Presbyterians Week Headlines
[1] U.S. President Barack Hussein Obama Uses Video of Reformed Presbyterian Church of Manassas, Virginia, and Former Main Office of the Christian Observer, in Ad Announcing Outreach Group “African Americans for Obama”
[2] Prayer Vigil and News Conference in Support of Iranian Pastor Nadarkhani Held 7 March 2012 at Iranian Interests Section in Washington DC
[3] 21st Century Elijah Interrogatory Redux: “How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him, but if Baal [and Molech...] be he, then go after him.” (I Kings 18:21b)
[4] U.S. President May Order Killing of American Citizen, Says U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.
[5] Former Taliban Lawyer Appointed to Number Three Position at the U.S. Justice Department
[6] Death Toll Rises to Nine in 11 March 2012 Church Suicide Bombing by Boko Haram Islamist Terrorists
[7] Free Church of Scotland(Continuing) Announces Moderator Designate for 2012 General Assembly
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[1] U.S. President Barack Hussein Obama Uses Video of Reformed Presbyterian Church of Manassas, Virginia, and Former Main Office of the Christian Observer, in Ad Announcing Outreach Group “African Americans for Obama”
An ad featuring U.S. President Barack Hussein Obama announcing the new advocacy group “African Americans for Obama” uses a video of the exterior of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Manassas, Virginia (Hanover Presbytery, Reformed Presbyterian Church) (RPCM), including a recruiting pitch for churches to appoint a “congregational captain” to lead the church’s reelection effort for the sitting U.S. president.
The ad can be viewed on YouTube at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdjoHA5ocwU&feature=player_embedded
A 9 March 2012 article by Joel Gehrke in The Washington Examiner titled “Obama Ad Uses Conservative Church” reports that RPCM pastor the Rev. William Allen Church told The Washington Examiner that he would not allow the president or any other political candidate to set up a “congregational captain” among the RPCM congregation, then added:
We don't do an official endorsement of any political campaign. But because of our conservative theology, biblical points of view -- for instance, we're pro-life and that sort of thing -- so the practical implications of that come into play when people go cast their ballot. But I do not give a precise endorsement, whatsoever.
Regarding the ad’s appeal to African American churches, the pastor said: “We are multi-racial, but we don't describe ourselves according to race. On the political allegiances of the congregation, he said that the congregation is mostly composed of Republicans and independents, with “maybe some Democrats.” The pastor added: “The only relationship [of the church to the Obama campaign is] that we do pray for all of our civil authorities.”
Christian Defense Coalition director and Hanover Presbytery minister the Rev. Pat Mahoney, who was ordained at RPCM, said that the use of the [RPCM] video reflects Obama's insensitivity to Christian communities, and added: “It shows how the Obama administration treats faith as an absolute commodity. They just wanted what they thought was a pleasant-looking church.”
+ YouTube, LLC, 901 Cherry Avenue, San Bruno, California 94066, 650-253-0000, Fax: 650-253-0001, press@youtube.com
+ The Washington Examiner, 1015 15th Street Northwest, Suite 500, Washington DC 20005, 202-903-2000, Contact Page
+ Hanover Presbytery, Reformed Presbyterian Church, hanoverpresbyter@yahoo.com
+ Christian Defense Coalition, Post Office Box 77168, Washington DC 20013, 202-547-1735, ChristianDefense@gmail.com
[2] Prayer Vigil and News Conference in Support of Iranian Pastor Nadarkhani Held 7 March 2012 at Iranian Interests Section in Washington DC
Activists conducted a prayer vigil and held a news conference on 7 March 2012 in front of the Iranian Interests Section in Washington DC in support of Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, who has been sentenced to death in Iran for his refusal to renounce his Christian faith and embrace Islam.
The vigil participants called for the free nations of the world to keep the pressure on Iran to embrace human rights and religious freedom and demand that Pastor Nadarkhani be immediately released.
The activists also asked U.S. President Barack Hussein Obama to have a more visible role and personally make a public comment calling for the release of Pastor Nadarkhani instead of having statements read by White House Spokespersons.
