Updates on senate races in Colorado and New Mexico

Colorado-07/22/2008 Rasmussen Poll-Schaffer gains ground but still behind 47% to 43%.
07/31/2008 Zogby Poll-Schaffer and Udall are even at 40%.

New Mexico-07/25/2008 Rasmussen poll update-Pearce gains 3 percentage points from June poll but still well behind Udall. 59% to 34%. 07/31/2008 Zogby poll-"According to Zogby, Udall leads Pearce just 49% to 41%."- This is within the margin of error being 4.6%

No new updates to Arizona but remember the Marriage Amendment will be on this November's ballot.

I have yet to get to Texas.

Update on death of 5 year old daughter and another recent tragedy

Update to email concerning Steven Curtis Chapman's 5 year old daughter's death. (See In Memory of Maria and The most-linked-to news story for yesterday 05-22-2008)

If you have friends or family going thru a tragic situation like these then these links may be a source of some comfort for them.....

Chapmans Speak of Daughter's Death-"The entire Chapman family spoke with CNN host Larry King about the moments right after the accident, the questions that are still unresolved, and how their faith in God is helping them through, minute by minute. Watch more of that interview here.....Wednesday, Chapman and his wife, Mary Beth, appeared on ABC's Good Morning America to speak about their family's devastating loss....Many supportive fans also left comments about the GMA interview and their prayers for the Chapmans and their children. Watch GMA Interview"-Also included on the Good Morning America is another great interview with Kirk Cameron as a related story.

WITH CONTINUED GRATITUDE, FROM SHAOHANNAH'S HOPE Over $500,000 Is Donated To Maria's Miracle Fund-"It was recently announced that over $310,000 had been donated in two weeks to Shaohannah’s Hope’s Maria’s Miracle Fund. This fund was set up in honor of Maria Sue Chapman, the 5-year old daughter of Steven and Mary Beth Chapman, who lost her life from a tragic accident at their home on May 21, 2008. As of this week, over $500,000 has been donated to Maria’s Miracle Fund. There are not enough words to be able to express the deepest gratitude from the Chapman family and the Shaohannah's Hope ministry for these donations....Shaohannah’s Hope, the adoption and orphan care ministry founded by Steven and Mary Beth Chapman, would like to extend their deepest gratitude for the generosity of prayers as well as donations offered upon the memory of Maria Sue Chapman. The enormous response has been truly overwhelming, it has not gone unnoticed, and is so graciously appreciated."

Shaohannah's Hope-"Our Mission: To care for orphans by engaging the church and helping Christian families reduce the financial barrier to adoption." See this video concerning this ministry at http://members.shaohannahshope.org/site/PageServer?pagename=abt_video. Is this not amazing that thru the death of this child money is being raised to help others adopt more children which means that more unwanted children from China will be raised in good homes because of this tragedy??!! To God be the Glory and I am sure Maria in heaven is praising the Lord over this and when eternity with Christ comes for the rest of the family what a day that will be cause it will include much more then their own family but rather many others!!!

People Magazine Issue featuring Chapmans Bumped Slightly-"We've now confirmed that the Chapmans will appear in a feature in People Magazine..on August 13th"

For those of you in Texas Steven Curtis Chapmen is coming in concert

Greg Laurie son dies in car accident.

Here is memorial service in its entirety

Evangelist Offers Salvation at Son's Memorial

Car Crash Kills Pastor Greg Laurie's Son

First ever Sophmore to win Heisman Trophy Winner Gives Glory to Christ

Tim Tebow and God's Providence-"Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow and the University of Florida have decided he won't be a part of Playboy magazine's annual All-American college football team....'Because of her strong Christian faith, she chose life.' If doctors had had their way, Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow wouldn't be here today....Is it not providential of God that the first sophmore to win the Heisman trophy is this man? What a testimony to Christ!!!"-Watch video footage of Tim giving glory to Christ as he receives the Heisman Trophy award!!!

