The war against God

The bad news       The good news

J.P. Travis columns about good vs. evil

The bad news

World Watch List Countries - undated/current

"The World Watch List (WWL) is a ranking of 50 countries where persecution of Christians for religious reasons is worst."

100,000 Christians die for faith every year - May 28, 2013

"A top Vatican official has said around 100,000 Christians are killed every year for reasons linked to their faith and pointed to the Middle East, Africa and Asia as the biggest problem areas. Monsignor Silvano Maria Tomasi was quoted by Vatican radio on Tuesday as saying that the figures were "shocking" and "incredible"."

Global assault on Christians - March 28, 2013

"But today most Christians are outside the West, in the East or Global South, where hundreds of millions are routinely vulnerable to oppressive regimes and/or hostile movements. The largest persecuted Christian group is in China. But persecution of Christians is most ascendant against Christians in majority Muslim countries."

Judge orders ten commandments removed - July 18, 2011

"A federal judge says Dixie County officials must remove a granite monument of the Ten Commandments from the front of their courthouse... The decision resulted from a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida in 2007."

Houston veterans claim censorship of prayers - June 29, 2011

"Veterans in Houston say the Department of Veterans Affairs is consistently censoring their prayers by banning them from saying the words "God" and "Jesus" during funeral services at Houston National Cemetery."

Judge prohibits prayer at Texas graduation - June 2, 2011

"A federal judge has ordered a Texas school district to prohibit public prayer at a high school graduation ceremony."

Seattle bans the word "Easter" - April 13, 2011

"The Seattle elementary school isn't the only government organization using spring over Easter. The city's parks department has removed Easter from all of its advertised egg hunts."

ACLU v. religious liberty - March 24, 2011

"A shared objective between both Communism generally, and the ACLU specifically is the suppression of religious liberty; principally, the free exercise of Christianity."

At filthy clinic, babies met inhumane end - January 20, 2011

"IN HIS SQUALID West Philadelphia abortion clinic, Kermit Gosnell had a surefire way of dealing with the unwelcome complication of a live birth: He'd allegedly plunge scissors into the squirming newborn's neck, killing it by severing the spinal cord."

Last Christians leaving hometown in Iraq - January 19, 2011

"HABBANIYA CECE, Iraq — The last Christian man in town goes to church each morning to clean the building and to remember the past."

Memorial cross ruled unconstitutional - January 4, 2011

"A cross perched atop San Diego's Mount Soledad for nearly a century is unconstitutional and must be removed, according to a federal court ruling Tuesday."

Chase orders Christmas tree removed - December 31, 2010

"Chase Bank told a Texas businessman to remove the Christmas tree he donated to a local branch because it could offend people."

Official orders removal of Christmas angel - December 23, 2010

"There's no place for angels atop Christmas trees, according to one California man who successfully lobbied for the removal of religious symbols at county buildings after spotting a yuletide decoration last week. Stars and other religious emblems were ordered removed from Christmas trees in all government buildings in Sonoma County on Monday following a complaint by Irv Sutley, a disabled 65-year-old Marine veteran who said the symbols were "extremely offensive" and part of the "cult" of Christianity."

Iraqi churches cancel Christmas - December 22, 2010

"No decorations, no midnight Mass. Even an appearance by Santa Claus has been nixed after Iraq's Christian leaders called off Christmas celebrations amid new al-Qaida threats on the tiny community still terrified from a bloody siege on a Baghdad church."

Feds force bank to remove crosses - December 16, 2010

"Federal Reserve examiners come every four years to make sure banks are complying with a long list of regulations. The examiners came to Perkins last week. And the team from Kansas City deemed a Bible verse of the day, crosses on the teller’s counter and buttons that say "Merry Christmas, God With Us." were inappropriate. The Bible verse of the day on the bank's Internet site also had to be taken down."

The ACLU's not-so-holy trinity - December 14, 2010

"The ACLU seems unusually active right now. What gives? Maybe it's the Christmas season, which always seems to spring the ACLU into high gear, more miserable than usual."

