World's Leading Internet Evangelist Bill Keller 'Debates' Oprah, the High Priestess of the New Age Movement

Article by ChristiansUnite.com Staff
Liveprayer.com founder Bill Keller has engaged in a "high tech cyber debate" with the most powerful woman in the media, Oprah Winfrey, who Keller called "the most dangerous woman on the planet" in a recent FOX News appearance.
Keller, who reaches over 2.4 million subscribers worldwide every day with his Daily Devotional, and hundreds of thousands more on his "live" TV program seen now exclusively at LivePrayer.com ever Mon-Fri at 10pm EDT, has been exposing Oprah for years to his audience as a false prophet who is leading the souls of millions to hell. Keller contends the New Age teachings Oprah promotes, lead people away from Biblical Truth and faith in Jesus Christ, which the Bible states is the only way to be saved.
Keller has called these New Age teachings "spiritual crack," since they make people feel good for a short period, but leave them wanting more, and ultimately put them on a road to destruction. Keller commented, "Oprah is free to believe whatever she wants. However, she claims to be a Christian, yet denies that Jesus is the only way to be saved, and the Bible is the only Truth. She clearly has no idea what being a Christian means, since she is being used as a tool of satan to lead the souls of men to hell with these New Age lies she promotes." You can see this "high tech cyber debate" at YouTube.com.

About Bill Keller
The press has crowned him the Dr. Phil of Prayer and the next big thing in mass media religion. Bill Keller is the host of Live Prayer with Bill Keller, the nation's only live call-in faith and values-based program airing exclusively on the internet. The program deals head-on with issues ranging from divorce, homosexuality, abortion, sexual abuse, pornography, drug addiction, radical Islam, race relations, spousal abuse, false prophets and more, from a conservative, biblical worldview. Live Prayer is unscripted and unedited, giving it a fresh and totally spontaneous approach to problem solving. The program can be seen live, Monday through Friday at 10PM EST, and 24/7 through programs archived on LivePrayer.com. For information please visit www.liveprayer.com

About Live Prayer.com
In 1999, Keller launched LivePrayer.com, which has become the most successful online faith outreach in history. Since its inception, LivePrayer.com has responded personally to more than 60 million online requests for prayer. Additionally, Keller's Live Prayer devotional is received daily by nearly 2.5 million email subscribers, making Keller devotional one of the most read e-communications in the world. For information on where to watch Live Prayer in your area, visit www.liveprayer.com

TOPIC: 'Hannah Montana' star: I do everything for Jesus
Article & photo from ChristianToday.com
"Hannah Montana" star Miley Cyrus and her best friend Mandy Jiroux recently declared their love for Jesus, saying everything they do is for Him. In their Easter installment of "The Miley and Mandy Show" on YouTube, 20-year-old Jiroux, who performs as a back-up dancer for the popular teen star, reads a question from a fan who asked if the girls were Christian.
The squeaky-clean duo emphatically respond, "Yes!" "Yes! We love Jesus!" says Cyrus, 15, as she nods her head in agreement. "Happy Easter, by the way. He died for our sins. That's how awesome he is. Jesus rocks! That's why we do what we do," the Hannah Montana star adds. "She (Mandy) dances for Jesus. I sing, dance and act for Jesus! ... Now that I think about it, I do everything for Jesus. We make the YouTube videos for Jesus. We’re all about it."
Her comments should come as no surprise to fans who have been following her career. Cyrus, who plays a high school teen with an alter-identity as a pop singer on the hit Disney Channel show, has been very vocal about her faith. She recently credited her family and faith for keeping her grounded in an interview with TV presenter Barbara Walters that aired for the Oscars. “Some people don’t have a family to fall back on, like I have, and that’s when something greater than even that comes in – and that’s faith and that’s what I have for me,” Cyrus told Walters, according to ABC News. “That’s what keeps me strong.”
In an appearance on Oprah last year, Cyrus had also mentioned church as the source of her strength. When asked to name her favorite Bible verse, she referred to Ephesians 6:10-11, stating "Finally, my brother, come close to the Lord for if you put on the full armour of God you can stand against the wiles of a devil."
Her most recent movie release, "The Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour", has grossed over $63 million. Cyrus' next project will be "The Hannah Montana Movie”, slated for a May, 2009 debut.

