Adonaijah

I was always taught that Hell and the punishment of the wicked will endure forever is that true? I have heard different arguments on this, one says yes they will suffer forever and another says after a time they will cease to be? I hadn't really studied this subject but plan to. What are your thoughts and please give scripture, thanks

First of all let me say that I am a survivor of attempted suicide. I was an unbeliever at the time. In my opinion If you are a christian and commit suicide, I can't imagine facing Jesus with that sin when the bible says he came so we could have life. He said if you love me keep my commands. Thou shalt not kill was one of those. It also says that muderers will not enter the kingdom of heaven and if you can't repent of murder you can't have Jesus' blood cover it. As a christian who is suposed to love God with all your heart, knowing he died for you and suffered for you, committing suicide would in my opinion be like throwing it all in his face like what he did wasn't good enough for you. As to wheather suicide=hell for the unsaved yes. For the true believing christians = ? But what kind of true believing, God loving christian would do such a thing when God promised to keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on him, and what about "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me' If a christian who ponders suicide as a real option believes that thier sin of suicide will be covered by the blood of Jesus, why can't they believe that God will not give us more than we can bear, that in our weakness he is our strength?

I have been attending a church of christ church. I visit all the deniminations to see what I can learn from them. What I learnt from the CoC so far is that they believe they are the only true church desended from the book of acts. That the Holy Spirit no longer works through people. Spiritual gifts were only for the first church. They don;t believe in a rapture a seven year tribulation armageddon and such. They don't believe you are a true christian unless you belong to their church and baptised by them. They told me if I wanted to be a member I would have to be baptized again by them. They don't believe in any instumental music inside the church. Only a man is allowed to speack whenever they want in church such as singing and prayer and preaching, unless a man let's the women join in. Even in the bible study a woman cannot speak unless a man tells her she is allowed. The women ae not allowed to make any decisions concerning the running of the church, like decorating the church and making decisions on how the money is to be spent. They don't believe in giving donations to charity organizations unless it is ran by them, they say God should get the glory in what the organization does and if the Coc doesn't run it it is a sin to contribute. They say that it is a sin to allow your child to go to prom because dancing is a sin. They say that the old testament does not mean anything to them they only go by the new testament. they believe that Jerusalem is not special in any way and that the Coc has taken the place of the jews in God's favor and blessings. They believe they are not a denomination and all churche's who don't belive as they do are denominations and are in error leading people astray.They also believe they are saved by works as part of their salvation plan beliefs. This is what the Church of Christ church I attended believes. I worshipped with them and attended bible study with them. I know there beliefs firsthand. I don't know if this is how all the CoC churches function I only know about this one.

Hate Crimes Bill May Threaten Free Speech By David Brody CBN News CWNews.com

Trading Teddy Bears for Toy Guns By Charlene Israel CBN News CWNews.com

One of my favorites is "The Book of The Lover and the Beloved" by Ramon Lull. It is poetry verses about Christ and us and our relationship. It is very very good. Another book I like alot is "Fire of Heaven" by Bill Meyers. It's a fictional novel about the two witnesses mentioned in revelation. They are a man and woman and must overcome their own wants and stuff to be who God called them to be. And I'd recommend the author Frank Peretti, I really like his work. It's about the supernatural and our Christian faith.

My brother and his girlfriend are not christians I am. About a year ago they made a commitment to each other to remain in a monogomous relationship with each other and when she finished college to get married. He obviously broke his commitment with her and was unfaithful to her and his word. That's what I call cheating. It's the same in anything you give your word in wheather its a relationship or a buisness deal if you don't keep your word then you have betrayed the person you gave your word to.

