April/May 2002

Dear ones,
These are definitely dangerous and trying times. Beneath it all, however, is the blessed assurance that, in the end, Jesus will return; until then, we are to share the Good News and occupy. In this issue there will be much about Islam, simply because there is so much concerning this great threat to freedom in the news; it is also necessary because we are awash in pro-Islam propaganda from the establishment media.

"BLOOD ON THE SWORD"
Our Islam Fact Sheet has grown, from an abbreviated, generalized sheet to a permanent publication, with footnotes, recommended source material for further study, and original art work by Joe McCormick. The title is, "Blood on the Sword: Islam and the Koran vs Christianity and the Bible." It is in the same format as our expanded pamphlet, "Festival of Death." One copy will be sent free to anyone on request (you may order by phone, letter, e-mail, or from our web site). In quantity they will be 25 cents each, which is about what it costs us to publish it.

CHRISTIANS TORTURED IN SAUDI ARABIA
In "enlightened" Saudi Arabia, there is no religious freedom, not for the Saudis, nor for the 6,000,000 foreigners working there. In January, 3 Ethiopian Christians were ordered deported for their Christian faith; but first they were confined in the Bremen Deportation Prison and brutalized. They were suspended by chains while being flogged with a flexible metal cable, kicked and beaten with various objects. After the torture, when they arrived at the prison hospital for treatment, they were slapped by medical personnel, turned away, and told to "come back here only after you are dead." (ANS)

"FEEDING THE MOUTH THAT BITES YOU"
It is common knowledge that the threat of militant Islam is made possible on the grand scale by the virtually limitless oil wealth of Arab nations such as Saudi Arabia. According to statistics available from the US Dept. of Energy, some oil companies buy oil from Arab countries, while others do not. Therefore, when we buy gasoline from companies that buy their oil from countries such as Saudi Arabia, we are helping to fund the Islamic assault. You may want to know that companies that do buy oil from Arab countries include Shell, Chevron, Texaco, Exxon, Mobil, Marathon and Amoco. Those who do not buy from Arab countries include Citgo, BP(British Petroleum), Phillips, Sunoco, Conoco and Sinclair. As our friend Col. Myrl Allinder, USMC (Ret) puts it, when we buy gasoline distilled from Arab oil, we are "feeding the mouth that bites us."

THE UGLY FACE OF MUSLIM JIHAD
In Karachi, Pakistan, Wall Street Journal Reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped by Muslim terrorists in January. He was murdered in February in a particularly barbaric and cruel way. He was making a videotaped statement, on order of his captors, believing that he would be released. As he looked into the camera lens and spoke, one of the terrorists stepped behind him and, with no warning, on camera, suddenly cut his throat. The gory videotape was delivered, complete with the murder scene, to the U.S. Consulate. This is the cruelty of Islamic jihad. (ANS)

JIHAD GENOCIDE GOES ON IN SUDAN
In Sudan, the Muslim government in Khartoum continues its systematic genocide, killing, raping and enslaving its own black Christians. In multiple instances, black women are asked, "Are you Muslim or Christian?" Those who answer "Christian" are gang-raped, their breasts butchered off, and left slowly to die. In October, this "holy war" was reaffirmed by Sudan's First Vice President Ali Osman Taha: "The juhad is our way, we will not abandon it, and will keep its banner high." (WND)

ALTAR BOYS, SODOMY AND ISLAM
In spite of the Koran's condemnation of homosexual acts (the penalty is death), the reality is that pedophilia is a generally accepted part of the culture in some Islamic countries. In the ugly, ongoing crisis concerning abuse of young boys by pedophile priests with long histories of such abuse, a psychological expert called to testify in a class action lawsuit suggested that, since the priests apparently will never change their behavior, they should, instead of prison, be sent to live in countries where such behavior "is more acceptable, such as Turkey and Morocco." (Boston Globe)

FOUNDING AND GROWTH: ISLAM VS. THE EARLY CHURCH
In the 7th century AD, Islam was founded in Medina and Mecca by Mohammed; he established it by killing those who disagreed. After a struggling beginning in which it almost died being born, Islam spread in 800 years across Arabia, the Middle East and North Africa, Central Asia and parts of Europe. How? By bloody military conquest - by the sword (literally - they had no gunpowder at the beginning), Forcing people to submit or die (the word "Muslim" means literally "one who submits").

