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Friday, June 27, 2014

PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS IN CHINA & IRAQ

Communist Chinese Regime 

Steps up War on Churches

EXCERPT:
The communist regime ruling over mainland China is stepping up its war against Christians, their churches, and, especially, the cross. In recent weeks, dozens of houses of worship in the province of Zhejiang have received official notices that crosses must come down. Despite resistance by local persecuted Christians, some churches have been entirely demolished as the regime furiously cracks down on what it calls “illegal” religious activities. Hundreds of church buildings have been torn down this year across China, as leaders are arrested. And human rights organizations fear the worst is yet to come.  

Chinese Christians Tearfully Sing Hymn 

as Church Cross Removed: Video:

EXCERPT:
"Wenzhou City, China – Christians are vowing to stand firm for Christ amid much persecution by officials in a Chinese province where church buildings continue to be demolished, and where believers in a recent video can be seen bursting into tearful song about the cross and how their sins were washed away by the blood of Jesus while the cross atop their building is forcibly removed."

Communist Chinese Government Destroys Church in Campaign Against Christianity

A large Protestant church in the city known as “China’s Jerusalem” was demolished on April 28th on the orders of local leaders. Sanjiang church, in the eastern city of Wenzhou, took six years and 30m yuan ($4.8m) to put up, but officials said it had violated building codes. Local Christians gathered at the church but were unable to stop the demolition. Unregistered “house churches” have long been the target of government crackdowns, but Sanjiang was part of the officially approved church. Some Christians in Wenzhou believe that local party leaders were annoyed by the symbolism of such a large building. China probably has more than 80m Christians.

And The Walls Came Tumbling Down in China's 'Jerusalem'

'Human shield' fails to save megachurch from demolition in China’s largest Christian city.
SEE: http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2014/may/walls-came-tumbling-down-china-jerusalem-wenzhou-sanjiang.html?paging=off

republished below in full unedited for informational, educational, and research purposes:

China Aid Association

(Wenzhou, Zhejiang—April 8, 2014) Christians in Wenzhou, in China's coastal Zhejiang province, released a letter to the public on Friday, explaining their spiritual perspective in regards to the recent demolition order on Sanjiang Church and other local churches. The letter, which can be read below, also asks for support from the worldwide Christian community.

In the cross, in the cross: A letter of prayer to all brothers and sisters in Christ worldwide, regarding the demolition of churches in Zhejiang province!

Written by Christians in Wenzhou
Translated and edited by China Aid
April 4, 2014

May grace and peace from the only omnipotent and glorious God and the Lord Jesus, who we worship, be upon you!

“I believe in the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints” is the common faith of all true Christians. Not only do we say we believe in this faith, but also, we should express through our actions that we, the brothers and sisters in Christ, are connected to each other and we should give our bitter testimony thereon!

Recently, there have been vicious incidents in various places of Zhejiang in which crosses and churches are being demolished. Even for the churches that have not been asked to demolish their own crosses, they have been told not to turn on the light on their cross at night. After Hangzhou, Yuhang, Zhoushan and other places [faced some sort of demolition], many churches in Wenzhou are facing forced demolition. 

Last year, Sanjiang Church in Oubei, Yongjia County was commended by the Wenzhou government as a model for architecture. Now, however, the government makes all-out efforts and is determined to demolish the church. The brothers and sisters of this church and brothers and sisters from various places in Wenzhou, who have come to support the church, have been singing, praying and gathering in the holy hall of the church for nearly a month. Among them, many take turns to watch and pray 24 hours a day. 

Not only this is happening, but in Yueqing city alone, churches in Dajing, Baixiang, Jiangjiaqiao and other places have all received a notice to demolish the crosses or their church buildings.

Today, more than a hundred people tried to tear down the nursing home belonging to Jiangjiaqiao Church without success. We are honest to you [by telling you] that a few churches are indeed suspected of having violated the building codes as they got an oral approval while the official paperwork was being processed. In these cases, the churches are willing to make a compromise in making changes to the structure and process the needed paperwork. However, we have noted that some churches have been there for more than 10 years or even longer than that.

