International Community in Shock as China ‘Secretly’ Executes Religious Leaders

Source: ChristianToday
by Jennifer Gold
Here is a disturbing story that you won't see on the big three networks, nor CNN. It's about persecution against Christians -- by the Chinese government. After reading this story, I urge you to contact your federal representatives and ask for an investigation into human rights and religious rights violations by the Chinese.

The international Christian community stands in shock as reports circulate that China has
secretly carried out the execution of three religious leaders from a highly controversial Christian group.
The lawyers and families of the three men, Mr Xu Shuangfu (60), Mr Li Maoxing (55) and Mr Wang Jun (36), have reported that they had not received a final verdict from their appeal, and had not been told about the executions when they were carried out, Christian Solidarity Worldwide has told Christian Today.
China Aid Association (CAA) reports that the wife of Mr Li Maoxing was asked to collect his ashes at 2.30 pm Chinese time on 28 November. The request came from the Intermediate Court of Shuangyashan City in Heilongjiang Province, from where she was instructed to collect the remains. Mr Li Heping, one of the lawyers for the church leaders, told CAA that the three men were executed at some point last week and said that he was deeply disturbed by the secret and arbitrary execution.
Although the three were members of one highly controversial group operating in China, the human rights violations have been the core factor of concern for much of the international religious community. The case has been of particular concern as evidence emerged at the trial that severe torture and sexual abuse had been used against the defendants to extract confessions, CSW reported.
Bob Fu, President of CAA, is concerned that the local government is covering up the evidence of torture by secretly cremating the bodies. Mervyn Thomas, Chief Executive of CSW comments: “It is shocking and deeply disturbing that these executions were carried out without even notifying the family or lawyers. China has shown itself in breach of legal procedures, international standards and the rule of law. The secret executions and the evidence of harsh torture once again shine the spotlight on the lack of justice in the country. We are deeply grieved for the family of the executed men, and also for the lack of the protection of the rule of law for the population as a whole.”

For the record, I highly disagree with the tactics and actions of the so-called "Christian group", Three Grades of Servants, to which Shuangfu, Maoxing and Jun belonged. Whatever their beliefs, human beings do not deserve severe torture, sexual abuse, murder and unlawful cremation -- which is what happened to the members of the group by the Chinese government. I invite you to read ALL of the links associated with this story -- and then contact federal officials to demand action!

HEROES - The "Specials" List (Updated 1/17/07)

This post is updated from time to time. Last update: 01/17/07

After watching the SciFi marathon tonight, along with checking out hundreds of pictures on Heroes-Pictures.com, I have developed a list of "special" people (some "heroes"). The list is broken down into origins of the names/descriptions. My list was originally posted on Heroes-Forum.com, but it included here because of my "fan"anticism for the show. IOW, I want to pique your interest in the show, so you might become a fan, too. Anyway, here is the list:

Updated List of "Special" People:
Brian Davis - New York, NY (deceased)
Gabriel Gray - New York, NY (aka Sylar)
Claire Bennet - Odessa, TX
Peter Petrelli - New York, NY
Micah Hawkins - Las Vegas, NV
Name Unknown - Barstow, CA (deceased)
James Walker - Los Angeles, CA (deceased)
Ted Sprague - Los Angeles, CA (???)
Charlene "Charlie" Andrews - Midland, TX (deceased)
Eden McCain - Possibly from Salina, Utah area (deceased)
Shanti Suresh - India (deceased)
the Haitian - Haiti

Original Computer List:
Felipe Acorra - (deceased)
D.L. Hawkins - Las Vegas, NV
Byron Bevington - Marshfield, VT
Niki Sanders - Las Vegas, NV
Daniel Buzzetti - Greeley, CO
Isaac Mendez - New York, NY
Tracy Chobhan - Frostburg, MD
Nicholas Datre - (deceased)
Paula Gramble - Monteith, IA
Curtis Hovsopian - Grant Pass, OR
Nathan Petrelli - New York, NY
Noel Menzles - (deceased)
Penkala Burton - Albert Lea, MN
Teresa Hue Pham - Shreveport, LA
Matthew Parkman - Los Angeles, CA
Hiro Nakamura - Tokyo, JP
David Berman - New York, NY
Leonis Pinkham - (deceased)
Adam Soo Hoo - Kailua, HI
Linda Tavara - (deceased)
Norman Ventris - (deceased)
Sparrow Redhouse - New Mexico
Amid Halebi - Los Angeles, CA

