October / November 2004

Dear ones,

This issue will be a little late in going out due to Hurricane Ivan and related complications; and it is a particularly vital issue, because it will be the last one before the November elections. I will try to shed some light on crucial election issues; I will probably offend some of you, but please read through to the end. If it makes you angry, pray, and read it again; and remember that I am attempting to state only facts, leaving the conclusions to the reader. This has been the most difficult issue that I have ever written; and, I believe that it is the most important one ever. You will not hear most of what follows from the establishment media, for they don't want you to know it; but you need to know, and the stakes are very, very high. There will be many references in this issue to web sites, and I know that many of you don't have computers; however, if you don't, your children and grandchildren probably will, and can give you the information.

REGISTER AND VOTE!!!
You should be aware now that there is a battle on for the soul of the Nation, an all-out culture war; it is intensifying, and the stakes could not be higher. All we have to do in order to see anti-God, anti-family, policies and laws prevail in the USA, is to do nothing. If we are passive, hoping (believing) that reason and virtue will prevail, we will live to see our God-given freedom become a nightmare of moral and spiritual darkness. In the election of 2000, 50 percent of Christians didn't even register to vote, and only 25 percent actually voted! I believe that failure to register and vote in this election will be a sin of omission (Jas 4:17). That's right - a sin.

BUT WHAT PARTY?
Don't blindly vote for a party‹any party. Vote on issues, and vote for individual candidates who support Godly positions. In general terms, the two major parties are very different in terms of cultural issues; the Republican Party generally supports traditional Biblical values, such as the protection of life, religious freedom, and traditional marriage; on the other hand, the Democrat Party generally supports abortion, opposes religious expression in the public arena, and supports the homosexual agenda. The two major parties are also opposed on the vital issue of national sovereignty. The Republican Party generally supports maintaining our national sovereignty and the independence won in the American Revolution, and defended ever since at great cost in blood and sacrifice. On the other hand, the national Democrat Party generally favors surrendering our national sovereignty and independence to submit to the ultimate authority of the United Nations. In fact, John Kerry, the Democrat candidate for President advocates surrendering our national sovereignty, our independence, and control of our Armed Forces to the UN. Although he has a remarkable record of changing his positions, reversing himself when it seems the popular thing to do, on this issue he has been consistent: he has urged World Government under the UN throughout his political career.

THE PARTY PLATFORMS SPEAK
The platforms adopted by the two major parties could not be more different in most ways, including the following: Abortion. The Republican platform opposes abortion; the Democrat platform supports it, including taxpayer-funding of abortion. Homosexual Marriage. The Republican platform opposes it, plus "civil unions," and supports the President's Defense of Marriage Amendment; the Democrat platform supports both homosexual marriage and "civil unions," and opposes the Defense of Marriage Amendment. Embryonic Stem Cell Research. The Republican platform opposes embryonic stem cell research, which requires the killing of unborn babies; the Democrat platform supports embryonic stem cell research. You can read the two platforms yourself at the respective web sites: (www.gopconvention.com, and www.democrats.org). (BP, et al)

STEM CELL RESEARCH: FACTS VS PROPAGANDA
Liberal (mostly Democrat) politicians, and their allies in the establishment media, continue to beat the drums for embryonic stem cell research, while the President and conservative (mostly Republican) politicians argue against it. What are stem cells? They are immature, undifferentiated cells that may potentially develop into new, healthy cells like those around them. Theoretically, such cells, implanted in a diseased organ (such as the brain), or an injured organ (such as the spinal cord), can grow up to be healthy cells of the kind needed, thus reversing diseased tissues, or repairing damaged tissues. This technology has great promise, and the vocal left shouts that opposing fetal stem cell research is standing in the way of needed cures. This is the basic conflict; but what are the facts? The facts are:

1. Stem cells can also be taken from adult tissues and the umbilical cords and placentas of live-birth babies, as well as from killed unborn babies (so why kill them?);

2. Fetal stem cell research and therapies have produced no effective treatments in humans, and have a tendency to generate tumors in lab animals; 3. Adult, and umbilical cord/placenta stem cell research and therapy have resulted in successful treatment of 40 diseases and afflictions, including heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injuries. So why kill babies to get stem cells? (BP, et al)

