LEGISLATIVE UPDATE - WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 1, 2006
HOUSE AND SENATE IN RECESS UNTIL 12/05/2006
NOTE: We have a special at our Internet store on "Under God" Christmas ornaments. Click here for details!
CONGRESS
Next week we will return to our normal weekly legislative updates which will include information on the Pledge Protection Act and other legislation affecting social conservatives
INTERNATIONAL
RFC BOARD MEMBER MINISTERS IN NICARAGUA LEADERS
Rev. Bob Armstrong, RFC Board Member, was part of a team ministering to 700 Nicaraguan preachers and evangelists during the 2006 Nicaraguan Leadership Conference. Over 48,000 pastors/leaders in 13 countries have personally received such training. Ten U.S. pastors participated in the 17th annual Nicaraguan Leadership Conference in three towns (Managua, Leon, and Rivas) inside Nicaragua during the November 8-12, 2006 conference.
Our Board Member prayed with Transito Genaro Tellez, the Mayor of the second largest city in Nicaragua, Leon, during the conference. Rev. Armstrong also met personally for two hours in the private home of Tomas Borge, who years ago was the "architect" of the Sandinista Revolution . Rev. Bob Armstrong states, "The communist Sandinistas from 15-20 years ago are not the same. They have drifted way towards the middle. Of course there are glimpses of socialism, but they really do seek friendship with the United States."
He had some intense discussions with Tomas Borge. The U.S. State Department reports that Tomas Borge is responsible for thousands of killings during the Sandinista Revolution (as reported in my book, NICARAGUA: PORTRAIT OF A TRAGEDY). Bob comments, "Mr. Borge admitted a lot of 'mistakes' were made. I also questioned some government-elect insiders who really played down the supposed role of Chavez from Venezuela. One high government official told me, 'We appreciate the inexpensive oil from Venezuela. But we also know who he is and what kind of a person he really is.'"
Bob also told about his private meeting with Nicaraguan president-elect Daniel Ortega four years ago, "In a politically nice way, I asked Daniel Ortega, 'Now that you have accepted Christ many times for political purposes, how do I know this time it is for real?' His very humble reply, with tears running down his cheeks, was, 'Bob, I am going to have to spend the rest of my life asking people for forgiveness, because of all the harm I have caused!' I sincerely believe there has been a shift which has been caused by a tremendous, genuine, grass roots, evangelical revival happening in the country of Nicaragua."
CHRISTMAS
NO NATIVITY FOR CHRISTMAS
Retailers are grudgingly using the term Merry Christmas after a huge backlash last year in which anything and everything to do with Christ was removed from store signage and advertising, including the word Christmas. Wal-Mart has even placed "Merry Christmas" signs inside its stores. Apparently Mayor Daily and the city of Chicago do not understand that the first six letters of Christmas are C-H-R-I-S-T. The city has told a private organization putting on a Christmas pageant that they should refuse advertising for a movie about the Nativity. Apparently, accepting an advertisement about an "R" rated movie would be fine with Mayor Daily and his advisors. Click here for news report. Will American Christmas become like Finland's Christmas? For many years I commuted from the United States to Russia on Finnair by way of Helsinki and spent many days there. In Finland, Christmas is a huge holiday and everything closes for at least three days, including restaurants and drug stores. The center of the Finnish Christmas is Santa Claus, which they claim as their invention. Although the word "Christmas" is used everywhere, there are virtually no church services and nothing related to the Nativity or to Christ is displayed anywhere. Ask any Finn what Christmas is about and they will proudly reply, "Santa." If the secularists have their way, that will be Christmas in America just a few years from now. From Finnish Web site: "Christmas Day is a time for rest and relaxation. Books brought by Santa Claus are read and food left over from Christmas Eve is eaten." Click here for Finnish Christmas Internet site.
A GAY CHRISTMAS
Homosexual activists publish a very sophisticated buying guide for Christmas that rates manufactures and retailers as to being "gay friendly." If a store, service supplier or manufacturer is in a green box, they are pro-gay and give lots of money to support homosexual causes. Those in a red box are "anti-gay" and according to the homosexual proponents should not be patronized. No Christian organization has the time or money gather the information or produce a guide of this nature. So, my suggestion as you look through the PDF of the guide is to simply use this one and reverse the colors. If it is in a red box, the business is probably not giving big bucks to homosexuals and should be patronized by Bible believing Christians! Click here for "gay guide."
MANY LOVES OF CHRISTMAS
The Many Loves of Christmas is a beautifully illustrated book by Thomas & Nanette Kinkade that we are offering at a price below Amazon.com. Beneath the commercialism of a season our culture now calls "the holidays," true Christmas waits to be rediscovered. It isn't about self-indulgence or shallow "good cheer" that evaporates on December 26. It's about love and giving. Those who celebrate true Christmas reflect this spirit. They are drawn to love total strangers, friends and neighbors, family...and the Christ child Himself. Thomas and Nanette Kinkade share their thoughts, memories, and dreams in a book that honors the newborn King. Thomas Kinkade, the acclaimed "Painter of Light(tm)," has received numerous national awards for his works, including the Lithograph of the Year Award and Artist of the Year from the National Association of Limited Edition Dealers. His paintings adorn galleries in cities worldwide. Thomas and Nanette Kinkade and their four daughters live in northern California. These beautiful books with their personal reminiscences are just $13.59 each! Click here or on the image for more information.
Some of the custom made Religious Freedom Coalition Christmas ornament featuring "under God" 3 dimensionally imposed over the American flag still remain. This is a beautiful 3" high ornament that can be purchased nowhere else! The ornament symbolizes our work to protect the words "under God" in the Pledge to our flag. These ornaments are almost sold out, we have only about 25 left!!! When they are gone they are gone. Click here or on the image for ornament information. We also have men's Christian neck ties in our Christmas store. Proceeds from sales at our Internet store assist us in our work both in the United States and internationally. AND: My autobiography, My Life Without God, which has sold hundreds of thousands of copies, is once again available at the RFC Internet store. For an added contribution to our work I will autograph for you or your friends any of the books I have written. Our store is located at www.rfcstore.com.
OUR CHRISTIAN INTERNET STORES
We have two Internet stores: Find one of a kind items such as those above at our private online store and thousands of Christian books, CD's, DVD's and gifts at our affiliate store! There are literally tens of thousands of Christian themed items available at the affiliate store including jewelry from the Holy Land. It is a great place to shop for Christmas. The store is located at www.rfcstore.deepershopping.com. Please help us with our various projects on Capitol Hill and in the Holy Land by shopping at our affiliate Christian Superstore .
Recommend the RFC update to someone! In 2006 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 , PO Box 77511, Washington, DC 20013 - (202) 543-0300
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Religious Freedom Coalition * Copyright - 2005