American Life League Petition

(The photo caption reads: "The greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion, which is war against the child" -- Mother Theresa)

The American Life League (ALL) has been running full page ads in major newspapers exposing the truths of Planned Parenthood. One of their ads, with the bold headline "TEEN SUICIDE," reads:

Planned Parenthood aborts over 240,000 babies every year. Nationally, 1 out of 6 abortions are performed on girls between 15 and 19 years old. All their lives, these girls have been told that a baby in the womb is a “choice,” not a child. Planned Parenthood’s clever lie leads girls to think that abortion is an easy and harmless way to end an unwanted pregnancy. But eventually all lies are exposed and when a teenaged mother finds out that her “choice” had arms, legs, eyes, fingers, feet and toes, the truth can hurt so bad, some girls will use any means to escape it—even suicide. The most recent studies show that girls between 15 and 18 who abort a baby are more than twice as likely to experience depression, chronic anxiety and suicidal thoughts than the average girl in the same age group. Every year, Planned Parenthood receives over $265 million in your tax dollars and the result is the death of over 240,000 young people in America. Some of them die when they’re still in the womb. Some of them when they’re still in high school. Americans should fight teen suicide. Not pay for it. Sign our petition today at: www.StopPlannedParenthoodTaxFunding.com

See the entire ad at http://www.all.org/pdf/ppad3.pdf

You can contact ALL at 1-540-659-4171 or www.ALL.org.

Memorial Day Message

"That from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion." These unforgettable words delivered by President Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg embody the true meaning of Memorial Day: to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of freedom.

Like those in uniform today, I took the oath to support and defend the Constitution. The unspoken part of that oath was, as it is today, the willingness to lay down one's life to protect our liberties. Our freedom is not free, and the sacrifices of service men and women throughout history stand as constant, powerful reminders of the price. President Lincoln said, "to truly honor these heroes, we must steadfastly resolve to continue their noble fight against all who would threaten our way of life."

I salute and offer eternal thanksgiving to those who gave their lives in service to our country. Additionally, I remain eternally grateful for the selfless sacrifice of those today who carry on the precious legacy of those who have gone before.

Send Our Troops Your Message

This Memorial Day weekend, send your own message of thanks and support to our brave military men and women who are putting so much on the line to defend America and to provide a better world for Iraqi citizens.

American military personnel have already crippled the terrorist organizations threatening America, overwhelmed and toppled a murderous tyrant, and continually push forward the restoration and rebuilding of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Their lives are still on the line, the dangers are real, and the operational environment is harsh. Still, they press on because they know the value of the mission.

Tell them that you value their mission, too. Do it at America Supports You. You'll be glad you did.

Not Going to be Defeated

Does this look like a defeated American soldier in Iraq?

I didn't think so, either. Yet, the American left continues to carry on about how demoralized our forces are; how demoralized the Iraqi people are; and how demoralized the American citizens are.

By all appearances, the only Americans defeated by al-Qaeda and other Islamo-terrorists are... the left!

Our forces in Iraq are working hard to achieve victory on the battlefield and with the rebuilding of Iraq. The Iraqi people bravely vote, withstand Islamo-terrorist attacks, rebuild their nation, and stand up a new government. Patriotic American citizens support the war efforts to defeat a deadly enemy and secure peace.

The next time you feel even a little bit demoralized by American left defeatism, or just want a good ol' solid dose of American pride, surf over to Lainey's Army Chic website. She documents the adventures of the 256th Brigade in Iraq and other locales. This is an award winning (in my opinion) website.

Ooooorah! Go there now!

www.armychic256bde.com

Here Comes The Da Vinci Code

“So Jesus said, ‘When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know who I am and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.’ Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him. To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’” – John 8:28-32 (NIV)

Several years ago, I read an e-mail from a Christian about a new book entitled The Da Vinci Code. She mentioned that this novel contained some historical revelations that challenge fundamental tenets of the Bible and the Christian faith. I responded that the novel is a work of fiction and should be treated as such. I didn’t think much more of it at the time. Little did I suspect that years later such a significant controversy would still be swirling around this same novel. In fact, it has become more than a book: accompanied by typical Hollywood hype, the movie of the same name will debut this Friday, May 19. I expect it to be the top grossing movie during its inaugural weekend.

Normally, I have nothing against a mystery/action novel or movie. I would certainly have nothing against The Da Vinci Code except that: (1) author Dan Brown claims that his research, designed to create doubt about the New Testament Gospels, is factual; (2) the secular population has begun giving credence to this fiction novel; and (3) some Christians have begun replacing Biblical truth with claims made by Brown in his fiction novel. (It is the third observation that disturbs me the most).