TOPIC: ESPN Anchor Sinks to New Low with Christian Bashing
Article from ChristiansUnite.com
ESPN's anchorwoman Dana Jacobson ought to be fired for her bigoted, anti- Christian tirade at a recent ESPN function, says Dr. Gary Cass, Chairman and CEO of the Christian Anti- Defamation Commission. Speaking at an event in Atlantic City, N.J., to honor ESPN Radio personalities Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic let go with vulgar remarks like "F--- Notre Dame," "F--- Touchdown Jesus" and finally "F--- Jesus."

"The hypocrisy and double standards are outrageous," said Dr. Cass. "If she were a Christian and said the same things about Jews, Blacks, homosexuals or Muslims, the Jewish Anti-Defamation League, or the NAACP, or the Human Rights Commission or the Council on American-Islamic Relations, aided and abetted by the politically correct media, would demand nothing less than internment in rehab, court ordered psychiatric evaluations, mandated psychotropic drugs and a humiliating public apology."

Celebrities such as actor Mel Gibson, radio host Don Imus and bounty hunter Duane "Dog" Chapman have suffered career setbacks after making offensive remarks and have spent countless hours trying to placate the aggrieved groups. This situation is no different and the consequences should be the same.
"Because she was allegedly intoxicated at a bawdy event, this is supposed to mollify her critics. But people speak out of the abundance of their heart. Alcohol reveals a dark, hateful heart, it does not cause it," said Dr. Cass. The CADC is calling on people of faith to contact ESPN and register their disapproval of anti-Christian bigotry.

E-mail ESPN: espn_inc@espn.com
Call ESPN: 860-766-2000

The Christian Anti-Defamation Commission is a non-profit organization devoted to protecting the rights of Christians to confidently live their faith. Dr. Gary Cass has degrees from Westminster Theological Seminary. He previously served as Executive Director of the Center for Reclaiming America for Christ, an outreach of Coral Ridge Ministries founded by the late Dr. D. James Kennedy.

TOPIC: Resist Aggression Towards Those Who Belittle our Faith, says Joel Edwards

Article from ChristianityToday.com

In his 2007 Christmas message, the Rev Joel Edwards has called on Christians and non-Christians alike to be tolerant of each other. The General Director of the Evangelical Alliance has addressed the question of how we embrace and worship Christ while living in multi-faith communities. He said that tolerance means people who are free not to worship should avoid making life difficult for those of us who do, but also called on Christians not to respond aggressively. “We must resist the urge to react to any belittling of our belief or our intellect with aggression.” Mr. Edwards said that Christians seem to encounter a “Herodian attitude which takes offence at the Christmas story and demonstrates a passionate intolerance to faith” and cites examples this year such as Christina Odone not being allowed to comment on Christianity at a carol service.
However, he said Christians should take their example from Jesus: “In his birth, which drew the poor and the rich, the frail and the strong, the Jew and the Gentile, we see the pattern for the rest of Jesus’ life, typified by a gracious and welcoming tolerance of diversity, but with a forthright and outspoken intolerance of narrow mindedness. He would walk with sinners, touch lepers and mingle with the poor. Our acceptance and welcome of those who do not think or look like us is surely to our credit. Even if we disagree with secular humanists we can at least acknowledge their starting point: a genuine passion of including those on the margins of power and influence.”
Mr. Edwards also praised the tolerance evident in people of other faiths: “Although people of other faiths may not bow down and worship Jesus, in the UK they have never attempted to prevent Christians from doing so. In a tolerant Britain which truly embraces diversity, freedom means the liberty to worship Christ the King. Christmas was never meant to be an imposition: it is an invitation to worship.”

