Religious Freedom Coalition - Promoting Religious Freedom and Family Based Legislation

Yesterday I was on the same elevator in the Dirksen Senate Office Building with Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) when he was on his way to the Judiciary Committee's final vote on Judge John G. Roberts. As he entered the elevator Senator Kennedy and his aides looked gloomy and I was soon to find out why. His Democrat colleague on the committee, Senator Leahy (D-VT) had already announced his support of Roberts. The final tally had three Democrats crossing party lines to vote for Roberts, including Senators Kohl and Feingold of Wisconsin. Those Democrats on the far left who hold seats on the Judiciary Committee voted against Roberts despite the obvious superior intellect he showed during the hearings. Judge Roberts is an intellectual giant compared to those Democrats who questioned him for days. The names of those voting against Roberts are well known to the public for their shrill left-wing rhetoric. They were Senators Feinstein, Biden, Schumer, Durbin and Kennedy. One of the Democrats voting for Roberts, Senator Kohl (D-WI) said, "Judge Roberts came before this committee as a very well respected judge with a sterling academic record and remarkable legal career. He leaves this committee with that reputation intact, if not enhanced." There is now no way for Senator Kennedy to lead a filibuster against Judge Roberts on the floor of the Senate and his confirmation should come next week with as many as 70 votes. An aside: I was wearing a red tie with Christian symbols on it as Senator Ted Kennedy entered the elevator with our group. He looked at my tie the way you would expect Dracula to look at a wooden stake.

KATRINA

There is absolute turmoil inside the Congress as to what to do about the Katrina damage. Here is the fundamental question Congress must answer: Should someone who did not buy any insurance or who bought improper or too little insurance wind up better off that those who did buy enough insurance and paid the premiums year after year? Should those who worked hard and saved money be forced to use their savings to rebuild while those who did not work and never saved a dime are given huge checks by the government? Is it fair to hand cash to someone who was unemployed at the time of the disaster to spend at a topless bar and tell those who were employed to apply for unemployment and spend their savings to make up the difference in lost income? The Democrats want to hand out checks to the "poor folks" who lost virtually nothing, and raise taxes on the people who lost their property in order to pay the tab. My sense is that the Republicans have a similar plan, but instead of raising taxes on property owners, they want to borrow the money and let someone pay it back at some future date. Neither plan makes sense to me. Should not those who lost something be helped more than those who lost virtually nothing? I think so. I also believe that those who failed to purchase insurance should pay the price of rebuilding, not those who did buy insurance.

THE PRESIDENT

THE PRESIDENT AND NEW ORLEANS

It's Friday, do you know where your President is? He may very well be on his way to Louisiana or Texas where hurricane Rita is about to hit. He has made at least six trips to the area since the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, but you would not know that from news media reports. The "mainstream" media is so busy reporting on what President George W. Bush is doing wrong and how bad his poll numbers are that they don't report on where he is or what he is doing.

THE PRESIDENT AND CINDY

Meanwhile press hound Cindy Sheehan pulled the three RV's of her "peace" caravan into Washington, DC on Wednesday with about one hundred media vehicles behind her. The media laps up and reports every word she says, particularly on CNN, but they fail to interview the parents of those who are proud of their sons and daughters who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Cindy has made some interesting statements including this one: "You get America out of Iraq and Israel out of Palestine and you'll stop the terrorism." She also said that her son had joined the military to fight "for America, not for Israel." Her statements are so far out of the realm of reality that Senator Hillary Clinton held a private, almost secret meeting with her in New York. Once news of the meeting leaked in the Village Voice, Clinton told the news media that now was not the time to leave Iraq. ***Leaving the White House on Wednesday I noticed that one of Sheehan's RV's was allowed to double park in front of a hotel two blocks from the White House. Funny, the DC police have never allowed me to double park anywhere in that city.***

INTERNATIONAL

DAVID ORTIZ VISITS THE HILL

I have mentioned David and Leah Ortiz many times in this update and in the Chairman's Report. David ministers full time to Arabs and Jews in the West Bank. He and his family have lived in Israel for 20 years and in the West Bank settlement of Ariel for 15 years. He and his children have served in the IDF in defense of Israel, yet he takes the Gospel of Jesus Christ to Palestinians. This week he and his wife made their first visit ever to Capitol Hill. While here he had the opportunity to tell many influential people about the actual "on the ground" situation in Samaria. On Thursday he and I visited for some time with Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) who has a keen interest in the plight of Christians in the Middle East. David told the Senator that as the Palestinian Authority takes control of areas such as Bethlehem the situation of Christians continues to deteriorate. He gave the Senator specific cases of murder and torture that have occurred since the death of Yassar Arafat and the coming to power of Mahmoud Abbas.

ISRAEL BRIEFING

RFC staff member Scott Parker attended the monthly briefing of the Christian Grassroots Network at the Israeli Embassy this week. Mr. David Siegel, Spokesman for the Embassy, discussed the regional and international implications of Israel's recent disengagement from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank. He emphasized that this process was not a matter of a few thousand Israelis being affected, but rather divided the entire nation into opposing Orange and Blue camps. The disengagement was successful, however, and now it is the Palestinian leadership under trial - not the Israelis. (Click here to read full report on briefing.)

OLIVE OIL SOAP AVAILABLE AT YOUR CHURCH?

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. Please order a few bars of Peace Soap to help these persecuted Christians. Your church can also offer the soap for sale and send the proceeds to the Religious Freedom Coalition. The soap is available to individuals for just $3.95 per bar! To learn more about this handmade olive oil soap click here or on the image.

THE WEST'S LAST CHANCE

Tony Blankley is no crackpot; he is an editor at the Washington Times. He believes Islamic jihadists are far closer than most people realize to taking over Europe. If they do, they'll impose governments there that would threaten the United States far more than Nazi Germany ever did. But there is still hope to save both Europe and America: in The West's Last Chance: Will We Win the Clash of Civilizations? , Tony Blankley explains what we must do now in order to survive the jihadist infiltration and subversion that now threatens Europe's very life.

HELP GET THE TRUTH IN YOUR LIBRARY!

My good friend Janet Folger has a national daily radio show which I have appeared on many times. Her new book, The Criminalization of Christianity , is an absolute must read because it addresses the very issue of stripping God from public view in America. The lead story in our update about "under God" in the pledge is one of the areas she touches upon. This book is probably NOT in your local library and it needs to be there. I have drastically reduced the price to urge you to buy it, read it and then DONATE IT to your local library. Buy a second copy and try to get it into your high school library as well. There are ways to fight back, and this is one of them! Click here or on image for more information.

PLEASE TELL SOMEONE ABOUT THESE UPDATES

Recommend the RFC update to someone! 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 AND FINALLY: Click here to help with the work of the Religious Freedom Coalition.

William J. Murray, Chairman

Religious Freedom Coalition , PO Box 77511, Washington, DC 20013 - (202) 543-0300

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This publication is a service of the Religious Freedom Coalition (RFC). Links to political and other sites are for informational purposes and do not constitute endorsement. No statement is intended to assist or defeat any candidate running for public office.

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