Breaking NEWS for the persecuted

[WaitWatchPray]

My pastor told me Sunday that he had started a blog.

Since I haven't had time or energy to spare restarting Brother's Keeper, I thought a blog might just be the thing to 'stand in the gap' so to speak until such time as I can get the website back up.

It's at:

http://brskeeper.blogspot.com

Let me know what you think.

[eastwood]

Looks great! A very nice job... feel free to pimp it here every occasionally...

I hope to get a blog going soon myself, once everything else is done from my big host move.

[WaitWatchPray]

 

jma
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Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin - No. 341 - Wed 24 Aug 2005

-----------------------------------------                           
CHINA: DEFIANTLY INTENSIFYING PERSECUTION                         
----------------------------------------- 

Two recent news releases from China Aid Association* (CAA) document a shocking escalation of persecution in China. There seems (to RLP) to be a direct correlation between increasing Russian-Chinese-Central Asian solidarity and growing persecution of unsanctioned Protestant Christians in those states. The dictators are uniting to protect their totalitarian regimes through alliances that reduce the influence and leverage of Western human rights and religious
liberty advocates. Furthermore, China is systematically strengthening its assault on 'cults' (which includes house churches) through ideological training of cadres. These are very concerning developments. But God is in control of his-story for his
glory! So we will confidently and dependently approach his 'throne of grace' (Hebrews 4:14-16).   

CAA reports that in Henan Province on 1 July, 70 Christians in a house church fellowship were holding a baptismal service for 60 new believers when they were raided by police. Pastor Wang Baode and nine others were sentenced to 15 days' administrative detention, whilst all others present were fined, probably unofficially as no receipts were issued. On 7 July Pastor Cai Zhuohua faced court in Beijing charged with 'illegal business operations' for printing more than 200,000 Bibles and other Christian books. (As they were given away and not sold, there was no 'business'.) He is in prison awaiting sentence. On 22 July, 100 High School students were arrested at a Vocational Bible School in Hebei Province. The Public Security Bureau (PSB) interrogated them for hours before releasing them with the order not to gather again. On 26 July, a 400-member
house church fellowship in Shanghai was ordered to close. 

On 2 August, two touring American theology students were arrested along with 43 South China Church pastors and believers in Zaoyang City, Hebei Province. The two Americans were interrogated for seven hours and their personal Bibles, books and notebooks were confiscated. The SCC believers were imprisoned. All but two have since been released, having suffered torture, humiliation and
beatings. A 17-year-old evangelist, Mr He Baobao, had to be hospitalised. The two still in prison are Ms Gu Junqing (38) and Ms Ren Daoyun (60) who had hosted the SCC meeting in her home. Eye witnesses told CAA Ms Ren was severely punished by the Domestic Security Squad of the Zaoyang PSB, being savagely and repeatedly beaten into unconsciousness. 

On Sunday 7 August, a house church in Hejing County, Xinjiang Province, was raided during worship. Some 30 believers were arrested by the Domestic Security Protection Squad. Ten of the women were then stripped and paraded naked. Those who refused to remove their clothes were savagely beaten. One woman tried to kill herself by beating her head into a brick wall, such was her humiliation. Three church leaders, Mr Song Jun, Mr He Jiangwei and Ms Liang Fanglan are still held incommunicado. 

On 11 August, 35 High School and University students, along with several church leaders, were arrested at a Sunday School teacher training class in Jiangxi Province. Police confiscated money and church property, without receipts. All those arrested have been released but six will be prosecuted for criminal offences. On 15 August, five American church leaders were arrested along with 27 house church pastors. The group had simply been enjoying Christian fellowship together. Where they are being detained is not known.

(* China Aid Association <http://www.ChinaAid.org>)

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR:

* 'mercy and grace' in this time of great need, especially for those in prison (Hebrews 4:14-16; 13:3), asking God in his mercy to protect them from brutality and grant them justice.

* all those who have suffered, that God will give them healing,  strength and grace to love and pray for their persecutors  without bitterness, the ultimate spiritual victory.

'Be alert and always keep on praying for the saints' (Ephesians 6:18 NIV) in this spiritual battle. 

* God to so use the integrity, gospel witness, and supernatural grace of China's persecuted believers that their persecutors will be convicted of sin and ultimately be drawn to Christ.

