VOL. XIII  NO. 6   NEWS & VIEWS, NOTES & QUOTES, TO WARN & INFORM   March 15, 1996

ABORTION IS TERRORISM—The Clinton administration publicly condemned many acts of global terrorism last month. Conspicuously ignored was a U.N. report issued February 14 that said 45 million abortions are performed worldwide annually (2/24 World). That equals about one unborn baby killed for every three live births.

FALWELL ENDORSES NEW VISION AMERICA—On Jan. 16, Jerry Falwell, D. James Kennedy, Tim LaHaye, Tim Lee, Peter Marshall, Paul Pressler, Ralph Reed, Adrian Rogers, David Barton, Ronnie Floyd and Paul Weyrich (RC) joined together to lend their endorsement to a new organization called Vision America (3/96 Nat'l Lib.Jrnl.). Pastor Rick Scarborough, who wrote Enough is Enough, is VA's national chairman. Over the past year over 1,000 pastors have signed on to VA's "quest to restore America to her Christian heritage." VA seems to be another ecumenical Moral-Majority-type attempt to address the raging culture war.

GARY CHAPMAN DEFINES 'FUNDAMENTALIST' AT NRB—Gary Chapman (Amy Grant's husband) hosted a "Music Celebration" at the recent NRB 96. In opening remarks, he said he was a "fundamentalist," and said that is a person who believes the Bible [no mention of obedience]. He proceeded to further define a fundamentalist in this manner: "If the mere sight of a Kentucky Fried Chicken sign makes you want to give--you are a fundamentalist. If you sing 35 verses of 'Just As I Am'--you are a fundamentalist. If you tell your congregation to bow their heads, close their eyes and no one to look around--then you are a fundamentalist" (From Dr. Colas' NRB report). The 3/96 Charisma called Chapman one of Nashville's busiest men. It said he hosts at Sam's Place, a nightspot showcasing country and gospel musicians, and said his music has strong ties to country, gospel and old-time rock 'n' roll--not exactly the credentials you'd expect for one defining "fundamentalism."

TOO MUCH SELF-ESTEEM—Nowadays, "lack of self-esteem" is the all-purpose diagnosis to explain bad grades, marital discord, and all kinds of social maladjustment and personal unhappiness (2/ 10 World). But, do we really feel bad about ourselves? Per a 1993 study, 90 percent of business managers rate their performance "superior." Most employees and high school seniors (SAT) rate themselves "above average." Psychologists want to raise the self-esteem of violent offenders (2/19 USN&WR). But studies in last month's Psychological Review found almost no evidence linking violence to low self-esteem and said HIGH self-esteem may be the culprit. The Bible warns about high self-esteem, "lovers of self."

SEX ED IS WORSE THAN MERE FAILURE—Mounting evidence indicates that contraceptive-based programs do worse than merely fail. The CDC announced last fall that states that stress abstinence in sex-education classes--or don't require such classes at all--have fewer teen pregnancies (2/10 World). States and districts that mandate contraceptive programs and distribute condoms have the highest rates. Wyoming and No. Dakota don't require sex-ed and have a teen pregnancy rate of 53.7 (& 54.2) per 1,000 girls ages 15 through 19, per 1992 figures. By contrast, the District of Columbia mandates sex-ed and availability of condoms and had a teen pregnancy rate of 208.4 per 1,000. Georgia was second with 106.9; Nevada was third with 106.

A TRUCK THAT HEALS?—Village followers of Brazilian doctor Gustavo Gomes believe that people can be healed merely by sitting in the cab of his pickup truck (3/96 Charisma). Gomes reportedly traveled through northern Brazil for almost half a century in a '48 Ford pickup caring for sick villagers. Since his death last summer, villagers say his spirit still lives in the truck and claim they've been healed of every malady from toothaches to tuberculosis, just by sitting in the cab of the "holy roller." Brazil is a Catholic nation, and Catholicism is notorious for mystical "signs and wonders." The Vatican takes seriously stories from Poland of healings related to a portrait of a black Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus that hangs in a monastery. Thousands of healings are claimed. Pope John Paul II himself has visited the monastery to see the miracle-working Black Madonna.