"UZBEKISTAN: Pastor's re-education 'impossible without isolation from society'" by Felix Corley ("Forum 18," March 23, 2007) Tashkent, Uzbekistan - Protestant pastor Dmitry Shestakov is appealing against his four-year sentence in an open work camp, imposed on 9 March in his home town of Andijan [Andijon] in retaliation for his religious activity, Protestant sources have told Forum 18 News Service. The court ruled that Shestakov had to be deprived of his freedom "given the absence of the possibility of re-educating him without isolation from society". Shestakov's lawyer lodged his appeal on 16 March, but no date has yet been set for a hearing at Andijan Regional Court. Shestakov remains in Prison No. 1 in Andijan until the appeal is heard. Forum 18 has learnt that the prison administration, which is headed by Lieutenant-Colonel Pulatov, has banned Shestakov from kneeling to pray and confiscated his copy of the New Testament. Instead of the New Testament, he has been offered the Koran to read. Andijan was the centre of an anti-government uprising in May 2005 and Shestakov is being held in the prison which was stormed by some of the rebels during the uprising. He is currently in Prison No. 1's Samara section, where those sentenced for membership of the Akramia movement and the Islamist political movement Hizb-ut-Tahrir are also being held. Refusing absolutely to answer any questions about Shestakov's sentence was Begzot Kadyrov, chief specialist at the government's Religious Affairs Committee in the capital Tashkent. "I have no information about the case," he told Forum 18 on 21 March, despite the fact that Shestakov has frequently been attacked through the state-run media, often in comments sourced to Committee officials. Asked more generally about the extensive controls on religious communities including at the local level

"Texas woman convicted of operating on child who later died" (AP, March 22, 2007) Abilene, USA - A woman was convicted of bodily injury for helping perform surgery on her neighbor's 7-year-old daughter who later died. Callahan County jurors deliberated about five hours Wednesday before finding Rebekah Hawkins guilty of assisting in surgery on Terri Silas in 2003. Following the surgery at Hawkins' home, Terri, who had a leg infection, died at a Fort Worth hospital. A judge will decide Hawkins' punishment. District Attorney Shane Deel said Hawkins will be sentenced in May. Hawkins, believed to be a member of a religious sect called the House of Yahweh, faces up to 10 years in prison and $10,000 fine for the third-degree charge. Deel said Hawkins, who remains free on $50,000 bond, also is eligible for probation. If Hawkins had been found guilty of serious bodily injury, a first-degree felony, she could have faced a maximum punishment of life in prison. "We're pleased with the guilty verdict and glad that we're able to get some measure of justice for the child," Deel said. The child's mother, Deziree Kay Gideon, who is also thought to be involved with the sect, pleaded guilty in October to injury to a child by criminal negligence and was sentenced to five years' probation. The House of Yahweh, an Old Testament-based group, gained notoriety in 1996 when several hundred of its followers changed their last names to Hawkins in honor of its founder, Yisrayl Hawkins. He had changed his name from Bill after leaving the Abilene Police Department in 1977. He founded the group, with headquarters in Abilene and a 50-acre compound in Callahan County, in 1980.

I am glad all christian churches could unite against this. If we could stand togather more often maybe things would have and would be better.

