Italy, Vatican in Uproar Over Court Crucifix Ruling

This update is Italy's reaction to the "European Court: No Crucifixes in Italian Schools" article. Way to go guys!

Italy, Vatican in uproar over court crucifix ruling
By Philip Pullella

ROME (Reuters) – The European Court of Human Rights ruled on Tuesday that crucifixes should be removed from Italian classrooms, prompting Vatican anger and sparking uproar in Italy, where such icons are embedded in the national psyche.

"The ruling of the European court was received in the Vatican with shock and sadness," said Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi, adding that it was "wrong and myopic" to try to exclude a symbol of charity from education.

The ruling by the court in Strasbourg, which Italy said it would appeal, said crucifixes on school walls -- a common sight that is part of every Italian's life -- could disturb children who were not Christians.

Italy has been in the throes of national debate on how to deal with a growing population of immigrants, mostly Muslims, and the court sentence is likely to become another battle cry for the center-right government's policy to restrict newcomers.

"This is an abhorrent ruling," said Rocco Buttiglione, a former culture minister who helped write papal encyclicals.

"It must be rejected with firmness. Italy has its culture, its traditions and its history. Those who come among us must understand and accept this culture and this history," he said.

The Vatican spokesman said it was sad that the crucifix could be considered a symbol of division and said religion offered a vital contribution to the moral formation of people.

Members of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government bristled, weighing in with words such as "shameful," "offensive," "absurd," "unacceptable," and "pagan."

MORTAL BLOW

Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said the court had dealt a "mortal blow to a Europe of values and rights," adding that it was a bad precedent for other countries.

Condemnation crossed party lines. Paola Binetti, a Catholic in the opposition Democratic Party, the successor of what was once the West's largest communist party, said: "In Italy, the crucifix is a specific sign of our tradition."

Link to Article

Should Christians Fast During Ramadan With Muslims?

The answer to this question is unequivocally no!
1.When do Muslims reciprocate?
2.Under Islam, Jesus is supposed to come back and destroy the cross. How can any Christian show respect to a religion that says that?

Unfortunately some so called Christian leaders do not have the guts to face reality. Two of them are Pastor's Brian Mclaren, and Rick Warren. Pastor Terry Jones of the Dove World Outreach Center gets it.

Should Christians Fast During Ramadan With Muslims?
Church leaders and observers weigh in on a current debate.
Compiled by Ruth Moon 10/26/2009

"I would say it's absolutely appropriate, particularly if one does it for spiritual reasons, combining it with prayer and strengthening your discipline and submission to God. If there are side benefits, like showing some solidarity with your Muslim friends, that's fine too. It's best not to be bragging about it. (But) it has to be a personal decision."
Donald Wagner, co-founder, Evangelicals for Middle East Understanding

"The idea of Ramadan and the feast of Eid is Muslims are asking that they would encounter God more. What that means to them varies from place to place and person to person, I'm sure, and Islam has so many different manifestations, that varies dramatically across the globe. But still—that's something we can agree with, that we pray and get to know God more."
Lynn Green, international chairman, Youth With a Mission

"In order to bridge the gap between the East and West Muslim and Christian cultures, rather than condemning and criticizing, here's something very easy that we could do as followers of Jesus that's consistent with the teachings of Christ and the scriptures. Not that we're supporting every viewpoint and doctrine, no—we're supporting them as neighbors in the spiritual journey. We're all on a spiritual journey."
Mark Siljander, author, A Deadly Misunderstanding: A Congressman's Quest to Bridge the Muslim-Christian Divide

"There's such fragmentation between the Christian community and the Muslim community that it makes sense to me that we participate in something that is both inherently Christian and, for Muslims, inherently Islamic, to build bridges of peace."
Ben Ries, pastor, Sterling Drive Church of Christ, Bellingham, Wash.

"Muslims believe that fasting is an essential component during the month of Ramadan, essential to their obedience to God. So they assume anyone who is seeking to be serious about God will show that dedication by fasting as well. Muslims have a hard time understanding how Christians can be serious about wanting to follow God without also fasting during Ramadan. If Muslims see a Christian fasting, they tend to respond with a development of very positive rapport. They say, "Here's someone who is serious about obeying God as much as we are." It builds ties with Muslim friends and acquaintances."
Mateen Elass, Christian from a Muslim family background and senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Edmond, Okla.