TOPIC: 'Gays' Mock Jesus with Last Supper Take-Off-Bread and Wine Replaced with 'Sex Toys'

Article from christiansunite.com

Organizers of San Francisco's hedonistic Folsom Street Fair - sponsored by Miller Brewing, Co. - have portrayed Christ and His disciples as half-naked homosexual sadomasochists in the event's promotional advertisement. The bread and wine representing Christ's broken body and lifegiving blood are replaced with sadomasochistic sex toys in this twisted version of Da Vinci's The Last Supper.
"A picture's worth a thousand words," said Matt Barber (quoted below), Policy Director for Cultural Issues with Concerned Women for America (CWA). "Scripture says that God is not mocked, yet it doesn't stop people from trying. As evidenced by this latest stunt, open ridicule of Christianity is unfortunately very common within much of the homosexual community."

'Gay' activists disingenuously call Christians 'haters' and 'homophobes' for honoring the Bible, but then lash out in this hateful manner toward the very people they accuse. In their version of The Last Supper, Christ, Who gave His life for our sins, is despicably replaced by sin itself as the object of worship.

We're calling on California's elected officials - Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Governor Schwarzenegger and Senators Feinstein and Boxer - to publicly condemn this unprovoked attack against Christ and His followers. We further challenge the media to cover this affront to Christianity with the same vigor as recent stories about cartoon depictions of Mohammed and other items offensive to the Muslim community.
"What's equally shocking and offensive," continued Barber, "is the fact that California taxpayers are forced to help foot the bill for the Folsom Street Fair." The City of San Francisco sanctions the event, shuts down several city blocks and provides police for security. The most unimaginable and vile acts of debauchery are commonplace during the fair.

Senator Larry Craig was arrested and driven out of the Senate for allegedly soliciting public 'gay' sex, yet during this event the city of San Francisco suspends the law and allows 'gay' men and women to parade the streets fully nude, many having sex - even group orgies - in broad daylight, while taxpayer funded police officers look on and do absolutely nothing.

The mainstream media should cover this event with cameras in hand. There's an unbelievable news story here. The Folsom Street Fair is reminiscent of Biblical Sodom and Gomorrah, and the media should document exactly what the city of San Francisco is allowing to occur - in public - in the name of 'tolerance.'

Concerned Women for America is the nation's largest public policy women's organization.

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: 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: 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: Throw Out Pre-Conceived Notions of Christianity

Article by Lillian Kwon of Christian Today

"I want you to throw out your pre-conceived notions about Christianity for a moment and think about what Jesus said," a national evangelist told thousands seated at the Amphitheater at California State University Stanislaus. "Who better to tell us what God is like than Jesus?" posed Greg Laurie at the Central Valley Harvest Crusade, his third evangelistic outreach this summer.
Some 48,000 people flocked to the Harvest Crusade with thousands more watching top Christian artists perform and Laurie preach via live webcasts. The evangelistic crusade has been months in the making, involving around 150 churches and 3,000 local volunteers.
Addressing pre-conceived views of Christianity that some visitors may have brought to the three-night event, Laurie affirmed what many believe – that there are hypocrites in the church.

"I'd like to say to you that there are no hypocrites in the church, but there are because the church is made of real people," said Laurie Saturday night. But "just because there are hypocrites doesn't mean that's going to get you off the hook when you stand before God", the evangelist and Southern California pastor stressed. "Jesus didn't say 'follow my people'. He said 'follow me'," he highlighted. "Jesus will never let you down."

Speaking to those who may view Christianity as a religion of rules and regulations, Laurie mimicked such a person saying, "Ah, man. God is just out to ruin our lives. With all of its rules and regulations, who wants to get into that kind of thing?"
When Laurie had his Christ decision-making moment in high school, he did not originally set out to become a Christian. He was part of the party scene and had a mother who divorced seven times. And he thought Christians were Jesus freaks. "A lot of us are like that. I'm going to draw my own picture of [who] God [is]," Laurie told the Harvest crowd. And he did not deny that sin can be fun. "It's fun to sin for a while. We've all had fun. But it comes with a penalty," he warned. "It (sin) promises freedom but it brings slavery," said Laurie. "It promises pleasure but it ultimately brings misery."
Rather than judging from their own views, Laurie asked the crowd to see what Jesus says about what God is like. Like the renowned story Jesus told of the prodigal son and the father, God will throw His arms around you and say "Welcome home, son/daughter," said Laurie.
Nearly 4,000 people accepted Jesus Christ over the August 24-26 event. Laurie's next Harvest preaching is slated for New York on September 23.