The words "demolish" and "illegal construction" were spray-
painted on the front of Sanjiang Church in Wenzhou. (Photo:
China Aid)
The church employees have been warned that if they don’t demolish their crosses or part of the structures of their church, the government will punish their businesses. Almost all Christians in Wenzhou are engaged in businesses, they are moved by the persistence of the church, and they need support from brothers and sisters from various places. As for the reason why this situation has got so bad, the explanation from the ordinary people in the street is because an official from Zhejiang provincial government saw the crosses on top of the churches when he was inspecting Wenzhou (especially at night). He said one sentence to the effect that the entire view of this place is taken over by the crosses. The continuous “forced demolitions” in this period of time shows this is a conspicuous persecution!

What do the crosses mean to the Christians? We are definitely not worshipping a material cross, and we can even build a church without a cross, but this does not mean we should allow anyone to demolish our church’s cross at will. This is a violent trampling of one’s faith by the political power, and it is a brutal attack on the religious feelings of tens of millions of believers. Just think of this: what organization would willingly allow people to insult their flag? As is known to all, the cross is a symbol of Christian belief, and the purpose of tearing down the cross is clear and obvious. Just as [John] Calvin said: “A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God’s truth is attacked and yet would remain silent.”

The discussion of tangible and intangible crosses has become a factor in this incident: those brothers and sisters of ours who are bravely protecting the crosses have demonstrated the spirit of the intangible cross. Those who want to make a compromise in order to protect the cross in their hearts have just evaded the road of the cross. Whatever we have here, we will give it to him/her! How can we not worry when someone is persecuted? Today, no matter whether they come from a TSPM church or a house church, they are of one family in Christ. This persecution is like scenes from the Cultural Revolution: uphold the faith of the cross in one’s heart! It is necessary for us to say that one of the major differences between churches in the Wenzhou area and the churches elsewhere is that the demarcation line between TSPM churches and house churches [in Wenzhou] is relatively blurry. Some TSPM churches are more independent than house churches, Sanjiang Church is one of the examples, while some house churches are becoming more and more like TSPM churches.

Meanwhile, it is necessary for us to clarify that no one can guarantee that they can definitely protect the churches, such as the cases that happened during the Cultural Revolution, but this does not make any difference in our faith. A tangible church can be destroyed, but a holy, spiritual temple can be formed in our hearts. Therefore, this is not a dispute on material things, but a spiritual fight. During the Cultural Revolution, churches in Wenzhou were all sealed or destroyed, but that brought about an unprecedented revival of Christianity in Wenzhou. We have reasons to believe that this is just a prelude [to another spiritual revival]! The grace of the Lord is vast and immense! Today, we’ll enter another phase! It is said in the Scripture: “If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person.” This temple is the fellowship of the saints and it is our position!

Here, we implore you to pray for us, show concern for us and join us in this spiritual campaign so that we can hoist the cross in this Land of the Divine! “In the cross, in the cross, be my glory ever!” Amen.

ChinaAid Contacts
Bob Fu, President 
Tel: 1+ (888) 889-7757 | Cell: (267) 205-5210
Email: Bob@ChinaAid.org 
Website: www.ChinaAid.org | www.MonitorChina.org
_________________________________________________________

Christians in Mosul, Iraq, 

Pay “Protection” Tax

EXCERPT:
Since militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria Group (ISIS) seized control of the northern city of Mosul earlier this month, life for Christians in the city has predictably worsened. Salama al-Khafaji, a member of the UN High Commission for Human Rights in Iraq and a former member of the U.S.-backed Iraqi Governing Council, told the Arabic-language Alsumaria News that the ISIS occupation regime “is imposing on Christians a minimum payment of $250, with [the] amount varying depending on the type of work/profession performed by Christian citizens.” 





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BOY SCOUTS WILL BE FRONT & CENTER IN NEW YORK CITY GAY PARADE

Boy Scouts to shamefully march kids 
in N.Y. 'gay pride' parade
SEE: 
Republished below in full unedited for informational, educational, and research purposes:

By Gina Miller

Back when the leadership of Boy Scouts of America bowed down at the altar of "Big Gay" by allowing openly homosexual boys into their ranks, we warned you that the militant homosexual activists would not be satisfied with this terrible capitulation. No, they wanted openly homosexual men to be allowed as troop leaders and other administrators. They're still pushing for this. The latest in-your-face statement is being made this Sunday in New York's homosexual "pride" parade.