"If we are using traditional Christian disciplines just as a matter of solidarity then we are missing the point. The whole thing rides on motive. If one is doing it just to be a nice person and identify with a Muslim neighbor, then I don't think it's appropriate, because you're using a spiritual discipline not as a spiritual exercise but as a social connection. If one is saying, 'During Ramadan, I'm going to fast too because that's part of our history and I want to be drawn closer to Christ and be more like Christ,' then it's totally appropriate."
Joel Hunter, senior pastor, Northland Church, and member, President's Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships

"It depends on the attitude and the biblical understanding of prayer and fasting. We are not praying and fasting in the name of Allah. Yes, we will pray and fast with Muslims, to a certain extent; but we will pray and fast in Jesus' name, and do it for their salvation."
Ron Kernahan, cofounder, 30-Days Prayer Network

"Christians may fast alongside Muslim friends, either as a gesture of friendship or in order to open dialogue, but not as part of Ramadan itself. Christian fasting is fundamentally different from Muslim fasting. Christians must make clear that their view of God, God's approach to us, and therefore fasting as part of our relationship to God, are each different from Muslim views."
Gerald McDermott, Jordan-Trexler Professor of Religion, Roanoke College

"In Isaiah and the minor prophets, you fast and pray to really meet God, to humble yourself and cry out to God … Muslims fast during Ramadan for different purposes. They fast to fulfill the five duties. I'm not against fasting, but I think biblically the reasons for fasting are quite different than those for what Muslims do. The form of fasting during Ramadan is so filled with Islamic meaning that you can't separate the two. I think some Christians today think they're separating the form from the meaning—the form is good, fasting is good, and they're extracting the meaning from it. I don't think that's possible, because the form and the meaning are so closely connected.
Warren Larson, director, Zwemer Center for Muslim Studies at Columbia International University

"It is not appropriate to fast alongside Muslims. I wouldn't make a point, if I were in a heavily Muslim state where everybody is fasting during the day, of fixing a hot dog and walking outside and eating it … but to observe Ramadan along with your Muslim neighbors and friends, letting them know that you're observing Ramadan as an act of some sort of religious or spiritual solidarity, is simply a fundamental compromise. They're observing Ramadan in the service of a false God and a false gospel, and we shouldn't be trying to express our solidarity with that."
Douglas Wilson, senior pastor, Christ Church, Moscow, Idaho, and senior fellow of theology, New St. Andrews College

Link to Article

CAIR Whines About Bible Class, School Apologizes

The Hamas supporting Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), has once again complained about an issue that supposedly "offended" Muslims. Once again non-Muslims have caved, but this is just a sign of times to come in Michigan.

Hat tip to The Religion of Peace.

OCT. 2, 2009
Permission slips for Bible class called mistake in Roseville school
BY NIRAJ WARIKOO
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

After complaints raised by a Muslim group, Roseville Community Schools said Thursday the district erred in allowing permission slips to be distributed to elementary school students that would allow them to attend Bible classes in a Baptist church.

And it will now review district policies on permission slips for religious classes.

"We shouldn't have made the slips available," said Michael LaFeve, assistant superintendent for the district.

Two weeks ago, students at Huron Park Elementary School in Roseville received permission slips to participate in Bible classes at Temple Baptist Church, also in the city. The classes were to be conducted once a month by RBM Ministries of Kalamazoo.

The parents of a Muslim student expressed concerns that the permission slips appeared to advertise a specific church, said Dawud Walid, head of the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Walid wrote a letter Thursday to the school's principal and the district superintendent, alleging the district was favoring one religion and denomination.

Bob Goodenough, executive director of RBM Ministries, said that state law allows for children to be excused from class for religious services.

"I don't believe there's any violation. ... There's no discrimination." he said.

Link to Article

60,000 Christians Pray at Times Square!

Muslims might have 50,000 of them coming out for their prayer day at Capital Hill on September 25Th, today though US Christians came out in show of unity. 60,000 strong!

The event was assisted by NYC Mayor Bloomberg.

This was sponsored by Prayer in the Square.

It’s Time to Pray!

Fifteen thousand people representing over 200 churches gathered with us for Prayer in the Square in 2008 to pray for the nation.

On September 20, 2009, we will be gathering again in Times Square to pray. We invite churches representing all denominations to gather with us for this event.

Prayer in the Square is an opportunity for all believers in Jesus Christ to gather together under one banner, for one hour, and pray for the future of our city and our nation.