2,000-year-old holy tree cut down - December 9, 2010

"Standing proudly on the side of an English hill, its religious roots go back 2,000 years. But a single night of vandalism has left an ancient site of pilgrimage in splinters. The Holy Thorn Tree of Glastonbury has been chopped down in what is being seen by some as a deliberately anti-Christian act."

The German 'Holiday' Village - November 30, 2010

"It turns out that the letters spelling "Christmas" were removed yesterday afternoon from the archways on the north and west sides of the plaza, at the request of Managing Director Richard Negrin. They will be replaced with the word "Holiday.""

De facto shariah law in America - November 9, 2010

"...Muslims now enjoy more freedom of religion and speech under our Bill of Rights than non-Muslims. Equal protection under the laws of our country holds for Muslims far better than for non-Muslims. Several recent examples illustrate this point."

Murderers of Christianity - November 1, 2010

"Sunday, on the eve of All Saints' Day, Nov. 1, 2010, the faithful gathered at the Assyrian Catholic Church of Our Lady of Salvation in Baghdad. As Father Wassim Sabih finished the mass, eight al-Qaida stormed in, began shooting and forced him to the floor. As the priest pleaded that his parishioners be spared, they executed him and began their mission of mass murder."

Woman charged for seeking Christian roommate - October 25, 2010

"A woman who posted an ad seeking a Christian roommate on her church bulletin board is being accused of violating the Fair Housing Act. The complaint against the unnamed, 31-year-old woman was filed by the Fair Housing Center of West Michigan, a local nonprofit group under executive director Nancy Haynes..."

Protests in N.C. over removal of Christian flag - October 7, 2010

"A holy war is brewing in a small North Carolina city, where the Christian flag seems to be flying everywhere. A meeting of the King, N.C., City Council was packed on Monday with dozens of citizens who asked city officials to put the Christian flag back up at the local Veterans War Memorial. The council had voted to take down the flag rather than spend the estimated $200,000 to $300,000 it would cost to fight the American Civil Liberties Union in a First Amendment lawsuit."

Evil squatters - October 6, 2010

"When I say God is dead in Berkeley, I don't mean just that parts of the city look like a hellhole. I'm referring to the militant anti-God vibe. While Berkeley has always had its atheists, a shift has taken place in the last decade or so. People are not merely declining a life of the spirit. Many are openly hostile toward anything or anyone having to do with God."

4-state abortion business investigated - September 3, 2010

"Three weeks ago, physician Steven Brigham led a car caravan of patients from his Voorhees abortion clinic to his facility in Elkton, Md. After one of the patients was critically injured during her surgery there, Brigham put the semiconscious, bleeding woman into the back of a rented Chevrolet Malibu and drove her to a nearby hospital emergency room rather than call an ambulance."

Stephen Hawking: God not needed - September 2, 2010

"The scientist has claimed that no divine force was needed to explain why the Universe was formed. In his latest book, The Grand Design... Hawking said: “Because there is a law such as gravity, the Universe can and will create itself from nothing...""

U.S. defense of global religious freedom wanes - April 29, 2010

"The Obama administration has been criticized since it took office for putting realist foreign-policy goals ahead of more idealistic principles such as democracy and human rights. Now a bipartisan national commission finds President Obama wanting when it comes to defending and promoting global religious freedom, as well."

Judge rules Day of Prayer unconstitutional - April 25, 2010

"Judge Crabb, an appointee of former President Jimmy Carter, wrote in her decision that ‘”some forms of ‘ceremonial deism,’ such as legislative prayer, do not violate the establishment clause.” But she said the National Day of Prayer goes too far." [More here.]

Nurse ordered to remove crucifix - March 30, 2010

"A Christian nurse was ‘forced to choose between her job and her faith’ after being ordered to remove her crucifix at a hospital where Muslim staff wore headscarves unchallenged..."

