Mix of Quake Aid and Preaching Stirs Concern

According to the Waco church group’s Web site, its teams in Sri Lanka and Indonesia are performing “children’s ministry,” seeing “many people saved” and continuing to “minister to families and children through prayer and evangelism.”

According to its Web site, the congregation uses small groups called “cell churches” to attract new members. The reports from Indonesia and Sri Lanka refer to “cells” and “lifegroups” in both countries.

Residents of the camp here reported no healings as a result of the group’s prayers. But they said they appreciated the aid and activities for children that the group provided and did not want to see them end.

Organizers in a nearby camp have declared the Americans missionaries and barred them from entering. Camp organizers here said they believed that the group was trying to convert people, but did not want to further upset the tsunami victims by cutting off the aid.

W. L. P. Wilson, 38, a disabled fisherman with a sixth-grade education, said he allowed the Americans to pray three times for the healing of his paralyzed lower leg because he was desperate to provide for his wife and three children again. Mr. Wilson, a Buddhist, said that he believed that the Americans were trying to convert him to Christianity but that he was in “a helpless situation now” and needed aid.

“They told me to always think about God and about Jesus and you will be healed,” he said. “Whenever I ask for help they always mention God, but they do not give any money for treatment.”

This article has been dealt with through The Raving Atheist, but I just wanted to get it out on our blog, for those who might have missed it.

Our general point of view is that there’s no problem whatsoever when people of any age talk to God. The problems arise when people hear God talking back to them. [...] We believe that adults can kill childhood piety by considering it abnormal or by conveying their skepticism or atheism to their children.

The problems here are numerous, and the fallacies blatant, but that last part really pissed me off. Ummm, the kids of atheists will be more likely to hit, bite, and kill other kids? Please.

Well, “the wedge” that creationists were hoping for seems to have begun: Pa. Students Learn ‘Intelligent Design’

“The revolution in evolution has begun,” said Richard Thompson, the law center’s president and chief counsel. “This is the first step in which students will be given an honest scientific evaluation of the theory of evolution and its problems.”

Ummm, yeah, right. If anyone would like to actually THINK about evolution — rather than just looking around and saying, “Wow, I mean, like, just LOOK at how complex the world is, and how COOL we humans are; Darwin MUST have been wrong!” — some of the better critiques of the ID rationale (there are several) can be found here and here.

This one really gets on my nerves: Tsunami Orphans Won’t Be Sent to Christian Home

The group’s plan to raise children from Muslim families in a Christian home struck a nerve in Indonesia, which had regulations in place even before the tsunami requiring orphans to be raised by people of their own religion. This rule was adopted in large part to ensure that Muslim children were not converted.

Ah, but it gets better:

Normally, it said, “Banda Aceh is closed to foreigners and closed to the gospel. But, because of this catastrophe, our partners there are earning the right to be heard and providing entrance for the gospel.” The fundraising appeal went on to say that WorldHelp was working with Christian partners in Indonesia who want to “plant Christian principles as early as possible” in the 300 Muslim children.

“These children are homeless, destitute, traumatized, orphaned, with nowhere to go, nowhere to sleep and nothing to eat. If we can place them in a Christian children’s home, their faith in Christ could become the foothold to reach the Aceh people,” it said.

So, we have pissed off Muslims, and evangelical xians using disasters and relief to try to convert people?

Didn’t you hear? You can help the troops by participating in Operation Prayer Shield

Please pledge to pray for the next 40 days. Consider fasting something during this critical time. Let God know you mean business as you forego a meal, a TV show, an activity, or whatever God may lead you to do, in order to pray for our nation and its service men and women.

Of course, passing up on the luxuries once or twice and reminding yourself about people who are dying isn’t a bad idea. But thinking that not watching an episode of Joey to pray means God’s gonna really protect those people is kinda stupid.schoolgirl phone raping movie adownload movies mpeg pornmovie porn listporno clip movie downloadsmovies pregnant delivery motherseducation movies sexclip sex moviesex porn movies Map

Now here’s a totally rocking op-ed about God, natural evil, and the tsunami, from The Baltimore Sun: Horrors such as tsunami tragedy pose difficult questions for faithful.

Man, that guy is smart.

In an interview with the right-wing-fundie rag The Washington Times, W the Burning Shrub has gone on record saying that atheism should disqualify somebody from being president. Since a good half of Amerikkkans agree with this, it’s no surprise. Still, imagine that a sitting president said that about Jews, or even Muslims: President outlines role of his faith.

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