RESEARCHERS SEE A "GOD GAP" BETWEEN PARTIES
According to an AP story, political scientists, studying the differences in religious belief and behavior in the Democrat and Republican parties, report that there is a significant "God Gap" between them. Prof. Louis Boice, of New York's Baruch College, states that the Democrats have become the party of most secular and anti-religion voters. He said, "In 1992, 1996 and 2000, people who had intensely antagonistic feelings toward evangelical Christians voted overwhelmingly Democratic." "And," he says, "they have become a major force in the Democratic Party." On the other hand, Boice reports, the Republicans have become the party of most devoutly religious voters. He says that political science research "shows that the more often one goes to church, and the more religiously devout one is‹in terms of praying frequently‹the more likely one is to be a Republican." On the other hand, he points out, the less people have these characteristics, the more likely they are to be Democrats. He also observes the growing hostility of the establishment media toward believers, calling it "a politically correct prejudice." (ANS)

SOME KEY ISSUES IN THE ELECTION
The following compare the positions of the major parties in general terms; for detailed information, an excellent source is David Barton and his ministry, "Wall Builders." You can access his web site at www.wallbuilders.com. In addition, Focus on the Family (www.family.org) provides an excellent voter's guide on issues; and there are other sources, including: Agape News Service on the front page of our web site (www.wordsforlivingmin.org); Don Wildmon's American Family Association (www.AFA.net); and Dr. D.J. Kennedy at Coral ridge Ministries in Fort Lauderdale (www.coralridge.org).

1. Moral Values. Polls reveal that more than 75 percent of the American people consider moral values important; only 15 percent of the delegates to the Democratic National convention consider moral values important.

2. Homosexual Marriage. The Republican Party generally opposes homosexual marriage. President Bush supported and signed the Defense of Marriage Act, defining marriage as being exclusively between one man and one woman. The Democrat candidate, John Kerry, as a senator, opposed and voted against the Defense of Marriage act; he also says that, had he lived in Missouri, he would have voted against the referendum supporting traditional (scriptural) marriage. In voting on the Defense of Marriage Amendment in the Senate, Democrats voted against it by 86 percent-14 percent; in voting on the House of Representatives Marriage Protection Act, Democrats voted against it by 91 percent to 9 percent. In the recent Democratic National Convention, 62 percent of the delegates said that they supported homosexual marriage.

3. Abortion. The Republican Party generally takes the pro-life position, which is the stated position of President Bush, who has opposed embryonic stem cell research (which requires the killing of an unborn baby). John Kerry has supported embryonic stem cell research, and as Democrat candidate for president, he has promised that, if elected, he will only appoint judges who favor abortion.

4. Education. The Republican Party tends to support private Christian schools, home-schooling, and Godly public education. President Bush's No Child Left Behind Act specifies that public schools must allow religious clubs and exercises or lose federal funding. On the other hand, the Democratic Party tends to oppose all these things, and is closely tied to the National Education Association, which seems to support every anti-God, anti-family program in public life, and would eliminate home-schooling and force all children to attend completely Godless public schools.

5. National Defense. The Republican Party generally supports a strong national defense establishment, with protection of national sovereignty and independence. The Democrat Party generally works to weaken our Armed Forces and depend more on the workings of the UN. John Kerry, as a senator, has voted against every major national defense bill in recent times, and has stated publicly that he favors placing all of our Armed Forces under the command and control of the UN (and he really seems to mean it).

KERRY AND PARTIAL BIRTH ABORTION
The most horrific form of abortion is without doubt what is called partial birth abortion, which the medical community has declared NEVER to be necessary to protect the mother's health, but is a lucrative source of baby brain tissue. John Kerry has voted six times to continue this barbaric form of infanticide. (NRTLC)

COMMUNISTS AND KERRY: INTERESTING BEDFELLOWS
The American Communist Party has announced that it will not run a candidate in this year's presidential election. Instead, the Party is endorsing John Kerry, and lists 10 reasons for supporting him on the CPUSA web site. A Party spokesman has said that the American Communist Party will support Kerry's candidacy "with donations and volunteer effort." He also said that, "defeating George Bush is the single most important issue (in the election)." If you find this hard to believe, go to the Party's web site (www.cpusa.org) and read it.

