NOW that the President has called us to prayer.....
NOW that Congress has called us to prayer.....
NOW that our Governor has called us to prayer....
NOW that the city Mayor has called us to prayer....
NOW that the "liberal" media and most other branches of our American society have called us to prayer.....
AND NOW that our churches are assembling in special prayer....
"Honorable" Justices of the Supreme Court, I have only one question..
Would it be O.K. to pray in our schools........??
Dear Family & Friends-
With the news today of the federal appeals court wanting to ban the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools, I became furious of this ludicrous idea and using the power of the pen and my journalist skills, I proceeded to the soapbox and drafted a petition.
Right now there are only nine states in danger. Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington, but if approved, forcing the other 41 states to follow suit would be next.
I?m asking you, as an American, to use your power of being and sign the petition. I?m using an online petition to make it easy for everyone and once I?ve collected a substantial amount of signatures, I will print the petition and send them off to the President, Congress, our Senators etc.
Only your name will appear on the online form once you fill it out. Your email address will be confidential and only show up on the printed form that will be mailed using the US Postal Service. I?ve never been one to start a rally for a cause, but this one is one that I believe in and think we, as Americans should do something about.
If we don?t speak up now, then we have no reason to complain about it later on. Thank you for your time. The petition is located at: www.petitiononline.com/Pledge13/petition.html
I pledge Allegiance to the flag
of the United States of America
and to the Republic for which it stands,
one nation, UNDER GOD, indivisible,
with Liberty and Justice for all.
HooRah for Dennis Miller!! He said recently on his show, regarding the judges who declared the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional:
"So, Your Honor, the Pledge is unconstitutional because it says 'Under God'. Guess that means when you were sworn in with your hand on a Bible, and at the end of your oath repeated, 'So Help Me God' that makes your job unconstitutional, therefore you have no job, which means your ruling doesn't mean s---."
Let's buy Dennis a nice cool one!!!
From a speech made by Capt. John S. McCain, US, (Ret) who represents Arizona in the U.S. Senate:
As you may know, I spent five and one half years as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War. In the early years of our imprisonment, the NVA kept us in solitary confinement or two or three to a cell.
In 1971 the NVA moved us from these conditions of isolation into large rooms with as many as 30 to 40 men to a room. This was, as you can imagine, a wonderful change and was a direct result of the efforts of millions of Americans on behalf of a few hundred POWs 10,000 miles from home.
One of the men who moved into my room was a young man named Mike Christian. Mike came from a small town near Selma, Alabama. He didn't wear a pair of shoes until he was 13 years old. At 17, he enlisted in the US Navy. He later earned a commission by going to Officer Training School. Then he became a Naval Flight Officer and was shot down and captured in 1967. Mike had a keen and deep appreciation of the opportunities this country and our military provide for people who want to work and want to succeed. As part of the change in treatment, the Vietnamese allowed some prisoners to receive packages from home. In some of these packages were handkerchiefs, scarves and other items of clothing. Mike got himself a bamboo needle. Over a period of a couple of months, he created an American flag and sewed on the inside of his shirt. Every afternoon, before we had a bowl of soup, we would hang Mike's shirt on the wall of the cell and say the Pledge of Allegiance. I know the Pledge of Allegiance may not seem the most important part of our day now, but I can assure you that in that stark cell it was indeed the most important and meaningful event.
One day the Vietnamese searched our cell, as they did periodically, and discovered Mike's shirt with the flag sewn inside, and removed it.
That evening they returned, opened the door of the cell, and for the benefit of all of us, beat Mike Christian severely for the next couple of hours. Then, they opened the door of the cell and threw him in. We cleaned him up as well as we could. The cell in which we lived had a concrete slab in the middle on which we slept. Four naked light bulbs hung in each corner of the room. As I said, we tried to clean up Mike as well as we could. After the excitement died down, I looked in the corner of the room, and sitting there beneath that dim light bulb with a piece of red cloth, another shirt and his bamboo needle, was my friend, Mike Christian. He was sitting there with his eyes almost shut from the beating he had received, making another American flag.
