TOPIC: D-List Slander of Jesus Sparks Grass Roots Campaign

Article from christiansunite.com

"Enough is enough!" is the headline of a full-page USA Today ad purchased by a consortium of Christian actors, singers, dancers, crew and managers sending a message about hurtful and insensitive attitudes toward the Christian faith coming out of Hollywood. Kathy Griffin's blasphemous Emmy Award acceptance speech - that slandered Jesus Christ and was bleeped out during the national awards show telecast on E! - provoked action from The Miracle Theater of Pigeon Forge, TN that ran the almost $100,000 ad on Monday, September 17. That evening before millions of viewers, Larry King on his nightly CNN broadcast held up the ad and bantered with the "D-List" star about growing public discontent.
Most recently, The Miracle Theater's cast and management have expanded the campaign to give the public a voice on the matter, and thousands (52,800+ when I signed) of concerned Americans have already responded by signing the "One Million for Christ" petition at (www.MiracleTheater.com).
It states, "The name of Jesus Christ should not be mocked, nor should those who love Him be slandered for their beliefs. It is time for people of faith around the country to stand firm against religious slander, bias, and bigotry of all types including Christianity." Russ Hollingsworth, The Miracle Theater General Manager, says, "It seems like Christianity is the only religion that it's acceptable to persecute. It made my heart sick to see people in the audience at the Emmy's laughing at Griffin's remarks. It should not be acceptable to mock anyone's faith. We have to start changing the hearts and minds of people on this subject!"
"We believe that every American has the right to worship freely and to speak freely," Hollingsworth continues. "We believe, however, that as Christians, we should not accept mockery of our Lord quietly. When word reached our cast that a Hollywood celebrity had stood before TV cameras and said such vulgar things about Christ, they were moved to do something. It's just not okay anymore to mock Christians and Jesus with impunity."
The idea for the "One Million for Christ" petition came about after the theater's ad appeared Monday morning in USA TODAY; many people were looking for a way to speak out on the matter. Those interested in standing alongside the theater to defend the Christian faith can sign the petition online at the theater's website, or they may call at 1-800- 768-1170 to be added to the petition.
In the end, the petition will be presented to the media."Over 2,000 years ago, Jesus was mocked and few stood up for him," begins The USA Today ad that launched the grass roots campaign. "We, at the Miracle Theater, consider it an honor to stand for Jesus today. We may never win a national award. We may never be household names. We may never be seen in Hollywood. Although others may choose to use their national platform to slander our God, we are honored as professional entertainers to stand for Christ."

The Miracle Theater produces wholesome family entertainment and faith-based live theatrical productions. They launched the "One Million for Chris" petition drive on Sept. 16.

TOPIC: Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust to Confront Democratic Party at 2008 Convention

Article from christiansunite.com

The Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust, along with the Christian Defense Coalition, will be holding demonstrations, prayer vigils, and rallies surrounding the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado in August 2008.
The Survivors announced the events at a press conference at Speer Boulevard and Chopper Circle in Denver on Tuesday, September 18th. The prominent pro-life youth activist organization is based out of Southern California, with chapters and projects across the country. The Survivors have led successful events at previous political conventions, including the Democratic National Conventions in Los Angeles in 2000 and Boston in 2004.

Danielle Versluys, Director of Special Events for the Survivors, states, "we are coming to the Democratic National Convention to be a voice for the voiceless minority - the thousands of innocent children who die every day in America. Our elected leaders are responsible for all American lives, whether born or preborn, and it is time for the youth of America to say enough is enough. We are calling the Democratic Party to account for their embrasure of the genocide."

"As a Survivor of America's abortion holocaust, I am disgusted and outraged that the Democratic Party continues to uphold murder as an American value," says James Conrad, age 22. "My family was torn apart by abortion, and I know firsthand what the effects of that terrible decision can be. I will be at the Convention on behalf of my generation, exposing the lie of abortion that has resulted in the murder of over 45,000,000 of my peers."

