Virginia Tech Killer Cho Seung-Hui, Like Jesus Christ or Demon Possessed

Article from christiansunite.com
Virginia Tech killer Cho Seung-Hui claimed he was like Christ. Worldwide minister Paul Davis
examines the spiritual forces that motivated this murderer.
Paul Davis has extensive experience dealing with demon possession, mind renewal, inward transformation, and helping confused individuals become integrated and congruent. Paul's ability to move in the supernatural power of God to break demonic influences destroying human beings has impacted people on every continent.

"If God does not touch our feelings, the devil will. Religion that is cold as ice is never nice. The Church was meant to be a lifeboat, not a pleasure boat. If we do not rescue the perishing, we will need rescuing ourselves." - Paul F. Davis

Cho's deceptive decline and the critical components that led to him being overtaken by demons were:

1. Cho was a silent loner and isolated recluse. "Isolation is the breeding ground for deception. The devil preys on the weak and works on people when they are alone. The first banana that gets peeled is the one that separates from the bunch. Idle time is the devil's playground." Paul F. Davis
Satan is the father of lies, spewing falsities and accusations. Falsities belittle a person and diminish their self-esteem, while accusations get them to question who they are.
"There are three origins of voices: God, man, and the devil. Isolated individuals often cannot differentiate between the voices they hear and often internally take ownership of them as their own. Internalizing and taking personal ownership of demonic voice's directives can be both deceptive and deadly." - Paul F. Davis

2. Cho was jealous and envious. Cho left an angry note in his dorm against rich kids and women. Jealousy is the rage of a man and envy like rottenness in the bones (Proverbs 6:34; 14:30). Cho was eaten up with jealousy and envy, which at its peak propelled his fit of rage.

3. Cho was suicidal. He had mentioned committing suicide to his roommates. The devil was certainly working overtime to kill, steal, and destroy this young man. Jesus warned of a day when people would kill in the name of God and claim they are serving Him. Those who kill don't know God (John 16:1-3; Exodus 20:13).
"The eyes are the window of the soul. Cho Seung- Hui's eyes revealed there was another resident occupying and possessing him. Cho's dull eyes displayed an absence of life and abandonment. His body was the host and the demons the parasitical inhabitants, which clearly spoke through him during his video manifesto mentioning 'my children, my brothers and sisters' of which there was no factual basis." Cho's deep sense of self-hatred and disregard for human life manifested in his angry creative writing.

4. Cho lacked solid values, beliefs, and faith. He seems to have been troubled about religion and American values. He railed against snobs, debauchery, and deceitful charlatans on campus. Unsure of his beliefs, what little Cho knew he twisted and perverted. The strange inscription on one of his arms -- the words "ISMAIL AX" in red ink, referenced the near sacrifice of Abraham's son Isaac before God intervened. Apparently Cho identified with the ideal of sacrifice, though this truth he distorted and grossly perverted in his interpretation of Scripture and intention to kill.
God wants people to be living sacrifices not dead ones (Romans 12:1-2). Sadly Satan knows and quotes the Bible more than most Christians (Matthew 4:5-6). The devil twisted the sacred text and Cho right along with it. "We cannot pretend demons don't exist. Demoniacs and troubled youth like Cho Seung-Hui are labeled weird, but they must be liberated by God's love and power. Mary Magdalene was packing seven devils before Jesus unloaded her baggage. Jesus commanded His disciples to cast out devils, not create denominations!" - Paul F. Davis

5. Cho lacked caring and confrontational friends. When Simon the sorcerer tried to buy the gift of God with money, the apostle Peter rebuked him for such a wicked thought as his heart was not right in the sight of God (Acts 8:9-25). The apostle Paul told Elymas the sorcerer he was full of all subtlety and mischief, a child of the devil, an enemy of all righteousness, and one who perverted the right ways of the Lord (Acts 13:6-12).
Cho desperately needed someone to compassionately confront him and walk with him out of isolation. "Though Cho believed in Christ, his heart was not right in the sight of God. Instead of dealing with his own unfinished business and issues, Cho in his pride was silently accusatory and murderous. Disassociating from and projecting his pain on to others, Cho was never made whole himself."
"Cho's unresolved anger, inner hurts, and wounds left him suseptible to demonic attack. Isolated and dwelling in darkness within, demons feasted upon him like buzzards on a decaying carcass. His fragile and shattered identity, unattended to, (combined with demonic activity) led Cho to a deadly destiny. Our society desperately needs a powerful spirituality capable of restoring people's identity and driving out the devils lodged internally."