"Mexican churches form united front against abortion bill" (AP, March 21, 2007) Mexico City, Mexico - Roman Catholic, evangelical, orthodox and Anglican church leaders said Wednesday they have formed a united front against bills to legalize abortion in Mexico, an issue that has divided the nation and drawn in conservative President Felipe Calderon. In a news conference, the church leaders said they will call on their followers to march against the proposals that would legalize abortions in the first three months of pregnancy. The abortion bills have been filed by lawmakers from the leftist Democratic Revolution Party, or PRD, in both the national Senate and Mexico City legislature. "In the name of Jesus Christ and his Gospel, we ask, we implore they do not approve an unjust and bloody law that kills the innocent," said Rev. Hugo Valdemar, spokesman for the Catholic Archdioceses of Mexico City. Catholic church officials have previously said they will excommunicate lawmakers who vote in favor of the bills. Rev. Eduardo Rangel, an evangelical minister in Mexico City, added that "abortion is disobedience and betrayal of the word of God." While about 90 percent of Mexico's total population of 104 million are Roman Catholic, there are more than 4 million evangelicals and the number grows annually. Current Mexican law permits abortions only if the pregnancy endangers a woman's life or if the woman has been raped. But advocates of the bills say this does not stop wealthier Mexican women traveling to the United States for the procedures while thousands of poor women remain in Mexico and have back-street operations. The law would allow abortions to be carried out under safer conditions, they argue. "We need to stop thousands of women from dying in unsafe operations," said Sen. Carlos Navarrete, who heads the PRD in the Senate. "This is a right our laws should guarantee." The church's position comes in spite of a constitutional ban on political activity by religious groups. It is also being supported by the Vatican, which is sending its chief anti-abortion campaigner, Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo, to inaugurate an international conference in Mexico City on Friday Calderon, of the conservative National Action Party, has also spoken against the measure. "I have a personal conviction, and I am in defense of life," he told a Tuesday news conference. "I have a plain respect for dignity and human life and, within this, I believe the existing legislation is adequate."

"Nigeria teacher dies 'over Koran'" ("BBC News," March 22, 2007) Lagos, Nigeria - Secondary school pupils in north-eastern Nigeria have killed a teacher after apparently accusing her of desecrating the Koran, police say. The teacher, a Christian, was attacked after supervising an exam in Gombe city. It is not clear what she had done to anger the students. The authorities, concerned that communal unrest could break out, have ordered all the city's schools to shut. Similar accusations sparked riots in neighbouring Bauchi State last year. At least 15,000 people have been killed in religious, communal or political violence since the country returned to civilian rule in 1999. 'Restored calm' Nigerian police say students beat the teacher to death outside the school compound after she had been invigilating an exam. The students had apparently accused her of desecrating the Koran, though it is not clear exactly what she had done. The police arrived at the scene to restore calm and say their intervention stopped a riot. The BBC's Alex Last in Lagos says violence based on such accusations is not new. Last year, in Bauchi State, a rumour swept the city that a Christian teacher had also desecrated the Koran, which prompted riots in which at least five people were killed. In fact, the teacher had confiscated the Koran from a pupil who was reading it in class. Religious differences have long been used to justify all kinds of violence in Nigeria, our reporter says. In reality it is often fuelled by ethnic or political conflicts and competition for resources, which can be fierce, given that so many people live in poverty, he says.

"Faithful flock to bleeding Jesus paintings" (Reuters, March 21, 2007) Port Blair, India - THOUSANDS of people are flocking to a policeman's house in India's remote Andaman Islands to pray in front of two portraits of Jesus Christ, which are said to have been "bleeding" for the past two weeks, police and witnesses said. Eric Nathaniel, a police radio operator, found red fluid trickling down a portrait of Jesus in his house two weeks ago which he believed was blood. "We lit candles and prayed all night and a little later the blood dried but it soon started trickling down from the hands and heart of another portrait in the house," Nathaniel said in the islands' capital Port Blair today. Officials said red paint used in the portraits could be melting in the extreme humidity, but islanders and priests were coming in boats from remote parts of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago to pray. "This is indeed a miracle and shows that Jesus was in pain because of our sins," said John Chrysostom, a priest at the Anglican Church of Port Blair. One portrait was temporarily moved to the local bishop's house for public viewing after police found it difficult to control swelling crowds.

I recently discovered that my brother is cheating on his girlfriend of whom I am good friends with and her family. This other girl has gotten him into drinking and drugs. My question is should I tell his girlfriend or maybe give him an ultimatum to stop what he's doing and threaten to tell? Any suggestions on what I should do?

"Islamic groups impose tax on Christian 'subjects'" ("AsiaNews," March 19, 2007) Baghdad, Iraq

Morality Christian Teen Event Draws Protests in CA CBN News CWNews.com

I might have overlooked the scripture that tells who baptized the apostles, does anyone know the scripture book and verse? Thanks.

