Tag Archives: United States

Republicans Compromise On Language In Human Trafficking Bill

Republicans in the Senate changed language in a human trafficking bill that caused Democrats to not pass the bill.

The Justice for Victims of Human Trafficking Act had been proposed last month by Senator John Cornyn of Texas and sought to significantly increase penalties for those convicted of exploiting children, engaging in human smuggling or holding women as sex slaves and forcing them into prostitution.

The bill also included a statement that money collected from fines could not be used for abortions.  Democrats said that part of the bill was expanding federal prohibitions beyond the Hyde Amendment and thus blocked the bill.

The revision of the bill has two separate funds where the fines will go to non-medical issues related to helping the victims of trafficking including legal representatives and increased law enforcement.  The second fund comes from appropriations already set aside for community health centers which falls under the Hyde Amendment.

“I’m thrilled we were finally able to come together to break the impasse over this vital legislation, and I look forward to swift passage in the Senate so we can ensure victims of human trafficking receive the resources they need to restore their lives,” Senator Cornyn said.

A spokesman of the Family Research Council stated in 2013 there is a strong connection between human trafficking and the abortion industry.

“Abortion and human trafficking are evils every thoughtful Christian should oppose. Virtually all evangelicals would agree with that statement. What is not always considered, however, is the troubling relationship between these things and how they build upon one another in a growing cascade of moral horror,” Rob Schwarzwalder wrote.

Oklahoma Averaging Two Earthquakes A Day

The U.S. Geological Survey confirmed to CNBC that Oklahoma is seeing a massive increase in magnitude 3.0 or greater earthquakes over the last 7 years to the level that the state sees 2 quakes a day.

“We have a good record going all the way back to the 1970s of magnitude 3 or larger earthquakes. They increased throughout the central U.S. in 2009, but primarily in just a few states like southern Colorado, Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma,” says Bill Leith, senior science adviser for Earthquake and Geologic Hazards at USGS, told CNBC. “Oklahoma is the most striking case, where the number of earthquakes is now at record levels.”

The USGS said that from 2008 through April 8th, 2015, a total of 1,063 earthquakes of 3.0 magnitude or greater were officially recorded in Oklahoma.  This year there has been a total of 210 compared to just 91 over the same time in 2014.

Critics of the drilling process called fracking blame the quakes on the fracking process but quakes have been on the rise in Kansas, Texas, Arkansas, Colorado and Ohio according to the USGS which seems to counter the claims the Oklahoma quakes are related solely to fracking.

The quakes are causing another concern for the oil and gas industry above the people critical of the fracking process; storage of oil above ground.  Cushing, Oklahoma is the major hub of oil pipelines in America and over $3 billion in crude oil is stored above ground in that area.  A major quake that ruptures a tank could cause millions in damage to supplies and surrounding lands.

FFRF Get “Bible Man” Banned From Schools

Presentations in a Tennessee school district from a character called “Bible Man” have been banned thanks to a complaint from a virulent anti-religion organization.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) made one of their usual claims that a parent they would not identify contacted them about the voluntary assemblies put on by Horace Turner as “Bible Man.”  The assemblies, which have been going on for 40 years, are not required of any student.

“It is deeply troubling that the district allows these assemblies to take place. It is well settled that public schools may not advance or promote religion,” the letter, which pertained to a presentation at Coalmont Elementary School, stated. “Allowing anyone access to public school students to proselytize, and including the events in the school’s calendar, is illegal district endorsement of the speaker’s religious message, in this case a Christian message.”

The letter when on to say that the children need to be protected from “predators” like Turner.

The school wanted to make it clear that while the “Bible Man” presentations are banned, Turner himself is not banned from being at the schools or working with children.

“I believe the perception was that we’re trying to get rid of him, and that was not the perception we wanted to present,” Dr. Willie Childers stated. “We are trying to make sure that the procedures that we do are legal and constitutional for every citizen.”

The school is looking into starting after-school clubs where students can come and participate in events hosted by Turner.

Johns Hopkins Reverses Decision Banning Pro-Life Display

Johns Hopkins has announced they are reversing a decision that banned a pro-life display from campus.

