Common Core is Rotten to the Core, Part 3 (final)

May 25, 2013 By

Common CorePart of the joy of teaching is being able to innovate and adjust to the needs of individuals and different learning environments.

The question teachers must ask themselves is this: Is a system that relies totally on the ability of every child to pass multiple tests in a given school year going to offer time and opportunities for innovation? 

These tests will be used to determine teacher pay raises, the amount of funding each school receives, what kind of job each student will be able to obtain when his/her education is completed, among other dubious purposes.  Who believes that teachers will not be forced to teach to the test in order to ensure the best scores for the school, the teachers, and the district?

More importantly, the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are being used as a tool to usurp control from the school districts of our state as well as our state Department of Education in favor of a national, one-size-fits-all system controlled from Washington, DC.

Furthermore, the requirement that the states link their student databases – containing as many as 400-500 data fields  per student or teacher – to a national database controlled by the Center for Education Statistics. [Read more...]

About Tom Stark

Tom Stark began writing for the Engage Family Minute blog in February 2012. As a small business owner Tom is passionate about the intersection of faith and politics in the life of Christians and the community around him. Having been touched by both the abortion issue and the issue of homosexuality in his own family, Tom is passionate about defending the lives of the unborn and upholding Biblical Truth. Tom also writes for www.westvirginiaconservative.com

Filed Under: Religious Freedom Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Landmark Religious Freedom Case Could Be Coming

May 22, 2013 By

A case that could be one of the most significant in recent decades for religious freedom could be coming to the Supreme Court. The court has agreed to review the case of Town of Greece v. Galloway. This is a case in which the Supreme Court could once again support the right of town council’s to open their meetings in prayer. With such a ruling the religious freedom of every American would once again be reiterated by the court in the public sector, despite the efforts of some to eradicate such rights. A recent article quoted FRC’s Ken Klukowski:

“It is likely that the town of Greece will prevail before the U.S. Supreme Court in this case, and a victory for them will be a victory for all Americans of faith and for the Constitution itself…Given that the Court has looked approvingly to legislative prayer dating to the Founding, it is likely that the Court will not only affirm prayer but significantly strengthen the religious liberty rights of Americans in public life and the public square.” We hope the court indeed sees it this way and rules in favor of history, tradition, and freedom. Click here for original article.

About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.

Filed Under: Religious Freedom Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Must Read: Brief Article on the Original Meaning of the Establishment Clause

May 16, 2013 By

Jerry Newcomb has written a must read article briefly explaining the original intent and meaning of the establishment clause of the Constitution along with the phrase “separation of church and state.” (Note: the phrase “separation of church and state” appears nowhere in the Constitution, Bill of Right, or Declaration of Independence.) In the article, Newcomb states: “A lot of times when the pro-religious freedom side fights back, we win. (That’s because the Constitution and history are on our side.) But that takes a lot of courage and energy. And many people would rather just go with the flow and turn the other cheek, which is understandable. Yet over time, we find our liberties being chipped away piece by piece.”

He goes on to wonder why the church isn’t more involved in helping to preserve the religious freedom and liberty of our great country. I concur. After all, if religious freedom is lost, who is it that will be most harmed? The obvious answer is all those serving in full-time ministry. So why aren’t more pastors, Christian teachers, and other ministry people more concerned that their livelihood is being threatened? I confess I am completely baffled by this question and corresponding reality. Click here for original article.

 

About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.

Filed Under: Religious Freedom Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Why the IRS Targeting of Conservative Groups is a Concern for Us All

May 14, 2013 By

Maybe you’ve heard of the most recent scandal to hit D.C., (in addition to the Benghazi scandal). Then again, maybe you haven’t. In case you missed it, the IRS is being accused of intentionally targeting conservative groups for extra auditing scrutiny. Specifically, it has been rumored that the IRS went after groups that opposed Obama’s re-election in 2012 and the abuse of power may have started as early as 2011. The reason this is, as members of Congress are saying, chilling, is that it is a direct affront to free speech and religious freedom.

