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EVENTS FAST PUSHING ISRAEL TOWARD WAR
Wall Street Journal: “Events are fast pushing Israel toward a pre-emptive military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, probably by next spring.”
Hugh Hewitt: Iran Crisis Deepens
RUSSIA THRILLED WITH OBAMA’S POSITION ON DEFENSE SHIELD
Reuters.com: “Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Friday a decision by the
United States to scrap plans for a missile defense shield in Europe was
positive.”
AMA BOUGHT OFF, TURNS AWAY FROM PATIENTS AND TOWARD OBAMACARE
Los Angeles Times: “Of all the interest groups that have won favorable terms in closed-door
negotiations this year, the association representing the nation’s
physicians may have taken home the biggest prizes, including an
agreement to stop planned cuts in Medicare payments that are worth $228
billion to doctors over 10 years.
’60 Minutes’ Helps Obama Push Health Care Reform
Catholics Love, Hate, Want, Don’t Want Health Reform
NEW MESSAGE FROM BIN LADEN
The New York Times: “A new audiotape, reportedly from Osama bin Laden, says President Obama is no different from his predecessor and warns that anti-American
attacks will not stop unless the United States ends the wars in Iraq
and Afghanistan.”
CITIZENSHIP APPS DOWN 62%
The Washington Post: “The number of immigrants applying to become U.S. citizens plunged 62
percent last year as the cost of naturalization rose and the economy
soured.”
THOUSANDS PROTEST BIG GOVERNMENT
The Washington Times: “Tens of thousands of protesters fed up with government spending marched
to the U.S. Capitol on Saturday, showing their disdain for the
president’s health care plan with slogans such as ‘Obamacare makes me
sick’ and ‘I’m not your ATM.'”
DEMS STRUGGLE TO MATCH WORDS WITH REALITY
MyWay.com: “Yet another late complication, according to several Democrats, is the president’s statement that he will not sign a bill ‘if it adds one dime to the deficit, now or in the future, period. And to prove that I’m serious, there will be a provision in this plan that requires us to come forward with more spending cuts if the savings we promised don’t materialize.'”
WHITE HOUSE COLLECTS WEB USER DATA WITHOUT GIVING NOTICE
The Washington Times: “Marc Rotenberg, president of the Electronic Privacy Information Center,
said the White House signaled that it would insist on open dealings
with Internet users and, in fact, should feel obliged to disclose that
it is collecting such information.”
SAVING WITCHES IN KOLWEZI
ChristianityToday: “Ignace Maloba, a Wesleyan pastor in rural Congo, has had an unexpected new ministry as of late: hunting child witches.”
BIGGEST U.S. CHURCHES CONTEMPORARY, EVANGELICAL
USAToday: “Two new reports on the size and strength of American congregations present contrasting pictures of church life today.”
HOUSE STOPS FEDERAL MONEY TO ACORN
The New York Times: “The House voted Thursday to deny any federal money to the nationwide community organizing group Acorn, and the Senate reaffirmed its opposition as well after embarrassing videos of a few of the group’s workers became public.”
OBAMA CAUTIOUS ON FAITH-BASED INITIATIVES
The Washington Post: “While President George W. Bush had expanded government contracts to
faith-based groups, Obama promised to end that arrangement if the
groups proselytized to the needy they served, or hired only members of
that faith.”
NUMBER OF FEMALE PASTORS DOUBLES IN 10 YEARS
USAToday: “One in 10 U.S. churches employs a woman as senior pastor, double the
percentage from a decade ago, according to a new survey by the Barna
Group.”
INNER PEACE? LOSE THE BUDDHA, BUY THE T-SHIRT
USAToday: “One City, the Buddhist blog at Beliefnet, took a provocative but entertaining line on how to draw a wider audience to the benefits of meditation and mindfulness: “Lose the Buddha.”
THE RIGHT WAY TO PRAY
The New York Times: “The Brooklyn Tabernacle…is a destination for evangelicals from all around the United
States and beyond, laymen and ministers alike, who come as acolytes to
study prayer.”
CHURCH BILLBOARDS ABOUT GAYS GETTING ATTENTION
DallasNews.com: “Billboards along
Interstate 30 are raising eyebrows by using Bible passages to say Jesus
would not have discriminated against gay people.”
RELIGIOUS SKEPTICS BELIEVE VOICES WILL BE HEARD
Indystar.com: “City buses in Bloomington and South Bend carry ads telling passengers ‘You can be good without God.’ A billboard going up on Indianapolis’ Northside will ask commuters to ‘Imagine No Religion.'”
Religion Reporting Losing Prominence in American Newspapers