Iowa town renames Good Friday - March 29, 2010

"Taking a recommendation by the Davenport Civil Rights Commission to change the holiday's name to something more ecumenical, City Administrator Craig Malin sent a memo to municipal employees announcing Good Friday would officially be known as "Spring Holiday.""

Church arsonist had books on atheism - February 24, 2010

"Court records indicate one of the suspects arrested on an arson charge in the burning of churches in East Texas had assault rifles and books on demons and atheism in his home."

Human sacrifices on the rise in Uganda - January 7, 2010

"Witch doctors in Uganda have admitted their part in human sacrifice amid concerns that the practice is spreading in the African country."

Top 10 Anti-Christian Acts of 2009 - January 4, 2010

"It is arguable that anti-Christian hatred has spilled over into material forms of persecution in 2009. Christians were killed and bullied for their witness, ministers and churches threatened with violence and vandalized for standing for marriage, and Christians were fired for not compromising their faith. If these are not bona fide examples of persecution, than I wonder what more it might take?"

Middle East Christians face uncertain times - December 20, 2009

"The region that was Christianity's birthplace is witnessing an unprecedented modern-day exodus – victims of radical Islam, the global economic crisis, and new currents of sectarian feeling from both Arabs and Jews alike."

Paper calls for end to evangelical Christianity - December 19, 2009

"A research paper written by a U.S. Army major for the School of Advanced Military Studies in Fort Leavenworth, Kan., calls for Americans to lose the evangelical Christian belief of pre-millennialism because of the damage it does to the nation's foreign interests."

Washington State bans holiday displays - November 27, 2009

"The nativity crèche and the menorah are no longer welcome inside the Washington state Capitol after Gov. Chris Gregoire banned non-government displays, including religious ones, from inside the building. The new rules -- set to take effect Dec. 1 -- came after repeated protests from The Freedom From Religion Foundation, a Washington-based atheist group..."

Christmas tree removed from courthouse - November 24, 2009

"The six-foot artificial tree, which was adorned with tags seeking toy donations to 'Operation Santa Claus,' was removed Monday after a member of the public complained about the tree being in the courthouse, court spokeswoman Gwen Vieau said."

"Good without God" subway ads - October 19, 2009

"Atheism is coming to the subway — or at least subway ads promoting it are. Starting next Monday, a coalition of local groups will run a monthlong advertising campaign in a dozen Manhattan subway stations with the slogan “A Million New Yorkers Are Good Without God. Are You?”"

Schools' ban on Christmas tunes challenged - September 11, 2009

"Arguments are scheduled Monday in the 3rd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Philadelphia on a school district's decision to censor Christmas carols – even holiday melodies without words."

Home-schooler ordered to attend public school - September 4, 2009

"A New Hampshire court ordered a home-schooled Christian girl to attend a public school this week after a judge criticized the "rigidity" of her mother's religious views and said the 10-year-old needed to consider other worldviews as she matures."

Pregnant Christian tortured in Pakistan - August 17, 2009

"International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that a pregnant Christian woman miscarried on July 26 after police beat her and dragged her naked through their police station in the Gujrat District of Punjab, Pakistan. Police had arrested her and a Muslim woman after their employer accused them of theft, but police did not even touch the Muslim woman."

Educators face jail for mealtime prayer - August 14, 2009

"Students, teachers and local pastors are protesting over a court case involving a northern Florida school principal and an athletic director who are facing criminal charges and up to six months in jail over their offer of a mealtime prayer."

Chritians almost eradicated from Middle East - August 11, 2009

"...starting with the Armenian genocide in 1914 and continuing through the massacre and expulsion of Anatolian Greeks in 1922-1923, the Turks killed three to four million Christians in Turkey and the Ottoman provinces. Thus began a century of Muslim violence that nearly has eradicated Christian communities in the cradle of their religion."

3 Christian pastors beheaded in Nigeria - August 6, 2009

"Speaking exclusively to Daily Sun in Maiduguri, the eye witness who preferred anonymity disclosed that the three pastors were beheaded on the instruction of the sect leader, Mohammed Yusuf..."