It is this kind of abuse of power and infringement of rights that the Family Policy Council of West Virginia seeks to curb in Charleston. It’s absurd to think that such abuses are not happening in our own state, and we aim to be the “watchmen on the wall” keeping an eye out in order to sound the alarm when it happens. Just this year we sounded the alarm on language in discrimination bills that would have infringed on the religious rights of many West Virginian’s. While we don’t have much control over what happens in Washington, other than our election votes, we are able to be more involved in Charleston and promise to stay alert. Click here for original article.

About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.

Filed Under: Religious Freedom Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Professor Believes Historical Christian Martyrdom is False

May 14, 2013 By

A professor at Notre Dame is gaining fame for her new book in which she claims many of the stories of Christian martyrdom from the early period of the church are actually exaggerations and untrue. She claims to be a practicing Catholic and “expert in Christianity,” and that this book is not an attack on faith, but on historical inaccuracies. But it’s easy to see how something like this could minimize the persecution of historical Christians while simultaneously encouraging greater persecution of Christians world-wide. And with the amount of persecutions Christians are facing at the hands of Muslims, communists, and others world-wide presently, encouraging greater persecution is not desirable. A recent article reports:

“…advancing some bold claims, the professor holds that the so-called “Age of Martyrs” was, at least in part, fictional. This was the time-frame before Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity in the fourth century — a period during which many allege that believers were brutally murdered by Roman authorities. Stories are often told today of the plight that these individuals faced. But Moss believes that many of these narratives were exaggerations used to push back against heretics, to inspire believers and to gain support for church funding.” We continue to defend religious freedom in West Virginia, and seek greater freedom for Christians world-wide. Click here for original article.

About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.

Filed Under: Religious Freedom Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

What Do You Expect to Happen on the National Day of Prayer?

April 27, 2013 By

PrayerNext Thursday has been designated as the 2013 National Day of Prayer (NDP).   Now many of you will take brief note of that fact, and then return to whatever you were doing before noting it when Thursday arrives, it will seem just about like any other day of the week.  Nice idea, this NDP, but…

“What do you expect?” could be on the lips of some.  After all, we all have so many things that are happening in our lives and so much to do, and that’s a work day in the middle of the weeks and…it’s always so busy on Thursdays in the office, and the kids have soccer practice on Thursdays.  Besides, one little prayer more or less isn’t going to make much difference anyway.  Will it?

And thus it goes…again, and again…and before you know it, instead of prayer we have silence.  Then we wonder how and why God can allow such disasters as 9/11, Boston Marathon, etc., disrupt our lives the way they do.  Are they warnings?

Well, now, just for a few minutes, let’s take a journey back.

We were once a nation guided by God.  Our Capitol in Washington was used as a church for more than a decade.  Congress prayed daily for wisdom and guidance.  Bibles were used as the first text books in our schools followed only then by English and Arithmetic. [Read more...]

About Tom Stark

Tom Stark began writing for the Engage Family Minute blog in February 2012. As a small business owner Tom is passionate about the intersection of faith and politics in the life of Christians and the community around him. Having been touched by both the abortion issue and the issue of homosexuality in his own family, Tom is passionate about defending the lives of the unborn and upholding Biblical Truth. Tom also writes for www.westvirginiaconservative.com

Filed Under: Religious Freedom Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Bill Maher Actually Says Something Worth Reading

April 25, 2013 By

I rarely pay attention to anything Bill Maher says for obvious reasons. But recently he blasted a guest for comparing the violence in Islam to other faiths. A recent article says: ”Liberal talk show host Bill Maher went toe to toe with a guest Friday night taking issue with the guest’s comparing Islamic extremism with other faiths. Maher was interviewing Brian Levin, director of The Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, at California State University, San Bernardino. Levin questioned the legitimacy of highlighting Islamic extremism as an anomaly among world religions…Maher went on to accuse Levin of being wrong about his facts. He said that while all Muslim people are not terrorists violence is more than just a fringe element of the Islamic faith.”