* revival to sweep through the Chinese Communist Party at every level, and for God to intervene in the life of CCP chief, President Hu Jintao, that he might humble himself before the Lord, renounce his sins, do what is right, and acknowledge that  'Heaven rules'. (2 Chronicles 33; Daniel 4).

[WaitWatchPray]

Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin - No. 343 - Wed 07 Sep 2005

----------------------------------                                 
MEXICO: PROTESTANTS FORCED TO FLEE                                 
----------------------------------

Protestant Christians amongst ethnic Huichol in Agua Fria, Jalisco
state, western Mexico, are suffering severe persecution. (The
Huichol are indigenous Indians descended from the Aztecs.) This
village has three Protestant groups  Baptist, Seventh-day
Adventist and Apostolic  all of whom have been affected by the
persecution. Compass Direct (CD) reports that villagers armed with
machetes and clubs drove the believers from their homes,
threatening to burn them alive. This threat was taken seriously as
in February traditionalists torched the home of Hermelinda Vazquez
de la Cruz, an evangelical, who suffered severe burns and is now
disabled. She and her children barely escaped.   

The believers of Agua Fria have fled for their lives across the
state border into Tepic, Nayarit, and are being housed in the
Seventh Apostolic Church of Tepic. According to CD, the first wave
of 70 included 12 infants, with an estimate of some 300 refugees in
total. The Christians were told they can return to their homes only
if they renounce their faith and embrace indigenous Indian
traditions and rites. Defending the expulsions, community leaders 
say communal statutes stipulate the believers can only stay within
the community and on their land if they practise Huichol culture.
Most locals practise a syncretistic religion, mixing the
Catholicism of the Spanish colonialists with traditional Huichol
rituals which involve sharmanism and the use of the hallucinatory
drug peyote. 

Traditionalist Catholics have perpetrated similar persecution
against Protestants in the southern state of Chiapas for many
years. In the central state of Hidalgo, locals at a town meeting in
Cuateceometl agreed the authorities should 'eradicate' non-
Catholics from the area. On 15 May, police accompanied by a
Catholic catechist arrived at the Fountain of Heaven Church in
Cuateceometl and arrested Pastor Francisco Sanchez Gonzalez along
with a church member, Raul Bautista. The men were later released
but fined heavily. The church members also were all fined and
ordered to renounce their faith. 

Though religious liberty is guaranteed in Mexico's constitution,
its abuse stems from a fierce emergent nationalism often expressed
as anti-Americanism and anti-Protestantism, with an insistence on
all things 'traditional'. Many Mexicans are culturally Catholic,
but nominal and syncretistic. However, in recent decades many
Catholics have been discovering the Bible and turning to
evangelical Christianity. This has generated hostility from the
Catholic leadership who sense their traditional authority being
threatened. Also since around 1995, significant numbers of Tzotzil
Mayan Indians from Chiapas have been embracing the message of
Islamic missionaries, who are predominantly Spanish with Arab
funding. Most Muslim converts have been Protestant converts from
Catholicism, who were persecuted by Catholics and then picked up by
the Muslims.

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR:

* the Christian refugees from Agua Fria to have their needs
  provided and be comforted; may they grow in prayerful,
  confident, joyous God-dependence, bringing glory to God.

* God's provision for the Seventh Apostolic Church of Tepic caring
  for the Agua Fria refugees, and especially for wisdom and
  strength for the church's pastor, Jesus Estrella Candelario.

* Mexico's every level of government to uphold the lawful rights
  of religious minorities, by denouncing persecution and
  unconstitutional local 'statutes' that arise from disinformation
  and prejudice.

* unity, solidarity and selfless energy amongst Mexican
  evangelicals to support each other in mission and when
  persecuted.

* courageous, discerning pastoral leadership and unflinching,
  cross-centred Bible teaching to anchor Mexico's Protestants
  securely to Christ. 'Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and
  perfecter of our faith...' Hebrews 12:2a

[WaitWatchPray]

BURKINA FASO

03 October 2005

BURKINA FASO NEEDS HELP

The famine afflicting the West African state of Niger is also causing suffering in other countries of the region, particularly Burkina Faso. Children are beginning to be affected by diseases linked to malnutrition and deficiency. Christians in Burkina Faso have appealed to Barnabas Fund for help with famine relief in six zones, especially for women and children.