TOPIC: Egos and Division in the Church Body

Cartoon from Church Mice

This Church Mice cartoon depicts a situation that is so true in many churches. We major on the minor things -- like paint, carpet & meals -- and minor on the major things -- like doctrine and biblical truth. The world around us is crumbling! We need to get together -- regardless of denominational differences -- and show the world that they (and we) need Jesus. Focus on Him and spread the gospel of His life saving love.

Devotion: Guilty Silence
By Tony Beckett and Woodrow Kroll
2 Kings 7-9, John 1:1-28
Key Verse: 2 Kings 7:9

Early one Saturday there was a knock on the door. The friend standing there asked, "What size suit do you wear?" I told him. He then said, "There's a garage sale two streets over and they are selling suits your size. You might want to check it out." I did. And I bought five designer suits in excellent condition for $10 each! Only one needed any altering. My friend had brought good news.
Having good news is one thing; sharing it is another. If later my friend had said, "I should have told you about the garage sale near you," the news would not have been as good. Getting a good deal on a suit is pretty minor compared to the good news God has given us - the good news of the Gospel. Knowing it and not sharing it is not right.
Four lepers understood that principle. The city of Samaria was under siege and the people expected to starve to death. These men decided to surrender to the enemy, since they figured they were going to die anyway. When they got to the enemy camp, they found that God had cause the Arameans to flee, leaving behind everything. The lepers ate, drank and plundered. "Then they said to each other, 'We're not doing right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves'" (v. 9). Out of fear of punishment, they returned to the city and reported the good news.
We face a similar situation. Our city may not be under siege, but we have good news - Jesus saves! The principle remains: Having good news is one thing; sharing it is another. We have good news that we must tell others. When we keep it to ourselves, how will they hear?

TOPIC: Devotion: The Most Quoted Verse in the Bible
By Tony Beckett and Woodrow Kroll
Luke 6:27-49 / Key Verse: Luke 6:37
Do you know what is the most quoted Bible verse? I have heard that it is Luke 6:37: "Judge not lest ye be judged." Those are probably not the exact words of the Bible version you use, but accuracy is not always high on the list of people who quote verses, especially when they quote them to prove a point of their own making. Typically, people use this verse to tell others what they should not do.
Jesus did not give us these words to control others but to challenge ourselves. People tend to be hard on others and lax on themselves. This verse is speaking to that issue. Sadly, it is used on others in that hard way. But that is not the way Jesus intended. Aim this verse at your own heart. You are not to be a censorious person, constantly evaluating everyone and everything around you.
God says in Romans 12:17-21 that we are to leave judgment in His hands. There are judgments to be made, and there is to be accountability in the community of believers. Aim for the balance here, not the extremes. The one extreme takes us to letting anything go on without confrontation, which is wrong. The other extreme is the judgmental spirit. It is this second extreme that Jesus was addressing here. Don't judge others with this verse. Use it on yourself and reap the benefit Jesus promised.

TOPIC: What Lessons Can We Learn from Anna Nicole Smith's Life and Death?

