Author Archives: Marsha West

About Marsha West

Marsha West is the owner and managing editor of Christian Research Network, Apprising Ministries (the late Ken Silva’s blog) and On Solid Rock Resources. She is also co-founder of Berean Research. For two decades Marsha was the owner and managing editor of Email Brigade website as well as the EMB News Report, a bi-weekly email report for conservative people of faith. For many years Marsha was a regular contributor to several blogs including CRN, RenewAmerica, News With Views and Web Commantary as well as popular websites she no longer endorses: American Family Association, Worldview Weekend, Stand Up For The Truth, The Christian Post and Christian Headlines. Although Marsha still blogs, her primary focus is CRN. Marsha also writes Research Papers (White Papers) on various topics that are published on CRN, Berean Research and On Solid Rock Resources. Visit Marsha’s other sites: On Solid Rock Resources https://www.onsolidrockresources.com/ Apprising Ministries http://apprising.org Marsha’s RenewAmerica Column http://renewamerica.com/columns/mwest Marsha’s Facebook Page http://facebook.com/marsha.west.77

Airman Punished for Opposing Gay Marriage Files Complaint

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Last week Fox News radio host Todd Starnes wrote about a vereran of the Air Force that was punished for opposing gay marriage. Starnes now reports:

An airman who was relieved of his duties after he told his commanding officer that he could not support gay marriage has filed a formal complaint with the military alleging he is the victim of religious discrimination.

Senior Master Sgt. Phillip Monk, a 19-year veteran of the Air Force was punished after he disagreed with his commander when she wanted to severely reprimand an instructor who had expressed religious objections to homosexuality.

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National Right to Life Committee Boots Affiliate for Standing Against Homosexual ‘Marriage’

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Christian News Network reports:

The National Right to Life Committee has cut ties with an affiliate chapter of the organization over its desire to expand its mission efforts to defend both life and the family.

This past June, the Cleveland, Ohio chapter of the National Right to Life Committee announced that it was enlarging its borders to fight for the institution of marriage, as well as the lives of unborn children.

“So as to foster a culture of life, we promote and defend the right to life of all innocent human beings and reject such practices as abortion, euthanasia, infanticide, and same-sex marriage that are contrary to ‘the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God,’” the group’s updated mission statement reads.

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Christian Air Force Veteran Relieved of Duties for Refusing to Affirm Homosexual ‘Marriage’

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Christian News Network reports:

A Christian Air Force Veteran has been relieved of his duties after declining to affirm homosexual marriage.

Senior Master Sergeant Phillip Monk has served in the Air Force for 19 years, and has been stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. When he recently returned from deployment, he found that he had a new commander, who was a lesbian.

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Oklahoma’s Ban on Sharia Law Declared Unconstitutional

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Christian News Network reports:

A federal judge in Oklahoma City has thrown out the state’s ban on the use of Sharia law in government, opining that the restriction violates the United States Constitution.

The ban had been approved at the polls in 2010, and passed with the support of more than 70% of voters. However, just two days after the ban was approved as a state constitutional amendment, Muneer Awad, the then-director of the Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) filed suit in federal court through the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), claiming that the law violated the Establishment and Free Exercise clauses of the First Amendment.

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The Greatest Story Ever Told

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Mike Riccardi of The Cripplegate blog believes that “God’s goal in all of His creative and redemptive work is to bring glory to Himself.” In this piece Mike shares what he learned when he taught a class on basic principles of Bible interpretation, or what is termed hermeneutics. “One of the things we mentioned was the importance of interpreting the parts in light of the whole—of keeping the big picture in mind as we seek to understand the scenes frame by frame.” View article →

Air Force Says Drag Acts Symbolize Gay Pride

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Fox News radio talk show host Todd Starnes informs us that:

The U.S. Air Force said that a well-known drag queen group was invited to perform on base during a “Diversity Day” celebration because drag is a “symbol of gay pride and unity.” But the performance sparked outrage among some airmen who called the drag show “totally offensive and inappropriate.”

Jewels and the Brunchettes performed to a small crowd at the Los Angeles Air Force Base on Aug. 8, the military confirmed.

The Air Force said in a statement to Fox News that “Diversity Day” featured eight cultural groups and was meant to “foster equality and diversity in the workplace.”