Here's most of the press release issued Monday by the radical homosexual advocacy group, Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. Read it and cringe:

In a historic first, New York-area Boy Scouts will be among the groups leading 14,000 people down Manhattan's 5th Avenue on Sunday at the 44th Annual NYC Pride March, where they will speak out against the Boy Scouts of America's discriminatory ban on gay adults.

Three generations of Boy Scouts – gay and straight – will be on hand and in uniform at nation's oldest and largest LGBT Pride event, where they will present the American flag during the national anthem and subsequently serve as Color Guard during the march.

It is unclear what repercussions (if any) will face the Scouts after participating in the march. The BSA has previously stated that wearing the Scouting uniform during a Pride event is a "violation of the Scout Oath and Scout Law." The Greater New York Councils, which serves nearly 150,000 Scouts in New York City, has previously emphasized its commitment to full inclusion of gay Scouts, however.

"NYC Pride warmly welcomes Scouts for Equality to the route as our 2014 NYC Pride March Color Guard," said NYC Pride March Director, Dave Studinski. "Our 2014 theme is 'We Have Won When We're One,' and this message resonates well with Scouts for Equality's mission. From their participation in our step-off ceremony through the moment they pass the historic Stonewall Inn, may the Scout's joint display of our nation's colors and the rainbow flag remind us all that the LGBT movement seeks not tolerance, but acceptance as equals."

"We are grateful for this invitation from NYC Pride, and we are honored and humbled to provide this patriotic service to the LGBT community of New York," said Stacey Sarnicola, Brooklyn chapter lead, Scouts for Equality. "Since 1978, the BSA has held a policy that excluded gay youth and parents. While the BSA voted last year to end the policy barring gay youth from participation, it has made no change in its membership policy regarding adults. The Greater New York Councils' inclusive policy is what gave me permission to allow my son to join the Boy Scouts. It's what gives us permission to march, and it gives us hope for a BSA for all in the near future."

"For more than a century, Scouting has shaped the leaders of tomorrow, instilling in countless young men the values of honesty, courage, and respect for everyone – values that fly in the face of the BSA's ban on gay adults," said Seth Adam, Director of Communications at GLAAD. "That local Scouts will now be leading one of the world's most iconic LGBT Pride events is a testament to both how far we've come and how far we have left to go in the pursuit of full equality. Until gay and lesbian adults and parents can partake in their own children's lives through Scouting, the Boy Scouts will continue to fall behind a rapidly growing majority of Americans, who agree that no one should be discriminated against because of who they love."

This is so sick on so many levels. The sugary words here are a devilish covering for the dark, demented truth of what this is: a perverse attack on young boys who are being used as little tools by an evil movement of sexual degenerates who cannot reproduce, so they must recruit.

Moral straightness is also a scouting virtue that its leadership has flushed down the sewer that is the radical homosexual movement. The Boy Scouts organization has chosen the world over God's moral truth, and it's not going to get better for them, because the insatiable lust for power of the radical homosexual movement will be satisfied with nothing short of complete capitulation to its detestable will.
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SUPREME COURT STRIKES DOWN 35 FOOT BUFFER ZONE AROUND ABORTION CLINICS IN MASSACHUSETTS

U.S. Supreme Court Protects Free Speech, Strikes Down Massachusetts Law 

Creating 35-Foot Abortion “Buffer Zone”

SEE: 
EXCERPT:
"WASHINGTON, D.C.— In a decision strongly protective of First Amendment rights, the U.S. Supreme Court has declared unconstitutional a Massachusetts law which restricts protests on public sidewalks within 35 feet of the entrances, exits, and driveways of abortion clinics in the state. Noting that by its very terms, the law applied to “public ways and sidewalks,” spaces that have traditionally been considered open public forums for free speech activity, the Supreme Court held that the government’s ability to regulate speech in these spaces is “very limited,” and was unconstitutionally exceeded by the Massachusetts law."