Hollywood actor Voight vs Obama and Hollywood

Voight ignites a blog storm in Hollywood-"Jon Voight intended to turn heads with the “very strong points” in his Washington Times op-ed last week. But he probably didn’t expect so many of them to reside in Hollywood....Voight’s piece slammed Democratic candidate Barack Obama, praised GOP contender John McCain and even repudiated his own Vietnam War protests as the naive flailings of a deluded youth. It was a stunning bit of self-revelatory memoir from the now-conservative “Coming Home” star....Jeffrey Wells, who runs the movie and pop culture site Hollywood-Elsewhere.com, took Voight to task for his right turn and wrote that, if he were a studio executive, he might think twice before hiring Voight for any future film work...Voight seemed particularly taken aback by Wells’ blog postings, which many have interpreted as a call for blacklisting the actor. “It’s out of line to insinuate that we should blacklist people for speaking their minds,” Voight told Politico. “It’s a strange thing when people in this country can’t express their opinions without being attacked.” He added that Hollywood liberals frequently discuss topical issues, and “it’s an important time for people on the conservative side to speak out.”....plans to launch a new group blog called BigHollywood, as part of his Breitbart.com news service, to appeal to the opposite end of the spectrum from Wells’ musings.“The site will offer a daily repository for those interested and involved in the perspective of a growing community of Hollywood conservatives, Republicans and libertarians,” Breitbart told me via instant message over the weekend, calling his upcoming project “a safe haven for those out of the lefty mainstream.”...To run his new effort, Breitbart tapped aspiring filmmaker and blogger John Nolte, who recently launched his own politically oriented movie fan site called DirtyHarrysPlace.com...Nolte claimed more than 400,000 page views a month for Dirty Harry’s Place...“We’re coming into the serious/silly awards season in which the Hollywood narcissists end up spending a billion dollars to make movies for their friends,” he said. “Last year, that resulted in all those awful anti-war films. Who knows what they’re going to come up with this year?”-See Daughter of Alice Walker (The Color Purple), Actor Voight vs Obama and "Ten Persuasive Answers to the Question: Why Not Gay ‘Marriage?’”-Part 5 for Voight's original comments that ignited the discussion.

African Americans speak out in opposition to Obama and something you probabily don't know about Big Oil

Obama’s Views Not Consistent With Christianity, Conservative Says-"Parker, who is president of CURE, a think-tank that focuses on issues of race and poverty in America, said in addition to abortion, she is concerned about America’s dependence on welfare and the consequences that Obama’s support for such policies will have in the U.S. “There’s a problem in this hardcore, left philosophy of Barack Obama that people keep dismissing,” said Parker. “I think [Obama’s social policies] will destroy what’s left of the black family. Socialism doesn’t work. It doesn’t work for individuals, it doesn’t work for families and it doesn’t work for our society. Our society cannot coexist with socialism.” Parker, a one-time single mother on welfare who worked to become one of the nation’s top conservative speakers, said she hopes that the race of the expected Democratic nominee will not be a factor when other black conservatives decide who to support in the presidential election."

Obama Hood and Obamanomics-"Obamanomics has been described as Robin Hood economics, taking from the rich to give to the poor. Actually, Robin Hood took back from the king (and in some traditions of the story from corrupt clergymen) what had been taken from the people by the government. In terms of popular culture’s understanding of Robin Hood, mostly through the Robin Hood movies and TV series (too many to list here but see the 1938 Adventures of Robin Hood starring Earl Flynn, Claude Rains, and Basil Rathbone; also see here and order here), the archer in green tights was against the political tyrants of his day, most notably Prince John, Sir Guy of Gisbourne, and the sheriffs who extracted taxes from the common people to pay the king so they could retain their political positions. If a Robin Hood movie were being cast today, Barak Obama would be cast as Prince John."

Oil War: The Media Crusade-"Felmy defended the industry that employs 1.9 million people and benefits the retirement accounts of millions more, He told “Nightly News,” “There’s no way you can characterize them [profits] that they are out of line. In fact, they’re less than the average.” According to API, the oil industry has lower profit margins than many other industries including pharmaceuticals, computer equipment and appliances. People from all walks of life benefit from the oil industry’s profits because 98.5 percent of its public companies’ shares are held by outsiders through mutual funds, pensions and other asset management groups, said API. Only 1.5 percent of those shares are held by board members and officers of the companies. Oil and natural gas companies made about 7.4 cents on the dollar in the first quarter of 2008, according to API. According to MarketWatch, CBS’s margin is higher – at 8.9 percent. In contrast to many other news reports, CNN’s John Roberts mentioned that point on August 1 following Allan Chernoff’s slanted segment. “That’s only a 7-percent profit margin. If you were talking about that sort of volume in financial services industry or retail or something like that – profits would be much, much higher,” Roberts said."

Obama's 'Rock Star' Status Not Enough for Conservative Voters-"During Wednesday’s webcast, guest Bishop Harry Jackson, an African-American church leader and chairman of the High Impact Leadership Coalition, urged voters to look carefully at each candidate’s stance on energy, state marriage amendment, hate crimes legislation, fairness doctrine, and abortion before making their presidential pick. The pro-life leader advised values voters to look beyond appealing rhetoric and at candidates’ stance on issues. Jackson, who is a registered Democrat, says he hopes to present to his Obama-leaning black congregation in the Washington, D.C.-area the issue of life in an upcoming event and urge them to carefully consider where the candidates stand on this moral matter. “[T]here are certain policies that will attract the blessing of God on the nation and you don’t have to be a genius to understand that the nation is not blessed now and we’re under pressure,” Jackson said to the FOTF Action host. “[W]hat has to happen is we have to align ourselves with the Word of God,” he prescribed."

