Thanksgiving, November 26, 2009 - Washington, DC

The real meaning of Thanksgiving - Read the first Thanksgiving Proclamation / Thanksgiving proclamations of Presidents Washington, Lincoln and the most recent / Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid apparently don't recognize Thanksgiving at all / Our new Internet store has thousands of Christmas items  

This special Thanksgiving update replaces the regular end of week Legislative Update that would have been distributed on Friday, November 27, 2009

Thanksgiving - What it means

A PSALM OF THANKSGIVING
1 Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!
2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.
3 Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
5 For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations. Psalm 100 -NKJV  

REAL MEANING OF THANKSGIVING - The documents below clearly show the meaning of Thanksgiving as intended by the nation's Founders. Today in most public schools God is not mentioned and Thanksgiving becomes an historical event rather than a Christian celebration of thanks to God. Please pass the document links on to others or print them out for distribution.

The First Thanksgiving Proclamation - Read here

Continental Congress 1782 Thanksgiving Proclamation - Read here

George Washington's 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation - Read here

Abraham Lincoln's 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation - Read here

CURRENT PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION - Politico had an interesting observation on President Obama's first Thanksgiving in office: "Obama's declaration is short - just over 400 words - and gives no specific examples of things that Americans should rejoice in or recover from, despite his eventful first year in office." Read complete Politico article. Read the actual proclamation here

THE HOUSE

HOUSE IN RECESS - The House is in recess the entire week and will reconvene at 6:30 PM on Tuesday, December 1, 2009 Christmas ornaments with Christian themes are available at WWW.RFCSTORE.CO M This is our Christian Internet store and sales assist our cause financially. At checkout use the coupon code CHRISTMAS2009 and an additional 10% will be taken off your merchandise total.

THE SENATE

SENATE IN RECESS - The Senate is in recess the entire week and will reconvene on Tuesday, December 1, 2009 CHRISTMAS CD's AND DVD'S? - Visit the Religious Freedom Coalitions official online store at www.rfcstore.com and receive an additional 10% off with our special coupon. At checkout use the coupon code CHRISTMAS2009 and an additional 10% will be taken off your merchandise total.
 

RELIGION AND CULTURE

NEW NOVEMBER CHAIRMAN'S REPORT - The all new November 18, 2009 Chairman's Report is now available to read in PDF format. This issue centers on the family of evangelist David Ortiz in Ariel, Israel since the bombing of their apartment. Help your Sunday School class understand these issues better. Cli ck here to review

INTERNATIONAL

OUR TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN - Anyone who has served in the Armed Services knows how important the USO is. This is the organization that brings entertainers to Iraq and Afghanistan. Without the USO many of our service men and women would have no social lives at all in places like Afghanistan. As Christmas nears you may want to assist the USO in their work. More information. IRAQI CHRISTIAN REFUGEES - As Christmas approaches please consider helping Iraqi Christian refugees in Jordan and Syria. Visit the Religious Freedom Coalition's special Facebook.com site for more information!
 
CHRISTMAS SHOPPING?

OUR CHRISTIAN INTERNET STORE - We have lots of great stuff for Christmas at our Internet store. Not only are there books and CD's, but everything from candy to jewelry and all of it has a Christian theme. Unlike Amazon and other major Internet stores we do not sell porn and satanic materials right beside Christian books. Ours is a real Christian store with tens of thousands of items. Please take a look. The store is located at www.rfcstore.com.

Week Ending June 19, 2009 - Washington, DC

Gay times for Obama / Obama: Federal benefits - not married? no problem / Obama: "Peace be upon them" / Hillary's same-sex diplomatic passports / Thought crimes bill hearings in Senate / Pelosi and the CIA / Frightened Democrats / The new Anglican Church / Taxpayer money for terrorists / Arab peace with Israel?

PETITION TO HILLARY CLINTON ON IRAQI CHRISTIANS - Read and sign the Internet petition to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The petition urges Clinton to direct our embassies to assist Christians who have fled Islamic terror in Iraq. The petition is located at www.iraqichristianrefugees.org.

