By Rev. Mark H. Creech, Executive Director
Christian Action League

How should Christians deal with the Santa Claus phenomena? Is Santa harmless or hell spawn? Is the jolly old elf in the red suit pure paganism foisted on an unsuspecting populace? Or does he have Christian roots?

Some may find this hard to believe, but Santa is based partially on Christian principles and the example of a great Christian man. In his book, Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas, Ace Collins traces Santa back to St. Nicolas of Bari. Nicholas, born in the fourth century, was the son of wealthy parents. When they died, he took all of the family’s money and distributed it to the poor. He became a monk when he was still in his teens and, sometime later, a priest. After being chosen to become the archbishop of Myra, Collins says he “seemed to take on almost mythical heroic qualities.” Saint Nicholas was highly revered for being a great prayer warrior, saving many lives, healing the sick, and magnificent generosity.  Read the rest of this entry »

American Family Association Journal

America is not only one of the most blessed nations on earth, but also one of the most religious. And public expressions of its faith in God have been prominent throughout the nation from the beginning.

Nowhere has that faith been more visible than Washington, D.C. It is inscribed throughout the nation’s capital from the Jefferson Memorial to the Library of Congress; from the Lincoln Memorial to the JFK grave site; and from the Federal Court building to the National Archives and across to Union Station.

The city is covered with open acknowledgements of God throughout its public buildings. Yet a subtle change has begun.

The War on God

Consider the FDR Memorial. Hardly noticed when it was first opened in 1997 was the fact that it contained no mention of God, although it did subtly acknowledge faith. But this was out of character for President Roosevelt, who was very bold about his faith throughout his presidency.

In fact during the D-day invasion he led the nation in a six-and-one-half minute prayer to God on behalf of our troops:

“Let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help for our efforts. Thy will be done, Almighty God.”

General Eisenhower also called for prayer to God, as did General George S. Patton and many others.

The most recent monument, the World War II Memorial, has continued the new trend. It became the second major monument in Washington, D.C., to contain absolutely no acknowledgement of God. In fact, the quote of General Eisenhower featured in the memorial is only the first part of what ended up being a very strong appeal to God. The quote in the memorial stops just a few words shy of the point where the appeal to God begins - an appeal that was deliberately omitted.

Here are Eisenhower’s comments that were omitted: “And let us all beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.”

Over the last two years, the effort to censor acknowledgements of God in our nation’s capital has rapidly accelerated. For example, bureaucrats in the Treasury Department successfully moved “In God We Trust” from its prominent location on the face of our coins to an almost invisible location on the edge.  Read the rest of this entry »

By L.A. Williams, Correspondent
Christian Action League of North Carolina
November 26, 2008

RALEIGH - The 163 prisoners on death row at North Carolina’s Central Prison have had more than a two-year reprieve as the courts, the state’s Medical Board and the Department of Correction clash over the role doctors are asked to play in lethal injection. But that could begin to change within the next three months as the N.C. Supreme Court heard arguments on the matter on Nov. 18 and is expected to release a ruling within about 90 days.

“We can only hope that this controversy that has resulted in an effective moratorium on the death penalty will be put to rest so that justice can be restored,” said the Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League of North Carolina. “God’s Word in Genesis 9:6 declares to governments of all eras: ‘Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.”

The case argued Tuesday hinges on a 2006 challenge to the use of lethal injection, a method capital punishment opponents say is cruel and unusual.  Read the rest of this entry »

By Warren Cole Smith
Evangelical News Press
November 26, 2008

The Republicans took a beating on Nov. 4.  There can be no doubt about that.  Barack Obama won the presidency, and the Democrats gained seats in both the House and the Senate.

But was the election a disaster?  Hardly.  As political strategist Karl Rove said, “In a year when all currents were running against Republicans and our campaign was lackluster and erratic, Barack Obama received only 3.1 points more than Al Gore in 2000 and only 4.6 more than John Kerry in 2004.”

Rove is right:  this wasn’t a landslide.  If you look at a map of the nation “colored in” by county, you’ll still see a lot more red than blue.  And if you drill down, while Republicans might be wringing their hands, this social conservative finds much to like about this election.  Here are a few lessons from the 2008 election that bode well for the future.  Read the rest of this entry »

Abortionist Becomes Pro-Life Champion
Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission
November 25, 2008

The barrier-breaking transplant into a woman of an entire organ made from her own stem cells is “marvelous news,” says a consultant for the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.

Claudio Castillo, 30, of Barcelona has shown no signs of rejecting her new windpipe after it was placed in her chest in June in the Spanish city, The Independent reported Nov. 19. Researchers used stem cells from Castillo’s blood marrow to grow the replacement organ, which was combined with a donated trachea for the transplant. Four months after the surgery, she was able to take care of her two children, go dancing and climb two flights of stairs, activities that previously had been impossible for the tuberculosis patient, according to the British newspaper.

