The Point

I’ve always thought “Wow, these Pointificators are a smart bunch … and fun too!” And with the outpouring of giving toward Prison Fellowship’s Storybook Dads program last month -- I hoped to raise $100 via my race … and you delivered $266!! -- I also realized “Wow, they’re generous too!”

Well, Joe, Zoe, Ron, CreationWaits, Dennis and YouKnowWhoYouAre, you were absolute heroes for my race. Again, thank you SO much.

Now, may I come back to The Point and ask our many dear friends for help again?

Those of you who enjoy reading The Point, first, may I again tell you how much we enjoy conversing with you? And may I also ask you to give to fellow blog contributors Karen Williams and Travis McShirley? They, too, are running to raise funds for Storybook Dads, a Prison Fellowship program that helps build the bonds between incarcerated fathers and their children.

Karen’s site is here. Travis’s site is here.

What is this?

• "A New Trend in Motherhood"
• "Why journalists deserve low pay"
• "Vancouver sex trade workers to be offered media training prior to Olympics"
• "Parents Find New Math Book Ineffective; Schools Sticking with It"

What is this?

My sincere thanks to all of you who donated to provide Storybook Dads kits to prisoners' children through my race yesterday. I'd hoped to raise enough to cover the costs for 12 Storybook Dads kits, but -- between those who donated at my page and Joe's fabulous pledge at The Point -- you all provided a total of TWENTY-SEVEN kits for TWENTY-SEVEN prisoners' kids! You all are the BEST!

My sincerest thanks to:

• Joe -- wow, a kit per mile! THANKS!
• Creation Waits Photography -- $50!! Yowza!
• Dennis Babish -- thanks so much!
• Zoe -- thank vous!
• Ron Humphrey -- you're the best!
• Anonymous -- (I know who you are, but your identity is safe with me!) Thanks tons!

Race details, for those interested, are below. THANKS all!

What is this?

This weekend, I'm running the Marine Corps Half Marathon. I'm admittedly horribly prepared, and I suspect by mile 10 or so, I'll be a rather pathetic sight, but it's worth it because it's for a great cause: Prison Fellowship's Storybook Dads program.

Quite simply, Storybook Dads records prisoners reading wholesome kids books to their children. The DVD video recording -- complete with special effects to make the story come alive -- is sent to their children for them to enjoy while reading the book along with their parent.

Far from a mere "nice to have" gift, Storybook Dads helps maintain the important parent-child bond that gets so strained while parents are in prison.

Anyhow, there's more at my fundraising page. Will you please consider giving to supply Storybook Dads kits -- just $8 per DVD and book set -- to fill this important need? As the race is this weekend, I'm obviously getting this out to the Pointifficators much later than I'd prefer. But it sure would be great to raise $100 for prisoners' kids who -- so often feeling shunned, humiliated, alienated and unloved -- are among the innocent victims of their parents' crimes. Many thanks to you all!

What is this?

We wandered a bit off-topic in the thread about what we expect in the president's Supreme Court nominee: I mentioned that I figure his nominee will be someone who will oppose the private ownership of guns, which led Andy to wonder why Christians want to own guns in the first place, as if there were some biblical reason why we shouldn't. I thought that was a reasonable issue to address, and decided to continue the discussion here.

I can't speak for every gun-owning Christian; I can only speak for my family, especially my husband and myself. First, guns are part of two sports we both enjoy -- hunting and shooting. When it comes to hunting, we only kill animals we're going to eat, such as deer, wild pig, elk, antelope, rabbits, and quail. While we certainly don't need to hunt to eat, we see nothing wrong -- certainly nothing unbiblical -- in doing so. The fact that we both grew up in the country, and regularly ate what we and our fathers killed, makes this activity normal for us. (I can understand why it might seem strange to a city dweller who thinks that all meat comes in styrofoam packages.) 

We also like to go target shooting. I must admit that I'm only a fair shot on the range, but my husband is fantastic -- whether with a shotgun shooting skeet (he's poetry-in-motion) or with a pistol or high-powered rifle shooting targets. In fact, he once captained the Air Force's High Powered Rifle Team and competed at the national level. Both our children (now adults) like to go target shooting, something we started them doing at a young age. FYI, my husband and I never allowed our kids to have toy guns; we never wanted them to think of guns as something to play around with. For the same reason, I am adamantly opposed to videos games which teach children to shoot. Guns are not toys and should never be treated as such.

