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Weekend Seven: Mosques, Predators & Preachers

Mosques, Predators, and Preachers!  This past week offered some intriguing, challenging, and controversial posts dealing with a broad spectrum of legal, political, and religious issues.  Here are seven posts you may have missed, but should take a few minutes this weekend to read and digest. The Ground Zero Mosque is discussed by Michael Debusk in his post, Religious Liberty and the Mosque Near Ground Zero and by Bart Barber at Praisegod Barebones.  You can read my take on this controversial issue in I Love NYC, But Hate Idea Of Mosque at Ground Zero. Debbie Kaufman, over at Ministry of Reconciliation, has written a three post review (Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3) of This Little Light, the powerful autobiography by Christa Brown chronicling her abuse at the hands of a Baptist pastor.  The blog posts and the book should … Read entire article »

Filed under: Weekend Reading

Birthright Citizenship & Illegals: A Grace Response

Every baby born in this country, regardless of whether that baby’s parents are legally or illegally in the U.S., was born here because that’s exactly where God determined that little one would be born.  At least that’s what I believe the Bible teaches.  In Acts 17:26-27, the Apostle Paul spoke these words to the citizens of Athens: And He (God) has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. (NKJV) Some view this Scripture from a macro level — that God does indeed determine … Read entire article »

Filed under: Grace, Immigration Reform

Who Can Worship At Your Church?

Who can worship at your church?  Sounds like a silly question, doesn’t it?  The church should be a place where anyone can come and feel at home.  I agree.  Churches should be open to all, for indeed we are all sinners in need of God’s grace!  But, we all know churches where certain individuals or groups would not be welcome.  Westboro Baptist Church anyone? What about your church?  Is anyone and everyone truly welcome to attend your church’s worship services on Saturday night or Sunday morning?  Do you throw open the doors to any “guests” who might choose to stop by your church on any given Sunday?  Don’t misunderstand.  I’m talking about someone simply attending your church’s worship service, not joining the church through formal membership.  That’s a post for another day. Before you answer those questions, think about the … Read entire article »

Filed under: Grace

Arizona Immigration Law Struck Down: A Pyrrhic Victory For Obama

Legal Round One Winners:  Attorney General Eric Holder and President Barack Obama!  Legal Round One Losers:  Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer and the Arizona Legislature.  Political Round One Winners:  Gov. Jan Brewer and the Secure Borders Crowd.  Political Round One Losers:  President Obama and the Amnesty Crowd.  On Wednesday, July 28, just one day before Arizona’s Immigration Law was to go into effect, United States District Judge Susan R. Bolton, a Clinton appointee, enjoined Arizona from enforcing the most controversial portions of that state’s tough anti-immigration bill.   Agreeing with the Federal government’s argument that much of the new state law was “preempted” by Federal Immigration Law, Judge Bolton’s controversial decision came down to this:      The Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution makes federal law “the supreme law of the land.” (U.S. Const. art. VI, cl. 2.)  The … Read entire article »

Filed under: Immigration Reform

“Are You An American Citizen?”

“Are you an American citizen?”  “Yes,” I calmly told the agent stationed at the U.S. Border Patrol Checkpoint, located 3o miles south of Alamogordo, NM, the place my family has called home for the last three years.  Every time I return from a trip to El Paso, like tonight, I am required to stop at the Checkpoint, located approximately 50 miles north of Juarez, Mexico  on U.S. 54 in New Mexico. Every day, there are thousands of vehicles that stop at the Alamogordo Checkpoint and other Border Patrol Checkpoints located along Mexico and Canadian borders.  Some drivers are asked for identification documents to verify their immigration status.  I’ve never been requested to produce ”my papers.”  However, if I were asked, I would gladly comply by showing them my valid New Mexico Driver’s License. Even though stopping at the Border Patrol Checkpoint … Read entire article »

Filed under: Immigration Reform