Islam Online: Esther Benbassa said, "France has been always encountering problems with its minorities, noting that it did everything possible to melt them away into one crucible....the "hard-line' tone of the French govern-ment...will never work with Muslims or Arabs, though it was used with the Jews in the 18th century. She warned that the principles of the French Revolution are threat-ened with extinction if France fails to live up to its multi-cultural society. 'The real danger lies in the mono-view-point adopted by France,' she said.... The Jews, at that time, had no place to go, whereas the Arabs and Mus-lims in France still have connections with their homelands"

Associated Press via USAToday: New Zealand's parliament has been debating proposed legislation that would grant 'civil union' status to couples — both same-sex and heterosexual — who live together, giving them many of the same rights as married couples. Conservative critics have labeled it the 'Gay Marriage Bill,' although it doesn't formally recognize gay marriages and differentiates between civil unions and marriage. 'Spouses rightly deserve specific and categorical legal recognition by the state,' the pope said, 'while any attempt to equate marriage with other forms of cohabitation violates its unique role in God's plan for humanity.'"

Albert Mohler: "The Great Divide: Retro vs. Metro America...is an all-out assault on American conserva-tives and residents of the states that voted for George W. Bush in 2000. Most pointedly, however, this book and its associated $2-million advertising campaign are the project of a man who is fanatically determined to reset America's political equation—and to counter the influence of evangelical Christians. ...The man behind all this is a case study in the intersection of big money and crackpot politics. John Sperling, age 83, made billions in the business world, founding the nation's largest for-profit educational enterprise, the University of Phoenix....no longer under his control."

Toby Young in NY Observer: Is Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter's "opposition to Bush is in some sense authentic?...My own pet theory is that he...is trying to position himself as a credible Democratic opponent to Michael Bloom-berg in next year’s Mayoral election. The one issue Graydon...care[s] passionately about...is smoking. He was furious when Bloomberg’s goons ticketed him for lighting up in his own office, and I can easily imagine [his] thoughts of revenge as he sucks down Camel Light after Camel Light in the stairwell of the Condé Nast building. What better way to retaliate than running against Mr. Bloomberg on a pro-smoking ticket—and winning?"

AP via Macon Telegraph: "Now, for those seeking money to attend college, it no longer hurts to be gay, lesbian or transgender. An increasing number of charities, professional groups and university campuses offer scholarships specifically for students whose sex-uality doesn't fit the coed mold. More than 50 such scholarships are available nationwide—from the $1,000 scholarships that Zami, an advocacy group in Atlanta, is giving to 21 black lesbians and gays this year, the $2,000 awards the United Church of Christ distri-buted to gay seminarians, and the $3,000 fellow-ships George Washington University administers so gays and lesbians can spend a semester studying politics in the nation's capital."

AP: "A university president and a Democratic state lawmaker said rules put in place this year to protect conservative viewpoints on Colorado campuses have harmed free speech and led to death threats against professors. Republican lawmakers responded that conservative students are still being harassed and more needs to be done. The comments came as a handful of college officials and students went before the Legislature's Joint Education Committee on Thursday to report on efforts to enforce the Academic Bill of Rights. All state-funded colleges adopted the policy this year under pressure from Republican lawmakers."  

The Economist: "The impression in Rome is that the pope is doing as much as he can to repair relations with the east while his strength holds out. One of the most warmly received visitors to Rome this summer was Patriarch Bartholomew, the Istanbul-based prelate who by tradition is the 'first among equals' in the eas-tern Orthodox hierarchy—and who has often risked the ire of his fellows by keeping relations with Rome cordial. With an alacrity that impressed the patriarchal party, the pope agreed to pay a return visit to Istanbul in November. This trip to the see of 'Constantinople and New Rome'—to use its ecclesiastical title—is one of the few journeys still left in the papal diary."

Albert Mohler, Crossroads: "sometimes a book comes along that demands immediate attention and will earn long-term influence. That is certainly the case with Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey, which may well be one of the most important Christian books of our times. Total Truth, subtitled 'Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity,' is a manifesto for Christian worldview thinking in the 21st century. The book is a masterpiece of cultural analysis and intellectual engagement, tracing the odyssey of its author even as she provides virtually an entire education in Christian worldview understanding in a single volume. This is no small achievement." 