Second, we own guns for protection from "varmints" -- both animal and human. Jesus told His followers to sell their extra cloak and buy a sword because He knew that the world was a dangerous place and that they might need to defend themselves -- whether from dangerous animals or humans. I have never had to kill a lion, as David did, but I have certainly had occasion to shoot poisonous snakes when I was out camping, hiking, or hunting. And, should a criminal break into my home or threaten someone I love, I have no problem using a gun in our defense. Yes, it would be nice if the police could be around 24/7 to  handle the bad guys for us, but that's not ever going to happen. Some of the responsibility for protecting myself and those I care about remains in my hands.

What is this?

• "What swine flu reveals about the culture of fear"
• "Putting Mexico in an isolation unit"
• "US 'hate list' DJ to sue Britain"
• "Punching above his weight"

What is this?

Chuck Colson has been asked to deliver the eulogy for his friend Jack Kemp at the National Cathedral on Friday. But he's already offering a tribute in today's BreakPoint commentary.

Jack might well have been President—and would have been a great one—were it not for two things: He would never compromise his convictions, nor would he attack his opponents. Sadly, it’s hard to resist those things and still get to the White House.

His courage was on display to the very end. During the times I visited him over the last months of his life, I was taken by how he kept his spirit up even as the cancer devastated his body.

Jack was a giant in our midst. He had a heart for the same kind of people Prison Fellowship serves—the poor, the oppressed, and the downtrodden. His wife, Joanne, has been a board member at Prison Fellowship for many years.

He also shared our Christian commitment to human life, telling the New York Times how a personal tragedy made him “more aware of the sanctity of human life, [and] how precious every child is.”

This and more is why Jack’s death is such a great loss to me personally. Joanne and his four beautiful children—all Christians—are in my prayers. How proud of them Jack was. This family’s Christian witness has touched countless lives.

Read more.

(Image © Prison Fellowship Ministries)

What is this?

You know, you really can find everything in the Bible, including some good examples of smacktalk. I think I'm going to use this the next time I want to intimidate someone in a good game of Settlers of Catan. (Lori, this needs to be your quiet time as you work on your smacktalk skills; you know I'm talking to you. Don't bring me anymore of the Pride and Prejudice trash talk next time you come to my house; "no compliments to your mother" is not the same thing as saying "your momma's so old she still owes Moses a dollar.")

But seriously, or at least somewhat seriously, I was just thinking today that I need a little more swag. The thought popped up rather suprisingly as I was reading about one of the Gators I liked watching most, and how his college antics are playing out now that he's playing for the Bulls in the NBA. Apparently, while I love to love Joakim Noah, other people love to hate him. Noah doesn't let it bother him; he thrives on the jeers. In fact, Greenburg tells us that the seersucker-wearing, 6-foot-11 center with the hair that just won't quit is pretty comfortable in his skin. And that's where the swagger comes in. It's game-play.

It's sort of shocking really to find that boasting has a place in the Bible. I don't expect it there. But when I do a search I discover that while most kinds of boasting are bad, there are a few kinds that get a holy high five. Here's the low-down on the swag that's legit:

1) When behemoth Philistines insist on dissing your God, it's okay to holler back. Come prepared with a slingshot, though.

2)  When you know your Dad really can beat up their dad, but that He chooses to show justice, kindness, and righteousness instead.

3) When your homeskillet gets it right, it's okay to boast on the day of the Lord.

Now, I need to get back to my hoop shot. As one king said (at least in my translation), it's one thing to boast when you're putting on the jersey, it's another thing when you're taking it off.

(Image © Kathy Willens for the AP)

What is this?

• "Reaching out, lifting up: Prison ministry now Dungy's priority"
• "Giving" 
• "CNN's Fox-Bashing/Fox-Job Applying Roesgen 'Tak(ing) a Break'" (contains profanity and vulgarity)  

What is this?

Deriba Merga, who just won the 113th Boston Marathon, plans, according to those covering the run, to spend the $150,000 prize money (plus additional money from various product endorsements) on supporting his extended family back in Ethiopia. Race commentators say that back home, $150 a month supports a family of four quite well. This means Merga has just become the Bill Gates of his hometown.

I was rooting for the American runners (male and female) to win until I heard this. While I'm sure the money would have been nice for American winners, it's probably lifesaving for those who run out of desperation, so they can feed their children and give them a better life.