by Dr. Ted Baehr, Publisher of MOVIEGUIDE

The furor over Anna Nicole Smith's funeral has died down, but the questions about the paternity of her daughter and the division of her estate remain. In that light, it is well to ask one another, What lessons can we learn from Anna Nicole Smith's life and death?
There are at least five major conclusions. First, alcohol and drugs, even prescription drugs, are a continuing danger. Alcohol should be consumed only in moderate quantities, if at all. Illegal drugs like marijuana, heroin, cocaine, crack, speed, and Ecstasy should be avoided altogether. Finally, prescription drugs should not be abused and should only be taken under the care and supervision of a good, if not great, medical doctor who knows what he or she is doing.
Second, we have heard some pundits say, even supposedly "conservative" and "religious" ones, that we should have pity or sympathy for the fate of Anna Nicole Smith because she didn't do anything "evil." These people have a warped, inaccurate definition of what is "evil". They have fallen pray to the sin of moral relativism, one of mankind's worst evils. The God of the Bible, including Jesus Christ in Mark 7:20-23 and other passages, calls all sexual immorality, including pre-marital sex, adultery, incest, homosexuality, pedophilia, and bestiality, evil. By all accounts, not only did Anna Nicole Smith engage in posing naked for such evil publications as PLAYBOY, she also engaged in promiscuous pre-marital sex, perhaps also including some lesbian homosexual activity. Also, she often appeared inebriated, which could have been the effect of her possible abuse of pain medication, sleeping medication, "downers," and/or alcohol. We live in a physical world with real consequences for such evil behavior. Thus, her untimely, early death, not to mention the untimely death of her son, should come as no surprise to anyone.
Consequently, though we can and should have a degree of sympathy for someone who becomes trapped in a vicious cycle of substance abuse, we also should be disgusted by Anna Nicole's alleged substance abuse and her connection to pornography and sexual immorality, for these things are clearly evil acts that are not victimless. Therefore, the third conclusion we can reach about Anna Nicole Smith's life and death is that the evil she represents with her connection to pornography and other sexual immorality must be thoroughly and publicly condemned by every religious Christian and Jew and every conservative, or liberal for that matter, committed to God's moral truth in the Bible.
Yet, we remember back in the 1990s when Vice President Dan Quayle got little and weak support, especially from liberals but also from many Christians and conservatives, for his strong condemnation of having children out of wedlock. He got such little support that, to this day, he has to qualify his comments lest he offend single mothers who get so much unconstitutional - and unbiblical - help from the state and federal governments and so much undeserved sympathy from the left-wing, atheist news media (the news media is not merely liberal, most of it is also radically left and vociferously atheist, if not anti-Christian and anti-Semitic).
Fourth, the life and death of Anna Nicole Smith shows the dangerous superficiality of the celebrity culture of fame and fortune in which we now live. Our society has become terribly corrupted by all this unbalanced, if not evil, focus on celebrity. It has become so corrupted that, as many serious pundits noted, the funeral of Anna Nicole Smith was a media, public relations circus, not a real funeral. And, too many average citizens treated it like a celebrity event rather than a funeral, much less as another strong example of the eternal truth that "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).
There is hope, however, not only for those of us who are still alive, but also for future Anna Nicole Smiths and future victims of the immoral, celebrity lifestyle they represent. That hope lies in the eternal salvation and ultimate freedom from sin and evil (including ultimate freedom from substance abuse as well as sexual immorality, greed, envy, murder, theft, arrogance, etc.) that comes by the Grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:1-10). For in Jesus Christ, all of God's people "are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit" (Ephesians 2:22).
That leads to our fifth and final conclusion about Anna Nicole Smith's life and death. Many sympathetic pundits and journalists, commenting on Smith's death, remarked that, now Anna Nicole will be in heaven with her dear departed son, who died five months earlier of a fatal drug interaction. Although Anna Nicole proclaimed Jesus Christ as her savior in a televised interview after the 74th Annual Oscar Ceremony in 2002, her public life displayed few of the fruits of that conversion. Thus, all the talk about Anna Nicole Smith going to Heaven is just that - talk. Indeed, there is only one way to get to Heaven and that is through Jesus Christ. Thus, to quote Jesus in John 14:6, "No one comes to the Father except through me." But, Jesus Christ also said in Matthew 7:17-20, "Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them."Jesus adds in John 15:5, 8, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. . . . This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." In other words, true faith in Jesus Christ must result in a life of good deeds.
There is no clear evidence that Anna Nicole Smith led the kind of Christian life showing her to be a true, faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. We may not know for sure her eternal destination, Heaven or Hell, but the fruit of her life tells us that the direction she seemed to be heading was the wrong one. As Paul and James write in the Books of Romans and James in the New Testament, works without faith are dead, but so is faith without works. The good news is that, although we are great sinners, Jesus Christ is a greater savior. He is "the true light that enlightens all men" (John 1:9). He empowers us to "live a life worthy of the Lord" (Colossians 1:10) so that we may have a living faith that bears the fruit of His love.
Do you have a living faith in Jesus Christ bearing good fruit? If not, ask Jesus to help you to build or renew your faith so that you can bear much fruit and show yourself to be His disciple, to the glory of God.