The display, which had been part of the university’s “Spring Fair” for 30 years, was initially banned until a call from Fox News to the school asking why the JHU Voice for Life student group was denied a chance to post the display.

The group’s display, which shows unborn children in various stages of development, was called “disturbing” by a student committee.

“We’ve reviewed your pictures with our advisers and have determined that your display contains triggering and disturbing images and content,” read an email the committee sent to JHU Voice for Life.

Andrew Guernsey, president of the pro-life group, told Fox News that abortion is disturbing and that’s the reason they need to post the display.  He also pointed out that it was odd a school that’s famous for medicine would be calling the display offensive.

“I certainly find it ironic that a university that has dedicated itself to the advancement of medicine and biology would find displaying medically accurate fetal models disturbing and offensive,” Guernsey said.

The committee responded to Fox News’ inquiry by stating “We… were wrong in our initial decision and, upon further reflection, have decided we will not impose restrictions on the displays presented by any community groups at Spring Fair… The committee values free speech.”

American Humanist Association Drops “Under God” Pledge Lawsuit

New Jersey schools will continue to say “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance after an anti-Christian organization reportedly has dropped their lawsuit.

The American Humanist Association (AHA) sued a New Jersey school district last year to get “under God” removed from the pledge.  The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, who had been helping a student who was fighting the AHA, announced Monday the American Humanist Association had been beaten.

“The American Humanist Association’s challenge turned out to be all bark and no bite,” said Diana Verm, legal counsel with the Becket Fund, in a statement shared with The Christian Post.  “The court was right that the pledge doesn’t exclude anyone, but dissenters have the right to sit it out. That’s how we’ve always dealt with disagreements in our society.”

The AHA did not expect that a high school student would stand up to fight them.  Samantha Jones and her family filed responses to the lawsuit and testified during a November motion.

“I’ve been reciting the pledge since preschool, and to me the phrase ‘one nation under God’ sums up the history and values that have made our country great,” Jones said last year.

“I think it’s empowering to know that, no matter what happens, I have some rights the government can never take away. No student should be silenced just because some people disagree with timeless American values.”

Kanye West Fans Publish Bible Replacing God With West’s Name

Rapper Kanye West is known for not being very humble.  He has recorded a song called “I Am A God” and has referred to himself as “Yeezus.”

Now, his fans are literally placing him in the place of God.

“The Book of Yeezus” claims to be a “Bible for the modern day” and replaces every mention of God with Kanye West.

“What if the Bible, the most singularly significant publication in the ancient canon of Western tradition, were updated to reflect our modern society? What would it look like? What we came up with was an interventionist art, coffee-table novelty, that will appeal to both Kanye fans everywhere and those made curious by this enormous cultural phenomenon,” the people who produced the “Bible” stated.

One of the authors has been lashing out at critics who say the book is blasphemous and heretical.  He said that there is nothing wrong with upsetting people around the world and that anyone who’s upset is just making the choice to be angry.

The author also refused to tell the Christian Post if he and his co-writers were Christians.

“What’s happening is this natural innate sense of spirituality and feeling like you’re part of the greater aluminum that’s actually a constant now and so we’re always looking for that feeling and so in this modern culture… they come together and we found Yeezus or Kanye to fill that void,” the unnamed author told CP.

Wisconsin Man Accused of Attempting To Join ISIS

A Madison, Wisconsin man has been arrested on charges that he tried to travel to the middle east to join Islamic terrorist group ISIS.

Joshua Van Haften, 34, made his first appearance in federal court Thursday and did not attempt to contest his being held without bond.

Van Haften was arrested Wednesday night at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago and returning from Turkey.  Federal investigators said that Van Haften talked to people about his desire to join ISIS before he left for Instanbul, Turkey in August.

The federal complaint says that Van Haften posted on Facebook that he was not able to cross the border from Turkey into Syria.  He also said that the people who claimed to be able to help him just stole his money and left him on a country road.

Van Haften has a long criminal record, including convictions for battery and sexual assault.  He spent over seven years in prison on the sexual assault conviction after his eight year probation was revoked in 2000.

