April/May 2005

Dear ones,

The rise of globalism is a growing threat, not only to our nation's sovereignty, but ultimately to our individual freedoms, including our freedom to worship the true and living God and to speak the truth as revealed in His Word. Because of this, I will begin with this issue a series of brief articles in which I will attempt to express what is at stake. They will necessarily be generalized and simple. The following is the first article in the series.

WHAT IS GLOBALISM?
Globalism is the belief in, and preference for, the concept of a single government power structure for the entire World. The acceptance of such a government would require the surrender of the sovereignty of each existing nation, and the submission to the authority and power of the global government. In this day, that all-powerful government would be the United Nations. Some sovereignty of the individual nations of the World, including the USA, has already been surrendered to the UN, through international treaties. In Europe there is now an experiment in regional government, and the member nations have surrendered much of their sovereignty to the European Union. Still, individual nations retain some degree of independence and sovereignty; most nations, if they choose to, can enter into a mutual defense treaty, or trade agreement, with other nations. The laws of each nation may still be very different from those of other nations. With global government, all this would cease to be; everyone would be subject to the laws of the World Government. (More Next Issue)

THE UN AND HUMAN RIGHTS
The UN is a huge, inefficient, corrupt bureaucracy, where billions of dollars have disappeared through scandal, waste and fraud; the most recent exposure involves the Secretary General, his family and Iraq's "Oil for Food" scam. Worse, perhaps, is its Human Rights Commission, supposedly protecting human rights world-wide. In a recent cover story, Parade Magazine listed the 20 worst dictators in the World, those who sponsor murder, torture and oppression. Nearly half of these dictators sit on the UN Human Rights Commission. (ANS)

"THE GOOD WORD" IN BULK
Our friends Sandy and David Ealy sent an encouraging e-mail note, thanking us for the newsletter, and saying that they make copies to give away. This, of course, lifted my weary heart; but it also reminded me that there are some of you who don't know that we will be happy to send you "The Good Word" in quantity. It is an economical way for us to distribute them, and I love doing it. Some on the bulk list receive as few as three; others receive hundreds of copies of each issue. If you would like to receive some to give away, just let us know.

DELIVERED FROM TSUNAMI DEATH
A remarkable story of God's protection in the midst of disaster has come from the terrible recent tsunami floods in India and Indonesia. In recent years, Muslim persecution of Christians has been by far the most violent in Indonesia; the deliverance took place there, in the town of Meulaboh, one of the hardest-hit places in the disaster area. It was reported by missionary pastor Bill Heckman of Calvary Life Fellowship in Indonesia. In the town of Meulaboh there are about 400 Christians; all the rest of the people are Muslims. The Christians wanted to celebrate Christmas, but were told that they must go outside the city to a high hill-apart from the Muslims-to do so. On the 25th all Christians walked to the place, ascended the hill and stayed there all night; early the next morning the waves hit, destroying the town and killing thousands of the Muslims. Because the Christians were on the high hill, no Christian died. The surviving Muslims said that the Christian God had punished them, and Allah had failed to protect them.

CAN YOU TELL THEM?
The vocal homosexual minority, and its friends in the establishment media, are doing an effective job of painting the Church as heartless and bigoted for opposing the free expression of their kind of "love"; and they are gaining ground in the battle for public sympathy. "How," they ask, "could a loving God condemn love as a sin?" Many outside the Church (and a growing number within it) are taken in by the propaganda of Sodom. We should be prepared to explain (not argue-explain) our position, based in Scripture, to our children, our un-churched friends, and to those within the Church who are deceived. Can you do it? Can you tell them? My daughter, Sally Mahoney, has explained it to her children; and she has written a concise article explaining the issue and presenting suggestions for sharing. You will find it on our Web site (www.wordsforlivingmin.org). For those of you who can't access the Web site, if you contact the office, we will gladly send you a free printed copy.