He was not making the flag because it made Mike Christian feel better. He was making that flag because he knew how important it was to us to be able to Pledge our allegiance to our flag and country.
So the next time you say the Pledge of Allegiance, you must never forget the sacrifice and courage that thousands of Americans have made to build our nation and promote freedom around the world. You must remember our duty, our honor, and our country.
"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
They walked in tandem, each of the ninety-three students filing into the already crowded auditorium With rich maroon gowns flowing and the traditional caps, they looked almost as grown up as they felt. Dads swallowed hard behind broad smiles, and Moms freely brushed away tears.
This class would not pray during the commencements - not by choice but because of a recent court ruling prohibiting it.
The principal and several students were careful to stay within the guidelines allowed by the ruling. They gave inspirational and challenging speeches, but no one mentioned divine guidance and no one asked for blessings on the graduates or their families.
The speeches were nice, but they were routine, until the final speech received a standing ovation.
A solitary student walked proudly to the microphone. He stood still and silent for just a moment, and then he delivered his speech ... an astounding sneeze.
The rest of the students rose immediately to their feet, and in unison they said, "GOD BLESS YOU."
The audience exploded into applause. The graduating class found a unique way to invoke God's blessing on their future with or without the court's approval.
WHERE THERE IS A WILL THERE IS A WAY!
After the 9th Circuit ruled that it was unconstitutional to have school children recite the pledge of allegiance because it contains the phrase "one nation under god" the New Yorker magazine called Robin Williams and asked him if he could suggest any alternatives.
His response: "Why don't they change it to 'One nation under Canada?'"
Let me see if I've got this right. You want me to go into that room with all those kids and fill their every waking moment with a love for learning. Not only that, I'm supposed to instill a sense of pride in their ethnicity, behaviorally modify disruptive behavior, observe them for signs of abuse and T-shirt messages.
I am to fight the war on drugs and sexually transmitted diseases, check their backpacks for guns and raise their self-esteem. I'm to teach them patriotism, good citizenship, sportsmanship and fair play, how and where to register to vote, how to balance a checkbook and how to apply for a job.
I am to check their heads occasionally for lice, maintain a safe environment, recognize signs of potential antisocial behavior, offer advice, write letters of recommendation for student employment and scholarships, encourage respect for the cultural diversity of others, and, oh yeah, always make sure that I give the girls in my class 50 percent of my attention.
I'm required by my contract to be working on my own time summer and evenings at my own expense toward advance certification and a master's degree; and after school, I am to attend committee and faculty meetings and participate in staff development training to maintain my employment status.
I am to be a paragon of virtue larger than life, such that my very presence will awe my students into being obedient and respectful of authority. I am to pledge allegiance to supporting family values, a return to the basics, and to my current administration. I am to incorporate technology into the learning, and monitor all Web sites while providing a personal relationship with each student. I am to decide who might be potentially dangerous and/or liable to commit crimes in school or who is possibly being abused, and I can be sent to jail for not mentioning these suspicions.
I am to make sure all students pass the state and federally mandated testing and all classes, whether or not they attend school on a regular basis or complete any of the work assigned. Plus, I am expected to make sure that all of the students with handicaps are guaranteed a free and equal education, regardless of their mental or physical handicap. I am to communicate frequently with each student's parent by letter, phone, newsletter and grade card.
I'm to do all of this with just a piece of chalk, a computer, a few books, a bulletin board, a 45 minute more-or-less plan time and a big smile, all on a starting salary that qualifies my family for food stamps in many states. Is that all? And you want me to do all of this and expect me
NOT TO PRAY?
Don't be surprised if the preacher isn't the only person passing the plate in your church this fall.
The President wants to turn churches into "faith-based" government subcontractors.
Now some members of Congress want to turn churches into political action committees.
A bill in Congress would amend the tax code to allow churches, synagogues, mosques and other houses of worship to get involved in partisan political campaigns.
The bill, introduced by Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.), has more than 100 co-sponsors and could be voted on as soon as next month.
It would allow churches to contribute money and resources to political candidates and parties.
It also would allow churches to endorse or oppose candidates for public office.