By comparison, in the early 1st Century AD, the Christian Church was founded in Jerusalem by Jesus; He founded it by dying sacrificially for all mankind. Its beginning, with 120 believers in an upper room, was explosive: its numbers increased by 2,500% in the very first hour of the very first morning! From that morning, the Church spread in about 40 years across the entire known World. How? By ordinary people of all classes having their lives transformed from within, and then telling others what had happened to them, as the Holy Spirit's power confirmed their testimonies with miracles. The only blood shed in the founding and spread of Christ's Church was shed voluntarily by its Founder - His own*. (See ENDNOTES on page 4)

JOHN WALKER LINDH, ANTI-PATRIOT
Most of us are now aware of the story of John Walker Lindh, a young, wealthy American who embraced Islam, joined the radical Afghan Taliban army and Bin Laden's Al Quaida terrorists, fought against the American forces there, and was captured. There is reason to believe that he also participated in the brutal beating death of another young American, Mike Spann, a Marine officer serving there with the CIA. Spann had interrogated Lindh shortly before the prisoners rioted, took temporary control, and tore Mike Spann (literally) apart. Spann left a wife and 3 small children. How do we understand such treasonous behavior of John Walker Lindh? I believe he is simply a product of bad leadership - in his home and in his schools. His parents are arch-liberals, old hippies who named him for John Lenon. His mother, reared a Catholic, converted to Buddhism, and urged her son to do the same. He didn't. When John was 16, his father left his mother for a homosexual relationship with another man. John was never disciplined; he did what he wished, and his parents paid for it. He attended a "progressive" Northern California school with no classes, where he only saw a teacher once a week, and self-studied "world cultures." Idealistic, and convinced by his upbringing that his own culture is evil, he was searching for something to believe in; at 16 he dropped out and embraced Islam. The rest, as the saying goes, is history. How, then could anyone be surprised? (Various)

SELFLESS PATRIOTISM SURVIVES
Regrettably, most children today have never heard of Nathan Hale, thanks to the fact that our public schools are largely controlled by anti-patriotic global socialists. But those of us who came through the system a generation ago and earlier, grew up with him as a hero role model, and could all recite his deathless last words, "My only regret is that I have but one life to give for my country." Young Hale, captured by the British during our American Revolution, was hanged when he refused to give information about Washington's army. In spite of a massive indoctrination program to "free us" from such dedication and loyalty, there are still such selfless patriots among us. Doug Moniaci. a veteran of infantry combat in Vietnam under the leadershipof an exceptional soldier, Maj. Mark ("Zippo") Smith USA (Ret), wrote to me: "I have always felt I did not go through enough over there, and felt guilty after being sent home wounded after (only) eight months. I would have served with Zippo as long as I possibly could." I hope Doug's selfless patriotism inspires you as it does me. He feels guity because he didn't do enough?!?! Yes, we still have such men as Nathan Hale; all they need is the right leadership.

THE RED CROSS, GOD AND THE DECLARATION
In still another example of the prevailing anti-God, anti-American attitudes in giant, formerly traditional organizations, the American Red Cross cancelled the performance of a high school choral group in California because the songs the group planned to perform were "religious" and patriotic. The group was to perform in a 9-11 memorial concert for ARC volunteers. Unacceptable songs included "America the Beautiful," Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA," and a song based on the Declaration of Independence (an Orange County Red Cross executive stated that the Declaration is "a political document….that may offend some.") After first publicly defending the Orange Co. decision on national TV, the ARC's public information chief, faced with a firestorm of criticism, reluctantly apologized. A veteran friend observed that the ARC should remove "American" and "Cross" from its name, leaving just "Red." (WND/ANS)

ARE CHRISTIANS TOO NARROW-MINDED?
One of the most frequently heard criticisms from others (particularly in these days of militant "tolerance"), is that Christians are too narrow-minded when we say that Jesus is the only way to Heaven - the only means of reconciling lost and sinful man to a sinless and holy God. We are accused of being narrow and arrogant, with closed minds. There are several valid responses to this criticism, the most basic of which is that it isn't just our idea - Jesus said it. But if our critic doesn't accept the Bible as truth (and he probably won't) there is an excellent logical reply: it isn't arrogant or narrow-minded if it is true. The logic is inescapable. If Jesus really is the only way (Jn 14:6, et al), then our declaring that fact is loving, gracious and compassionate. Think about it.