TOPIC: The Inaccuracy of Kathy Griffin's Remarks on Jesus

Editorial by Lauren Green of FOXNews.com

I just don't understand comedian Kathy Griffin. Please understand that I like her. She's been on the FOX News Channel quite a bit and for the brief times we've talked, I've found her to be funny and self-effacing.
So, it puzzled me at first, then angered me second, that she would accept an award and then insult a man who preached love and acceptance. Why would someone do that? William Donohue of the Catholic League was so angry that he used the “b” word to describe her (rhymes with rich).
In case you haven't yet heard, on Saturday night at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, Kathy Griffin won a trophy for her show, "My Life on the D-List." Griffin is sort of the female Rodney Dangerfield. Her gimmick is that she's an entertainer who doesn't get a lot of respect. When she accepted her long-awaited award, she said: "A lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this award. I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus."
Now I could have been mildly insulted at that and turned the other cheek, as the founder of Christianity taught. But then she went on to say "Suck it, Jesus. This award is my God now."
Needless to say, she offended me and millions of other Christians. I don't know what went through her mind and why she would think that was cutting edge or even funny. But first, I want to actually show you that, in fact, Kathy Griffin is wrong. Jesus had everything to do with her winning that award.
And here's the reasoning. Jesus died on a cross 2,000 years ago. His dying words were, "Forgive them Father for they know not what they do." He died and they buried him in a rock cut tomb. Three days later, as the Bible says, he rose from the dead. That day is what Christians celebrate as Easter. After the resurrection, Christianity began to take off like wildfire, spreading from the Middle East northward to Europe and westward into Ethiopia. In 300 A.D. Emperor Constantine accepted Christianity and it became the religion of Europe. Rome soon became the seat of the faith. After several years of human failings, the church went through conflicts and quite a few unbiblical years — the crusades and the inquisition to name just two. Out of that came the Reformation — the reforming of the Church, sort of a back-to-basics Bible and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Out of the Reformation emerged a vision of law by Samuel Rutherford, called Lex is Rex, Law is King. From that, others devised a secular version that is used to help lay the foundation of government for a new land called America.
Ninety-four percent of America's founding era documents mention the Bible; 34 percent quote the Bible directly. The idea of bringing unity to the universal is a particularly Biblical concept. The freedoms we enjoy in this country to speak freely and to live freely are directly related to that man who died on a cross 2,000 years ago. So, you see, Kathy Griffin, Jesus has everything to do with you winning that award.
You live in a free country where your abilities can be recognized if you're willing to work hard enough. That's at least the dream of America. If you'd been born in many other parts of the world, your daily activity might involve seeking out a way to survive, or even trying to avoid persecution and death. Luxuries like pursuing a career in the entertainment industry would never have been realized; luxuries like being able to insult the founder of a religion of forgiveness and acceptance would not have been possible.
Kathy Griffin, just because you "can" say something, doesn't mean you "should." When you say "suck it, Jesus," you didn't just insult Christianity … you insulted the very reason you've prospered.

TOPIC: Larry Charles Pleads No Contest to Sexual Abuse Charges

Follow-up from FOXNews.com

A Philadelphia defense attorney who was found naked with a 14-year-old girl in a city courthouse pleaded no contest to charges of sexually assaulting the teen and five other girls. Larry Charles, 50, entered the pleas on Monday, the day his trial was scheduled to begin. Authorities have said a sheriff's deputy making his rounds in the courthouse on Jan. 15, 2007, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, looked into a lawyers' lounge and discovered Charles and the girl.
Charles, who often worked in the courthouse as a criminal defense attorney, was charged with rape and related offenses in that case. After his arrest, five other girls came forward and testified that Charles assaulted them. Some of the girls testified they were assaulted multiple times over several years. The girls — who were ages 5 to 10 at the time of the alleged attacks and are now ages 11 to 17 — testified the encounters occurred in motels, Charles' office, on the street while trick-or-treating at Halloween, and in the lounge and a court anteroom.
Charles was charged in those cases with multiple counts of rape, sexual assault, corruption of a minor and other charges. He pleaded no contest to all the counts. After entering the no contest pleas, Charles' bail was revoked and he was sent to prison, pending his sentencing on Dec. 20. Prosecutors said they plan to recommend a sentence of 25 to 50 years in prison. An attempt to reach Charles' lawyer, Angelo L. Cameron, for comment was not successful. A woman answering the phone at his listed office telephone number said that he did not live there, then hung up.