It could make for some interesting campaign signs in churchyards:
"Re-elect Jones, for Heaven's Sake."
"Bush: If you liked the Father, you'll love the Son.''
"One nation, under Gore."
It also could make for some interesting headlines:
Oct. 1, 2004: First Megachurch of Memphis endorses Jones for President.
Oct. 1, 2005: First Megachurch of Memphis gets $1 million "faith-based" government grant.
Would churches accept political favors in exchange for endorsements?
Would big-money folks funnel political contributions through churches, to get tax deductions?
Is the Pope Republican?
Who knows, but do you want to find out?
According to the current tax code, churches and other nonprofit organizations can't get involved in partisan politics without risking their tax-exempt status.
Why?
The tax laws assume that the work done by churches is charitable, not political. Contributions to nonprofit charities are tax-deductible. Contributions to candidates and political parties are not.
It's a big assumption, and a lot of churches get right up next to the tax-exempt line and lean over it, especially in election years.
Churches can't pass out political statements for candidates, but they can and do invite candidates to speak.
Churches can't endorse or contribute time or money to candidates, but ministers and other individual members can and do.
Churches can't become partisan interest groups, but they can and do distribute "nonpartisan" voter guides created by partisan groups.
It's a thin line that separates religion and politics, but a good one.
"We have learned through history that both religion and the state flourish when they are separate," wrote Rabbi David Sapperstein of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, which opposes the bill.
Congregations already participate in the electoral process by encouraging people to vote and by providing polling places.
Congregations already speak out on such issues as abortion, capital punishment, gambling, and even taxation and campaign finance reform.
Why do they need to get involved in partisan politics?
Jones and others who support his bill say the tax code inhibits the free speech of congregations.
"Thousands of ministers across America are afraid to speak out at all simply because of the risk of being targeted by the IRS," Dr. D. James Kennedy, the pastor of a Florida megachurch, told a congressional hearing in May.
Thousands of ministers are afraid to speak out, but it's because they're worried about the congregation or the bishop, not the IRS.
Jones calls his bill the "Houses of Worship Political Speech Protection Act." Might as well call it the Houses of Worship Prophetic Speech Prevention Act.
To gain a role in partisan politics, the church would lose its prophetic role.
"If you are in the business of endorsing candidates and pushing for their election, you can hardly pretend to stand outside the corridors of power and call the nation to righteousness," Stephen L. Carter wrote in God's Name in Vain: The Wrongs and Rights of Religion in Politics.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. put it this way:
"The church must be reminded that it is not the master of the state or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state."
Politicians must be reminded too.
Contact columnist David Waters at 529-2399 or E-mail waters@gomemphis.com. Faith Matters runs on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma School officials
remove "God Bless America" signs from schools
in fear that someone might be offended.
Channel 12 News in Long Island, New York,
orders flags removed from the newsroom
and red, white, and blue ribbons removed
from the lapels of reporters.
Why?
Management did not want to appear biased
and felt that our nations flag might
give the appearance that "they lean
one way or another".
Berkeley, California bans U.S. Flags
from being displayed on city fire
trucks because they didn't want
to offend anyone in the community.
In an "act of tolerance" the head of
the public library at Florida Gulf
Coast University ordered all
"Proud to be an American" signs
removed so as to not offend
international students.
I, for one, am quite disturbed by
these actions of so-called American
citizens; and I am tired of this nation
worrying about whether or not we are
offending some individual or their culture.
Since the terrorist attacks on
September 11, we have experienced
a surge in patriotism by the majority
of Americans. However, the dust
from the attacks had barely settled
in New York and Washington D.C.
when the "politically correct" crowd
began complaining about the possibility
that our patriotism was offending others.
I am not against immigration,
nor do I hold a grudge against
anyone who is seeking a better
life by coming to America.
In fact, our country's population
is almost entirely comprised of
descendants of immigrants;
however,
there are a few things that those
who have recently come to our
country, and apparently some native
Americans, need to understand.
First of all,
it is not our responsibility
to continually try not to offend you
in any way. This idea of America being
a multi-cultural community has served
only to dilute our sovereignty and
our national identity.
