2010 California Election Forum

Every small gesture means something to God—and to those you help

Finally, I thank you for reading Reality Alert and helping reshape America by writing to those in authority and helping other Christians know about the issues we cover.

One reader was discouraged being she couldn’t actually come to Election Forums anymore and no longer could write letters. I encouraged her to keep praying.

And it reminded me of a song that blesses me each time I hear it.

This is for all readers—young and old—for the things you do for the Kingdom that aren’t seen or that you may think are insignificant.

To view this short video, click here.

Christianity is a death sentence in many parts of the world

Open Doors USA, an international nonprofit ministry, has released its early report on the worst governments for persecution of Christians:

1. North Korea
2. Saudi Arabia
3. Iran
4. Afghanistan
5. Somalia
6. Maldives
7. Yemen
8. Laos
9. Eritrea
10. Uzbekistan

Over 100 million Christians worldwide suffer intimidation, interrogation, arrest and execution for their faith in Christ.

Government prohibits religious practice

Burma, a repressive Buddhist state, has ordered a stop to all Christian services held in residential homes.

The use of religious home studies has grown since Burma stopped issuing building permits for churches in the 1990s. Pray for our Burmese brothers and sisters in Christ.

Court denies protection under RLUIPA and First Amendment

Trying to establish a new church property in San Leandro, California, the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel battled high costs and community opposition.

The best solution was to use space in an industrially zoned part of town. But because the city would lose tax revenue as a result, it refused to rezone.

Because of these types of denials, in the 1990s, Congress pushed for the RLUIPA law to protect churches’ First Amendment rights to expand or build.
But a California federal district court rejected the claim that the city violated the church’s rights under RLUIPA, the First Amendent, due process and equal protection.

In fact the court stated, “The fact that there may be no other properties available to which the Church can expand its operations in the specific way it wants does not mean that the City’s zoning code imposes a substantial burden on the Church.”

Pray that this blow to religious liberty be overturned, RLUIPA will be strengthened and the church will be able to build in San Leandro.

Christian schools retain the right to determine codes of conduct

In past issues, we talked about the lawsuits against California Lutheran High School. The school expelled two girls for lesbian behavior and was sued for discrimination as a result.

The court said that the school was not a business, so it didn’t violate state law that prohibits businesses from discrimination.

This ruling is a victory for religious liberty.

God and country moving further apart?

New American solders used to receive free Bibles from the Gideons.

But the ACLU threatened a lawsuit and the military agreed—no more Bible distributions.

Shocking rally reveals true feelings

Throughout the U.S. there have been pro-Hamas, anti-Jew rallies. Look at this short video as a women cries out “Go back to the oven.” This shameful sentiment is echoed at many of these rallies. Click here to view the short video.

NBC should be ashamed

At least nine Super Bowl advertisers—shelling out a record $3 million for each 30-second TV commercial—used offensive sexual innuendos to sell their products.

Once a great family event, the Super Bowl is no longer an ideal venue for children, who should not have seen these commercials.

Few seemed to care.

Incidently, NBC did cancel a commercial. It’s the pro-life commercial we discussed in our last Reality Alert Update, called Imagine. Click here to view it.

What are your thoughts? Email me at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Frivolous lawsuit threatens a valuable youth organization

California’s Attorney General Jerry Brown went against the Boy Scouts in court—supposedly speaking on your behalf.

A pair of couples, one lesbian and another agnostic, challenged a lease the Scouts signed with the city of San Diego allowing them to operate recreational facilities on park land. The couples said the deal violated the Establishment Clause because of the Boy Scouts’ professed reverence of God.

In addition, they said they were opposed to using the facilities because of the Scouts’ stated policy of excluding homosexuals and atheists.

The district court agreed during pretrial motions—though there has been no concrete injury recorded by the plaintiffs—and the Scouts appealed. A 9th Circuit panel led by Judge Marsha Berzon granted standing to the plaintiffs, over the objections of Judge Andrew Kleinfeld. Senior Judge William Canby, Jr., tilted the decision against the Scouts.

New statement-making exhibit debuts

The founding of the modern nation of Israel was a "catastrophe," according to a new exhibit opening today at the United Methodist Building on Capitol Hill. The display, "60 Years of Dispossession" chronicles the Nakba, the Palestinian word for catastrophe used to describe Israel's founding, an event which is reviled in the Arab world.

The photo exhibit highlights a mass deportation of Palestinians, massacres of civilians and the razing to the ground of hundreds of Palestinian villages. It is appearing in the lobby of the United Methodist Building February 3–24.