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Kraft - from cheesiest to sleaziest with latest adKraft has gone too far and needs to hear from you today!June 13, 2013,  Last week's issue of People Magazine had the most disgusting ad on the inside front cover that we have ever seen Kraft produce. A full 2-page ad features a n*ked man lying on a picnic blanket with only a small portion of the blanket barely covering his g*nitals. It is easy to see what the ad is really selling.You can see the ad here, but be warned, it is offensive.  A person has to look closely to see the item the company is marketing because the salad dressing bottle is so small next to the male model, picnic basket and other food items. There is also a small Kraft logo in the upper corners with the words "Silverware Optional - Let's Get Zesty." The website getmezesty.com is listed in the bottom corner. Kraft has gone too far and will push away loyal, conservative customers with this new ad campaign. The consumers they are attempting to attract - women and mothers - are the very ones they are driving away. Who will want Kraft products in their fridge or pantry if this vulgarity is what they represent? TAKE ACTION Please send Kraft an email letter and urge them to discontinue their offensive "Let's Get Zesty" campaign immediately. Kraft has gone too far and needs to hear from you now! 1. Most effective: Make a personal phone call to Kraft Foods at 1-877-535-5666. Be kind, but firm, in sharing your feelings. 2. Very effective: Copy and paste (or write your own) this message on Kraft's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/KraftDressing I find your latest "Zesty" advertising campaign distasteful and offensive. I'm disappointed to know Kraft has lowered its corporate standards to this level. 3. For Twitter users: @Kraftdressing Kraft goes from cheesy to sleazy. Shame on them. #kraftdressing 4. Email Users: Our OneMillionMoms division is swamping Kraft with emails. You can send your email here.
It is very important that you forward this alert to your friends and family members.
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Saturday, June 15, 2013
KRAFT FOODS SLEAZY ADVERTISING-TIME TO E-MAIL YOUR COMPLAINT
CHOSEN PEOPLE OF GOD?-TEL AVIV ISRAEL TWENTIETH GAY PRIDE PARADE-THE MODERN REPLAY OF THE GOLDEN CALF ORGY
YouTube video of Tel Aviv Gay Pride Parade 2013:
And from the Times of Israel, their own glorification of sin:
There were reports of 100,000 people in attendance at the 20th gay pride parade/festival in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Obama sent his well wishes to them all. Christians would do well to re-think their fascination with the Hebraic Roots/Messianic movement being spread by Jewish missionary organizations within the U.S. and around the world. How can a country which gives support to the gay agenda have any moral authority in the Christian world or anyplace else?
US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro conveyed warm wishes from President Barack Obama, Secretary of State John Kerry and the American people. Mayor Ron Huldai on the left, ambassador Shapiro on the right:
Incumbent Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai and openly gay MK Nitzan Horowitz courted the LGBT community at Friday's Gay Pride events.
See: Haaretz News report: http://www.haaretz.com/culture/arts-leisure/rainbow-report-pride-and-politics-in-tel-aviv-s-mayoral-race.premium-1.528107.