TOPIC: Vanessa Hudgens Should Be Fired!

Some excerpts from a FOXNews.com article

Following the appearance on the Web of a nude photo of Vanessa Hudgens, an insider reportedly said the "High School Musical" actress once sent risqué photos of herself to Nickelodeon star Drake Bell. "Drake says he never received those photos," Bell's rep, Jill Fritzo, told People regarding the images that began hitting blogs last Thursday.
The Walt Disney Co. is sticking with the star of its wildly successful "High School Musical" franchise, despite her "lapse in judgment" in posing for racy photos that were leaked to the Internet.
Vanessa Hudgens apologized Friday for the photos, which show her smiling as she posed naked and in underwear in a bedroom with a red curtain behind her. "Vanessa has apologized for what was obviously a lapse in judgment," said Disney Channel spokeswoman Patti McTeague. "We hope she's learned a valuable lesson."

Personally, I hope Disney will learn a "valuable lesson" about putting money before morals. I hope they loose the trust of parents across the country; the would-be revenue from HSM3 and its subsequent related marketing (tours, toys, DVDs, CDs, etc).

What Vanessa Hudgens did is WRONG. Unless she took the nude photo after December '06, she was also a minor. Furthermore, her "lapse of judgment" is more than that. It's a betrayal of the values her character represents. Gabriela Montez is a wholesome girl. Hudgens obviously isn't. Why would Disney betray parents seeking to teach their children good values?!?

That's a rhetorical question -- I already know the answer. It's MONEY! If Disney can make this story go away quick enough, everyone will have forgotten Hudgens' porno pic by the time all of the CDs, tours and toys hit the shelves for Christmas. It will be ancient history by the time High School Musical 3 is released. After all, the sequel to 2006's hit High School Musical premiered on Disney Channel last month attracting more than 17 million viewers. That made it the summer's most-watched TV program.

Hudgens is a superstar among the preteen set, and Disney has spun a wide merchandising net around the series with albums and concert tours. She and Efron date in real life, making them big attractions for celebrity magazines. The films' wholesome nature — for a company that has made its name on family-friendly fare for generations — is a big part of its success. Parents can relax with their children watching, knowing it won't make for any uncomfortable questions. If Disney executives had cut ties to Hudgens, not wanting the company's name associated with anything not G-rated, they would have run the risk of upsetting a formula that has made the company millions upon millions of dollars.

BUT, Disney is once again talking out of both sides of their marketing mouth. One on hand, they want to present themselves as a company that cares about family values. On the other, they are counting on the cash cow that Vanessa Hudgens, Zac Efron and the gang represent. It's in Disney fiscal interest to support Vanessa Hudgins. BUT, it's in our best interest, as parents, to tell Disney they should drop Hudgens and support family values, period.

I'm not trying to be mean to Vanessa. She may be full of remorse. Hudgens told her fans she was sorry. "I am embarrassed over this situation and regret having ever taken these photos," she said. "I am thankful for the support of my family and friends." BUT, an apology doesn't excuse what she did -- and it doesn't mean she should not face the consequences of her actions -- especially in light of the developing story that his is NOT the first time she has posed for and sent salacious pictures to sexual interests. And the first set of pictures were taken when she was a minor.

As for comments made by fans and parents of fans...

"That's her private life, not her public life. That picture got leaked by somebody who broke a trust with her," said Michele Smith of Westborough, Mass., whose 8-year-old daughter Kathryn is a devoted "High School Musical" fan.

Mrs. Smith, morals are morals. Vanessa Hudgens showed a lack of moral fiber by taking nude photos of herself. Remember, she isn't married to Zac Efron. They have NO business communicating with each other in a sexual manner outside the bounds of marriage. Private or public life, it's WRONG.