I watched the race live this morning--my husband was participating, and finished with a good time.  

(Yes, Dave, I'll have that BreakPoint script ready on time....)

(Image © AFP)

What is this?

• "Young Iranian Christians Held in Notorious Prison without Charge"
• "Every Who Down in Whoville"  
• "Q&A: Rick Warren" 
• "'Our Father'"  
• "A Resilient Christianity"  
• "This I Believe"  
• "The New Blacklist" (sexual content and profanity) 
• "Are Gay Activists Too Wedded to the Cause?"  
• "Ex-POW McCain Returns to 'Hanoi Hilton' Prison"  
• "Kicking at the darkness" 

What is this?

Kenny Perry, the golfer who was poised to become the oldest Masters winner ever, nearly broke my heart with his loss in the playoff yesterday. Or so I thought at the time. It took some wise words from the man himself to help me get my perspective back:

"I'll look back the rest of my life saying what could have been. But I'm not going to go there. Because if this is the worst thing that happens in my life, my life's pretty good," said Perry, who was down to his last penny 24 years ago when his church lent him $5,000 to keep chasing his golf dream. Since then, improving at a brutally slow rate, but always trending upward, he has won 13 PGA Tour events, $28 million and built a scholarship fund for that generous tiny-town church that now sits at $1.4 million.

"I got my mom struggling with cancer. My dad [85 years old] is struggling. I got a lot of people who are hurting now. And here I am playing golf for a living and having the time of my life," said Perry, who was adored by the crowd all weekend.

Of course, after reading that, I wished more than ever that he could have won. But with an attitude like that, even if he never wins a major for the rest of his life, both Perry and his fans will have reason to be proud and satisfied.

What is this?

• "Is Obama Worth a Mass?"
• "David Berkowitz: Son of Hope" (parts one, two, and three)
• "When Sports Matter Way Too Much"  
• "Little Brown Jug"  

What is this?

Continuing the Twitter conversation -- this is priceless:

Imagine the informational misery previous generations were spared because Twitter wasn't around yet.

Michelangelo: "Sistine Chapel ceiling larger than it looks; back is killing me."

Christopher Columbus: "No sign of land yet."

Robert Peary: "Man, it's cold up here."

(Image  © 20th Century Fox)

What is this?

• "POTUS Sends Special Video New Years Greeting to Iranians"
• "President Obama Jokes about Being a Bad Bowler: 'It's Like the Special Olympics'" (profanity and vulgarity in comments)
• "Special Olympics bowler to Obama: I'll beat you" 
• "Blacks, Gays, and Michael Steele"
• "Explorers on Global Warming Expedition Stranded in North Pole by Cold Weather" 
• "Family 'Too Fat to Work' Collects Annual $30,000 Disability" 
• "A New Christian Film Hopes to Mirror the Success of Last Year's 'Fireproof'" 

What is this?

• "Science doesn't make good comedy? You must be joking . . ."
• "On Africa trip, pope says condoms won't solve AIDS"
• "'More women may be stepping out of the conventional gender box'"
• "The Life and Lonely Death of Noah Pierce" (contains frequent profanity)

What is this?

A WNBA star is pregnant . . . and of course, this savvy young mother-to-be has run into opposition regarding her pregnancy. Is it because she's single and financially unstable? No -- so find out why.

(Image courtesy of Seattle Weekly)

What is this?

• "Signs of Life in Unlikely Places"
• "Parker Deserves Support, Not Censure, for Embracing Motherhood" (via The Corner)
• "Charles Darwin 'inspired by Tibetan Buddhism'"
• "Geert Wilders and the Fight for Europe"
• "Iraq: Good News Is No News"
• "Euthus"
• "Pornography, Public Culture, and the New Administration"
• "Randolph Scott and the Left's Rhetorical Knot"

What is this?

• "Wilders to flout UK entry ban"
• "Obama and the Faith-Based Initiative" 
• "Captain Chandler and Me"  
• "Starkville's flower pickin' forgiveness" 
• "Michael Phelps, Celebrity, and Moral Hazard" 

What is this?

• "Daschle Withdraws as Cabinet Member"
• "Stem Cell Journalism"
• "The Great Gay Hope"
• "You mean it's not a sacrament?"
• "Obama Can't Afford Hypocrisy"
• "The Madness of Crowds" (contains profanity)
• "Mike Tomlin, Steelers head coach, talks about his faith"
• "Davos Delegates in 'Denial' as $25 Trillion of Wealth Vanishes"
• "Fans recall death of Buddy Holly and 'the day the music died'"

What is this?