A choir of over 180 voices will sing worship songs, and individuals will pray at intervals for approximately three minutes each. The entire event will be simulcast on the News Astrovision screen at One Times Square, on several radio stations. There will also be a live webcast at nycprayer.com

Link

My Email to Pastor Brian McLaren~who is Celebrating Ramadan

This morning I posted an article about Pastor Brian McLaren, who has disgraced Christianity by celebrating Islam and fasting for the month of Ramadan. A couple of weeks ago, I had read about this and I wrote him this email.

Mr. McLaren,

I was reading your article, and Eboo Patel's article, about the two of you being fasting partners. If you would bother to read the comments in Patel's articles you would know that he is known liar and an Islamic propagandist.

All you are doing is hurting your fellow Christians be spreading false hope, as facts show us that the problems with Islam are getting worse across the world. Why don't you please point out the "moderate" Islamic movement that is speaking out against the persecution of Christians across the Islamic world ? If Christians do not unite and take a stand against Islam, Christianity will eventually be destroyed.

Did your "friend" Patel supply you with this information?

"What Islam Really Says About Jesus and his Return".

I ask you to please be honest with yourself and admit that interfaith talks with Muslims have not changed a thing. This can be seen across the world.

Take care,
Chris

Of course he took the easy way out and did not respond.

Muslims Find new Ramadan Fast Partners: Christians

I am very thankful that the voices of Christians against Islam are on the rise. Unfortunately there are also Christians who are disrespecting Christianity, by fasting for Ramadan. "Christians" like this who live in fantasy land and ignore the plight of Christians in Islamic countries are part of the problem.

Muslims find new Ramadan fast partners: Christians
By ERIC GORSKI

Like Muslims worldwide, Ben Ries has refrained from food and drink from sunrise to sundown in an act of self-restraint during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which ends this weekend.

Each evening, the 31-year-old Ries joins Muslim families in a room above a hardware store in Bellingham, Wash., to find fellowship and break the fast with a handful of dates and a welcome glass of water.

Only Ries is not a Muslim. He is pastor of 70-member Sterling Drive Church of Christ and a self-described committed Christian who just a few weeks ago had to turn to Google to find a Muslim in his community.

Ries is among a small group of Christians who've joined well-known evangelical author and speaker Brian McLaren in observing a Ramadan fast, opening a new chapter in interfaith relations between two traditions often at odds.

To McLaren and his Christian and Muslim fasting partners, it's a neighborly gesture of solidarity that deepens their respective faiths and sends a message about finding peace and common ground.

But the project also has faced fierce criticism.Some evangelicals say that fasting alongside Muslims at Ramadan, however well-intentioned, is a dangerous blurring of the lines and runs contrary to Christianity.

McLaren, 53, is the godfather of the "emerging" or "emergent" church, a loose-knit movement that seeks to recover ancient Christian worship practices and, in some cases, question traditional evangelical theology.

While fasting is part of Christian tradition, it isn't exactly a widespread practice. Some college students from different faiths have started interfaith "Fast-A-Thons" during Ramadan to raise money to fight poverty. But that usually involves fasting for a day, not committing to an entire month.

In announcing his Ramadan fast plans on his blog last month, McLaren wrote, "We are not doing so in order to become Muslims: we are deeply committed Christians. But as Christians, we want to come close to our Muslim neighbors and to share this important part of life with them." The goal is to join Muslims in the observance as "a God-honoring expression of peace, fellowship and neighborliness," he wrote.

McLaren, a former pastor, said his Ramadan fast is also part of his post-9-11 worldview.

"Some Christians in the U.S. are becoming more anti-Muslim," he said in an interview. "They are retrenching in a fearful, angry posture. Other Christians are saying now, in the aftermath of Sept. 11, we have to recommit ourselves to the work of peacemaking like never before. That has been my response."

Before Ramadan,McLaren sought a Muslim fasting partner. He found one in Eboo Patel, executive director of Chicago-based Interfaith Youth Core, which promotes interfaith cooperation.

Patel said there are important differences in his fast and McLaren's. As a Muslim, Patel said he fasts during Ramadan because the Prophet Muhammad fasted then, and because the first revelation of the Quran occurred that month.

"That is not something Brian shares, at least not in the same way," Patel said.
McLaren said he has discovered a handful of fellow Christians fasting during Ramadan. One has quietly been doing it for more than 20 years. Others are new to it — like Ries in Washington state.

Ries considers the idea consistent with his own efforts to reach out to people who are different. Only problem was, he didn't know any Muslims in Bellingham, a college town of 75,000 on the Northwest coast.

An Internet search introduced him to Monem Salam, the subject of the documentary "On a Wing and a Prayer," which followed Salam's journey of learning to fly and obtaining a pilot's license after Sept. 11.