A NEWS MAGAZINE YOU CAN TRUST
Newsweek, Time, and U.S. News, the "big 3" weekly news magazines, have degenerated into leftist, globalist propaganda. I could substantiate this statement, but it would occupy too much space, and most of you know it already. In recent years, there is a wonderful alternative: a world-class weekly news magazine published by Christians, from a Christian world-view. It was "World" that originated the "9-11" metaphor, connecting the 11 September disaster with the universal emergency call number, on its 22 Sept. cover. Help for parents includes reviews of movies and music. If you are interested in such a trustworthy and edifying news source, call them at 800-951-6397. I have no interest in "World," other than to let you know about something you might want. The publisher and editor don't know me, and have no idea that I am telling you this.

THE INS FIGHTS IMMIGRATION REFORM
For some time now, immigration law has been ignored as illegal immigrants have flooded the US. Liberal Democrat politicians, who covet the votes of all these (largely illiterate) aliens, not only defend their presence here, but demand welfare support for them. Meanwhile, refugees from true tyranny, such as pregnant Chinese women fleeing forced abortion and sterilization, are captured and forced back to China. The system is out of control now, having been shamelessly politicized by the Clinton administration for votes. Despite the order of a Federal judge to deport 313,000 illegal aliens, many of whom are convicted criminals, the INS refuses. Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo says that when the Deputy Director of the INS tells a crowd of illegal aliens that being in the country illegally "is not against the law," it is easy to understand why the system is such a mess. What puzzles me is, just what part of "illegal" is it that they don't understand? (ANS)

ALICE COOPER A CHRISTIAN???
Alice Cooper (born Vince Furnier), the father of shock rock, is a living symbol of everything wrong with rock music. His acts once featured killing animals on stage and songs on the most evil of topics; he is reputedly the inspiration for today's never-evil-enough groups such as Marilyn Manson. Today, he says that when alcoholism was destroying him and his marriage, he and his wife Sheryl attended a church with "a hellfire" preacher; he came to the Lord, he says, initially out of the fear of God: "I did not want to go to Hell." He is determined not to be "a celebrity Christian," and deliberately keeps a low profile. "I'm a rock singer….nothing more than that. I'm not a philosopher…(I am) low on the totem pole of knowledgeable Christians. So, don't look for answers from me." He wants to grow spiritually, and says it is a gradual process: "You just progress….You learn. You go to your Bible studies. You pray." Although he continues to perform in a similar style, his songs are now positive. Any song promoting promiscuous sex, drugs or drinking "gets the axe," he says, "I'm very careful about what the lyrics are….I think my job is to warn (fans) about Satan." Paraphrasing II Cor. 5:17, he summarizes, "I was one thing at one time….I'm a new creature now…Praise God for what I am now."(WND)

SUSAN B. ANTHONY WAS PRO-LIFE
You won't hear this from today's feminist activists, but one of their their icons, feminist pioneer Susan B. Anthony, was passionately pro-life. In fact, feminists did not embrace abortion until the 1970s, nearly a century after Susan B. Anthony's pioneering feminist battles. She saw abortion as surely a denial of the humanity of women as it was a denial of the humanity of the babies who died. She fought to "eradicate this most monstrous crime," and called abortion "the horrible crime of child murder." (Focus on the Family Mag)

QUOTABLE QUOTE
"One of the sad signs of our times is that we demonize those who produce, subsidize those who refuse to produce, and canonize those who complain." (Thos. Sowell, black economist)

THE BOOK OF ACTS AND MARK 16:20
The book of the Acts of the Apostles is the history of the founding and spread of the Christian Church. After its supernatural beginning in an upper room in Jerusalem at Pentecost, about 30 AD, the Church spread like a grassfire on a windy day, carrying the Good News, in one generation, across all the known World. The church was not spread by the sword, nor by lofty argument, clever promotion, or demagogues manipulating the masses. The Church spread, rather, by those whose lives had been transformed by Jesus, telling others what had happened to them, as the Holy Spirit confirmed their testimonies with supernatural acts of mercy and love. Acts is a gripping story of high adventure, covering a period of about 30 years in 28 dynamic chapters. Yet God has distilled those 28 chapters, in crystaline condensation, into the 20 matchless words of the 20th verse of Mark 16. Read them and see.** (See ENDNOTES on page 4)