Being a distance running enthusiast, I deeply appreciate the physical, mental, and emotional refreshment that comes from a long workout. Carol Hill's idea to bring the benefits of exercise to inmates by starting a running club in a women's prison reflects just the kind of creative care and encouragement that contributes to transformed lives.

Hill says, "It's about so much more than running...Running's an opportunity for them to do something they never thought they could do...Some have reconnected with their kids and have made plans to run with them when they get out." As Hill jogs with the women around the prison's newly renovated track, she is helping them prepare to "run with endurance the race marked out for them."

(Image © Keith Myers for the Kansas City Star)

What is this?

That beautiful pro-life ad from CatholicVote.com almost made it to the Superbowl, but was rejected by NBC for "political advocacy." Click here to read about what happened and to let NBC know, politely, how you feel about it.

What is this?

• "Hopes for the Obama Presidency"
• "What Are the Media Celebrating?"  
• "Switch! And the ugliness begins . . ." 
• "Kenyans hail election of saviour Barack Obama" 
• "Father Neuhaus' Joyful Farewell" 
• "Dungy leaves NFL for higher calling" (via UrbanFaith.com)
• "A Muslim's Take on 'Traitor'" 

Posting may be sporadic tomorrow, as I'll be attending Blogs4Life downtown. (I believe you can watch the webcast at that link.)

What is this?

Both my parents graduated from the University of Florida (not to mention two uncles, two aunts, one brother, one sister-in-law, and over a half dozen cousins). When my mom's 23 chromosomes met up with my dad's and formed me, I got 100% Gator DNA. I've been a fan ever since. I love college football, but especially Gator football.

We've had our share of ruffians, but over the years it has helped to also see so many outstanding Christians among the Gator line-up. Danny Wuerffel was a particular inspiration to me when I was in high school and he was playing for the Gators and being so outspoken about his faith. His subsequent move to work with Desire Street ministries thrilled me.

Then when Tim Tebow came along, I couldn't have been happier. After accepting his Heisman Trophy last year, he traveled to the Philippines, where he had been born, to minister to orphans. I've heard a lot about him speaking in prisons. Last night on the pre-game show there were several minutes devoted to his witness. They interviewed some of the prisoners to whom he has ministered.

Imagine little old me... with my love of this ministry and sharing Christ with prisoners...and my love for the Gators. I was on cloud nine. The only thing that could have made it better was the Gators winning a National Championship! And then, they did.

Hats off to Tim Tebow for his outstanding and bold witness. I pray more of us would follow his example! (Read more here.)

I can't find the video clip from the pre-game show on line, but I recorded it and here are some quotes:

What is this?

• "Video: A protest where it counts"
• "Warren: Nature Inclines Me to Have Sex with Every Beautiful Woman, But That Doesn't Make It Right"
• "Cinderella vs. the Barracuda"
• "Conscience and Error"
• "Movie Review: Adam Resurrected (2008)"
• "Reaching Out"

What is this?

Mike Tyson once said every boxer has a fight plan until he gets punched in the face. Boxing fans saw this truth played out last Saturday night in one of the most memorable fights in boxing history. Swollen and bruised, former U.S. Olympic gold medalist and welterweight world champion Oscar De La Hoya threw in the towel in the eighth round to give the victory to Manny Pacquiao. The fight was considered a dream match to many (including me) because of the David and Goliath comparison. Pacquiao, the smaller opponent, was fighting two divisions above his weight class against superstar De La Hoya. However, the dream fight last Saturday proved that in the boxing ring, size does not matter.

So what’s the spiritual takeaway? Pacquiao is a man of faith. He knows the truth that there’s a bigger power than he. Amidst the jubilation and before he raised his arms in victory, the first thing Pacquiao did when he knew De La Hoya had given up the fight was to go down on his knees for a silent moment of prayer. Clearly he believes that in the boxing match of real life, the size and the power that really matter are God’s.

(Image © The Times Online)

What is this?

• "We the People Who Can't Be Bothered..."
• "Tony Jones and Rod Dreher discuss SSM"
• "Former Eagle Fights City Abortion with New Clinic" (via FRC)
• "Report: CIA Withheld Info on Plane Shootdown"
• "Reader Comment O' the Day" (profanity in comments)
• "Working Girl" (adult themes)

What is this?

