Which is worse? Making up Bible verses or pulling them out of context?

I've discussed previously Nancy Pelosi's made up scripture reference. And that's a pretty bad thing.

But now I think we've got something worse in the public square. Rev. Wright, Obama's former pastor, was at the National Press club taking questions.

Here's the bit that I'm referring to:

“Question: Jesus said I am the way, the truth, and the light. Is Islam the way to salvation?”

Wright: Jesus also said “other sheep I have, which are not of this fold.”

After Nancy's episode, I doubted this was in the Bible. But, sure enough, that's what John 10:16a says.

However, the full verse is

I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

John 10:16 (NIV)

So, does that mean that Jesus said Muslims are also on their way to salvation? Look at the rest of the verse: "They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd."

The Muslims, as least the radical Islamists, are interested in there being only one flock and one shepherd. But they are not listening to Jesus' voice nor are they interested in joining His flock.

So, no, Rev. Wright. That part of a verse pulled out of context does not mean that Islam is the way or even a way to salvation.

And thanks to Michelle Malkin for liveblogging the event.

Obama Calls Elitist Charge 'Gauche' and 'Droll'

Gotta love satire.

Scrappleface is "reporting" that Obama Calls Elitist Charge 'Gauche' and 'Droll'

“First of all, it’s très gauche and a bit bourgeois to banter about elitism at all,” said Sen. Obama, “It simply isn’t done in polite society — not among my chums from Harvard Law School or Columbia University, and certainly not in the Senate cloak room or the finer salons.”

Read the whole thing.

Nancy Pelosi - Old Testament scholar (NOT!)

According to CNSNews, Nancy Pelosi quoted the Old Testament in her Earth Day Declaration.

"The Bible tells us in the Old Testament, 'To minister to the needs of God's creation is an act of worship. To ignore those needs is to dishonor the God who made us.' On this Earth Day, and every day, let us honor the earth and our future generations with a commitment to fight climate change."
(Read the whole article)

This interested me for several reasons. What happened to the separation of church and state? How does Nancy Pelosi know so much about the Old Testament?

The last question took me to BibleGateway.com to see where that passage was located. After several searches with various combinations of words and in different versions, I came up empty.

So I searched Google for the direct quotation. It turns out that this is not the first time she has used this "quote". The Pelosi Op-ed on Dr. Martin Luther King Day contains the same words. I also found it in an October 2007 interview with Tavis Smiley. (No, I am not making that name up!) She even used the same quote in her Earth Day 2007 statement, the budget bill in 2005 debate and, evidently, her Christmas 2005 statement.

Same exact quote. And that was just on the first page of Google hits.

I also found the blog of Dr. Claude Mariottini - Professor of Old Testament, who confirmed my suspicions.

These are touching words. This biblical admonition is very important and highly relevant to the pressing issue of global warming.

Too bad this biblical admonition is not in the Old Testament.
(entire blog entry)

Thank you Dr. Mariottini (and others found in the Google search).

And I guess my questions about mixing church and state aren't a concern here. Unless you count the made up religion of environmentalism.

Cheney admits global warming!

Last night at the Radio & Television Correspondents Dinner, Vice-President Cheney has the following starling revelation:

Speaking of Vice President Gore, I'm sorry to relate that he's a little bit sore at me. He's convinced that, on global warming, I just don't get it. But lately with every passing day, the evidence has been catching my attention. I have no doubt, none at all, that we are in the midst of a global warming, or as I prefer to call it, spring. And I don't want to sound like an alarmist, but it's going to get a lot warmer before it gets cooler.

He also got a in good one on Hillary

And you in the press need to go easy on Senator Clinton on the whole business about running and ducking from gunfire in Bosnia. She made an honest mistake. She confused the Bosnia trip with the time I took her hunting.

Read the whole thing at RealClearPolitics.

Yemeni girl, 8, gets divorce after forced marriage

I am not a huge fan of divorce. In fact, I feel pretty much as God does:

Malachi 2:16a
"I hate divorce," says the LORD God of Israel...

