In This Month's Report:
* Editorial - "Conservative or Preservative?"
* April Events - NY Summit on Marriage and Moral Values
* April Ministry - See who we ministered with in April
* Oddity - Seeing is believing
* Tips and Resources - Build your own computer
* Products - Two new resources (see link below)
* Partnership - Invest in God's program for the Northeast of America

We would love to hear from you; please send us your feedback today. Don’t forget the ever-popular 'GOD THOUGHTS' at the end of this report. Enjoy! JB

"To know what you prefer instead of humbly saying 'Amen' to what the world tells you you ought to prefer, is to have kept your soul alive." - Robert Louis Stevenson

INTRODUCTION

Speaking by phone on a radio show recently in far away New Zealand, the interviewer asked me to comment on his impression, which he believes is shared by a large portion of the world, that America is largely a nation of 'conservatives.' I reminded him that the last presidential election clearly demonstrated how America is almost ideologically split down the middle between liberals and conservatives. Surprised to hear this, he went on to express great concern about the impact by evangelical Christians in America, who take certain parts of the Bible literally, and their influence over this nation's foreign policy. He expressed indignation at America's 'imperialistic' role in Iraq and the Middle East. However, it was a surprise for my interviewer to hear me report that there is just as crucial a war going on within America as without!

A BATTLE FOR THE SOUL

The internal war between the secular and the religious for the soul of America, is obviously not something that gets a lot of coverage in foreign media. However, perhaps there is some truth to my interviewer's assumption that most of America is conservative. And perhaps it is the left domination of the mainstream media here that has created a false impression of a dichotomy, when in reality, most Americans still believe in traditional values.

PERILOUS TIMES

California Supreme Court Justice Janice Rogers Brown, a recent nominee to the Federal Appeals Court who has elicited accusations of "extremism and aggressive judicial activism..." from the left, comments,  "These are perilous times for people of faith, not in the sense that we are going to lose our lives, but in the sense that it will cost you something if you are a person of faith who stands up for what you believe in and says those things out loud." And so a brilliant self-made black lawyer, judge, Christian, and daughter of black Alabama sharecroppers is called "out of the mainstream of America," when in reality, she is the mainstream!

Prolific author and conservative commenter Mona Charen put it this way, "There was a time when 'fear of God' meant piety, or at least conscience. Today, it more accurately describes the worldview of secular liberals who get itchy and twitchy at any reminder of our religious roots as a nation."

STOP THE ROT

Evangelical Christians pose no threat to the world, unless it is happy to blindly continue on a path of moral devolution! In that case, they would be perceived as a threat. They would, however, see their role as more preservative than conservative! The latter is a political term while the former is more spiritual in this context. They are called the 'salt of the earth' by the Lord in Matthew 5:13, but He goes on to say, "but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?"

To be a salty Christian means being a preservative against the tide of moral decay, no matter what the world says. To do this is to keep 'your soul alive!' #
 

Summit on Marriage and Moral Values in NY and America, Wednesday, April 13 - This event was covered by several NYC papers, including the New York Times. Ironically, one of the most balanced reports came from the New York Blade, a newspaper serving the NY gay community. Following is some of that report:

"...Local and national church leaders held a conference at Kings College, located in the Empire State Building. Sponsored by City Action Coalition, a local group of faith-based organizations, and High Impact Leadership Coalition.... The one day gathering dealt with a spectrum of issues ranging from prison reform to health care. They specifically put elected officials on notice that support of gay marriage would lead to political consequences.

'We wanted to send a strong message to local and national officials: vote against gay marriage and for other moral values or the Christian Coalition will vote you out of office,' said Mike Paul, spokesperson for Bishop Harry Jackson....

The Democratic candidates for mayor (as well as Mayor Michael Bloomberg) may differ on tactics, but all have expressed support for gay marriage. However, Rev. Jeff Beacham, secretary of CAC, thinks there is a growing number of people from all over the political spectrum who are uneasy about same sex unions. 'New York City is heavily Democratic,' Beacham said. 'Not one mayoral candidate is opposed to gay marriage. Nevertheless, there is a rising tide of people, from every political persuasion, putting their stand on moral issues above their political stand. Those are the kind of people we are increasingly representing.'

Star Parker, president of the Los Angeles based Coalition on Urban Renewal and Education, who was at the conference, agrees. 'Blacks have a gut instinct about life and the meaning of life,' Parker said. 'They have an inherent belief that sodomy is out of order....'

Bishop Wellington Boone, whose church is in Norcross, GA., thought the connection between marriage and civil rights was 'the rape of the civil rights movement....'

Despite this language, Beacham emphasized his organization has nothing against gays and lesbians.... 'We do not want to exhibit anything hateful to the gay community, but at the same time we have to stand up for what we believe.' Beacham also had words for the faith-based community. 'It is the failure of the church and the heterosexual community that marriage has become what it is,' Beacham said. '...It is the failure of the Church to be the preservative it is supposed to be.'”
 

NJ Family Policy Council Defender's of the Family Awards and Fund Raising Event - NJFPC President Len Deo sent this report: "All who attended our annual fundraising and awards banquet last Friday evening featuring Colonel Oliver North were both encouraged and challenged. Colonel North, (Fox News Correspondent and the host of Fox News Channel’s War Stories), shared some inside stories displaying the courage, fortitude, and clarity of mission of our US troops in Iraq. He likened the struggle for freedom in Iraq to the struggle to preserve traditional family values and religious freedom right here in our country. He also stressed how we need the same impetus to save marriage here in NJ.

Pastor Joe Arminio concluded the evening by challenging supporters to give of their time, treasure and talent for the urgent battle to preserve the God-ordained institution of marriage for the sake of NJ’s families and particularly our children."