This is important because even a liberal like Maher recognizes that people are trying to spin the narrative to equate all faiths, an effort that will lead to Christians, Jews, and Catholics being called terrorists and losing their religious freedoms. When a liberal like Maher can see that this is what is happening it is evident that the attack on religious freedom in America is now a full scale war. Click here for original article.

About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.

Filed Under: Religious Freedom Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Military Being Told Christians Are “Extremists”

April 24, 2013 By

Christians listed as extremistsWe’ve written frequently in the past few months about the many instances of unfair treatment of Christian students on campuses around the country, in high schools in various states, and other instances of suppression of First Amendment rights.

It would not surprise me that you or someone close to you hasn’t at least heard of such a case within your circle of friends.

But I would have doubted that this kind of bigotry and bias could be found within the United States Army or any other branch of the U.S. armed forces for that matter. Wow, was I wrong!

On April 5, I read an article that touched on a “briefing” (read, training class in civilian-speak) conducted by the Army in which Catholics, orthodox Jews, and evangelical Christians were included on a list of extremist organizations right along with Al-Quaeda, Hamas, militant Islamists, the KKK, and the like.

How this can happen in America could puzzle the uninformed and those who do not study the current political climate, but a developing trend of these types of “reclassification” of conservative groups and believers is becoming commonplace among those who do not accept the Bible or its precepts and those who believe “political correctness” overrules the First Amendment.

[Read more...]

About Tom Stark

Tom Stark began writing for the Engage Family Minute blog in February 2012. As a small business owner Tom is passionate about the intersection of faith and politics in the life of Christians and the community around him. Having been touched by both the abortion issue and the issue of homosexuality in his own family, Tom is passionate about defending the lives of the unborn and upholding Biblical Truth. Tom also writes for www.westvirginiaconservative.com

Filed Under: Religious Freedom Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Members of Congress Demand End to Military Briefing on “Religious Extremists”

April 23, 2013 By

A military briefing that calls Catholics, Evangelical Christians, and Jews “religious extremists” in the same breath with Muslims and Al-Qaida is coming under fire from members of Congress. As one report noted: “Members of Congress have expressed astonishment that the U.S. Army Reserve would use a training brief that slams Catholics, evangelical Christians and others and are demanding the practice come to a halt – now. ‘Our nation needs to have an honest conversation about religious extremism and what we can do to avoid religious violence. However, labeling these major world religions as extremists is wrong and hurtful.’”

While it is sad that our military would use such material to smear Christians, Jews, and Catholics, it isn’t all that surprising. President Obama has put many people in places of leadership and, as the most anti-Christian (and religious freedom) president in U.S. history, it should come as no surprise that these people also oppose people of faith. While they make excuses for Islamic bombers and send money and military weaponry to the Muslim Brotherhood, they call American Christians “religious extremists.” Welcome to Obama’s America. Click here for original article.

About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.

Filed Under: Religious Freedom Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Sen. Ted Cruz Warns the HHS Mandate Will Upend Religious Freedom

April 17, 2013 By

As the courts continue to side with people of faith against the HHS mandate, Sen. Ted Cruz is sounding the alarm over the danger posed to religious freedom by the mandate. He recently said: ”Is ‘the freedom to worship’ the same as ‘freedom of religion’? No it isn’t. The freedom of religion entails much more than being able to ‘worship;’ it includes being able to live out your faith. And that means to conduct your affairs – for-profit or nonprofit –so as to honor your deepest beliefs. If freedom of religion is reduced to ‘freedom of worship,’ does your right to religion stop when you walk out the front door of your church, temple, or mosque?”

Obama continues to emphasize his commitment to “freedom to worship.” But as Sen. Cruz and others have said, that is very different than religious freedom. Many are seeking to push religion inside the walls of the church and make sure that all religious rights are held captive within those walls. They want all public displays of faith halted permanently. This mandate is just the beginning of attempting to make that happen. Click here for original article.

About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.

Filed Under: Life Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
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