Christian Action Commission

Analysis of Health Care Reform Bill

By Tom Strode

DOWNLOAD THE HEALTH CARE REFORM ANALYSIS HERE

The health-care reform bill making its way through the U.S. House of Representatives “is extremely dangerous legislation to the health and wellbeing of most Americans” for a variety of reasons, the Southern Baptist Convention’s ethics entity says.

The proposal — America’s Affordable Health Choices Act, H.R. 3200 — would endanger the lives of the unborn and elderly, increase taxes and health-care costs, and extend government’s reach into Americans’ private lives, according to an analysis by the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC).

… Read Full Article

Resources on Preventing Sex Abuse

See the link below for an assortment of records and links to better equip you to exercise diligent scrutiny when hiring staff or choosing volunteers in an attempt to protect your church from the devastating effects of sexual abuse and other moral failures of those in ministry. 

Click here for Resources on Preventing Sex Abuse

Healthcare Reform Mandates

The President and the majority leadership in Congress are still determined to include a public health insurance option in the healthcare reform plan.  Developments last week revealed another feature about the dangerous nature of this plan. Forcing business to provide healthcare for employees and mandating abortion as a service of public healthcare.

The ERLC, the public policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention in D.C., reports the following information on these “healthcare reform” mandates:

The Money Mandate

Under this mandate individuals are fined $1,000 under the Senate plan if they don’t have coverage. Business… Read Full Article

Justice Sotomayor?—More for some, less for others?

(Click this link for more information about nominee Sotomayor)

President Obama, while a presidential candidate, gave a very important speech (March 18, 2008) on race in America. In that speech he said that “Most working- and middle-class white Americans don’t feel that they have been particularly privileged by their race…So when they…hear that an African-American is getting an advantage in landing a good job or a spot in a good college because of an injustice that they themselves never committed…resentment builds over time.”

Those were brave and important words for then-Senator Obama to… Read Full Article

Foes: Gay hate crimes bill could target churches

Tom Strode

April 29, 2009

Note: Click HERE for status of H.R. 1913

Legislation to extend hate crimes protections to homosexuals and transgendered individuals could severely restrict religious freedom, foes of the proposal said April 28 as they sought to rally opposition.

Members of the House of Representatives and leaders of evangelical Christian and conservative organizations, including the Southern Baptist Convention’s ethics entity, warned about the bill’s impact at a Capitol Hill news conference on the eve of the measure’s consideration in the House. The Democratic leadership was expected to bring the Local… Read Full Article

Parent-child relationship further weakened with court order

Richard Land

The decision by U.S. District Court Judge Edward Korman of New York to order the FDA to make Plan B, post-intercourse contraceptives available to 17-year-old girls without a prescription from their doctor is one more example of the government believing it has the right to interpose itself between parents and their children. It is shameful that the Obama administration has decided it will not appeal this terrible federal court decision.

Allowing drugs with such powerful physiological and emotional effects to be sold over the counter to adults without a prescription, as has been the case since 2005, has… Read Full Article

HB 1441: March 12th Update

TAKE ACTION NOW: Tell conferees to include referendums for ALL areas considered to have “Resort Status” under HB 1441.

Should liquor be legalized in Flowood, MS?

By Rita McCollum

There’s been much debate about whether or not voters in the City of Flowood should have the right to vote on legalizing liquor sales in the city limits - despite the fact that Rankin County as a whole has voted it down in the past. 

Several have weighed in on this issue including Flowood Mayor Gary Rhoads.  The Clarion Ledger article “Debate spirited on Rankin liquor sales” (January 27, 2009) cites Mayor Gary Rhoads as saying, “It blows my mind,” said Flowood Mayor Gary Rhoads, who favors the bill and is mystified by the opposition’s logic.  “Do folks… Read Full Article

Sanctity of Human Life Resources

The Sanctity of Human Life means that God values life at all stages of human development— from single-cell life to adulthood.

Throughout the span of human life we are confronted with issues, such as, abortion, embryonic stem cell research, cloning, adoption, foster care, infertility, and elder care.

Sanctity of Human Life Resources can be found by clicking the links below:

President-elect Obama’s Position on Moral Issues

To download an overview of President-elect Barack Obama’s positions on moral issues, click on the image below:

Dear President-elect Obama,

By Richard Land

Nov 5, 2008

First, congratulations on your successful campaign to become the 44th President of our beloved United States of America. This was a historic election in terms of the massive increase in voter participation as a percentage of the electorate.

I hope you know that there are tens of millions of Americans who did not vote for you who are still very, very pleased that an African-American has been elected President of the United States.

The fact that this could happen in a country with as tragic a racial past as America’s says… Read Full Article

Obama: Born-Alive Infant Protection Act

After Rick Warren’s Saddleback Presidential Forum, Barack Obama was interview by a reporter where Obama accused the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) of lying about a claim that he did not support legislation that would give babies who survive an abortion the right-to-life. So who’s telling the truth, Obama or the NRLC?

The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission’s Richard Land sorts it out on his radio program, Richard Land Live! In the program, Land reports that even though “Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) has claimed since 2004 that he… Read Full Article

Discombobulated with Election 2008?

October 7, 2008

by Jimmy Porter

Are you discombobulated?  Recently I used that word in a sentence and my friend asked, “Are you sure that is a word or is it one you made up?” Discombobulated is a fifteen letter, six syllable word that means confused and/or upset.  It is possible that you are or soon will be discombobulated.  With a heated Presidential Election on the horizon and the state of our economy, it is easy to be upset and confused. 

Recently the stock market has fallen like “Humpty Dumpty,” and I am not… Read Full Article

Religion, Gardening, and Politics

Rob Chambers

September 11, 2008

Watermelon vines in the grass: Religion, Gardening, and Politics

Baptists have historically held the view that the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment guarantees religious liberty to express their convictions on moral and cultural issues.  This freedom was intended to reign not only at church but also everywhere from town hall to the halls of Congress.

In the 20th Century, it became politically mainstream that religious convictions on issues were not allowed in any area of government.  This idea took root with the unconstitutional 1947 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court… Read Full Article

Legal Dos & Don’ts for Pastors and Churches

Today’s world all to often tells Christians they have to leave their biblical beliefs and convictions at the door step before entering into an exchange of ideas on politics.  Those opposed to Christianity frequently cry “separation of church and state” as a fear tactic to keep Christians from speaking on issues, but the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gives U.S. citizens the right to exercise and express their religious belief. 

Churches that have 501(c)(3) status do need to keep in mind that there are IRS regulations on what activity pastors and churches may participate in without losing… Read Full Article