Obama still having difficulty with the faithful values voter despite all the effort and reports of a newly discussed strategy for fall.-See The "Goose Bump" and "Race" trap.

Obama's New Muslim Adviser Resigns-"Sen. Barack Obama's director of Muslim outreach has resigned amid controversy, just a few weeks after joining Obama's presidential campaign. Attorney Mazen Asbahi started working as the campaign's outreach coordinator on July 26, and he resigned on Monday. In a letter, he said he was stepping down "to avoid distracting from Barack Obama's message of change," the Associated Press reported. The A.P. said Asbahi resigned amid questions about his connection to an imam linked to people who allegedly raised funds for Hamas."

Americans Trust John McCain More Than Barack Obama on Abortion-"A new poll shows Americans now trust John McCain more to handle abortion issues than Barack Obama. Obama had been slightly in the lead in the national daily presidential tracking survey the polling firm Rasmussen Reports conducts but that has changed. As more Americans learn about John McCain's pro-life position on abortion and Barack Obama's support for unlimited abortions financed with taxpayer dollars, Americans appear to be moving in McCain's direction. Prior polls found Obama leading on the abortion question and an August poll had McCain leading 39 to 36 percent, a three point difference. Now, McCain holds a lead of six percent, with 40 percent of Americans saying they trust him more to handle the issue and only 34 percent saying Obama. Another 26 percent aren't sure and that number appears likely to go down as more people realize the stark abortion contrast that exists in this election. The poll results come on the heels of new national surveys showing McCain faring much better and even taking a lead among likely voters..."-See previous email at Media's no emphasis of abortion as an issue hurting McCain and helping Obama/Obama on Fatherhood/The Physiology of Motherhood/Bush vs Clinton on more importance of this issue and complete lack of media coverage from ABC, CBS, NBC and PBS which will obviously favour one candidate over the other.

History in South Dakota is being made:

South Dakota makes US History: "the abortion will terminate the life of a...living human being". The only abortion clinic in the state closes. -"Monday was the first day that Planned Parenthood, which operates the only abortion business in South Dakota, had to comply with a new state law telling women the truth about abortion. Rather than tell women abortion kills children and has numerous risks, Planned Parenthood closed its doors...The Unruhs are currently involved in the Vote Yes For Life Campaign, which would effectively ban abortions in South Dakota, putting the finishing nail in the coffin of the abortion industry there. Text of the new law and links to the court decision can be found at http://www.voteyesforlife.http://www.voteyesforlife.com/."

More hats off to Bush for the Pro-Life and Pro-Women elected Judges. "The federal appeals court cited the portion of the Supreme Court's recent Gonzales v. Carhart decision on partial-birth abortion referring to the post-abortion problems women experience."

But ultimately it is:

"We are on the ballot-"Our initiative will be number 11 on the ballot. To God be the glory. Let it be written in history that the pro-life people of South Dakota obtained:….one of the largest number of petitions ever gathered for any initiative in SD history. (almost 50,000 with another 8,000 coming in after the petitions were delivered to Pierre.)…one of the highest percentage of valid signatures of any ballot initiative in SD history.And it was accomplished:…In two and a half months in one of the coldest winters in decades.…With a 100% volunteer effort.…With no out of state people gathering signatures."-God and His people are at work!!! Is there a new slave trade abolition like movement in modern history called the Pro-Life movement. Will one day abortion be considered as heinous as slavery!!! South Dakota may be in God's providential History book!!! We will have to wait and see and may never see it in our lifetime but many never did in times pst either!!! For now South Dakota is!!!

Check out this argument for those compromising on this issue with Obama: "Burch says those who justify their support for Obama with the belief that he would enact policies to reduce abortions in America have yet to cite anything specific that he is willing to commit to in order to do that. "We would never allow a candidate to receive our support who says 'I want to reduce the number of slaves in America -- but I am 100 percent committed to keep slavery legal,'" the Catholic activist suggests. "We have to remember again what this is and what abortion is -- it is the taking of human life, it is destructive to women, [and] it's destructive to our country."-These are all quotes from different articles on the blog above. There is much more on McCain and Obama as they make this an issue in their compaigns even though NBC, CBS, ABC and PBS largely ignore it and as far as I can have flat ignored it (see more on Do Americans believe there is a media bias when it comes to coverage on Obama and McCain? concerning media bias). Check out this issue on the international scene and much more on this South Dakota blog.