The two had coffee a couple of days before Ramadan, hit it off, and a fast friendship was born.

"When you have a leader of a church or a community go through the experience of fasting an entire month of Ramadan, what happens is not only does he understand a little more about the Muslim or Islamic culture, but he has the podium, or the pulpit, to teach that to other people as well," said Salam, 37, who works for an investment firm that manages a large Sharia-compliant mutual fund.

Ries had fasted before, but not from water. About two weeks in, he said, his body adjusted. Ries also has been reading the Quran, not for spiritual sustenance but to learn something, he said. Joining the Muslim community to break fast each night has opened this eyes to their graciousness and hospitality, he said.

Ries said he faced questions from some in his flock and criticism from others who read about his fast.

"There is no violation of my own faith in this," Ries said. "The concern is that somehow, I'm endorsing this other path. But I tell people I believe Jesus is the son of God. I believe he is the way and the truth and the life. But I believe I don't get to say who goes to hell and who doesn't. That's God's job."

Of the anger he's encountered from some Christians who object, Ries said: "A major factor is fear ... if we move the line here, we'll move it further, and this is the beginning of the end."

Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., said the idea of Christians fasting at Ramadan appears at first to be neighborly solidarity, but it's more than that.

"The logic of Islam is obedience and submission," Mohler said. "It's by following these practices that a Muslim demonstrates his obedience to the rule of the law through the Quran. For a Christian to do the same automatically implies a submission to the same rule. And beyond that, it's an explicit affirmation that this is a good and holy thing. From a New Testament perspective, it is not a good and holy thing."

Christians should have friendships with people of other faith, but engaging in other traditions' worship practices is problematic, said Mark Driscoll, lead preaching pastor at Mars Hill Church in Seattle. Driscoll said that in this case, Christians and Muslims fast for different purposes and do not worship the same God.

Christians observing a Ramadan fast is "insane at best ... Sad, tragic, horrific, misguided, dangerous, wrong," Driscoll said. "If Christians want to pray during Ramadan, they should pray not with Muslims but for Muslims — that Muslims would come to know Jesus. To pray with Muslims absolutely dishonors Jesus."

There is disagreement among evangelicals about whether Christians and Muslims worship the same God; Muslims believe Jesus was a prophet and a teacher, but not the son of God.

Among Muslims, McLaren's Ramadan fast and invitation to other Christians to join him would be widely welcomed, with a "very small minority" wondering whether it's an effort to infiltrate and convert the Muslim community, said Akbar Ahmed, chairman of the Islamic studies department at American University.

"There is a high level of anti-Americanism in the Muslim world," Ahmed said. "Now they are going to say this propaganda that America hates us is not true. Here is a pastor who wants to understand us, who does not want to convert us, and who is even prepared to walk with us, to fast with us. That is a big gesture."

As Ramadan nears it end, McLaren said his fast has made him more sensitive to people who endure hunger every day without the promise of relief at sundown. And he said the commitment and self-discipline the fast requires has increased his respect for Muslims.

"I have felt Muslims don't want me to compromise and say belief doesn't matter," he said. "They want me to be a faithful Christian — a faithful Christian that doesn't want to destroy all Muslims."

Link to Article

What Islam Really Says About Jesus and his Return

By Christopher Logan

I have frequently spoken to Islamic apologists who say that their Muslim "friends" respect Jesus. Well they probably do, but it is not in the same way that Christians do. In the view of Muslims, Jesus is coming back as a Muslim and he will break the cross (destroy Christianity) and be a slave to Islam. He will also abolish the jizya, which will leave Jews and Christians with only two options. To convert to Islam or die.

Koran verse 9 29 calls for the extortion of Jew and Christians. (Jizya)

009.029
YUSUFALI:

Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.

Here is what the Islamic scriptures (The Hadiths) say about the return of Jesus.

Muslims believe that Jesus will come back to fight for Islam, not Christianity.

Book 37, Number 4310:
Narrated AbuHurayrah:

The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: There is no prophet between me and him, that is, Jesus (peace_be_upon_him). He will descent (to the earth). When you see him, recognise him: a man of medium height, reddish fair, wearing two light yellow garments, looking as if drops were falling down from his head though it will not be wet. He will fight the people for the cause of Islam. He will break the cross, kill swine, and abolish jizyah. Allah will perish all religions except Islam. He will destroy the Antichrist and will live on the earth for forty years and then he will die. The Muslims will pray over him.

