Billy Graham birthday video
It’s been a few weeks since evangelist Billy Graham celebrated his 90th birthday.
As a way to honor the renowned preacher, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association requested the people who have been impacted by Graham and his ministry send in letters and e-mails sharing their testimonies of faith.
The association received about 120,000 letters.
Watch as Graham’s son, Franklin Graham, tells his father of the project: Billy’s 90th birthday.
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
This vampire (movie) has morals
The vampire movie “Twilight” is drawing large crowds to theaters these days.
Is there anything to nibble on beyond the teen fantasy premise of girl-loves-vampire-dude? Something more meaty, like say a moral point to all the teeth-gnashing (or not)?
The film, based on a fiction series by Mormon Stephenie Meyer, has a moral/religious message, according to Jennifer Hahn, the author of ”the Scoop” featured in today’s e-letter sent out by the Knight Chair in Media and Religion at the University of Southern California.
In her article, Hahn says many movie critics missed the abstinence message inherent in the romantic storyline.
“Twilight” might be this year’s most religious film – but you wouldn’t know that by reading the reviews,” she wrote.
Hahn offers more commentary to sink one’s teeth into.
Get “the Scoop” by clicking here: “What Critics Aren’t Seeing in ‘Twilight’”
Carla Hinton
Oklahoma’s “Most Inspiring Person” nominee
Master Sgt. William “Spanky” Gibson, originally from Pryor, is one of 10 nominees for Beliefnet.com’s ”Most Inspiring Person of the Year” honor.
Gibson, now on fellowship in Washington, D.C. and, according to Beliefnet, the first full amputee to return as a soldier to a war zone, joins contemporary Christian recording artist Stephen Curtis Chapman, Olympic swimming medalist Dara Torres, actor Paul Newman and others who made the list of this year’s “Most Inspiring Person” nominees.
“Hope, selflessness and human kindness live within each and every one of us and this year’s nominees for Most Inspiring Person of the Year demonstrate the dramatic impact those qualities can have when called into action,” Beliefnet Managing Editor Michael Kress said in a news release.
“Individually, these10 whole-hearted spirits embody the greatest depths of human dignity and self-sacrifice. Shedding light on their stories reminds us that there are heroes everywhere we look, leaving legacies that will last for generations to come.”
The online community can vote for Gibson or any of the other nominees through Dec. 5 by going to www.Beliefnet.com. Visitors may vote once daily. The winner will be announced on Dec. 10.
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
A different kind of Bible
“Bible Illuminated: The Book” is a different kind of Bible.
For starters, it’s being promoted as a coffee table book or a high-end, design-forward glossy magazine.
It includes images of celebrities like Angelina Jolie, Bono and Princess Diana.
In a news release, Publisher Illuminated World, a Swedish company, said it set out to make the biblical text more accessible to people who would normally never read it.
“This is another way for people to become familiar or reacquaint themselves to one of the most influential texts of our time,” the company’s U.S. president Larry Norton, said.
“What makes this different than other nontraditional Bibles in the market is that “Bible Illuminated” complements the stories with striking, contemporary photographs that tie back to people’s lives today.”
A new Web site — www.bibleilluminated.com was launched as the Bible was released recently in North America. Publisher Illuminated World’s news release said the site will serve as a forum for discussion on diverse topics ranging from religion, inequality, social justice and the use of imagery in “Bible Illuminated.”
Meanwhile, the softcover “Bible Illuminated” — which features the New Testament – is 288 pages and retails for $35. It was originally published in Sweden in 2007.
Check out the Web site or go peruse the new Bible and let me know what you think.
Do you think the Bible needed this cultural update or makeover?
Send your comments, along with your name, age and hometown to chinton@opubco.com.
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
Faith at the polls
I read the other day about people who became addicted to the presidential election.
Now that it is over they are fighting withdrawal.
If there are any folks like that reading this blog, here is something for your election taste buds to savor: Beliefnet has released the results of its exit poll.
It is an interesting look at the beliefs of the people who voted for Obama/Biden ticket or McCain/Palin ticket. Read it by clicking here: Beliefnet’s exit poll.
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
Atheists make requests of president-elect
The Secular Coalition for America and Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers unveiled a new proposal on religious accomodation at a pre-Veterans Day briefing today at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
The new policy recommendations regarding religious discrimination and accomodation in the U.S. Armed Forces were presented in a memo for President-elect Barack Obama as he considers staffing and policies regarding the military.
According to the coalition and association, atheists and others with no religious affiliation make up 21 percent of the U.S. Armed Forces, and yet they suffer harassment, discrimination and proselytizing in a military increasingly dominated by a powerful minority of evangelical Christians.
Other military personnel who do not hold a born-again Christian belief are similarly marginalized, the groups said.
While some existing regulations support the free exercise of religion, they are silent on accommodating the hundreds of thousands of atheists, agnostics, humanists and other nontheists currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces who have no religion to exercise, the groups said in a news release.
“Commanders, chaplains, and other officials simply interpret nontheists out of the protected religious categories,” said Jason Torpy, president of the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers.