Dan Brown makes some extremely bold claims about the historicity of his novel. On The Today Show, host Matt Lauer asked, “How much of this book is based on reality in terms of things that actually occurred?” Brown responded, “Absolutely all of it. Obviously Robert Langdon is fictional, but all of the art, architecture, secret rituals, secret societies – all of that is historical fact.” (NBC, 6/9/2003) In response, Sandra Miesel writes in Crisis magazine, “So error-laden is The Da Vinci Code that the educated reader actually applauds those rare occasions where Brown stumbles (despite himself) into the truth.” (Cited in Discussing the Da Vinci Code DVD Discussion Guide, Lee Strobel and Garry Poole, Zondervan, p. 21) Sandra Miesel holds master’s degrees in biochemistry and medieval history from the University of Illinois. Since 1983, she has written hundreds of articles for the Catholic press, chiefly on history, art, and hagiography (study of the lives of the saints).

In his claim that his research discredits the truth found in the Bible, Brown simply dismisses thousands of Biblical scholars, both living and dead, who have confirmed over and over again the validity of the Biblical record. Similarly, Brown discredits secular studies that validate key elements of the Biblical record. Dr. Scot McKnight, professor of religious studies at North Park University in Chicago, submits that whenever the same standards used to verify the historical accuracy of any work of antiquity is applied evenly to the Bible, the Bible has always been shown to be one of the most historical, provable records of all antiquity documents known to man. (Lee Strobel interview with Dr. Scot McKnight, Discussing the Da Vinci Code, DVD, 2006)

Lee Strobel writes, “Archaeology and ancient writings outside the bible tend to corroborate the accuracy of the Gospels. In his book The historical Jesus, Gary Habermas cites a total of thirty-nine ancient sources documenting the life of Jesus, from which he enumerates more than one hundred reported facts concerning Jesus’ life, teachings, crucifixion, and resurrection. None of the later and fanciful Gnostic gospels, which Brown credulously touts in The Da Vinci Code, come anywhere close to matching the credentials of the four biblical Gospels.” (Lee Strobel and Garry Poole, Exploring the Da Vinci Code, Zondervan, 2006, pp. 52-53)

Enumerating all of the differences between Dan Brown’s research claims and results of centuries of Biblical studies by scholars from remarkably diverse backgrounds is beyond the scope of a single blog entry. But the resources do exist and are easily available. The reader will find below links to just a few of the websites containing more comprehensive studies. If you want to learn more about this issue, more about the historical process of compiling Biblical documents, or more about the truth contained within the Bible, don’t hesitate to check out these additional resources. As Jesus promises, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”


Da Vinci Code studies:

http://go.family.org/davinci
www.thedavincidialogue.com
www.ignatius.com/books/davincihoax/pressroom/olsoninterview.asp
www.ignatius.com/books/davincihoax/pressroom/mieselinterview.asp

Coach Tony Dungy and the Christian Faith

Fans of the Indianapolis Colts were absolutely shocked when, during their greatest season, reports of the death of the son of head coach Tony Dungy began to break. Adding even more stunning shock was the revelation that he had committed suicide. It was impossible to know the terrible grief that the Dungy family experienced.

Naturally, one of the questions quickly raised by the sport reporting community was, "When would Coach Dungy return to his coaching responsibilities?" Many commentators expressed their belief that Coach Dungy would miss several weeks. I mentally disagreed. I know that the grief was real and sharp and deep, but I also thought, "NFL coaches are some of the most driven type-A personalities in the world. I cannot imagine Coach Dungy sitting idly by, no matter how much pain he felt from this loss, watching the final weeks of the NFL season unfold." I was surprised by how much surpise sports commentators expressed when Coach Dungy was back on the sideline after missing only one game.

I knew that Coach Tony Dungy was known as a man of Christian faith. I also know that the believer's walk with Christ can see us through many a storm in life. But one never knows how that faith will ultimately manifest itself. I sat in utter amazement when I first heard on The Peter Heck Show the application of Coach Dungy's faith to this situation. I found the source myself and decided then and there that when I established my first blog site that Coach Dungy's expression of faith, hope, and Christian love in response to this personal tragedy would be my first posting. And, I intend to refresh it from time to time during the life of my blog site.

Even though I do not have my site very polished at all yet, I decided that it was past time to follow through on my decision.

Saturday, February 4, 2006SPREADING HIS MESSAGE
By John
Oehser
www.colts.com/sub.cfm?page=article7&news_id=3577
Dungy
Makes Super Bowl Stop to Speak at Athletes in Action Breakfast

DETROIT, Mich. – They were there for breakfast, and they were there to cheer New York Jets running back Curtis Martin. And it was Martin who received the Athletes in Action Bart Starr Award Saturday morning, but the hundreds who gathered in fourth-floor ballroom at the Marriott Renaissance in Detroit, Mich., on the morning before Super Bowl XL were clearly touched by the featured speaker.

That speaker was Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy.

Two hours into the breakfast, emcee Brent Jones introduced Dungy, who was welcomed with a lengthy standing ovation. Dungy thanked the crowd, shared an anecdote about Martin, then told the crowd he was going to speak for about 15 minutes.

“It’s great to be here,” Dungy told the crowd, then adding with a laugh, “I just wish I wasn’t here in this capacity so many times of being just that close to being in the game and just being an invited speaker.

