They Gave Thanks To Him, He gave Them Victory – Give Thanks Always

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They Gave Thanks To Him, He gave Them Victory – Give Thanks Always

When you Give Thanks to God, He will give you Victory

Congratulations !

When you Give Thanks, … You Win

Congratulations !

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British Group Threatens Police Intervention If Students Play Violent Video Games

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British Group Threatens Police Intervention If Students Play Violent Video Games
Grand Theft Auto Five YouTube Screenshot/GTA V

YouTube Screencap: Grand Theft Auto

Christian Post Report – A group of British schools is threatening legal authorities on parents of students discovered to be playing R-18 video games like “Grand Theft Auto.”

The Cheshire’s Nantwich Education Partnership in England has sent out letters to parents of students in a total of 16 schools warning them to supervise their underage children’s gaming habits or face a visit from the police.

The school system particularly warned parents about the action-adventure video game “Grand Theft Auto,” which features adult themes like violence, mature language, alcohol consumption, sex, and crime.

According to the letter, video games like Rockstar Games’ “Grand Theft Auto” titles, Epic Games’ third person shooter “Gears of War,” and Activision’s first person warfare, “Call of Duty” may result in “oversexualized behavior” on the part of children under 18 years.

In particular, the video game “Call of Duty” has been involved in negative controversy after far right terrorist, Anders Breivik, who killed 77 people in the 2011 Norway shooting and bomb attacks, admitted he trained himself for mass murder via years of “CoD” gameplay.

“If your child is allowed to have inappropriate access to any game, or associated product, that is designated 18+ we are advised to contact the police and children’s social care as this is deemed neglectful,” the letter added.

The clear guidelines from the 16-school group, while considered threatening, laid down its intention for discipline not only for the students, but for their parents, as well.

With the link between video games and violence in children still under debate, and the Internet full of potentially unsuitable levels of sexual content and violent material, it may be difficult for parents to constantly police their children’s online usage and video game consumption.

According to Pear Tree Primary School principal Mary Hennessy Jones, the school system is moving forward to help parents keep their children safe from extreme violence and early sexualized behavior in a digitized world.

Source : Christian Post

Is There a New ‘Star Trek’ TV Series in the Works?

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Is There a New ‘Star Trek’ TV Series in the Works?
Star Trek Into Darkness’ cast member from left to right, Chris Pine, Alice Eve, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, and Benedict Cumberbatch Reuters/File

Star Trek Into Darkness’ cast member from left to right, Chris Pine, Alice Eve, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, and Benedict Cumberbatch

Christian Post Report – If rumors are to be believed, “Star Trek” may go back to its small screen roots soon. The rumor came out over the weekend that CBS is looking at possibly developing a new Star Trek TV series.

The new series will be reportedly based on an old pitch that was called the “Star Trek: Federation” which originated 10 years ago, Latino Review reported. The pitch is supposedly the basis for a TV series that was being considered for development during that time.

Some of the team that put together that pitch may be back together again to revive the idea for a series. Some of the producers involved in the “Federation” pitch included Robert Burnett, Bryan Singer and Christopher McQuarrie, while Geoffrey Thorne served as script writer.

Bryan Singer’s name reportedly came out as one of the possible producers that CBS is talking to. Burnett, on the other hand is working on a fan-made feature called “Star Trek: Axanar” but when asked about the “Federation” and the new TV series, he said that he did not know of anything new under development. He also said that as far as the “Federation” pitch was concerned, it did not prosper most especially after J.J. Abrams took over the creative reins.

The original “Star Trek” TV series was created by Gene Roddenberry and aired from 1966 to 1969. Several successful spinoff TV series followed, and eventually a series of feature films as well. A total of 12 films have been made, and another one in the making due for release in July 2016.

According to the SlashFilm report, TV is still the best home for the series where it can have “the room to really explore the ideas that made it unique in the first place.”

