The RECORD

The League's executive director, Mike Heath, attended Brian Camenker's MassResistance Banquet last night in Boxborough Massachusetts. The League has been so effective encouraging citizens in Massachusetts to support the pro family cause that MassResistance has included Heath in all three of their recent banquets over the past two years. Heath appears at the close of the banquets to invite people to support the group financially.

Camenker, a Jewish father, takes a very direct approach when he addresses "gay" rights issues. Demonstrating great courage while projecting a dry sense of humor the veteran pro family activist agitates throughout the Commonwealth. His activities earn him pain and praise everyday. This is typical for all leaders everywhere at all times. Brian and MassResistance are no exception. They get a lot done with a little.

The featured speaker at the banquet was Steven Bennett. The Connecticut resident and pastor lived as a gay man for over a decade. Eleven years ago Jesus Christ healed him. He has been married for eleven years and has two young sons. Bennett's words had the ring of authenticity to them as he described his experiences, and his hope in Christ.

Brian Camenker offered his thoughts on the situation in Massachusetts after Bennett spoke. Notwithstanding the fact that Massachusetts is the only state in America with same sex marriage, Camenker said that he is hopeful. He was critical of efforts in the State House by Christians that include accepting the idea of civil unions while protecting the word marriage. Pro family activists have not been successful using the referendum process to create positive change. Legislators have the power to deny citizens access to the ballot in Massachusetts. Maine's politicians do not have this power.

Camenker suggested that the political tactics of pragmatism including deal-making and compromise will not work for pro family activists. He said that the only thing that will work is truth-telling and confrontation. To prove his point he held up a fund raising letter by popular Christian preacher D. James Kennedy. The recent letter to his national following highlighted a number of actions that MassResistance had undertaken that produced national media storms. The Kennedy letter did not mention MassResistance. Camenker quipped good naturedly, "God bless him."

David Parker followed Camenker. Parker was arrested in April of 2005 for requesting to be notified by teachers before his 7 year old son was exposed to pro homosexual propaganda in the Lexington Elementary School. Parker and one other family are now suing the school district.

Heath closed the banquet with an appeal for funds. He announced that one donor who was present had committed $30,000 to MassResistance. This donor committed to giving this generous sum when MassResistance raised an equal amount from other donors.

The League's executive director Michael Heath spoke at the growing Hermon Baptist Church on Sunday, November 13, 2006, in the morning service. As the League begins its 110th year of service to the people of Maine Heath told the church that he will not back down. The League maintains an unwavering loving stand in favor of sexual responsibility.

Heath drove to the church from his home in South China on Sunday morning. His wife, Paulie, joined him.

Paulie performed her popular upbeat original arrangement of "This little light of mine" during the Sunday School opening. Mike observed, "I was so impressed to see such a crosssection of ages in Sunday School joining Paulie in singing that joyous song."

Heath opened the Sunday School hour asking Christians to pray. The comfortable modern sanctuary was full of adults who listened attentively as Heath discussed the League and political/moral issues. After discussing the Prayer Partnership Network Heath opened the floor for questions. He spent the next forty minutes responding. One questioner asked Heath what he thought of Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi is in line to become the first female Speaker of the House. Heath reminded everyone that she represents San Franciso and proudly marches in "gay" pride parades.

The morning worship service followed the Sunday School hour. Paulie sang two special songs and introduced the congregation to the Heath sons using a short video. The Heath's oldest son is a Junior at Grove City College studying history. The two youngest boys are in the United States Marines.

Paulie closed with her worshipful and soothing song "Make me pure." This song won a Los Angeles based online contest two weeks ago, and received acclaim at the morning worship service.

Mike preached on Genesis chapters 1 to 3. He presented a paradigm developed by evangelical theologian John Rankin regarding what he calls the "order of creation."

Many congregants approached Mike and Paulie at the end of the service to become members of the League, collect literature from the table and offer supportive comments about the morning presentation.

The Hermon Baptist Church has posted a handsome glossy black and gold sign depicting the Ten Commandments in the most prominent space available at their front entrance.

Pastor Garnett Shute told Mike that the church decided to put them there after Judge Roy Moore was fired in Alabama. As Paulie was waiting for Mike in the car she read down through the Commandments. The next day when Mike and Paulie were debriefing on their ministry in Hermon she commented, "Have you ever noticed that eight out of the Ten Commandments tell us what NOT to do?"

The League is often taken to task in the press for being "judgmental" and "negative." As with the Ten Commandments it is often appropriate and necessary to discuss what we ought NOT do.