TOPIC: If James Cameron Were Honest About His "Discovery"
By Father Jonathan Morris / FOX Fan
This week “Titanic” director James Cameron and Canadian television director, Simcha Jacobovici stood proudly at the New York City library to announce the release of a new book and documentary called “The Tomb of Jesus.” They claim to have uncovered the remains of Jesus and his family, including Mary Magdalene, (Jesus’ supposed wife) and their child, Judah. If he were honest, this is what Mr. Cameron would have said to the press:

“My dearest friends in the media, Thank you for being here. I must admit, I am pleasantly surprised so many of you have come.
Our public relations company had quite the challenge to convince you our commercial projects were headline-worthy. After all, what we are peddling is pseudo-science based on old and discredited news. But we obviously hired the right company. They came through on their promise that you wouldn’t remember, or wouldn’t care, that when this tomb was discovered twenty seven years ago, the Jewish archeologist in charge of the investigation, Amos Kloner, determined it was not the tomb of Jesus and his family and that, in fact, it is unlikely Jesus and his relatives even had a family tomb.
To think that not a single respected archeologist from the Holy Land region is willing to go on record that our claims are true, and still you are here with us today, is mind-boggling. How can we thank you enough?
We really got scared when people like Joe Zias, who spent 25 years as an archeologist at Rockefeller University in Jerusalam, called into question our integrity. I think he said publicly “Simcha has no credibility whatsoever.” And even though the great archeologist, Amos Kloner, tried to rain on our party when he said, “The claim that the burial site has been found is not based on any proof, and is only an attempt to sell,” you were not deterred. You are here, and we are so happy!
By the way, did you hear our book is now in the top five of Amazon.com? Amazing! I am thinking about doing some other projects where I set science — even pseudo-science — up against religion. I think I’ll release them during the annual “slam Christianity season” — Lent and Easter — featuring a New York City press conference.
We’ll win every time. Christians will be quiet. They won’t set cars on fire or blow anyone up, precisely because they believe in the Resurrection, that Jesus’ way of peace is better. They will, however, get nervous because they don’t really know much about their faith and will buy the book and watch the show.
This brings me to the real point of today’s press conference. Today is my day for revenge. When I received my Oscar for best director a few years ago, I looked out into the crowd and proclaimed, “I am the king of the world”. That’s what I felt on that day and I wouldn’t have said it, if I didn’t believe it. But some of my Hollywood colleagues have looked down on me ever since. They thought I was exaggerating. As my movie credits prove, I’ve been sidelined since that day. But when I found the two-thousand year old scribblings on a tomb wall and, with the help of mathematicians, extrapolated that Jesus’ tomb was not really empty, that he may not have risen from the dead, as two billion people believe today, I realized how true my Oscar’s acceptance speech really was. It was kind of prophetic, I guess.
The real king of the world — James Cameron — calls into question the King of Kings. So don’t forget to buy our book and watch the Discovery Channel on March 4th.”

TOPIC: Take the 'Jesus Family Tomb' Coverage Challenge and Win

What media outlet did the worst job covering the Talpiot tomb news?

Source: ChristianityToday.com

The only thing more ridiculous than filmmakers' claims that a tomb outside Jerusalem once held the bones of Jesus of Nazareth, Mary Magdalene, a son of Jesus, and other family members is some of the media coverage those claims have garnered.
It's hard to top James Cameron when he says things like, "This is the biggest archeological story of the century. It's absolutely not a publicity stunt." But some media outlets seem to be trying hard to do so. Here's a sample, from Nashville's WKRN, which began its report:

For many mainstream or traditional Christians, the belief that Jesus was resurrected from the dead is essential to their very faith[,] so hearing that scientists have used DNA samples to prove that his remains were once in a buried stone casket, if true, would cause them to re-think most everything they have ever believed. In response, many Christians refuse to listen.

While we're pretty comprehensive in surveying the mainstream media, there surely will be even better gems than this. So it's contest time...

