August / September 2006

Dear ones,

My right hand was injured in April by a lawn mower. Although still very sensitive, it is healing and, once again, I am writing with it. I don't write well, but I am writing. I am blessed to still have my hand; God is very, very good to me. Bonnie has been answering the mail for me most of the time since the hurricane. To make the matter more troubling, one bundle of to-be-answered mail is lost somewhere in the postal system between Kentucky and the Gulf Coast and may never be found. So, please forgive my poor communication in recent months; if you have failed to hear from me, I hope you will understand. Now, I can type pretty well with my left hand and thumb and forefinger of my right hand and, finally, I have begun again to answer the mail. Slowly, we are working our way back toward what used to be "normal" communication. I am very grateful to you all for your patience with me, and for your continued support.

WHERE ARE ARAFAT'S BILLIONS?
The establishment (liberal) media have effectively deceived most people into believing that the late Yasser Arafat was the Joan of Arc or the George Washington of the beleaguered Palestinians, who selflessly gave his life for the freedom of the dispossessed masses. Actually, there is no such thing as a Palestinian language, culture or history; what we call Palestinians are simply Arabs, and they all speak Arabic. But never mind that-back to Arafat. That self-declared "Palestinian leader" who spoke at the U.N. with a pistol on his hip (no one else has ever had the nerve-or the arrogance- to do that) and later received the Nobel Peace Prize, was actually an Egyptian terrorist, directly responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent victims.

Well, maybe you knew that already, but what about his money? Are you asking, "What money?" Well, he had it-a very great deal of it. It was skimmed from money intendeded to help his beleaguered masses and hidden in a complex network of accounts. It is now known that, while his followers lived in squalid poverty, Arafat siphoned off millions and hid them in various accounts. In fact, make that billions with a "B"; investigators now estimate that the total may be $3-4 billion, US. Arafat's widow, Suha, was born and reared as a Catholic, educated in a convent and at the Sorbonne, the daughter of a wealthy banker. She married Arafat at age 28 (he was 62) and continued to live in luxury.

She has lived mostly in Paris, receiving an allowance of approximately $250,000 a month from the Palestinian Authority (PA) budget. She divides her time among three luxurious homes in France, one of which costs $16, 000 a night, earning a reputation for extravagant spending (Arafat privately compared her to Emelda Marcos). But what about all that money? Current officials of the PA know about Arafat's stolen money and they want it back. In fact, Suha did not attend Arafat's funeral, for fear that the PA authorities might arrest her. But that's not the strangest thing about all this: by far the strangest angle is that the PA officials have formally requested the help of the Israeli government in finding the money. That's right-the Israelis! The PA people, if they find the money, will of course use it to kill more Israelis. Truth really is stranger than fiction and, after all, a selfless dictator is hard to find. (BBC, JP, WP, 60 Minutes, W, IMG, et al)

SAMSON, THE GAZA STRIP, AND ONIONS
Old Testament Philistia, home of the hated Philistines, lay along the Mediterranean Sea, on the southwest coast of the Promised Land. Philistia was divided into five city-states: Ashkelon, Gaza, Ashdod, Ekron and Gath (home town of Goliath). The Philistines, descended from Phoenician seafarers (not Arabs), were fierce pagans, perpetually at war with the Hebrews. In the time of the Judges, Samson went to Ashkelon, killed 30 Philistines, and took their garments to pay off a debt (Judges 14). What was then Philistia is today, essentially, what is called the Gaza Strip; and, interestingly, cities like Gaza and Ashkelon still exist, and the Old Testament names survive. But could there be a connection between Samson, the Gaza Strip, and onions? The answer is "Yes." Ashkelon, since ancient times, has been known for its onions, which grow to be slender, with very little bulb at the base; in fact some linguists believe the onion gave the city its name. By New Testament times Ashkalon was pronounced "Ascalon" and its famous onions were called "ascallions." Today we call them scallions, shallots or leeks. In the South they are usually just called green onions, because they consist largely of the edible green tops. And that is the fascinating connection uniting Samson, the embattled Gaza Strip, and onions. (Thanks to my old friend Ginny Lynn for the idea.)