Pro-life victory as Massachusetts 

‘buffer zone’ law struck down

EXCERPT:
A contentious law prohibiting pro-life sidewalk counselors from exercising their free speech rights outside of abortion mills has been struck down by the Supreme Court this morning.
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CITIZENS HALT OBAMA PLAN TO RELOCATE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO VIRGINIA TOWN

Citizens Halt Obama Plan to Relocate Illegals to Virginia 



FUROR OVER PLAN FOR ILLEGAL KIDS

Phyllis Schlafly covers outrage in small town 

where Obama wants to house 500 children

SEE: 
Republished below in full unedited for informational, educational, and research purposes:
"Officials of the Obama administration trekked out to a tiny rural community in southern Virginia to teach the local yokels a thing about immigration policy. Yet the lessons learned were not by the local farmers, but by the bureaucrats who got more than an earful in protests against placing illegal aliens in their small town of Lawrenceville.
“We will not be strong-armed by federal officials,” bellowed one resident at the town hall, a 32-year-old former Marine named Aaron Smith. “We will not be pushed around,” he exclaimed against the federal officials, as the crowd of townspeople gave him rousing applause.
Lawrenceville has only about 1,400 residents, and the town hall was held on June 19 in a spacious auditorium that seats 900. But even that large facility was not big enough to hold the outrage, as more than 1,000 angry people – nearly everyone in the town – showed up to express opposition to the Obama administration plan to relocate illegal immigrant children there.
The Obama administration thought it could quietly house 500 children who had illegally crossed our Mexican border in a vacant college that had recently closed in this small town, but the politicians badly misread the depth of public opposition. Numerous federal officials were then sent by the Obama administration to appease the locals, but in the face of the uproar the officials felt compelled to apologize, one after another, for what they had done.
The apologies rang hollow. In typical government-speak, one official attributed the problem to “communication challenges” and acted like the miscommunication could be overcome with a bunch of talk. But there was no “communication challenge” in the numerous signs brought by town residents that shouted “no illegal immigrants.”
Residents expressed concern about public safety and a possible increase in crime if so many kids were bought into the community without parental supervision. “The No. 1 concern we have is the potential for shenanigans and the potential for crime,” observed townsman Derek Lewis at a local pizza parlor.
Brunswick County Sheriff Brian Roberts was also candid, describing “fear” among locals about the way the government was handling this, adding that “500 kids unaccounted for – illegal alien children in my little sleepy town – I just don’t think it’s the right fit for this community.”
Another harebrained response by the Obama administration to the massive influx of illegal immigrant kids, roughly 100,000 this year alone, is to promise to send more money to the Central American nations that are dumping their kids on us. Obama wants to send $161.5 million to the so-called Central American Regional Security Initiative and nearly $100 million to El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, payments that will be additional incentives for them to permit more kids to show up at our southern border.
Instead of the United States rewarding nations for demanding that we provide free day care and medical care for their kids, shouldn’t we instead be sending those countries a big bill for the cost of return bus tickets to transport the kids back?
Only one person amid the numerous presidential hopefuls seems to be getting the message. That candidate is, lo and behold, Hillary Clinton, who is seizing the day and outflanking Republicans on this issue by being the first to call for a return of the tens of thousands of children back to their homes in Central America. The only other prominent leader to call for sending them back to where they came from is, surprise, surprise, John McCain.
The anemic reaction by Republican Party leadership is almost as pathetic as the swarming of children across our southern border. Euphemistically called unaccompanied children (UACs) rather than illegal aliens, they are overwhelming Homeland Security and turning Border Patrol agents into nannies with diaper-changing responsibilities.
Back in Lawrenceville, Virginia, the Obama administration officials promised that the 500 young illegal aliens would not be dumped on the small community without their approval. Really? Thousands of other young illegal aliens have already been relocated to Arizona and Oklahoma despite criticisms by their governors.
Nobody seems to know who or where the parents of these children are, but we do know what the cause of the surge in illegal border crossings is. Promises of so-called “immigration reform,” with its allure of amnesty, inevitably bring more illegals wanting more of the same.
The tens of thousands of kids surging across our southern border are not unaccompanied; they may be carrying staph infections, chickenpox and scabies, which is a highly contagious skin disease that causes massive itching due to burrowing mites, plus diseases that the U.S. eradicated in our country years ago, such as tuberculosis, Chagas disease, dengue fever, hepatitis, malaria and measles."


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