Dropping her from future movies or other "High School Musical" projects would not only be unfair to Hudgens but to fans such as Kathryn, Smith said. "If Vanessa is not in the movie, my daughter would not be so excited to see it," she said. Smith said she hopes that Kathryn doesn't hear about the photo but, if she does, she's prepared to talk about it. She'll say that it's something private for Vanessa that shouldn't have been shared.

This Mrs. Smith also missed the point. This story is really about sexual relations between unmarried teenagers. Mrs. Smith, do you want Kathryn having sex with some random teenage boy when she's 17 or 18? I doubt it. If you TRULY espouse traditional family values to your daughter, you'll tell Kathryn to wait until she's married. Vanessa Hudgens is NOT the poster child for those values!

The best thing for Disney was to do nothing, said Michael Levine, a Hollywood image consultant and author of 18 books. "What they shouldn't do is make a bigger deal out of it than is necessary," he said. "The picture is not salacious."

So, just because Vanessa is not doing a Paris Hilton head-bob or a Pamela Anderson groan-fest, there's nothing wrong with what she did? Mr. Levine, I seriously question your moral acuity. Do you even know the difference between right and wrong?

The bottom line is that Vanessa Anne Hudgens is obviously not the typical girl-next-door -- unless you live next door to the Playboy Mansion. Hudgens is not the poster child for the kind of values portrayed in HSM or HSM2. Her "lapse of judgment" should have REAL CONSEQUENCES.

Here are a couple questions to ponder --

How many parents would so easily excuse their young teenage daughters sending amateur porn pics to boys via email or over the Internet?

How many parents would say it's a private matter if their son was receiving porn pics from an underage girl they worked with for a week or two?

Disney should fire Vanessa Hudgens and send a message to all other would-be juvenile seductresses: "We will support traditional family values. If you're not on-board with those values, then you're not on-board with us."

TOPIC: A Christian Statesman Has Gone Home
Rev. D. James Kennedy, Broadcaster, Dies at 76

Article by NEELA BANERJEE

[For some reason, Ms. Banerjee has a problem calling Dr. Kennedy by his proper title. Yet, she entitles Barry Lynn "reverend" as though it means something. ???]

The Rev. D. James Kennedy, a Christian broadcaster and the pastor of a Florida megachurch who played a critical role in the rise of conservative Christianity, died yesterday at his home in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He was 76. The cause was not immediately known, said Kristin Cole, a church spokeswoman, but Mr. Kennedy suffered permanent damage from heart arrhythmia last December and had been undergoing rehabilitative therapy since then.

From the founding of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale 48 years ago, Mr. Kennedy became an indefatigable and persuasive voice urging Christians to take on a broader culture that, in his view, had begun to decay.

He argued that the decline was due to society’s increasing secularization and hostility to Christianity, said Frank Wright, a friend and the chief executive of the National Religious Broadcasters Association. Though not as well known to the broader public as the late Rev. Jerry Falwell or the Rev. Pat Robertson, Mr. Kennedy provided much of the theology that attracted millions of Christians into the camp of the religious right, said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. “He was absolutely relentless in his criticism of everything on the left,” Mr. Lynn said. “He was a formidable creator of an opposition to what people like I believe.”

Mr. Kennedy stayed largely in the background as men like Mr. Falwell, Mr. Robertson and James C. Dobson of Focus on the Family spoke to Americans about the need to curtail abortion rights, gay rights and the teaching of evolution. But over the last decade, he, too, grew more openly active, creating the Center for Reclaiming America for Christ, which held conferences that taught people to how to get involved in the political process. The center closed in April.

Mr. Kennedy opened the Center for Christian Statesmanship in Washington to equip evangelicals on Capitol Hill to be more effective in government. He was also instrumental in establishing the Alliance Defense Fund, an increasingly active Christian counterweight to secular civil liberties groups.

“For decades, Dr. Kennedy has been a passionate defender of biblical truth in a culture that increasingly forgot it,” Dr. Dobson said in a statement. “He was a giant in the battle to restore traditional values in our nation.”

Kennedy accepted Jesus after the message of a radio preacher woke him one Sunday morning. In Mr. Kennedy’s often-repeated account, which appears on his Web site, the preacher asked: “Suppose you were to die today and stand before God, and he were to ask you, ‘What right do you have to enter into my heaven?’— what would you say?”

