When it comes to saving lives, God trumps doctors for many Americans.

An eye-opening survey reveals widespread belief that divine intervention can revive dying patients, and, researchers said, doctors "need to be prepared to deal with families who are waiting for a miracle."

More than half of randomly surveyed adults — 57 percent — said God's intervention could save a family member even if physicians declared treatment would be futile. And nearly three-quarters said patients have a right to demand such treatment.

When asked to imagine their own relatives being gravely ill or injured, nearly 20 percent of doctors and other medical workers said God could reverse a hopeless outcome.

"Sensitivity to this belief will promote development of a trusting relationship" with patients and their families, according to researchers. That trust, they said, is needed to help doctors explain objective, overwhelming scientific evidence showing that continued treatment would be worthless.

Pat Loder, a Milford, Mich., woman whose two young children were killed in a 1991 car crash, said she clung to a belief that God would intervene when things looked hopeless.

(Does God answer prayers. He sure does but not always the way we want Him to. At times God will take away our pain other times God will walk with us in the pain. Read more of this story right here.)

Count Ralph Nader as unimpressed by the crop of supposed finalists to be Barack Obama’s running mate. (  Nader predicts Obama to pick Clinton  )

“I don’t think he’s that dumb,” said Nader, commenting on widespread speculation that Obama’s choices are down to Sens. Joe Biden or Evan Bayh, or Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine.

The smart pick, according to Nader, is Hillary Rodham Clinton. Nader phoned into Politico on Tuesday afternoon to offer his prediction that a surprise nod to Clinton is actually what Obama has in store — never mind the talk of mistrust between the Clintons and Obama.

( I believe  if Obama picks Clinton it would help McCain a lot with the right. The Clintons have turned people off. At the same-time lets not forget Bill Clinton was elected to two terms in the White House so no matter who is Obama's VP pick there is work to be done.)

If you want to boost your teenager's grade point average, take the kid to church. Or, a new study suggests, find some similar social activity to involve them in.

Researchers found that church attendance has as much effect on a teen's GPA as whether the parents earned a college degree. Students in grades 7 to 12 who went to church weekly also had lower dropout rates and felt more a part of their schools. ( Church Attendance Boosts Student GPAs )

The study does not suggest God is smiling on the students, per se. Rather, it identifies several reasons the students do better:

• They have regular contact with adults from various generations who serve as role models.

• Their parents are more likely to communicate with their friends' parents.

• They develop friendships with peers who have similar norms and values.

• They're more likely to participate in extracurricular activities.

(Going to church doesn't mean students won't have to study but going to church sure can't hurt, can it?)

Hard times and higher fuel prices will follow kids back to school this fall.

Children will walk farther to the bus stop, pay more for lunch, study from old textbooks and wear last year's clothes. Field trips? Forget about it.

This year, it could cost nearly twice as much to fuel the yellow buses that rumble to school each morning. If you think it's expensive to fill up a sport utility vehicle, try topping off a tank that is two or even three times as big.

At the same time, costs for air conditioning and heating, cafeteria food and classroom supplies are mounting, all because of the shaky economy. And parents have their own tanks to fill.

The extra costs present a tricky math problem: Where can schools subtract to keep costs under control?

(This might be a good time to teach our kids when we don't have the money we can't do something or  buy some toy. Come to think of it this is something those in Washington need to learn too. Read more of this story right here.)

 

Chinese customs officials confiscated more than 300 Bibles on Sunday from four American Christians who arrived in a southwestern city with plans to distribute them, the group's leader said. ( China confiscates Bibles from American Christians)  

The Bibles were taken from the group's checked luggage after they landed at the airport in the city of Kunming, said Pat Klein, head of Vision Beyond Borders. The group, based in Sheridan, Wyoming, distributes Bibles and Christian teaching materials around the world to "strengthen the persecuted church," according to its Web site.

The group arrived in China on Sunday and had intended to distribute the Bibles to people in the city, Klein told the AP in a telephone interview while still at the airport.