"ENGLISH AS SHE IS SPOKE"
It is outrageous enough that Harvard University is now offering a degree program in "Queer Studies" (their title), but, in defending the program, Harvard President L.H. Summers stated, "I don't think there is any question that issues of identity….is crucial in a range of intellectual areas." (Harvard Crimson)

DEMONIAC TYRANY IN NORTH KOREA
Communist North Korea is arguably the most cruel, oppressive government on earth today. In a human rights vacuum; the populace (literally) starves, while the atheist dictatorship lives in opulence and spends $billions on its armed forces. A German physician who worked for 18 months in North Korea, before being expelled for speaking the truth, says that Christians are particular targets for government cruelty there, where they are routinely starved, worked to death, and used as lab animals for medical experimentation. Yet Pres. Bush is being attacked by Democrat leaders for calling the NK government "evil." (ANS/W)

DO YOU STILL YAHOO?
It can be difficult at times to find corporate services that DON'T involve themselves with abortion, pornography, sodomy or some other form of evil; but I think we should keep trying. An example is the internet service, Yahoo!. Although Christians and other traditional values groups continue to ask Yahoo! to clean up its act, they are ignored. Wendy Wright, speaking for Concerned Women for America, says that Yahoo! hosts web sites for clubs devoted to kidnapping, rape, torture of women, and for pedophiles to solicit sex with children and trade pornography. Some of its sites even promote incest and sex with infants. If you are still doing business with Yahoo!, I can only ask, "WHY?" (ANS)

THE NATURE OF SIN
I knew a man who stole a million dollars in cash. When he got to his hotel room, put the brief case on the bed, opened it and looked at a cool million in circulated cash, he told me that his very first thought was, "It's not enough." One of the fundamental characteristics of sin is that it never satisfies; it always promises more than it delivers, and so we want more. True, sin can give pleasure "for a season" (Hebr 11:25); but, eventually and invariably, it extracts a price more expensive than the pleasure was worth. That's because Satan is a creep, who always takes more than he gives. Consider the prodigal son of Jesus' parable, looking around in the stinking, muddy, pigpen, and asking himself, "If sin is so cool, why am I sitting in pig manure, fighting with the pigs and rats for their leftovers?" Have you ever met a drunk who was happy that he was a drunk? No pornographry user is ever satisfied with what he has; he always must have something "new" - something farther out. Sexual perversion is a vivid example of "it's never enough." Once entered into, one must keep looking for ever-greater perversion in order to achieve pleasure; and there is no end point. No, sin always promises more than it delivers, and the result ranges from disappointment to bitter regret, despair and destruction.

MARTY'S CORNER
Galatians 6:7: Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. The beauty of the Scriptures is its simplicity but it seems too difficult for the intellectual "religious left" to grasp. Just like the Pharisees of old, they want to put their particular twist on the Scriptures. Today, an obviously deceptive quote is "Allah is just another name for our (Christian) God." That is deception - a mockery of God.

There's an old adage "truth without love is brutality, and love without truth is hypocrisy." The hypocrisy of equating Islam with Christianity deceives Christians and renders them vulnerable in a world where recognizing the truth about Islam can mean life or death. It also leaves them unmotivated to pray for, witness to, and share the TRUTH in love with Muslims, who live in captivity to their legalistic and ruthless code.

We have come to expect most media moguls, lawyers and university professors to officiously defraud the truth, but we don't believe what they say anyway - they are just wearisome. However, when church leaders compromise their principles in order to curry favor with powerful people, Jesus is shamed. Willow Creek Community Church, the largest Christian church in America, recently invited Faisal Hammouda, a Muslim, to share the pulpit. He said, "all of us… believe in Jesus. I believe in Mohammed and all the prophets." Deception! Neither he nor any Muslim believes that Jesus is the Son of God, that he was crucified for our sins and was resurrected to sit on the right hand of God, the Father.