and gay tourists:
Friday, June 14, 2013
SOUTHERN BAPTISTS PASS TWO RESOLUTIONS: ON GAYS IN BOY SCOUTS & SEX ABUSE OF CHILDREN URGING GREATER DISCERNMENT BY CHURCH LEADERS
Full Text of Resolution 6 from Baptist Press:
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION RESOLUTION 6
ON THE CHANGE OF MEMBERSHIP POLICY OF THE
BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA
WHEREAS, For more than a century, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA)
has been a values-based boys organization designed to "prepare young
people for a lifetime of character and leadership," equipping them "to
make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them
the values of the Scout Oath and Law"; and
WHEREAS, The Scout Oath contains language that is consistent with
belief in God and biblical precepts that serve as the basis for Christian
faith: "On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country
and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep
myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight"; and
WHEREAS, The leadership of the Boy Scouts throughout its history has
restricted from membership and leadership those persons who would
affect the group's ability to advocate its viewpoints in regard to belief in
God and His moral precepts; and
WHEREAS, In 1992, and again in 2000, the Southern Baptist Convention
adopted resolutions affirming the Boy Scouts in their stand that homosexual
conduct is inconsistent with the obligations of the Scout Oath,
encouraging the BSA "to maintain its historic commitments" (1992) and
"to hold fast to its traditional ideals" (2000); and
WHEREAS, The United States Supreme Court ruled in 2000 that the
constitutional right to freedom of association allows a private organization,
as part of its "expressive message," to exclude a person from
membership when "the presence of that person affects in a significant
way the group's ability to advocate public or private viewpoints" and that
allowing homosexuals as adult leaders would interfere with that message
(Boy Scouts of America et al. v. Dale); and
WHEREAS, In 2004, the Boy Scouts adopted a policy statement that
said, in part, "Boy Scouts of America believes that homosexual conduct
is inconsistent with the obligations in the Scout Oath and Scout Law to
be morally straight and clean in thought, word, and deed"; and
WHEREAS, In 2012, an eleven-person committee appointed by the
National Council of the Boy Scouts completed a two-year study and
reported its unanimous decision that the Boy Scouts retain the current
policy as outlined above; and
WHEREAS, NBC News reported in breaking news on January 28,
2013, that the BSA executive leadership, in concert with certain members
of the BSA board of directors, was poised to change the Scouts'
historic policy at its February 4–5 board meeting the following week to
allow avowed homosexuals into membership and leadership positions
within the Boy Scouts of America; and
WHEREAS, During the week between when news broke of this proposed
policy change and the February board meeting, the Boy Scouts
received an outpouring of feedback from Scouts, Scouting families,
sponsoring organizations, and the American public; and
WHEREAS, On February 6, 2013, the BSA board determined that, "due
to the complexity of this issue, the organization needs time for a deliberate
review of its membership policy"; and
WHEREAS, The National Council of the Boy Scouts voted on May 23,
2013, to approve new membership guidelines that state, "no youth may
be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of
sexual orientation or preference alone"; and
basic understandings
of male friendships, needlessly politicize human sexuality,
and heighten sexual tensions within the Boy Scouts; and
WHEREAS, Many Southern Baptist churches sponsor Boy Scout troops
and many Southern Baptists are involved in Scouting; and
WHEREAS, The Baptist Faith and Message states that "Christians
should oppose . . . all forms of sexual immorality, including adultery,
homosexuality, and pornography," and Southern Baptists consistently
have expressed their opposition to the normalization of homosexual
behavior in American culture through more than a dozen resolutions
over the past thirty years; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention
meeting in Houston, Texas, June 11–12, 2013, express our continued
opposition to and disappointment in the decision of the Boy Scouts of
America to change its membership policy; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we express our gratitude for the thousands of individuals
within the Scouting family and the culture at large who expressed
their opposition to the BSA executive leadership's intent to change its
membership and leadership policies in regard to homosexuality, leading
to the compromise recommendation it presented to the BSA National
Council; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we express our gratitude to each voting member of
the National Council who voted in opposition to the policy change for
membership; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we express our well-founded concern that the current
executive leadership of the BSA, along with certain board members, may
utilize this membership policy change as merely the first step toward
future approval of homosexual leaders in the Scouts; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we call on the Boy Scouts to remove from executive
and board leadership those individuals who, earlier this year, sought
to change both the membership and leadership policy of the Scouts
without seeking input from the full range of the Scouting family; and be
it further
RESOLVED, That we affirm the right of all families and churches
prayerfully to assess their continued relationship with the BSA, expressing
our support for those churches and families that as a matter of conscience
can no longer be part of the Scouting family; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we encourage churches and families that remain in the
Boy Scouts to seek to impact as many boys as possible with the life-changing
Gospel of Jesus Christ, to work toward the reversal of this new membership
policy, and to advocate against any future change in leadership and
membership policy that normalizes sexual conduct opposed to the biblical
standard;
RESOLVED, That we encourage churches that choose to sever ties
with the Boy Scouts not to abandon their ministry to boys but consider
expanding their Royal Ambassadors ministry, a distinctively Southern
Baptist missions organization to develop godly young men; and be
it finally
RESOLVED, That we declare our love in Christ for all young
people regardless of their perceived sexual orientation, praying that
God will bring all youth into a saving knowledge of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
_____________________________________________________________
SBC Resolution on Sexual Abuse of Children adopted with amendment
June 12, 2013
Peter Lumpkins
June 12, 2013
Peter Lumpkins
See YouTube video here:
Below is the vetted version of the resolution on sexual abuse of children I originally proposed. In [bold] text is an amendment I offered reinserting what I felt was a valid concern toward convention leaders and employees of the Southern Baptist Convention and their relationships with organizations and/or individuals with disturbing policies and practices in protecting our children.