Colorado and Mexico are attempting to make historical progress for the unborn

Also, in this blog as I already reported on the Historical ballot initiative in Colorado to define a human being as a being from fertilization (see Colorado under Ballot Initiatives), now Mexico has joined in to also, define life from fertilization (see subheading Mexico and the UN)

Another new post of great importance politically speaking for McCain:

Dobson may endorse McCain depending on VP. Obama making no headway amongst Evangelicals and actually doing worse then Kerry. On this blog you can check out recent polls and compare them to last election and note that Obama inspite of his efforts to reach for the evangelical vote is behind Kerry from last election amogst evangelicals and this inspite of all his attention in the media. But McCain is lagging behind Bush in this category so if McCain can pick up the right VP then Dobson has said he may endorse McCain which means that McCain may pick up more of the many undecided evangelicals to equal to Bush in the poll comparisons. I think many of us are waiting for McCain to make some actions that will let us know that issues like the unborn and family/religious issues are important. He has been saying all the right things publicly as I blogged on in a prior email at Obama's Divisive Faith Based Initiative/Update on NM Photography case/www.BoycottMcDonalds.com/Arizona Marriage Amendment and McCain scroll down to sub heading Good News on McCain which of course the media is to busy to inform but let us see if his say so/Pro-Life voting record matches his VP pick.

Hype: The Obama Effect Movie

Hype: The Obama Effect movie coming out and the side of a story you may be missing. "The World Is Powering Up While America Powers Down"-Featuring Jill Stanek "Jill Stanek Jill Stanek's commitment to Christ led her to risk her job, reputation, and friendships to stop the terrible practices of abortion and infanticide. Jill was a registered nurse at Christ Hospital in Illinois when she made the shocking discovery that babies were being aborted alive and allowed to die without medical care. Jill went public and has since become a national figure in the effort to protect both born and pre-born infants. In January 2003, Jill was named by World Magazine as one of the 30 most prominent pro-life leaders in the movement over the past 30 years. Jill writes about pro-life issues as a weekly columnist for WorldNetDaily.com. You can sign up to receive Jill's columns by email at her video and cd table after our event. Jill is a member of Parkview Christian Church in Orland Park, Illinois. She and husband Rich have three children and four grandsons."-I find it providential that the Born Alive Infant Protection Act has its beginnings in Illinois (Obama's political home state) and became a national issue led by a Christian Nurse whose only opposition was Obama backed by a plan applauded by Planned Parenthood. Jill fought hard for the protection of babies that survive an abortion against Obama. See Obama's 10 reasons for supporting infanticide. This is quite a story from the Nurse who testified concerning this horrific happening. The movie is not only about this subject but much more concerning his radical liberal views on much more then abortion.

Comfort in Tragedy

When Life Is Changed Forever, Part 1 and When Life Is Changed Forever, Part 2. This is a true story of a mother who lost a young son and Godly comfort for those going thru such tragedies. Be prepared to cry but also, if you have friends or family that have gone thru such a tragedy this may be a great source of comfort. You can also, browse the other subject on this web site at: http://www.familylife.com/site/c.dnJHKLNnFoG/b.3876235/k.8398/Advanced_Search.htm.

Take care all

http://www.blogpulse.com/08_05_22/topPress.html

But also do check out this story below concerning the same subject.

Chapmans Receive Outpour of Love, Support-There are many links for further information like an interview with their pastor and a blog set up where you can blog your condolences and many interviews before the occurence. Including this You Tube video that featured his daughter that went to Christ in the video and is a blessing of a video also by the name of When Love Takes You In.

I was amazed by the number of condolences that were shared on their blog site. I tallied up about 8 per minute since 6:00 am yesterday that is more then one every 10 seconds!!! I can only imagine what the brother of the daughter is going thru right now. I think the more the condolences the more the support the better.

Ironically enough yesterday on Todays Issues (scroll down to the story on 05-22-2008 to listen and be warned that it takes time to download but that is normal for this site) they had an interview with a non famous normal everyday family that had a young daughter that died of bone cancer at 12 years of age. You must listen to there daughters wish for the Make a Wish foundation wish and what has resulted from this tragedy. They were featured on the CBS Morning show (so you can probabily find that interview on line also) program also and apparently a movie is in the process. These stories may be a source of encouragement for others going thru similar situations or have gone thru similar situations and that is ultimately why I email these stories so that maybe if you run across somebody going thru similar things you have some resources. This is not to torture you all.

Take care all...