What media outlet has the most credulous,
exaggerated, or otherwise wacky report
on the "tomb of Jesus"?

Entries (use their feedback form) are due by Friday, March 9. The winner will receive a one-year subscription to Christianity Today (or one of our sister publications) and a copy of The Tomb of Jesus (the tie-in book to the Discovery Channel "documentary").
The winner will be determined purely at the whim of one or more editors here at CT. So don't take the contest too seriously. We hope you're not taking the documentary too seriously, either.

TOPIC: IRD Promotes 'Amazing Grace' -- Criticizes Jesus Tomb Documentary

From christiansunite.com

The entertainment industry should take a cue from the success of the film "Amazing Grace" and direct its efforts toward faith- affirming productions instead of those that tear down religious faith, according to Institute on Religion & Democracy President Jim Tonkowich.
Tonkowich's comments were directed at a new documentary program airing on the Discovery Channel featuring artifacts that allegedly debunk central Christian doctrine. This past weekend, the film "Amazing Grace," about the life of British abolitionist William Wilberforce, appeared in the box office top 10, despite being in only limited release. IRD President Jim Tonkowich commented:"In a time when people struggle with the discouraging realities of war, poverty and injustice, the entertainment industry should be seeking to uplift rather than tear down."
"The Discovery Channel's program is an absurd venture into irresponsible conjecture that appears to be designed to tear at the fabric of the faith and hope of billions worldwide. This controversy is not about a silly documentary that will be quickly forgotten. Rather, it is about recognizing religious faith as legitimate, credible and beneficial to society. Much like the DaVinci code, the documentary promises a tantalizingly alternative view of Biblical events, but ultimately offers little more than groundless speculation. An ossuary labeled "Jesus" is about as specific to Christ as a chunk of wood that is claimed to be a part of the Ark. This program about Jesus' alleged tomb is little more than a cynical ratings ploy that deserves to be buried with all of the other fantastical claims that arise about the "real" Jesus this time of year."

The Institute on Religion and Democracy, founded in 1981, is an ecumenical alliance of U.S. Christians working to reform their churches' social witness, in accord with biblical and historic Christian teachings, thereby contributing to the renewal of democratic society at home and abroad.

TOPIC: From Slow Burn to NO Burn
We live an angry world. Too often there is not even time for the proverbial "slow burn." For example, road rage is typically an immediate response. Another driver's actions cause not an equal but usually greater reaction. Obviously, forgiveness has no place in road rage. Revenge is the preferred route.
Jesus, however, told His followers that forgiveness is the only route to take. In this parable, He pointed out how much we want to be forgiven and not held accountable. The servant fell on his knees and begged, "Be patient with me and I will pay back everything" (v. 26). The remarkable aspect of the story is that the debt was forgiven. If you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, your debt of sin has been forgiven. You are like the servant in the parable. There is more, though. That same servant was not willing to forgive another. When the master heard about it, he confronted the servant, saying, "I canceled all that debt of yours .… Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?" (v. 32-33). To be forgiven like the servant is good. To be unforgiving in return is wrong.

TOPIC: Through His Eyes
As I do most days, the reading of an online devotion helps me to better understand God, the Savior, Jesus and the Holy Bible. The main devotion I personally use is Back to The Bible online -- with Woodrow Kroll & Tony Beckett. The following devotion is a reminder that we need to set before us a total dependence on Jesus for our success. Through Him, we can do all things [Philippians 4:13]. This devotional comes from Matthew 14:16-18 . It centers on one of the miracles performed by Jesus.

An indication of the importance of the feeding of the 5,000 is the fact that it is the only miracle of Jesus recorded in all four Gospels. The account in John 6 gives so much emphasis to the meaning of the miracle, presenting it as a sermon in action.
The timing of this event is significant. It is the beginning of a phase in Jesus' ministry in which His primary focus was on His disciples. Jesus used this occasion to stretch their understanding of what He expected of them. They were to undertake responsibilities that looked beyond their ability, things they could accomplish when their inability was coupled with Jesus' ability.
The crowd needed to eat. The disciples' suggestion was to send them to the villages nearby to buy food for themselves. But Jesus said that was not necessary. Instead, He instructed His men to give them something to eat - an overwhelming task for a group with limited resources. The disciples then saw that what they had, when placed in the hands of Jesus, could be used to accomplish what looked impossible.
One of the lessons of the loaves is that we must look past our inability and see His ability. When Jesus works through us, we can accomplish the tasks He gives us.