How timely for Southern Baptists to not only endorse a statement strongly encouraging pastors and churches to openly and forthrightly handle abusive situations with children, thus demonstrating that protecting our children is of utmost importance to us, but also sending a strong message to denominational leadership to employ the highest sense of discernment in affiliating with either organizations or individuals that possess morally questionable policies or practices in protecting children from abusive situations.
Consequently, we encourage trustees of all our entities and agencies to pay careful attention to the point of reference the resolution on sexual abuse of children constitutes and to monitor closely the individuals and/or organizations affiliated with us via our denominational leadership. We are convinced that there presently exists unhealthy liaisons which need to be addressed (see also here and here).
Finally, I possess no intentions of leaving this issue behind. While the resolution on the sexual abuse of children is a good start, it remains a poor ending. Given our Baptist polity, we fully understand no resolution may usurp the local church autonomy we hold dear. However, I personally plan to explore ways we may be able to adequately and legitimately address the issue with strong policies and procedures which protect children while retaining our rightful Baptist heritage of local church autonomy. May we pray to that end. Our children areworth it!
[Here is the SBC statement of resolutions.]
ON SEXUAL ABUSE OF CHILDREN
WHEREAS, The Bible is clear in its affirmation that children are a gift from the Lord (Psalm 127:3–5); and
WHEREAS, The Lord Jesus demonstrated His love for children by encouraging them to follow Him, correcting those who hindered them, and condemning those who harmed them (Matthew 18:3–6; Mark 10:13–14); and
WHEREAS, The sexual abuse of children remains an ever increasing criminal offense with more than 1.8 million reported victims of sexual abuse by more than 750,000 child abuse perpetrators identified in the United States alone; and
WHEREAS, Tragically, instances of sexual abuse have been perpetrated within Southern Baptist congregations, churches of other denominations, and other Christian ministries; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Houston, Texas, June 11–12, 2013, call upon Southern Baptists to stand with our Lord Jesus in loving and protecting children as He does; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we remind all Southern Baptists of their legal and moral responsibility to report any child abuse to authorities in addition to implementing any appropriate church discipline or internal restoration processes; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we likewise call upon all Southern Baptists to cooperate fully with law enforcement officials in exposing and bringing to justice all perpetrators, sexual or otherwise, who criminally harm children placed in our trust; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we strongly urge Southern Baptist churches to utilize background checks like those provided through LifeWay Christian Resources (www.lifeway.com/backgroundchecks), databases of sexual predators such as the US Department of Justice sex offender database linked at SBC.net (www.SBC.net/localchurches/ministryhelp.asp), or other relevant resources in screening all potential staff and volunteer workers, particularly those who minister to children and youth; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we encourage pastors and church leaders to develop and implement sound policies and procedures to protect our children; and be it [further]
“RESOLVED: that we encourage all denominational leaders and employees of the Southern Baptist Convention to utilize the highest sense of discernment in affiliating with groups and/or individuals that possess questionable policies and practices in protecting our children from criminal abuse; and be it finally”
RESOLVED, That we urge all Southern Baptists to pray for children who are victims of abuse, to stand for their protection from abuse, and to support safe and healthy children’s ministries in our churches and communities.