A PRAYING PRESIDENT
President Bush doesn't always please us with what he does, but we are blessed to have a president whom the establishment media look upon as a dangerous religious fanatic. Why do they view him in this way? Because he publicly acknowledges that he prays about decisions. In an interview with the Washington Times he said that he can't see "how you can be president without a relationship with the Lord." The president gets up about 5:30 each morning to study his Bible, and prays "all the time." (WT/ANS)

MEETING WITH THE FAMILIES OF THE FALLEN
Recently President Bush traveled to Camp Pendleton, California to thank returning Marines and Navy personnel there for their service in Iraq. This was a public event and was covered by some of the media. The second part of his visit was private, and was related to us by a Marine officer who was with him, in charge of his visit. In a curtained-off part of the Platoon Sergeant Mitchell Paige Field House, the president met with 170 family members whose loved ones did not live to return with the unit. He forbad the press from viewing or photographing any of this private, unhurried visit. The Marine officer who related this story said, "When we put the President back on Marine One, he was as somber and drained as I have ever seen him; it took an emotional toll on everyone involved." I am told that the last president to do such a thing was Teddy Roosevelt, before he was president. (Private Sources)

LIVE-BIRTH STEM CELLS: AMAZING SUCCESS
Experimental treatments using live-birth stem cells (those from adults or umbilical blood) continue to promise great things. While the pro-death, liberal left continues to preach the necessity for using fetal stem cells, which require killing babies to obtain them, fetal stem cells have registered not even one success. Worse still, in one study, fetal stem cell therapy made Parkinson's disease worse, and in others it has caused tumors in lab animals. On the other hand, live-birth and adult stem cells have been used successfully in more than 40 diseased conditions, and the latest was even reported by the media giant of the liberal left, the New York Times. A paraplegic (paralyzed from the waist down) woman in South Korea, whose damaged spinal cord has been treated with umbilical blood stem cells, is so improved that she is walking. Hwang Mi-Soon, 37, using a walker at this stage, went walking for reporters. Last July two American women, one a paraplegic and one a quadriplegic (paralyzed from the neck down), after pioneering treatments with transplants from their own stem cells, were both walking with leg braces. (NYT/BP)

SO WHY KILL BABIES?
The humanistic, liberal left continues to beat the drum for increased legalization and funding for fetal stem cell research, which has produced no cures, and has even made some conditions worse. At the same time, they ignore the fact that adult and live-birth stem cells continue to produce wonderfully promising results. To further darken the debate, they demonize President Bush, falsely accusing him of opposing all stem cell research, when he only opposes the use of fetal stem cells. They roll out celebrities, like actor Christopher Reeve, accusing the president of standing in the way of medical progress. The question "Why?" screams for an answer! Why insist on killing babies, when it isn't necessary, and it isn't even working? The answer is probably a bit complex, but a large part of it is the desire to justify (and preserve) abortion. It is part of the culture of death, motivated by selfishness and human pride, that wants to play God, imperiously deciding matters of life, death, and "quality of life," or simply personal convenience (using abortion as birth control). A complex mix of sinful attitudes is at work here, but at the bottom of it is an absence of respect for life, and most such people are self-serving power brokers (e.g. Planned Parenthood and NOW), humanistic God-haters, or both. "All they that hate me [God] love death." (Proverbs 8:36)

ADOPTION: THE "VISIBLE GOSPEL"
Steven Curtis Chapman, prominent Christian song writer and musician, has found in adoption a new understanding of the gospel. With three children of their own, he and his wife, Mary Beth, have now adopted three orphan children from China and have established a foundation promoting adoption. Steven says that without Christ "I was hopeless, without a future, without a name...then Jesus came into my life, gave me hope and a future. He gave me a new name...Adoption is the perfect picture of what God has done for each of us in making us His children through Christ." (BP)

"A MOTHER'S LOVE"
As we watch our culture coarsen and crumble, a key factor in the decline is loss of respect for the value of life; and this began in 1973 when the Supreme Court legalized abortion. In spite of our indoctrination by the media with the culture of violence and death, we would like to believe that a mother's love for her own child would survive. Even this, however, seems to be failing as we see mothers murder their own children to please a man who doesn't want them, while high school girls dump their newborn babies in garbage cans. In Texas, a case is causing consternation. A girl carrying twins asked her boyfriend to stomp on her belly to kill the babies she didn't want. He did, and now he is charged with two counts of murder, but no one knows how to charge the mother. When the Texas law to protect unborn babies was written, no one foresaw a case where the mother would request the injury or killing of her unborn babies. (FOF)

BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING
In George Orwell's prophetic book about totalitarian government, "1984," the all-controlling, intrusive government had means of total surveillance and the constant reminder was "Big Brother [the government] is watching you." It has largely come to pass. I hope you are never in a casino; but if you are, you should know that surveillance cameras are everywhere, including the restrooms, and security people see (and film) everything you do. Yes, everything. Security cameras film you in banks, most businesses, and in some cities traffic is filmed, especially at traffic lights. In fact, according to the History Channel, in New York City, you are filmed an average of 75 times a day; if you are in London, the average is 300 times a day. (HC)

IRAQ AND ANCIENT HISTORY
As so much American wealth and blood are being expended in liberating Iraq from a cruel despotism, and establishing a government of the people there, it is interesting to remember its prominence in human history. The Garden of Eden was there, the Tower of Babel was there, Noah probably built the ark there, Abraham was a native of Ur, in southern Iraq, Isaac's wife Rebekah and Jacob's wife Rachel were found there (in adjacent Syria), and Jonah preached to the mighty city of Nineveh there. The 10 northern tribes of Israel were carried into captivity there by the Assyrians, the two southern tribes were later carried into captivity there by Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel was in the lions' den there, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were in the fiery furnace there, and so was Jesus (as the fourth man in the fire). It was there that the wicked king saw "the handwriting on the wall." It was there that Esther and her uncle, Mordecai, saved the Israelites from extinction. The magi who came seeking the child Jesus probably came from Iraq (or adjacent Syria). Saddam Hussein was very much aware of Iraq's prominence in ancient history, and claimed to be the reincarnation of Nebuchadnezzar, but fell hideously short in every way.

CELEBS SUPPORT "GAY" AGENDA
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is one of the largest and richest of the homosexual pressure groups. They are about to get richer, thanks to more than 30 celebrity musicians who have donated their talent to a two-CD album called "Love Rocks"; all profit will go to the NRC to fund their "gay" activism. Yoko Ono, John Lenon's widow, sings "Every Man Has a Man." Other performers include the Dixie Chicks, Carole King and, I'm sorry to report, Dolly Parton. (AFAJ/BP)

A MAP TO YOUR DOOR
The search engine Google offers a free internet service that has many concerned. You can go to Google, type in someone's telephone number (complete with area code), and right before your eyes, there will appear a map with directions to the door. This apparently cannot be done with unlisted numbers. This is a bit alarming, in spite of the fact that anyone who really wants to find you can take your address from a directory, get a city map and find the way to your door. You can try this with your own number. If you wish to have your number excluded from this program, there is a provision in the program to opt out.

POST-MODERN "HONESTY"
In today's post-modern value system, the one which dominates the establishment media and Washington politics, there are no absolute truths, or unchanging values. Lying is a way of life, although they never use the word except in an attack on those who disagree with them. A vivid, naked example of this took place in an interview by Bill O'Reilly on his Fox News TV program, "The O'Reilly Factor." Dan Rather, CBS TV anchor, icon and demigod of the liberal left said, in response to a question, "I think you can be an honest person and lie about any number of things." Do you trust major network news?

THE SANHEDRIN RE-ESTABLISHED
Those of you who are watching events in terms of end-times prophecy fulfillment will want to know that the Jewish Sanhedrin, the ruling religious body of ancient Israel, has been re-instated. As a step toward re-establishment of Temple worship, the counsel of 71 elders met for the first time since 425 AD; they met in Tiberius, on the Sea of Galilee, the place where the last meeting was held, almost 1,600 years ago. The event was reported by Israeli News Network (INN). A matter of primary importance to the re-established Sanhedrin is to determine the exact location of the foundation of the Temple, destroyed by Titus in 71 A.D. This is made difficult by the fact that Muslims have control of the Temple Mount, and have been busily removing all known archeological evidence; they want to "prove" that there was never a Jewish presence of any kind there. (INN/Hal Lindsey)