THE PRESIDENCY

OBAMA'S GAY TIMES - This week President Obama granted benefits to homosexual "partners" of federal employees. As a result, for the first time in our nation's history, homosexual partners of federal employees will receive benefits just short of health insurance and retirement funding.

The benefits do not include health care and retirement because of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) signed into law by Bill Clinton. The benefits do provide long-term care insurance and sick leave to take care of homosexual "partners." Obama has stated he wants to overturn DOMA to allow homosexual marriage and full benefits to be forced on all employers.

EVEN MORE OBAMA GAY TIMES - President Obama declared in a proclamation that June is to be "LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgendered) Pride Month." In his proclamation the President stated, "LGBT Americans have made, and continue to make, great and lasting contributions that continue to strengthen the fabric of American society." What contributions would that be? Sex in the men's room of every major airport and the destruction of young men's lives through forcible sodomy? Click here to read this outrageous proclamation giving glowing praise to those who practice sodomy and oral sex.

HILLARY'S SAME-SEX BENEFITS - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Thursday issued an order granting diplomatic passports, medical care and U.S. government jobs overseas to homosexual partners of U.S. diplomats. In effect a homosexual "partner" of a diplomat will be given employment preference over other applicants, even if he has no experience. As a result of receiving these diplomatic passports, homosexual partners of diplomats can no longer be arrested in the vast majority of nations where homosexuality is illegal. Later that same day, Clinton fell on the way to the White House breaking her elbow.

"PEACE BE UPON THEM" - When referring to the dead prophets, including Mohammed, Muslims are required to say "peace be upon him" or "peace be upon them." In his Cairo address, President Barack Obama used the term after reciting the names of Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. If he is a Christian as he claims, why is he referring to Jesus as a dead prophet? In fact, why is he using this Muslim phrase at all? Read this interesting article by Frank Gaffney.

THE CONGRESS

THOUGHT CRIMES MOVE IN SENATE - Many Washington insiders expected the Democrats' thought crimes bill to be attached as an amendment to an existing bill this week without notice or hearings. However, so many calls and letters have been received by Senators that today the Senate Committee on the Judiciary announced it would hold a hearing on the "Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009' on Thursday, June 25, 2009. This is a major set back for homosexual groups who had hoped no one who opposes the thought crimes legislation would have an opportunity to speak at hearings.

PELOSI AND THE CIA - On Tuesday, the House voted to table a Privileged Resolution offered by Congressman Rob Bishop (R-UT) to create a four member bi-partisan panel to examine Speaker Nancy Pelosi's accusations that she and the rest of Congress were lied to by the CIA. The creation of the panel was denied by a vote of 247-171. Democrats continue to block an investigation that would reveal if Pelosi's remarks were truthful.

FRIGHTENED DEMOCRATS - As the price tag grows for a "national health care" plan, some Democrats, particularly in the Senate, are getting cold feet about passage of the plan this year. The bill, over 600 pages long, may cost upwards of $3 trillion over ten years. To pay for it the Obama Administration wants to tax those with private health insurance and cut Medicare expenses. Medicare expenses can only be cut by reducing services to those over 65. Note: the bill creating the Interstate Highway system in 1959 was only 32 pages long.

CULTURE AND RELIGION

ANGLICAN OR EPISCOPAL? - Next week the Anglican Church in North America will "emerge" to challenge the legitimacy of the U.S. Episcopal Church. This will force the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, to recognize the ACNA as a legitimate Anglican alternative to the Episcopal Church, a step he perhaps does not want to take. So far, 4 complete dioceses and 683 congregations have moved to the ACNA while the pro-homosexual Episcopal Church is sinking in membership and is strapped financially. Apparently Anglicans are more interested in hearing about Biblical truth than about gay issues and global warming, and have voted with their feet to join the ACNA.

ALL NEW JUNE CHAIRMAN'S REPORT - The all new June 3, 2009 Chairman's Report is now available to read in PDF format. This issue contains more information about our work on Capitol Hill with the new 111th Congress, and also about our work on international issues. Help your Sunday School class understand these issues better. Print out and distribute the Chairman's Report to your class or fellowship this Sunday! Click here to view!

