Obama Tells Reporters He Supports Reparations

Obama tells a group of minority reporters that he not only believes the USA should apologize to Native Americans for their treatment of Indians, but also to blacks for slavery, and offer reparations to both groups in order to "provide deeds, not just words" for an apology. (I guess fighting the civil war and investing three trillion dollars to fight poverty don't count.) See Chick's SOUL STORY.

Massachusetts Prepares Gay Nightmare

Democratic lawmakers in Massachusetts prepare to repeal a 1913 law that has been used to prohibit out-of-state gays from marrying in the liberal Northern state. The Governor, also a Democrat, promises to sign the law. If passed, the law will create a legal nightmare when same sex couples marry in Massachusetts and then return to their own state were gay marriages are not legal. This move, so close to the November elections, could hurt Democrats who were otherwise slightly ahead in the Presidental race. (Polls show gay marriage would not win majority support any state.) See Chick's THE GAY BLADE.

BBC Portrays Christians as the ones who Behead Muslims!

A new television drama, debuting earlier this week, is drawing complaints from viewers and critics over its portrayal of Christians as extremists who take their inspiration from the Crusades and behead a moderate Muslim in an unprovoked attack. (I guess they don't watch or listen to their own news channels, where the score for those who beheaded in the last few decades are HUNDREDS for the Muslims, and ZERO for the Christians.)

The BBC thinks otherwise though. In their new six-part series, "Bonekickers", a multi-ethnic team of archaeologists "uncovers a compelling mystery from the past that tells viewers something profound and revelatory about the present," the BBC press packet promised. "Archaeology has never been so dramatic." (Or politically correct!)

The first episode of the program, titled "Army of God," has the team, headquartered in Bath, UK, called in to investigate the discovery of a group of 14th century medieval soldiers whose bodies were found with a Saracen coin at a construction site in Somerset. Application of their archaeological and forensic skills lead them to identify the remains as those of the Knights Templar - and a 2,000-year-old piece of cypress wood, identified as coming from the Holy Land, as possibly part of the True Cross.

Before the team can survey the site, the property is purchased by a right-wing religious extremist who believes the UK's Christian heritage is presently under siege. He declares the property holy ground, employing several violent "crusaders' - members of the fictional "White Wings Alliance" - to help him in his quest. In one scene, one of the extremist Christians beheads a moderate Muslim man in an unprovoked attack.

While the program, viewed by 6.8 million viewers, is receiving criticism online for its storyline and its depiction of archaeologists, the beheading has drawn particular ire and has been cited as further evidence of anti-Christian bias by the BBC. See Chick's PRIMAL MAN comic for similar Hollywood hi jinx.

New Radio Drama on Church Possession

Three area writers have teamed to create and perform "Possession of the Church," a radio drama to be broadcast over local airwaves, entertaining listeners in a fashion not heard for decades.

The broadcast will be part of a live three-hour extravaganza produced by WBSM's Spooky SouthCoast, the radio station's weekly show devoted to the paranormal. The radio drama was written by Lakeville resident Paul Trenouth, a custom millworker, and Standard-Times staffers Jim DeArruda and Rebecca Coleman. All three will perform in the show alongside a cast with ties to the paranormal field.

The show begins at 9 p.m. Saturday, with the first hour featuring a discussion with Kurt Kuersteiner, Old Time Radio expert and administrator of RadioHorrorHosts.com. He will talk with Spooky SouthCoast hosts Tim Weisberg, Matt Costa and Matt Moniz about how the old dramas were presented, from acting to writing to sound effects. In addition, he'll be giving away an original set of Old Time Radio trading cards produced by his company.

You can hear the archive version of the July 26th on streaming audio.

See Chick's SATAN'S MASTER.

Group Asks Pope for Condoms

Activists groups published an open letter in an Italy Newspaper to the Pope asking him to reconsider the Catholic taboo against condoms. They've always been turned down before, but this time they have a new twist: They say they urge condom use not to prevent life (fertilization), but to protect people against HIV infection. The Pope has made no response. See Chick's BABY TALK.

Christian Mom & Satan Dad Feud Over Visitation

A custody battle between a Satanist and his Christian ex-wife has raised constitutional issues after both demanded the right to share their religion with their three young children.

Kristie Meyer has cited the religious beliefs of her former husband, Jamie, as the main reason why an Indiana judge should restrict his visitation rights.

She wants the three to go to church on Sunday mornings - technically, when they are with Mr Meyer - but points out they are unlikely to do so if they are with their father, a member of an organisation calling itself the Church of Satan.