Daniel James bought a one-way ticket to Switzerland, where he made the decision to not live past his 24th year.

A little more than a year after a rugby accident that dislocated his spine, leaving him paralyzed, James decided to take his life. Not even the coaxing of a fellow rugby paraplegic could change his mind. With the full support of his parents, a physician, and the Swiss government, he was admitted to a clinic on September 12, where it is believed he became the youngest person from the UK to have committed physician-assisted suicide in Switzerland.

He didn't enter the sport unknowingly. Rugby is considered one of the most dangerous sports today. According to the Telegraph, such accidents happen to three or four players each season. It's what they call a "catastrophic injury," which is damage to the brain or spinal cord. And yet many survivors choose to live with it. Players like Roger Addison.

Addison was another promising new face in the rugby world. But in 1966, the then 21-year-old Pontypool player was also paralyzed from a scrum. Forty-two years later, he battles on through life surrounded by a supportive family and hospital staff. An official at his old rugby club, Arthur Crane, told the Times Online, "Roger has this huge belief that he is here for a purpose. He has been an inspiration." (Read more here.)

Matt Hampson is another rugby paraplegic survivor who actually met with James shortly before his death. His story about meeting and trying to convince James to keep his life is riveting. (Occasional profanity.) He is paralyzed from the neck down and requires a ventilator to breathe, while James was paralyzed from the chest down, but could still push himself around.

But Hampson refuses to judge James's decision. Instead, he shared his story of living. He spoke of his first few weeks as the hardest:

Those first nights and weeks and months in hospital are as close as it gets to hell, as you struggle to come to terms with the cruelty of the hand you've been dealt. But soon there's a choice to be made; the same choice that Andy faced in Shawshank: "You get busy living or get busy dying." Me? I choose to live.

What is this?

The Times' Freakonomics blog tells the story about the A-11 offense and the reaction to innovation in football. If you don't feel like following the link, here's the A-11 offense in a nutshell:

[The A-11 scraps] the traditional starting formation and [makes] every player a potential receiver (normally, only five players can receive a pass from the quarterback). That increases the possible number of plays the team can run, from the usual 36, to 16,632.

[This introduces] such unpredictability into where a quarterback will pass the ball that it baffles the defending team and gives the offense a better chance of breaking through.

The result of this unpredictability is that the

Piedmont Highlanders, the high school team that first deployed it, [has] improve[d] its record for each of the last three years, as they run A-11 plays more and more often. The randomized plays have given the scrappy team an advantage over brawnier teams that used to regularly clean their clock.

This being America, those bigger teams have reacted in an all-American way: they wet their beds, called the A-11 "dishonest and unsportsmanlike" and are working to have the offense banned. (They've already succeeded in 10 states.)

What is this?

• "Terrible news from Afghanistan: CPT Bruno De Solenni and two interpreters, dead in an IED blast" (note: occasional profanity) (via The Corner)
• "This Magic Moment"
• "Poll: Racial issues steer some white Dems away from Obama" (via Reconciliation Blog)
• "Obama and Ayers Pushed Radicalism on Schools"
• "Seek Ye First the Right Psychoanalyst"
• "Too Broad a Brush"

What is this?

I caught a report on CNN this morning where the anchor pointed out a remarkable coincidence: Since changing their name from "Devil Rays" to just "Rays," Tampa Bay's baseball team has gone from "worst to first." Coincidence . . . or something else? Whatever the case, some Catholic fans of the team are surely enjoying the phenomenon. TampaBays10 has more.

What is this?

• "Jay Adams: The Return of Dogtown's Favorite Son"
• "Our Insane Mental Health System"
• "Westmoreland calls Obama 'uppity'"
• "Faith-Based Eco-Action"
• "Treating God like a dentist"
• "Overcoming"
• "Friday Five: Former Abortionist Dr. Bernard Nathanson"
• "21-day vigil puts faith in power of prayer"

What is this?

Last night, in a sure sign that I'm in the tank for Sarah Palin, I changed the name of my fantasy football team from the AllenGators to the PalinGators.

Maybe now I'll have a fighting chance against those pesky Oregon Community Organizers and Minneapolis Memoir Writers.

What is this?

• "Archbishop scolds pro-choice Biden"
• "The Church Passive"
• "HHS: Doctors can refuse to provide abortions"
• "Law & Unlaw"
• "Is it ethical to take fat kids into care?" (mild profanity)
• "The Runner's Secret"

What is this?