Van Haften’s lawyer says that his client looks forward to “having all the facts brought to light.”

Christians Fill Memphis Ballpark To Praise God During Atheist Convention

Attendees at an atheist convention that had used anti-Christian imagery to promote their event were shocked when they weren’t met with large protests and condemnation.

Instead, Christians filled Memphis’ baseball stadium to praise and rejoice over Jesus.

The event was called “Memphis Exalts Jesus” and was held during the Saturday of the American Atheists convention in Memphis.  The event was held at AutoZone Park, next to the Peabody Hotel where the atheists had gathered to mock the film “God’s Not Dead” and listen to speeches from anti-faith speakers.

The organizer of “Memphis Exalts Jesus” told the Christian Post that as he prayed about the atheist convention, he felt God calling him not to focus on them.

“We asked the Lord, should anything occur in light of the atheists convention coming to Memphis. As we prayed we sensed the Lord did not want any demonstrations or protests, but He seemed to stir in our hearts a gathering to focus only on His Son,” Steve Coplon said.

“We had an extended season of fasting and prayer and then found out that others had a similar burden. This led to a coming together of a few hundred to plan the event. Many who came are those who have really been praying for years for the Lord to do something significant in Memphis.”

Danielle Muscato of American Atheists said that her only concern about the Christian event is that people who are “in the closet about their atheism” wouldn’t come to the convention for fear of being seen by Christians who know them.

President Discusses “Less Than Loving” Christians At Easter Prayer Breakfast

President Obama diverted from his script at the White House Easter Prayer Breakfast Tuesday morning to discuss Christians he feels are “less than loving.”

The President was encouraging Americans to love our neighbors as ourselves.

“On Easter, I do reflect on the fact that as a Christian, I am supposed to love,” the President continued. “And I have to say that sometimes when I listen to less-than-loving expressions by Christians, I get concerned. But that’s a topic for another day.”

He then laughed as he noted, “I was about to veer off, I’m pulling it back.”

The President then went on to talk about how he sees Easter.

“For me, the celebration of Easter puts our earthly concerns into perspective,” the President said. “With humility and with awe, we give thanks to the extraordinary sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our savior. We reflect on the brutal pain that He suffered, the scorn that He absorbed, the sins that He bore, this extraordinary gift of salvation that He gave us. And we try, as best we can, to comprehend the darkness that He endured so that we might receive God’s light.”

The event at the White House included guests like Rev. Al Sharpton, singer Amy Grant and Russell Moore of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Vice President Biden attended the event, quoting Pope Francis.

“As a people and as individuals, we are defined by our ability to enter into the mystery,” the Vice President said. “To live Easter is to live with the constant notion we can always do better.”

Anti-Life Students Demand Abortion Display Be Removed

A group of students opposed to a display of crosses posted by a pro-life group at the University of Texas at Arlington is demanding the school remove the display.

The group of anti-life activists claim that the display of crosses represents Christianity and thus is “culturally insensitive” to a “diverse campus.”

“Every cross is supposed to represent an unborn child, but not necessarily every child that is aborted is Christian,” petition organizer Ashley Radovcich told The Shorthorn, the campus newspaper. “And therefore, they’re being culturally insensitive, especially since we’re the fifth most diverse campus in America.”

“They need to be more culturally sensitive to religions and cultures on campus,” she reiterated. “I mean, by all means, they should represent their views—freedom of speech … but they should also be more aware of what they’re putting out to the public.”

“When I’m looking at this, they’re basically telling us that we can go to Hell just for having options,” sophomore Olivia Frost added.

The group that placed the crosses, Pro-Life Mavericks, said the 2,900 crosses represent the number of children killed each day by abortion.  This is the second year of the display, which also received hostile backlash from anti-life students the previous year.

Adam Fogel of Pro-Life Mavericks told Chrisitan News that the biggest surprise to their group was not the anti-life protesters who held signs in front of the display, but the number of students who said they were unaware of the number of babies killed via abortion.

“Many people had no idea that abortion was this common and this much of a problem in the states,” he said.

The student group says they will erect the display again next year despite the hostile response.