Religious Freedom Coalition - Promoting Religious Freedom and Family Based Legislation

A lot of important work is continuing on Capitol Hill, but you would never know about it from the level of noise being created by the vacancy on the Supreme Court. Various special interest groups, both left and right, have already fired their big guns, even using full page newspaper ads. Millions of dollars have already been spent on grassroots mailings and major constituencies are being bombarded with information at a time when the President has not even chosen a nominee. I have a real concern here! I fear that grassroots Christian conservatives are going to be pushed and worn out in the battle before there is anyone to actually fight for or against. Some of the big dogs in this fight need to back off just a little before they just flat wear out folks like yourself with information overload.

THE COURT AND INTERNATIONAL LAW

Congressmen Tom Feeney (R-FL) and Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) have introduced the Reaffirmation of American Independence Resolution instructing federal courts to remember their role is to interpret US law, not foreign laws. The resolution was introduced because of the continued practice of Justices citing European and other foreign laws in rendering decisions in US federal courts. No court in France would take into account an American law in order to render a decision, but in the Lawrence v. Texas case which legalized sodomy, Justice Kennedy cited a decision by the European Court of Human Rights. While HR-97 is a resolution and holds no force of law, its passage would be a means of the House telling the Senate what kind of Justice they want to see sit on the Supreme Court bench. (Click here for Court decisions using "international" law.)

THE SENATE AND THE COURT

In a meeting with Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) this week, he said that the vacant seat on the Supreme Court "...does not belong to a moderate, it belongs to the American people." Brownback was responding to those in the Senate who are demanding that each seat be filled by a person "like the one leaving." In other words the Democrats are demanding that if a pro-abortion judge leaves then a pro-abortion judge should fill the seat. What hypocrisy! If John Kerry had won the election and Scalia had stepped down, does anyone seriously think Kerry would have nominated an ultraconservative to fill the seat?

MAJOR RFC ACTIVITIES THIS WEEK

MEETING WITH SYRIAN AMBASSADOR

During a meeting this week with Ambassador Imad Moustapha of Syria several key issues concerning Christians were discussed. The Ambassador stated that more than 60,000 Iraq Christians have fled the rising tide of extremist violence and are now refugees in secular Syria. The Ambassador expressed further fears that the continuing violence in Iraq was threatening the stability of the region by attracting extremist elements from all over the world. He said his nation is not knowingly assisting any terrorists infiltrating into Iraq and further that the border with that nation is better secured from the Syrian side than the Iraqi side. When I asked the Ambassador about democratization in Syria he told me that the nation was moving toward a multi-party system and that President Assad hoped to have meaningful elections in the near future. The meeting was sponsored by the Institute for Religion and Public Policy.

ISLAMIC JIHAD AND SYRIA

The same day I met with the Ambassador, the Islamic Jihad, which is head quartered in Damascus, Syria took credit on its web site, Abu Dajana, for the bombing of a mall in Netanya, Israel that killed four women. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice on Wednesday demanded that Syria break its ties to Islamic Jihad. "It is essential that the Syrian government end its support for terrorist organizations, particularly those who are head quartered and harbored in Damascus," Rice said. Syria is a nation run by secular technocrats who want better relations with the West and who know that their nation's continuing flirtation with terrorist organizations is counter productive to that end. Intelligence sources indicate that Syria allows these groups to exist on its territory for the same reason Saudi Arabia allowed Osama Bin Laden to raise funds there for decades -- fear. The secular Syrian leadership believes that by allowing groups like Islamic Jihad to operate in Damascus that they themselves will not be attacked. In the long run this has not worked for Saudi Arabia and will not work for Syria either.