As I indicated, the amendment overwhelmingly passed. Here is a video Joe Donahue captured of my speaking to the motion to amend. Included also is North Carolina pastor, Tim Rogers defending the motion to amend. Thanks Joe for the video!
_________________________________________________________
Thursday, June 13, 2013
NEW LIVE ACTION VIDEO: THE SICK "HUMOROUS" SIDE OF ABORTION COUNSELING AT SOUTHWESTERN WOMEN'S OPTIONS, ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO
Southwestern Women’s Options
http://www.southwesternwomens.com/
Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Elective Abortion through 28 weeks
Curtis Boyd, M.D. has been providing pregnancy termination services in New Mexico since June 1972, shortly after abortion services were legalized in New Mexico. Dr. Boyd worked closely with Clergy Consultation for Problem Pregnancies, a national organization dedicated to providing safe abortions and he was one of the first physicians to provide high quality, low cost outpatient procedures in the southwest. We are honored to have Dr. Susan Robinson and Dr. Shelley Sella, both of whom worked with Dr. Tiller, join our staff in 2010 to perform abortions in all trimesters. Dr. Susan Robinson and Dr. Shelley Sella are Board-Certified Ob/Gyns who specialize in third trimester abortion care. New to our staff is Dr. Carmen Landau. She is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and is a specialist in abortion procedures.
NOTE: For Dr. George Tiller, late term abortionist, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Tiller.
Live Action has just released a new video filmed undercover in New Mexico,NOTE: For Dr. George Tiller, late term abortionist, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Tiller.
Seen here: http://www.liveaction.org/inhuman/what-is-human-video/.
YouTube Video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q04-l2cm1oQ.
Press Release from Live Action: http://www.liveaction.org/inhuman/new-mexico-abortionist-compares-injection-that-ends-a-babys-life-to-a-flu-shot/:
New Mexico Abortionist Compares Injection that Ends a Baby’s Life to a “Flu Shot”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JUNE 13, 2013
CONTACT: DREW BELSKY, MEDIA@LIVEACTION.ORG, 856-535-1635
CONTACT: DREW BELSKY, MEDIA@LIVEACTION.ORG, 856-535-1635
New Investigative Video Shows New Mexico Abortionist Comparing Injection that Ends a Baby’s Life to a “Flu Shot”
Nationwide Undercover Investigation Reveals Abortionists Repeatedly Distorting, Misrepresenting, and Lying about the Development and Humanity of Children in the Womb
Arlington, VA – Live Action has unveiled the fifth video in its new investigative series, Inhuman: Undercover in America’s Abortion Industry. The video, found at www.liveaction.org/inhuman, exposes a host of abortion doctors nationwide equivocating on the humanity of the child in the womb, and then describing in graphic detail the late-term abortion procedure that would end these children’s lives.
The video features newly released recordings from Dr. Carmen Landau, of Southwest Women’s Options in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and a counselor employed at the same facility.
When asked by the Live Action investigator, “Is it a baby?,” the counselor answers:
Well what – how – what do you consider a baby? It’s definitely a fetus. … Um, it depends what the term “baby” means to you, and how you perceive it.
When asked if the possibility of the pre-born baby feeling pain bothers her, the New Mexico counselor replies:
I feel that it’s, um, necessary for the procedure to happen and, ultimately, um, safest, and kind of the most, kinda, humane way to do it, you know?