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Let the Little Ones Come to Me — Social Justice Gone Awry

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Dr. Peter Jones of Truth X-Change weighs in on what liberals refer to as “Social Justice Christianity.” One example Dr. Jones offers is World Vision’s gradual move away from sharing the true Gospel of Jesus Christ with the lost as they instead encourage people to embrace a works-based social justice gospel. Jones writes:

The evangelical church is increasingly aware of the need to witness to Christ in acts of mercy, especially since some evangelicals in the past spoke almost exclusively of individualistic and future salvation. In reaction, some today are adopting “orthopraxy” (right action) as their main emphasis, downplaying or even abandoning “orthodoxy” (right belief). But good works and sound belief cannot be separated. Alas, instead of a biblical balance, we face the serious danger of a new form of the old “social gospel,” which turns the Christian faith into a system of salvation by works, Jesus into a mere example, like the Buddha, Socrates or Lao Tzu, and Christianity into one variant of interfaith good will. But orthopraxy alone cannot preach the gospel. We as redeemed sinners must “confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord.”

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California Considers Punishing Youth Groups Against Homosexuality as ‘Bathroom Bill’ Becomes Law

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Christian News Network reports:

On the same day that the governor of California signed a bill into law mandating that boys who identify as girls be allowed to use girls’ bathrooms and vice versa, a California committee approved legislation which would cause any non-profit organizations that do not embrace homosexuals to lose tax-exempt status.

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California Governor Signs Transgender Student Bill

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According to Fox News:

California Gov. Jerry Brown signed a controversial bill into law Monday afternoon allowing the state’s transgender public school students to choose which bathrooms they use and whether they participate in boy or girl sports.

The law would cover the state’s 6.2 million elementary and high school kids in public schools.

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DC Mayor Disinvites Famed Gospel Singer From Civil Rights Concert Over Stance on Homosexuality

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Christian News Network reports:

The mayor of Washington, D.C. disinvited a famed Gospel singer last week from headlining a civil rights concert in the nation’s capital, according to reports.

Multiple Grammy and Stellar Award winner Donnie McClurkin, who says that he turned to homosexuality for a time after being sexually abused by men as a child, posted a video statement on SocialCam on Saturday stating that he was “asked not to attend” the event that day. “Reflections on Peace: From Gandhi to King” was to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the civil rights movement in America.

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What’s Missing from this Picture?—Fertility on the Rise, Worldview on Display

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Dr. Albert Mohler writes:

USA Today reported last week that the United States “is taking baby steps forward” in terms of the fertility rate. According to the forecasting group Demographic Intelligence, the USA’s total fertility rate is likely to increase to 1.90 per woman in 2013, up slightly from 1.89 in 2012. Last year’s figure was the lowest recorded in 25 years.

“The United States has seen marked declines in childbearing in the wake of the Great Recession, but we think that this fertility decline is now over,” Sam Sturgeon, president of Demographic Intelligence, told USA Today. “As the economy rebounds and women have the children they postponed immediately after the Great Recession, we are seeing an uptick in U.S. fertility.”

Sturgeon, like many others, points to economic factors as the main driver of fertility rate fluctuations. Similarly, Mark Mather of the Population Reference Bureau said: “Historically, we’ve seen fertility trends move up and down with economic indicators.”

But, wait just a minute.

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Pat Robertson on Sex Change Operations: ‘I Don’t Think There’s Any Sin Associated With That’

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Christian News Network informs us that:

On his Sunday broadcast of the 700 Club, Pat Robertson shocked a number of viewers in responding to a question about those who decide to have sex change operations.

Robertson’s comments made were during the Q&A segment of the broadcast, as he was fielded the question by co-host Terry Meeuwsen.

“I work with two people who have decided that they are females,” wrote a viewer named David. “I know what the Bible says about homosexuality, but is it wrong to refer to them as females since they have had their gender status changed in the eyes of the law?”

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School Defends Textbook Calling Muhammad ‘God’s Messenger’

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Fox News radio commentator Todd Starnes reports:

School officials in Florida are defending a textbook that declares Muhammad as the “Messenger of God” after critics accused an Islamic education group of launching a stealth jihad in American public school classrooms.

The Prentice World History textbook being used in Brevard Public Schools includes a 36-page chapter on Islam but no chapters on Christianity or Judaism.

According to a copy obtained by Fox News, The ninth grade textbook declares that Muhammad is the “Messenger of God” and instructs students that jihad is a duty that Muslims must follow.

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Gay couple to sue church over gay marriage opt-out

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The Christian Institute informs us that a law suit has been filed in the UK to force churches to host homosexual weddings:

Wealthy gay dad, Barrie Drewitt-Barlow, says he and his civil partner Tony will go to court to force churches to host gay weddings.

He told the Essex Chronicle that he will take legal action because “I am still not getting what I want”.

A Government Bill legalising gay marriage passed Parliament recently but it included measures to protect churches from being forced to perform same-sex weddings.

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Christian Church Evicted from NYC Restaurant for Preaching Against Same-sex Relations

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The Washington Times reports:

The Gallery Church in New York City claims it was booted from its $25,000-per-year rental space in a local restaurant for preaching Christian messages that included sermons against same-sex relations and marriage.