AND AN INTERESTING THEME
The choice for one of the Kerry campaign themes, "Let America Be America Again," is also interesting. It is a well-known line from a poem by the American Communist poet, Langston Hughes. Hughes wrote another poem containing these lines: "Goodbye, Christ Jesus, Lord God, Jehovah, Beat it on away from here now. Make way for a new guy with no religion at all‹a real guy named Marx, Communist, Lenin, Peasant, Stalin, Worker, Me‹I said Me!" (various)

MORE PROBLEMS WITH KERRY'S RELIGION ADVISORS
In the last issue I reported on John Kerry's choice as campaign religious advisor, Mara Vanderslice. A radical Marxist revolutionary since the 1960s, she has also been a featured speaker for the radical homosexual group, Act Up. When her background was revealed, she was replaced with Rev. Brenda Peterson. Then it was revealed that Mrs. Peterson, a liberal Disciples of Christ minister, had joined in the Pledge of Allegiance case before the Supreme Court, in support of atheist Michael Newdow, who sought to have the words "under God" removed from the Pledge. Now she, also, has had to resign, having, like her predecessor, become an embarrassment to Kerry and the Democratic National Committee. (ANS, et al)

JOHN KERRY'S PATRIOTISM?
From the very beginning, John Kerry has made his service in the Navy a centerpiece of his campaign. He has spoken of his "two tours in Vietnam"; and much has been made of all those medals. He has freely criticized President Bush for "hiding in the National Guard," and has made his own patriotism a major campaign issue. For his campaign, Kerry recently had a biography published, highlighting his service in Vietnam, in which supposed incidents were falsified to make him look good.

The author of his book is now wondering about its validity, and has publicly urged Kerry to tell the truth. As a result of the book, and a photograph of Kerry and 19 other Navy Swift Boat officers featured in Kerry's campaign, others who were there, from former seamen to a retired admiral, began to protest. Most of the officers in the photo objected to Kerry's use of the photo and formed an organization, "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth." Since then, the Swift Boat veterans, former POWs, and other veterans' groups, have mounted a private campaign to place before the public the truth about Kerry, his service in Vietnam, and his leadership in the anti-American, pro-enemy, protest group, Vietnam Veterans against the War (VVAW). One of the Swift Boat vets, John O'Neill, has co-authored a powerful book about all this, "Unfit for Command" (Regnery, Wash. DC, 2004), complete with photos and testimonies of those who served with Kerry.

Since the establishment media have ignored the powerful testimony of the veterans' groups, the veterans have raised money and paid for ads in print media and TV. Some media outlets have refused to run their ads; Kerry has threatened to sue those outlets who do. Kerry has condemned the dissenting veterans as tools of the RNC in attempting to nullify their testimony, but they have nothing to do with the Republican Party; they are united only by their commitment to publishing the truth about Kerry. There is not space here even to summarize adequately the facts; but the following is a sampling of salient facts about John Kerry which you won't find in the establishment media:

1. Working for the Enemy. Most damaging to Kerry's claims of patriotism, I believe, is his prominent participation in the radical, pro-enemy group, Vietnam Veterans against the War (VVAW), after his return, and while the war still raged. This viciously anti-American group worked openly to support the enemy in Vietnam and defeat the American effort there. Kerry was a co-founder of VVAW with Jane Fonda; while he denounced the American servicemen there, he praised Ho Chi Minh, comparing him to George Washington.

2. Kerry Honored by the Communist Vietnamese. In Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) there is a museum for what they call "The American War." One wing is devoted to those outside Vietnam who made significant contributions to the Communists' ultimate victory. Until recently there were photos in that wing honoring Jane Fonda and John Kerry. Since a group of American veterans visited the museum and saw Kerry's photo there, it has been removed; but before it was removed it was photographed and the photo is widely circulated on the internet. The living legend of Communist Vietnam is the aged General Vo Nguyen Giap, who commanded all Communist Forces during the war. On 30 April, the 29th anniversary of the fall of Saigon in 1975 was celebrated as a national holiday. In his speech to the world, Giap praised the activities of Americans such as Jane Fonda and John Kerry for their contributions to the Communist victory, saying "I would like to thank them."

3. "Stolen Honor." A growing group of former POWs who suffered in Vietnamese prisons has organized to produce a video, "Stolen Honor," at their own expense. In it the ex-POWs testify that they were subjected by their tormentors to hearing recordings of Kerry's anti-American, pro-enemy, public statements, over and over; and some were tortured for refusing to parrot Kerry's words. They don't hesitate to call him a traitor, and they all believe that their period of imprisonment was lengthened as a result of Kerry's statements, because he provided much encouragement to the Communist leadership to continue the war. These ex-POWs are not a disreputable group of malcontents, or phony veterans; they are highly decorated veterans, two of them Medal of Honor recipients. The producer, Carlton Sherwood, is a decorated Vietnam veteran and a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist.

