Posted on 01/20/2002 9:56:40 AM PST by Wiley Sr
The Church in America, especially Judeo-Christian, has been losing the ballgame, for many years. A few years ago it was half time and, a few pastor/coaches gave us a locker room pep talk. The government, and the Devil himself, have been scoreing on us, and we are about to lose the game. It is late in the fourth quarter, and if we don't hurry up and score the game will be over and we will lose.
Offensive action is needed, and needed quick. I praise God that Cottonwood Church in California is suing the Government, under RLUIPA, (Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Person Act of 2000") Praise Christian Center is soon to follow, and First Southern Baptist Church is taking the lost Federal case, to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in Los Angeles.
Indianapolis Baptist Temple lost it's case, but is taking it to a higher court. Feb.13, 2002 the Church is holding a "Court of Devine Justice. The lost world may joke about this, but this is a great offensive move by the Church, and others should consider it as well.
(Bill Clinton was heard to say, he didn't know how he missed RLUIPA, and should not have signed this Bill into law. God closed his eyes, and a great victory was set into motion. Coaches, even for the Devil, make mistakes. We will see many more Churches in the near future take the offensive through RLUIPA, to God be the glory.)
Following is an outline of what will take place in Indy, and i hope in other places in the near future
COURT OF DIVINE JUSTICE FOR THE CONGREGATION OF THE INDIANAPOLIS BAPTIST TEMPLE
All who love God and religious liberty are invited to attend an all day Unregistered Baptist Fellowship meeting and Court of Divine Justice on Wednesday, February 13, 2002. The UBF meeting will be held at the Ramada Inn, 520 East Thompson Road, (one block South of I-465 at US Highway 31). The Court of Divine Justice will be held in front of the old Baptist Temple auditorium at 2711 South East Street (behind K-Mart - 2700 Madison Avenue/U.S. Highway 31 South)at 12:30 P.M. on February 13.
What is the Court of Divine Justice? It is the Court of final appeal after all earthly courts have been explored. The Supreme Court of the United States refused to hear US v Indianapolis Baptist Temple on January 16, 2001, now we appeal to a higher court, the Court of Divine Justice which is the Court of Almighty God, the God of the Universe. "...to the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the Kingdom of Men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will, and setteth over it the basest of men." (Daniel 4:17b) All present will implore the great God of heaven to bring those who have perpetrated this great evil upon the congregation of the Indianapolis Baptist Temple in the raiding and seizing of their property and the destroying of their Christian school ministry, to either repentance, removal from office, or to deal with them in any other way that it please Him.
The Court of Divine Justice will be held Wednesday, February 13, 2002, at 12:30 P.M.
It will be held outside in front of the old Baptist Temple auditorium at 2711 South East Street (behind K-Mart -21700 Madison Avenue/U.S. Highway 31 South)at 12:30 P.M. on February 13.
For those who doubt the effectiveness of God's judgment just wait and see His hand move.
The Cottonwood new offensive was reported, in the Orange County Register recently...................
Cottonwood church sues Cypress over building plans The 4,000-member congregation becomes the first in Orange County to test a federal anti-discrimination law.
January 16, 2002
By JIM HINCH and LAURA CORBIN The Orange County Register
CYPRESS -- One of Orange County's largest churches has become among the first in California to test a controversial federal law that seeks to prevent cities from discriminating against new and growing houses of worship.
Cottonwood Christian Center of Los Alamitos on Tuesday sued the city of Cypress, alleging that for more than a year the city has stonewalled the church's attempts to build a $50 million worship center because it would rather have a Costco on 18 acres the church owns near the Los Alamitos Race Course.
The church is suing under the provisions of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, a 1 1/2-year-old law that has drawn national headlines for its requirement that cities show a "compelling government interest" before rejecting church building plans.
Cottonwood is the first church in Orange County - and the fourth in California - to invoke the law, said Brad Dacus, president of the Pacific Justice Institute, a Sacramento legal foundation that represents churches.
City officials nationwide have decried the law, which they say severely limits their planning authority.
Cottonwood applied to build a new church, youth center and bookstore in October 2000, to make room for a burgeoning congregation of more than 4,000 worshippers.
The city, citing some missing paperwork, returned the application and placed a moratorium on all building at the site, which sits in a large redevelopment zone.
Over the past year, the city has simultaneously negotiated with Costco to build on the church's lucrative corner lot, and talked with Cottonwood about swapping its land for a 23-acre adjacent parcel.
Mike Wilson, Cottonwood's building manager, said negotiations stalled over the city's proposed purchase price, and a requirement that the church pay a fee to cover property taxes usually waived for religious institutions.
Councilwoman Anna Piercy said the church refuses to acknowledge that the paperwork for its development application is incomplete.
"We're the ones who specify the way something should be done," she said.
"We say, 'You haven't done it the way it needs to be done.' "
Piercy said Cottonwood "is a religious business. It's a major operation with major money. ... I expect Cottonwood to try everything they can to get what they want."
City officials said they expect to continue negotiating with the church. But Wilson said, "I'll have to wait to talk to our attorney before meeting again."
Wilson said the church has spent more than $200,000 trying to develop the site.
Piercy expressed frustration with the land-use law cited by the church: "Is that what this law is saying, that churches can do whatever they want?"
Wilson said Cottonwood's congregation is getting "weary. ... Our desire is to get to our new home."
To my brothers and sisters, I say let us not grow weary in well doing. It may be late in the 4th quarter, but this game is not over, I read the last chapter, WE WIN, Praise the Lord, join us on the winning team.
Crusade Radio, "Wiley Drake Show", will keep you posted on the progress of the game. www.crusaderadio.com 9:00 a. m. PST
Words From Wiley
No, and neither do you since the last important Crusades ended about 700 years ago.
Did you bother to read the article or did you just see 'religion' and 'church' mentioned and - obviously living in fear of a theocracy being imposed on America any moment now - leapt to the keyboard and typed your pointless reply?
This story is about a large and wealthy church that wishes to build a huge addition (on it's own land) but is being stalled by the local zoning board, who seem to prefer a Costco being built there and the tax dollars that would bring in. The church members and other like-minded Christians are going through the legal system (at a high cost to them) to fight to expand their building on their land. They ask for moral support and prayers.
Now, how on God's green earth could any sentient human being characterize this legal fight and call for prayer as a 'Crusade'?
Your comments are absurd.
Yes, I noticed. They are holding a public prayer meeting, outside, to gain both divine and secular attention for their case. So what? How is that a 'crusade'?
I'm weary of hearing 'Crusade' thrown around by atheists (and others who oppose religion) every time a church takes some public stand on an issue or in any way speaks out against something that concerns them directly. It's stupid and time the people that register here to post some nonsense and then disappear are at least called on this misuse of the word. Having done that, I'll now drop it. Besides, it's a slow news day.
Funny thing is, as an atheist, I was vocally annoyed on these
boards when the Christian Dubya Bush and his administration
first used the term Crusade to describe the fight against terrorism.
I was opposed to casting this struggle in religious terms one way
or the other because of the divisiveness it will bring into the lives
of those who have to fight it. So, don't hang that around the neck
of this atheist, anyway. :)
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