STUNNING (AND DANGEROUS) IGNORANCE OF HISTORY
In the past the colleges and universities, generally considered to be the top schools in the country, really were. They cost more because they were the best. Today they are still considered the top schools, and still cost more, but are far from the best. Core curricula, once excellent and demanding, are only shadows of what they once were; they have been gutted by political correctness. Courses are offered and degrees are granted in such things as "Queer Studies," "Black Studies," and "Female Studies," requiring no solid core curriculum of math, English, and history. Am I exaggerating? Consider the following, from a study by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH): 40% of seniors at America's top 55 colleges do not know within 50 years when the American Civil War took place; 56% of the same seniors do not know that Abraham Lincoln was president during that war; and 40% of seniors at the same top 55 colleges do not know that the principle of separation of powers in our government is established in the Constitution. How can this be? The answer is that 0% of the same "top" 55 colleges have a required course in American History. That's right-not a single one.

High School and Voter Ignorance. The same NEH study found that 51% of American high school students think that Germany, Japan or Italy was an ally of the US during World War II. More frightening still, 69% of voting-age Americans think that Karl Marx's principle, "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need" is (35%), or might be (34%), in the US Constitution.(W)

DANGER: CELL PHONE PORN
The latest leap in cell phone technology, called 3-G (3rd Generation), will allow for downloading almost anything from the internet, including pornography. Playboy Enterprises and Dwango Wireless, a cell phone service, have announced that they are joining forces to flood the mobile phone airwaves with Playboy's pornography and propaganda for the Playboy lifestyle. This is already being done in Britain, Germany, Australia and Brazil. According to a joint press release, cell phone users will be able to download "Playboy-themed" images, games, video clips, voice clips and ring tones. Dwango already has a similar agreement with Rolling Stone Magazine, which aims at the youth market. According to a recent study of the industry, one-third of all cell phone users are between the ages of 5 and 19. Those in this age group are five times more likely to pay for and download graphics than are their adult counterparts. Do you know what kind of cell phones your children have, and what they are doing with them? (FOF/ANS/PWB)

INTERNET GAMBLING
There are now more than 2,000 gambling Web sites on the internet, and they are expected to reap about $10 billion in profits this year from mostly American suckers. This will be a 40% increase over profits in 2004, making gambling one of the internet's largest money-makers, even though it is illegal. (PWB)

MTV: FILTH AIMED AT KIDS
MTV, the cable network aimed at youth, is an increasingly virulent source of depraved programming, glorifying illicit and perverted sex, violence and nihilistic hate. According to the Parents' Television Council, MTV has "staggering levels of sex and foul language-far higher than anything found on adult-targeted television." MTV has roughly three times as many sexual incidents throughout the day, as ABC, CBS, NBC or Fox do at 10 p.m. Do you let your children watch this poison? (PWB)

THE BIBLE WINS AGAIN
A team of top scientists, led by Russell Adams of Canada's McMaster University, has dated the ancient nation of Edom, founded by Abraham's grandson Esau, to the exact time stated in the Bible. Archeological discoveries continue, consistently, to substantiate the Bible record. (PWB)

MARTY'S CORNER
Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. (James 1:16)

Deception comes in various forms. It applies to anything that deceives, whether by design or illusion-whether by children or adults. It can be so clever that it becomes an accepted belief, but not the truth.

One example: The deceptive phrase "separation of church and state" is not in the Constitution but you hear the term used so often that most people believe it is there. The Constitution actually states that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof (Amendment 1). What the founding fathers were talking about when they said "establishment of religion" was that previously a common practice was that of a government officially choosing a favored denomination and requiring non-members to pay higher taxes-often penalizing in other ways such as not allowing them to hold public office.

People are also deceived by the age-old maxim "don't talk about religion or politics" yet Jesus told us to go ye into all the world and preach the gospel so we are specifically told to talk about the (Christian) gospel-anywhere and everywhere.

In many churches, Bible study is replaced by popular self-help book studies that last for weeks or even months. Twisted or paraphrased versions of the Scriptures are used to such an extent that the Word and meaning of the Bible is demeaned or (often) lost. A cleverly used "It's not about you" infers that a book is about God but the next 300 pages are all about you (and the making of money from the sale of such books).

