a “secular education Mondays through Fridays.”

            When Advocates stepped-in to defend the Christian school, the City of Los Angeles backed down after we filed a federal lawsuit, and now the school is educating potential ministers and missionaries from a Christian worldview!  If we don’t defend our constitutional liberties, churches may not be able to assemble for services, their teaching may be censored and their ability to send out missionaries and humanitarian aid worldwide may be severely inhibited.Our purpose is greater than mere politics or patriotic principles. We defend the First Amendment right to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ and our impact will not only be felt here in the U.S., but internationally as well. Please stand with us so that Christian organizations will be able to flourish in the United States minister to the nations.

Robert Tyler General Counsel

Government Investigating the “Radicalization” of Christians?

           Recently, Rep. Peter King (R-NY) spearheaded an investigation into the radicalization of Muslims in America.  In response, Congressman Al Green (D-TX) argued that Congress cannot single out one religion; if the government is going to investigate the radicalization of Muslims, why not look into the radicalization of Christians in America?

Congressman Green said, "People who see the hearings and never hear about the hearing on the radicalization of Christianity have to ask themselves:  ‘Why is this missing?’  Why don’t we go to the next step and ask, how is it that a blue-eyed, blonde-haired, white female in the United States of America can become radicalized to the point of wanting to do harm to this country?”

It should be no surprise that some liberal politicians and media commentators are in support of labeling conservative Christians.

If you adhere to biblical principles, support traditional marriage and are pro-life, this might  mean  that  you  are  a “Radical Christian.”   In  fact,    many  of  us  would   proudly   carry    the label of “Radical Christian.”

However, just like we condemn the violence of radical Muslims, we would also condemn hateful acts of violence that are purportedly carried out in the name of Christianity.

Though some people want to spin this issue into one of discrimination – claiming we can’t just investigate one religious subset of the population – the radicalization of Muslims in America is a great concern for domestic safety due to the jihadist beliefs of many Muslims.

In fact, Dr. Jasser, founder and president of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy (and a devout Muslim), stated, “When we look at the problem of radicalization, the excuses will never run out.  It seems to me that Americans are sitting around doing nothing to combat extremists.”

We will continue to bring any updates to you in the event Congressman Green’s proposal gets any traction in Congress.

       In the meantime, please pray for these ongoing investigations concerning the radicalization of Muslims and for the safety of all Americans from terrorist attacks.

Is this Our America?

If we told you that a pastor had been arrested for holding regular Bible study meetings at his house, where in the world would you think this had occurred?  Would you believe that this happened in Arizona? More than a dozen Phoenix police officers and city officials raided the home of the pastor and arrested him, saying that he could not hold regular church meetings at his own house, because it is not in an area zoned for churches and he had violated building code laws.

Incredibly, this pastor was sentenced to:

• 60 days in jail
• 3 years probation
• $12,180 fine

This occurred, and yet people are allowed to have several people over to their homes for regular poker nights or book club meetings, for example.

         Advocates stands for the right of individuals to study the Bible with others in their own homes.  That’s how the early church was started, after all – by groups of Christians gathering in one another’s homes and studying the word of God together.

ACTION POINT

Please pray for this man and his family.  We have worked on several cases involving city zoning boards, so we have a vested interest in stories like this one.  If you or anyone you know is facing a similar situation, please call us at (888) 588-6888.

Update: What Will Happen with the Mt. Soledad Cross?

Since 1913, a cross has sat atop a hill in La Jolla, CA, as a centerpiece to the Korean War Memorial.  However, since 1989, the cross has been at the center of some very intense legal battles.  Opponents of the cross say that it sits on public land and should not be allowed because it is a Christian symbol.  They claim that the government is promoting one specific religion through its existence.  On the other hand, supporters of the cross say that it is simply a symbol of remembrance – not related to any religion. Most recently, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the cross was unconstitutional; however, it did not decide what should be done with the cross.  When the case was then appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, the High Court said that it would not hear the case…right now.  It will be sent back down to the U.S. District Court in San Diego to decide what will be done with the cross.  At that point, supporters can then appeal the case again to the Supreme Court.

ACTION POINT

Please pray for this ongoing case.   A memorial with such a rich history should be allowed to stand in commemoration of our veterans, and we will continue to pray and fight for its continued existence!

First Look - 2016: Obama's America

President Obama is one of the least-known men to ever walk into the White House.  Even 4 years later, what do we actually know about this man and his vision for America?  Will he pursue an anti-colonialist agenda--downsizing America and fighting capitalism? Our keynote speaker for Justice 2012, Dinesh D’Souza, was recently interviewed on Fox News to discuss some of these ideas, which will be thoroughly explored in his soon to be released documentary, 2016: Obama’s America.  You can watch the interview here.

We are so excited for Dinesh to come share with us this year at our Justice Gala.  He will dive deeper into America’s future in his address, “Liberating America.”

You can find more information about Justice 2012 here, and please consider joining us for this exciting keynote address from Dinesh!

Military Insignia No Longer Allowed on Bibles

The publishing arm of the Southern Baptist Convention recently stated that U.S. military insignia is no longer allowed on the Soldier's Bible, Sailor's Bible, Marine's Bible and Airman's Bible. Permission to use the military emblems on the Bibles was granted by the Department of Defense in 2003, but it was withdrawn last year after the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) threatened to sue the government for what they say amounted to governmental endorsement of a specific religion.  Now, a generic symbol is printed on the Bibles.

Once again, it seems that the concept of “separation of church and state” has been misconstrued and used to scare our government into more political-correctness.  

Col. Ron Crews, executive director of The Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty, made the following statement:

“From General George Washington until today, military personnel have taken counsel, received comfort, and been encouraged by biblical texts.  These Bibles cost the Department of Defense nothing, and their presence is legally legitimate; therefore, no reason exists for the DoD to retreat in the face of the small anti-religious group that demanded removal of the Bibles.”

Senate Votes on Pro-Abortion Appointment

On June 11, the Senate voted to end the filibuster concerning the appointment of David Hurwitz, whom President Obama has recommended to fill a vacancy at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, CA. Much controversy surrounds this appointment.  Why?  In 2002, Hurwitz wrote a law review article in which he says he helped create the legal framework for the Roe v. Wade decision – which legalized abortion – and says he still admires it.  Over 50 million abortions have been performed in our nation since the decision of that divisive case.

Is it right for someone with such strong opinions of a very controversial and still legally-battled issue to be deciding the legality surrounding that matter?  The biggest concern for opponents to his appointment is that he will let his personal feelings and history on the matter influence his judicial decisions.The President of the Judicial Action Group, Phillip L. Jauregui, sent a letter urging Republican Senators not to support this nomination.  He said:"Senators who consider themselves ‘pro-life’ simply cannot, in good conscience, vote for Andrew Hurwitz. It is rare for a nominee to have taken a position on abortion, and perhaps unprecedented for a nominee to have participated in the creation of the “rationale” of Roe v. Wade that usurped legislative authority by purporting to write “abortion” into the text of the constitution.  A judge like Hurwitz who played such a clear role in one of the most significant exercises of judicial activism in our nation’s history must not be confirmed."  (emphasis added)

Despite these impassioned pleas, the Senate voted to end the discussion and confirm Mr. Hurwitz to the Ninth Circuit, with a vote of 60-31.ACTION POINT

Please pray for future cases that go before the Ninth Circuit.  We have been before this Court many times and know how difficult it already is to receive a conservative judgment.  With this additional appointment to the Court, our work may be even harder.