ARE TODAY'S PALESTINIANS YESTERDAY'S PHILISTINES?
The people who are today referred to as Palestinians claim to be descended from the Philistines; thus, they argue, they have a right to what is called the Gaza Strip (which was in ancient times, Philistia, although the boundaries are not exactly the same today). But do they? The Philistines were descended from Phoenicians, a seafaring people who migrated from the northwest and settled along the coast of what we call the Holy Land. Today the Philistines of ancient times are extinct, no longer existing as a separate ethnic or racial group; the survivors were long ago absorbed and assimilated into the surrounding populations. The only things descended from the Philistines are the words, "Palestine and Palestinian"; these words were the creations of the Romans, and therein lies a story. The conquering Romans, vexed with ongoing rebellions by the Jews, selected the name "Palestina" for the region. Yes, their new name for Israel was derived from "Philistines, " but only as a deliberate insult to the Jews. The name stuck, the British legitimized it when the Jewish homeland was first established during World War I, and the only descendant of the ancient Philistines is the name, "Palestine." So, if today's Palestinians are not descended from the ancient Philistines, what are they? They are immigrants who have moved into the area from the Arabian Peninsula; they are, simply and finally, Arabs.

GENEVA CONVENTION PROTECTIONS FOR MURDERERS?
In a completely irrational finding, the U.S. Supreme Court decided recently that terrorists, captured on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, must be treated according to the Geneva conventions. This is so wrong that a bright high school history student wouldn't even have to think it over. The Geneva conventions apply only to an armed enemy in a recognizable uniform, part of an opposing, organized military force engaging our troops in open combat. But, these people are individuals in civilian clothes, operating alone or in small, temporary groups, blowing up innocent people, kidnapping, torturing, murdering, and mutilating. How do we apply the rule of "name, rank and serial number" to such people when they have no unit roster with a record of their names, no ranks, and no serial numbers? One does not need a law degree to know this; one only needs to be able to read the plain English words of the Geneva Conventions. (AP, ABC, et al)

TORTURE AT GUANTANAMO BAY?
The liberal left continues to scream about non-existent abuse (even torture) of terrorists being held for interrogation at Guantanamo Bay, while ignoring glaring examples of real torture, murder and mutilation of our fighting men by the terrorists. FACTS: The terrorist detainees at our Guantanamo Bay prison are living much better than they were prior to capture. We spend three times as much on their food as we do on our soldiers who guard them, and the average detainee has gained 18 pounds since capture. Meanwhile, a group of well-meaning (I will give them the benefit of the doubt) clergymen, academics and other celebrities, including Baptist liberal Jimmy Carter and the very wealthy Rick Warren (the "purpose-driven" guy), have joined in a high-profile proclamation. The group demands that our government "abolish torture now." This is not only absurd because our government already has a policy forbidding torture, but it is a defamatory, treasonous accusation of their own government, blazed abroad before the world, serving the purposes of the enemy, in time of war. If they want to do something about torture, they should direct their demands to those who do torture their prisoners: the Islamic terrorists we are fighting. Maybe they remember Marine Colonel Higgins, commander of a peace-keeping mission whom the terrorists captured in Lebanon a few years back; they tortured him to death, and then displayed what was left of his body to the world, including his family. If they don't remember him, or CIA station chief William Buckley (who had diplomatic protection), also tortured to death in the same place, they have a very recent example. In early July two very real U.S. Army soldiers, Privates Menchaca and Tucker, were captured in an ambush, tortured to death, mutilated, and put on display for all to see. Do I seem angry? Well, I should, because I am! Those pale, pudgy preachers and Nobel laureates have probably never made sacrifices even approaching those our servicemen are now making. They should figure out whose side they are on in this war and do their homework, or stick to preaching, writing their books, and managing their stock portfolios. War is a hard, dirty, heart-breaking business, and only those who make that sacrifice can really know its realities, and the terrible cost. (FOF, CNN, WP, WND, ANS)

VETERANS' RECORDS STOLEN
In late May an employee of the Department of Veterans' Affairs took home with him computerized records of more than 26 million veterans. These records, including Social Security Numbers and dates of birth, included virtually every veteran discharged or retired since 1975. In some cases, dependant records were included. His home was burglarized and the records were stolen; they have not been recovered. The man who took the records home with him had no authority to do so. Although investigators believe that the records were not the target of the burglary, it still constitutes the greatest risk of identity theft in history. (Newsday, et al)