Source : Christian Post

Justin Bieber Confirmed as One of Floyd Mayweather’s Ring Escorts for Pacquiao Fight

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Justin Bieber Confirmed as One of Floyd Mayweather’s Ring Escorts for Pacquiao Fight
Justin Bieber Instagram/ justinbieber

Justin Bieber

Christian Post Report – Pop singer Justin Bieber will be at undefeated American fighter Floyd Mayweather, Jr.’s side when he walks into the ring to meet Manny Pacquiao on May 2.

Canadian pop star Justin Bieber has announced he will be making his entrance at the Las Vegas MGM Grand Arena on May 2 with Floyd Mayweather, Jr. when the pound-for-pound boxing champion makes his way up to the ring for his long awaited superfight with Filipino fighter, Manny Pacquiao.

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Reuters/File

American professional boxer and currently five-division world champion Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

Insiders are saying Bieber, who is said to be close friends with Mayweather, has recently been photographed with the boxer, most recently when he arrived uninvited to the Mayweather – Pacquiao press conference last week, posing with the American fighter during a photo op.

The pop star, who has been a magnet for trouble and intrigue in the last few years, appears to be making an attempt to clean up his act by allying himself with the Money May. He made his first walk up to the ring with the 38-year-old professional boxer during his 2012 bout with Puerto Rican fighter Miguel Cotto.

Mayweather is set to meet with Pacquiao to defend his welterweight world title in what is said to be the most awaited and richest fight in boxing history. Sports insiders are predicting gate sales alone will be bringing in an estimated $74 million.

21-year-old singer-songwriter Bieber may not get another chance to have this kind of spotlight on his brand after having been the subject of a Comedy Central official roast publicized on national television, cementing his “most hated celebrity” status.

Following his frequent run-ins with the law ranging from vandalism to assault, former teen heartthrob Bieber’s siding with the “highest paid sportsman in the world” with a 47-0 win-loss record may help repair his tattered reputation.

Source : Christian Post

Second Atheist Blogger Hacked to Death by Islamic Extremists in Less Than a Month in Bangladesh

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Second Atheist Blogger Hacked to Death by Islamic Extremists in Less Than a Month in Bangladesh
Conservative Islamist protesters chased police during a clash on May 6, 2013 in Narayanganj, Bangladesh. (Photo: Reuters)

Conservative Islamist protesters chased police during a clash on May 6, 2013 in Narayanganj, Bangladesh.

A second atheist blogger has been hacked to death by suspected Islamic extremists in the span of a month in Bangladesh. Twenty-seven year-old Washiqur Rahman was found stabbed to death on Monday in Dhaka, less than a month after American citizen Avijit Roy was killed for promoting secularism and criticizing religious extremism.

Agence France-Presse reported that police have arrested two men suspected to have been involved in Rahman’s murder. Local police chief Wahidul Islam revealed that the victim had been “brutally hacked to death this morning with big knives just 500 yards [460 metres] from his home at Dhaka’s Begunbari area.”

The Guardian noted that there has been some dispute over Rahman’s religious beliefs.

Biplob Kumar Sarkar, deputy commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan police, suggested that the victim was killed because he followed Islam differently than how extremist groups dictate: “Those who killed him differed on his ideologies about religion. He was not an atheist. He was a believer. But the way he followed religion was different from the way radical groups insist,” he said.

A personal friend of Rahman, identified as Tamanna Setu, stated that the victim was an atheist, however.

“He used to write a satirical column on Facebook against believers. He was an atheist. His killing has to be connected to his writing,” Setui said.

Imran Sarker, head of the Blogger and Online Activists Network in Bangladesh, called Rahman a “free-thinker” who used to write “against religious fundamentalism.”

The Dhaka Tribune reported that Rahman was a member of eight Facebook groups, including one called Atheist Bangladesh.

There have been a number of attacks on atheists and other religious minorities in Bangladesh in recent years.

U.S. citizen Roy was killed by a “knife-wielding mob” in Dhaka late in February, also from criticizing religious extremism online.

“Avijit Roy has been killed the way other free thinker writers were killed in Bangladesh. No freethinker is safe in Bangladesh,” blogger Taslima Nasreen said about the murder.

“Islamic terrorists can do whatever they like. They can kill people with no qualms whatsoever.”