GORE/NCC NEW AGE IDEAS AT UN FORUM—The 10/2 New American said United Nations events typically have New Age overtones and occultic under-currents, and the 9/95 UN/USA's National Assembly upheld that tradition. Its closing address was to have been delivered by V-P Al Gore, but he became unavailable and this role was given to National Council of Churches Gen. Sec'y Rev. Joan Brown Campbell. She began her speech by referring to the "religious icon" prominently displayed in Gore's office: A global view of the earth from space. Campbell said this familiar photo is "an icon for our time," a symbol of the desire to exist "at one with nature, with the divine, and with humankind." She condemned the privatizing of life (which inspires resistance to the "global neighborhood" concept promoted by the UN) and those preoccupied with "'My' family, 'my' property, 'my' children, etc. She said such "selfishness calls us away from building a world community" and undermines our "moral mandate to support the United Nations."

FULLER SEMINARY HOSTS WCC MEETING—The World Council of Churches held its U.S. Conference as a guest on the campus of Fuller Theological Seminary last December. Pastor John Ashbrook quotes from a 12/19 WCC letter saying Fuller Pres. Richard Mouw attended the early session of the meeting and extended a warm welcome to the group (2/96 OBF Visitor). Most participants thought the WCC should work more closely with Pentecostal and evangelical groups. Several urged council staff to continue working closely with non-Christian or para-church groups. Ashbrook said the letter shows the sights of the WCC to be set carefully on the clientele of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), and the WCC's willingness to broaden its base to include "non-Christian" groups such as Moslems and Buddhists. New evangelicals are victims of their own strategy of infiltration.

DALLAS SEMINARY & PROMISE KEEPERS—Dallas Seminary, in a 12/95 statement on the Promise Keepers ministry said: "Although Dallas has no official ties to Promise Keepers, some of our faculty and alumni have participated in their public meetings. One of our distinguished professors, Dr. Howard Hendricks, also serves on the PK board." It said groups that differ theologically can agree to stand together on crucial issues, and: "For example, Roman Catholics and Evangelical Protestants can unite in opposition to such evils as abortion on demand and pornography. Furthermore, non-charismatics and charismatics can unite in support of the basic biblical values of sexual morality, personal integrity, and family fidelity." Dallas says "we can support the objectives of Promise Keepers without compromising our theological position or biblical distinctives." But this is untenable! A main PK objective is to "reach beyond denominational barriers." PK says, in effect, that it's wrong to have doctrinal convictions. It is impossible to support such "objectives" without compromising theological positions.

CAMPUS CRUSADE'S BILL BRIGHT & CHARISMATICS—Bill Bright, a Catholic-praising ecumenical, works closely with charismatic movement leaders. His son Zac was an assistant pastor of a Foursquare church, but now pastors the Divine Savior Church (Irwindale, CA). Zac says (3/96 Charisma): "My father freely moves in charismatic circles and supports my ministry wherever it takes me, in charismatic circles and beyond."

RICHARD ROBERTS'S 'FITS OF JOY'—The 3/96 Charisma describes Oral Roberts University President Richard Roberts's "laughing revival" experience at Karl Strader's Carpenter's Home Church in Lakeland, FL in 1993--where Rodney Howard-Browne had just preached an eight-week revival: "Halfway through his sermon, Richard had a word of knowledge for a deaf man. When he went to lay hands on him, the man started to fall. Richard tried to catch him but instead somersaulted to the floor himself. There he lay for 20 minutes, convulsing with laughter. 'It came up into my chest, into my throat,' he says of the joy. "And I began to laugh, and there was nothing funny. I couldn't preach anymore. As I laughed I felt all the stress, bitterness, anger, fear and worry over [ORU's] debt leave me.' He had more fits of joy back in Tulsa--like the one on the day ORU faced an overdue insurance payment of $85,000. Instead of fretting, Richard fell out of his chair, laughing." Richard says his father (Oral Roberts) is an apostle. Oral's 900-foot Jesus, and other tall tales, have proven him to be a FALSE apostle.