Daughter of Christian Music Star Killed by Car-"The accident occurred at about 5:30 p.m., when the teen was driving down the driveway of their home in Williamson County just south of Nashville."

In Memory of Maria-Web site set up 4 hours ago for those wishing to express condolences.

Meet Maria-You Tube video of Steven Curtis Chapmen with Daughter Maria who was tragically killed.

Steven Curtis Chapman:-Stephens web site. The web site is down because of to much traffic right now but when you have an opportunity please do sample his songs. His recent song is called Cinderella or something like that which is about a Father releasing His Cinderella (Daughter) into a Princess (soon to be Son in Laws hands). I am sure Fathers of Daughters will be touched and so may some Daughters at the hearing of this heartfelt song. And also quite applicable in the case where last night Stephen had to release his 5 year old Daughter into the hands of the Prince of Princes'. I believe there is a live video of the song performed by Stephen on the web site.

Shaohannahs Hope-Stephens and wifes ministry to financially support those seeking adoption of children...

Entertainment:

http://www.belladvds.com/- "Bella is the #1 rated film of 2007 by the users of the biggest film review website in the world, Rotten Tomatoes.com with a 96.5 rating. Bella was also #1 while in theaters by users of Yahoo!, Fandango and NY Times Readers Poll."-wow!!! Grassroots baby!!! Who needs Hollywood or a Hollywood advertising/production budget or the media when you've got "we the people"!!!

Bella is the No. 1 pre-sale romantic movie on Amazon.com-"Producer Leo Severino told LifeSiteNews.com that the movie has been instrumental in saving at least 15 preborn babies from abortion."-I'm excited to find out what becomes of these 15!!!

Rebelution:

Rebelution- Web site of brothers of Joshua Harris who wrote "I kissed dating GoodBye" and "Sex Is Not The Problem (Lust Is)" dedicated to teens rebelling against low expectations of teens. Listen to an interview of them here and scroll down to 05/08/5008. It takes a while to download but thats normal. I just start doing something else while I am waiting. Makes the wait go by fast. "Instead of serving as the launching pad of life, the teen years are seen as a vacation from responsibility. We call it the "myth of adolescence." And the Rebelution is all about busting that myth."

Iraq:

US Military deaths down over 26 year average-"In 2005, a total of 1,942 U.S. military personnel were killed in all causes, including accidents, hostile action, homicides, illnesses, suicides, etc...That compares to 2,392 in 1980, the last year of President Jimmy Carter's administration....the first year of the peacetime Clinton administration, 1,293 U.S. servicemen lost their lives -- just 649 fewer than in 2005, the hottest year of the Iraq war."-04/25/2008.

Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles have sharply reduced the lethality of insurgent roadside bomb attacks in Iraq.

Fall in violence lures Iraqis home-"According to the latest figures available from the Iraqi government, about 30,000 Iraqis had returned home through March."-05/04/2008 USA Today.

Seven weeks into its own surge, the city of Basra has been largely quited "to the initial surprise and growing delight of many inhabitants."

For a great conservative think tank and the largest think tank in the world period then check out The Heritage Foundation and you can sign up for their daily emails just for a differing point of view sake then the popular media and balance sake in ones own political understanding though they are not themselves at all balanced nor claim to be. Here is the web site of The Heritage Foundations' counterpart from the left wing web site http://www.americanprogress.org/. You will probabily note that most of their views are promoted in the media anyways so it may be nothing new but none the less feel free to compare and check out and then see if whether or not you agree that the popular media seems to highly favor one side over the other.

Online Dating Sevice:

EHarmony Sued for Gay Discrimination-"Linda Carlson says she tried to use the eHarmony site to meet another woman, but could not, based on her sexual orientation...Originally a Christian website, the company has sought out more secular audiences in recent years."-06/2007. Not only is EHarmonys' services not available for the promotion of homosexual couples but neither are their services available for the promotion of heterosexual "one-night stands"...

eHarmony and 'one-night stands' incompatible-"eHarmony has retracted a column advocating "one-night stands" after a newlywed Christian couple who met on the popular website accused the online dating service of departing from its "Christian, pro-marriage beginnings" and embracing the "hook-up" culture"-04/2008.

Update on Academic Freedom Legislation:

Four States Consider Permitting Academic Freedom on Evolution-"The effort to protect the academic freedom of the nation's educators received a blow, as a Florida bill protecting the right of teachers to examine the strengths and weaknesses of Darwin's theory of evolution died on Friday with the end of the state legislative session. However, Michigan, Louisiana, Alabama, and Missouri currently have similar legislation under consideration."-So now there are 5 states working on this type of legislation. I reported on Florida, Lousiana and Missouri and for actual wording of bills and success in Florida click on 04/28/2008 and scroll down Recent legislation inacted to support Academic Freedom:. Keep in mind this email is an update to Florida that even though the bills past both House and Senate that the bills were still being worked on but the legislative session ended so it stopped. I don't know what happens from there.