International development consultant Rory Fenton echoed those views in an article for The Independent following Rahman’s murder.

“This weekend I arrived in Bangladesh with the naïve hope of writing about wide-eyed idealists fighting the fight no matter what, fueled with the zeal of Je Suis Charlie. The reality on the ground is much harsher: atheists are being hunted down for both religious retribution and political gain,” Fenton wrote.

“Washiqur Rahman was right: words cannot be killed. But a struggling movement can only take so much battering, and Bangladeshi atheism is fighting to survive.”

Source : Christian Post

Trip Lee on Racial Reconciliation: ‘Our End Goal Is Not Just Getting Black and White in the Same Building, Jay Z Can Do That’

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Trip Lee on Racial Reconciliation: ‘Our End Goal Is Not Just Getting Black and White in the Same Building, Jay Z Can Do That’
Trip Lee (Photo: Courtesy of Alli Rader)

Rapper and pastor Trip Lee speaks at the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission’s Leadership Summit on racial reconciliation in Nashville, Tennessee, on Friday, March 27, 2015. Lee serves as a pastoral assistant at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington D.C. where he uses the name Trip Barefield.

Christian Post Report – Rapper and pastor Trip Lee believes music has the power to unite people from different cultures and races within the church, but adds that Christian unity must be biblical and reflect the kingdom of God because it’s about more than bringing different races under one roof for two hours on a Sunday morning.

“Music has a way of uniting people, [but] our end goal is not just getting black and white in the same building; Jay Z can do that,” Lee quipped, adding that the type of unity the church should be striving for “can only be achieved through the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Speaking at the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission’s Leadership Summit in Nashville, Tennessee, on Friday as part of a segment titled “Rise: Calling the Next Generation to Racial Reconciliation, Lee, who serves as a pastoral assistant at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington D.C. where he uses the name Trip Barefield, focused his talk on the millennial generation and how music brings different ethnicities together.

Lee emphasized, however, that the type of unity pop culture icons bring is simply not enough for the church, which must go deeper. He went on to suggest that the secular form of unity usually revolves around an artist or sports figure, and once the game or concert ends that diversity ceases right along with it.

He further noted that a majority of concerts that attract people from diverse ethnic backgrounds merely reflect a shallow form of unity, and said that millennials should strive for more to strengthen relationships that cross racial boundaries.

Lee went on to explain that there are three issues holding the church back from achieving true unity and diversity, specifically among Christian millennials, and these include: the belief that racism is not a problem for the millennial generation, using social media as the main form of communication, and not believing that the Bible is sufficient.

He then laid out principals for bringing true racial reconciliation into the church. The first of these being preaching the Gospel of reconciliation, which Lee says unites all believers.

“[People say] we need action, as if preaching the Gospel is not action. God created diverse people and Jesus died to reconcile diverse people to himself,” Lee asserted.

He also discussed fighting for Gospel love in which he emphasized Christians’ duty to bear one another’s burdens. Lee acknowledged the fact that not all people have to deal with issues based on their race, but that those that don’t should strive to understand the experience of those that do encounter racism in various forms. This type of bond could only be achieved through a deep relationship.

“How could I bear my brother’s burdens if I don’t know what they are,” he said. “You cannot love others if you do not understand their experience.”

Lee also warned those gathered at the summit not to assume that it’s easy to be diverse. He then left the audience of pastors and leaders with several tips for putting this into practice.

He warned them not to treat races differently, not to assume stereotypes, not to flock to people who look like them, intentionally getting to understand people, persevering through difficulties, asking yourself if you have any assumptions about different races, and meditating on Scripture and praying for racial reconciliation.

“We want blacks and whites in the same family,” Lee said.

Source : Christian Post

The Necessity of a Blood Sacrifice

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Leviticus 17:11

Christian Post Report – If you’ve ever attempted to read through the Bible, you probably had the same reaction many Christians do when they reach the book of Leviticus: What are all these animal sacrifices about? This ancient sacrificial system of worship seems so foreign to us. Can you imagine having to bring a lamb for slaughter every time you want to confess your sin?