Partial names seen on computer list:
Michelle V...
Candace Wi...
Harry Flet...
Ethan Kint... - (deceased)
Abu Aswan
Frank Cava... - (deceased)
Diego Vel... - (deceased)
Jess Murph... - (deceased)
Sue Lander...
Pam Green...

Specials List for Dr. Chandra Suresh's files:
13yo Female - Maraba, Brazil
22yo Female - Palu, Indonesia
Sanjog Iyer - Mandras, India

Possible "Specials" or "Heroes":
Molly Walker - Los Angeles, CA
??? Walker - Los Angeles, CA (Molly's mother - deceased)

Pictures/pinpoints on Suresh & Sylar maps:
Pictures:
20ish Female - Canada
50ish Male - South America
20ish Female - Vietnam (South Pacific Airlines employee)
30ish Female - Northern Greenland
Dark-skinned Female - Texas
30ish Male w/ glasses - New England area

Pinpoints:
NOTE: Some of the pinpoints are clearly in bodies of water.
Therefore, I don't think pinpoints necessarily indicate location of "specials".

NOTE: The FBI was investigating SIX murders around the country -- all presumed by law enforcement to have been committed by the same person -- Sylar. Only Molly Walker's parents have been identified (victims 7 & 8) thus far. Hopefully, we'll learn the names of the other six (and find out if they are on "the list").

Names in BOLD are "heroes" we've met.

PROVEN: The computer screen shot does NOT show the entire list Chandra Suresh had compiled.
HOW: 1) Mr. Bennet enlists Eden McCain to remove Claire's name from Suresh's "list". 2) We see Chandra Suresh's notebook, listing unnamed persons not shown on the computer generated list that Mohinder found.

Can "Contagious Shooting" Explain What Happened in New York This Weekend?

Source: HowStuffWorks

A fatal, police-involved shooting in New York this weekend outside a Queens strip club has initiated demonstrations all over the city. Police fired 50 shots at three apparently unarmed men in a car leaving a bachelor party, and investigators still aren't sure why. They know that the police officers were conducting unrelated, undercover surveillance of the strip club, and that Sean Bell, who was to be married later that day, bumped an officer and then the surveillance van with his car around 4 a.m. Saturday morning.
The groom-to-be died from gunshot wounds, and two of his friends are hospitalized, one with 11 gunshot wounds and the other with three. Their car was hit 21 times; it's unclear where the other 29 bullets landed. New York City's Mayor Bloomberg has called the barrage of bullets "unacceptable" and "inexplicable," but it's certainly not the first time this type of incident has happened.
In New York in 1995, officers fired 125 shots at a man robbing a store in the Bronx even though the suspect never returned fire. In Riverside, California, in 1998, officers shot a 19-year-old woman who was sitting in her car with a gun in her lap 12 times. In 1999, New York City police fired 12 shots at a man who was armed with a hammer. That same year, they famously fired 41 shots at unarmed man named Amadou Diallo in his doorway when he reached for his wallet. In Baltimore in 2006, four officers collectively shot a mentally ill teenager wielding scissors five times in the chest.
Some experts are calling the most recent incident in Queens an example of "contagious shooting," which might at least partially explain many other examples of apparent over-firing. The phenomenon seems to be a combination of reflex, panic and trust. In an article in the Baltimore Sun, law-enforcement consultant Edward Mamet explains, "If one fires, the rest fire ... People start shooting; they don't even know why." The New York Times reports on contagious shooting as a situation in which one officer fires a shot and the shooting "spreads among officers who believe that they, or their colleagues, are facing a threat." The other officers are acting partly on instinct and panic, responding to the sound of gunfire by pulling their own triggers, and partly on the ingrained belief that the first officer who fired must have had a good reason for doing so. Police officers live and die by their back-up, and sometimes this back-up instinct can overcome the rule of reason. In most cases involving deadly force, officers have to make decisions in a split-second; taking time to fully assess the situation before firing can mean one or more dead cops. On the other hand, not taking the time to fully assess the situation before firing can mean one or more dead, innocent civilians.
Police officials have suggested that one way to avoid contagious shooting is to implement, on a case-by-case basis, a firearms discipline in which only one officer at a scene has his or her gun out of its holster at a time. This can be dangerous in many cases, and it will never be the best way to approach every police-involved situation. But a one-gun-at-a-time rule can be a safe way to deal with certain secured environments in which back-up is readily available and the threat to police is reasonably under control. Another possible way to limit the effects of contagious shooting is to have police officers trade in their semi-automatics for six-shooters. For more information on police shootings, contagious fire and related topics, check out the following links:

• The New York Times: 50 Shots Fired, and the Experts Offer a Theory - Nov. 27, 2006
• PBS: Online NewsHour: Police Shootings

In my opinion, police ALWAYS must take on the responsibility for firing their weapons in the right manner. They cannot afford to be wrong. NO ONE in their right mind would think that three unarmed guys in a car are a match for several armed officers. It's pretty clear the officers are guilty of second-degree murder. Contagious shooting may help explain the situation, but it's NO EXCUSE for not going off with fifty rounds on these men!

HEROES - SIX MONTHS AGO

WHO IS SYLAR?
Gabriel Gray is Sylar's real name. He adopts the "Sylar" surname, off the cuff, when he meets up with his first victim (Brian Davis). He tells the guy, "My name is Gabriel... Sylar" as he looks down at a watch he is repairing. The name "SYLAR" is on the dial.
BTW, this is the watch we see Sylar wearing in the previous episodes. Black dial, automatic military watch.

OTHER NOTES:
Gabriel Gray, who becomes "Sylar", is a watchmaker (Gray & Sons).
Dr. Chandra Suresh goes to watch/clock shop to visit Gray.
Gray tell Dr. Suresh that family was "insignificant" to him.
- He wanted to be "special".
Suresh gives Gray a book (Activating Evolution) and tells him to read it.
- When they meet later, Gray shows little signs of having powers.
- He is able to "see" that Suresh's wristwatch is off by 2 seconds -- only by hearing it tick.
Dr. Suresh planned CT scan to further test Gray's abilities.
- Suresh rethinks this and Gray angrily goes off. Asks Suresh about "...this Brian Davis... you think this guy is special?!?"
Later, Gabriel Gray calls Brian Davis about "oddities" in his life.
- When Davis shows up at watch shop, Gray introduces himself as Gabriel Sylar (the name from a watch he's working on)
- Davis shows telekinesis by moving a small cup across the table.
- Sylar kills Davis. [Implication is that he takes brain & somehow extracts power.]
- Next shot shows "Sylar" with Dr. Suresh -- showing power of telekinesis
- Somehow Sylar took Davis' power after killing him. We are left to assume that Sylar ate the brain or somehow "absorbed" the "soul" of Brian Davis -- and his future victims (over the past six months).

This show pulls the viewer in several different directions. If you're not a Heroes fan, you should take an hour to view the next episode. BTW, SciFi is airing a Heroes marathon this Wednesday night -- if you want to catch up.