Hammouda went on to proclaim that Islam was "peace-loving," but failed to mention that Christians in ALL Islamic-controlled countries daily face persecution and death. Strangely, officials (and pastors) of many major denominations never focus on the rape and murder of Christians in Islamic countries although they repeatedly repudiate the war on terror and call for "peaceful diplomatic talk" with the terrorists. How foolish. In another era, their ilk would have wanted "peaceful diplomatic talk" with Hitler as he marched into Poland and the Japanese when they bombed Pearl Harbor. …whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

CIRCLE K STORES ELIMINATE PORN
Circle K, the largest chain of convenience stores still selling porn magazines, will sell them no more. Pressure by the Florida Family Ass'n and others has brought about the decision by Phillips Petroleum, the parent corporation, to pull the magazines. Although our efforts often seem small and without hope of success, when fighters for public decency get together, amazing things can be accomplished.(ANS)

FROM THE HORSE'S MOUTH
"The essence of communism is the abolition of private property." (Karl Marx, "The Communist Manifesto")

MILESTONES
Born 5 Mar - Alison Juliann Lindsey, at 7 lbs., 3 oz., to Brian and Karen Lindsey, Believers' Retreat youth leaders, of Milan, Tenn.
Died 29 Jan - Dennis Fefolt, 68, founder of Feed My Sheep Min, Eighty Four, Penn., and friend of this ministry, after a battle with cancer.
Feb. - Harold Russell, 88, who lost both hands in a training accident in WW II, and won an Oscar for his first movie, the classic "The Best Years of Our Lives" An activist for the handicapped, he later sold his Oscar to pay for his wife's medical care.
7 Mar. - Mike Herron, founder of the Sheep Shed ministry in Corydon, Ky., after a battle with cancer.
19 Mar. - David Ryan Martin, age 6 months, son of Anthony and Stephanie Martin of Milan, Tenn.
18 Mar. - Mrs. Catherine Tirjan, 89, mother of Retreat Board member Dennis Tirjan, in Lafayette, Tenn.

THE CHICOMS PRESS CLOSER
The Chinese Communist shipping company, Hutchison Whampoa, Ltd. that now controls both ends of the Panama Canal, has now opened a huge shipping facility in the Bahamas. Since such businesses in Red China are actually government-controlled, the Communist Chinese government and armed forces not only have the ability to shut down the Panama Canal, but have a vast operating base only 55 miles from Palm Beach, Florida. If you drive on interstate highways, you will see a growing number of big trucks with "COSCO" on them. These are part of the China Overseas Shipping Company, another Red Chinese government enterprise operating aggressively in our midst.

CIVIL RIGHTS IN RED CHINA
In the "workers' paradise" of Communist China, the land of forced abortions and involuntary sterilization, people spend a lot of time in prison. By their law, a local policeman has the authority to sentence anyone who displeases him to prison for up to 3 years. No judge, no jury, no trial, no reviews, no evidence - it is just, off to prison you go! And our Congress gave the bloody-handed butchers Permanent Most-Favored Nation status! (CBN)

TOLERANCE AND THE ABANDONMENT OF STANDARDS
"The New Testament Church was an intolerant church... 'Intolerant' is a scandalous word these days, for if there is anything that is in style among our 'progressive' churches it is that word, 'tolerance.' You would think that intolerance was the unpardonable sin... Of course, some experts in tolerance can be amazingly intolerant of those who do not share their broad-mindedness, but that does not disturb them... There is a proper intolerance, and the New Testament church had it. Intolerant, unpopular, sensational - such was the New Testament Church. And so will we be if we dare to follow (them)." (Vance Havner)

A POINT TO PONDER
"If we have not quiet in our minds, outward comfort will do no more for us than a golden slipper on a gouty foot." (John Bunyon, 1628-1688, author of "Pilgrim's Progress")

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,

ENDNOTES
*The critics of the Church will take issue here, speaking of the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition and the Conquistadores; but those were acts of a corrupted Church in the Middle Ages, and have nothing to do with Christ and the founding of the Church in the 1st Century.
**The modern versions of the Bible either omit Mk 16:9-20, or cast doubt on their validity with footnotes. If you would like to see the evidence for the validity of that 20th verse, and the other 11 disparaged verses, we will send you the evidence, "Notes on the Last 12 Verses of Mark 16," free upon request.

(Sources: AFAJ-American Family Journal; AFRN-American Family Radio News; ANS-Agape News Service; AP-Associated Press; BP-Break Point; C-Charisma; CBN-Christian Broadcasting Network; CR-Congressional Record; DR-Drudge Report; EP-Evangelical Press; Fox (Fox News); FRC-Family Research Council; GN-Good News Magazine; HC-History Channel; Ins-Insight Magazine; 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; USAT-USA Today; USNWR-U.S. News & World Report; VOM-Voice of Martyrs; W-World Magazine; WND-World Net Daily; WT-Washington Times); WW-Washington Watch.