We are most grateful to those who have already donated to Barnabas Fund to help starving Christians in Niger.  For photos and further details of what your gifts for Niger have done click this link:

http://www.barnabasfund.o.../niger/niger-20050930.htm.

CAN YOU HELP WITH THE CURRENT NEEDS OF THE CHRISTIAN MINORITY IN BURKINA FASO?

We are seeking to raise sufficient funds to provide two months supplies to families in Kaya, Kongoussi, Ouahigouya, Ziniare and two districts near the capital Ouagadougou.

Burkina Faso ranks 175 out of 177 countries on the United Nations Human Development Index of 1993. Christians comprise approximately 18% of the population.

Please click this link:

https://secure.barnabasfund.org/

to donate online using our secure server.

(Please quote project reference 38-568 when you send your gift.)

If you prefer to telephone dial:  0800 587 4006 from within the UK or +44 1672 565 031 from overseas.

If you prefer to send a cheque, click this link:

http://www.barnabasfund.org/donations.htm]

for addresses of our regional offices and to print a donation page.

BARNABAS FUND E-MAIL NEWS SERVICE

Barnabas Fund's e-mail news service provides the media and our supporters with urgent news briefs concerning suffering Christians around the world.

If you would like to receive news briefs from the Barnabas Fund please contact us with your name, postal and e-mail addresses.

Further details, quotes and photos on this and other stories may be available for news editors on request.

Barnabas Fund works to support Christian communities mainly, but not exclusively, in the Islamic world where they are facing poverty and persecution.

Barnabas Fund, The Old Rectory, River Street, PEWSEY, Wiltshire, SN9 5DB, UK.
Tel: +44(0)1672 564938
Fax: +44(0)1672 565030
E-mail: info@barnabasfund.org
Web: www.barnabasfund.org

[WaitWatchPray]

Christian Children in China Refuse to Deny Jesus

Sister Jing shares how Sunday school children in one province stood firm in their faith

Although China's Constitution allows citizens to believe in religion, it does not guarantee the right to practice that religion. Therefore, Chinese Christians are usually arrested for the "illegal" religious activities that are a natural outgrowth of their faith. When adult believers are arrested, they face severe consequences. But because "belief" is legal, they generally are not required to deny their faith.

When children are caught, however, officials take a different approach. In an attempt to weaken their faith, children are often encouraged to deny Jesus altogether. What Chinese officials don't realize, however, is that God is able to make believers "strong, firm and steadfast" (1 Pet. 5:10) regardless of their age.

Recently, Sister Jing, who has taught children and trained Sunday school teachers all over China, shared the following inspiring account with one of our Open Doors colleagues.

Chinese Police Unprepared for Strong Faith of Children

Sunday school was in full swing for more than 30 children when the sound of vehicles interrupted the class. Before the children even had time to put away their books, public Security Bureau officers burst into the room, confiscated "incriminating evidence," and unceremoniously herded the children into a van.

By now the children knew what was happening. Their teachers had warned them it might happen one day and had taught them what to do. Now their time of testing had come.

As the van sped toward the police station, the children clung together to steady themselves. Then one child started singing. Before long, the van was filled with song as all the children enthusiastically joined in-much to the annoyance of the officials in the van.

Upon arrival at the police station, the children marched bravely into the interrogation room still singing, "In the name of Jesus, we have the victory."

This was not the cowering group of children the police interrogator had anticipated! He began to threaten the children, telling them they would have to write "I do not believe in Jesus" one hundred times before he would release them. Instead, the defiant children wrote, "I believe in Jesus today. I will believe in Jesus tomorrow. I will believe in Jesus forever!"

Unprepared for such a strong stand from young school children, the officials weren't sure how to respond. In exasperation, they called the children's parents. When the parents arrived, they were told the children would be released only if the parents said they were not Christians. Because many of the parents were not believers, they readily affirmed they didn't believe in Jesus and took their children home.

But when a widowed believer came to pick up her twin sons, she refused to deny Jesus. The officers threatened her, "If you do not deny Jesus, we will not release your sons!"

Unshaken, the widow replied, "Well, I guess you will just have to keep them, because without Jesus, there would be no way for me to take care of them!"

Exasperated by continued, unexpected resistance to their threats, the officials said in disgust, "Take your sons and go!"