However, legal experts have warned that the American Constitution prevents judges from showing a religious preference.

In a forthcoming court case in Fulton, Indiana, Mr Meyer may now be asked to prove that Satanism, which he says is about celebrating man's desires rather than worshipping the devil, is a real faith.

Meanwhile, legal observers say his former wife may have to show that Satanism - which is recognised as a religion by the US Internal Revenue Service - is harmful to their daughters' upbringing.

Mrs Meyer has argued that her ex-husband's public expression of satanic beliefs has embarrassed their children.

Pat Roberts, her lawyer, has asked the judge to order Mr Meyer to drop off the children at his ex-wife's church so they can attend with her during his visitation time.

"Frankly, (it) can be emotionally damaging or confusing to children when they're faced with these two different forms of worship," Mr Roberts told the Chicago Tribune. "Let's call it worship rather than religion. Religion is based upon recognition of a supreme being."

He added: "Allowing them to go to church for a couple of hours on a Sunday morning is... not unreasonable."

See Chick's SATAN'S MASTER.

Methodist Activists Spar Over Bush Library

More debate was expected today at a Methodist conference among clergy and others over whether George W. Bush's presidential library should be built at Southern Methodist University. The United Methodist Church's South Central Jurisdiction, which owns SMU, has been bracing for a showdown over the Bush library for months.

On Wednesday, an effort by some Methodists to block the Bush library from coming to SMU failed. A committee worked agonizingly through a series of resolutions designed to distance the church from a public policy institute planned as part of the library complex. The group voted to reject a potentially divisive proposal calling for the conference to reverse a decision by the church's Mission Council granting SMU the ability to lease land to the Bush library foundation for up to 250 years.

Instead, it approved a resolution saying it expects the institute to protect SMU's "integrity," signaling that committee members don't want the institute's work to affect SMU's academic independence.

That resolution will be presented to the full conference today.

Members of the committee said their hands were mostly tied because SMU has signed a detailed legal agreement with the foundation committing itself to the three-part complex, which also includes a library and a museum.

"I came into the door knowing it was a done deal," said Andrew Hernandez, a lay leader from Houston who was on the committee. "The resolution was the best we could do, but it's not the end of it." See Chick's FOUR ANGELS?

EC considers making Apes Human

The European Court of Human Rights has agreed to a preliminary hearing to determine whether chimpanzees are entitled to the legal status and protections granted to human beings.

The action is being sponsored by the Association Against Animal Factories, an activist group based in Vienna. Eberhart Theuer, the group's legal advisor says, "This case is about the fundamental question: Who is the bearer of human rights? Who is a person according to the European Human Rights Charter?"

At the center of the case is Hiasl, a 26-year old chimpanzee now called Matthew by his keeper, Briton Paula Stibbe. Matthew currently shares a shelter with another chimpanzee named Rosi in the town of Voesendorf, outside of Austria. Their upkeep runs nearly $8,000 a month and the shelter recently filed for bankruptcy.

Donors have stepped in to offer assistance, but Stibbe says only official status as a human can permanently prevent Matthew from being transferred out of Austria. That status would force the state to appoint a guardian to look after his status, and presumably also entitle him to government assistance for upkeep.

A win for the group could have sweeping ramifications for the entire European Union, with legal precedent existing for apes -- and possibly other animals -- to receive the rights, protections, and even medical, financial, and social benefits of human beings. Miss Stibbe says, "Since he has no close relatives, I am doing this as the person closest to him." She says she also plans to legally adopt Matthew as well. See Chick's MOVING ON UP!

New Alberto DVD (by his wife, Nury)

I got a call today from Alberto's widow, Nury. She said she received and enjoyed the Chick documentary. (She was in it, along with footage of her husband.) Then she told me she just finished her own video called Alberto's Last Days. She says it will soon be for sale at her new website: http://www.albertolastdays.com/

She says she's still running her South Florida church and going on regular missionary trips to South America and Europe. So although Alberto may be gone, he's not at all forgotten!

More Massachusetts Gay Mischief

Democrats in the Massachusetts Senate vote to allow gays from out of state to marry. The State House of Representatives and the Governor (both Democrats) are expected to support the bill. The state currently allows only native homosexuals to marry. When it passed that law in 2004, it started a cross-country backlash that resulted in many states passing laws forbidding homosexual marriage and helped secure a second term for Bush. This time, it may also help "get out the vote" of conservatives who would otherwise not vote, simply because they see how Democrats push this agenda despite most the public opposing it. See Chick's SIN CITY.