OPERATION "RETURN TO SENDER"
In late May and early June U.S. immigration agents rounded up 2, 200 illegal aliens. Among those arrested were 146 felons convicted of sexual crimes against children, 367 members of violent gangs, and 640 were aliens who had previously been deported by judges and had sneaked back into the US. Amazingly, 55 of them were working in the sensitive "secure" area at Dulles International Airport. One researcher estimates that there are 240, 000 illegals in the U.S. who are sex offenders, with an average of 4 victims each. I continue to wonder what it is about the word "illegal" that our cowardly politicians and liberal pundits don't understand. (AP, WND, Fox News)

THE NEA BACKS "GAY MARRIAGE"
In early July the National Education Association (NEA), giant teachers' union and left-wing pressure group, at its 2006 convention in Orlando, voted to support homosexual marriage. The group also voted to substitute henceforth, in all its publications, the words "acceptance and/or respect" for the word "tolerance." Why? The reason, according to an NEA spokesman, is that "tolerance" is too negative-it "implies 'putting up with', " and is not affirmative enough to express NEA's position. And then there's all that money. New federal rules require the NEA to report its gifts to other causes. Last year the NEA gave $65 million to radical left wing causes such as People for the American Way, Jesse Jackson, Gay and Lesbian Alliance (GLAD), and the homosexual power group, Human Rights Campaign. More than half of the NEA's 600 employees make six-figure salaries, while the average classroom teacher made $48, 000 last year. (FOF, PWB, WSJ, ANS)

ABORTION CLINIC FOLDS
Operation Rescue has shut down an abortuary in Wichita. How? By picketing? By lawsuit? By burning it down or blowing it up? Nope. None of these-they bought it! The abortion business was behind on its payments, so Troy Newman's Operation Rescue bought the place, and kicked the abortionists out. He plans to make the building into a chapel and a memorial for the murdered unborn babies. (PWB)

HIGHER FINES CURB BROADCAST SMUT
At long last the government is doing something about obscenity. Congress has passed, and the President gladly signed, legislation increasing fines for broadcast indecency ten-fold. Before, a broadcaster might deliberately include an indecent incident, glad to pay a $32, 500 fine, in order to boost ratings, which would make him much more than the fine would cost. Such fines came to be seen as wise investments. But now a broadcaster can be fined $325,000 per incident, and at last we have their attention. According to the Washington Post and other sources, radio and TV executives are scrambling to find ways to stay out of trouble. Some talk show and comedy hosts are having to sign contracts making them personally responsible for any fines levied for obscenity. It's about time, don't you think? (WP, FOF, et al)

CATHOLIC ADOPTION AGENCY SHUTS DOWN
In the last issue we reported that Catholic Charities of Boston threatened to cease its operations in the face of the Massachusetts law requiring adoption agencies to place children with homosexual couples. Now it is reality. After placing approximately 40 homeless children in adoptive families annually for more than 100 years, the agency has closed its doors. The Rev. J. Bryan Hehir announced, "We have encountered a dilemma we cannot resolve-[we cannot ] reconcile the teaching of the Church which guides our work, with the statutes and regulations of the Commonwealth" (FOF, PWB)

THE BOY SCOUTS AND HOMOSEXUAL LEADERS
The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) are suffering ongoing persecution for the oath which includes loyalty "to God and my country, " and for refusing to allow homosexuals to hold positions of leadership. The ACLU and other left-wing pressure groups that seek to eliminate both the oath and the rule for leaders, argue that homosexual scoutmasters will pose no threat to the boys. Common sense declares their argument insane, and experience confirms the conclusion. Another scoutmaster, a clandestine homosexual, has gone to prison for abusing the boys in his troop. He had been a scoutmaster for 15 years. Ronald Occhipinti was convicted of abusing one of his scouts over a period of 3 years, beginning when the boy was 11. And there were others. He was sentenced to 20 years in New York state prisons. (ANS)

TWO GOOD WEB SITES
Chip Rohlke has an excellent Creation Science web site, www.ChristisCreator.com. You can visit his web site through ours (or, of course, go there directly). Chip is also conducting a billboard campaign with the message, "Evolution Is a Fairy Tale for Adults"; you can see what they look like on his web site. Another friend, Gary Bertnick, has launched a web site with all his writings. He is a passionate poet, and his downloads are free. His site is at www.silvercordspirit.com.