“What we are asking is that nontheistic service personnel be extended the same institutional protections and support that traditional faith groups enjoy. That is why we ask for a new directive that explicitly identifies nontheistic personnel as protected.”
The policy recommendations released today focus special attention on the chaplain corps in the U.S. military.
“Not only do chaplains often fail to intervene when subordinates are harassed, denied promotions, proselytized or threatened, they often are the worst offenders,” Lori Lipman Brown, the secular coalition’s director, said.
Brownsaid one of the groups’ goals with the new proposals is to make chaplains accountable for the religious climate on military bases, on ships and anywhere members of the U.S. Armed Forces are serving.
The policy recommendations memo addressed to President-elect Obama is entitled “Secular Coalition Urges Changes To Religious Accommodation Practices In The Military,” and is signed by Lori Lipman Brown. It contains an “Action Plan to Protect Religious Liberty and Freedom of Conscience” consisting of four detailed sections which are summarized below:
1. Vetting New Appointments and Promotions to ensure that appointees are committed “to fostering a secular military that protects the religious liberty and freedom of conscience of our soldiers.”
2. A Directive from your New Secretary of Defense that would “demonstrate your administration’s commitment to implement the change we need” and require all branches to update their regulations with regard to promoting religion over non-religion, proselytizing, discrimination and the role and training of chaplains.
3. Conduct a Survey of Military Personnel “in order to determine the pervasiveness of the problems of religious discrimination and proselytizing.”
4. Establish a Commission for Religious Accommodation charged with, among other things: creating effective channels for reporting failures to accommodate religious and nonreligious service members’ beliefs; investigating such failures and ensuring corrective actions are taken; reporting annually to Congress on complaints; recommending improvements in training and regulations; and ensuring diversity among the chaplain corps that represents the diversity of the military.
The Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers is a member of the Secular Coalition for America.
The complete policy memo can be viewed in PDF form at www.secular.org.
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
Graham celebrates with family
Evangelist Billy Graham celebrated his 90th birthday Friday with family and personal staff at a private barbeque near his mountain home outside Asheville, N.C., attended by all five of his children, most of his 19 grandchildren and many of his great grandchildren, a news release said.
“I’ve learned that these latter years can be some of the most fulfilling of our lives,” the evangelist said in the prepared statement released through Christian Newswire.
“I am grateful for each day, thankful for the measure of health I have and am overwhelmed by this celebration. But I think we can come back and celebrate again next year.”
(PICTURED ABOVE: Four generations of William F. Graham, including the evangelist, Billy Graham, and, left to right, his son, Franklin; grandson, “Will”; and great-grandson, “Quinn.”)
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
Happy Birthday Billy!
Evangelist Billy Graham celebrates his 90th birthday today.
He is to mark this milestone with a private family dinner near his mountainside home outside Asheville, N.C. His son, evangelist Franklin Graham, appeared on NBC’s “Today” show and said the dinner was to include barbeque, a treat his father was especially looking forward to.
For the past month, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association has been encouraging individuals to bless the evangelist by sending a birthday greeting or story to him. You can read some of those messages and stories on the association Web site at www.billygraham.org.
Meanwhile Graham was recently interviewed for a news release sent out by the association.
Here is what he had to say:
“I never expected to live this long, and it is hard to believe I have reached the age of 90. Every day is a gift from God, no matter how old we are. I have discovered that just because we grow weaker physically as we age, it doesn’t mean that we must grow weaker spiritually. In fact, we ought to be growing stronger spiritually, because our eyes ought to be on eternity and Heaven — on the things that really matter.”
People familiar with the renowned preacher’s dedication to spreading the Gospel will not be too surprised to learn that he is working to complete a new book project based on his personal experience with growing older and how to be prepared emotionally and spiritually for what he says can be the most fulfilling years of life.
“I look forward to the time when I will be reunited with my wife in heaven, and neither of us will ever experience again the physical aches and pains brought about by age and illness,” he said in the association’s prepared statement.
Meanwhile, at 90 Graham continues to stay informed about the evangelistic association’s ministry under the leadership of Franklin Graham. In the past year he participated in ministry board meetings and other activities as his health allowed.
“I am proud of Franklin’s leadership of the BGEA and the way it is showing the love of Christ to a hurting world and using new technology to share the Gospel message,” he said.
Incidentally, I got to meet Billy Graham when he came for his Mission Oklahoma City in 2003 at the Ford Center. Even after five years have passed, I can still remember the trepidation I felt as I walked into the room where Graham was waiting for me.
He had agreed to an interview and I learned that he typically grants a news interview in the city where his crusade/mission is to be held.
Any nerves I had completely disappeared once we started the interview. It was like talking to a trusted friend.
The atmosphere in the room was one of complete calm — something that can’t be orchestrated. I thought about it later and wondered how they had arranged it that way.
Several months later it dawned on me that Graham set the atmosphere. I believe the calm and peace that pervaded the room was because he was totally at peace with God and a true witness to God’s grace and love in the world.