TORMENT OF IRAQI CHRISTIANS

On Wednesday the Religious Freedom Coalition participated in a press conference on the continuing persecution of Assyrian Christians in Iraq organized by the Iraq Sustainable Democracy Project. It is becoming painfully evident that the Bush Administration did not understand the true minority picture in Iraq and has therefore failed to protect and provide for sub-groups. As an example, the Administration continues to treat the Kurds in northern Iraq as a persecuted minority and runs all funding for rebuilding through their leaders. However, the Kurds are abusing Christians and other minorities in their areas such as the Mandaeans. The Mandaeans are followers of John the Baptist. (The Mandaeans speak Aramaic, the language of Christ.) American taxpayer money that is going to Iraq is not getting to the smaller minority groups, particularly the Christian groups. During the much touted election in Iraq, Christian ballot boxes vanished while Kurd villages that did not even exist had "high voter turnout". As a result of the disparity of US aid going to Muslim groups and the constant attacks on churches and Christians by extremist Muslims, the Christians have voted with their feet. More than 60,000 Christians have fled to Syria. Christian communities that had endured Saddam Hussein and persecution since the 7th century are fleeing. The biggest failing of the Bush Administration in Iraq has been a failure to understand that persecuted minorities themselves often persecute other smaller minorities. (Click here for RFC official press release)

RELIGION OF PEACE

A new Internet site detailing every Islamist attack on civilization since the 9-11 Jihad attack against America is now operational. The site which is called (tongue in cheek) The Religion of Peace lists the nation, city, number injured, number killed and how the attack was carried out, such as suicide bomb, mass shooting, etc. Individual acid attacks against "immodest" women, rapes of Christian, Buddhist and Hindu women, along with state sponsored massacres in the Sudan are not listed. The site is located a www.TheReligionofPeace.com.

LEAVING FOR THE WEST BANK

In less than two weeks I will once again travel to Bethlehem. During the first week of August I will distribute thousands of dollars to families of school age children to help them pay tuition and other costs of attending Christian schools. In some instances 100% of tuition has already been provided by the schools, but the families have no funds for uniforms, school lunches or study materials. In other instances the families must pay a share of the tuition. With most Christian families unemployed, this is a great burden. The average grant per child will be about $300.00. For some families this will mean the difference between being able to send their children to Christian schools rather than sending them to public schools run by the Palestinian Authority. While in Bethlehem I will also be working to arrange for business ventures to help Christian families stay in the birthplace of Christ. Christians once numbered 85% of the population of Bethlehem, and they have now been reduced to less than 20%. Unless Christians in the West reach out and help the Christians in and around Bethlehem, the birthplace of Christ will become nothing more than a theme park operated by Muslim businessmen. YOU CAN STILL HELP THESE KIDS. Please help with a gift to our work in the Holy Land at this secure link or mail a gift to RFC Bethlehem Project, PO Box 77511, Washington, DC 20013. If your church or corporation would consider a grant please call Scott Parker at 202.543.0300.

WEST BANK UPDATE

David and Leah Ortiz are evangelists in Israel supported in part by the Religious Freedom Coalition. They have lived and ministered in the settlement of Ariel for the past twenty years, sharing the Gospel with Jewish neighbors and with Muslims in the nearby villages. (Click here for their update from the West Bank)

OLIVE OIL SOAP AVAILABLE AT YOUR CHURCH?

Can your church help families in the Holy Land by selling handmade olive oil soap? For several years the Religious Freedom Coalition has offered 100% olive oil soap handmade by Christian families in Samaria. The men of these families are converts from Islam and have been accused of being "collaborators" with Israel. As a result they have death warrants against them and cannot return to their villages. Your church can offer the soap for sale and send the proceeds to the Religious Freedom Coalition. Please call Scott Parker in our office at 202-543-0300. The soap is still available to individuals for just $3.95 per bar! To learn more about this handmade olive oil soap click here or on the image.

TEN COMMANDMENTS

The Ten Commandments are under continued attack by those who want the USA to be a multi-cultural hodgepodge like Great Britain is today. We saw the results of multi-culturism in the London terror attacks last week. We should promote the Judeo-Christian heritage of our nation and that is why I have a Ten Commandments plaque displayed in my office and why I wear Ten Commandments and other "religious" ties to events, even events at the White House. Ten Commandments ties and also Ten Commandments plaques made of Jerusalem stone are available from the Religious Freedom Coalition Internet store. Click on the images to learn more.

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PLEASE TELL SOMEONE ABOUT THESE UPDATES

Please tell your friends about RFC update! In 2005 we are praying to top the 100,000 subscribers mark and you can help. If this e-mail has been forwarded to you, please subscribe at http://www.rfcnet.org/subscribe.asp .

William J. Murray, Chairman

Religious Freedom Coalition, P.O. Box 77511, Washington, DC 20013. Phone: (202) 543-0300

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