Commentary

Commentary & News Briefs
December 28, 2005
Compiled by Jody Brown

...A Texas public school superintendent is paying a hefty price for discriminating against a teacher by denying her a promotion because she refused to take her children out of a Christian school. Last March, a federal jury in Dallas found former Greenville Independent School District Superintendent Herman Smith guilty of violating Karen Barrow's constitutional and parental rights, and awarded her more than $15,000 in lost wages. Now a federal judge has granted a $650,000 award in attorneys' fees against Smith and the Texas Association of School Boards. Barrow's attorney, Kelly Shackelford with Liberty Legal Institute, says the award is a wake-up call for government entities that think they can violate parents' rights at will. "This should send a strong message to every school district in the country that American children aren't children of the state," the attorney say, "and that this type of discrimination against parents who are teachers or administrators will not only not be tolerated but it's going to cost you a heavy penny." Shackelford believes the unique religious freedom case sets an important precedent. "Every school teacher and administrator in the country who wants to keep their kids in Christian school just got a massive shot across the bow to the bad guys who think that they can intimidate or extort them," he says. Karen Barrows was denied a promotion to assistant principal and told she had no future in the school district because she would not send her children to public schools. [Jim Brown]

...A four-foot-high menorah has been set up outside Iran's Washington offices to draw attention to that country's hatred of Israel. The president of Iran has made headlines in recent speeches in which he called for Israel to be wiped off the face of the earth and also declared that the death of six million Jews in the Holocaust was a myth. A group called the Jewish Community Relations Council says it chose the Christmas and Hanukkah period to symbolize what it calls the "ongoing struggle against terror and tyranny." The Iranian president's comments have been widely condemned, but so far no country has done anything concrete in the way of punishing that country for its hatred of Israel. [AP/Fred Jackson]

...Conservatives are welcoming a ruling from the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals where the justices denounced the so-called "separation of church and state" doctrine. In its ruling in favor of the Kentucky display of the Ten Commandments, the Sixth Circuit said: "The First Amendment does not demand a wall of separation between church and state." Family Research Council legal consultant Pat Trueman welcomed the court's ruling. "I think it's very significant because it is a circuit court," he says. "It's one step below the U.S. Supreme Court. And I think also it demonstrates that the tide is turning in favor of our Judeo-Christian heritage." Trueman believes the Supreme Court will uphold the lower court's decision, and that that will send a signal to all of the courts in the nation that "acknowledging God in American society is not only perfectly acceptable, it's very American." The Sixth Circuit also chastised the American Civil Liberties Union, claiming its argument for the wall of separation is "extra-constitutional" and "tiresome." [Bill Fancher]

...A Navy chaplain and a Christian rights activist will be spending the remainder of this year on a hunger strike. Pat Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition is concerned about what he sees as a growing war on the Christian religion. "We've seen all of this with Christmas and all these other issues happening," Mahoney observes. "Now it's gotten to the point where the military is telling their chaplains how to pray." The military has told Christian chaplains that they cannot pray "in the name of Jesus." A Navy chaplain, Gordon Klingenschmitt, has balked at the new directive and is going on a hunger strike to protest. (See related story.) Mahoney has joined the chaplain in the protest. They are asking the president to direct the military to allow Christian chaplains to pray as their faith dictates. [Bill Fancher]

...A pastor and retired Army chaplain says President Bush needs to issue an executive order to permit military chaplains to pray according to their individual faith traditions. He says such a move would revoke a new set of guidelines in the Air Force which forbid chaplains from praying in the name of Jesus. That Air Force policy was invoked in August in the wake of complaints of overzealous evangelical proselytizing at the Air Force Academy. Dr. Billy Baughm, executive director of the International Conference of Evangelical Chaplain Endorsers, explains the ramifications. "If there is a staff meeting or if there is a gathering of troops, the chaplain no longer can come up pray in Jesus' name, not even at Christmas time," Baughm explains. "An Air Force chaplain can no longer have prayer with his pilots as they begin to fly their sorties." And Baughm fears if the president does not act, the Department of Defense might expand the Air Force guidelines to other branches of the service. "If this interim holds, then the Army and the Navy will inevitably have to follow it, because it will become DOD policy," he says. "The Navy has been practicing this for years. This is nothing new. What the Navy did not do was put it in writing, so there was no document to say it was ordered." Baughm adds that as far as he knows, no Muslim chaplain has been denied the right to pray in the name of Allah -- but Christian chaplains cannot invoke the name of Jesus. [Chad Groening]