Prayer: "God, help me rely on your ability. The tasks You set before me can appear overwhelming until I see them through Your eyes."

Photo from art.com

TOPIC: Any Other Way?
Devotion: Hebrews 10:1-18 -- In many situations we understand that only certain things are acceptable. Show up for a football game with a ticket to a baseball game. Think you will get in? Go to a concert with an admission pass for an amusement park. Won't work. Try to get backstage without a pass hanging around your neck. You'll be turned away. It’s easy to come up with example after example where there is only one way in; no others work.
So why do people understand this principle at the auditorium, stadium or amusement park but think it will be different with heaven? Salvation is through Jesus, nothing else, not even through sacrifice.
God had given His people rituals that symbolized the covering of their sins. These pointed to Christ's atoning death for sinners, looking forward to the ultimate sacrifice, Jesus Christ, who died for the sins of all people. His sacrifice eliminated all need for other sacrifices and eliminated those sacrifices totally. We read that "it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins" (Hebrews 10:4). Nothing else can accomplish what Christ alone did on Calvary's cross.
We need to know this so that we do not wrongly think that there is some other way into heaven. There is only one way, and it is Jesus. No sacrifice we offer, no deeds we do, no gifts we bring, will work. Just Jesus.

Friend, be sure you are saved.
If you are hoping in some other way,
you will be disappointed. Salvation is found in Jesus alone.

TOPIC: Amish Struggle with Forgiveness as Reality of School Killings Sets In
The Amish community which suffered the tragic schoolhouse shooting earlier in the month is taking it day by day to forgive the killer in the face of overwhelming grief.
by Maria Mackay
It is a daily struggle to live Jesus’ message of forgiveness for the Amish community in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania, which lost five girls at the start of the month in a schoolhouse shooting. This week the President of US ministry Faith and Action, the Rev. Rob Schenck, hand-delivered hundreds of prayers in binders for the victims of the massacre and their families, as well as for the family of the shooter, married father-of-three Charles Carl Roberts.
Reverend Schenck was one of very few outsiders to be given the privilege of personally visiting the families of the children in the days immediately following the tragedy. The families of the slain girls generously allowed Rev. Schenck to participate in and witness firsthand some of their most intimate and private moments of grief, which included the preparations of the girls for their funerals by their grieving mothers and relatives. Rev. Schenck spent time with the family of Charlie Roberts shortly after Amish representatives assured them that the community forgave Roberts and laid no charge against the Roberts family.
Rev. Schenck’s experience with both the families of the victims and of the perpetrator was one that profoundly touched him and the extent of their forgiveness challenged immensely his own witness to the gospel’s message to "love our enemies". He noted that at the time of his early pastoral visits, Amish church leaders explained that it would become progressively more difficult to sustain forgiveness as time passes. Mr. Schenck saw that in his most recent visits. In a statement released after this week’s visit to the Amish families, he said,

“The Amish will tell you they are far from perfect. They struggle just as all of us do. Some of the family members told me this week they are having a very difficult time with their feelings as the reality of their loss settles in. The grandfather of one girl told me in tears he must depend on God each and every day for the strength to continue forgiving the man who killed his granddaughter and wounded the other children so terribly. Once again, these people are living out the gospel in front of us. Our experience with God's forgiveness is a daily one. Forgiving others is a process. No one is perfect. The Amish, like any of us, are struggling with their humanity. That's why God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to us. And it's why we need His Spirit to help us. There are many dimensions to this terrible event. We are only now beginning to learn from it. The Amish say that's why God allowed it, to teach us something."

As someone who knows the loss of a brother, I can empathize and certainly understand the feelings these Amish families are facing. It is also with much sadness that I confess understanding for their struggle with forgiveness on a daily basis. Pray for the families, the community and our country. We ALL need to be more aware of and compassionate towards the people around us.