DR. COLAS REPORTS ON NRB 96—A severe ice and snow storm kept the CC editor, some scheduled speakers, and others from attending the National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Indianapolis, Feb. 3-6. But ACCC Exec. Sec'y Dr. Ralph G. Colas attended and has prepared a comprehensive report (available from ACCC, P.O. Box 19, Wallingford, PA 19086 - send offering). Former V-P Dan Quayle was a main speaker. He favorably quoted Mother Teresa. ORU grad Myles Munroe was the keynote speaker. Beverly LaHaye, Kay Arthur, Focus on the Family, Dino, actress Susan Howard ("Dallas"), and Larnelle Harris participated. Pres. Clinton again was not invited due to his unscriptural policies and positions. The NRB is an affiliate of the NAE. Its 90-member board is a "who's who" of New Evangelicalism. Some belong to churches in the NCC/WCC. Many are part of charismatic/pentecostal denominations.

HOW CAN CATHOLIC CHURCH DECEIVE SO MANY?—"The reason why the Roman Catholic Church is deceiving a greater number of people than ever before is because Pope John Paul II has convinced top leaders of the evangelical and charismatic movements that he espouses and preaches the gospel. Even though he uses much evangelical terminology, he still preaches the false gospel of salvation by faith plus works, plus sacraments, plus purgatory. Furthermore, in accordance with Roman Catholic dogma, he steadfastly refuses to accept the 66 books of the Bible as the only infallible, inspired Word of God, and adds the traditions, the apocrypha, and edicts of Popes and Councils." (1-2/96 Foundation). Leaders such as Billy Graham, Chuck Colson, Bill Bright, Pat Robertson, Robert Schuller, Paul Crouch, Jack Van Impe, James Robison, Jerry Falwell, and Oral Roberts have praised the Pope.

WAITE SETTLES LIBEL SUIT AGAINST COLSON—The 12/11 Chr. Today said authors Charles Colson and Ellen Vaughn (& publisher Word, Inc.) have issued public apologies to Dean Burgon Society Pres. Donald Waite for making libelous allegations about him in their best-selling book The Body. Terms of the out-of-court settlement were not disclosed. Dr. Waite's 64-page answer to the "96 errors" in the book is available from him at: BFT, 900 Park Ave., Collingswood, NJ 08108.

UCC BECOMING UNITARIAN—Dr. Donald Bloesch, Professor of Theology at Dubuque Seminary, says the United Church of Christ is already Universalist and is drifting into Unitarianism (2/12 Chr.News). He said it seems to be following in the path of the United Church of Canada "which has become a Unitarian church because it sees the three persons of the trinity as metaphors rather than distinct entities." Bloesch adds: "The theological trend in the UCC is toward a new gnosticism....Such distinctions as heaven and hell, salvation and damnation are already lost." Bloesch himself is considered an evangelical by Moody and other "evangelicals," but he denies the inerrancy of the Bible (12/1 CC).

COLAS REPORTS ON NRB, PROMISE KEEPERS, & NAE—American Council of Christian Churches Executive Secretary Dr. Ralph G. Colas attended, with press credentials, the NRB Convention and the Promise Keepers Clergy Conference in Atlanta last month. He plans to cover the NAE Convention in Minneapolis this month. Extensive reports will soon be available on all of these events, from the ACCC, P.O. Box 19, Wallingford, PA 19086. If you request these, be sure to enclose an offering to help with travel expenses and publication costs for these vital reports.

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