Giving 'Twelve Days of Christmas' Costs True Loves $75,122

Source: FOXNews / AP

The cost of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is on the rise — again. Buying each item in the song just once — from a partridge in a pear tree to a dozen drummers drumming — will cost you $18,920, or 3.1 percent more than last year, according to PNC Financial Services Group. The total cost of items gifted by a True Love who repeats all of the song's verses costs more than ever before — $75,122 — for all 364 items, up from $72,608 in 2005, a 3.5 percent increase.
"After years of stagnation, wages for skilled workers, including the song's dancers and musicians, have increased as the labor market has tightened," said Jeff Kleintop, chief investment strategist for PNC Wealth Management. "Also, a decline in the housing market has dampened demand for luxury goods, such as gold rings."
While prices for the partridge, two turtle doves, three French hens, six geese and seven swans remained the same as last year, higher wages made the lords a-leaping, ladies dancing and pipers piping costlier. The nine ladies dancing earned $4,759, 4 percent more, according to Philadanco, the Philadelphia Dance Co. The lords a-leaping got a 3-percent pay raise, while the drummers drumming and pipers piping earned 3.4 percent more. The maids a-milking, however, weren't as lucky. They make the federal minimum wage, which has been $5.15 per hour since 1997.
Each year, the Pittsburgh-based bank does a tongue-in-cheek tally of how much the swans, geese and drummers would cost if you purchased them at today's prices. PNC has been calculating the cost of Christmas since 1984.
For the price of buying all 364 items, you could get a brand new, fully-loaded special edition Hummer 2 sport utility vehicle, fully-loaded Cadillac XLR two-door roadster, a cruise around the world, a 5-carat diamond ring or top-of-the-line Cartier or Piaget watch.
Trying to find cheaper deals online won't help, either. The 364 items online would cost $125,767, including shipping costs, compared to $123,846 last year. You would spend $30,330 online for each item just once this year. The nine ladies dancing are the costliest items on the list again, at $4,759. The seven swans a-singing cost $4,200. And a pear tree saw the biggest jump, going from $89.99 in 2005 to $129.99 this year. The cheapest? As always, the partridge, still $15.

Faith Finds a Place in the Wireless World

New services bring religion to your cell phone.

By David Ho

Michelle Williams goes to church, writes a journal and reads about spirituality, but lately relief from life's tough moments has arrived through her cell phone. It's not wireless conversation that soothes her, but inspirational quotes from speaker and author Michelle McKinney Hammond, delivered daily as text messages through a service called FaithMobile.
"When I'm having a bad day and someone's getting on my nerves, I can just look at my cell phone and say 'Wow, I really needed that,' " said Williams, a state traffic safety consultant from DeKalb County outside Atlanta. The messages often concern encouraging women and "getting to know God," she said. "It's just something to uplift you throughout the day."
From Christian rock ring tones and messages announcing Jewish holidays to handsets that point to Mecca and remind Muslims when to pray, the world of wireless content is increasingly getting in touch with its spiritual side. Companies sensing growing demand have launched a variety of faith-based mobile services in recent months.
"Picking up that inspiration on the go whether you're in the car, you're at a traffic light, you're on a train, you're on the bus — a lot of it is just reminding yourself who you are, reminding yourself what you believe in," said Martha Cotton, co-founder of Good News Holdings, the California firm behind FaithMobile.
FaithMobile operated the first half of this year and then relaunched in September after a technology overhaul. It offers $1.99 downloads of Christian hymns as ring tones and screen backgrounds featuring Bibles, angels and crosses. For $5.99 a month, subscribers can receive daily messages from one of FaithMobile's partner ministries. Companies offering faith-based mobile content range from start-ups to telecommunication giants.
Atlanta-based Cingular Wireless, a joint venture of BellSouth Corp. and AT&T Inc., offers more than 750 cell phone ring tones from Christian artists ranging from gospel singer Mahalia Jackson to contemporary Christian musician Steven Curtis Chapman, spokesman Clay Owen said. "Contemporary Christian is clearly one of our largest special segments," he said. "We have grown the number of ring tones available as demand has grown." Beliefnet Inc., a New York company that runs a Web community representing many faiths, launched a mobile service in August that delivers inspirational and humorous quotes from spiritual leaders and others, including the Dalai Lama and Maya Angelou. "New technologies provide a lot of really cool effective ways of providing reminders and of being conscious of the divine," said CEO Steve Waldman.
Catholic Mobile offers daily prayers in English and Spanish, the "saint of the day," ring tones such as "Amazing Grace" and screen "wallpaper" depicting the pope. Charges range from 49 cents for single message to $4.99 for a monthly subscription.
And the merging of faith and mobile technology is not limited to Christianity. Dubai-based Ilkone Mobile Telecommunications offers a handset that can alert Muslims of prayer times with a muezzin's voice and point them in the direction of Mecca from locations around the world. The phone also contains the full text of the Koran, with an English translation. London-based MyAdhan, which dubs itself "your intelligent call to Islam," offers prayer and fasting reminders and wireless charity donations. Future features will include a mobile mosque locator.
Jewish information Web site AskMoses.com launched a mobile service in May that delivers free daily text messages with thoughts, questions and moments in Jewish history. It also can tell subscribers their local sunset time and when to light candles before the Sabbath. Rabbi Simcha Backman, director of the Los Angeles-based site, said the next step will be live wireless text chats with Judaism scholars. "We have a responsibility to harness the power of technology and use it for good things," Backman said. "It all boils down to helping people."