Burma: What lies in Darkness?:

Praying for Morning to Break in Burma-"March 11th is the Global Day of Prayer for Burma.....Last month, a young Chin woman named Cheery Zahau presented the United Nations with fresh evidence of atrocities conducted by the Burmese Army. She told of gang rapes and the raping of victims as young as 12 years old in Burma's Chin State. Zahau reportedly testified, "Often the rapes have been carried out with extreme brutality and in some cases they resulted in the death of the victim. In one case, a woman was stripped naked and hung on a cross, in a deliberate act of mockery against her Christian religion."-03/09/2007

Bush Urges U.N. to Spread Freedom-"Taking center stage in front the world, Bush announced that the United States would impose new sanctions against the military dictatorship in Myanmar..."Americans are outraged by the situation in Burma," President Bush said. The Asian country was renamed Myanmar from Burma by its military junta. However, the United States does not recognize that name change..."-09/25/2007

Text President Bush's Speech to the U.N.-"This morning, I'm announcing a series of steps to help bring peaceful change to Burma. The United States will tighten economic sanctions on the leaders of the regime and their financial backers. We will impose an expanded visa ban on those responsible for the most egregious violations of human rights, as well as their family members. We'll continue to support the efforts of humanitarian groups working to alleviate suffering in Burma. And I urge the United Nations and all nations to use their diplomatic and economic leverage to help the Burmese people reclaim their freedom."-09/27/2007.

Nine Dead as Burma Military Fires on Crowds-"Witnesses have reported that soldiers smashed windows and doors, and beat the sleeping monks. While some monks managed to get away, hundreds of others were taken away in military trucks...Bono said everyone should offer their support to the Burmese people. "In Britain, Prime Minister Gordon Brown has shown some leadership as has President George Bush. Everyone should keep their fingers crossed and say your prayers for them," the rock star said."-09/27/2007.

Tribal Christians Find New Life in U.S.-"The Htoo family is part of a tribe called the Karen, which lives in the mountains of northern Burma. The tribe is primarily Christian, thanks to the efforts of American missionaries in the 1850's. Just after World War II, the country of Burma was taken over by a Buddhist military dictatorship. Since then, the government has engaged in genocidal persecution of the Christian ethnic minorities within their borders....a country that British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has recently called on the U.N. Security Council to consider action against its government....After years of lobbying, the U.S. government agreed to allow up to 10,000 refugees from Burma to resettle in the U.S."-09/28/2007.

Burmese Christians Pray for Hope-"In the midst of the seemingly hopeless situation, Burmese Christians are interceding for their country. Christians inside the country, and even those who fled to the jungles of neighboring countries are praying. They believe that no amount of protests can topple the iron rule in Burma. Only prayer, they say, can change their nation."-03/07/2008

Global Day of Prayer 2008 Brochure. "We believe that: 1. God loves the people of Burma and we should be strong in the mighty power of God. 2. The rider on the white horse (Rev 19:11-14) will fight for the oppressed. 3. We should go deep and go ahead, not broad or shallow or sideways. 4. God reveals what lies in darkness."-03/09/2008

Enters Cyclone: 05/03/2008

First Lady Laura Bush on Myanmar-Notice she didn't once recognize Myanmar as neither did her Husband in his speech to the UN back in 09/2007 (see above Bush Urges U.N. to spread freedom for further detail as to maybe why). "On Saturday, Cyclone Nargis swept through Burma. The storm affected more than 2 million people, and according to the Burmese media, killed thousands. The aftermath has left cities paralyzed, families separated and houses and businesses destroyed. It's troubling that many of the Burmese people learned of this impending disaster only when foreign outlets -- such as Radio Free Asia and Voice of America -- sounded the alarm. Although they were aware of the threat, Burma's state-run media failed to issue a timely warning to citizens in the storm's path...he United States stands prepared to provide an assistance team and much needed supplies to Burma as soon as the Burmese government accepts our offer. The government of Burma should accept this team quickly, as well as other offers of international assistance...In response to the regime's continued repression, President Bush has instructed the U.S. Treasury Department to freeze assets of Burmese state-owned companies that are held in U.S. banks. This adds to actions last year to expand U.S. sanctions against Burma's regime, and to tighten sanctions against its top leaders. We thank the European Union, Canada and Australia for joining the United States in imposing similar restrictions. And we appeal to China, India, and Burma's fellow ASEAN members to use their influence to encourage a democratic transition...Watch more of her press conference"-05/07/2008.