Christian coach fired by Muslim principal - August 5, 2009

"Gerald Marszalek claims in a federal lawsuit that he was fired as Fordson High School wrestling coach for religious reasons. Marszalek is suing Dearborn Public Schools and Principal Imad Fadlallah, claiming Fadlallah, a Muslim, forced Marszalek out because of his affiliation with a volunteer assistant coach who was also a minister and converted a student from Islam to Christianity."

Christian nurse forced to help with abortion - July 26, 2009

"A Brooklyn nurse claims she was forced to choose between her religious convictions and her job when Mount Sinai Hospital ordered her to assist in a late-term abortion against her will."

North Korea executes Christian for distributing Bible - July 24, 2009

"North Korea publicly executed a Christian woman last month for distributing the Bible, which is banned in the communist nation, South Korean activists said Friday."

7th grader not allowed to wear pro-life T-shirt - July 6, 2009

"Anna Amador has gone to court on behalf of her daughter, who she says was ordered by her principal to change her shirt on "National Pro-Life T-Shirt Day." The shirt the girl was wearing displays two graphic pictures of a fetus growing in the womb."

Christian blocked from evangelizing at Arab festival - June 24, 2009

"A law firm that defends and promotes Christian heritage and moral values has filed suit on a behalf of a Sudanese Christian who recently was barred from handing out Christian literature in the streets of Dearborn, Michigan."

Religious group compares S.F. supervisors to Nazis - June 10, 2009

"It is not a stretch to compare the San Francisco board's actions to that of the Nazi Germany policy of Gleichschaltung, vilifying Jews as an auxiliary to and laying the groundwork for more repressive policies, including the final solution of extermination."

UCLA forbids mention of Jesus at graduation - June 10, 2009

"A graduating student at the University of California at Los Angeles has charged that a department advisor forbade her from saying “I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” in her graduation speech..."

Parent not allowed to read Bible to son's class - June 2, 2009

"Voting 2-1, the court rejected the claims of the mother of a kindergarten student who said public school officials violated her First Amendment rights when they prohibited her from reading verses from the Bible -- which she said was her son Wesley's favorite book -- during a program called "All About Me" week."

Texas senate rejects conservative education board chief - May 28, 2009

"The Senate rejected Republican Don McLeroy's nomination as chairman of the State Board of Education on Thursday after Democrats decried his lack of leadership and "endless culture wars" over evolution and other volatile topics."

Couple told they need permit for Bible study - May 25, 2009

"A local pastor and his wife claim they were interrogated by a San Diego County official, who then threatened them with escalating fines they continued to hold bible studies in their home..."

Scientists claim animals can tell right from wrong - May 24, 2009

"Scientists studying animal behaviour believe they have growing evidence that species ranging from mice to primates are governed by moral codes of conduct in the same way as humans."

Hollywood buys "Antichrist" - May 22, 2009

"The audience be damned? That sounds a lot like a snooty European auteur. But it's a sign of the times that he quickly found an American distributor for "Antichrist," IFC Films."

Military burns Bibles sent to Afghanistan - May 20, 2009

"Military personnel threw away, and ultimately burned, confiscated Bibles that were printed in the two most common Afghan languages amid concern they would be used to try to convert Afghans, a Defense Department spokesman said Tuesday."

Religion banned from Santa Rosa schools - January 12, 2009

"The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida argued the Santa Rosa County Public School System was violating students' rights when it came to religion. A federal judge has ruled in the ACLU's favor."

Valedictorian forced to apologize for mentioning Jesus - August 27, 2007

"Today, Liberty Counsel filed suit against Lewis Palmer School District on behalf of Erica Corder, a high school valedictorian who was forced to publicly apologize for sharing her Christian faith at graduation."