In 1967, he started an “evangelism clinic” called Evangelism Explosion, which taught Christians how to spread the Gospel. Mr. Kennedy’s Coral Ridge Ministries, which includes radio and television, says it now has an audience of 3.5 million people, according to the group’s Web site. “Coral Ridge Hour,” a weekly sermon by Mr. Kennedy, is broadcast in more than 145 countries and on more than 600 stations.

Mr. Kennedy also founded a seminary and a school and wrote more than 65 books. Mr. Kennedy worked with other evangelicals to articulate the core beliefs of what would become the religious right. Mr. Kennedy spoke sharply against gay rights and abortion rights. But he thought the greatest threat to society was the fact that public education had left prayer out of the classroom and continued to teach evolution, Mr. Wright said. “When people feel that they are the product of some accident and not the intended creation of God, they are filled with a sense of hopelessness and there is an almost pagan barbarianism in the way some people would act,” Mr. Wright said.

TOPIC: US Open - Day 7: The Moon is in Venus
Rafa Nadal won his last ten games to beat Joey Tsonga in straight sets (mentioned in my earlier post). Venus Williams is leading Serbian tennis hottie Ana Ivanovic 6-4, 2-0 as I type. Venus is playing like she could reach the moon. Ivanovic looks hot, as always. But Ana really isn't playing up to her ability. She seems sluggish in the third game of the second set. Ivanovic needs to attack Williams' serve more. Ivanovic, who is ranked #5 in the world, has the power and accuracy to pressure Venus. From the looks of the match thus far, I'd say Venus will retire Ana in two sets. Even though I like Venus, I'd like to see Ana Ivanovic win. A ranking of number five is not shabby, but she's not a household name either. It's always exciting to see younger, lesser-known players break the ranks and move into grand slam finals.

More to come tonight...

TOPIC: US Open - Day 7: Nadal Leading Against Tsonga
Well, I gave my wife and kids a chance to take a break from tennis this afternoon; offering to change over to Nextel Cup Racing... or another channel. Everyone wanted to watch tennis -- our 7 year old son wanting to once again count Rafa's butt crack snacks. We all laughed, but decided not to keep count again. Really, that's just gross! Anyway, as I type, Spaniard Rafael Nadal has a 7-6 lead against Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Serena Williams ended Marion Bartoli's hopes of reaching the semi's earlier this morning, in a convincing 6-3, 6-4 win.
I was disappointed to see John Isner put down so easily by Roger Federer yesterday. Yes, I know Federer is ranked number one and Isner is a newbie. BUT, Isner has flown through his first two rounds -- and was looking good to keep going. As is his way, Federer quietly took his game to Isner; and won in just three sets.
James Blake didn't have as easy a time as Federer, but I'm glad to see him advance. Blake is a classy guy whom I'd like to see win the 2007 US Open. We'll see what he does later this evening.

TOPIC: US Open - Day 6: Sharapova is OUT!
That's right! The returning ladies champion and all too self-confident Maria Sharapova is now just a spectator at the US Open. A relatively unknown 18 year old Polish cutie named Agnieszka Radwanska retired the shreak-queen, Sharapova, just a few minutes ago -- 6-4, 1-6, 6-2.
Radwanska, who is actually ranked #30, was thought to be a walk-over for glamor girl Maria. However, the quiet Pole played tough, shaking Sharapova into giving up at least eight double faults.
As you may be able to discern, I'm not a Sharapova fan, but I do respect her talent. That makes the defeat even more of a surprise for many. While I've never even heard of Radwanska before today, I won't forget her name now. She has put the world's number 2 women's tennis player on the bench -- with such style that she may work her way into my personal top 5 favorites.
Looking forward, the bottom half of the ladies draw is now wide open. Actually, I'm hoping Agnieszka Radwanska will make it to the quarterfinals. If she continues to play like she did today, she has a very good chance. Go Aggie!

More to come later today... Indian hottie Sania Mirza is playing... Roddick is leading Johansson 5-3 in the first set... Federer and my new fav on the men's side, John Isner, play later.