EDITORIAL: While I'm not sure I agree with everything Mr. Davis says in this article, I wholeheartedly agree that Seung Cho was not a Christian (not right in the sight of God). He may have had church upbringing, but that doesn't make him a Christian anymore than the fact that my work in a hospital makes me a doctor. No, Seung was a very troubled young man who felt isolated and alone -- and allowed himself to be possessed of Satan in such a way that Cho carried out the real work of the devil -- taking lives and destroying them.
While I'm sure some NewzReviews readers will say I'm off my rocker, the fact of the matter is that Jesus himself said that demons exist in this world -- and that they inhabit some human beings. As an earlier entry stated, Seung-Hui Cho was the manifestation of evil.
The point that needs to be made is that ALL Believers should seek out people like Cho -- and LOVE them in a way that makes God smile in calling us His own. We can't force them to respond, but we can give them every opportunity and every reason to step out of their dispair and into the light of the world.
There are many other things society needs to do in order to stop the "production" of more Seung Chos, Dylan Klebolds, Eric Harrises and the like. I'll leave that idea for another post on another day...

Germany Tells Turkey to Take Action Against Brutal Christian Killings

Article by Daniel Blake
The German Chancellor Angela Merkel has told Turkey it must take action against “unacceptable intolerance” in the country, after three Christian Bible publishers were brutally murdered in a religious-motivated attack last week. Merkel called on the Turkish authorities to take measures to combat the “climate in which such terrible murders are possible”.

Among the three murdered Christians, one was a German national. The three were found with their throats slit on 18 April in Malatya, south-eastern Turkey. On Sunday, four men and a woman were brought before a Turkish court charged with the murders. The 18-year-old woman was accused of aiding a terrorist group. Six other young men who had been held by authorities were ordered to be released by the court, although they will await later trials for alleged lesser roles in the murders, according to media reports.
The murders are being regarded as a direct attack on the Christian minority living in Turkey. Nationalists had previously protested at the publishing house where the three worked, accusing it of involvement in missionary activities.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to bring those responsible to justice and described the attack as "savagery". Eddie Lyle, CEO of Open Doors UK, said “This tragic incident is the latest example of a worsening trend of persecution against Christians in Turkey, that we cannot ignore any longer. Christians in Turkey are constantly under attack. They are crying out for help and they need our prayers to strengthen them. We can, and must, answer that call,” he said.
The World Evangelical Alliance has sent a representative to Turkey to comfort the families of the three Christian workers. Johan Candelin of Finland travelled to Turkey last Friday. She said, “Something very dangerous is happening in Turkey at this time. The country is knocking at Europe's door and far from everyone is happy about it. At the same time the nation is about to choose a new president and tension between Islamists and nationalists is growing stronger everyday. I ask all Christians to pray for families of the victims, for the protection of the Christian minority and for Turkey.”