We thank God for stories like this because we know that children are the future of the Church. That's why, with your generous support, Open Doors is working hard to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to China's 40 million children. And by God's grace, children like these are embracing it with their whole hearts!

[pilgrim]

Praise the Lord God Almighty!

These stories thrill my heart. May God bless and keep the little children--in Jesus name.

The name of the Lord is a strong tower... Hallelujah!

[angelkitten]

That was such an awesome story!  I have 2 toddlers of my own and they are currently learning to say their prayers and bow their heads.  I am so encouraged to keep on teaching them by the children in this story.  Out of the mouths of babes.  I will pray they are spared anymore persecution in the future but God Bless them and give them the strength to do just what they did again.

[WaitWatchPray]

On my blog (http://brskeeper.blogspot.com/), there are some things going on where your prayers and/or action, in the form of letters, email, etc., would be appreciated.

Thanks.

In Christ alone,

jma/T

[hardcore]

Temeraire,

What are your thoughts on the lack of attention given the Persecuted Church by our current administration?

I simply don't understand how a "Christian" President can ignore this.  One of the paragraphs in your post mentioned Bush and China.  Does he ever address these issues?  Maybe he does and we just don't hear about it?

hardcore

[WaitWatchPray]

No, I don't think he does ... it's painful when you have a "professing Christian" in the White House.  But then again, Bill Clinton "professed faith" and he was no better.  Frankly, no President has addressed these issues.  There was a bill enacted about "religious freedom", but you'd been hard pressed to find someone other than the sponsor who knows anything about it.  The very first post I wrote mentioned that.

Thanks, now I have an idea for a new entry ...

jma

p.s.  The only reason I forbear yelling at Bush, Cheney, etc. is that the professing (western) Church isn't much better.  When I still had the website, I got more hits from outside the U.S. than inside -- often from countries who were experiencing the trouble.

[WaitWatchPray]

INDIA: HINDU NATIONALISTS ADVANCE IN DANGS DISTRICT

(A full RLP will be devoted to this issue in early February, but it is so serious that urgent prayer is needed now, before the event - EK.) 'The Lord... frustrates the ways of the wicked'.  Psalm 146:9

Hindu nationalists are preparing to stage a massive Hindu festival in Dangs district, southern Gujarat (northwest India). This Shabri Kumbh Mela festival from 11-13 February is aimed at Hinduising the tribal population of Dangs. The main outcomes of the Shabri Kumbh Mela will be: the creation of new mythology that Hinduises Dangs; the creation of a site in Dangs for Hindu pilgrimage and tourism; massive 're-conversions' (coerced conversions) to Hinduism and Hindutva (Hindu nationalism); the destruction and Hinduisation of tribal culture; stirring up intense hatred against Christians with the real prospect of violence against them; shattering tribal solidarity; and devastation of the delicate, 'protected' forest environment. Hindu militants are distributing vicious anti-Christian propaganda and (according to one report) fixing flags to Christian homes so they can be identified. A central slogan for the event is 'Hindu Jago, Christi Bhagao' (Hindus arise, throw out the Christians). One investigative team recently reported, 'We could see the fear written on the face of most of the Christians we met.'

[Caretaker]

Father have your Hand upon our Brothers and Sisters in Christ, surround them with Your love, and protect and keep them safe from the demons of destruction which inhabits their area. Strengthen their faith Father, illuminate the pathways of Your perfect will, and lead them resolutely through the fires of adversity. Help us to stand united with them in our hearts and prayers, and may all of Your children stand united as ONE through the darkness of the days ahead, steadfast in the faith. In Jesus' name.

Romans 8:
31: What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
32: He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
33: Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
34: Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
35: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36: As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37: Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38: For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39: Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

[eastwood]

Thanks for the report, JMA.. that just kills me to see some of the world's poorest Christians enduring even more... but Praise God, He will have His Way. May He indeed provide a hedge of protection around them, and confound the wicked... yet better, better still, may His Will be done.

[desertrose]

Very humbling to think we live in such comparative freedom...so far.

I had the pleasure of meeting a young pastor in Pakistan online a few days ago - his church pray daily for our country (NZ) as little as it is, and for all the other nations of the world.

I had a friend in India who told me about 4 yrs ago that a Christian family was in their car and were set alight and burned alive in it. They were completely surrounded by militants and couldnt get out of the car.

