X-RATED 'SHOWGIRLS' A TRIAL BALLOON—Showgirls is the first NC-17 film from a major studio in five years (9/18 USN&WR). It features "ample nudity, some violence and rough language" (9/29 HT). It is an over-priced peep show, set in the world of nude Las Vegas dancing, with no redeeming value. Per a reviewer, "after the 100th nude scene, it becomes boring" (9/28 HT). The agenda behind Showgirls is to bring former back-alley entertainment to the cultural mainstream--and even to impressionable youths. If it becomes a blockbuster in spite of its "X" rating of NC-17, then movie makers will race to make trashier fare, and to market it to youth (9/22 HT). "Adult" movies could fill the theaters and soon our entire culture could become X-rated.

CARDINAL RESIGNS IN AUSTRIA: HOMOSEXUAL ABUSE —Cardinal Hans Groer stepped down in September as head of Austria's Roman Catholic Church amid charges that he sexually abused a boy 20 years ago. Four other of his former boarding school pupils also have accused Groer of molesting them. Groer's replacement and three other Austrian bishops are alleged to have homosexual tendencies (10/2 C.Today). Austria is about 90 percent Roman Catholic. Allegations of sexual misconduct are plunging Austria's RC church into crisis--thousands are leaving the church.

AIDS TRAINING IS IMPOSED HOMOSEXUAL PROPAGANDA —Concerned Women for America President Beverly LaHaye, in a 9/15 letter, said the government is brainwashing federal employees in so-called "AIDS training." She says this is actually "government bankrolled homosexual propaganda that has been forced onto all federal employees. Openly lesbian and homosexual instructors have taken the podium to promote the acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle and to label Christians as potential 'troublemakers'...."

NEA'S 1995 EXTREMIST RESOLUTIONS—Congress will hold hearings this month on homosexuality in the schools. Some conservatives are furious over National Education Association resolutions endorsing acceptance of diverse sexual orientations and sex education programs (10/2 USN&WR). At its July convention, the NEA passed at least 15 resolutions addressing the sexual orientation issue. It wants teaching about homosexuality always to be part of sex education, and uses "diversity" as a code word for gay-lesbian teaching (8/95 Schlafly Rpt.). Some other NEA extreme/radical resolutions attacked home-schooling, but supported: global education, the entire feminist agenda (abortion, etc.), socialized medicine (which recognized "domestic partners" as dependents), gun control, etc.

GO SLOW WITH NORMA McCORVEY'S 'CONVERSION' —She still believes in the right to an abortion in the first trimester. She has no plans to leave her lesbian partner (10/95 Moody). In the 8/14 Newsweek, she said she would rather give up her newfound faith than abandon her lover(9/11 CT).

PROMISE KEEPERS LEADERS ARE CHARISMATICS—Top leaders of Promise Keepers are linked with John Wimber's "signs and wonders" Vineyard churches, a network of charismatic churches. PK leaders want all churches, charismatics, Pentecostals, Roman Catholics, liberal Protestants, and even Mormons to unite and disregard doctrinal differences (9/11 C.News). Attendees come from all kinds of churches. The 10/95 Charisma said: "During one session (St. Petersburg), the Baptists lifted their hands to God with everyone else when charismatic pastor Joseph Garlington urged the crowd to be more demonstrative in worship. They all shouted and clapped..."

DR. COLAS ATTENDS WCC MEETING—ACCC Exec. Sec'y Dr. Ralph Colas journeyed to Geneva, Switzerland in mid-September to attend and report on the Central Committee Meeting of the World Council of Churches. The 158-member Central Committee is the main WCC decision-making body on policy matters between each assembly. Several Roman Catholics attended as observers. WCC Gen. Sec'y Konrad Raiser lamented the fact that ecumenical inclusiveness is severely limited without the full participation of the RC Church along with evangelical and Pentecostal churches. Raiser is also deeply concerned regarding strong public speeches Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe is making against homosexuals, inasmuch as the WCC's Eighth Assembly is scheduled for there in 1998. Raiser said this could result in the WCC choosing another country. [Dr. Colas' full report is available for $2 from: ACCC, P.O. Box 19, Wallingford, PA 19086. Or send $5 and receive his WCC, NAE, and NRB 1995 reports.