4. Kerry's 1971 Book. After returning from Vietnam and becoming a leader in the VVAW, Kerry wrote an anti-war book called "The New Soldier" in which he vilified those who served in Vietnam. The posed cover photo is of a group of scruffy "veterans," mocking the flag-raising by Marines on Iwo Jima, with the flag upside down. The Kerry campaign is now so embarrassed by this book that they have bought up and destroyed all they could find; as a result, it is so rare that some copies are selling for as much as $!,000.

5. Kerry's War Movie. John Kerry was unique in being the only junior officer known to have arrived in Vietnam with a movie camera and accessories, to film himself for future political campaigns. He reenacted some incidents, after the fact, to be filmed. When he achieved his early release back to the US he reportedly shot the last scene three times before he was satisfied, and then said, "That's a wrap; see you in about 35 years at the convention." The footage he shot was featured at the Democratic Convention, and it is what you see in his TV ads.

6. Betrayal of Live POWs. As Chairman of the Senate Select Committee to look into the live POW issue, Kerry worked tirelessly and shamefully to suppress and discredit evidence of surviving American POWs in Vietnam, Laos and the Communist Bloc (I know‹I was there). He is despised by the POW families and activists.

7. Kerry Lies. During his VVAW days, he made up a story about spending Christmas Eve on a swift boat inside Cambodia, as part of an illegal invasion planned by Richard Nixon. He has repeated this story during this campaign, insisting that it was true. After Swift Boat veterans who were with him came forth recently saying that he (and they) were never closer than 50 miles from Cambodia, and pointed out that Lyndon Johnson was president (not Richard Nixon) on Christmas Eve 1969, candidate Kerry finally admitted that his story was fiction. And There Is Much, Much More. You can read a more complete summary, with some amazing photos, on our web site (www.wordsforlivingmin.org); and, if you don't have access to the internet, we will be glad to send the printed summary to you‹just ask for it. For still more information, with authentication, visit the following web sites: Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (www.swiftvets.com); Stolen Honor (www.stolenhonor.com); Vietnam Veterans Against John Kerry (www.vietnamveteransagainstjohnkerry.org); and Winter Soldiers (www.wintersoldier.com). (FBI Files, Reuters, Numerous Media Sources, et al)

A POINT TO PONDER
"The penalty that good men pay for not being interested in politics is to be governed by men worse than themselves." (Plato 427-347 BC)

MARTY'S CORNER
I couldn't resist taking Marty's Corner to a personal level because, as the wife of a Marine who served in Vietnam, the memories will remain with me forever. I know what it was like to ask another wife, whom I just met, when her husband was coming home, and to have her reply, "He was killed six months ago." I know the feeling of being in a park in San Diego and being accosted with hatred by peaceniks, or telephone calls saying, "I know where your husband is and I will get you and your children." I remember the dread of having the Green Sedan drive through a neighborhood because within was a Marine who had the unbearable task of notifying the wife with, "I'm sorry to tell you " Visiting the hospital or standing mutely when taps were played all rise to the surface when I hear TV anchors portray a self-serving craven man as a "hero."

Perhaps worse than any of the memories are those of the men who were POWs and left behind while John Kerry's speeches gave aide and comfort to the enemy and prolonged their captivity. I helped organize some of the first efforts to put the POWs' plight before the American people with POW bracelets and setting up speaking engagements for the wives. I still have the bracelet of the husband of my friend, Carol, whose husband never came home. Many of the ex-POWs have also spoken out about what they endured because of Kerry's activitiesbutmany never came home. The ads that we see from the Swift Boat men and other veterans finally tell the truth about him. They, too, have been betrayed by the man now running for President who, as early as 1970, said, "I'd like to see our troops dispersed through the world only at the directive of the United Nations."

His idea continues to be to undermine the United States of America in favor of a world government opposed to our country's freedom and independence. Wounds that Worsen and Wounds that Heal could be the title of a teaching seminar similar to the one called Words that Wound and Words that Heal for they have the same principal. Wounds fester when hit, infected or reopened. Depicting betrayal as anything but treason is what has recently caused millions of Veterans' wounds to fester; and then they heard John Kerry say, "I'm John Kerry reporting for duty" at the Democratic Convention‹and the wounding process began all over. How could a group of people possibly be elated over that? The same man had previously impugned the honor of every man who answered the call to duty by his country during the Vietnam era. A man who took his movie camera with him to Vietnam to portray himself as a hero was suspect at best. Moreover, the normal tour of duty in Vietnam was a year or more‹wives & families marked off the days, weeks and months. It was not 4 months like Kerry's who used a little known regulation to go home way before his tour of duty was over ­ is that called cowardice or narcissism?

