Prayer Study: Humans Fail to Manipulate God, Scrappleface reports.

BOOKS WRITTEN: 2, BOOKS READ: 0

Okay, normally I don't follow the career of Victoria Beckham, but this came up on another search, and I couldn't resist. Apparently the lovely Ms. Beckham has a new 'fashion bible' coming out. She also published her autobiography four years ago, although she's only 31 now. But with all this, um, literary activity going on she has never read a book:

“I haven’t read a book in my life. I haven’t got enough time. I prefer to listen to music, although I do love fashion magazines,” she told Spanish Chic magazine.

Even more amazing than that is I assume people will actually buy a book 'written' by her.

THE ITALIAN AFGHAN

Abdul "Just Call Me Joel" Rahman has landed in Italy:

"Here it is, look, my death sentence". Abdul Rahman, the Afghan who converted to Christendom for which he was imprisoned and risked the death penalty and who since yesterday has been in Italy in political asylum, showed with trembling hands the court order written in Dari that charged him with apostasy, ordered his detention in a Kabul prison and ordered that he be subject to the death penalty - all according to Islamic law....

But be warned anyone who calls him Abdul. I've converted, he says, and my Christian name is Joel. He tells of having converted eight years ago after having read the bible, a bible that had been given to him as a present by a Belgian friend: in it he found only words of love for everyone. He then thanks Pope Benedict XVI, the Italian government and all Italians. In my country, he says, they kill you if you're not Muslim. Whoever changes religion suffers the death penalty. He then tells of having a brother in Germany and that his family have rejected him. He says that he is afraid for his children who are now in Kabul with their mother. I'm a father he says and for this reason I'm anxious about my children.

Okay, he fled the country, but left his wife and children? Are they still minors? Hmmm. That doesn't sound like a good idea.

UPDATE: Just heard from theosebes reader Mark that the attempt to get custody of the children is what 'outed' Rahman as a Christian in the first place. His wife has not converted. Thanks for the clarification, Mark. I had missed that.

QUEEN HAT AT THE MET

The Met has an extensive exhibit of Queen Hatshepsut, the review says it's a bit overwhelming, but it looks like a fun time:

CAN a queen be a king, too? Consider the case of Hatshepsut, an Egyptian ruler of the 15th century B.C. The eldest daughter of Thutmose I and his principal queen, she married her younger half-brother, Thutmose II. His untimely death left her regent for Thutmose III, his son by another wife. At some point, she decided to govern jointly with the boy and took on the title of king. Later, she assumed the supreme title of pharaoh and ruled Egypt in that powerfully masculine role until her death.

During her reign (about 1479-1458 B.C.), when Egypt was emerging as a world power, the country prospered, the arts flourished, and peace, more or less, prevailed. In these respects, her rule might be compared to that of Elizabeth I of England, though Elizabeth had to make do with the less impressive title of queen.

Depending on how you calculate, her reign was within a generation or two of the Exodus. Hebrews may have made some of the items on display at the Met.

NO BOND FOR MARY WINKLER
Grand Jury Set For June

Attorney's for Mary Winkler did not seek bond, waiving her right to a preliminary hearing:

The judge ordered Mary Winkler, who has been charged with first-degree murder, to be held in custody until her next court appearance after her lawyers told the court she was not seeking a bond.

Speaking to the press outside the courthouse, her lawyers said there were a number of reasons why bond was not sought.

"Her condition is pretty fragile," defense attorney Leslie Ballin said. "We think it is in her best interest not have bond at this time."

Another member of the defense team, Steve Farese, said that while his client had been a part of every decision involved in the case, she was "having a difficulty staying on point."

They also said Mary Winkler wanted to try to protect her three young daughters from painful details that would emerge at such a hearing.

"We feel it does no one any good to hear bad things said about the mother of children. We don't feel that it does anyone any good to hear gruesome things about their late father," Farese said.

Which means they're not getting much out of her, and they don't want the details to come out yet, either. After her attorney's reference to the 'alleged' confession, I wouldn't be surprised if they try to suppress that. And 'fragile'? Yes, I'd say probably so.

BURN AS MANY CHURCHES AS YOU WANT

According to news reports at Birmingham's NBC13, the three boneheads men charged with burning nine Alabama churches can face no more than seven years for the crime. It's not in the printed report linked, but in a broadcasted interview with the local Federal prosecutor the sentences for each arson would be "stacked", which she defined as running concurrently. In other words, regardless of how many churches they burned they could face no more than seven years. I'm open for correction if this is not the case, but that's what she said. Of course, that's not including the possibility of plea bargaining.