...A businessman from Mississippi is working on a project that would bring medical and spiritual assistance to people in Vietnam. For years, Laurel, Mississippi, businessman Richard Headrick and his wife Gina have traveled the world, supporting and encouraging Christian missionaries. Recently the Headricks traveled to the communist nation of Vietnam. While there the Headricks toured many remote villages through canals, rivers, and tributaries. Headrick says God gave him the idea to develop what will be called a "Jesus Boat," which will provide medical care throughout the country. "Our concept ... is to use the medical and dental facility and [the care it offers] to allow us entry into the different villages," he explains. "Then at night we would show the JESUS film, have a large screen that would collapse and go up and down, and then have some volunteer pastors, local Vietnamese pastors, that would actually go out and infiltrate into the village, into the population, and tell them about Christ." Headrick says it could take up to two years before the "Jesus Boat" is operational in Vietnam. He adds that he has already received approval from the government for portions of the project. [Allie Martin]

...NBC is starting 2006 with a new TV series called The Book of Daniel. But the lead character is nothing like the hero of the Bible's book of Daniel. The series stars Aidan Quinn as an Episcopal priest with a drug-dealing daughter and two sons, one homosexual and the other promiscuous. The priest also is shown having regular visions of, and frequent chats with, a hip, therapeutic Jesus. The network, says the American Family Association, considers the program "a positive portray of Christ and Christians" -- but AFA says the program in fact "mocks" Christianity. AFA chairman and founder Dr. Don Wildmon contends the network's decision to air the series "reflects the anti-Christian bias which exists at the highest levels of the network." The pro-family group is urging its members to contact their local NBC affiliate and ask them not to air the program, and to e-mail the network protesting the program. According to an AFA press release, NBC has already received more than 400,000 complaints via e-mail, and local affiliates are being "pounded" with hundreds of phone calls. The series is scheduled to debut a week from Friday. [AP/Jody Brown]

The Founding of Orthodoxy

Thoughts for this Advent

A Most Important Message Regarding World AIDS

When Viewing a News Article (as of Friday 11/11/2005) click on the link to either the Return to "Home Page" for today's current Daily/weekly News and Information or the: 2005 News Archive.

Our Daily/Weekly News and information gathering has enlarged. As a result, we will be posting, on the entry page, only those current News and Informational Items for the day/week. All other news and informational items for previous days in the month will be moved to our Archive Pages for that month and year, as shown above...

NOTICE to VISITORS ABOUT our Web Page Content

and OUR sending and receiving - E-MAIL Policies and Telephone calls

(A Sort of Rules of "Engagement" and "Disclaimer")

From Our Metropolitan Archbishop, Archabbot and Primate, +Joseph Thaddeus (Stanford), OSB, SSJt., Ph.D.

A Fool For Christ who believes

"Prejudice Makes Prisoners of the Hated and the Hater"

(Why the Photo Image as seen above? See Quotes for September-October-November 2005 from "Franklin")

At:

Apostle1.com, Apostle1.org and Apostle1.net

We are an educational, News-informational and research Web Site dedicated to providing such as befits those who seek things pertinent to the Orthodox Catholic Christian Faith and life.

Also Know that:

We, at apostle1.com do cause for "Point" and "Counterpoint" discussions at our web site. This is sometimes the same way in which authors and writers do in order to bring about both sides or arguments in discussions or about some issues affecting the Church as a whole. Abbot +Gregori and our Metropolitan Archbishop do this from time to time. What part of celibacy does one not understand?

However, it has come to our attention that un-named individual(s) think it wise and not harmful to start attacking by taking copyrighted materials to use in their own web site without permission, per se: as for an example, the subjects pertaining to "Homosexuals" and "Homosexuality in the Church," etc. for the purpose of advancing their own causes to start their attacking of other(s) which is not bound in and with the Church, but with a personal agenda of self-image because of anger, hate, fear and worse. They are Roman in attitude and practice, but not Orthodox, although calling themselves "Orthodox" even "Celtic".

It is understood, according to information and belief, that three of his/her/their websites may have been closed by former service providers due to complaints against him/them for internet terrorism, spewing "hate" and causing for an individual whom he/they discuss, to be exposed to potential physical harm which happened in the early part of the 2005 when they thought themselves wise in their own conceit, for things of more than 13 years in the past. What part of "Hate" - "Exposing another to threats of losing life" - "Internet Terrorism" does he/they not understand? Now, under other domain names, the same/similar hate messages re-occur against the same individual.