However, I understand that sometimes it's necessary.

This looks like one of those times.

Yemeni girl, 8, gets divorce after forced marriage

A Yemeni court on Tuesday granted a divorce to an eight-year-old girl whose unemployed father forced her into an arranged marriage this year, saying he feared she might be kidnapped.

"I am happy that I am divorced now. I will be able to go back to school," Nojud Mohammed Ali said, after a public hearing in Sanaa's court of first instance.

Her former husband, 28-year-old Faez Ali Thameur, said he married the child "with her consent and that of her parents" but that he did not object to her divorce petition.

In response to a question from Judge Mohammed al-Qadhi, he acknowledged that the "marriage was consummated, but I did not beat her."

(Full Story)

...sigh...

Thanks to Foxnews.com for the link.

Study: Prayer No Guarantee Against Adultery

Foxnews.com is reporting, "Study: Prayer No Guarantee Against Adultery"

Evidently just belief and prayer aren't enough.

Attendance at religious services is the only faith-related activity that predicts improved chances of fidelity in marriage, according to the research.

Other factors, including prayer, were found to have no unique bearing, statistically, on whether couples fooled around on each other.

In fact, those who said religion was very important to them but who didn't get to church often were more likely than others in the study to have had an affair.

Survey participants who rarely if ever attend services were about four times more likely to have had an affair compared to those who attend services with great frequency.

So, sure, you can worship God on the golf course as much as you can at church. But you are missing out on teaching, fellowship and accountability that comes with regular church attendance.

Looks like Paul had this one right:

Hebrews 10:25
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

"Religion of Peace" declares war on Rome

OK. Not quite. But pretty much.

But according to Foxnews.com, "Hamas Cleric Predicts 'Rome Will Be Conquered by Islam'"

The fiery sermon, delivered by Yunis al-Astal and aired on Hamas' Al-Aqsa TV, predicted that Rome would become "an advanced post for the Islamic conquests, which will spread though Europe in its entirety, and then will turn to the two Americas, even Eastern Europe."

"Allah has chosen you for Himself and for His religion," al-Astal preached, "so that you will serve as the engine pulling this nation to the phase of succession, security and consolidation of power, and even to conquests through da'wa and military conquests of the capitals of the entire world.

"Very soon, Allah willing, Rome will be conquered, just like Constantinople was, as was prophesized by our prophet Muhammad," he added.

Later...

Today, Rome is the capital of the Catholics, or the Crusader capital, which has declared its hostility to Islam, and has planted the brothers of apes and pigs in Palestine in order to prevent the reawakening of Islam.

Yeah. These guys are ready for peace. Glad Jimmy's going over there to give the process a hand.

ChurchMedia.net Convention 2008

This year, I will once again be attending the ChurchMedia.net conference.

For me, it's a lot about fellowship with the folks I hang around with electronically over at ChurchMedia.net.

But there are many classes and general sessions to help you improve your skills and get fired up.

If you are involved in any aspect of sound, graphics or video at your church, consider joining us in Dallas, June 24-27. Or sign up for the virtual convention and watch online!

Some of the best training you can get for the money.

Jimmy Carter to Meet With Hamas

Jimmy Carter to Meet With Hamas

Former President Jimmy Carter is reportedly preparing an unprecedented meeting with the leader of Hamas, an organization that the U.S. government considers one of the leading terrorist threats in the world.

Questions.

1. Why is he doing this?
2. Why is he allowed doing this?
3. Why is it news that he's doing this?

As Reformed Chicks Blabbing opined:

I can't really see meeting with these guys because they have been honest about never recognizing Israel, so what would be the point? He really does live up to his reputation of being the worst president in the history of this nation.

Creation Day

There is a movement afoot on the internet, to have Earth Day become the day we celebrate the creation of the Earth and call it Creation Day.

A day to celebrate our Creative God and His incredible work of this creation sound like a worthwhile cause to me.

So on your calendars, go to April 22, strike off Earth Day and write in Creation Day.