• "The Real Story of the Democrats' Abortion Plank and What It Reveals about Obama"
• "Watchful prayer" (via The Line)
• "The Awful Truth about the Olympics"
• "Starve the Beast"

What is this?

Thanks to Travis for compiling our Olympics poll results, which were as follows:

Total Votes: 186

43.0% - 80 votes
I'll watch it

21.0% - 39 votes
I'll boycott it

9.7% - 19 votes
I'll watch the Games but not the opening ceremony

11.3% - 21 votes
I'll boycott the sponsors

32.3% - 60 votes
I'll work to publicize human-rights abuses

19.9% - 37 votes
Other

Thank you to everyone who participated, and especially all of you who are making a difference for the persecuted in China and elsewhere through your prayers, publicizing, and other efforts.

Our new poll is at right. As many of you know, the blogosphere, like the Internet in general, is a wild and crazy place, and can be an intimidating one. (Case in point.) Yet even in the Internet jungle, Christians have a good chance to get out there and make an impact for Christ, as this excellent new article by Conversion Diary blogger Jennifer Fulwiler points out.

According to Barna Research, 10 percent of computer users have a blog. Are you one of them? Vote in the poll and then, if you'd like, use the comment section below to tell us about some of your blogging (or commenting or Facebooking or MySpacing or Web surfing) experiences.

(Image © InsideCatholic.com)

What is this?

• "Child beggar's father fights abusive teacher" (via The Corner)
• "Bashir's Willing Accomplices"
• "Texas to execute mentally ill man in controversial case"
• "DHP Review: Religulous"
• "What makes a film 'Christian'?" (via Thunderstruck)
• "Shadow over Ellen and Portia's big day"
• "Now on the Hallmark aisle: Gay marriage cards"
• "What Do Prisoners Make for Victoria's Secret?"
• "For Coach, God and Archery Are a Package Deal" (via Thunderstruck)
• "A Literary Look at Nine to Five" (via Thunderstruck)

What is this?

A regret is not an apology. Saying "mistakes were made" is not an apology. Joe Gibbs and family show us what a true apology is. As Chuck notes today on "BreakPoint":

Earlier this year NASCAR ordered one team to reduce the horsepower generated by its engines in an attempt to make races more competitive. That team had won more than half of the races this season.

Compliance with the order was determined by what is known as a "chassis dynamometer" test—or "dyno test" for short.

In the competitive world of auto racing, where money, prestige, and pride are always on the line, such an order does not go down very well. Mechanics and technicians who have spent countless hours perfecting their cars might resent this attempt to level the playing field. They might even put a kind of moral spin on the issue: It is "unfair," maybe even "un-American," to "punish" excellence in this way.

So it comes as no surprise that someone might try to disobey the order while appearing to be in compliance by fooling the dynamometer. And that is exactly what happened: During "chassis dyno" tests after a recent race in Michigan, NASCAR inspectors found that the team's mechanics had rigged the cars to appear as if they were in compliance when they were not. In other words, they cheated.

What is this?

Mistreating and abusing laborers—including those who created the Olympic image for our viewing pleasure—as well as oppressing the poor. And speaking of labor, sending protesters and others exercising free speech to forced labor camps and covering up what goes on there.

That concludes our “Atrocity of the Day” posts for the Olympic season. (Read past posts here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.) Thanks again to Anne for the great idea of highlighting the atrocities committed by China during these past two weeks.

This has not been an exercise in sneering at the Chinese people, nor in taking any moral superiority. It has also not been an exercise in pouring water on the celebration of our U.S. athletes—nor any of the world’s other amazing athletes (did you see those Jamaicans run? Wow!)—as their accomplishments do, intentionally or not, give witness to the Creator.

And, hopefully, this hasn’t been an exercise in futility (“Look at all these horrible things China’s government has done . . . sigh—ah well, on to the new school year”): to acknowledge the atrocities and then just move on, feeling unempowered.

In the realm of human rights, the Church must lead in calling for justice. I hope you do take one or more of these issues (or another related issue not raised in these posts—even another human-rights issue unrelated to China), and do what you can in your corner of the world to call for justice. That could be donating money to a human-rights or humanitarian aid group; supporting a missionary; writing a letter-to-the-editor or writing your lawmakers and members of the U.S. State Department about a particular human-rights issue; and, of course, actively and collectively engaging in prayer. If you want more ideas about China, see BreakPoint’s list of resources.