We find them to be un-orthodox and un-Christian in spirit and truth for they continue to argue things of the past that is not a part of the Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ, and (in fact) go against the very commandments of Jesus Christ! And those who do such are, it is opined upon investigation and in most instances, the very one(s) who had been or are under ban as excommunicated individuals posing as duly ordained clergy who had been a part of this jurisdiction (and so many numerous others) in times past.

Also... It is suggested you view the article and especially the related commentary opinion having to do with your telephone, internet and other activities since the defeat of one of the extension provisions of the Patriot Act by clicking here... Although the legislation had to do with activities pertaining to communication inside the U.S.A with those on the outside, much of what is said in the commentary opinion has to do with what goes on inside the U.S.A,

Webmaster

Apostle1.com's NOTE: A few have sent inquiries as to why we post information and/or articles relating to what might be considered as political and sometimes from other Protestants . And the reply is much the same as it states on the entry page.... We Are:

A Non-Profit Religious Hosting Service

and

an Educational, News, Informational and Research Web Site dedicated to providing such as befits those who seek things pertinent to the Orthodox Catholic Christian Faith and life for various

Traditional Orthodox Jurisdictions

While the answer and question above is not sufficient for some to understand, we take the view (which we believe is ORTHODOX) that all things pertinent to life and living affects, and has an effect, upon not just our belief (Orthodox), but (for many) the way in which we act in accordance with our belief, our very faith.

Because this is a highly Protestant Country in which we live, having an effect upon the laws of the land, we should know something of what is on-going and where efforts by those denominations may affect and have a intrinsic effect on our very laws, for such does have an effect upon our daily lives as Orthodox Catholic Christians.

If one is not cognizant of the real events happening both locally and in the world, although many are removed from the world... one will not know what to expect or what to do, or how one can or cannot act which might betray one's faith and accrue the wrath of civil authorities as laws change. Yet, we are also reminded that these things must happen and it was for that which there exists many early Christian Martyrs and Saints.

While we can remove ourselves from the world, we still live in it. And for the faithful, theirs is a struggle for knowledge and understanding. All things are pertinent to the Orthodox Catholic Christian Faith which is the very foundation of Christianity. As such, we can not abandon them and leave them blind to events and happenings.

What we post as related to those things similar to various articles which might have a political theme or non-Orthodox Catholic Christian content, of sorts, does not mean or imply that we are supportive of, or against something articulated in an article, so much as it is NEWS and our faithful should be made aware, for such may be the very thing that will impact their day-to-day life.

Remember, not all Protestants, especially hard core cultic groups such as "Charismatic" - "Evangelical" and other people are not so generous in their viciousness toward anyone and anything that appears "Catholic" whether of the Roman or Orthodox jurisdictions, for they do not know or want to learn that which makes them "different" in their walk and talk as being far from the roots of Christianity.

Remember, it is the Roman jurisdiction which has more outwardly shown that it can be one of the most vicious toward those who are not Roman but are very much "Catholic" - for the sun and moon does not rise and set on the Vatican (Latin or Roman) jurisdiction as to who is or is not "Catholic" for the Roman jurisdiction split (schismed) from the roots of "Catholicism" which is founded in what is termed and called today as "Orthodoxy".

Any good article or piece of information will be considered so long as it is not defamatory or slanderous toward an individual when not based on TRUTH or FACT, or which is altered out of context from its original publishing by recognized sources.

+Joseph Thaddeus (Stanford), OSB, SSJt., Ph.D.

“I prefer a defeat accompanied by humility to a victory accompanied by pride.”

--An Elder

A Curse or a Blessing? Depending on to whom it may...

There are unscrupulous people on the internet these days. Some of them are not who they claim to be and in order to disrupt honest spiritual pursuits, they are known to send out e-mail under someone else's name or the name of another church or jurisdiction with attachments. Anyone can do this, if they want. Some of them exist in Toledo, Ohio... Some in Texas... Others in Michigan, California and many other places... Some are "haters of truth" who follow (whether they are willing to admit it) those who have sway over less educated or ignorant people... as their are also those who do not even know what they are doing because they seek glory to satisfy their own vanity and selfish pride to take over a church or jurisdiction of another, or to wreck havoc over those whom they hate without considering the Gospel Message of Jesus Christ.

If you should ever receive an e-mail with an attachment purporting to be from anyone at "apostle1.com" - "apostle1.org" or even "apostle1.net" - - - know that our policy is to not send out e-mail from any of our domain names with an attachment. Therefore, don't open it! If you receive any e-mail from apostle1.com, apostle1.org or apostle1.net and have never before communicated with us... even if you have communicated with us... verify, verify and again, verify.