'God Hates Virginia Tech' Funeral Picketers Outrage America

Article by Christian Today
The "God Hates America" cult is back, but this time its making plans to picket memorial services of the Virginia Tech shooting victims. Notorious for protesting funerals of troops killed in Iraq, members of Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas announced it will protest the funeral service on Saturday for Ryan Clark, one of 32 victims of Monday's massacre. As family members and friends ready to honour the life of 22-year-old Clark at Lakeside High School in Evans, Georgia, the American Centre for Law and Justice is working with state officials to help prevent any disruption at the scheduled memorial service.
"This clearly represents a new low for these protestors who now intend to disrespect the memory of the victims of massacre at Virginia Tech," said Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel of the ACLJ, in a released statement. "Those attending Ryan Clark's memorial service should be able to participate and pray in peace and quiet - without undue interference by WBC." Westboro Baptist, which is not affiliated with any Baptist denomination, has 75 members, mainly made up of Pastor Fred Phelps and his relatives. They have appeared outside funerals of American troops killed in Iraq since 2005, chanting "America is doomed" and calling the fallen soldiers proof of God's wrath against America's open stance to homosexuality. Now included in their list of soldiers' funeral services to picket at is the service of a young victim of the Virginia Tech shooting.
While a wave of condolences, love and prayers come from millions across the nation and around the world to Virginia Tech and while evangelists and Christians affirm God's presence and love for everyone, WBC says in its press release: "God hates Virginia Tech, Virginia, and America. The 33 killed at Virginia Tech died for America's sins in persecuting WBC for 16 years," the release added.
Westboro Baptist alleges that the US has persecuted the Kansas "church" with search warrants, vandalism, assault, arrest and mockery of their message that they say is from God. The small church, however, is alone in its protests and message. The congregation prays that all of God's chosen people will hear the call and make their way to the church. So far, no other religious group has joined them. Their chants and songs at funeral services, which many find morally repugnant and unpatriotic, have led 31 states to pass legislation to keep protestors away from military funerals.
As memorial services for the Virginia Tech victims continue over the weekend, the ACLJ is out to help preserve solemnity as it urges local officials to apply state and local laws to permit the services to be conducted in peace. "It's clear that federal, state, and local laws properly underscore the fact that protests designed to disrupt the peace and privacy of a solemn ceremony violate reasonable time, place, and manner regulations of speech that have been upheld repeatedly by numerous courts including the Supreme Court of the United States," said Sekulow. "We urge local officials to utilise constitutionally-sound laws to protect the solemnity of Ryan's memorial service." For memorial services held in Virginia, WBC protestors could be arrested if they interrupt the funerals, Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell is warning them.
Meanwhile in Georgia, the ACLJ says, "We admire the commitment of Columbia County in ensuring that family, friends, and other grieving citizens can honour Ryan's life and memory without undue interference by WBC." Clark grew up in Martinez, Georgia, and was a resident adviser in the West Ambler Johnston dormitory, where the first shooting attack occurred early Monday morning. According to The Washington Post, friends said Clark was killed when he left his fourth-floor room to investigate a report of a dispute.

EDITORIAL: The Westboro Bigoted Cult (WBC) is a group of despicable individuals who use the name of God to spew their evil rhetoric. They are not, in any way, related to Christian teachings or biblical principles. Even though homosexuality is a sin, the Bible says Believers should affirm the truth in love - not by protesting the funerals of soldiers and college students.
WBC has NO love for anything other than their distorted views and idiotic logic. Their claims that "God hates fags" and "God hates America" are just plain WRONG. God hates nothing but sin. God loves every person in his Creation. WBC hates people and illogically concludes that God's wrath is being poured out on America's military in Iraq. How utterly ignorant!
NO ONE should associate the Fred Phelps and his family with Christianity or any church, especially the Baptist faith.

Faith of Cho Seung-Hui Uncertain, But Not That of Many of His Victims

Article by Christianity Today
Two days after the deadly shootings at Virginia Tech, many questions remain unanswered. Among them are questions about Cho's personal religious beliefs and his attitude toward Christians. The few details that have emerged in the press so far seem to raise more questions than they answer. The Associated Press reports, for example:

Cho … left a note that was found after the bloodbath.A law enforcement official described it Tuesday as a typed, eight-page rant against rich kids and religion.The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. "You caused me to do this," the official quoted the note as saying. Cho indicated in his letter that the end was near and that there was a deed to be done, the official said.He also expressed disappointment in his own religion, and made several references to Christianity, the official said.