Oh, and according to the defense attorney "the fires were not crimes of hate." Certainly not. Clearly they were motivated by peace and love.

CNN CULT ALERT, PART DEUX

CNN's Nancy Grace revisited the cult issue tonight:

Tonight, we`ve got an all-star panel of clergy, lawyers, shrinks and profilers trying to make sense of it, as we take a closer look at the Church of Christ. It has been called a cult.

Yes, it's been called a cult by your guest on your show last night.

So, Nancy Grace pulls Rubel Shelly out of mothballs to discuss the Church of Christ phenomenon. You can scroll down at the link above and read what he said. He did a pretty good job, with the expected Rubel Shelly-esque qualifications. Nancy Grace pushed on the role of women issue again, and reading his comments and Rukalah's from last night, I suspect Rukalah is actually the more conservative of the two on the issue.

I suppose it could have been worse: they apparently asked Mike Cope first. Talk about being in a strait betwixt two: a cult on the one hand, associated with Shelly and Cope on the other. Hmmm--tough choice.

CNN CULT ALERT

The network founded by noted atheist Ted Turner has brought in a Baptist commentator, a Tom Rukala (perhaps 'Ruhkala'--he appears to be a missionary in Finland), to 'discuss' the church of Christ in the context of the Matthew Winkler homicide. His take?

It kind of is a borderline cult, unfortunately.

That's nice. Yet Rukula backs off churches of Christ when ol' Nancy Grace asks them about the attitude of churches of Christ toward women:

GRACE: To Pastor Tom Rukala, how are women positioned within the Church of Christ?

RUKALA: As far as I understand, they`re treated with dignity and honor. It`s the traditional Christian view that men lead the church and women are to play a secondary role, and I think that they`re treated with dignity, certainly, in the Church of Christ.

GRACE: A secondary role, but with dignity?

RUKALA: Yes.

And why the sudden magnanimity? Because his view of the role of women likely is very similar to the view of many in churches of Christ, therefore that view is not "cult like".

But according to Rukala's own definition of what a Christian is, and contrasted with the chuckle everyone apparently got according to the transcript about the possibility of going to hell, I doubt Nancy Grace would qualify as a Christian. She doesn't seem to be an evangelical--would she consider Rukala and his friends "cult like"?

Apparently Rukala himself isn't all open arms when it comes to other Christian groups himself. According to the Baptist Mid-Missions website referencing the Ruhkalas' work in Finland:

The Ruhkalas have not found other traditional Bible-believing churches in Finland with which to fellowship. Nor have they found camps, radio ministries, youth works, or Bible institutes they can recommend wholeheartedly to the Finns. Also, most of the Christian literature that is currently being published in Finnish promotes Lutheranism or the Charismatic Movement and is therefore unusable.

That sounds troublingly narrow to me. Do they believe that Lutherans and charismatics are not going to heaven? If they think they are, then why are they bothering trying to convert them and finding their material 'unusable'? Hmmm. Is that narrow and cultlike? I just wondered, Mr. Rukala.

[Thanks to Jeff Barnes who has more to say.]

AMERICAN CONSERVATISM: AN ENCYCLOPEDIA

I returned home a couple of weeks ago to find an unexpected package waiting for me. Now usually when packages arrive addressed to me and I get that "what is this?" look from my wife I either have to think of something quick or slink away quietly. It's nice when I can say, "I have no idea what it is, honey--I've certainly not ordered anything."

Lo and behold it was a complimentary copy of American Conservatism: An Encyclopedia (available in hardcover or paperback)

Now, why would they send such a thing to me? Well, many moons ago, when I had a lot more hair, I actually wrote an entry for this project (see, "Clay, Henry"). The project languished, editors were changed, some were, I believe, abducted by aliens. The project seemed, as they say, snakebit. I started to doubt it would ever be released. In the meantime I married, had three kids, traveled to far corners of the world. The century changed. Still, no book. Then recently, the publisher--ISI--began plugging a genuine publication date. 'Yeah, sure,' I thought. But then, it actually appeared. Even more impressive, they apparently sent a complimentary copy to every contributor. Don't assume that always happens. As you might imagine, this book likely will not knock The Da Vinci Code off the New York Times bestseller list (or even Marley & Me--it's tough to compete with dog books).

At any rate, I'll make absolutely nothing if you buy one (well, I will if you buy through the link above), but it's a very well done book, and knowing many of those who contributed entries, written by good people (and a few soreheads). Buy yours today.

Far be it from me to plug myself, but if I don't who will?

GEORGIA'S NEW BIBLE CLASS
And this is controversial why?