• On the Web
• FaithMobile: faithmobile.com
• Beliefnet: www.beliefnet.com
• Cingular: www.cingular.com
• Unity in Values: www.unityinvalues.com
• Mfaith: www.mfaith.com

HEROES - The Linderman Quotient

Linderman has been described as a "mob boss". We have heard his name since the Heroes series began. However, we have yet to see his face. I'd like to put forth some information, about Linderman, for fans to ponder.

A ) Linderman is a higher up to D.L. Hawkins and his gang.

B ) Linderman knows Niki/Jessica -- possibly from her relationship w/ D.L.
- Jessica killed Linderman's men and stole the $2 million in order to frame D.L.

C ) Linderman made a $30k loan to Niki, so that Micah could go to private school.
- He offered to forget the debt + interest (now $50k) if Niki would sleep w/ Nathan and have it videoed (for purposes of blackmail).
- At first, Niki refuses to help Linderman blackmail Nathan. Linderman's goon threatens to hurt Micah, so Niki relents. Jessica comes out and goes back to sleep with Petrelli.

D ) Linderman is pulling strings for and against Nathan Petrelli.
- Linderman gives $2M to Nathan to get him in the mob's pocket.
- Linderman blackmails Nathan w/ the sex video (Niki/Jessica).
- Linderman was Mr. Petrelli's "biggest client".
- The DA wants Nathen to prosecute Linderman.
- Linderman knows Peter due to the Petrelli family's business association with Linderman.

E ) Linderman's men (or maybe the big boss himself) crosses paths with Hiro and Ando as they cheat at cards (by time jumping) at the Las Vegas Casino.
- After Niki does the deed with her ex D.L, Jessica gets up during the middle of the night and massacres Linderman's card-playing hinchmen -- while Hiro & Ando were in another room.

F ) Linderman purchases paintings from Isaac.
- We can most likely safely assume that Linderman knows about Simone, too.

G ) We can now safely say that Linderman is NOT Sylar. [Sylar is in fact a watchmaker named Gabriel Gray.]
- I still say there will be a close connection between Sylar and Linderman.

I have read there are references to Linderman being referenced by HRG (Mr. Bennet) as well.

The "heroes" I don't see a Linderman connection for are: Matt Parkman, Eden McCain, Charlie (the waitress), the Haitian, Ted Sprague and Claire Bennet.

So, WHO IS LINDERMAN?

• Is he a former member of HRG's DNA/Genome Manipulation group?
• Is he simply a mob boss who coincidentally knows about the heroes, but doesn't understand their significance yet?
• Is he the key to the origin of the bomb in NYC?