INTERNATIONAL

TAXPAYER MONEY FOR TERRORISTS - In the War Supplemental Bill just passed by the House, $550 million was allotted to Israel and $600 million to the Palestinian Authority for use in the "West Bank" and Gaza. Note that those who wish to destroy Israel received more money than Israel did. It's too late to stop this injustice, but I have asked two Senators to try to amend the bill in the Senate, to allot a percentage of the Palestinian funds to the "religious minorities" in the West Bank. This would assist Christians, who face daily persecution at the hands of the Muslim majority. Christians were a majority in Bethlehem, but are less than 20% of the population of the city since the Palestinian Authority took control from Israel. Contact you Senator about helping Christians in the West bank.

ARAB PEACE WITH ISRAEL - The commander of a Gaza organization called Ansar Jund Allah (or Jund Ansar Allah) broadcast a message on June 17th to "all Jews" in which he said, '"We have come to you... with people who love death more than you love life." You can view the entire broadcast with the translation at MEMRITV, however, you will have to subscribe to the service, which is free. Because of constant attacks at the MEMRI website, subscriptions take a while to come into effect. Click here for information.

IRAQI CHRISTIANS NEED HELP - The Religious Freedom Coalition is receiving virtually no funds for our Iraqi Christian Refugee Project from Internet sources. Just a few hundred dollars have been generated at our Facebook page. Virtually no funds are being received from the publication of this email update, even though thousands of people subscribe. Your help is genuinely needed. Please help. Donation link

FACEBOOK FOR IRAQI CHRISTIANS - The Religious Freedom Coalition has a Facebook page to expose the crisis faced by Iraqi Christians. If you have a Facebook account, please become our friend at this link. You can help Iraqi Christians directly by making a donation at the Facebook cause page! Learn more here!

CHRISTIAN INTERNET SUPER STORE

GIFTS FROM A CHRISTIAN STORE How about birthday or anniversary gifts with a Christian theme? Our Internet Christian Super Store has tens of thousands of books, CD's DVD's, jewelry, food and more. AND ... Our store does not sell the atheist and satanist books that you will find on Amazon.com. When you buy from our store, you help our work. Please take a look at our store today at www.rfcstore.com

Contributions to the work of the Religious Freedom Coalition can be made at www.rfcnet.org.

Week Ending September 12, 2008 - Washington, DC

President Bush marks the Jihad attack against America / McCain and Obama stand down for 9-11 but attacks on Palin continue unabated / Pelosi dictates that Congress will only work 15 days for the rest of the year / Senator Reid plans nothing /RFC meeting with China's religious leaders / Anti-abortion but pro-Obama? / How I remember 911

NEW CHAIRMAN'S REPORT - The all new September 12, 2008 Chairman's Report is now available to read in PDF format. This issue contains information the political conventions including first hand reporting from St Paul. The Sarah Palin factor is discussed and how she changed the election dynamic. The results of an internal RFC survey of members is also revealed. Click here to view new issue.

THE PRESIDENCY

PRESIDENT BUSH MARKS 9-11 - President George W. Bush marked the seventh anniversary of the Jihad attack on the United States by dedicating a memorial to those who died at the Pentagon, including the passengers on flight 77. He closed with these remarks: "That day of peace will come. And until it does, we ask a loving God to watch over our troops in battle. We ask Him to comfort the families who mourn. And we ask Him to bless our great land." Click here for full text and official photos.

I was driving past the Pentagon on 9-11 just as flight 77 hit. My remembrance of that day was published a year later. Click here to read my personal account of 9-11.

MCCAIN AND OBAMA TAKE BREAK FOR 9-11 - The John McCain and Barack Obama campaigns set aside most of their campaigns on the seventh anniversary of the Jihad attack against the United States. The liberal media blitz against Gov. Sarah Palin did not pause . Liberals are accusing her of trying to ban books at a library (untrue); teach creationism in Alaskan public schools (untrue), and posing in a bikini with an assault rifle (also untrue despite the fact that CNN reported it). However, I did sort of like the cartoon of the Moose saying, "Be afraid, be very afraid.