Georgia has passed a bill to allow classes on the Bible in public schools:

Public school students will be able to take state-funded courses devoted to the Old and New Testaments under a bill that received final legislative approval Monday, making Georgia the first state in the nation to legally sanction Bible classes....

If Gov. Sonny Perdue accepts the bill, the State Board of Education must adopt curricula for two high school electives — "History and Literature of the Old Testament Era" and "History and Literature of the New Testament Era" — no later than February.

Local school systems then could decide if they want to offer the classes, which would be optional for students in ninth through 12th grades.

Patrick McAllister, a junior at McIntosh High School in Peachtree City, liked the idea of having a class about what is often referred to as the world's best-selling book.

"We do have the opportunity to learn about it in church, but it is a work of literature," McAllister said. "We shouldn't exclude it [from school] just because it's religious."

The courses are supposed to be designed as an academic study of the Scripture's influence on law, history, government, literature, art, music and culture.

The Bible would be the "basic text" for the courses, but teachers could use other religious books, too.

Would there be any problems raised if the class were called "History and Literature of the Era of the Koran" or "Confucius: His Writings & Times"? Yeah, that's what I thought.

COOL WEBSITE ALERT!

Biblical Art on the WWW. Maybe you were familiar with it, but I wasn't. It has been appropriately bookmarked.

AFGHAN CHRISTIAN FREED
May Go to Italy

Abdul Rahman, the Afghanistan Christian who faced capital charges for converting from Islam, has been released, and may find asylum in Italy:

An Afghan man who had faced the death penalty for converting from Islam to Christianity has been released from prison after the case was dropped, the justice minister said Tuesday. Italy's foreign minister will ask his government to grant 41-year-old Abdul Rahman asylum.

Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini, who was among the first to speak out on the man's behalf, will ask for the permission at a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, the Italian ministry said in a statement Tuesday.

The announcement came after the United Nations said Rahman has appealed for asylum outside Afghanistan and that the world body was working to find a country willing to take him.

Just yesterday he was crazy, today he's probably going to Italy to live. Crazy? Crazy like a fox!

WATCH WHAT YOU SAY...

...in your sleep. You may wake up to find yourself divorced. Mental divorce I've heard of, but never sleeping divorce.

CONFESSED, BUT 'NOT GUILTY'

Mary Winkler has pleaded 'not guilty' in the shooting death of her husband, minister Matthew Winkler although she has reportedly confessed. This brings up the issue of justification, it seems to me. (Where are all those attorney friends of mine when I need them--Dave? Bill?). Her attorney seems to be backing off his statement about a 'dangerous situation' leading to the shooting:

Attorney Farese said media speculation that the case hinged on a "dangerous situation" at the Winkler home was misguided.

"It was taken out of context," he said. "It was only a theory that something was going on in the home that in and of itself was dangerous."

Why exactly he's floating a 'theory' of the crime when he's the defense attorney I'm not exactly sure. He did add this:

The woman's attorney, Steve Farese, also was circumspect about her motive following their first jailhouse conversation.

"I think the accumulations of the pressures of life in and of itself certainly would have some factor in the case," Farese told WAFF-TV in Huntsville, Ala.

Still, 'accumulated pressures of life' don't lead to that.

FREE SPEECH & DISSENT?

You can forget open arms for Evangelicals in perhaps the nation's most liberal city. San Francisco has condemned an Evangelical teens rally

More than 25,000 evangelical Christian youth landed Friday in San Francisco for a two-day rally at AT&T Park against "the virtue terrorism" of popular culture, and they were greeted by an official city condemnation and a clutch of protesters who said their event amounted to a "fascist mega-pep rally."

"Battle Cry for a Generation" is led by a 44-year-old Concord native, Ron Luce, who wants "God's instruction book" to guide young people away from the corrupting influence of popular culture.

Luce, whose Teen Mania organization is based in Texas, kicked off a three-city "reverse rebellion" tour Friday night intended to counter a popular culture that he says glamorizes violence and sex....

That's bad news to Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, who told counterprotesters at City Hall on Friday that while such fundamentalists may be small in number, "they're loud, they're obnoxious, they're disgusting, and they should get out of San Francisco."

Ah, it's high time cities crack down on those rowdy Evangelicals.

BRITAIN'S B&B BIBLE BACKLASH

A new 'Bed & Breakfast' law in Britain has Christian B&B owners up in arms:

When the Government decided to outlaw people being discriminated against because of their religion or sexuality, it hoped the move would guarantee equal treatment for all of Britain's increasingly diverse population.
But nobody in Whitehall foresaw the backlash that would unfold when hundreds of committed Christians who run bed-and-breakfasts were deprived of their right to ban gays, unmarried couples and people of other faiths from staying under their roof.