Unanswered: What was "his own religion"? USA Today says that at least one point, he (like many South Koreans) was a Presbyterian: "Pastor Cha Young Ho of the Korean Presbyterian Church said that the family once belonged to his church and that Cho was a quiet boy." McClatchy reporters talked with Young-Hwan Kim, president of the school's Korean Campus Crusade for Christ chapter. "No one knew him," Kim said. "We had no contact throughout four years. It's amazing. We could not reach out to him." It wasn't for lack of trying, Kim said. Members of Korean Campus Crusade repeatedly invited him to meetings, he said, but Cho wouldn't even provide personal contact information.
Another "reference to Christianity" comes from AOL blogger Ian MacFarlane's posting of Cho's now infamous plays. As The Washington Post summarizes, "The two plays are filled with diatribes against Catholic priests and Michael Jackson, along with references to government conspiracies to kill Marilyn Monroe and John Lennon."

On a more positive note: If Cho's faith remains something of a mystery, Christianity is front and center in much of the memorial. Stories of the victims are trickling out. The Myspace page of Lauren McCain, 20, now continues her testimony. "The purpose and love of my life is Jesus Christ," she wrote. "I don't have to argue religion, philosophy, or historical evidence because I KNOW Him. He is just as real, if not more so, as my 'earthly' father." McCain is becoming one of the more prominent Christian victims, but she's not alone. "Several of our students were killed," Campus Crusade leader Tony Arnold told Mission Network News. "Three that we know were involved with either Campus Crusade for Christ or with one of our sister affiliate ministries called Valor. There's also another student that is not officially listed yet, but since no one has been able to reach her, we believe she must be among the casualties."

Tuesday's public convocation also offered several notes of faith. WorldNetDaily complained that "speakers … called on Allah and Buddha in their efforts to minister to the survivors, family and friends of victims of the shooting massacre at the school — but Jesus wasn't mentioned by name." Apparently quoting Jesus doesn't count: The thousands of attendees recited The Lord's Prayer. Both the speeches of President George W. Bush and Gov. Tim Kaine have also been noted for their religious references.
Governor Kaine invoked Job and Jesus. Job, he said, "was angry at his Creator. He argued with God. He didn't lose his faith, but it's okay to argue. It's okay to be angry." It's also okay to feel despair, he said, pointing to "those haunting words that were uttered on a hill, on Calvary, 'My God! My God! Why hast thou forsaken me?'" But do not let go of community, Kaine urged both those directly lost family members and those able to help the grieving.
President Bush sounded a similar note. "Across the town of Blacksburg and in towns all across America, houses of worship from every faith have opened their doors and have lifted you up in prayer," he said. "People who have never met you are praying for you; they're praying for your friends who have fallen and who are injured. There's a power in these prayers, real power. In times like this, we can find comfort in the grace and guidance of a loving God. As the Scriptures tell us, 'Don't be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.'"

These are just a few of the faith tidbits appearing in the media so far. Christianity Today has a reporter in Blacksburg and will be looking for other news about campus ministry, the church, and what God is doing at Virginia Tech.

Eleven people hurt in the attack remained hospitalized, at least one in serious condition.

===============================================

EDITORIAL: This article was written before the airing of excerpts from Seung Cho's ranting videos mailed to NBC -- aired last night and this morning. It is very clear from the remarks Cho made that he was NOT a Christian. However, Seung thought himself a martyr in the same way as Jesus was thought a martyr for believers. BTW, Bible believing Christians KNOW that Jesus was not a martyr. He arose on the third day and ascended into Heaven. Therefore, Jesus would NOT be thought of as a martyr by ANY true Christian.
The fact is -- Cho was a psychopath who likened himself to others who commit these kinds of heinous atrocities -- as a result of imagined persecution. They are all self-righteous in their commission of murderous acts.