There is coming a time where all this wont be just happening overseas...it will be happening to us. Let us sow seed by the prayers we pray...

[WaitWatchPray]

I had a friend in India who told me about 4 yrs ago that a Christian family was in their car and were set alight and burned alive in it. They were completely surrounded by militants and couldnt get out of the car.

Yes, that was Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two young sons, both under 10 years of age.  He and his wife were witnessing in a village; his wife and daughter were offered room in a home (thankfully) and he and the boys were sleeping in the jeep they traveled in.  A group of Hindu fundamentalists lit the Jeep on fire and forced him and the boys to stay in it while it burned.

Comeuphither:

India's bad, but it's not the worst; in Eritrea, they imprison Christians in shipping containers (think semi trailers), in Indonesia, several young people have been either shot or beheaded recently, in Pakistan, you can be prosecuted if your Muslim neighbor just hints he thinks you blasphemed Mohammed (if the mobs don't get you first), in Laos, villagers were offered a choice between recanting their faith (and signing a paper to that extent) or being no longer permitted to stay in their homes and villages.  I could go on and on ... and in fact, I do.    http://brskeeper.blogspot.com

jma

[comeuphither]

This is heartbreaking, christians........ :'(
DEB~

http://www.worthynews.com...violence-over-cartoon-row

[WaitWatchPray]

Received via e-mail:

There has been a lot of high level news coverage of the string of recent church arsons in Alabama, but there has not been much coverage of the individual churches.

 

A few of my close friends belong to Rehobeth Baptist Church in Lawley, AL which was burned. They are asking for donations (of any amount) to help rebuild, as insurance only pays for so much.  While much of the building will covered, there is still a huge need and a great feeling of loss.

 

They created a page to help share the story and the pictures really make you feel.  Could you please pass the link along to your friends/church and cover it on your blog?  It would be appreciated.  The least we can do is offer a link to spread the word of their loss and remember them in our prayers.

 

Link to there story with pictures: http://www.rehobethbaptistchurch.com/2006fire.html

 

Thanks,
 
Kurt

[comeuphither]

update: please pray for them after you read this......

