SINGAPORE CANING CASE—Our president and other liberals are now complaining to Singapore that their sentencing of an 18-year-old American--who committed acts of vandalism--to four months in prison, a $2,245 fine, and six lashes with a rod is excessively harsh. Maybe it is, but we should not be surprised at Singapore's reluctance to be lectured by a country where gangs, shootings, and bloodshed are daily fare in its cities. If Singapore is excessively hard on criminals, we are excessively lenient with them, and our "excess" causes much more terror and suffering of innocent people. Our criminal courts accept a high-priced psychiatric diagnosis that says the criminal is a "victim," and excuses his violent behavior. It is time to end our permissiveness, and make punishment for crime swift and certain (Eccl. 8:11). Until then, it is safer to live in Singapore.

SPONG STILL BLASPHEMES—Episcopal Bishop John Spong is at it again. He who in 1989 ordained a homosexual activist as a priest, and in 1988 worshipped in a Buddhist temple, is now saying the Gospel accounts of the virgin birth and resurrection of Jesus are "pure legend" (3/26 Ind. Star). Other of Spong's radical anti-Christian ravings have been widely publicized over the past decade.

AMERICA DISARMS AS WORLD DANGER INCREASES—America is rapidly and unilaterally disarming, slashing our defense budget, under the illusion that communism is dead. Soon, in a military partnership, troops from Russia and the U.S. will participate in joint military exercises on American soil (4/ 18 New American). John Stormer, in his 2/94 paper, warns of recent dangerous legislation that repealed 40 years of anti-communist legislation and policies. He reported a Pentagon plan to aim U.S. nuclear missiles at desolate spots in the open seas instead of strategic targets in Russia. He quoted from a 1930 communist blueprint for defeating America: "War to the hilt between communism and capitalism is inevitable. Today, of course, we are not strong enough to attack. Our time will come in 20 to 30 years. To win, we shall need the element of surprise. The bourgeoisie will have to be put to sleep. So we shall begin by launching the most spectacular peace movement on record. There will be electrifying overtures and unheard of concessions. The capitalist countries, stupid and decadent, will rejoice to cooperate in their own destruction. They will leap at another chance to be friends. As soon as their guard is down, we will smash them with our clenched fist."

DEWEY'S 'PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION'—John Dewey is called "the father of progressive education." The goal of his followers, including the behavioral psychologists, is to change the belief system of every child to conform to a new world order by assessing their attitudes, behavior and emotions. The 3/94 FWR Report says: "The group is the nucleus of progressive education. No child is permitted to forge ahead of another. This would hurt the group. Promotions become automatic. Nobody is left behind because of poor work, even if they cannot read, write or compute. This would disrupt the group. Grading and report cards are frowned upon because it promotes competition, which breeds rivalry and encourages students to excel and rise above the group. When competition is not permitted, children get the idea that personal excellence and trying to get ahead is not worthwhile. The group, not the individual child, is the quintessence of progressivism. The child must always be made to feel part of the group, indulge in group thinking, in group activity, and finally reach a group consensus. This is the very foundation of collectivism." This is like the outcome/performance-based-education (OBE) being forced on our schools today (by Goals 2000, etc.).

HOMOSEXUAL LIBERTARIAN PARTY DIRECTOR RESIGNS—A letter in the 4/18 New American from the Secretary of the Libertarian Party of Ohio said Gene Cisewski, an avowed homosexual, has resigned as national director of the Libertarian Party following certain comments he made regarding the institution of marriage (see 4/1 CC). Steve Dasbach, the LP's national chairman, is married.

NAE CONVENTION—This editor attended the 52nd annual meeting of the National Association of Evangelicals in Dallas, March 6-8, representing (with press credentials) the American Council of Christian Churches. The NAE began in 1942, and today represents over 50,000 churches from 75 denominations (Assemblies, Nazarene, Conservative Baptist, PCA, etc.). It is composed of new evangelicals and charismatics. Its "middle-of-the-road" inclusivist stance allows it to accept local churches into membership from liberal National and World Councils of Churches denominations. The NAE plans a massive reorganization over the next two years. Our 4-page review of the NAE convention is available for $2 from: ACCC, P.O. Box 19, Wallingford, PA 19086. ACCC Executive Secretary Dr. Ralph Colas has gratuitously called it, "an excellent report, revealing the author's keen discernment...."

RAMBO IS NEW NAE PRESIDENT—Incoming NAE president, Dr. David Rambo, heads the Christian and Missionary Alliance (since 1987). He was 1st Vice President of the NAE, and had served five years as head of Nyack College and Alliance Seminary. He has degrees from Gordon-Conwell, Fuller, and NYU. In his acceptance speech he said there is too much racism in the church, and the NAE is too old and too male. He said the new NAE allows room for greater inclusion of "baby boomers" and parachurch groups. He said the "restructuring of the NAE is meant to say, among other things, 'Women of the evangelical community, we not only need you, but we intend to open our doors for your greater involvement.'"