"Court quashes man

Here is another article that came out after ABC aired an interview of him the other night. We need to pray for these people who are being led off and that this movement will come to an end. I'm reminded of all those down the ages who have proclaimed to be God like the Ceasers, David Koresh, Jim Jones and all the others too numerous to count or name. They all came to a bad end. "Jesus Might Be Alive and Well in Houston" by Jim Avila and Caroline Borge ("ABC Primetime," March 6, 2007) Houston, USA - A few weeks ago, in a tattoo parlor in the hip art deco district of Miami Beach, people were lining up to get "666" tattooed on their bodies, and then smiling through their pain. But these are not devil worshipers. They see themselves as devout followers of Jesus Christ. But the major difference that separates them from other Christians around the world is that the Jesus Christ they worship is alive and well -- and living in the suburbs of Houston. These people belong to a new movement devoted to a man who calls himself the Second Coming of Jesus, and also claims the title of Antichrist, which to him is the next incarnation of Jesus on earth, not an evil being. To show their devotion, some followers ink themselves with "666." One follower said, "I just want to make sure it's visible, that everyone knows my life belongs to the man." Another said, "I want everyone to know I'm one of the antichrists." They and others like them are fervently devoted, some say fanatically, to a 60-year-old Puerto Rican whose legal name, to his pleasure, is Jose de Jesus, or "Jose of Jesus." He counts followers in more than 30 countries; some say they total more than a million. But where does this man, who claims to be God, live? Not where you might expect: He resides with his wife in a suburban community just outside Houston. The Birth of 'Jesus' When asked to explain who he is, de Jesus responds: "Jesus Christ, man, the second manifestation, the Second Coming of Christ." He acknowledges that "it bothers a lot of people" that he calls himself Jesus. De Jesus' beginning was anything but grand. Born in Puerto Rico, de Jesus grew up poor, living in government housing. He stole for a living to pay for his teenage heroin addiction and admits to eight felony charges that put him behind bars for nine months. Like many, de Jesus says he was born again in prison. From there he moved to the United States, where he became involved in church youth groups, and eventually a minister in Boston. But it was a vision, de Jesus says, that turned him from man of God to being God. "The same spirit that was in Jesus of Nazareth, and the same spirit is in me. He came to me. He [integrated] with my person in 1973." de Jesus says this happened when two angels came to him in a vision, and while he admits there's no real way for him to prove that he's Christ, he says his followers aren't asking for proof. "So you tell the millions of followers I have that

"Stony-faced Jasper proving a hit" (AAP, March 07, 2007) Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea - IT may be just a stone in a bucket of water, but the rock with a human face is attracting hundreds of worshippers to a mountain village in PNG. Religious leaders complain the cult following for the stone, named Jasper, is stopping people going to church on the island of Bougainville. People have been travelling from throughout the region to the village of Iuno, in the Konnou district, since late last year, PNG's Post-Courier newspaper reports. Followers of Jasper bow to the stone which communicates through a messenger, Aimari, who receives Jasper's directions in his dreams, locals say. Some followers say Jasper has instructed them to collect stones of certain colours from river beds and pile them up ready to sell as "valuable stones". Last week, a Jasper disciple travelled to the town of Arawa in central Bougainville with his bag of stones but could not sell them because people thought they were just ordinary stones. Police in the southern town of Buin say they can do nothing because the area is still a no-go zone for police and a stronghold of the Meekamui movement of the late secessionist leader Francis Ona. Disclaimer: WWRN does not endorse (AAP, March 07, 2007) Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea - IT may be just a stone in a bucket of water, but the rock with a human face is attracting hundreds of worshippers to a mountain village in PNG. Religious leaders complain the cult following for the stone, named Jasper, is stopping people going to church on the island of Bougainville. People have been travelling from throughout the region to the village of Iuno, in the Konnou district, since late last year, PNG's Post-Courier newspaper reports. Followers of Jasper bow to the stone which communicates through a messenger, Aimari, who receives Jasper's directions in his dreams, locals say. Some followers say Jasper has instructed them to collect stones of certain colours from river beds and pile them up ready to sell as "valuable stones". Last week, a Jasper disciple travelled to the town of Arawa in central Bougainville with his bag of stones but could not sell them because people thought they were just ordinary stones. Police in the southern town of Buin say they can do nothing because the area is still a no-go zone for police and a stronghold of the Meekamui movement of the late secessionist leader Francis Ona.

