Bishop Threatens Excommunication. Roman Catholic Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz gave Lincoln, Neb., diocese members until May 15 to drop their membership in groups and organizations that are "perilous to . . . and most often incompatible with the Catholic Faith," including Planned Parenthood, the Hemlock Society and Catholics for a Free Choice. Source: San Francisco Examiner 3/24/96
Assault With A Crucifix. A Rhode Island man was charged with assault for stabbing his mother-in-law with a crucifix. As family members watched, he inserting a large crucifix into the 47-year-old woman's mouth during an exorcism. The woman resisted and the crucifix slipped, puncturing her palate. Source: The Newport Daily News 4/2/96
Prayer Disturbs Trial. Atoka County District Judge Doug Hubbard declared a mistrial after a minister prayed in a courtroom on April Fool's Day for divine guidance in reaching a verdict in a murder trial. Source: The Daily Oklahoman 4/2/96
Hunters Pray For A Good Kill. Christian Bowhunters of America ask the Lord to guide their arrows "for a good clean kill," although most people have a hard time imagining Jesus dressed in camouflage, sitting in a tree stand, and wearing doe urine. Source: Animal's Agenda Vol. 16, #1.
Terrorist Sentenced. Antiabortion terrorist Robert E. Cook was sentenced in Milwaukee to 14 years, 8 months in prison for bank larceny, money laundering and soliciting others to burn down clinics and kill doctors who performed abortions. Source: The News-Sun 3/23-24/96
Jesus Saves. A deputy clerk for Oakland County, given a year's probation for forging a new identity for a relative charged with attempted murder, exalted, "I have to say that Jesus has saved me from the worst possible (sentence)and had given me the least." Source: The Oakland Press 3/24/96
Praying For Preemies. A study to determine if prayer helps premature babies suffer fewer health problems was launched in March by a Temple University professor. Petitioners will faithfully pray for the recovery of one group and that God's will be done for the second. The third cluster of babies will not be prayed for. Source: The York (PA) Dispatch 3/28/96
Crusader Will Promote Fasting. William Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, now present at more than 650 campuses in the U.S., was awarded the 1996 Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion. The millionaire said he will use the money to promote fasting among Christians. Source: Seattle Post Intelligence 3/7/96
Paraplegic Denied Marriage By Bishop. A celibate Roman Catholic bishop rejected a marriage application by a Brazilian paraplegic on the grounds of impotency. Source: London Free Press 3/27/96
Crying Statue Saves Ailing Port? Estimated crowds of 5,000 a week are flocking to visit the controversial "miracle" of the Madonna of Civitavecchia. The blood-weeping statuette, brought to the ailing port a year ago, has allegedly cured 23 seriously ill people, including two who were in "irreversible comas." Source: The Times 10/2/96
Sold! Conservative San Antonio TV evangelist John Hagee apologized to black leaders and the general public for encouraging parishioners to participate in a "slave auction" of high school seniors at the church to raise money for a class trip. Source: Inland Valley Daily Bulletin 3/5/96
Most Purchased, Least Read. According to the American Bible Society and Publisher's Weekly, 27% of Americans own at least 5 bibles and the average household has 3.2 copies of the book. Bible sales account for 16% of the estimated $3 billion Christian publishing market, and bibles aimed at lower reading levels are the most sought after by publishers. Source: Chicago Tribune 3/7/96
Dad Survives Family Suicide. A father bent on family suicide was sentenced to life in prison for killing his sons, 8 and 11, last June during a Florida trip so they could "join their mother," who committed suicide in 1992. Source: The Orlando Sentinel
Apology In Order. Four days after a biracial Georgia couple buried their baby daughter, a deacon ordered the "half-breed" exhumed from the all-white Barnett Creek Baptist church cemetery. After a meeting with church officials the deacon apologized to the couple. Source: The Albany Herald 4/1/96
NonChristians Blamed. U.S. Rep. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., in a March newspaper column blamed the woes of the U.S. on nonChristians.
Coburn claims civil libertarians' belief in the doctrine of state/church separation precludes Christians from getting involved in government. Source: Tulsa World 3/2/96
Bill Censors Abortion Information. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 bars information about abortion sent across the Internet. President Clinton said the related abortion provisions will not be enforced, but he signed the bill into law in February anyway. Source: New York Times 3/15/96
God's Picture? Chuck Porter was awarded a Pulitzer Prize on April 9 for his emotional photo of a firefighter cradling the lifeless body of one year old Oklahoma City bombing victim, Baylee Almon.
"That was God's picture, and he has used that picture for his glory," said Porter, an amateur photographer. Source: Tulsa World 4/10/96