As Americans,
we have our own culture,
our own society, our own language,
and our own lifestyle.
This culture, called
the "American Way"
has been developed over centuries
of struggles, trials, and victories
by millions of men and women
who have sought freedom.
Our forefathers fought, bled,
and died at places such as Bunker Hill,
Antietam, San Juan, Iwo Jima,
Normandy, Korea, Vietnam,
We speak English, not Spanish,
Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian,
or any other language. Therefore, if
you wish to become part of our
society - learn our language!
"In God We Trust"
is our national motto.
This is not some off-the-wall,
Christian, Right Wing, political slogan;
it is our national motto.
It is engraved in stone in the House
of Representatives in our Capitol
and it is printed on our currency.
We adopted this motto because
Christian men and women, on
Christian principles, founded this
nation; and this is clearly documented
throughout our history.
If it is appropriate for our motto
to be inscribed in the halls of our
highest level of Government,
then it is certainly appropriate
to display it on the walls of our schools.
God is in our pledge,
our National Anthem, nearly every
patriotic song, and in our founding
documents. We honor His birth, death,
and resurrection as holidays, and we
turn to Him in prayer in times of crisis.
If God offends you, then I suggest
you consider another part of the world
as your new home, because God is part
of our culture and we are proud
to have Him.
We are proud of our heritage and those
who have so honorably defended
our freedoms. We celebrate
Independence Day, Memorial Day,
Veterans Day, and Flag Day.
We have parades, picnics, and barbecues
where we proudly wave our flag.
As an American, I have the right
to wave my flag, sing my national
anthem, quote my national motto,
and cite my pledge whenever and
wherever I choose.
If the Stars and Stripes offend you,
or you don't like Uncle Sam,
then you should seriously consider
a move to another part of this planet.
The American culture is our way of life,
our heritage, and we are proud of it.
We are happy with our culture and
have no desire to change, and we
really don't care how you did
things where you came from,
if it was so superior, go home.
We are Americans, like it or not,
this is our country, our land,
and our lifestyle.
Our First Amendment gives every
citizen the right to express his
opinion about our government, culture,
or society, and we will allow you
every opportunity to do so.
But once you are done complaining,
whining, and griping about our flag,
our pledge, our national motto,
or our way of life,
I highly encourage you take advantage
of one other great American freedom,
the right to leave.
MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA
LAND THAT WE LOVE!!!
I had a drug problem when I was a child and teenager. I was "drug" to church on Sunday morning. I was "drug" to church on Sunday night. I was "drug" to church on Wednesday night. I was "drug" to Sunday School every week, and I was "drug" to Vacation Bible School. I was "drug" to the family altar to read the Bible and pray. I was also "drug" to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents.
Those "drugs" are still in my veins, and they affect my behavior in everything I do, say, and think. They are stronger than cocaine, crack, or heroin. If more children had this "drug" problem, America would certainly be a better place.
This is very moving and quite appropriate for our day, with all the crazies trying to run the country!
http://www.rotc1.bragg.army.mil/usa/july.html
Go to the web site and vote "NO" today! STAND UP AND BE COUNTED! IT'S TIME TO TAKE A STAND!
USA Today is taking a vote on whether the words "Under God" should be
removed from the pledge of allegiance.
You can vote by going to the following web site:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2002/06/27/pledge-hold.htm
I thought you might enjoy this interesting prayer given in Kansas at the opening session of their Senate. It seems prayer still upsets some people. When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard:
"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, "Woe to those who call evil good," but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We confess that we have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it Pluralism. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent: to direct us to the center of Your will and to openly ask these things in the name of Your Son, the living Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen!"
The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest. In 6 short weeks, Central Christian Church, where Rev. Wright is pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively. The church is now receiving international requests for copies of this prayer from India, Africa, and Korea. Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program,"The Rest of the Story," and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired. With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called "one nation under God."
For the religious right:
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Manifest Destiny for which it stands, one Judeo-Christian nation, under a white blue-eyed God, indivisible until the South rises again, with liberty and justice and a front-pew seat for everyone but the homosexuals, feminists and Darwinists. Amen. (Playboy)