EU helps witches branch out" ("Ananova," February 28, 2007) Bucarest, Romania - Romanian witches are carving out a lucrative new business - concocting spells to help locals get EU grants. Until now the country's witches have confined themselves to love potions and spells to get cows to produce more milk. But the EU expansion has seen funding for new projects flood into the country and now locals hoping to gain a slice of the action are turning to witches to boost their chances. Witch Florica, from Pitesti in southern Romania, said: "It's a new type of spell that we had to work out of course. "You cannot pretend you are a real witch if you cannot help a businessman get the European Union funds he wants. "For example, only the other day I had a young businessman who came to me with his papers applying for European funds. "I spread the cards on his documents, said my spells and splashed the papers with some potions. It only cost him about

"Making a case for 'sacred' meat" by Anthony M. Destefano ("Newsday," February 27, 2007) Staten Island, USA - During a search of a Staten Island garage last year, federal agents made a disturbing find: Among packages of smoked fish and clothing they discovered 33 pieces of African bushmeat, including the arm of a primate and pieces of a small rodent known as a cane rat. Now the garage owner, a Liberian immigrant named Mamie Jefferson, 39, finds herself a defendant in what her attorney believes is one of the first cases in New York, and perhaps the country, that involves charges of bushmeat smuggling. The case pits federal officials who believe bushmeat poses health concerns against some West African immigrants here who say the eating of cooked flesh of wild animals is a sacred act that is worthy of protection under federal religious-protection law. Federal agents began to focus on Jefferson, also known by the surname of Manneh, after they uncovered bushmeat in January 2006 during an inspection at Kennedy Airport of boxes addressed to her. The airport search uncovered primate parts hidden in a legal shipment of dried fish from Africa, court records stated. After the airport search, agents visited Jefferson at her Staten Island home, where she consented to the search of her garage. Jefferson legally sells the fish within her West African community on Staten Island, said Jan Rostal, the federal defender representing Jefferson. In an unrelated case, Jefferson is serving a 2-year term in state prison for trying to run over on Staten Island last year a woman she suspected of being her husband's girlfriend, prosecutors said. As a result, her husband is taking care of the children - nine of Jefferson's and two young relatives. "The entire family and the babies miss her a lot and want her home," said her husband, Zanger Jefferson, 40. As she serves her state sentence, Jefferson is committed to fighting the federal charges. On Friday, her attorney filed papers in the federal case seeking to dismiss the charges. Health risks U.S. officials say the importation of bushmeat, particularly the cane rat, could expose the public to diseases such as monkeypox, a viral infection that causes symptoms similar to smallpox. Globally, the trade in bushmeat is an environmental concern: Conservationists believe the trade is endangering many African animals - especially monkeys and other primates - that already are viewed as threatened. Federal officials aren't sure how large the market is for bushmeat in New York or elsewhere. During an interview with federal agents, according to court records, Jefferson said she had heard that the meat, which is usually smoked, had been sold in a local African market on Staten Island. Popular types of bushmeat include the flesh of monkeys, apes and bats, as well as the cane rats. Recent statistics provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service show occasional seizures of suspected bushmeat in the New York area and at other ports of entry such as Hawaii and Los Angeles. "It is hard to find," said a wildlife service agent who operates out of Valley Stream. Much of what is confiscated at Kennedy Airport is found in hand luggage of travelers from overseas. "The big stuff is shipped in containers," the agent said. "Nobody has the staff to look at that." Since 2000, agents have made sporadic seizures of what they term "possible" bushmeat in New York. Usually the items have been identified as primates, antelope, goat and cane rat from Ghana, according to the data. Biologist Justin Brashares of the University of California at Berkeley, has developed a network of sources on bushmeat. The reports indicate that about 1,000 pounds of bushmeat, which is usually smoked before it is shipped from Africa, makes its way each month into West African ethnic markets in New York City. Nationwide, about 15,000 pounds of bushmeat come into the country each month, he said. Jefferson's case is promising to turn into a test for the little known federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act, a 1993 statute designed to protect groups from prosecution for using controlled substances as part of religious services. Last year the U.S. Supreme Court negated an investigation of a small Brazilian sect in New Mexico for using a psychotropic plant that was made into a tea known as hoasca. The beverage, which is hallucinogenic, contains dimethyltryptamine, which is on the federal list of controlled substances, also known as Schedule One. "If the Supreme Court says these folks have the right to use a Schedule One drug in a religious way, why can't these Africans use this bushmeat in a similar religious way?" Rostal, Jefferson's attorney, asked in an interview. Rostal sees the use of bushmeat in the West African immigrant communities as having a religious significance that escapes many Westerners. A spiritual meal A number of Jefferson's fellow congregants at an African church in the Stapleton section of Staten Island, none of whom want to be identified because of concerns about immigration repercussions if they go public, apparently agree. They have given Rostal an affidavit to explain the spiritual importance of bushmeat. "Bushmeat is sacred to us because it is the free, wild animals of our homeland, and these animals are gifts from God and filled with spiritual power," the congregants said. "When we eat the bushmeat, we get closer to God and we take in that spiritual power to our bodies." But federal officials and some health experts say the wild African meats can harbor disease. Some studies, investigators said in court papers, have linked bushmeat to HIV, SARS and Lassa fever, a viral disease passed by a small rodent. Another concern is that Ebola, a severe and often fatal viral infection, is harbored in some monkeys. While health experts agree there is a risk of infection from bushmeat, some of them believe the danger is low, particularly because the vast majority of the product is smoked. A 2005 report by a British government advisory committee concluded that, among immigrants in the British Isles, the risk of disease was "extremely low" from ingesting smoked bushmeat cooked in "traditional" ways - such as by stewing for about two hours. The bigger risk of illness, the British study concluded, was from contamination in the kitchen of other foods that come in contact with "disease organisms that may be present on the bushmeat prior to cooking." The study also noted that food handlers could be sickened when they handle a carcass contaminated with the microorganism that transmits monkeypox. In a recently filed legal brief to dismiss the government's indictment, Rostal said that if an ecologically sensitive method of harvesting African bushmeat could be developed, then the flesh could be inspected here like other imported meats. In any event, the amounts of bushmeat would remain small, reflecting their use in religious celebrations, she said. "It is not about having it sold in supermarkets," Rostal said.