"I heard that there's freedom of religion in China, so why is there a problem for us to bring Bibles?" Klein said. "We had over 300 copies and customs took all of them from us."

The move comes as China hosts the Olympics in Beijing, where false media reports last year claimed Bibles would be banned from the games. The state-run China Daily reported last month that 10,000 bilingual copies of the Bible would be distributed in the Olympic Village, which houses athletes and media.

"We're not selling them; we give them free to the people," Klein said. "We didn't come to cause trouble, we just came to bring Bibles to help out the Chinese Christians."

( So China is changing. Give me a break. The only good  Communist  is one who has been converted  and or is  dead.)

So what are my thoughts about the forum that took place at  Saddleback Valley Community Church  last night.

I wasn't sure it was a good idea to have this  at a church as I believe the church needs to keep the focus on the cross, the risen Lord, and  teaching the Bible. However after watching it I thought Pastor Rick Warren did great  handling  a very tough job.

I thought Sen. McCain hit the ball out of the park.

Some examples are...

Question: Which Supreme Court justice would you have NOT nominated? McCain quickly ticks off several liberal judges and says there should be no legislating from the bench — and gives a good word for Roberts and Scalia.

The question of evil. “We must totally defeat it.” McCain answers. Then he  committs  to tracking  down Osama bin Laden “to the gates of hell” and ties the defeat of radical Islamism to the war in Iraq.

Abortion question: when does a baby have rights? Answer: At conception.

Though  McCain’s  best might have been his emotional recounting of his Christmas encounter with his Christian Vietnamese God brought tears to my eyes — and his.

Obama on the other  hand while looking comfortable showed what he is, a man from the radical left.

Which Supreme Court justice would you have not nominated?  Obama gave a  bombshell answer with Clarence Thomas. If I recall right he said he lacked experience. Looking who is talking.

The abortion question by Warren might have been his  best question.  At what point does a  “baby have human rights? Obama really struggled with his answer — at one point, trying to avoid it by saying “It’s above my pay grade” to supply an answer. This will haunt him and it should.

Obama to the question what does being a Christian mean to you, answered, it  means that his sins will be “hopefully washed away” was  off base. Those of us who are true followers of Christ and read our Bibles know that our sins will be washed away not that they will hopefully be.

 If you like you can read more about the answers given by these two men  at one of the links below.

 

williamlobdell.com

 

 

ONLINE NEWSROOM: Rick Warren

 

 Hugh Hewitt Blog

 The Rev. Rick Warren is so prominent and respected that just being seen with him is a boon for any presidential candidate. For Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama, their appearances at a forum Saturday night at Warren's evangelical California megachurch bring risks along with rewards.

The event will play to one of Obama's strengths, talking about his Christian faith, but it will also underscore the gulf between his views and those of the most conservative Christian voters.

Many of McCain's positions are more in line with the evangelical worldview, but he is uncomfortable — and some critics say unconvincing — while talking about his personal beliefs.

(I have mixed emotions on this. I believe the church should just be about preaching Jesus and teaching His word not a place for those running for office to get votes. At the same time Pastor Warren is one preacher who will never tell people who to vote for and if this appearance will get these two to talk more about faith, and values not to get votes but to tell us what they believe this  will be something good. Read more on this story McCain and Obama face questions about their faith /)

 Liberal cleric Tony Campolo, still a popular speaker with some evangelical audiences  who are largely unaware of his leftist political and social opinions) is a member of the Democrat Party platform committee  who has helped to change the  language of that party  on abortion.
 Below  are some things  Mr. Campolo has said which should upset all who care about  Bible or moral based values.

Religious leaders who consulted on the platform said they expect Republicans to use abortion as a ``wedge issue'' in the way they used gay marriage to turn out evangelical voters in 2004. That's why finding a middle ground was so important, said Reverend Tony Campolo, a platform committee member.

``This doesn't solve the problem, but it certainly moves in the right direction,'' said Campolo, 73. ``We're a diverse party, and we ought to have room ethically for each other.''