Director of the Christian Defense Coalition and Reformed Presbyterian minister the Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney stated:
"We are gathering outside of the Iranian Interests Section to pray and ask God for the safety and immediate release of Pastor Nadarkhani. We are also leaving flowers in front of the Interests Section to show our solidarity for Pastor Nadarkhani, his family, and all our dear brothers and sisters who are persecuted around the world for their faith.
"We are also praying that Iran embrace religious freedom for all and move away from a government that crushes human rights and the free expression of faith.
"We also call upon [U.S.] President Obama to take a more active and visible role and that he personally make a public statement calling for the immediate release of Pastor Nadarkhani and not just issue statements through a White House Spokesperson.
"Iran clearly takes notice that White House has only issued statements and that the President himself has not passionately spoken out on this issue.
"It would seem if the President could personally call Sandra Fluke after harsh and mean-spirited statements were made about her by Rush Limbaugh, then he could personally call for the release of Pastor Nadarkhani who is has been sentenced to death by Iran for being a Christian and living out his faith."
+ Christian News Wire, 2020 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Washington DC 20006, 202-546-0054, newsdesk@christiannewswire.com
+ Christian Defense Coalition, Post Office Box 77168, Washington DC 20013, 202-547-1735, ChristianDefense@gmail.com
[3] 21st Century Elijah Interrogatory Redux: “How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him, but if Baal [and Molech...] be he, then go after him.” (I Kings 18:21b)
After groups including the Christian Defense Coalition (CDC) and Faith and Action in the Nation’s Capital announced 23 February 2012 that they would encircle the U.S. Supreme Court building with prayer 25-28 March 2012 on the eve of and during the Obamacare oral arguments in memory of the 3300 unborn children that in the U.S. each day are killed through abortion.
A 9 March 2012 New York Times article by Robert Pear titled “White House Works to Shape Debate Over Health Law” reported that on 7 March 2012, “White House officials summoned dozens of leaders of nonprofit organizations that strongly back the health law to help them coordinate plans for a prayer vigil, press conferences and other events outside the court when justices hear arguments for three days beginning March 26,” thus summoning 21st century Baal and Molech worshipers (Jeremiah 32:35) to a competing prayer vigil.
CDC Director and Reformed Presbyterian minister the Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney’s comments about the presidential prayer vigil included:
"The President again seems to be using 'prayer and faith' as a political commodity rather than as sincere held beliefs and values. His prayer vigils are tied to a public relations campaign to influence the public regarding support for 'Obamacare' rather than looking to God in humility and seeking His blessing and guidance.
"It also troubling that President does not celebrate the National Day of Prayer at the White House or attend church on a regular basis, (as he did all during the 2008 campaign) yet he will call for prayer vigils to help support and promote his political agenda.
"Mr. President, prayer should never be about advancing a political agenda but honoring God.
"Finally, the President seems very 'selective' in celebrating and respecting faith and religious freedom. President Obama is calling for public prayer and expressions of faith to support legislation that crushes religious freedom with immoral and unjust HHS mandates against the Catholic Church.
"I would suggest that the President pray and seek God to put forward health care legislation that honors the Constitution, respects religious freedom and protects innocent human life."
+ Christian News Wire, 2020 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Washington DC 20006, 202-546-0054, newsdesk@christiannewswire.com
+ New York Times, 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10018, 212- 556-1234, executive-editor@nytimes.com
+ Christian Defense Coalition, Post Office Box 77168, Washington DC 20013, 202-547-1735, ChristianDefense@gmail.com
+ Faith and Action in the Nation’s Capital, 109 Second Avenue Northeast, Washington DC 20002, 202-546-8329, Fax: 202-546-6864, Info@FaithAndAction.org
+ Supreme Court of the United States, One First Street Northeast, Washington DC 20543, 202-479-3000
[4] U.S. President May Order Killing of American Citizen, Says U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.
A 5 March 2012 Los Angeles Times article by Richard A. Serrano and Andy Grimm titled “President May Order Killing of American Terrorists, Holder Says” reports that in a 9 March 2012 speech at Northwestern University Law School, U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. told the audience that the U.S. president has the authority to order the killing of American citizens that are working in another country with Al Qaeda and its allies, saying the U.S. Constitution “does not require judicial approval before the president may use force abroad against a senior operational leader of a foreign terrorist organization with which the United States is at war — even if that individual happens to be a U.S. citizen.”