The successful transplant again demonstrates the promise of non-embryonic stem cells, which have produced treatments for at least 73 human ailments, according to Do No Harm, a coalition promoting ethics in research. Read the rest of this entry »

By L.A. Williams, Correspondent
Christian Action League

Ever play a board game with a cranky 2-year-old? Forget the roll of the dice; the number on the spinner or the clearly printed rules inside the box lid. He won’t be satisfied unless he wins.

Enter the world of same-sex marriage proponents protesting California’s Proposition 8 and, in essence, the decisions of voters there and in 29 other U.S. states that have amended their constitutions to confirm the sanctity of marriage as a commitment between one man and one woman.

With increasingly intense and in some places even violent protests, homosexual activists are calling for people who choose the gay lifestyle to band together in civil disobedience for the next seven weeks, from Nov. 27 to Jan. 20, when they will converge on Washington, D.C., for the inauguration of Barack Obama.

Rallies were held in about a half dozen North Carolina cities last weekend as part of the “Join the Impact” national protest. Estimates from GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual, Transgender) Web blogs showed Raleigh’s gathering as largest in N.C. with a crowd of some 1,400; 300 to 400 were reported in Greensboro; a similar size crowed in Asheville; 200 in Charlotte; 130 in Wilmington; and roughly 50 in Boone.

Although the Tar Heel events were apparently peaceful, that hasn’t been the case elsewhere. Read the rest of this entry »

By Bob Steinberg
Christian Action League of North Carolina

Dr. Alveda King, a former member of the Georgia House of Representatives agrees that Barack Obama’s election to the presidency has changed the face of America. She says it strikes a blow to white guilt because hundreds of thousands of white people voted for him to prove they were not racist. Dr. King goes on to say that it gives blacks who voted for him hope, because there has never been a black president of America.

There has also never been a president who has promised to do more to advance abortion rights than our new president-elect. As a pro-life activist, Dr. King is deeply concerned.

Alveda King is the mother of six and a grandmother. Her uncle was the famed civil-rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Her father, the Rev. A. D. King, was the slain civil-rights leader’s youngest brother, whose untimely death at age 38, one year after King’s assassination in Memphis, was considered by many to be suspicious. Read the rest of this entry »

By Dr. Richard Land
Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission

On Nov. 4, 2008, the people of California, Florida and Arizona joined the ranks of the approximately 30 of the United States that have outlawed same-sex marriage either by amending their respective state constitutions or by passing appropriate legislation.

The three states mentioned above amended their state constitutions by the following margins: California (52%), Arizona (56%) and Florida (62%).

The results in California are causing the most controversy. Why? First, because same-sex marriages were already being performed in that state since June because the California Supreme Court refused to delay their ruling until the people could vote in November. Second, California is a much more liberal state culturally than either Arizona or Florida.

Now we are witnessing the spectacle of same-sex marriage advocates going before the California Supreme Court in attempts to convince them to overturn the people’s choice to amend their state’s constitution. Read the rest of this entry »

Christian Action League of North Carolina

COATS - Area Christians concerned about the state of America and, more specifically conditions in the Tar Heel state, will want to mark their calendars for the annual meeting of the Christian Action League of North Carolina, set for Nov. 20 at Coats Baptist Church.

“This is a chance for Christians to have a voice in our state government, to get informed about issues our lawmakers will be deciding on next session and to get plugged in to the Christian Action League,” said the Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the organization that lobbies for believers and promotes a Biblical worldview in the General Assembly.

The meeting is the last of three regional events held across the state this year to make it more convenient for attendees. It will be hosted by The Rev. Jesse Mooney and his Coats Baptist congregation, which has already proven itself active on civic issues, having helped lead a successful fight against the on-premise sale of malt beverages, unfortified wine and mixed drinks this past spring.
Read the rest of this entry »

North Carolina Family Policy Council

On November 10, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina heard arguments in an important religious freedom case involving a pastor who was denied a permit by the city of Charlotte to hold a pro-life event. Frederick Nelson, an allied attorney with the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), who is representing the plaintiff in Benham v. City of Charlotte, presented oral arguments before the federal court.

The case began when Reverend Phillip Benham submitted an application to the city of Charlotte for a “festival permit” for a Roe v. Wade anniversary event scheduled for January 22, 2007. The city denied his application on the grounds that his event was a “demonstration” and not a “festival.” Under a city ordinance, demonstrations are not permitted. In September 2007, Mr. Nelson filed a lawsuit against the city on behalf of Rev. Benham, arguing that the city had violated his client’s First Amendment rights. According to ADF, Rev. Benham’s permit application included the following description of his proposed event: “Evangelical, Gospel proclamation, praise and worship band, local Christian pastors speaking, post-abortive mothers give testimony, call to repentance.” The lawsuit argues that the city’s designation of the event as a demonstration was “purely subjective” and based solely on the religious nature of the event. Read the rest of this entry »