Eeyores News and View

Blessing of Quietness
Quietness. It is a blessing to be desired above riches, friends, parties, and gatherings.

Isaiah 32:17-18 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places;

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
Proverbs 17:1 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife. (A house full of sacrifices is a house full of feasts of meat, as a portion of meat offerings were given to the priests. See Leviticus 2:3 and 7:31.)

Ecclesiastes 4:6 Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.
http://www.believingstudy.com/

Obama budget cuts funds for abstinence-only sex education
President Obama's new budget would eliminate most money for abstinence-only sex education and shift it to teen pregnancy prevention — a U-turn in what has been more than a decade of sex education policy in the USA.
The proposed budget, sent to Congress last Thursday, "reflects the research," says Melody Barnes, director of the team that coordinates White House domestic policy.
"In any area where Americans want to confront a problem, they want solutions they know will work, as opposed to programming they know hasn't proven to be successful. Given where we've been in recent years, I think this is a very important moment," she says.
Abstinence-only sex education programs, which emphasize a no-sex-until-marriage message, received almost $1.3 billion in federal dollars from fiscal years 2001-2009, according to the Office of Management and Budget. At the same time, studies of abstinence-only programs have shown little success; the most often-cited study, released in 2007, was congressionally mandated and federally funded and found that abstinence-only programs don't prevent or delay teen sex.
Valerie Huber of the National Abstinence Education Association says that 2007 study was "an early study about early programs. Things have changed."
Two weeks ago, she says her organization briefed congressional aides about an analysis of studies that she says refutes arguments that abstinence education doesn't affect sexual behavior.
Barnes says the budget leaves open a possibility that an abstinence-only program could be funded, if there is evidence of its effectiveness.
Obama's budget proposes almost $178 million for teen pregnancy prevention, including $110 million for community-based programs. About 75% of that is for programs proven to have delayed sex and increased contraceptive use or reduced teen pregnancy. The other 25% could be for "innovative" programs.
Obama "is open to innovation, and that could include abstinence-only if there is some indication it would work," Barnes says.
Huber says her organization must work harder to convince Congress to continue funding abstinence education.
"We're encouraging abstinence programs around the country to let Congress know what research they have and share what an abstinence program truly is," Huber says.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-05-11-abstinence-only_N.htm

Children's charity drops 'Christian' moniker
Marty Cooper - OneNewsNow - 5/11/2009 10:20:00 AM
Last month the Christian Children's Fund announced it is adopting a new strategy to continue its work in aiding the world's impoverished children. Along with the new strategy comes a name change -- specifically, removal of the word "Christian" from its title.
The new name, ChildFund International, was approved at the Christian Children's Fund (CCF) Board of Director's meeting on April 21 and will take effect July 1. As AlertNet.org reports, CCF hopes to continue easing the "burden of poverty for children and their families" under the new, "globally unified" branding.
CEO Anne Lynam Goddard, who became president of CCF in 2006, says the board examined the traditions of the ministry over the past 70 years and wanted to revamp the image to continue serving others over the next 70 years, since an estimated 53 million additional people will be forced into poverty because of the current economic crisis.
CCF boasts helping more than 15.2 million children and families in 31 countries since its inception. It has provided nearly $3 billion in aid to poor families, mainly through monthly child sponsorships. Goddard notes the philanthropy's goals of helping ensure a child's health and growth from birth to young adulthood will continue so that the children will one day become world-changers themselves.
However, the adoption of the new name ChildFund International is not the first rebranding the ministry has undergone. CCF, founded in 1938, was first christened China Children's Fund but changed to Christian Children's Fund after its work expanded outside of China.
In recent years, CCF has received criticism as many ask whether the group has actually lived up to its "Christian" name. The name change likely comes as no surprise to the people at MinistryWatch, a group that "profile[s] public charities, church and parachurch ministries." In 2004, MinistryWatch questioned whether having the title Christian Children's Fund was misleading to Christian donors. and prompted an investigation of the philanthropy.
According to a May 2004 Donor Alert, their research concluded that CCF calls itself a "non-sectarian" group and does not have a statement of faith, nor is it a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. CCF admits they are "not an evangelical organization in that [they] do not teach religion as part of [their] program activity and [they] do not try to convert beneficiaries as part of [their] program efforts."
However, after denying the Christian label, CCF then argued it was indeed a Christian group because of the "good works" it does for children. However, MinistryWatch believes CCF's work is closer to "community development" than ministry because donated funds are spent on an entire community instead of going directly to help the child being sponsored.
MinistryWatch also concluded Christians may be bothered that CCF partners with "traditional healers" in Third World nations, which MinistryWatch believes can be construed as "occult practices." Additionally, CCF employees are not required to be professing Christians.
MinistryWatch released the alert nearly five years ago, urging CCF supporters and donors to reconsider donating to other ministries that have clear Christian messages, claiming that a true Christian ministry hopes to "bring those that they serve into a relationship with their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ."
Goddard, however, asserts the most significant change comes from within a community. "As we change a childhood, we change the world," she says. http://www.onenewsnow.com/Culture/Default.aspx?id=525028

Dobson: 'There's utter evil coming out of Congress'Focus on the Family ministry founder condemns 'Pedophile Protection Act'
James Dobson, the founder of the Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family Christian ministry, warned today that there is "utter evil" coming out of Washington, D.C., these days.
"I want to tell our listeners something has come up that is so shocking and so outrageous, we must make our friends out there aware of it," he said on his daily radio program.
"I'm going to speak very bluntly today because there's no other word for it: the utter evil that's coming out of Congress," he said. "I've been on the air 32 years and I've never seen a time quite like this.
"The radical left controls the executive branch through the president, and the Congress where the Democrats have control of both the House and the Senate," he said, adding the courts are expected to move even further to the left.
The target of his worry is the so-called "Hate Crimes" already approved in the U.S. House and now pending in the Senate.
A hearing on the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, already approved by the U.S. House as H.R. 1913 and pending in the Senate as S. 909, is expected in the Senate Judiciary Committee soon. It's been described by Shawn D. Akers, policy analyst with Liberty Counsel, as a bill to create penalties against "victims" who were chosen based on an "actual or perceived ... sexual orientation, gender identity."
First, he said, comes the so-called "hate crimes" law. Then will come the employment non-discrimination concept that says "thou shalt hire people of these proclivities." Finally, there would come the imposition of nation-wide same-sex marriage combined with speech limits banning any criticism of that, restrictions that already are in place in Canada..
Gohmert pointed out that Christians and their pastors need especially to be worried because of the bull's-eye being painted on them by homosexuals.
He said while the "hate crimes" bill says its provisions shouldn't be used against religious statements, there's an important word that follows that provision: "Unless."
That's unless "the evidence relates to that offense," he said.
And under existing federal law, someone who "induces" a crime can be tried, convicted and sentenced as the principal. He said that leaves open pastors and Christians to be prosecuted should someone who commits a crime claim to have heard them speaking against homosexuality.
Dobson said such threats to free speech and religious rights "keeps me awake at night."
He said the Christian community's response should be a massive prayer campaign.
Gohmert said he sees a future for the United States, iIf we have another awakening. If we don't, I'm not sure what's left."
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=98105