"Reverend ready to defend pot use" by Brad A. Greenberg ("MediaNews," February 27, 2006) Hollywood, USA - The Rev. Craig X Rubin read aloud a passage from 1 Kings as the sun set and his congregation prepared for the Sabbath. Flicking a lighter to the lone candle atop the podium, Rubin burned a bud of marijuana on the flame. He puffed it out, walked to each of the eight members sitting in the pews and waved the smoldering cannabis around them. This, Rubin proclaims, carries the prayers of Temple 420 to God. That's the God of Isaac and of Jesus, because members are Christians and Jews. That makes the congregation Rubin founded last summer unique. But what really sets it apart -- and the reason Rubin will be in court Friday -- is the temple's use of marijuana as a religious sacrament. ''I am willing to preach the Bible and go to jail if it means getting my message out there,'' the 41-year-old Panorama City man said. And he knows how strange that sounds. ''I'm a Jewish kid from Beverly Hills who went to UCLA. I could have been a lawyer making $250 an hour like the rest of my friends, or a TV producer. Instead, I'm teaching the Bible, selling weed on Hollywood Boulevard, facing seven years in jail -- of course I'm crazy.'' The temple's problems actually began as a poisoning investigation performed by homicide detectives. One day last fall, a delivery driver and a security guard were given baked goods from Temple 420, said police spokesman Kevin Maiberger. Both became violently ill and almost died. No charges came of that, but a few weeks later, on Nov. 3, an undercover officer joined Temple 420. Five days later, at 4:20 p.m., police raided it. The temple's assets were seized, as were Rubin's. He, his 18-year-old son and another man were charged with one count each of selling or transporting marijuana and one count of possessing marijuana for sale. ''They were trying to set it up under the guise of a religious right and then be able to sidestep marijuana laws,'' Maiberger said. ''The deal was for a $100 initiation fee and $100 annual fee, you could buy all the pot you wanted for quote-unquote 'religious purpose.' That's bull----.'' Rubin, however, continues to distribute marijuana six days a week to the temple's members -- there are more than 400 who have paid the initiation and annual dues -- for a ''requested donation'' of $60 for an eighth of an ounce. He continues to burn marijuana as a sacrament at Friday night services and preaches on the weekends -- Old Testament on Saturdays, New Testament on Sundays, always at 4:20. His defense relies on his insistence that God wants people to enjoy cannabis -- for recreation, religion and industry -- and his belief that federal and state laws protect his religious practices. ''It's not a laughable argument,'' said Eugene Volokh, a UCLA School of Law professor and religious freedom expert. ''It's just an uphill argument.'' Temple 420 would need to demonstrate that its beliefs are sincere and that marijuana use is not the foundation of the religion but part of a broader ethical system, Volokh said. Also, the organization would need to prove that its practices don't come at the expense of a compelling government interest. ''But it's not open and shut,'' Volokh said. In 1996, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Rastafarians, who believe marijuana is a sacrament, could use federal law to defend their use of the drug, but not to defend distribution or possession with the intent to distribute. Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that a small religious group in New Mexico could use a hallucinogenic drug in its services. Groups often opposed to each other -- from the American Civil Liberties Union to the National Association of Evangelicals -- had supported O Centro Espirita Beneficente Uniao do Vegetal in its defense against the government. But the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, cited in the Rasta and O Centro cases, doesn't apply at the state level, and that's where the charges against Rubin will be heard. California has not passed a law similar to the federal one, and the state Supreme Court has not clearly defined whether the state constitution provides greater religious protection than the