Volume 4, Book 55, Number 657:
Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Apostle said, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, surely (Jesus,) the son of Mary will soon descend amongst you and will judge mankind justly (as a Just Ruler); he will break the Cross and kill the pigs and there will be no Jizya (i.e. taxation taken from non Muslims). Money will be in abundance so that nobody will accept it, and a single prostration to Allah (in prayer) will be better than the whole world and whatever is in it." Abu Huraira added "If you wish, you can recite (this verse of the Holy Book): -- 'And there is none Of the people of the Scriptures (Jews and Christians) But must believe in him (i.e Jesus as an Apostle of Allah and a human being) Before his death. And on the Day of Judgment He will be a witness Against them." (4.159) (See Fateh Al Bari, Page 302 Vol 7)

Then when judgment day arrives Jesus will judge the people by the words of the Koran and not of the Holy Bible.

Volume 4, Book 55, Number 658:
Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Apostle said "How will you be when the son of Mary (i.e. Jesus) descends amongst you and he will judge people by the Law of the Quran and not by the law of Gospel (Fateh-ul Bari page 304 and 305 Vol 7)

Please don't be fooled when Muslims says that they respect Jesus also. They are only playing word games with you.

Saving the Islamic World's Christians

I have continually spoken out about Christians being persecuted across the Islamic world, in countries such as Egypt and Iraq. All the while it seems that most Christians are silent on the issue, willing to ignore the plight of their fellow Christians. Some getting angry at me for even bringing up the subject.
Well now that the left leaning Huffington Post has even spoken up, I think that it is time for Christians to take a look in the mirror and find the strength to stand up for their own people. I don't think that's too much to ask.

Saving the Islamic World's Christians
Richard Z. Chesnoff
July 24, 2009

Here's a good question. Why do the majority of American Christians remain so oblivious to the increasingly bitter fate of their fellow Christians in the Islamic world? These ancient communities -- many descended from the very earliest followers of Jesus himself -- are under growing siege.

From the Middle East to the Sub-continent and Africa, the Islamic world's Christians are being hounded, discriminated against, forced from their homes and in some cases, simply murdered.

In Egypt, where machete-armed fanatics have attacked worshipers in Coptic churches, it is still a crime to convert from Islam to Christianity. In Pakistan, Catholic and Protestant churches are frequently torched, Christian businessmen murdered and young Christian girls kidnapped, forced to convert to Islam and married off to Muslim men. In Saudi Arabia, where one irate father recently hacked his daughter to death for embracing Christianty, the existence of any churches is strictly forbidden as is the import of a bible or the wearing of a cross. Some foreign workers have been arrested, jailed and deported just for holding Christian prayer services in the privacy of their homes.

Even in Islamic countries not strictly run by Sharia law, pressures mount on local Christians to leave the homes they've known for centuries. Iraq's Christian sects, among the oldest Christian communities anywhere in the world, have been directly targeted by terrorist bombs, and Christians are high on the list of those fleeing Iraq's sectarian strife. Thirty years ago, Lebanon was 60% Christian. Since then, an estimated 3.5 million Christians have emigrated, reducing the country's Christian population percentage to barely 25%. Even in the Holy Land, where Jesus once walked, direct and indirect pressures have also led to an increasing Christian exodus from the Palestinian territories. One striking result: Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus and once a predominantly Christian Arab town now has an overwhelming Muslim majority.

Part of the problem surely stems from the continuing Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the difficulties of living with anti-terrorist walls and barriers. But much of it results from a growing campaign by Islamic thugs to force Christians to sell their property and leave.You can find details of this in a fine article recently written for The Hudson Institute by Palestinian Muslim journalist Khaled Abu Toameh.

In fact, ironically, the only place in the Mideast where Christian communities continue to grow is in the Jewish State of Israel. Israel's tolerance is logical. What people of faith know the dangers of religious persecution better than the people of Israel -- especially those whose families originated in the Islamic world? Between 1948 and 1956 more than 850,000 Jews were forced to flee the Arab lands where their families had lived for centuries. Yet since 1949, the year after Israel's birth, the number of Israeli Arab Christians has grown by an astonishing 345%!

It is true that there were periods when the Islamic world was far more tolerant than Europe. The Prophet's followers preached that "peoples of the book" -- Jews and Christians -- could be tolerated. But they were tolerated only as second class, subjugated dhimmis. Jews and Christians were never granted full equality under Islamic rule. And over the centuries, communities of Jews and Christians suffered severe ups and downs.