According to reports, a note left by Cho Seung-Hui talked about the "rich kids," "deceitful charlatans" and "debauchery." And there is also talk that he may have been rejected by a woman, or women, that he had feelings for. Perhaps in Cho's mind, these people were his "jailers" — the wardens of his prison responsible for his emotional incarceration. He vilified them, found them guilty of great offenses and then logically executed his warped sense of justice ... and murdered 32 people. {FOX News}

I have taken quite a bit of bashing for stating that Cho would be found to be a fan of violence media -- and that "his own religion" was NOT Christianity. It should be abundantly clear now that Seung-Hui Cho was not a Believer, even though he may have attended a Presbyterian church some years ago. No, Seung Cho was a demonic psycho bent on destroying those whom he didn't want to or couldn't understand.

Photo of Seung-Hui Cho courtesy of NBC
Photo of Lauren McCain courtesy of DailyPress

Christian Grandmother in High Court over Abortion Campaign

by Jennifer Gold

A Christian grandmother is going to the High Court Tuesday, 23 January to clarify the law on her human rights and free speech, after she was convicted under the Malicious Communications Act 1988 for trying to "educate" pharmacists who dispensed the 'morning after pill' to "another point of view", the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship has told Christian Today.
In 2004, Veronica Connolly, a devout Roman Catholic, expressed her anger over the right of pharmacists to dispense the 'morning after pill' over the counter, but her actions led to three convictions.
As a Catholic, she believes an unborn baby is a child of God, and as such, abortion is a form of murder. She also believes that the 1967 Abortion Act should be repealed. In 2004, an article in Catholic newspaper The Universe suggested readers should write to pharmacists who stock the ‘morning after pill’, voicing their concerns on the issue of abortion. From 2004-5, Mrs. Connolly wrote to pharmacists, attaching photographs of aborted fetuses to highlight her concerns, having first telephoned them to ensure they stocked the ‘morning after pill’, and, to seek their permission to send the photographs. If a pharmacists did not grant her permission to do this, she did not send the photographs, the LCF says.
On 10 February 2005, one pharmacist made a complaint and the police were called. On February 13, Mrs. Connolly was taken to Solihull Police Station for questioning. She was then arrested without warning, and in the presence of her daughter and five-year-old granddaughter. She was held at the police station for approximately seven hours, and in that time she was provided with very insignificant facilities for a woman in a wheelchair. Mrs Connolly suffers from a condition known as Myalgic Enchymylitus, which means that she cannot stand for long periods and she has to use a wheelchair, explains the LCF.
Mrs Connolly was charged under the Malicious Communications Act 1988. Essentially, the Act states that if a communication is either ‘indecent’ or ‘grossly offensive’ and that one of the purposes of sending it is to cause 'distress' or 'anxiety', then an offence has been committed. Consequently, Mrs Connolly was charged, and on 13 July 2005, she entered a plea of ‘Not Guilty’ at Solihull Magistrates Court. On October 6, she was convicted of offences contrary to the 1988 Act. On 27 January 2006, she unsuccessfully appealed against her conviction.
Mrs Connolly, who has instructed civil rights barrister Paul Diamond to represent her in court today, said: "My cases raises fundamental human rights issues, including freedom of religion, and manifestation of religion, under article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights, and freedom of expression, under article 10. The court said the pictures I sent were offensive, and that the purpose of sending those pictures was to cause offence. Yet, I was only seeking to express my deeply held views on the issue of abortion, and seeking to communicate those views boldly, but peacefully. Surely in a free and Christian country, and indeed a pluralist society, I should be able to express my faith in ways which I feel are appropriate?"
"Tomorrow, we are seeking clarification on a point of law. If the law, as used in my case, really means that you cannot debate, demonstrate or try to educate people towards another point of view simply because they, or anyone, can claim their are sensitive and offended by your actions, then freedom of speech and expression, and democracy has been killed off by a little-known Act of Parliament, and should be repealed." Andrea Minichiello Williams, public policy officer for the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship, which supports Mrs Connolly in her appeal, added: "Surely there must be many more cases worthy of prosecution under the Malicious Communications Act 1988."
"Mrs Connolly’s case is seemingly far from the most serious example of an ‘indecent’ or ‘grossly offensive’ communication. Mrs Connolly asked the permission of highly qualified and educated people, dealing daily with the moral, social and ethical issues surrounding abortion, if she could send them information giving another side to the debate. These clinicians, who, even as pharmacology students, would have seen far worse pictures, agreed and only one person made a complaint. This Act was used to the extreme to suppress freedoms of expression and speech. Any form of religious expression can, of course, be offensive, in that other members of society will often disagree with it. But that is often the nature of the expression of religious views."
"What this case demonstrates is the suppression of an unpopular political viewpoint, and specifically, that it demonstrates a suppression of biblical teaching on the sanctity of life."