First Amendment. And, of course, there are plenty of Temple 420 skeptics. ''I would inherently be suspect... of someone attempting to use the Bible as a justification of their desire to smoke marijuana,'' said Brad Dacus, founder and president of the Pacific Justice Institute, a legal defender of Christian values. ''It's not unusual for people to try to use religion as a pretext for purposes of carrying out their pleasures.'' Temple 420's tenets stem from Rubin's Jewish childhood, conversion to Christianity and experience taking peyote in American-Indian sweat lodges. A pro-pot Republican partial to dark suits and red ties, Rubin hangs the American flag behind his podium and gushes about Ronald Reagan. He has been a marijuana activist since his days at UCLA in the early '90s. A ''roper'' -- who believes hemp is a medicinal marvel and a panacea for fiber, food and fuel shortages -- and a ''doper,'' Rubin was dubbed ''Hollywood's Wizard of Weed'' by High Times magazine and was a consultant on Showtime's hit ''Weeds'' for two seasons. While undergoing a family crisis three years ago, Rubin began studying the Bible and, he claims, God revealed to him cannabis' status as the tree of life. Last year, after the Supreme Court ruled on O Centro, Rubin reasoned he could openly practice his new beliefs, which he describes as ''Judeo-Christian'' and ''Bible based.'' In August, Scott Linden, a Pasadena attorney who has helped open several medical-marijuana dispensaries in the San Fernando Valley, filed paperwork with the Secretary of State's Office that registered Temple 420 as a religious corporation. The organization, however, did not file for tax-exempt status, said Franchise Tax Board spokesman Patrick Hill. Religious services began Aug. 26, and Craig Roberts, who added the X to his name after studying Malcolm X and changed his last name back to that of his Jewish grandfather, started going by ''reverend.'' Rubin did not attended a seminary but was ordained in 1990 by the Universal Life Church, an interfaith organization that offers ''Free Instant Online Ordination.'' ''Using sacrament as a way to elevate my spirituality blew me out,'' said temple member Evan Goding, 29, of Orange, who drives to Hollywood each week with his Jewish girlfriend. ''I was like, no way. It just clicked. It made so much sense. ''I've always believed that the world as a whole would be better if most people would just try marijuana. It brings out the better in people. And I'm sorry it's not legal; I'm sorry I can't use it for my religious beliefs without being persecuted.'' Temple 420 is located in a strip mall at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and La Brea Avenue, next door to an H&R Block and across the street from a Christian Science Church. Fifteen to 30 people stop by most days to pick up pot, said the cashier, who wouldn't give his name. Rubin gets his stash from the same guys who sell it to medical-marijuana dispensaries, but he charges about 20 percent less per eighth of an ounce. Income goes to pay salaries and support the temple, he said. He insists he turns away about half the people who try to join; new members must sign an agreement professing, among other things, that ''the God of the Bible created cannabis... for the healing of all nations.'' ''There are six medical-marijuana clubs within walking distance of here,'' Rubin said. ''If you're a liar, you don't need to come here. Pretend you are sick.'' But it is clear some of Temple 420's members aren't interested in the religious services. The sanctuary seats about 40. Some members have never attended. ''For me, it was worth it,'' David Donahue, 37, of West Hollywood said of joining the temple. ''If I didn't get it through him, I would get it through one of my friends' dealers -- and I don't know anyone here. ''Two hundred bucks, to some people, it's a lot. It's a lot to me, don't get me wrong. But we pay for convenience.'' Disclaimer: WWRN does not endorse or adhere to views or opinions expressed in the articles posted. 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"Islamic spies to snoop on Malaysian lovers" (Reuters, February 20, 2007) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - A Malaysian state plans to recruit

