Chinese President Consoles Earthquake Survivors

Hu Jintao (Photo credit: Xinhua)

Chinese President, Hu Jintao, consoled victims of the terrible earthquake that hit China last week, killing over 2,000 people. Previously, Jintao, was often seen smiling in public when greeting his constituents and foreign leaders, but international papers noted he let his compassionate side show in visiting, embracing and encouraging earthquake survivors this week. Jintao promised them "new homes" stating the region "will be rebuilt" and they "will have bright futures." That was nice.

STORY SOURCE: Hu Shows Empathetic Side in Quake Area

NBA Player Becomes A Preacher

Former Miami Heat basketball player, Wayne Simien, has become a preacher. He became a Christian in 2003. His story is a wonderful one of redemption, after he gave up drugs, alcohol and sexual promiscuity.

Five years from KU, Wayne Simien answers another calling

Posted on Sun, Feb. 28, 2010 11:16 PM - ...After he had become a Christian on July 12, 2003, entering his junior year, there were plenty of folks who wanted the old Wayne back. They called him “Big Dub,” and he was once the life of the party.

“As soon as I stopped doing drugs, stopped drinking, stopped treating women badly, stopped playing selfishly on the court, that’s when people were like, ‘Hey Wayne, what’s wrong with you? What’s going on? I’m worried about you,’ ” Simien says. “Now you’re worried about me? After I stopped doing all these things?” ...

During that first year in Miami, Simien would meet his wife, Katie, through some mutual friends who shared their beliefs. Wayne and Katie met in August 2005, began dating on New Year’s Eve, became in engaged in February and were married in July. In another statement about the way he was choosing to live, Wayne did not kiss Katie until their wedding day.

“I wasn’t a virgin when I got married,” Simien says, “so it was just another way of wanting to honor my wife, wanting to share that with not only her but also everybody that was at our wedding ceremony.”...

http://www.mercurynews.com

"Under God" And "In God We Trust" Upheld

Michael Newdow

After a protracted legal battle, the words "under God" in the United States' Pledge of Allegiance, has been upheld as constitutional and permissible, in the face of a legal challenge from atheist, Michael Newdow. He also filed suit to have the U.S. motto "In God we trust" removed from American currency. That case has failed as well.

Hopefully one day, Mr. Newdow will come to see, understand and appreciate the love of God.

Court: 'Under God' is constitutional

Thursday, March 11, 2010 - (03-11) 17:32 PST SAN FRANCISCO -- The federal court that touched off a furor in 2002 by declaring the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance to be an unconstitutional endorsement of religion took another look at the issue Thursday and said the phrase invokes patriotism, not religious faith.

The daily schoolroom ritual is not a prayer, but instead "a recognition of our founders' political philosophy that a power greater than the government gives the people their inalienable rights," said the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco in a 2-1 ruling.

"Thus, the pledge is an endorsement of our form of government, not of religion or any particular sect."...

In a separate ruling, the same panel upheld the use of the national motto, "In God We Trust," on coins and currency. The language is patriotic and ceremonial, not religious, the court said...

Both suits were filed by Michael Newdow, a Sacramento atheist who has brought numerous challenges to government-sponsored religious invocations...

http://www.sfgate.com

Monique Comments Cause Controversy

Monique

B.E.T. talk show host and actress, Monique, has caused controversy regarding statements she made about her "open marriage." She stated her husband is free to cheat.

The comments weren't the best, as some will interpret it as low self-esteem. She is a pretty woman, who has a burgeoning career. And even if she were broke and considered unattractive, she like all women, do not deserve infidelity. That goes for men too, as they deserve faithful spouses as well.

People should remember that adultery affects their children as well, both emotionally and spiritually and should not be encouraged, as it harms the family unit God created.

Open marriage not ‘deal-breaker’ for Mo’Nique

8:49 p.m. CT, Wed., March. 3, 2010 - Oscar-nominated actress confident in her relationship with husband. Mo'Nique, who stars as an abusive mother in "Precious," says she's very confident in her relationship with her husband.

After knowing each other for over 25 years, Mo’Nique says she’s very confident in her relationship with husband Sidney Hicks — so confident, in fact, that the pair has an open marriage.

“Could Sid have sex outside of his marriage with me? Yes. That’s not a deal-breaker,” the actress told Barbara Walters in the interviewer’s upcoming Oscar special. “That’s not something that would make us say, ‘Pack your things and let’s end the marriage.’

“What if it’s 20 times?” she said. “So what? We’ve been best friends for over 25 years, and we truly know who we are. Oftentimes, people get into marriages and they don’t know who they’re laying next to. I’m very comfortable and secure with my husband.”...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com

"Sarah's Choice" Film Review

Title: Sarah's Choice

Year Of Release: 2009

Review Date: February 28, 2010

Rating: PG

Running time: 93 minutes

Box Office Gross: N/A (TV and DVD)

"Sarah's Choice" is a film starring singer, Rebecca St. James, as a corporate executive, who unexpectedly becomes pregnant and faces a decision between her burgeoning post at an agency, via having an abortion or having her baby and losing a career making promotion.

Through a series of events, God guide's Sarah into making the right decision, regarding not having an abortion. The film also offers hope to women who have had an abortion and are plagued with emotional torment, via exploring the life of Sarah's friend who did.

This movie explores the lamentable hostility towards pregnant women in some work environments. Pregnant women should be treated well and equally in the workplace. It is also important to take care of oneself and limit work hours, especially standing for long periods of time, in the latter stages of pregnancy.

Iraqi Christians Protest Murders

Christians in Iraq protest

Iraqi Christians have come out in droves to protest the murders of their brothers and sisters in the faith, in the war torn Middle Eastern country.

Muslims have murdered Christians in Iraq, in senseless acts of violence, which does not help their case in the world. May the Christians of Iraq remain peaceful and strong in the faith, knowing that God will give them their reward in heaven. God bless you.

Iraqi Christians protest slayings, Pope concerned

Sun Feb 28, 2010 12:47pm EST

MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - At least 1,000 minority Christians, many holding olive branches, marched in protest near the restive city of Mosul on Sunday to urge the Iraqi government to act decisively after a series of killings.

At least eight Christians have been killed in the last two weeks in the turbulent northern city, 390 km (250 miles) north of Baghdad, prompting Pope Benedict to appeal on Sunday for Iraq's Christians to be better protected.

Two of those attacked had gone missing, their bodies later found dumped in the street with gunshot wounds. Others were shot dead in the street, near their homes, or at their place of work.

Some 683 Christian families, or 4,098 people, fled Mosul between February 20 and 27 following the attacks, a United Nations report said on Sunday.

The murders came just weeks before Iraq's March 7 parliamentary election, which has the potential to help cement an end to seven years of war or plunge a still-divided country into a new cycle of violence.

"I appeal to the civil authorities to complete every effort to give security again to the population, and in particular, to the most vulnerable religious minorities," the Pope said in his weekly blessing from Vatican City.

Priests in religious vestments led the protest procession in the Christian town of Hamdaniya, 40 km (25 miles) east of Mosul.

"The blood of innocents screams for terrorism and violence to be stopped," read one banner.

Sunni Islamist insurgents such as al Qaeda have long targeted Christians, Yazidis, Shabaks, and other Iraqi minorities, as well as majority Shi'ites, whom they consider heretics. Christians number an estimated 750,000 in Iraq, a small minority in a country of 28 million...

http://www.reuters.com