He had claimed three Purple Hearts for little dings that anyone else would have said; "It's nothing" about for such a person would be regarded with disdain. There were far too many men with horrendous wounds in the field hospitals for anyone to even consider showing up with a superficial nick, asking for a band-aid and a Purple Heart. Then, with the war still going on, John Kerry testified before Congress falsely accusing GI's of widespread war crimes. He confessed that he, himself, had done atrocious things in Vietnam, but expected adulation. His radical friends posed with an upside-down American flag, mocking the flag-raising on Iwo Jima and the men who had fought and died in World War II. He put that picture on the cover of his book. The fact is that the true heroes, the Americans who served honorably, who stayed the course, who came home to a different America, were the courageous ones. Years later, most Americans finally repented of forsaking a whole generation of young men who did what they were asked to do by their country. Now we are once again confronted with betrayal. But, Scripture says, but if to betray me to my enemies, may the God of our fathers look and bring judgment. (1 Chron.12:17) As always, pray for America and trust in the Lord.

MUSLIMS IN MASSACRE OF RUSSIAN HOSTAGES
The recent massacre of more than 400 women and children (most of them Christians) in a Russian school was one of the most insanely cruel acts of terrorism in recent history. Of the survivors, more than 400 are hospitalized with burns, gunshot and shrapnel wounds. The terrorists, supposedly Chechen separatists, held the terrified children in a hot gymnasium for 3 days without food or water; some of the children were driven by thirst to drink their own urine. The terrorists arbitrarily executed some of them as hostage negotiations dragged on. Then, in one final act of madness, the terrorists exploded shrapnel-infused charges throughout the school, killing a great many more, and attempted to flee. Although Russian soldiers then stormed the building and killed some of the terrorists, others escaped. Many of the killers, if not all, were members of a Muslim terrorist group, with at least 10 of them identified as Arabs, not Chechens, although the media have avoided identifying them as Muslims. A group associated with Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida has claimed credit for this atrocity. (WND, et al)

A POINT TO PONDER
Not all Muslims are terrorists; however, in recent times almost all terrorists are Muslims.

WE WERE WRONG ABOUT DOLLYWOOD
In the last issue, I reported that Dollywood had joined Disney World and other theme parks in hosting an annual homosexual ("Gay Days") celebration. Both my sources for the article (Agape Press News Service, and Baptist Press News Service) are highly trustworthy, but they were misinformed. I am grateful to several readers for the correction, and am delighted to say that Dollywood has done the opposite, refusing to allow "Gay Days" at their park. Hooray for Dollywood!

ANOTHER CORRECTION: PRISON GUARDS
In the June/July issue, I stated that in our civilian prison systems, women are not assigned to guard male prisoners. I was wrong. Several readers who are now in US prisons have assured me that it is not uncommon for women to be guards in a male facility, to include strip searching of the men. I can't imagine why any woman would want to be in that position, but, apparently, some do.

MILESTONES
Deaths
15Aug - Leon Edwards, Humbolt, Tenn., father of longtime Christian friend Regina Edwards, Faribault, Minn.

11 Sept. - Maxine Schumaker, longtime friend, wife of Lawrence Schumaker, Paducah, Ky. Lawrence and Maxine were part of our early Christian life, ministering with us on Lay Witness Missions.

A FINAL WORD
Treasure and use each day as if it were your last, and never give up hope; God has a limitless supply of new beginnings, and he makes beautiful things out of broken pieces.

You are precious,

(Sources: AFAJ-American Family Journal; AFRN-American Family Radio News; ANS-Agape News Service; AP-Associated Press; BP-Break Point; BPr-Baptist Press; C-Charisma; CBN-Christian Broadcasting Network; CR-Congressional Record; DR-Drudge Report; EP-Evangelical Press; Fox (Fox News); FOF-Focus on the Family; FRC-Family Research Council; GN-Good News Magazine; HC-History Channel; LAT-L.A. Times; Mil-Military Magazine; NR-National Review; NW-Newsweek; NYP-New York Post; NYT-New York Times; PWB-Pastors' Weekly Briefing; RTLB-Right to Life Education Foundation Bulletin; RTLGC-Right to Life of Greater Cincinnati; USAT-USA Today; USNWR-U.S. News and World Report; VOM-Voice of Martyrs; W-World Magazine; WND-World Net Daily; WT-Washington Times; WW-Washington Watch.)