Myanmar Slow to Accept International Aid-"Despite the cyclone, the government indicated that a referendum on the country's draft constitution would proceed as planned on May 10. "It's only a few days left before the coming referendum and people are eager to cast their vote," the state-owned newspaper Myanma Ahlin said Monday. Should the junta be perceived as failing disaster victims, voters who already hold the regime liable for ruining the economy and squashing democracy could take out their frustrations at the ballot box."-05/07/2008

First Round of Int'l Aid Reaches Myanmar-"The first round of International aid began with 800 tons of food for Myanmar's homeless, the U.N.'s World Food Program.." And check this out as was mentioned in Laura Bushs' speech above..."The cyclone came only a week ahead of a key referendum on a constitution that Myanmar's military leaders hoped would go smoothly in its favor. But the disaster could stir the already tense political situation."-05/07/2008

Myanmar Junta Hands Out Aid Boxes-Check this out in light of last 2 reports above!!! "Myanmar's military regime distributed international aid Saturday but plastered the boxes with the names of top generals in an apparent effort to turn the relief effort for last week's devastating cyclone into a propaganda exercise...Despite international appeals to postpone a referendum on a controversial proposed constitution, voting began Saturday in all but the hardest hit parts of the country. With voters going to the polls, state-run television continuously ran images of top generals including junta leader, Senior Gen. Than Shwe, handing out boxes of aid at elaborate ceremonies."-05/10/2008. Wow!!!

First U.S. Relief Airlift Heads to Myanmar-"Still, the reclusive junta insists it will handle the aid distribution itself, through its feared military, which has ruled the country with an iron fist since 1962. Many people have complained that they are getting rotting rice and that soldiers are keeping the best food for themselves. "The government is very controlling," said U Patanyale, the abbot of a monastery in Kyi Bui Khaw village. "Those who want to give directly to the victims get into trouble. They have to give to the government or do it secretly. They follow international aid trucks everywhere. They don't want others to take credit. That's the Myanmar government," he said."-05/12/2008

Maybe this email can be used in what little way it can in answer to the prayer of those in Burma of "...what Lies in Darkness..." and who knows but maybe in some tragic way larger scale attention will be continually brought to this area because of this tragedy...

Faith Based Christian NGO's also helping out:

Mission agency among first responders in Burma-"Thousands of Burmese cyclone victims are finding relief through a well-known mission agency. While international aid teams were trying to get permission to enter Burma, more than 500 Gospel For Asia (GFA) missionaries were already on the ground, providing relief to those who lost family members, friends, and all their possessions. And one GFA Bible College in Rangoon now serves as a makeshift shelter for those left homeless by the deadly cyclone."-05/08/2008

GFA Missionaries Seeking Cyclone Survivors
"The teams included students from GFA's Bible college in Yangon, which has become a center of ministry to survivors in Myanmar's largest city....The GFA country leader is directing the relief efforts at the college, which includes providing desperately needed food and water to survivors staying on and near the campus..."The number of dead will probably be over 100,000," K.P. reported...A few U.N. aid flights have been allowed to land in Rangoon, but only a handful of outside aid workers have been granted visas. "For us, the issue is not as much visas as it is getting supplies into the affected areas," K.P. explained. "Our people are already on the ground. Our national leader is organizing the relief efforts. And he is trying to arrange for our materials to get in. But they need much more—and they need much prayer. "We are working to get some of our workers into Burma from India," he noted, "but right now we are relying on our Burmese workers and church members who are helping every way they can to alleviate the suffering...Most importantly, they are bringing the hope of Jesus Christ into the situation...One of the things we learned in the wake of the Asian tsunami was that even when we bring physical aid, the emotional and spiritual needs are even greater. "I still remember when one of our missionaries read Scripture to a woman who was about to walk into the ocean and drown herself because she had lost everything in the tsunami," he recounted. "She had received food and clothing and shelter—but she had lost her entire family and didn't want to live anymore. It was only the Good News of the Gospel that saved her...Even as we minister in the wake of this cyclone, we must never forget what man's deepest needs are."-05/08/2008

OBI Brings Food to Myanmar Orphans-"Watch the full report on the player. It includes video from inside Myanmar and a phone interview with an Operation Blessing International aid worker."

http://www.myowneyes.org/-"With My Own Eyes is a firsthand, eyewitness account offering users the opportunity to see some of the most devastated, disaster-ravaged and previously inaccessible places in the world, as well as a look at Operation Blessing's efforts to help people that live there.This multimedia site features video footage, photos and the personal diary entries of team leaders from Operation Blessing International"

A can't miss footage of food getting to people via Operation Blessing (a christian relief organization) without government labels on the food!!!!!-See real faces and damage caused by cyclone.