With Islamic extremism still on the rise, this is one of the downs. Few Americans seem prepared to connect the dots. Some American evangelical groups like the Washington-based International Christian Concern try to raise the alarm. And America's Copts, especially those based in the New York area, actively lobby against the legal and social discrimination that face their Egyptian co-religionists. Yet most mainstream church groups seem to ignore the threat.

It's time to wake up.

Link to Articles

Judeo-Christian Heritage Bill Challenges Obama~Video

While our current president says that we are not a Christian nation, and that we can be seen as Muslim country, million of Christians completely disagree with him. One of those Christians is Rep.Randy Forbes (R-Va.), who will challenge President Obama with this bill.

Hat tip to Weasel Zippers.

Judeo-Christian Heritage Bill Challenges Obama’s Claim That U.S. Is A Secular Nation
Friday, June 12, 2009
By Penny Starr and Monica Gabriel


Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Va.)
(CNSNews.com) – Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Va.) believes that the United States is a nation founded on Judeo-Christian principles, and hopes that his sponsorship of a bill designating the first week in May as “America’s Spiritual Heritage Week” will make that belief official.

“Our Founding Fathers unanimously said we have a Creator who gave us those rights,” Forbes told CNSNews.com, referring to the Declaration of Independence, which says, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

“If we let people who want to challenge that convince us there is no Creator, then we also have no rights,” Forbes said.

The “Spiritual Heritage” bill includes a long list of congressional actions that testify to how and when Judeo-Christian principles have shaped the nation, from Congress approving in 1777 the distribution of Bibles for schools and families throughout the states, to the law passed by Congress in 1954 adding “one nation under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance.

Forbes said he first introduced the act in the 110th Congress, inspired by the sacrifices made by the Founding Fathers and the self-serving nature of today’s politicians. But President Barack Obama’s remarks made during his tour of the Middle East have renewed Forbes’s determination to preserve America’s religious heritage, the congressman said.

At an Apr. 6 press conference with Turkey’s president, Obama said secularism is what makes America great.

“That’s something that’s very important to me,” Obama said. “And I’ve said before that one of the great strengths of the United States is – although as I mentioned we have a very large Christian population, we do not consider ourselves a Christian nation, or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation; we consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values.”

On May 4, Forbes introduced the House Resolution 397 in the House of Representatives and spoke about it on the House floor on May 6.

“When our Constitution was signed, the signers made sure that they punctuated the end of it by saying, ‘in the year of our Lord, 1787,’” Forbes said. “And 100 years later in the Supreme Court case of Holy Trinity Church v. The United States, the Supreme Court indicated, after recounting the long history of faith in this country, that we were even a Christian nation.”

“President George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, William McKinley, Teddy Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Herbert Hoover, Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan all disagreed with the President’s [Obama’s] comments and indicated how the Bible and Judeo-Christian principles were so important in this nation,” Forbes said. “And Franklin Roosevelt even led this nation in a six-minute prayer before the invasion of perhaps the greatest battle in history, the Invasion of Normandy, and asked for God’s protection.”



In that same speech in Turkey, Obama compared that nation’s history to the founding of the United States.

“I think Turkey was – modern Turkey was founded with a similar set of principles, and yet what we’re seeing is in both countries that promise of a secular country that is respectful of religious freedom, respectful of rule of law, respectful of freedom, upholding these values and being willing to stand up for them on the international stage,” said Obama.

But Doug Bandow, senior fellow at the libertarian Cato Institute, said Turkey and the United States differ because of their distinct view of religion.

“The American founders certainly created a secular Republic,” Bandow told CNSNews.com. “They created a government that was not going to be itself directly tied to religion and they certainly did not expect to have a nationally established church.”

“On the other hand, they were very much the believers in and respecters of a religious tradition,” Bandow said. “While not all of them were personally religious, they recognized that the American people were religious people.”

“So they never would have planned the sorts of strong efforts to keep religion anywhere out of the public square [and] that’s what you see in Turkey,” Bandow said.

Forbes told CNSNews.com that he decided to replace the pictures of himself posing with politicians and dignitaries on the wall of his congressional office with a copy of the Declaration of Independence and pictures of the men who signed that historic document.

The spiritual heritage bill is a way to honor those men and educate people about the Judeo-Christian principles the country was founded upon, Forbes said.

“They can pull God off of the walls of every federal building, and if they convince us that talking about a Creator is somehow mixing religion with government, they will be refuting the core principles that our Founding Fathers utilized to birth this nation,” Forbes said.

Link to Article