In other words, Campolo cares more about  the Democrats winning elections.  The party of abortion and homosexual privilege doesn't bother this preacher.

But what does upset  him is that other evangelicals and  Catholics are not   and open-minded like he is. Perhaps the reason they are not open minded is they know  biblical values and care more about them than seeing the party of abortion on demand put in power. Those of us who care about values must put our faith and values ahead of  any political party. Read more  at Bloomberg.com.

(Below is part of  a story  from  wbztv.com .)

Barack Obama has yet to name a vice presidential nominee and some are wondering if he might turn to Massachusetts to round out the ticket.

John Kerry for vice president?

Don't dismiss the notion just yet.

Some political insiders are telling WBZ it could happen.

So why would Obama reach out to Kerry as his choice?

Kerry brings more money and name recognition to the table than any other name on the Obama list so far. Americans do tend to love a comeback kid and this would be the most amazing political comeback since Richard Nixon came back from the dead forty years ago.

(It would be a big mistake for Obama to name Kerry as VP. It would make Obama out to be from the radical left like Kerry is. Of  course that is where Obama is from so perhaps he should name Kerry as VP. However it won't help him with middle of th road voters. Read this whole posting Senator John Kerry For Vice President?)

A group of Catholic and evangelical leaders hailed new language for the Democratic Party’s platform that calls for reducing abortion as a way to create common ground with many traditional Republican voters.

The Rev. Joel Hunter, pastor of Longwood, Fla.-based Northland, A Church Distributed, was among those praising the new wording, to be presented for approval at the Democratic convention in Denver later this month.

"Pro-lifers of both parties can now support Sen. Obama on the basis that more lives will be saved than if they had just taken a moral stand hoping to overturn Roe versus Wade," said Hunter, a registered Republican who has not endorsed a presidential candidate. A local Republican Party spokesman found very little that was new or significant about the Democratic platform.

"I don’t think they’ve changed anything that is fundamental," said Orange County Republican Chairman Lew Oliver.

He noted the new language still asserts complete support for Roe v. Wade and proposes no new limits or restrictions on abortions, or how they are funded.

(Cal Thomas did a grea radio commentary related to  this issue yesterday. In the  commentary Cal  says all the pro. life talk  by Democrats is  a trick to get enough numbers to vote for a Democrat. Cal adds nothing will change if a Democrat is elected president such no pro life  nominee for the Supreme Court will be brought before the Senate. Amen Cal. It is sad that at least some spiritual leaders are being fooled.  If Democrats truly have had a heart change let them remove their language of  backing  Roe vs Wade. Read more of the above story   right here       or listen to the radio commentary for  August 14, 2008 that Cal Thomas did.)

I haven't read Robert Novak's column in 10 years.

Back in 1998, he made a comment on CNN -- what it was is not material here -- that I considered beyond the pale. I decided I could henceforth do without his opinions and insights. He impressed me as a distinctly disagreeable man. And that was well before he outed covert CIA agent Valerie Plame.

When the news broke a few days ago that Novak had a brain tumor and would retire, I was not made prostrate by grief. What I felt was that whisper of common mortality, that sense of there-but-for-the-grace-of-God one usually feels when tragedy strikes someone who is known to you, but not too closely. I felt sorry for the man and for his loved ones. It did not occur to me to celebrate their misfortune.

(The above is part of a column Leonard Pitts Jr. wrote. see more of it below.)

There is nothing new here of course. Similar responses attended the late Tony Snow's battle with the cancer that took his life. And Michael Savage, a barely-housebroken radio personality, played a song by the Dead Kennedys when news broke that Sen. Edward Kennedy had been diagnosed with brain cancer.

 

(Pitts is right those on the left should not rejoice when somebody like Snow dies or should us on the right be happy when Sen. Kennedy is told he has cancer. We all should be willing to pray for others when they are in need no matter what their politics might be. Read the whole column `Politics as war is not pretty'.)