Christianity Today: "Democratic Sen. John Kerry hardly evokes the typical 'I Vote Values' crowd, but in July he explained his campaign this way: 'In the end, it's about values.' He is using values to change his public image just as President Bush used compassion in 2000. That both candidates are appealing to values should be encouraging to evangelicals. With up to 40 percent of the American population, evangelicals are in every region and both major parties. Granted, 80 percent of evangelicals voted for Bush in 2000, but up to 4 million didn't bother to vote at all. Values matter deeply to all Christians, but not just any values."

CNSNews via Townhall: "According to the National Right to Life Committee, the email came 'out of the blue' from Todd Eastham, a news editor for Reuters. Eastham was responding to a press release that the [group] sent to news outlets after a federal judge struck down a ban on partial birth abortion. Eastham's email read as follows: 'What's your plan for parenting & educ-ating all the unwanted children you people want to bring into the world? Who will pay for policing our streets & maintaining the prisons needed to contain them when you, their parents & the system fail them? Oh, sorry. All that money has been earmarked to pay off the Bush deficit. Give me a frigging break, will you?'"

Amelia Gentleman, Guardian Newspapers Ltd: "France's teaching community is braced for a wave of tension as schools implement new and controversial legislation banning the wearing of Islamic headscarves and other 'conspicuous' religious symbols. A hotline was launched by Muslim pressure groups last Wed-nesday, advising students on how to circumvent the legislation discreetly. Though officials claim that fewer than 100 pupils plan to defy the law, the Government has warned that radical Islamist organisations are using them as pawns, encouraging them to provoke confrontation.The Education Minister, Francois Fillon, said the Government would be unflinching."  

WRMEA.COM: The Western Pennsylvania museum "opened to the public with a special exhibition entitled 'A Man from Lebanon: The Art of Kahlil Gibran.' The display includes 40 original pieces of art produced by the noted author and 20th century multi-media artist. ...'The Gibran exhibition affords many opportunities for enriched learning about the Eastern heritage and culture through collaborative partnerships for special lectures and readings,' stated Fr. Michael Massouh, executive director for Antiochian Village. 'Kahlil Gibran is a renowned name in literature and fine art whose paintings will attract regional and national visitors.'" 

David Neff, Christianity Today: "'The Question of God' is 'think TV.' It is also an excellent opportunity for church groups to watch and then discuss. (A discus-sion guide can be downloaded from the program's website.) Better yet, it is an opportunity for Christians to gather and talk (rather than argue) with the poly-morphously spiritual, the agnostic, and the atheistic."
Charles W. Colson, Breakpoint: "I encourage you: Watch "The Question of God" on PBS and get your friends and neighbors to do the same thing. And then start a discussion. Then you should write or e-mail PBS and thank them for putting the program on. There's a good chance they will rerun a special like this, and the more people who see it the better."

AP via MSNBC: "the former president, speaking at Riverside Church in upper Manhattan, said, 'Politics and political involvement dictated by faith is not the exclusive province of the right wing.' The Democrats, Clinton argued, need to show their policies are also rooted in faith. 'The religious right has tried to turn us all, in disagreeing with them, into two-dimensional car-toons,' he said. Speaking of Bush’s religious beliefs, he said, 'I believe President Bush is a good Christian. I believe that his faith in Jesus saved him. I believe it gave him new purpose and direction to his life. But that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t see through a glass darkly'..."

SBC Baptist Press: "'David Lynch used me in his film, "Mulholland Drive," a few years ago. I was a novice, a fish out of water. But he said to me, "Why don't you do this for a living? You're an actor." But after finishing that movie, I felt like I had made a deal with the devil. I felt like I'd done something dark. It's a dark film. And as you know, there ain't a whole lotta light in Hollywood. So I prayed, asking God what He wanted me to do. I prayed, "God, if you want me to be an actor, send me the kind of work that You want me to do." Days later I got the script for Doc. I read it and said, "Man, this is about faith and hope and compassion." I loved it. I told myself, this is what God had intended for me to do.'"

A Christmas gift from Xnmp—The "gift" is a tip. Add the Google toolbar to your computer's Internet Explorer browser. It zaps popup ads on news websites, which is great, but even better, its search option to "search this site" is awesome. It's virtually an index of any site, including this one. Try it—go to the web address below, click "download," and it automatically installs itself if your computer is WIndows XP. And Merry Christmas!
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