The need for prayer for discerning, both for discerning of spirits and being perceptive in general, is paramount in today's world. The subtle deception of relying upon what we are told or what we read is like a fog that slowly drifts in and soon we are caught in its murkiness without even realizing it. Beware: By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words…(2 Peter 2:3-NKJV)

OUR GODLY HERITAGE
As the Supreme court deliberates and votes on the constitutionality of public displays of the Ten Commandments, let us pray that they remember the words of James Madison, Father of the Constitution: "We have staked the whole of all our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God."

KERRY AND COMMUNISTS
John Kerry, notorious for taking all sides of every issue, seems consistent about one thing: he sees only good in communists. He is sponsor of a resolution that would have the U.S. Senate honor the memory of the late W.E.B. Du Bois. Du Bois was previously awarded the Lenin Peace prize by the Soviet Union, and Red China honored him with a national holiday. A natural-born American, the fervently anti-American Du Bois renounced his American citizenship. He praised the National socialist Party of Adolph Hitler, was expelled from the NAACP, supported the North Koreans and Red Chinese during the Korean War, praised Stalin as a great and courageous man, and called the Soviet persecution of Christians "the greatest gift of the Russian Revolution to the modern world." Co-sponsors of the resolution are Sen. Ted Kennedy (D Mass) and Carl Levin (D Mich).(NM/Human Events)

"AMAZING GRACE" AND SLAVERY
Most of us know the story of John Newton, notorious British slave ship captain, who was born again, abandoned the slave trade, became a pastor, and wrote many hymns, including "Amazing Grace." But what most of us don't know is how he would affect the future of slavery. After church one day a man handed Newton a note: "I feel God has some purpose for my life. Can you help me discover it?" The man was William Wilberforce, wealthy Member of Parliament and friend of Prime Minister William Pitt. Under Newton's influence, Wilberforce became a zealous Christian, a crusader for human rights, and during his 45 years in Parliament led the fight that eventually ended the slave trade in England.

MEXICO'S LUCRATIVE EXPORT: ILLEGAL ALIENS
Mexico's government recognizes the value of one of its profitable exports: illegal aliens. The Mexican Foreign Ministry publishes a 32-page booklet with advice for Mexicans for sneaking into the US, avoiding capture, finding work, and obtaining welfare assistance. Why would the Mexican Government want to promote the flood of illegal aliens into the US? Because the illegals accumulate US money and send much of it back to their families in Mexico, contributing significantly to the Mexican economy. (ANS)

QUOTABLE QUOTE
"Politicians used to understand, without being told, that they didn't necessarily have whatever it takes to fill our lives with meaning. Their job was to fill potholes." (Joseph Sobran, syndicated columnist)

GOING STRONG AT 90
Do you think that you are too old to be useful? Kermit Paxton is a retired Nebraska rancher. But he's not really retired. At 90, he still delivers the mail on his 70-mile rural route in western Nebraska, and that's not easy, especially during the long, bitter Winters. He has turned his mail truck over on icy roads. Oh, and mail is not all Kermit delivers; he also delivers free Bibles to all who will take them, as an active member of Gideons, International. (W)

MILESTONES
Married 12 June 04 - Kari Tirjan and Chad Escue in Westmoreland, Tenn. Kari is the daughter of Dennis and the late Debbi Tirjan, Lafayette, Tenn. They are in Columbia, S.C., where Chad is a student at Columbia Bible College. Kari has been one of our very special Christian girls for a long time-how her wedding was omitted is an embarrassing mystery!
15 Jan 05 - Tom Appel (Ocean Springs, Miss.) and Joanna Oakland (Stillwater, Minn), in Nashville, Tenn. where both graduated from Belmont University in December.

26 Feb 05 - Jennifer Kinnin and Edward Lee Benson in Henderson, Ky. Jennifer is the daughter of Gerald Kinnin and the Rev. Frieda Alexander, longtime Christian friend.

5 Mar 05 - Dustin Frankie (West Frankfort, Ill.) and Kacie Jo Plumlee in Herrin, Ill.

Died 5 Feb 05 - Grace Pfister, dear Christian friend, Bible teacher, and my mentor for 32 years, in Pass Christian, Miss. Her teachings are on our Web site. She taught a weekly Bible study, and conducted regular nursing home ministry until past 93; "Amazing Grace" was 97.

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,
Tom C. McKenney

(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; NewsMax.com (NM); 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.)