Editorial: If the UK government gets away with this sort of oppression for religious expression, then you can bet the current liberals on the US Supreme Court will look to international law and case precedent to suppress our Christian values in America. IF that happens, you can kiss freedom itself goodbye -- as only popular opinion and the sway of the mental whims of those in power will matter. Truth, justice and freedom will suffer tremendously.

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!

God Unplugged Puts Celebrity Faith in the Spotlight

by Gretta Curtis / Christian Today
How Do You Know He's Real? God Unplugged, the second book in the He's Real series, will be released by Destiny Image Publishers on 1 November.
Author Amy Hammond Hagberg shares the profound real-life journeys and dramatic encounters with the living God by young athletes and musicians. According to the book, celebrities, despite their fame, struggle with the same issues that most young people deal with; insecurity, anger, peer pressure, addiction and self-esteem.
Olympic gold medallists, recording artists, professional athletes or extreme sports fanatics are contributors of the book. Always inspirational and often miraculous, How Do You Know He's Real? God Unplugged is a must-read for those who desire to go deeper in their relationship with God. Notable people who contributed are:

Musicians
Jonny Lang - (platinum selling blues artist)
T-Bone - (rap artist and actor)
Jon Micah Sumrall - (“Kutless”)
Kalel - (“Pillar”)
Trevor McNevin - (“Thousand Foot Krutch” and “FM Static”)
Tricia/Melissa Brock - (“Superchic[k]”)
Vince Lichlyter - (“Jonah33”)
Jontez - (musician and actor)
George Huff - (American Idol finalist)
Kate Earl - (singer/songwriter)
Mark Mohr - (reggae band “Christafari”)
Joseph Rojas - (“Seventh Day Slumber”)
John Cooper - (“Skillet”)
Clay Crosse - (Dove award winner)
Zoro - (drummer for Lenny Kravitz)
Barlow Girl - (CCM recording artists)
Katie Harman - (Miss America 2002)

Athletes
David Carr - (NFL quarterback)
Bethel Johnson - (NFL wide receiver)
Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila - (NFL defensive end)
Dwight Howard - (NBA forward)
Alana Beard - (WNBA shooting guard)
Jeremy Affeldt - (MLB pitcher)
Aaron Baddeley - (professional golfer)
Brandon Slay - (Olympic Gold Medalist, wrestling)
Josh Davis - (5-time Olympic Medalist, swimming)
Kimiko Soldati - (Olympic diver)
Leah O'Brien-Amico - (Olympic gold medalist, softball)
Kristi Overton-Johnson - (water sports champion)
Christian Hosoi - (skateboarding legend)
Tim Byrne - (pro skateboarder)
Jud Heald - (pro skateboarder)
Bruce Crisman - (BMX pro)
Jimmie McGuire - (Motocross pro)
Matt Beacham - (pro surfer)
Hannah Steffens - (pro mountain biker)
Shannon Dunn-Downing - (Olympic medalist, snowboarding)
Lauren Harf (champion wake boarder)
Dave Downing - (pro snowboarder)
CJ Hobgood - (world champion surfer)
Mick Hannah - (World champion mountain bike racer)
Cat Reddick - (pro soccer defender)