Abortion doctor Carmen Landau tells the investigator that the injection that will kill her baby is “like any shot, you know, like a flu shot, or a vaccine, really.” Contrary to a large body of evidence, she alleges that babies in the womb do not feel pain or anguish from a poisonous injection, claiming that “it’s not like you and I [sic] where when we get a flu shot, we’re kind of, ‘Ugh!’ – not – that – that – that experience of anxiety and suffering is not – it [the baby]‘s not capable of.”
Lila Rose, President of Live Action, says she hopes to educate the nation on the true nature of abortion.
“These babies,” said Rose, “whom Carmen Landau calls ‘not a thinking being,’ are unique and precious human persons. They feel, they dream, they grow…and when an abortionist tries to kill them with a needle or with forceps, they react. They fight for their lives, just as any of us would.
“Our investigation has exposed the disturbing willingness of abortionists to engage in illegal and inhuman acts,” Rose said, “including misleading pregnant women, pushing them into abortion, and even infanticide. This is horrible, but Americans should know just as well the horrifying practices that are still legal, that we allow to happen every day.”
The first half of Live Action’s latest video details abortionists’ estimation of the humanity of the unborn child. Abortionist Laura Mercer assures the investigator that her 24-week baby “doesn’t even look like a baby yet.” Live Action provides several images of premature babies born as early as 23 weeks.
LeRoy Carhart, the subject of Live Action’s previous Inhuman video, is quoted as follows:
Well, in my heart and my mind, you know, life begins when the mother thinks it begins, not when anybody else thinks it begins. For some women, it’s before they conceive; for some women, it’s never. Even after they deliver, it’s still a problem, not a baby.
The Live Action video chronicles the story of Toby, a baby born prematurely at 24 weeks – the gestational age of the organization’s pregnant investigators’ babies at the time of many of the undercover investigations. “Toby puts a name and a face to the atrocious murders occurring in these facilities,” Rose said. “Every day, abortionists are brutally killing children just like him. Whether they’re called ‘fetuses’ or ‘babies,’ this fact doesn’t change, and it’s time for Americans to come to terms with it.”
Over the past two months, Live Action has held rallies in several of the cities in which the Inhuman footage (http://www.liveaction.org/inhuman/) was captured. The most recent rally, in Phoenix, Arizona, brought forth upwards of 400 people, not counting over a dozen legislators and over a score of media outlets, in one-hundred-plus-degree weather.
“What our video investigation is uncovering,” Rose said, “along with what we have learned from the trial of late-term abortionist Kermit Gosnell and from the whistle-blowers from Douglas Karpen’s facility, is that this is abuse. Abortion doctors, counselors, and other staff describe ‘stop[ping] the fetal heart,’ a needle being inserted through the baby’s head, an ‘intrauterine demise.’ They describe babies becoming ‘mushy,’ and how they ‘literally go in and grab and pull pieces out.’ They refer to these babies as human beings, and carry out these inhuman practices on them anyway.”
“Every human being is unique and precious from the moment of conception. But abortionists will not give even these babies – 24 weeks, 27 weeks, viable, capable of surviving outside the womb – the dignity of humanity. So we want to put the question in every American’s head: if not even these babies are worthy of humanity in the abortionist’s eyes, then what is human? What does ‘human’ even mean?”