 Health Jailed Cuban Christian "Significantly Worsens"
The health of a leading Christian Cuban prisoner of conscience has "significantly worsened," amid abuse inside the detention facility where at least one person was killed in recent days, his wife said Monday, April 24.
Added: Apr 24th, 2006 6:36 AM | Share your opinion!
• Evangelical Missionaries Fear Bloodshed In East Timor
Evangelical missionaries in East Timor warned Monday, April 24, of new bloodshed after troops dismissed from the armed forces threatened to wage a new guerrilla war in the troubled Southeast Asian nation.
Added: Apr 24th, 2006 6:33 AM | Share your opinion!
• North Korea Christian Faces Imminent Execution
Family members and human rights activists urged the international community Saturday, April 22, to pressure North Korea not to execute a Christian man who has been accused of "betrayal" and "espionage" by the Communist government.
Added: Apr 24th, 2006 6:31 AM | Share your opinion!
• Anti-Missionary "Witch-Hunt" Haunts City
Fanned by local media and a Muslim mufti, an anti-missionary witch-hunt targeting Christians in Turkey's eastern city of Bingol left a Muslim woman beaten in her tailor shop last month while police allowed her attacker to walk free.
Added: Apr 21st, 2006 5:01 AM | Share your opinion!
• Guinea Family "Kidnaps" Wife Of Native Missionary
A native missionary in Guinea was without his wife Thursday, April 20, after she was kidnapped by her family, in a case that has come to symbolize tensions between minority Christians and members of other traditional religious groups in the West African nation.
Added: Apr 21st, 2006 4:57 AM | Share your opinion!
• Pastors Arrested for 'Fraudulent Conversion' in India
Police backed by Hindu extremists arrested Avinash Lal, an independent Pentecostal pastor from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh state, and six other Christian leaders last night (April 18) on charges on 'fraudulent conversion.'
Added: Apr 20th, 2006 12:50 AM | Share your opinion!
• China Detains Americans, Taiwanese, and House Church Leaders
Chinese security forces detained seven foreign evangelical church leaders, including five Americans and two Taiwanese pastors, as part of a government crackdown on China's evangelical movement, friends and investigators said Wednesday, April 19.
Added: Apr 20th, 2006 12:47 AM | Share your opinion!
• Another Christian Pastor, Scores of Muslims Jailed in Eritrea
Besides the jailing of another Protestant pastor in February, authorities have also jailed 70 Muslims over the past two years for opposing the government appointment of the chief mufti.
Added: Apr 20th, 2006 12:43 AM | Share your opinion!
• Egypt Orders Arrests Of Muslim Militant For Stabbing Christians
Egyptian authorities on Monday, April 17, ordered the detention of a Muslim who entered a Cairo church with a knife days after another Muslim stabbed six Christians, killing one, in Alexandria, news reports said.
Added: Apr 18th, 2006 6:51 AM | Share your opinion!
• India Court "Voids" Arrest Warrant For Bishop Thomas
India's Supreme Court confirmed Monday, April 17, it granted the founder of a major evangelical mission organization "relief from an outstanding arrest warrant" for alleged anti-Hindu activities and ordered a hearing before a court in the tense state of Rajasthan Friday, April 21, officials said.
Added: Apr 18th, 2006 6:47 AM | Share your opinion!
• Laos Jails Mission Leader, Expels Christian Families, Missionaries Claim
A local Christian leader in rural Laos who refuses to abandon his faith in Christ has been detained and shackled in hand and foot stocks as part of a fresh crackdown by Communist authorities on Christian villagers, missionaries said Thursday, April 13.
Added: Apr 15th, 2006 4:17 AM | Share your opinion!
• Rajasthan State Anti-Conversion Bill Potentially "Explosive"
An anti-conversion bill passed by the Rajasthan state assembly last Friday (April 7) is unconstitutional and could lead to an "explosive situation" in the state, Christians say.
Added: Apr 15th, 2006 4:14 AM | Share your opinion!
• Chinese Court Seeks Advice in Case Against Zhang Rongliang
The court judging house church leader Zhang Rongliang, acknowledging that "there are insufficient evidence and ambiguous facts," this week submitted the case to the Zhengzhou City Intermediate People's Court asking for legal advice.
Added: Apr 15th, 2006 4:11 AM | Share your opinion!
• India Court Denies Bail To Mission Leader Thomas but "Relieves" Father From Arrest
Samuel Thomas, the leader of one of India's main evangelical mission organizations, remained jailed Thursday, April 13, on charges of anti-Hindu activities, after a court denied him bail, but his wife told BosNewsLife she is not giving up hope, yet.
http://www.worthynews.com/christian-news.php

[WaitWatchPray]

From Tongue Tied, a blog about PC idiocy, which frequently contains items like the following.  The intent of these decisions/statements should concern you, no matter how you feel about celebrating Christmas.  Whether or not you see Christmas as Christian, THEY do!  And it's us they're after.

The "Non-existent" Attacks on Christmas

When people point out to Leftists how intolerant their attacks on Christmas are, what do they do? Increasingly they deny that such attacks happen! Denial is an old Freudian defence mechanism and Leftists have never been very comfortable with reality (which is why they are so keen on censoring it) so I cannot say that I am surprised by such a response but it sure must take some huge mental gymnastics to dismiss as unimportant or non-existent such examples as the four below (Taken from Deroy Murdock):

* In Manhasset, N.Y., Town Supervisor Jon Kaiman upbraided a Catholic priest who appeared at a Dec. 2 Christmas festival. "We're here to celebrate the holiday tree lighting," Kaiman said after Father Nick Zientarski offered a blessing. "This is not the place for a religious ceremony." Kaiman apologized after he unleashed a maelstrom.

* Centennial, Colo.'s Heritage Elementary School banned cookies shaped like Christmas symbols, candy canes bearing religious messages, and teacher and student references to seasonal gatherings as "Christmas" parties.

* A Memphis, Tenn., public library allowed a Nativity scene _ provided Jesus, Mary, and Joseph were excluded. (Manger, yes. Messiah, no.) Attorneys persuaded the library to reverse this decision.

* Much as "Uncle Joe" [Stalin] erased his enemies from photos of VIPs taken atop Lenin's Tomb, Stalinists at Ridgeway Elementary School in Dodgeville, Wis., airbrushed the lyrics to "Silent Night." Children in its "Winter Program" instead sang these bastardized words: "Cold in the night, no one in sight/winter winds whirl and bite/How I wish I were happy and warm/safe with my family, out of the storm."