WTLG RADIO NEWS

MAN SUES BIBLE PUBLISHER OVER VERSES CONDEMNING HOMOSEXUALITY

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400

In a legal action guaranteed to shock most Americans, a gay man is suing a major publisher of Bibles claiming certain verses caused him "emotional distress." He's suing for $70 million. Bradley LaShawn Fowler, a 39-year old self-avowed homosexual from Canton, Michigan, seeks $60 million from Zondervan, a major publisher of religious books, and an additional $10 million from Thomas Nelson Publishing in his lawsuits filed in the federal court for the Eastern District of Michigan. While observers believe Fowler is being backed by an anti-Christian or pro-gay group, according to The Grand Rapids Press (in Michigan), the plaintiff Fowler is representing himself in the legal proceedings. "I believe this self-representation business is a sham. I suspect some big-money organization or a wealthy benefactor is providing the finances for this obscene abuse of the legal system and the US Constitution's 'separation of church and state' tradition. Are Christians really going to allow some gay activist and a black-robed lawyer to decide how the Bible is written?" asks political strategist Mike Baker. Fowler claims that King James Bibles published by Zondervan disparages homosexuals as sinners. He said he filed his lawsuits against Bible publishers because they are instrumental in having his family turn against him. Fowler is also claiming the Bible verses cause him physical discomfort and that he suffers mental distress as a result of those scriptures. "The intent of the publisher was to design a religious, sacred document to reflect an individual opinion or a group's conclusion to cause me or anyone who is a homosexual to endure verbal abuse, discrimination, episodes of hate, and physical violence ... including murder," Fowler wrote in his self-styled legal brief. "This whole lawsuit is making a mockery of the Holy Bible and a blatant attempt by the homosexual community to take away the rights of Bible-believing Christians in the United States. Past cases against Christians and their beliefs has shown that court actions infringing on their beliefs and practices is even easier than taking away candy from a baby," Baker warns. "The Muslim religion also condemns homosexuality. If Mr. Fowler was to sue the publishers of the Koran, would the Muslims sit silently by? Salman Rushdie wrote a book titled The Satanic Verses that offended the muslims back in 1988, and he's still in hiding today. In a Christian Nation, they tolerate Gay Pride Parades. Make a mockery of the Christian Bible, and all you can expect from the religious leadership is 'we'll pray on it', said Baker." "A good example of Christians tolerating blasphemy is an artwork made famous back in 1987 by Andres Serrano, titled; "Piss Christ," and voting for spineless weenies and the lesser of two evils is why America is at the doorstep of destruction," added Lorraine Tillman. "My fear is that Christians -- bishops, pastors, and church-goers -- will silently accept the decision of a black-robed lawyer who may or may not have his own religious agenda. Too often religious leaders have failed to motivate their churches to take action when their rights are being violated by oppressive anti-religious forces inside and outside our government," said Baker. By the way added Baker, "one of the books published by Thomas Nelson Publishing is Judge Andrew Napolitano's 'A Nation of Sheep.'" In a recently released statement, a Zondervan spokesperson wrote: "Zondervan doesn't translate the Bible or own the copyright for any of the translations. Instead [our] company relies on the scholarly judgment of credible translation committees." Meanwhile, U.S. District Judge Julian Abele Cook, Jr., who will hear Fowler’s case against Thomas Nelson, said that he “has some very genuine concerns about the nature and efficacy of [the plaintiff's] claims." Christian observers such as Jane Martin believe such statements only encourage these types of lawsuits. "This case just may go a lot further than it deserves, thanks to a liberal judge who believes his word is sacrosanct," she said. While the denizens of America's newsrooms appear to be ignoring this latest religious controversy, the gay press is keeping their eyes on the case and spinning the story to benefit their worldview. While Fowler claims he alone is involved in the Zondervan and Thomas Nelson Publishing lawsuits, some conservatives believe he is being secretly backed by a group or individual with "deep pockets" and an interest in attacking Christianity. "This guy Fowler isn't telling us the full story. I'd bet the farm someone with millions of dollars to spare is backing him financially in a move to actually alter what Christians believe is 'the word of God,'" claims Mike Baker. Zondervan is a subsidiary of the publishing giant HarperCollins and specializes in evangelical books and audiotapes. Its books and products are sold in over 60 countries and it's a member of The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association. "We're an international Christian communications company with a heart for helping people find and follow Jesus Christ by inspiring them with relevant biblical and spiritual resources. We do this through our best-selling, award-winning, and life-changing products," according to their mission statement. The other target of Fowler's lawsuit is Thomas Nelson, Inc., located in Nashville, TN. Nelson is one of the oldest publishing houses in the US, being established in 1798. As with Zondervan, the company specializes in Bibles, Christian non-fiction and fiction books, audiotapes and other religious products. The judge hearing the Fowler lawsuit, Julian Abele Cook, was appointed to the federal bench during the Carter Administration in 1978. According to a source in Washington, DC, Cook is "to the left" on most issues including so-called discrimination cases. In fact, besides being a federal judge, Cook has served as a chairman or vice-chairman of several civil liberties organizations and panels and he has close ties to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). "If people believe this lawsuit will disappear, they are sadly mistaken. Judge Cook is considered an activist judge who has a personal agenda when it comes to so-called discrimination cases. And the homosexual plaintiff against Zondervan and Thomas Nelson is claiming the Bible discriminates against gays and lesbians. This case is not going away any time soon," warns Baker. , visit Newswithviews for more info or submit a email to For radio interviews regarding this article.