Live Action is a youth-led movement dedicated to building a culture of life and ending the human rights abuse of abortion. The group uses new media to educate the public about the humanity of the unborn and investigative journalism to expose threats against the vulnerable and defenseless. More information at LiveAction.org.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Monday, June 10, 2013
NSA WHISTLEBLOWER EDWARD SNOWDEN SPEAKS TO ITN NEWS
IF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT KEEPS GRANTING THEMSELVES GREATER AND GREATER POWERS UNILATERALLY, THERE WILL EVENTUALLY BE "TURNKEY TYRANNY":
Published on Jun 10, 2013 on YouTube video above.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Former CIA employee Edward Snowden has come forward as the whistleblower behind the explosive revelations about the National Security Agency and the U.S. surveillance state. Three weeks ago the 29-year-old left his job inside the NSA's office in Hawaii where he worked for the private intelligence firm Booz Allen Hamilton. Today he is in Hong Kong--not sure if he will ever see his home again. In a video interview with the Guardian of London, Snowden says he exposed top secret NSA surveillance programs to alert Americans of expansive government spying on innocents. "Even if you're not doing anything wrong, you're being watched and recorded," Snowden says. "And the storage capability of these systems increases every year, consistently, by orders of magnitude, to where it's getting to the point you don't have to have done anything wrong, you simply have to eventually fall under suspicion from somebody, even by a wrong call, and then they can use this system to go back in time and scrutinize every decision you've ever made, every friend you've ever discussed something with, and attack you on that basis, to sort of derive suspicion from an innocent life and paint anyone in the context of a wrongdoer... The public needs to decide whether these programs and policies are right or wrong."
Former CIA employee Edward Snowden has come forward as the whistleblower behind the explosive revelations about the National Security Agency and the U.S. surveillance state. Three weeks ago the 29-year-old left his job inside the NSA's office in Hawaii where he worked for the private intelligence firm Booz Allen Hamilton. Today he is in Hong Kong--not sure if he will ever see his home again. In a video interview with the Guardian of London, Snowden says he exposed top secret NSA surveillance programs to alert Americans of expansive government spying on innocents. "Even if you're not doing anything wrong, you're being watched and recorded," Snowden says. "And the storage capability of these systems increases every year, consistently, by orders of magnitude, to where it's getting to the point you don't have to have done anything wrong, you simply have to eventually fall under suspicion from somebody, even by a wrong call, and then they can use this system to go back in time and scrutinize every decision you've ever made, every friend you've ever discussed something with, and attack you on that basis, to sort of derive suspicion from an innocent life and paint anyone in the context of a wrongdoer... The public needs to decide whether these programs and policies are right or wrong."
Saturday, June 8, 2013
BIOLA UNIVERSITY THREATENS PRO LIFE NURSING STUDENT WITH ARREST, EXPULSION FROM CAMPUS, PREVENTING HER FROM RE-ENTERING CAMPUS, AND GRADUATING FOR DISPLAYING ABORTION PICTURES
TWO PART STORY:
PART 1 OF 2:
BIOLA UNIVERSITY EXPOSED FOR ABUSE OF STUDENT, DIANA JIMENEZ, EXERCISING RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH:
Jill Stanek reports here: http://www.jillstanek.com/2013/06/christian-university-retaliates-against-pro-life-student-for-showing-graphic-reality-of-abortion/.
Pictures in question displayed at Biola:
John Ojeisekhoba, campus chief of security made the various threats in the above video, was carrying a concealed weapon, and threatened legal action if his face was shown in video.
On May 22, Dr. Susan Elliott wrote a letter to all nursing faculty barring them from writing a letter of employment reference for Diana Jimenez, nursing student. See above article.
Dean of Students Matthew Hooper:
"J.P. Moreland and Klaus Issler, professors at Biola, have coauthored The Lost Virtue of Happiness: Discovering the Disciplines of the Good Life (NavPress, 2006). Consider the following quotes:
“‘Go to a retreat center that has one of its purposes the provision of a place for individual sojourners. Try to find a center that has gardens, fountains, statues, and other forms of beautiful artwork. In our experience, Catholic retreat centers are usually ideal for solitude retreats. … We also recommend that you bring photos of your loved ones and a picture of Jesus… Or gaze at a statue of Jesus. Or let some thought, feeling, or memory run through your mind over and over again” (The Lost Virtue of Happiness, pp. 54-55).
“We recommend that you begin by saying the Jesus Prayer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_Prayer), about three hundred times a day. ...
When you first awaken, say the Jesus Prayer twenty to thirty times. As you do, something will begin to happen to you. God will begin to slowly occupy the center of your attention” (The Lost Virtue of Happiness, pp. 90, 92)."