The distortions of the League are simply one aspect of the liberal and "progressive" program to marginalize religion, especially Christianity.

If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. -- John 15:18-19

Quotes

In a composite Nation like ours, made up of almost every variety of the human family, there should be, as before the Law, no rich, no poor, no high, no low, no black, no white, but one country, one citizenship equal rights and a common destiny for all. A government that cannot or does not protect the humblest citizen in his right to life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness, should be reformed or overthrown, without delay. -- Frederick Douglass

Before God we are equally wise and equally foolish. -- Albert Einstein

Paying the price

http://www.cclmaine.org/images/RECORD%20online%20newspaper/pauliesatan.jpg

Believe it or not this is a doctored digital image of my wife. Mr. Adam Flanders of Belfast Maine took the time to create this. He also wrote a clever, and vicious, parody of Paulie's biography. Both items were posted on the enormously popular music and book selling website, Amazon.com Notwithstanding complaints from Amazon users the pictures were visible on a webpage featuring Paulie's "Under the Shadow" CD for months. The webpage is provided by Amazon (for a fee) to customers who want to sell their product. Amazon allows users to post reviews of the music, and they can also upload images. That is how Mr. Flanders was able to compromise my wife's humble effort to market her music.

None of my wife's lyrics -- she has written over thirty songs and recorded over fifty -- address the issue of homosexuality. Paulie's music is mostly aimed at God and worship. It is praise and worship music. Many of her songs explore different aspects of healing and hope.

Mr. Flanders linked my wife's music to my work as leader of the Christian Civic League of Maine. He launched his ... dare I say it ... satanic attack on that basis.

Three days ago I was checking things out online with Paulie's ministry. I noticed the pictures that Mr. Flanders had posted on Amazon. I later learned from a friend that the pictures had been on the webpage for months. This friend indicated to me that he had complained to Amazon months ago to no avail.

I emailed the webpage to a few friends. Yesterday the pictures disappeared from the Amazon webpage. Also, Mr. Flanders edited his review of Paulie's music. In his review he equates his love for another man to the love that Paulie and I share as a married couple. He forgives Paulie and me for what we have done. Neither of us know Mr. Flanders. We have never done anything to him.

Adam Flanders of Belfast is quoted in a October 26, 2005 Associated Press story complaining about anti "gay" harassment. He spoke at a pro-homosexual press conference on tolerance.

It is the image of my wife as Satan that strikes most deeply. I laughed out loud at the edited bio. It was clever. I celebrate the fact that freedom of speech means that people can put these ideas before the public. It strikes me as odd that an ideology that is deeply committed to the notion of tolerance ... elevating it to the status of a religion even ... would inspire this sort of thing in a young person.

It makes me wonder if all of this talk about progress by left leaning political and religious forces is really bringing about progress. What is the world going to be like when Christians who really believe in the Ten Commandments are finally silenced?

Mainely Salts: Remembering July 4th

July 4, 2006, marks the 230th anniversary of American independence from Great Britain.

This day is the national birthday of the United States. In my mind's eye I return to Independence Hall and see the 56 delegates signing the Declaration of Independence and my ears listen to that great Liberty Bell ringing out. July 4th was a day in which salt was poured out to stop the political corruption that our forefathers were experiencing. The signers of the Declaration wrote, "The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history to repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these States. Therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America solemnly publish and declare that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States." ( Declaration of Independence, 1776)

The day salt was poured out? Yes, for Jesus said, "Ye are the salt of the earth, but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid." (Matthew 5:13-14) In New York harbor stands a lady with a light lifted toward the sky. The light of liberty was made possible because in Philadelphia an antiseptic (salt) was poured into the wounds of our suffering ancestors. This same salt was poured upon a corrupt king. I am thankful that those that came before me did not keep the salt in the saltshaker, but poured it out, aren't you?

John Adams, who was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, the first Vice-President, and the second President of the United States, four decades after the American Revolution declared that our founding fathers achieved independence on the general principles of Christianity. "The general principles upon which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. Now I will avow that I then believed and now believe that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God." (The Role of Pastors and Christians in Civil Government by David Barton)

David Barton goes on to point out that John Adams was not the only signer of the Declaration of Independence who believed that America was guided by or founded on Christian principles. This should not surprise anyone when we consider that 24 of the 56 signers had seminary degrees. The list of men that believed America was guided by or founded upon Christian principles includes Charles Carroll, John Hancock, Dr. Benjamin Rush, Stephen Hopkins, Samuel Adams, and Elias Spoodneau, who served as President of Congress during the American Revolution. Even some of the signers of the United States Constitution cited Christian principles as being foundational to America and the list includes George Washington, Rufus King, Alexander Hamilton, John Dickinson, and Roger Sherman. These men were involved in the process of giving us our Constitution and Declaration of Independence. When I examined the Declaration of Independence I found six references to God and the Bible, while an examination of the United States Constitution reveals Biblical principles.