Gay Man Files $70M Suit Against Bible Publishers Over 'Homosexual' Verses

A homosexual man has filed a $70 million lawsuit against Bible publishers Zondervan and Thomas Nelson, alleging that their version of the Bible that refers to homosexuality as a sin violates his constitutional rights and has caused him emotional distress.

Bradley LaShawn Fowler, an ex-con turned author, filed the federal suit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on Monday, the same day a judge refused to appoint him a lawyer for his suit against Thomas Nelson, The Grand Rapids Press reported.

"The Court has some very genuine concerns about the nature and efficacy of these claims," the judge wrote.

Fowler, who is representing himself in both cases, claims that Zondervan manipulated Scripture by using the term "homosexuals" in 1 Corinthians 6:9 of their 1982 and 1987 revised edition Bibles. He also contends that the reference to homosexuality were deleted by the publisher in later versions without informing the public.

He alleges that since the older Kings James Version containing the term "homosexuals" is used by his family pastor, he has been outcast by his family. The 39-year-old is suing the Grand Rapids publisher for compensation of 20 years of "emotional duress and mental instability," he told WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids.

In a hand-written suit, Fowler lists all sorts of charges against Zondervan including malicious negligence, strict liability, malice, libel, and violating his civil rights.

Guess he never read Chick's GAY BLADE, Haw-haw-haw!

Obama promises Amnesty for Illegals

Addressing the Latin American group LA RASA, Presidential candidate Barack Obama promises that if elected, his first priority will be to provide "a pathway to citizenship" (amnesty) to the 12 to 20 million immigrants who are already here illegally. Last week, he told another Hispanic group that Americans needed to learn Spanish. Obama is currently favored by Hispanics 2 to 1 over McCain, who indicated his priority would be to secure the borders first. Chick warns that our defacto open borders allow millions of Roman Catholics to move to the USA and overwhelm our democracy. See Chicks early version of WHY NO REVIVAL.

Rev. Jackson Attacks Obama's Elitism & Manhood

The Rev. Jesse Jackson issued an apology to Barack Obama Wednesday after private comments he was making about the presidential candidate were picked up on an open microphone. After a Fox News interview on Sunday, Jackson said, "Barack, he's talking down to black people." Fox News aired Jackson's comment Wednesday night, including his use of a slang word for Obama's testicles. See Chick's OOPS!

Iran Launches Missles To Demonstrate Threat

Iran, the only remaining middle Eastern power openly seeking nuclear technology, fired six missiles in a show of force. Some of the missiles have long enough range to reach Israel. Iran has treatened to shut down the flow of oil in the region and to attack Israel if any bombing raids are made on their nuclear program (as were done against Saddam). Senator Obama, who once said Iran was no serious threat because it is so small, has recently told Jewish supporters that Iran is "A great threat". See Chick's MEN OF PEACE.

CBS Reporter Knocked Up

Lara Logan, the chief foreign affairs correspondent for CBS News, tells The Washington Post she is pregnant, and the father is a married federal contractor whom she met while stationed in Iraq. The father has a child but will be getting divorced from the child's mother. Logan is also married, but she filed for divorce in November. She is also a contributor to "60 Minutes", the weekly news program made famous for practicing "gotcha" journalism. See Chick's CAUGHT.

Church of England Decides to allow Female Bishops

After all the controversy over allowing practicing homosexuals to become Bishops, The Church of England takes another step to the left and decides to allow female Bishops. (They had already permitted women priest in the 1970s). See Chick's REV. WONDERFUL.

WMD materials removed from Iraq

With very little fan fair, AP news announces that over 500 metric tons of Uranium "yellow cake" powder were safely moved out of Iraq and sent to Canada. The powder is used as the basic building block for nuclear fission and essential to develope nuclear bombs. See: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1107ap_iraq_yellowcake_mission.html See Chick's MEN OF PEACE?

Democratic Activists Arrested for Satanist Rape Ritual

Two Democratic activists in North Carolina are arrested for kidnapping and raping recruits to their Satanic Church. The "Reverend" Joe Craig and his wife, Joy Johnson (a Democratic Chair-woman and leader of the Young Democrats), were arrested for chaining victims to their bed and locking them in dog cages before beating and raping them. The couple ran a organization called "Indigo Dawn", which helped members "reach enlightenment", "regress into past lives" and "see with their third eye". Now they face a combined bail over over $1 million. See Chick's THE NERVOUS WITCH. See the webcast at http://www.breitbart.tv/?p=123123 or see the Indigo Dawn website at http://www.theindigodawn.com/Indigo_Dawn/Welcome.html