Unless we know exactly from whom an e-mail comes... nothing is clicked on or opened, not even attachments! You would be surprised from whom 'hate' e-mail arrives and what attempts and extremes they go to make their e-mails "look" official when it is a lone person or persons who hate TRUTH and love lies, hate anything from being posted that involves TRUTH because they may be affected with exposure to the LIVING TRUTH of Jesus Christ's Love.

Also: Hang Up Telephone Calls constantly get to you?

We get them all the time. But one thing we do that many are unaware of... We keep an automatic telephone log and then we turn them over to the same group who monitors and interacts with the hackers, etc.

It no longer matters if the caller calls once in a day, every other day or every day or several times a week, once a week for several months... All get logged, even those who think they have escaped notice by using the actual I.D. Caller number of "000-000-0000" which is being used of late.

It is known that a telephone number showing up may actually be a telephone service provider phone number, yet... they too keep logs and information as to each individual cellular or local (their locale) phone usage...

In the not-to-distant future, we intend to post some of those telephone numbers which constantly show up as "harassing hang-up" callers. May be, you too have the same? If so, may be we can assist in interacting to go further in bringing them to justice...

Contact us by E-Mail... provide us with your telephone number (U.S. residents only)... so that we may telephone you and assess the information.

Keep Watch!

Those who do such unscrupulous things, HATE some of the news, quotes, and such as to inform the general public. Some of them pose as clergy, while a few are actually clergy from various "other" offshoot AMERICAN ORTHODOX CHURCH or other jurisdiction(s) of the same or similar name of which we are, in some instances, their former MOTHER CHURCH (as is the same named Toledo, Ohio based, an offshoot, who had once been a part of us and unknowingly to our unworthy selves, were once a part of the clergy but they did not obtain permission to leave the jurisdiction they were under, according to Canon, and thus obtained for themselves re-ordination and consecrations, several times... and then using a variety of church names, including our own after they were defrocked and excommunicated, having more than three (3) times being excommunicated by other legitimate apostles/bishops); having joined in and with "Independent" churches who have nothing to do with us or even true Orthodoxy. We have the information on their numerous "Paper Church" names and name changes. But the real issue is whether they were ever truly an ordained Priest and bishop?

It is true that when one is ordained to the priesthood, the old saying of "Once a Priest, always a priest forever..." holds true... But where there has been or is deception and fraud involved, the old saying is invalid altogether which is the stool kicked out from under any subsequent consecrations as a Bishop for the Episcopacy has then been obtained on a sheet of lies and therefore they are frauds, wolves in sheep's clothing. The problem here is with civil authorities and agencies.

Any documents a false one obtains from those who ordained him, including subsequent documents relating to consecrations; civil authorities never (or hardly ever) verify their validity and thus issue their own documents and errantly recognize the individual.

These false sheep in wolf's clothing seek to go out of their way to character assassinate and disparage religious web sites who do not meet their own brand of standardization and those who know where the proverbial "bones are buried on them" which is evidence of the wolf not being "Orthodox" "Christian" or even "Catholic" no matter what their nomenclature corporate name may be. The Toldeo, Ohio based same or similar named person/group under his/their so-called leader has been deposed, defrocked and excommunicated more than three different times by various bishops/apostles. He, and several others, have become just as bad as the modern day Ecumenists of the National Council of Churches, World Council of Churches, the World Council of Bishops and more. It matters not now... whether they use the so-called "Athonite" "Benedictine" "Celtic" "Old Roman" "Old Catholic" - etc. names. A name does not make one Christian. Their ultimate aim and goal is destruction to those from whom they had either originated from or gone through to obtain the same or similar named "church" they claim to hold to by the state's civil law in which they reside alone. They are not a "Schema-monk" or even a true "monk" for they were deposed and excommunicated for violations of the Holy Rule they claim to subscribe to, giving and openly providing false misleading and inaccurate information about other more honorable clergy. These 'wolves in sheep's clothing attract other nefarious and questionable persons whose aims are similar: for fame, image, power and glory, and if it should be that 'fortunes' come along, all the more is their power based.

Remember, anything that is a HALF TRUTH is not truth but a lie! Many there are that you may know who fit those descriptions... pray for them. Pray that God will send his Spirit of Truth upon them and lead them to Salvation through tears of Repentance, conversion of their cold and calculating hearts toward seeking forgiveness from God and those whom they attempt to harm.

Those who receive e-mail from us, know who we are and from where we send mail. There are also many who know that they can send e-mail under another group or person's e-mail address, which has been happening. If you receive e-mail that purports itself to be from us, verify first by hitting your "reply" button and ask, "I received this e-mail but would like verification if it is from you."

