Christian Action League

Independence Day, July 4^th, is the main national holiday of the United States. On this day, Americans celebrate the joy of living free. It is a day dedicated to the memory of the political leaders and military men and women who sacrificed so much for liberty.

In his marvelous new book, The American Patriot’s Almanac, New York Times best selling author, William J. Bennett, along with John T.E. Cribb, note how the founders sacrificed everything to sign the Declaration of Independence.

Read the rest of this entry »

Video Gambling, Modernization of ABC, Liquor Tasting Events, and Adoption…contact your lawmaker on video gambling now!
By L.A. Williams, Correspondent
Christian Action League

RALEIGH — Unless House Democrats decide soon to bring the sweepstakes ban to the floor for a vote, lawmakers could leave Raleigh having missed a crucial opportunity to pull the plug on cyber gambling outlets popping up all over the state.

“Gambling is pervasive, and if this stuff isn’t banned it will corrupt us like a cancer — deadly to the soul and character of this great state,” said the Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League. “The time for the ban is now. House members need to hear from their constituents.”

Outlawed in North Carolina in 2006, video poker morphed into server-based gambling and then video sweepstakes staying one step ahead of lawmakers thanks to a pair of confusing superior court rulings. Read the rest of this entry »

By Rev. Mark Creech, Executive Director
Christian Action League

West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd was the longest serving member of the U.S. Congress. Senator Byrd died on Monday at the age of 92. His flag draped casket was carried up the Senate steps on Capitol Hill by an honor guard to rest in the Senate chamber on the Lincoln Catafalque, a stand that was constructed for the coffin of President Lincoln after his assassination.

Senator Byrd’s family received members of both the House and Senate who came to pay their respects. The Senate Chamber’s public galleries were also open to many.

Later on Thursday afternoon, Byrd’s remains were flown to his home state of West Virginia for a memorial service that was held on Friday with President Obama, Vice President Biden, members of Congress, and other dignitaries. His body was then flown back to Washington to be buried beside his wife who died in 2006 after 69 years of marriage.

Byrd, who had a North Carolina connection, having been born in North Wilkesboro, was a political mix of both conservative and liberal points of view. Read the rest of this entry »

Director says Ferrell will fill much needed role.
By L.A. Williams, Correspondent
Christian Action League

RALEIGH — After 55 years of shepherding God’s people from the pulpit, the Rev. Ernest Ferrell is taking on a new role — that of training, developing and motivating believers to impact the political process for Christ via the Christian Action League.

Named the organization’s Director of Development June 25, the Durham native has already begun to share the Christian Action League’s story with like-minded leaders across the state and plans a variety of ways to spread the word about they can get involved.

“I think I’m going to be doing as much education as anything else because many people don’t know what we do or how valuable the Christian Action League is to the Christian community in North Carolina,” Ferrell said. “I’ll be showing them the benefits of having the CAL in the General Assembly on a regular basis to help protect family values … moral values … the things they try to get across every Sunday in their pulpits.

“From a legislative standpoint, we’re there fighting those battles for them, and I’ll be encouraging them to become a part of it.” Read the rest of this entry »

By Rev. Mark Creech, Executive Director
Christian Action League

They refer to themselves as the North Carolina Secular Association and they’ve mounted an ad campaign that has their message posted on billboards (see picture of billboards) in six major cities in the Tar Heel State. The message on the billboards: “One nation, indivisible.”

That certainly seems like an innocuous message superimposed on an American flag. But according to the NC Secular Association’s website, the “ad campaign is intended as a conscious-raising effort to point out how every U.S. citizen who doesn’t believe in a monotheistic god is being ‘officially’ marginalized, disrespected, and discriminated against by the insertion of ‘under God’ in the pledge.” They further contend that they believe that “our Founders intended to establish a secular government, one that separated church from state.” Read the rest of this entry »

By L.A. Williams, Correspondent
Christian Action League

RALEIGH — The N.C. House addressed shortcomings of the state’s Alcoholic Beverage Control system Tuesday, passing a bill that would increase oversight of local ABC boards and give the state Commission both more responsibility and authority. It would also give new ABC stores a better chance at survival by increasing to 1,000 the voter threshold for referendums to establish them.