See: http://lightingtheway.blogspot.com/2006/09/biola-embraces-contemplative.html.
See: http://apprising.org/2008/10/20/biola-university-now-drifting-from-evangelical-protestant-roots/.
PART 1 OF 2:
BIOLA UNIVERSITY EXPOSED FOR ABUSE OF STUDENT, DIANA JIMENEZ, EXERCISING RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH:
Jill Stanek reports here: http://www.jillstanek.com/2013/06/christian-university-retaliates-against-pro-life-student-for-showing-graphic-reality-of-abortion/.
Pictures in question displayed at Biola:
Biola President Barry Corey, et al:
On May 22, Dr. Susan Elliott wrote a letter to all nursing faculty barring them from writing a letter of employment reference for Diana Jimenez, nursing student. See above article.
Biola University Response to Recent YouTube Video of Student Demonstration
Biola abhors the destruction of innocent life through the brutal practice of abortion on demand, and we support student efforts to raise awareness and advocate for biblical convictions. However, there are numerous ways to go about activism on this issue, especially on our pro-life campus. The public displaying of very graphic, disturbing images — for whatever purpose, even one so in line with Biola’s heart — is not an appropriate venue of student expression on our campus.
At issue in this situation is not Biola's commitment to biblical fidelity and the pro-life cause, which we steadfastly uphold. Biola has always been and will always be committed to supporting the pro-life movement and accommodating campus dialogue on the subject, and this has been communicated to students. (For more information, please read this overview of some of the ways in which the university advocates for the sanctity of life.)
This issue is about the appropriate free expression of views on these issues on our campus. As outlined in our Student Handbook, all student assemblies and forums are subject to approval by the office of the Dean of Students. In this instance, the student sought approval to display graphic imagery on campus and she was denied. Student Development communicated clearly with the student on the matter, explaining that the photos were not allowed because they would be disruptive to campus activity. Student Development expressed to her that she would be free to share information on this issue on campus through other methods (a table with handouts, a panel discussion, etc.). Even after multiple discussions with Student Development personnel, the student continued to disregard these discussions, chose to violate peaceful assembly policies, baited our Campus Safety officers, filmed when asked to stop, and continued her attempt to display these images on campus. Because she violated our policies and ignored our concerns, Campus Safety intervened. It is unfortunate that the situation has been misrepresented.
We are continually in prayer for our community: faculty, staff and students who care deeply for the needs of our society and who seek earnestly, with respect and integrity, to serve our Lord Jesus with conviction and courage. Thank you for your continued understanding and prayer on this matter."
_______________________________________________________________
PART 2 OF 2:
Biola University's drift toward Catholic "contemplative mysticism":
Quote from this article about Biola adopting Catholic contemplative mysticism and recommending Catholic retreat centers. Scroll down to Biola heading:
“‘Go to a retreat center that has one of its purposes the provision of a place for individual sojourners. Try to find a center that has gardens, fountains, statues, and other forms of beautiful artwork. In our experience, Catholic retreat centers are usually ideal for solitude retreats. … We also recommend that you bring photos of your loved ones and a picture of Jesus… Or gaze at a statue of Jesus. Or let some thought, feeling, or memory run through your mind over and over again” (The Lost Virtue of Happiness, pp. 54-55).
“We recommend that you begin by saying the Jesus Prayer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_Prayer), about three hundred times a day. ...
When you first awaken, say the Jesus Prayer twenty to thirty times. As you do, something will begin to happen to you. God will begin to slowly occupy the center of your attention” (The Lost Virtue of Happiness, pp. 90, 92)."
See: http://lightingtheway.blogspot.com/2006/09/biola-embraces-contemplative.html.
See: http://apprising.org/2008/10/20/biola-university-now-drifting-from-evangelical-protestant-roots/.
See: http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/Colleges.htm#B. Biola/Talbot School of Theology listed.