Hundreds of B&B owners across the country have been writing to ministers complaining that the new rules will force them to 'betray God' and their consciences by allowing 'undesirables' to enjoy their hospitality.

'We've had a lot of correspondence from Christian B&B operators who don't want to be forced to accept Satanists, Muslims, gays and even unmarried couples as guests,' said a Home Office official. 'Protestants have been writing in saying they shouldn't have to admit Catholics because they have an issue with their religion, Catholics saying they didn't want Jews under their roof and objections from followers of other types of faith.'

The law grew from a real case where a B&B owner refused, um, service to two homosexual men who wished to stay in the same double bed:

The new protection for gays and lesbians is partly inspired by the case of Tom Forrest, the proprietor of the Cromasaig B&B in the Highlands, who, in 2004, refused to let two gay men share a bed in a double room. Forrest has condemned the new regulations as 'atrocious'.

Dr Don Horrocks of the Evangelical Alliance, however, currently operates under a tragic misconception:

'Homosexuals have human rights, but so do religious people...'

Ah, and that's where he would be wrong.

THE DAY BEFORE THE WINKLER MURDER

Newsweek has information on Mary Winkler's behavior the day before she shot her husband to death:

Mary Winkler's behavior was odd last Tuesday when she debuted as a substitute teacher in Selmer, Tenn. Normally quiet and introverted, she talked incessantly on her cell phone, pacing about. "Several teachers complained about it," says assistant principal Pam Killingsworth. Winkler, 32, also got annoyed with her daughter Patricia—whose third-grade class she taught that afternoon—for acting up. Something was clearly the matter. The next day, Winkler's husband, Matthew, 31—minister of the local Fourth Street Church of Christ—didn't show up at the Wednesday-evening service. When church elder Drew Eason and his son Will went to the parsonage, they found Matthew facedown in a back room, blood-soaked from a fatal gunshot wound.

I saw her attorney on television this morning who guardedly spoke of her reacting to "a dangerous situation" and fleeing because she felt "no one would believe her."

IS THE AFGHAN CHRISTIAN CRAZY?

Well, of course he must be--he converted to Christianity, didn't he? Mental health evaluation will be conducted on Abdul Rahman:

Court officials said the mental health of the defendant, Abdul Rahman, 41, would be evaluated. Although prosecutors vowed to continue the case, a finding of mental illness by public health authorities could thwart their effort....

The court said two of Mr. Rahman's relatives, a daughter and a cousin, had told the court that Mr. Rahman had mental problems, according to Abdul Wakil Omari, a spokesman for the Supreme Court.

"Also, during his preliminary court hearing, he had said that he was hearing strange voices and that he was not feeling well spiritually," Mr. Omari said.

But the prosecutor, Abdul Wasei, said he doubted the claim. "I did not see any kind of mental problem in this case," he said. He said that Mr. Rahman, when asked about his mental health, insisted that it was fine.

"I am O.K., you can prosecute me, I can answer your questions," Mr. Wasei said Mr. Rahman told him.

If a hospital examination bears that out, Mr. Wasei said, he expects to have the case back before the court in a week.

But if Mr. Rahman is found to be mentally ill, Mr. Wasei conceded in an interview, "that's another thing and of course things will change."

Mr. Wasei dismissed as inaccurate press reports that Mr. Rahman was about to be released. "When his mental examination is finished, maybe he will be released," he said. "But I don't see any possibility of his being released before that."

I can see the new hip t-shirt in Family Bookstores now: "I'm Crazy for Christ!" (Hey, if they can do this one, they can do that.)

PREACHING THIS MORNING on 'If the Lord Wills' from James 4:11-17, the latest in my series on James. James continues his focus on active Christianity: not allowing oneself to be distracted by judging others or being consumed by worldly concerns without thought to God.

IF YOU WERE CHARGED WITH BEING A CHRISTIAN...

...would there be enough evidence to convict you? Well for the Afghan Muslim charged with converting to Christianity the answer apparently is: no. Charges have been dismissed for lack of evidence:

An Afghan court on Sunday dismissed a case against a man who converted from Islam to Christianity because of a lack of evidence and he will be released soon, officials said.

The announcement came as U.S.-backed President Hamid Karzai faced mounting foreign pressure to free Abdul Rahman, a move that risked angering Muslim clerics who have called for him to be killed.

An official closely involved with the case told The Associated Press that it had been returned to the prosecutors for more investigation, but that in the meantime, Rahman would be released.

"The court dismissed today the case against Abdul Rahman for a lack of information and a lot of legal gaps in the case," the official said Sunday, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

I don't know if he should be relieved or worried.