Christians Concerned for Burma-"Map of Burma showing the state regions belonging to Burma's different ethnic nationalities." And many more resources. And just added is a link to photos of the human devastation you can get to here labeled Please be advised that photos are graphic.

Lastly:

A God of suffering?-Video of a christian response to the problem of suffering in the world. This video was made during Hurricane Katrina by a pastor who himself had underwent suffering in his own life and remember the only God in the history of humanity to partake in sufferings Himself is Jesus Christ and thus the only God that has a right to relationally speak on the subject for He has decided to personally relate on this issue with humanity.

Get Answers: Death and Suffering-For those without video and for further information and in more detail this issue is dealt with here.

I just want to add that since God is also, all just (not only all powerful and all loving) that all evils committed in the world will one day be as though they never even were "they shall be as though they had not been."-Obadiah 1:16 speaking of men who commit evil. If we trust to God's power of justice (or ability to make all wrongs right) then all evil will be reversed. But if we trust not to God what is our option??? Feel free to fill in the blanks. It seems that if we really want wrongs to be made right we are forced to believe that God is 1. all powerful 2. all loving and 3. all just??? Its almost as if the desire to right all the wrongs committed from beginning to end in our world presupposes a faith in such a God!!! Or rather it is the only position that will satisfy that thirst. So if we see evil in the world and we really truely desire for the wrongs to be righted then we must believe in God. And lastly since God is not bound to time like we are in one sense HE HAS ALREADY RIGHTED THE WRONGS!!!! So if you add to point 1., 2. and 3. above that God is 4. the creator of time and not subject to its laws sort of speak being outside and above His creation then by the eyes of faith we can know that they have been dealt with already in His mind if this is the God that does exist and we being subject to time and space must wait and see this glorious good desire of ours (that of justice) fulfilled. It seems as though it is an impossibility humanly speaking but as that which is with men impossible, with God is quite another thing and maybe this is one of those glorious acts that is already in His mind fulfilled but by believing maybe one day we will see the fulfillment of in some obviously unhuman way "as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."-I Corinthians 2:9. So when we are tempted to play the part of doubting Thomas "he (Thomas)..Except I shall see....I will not believe" may we take the counsel of Christ to bear in heart and mind, "Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." And so the message of the cross is the most hopefilled relational/rational message from God to man for those in great suffering and pain desiring to see the righting of all these wrongs as opposed to their greatest enemy as many atheist would have us believe. What do the atheist provide but just that this is the way it is so releive as much pain and suffering as you can and so learn to live with it(no hell below us, above us only sky...and no religion too...and may I add it ain't pretty as it is and no justice too)!!! After all its been the way of the universe for billions of years who are we to complain and have any sense or need of justice if all we are is a result of chance over the chance of time!!!??? I suppose there are only so many things to have faith in!!! But God brings a proposition that satisfies our sense of justice and hope for such dire situations as Burma if we have any hope left after our many years of training in the schools of organized religious atheism!!! Good thing we don't act like all has its roots in naturalistic chancism!!!! I suppose if we did we really would have no justified logical reason to be concerned at all with what is happening tragically anywhere let alone our own back yard. Thank God that atheists act contrary to their beliefs!!!! And God save us if they ever do!!!! I say this with a little humour and not seriously though making a serious philosophical point of a flaw in atheism and not to be viewed as attacking any atheist personally or that all atheist are bad or anything like that. But just responding with the dangers of atheism if atheism weeded out all hypocrisy, after all atheists are always proclaiming the dangers of religion and such so just reasoning in a similar fashion relatable to atheistics own thinking to point out flaws in atheism is all I am attempting to do no matter how successful or unsuccessful. Take care all.

I understand that this is a more rational response to death and suffering as opposed to an emotionally supportive one. But just knowing that the Creator of the Universe chose to relate with us in our sufferings by suffering Himself on a cross for our sins especially when He didn't have to thus willingly/lovingly can bring great healing and help to us and those in tragedies like this. And that He can and does help us thru difficult times if we ask Him and sometimes even before we ask Him and then again at certain times appointed and planned He decides to take us and our loved ones home....Take care all....

Yanking Back the Balance/Filling in the Gaps/Emphasizing the Missing Headlines

"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?...I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people....They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture...Ye that fear the LORD, praise him....For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard."-Selected verses from Psalm 22 fulfilled in Christ on the cross for our sins!!! See Matthew 27:32-55