Modern Christian martyrdom - 2006

"“Christians are, in fact, the most persecuted religious group in the world today, with the greatest number of victims,” reports Nina Shea, director of Freedom House’s Puebla Program on Religious Freedom. “The most atrocious human rights abuses are committed against Christians solely because of their religious beliefs and activities—atrocities such as torture, enslavement, rape, imprisonment, killings, and even crucifixion. Roman Catholics, together with Protestant evangelicals, are the prime targets.”"

The good news

Fastest growing religion - undated

"Christianity is the fastest growing religion... both in absolute number of new converts and absolute number of new Christians due to population growth. In all, this sums up to an additional approximately 25.2 million new Christians annually. 22.7 million due to population growth and 2.5 million due to conversions." [The numbers.]

Church growing in Iran despite repression - March 24, 2012

"Despite the Iranian government's ongoing crackdown on Christians living in the primarily Islamic country, the number of Muslims converting to Christianity is growing at an explosive rate in Iran, says Open Doors USA. There is even talk of witnessing a Christian revival, especially among young people living in the country, say Open Doors ministry workers in the Middle East."

Thriving Christianity - February 28, 2011

"Most secular media in the U.S. imply that the world is largely dividing between resurgent Islam and enlightened secularists, with isolated evangelicals and Catholics left on the sideline. A recent report by the International Bulletin of Missionary Research indicates otherwise, with one third of the world professing Christianity, virtually unchanged as a global percentage since 100 years ago."

Bishop Macram Gassis: Revolutionary Father - July 26, 2010

"Under hellish conditions, Gassis has “brought the Gospel and the sacraments, dug hundreds of wells, erected two modern hospitals — one of which is now the best in all Sudan — many schools and training centers,” Nina Shea, director of the Hudson Institute’s Center for Religious Freedom, observes."

Georgia seniors allowed to pray before meals - May 10, 2010

"Their prayers have been answered. The Georgia senior center that barred elderly citizens from saying a communal prayer before meals has changed its policy after inquiries from FoxNews.com and other news organizations."

Woman cancels abortion, thanks protestor - February 20, 2010

"Here's a story that has received a total unwavering media blackout. A woman was going in to have an abortion at a local butcher shop in Duluth, and was confronted by two pro-life protesters that urged her not to kill her baby. The woman was so angry that she brandished a knife and held it to one of the pro-life protester's throat. She was of course arrested for aggravated assault. That much the MSM may tell you, but it is the epilogue that caused an raised eyebrow. In court, the woman plead guilty to assault, but also, with tears streaming down her face, thanks the pro-life protester for saving her baby's life!"

Planned Parenthood leader resigns - November 2, 2009

"Planned Parenthood has been a part of Abby Johnson's life for the past eight years; that is until last month, when Abby resigned. Johnson said she realized she wanted to leave, after watching an ultrasound of an abortion procedure." Video of interview.

The more people, the better - July 9, 2009

"Today, I want to argue that there should be absolutely no limits on population growth and no attempt whatsoever to cajole, coerce or convince people into having fewer children. I hope that in my lifetime the human population on Earth will reach the tens of billions, and it will not be a problem if, in the future, it rises to hundreds of billions."

Evidence suggests a rise in serious faith - June 20, 2009

"What we see in the numbers is not a waning of Christianity, but a polarization. The number of people saying that God is central to their lives is going up."

We ARE a Judeo-Christian nation - May 6, 2009

Watch YouTube video of Congressman Randy Forbes taking Obama to task for announcing that we are not a Judeo-Christian nation.

Atheist says Africa needs God - December 27, 2008

"Now a confirmed atheist, I've become convinced of the enormous contribution that Christian evangelism makes in Africa: sharply distinct from the work of secular NGOs, government projects and international aid efforts. These alone will not do. Education and training alone will not do. In Africa Christianity changes people's hearts. It brings a spiritual transformation. The rebirth is real. The change is good."

Abstinence education worked in Uganda - undated

"Some experts say the dramatic drop in HIV/AIDS infections in Uganda is proof that abstinence from sex is the best way to combat the deadly disease, especially in the world's hardest-hit area, sub-Saharan Africa. Infections in the East African country, which once had the highest rate in the world, have dropped from 30 percent of the population in the early 1990s to around 10 percent today."