ZIMBABWE CONDEMNS HOMOSEXUALITY, WCC DIVIDED —Marxist/socialist Robert Mugabe came to power in Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) in 1980. His recent campaign against homosexuality deeply concerns World Council of Churches leaders who plan to hold their next assembly there. There are deep divisions between the WCC's 324 member churches on homosexuality. Church leaders in Zimbabwe strongly oppose homosexuality and say it is incompatible with biblical values of Christianity and with African culture. (9/25 Christian News). Mugabe reportedly told journalists: "We do not believe homosexuals have any rights at all. They can demonstrate, but if they come here, we will throw them in jail."

FRANKLIN GRAHAM & CHARISMATICS—The 10/95 Charisma magazine had a 7-page article on Franklin Graham, the son of Billy Graham, and his Samaritan's Purse ministry. He rebelled in his teen years against the Christian lifestyle. He drank, smoked, got kicked out of one college and dropped out of another for awhile. He is now mentioned as the likely successor to his father. He says of the charismatic movement: "I thank God for the warmth I see within many of the charismatic churches--their love for the Lord and love for the Scriptures..." He said: "Probably [Samaritan's Purse's] largest base of support comes from the charismatic community..."

FALWELL PRAISES FRANKLIN & BILLY GRAHAM —The 10/95 National Liberty Journal has an article by Franklin Graham and an editorial by NLJ publisher, Jerry Falwell, praising him. Falwell said: "Everyone calls him Franklin. He looks and sounds just like his father, Evangelist Billy Graham, and he has the same calling to world evangelism. Even more importantly, he appears to have the same spiritual anointing as his father...If Dr. Graham does declare his heart and reaches out to Franklin [to succeed him], every leader in the body of Christ should sound the trumpet in loud agreement..." Falwell referred to the "long and faithful ministry of Dr. Graham" and to Franklin as "God's new Elijah". He said: "The world in the 21st Century desperately needs another Giant." Franklin was on Falwell's TV program a year or two ago. His son Will is a junior at Liberty University.

FALWELL SPEAKERS INCLUDE GINGRICH, SO. BAPTISTS —House Speaker Newt Gingrich was scheduled to speak at Jerry Falwell's Oct. 8-11 Super Conference. Ecumenical social gospel promoter E.V. Hill, and Southern Baptists Adrian Rogers, Bailey Smith, and David Ring were also listed speakers--along with BBF leader Dr. John Rawlings (now on Falwell's staff) and Lt. Cleve McClary Falwell led a two-day seminar on "How to Double Your Attendance and Offerings in One Year."

BUCHANAN TO ADDRESS FREE PREACHERS FELLOWSHIP —The Free Preachers Fellowship was formed in 1992. Its platform stated: "WE SUPPORT the right and recognize the freedom of each pastor and church to use whatever style of music [including CCM rock?] he chooses....[W]e desire a fellowship where we are free to be ourselves and at the same time be accepted and loved by one another...." (See 8/15/92 CC). The Nov. 12-15 FPF semi-annual meeting is set for Pastor Chuck Baldwin's (an FPF founder and Liberty U. alumnus) Crossroad Baptist Church, Pensacola, Fla. Featured speakers include presidential candidate Pat Buchanan (a Roman Catholic), and Drs. Jerry Falwell, Pete Rice, and Kenny McComas.