If you are of another jurisdiction, you too could find that your parishioners, clergy and faithful might become subject to the same as we have recently found.

Let this be a warning to visitors so as to be safeguarded against unscrupulous e-mails which contain viruses, worms and unsavory material from person(s) organizations or institutions that are more self-serving than uplifting and informatively news worthy.

For ourselves, we have, as in the past, so once again, acquired the assistance of those who are able and capable of tracing e-mails back to their source and taking appropriate action in North America.

We have learned that the organization we subscribe to, whose members come from various legal and law enforcement backgrounds amongst other areas of society, are committed to the faith even though they may hold different theologies. Yet, in their monitoring of electronic communications of various persons or people, they do not always make haste to bring perpetrators to justice until after enough evidence has been gained in order to build a solid case. We do not always know what information they have gained, but we do know the organization, whom we've been asked not to name, has had a 97% success rate in bringing to justice and obtaining a conviction against individuals, people, and sometimes even religious organizations of a persona that gives the appearance of both secular and religious bearing but who abuse and misuse technology. The organization views those who abuse and misuse the internet and other technologies as nothing more than a form of "domestic terrorism" - - - - and, it would seem to appear that the courts are in agreement!

Those kinds of people, organizations, etc. who misuse and abuse communication technologies are no different than those who attempt to use coercive measures, and in some instance, even blackmail for the same idea is involved... to cause havoc and wreckage, to destroy the spirit and activity of those who struggle in the faith out of pain of heart for the Orthodox Church which is TRUTH. The degree that some have been known to go to, as seen by other jurisdictions, is to take advantage of questionably mentally challenged or those who have a lack of education and understanding to get them to make statements, even outright lies, in writing, in order to destroy. Such persons or groups are spiritual terrorists for unholy and un-Orthodox causes, aims and goals.

Yes, our Metropolitan Archbishop, +Joseph Thaddeus, SSJt., Ph.D. strongly defends the Seals of the Confessional for such leads to true Repentance in thought, word and deed whereby the penitent is required to make amends, where possible, to seek forgiveness of those harmed by his actions whether real or imagined, and to give his forgiveness to those who have harmed him before taking the Holy Body and Blood in the Eucharist, Jesus the Christ. The reality of this understanding is bound up in and with the findings for which cause he, himself, had been character assassinated by his detractors who claim the courts prevented him from breaking the Seals of the Confessional which is not the truth at all.... Click here to see what another bishop's findings are...

The workings of Holy Spirit will not be daunted by those who attempt to cause disruption! It is for these and other reasons that you are urged to read what true repentance and forgiveness means for real "Christians".

"It would be better to have ten (10) true repentant X-felons who ask for and give true forgiveness than it would be to have one (1) non-x-felon or common person whose self-righteousness exceeds even the Pharisees, Sadducees, the gossip mongers, slanderers and un-repentant; for the repentant x-felon understands the true meaning of the Church's purpose as being the spiritual hospital." (siq) +Joseph Thaddeus, OSB, SSJt., Ph.D., Metropolitan Archbishop, Archabbot, Primate

Yes... "Prejudice Makes Prisoners of the Hated and the Hater..." (1992-Fr. Alan Stanford)

One can ask, "What part of 'Prejudice' and 'hate' do you not understand? Are you a complacent person? In light of the saying, examine yourself! You may be surprised if you are honest with yourself for your soul may convict you before Jesus Christ convicts you in the times to come!

"When tested by some trial you should try to find out not why or through whom it came, but only how to endure it gratefully, without distress or rancor."

St. Mark the Ascetic.

"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit." Psalms 32:1-2

For further information about how spammers, hackers and those who are angry with you can or will attempt to do damage, we offer the following link as regards some of the computer - internet problems:

http://msn.pcworld.com/howto/article/0,aid,116258,00.asp

(Click On The Above Icon/link for More Information)

+About Monastic Holy Orders: a basic

+ Our Monastic Community

+Society of St. Jude Thaddeus (SSJt.)

+Orthodox Order of Friars Minor (OOFM)

+Benedicinte (OSB)

+Servants (In Service) to Christ (SC)

A Message from Our metropolitan Archbishop - UPDATED

Keep Up-To-Date by clicking on:

Quotes from Metropolitan Archbishop +Joseph Thaddeus, SSJt., Ph.D. Continuously updated

If You have a question that you wish to ask, please feel free to submit it. However, may it be suggested that you review all previous questions for the Month and also the Archive of questions previously asked for your question may have already been answered.

Click Here For Archive Quotes

Click Here for AOC HISTORY PAGES