Give the Gift of Audio Books from Simply Audiobooks

A promotional campaign is underway, including a national promotional tour that has Hagberg making numerous television appearances, including At Home Live!, The Jim Bakker Show, Positively Arkansas, Atlanta Live!, Bridges, The Morning Show, and Babbie's House. The author is also making numerous appearances on national radio programs including Strength For Living and Today's Issues on American Family Radio.
The first book in the series, How Do You Know He's Real? Celebrity Reflections on True Life Experiences With God was released in April. The popular book contains 34 real-life stories about celebrities who know God is real because of their personal relationship with Him. The book provides a forum for Christian celebrities blessed with professional career success to share their very personal stories about life in the spotlight.
The third and final book in the series, How Do You Know He's Real? God for All Generations will be released in mid-2007.
Author Amy Hammond Hagberg is a frequent contributor to numerous magazines, such as HomeLife, Living With Teenagers, Christian Singles, Ignite the Fire, Sports Spectrum, Relevant, Radiant, Living Light News, Disciples World and more. She also speaks to church and corporate groups all over the country.

Pope Calls Gay Marriage "folly", Warns Politicians

While reading an article on CNet.com, I saw the graphic to the right. No matter how much it goes on, I am still shocked by the anti-Christian bashing taking place on the Net these days. Being curious, I clicked on the image and the following article came up:

Fri Sep 8, 2006 8:58 AM ET
By Philip Pullella
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict said on Friday Catholic politicians could not be swayed by opinion polls and social trends into supporting practices such as abortion and the "folly" of gay marriage. The Pope repeated his opposition to abortion and gay marriage in a toughly worded address to visiting bishops from Canada.
"In the name of ‘tolerance' your country has had to endure the folly of the redefinition of spouse, and in the name of ‘freedom of choice' it is confronted with the daily destruction of unborn children," the Pope said."When the Creator's divine plan is ignored the truth of human nature is lost," he said.
Canada legalized gay marriage last year but its parliament will hold a vote later this year on whether to start the process of scrapping the law, which is opposed by conservatives. Since his election last year, the Pope has often condemned gay marriage and last June a Vatican document called it one sign of "the eclipse of God" in modern times. In his address to the bishops, the Pope also touched on the highly sensitive issue of whether Catholic politicians can back legislation allowing practices such as gay marriage and abortion even if they are personally opposed to them. The Pope condemned such behavior by politicians as "false dichotomies".
"They are particularly damaging when Christian civic leaders sacrifice the unity of faith and sanction the disintegration of reason and the principles of natural ethics, by yielding to ephemeral social trends and the spurious demands of opinion polls," he said. "Democracy succeeds only to the extent that it is based on truth and a correct understanding of the human person. Catholic involvement in political life cannot compromise on this principle...," he said.
The Church, particularly in developed countries such as the United States, has been divided over the issue of whether Catholic politicians who support abortion should be allowed to receive communion. The issue divided U.S. Catholics and their bishops during the 2004 presidential campaign of John Kerry, a Democrat and a Catholic who supports abortion rights. Some Catholic politicians say they are personally opposed to abortion but, in pluralistic societies such as the United States, feel obliged to support a woman's right to choose.
Last June, a task force of the U.S. Catholic bishops conference left the decision of whether Catholic politicians who support abortion rights should be denied communion with local bishops. President George W. Bush, a Protestant and a Republican, opposes abortion and gay marriage. Gay marriage is expected to be an issue in November elections when control of the Republican-led U.S. Congress will be at stake.

First, I was surprised to see a fairly unbiased report -- though the tone is definitely pro-gay. in my opinion, Pope Benedict, makes very good points. When we endure the redefinition of spouse and the ongoing legacy of murdered unborn children, we are losing humanity -- as defined and mandated by our Creator. Mankind will answer for the 30 million aborted children. We will also answer for the 1%-3% of liberal activisits that have chosen the behavior of homosexuality to rule over the other 97%+ of us. The Church will certainly answer for not showing people, in love, the error of their ways and choices.