“My goal is to have our team here one day and have a couple of tables with all of our guys here. Because we have a special group of young men, a great group of Christian guys. It’d be wonderful to have them here so you could see their hearts and what they’re all about.

“It hasn’t quite happened yet, but we’re still hoping one day it will.”

He told them he was going to talk about lessons he had learned from his three sons. The crowd fell silent. Then Dungy spoke.

And although this was a breakfast – and although at many such events speakers speak over the clinking of glasses and murmurs from semi-interested listeners – for most of the 15 minutes the room was silent except for Dungy’s voice.

He spoke of his middle son, Eric, who he said shares his competitiveness and who is focused on sports “to where it’s almost a problem.”

He spoke of his youngest son, Jordan, who has a rare congenital condition which causes him not to feel pain. “He feels things, but he doesn’t get the sensation of pain,” Dungy said.

The lessons learned from Jordan, Tony Dungy said, are many.

“That sounds like it’s good at the beginning, but I promise you it’s not,” Dungy said. “We’ve learned a lot about pain in the last five years we’ve had Jordan. We’ve learned some hurts are really necessary for kids. Pain is necessary for kids to find out the difference between what’s good and what’s harmful.”

Jordan, Dungy said, loves cookies.

“Cookies are good,” Dungy said, “but in Jordan’s mind, if they’re good out on the plate, they’re even better in the oven. He will go right in the oven when my wife’s not looking, reach in, take the rack out, take the pan out, burn his hands and eat the cookies and burn his tongue and never feel it. He doesn’t know that’s bad for him.”
Jordan, Dungy said, “has no fear of anything, so we constantly have to watch him.”

The lesson learned, Dungy said, is simple.

“You get the question all the time, ‘Why does the Lord allow pain in your life? Why do bad things happen to good people? If God is a God of love, why does he allow these hurtful things to happen?’’’ Dungy said. “We’ve learned that a lot of times because of that pain, that little temporary pain, you learn what’s harmful. You learn to fear the right things.

“Pain sometimes lets us know we have a condition that needs to be healed. Pain inside sometimes lets us know that spiritually we’re not quite right and we need to be healed and that God will send that healing agent right to the spot.

“Sometimes, pain is the only way that will turn us as kids back to the Father.”

Finally, he spoke of James.

James Dungy, Tony Dungy’s oldest son, died three days before Christmas. As he did while delivering James’ eulogy in December, Dungy on Saturday spoke of him eloquently and steadily, speaking of lessons learned and of the positives taken from
experience.

“It was tough, and it was very, very painful, but as painful as it was, there were some good things that came out of it,” Dungy said.

Dungy spoke at the funeral of regretting not hugging James the last time
he saw him, on Thanksgiving of last year. “I met a guy the next day
after the funeral,” Dungy said. “He said, ‘I was there. I heard you talking. I
took off work today. I called my son. I told him I was taking him to the movies.
We’re going to spend some time and go to dinner.’ That was a real, real blessing
to me.”

Dungy said he has gotten many letters since James’ death relaying similar messages.
“People heard what I said and said, ‘Hey, you brought me a little closer to my son,’ or, ‘You brought me a little closer to my daughter,’’’ Dungy said. “That is a tremendous blessing.”

Dungy also said some of James’ organs were donated through donors programs.

“We got a letter back two weeks ago that two people had received his corneas, and now they can see,’’ Dungy said. “That’s been a tremendous blessing.”

Dungy also said he received a letter from a girl from the family’s church in Tampa. She had known James for many years, Dungy said. She went to the funeral because
she knew James.

“When I saw what happened at funeral, and your family and the celebration and how it was handled, that was the first time I realized there had to be a God,” Dungy said the girl wrote. “I accepted Christ into my life and my life’s been different since that day.”

Added Dungy, “That was an awesome blessing, so all of those things kind of made me realize what God’s love is all about.”

Dungy also said he was asked often how he was able to return to the Colts so quickly after James’ death. James died on December 22, and Dungy returned to the team one week later. Dungy said the answer was simple.

“People asked me, ‘How did you recover so quickly?”’ Dungy said. “I’m not totally recovered. I don’t know that I ever will be. It’s still very, very painful, but I was able to come back because of something one of my good Christian friends said to me after the funeral. “He said, ‘You know James accepted Christ into his heart, so you know he’s in heaven, right?’ I said, ‘Right, I know that.’ He said, ‘So, with all you know about heaven, if you had the power to bring him back now, would you?’ When I thought about it, I said, ‘No, I wouldn’t. I would not want him back with what I know about heaven.’

“That’s what helped me through the grieving process. Because of Christ’s spirit in me, I had that confidence that James is there, at peace with the Lord, and I have the peace of mind in the midst of something that’s very, very painful.

“That’s my prayer today, that everyone in this room would know the same thing.”

I stand in absolute awe of the public Christian witness and testimony of Coach Tony Dungy. In the face of a tragedy that would leave most of us expressing doubts about, and sometimes anger at, God, Coach Dungy lived out the words of Paul from Romans 8:28, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."