NAE SPEAKERS—Paul Cedar: President, The Evangelical Free Church of America, guest dean of the Billy Graham Schools of Evangelism, chairman of U.S. Lausanne Committee and the AD2000 and Beyond Movement. Joseph Aldrich: President of Multnomah Bible College, Dallas Seminary grad & former professor, and author of the unscriptural 1986 Life-Style Evangelism book. He and Multnomah were vitally involved in the 9/92 Portland Billy Graham Crusade. David Wells: Gordon-Conwell Seminary professor. Issued a provocative challenge to evangelicals to return from their "marketing emphasis" to a biblical theology. Knute Larson: Akron, Ohio megachurch pastor. Defended modern marketing methods. O.S. Hawkins: Pastor of the 25,000-member First Baptist Church in Dallas, the W.A. Criswell SBC church. Hawkins substituted for Morris Chapman who could not speak due to a death in his family. WORKSHOP/LUNCHEON SPEAKERS: Kay Arthur: Co-founder of Precept Ministries, a dynamic speaker, listed to speak at a 1/94 cruise with Charles Stanley and other SBC leaders, speaks at the Billy Graham Training Center in Nov., and is on the National Religious Broadcasters Board of Directors. Julia Williams: President of The Mission Society for United Methodists. She spoke at the Evangelical Fellowship of Mission Agencies session and has served on the EFMA Board. Clive Calver: general director, Evangelical Alliance of Britain. J. Richard Chase: pres.-emeritus, Wheaton College. Joni Eareckson Tada: JAF Ministries. Robert Choun: Dallas Seminary professor. Richard Land: Exec. Dir., SBC's Christian Life Commission. J. Philip Hogan: Assemblies of God. David Clark: Recent Chairman, National Religious Broadcasters. NAE Exec. Dir. Billy Melvin, NAE outgoing president Don Argue, and others addressed the NAE. Paul Toms, Robert Cooley, Art Gay, and Jerry Ballard spoke at the World Relief's 50th Anniversary luncheon. Virtually all NAE speakers are ecumenical in their orientation and associations.

NAE'S JOHN WHITE PRAISES ACCORD WITH CATHOLICS—Dr. John White is president of Geneva College and was president of the National Association of Evangelicals from 1988 to 1990. He currently chairs the search committee to find a successor to NAE Exec. Dir. Dr. Billy Melvin who retires next March. White succeeds Dr. Robert Cooley as Chairman of World Relief's Board of Directors. We now see that White was one of the 40 evangelicals and Catholics who in late March signed the Colson/Neuhaus declaration ("Evangelicals and Catholics Together..."--see 4/15 CC). He said it represented a "triumphalistic moment" in American religious life. He said: "I don't know of any other time in history when these two communities have stood together, spoken together" on matters of faith.

SWINDOLL, DALLAS SEMINARY PLANS CHANGE—Dr. Charles Swindoll's new home in Dallas is being designed and built and he still plans to be on board as President of Dallas Seminary July 1. But his plans for relocating his radio and publishing ministry to Nashville, and starting a church there, have been put on hold and are now "long-range goals." Also, Dr. John Sailhamer of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School won't be going to Dallas as Provost (nor returning to TEDS), but Dallas's current vice-president Wendell Johnston will become Exec. V-P and be responsible for day-to-day operations. Both Swindoll and Dallas have increasingly moved toward a new evangelical stance in recent years (see 6/15/93 CC). Pro-Catholic ecumenical Charles Colson was Dallas's 1990 Commencement speaker.

LCWE REORGANIZES—The Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization has held global meetings in 1974 and 1989. Billy Graham's brother-in-law, Leighton Ford, was chairman of Lausanne II which met in Manila. Catholics and charismatics participated. After this 1989 meeting, Tom Houston became international director, and Paul Cedar in 1992 succeeded Ford as chairman of the U.S. committee (6/6/92 World). Now, the LCWE in a February meeting in Germany, voted to revamp and decentralize, and reduce staffing from 80 members to 30 (4/4 CT). Fergus Macdonald (Scotland) becomes executive director in June.

REMINDER FOR FBF & IBFNA CONFERENCES—The Fundamental Baptist Fellowship's 74th Annual National Meeting is set for June 14-16. The host church is Tri-City Baptist, 2150 E. Southern Av., Tempe, AZ 85282, Dr. James Singleton, Pastor. The Independent Baptist Fellowship of No. America's meeting is set for June 21-23, at Merrillville, IN. Contact is Dr. Clay Nuttall, Central Baptist Church, P.O. Box 316, Hobart, IN 46342.

ACCC/WCBC MEETINGS—Please pray as we plan to attend executive committee meetings of the American Council and World Council of Biblical Churches April 26 in Westville, NJ. Exec. Secretary Dr. Ralph Colas will speak at a rally open to the public that night at the Bible Church of Westville, Rev. Glenn Doughty, pastor. Dr. Colas recently attended the NRB convention as a member of the press, and in March spoke at several Fundamental Congresses in India.

A BIG 'THANK YOU' TO ANNETTE LOZENSKY (Calif.) for the effort she has undertaken to print all CC article titles (for past 10 years), first by year, then sorted by name/organization/etc., and eventually the articles themselves sorted by subjects, perhaps in book or booklet form. Don't contact us, we'll let you know if anything becomes available. Just pray for Annette!

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