A LINGERING DISASTER AND A GREAT IDEA
The explosion at the USSR's Chernobyl nuclear plant marks its 20-year anniversary this year. Twenty years later, there is still a 20-mile dead zone around the reactor. Some 300,000 people were displaced at the time of the disaster, and millions still live in contaminated areas in Eastern Europe. The International Atomic Energy Agency has predicted that the disaster would cause some 9,000 radiation-exposure related deaths, while some Russian scientists think the number will approach 90,000 in coming decades. One noted result is a huge increase in thyroid cancer in children over the past 20 years. But in the midst of this lingering legacy of destruction, one group has had a great idea. The American Belarussian Relief Organizatin (ABRO), a Christian ministry, brings children from Chernobyl-contaminated regions to the United States for six weeks each summer. These children stay with host families and get a chance to-as Joe Strong, ABRO's executive director, puts it-"rejuvenate and clean out their immune systems." He says their color returns, their headaches cease, their coughs go away...and when the children return home, their parents are amazed with the results. They tell him, "We sent you a sick child, and you sent us back a healthy child." ABRO brings several hundred children to the U.S. each summer, and many are from orphanages in rural, contaminated areas. These orphanages, by the way, do not receive government assistance in providing children with clothing, non-prescription medicines, or school supplies. The ABRO provides direct assistance for those orphanages. If you are interested in the ABRO's work, you can find out more by checking out the ABRO's Web site at www.abro.org. (World) Sally Mahoney.

A POINT TO PONDER
"America is great because she is good. America will cease to be great when she ceases to be good." (Alexis de Tocqueville 1805-1859)

ANOINTED WORDS FOR THIS HOUR
The Rev. Jim Britt, Bowling Green, Ky., is a friend and an inspiration. He has lived for the Lord for a long time, is broadly educated and wise. His writings are treasures; and, like the flowers that bloom unseen in Gray's "Elegy in a Country Churchyard, " they largely "waste their sweetness on the desert air." For example, the following is from his observations on the current state of the Church, in a recent letter to me. Quoting de Tocqueville's observation that when America ceases to be good, she will cease to be great, Jim wrote: "We fear the greatness is slipping away....Our nation has lost her moral moorings; thus, without a spiritual recovery, we will be lost on the rocks of nihilism....Major contributors to our present state of morass are the preachers who are committed to filling their churches rather than challenging members to be filled with the Spirit of the prophetic churches of the past. Itching ears are being stroked and the senses are being bathed in the noise of music full of sound but lacking in truth which glorifies the Lord and edifies the believers." We are living in the age of "seeker-friendly" mega-churches, whose multitudes, I fear, would largely melt away in the face of real persecution such as that which Christians face today in China, North Korea and Indonesia.

MILESTONES
Married 1 April - Elizabeth Newton and Steve Smith, dear friends, at Gorlib Farms, Tatum, S.C.
Died 3 June - Nancy Kania, wife of patriot friend Richard Kania, Carthage, N.C., after a long illness. Nancy died three days short of their 50th wedding anniversary.
14 July - Thelma Riley, Union City, Tenn., of heart-related illness. For several years she hosted the Monday night "Upper Room" Bible studies.

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; BBC-British Broadcasting Corp.; BP-Break Point; BPr-Baptist Press; C-Charisma; CBN-Christian Broadcasting Network; CR-Congressional Record; CSN-Calvary Satellite Network; 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; IMG-Israel My Glory; JP-Jerusalem Post; LAT-L.A. Times; Mil-Military Magazine; NR-National Review; NewsMax.com (NM); NW-Newsweek; NYP-New York Post; NYT-New York Times; PBS-Public Broadcast System; 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; WM-World Magazine; WP-Wikipedia; WND-World Net Daily; WT-Washington Times; WW-Washington Watch.)