“This is a thorough bill that should help North Carolina’s unique control system continue to serve our state for years to come,” said the Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League. “We are pleased that lawmakers are choosing to make changes in an already strong system rather than giving up control and turning to privatization.”

The bill includes some recommendations from a 2008 study by the General Assembly’s Program Evaluation Division and addresses concerns regarding inappropriately high general manager salaries and ethics violations at the local level. Media reports on these issues last year prompted the formation of a Joint Study Committee which held five meetings and heard from more than 50 speakers during public hearings. Read the rest of this entry »

The NC House May Not Be So Easy
By L.A. Williams, Correspondent
Christian Action League

RALEIGH — Poignant e-mails — many from sweepstakes addicts feeling powerless against their compulsion — played a role in the North Carolina Senate’s decision Monday night to strengthen the state’s ban on video gambling.

Senators voted 47-1 to approve House Bill 80, which, according to the bill’s sponsor, would make “crystal clear” lawmakers’ intent to outlaw video poker and any electronic game that mimics it — from video bingo and craps to keno, lotto, eight liner and pot-of-gold, without affecting legitimate sweepstakes promotions such as those offered by fast food or soft drink marketers. The bill is headed to the House, where it may face stiff opposition.

“We need folks sending e-mails, making phone calls or sending faxes to encourage members of the House to support this ban on video gambling,” said the Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League. “The gaming industry has a very strong lobby already bending their ears, but House members need to hear the other side of the story from people in their own districts, many of whom are experiencing firsthand the detriment of this activity.” Read the rest of this entry »

Please let your voice be heard by asking your Senator to vote in favor of a ban – act now – at the end of this article!!!
By L.A. Williams, Correspondent
Christian Action League

RALEIGH — North Carolina lawmakers trying once again to send the “Game Over” message to the video poker industry need to hear a message of encouragement from Christians across the state.

“Now is the time to e-mail or call your Senator and let him or her know that you support these efforts to ban ‘sweepstakes,’ ‘pot of gold’ or any other form of this highly addictive gambling that is leaving so many lives in tatters,” said the Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League of North Carolina. “The battle is heating up and legislators are under intense pressure from the gaming industry. They have generated hundreds of emails daily in opposition to any ban. We need Christian people across this State to act now!”

Presented as a proposed substitute for House Bill 80, the latest ban came out of the Senate’s Judiciary I committee Thursday and was announced at a news conference led by Sen. Marc Basnight (D-Beaufort) and featuring leaders from the law enforcement and faith communities. The full Senate is expected to take up the issue Monday evening. Please read and respond to the entry

By Rev. Mark Creech, Executive Director
Christian Action League

Abraham had gone to Egypt because of a famine. His wife Sarah was a stunningly attractive woman and Abraham was deeply concerned someone might attempt to kill him to obtain her. So he instructed Sarah to say she was his sister.

It was a half-truth because she actually was Abraham’s half-sister. But a half truth is a whole lie, and using such sophistry only leads to a deeper morass. Thinking Sarah was Abraham’s sister, she was taken into Pharaoh’s house, which brought the curse of God on the potentate and his kingdom until he returned her to Abraham. The occasion was not only a moment lost for an effective witness to the living God, but evidently had a negative impact on Isaac, Abraham’s son. Read the rest of this entry »

Listen to the audio of the ABC meeting
By L.A. Williams, Correspondent
Christian Action League

RALEIGH — “Bud Light” Amphitheater in downtown Raleigh? Not on our watch, said the state ABC Commission on Thursday, refusing to open the door to the practice of naming public buildings after alcoholic drinks.

“We commend the ABC Commission’s decision not to allow Raleigh to circumvent state law, a move that would have set a terrible precedent” said the Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League, one of seven speakers to address the two-member commission prior to the vote. All encouraged the commission to stay the course and not to grant an exemption.

City officials, who had agreed to pursue a $1.5 million deal with Anheuser-Busch ($300,000 annually for five years), said last month the money was needed to cover some 75 percent of construction costs of the 5,000-seat facility that opened June 4.

But ABC Chairman Jon Williams said the alcohol industry is highly competitive and “the dynamics of opening up this kind of competition in the advertising field would be difficult to contain.” Read the rest of this entry »