New digital channel a 'biggy' for Adventist video

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 11:56:00 -0400

A digital video hub -- à la YouTube -- has introduced professional Seventh-day Adventist-produced videos to a vast and largely untapped Internet audience. In August, a partnership between BiggyTV and the Adventist Church in North America launched the first religious content on the Hollywood, California-based video distributor's Web site. The Adventist Channel, fully functional as of this month, fits well within BiggyTV's "inspirational target market," according to its Chief Executive Kyle Borg. As a BiggyTV affiliate, the church will turn millions of "eyes" every week on the video distributor, which will syndicate The Adventist Channel free of charge. "As Internet users seek videos online that are more than just 'funny clips,' BiggyTV will be the destination site for these viewers due in part to The Adventist Channel," Borg says. Content on The Adventist Channel -- ranging from health and wellness programs to music and mission videos -- can be added directly to North America's more than 5,500 individual church Web sites, says Fred Kinsey, the region's church communication director. The Adventist Channel is also available to anyone with an Internet connection and is accessible on cell phones and other mobile devices. "We're offering incredible content a church in, say, Omaha, Nebraska, can't get by itself," says Kinsey. "Digital video of this quality would be too expensive to create and distribute. It's free for us, so it's free for them." Current selections on The Adventist Channel include new and "recycled" videos -- those previously used by other Adventist media. Kinsey says The Adventist Channel will add a dozen new videos each week. Because BiggyTV operates by syndicating professional content to some 3,500 media affiliates rather than distributing amateur video submissions, Kinsey says viewers won't have to sift through video clips to find what they want. Adapting to an online audience will require the church to "rethink" its approach to media, Kinsey says. "We're so used to putting together 30-to-60-minute spots," he says. Research indicates most people watch online videos during work hours, which explains the average 9-minute video length, he says. All BiggyTV content can be translated and made culture-specific, something Kinsey says will become valuable as the distributor draws an increasingly international audience. The Adventist Channel, he adds, is not meant to replace or meddle with other church media, such as Hope Television. We want to figure out how to 'cross-pollinate' between HopeTV and The Adventist Channel." Plans are also drawn up to one day distribute the church's quarterly Adventist Mission DVDs on The Adventist Channel. Thousands of dollars could be saved through online distribution of the DVDs, which are currently mailed to each church, Kinsey says. To view The Adventist Channel, visit theadventistchannel.org To suggest or submit a video, email Fred Kinsey.