See: http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=1436.
See: http://cct.biola.edu/about/news/article/2013/mar/31/announcing-2013-2014-cct-award-recipients/,
which is Biola's Center for Christian Thought's "Psychology and Spiritual Formation" research theme:
Spiritual Formation (Institute) - Talbot School of Theology,
with list of courses and requirements for students:
http://biola.catalog.acalog.com/preview_entity.php?catoid=8&ent_oid=382&returnto=209&print; and
http://www.biola.edu/spiritualformation/programs/courses/.
See: http://cct.biola.edu/about/news/article/2013/mar/31/announcing-2013-2014-cct-award-recipients/,
which is Biola's Center for Christian Thought's "Psychology and Spiritual Formation" research theme:
Spiritual Formation (Institute) - Talbot School of Theology,
with list of courses and requirements for students:
http://biola.catalog.acalog.com/preview_entity.php?catoid=8&ent_oid=382&returnto=209&print; and
http://www.biola.edu/spiritualformation/programs/courses/.
Spiritual Formation Under Attack at Biola
October 27, 2008, 11:30 am » Brett McCracken
Last week, a long-running smear campaign against "spiritual formation" at Biola University kicked it up a notch. An organization called Lighthouse Trails teamed up with Apprising Ministries to unleash a torrent of criticism and insults about Biola, claiming that Biola is drifting from its strong biblical roots and embracing "apostate Roman Catholic mystical spiritual formation"…
I haven't the energy to summarize the smears, but if you want to follow it thus far, read the following posts: Biola University Now Drifting from Evangelical Protestant Roots? (Oct 20) Biola University Student Reports on Contemplative Chapel Services - Warns Parents to Avoid Biola (Oct 20) Biola University Contacts Lighthouse Trails – Accuses of Libel (Oct 21) You'll be shocked when you find out just what it is that these people are up in arms about… Contemplative prayer! That's right, they are worried about Biola possibly being apostate because in chapel we dare to introduce students to ancient methods of contemplative, meditative prayer. We dare to engage the students in Lectio Divina, an ancient method inherited from the Desert Fathers of deeply reading and meditating upon a scripture. It's not new-agey or mystical; it's simple, quiet, and meaningful. The bible takes center stage. What is wrong with that? Evidently these critics of Biola are worried that by having an entire chapel service of silent meditation, there is somehow a movement of apostasy being birthed in the students' minds. It's wrong, they suggest, to have a scripture read without a pastor or speaker there to unpack it and give it some context. Todd Pickett, Associate Dean of Spiritual Development at Biola, has a different opinion. He believes that students today are "over-messaged" and need more time to just contemplate what they've already been hearing, learning, experiencing in Christ. "I hear from students that they need more time for processing and reflection," he told The Chimes, Biola's student newspaper. "They feel overwhelmed sometimes by the amount of information that comes at them. That makes sense to me, [and] at the very least, we need to allow a little time and a little room to listen to what God is doing. [We need to] take some of the things we hear and talk to God about them. I am trying to build that into the rhythm of chapel." As someone who was a busy college student myself not too long ago, I resonate with every word of what Pickett is saying. Time for reflection is the number one need of students today. Apparently the folks at Lighthouse Trails and Apprising Ministries don't agree, however. To them, Pickett, along with people like Richard Foster (who they label "neo-Gnostic"), Henri Nouwen, and Dallas Willard (who, for the record, gave a very philosophical and helpful lecture at Biola's Torrey Conference last Wednesday), represent an unbiblical mysticism that masquerades as "spiritual formation." It baffles me that "spiritual formation," which to me looks like a positive, healthy thing from every angle, is being so aggressively criticized. Even more baffled that Biola is being singled out and smeared for their commitment to it. But then again, Christians tend to be the most critical of all people, unfortunately. So I guess it shouldn't surprise me.
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Biola's Gay and Lesbian Student group called "The Biola Queer Underground":
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