HEROES

No, not the fireman or police or soldiers... but HEROES the NBC dramatic series. I started watching Heroes at the first episode. The show's creator and Executive Producer, Tim Kring, threw viewers a curveball right from the first moment. These heroes are NOT superheroes in the image of Batman, Flash Gordon or Wonder Woman. They are ordinary people who have, unbeknownst to them, developed extraordinary powers that can be used for good or evil.
A high school cheerleader has the ability to regenerate. Break an arm, it heals completely in 15 seconds. A heroin attack paints torturous dreams from his fix. The paintings show real life future events. A beat cop can hear the thoughts others around him are thinking. A young Japanese office worker can stop time or travel within time. Each "hero" is struggling -- from the very outset -- with their newfound abilities.
Even though only nine episodes have aired, Heroes has a HUGE cult following on the Internet. Fansites have popped up everywhere -- and a large gathering chats on the NBC site after each episode. Oddly enough, the SciFi Channel rebroadcasts every Heroes episode on Friday following the original airing Monday nights at 9:00pm EST.
If you're reading this far into the post, you might be a Heroes fan, too. SO, here are some of the questions I'm pondering, along with some conclusions I've drawn on what's happening in the storyline...

• I haven't heard anyone mentioning the "dark side" in relation to Linderman. Who is he? It seems that he has connections to Hiro & Ando, Niki, Nathan, Peter, Isaac and Simone. Did I leave anyone out?
• What about a theory of Linderman being Sylar... or Mr. Bennet's partner gone awry?
• BTW, Mr. Bennet has LOTS of power -- even if he doesn't have "hero powers". How would he be able to command "the precog", Eden, the Haitian and others?
• What significance will Shanti (Mohinder's deceased sister) play in explaining why Dr. Suresh devoted his life's work to locating the "heroes"?
• How does the Haitian figure in to the storyline? He has been seen taking down Sylar; fighting with Nathan; hanging around Ted Sprague and in proximity of Matt.

As for which side (good or evil) the heroes are on...
I don't want to "define" them too early, but here's the way I see the breakdown so far:

• Good guys: D.L., Claire, Hiro, Charlie, Peter, Matt, Micah, Isaac
• Bad guys: Sylar, Nathan, Jessica (aka Niki), Linderman (not sure of power)
• Unknown Quantities: Eden, the Haitian, Ted Sprague, Mohinder Suresh, Soccer boy
• NO "hero" powers: Simone, Ando

And the all-important, yet unanswered, question regarding which side, if any, HRG (aka horned rimmed glasses or Mr. Bennet) is on -- I think that Bennet knows what Claire (his daughter) can do because he was studying the "heroes" group 14-18 years ago. Her parents were killed (possibly by Sylar) -- leaving her behind. Bennet adopted Claire at that time -- so he knew she had powers (even if he didn't know what kind).
My theory is that Mr. Bennet has been tracking "heroes" trying to find some sort of key information that will help him either control them OR possibly save Claire from certain death (at some point not related to the "save the world" mantra).
I'm starting to think that Bennet and Linderman (the gangster) were on the same "research" team -- once upon a time; and that Linderman went bad. I haven't heard anyone mentioning the "dark side" in relation to Linderman. Who is he? It seems that Linderman has connections to or has crossed paths with: Hiro & Ando, Niki, D.L., Micah, Nathan, Peter, Isaac and Simone. Did I leave anyone out?

Check out "the list" I copied from Mohinder's discovery in Dr. Suresh's secret computer files:
Felipe Acorra *
D.L. Hawkins #
Byron Bevington
Niki Sanders #
Daniel Buzzetti
Isaac Mendez #
Tracy Chobham
Nicholas Datre *
Paula Gramble
Curtis Hovsepian
Nathan Petrelli #
Noel Menzies *
Penkala Burton
Teresa Hue Pham
Matthew Parkman #
Hiro Nakamura #
Partial Names:
... Andrews (Midland, TX)
David Bera...
Leonie Pin...*
Adam Soo H...
Linda Tava...*
Norman Ven...*
Sparrow Re...
Amid Haleb...
Michelle V...
Candace Wi...
Harry Flet...
Ethan Kint...*
Abu Aswan
Frank Cava...* [Assumed as Cavanuagh]
Diego Vel...*
Jess Murph...* [Assumed as Murphy]
Sue Lander...
Pam Green...
++ Names marked with " * " where shown as "Deceased". Names marked with " # " are "heroes" we have met.