"Lawsuit: School Banned Jesus Costume" (AP, February 21, 2007) Philadelphia, USA - A Christian legal group has sued a school district on behalf of a 10-year-old boy who claims his rights to religion and free speech were violated when he was not allowed to wear a Jesus costume during Halloween activities. The complaint, filed in federal court Tuesday by the Alliance Defense Fund, says officials at Willow Hill Elementary School in suburban Glenside told the boy Oct. 31 that he could not wear his faux crown of thorns or tell others he was dressed as Jesus. The principal, Patricia Whitmire, told the boy's mother that the costume violated a policy prohibiting the promotion of religion, according to the lawsuit. Whitmire suggested that the fourth-grader, whose costume included a robe, identify himself as a Roman emperor, the suit states. Though the boy's costume was rejected because of its religious nature, the principal allowed other students to dress up as witches and devils, according to the lawsuit, which identified the boy only by his initials. Whitmire and the Abington School District are named as defendants. District attorney Ken Roos said Wednesday that he had not seen the suit and that school officials "feel like we've been a little bit ambushed here." The boy and his mother are Christians who object to the pagan elements of Halloween, but the mother did not want the boy isolated for refusing to wear a costume, according to the lawsuit. Willow Hill officials required students to wear a costume to participate in a parade and party; those who did not were sent to the computer room, the suit says. The boy no longer attends the school. The Alliance Defense Fund is based in Scottsdale, Ariz. Disclaimer: WWRN does not endorse