  • Dr. Charles F. Stanley
    (Photo: In Touch Ministries)
    Dr. Charles F. Stanley (File).

We tend to look back on all those bloody sacrifices and think, I’m sure glad that doesn’t involve me! But if we pass too quickly over them, we’ll miss seeing what our salvation cost the Savior. You see, He was our blood sacrifice. Redemption wouldn’t have worked if He’d simply died for us in His sleep, because “without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Heb. 9:22).

The Israelites had the continual reminder of the cost of sin. But today, having never experienced the slaughter of thousands of animals, we often take our salvation lightly, not realizing what it required. The flogging and crucifixion of Christ was a bloody, messy scene. The horror of it should move us to tears of sorrow and gratitude for what He did to buy our salvation. Without the shedding of His blood, we’d be bound for hell and eternal separation from God.

Now, instead of dragging a lamb behind us to the altar, we rely upon the Lamb of God, who offered Himself as the sacrifice for our transgressions. His blood washed away our sin so we can one day stand in heaven, singing praise to the Lamb who purchased us with His blood (Rev. 5:9-10). How wonderful is our redemption, and how good is our God!

Used with permission from In Touch Ministries, Inc. © 2015
All Rights Reserved.

Source : Christian Post

The NFL Fines Cleveland Browns $250,000 for Textgate

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The NFL Fines Cleveland Browns $250,000 for Textgate
Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns/NFL

Will the Cleveland Browns be the next team featured on HBO’s Hard Knocks?

Christian Post Report – The NFL has handed down its punishment for the Cleveland Browns and General Manger Ray Farmer. The NFL does not allow texting to the sidelines during games and Farmer was in violation of that rule. For his punishment he will suspended without pay for the first four games of the 2015 season. The team has been fined $250,000, but may count themselves lucky that they weren’t stripped of valuable draft picks for the rule violation.

“Farmer will be permitted to stay in his current capacity through the rest of the offseason, including working the NFL draft and being there when the Browns cut down to their 53-player roster,” Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk reported. “He will have to stay away from the team for Weeks 1-4 of the regular season.”

Farmer said this in statement released to the public: “I respect the league’s decision and understand that there are consequences for my actions. It is integral to what we are trying to build, and as a leader, I need to set the right example. I made a mistake and apologize to Jimmy Haslam, [coach] Mike Pettine, our entire organization and our fans for the ramifications. Learning is a big part of who I am, and I will certainly be better from this situation.”

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam also released a statement.

“We accept the league’s ruling,” Haslam said. “Ray made a mistake and takes full responsibility for his role in violating the policy. It is critical that we make better decisions. Ray has tremendous integrity and I know has great remorse for what occurred. We are all committed to learning from this and making the Browns a stronger and better organization.”

This puts an end to a stage that not only undermined the Cleveland coaching staff but was in violation of standing NFL rules.

Source : Christian Post

The Detroit Tigers 25-Man Roster is Almost Set

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The Detroit Tigers 25-Man Roster is Almost Set
Detroit Tigers MLB/Detroit Tigers

What are the Detroit Tigers actually worth?

Christian Post Report – The Detroit Tigers’ 25-man active roster to open the 2015 season got a lot clearer today. The team optioned catcher Bryan Holiday and OF Tyler Collins to the minor leagues. That mans the team will carry Andrew Romine and Hernan Perez as utility infielders. Manager Bard Ausmus has gotten them both playing time all around the infield so they will be set to take over the role left empty by the departure of Don Kelly.

The only real decision left to the team is what to do with Bruce Rondon and which two lefthanders will earn spots in the bullpen. There are many factors that go into that decision the most important of them being which players give the big team the best chance to win. Secondly the team is thinking who should play more and that is likely why Collins was sent to the minors so he can play instead of riding the bench in Detroit.

The Tigers will carry four outfielders, Yoenis Cespedes, Rajai dais, Anthony Gose, and JD Martinez. Miguel Cabrera, Nick Castellanos, Jose Iglesias, Ian Kinsler join Romine and Perez and the infielders. Expect Alex Avila and James McCann to share the catching duties. With Victor Martinez as the team’s full time Designated hitter. Justin Verlander, David Price, Anibal Sanchez, Shane Green and Alfredo Simon are the club’s five starting pitchers.