Whew! Have I mentioned that you can click over to NBC.com and watch snippets or browse the boards, or read the Heroes online comic book? Two other excellent Heroes blogs are Heroes Among Us, Heroes: The Forum and Heroes: The Series. Better get going...

You still here?!?
In case you're looking for information on upcoming episodes, here's a plot line for the season ending Chapter 11 "Fallout":

“The tragic events in Texas have sad, serious repercussions for many of the “heroes,” their families and friends. Meanwhile, shocking details about the moments leading up to Issac’s (Santiago Cabrera) predicted New York City nuclear bombing are revealed. Later, Issac’s newest painting has fascinating future implications for a hero in crisis. Suresh (Sendhil Ramamurthy) takes the first steps along his new path. Matt (Greg Grunberg) and F.B.I. Agent Audrey Hanson (guest star Clea DuVall) pursue a break in the Sylar case. Horrified by Jessica’s recent actions, Niki (Ali Larter) makes a tough decision to protect her family."

Science Gives Christians Upper Hand Over Atheists

Today’s Christian no longer has to try to maintain only by faith their belief in the origin of the universe. The atheist now does.

by Lillian Kwon, Christian Today / US Correspondent

Former atheist and American award-winning Christian author Lee Strobel premiered his one-hour documentary "The Case for a Creator" to hundreds of Christians at an apologetics conference in the US on Friday. The aftermath of the movie: Christians felt they actually learned something. "We are actually living now at a time of tremendous intellectual renaissance of Christianity," said philosopher and author Dr. William Lane Craig. Craig's comment came after fellow philosopher J.P. Moreland told conference participants that the church has become anti-intellectual. "We've got to start using cognitive language and not just faith language," Moreland exhorted.
Over the last several decades, Christians have begun to emerge back into the intellectual public square. This is primarily occurring in the field of philosophy, New Testament studies with regard to the historical Jesus and the gospels, and it is now beginning to occur in the physical sciences as manifested in the Intelligent Design movement, Craig explained.
Presenting clear scientific evidence that Christians had largely been without, Strobel's "Case for a Creator" revealed a complex universe that many scientists could now only explain with the existence of some kind of intelligence. Biochemist Michael Behe demonstrated how bacterial flagellum are molecular machines that could only function with all its parts present simultaneously, much like a mouse trap. If one part is missing, it would not function and would thus have no reason to exist. Evolution would not preserve it. Such evidence as Behe's was presented in other scientific fields including cosmology, physics and astronomy in the documentary. "I believe that by doing science, we find God," said Strobel.
Philosopher Jay Richards of Acton Institute concluded from his findings that the universe was designed for discovery. And with each discovery, the Darwinian theory of evolution is expected to go down as "a huge mistake in history," Richards said.
One participant, Robert Wedan, 53, praised the documentary, saying that it gave him stronger grounds to defend Creation. "It's movies like [‘Case for a Creator’] that I think will make it a lot easier to address those issues."
"Today, science is pointing more powerfully to a creator than any other time," said Strobel. "The most logical and rational step is to put my faith in the Creator that science tells me exists." Now, Christians can stand confidently within biblical truth knowing that it's in line with astrophysics and cosmology, said Strobel, quoting a cosmology expert. "It is now the atheist who has to maintain by faith, despite all of the evidence to the contrary, that the universe did not have a beginning."

Computer History - LISA, LISA and the Jobs Jam

Apple Computer announced the Lisa Computer in 1983. The Lisa was named after Steve Jobs' daughter. However, LISA officially stood for Logical Integrated Software Architecture. The Lisa's significance in computing history is that it was the first commercial computer with a GUI and mouse designed for the mass market. Although critically acclaimed, the Lisa generated relatively low sales numbers -- primarily due to its $10,000 price tag.