Jamaican national leaders commend church's integrity, community visibility

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 11:43:00 -0400

Jamaican leaders commended Seventh-day Adventists for their integrity and leadership role in the island nation during a recent visit to the country by the world church's President Jan Paulsen. Governor-General Kenneth Octavius Hall thanked the church for its "committed public citizenship" in a meeting with Paulsen on October 26. "Adventists can be trusted," Hall said, adding that the church is in an ideal position to offer guidance and moral leadership to the country's young people. "Be assured," Paulsen said, "that we will be here for the good of the nation. We want our church to be a visible contributor to a better future, to be a voice for those who are poor, forgotten, or who are struggling with addictions." Paulsen added that such a role should well be "expected" of the Adventist Church. The governor-general also congratulated the church's visibility within the community. The church has become so ubiquitous, Hall said, "if you are giving directions in Jamaica, often you say 'turn after the sign for the Adventist church.'" Paulsen visited the Caribbean nation to participate in a live broadcast of Let's Talk Caribbean and address the country's church membership during the centennial celebration of Adventist-owned Northern Caribbean University in Mandeville. Paulsen, who was accompanied during his visit by Pastor Israel Leito, president of the church's Inter-American region, also met with the church's ministers for a question-and-answer session. The church's impact in Jamaica is due largely to its education system, said the country's prime minister, Orette Bruce Golding, during a breakfast meeting with Paulsen. "How many more schools can I turn over to you?" Golding asked with a laugh. With enrolment at 5,700 students, NCU is the church's largest university. "As a church, we want to make a significant contribution to the quality of life -- here and now -- and education is a big part of that. Education builds community," Paulsen said. Paulsen congratulated the university's Imagine Cup Team members for representing Jamaica and winning third place in Microsoft's annual international software design competition in August. He also commended the church for obtaining a broadcast license with a cable company to carry the church's television network, HopeTV, in the region. The celebration at NCU was the first program aired on the channel. Jamaica has one of the highest rates of Adventists per capita in the world -- one out of 12 people in Jamaica is an Adventist. More than 240,000 Adventists worship in 667 congregations in the church's West Indies region, comprised of Jamaica, The Bahamas, Cayman Islands, and Turks and Caicos Islands.

Jamaica: Adventist world church president stresses personal empowerment in dialogue with young people