According to David Barton, other leaders who made similar declarations about Christian principles in America included Samuel Chase, signer of the Declaration of Independence and a United States Supreme Court Justice; John Jay the first United States Supreme Court Chief Justice; Joseph Story who served as a United States Supreme Court Justice for 34 years and is considered one the most prolific judicial writers; James Kent who served on the New York Supreme Court, and served as Chief Justice; and Zephaniah James Swift who authored America's first legal text which was used by the United States Supreme Court, United States Congress, State Legislatures, and State Courts. He was also a member of the Connecticut State Superior Court and served as its Chief Justice. Also included in this group was General William Eden who was the leader of America's first war after the American Revolution and Daniel Webster who was a great defender of the United States Constitution and served as a member of the United States Congress as well as United States Secretary of State.

Furthermore, there were United States Presidents who declared that United States was founded on Christian principles or that America was a Christian nation. These Presidents include John Quincy Adams, Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, Zachary Taylor, Harry Truman, Andrew Jackson, William McKinley, Herbert Hoover and Teddy Roosevelt.

Additionally, there were educational leaders who taught students, in classic American textbooks, that Christianity was the foundation of America and its government. These authors included Noah Webster who has been called "the schoolmaster to America"; Jeddah Morse, "father of American Geography" and William McGuffy who authored the McGuffy readers.

If we consider the testimony of our Founding Fathers we must conclude that America was founded as a Christian Nation or on Christian principles. Even the United States Congress came to this conclusion in a joint response from the United States Senate and House of Representatives in 1854. It began in 1853 when a group petitioned Congress for the separation of Christian principles from government. There was a one-year investigation. Then the House Judiciary Committee on March 27, 1854 reported: "Had the people during the revolution, had any suspicion of any attempt to war against Christianity, that revolution would have been strangled in its cradle." The Senate also made a similar statement as this report continued: "At the time of the adoption of the Constitution and the Amendments, the universal sentiment was that Christianity should be encouraged, but not any one sect. In this age there can be no substitute for Christianity. That was the religion of the Founders of the Republic and they expected it remain the religion of their descendants." "The great, vital and conservative element in our system is the belief of our people in the pure doctrines and the divine truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ."

The United States Supreme Court has mad similar Statements. Let us consider three cases and what the court said. First, in Runkel vs. Winemiller (1796) the court said: "By our form of government the Christian religion is the established religion, and all sects and denominations of Christians are placed on the same equal footing." Second, in the case Church of the Holy Trinity vs. United States (1892) the court ruled: "Our laws and our institutions must necessarily be based upon and embody the teachings of the Redeemer of mankind, and it's impossible that it should be otherwise: and in this sense and to this extent our civilization and our institutions are emphatically Christian." It is interesting that the court quoted 87 different historical precedents to back up its decision. Yet, in the 1960's when the United States Supreme Court began ruling against prayer and Bible reading in the schools it gave no historical precedent. What ever happened to the balance of power? Why was the United States Supreme Court not held accountable for its rulings? Third, consider People vs. Ruggles (1811). In this case there was a man who attacked Jesus in a blasphemous way. The Supreme Court and ruled: "Whatever strikes at the root of Christianity tends manifestly to the dissolution of civil government." They reasoned that if you attack Jesus, you have attacked Christianity, and if you attacked Christianity, you have attacked the foundation of the United States, therefore an attack on Jesus or Christianity was equivalent to an attack on the foundation of the United States.

The evidence is overwhelming. If we consider the testimony of our forefathers, the United States Congress and the United States Supreme Court, America is a Christian Nation! Terrorists know this and they hate America because they see America as a Christian nation. July 4, 1776, was a day in which salt was poured out to stop the political corruption that our forefathers were experiencing. It is time that Christians leave the saltshaker, the church, and pour themselves into the civic arena as our forefathers did 230 years ago. They must register to vote, be members of a political party, run for office, support other Christians in their run for office with their time and money, and pray for America.

Credits: David Barton, The Role of Pastors and Christian in Civil Government, (TX. Wallbuilders)

David Corbett is a League supporter and monthly RECORD contributor from Lyman, Maine.