I’ve been told that people of faith should set the atmosphere — well Billy Graham did — and does.
Happy Birthday Billy!
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
Palin a target because of her faith?
Some people are concerned that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is being unfairly scrutinized by the media now that the presidential election is over.
Janice Shaw Crouse, director and senior fellow of Concerned Women for America’s Beverly LaHaye Institute, said Palin, who was Sen. John McCain’s running mate for the Republicans, is being targeted by the media because she is a conservative Christian woman.
“Some reporters are delving into media archives to find any instance of misspeaking or comments that can be misconstrued to show her supposed ‘ignorance,’ ‘inexperience,’ or ‘unsuitability for public office,’” Crouse said today in a statement released through Christian Newswire.
“It is amazing the lengths to which some people will go to destroy anyone who stands for moral principles, especially those who are pro-life or pro-marriage. Sarah Palin was thrust into the media spotlight and into political stardom overnight. She is a natural politician who exudes authenticity and a touch for the common person. She is a role model for young women and an example of a wife and mother who chose the right priorities and excelled at politics as well. Granted, she is not used to ‘gotcha journalism,’ and the rest of us are tired of ‘gotcha journalism.’”
Crouse said Palin is being targeted by the media because she is a conservative Christian woman.
“It is entirely predictable, but unconscionable, that the media would consider her fair game for personal destruction,” Crouse said.
Crouse said the media destroyed their credibility during the presidential campaign and are “earning their own destruction.”
(AP PHOTO: Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin greets supporters after returning to Anchorage, Alaska, on Wednesday. Palin returned after 70 days on the campaign trail as Sen. John McCain’s, R-Ariz., running-mate in the presidential election.)
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
More faith leaders speak out on Obama
I promised I’d post more statements and comments from faith leaders and faith-based groups regarding Barack Obama’s election to the U.S. presidency.
Here are a few more that have come across the wire or sent via e-mail:
The Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church congratulated Sen. Barack Obama today on his election as the 44th President of the United States and applauded his willingness to articulate a vision of change for the nation “that is based on hope for all the people, especially those who are disinherited and disenfranchised.”
The congratulatory letter was signed by the Council’s president, Bishop Gregory V. Palmer, and sent on behalf of the entire council, which includes bishops from the U.S., Africa, Europe and the Philippines.
“The United Methodist Church has a long history of publicly-expressed concern for social justice based on Christian principles. Our desire for justice extends to the natural world, the nurturing community, the social community, the economic community, the political community and the world community,” the letter stated. “We are praying that God will grant you wisdom, courage and protection in your presidential leadership. We are also praying for all the leaders of the world’s nations who will collaborate with you in the arena of common concerns that impact the global community.”
The Baptist Press reported today that Southern Baptist ethics leader Richard Land applauded the meaning of Obama’s election while acknowledging his opposition to the president-elect’s policies.
“There are tens of millions of Americans who did not vote for President-elect Obama, as well as those who did, who are very, very pleased that an African American has been elected president of the United States,” said Land, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. “The fact that this could happen in a country with as tragic a racial past as America’s says something noble and fine about the American experiment and the glorious ‘opportunity democracy’ it has spawned. After much struggle, we as a nation have chosen to live up to the promises of our founding documents: We believe ‘that all men are created equal.’
“For the millions of us who came of age during the civil rights era and were inspired by Dr. [Martin Luther] King, it is very gratifying to watch our nation elect a person of color to the highest political office in the land, even so one for whom we may not have voted because of serious policy differences,” Land told Baptist Press.
Alexia Kelley, executive director of Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, issued the following statement today:
“The election of Barack Obama represents a historic moment for our nation. Across the often bitter divides of race and class, Americans united behind a shared vision for the common good. We hope that President-elect Obama will live up to his promise to build a new kind of politics that brings Democrats and Republicans together to confront the urgent challenges we face here and around the world. As faithful citizens, we will challenge his Administration to bring a responsible end to the
Jane Hansen Hoyt, president of Aglow International, a worldwide women’s ministry based in Seattle, issued this statement:
“We congratulate Barack Obama, the new president-elect of the United States and commit to pray for him and his family, as we have done on behalf of our leaders for decades. As a worldwide women’s ministry with thousands of members across the U.S., we are praying for two crucial issues he will face that, we believe, will have an effect on our nation for generations: Support for the nation of Israel, and the appointment of U.S. Supreme Court justices. May he make those decisions with wisdom and a desire to seek righteousness.”
Meanwhile, Jon O’Brien, president of Catholics for Choice, issued a statement today on the U.S. election results and the priorities for the next president.
“Initial results show that 54% of the Catholic vote went to President-elect Barack Obama. This shows that the majority of Catholics voted their conscience when deciding who should be the next president, and ignored the single-issue dictates of a few bishops who declared that it was unacceptable to vote for him because of his prochoice position.
“The next administration will have to work hard to repair the damage done during the last eight years. Undoubtedly, concerns about America’s economic security and military engagements overseas will garner a great deal of attention. However, the next administration and Congress must also work for advances in reproductive health care in the U.S. and abroad.”
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
