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| Christian Summer Kids Camps - 2008 |
As we gear up for summer, we found this very useful site to help you locate a Christian-focused kids camp. Christian summer camps are increasing in popularity each year, and it looks like there's some great camps scheduled for this summer; just navigate to your state and demonimation and the engine will show you all available camps. Have fun and stay safe this summer!
www.kidscamps.com
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Texas Ranch Debate Heats Up
Beginning Monday, the Texas courts will hear this case as the state opens the next phase in determining whether 465 children removed from a ranch operated by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) should be reunited with their parents or permanently removed from their homes.
In the first of a series of hearings, to occur at six-month intervals for 18 months, the state is expected to present a plan for each child that outlines what steps parents must take to be reunited with their offspring. The plans also identify the services the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) can provide to help the family achieve that outcome.
"The important thing to understand is this generally is not an opportunity to relitigate the removal [of the children]," says Scott McCown, a retired Texas judge who now directs the Center for Public Policy Priorities in Austin. "The child has already been removed, so this is about where we go from here. What's the plan?"
The children were taken from the Yearning for Zion ranch near Eldorado, Texas, in early April, sparking the biggest child custody case in US history. Two weeks later, state district Judge Barbara Walther ruled there was evidence to indicate the children were at risk of sexual abuse if they returned to the ranch. The sect is known to sanction "spiritual marriages" of underage girls, usually to older men who already have one wife or more. Of 53 girls the state believes to be minors (some girls gave conflicting accounts of their ages), more than 30 have children, are pregnant, or both, DFPS has reported.
Since that first hearing, all 465 children have been placed in foster care, with siblings staying together when possible, throughout the state.
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Romney / Huckabee Square Off
Things are heating up leading to Thursday's Iowa caucuses where former governor Mike Huckabee blasted the Mitt Romney camp with allegations that Mr. Romney is leading a 'desparate and dishonest' race.
The latest Iowa polls show the two candidates locked in a dead heat leading up to the caucus. Religion tops the agenda of these two candidates and issues such as abortion are also heating up with Huckabee questioning Romney's record on abortion in Massachussets where under Romney's watch, the Mass health care system supported/allowed abortions under the state health care system. Mr. Romney's 'religious' speech prior to Christmas was given mixed reviews as well where Mr. Romney indended to state his position on his religious beliefs. In response, Huckabee has stated his position and beliefs are already on the record for many years and have not wavered, even after entering the presidential race.
Things are likely go get very interesting on key Christian topics this Thursday!
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Florida School System Takes on Intelligent Design Debate
The Florida Board of Education in Tallahassee will decide in February on a controversial topic involving mandatory teaching of detailed evolution concepts in science classes. Sponsors claim the move is to better Florida students' scores in science areas on federal exams, but this debate is sure to stir up arguments for also promoting intelligent design should Florida move forward with more detailed teachings of evolution.
Current polls show that less than half of Americans believe in Darwin's theory of evolution, yet arguments will go on over whether to merge intelligent design with evolution in a science classroom setting. This will likely be a hot topic in the upcoming Presidential debate as well.
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Mike Huckabee as the
Conservative Christian
Front-Runner?
Mike Huckabee, former Arkansas governor running for President recently announced some hefty Christian endorsers, including Janet Folger of Faith2Action, Mathew Staver of Liberty Counsel and Stephen Strang of Charisma Magazine to name a few.
"To have the support of these leaders of faith means so much to me" Huckabee commented in a written statement. Huckabee further commented that the individuals listed above "will be vital inhelping me spread my conservative message of hope and my vision for a stronger America."
Even more recognizable figures have come forward in recent days such as Movie Actor Chuck Norris. It does appear Huckabee is making a push to the front of the Republican polls along side Rudy Guiliani and Mitt Romney, although at this point, there is no clear conservative Republican leader.
Huckabee is a clear contender among pro-life candidates as candidates such as Rudy Guiliania waiver on such an issue - it does appear Huckabee is the most viable conservative and Christian-valued candidate in the race at this point. We'll keep you posted as additional endorsements come in.
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Global Christian Forum to be Held in Kenya - Largest Gathering of Christian's ever represented at a global meeting
This historic event on November 6-9 is called the Global Christian Forum and represents over 250 high level representatives from essentially all of the key Christian traditions from around the world. The meeting is being held in Nairobi , Kenya and the agenda will consist of key Christian issues from around the world.
The goals of the forum are to 'create a new, open space in which a broad range of Christian churches and interchurch organizations can gather in a multilateral setting to foster mutual respect and explore and address together common challenges.'
This event is also historic in that it brings together factions of the Christian faith that had previously not communicated prior to this conference. The team will also debate proposals and the outcome will be a 'Letter to the Churches' which is intended to summarize the results of this historic event.
A portion of the Christian churches and faiths represented at the meeting are: African Instituted, Anglican, Baptist, Evangelical, (Roman) Catholic, Disciples (Churches of Christ), Friends, Holiness, Lutheran, Mennonite, Methodist, Moravian, Old Catholic, Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, Pentecostal, Reformed, Salvation Army, Seventh-Day Adventist, United and Uniting Churches.
Keep posted to Blueheaventees.com and we will post the results of this conference coming as soon as they are released.
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