THE PALIN FACTOR - Polls of Europeans, particularly the British, had Barack Obama the three to one favorite over John McCain; that was before Sarah Palin entered the picture and reminded the Brits of their beloved first ever female prime minister, Margaret Thacher. The tone of the British press has changed somewhat as can be seen from a recent article in the Daily Mail titled, A pistol-packin' Looby Loo: the Left's worst nightmare.

THE CONGRESS

JUST 15 DAYS TO LEGISLATE? - This week I had lunch with Congressman Adam Putnam. As Chairman of the House Republican Conference, Putnam is third in line in the House Republican leadership. The Conference Chairman is charged with articulating his party's message, and with building the agenda for Republicans in the House. He was elected to lead the Republican Conference by his fellow congressmen.

Congressman Putnam told me that leftist Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi had scheduled only 15 work days for the rest of year for the House. Of those days, only 14 are before the election and there is just one day of work after the election. She scheduled so few days despite the fact that most of the government's funding bills, which are already months late, need to be passed. Even bills to fund the military have not been passed. Meanwhile, Rep. Putnam said he does expect Pelosi to file dozens of bills to name post office buildings. Boy that sounds important!

SENATOR REID HAS PLANS? - Not much to report in the Senate at all. The Majority Leader of the Senate, Harry Reid, is not going to advance any legislation without the permission of Comrad Obama who is on the campaign trail and falling further behind the McCain/Palin ticket every day. Obama was going to showcase himself on the Senate floor with "education bills" but now does not have the time to come to Washington.

SENATOR BIDEN IN TROUBLE WITH BISHOPS - Two prominent U.S. Catholic bishops this week said that Democratic vice presidential nominee, Senator Joe Biden contradicted church teaching. He said on a TV interview that determining when human life begins is a "personal and private" matter of religious faith not to be imposed on others. Read more. He is just one of many pro-abortion Catholics such as Nancy Pelosi in the Democrat Party.

CULTURE AND RELIGION

ANTI-ABORTION BUT PRO-OBAMA? - A new survey of Catholic voters has been released that shows "active Catholics" support John McCain. But there is an oddity in the poll. 35% of those in the survey who said they would never support a candidate who voted against the Born Alive Infant Protect Act, still said they would vote for Obama. Of course, Barack Obama did vote against protecting infants born alive in a botched abortion. Read more.

NEW CHAIRMAN'S REPORT - The all new September 12, 2008 Chairman's Report is now available to read in PDF format. This issue contains information on the Republican Convention, including first hand reporting from St Paul. The Sarah Palin factor is discussed and how she changed the election dynamic. The results of an internal RFC survey of members is also revealed. Click here to view new issue.

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR CHRISTIAN INTERNET STORE

INTERNATIONAL

CHINA'S OFFICIAL RELIGIONS - There are no denominations in China; this is one of the things I learned from Kan Baoping, the general secretary of the China Christian Council. This week I had dinner with him and Gao Feng, the president of the China Christian Council. Also at the dinner were the heads of the Taoist, Buddhist and Islamic "official" religions in China. I was one of about 12 others who sat at the table with the Chinese leaders to discuss matters of religion in China. Among the things discussed was the arrest of a Christian bookstore owner in China. One of the Chinese Christian leaders present requested that I send him a book I had authored that he had heard of. Photo above is of myself and Kan Boeping. Note: The links above are to CCC official sites. I included these because I thought they may be of interest to you.

DON'T FORGET IRAQI CHRISTIANS - Tens of thousands of Iraqi Christians are still refugees and still need our help. Donate today!

SUPPORT THE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM COALITION

CHRISTIAN THEMED GIFTS AND BOOKS - There are literally tens of thousands of Christian theme items available at our affiliate store including jewelry from the Holy Land. It is a great place to shop for birthday gifts. The store is located at www.rfcstore.com. Please help us with our various projects on Capitol Hill and overseas by shopping at our affiliate Christian Superstore . Contributions to the work of the Religious Freedom Coalition can be made at www.rfcnet.org.