+ Los Angeles Times, 202 West 1st Street, Los Angeles, California 90012, 213-237-5000, Fax: 213-237-7679, Contact Page
+ U.S. Department of Justice, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Washington DC 20530, 202-514-2000, askdoj@usdoj.gov
[5] Former Taliban Lawyer Appointed to Number Three Position at the U.S. Justice Department
A 5 March 2012 The Daily Caller article by Caroline May titled “Former Taliban Defender Appointed to Third Highest Position at the Justice Department” reports that U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. announced 5 March 2012 that Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division Tony West was promoted the prior week to Acting Associate Attorney General, the number three position at the U.S. Justice Department.
West was the lawyer that defended American terrorist John Walker Lindh, the American Taliban member sentenced to twenty years in prison after being captured in 2001 in Afghanistan fighting for the Taliban.
Former U.S. Justice Department official J. Christian Adams, who blew the whistle on the Justice Department’s decision not to prosecute the New Black Panther Party voter intimidation case, in an interview on Fox News said that West defended other terrorists, and commented:
“Tony West took on, and his firm, took some of the most radical causes for America’s enemies before coming to the Justice Department.”
+ The Daily Caller, 1050 17th Street Northwest # 900, Washington DC 20036,
202-466-3004, media@dailycaller.com
+ U.S. Department of Justice, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Washington DC 20530, 202-514-2000, askdoj@usdoj.gov
[6] Death Toll Rises to Nine in 11 March 2012 Church Suicide Bombing by Boko Haram Islamist Terrorists
The death toll has risen to nine Christians killed in the 11 March 2012 bombing of a Roman Catholic church in Jos, Nigeria, by Boko Haram Islamist terrorists. Two of the dead were identified by their husbands, one finding his wife’s severed hand with her wedding ring still on it, and the other identified the body of his wife by the clothing she was wearing. Both women are survived by five children each along with their husbands. Two of the others killed were two Boy Scouts, eight-years-old and sixteen-years-old, that were assisting security personnel at the church compound gate in keeping out Islamist assailants. The bombers detonated their explosives after being stopped at the church compound gate.
+ Compass Direct News Service, Post Office Box 27250, Santa Ana, California 92799, 949-862-0304, Fax: 949-752-6536, info@compassdirect.org
[7] Free Church of Scotland(Continuing) Announces Moderator Designate for 2012 General Assembly
The Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) announced 9 March 2012 that the Moderator Designate for the 2012 General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) is the Rev. James Gracie.
Mr. Gracie was born and brought up in Partick in Glasgow, Scotland. His family were associated with the former Grant Street Free Church of Scotland where his father was an elder.
On leaving school, he attended the West of Scotland Agricultural College for four years after which he joined the Scottish Milk Marketing Board as a Farm Management Assistant.
His career took a further turn when, in 1979, he accepted a post with the Department of Agriculture as an Agricultural Officer in Lairg in Sutherland, Scotland, principally employed in work for the Crofters Commission.
It was during this time that he began to take a very much deeper interest in spiritual things and came to a living personal faith.
Mr. Gracie was transferred to the Department of Agriculture office in Portree on the Island of Skye, Scotland, where he took up residence in his family’s ancestral home in Uig. He was asked to help by preaching in different congregations throughout the Island and even further afield.
He then applied to become a candidate for the ministry, was accepted and entered the theological course of the Free Church College in Edinburgh, Scotland.
It was while he was a student at the Free Church College that he met his wife Catriona who also comes from a Skye background. They have three daughters: Rachel (fourteen), Alison (twelve) and Lydia (ten).
Having completed his studies, Mr. Gracie was called to minister in the Island of Arran, Scotland, in 1994. His second charge was in North Uist, Scotland, and his present charge is in Edinburgh, Scotland.
+ Free Church of Scotland (Continuing), Rev. John MacLeod, Free Church Manse, Portmahomack, Ross-shire, Scotland, principalclerk@fccontinuing.org