WHO CARES ABOUT DOCTRINE?—Bible doctrine continues to pose problems for ecumenicals. Some U. Methodists argue that too-strict adherence to doctrine can hinder outreach, especially to homosexuals. One UM pastor says, "Doctrine is important, but if it blocks us from being able to love others with the same unconditional love that Jesus loves us, then doctrine is in the way." (10/2 CT). Christianity Today's managing editor says: "As a movement, [evangelicals] are in a new place...Preserving the fundamental doctrines of the faith is no longer the anxious concern it was a generation ago; now the issue is maturing along with our success..." (10/1 CC). TBN chief Paul Crouch is quoted thusly: "I just, sometimes I wonder if the whole study of theology isn't a waste of time."

ORLANDO '95: DOCTRINAL DIFFERENCES ABANDONED —Tongues-speaking Catholics and Protestants joined forces in Orlando in July at the North American Congress on the Holy Spirit and World Evangelization (see 6/15, 10/1 CCs). A Catholic bishop led a session. There was conga-style dancing. The 10/95 Charisma said: "Charismatics abandoned their theological differences...at least for four days", and: "Today, millions of Catholics, including Pope John Paul II's personal preacher...have joined ranks with charismatics." Catholic-Protestant leaders say they must "bridge denominational barriers to finish the task of world evangelization." One leader said: "Our unity is in the fact that Jesus is Lord...that we are baptized in the Spirit." A Catholic priest added: "This is the greatest ecumenical movement in the Christian church."

PINNOCK & STOTT DO NOT BELIEVE IN ETERNAL HELL —The 10/95 Sword And Trumpet had this shocking statement from C.H. [Clark] Pinnock: "Let me say at the outset that I consider the concept of hell as endless torment in body and mind an outrageous doctrine...How can Christians possibly project a deity of such cruelty and vindictiveness whose ways include inflicting everlasting torture upon his creatures, however sinful they may have been? Surely, a God who would do such a thing is more nearly like Satan than like God...." (4/2/90 Criswell Theol. Review) John Stott and many other so-called evangelical theologians try to make a case for annihilationism, but Rev. 20:10 (and other passages) make it plain that it is not annihilation but rather torment which awaits Satan and Christ-rejectors. The Bible uses five pictures to describe hell: darkness and separation, fire, weeping and gnashing of teeth, punishment, and death and destruction. [9/25 Chr. News - see 2/1 CC]

QUAYLE, OGILVIE HEADLINE NRB '96—The 53rd Annual National Religious Broadcasters Convention & Exposition is set for Indianapolis, Feb. 3-6. Former vice president Dan Quayle and Senate chaplain Lloyd Ogilvie are main speakers. Alberto Mottesi and Kay Arthur (Precept Ministries) will also speak. Actress Susan Howard (CBS-TV's Dallas) is invited to share her testimony. Former Miss America Terry Meeuwsen(700 Club co-host), Larnelle Harris, CeCe Winans and others will sing at this ecumenical event.

WMU DIRECTOR 'FURIOUS' WITH RANKIN'S LETTER —Responding to the Women's Missionary Union's decision to produce materials for the moderate/ liberal Cooperative Baptist Fellowship [see 9/ 15 CC], Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board Director Jerry Rankin wrote, in an Aug. 25 letter to pastors and WMU directors: "We feel the decision of the WMU National Board to provide promotion and publicity for the CBF undermines a cooperative spirit among the [SBC] agencies." (9/12 Ind.Bapt.). He charged WMU with deviating from its historic role of exclusive support of HMB and FMB missionaries. WMU Exec. Dir. Dellanna O'Brian's response said: "We are furious with the letter sent by Jerry Rankin..." Rankin, in turn, says he is "surprised at the anger and emotion expressed in the WMU response."

SBC'S FMB JOINS EFMA—So. Baptist Foreign Mission Board trustees at their August meeting voted to join the Evangelical Fellowship of Mission Agencies (9/12 IB). The new-evangelical EFMA is a broad-spectrum association of 110 mission groups, including: Campus Crusade, Assemblies of God, YFC, InterVarsity, World Vision, and the Conservative Baptist Foreign Mission Society.

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