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 11:36:00 -0400

Seventh-day Adventist world church president Pastor Jan Paulsen gave a resounding endorsement of Adventist young people October 27 -- even offering a "yeah mon!" in Jamaican slang -- during Let's Talk Caribbean, the 17th such program in a series of unscripted, unedited conversations between the church president and its under-30 crowd. "You don't have to be elected to an office to own the church. You don't have to be a local elder to own the church. The church is a place of mutual ownership -- we're in this together," Paulsen told nearly 40 eager young people during the conversation, based at Adventist-owned Northern Caribbean University in Mandeville, Jamaica, and broadcast on the church's Hope Channel. Paulsen anchored his remarks during the hour-long broadcast -- as he often does during Let's Talk -- on empowerment and church ownership. While it's a key message worldwide, he said, it's particularly important in the church's West Indies region where young people make up some two-thirds of the Adventist Church's membership. Early on in the broadcast, Paulsen turned briefly to the camera for remarks meant largely to amend some of the church's older generations' opinions of young people. "I'm more preaching -- and I am preaching -- to those who are watching. You need to make sure that you trust those who are young with responsibility. It is an indisputable fact that if you do not engage those who are young, they will walk away from the church." Following a question on civil engagement, Paulsen said Christians should not only ask what they can contribute to the church, but also what they can contribute to the communities in which they live. One way to impact society is to hold political office, Paulsen said. But, he cautioned, someone considering candidacy must ask, "Is this something I can do without compromising who I am and my loyalty to God?" Let's Talk Caribbean again touched on protecting personal spirituality when one young delegate asked what the church was doing to shield young people from the "ill effects" of the media. Paulsen reminded the group of both the "colossal" good media can do, and its potential to propagate vice. "The church is not going to make the choice you will have to make," said Paulsen, who often advocates private rather than corporate responsibility while answering Let's Talk questions. Entertainment choices, he said, are inherently a matter of conscience. "When you switch on the set, it's not, 'What does the church say on this one?' It's 'Is this going to make [me] a better person?'" During the second half of Let's Talk Caribbean, many of the young delegates addressed issues of sexuality in their questions. One student asked a question regarding young women who are pregnant outside of marriage, specifically when a pastor or other church official is accused of molestation or rape and the victim is too afraid to come forward. Paulsen answered adamantly: "Look, if you've committed a crime, you go to jail. The church will not provide shelter to people who are abusing their role or engaged in criminal activities condemned by society." He added that the church should "provide a safe haven and healing for those who carry wounds and scars." The conversation then turned to AIDS, and whether the church's message of abstinence was enough to combat the disease's rampant growth. "Should we be preaching something else?" one delegate asked. "Look, let's be perfectly frank," Paulsen said. "Sex belongs in marriage. Promiscuity is never condoned in the Bible as a lifestyle. Let's not look for ways to accommodate it or make it safer. Save the good things for the right time." Following the broadcast, Paulsen said he was pleased by the young delegates' pointed questions. Other questions addressed the church's methods of ministry. When one student asked whether Paulsen thought so-called "tent" evangelism was "outmoded," he said traditional evangelism still works "amazingly well" in most parts of the world. But church leaders, he said, should not depend on the initial effects of an outreach effort to produce "enduring, in-depth decisions" for Christ, something he said long-term small groups are better at. "For a person to stay in the church, you've got to have friends in the church." He said large-scale events might be better if they focused on celebration rather than conversion. The church may spend too much time on outreach at the expense of "inreach," one delegate said. For a new Christian still struggling with drug addictions, the counsel to "trust Jesus" may not be enough, he said, suggesting that the church oversee more addiction and skills training programs. Paulsen agreed more inreach should be done, so long as funds aren't diverted from outreach. Let's Talk tapered off with a lighter question: whether or not Adventist young people should play competitive sports. Paulsen said if sports consume players and fans to the point of ousting God and religion as their priorities, they were certainly not healthy. But generally, he said, sports encourage strong relationships.

'Objective criticism' of religion deemed a human right

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 11:30:00 -0400

Following intense debate at the United Nations over what constitutes religious defamation, U.N. special rapporteur for Freedom of Religion or Belief, Asma Jahangir, said "objective criticism" of religion is a human right. But, she said, there is a difference between criticism and outright defamation. Many religious people believe they alone have the truth, convinced that "[their] religion is better, is superior," said Jahangir, speaking to members of the U.N. Non-Governmental Organization Committee for Freedom of Religion or Relief at U.N. headquarters October 25. That mentality can lead to the defamation of other religions or belief systems, she said. Jahangir expressed concern, however, that in addressing defamation, officials not go so far as to include mere criticism of religion. If such an extensive definition of defamation was adopted, she cautioned, "social norms based on religion could not be debated. Defamation is an issue of civil law, not a violation of human rights," she said. Jahangir also critiqued blasphemy laws, which she said are used to silence dissent. "Religion can be used as a tool of fear, used against minorities, and to crush internal dissent," she said. Religion is sometimes compared to race, Jahangir added, and the provisions against racial hatred are then applied to religion. Such a comparison is unfounded, she said, because "religion is unlike race -- you cannot proselytize to change [your] race. There are serious differences." There is not yet consensus among U.N. member states on how best to approach defamation of religion issues, Jahangir said. When Jonathan Gallagher, liaison to the U.N. for the Seventh-day Adventist Church, asked how Jahangir planned to carry out her duties as special rapporteur, she called for broad support and research assistance. Jahangir has recently completed missions studying the issue of religious defamation in the United Kingdom and Tajikistan. Upcoming missions include Angola, Israel, India, and Turkmenistan. "While there are problems in every country, democratic norms lead to freedom of religion," Jahangir said. "In a closed society, restrictions on [religious freedom] result. Serious limitations on freedom of religion impact economic development."