Canadian Pastor Exonerated After Judge Rules His Letter Did NOT Constitute Hate Speech

by Thaddeus M. Baklinski : Dec 8, 2009 : LifeSiteNews

Overjoyed and relieved that the decision was in his favor, pastor also says he “felt a bit of righteous anger because for seven and a half years of my life I’ve been dragged through the mud over a community debate that existed in Red Deer, Alberta, which ended up going global because of one complaint. However, that one complaint gave me a soap box to share the Gospel and to share what my letter really meant, instead of how it’s been misinterpreted, and given me the chance to speak to many, many homosexuals about the incredible love of God.”

(Calgary, Canada)—The Christian pastor who was hauled before the Alberta Human Rights Tribunal (AHRT) for writing a letter to the editor on homosexuality has been exonerated by a Court of Queen’s Bench judge who ruled the letter was not a hate crime but legitimate expression allowed under freedom of speech. Pastor Stephen Boissoin told LifeSiteNews.com (LSN) that he was “overjoyed and relieved” that the lengthy, stressful and expensive seven year legal battle over his letter to the editor has ended in his favor.

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When Perfect Pastors Divorce

Pastor invloved in adulteryCharisma Magazine – Tuesday, 13 October 2009 – Tamara Lowe

Pastor Jack (not his real name) stood before his congregation in tears. He said, “I have to confess that I have been involved in an extramarital affair. Effective today I am resigning as the senior pastor of this church. I’m sorry.” The congregation sat in shocked silence. Many wept.

I never saw it coming. Just a week earlier I had taken the pastor’s beautiful wife, Angela, out to lunch. She acted as if she didn’t have a problem in the world. Everything was great. I asked her, “How did you meet Jack?” Her answer is still vivid in my mind.

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Australia’s Population Booms

Carolyn Moynihan | 30 Sep 2009 | 

Last week, as the Australian Bureau of Statistics announced a 2 per cent leap (439,000 people) in the country’s population in the year to March, a huge dust storm blew in from the arid interior to blanket much of Eastern Australia. Are the two things connected?

Green groups would probably say, yes. Others, maybe. “Dust storms are a natural phenomenon, but they are influenced by human activities and are now just as serious as traffic and industrial air pollution,” says Laurence Barrie, chief researcher at the World Meteorological Organisation in Geneva, which is working with 40 countries to develop a dust storm warning system.

Most of the recent population increase — almost 300,000 people — was from immigration. But the birth rate is up, too, with 160,000 babies born during the year. On that basis Australia’s population could “balloon” form its present 21.8 million to 35 million over the next 40 years.

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Controversial Church Of England Bishop Nazir-Ali Tells Gays To ‘Change And Repent’

By Mail On Sunday Reporter

Bishop of Rochester, Dr Michael Nazir-AliA Church of England bishop urged homosexuals to ‘repent and be changed’, as he joins a coalition of conservative parishes opposed to single-sex unions.

In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, The Bishop of Rochester, Dr Michael Nazir-Ali, said people who stray from traditional Bible teachings ‘do not share the same faith’.

The coalition, which has been labelled a ‘church within a church’, claims to have the support of the Queen. Organisers said she had sent a message to leaders of the movement, saying she understood their concern about the future of the Anglican Communion.

Row: the comments from Bishop of Rochester, Dr Michael Nazir-Ali will be seen as a direct challenge to the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Dr Nazir-Ali spoke after more than half a million people, including the Prime Minister’s wife Sarah Brown, took to the streets of London yesterday to celebrate gay culture at the annual Pride festival. (more…)

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Father Knows Best

Father Knows BestLorie Coka – Charisma Channels

Not to sound cliché, but when I was 28 I finally had come to realize that fathers really do know best. Now before you start thinking 1950s TV show here, let me explain.

Years ago when I decided to move out of my parents’ home into an apartment, I was overwhelmed with the choices out there. I researched for weeks and drove to at least 10 different apartment complexes to check them out.

But I grew discouraged. All the apartments I looked at were unacceptable for some reason. They were too expensive or in the wrong location or didn’t have the amenities I needed. I had begun to think there wasn’t an apartment out there for me.

But one day I discovered a place that fit my price range and most of what I was looking for, so I figured it must be the Lord’s answer for me. The upkeep wasn’t great, and the apartments were kind of jammed in on a small piece of property, but I thought it would do.

However, I decided that before I signed a lease, I would take my dad to see it. It had to pass the “dad” test. As we drove around the complex and then went into the model apartment, I could tell he was not impressed. (more…)

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Support For Same-Sex Marriage Plummets

Support For Same-Sex Marriage PlummetsBy Nima Reza

New poll finds only 33 percent of Americans favor, a 9-point drop since April

The number of Americans who support same-sex marriage has plunged over the last few months, according to a new poll.

The CBS News/New York Times study found that 33 percent of respondents favor same-sex marriage. That represents a 9 percent drop since April.

Everett Rice, legislative coordinator for the California Family Council, said he has a theory about the decrease.

“People really recognize their core and their values, their heritage,” he said. “When people want to go in and redefine that, it really goes against everybody’s individual cultural understanding.” (more…)

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Salt Shakers E-News – So You Thought We Were Kidding

So you thought we were kidding!

When we said that appeasing bad laws by seeking exemptions is wrong many of you probably said “they’re mad”. Well here is evidence from the UK as to why we say it is wrong. Because once you have the bad law with the exemptions you start the countdown to their removal. So by not totally opposing the law and compromising YOU ULTIMATELY LOSE. Appeasement only gives temporary relief.

This is what happened in Britain – most Christian groups/denominations did not oppose the laws, they asked for exemptions – and yesterday’s headlines read…

Law ‘will force churches to employ gay staff’
 
Churches will be banned from turning down gay job applicants on the grounds of their sexuality under new anti-discrimination laws, a Government minister said. (more…)

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Exchanging Vows As Couples Shun Religion In Favour Of Civil Ceremonies

By Sharon Labi – The Sunday Telegraph
 
COUPLES are shunning religious wedding ceremonies in record numbers and going down the civil path to marriage to gain control and avoid pre-marital counselling.

Religious weddings outnumbered civil ceremonies until 2001 when they reached a 50-50 split.

The number of civil marriages has steadily risen to hit a high last year, The Sunday Telegraph reports.

New NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages figures show celebrants performed 60.6 per cent of ceremonies in 2008, compared to 39.4 per cent for religious weddings.

Social researchers say the trend is driven by second and subsequent marriages, older brides and grooms, along with the decline of religious observance in Australia and couples’ desire for greater freedom in designing their ceremony. (more…)

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Miss California Says Her Beliefs “Cost Me My Crown”; No Regrets Though

By Teresa Neumann – The Christian Post

Carrie Prejean“I was raised in a way that you can never compromise your beliefs and your opinions for anything…By having to answer that question in front of a national audience, God was testing my character and faith. I’m glad I stayed true to myself.” Keep the faith, Carrie, and you’ll have a crown in Heaven.

(California)—The Christian Post reports that Miss California, Carrie Prejean, who was named first runner up in the Miss USA Pageant on Sunday, says she believes her answer on same-sex marriage (she believes marriage should be between a man and a woman) cost her the title but admits that she has no regrets.

“It did cost me my crown,” Carrie told Billy Bush on his radio talk show recently. “I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I said what I feel. I stated an opinion that was true to myself and that’s all I can do…I was raised in a way that you can never compromise your beliefs and your opinions for anything.” (more…)

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