The church pastor, Freddy Wyatt, said in a story reported by The Blaze that “this particular sermon series struck a nerve in the neighborhood. There was an enormous amount of backlash. … The restaurant said that if it had only been a couple of phone calls [it received] it would have been one thing – but it was more than that.”

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David Barton Says Four Professors Criticized The Jefferson Lies; He Forgot Some

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion

David Barton critic, Professor Warren Throckmorton, challenges the Christian historian’s claim that only four professors criticized Barton’s book, The Jefferson Lies. Throckmorton begins by saying:

Facts are pesky.

On July 19, Steve Deace interviewed David Barton (at 24:12 in hour 3) in Iowa after the big political confab there with Ted Cruz and Rand Paul. Deace asked Barton to describe the controversy over The Jefferson Lies (now approaching a year ago). He also asked if there was any substance to the criticism.

Barton said a bunch of stuff he usually says about it (e.g., publisher Thomas Nelson got scared of the scary professors, etc.). Then he said:

You’ve got about 6,000 universities in America and they found four professors who criticized what I did. Well, 6,000 universities, you probably have 60,000 professors and they found four who didn’t like it.

Well, we all know who two of them are. But just four? I think he forgot some.

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Students Sign Petition to Legalize 4th Trimester Abortions

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Life News reports:

Just how pro-abortion are some college students? They were happy to sign a fake petition to legalize abortions in the nonexistent fourth trimester of pregnancy.

The Media Research Center set up the fake petition drive and interviewed students to find out show how solidly they support abortion on demand for any reason throughout pregnancy — and beyond.

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North Carolina Governor Will Sign Pro-Life Bill Stopping Abortions

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Life News reports:

Late Thursday night, the North Carolina state Senate passed a pro-life omnibus bill that would stop abortions by helping pregnant women and stopping taxpayer financed abortions.

Today, Governor Pat McCrory indicated he will sign the bill into law.

The State Senate concurred by a vote of 32–13 with the State House, on SB 353, Health and Safety Law Changes. The State House worked with the Governor and his Department of Health and Human Services to reach an agreement for a compromise bill that accomplished pro-life goals in a way the governor would sign into law.

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Media Love New Jesus Book ‘Zealot’, Fail to Mention Author is Muslim

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙

According to author John S. Dickerson:

Reza Aslan, author of the new book, “Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth” has been interviewed on a host of media outlets in the last week. Riding a publicity wave, the book has surged to #2 on Amazon’s list.

Media reports have introduced Aslan as a “religion scholar” but have failed to mention that he is a devout Muslim.

His book is not a historian’s report on Jesus. It is an educated Muslim’s opinion about Jesus – yet the book is being peddled as objective history on national TV and radio.

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DOJ Criticized over Transgender Restroom Rights

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Fox News reports:

The U.S. Department of Justice’s latest cause – fighting for a transgendered California ninth-grader’s right to use the boy’s room at school – has conservative groups wondering just how far Washington will go in the name of civil rights.

The student was born a girl but “has identified as a boy from a young age,” according to the Department of Justice, which reached a settlement with the public school district in Arcadia, an affluent LA suburb. Under the deal, the district must not only change the student’s restroom privileges and make similar accommodations on overnight trips. It also must institute a host of measures to ensure transgender students are treated as whatever gender they consider themselves to be.

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Is Monogomy Unnatural?

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙

Ken Ham, founder of Answers in Genesis, addresses the growing belief that unbiblical belief that monogomy is unnatural for many humans. He begins:

The moral decay continues in our Western culture! As shown again with the recent Supreme Court decisions regarding same-sex “marriage,” there has been a rise in the number of people promoting polygamous lifestyles and behavior.

Recently, CNN featured an opinion column by journalist and author Meghan Laslocky titled “Face it: Monogamy is unnatural.” In the column, Laslocky asserts that “monogamy is not natural for many, or probably even most, humans.”

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Global Warming? Trees to the Rescue!

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Institute for Creation Research science writer Brian Thomas suggests that perhaps our planet is not as fragile as radical environmentalist would have us believe. According to Thomas, “scientists have been watching a pleasant trend, even amidst unpleasant environmentalist diatribes—the world’s forests are expanding, even in arid regions. The trees are growing without any extra water. All they needed was more carbon dioxide.”

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Weekend Camp Encourages Young Boys to ‘Freely Express Their Interpretations of Femininity’

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Christian News Network reports:

A controversial family camp for boys who wish to identify as girls is generating discussion as it was recently discovered documented in an online photo album.

Photographer Lindsay Morris, whose website covers a variety of photo shoots and subject matter, has caught the attention of a number of outlets in recent days in regard to a collection of photos entitled “You Are You.”

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