What is this?

As with Chariots of Fire's Eric Liddell, running is a spiritual journey for America's Olympic marathon hopeful, 25-year-old Ryan Hall.

This week's issue of The New Yorker featured California native Hall, his physical stamina and his spiritual drive. When Hall was just 14, he decided to run the 15-mile loop around a nearby lake.

"I think it came from God. I was on my way to a basketball game--it was just this crazy idea that comes into your head, and the desire to act on it. The next weekend, my dad and I ran around the lake, fifteen miles. After that, I decided to start training."

He drew "4:05" in the cement outside the house. The following spring, he ran it. Since then, he's been ahead of the curve, last year sprinting his way to the top of the Olympic trials in New York City.

Still, his Christian faith keeps him grounded, and keeps him sensitive to his tendency to over-compete.

What is this?

Tibet. Tibet, Tibet, Tibet. And . . . Tibet.

What is this?

• "The North Korean Prison State" (via Thunderstruck)
• "Childhood's End" (via Mere Comments)
• "The Forgotten"
• "Bill Maher's 'Religulous' Quietly Opens in NY, LA"

What is this?

Compounding the devastation of the Sichuan earthquake with shoddily made schools and other government buildings which led to the death counts—and trying to shut up the victims. Then, the government puts on the façade of reaching out to and caring for the victims.

What is this?

• "Witness to Musharraf's End"
• "A Great Couple, in Peril"
• "Finding the Right Words for Abortion" (via The Corner)
• "Champion Cyclist and Now Champion Guzzler of Austin Water"
• "Who will speak for white people?"

What is this?

Nicholas Kristof has more here and here.

What is this?

It keeps getting worse: China denies all 77 protest applications. (HT UN Wire)

What is this?

Segueing from yesterday’s post about faux religious freedom in China: It seems the government’s definition of freedom of religion differs dramatically from ours, as they confiscated the Bibles of American visitors this past Sunday (HT Gina and The Corner).

Speaking of banning free speech: China’s suppression and control of media and censorship of the Internet—as well as harassment of and attacks on journalists—is widely known.

What is this?

Before I list today's atrocity committed by the Chinese government, two things.

The purpose of this exercise over the past week and the remaining week of the Olympic season is not to show hatred -- and certainly not moral superiority. It's actually precisely an act of love for our neighbors, in this case, the Chinese citizens and those in Tibet and Darfur -- not to mention profound sadness over the grip evil has on the members of the communist government, which they act out in horrific ways against their own countrymen and others, rather than yearn for and support their progress and their good -- that inspires these "Atrocity of the Day" posts. We want to help tear away darkness by shining the light of truth in the forgotten corners of society.

Secondly, a more positive note on the issue: As Chuck mentioned Friday, President Bush has taken a clear stand for religious and political freedom, despite the Chinese government's dismay over his remarks. That's a step in the right direction.

Now, the atrocity we're highlighting today:

Continuing a deceptive image by allowing only state-sanctioned churches -- a facade of religious freedom that is false in every way.

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Continuing the lists of evil atrocities committed by China’s communist regime:

Enforcing a one-child policy that includes forced abortions and other terrors.

(Image © One News Now)

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The other day Anne suggested a great idea I wish she had suggested last week, and I wish I had thought of! But we’re going to go ahead and follow through on the suggestion, and include installments for the past week.

To keep the excitement over Phelps and company on the U.S. Olympic team (much deserved admiration, definitely) from drowning out those in China and elsewhere who cannot share the joy because of the communist regime’s evil acts, we’re going to post an “Atrocity of the Day” throughout the remainder of the Olympic season. And if you want some ideas of what to do, see BreakPoint’s information and resource page on the Beijing Olympics.

So, to catch up, here are five atrocities committed by China over which we should pray and protest—to catch us up to today.

1. For August 8-10: Giving money and weapons to the Sudanese government, thus being complicit in the Darfur genocide.
2. For August 11: Persecuting Christians and cracking down on house churches.
3. For August 12: Committing extreme acts of polluting the environment and trying to cover it up.
4. For August 13: Putting on a deceptive show of excellence and normalcy, among its performers and athletes. (Becky, here’s the answer to your question about what happens to China’s athletes.)
5. For August 14: Attacking protesters and prohibiting free speech.

Until tomorrow, other ways China has fallen short of Olympic goals.

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