Joe Nathan will begin the year as the closer, Joakim Soria will be the set up guy. Joba Chamberlain, Al Albuquerque have all likely earned spots in the en leaving a decision between Rondon and Angel Nesbitt for the final right handed spots. Ian Krol, Tom Gorzelanny, Blain Hardy and Kyle Ryan will be competing for the two left handed reliever spots. Gorzelanny will has likely already wrapped up one of those spots with the final decisions to come in the next few days.

Source : Christian Post

Obama Reminded of Vow to Free Imprisoned Pastor Saeed Abedini as Iran Nuke Talks Enter Final Day

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Obama Reminded of Vow to Free Imprisoned Pastor Saeed Abedini as Iran Nuke Talks Enter Final Day
U.S. President Barack Obama (Photo: Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks about Iran during his meeting with Secretary of Defense Ash Carter (L) in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington March 3, 2015.

Christian Post Report – As the high-profile nuclear deal negotiations between the U.S., Iran, and several other countries entered the final scheduled day of talks on Tuesday, the American Center for Law and Justice reminded President Barack Obama of his promise to do all he can to get Iran to release imprisoned pastor Saeed Abedini.

Negotiations about the long-standing issues of lifting some of the sanctions on Iran in exchange for curbing its nuclear research program are taking place in Switzerland, though politicians have given few hints that an agreement will be reached by the end of the day.

ACLJ, which represents pastor Abedini’s wife and two children in the U.S., has said that Iran’s stated commitment to improve its human rights record must be demonstrated by agreeing to release the pastor.

“March 26 marked two and a half years since American Pastor Saeed Abedini was imprisoned in Iran, jailed simply because of his Christian faith. His health is worsening. In a prison where torture and executions are commonplace, Pastor Saeed continues to face grave threats and an uncertain future,” ACLJ Chief Counsel Jay Sekulow wrote on Monday.

Sekulow noted that Obama has called for Abedini’s release on a number of occasions, and in January met with Abedini’ family to tell them that freeing the pastor remains a top priority for his administration.

“If that’s the case, this troubling question remains: Why hasn’t Pastor Saeed been released? Like the nuclear talks, there are questions for both sides regarding Pastor Saeed,” Sekulow asked.

“Why can’t the U.S. make it happen? Can’t officials apply pressure to free this U.S. citizen? And for Iran – which clearly needs to earn the world’s trust – what better way exists for the Iranians to take an important step forward?”

The U.S. and the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, also known as the Big Five or P5 – France, China, U.K. and Russia – must reach an agreement with Iran before midnight local time, with a final deal by the end of June. Germany is also included in the talks.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has been leading the negotiations with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif in the town of Lausanne. Iran is being pressured to make further cuts to its uranium enrichment program, but is pushing back on limits to technology that could be used to engineer atomic arms.

Western diplomats have said that the deal will have different stages, and a main point still being discussed is how much research and development into uranium enrichment Iran will be allowed to conduct in the final five years of the planned 15-year agreement. In the first 10 years, Iran would have to freeze its nuclear program, but would be allowed to enrich to higher levels after the 11th year.

Ali Vaez, an Iran analyst with the International Crisis Group, told CBS News that it is difficult to see if a deal will indeed be reached before the end of the day.

“A lot of this is signalling, a lot of this is showing that if the p5+1 is not going to move on some of the issues that are important for Iran, Iran is also going to adopt a harder position, and even backtrack on some of the issues if it is necessary,” Vaez said.

Some world leaders, such as recently re-elected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have warned that the suggested deal with Iran would be detrimental to world peace.

“We have been told that no deal is better than a bad deal. Well, this is a bad deal. It is a very bad deal. We are better off without it,” Netanyahu told the House of Representatives chamber in a visit to Congress earlier in March.

“We are being told that the only alternative to this bad deal is war. That is just not true. The alternative to this bad deal is a much better deal,” he added.

Source : Christian Post

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