Studies show that abstinence education works - April 8, 2002

"Critics of abstinence education often assert that while abstinence education that exclusively promotes abstaining from premarital sex is a good idea in theory, there is no evidence that such education can actually reduce sexual activity among young people. Such criticism is erroneous. There are currently 10 scientific evaluations (described below) that demonstrate the effectiveness of abstinence programs in altering sexual behavior."

J.P. Travis columns dealing with good & evil

Biblical times - November 9, 2013

"Like Adam & Eve, like Noah, like Lot, like Moses, we, too, live in Biblical Times."

Nancy Pelosi exposes the Catholic Church's feet of clay - June 15, 2013

"For decades we've watched American bishops pussyfoot around the most important moral issues of the modern world, and Pelosi's performance Thursday demonstrates how much damage their pussyfooting does."

Snake blights - December 15, 2012

"From God’s lofty perspective, it must be discouraging to watch humanity make the same mistakes generation after generation. As a species, we seem unable to learn a lesson."

Mitt Romney, Mormonism, and the big freeze out - September 8, 2012

"Something is terribly wrong with our nation. Much as I like Romney and plan to vote for him, it worries me that the top level of leadership, in all three branches of government, does not reflect the religious preferences of the majority of Americans."

Demonic bureaucracy - July 28, 2012

"If you’re wondering how Penn State could simply ignore a man like Sandusky in their midst, you need to understand something very important: bureaucracy is demonic, the very best tool the devil has for crushing human achievement and making us miserable."

Obama and the Bible - April 7, 2012

"Watching our president quote scripture is like watching a fish ride a bicycle."

Brace yourself like a man, Tim Tebow! - December 3, 2011

"How did we get to a point where a man loving Jesus Christ was bad?"

Too much lamb, not enough lion - September 10, 2011

"This cowering subservience to the inimical forces of secular political correctness is nothing new for Christians. Sometimes I think we forget that Jesus Christ was not only a lamb, but a lion. And while I’m certainly not the Pope and probably have no business interpreting Scripture, I think the lion part comes into play when we’re involved in situations where the world asks us to turn our backs on God. In other words, situations exactly like Mayor Bloomberg’s memorial service tomorrow."

Norway, Oklahoma City, and the notion of Christian terrorism - July 28, 2011

"Liberals quickly labeled the killer, Anders Behring Breivik, a "fundamentalist Christian" and were practically giddy with delight at having a chance to take potshots at one of their favorite targets: the religion of Christianity."

The oddness of days five and six - March 28, 2011

"How is it that a religious text written three thousand years before Charles Darwin published “On the Origin of Species,” thousands of years before scientific study of geology allowed us to date fossils, and thousands of years before scientific study of biology produced some understanding of what those fossils represent – how is it that the Bible knew “creatures” lived in the ocean before they lived on land and humans were the final creation? Maybe, just maybe, those fossils that intellectuals assume provide evidence of Darwinism, actually provide evidence of Something Else."

The Christmas story - December 25, 2010

"So here is the documented story of the birth of Jesus Christ as told by one of mankind's greatest historians, in a letter to Greek Christians which was later incorporated into the New Testament of the Bible (Luke 2:1-20)..."

Charity - February 25, 2010

"Unfortunately, liberals’ good will is twisted and ruined by misinterpretation of the meaning of charity, and it is this ruination that differentiates them from conservatives. Liberals are people who operate under the delusion that charity can be enforced by legislative fiat. They could not be more wrong. Charity must be voluntary or it is not charity."

Notre Dame and Obama - May 18, 2009

"Yesterday, Barrack Hussein Obama was given an honorary law degree by the University of Notre Dame, and then addressed the graduating class of 2009 as their commencement speaker. I keep waiting for a pig to fly past and announce that hell froze over and the Detroit Lions won the Super Bowl. Many people were saddened by this debasement of a fine Christian university, including me."