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Angelina Jolie wrote in an opinion editorial, “A Reason to Stay in Iraq,” that the reinforcement of U.S. troops in Iraq gives humanitarian programs a lift in assisting Iraqi refugees.

Never missing an opportunity to admire the best lips in Hollywood or to boost search referrals, The Scrooge Report takes this from the Associated Press:

BAGHDAD — Actress and humanitarian activist Angelina Jolie said Thursday that the reinforcement of U.S. troops in Iraq has created an opportunity for humanitarian programs to boost assistance for Iraqi refugees.

In an op-ed piece published by the Washington Post, titled “A Reason to Stay in Iraq,” Jolie details the plight of refugees and says their conditions have not improved since she visited the country last August to urge governments to provide more support.

Jolie, who has been a U.N. goodwill ambassador since 2001, was in Baghdad earlier this month to again highlight the refugee problem. She talked with Gen. David Petraeus, the American military commander in Iraq, and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, the U.S. Embassy said.

Petraeus “told me he would support new efforts to address the humanitarian crisis” as much as possible, “which leaves me hopeful that more progress can be made,” the actress wrote.

Right on, Lips!

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At the conclusion of our journey, we were able to stand on top of a ridge, look behind us and see the beautiful terrain that we had just scaled. The pain of what we had just endured seemed to subside. We could not believe we had actually walked through those valleys and snowcapped hills. - Os Hillman

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What if the impossible happened and it became a beacon of hope for the region? What if we prayed, and God answered, what could happen? Did you know that Baghdad was once called Madinat Al- Salam, city of peace? - BPP

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Sam stuck close to his older brother Ed. Some bullies had been bothering him, and so he felt wisdom the better part of valor; he dogged Ed’s every step. Ed didn’t mind. He kind of liked it. - Wisdom from the Psalms

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The mayor of a Michigan community refuses to buckle under pressure from an atheist group’s demand to remove a reference to God in the city’s mission statement.

This from MLive.com:

HUDSONVILLE — The Hudsonville City Commission will continue to “strive to serve God,” despite a Wisconsin-based group’s demand that it remove the phrase from its mission statement, the mayor said today.

Mayor Don Van Doeselaar says the statement “strive to serve God” reflects the Hudsonville community.

“We are not creating a church; we are not asking anybody to only accept what we have in that mission statement,” Mayor Don Van Doeselaar said. “If there are those that disagree, we are fine with that. It’s a statement that reflects the community.”

The Freedom From Religion Foundation, which asked the city to remove the phrase, said it might consider legal action.

It “is not the business of a city in our secular republic to ’strive to serve God,’” the group wrote in a letter to the city early this month. “A city should have no religious beliefs.”

Van Doeselaar said he consulted with city attorney Dick Wendt, who determined the city was within its rights. The mayor said he also talked by telephone with the six other commission members. All agreed to keep the phrase, he said.

“We feel that we are not violating the principles of the separation of church and state,” the mayor said. “As it’s been pointed out to us by legal counsel, you see phrases like that in the pledge. In currency, you see, ‘In God we Trust.’ From time to time, our president will address the nation and end the address with the salutation that says, ‘God bless America.’”

Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of Freedom From Religion Foundation, disputed Van Doeselaar’s arguments, saying the original Pledge of Allegiance and the country’s first currency did not include those references.

“He’s relying on Johnny-come-lately additions to our country that do not reflect our heritage,” she said. “It’s a godless Constitution, that was our founders’ intent, and he (the mayor) took an oath to uphold it.”

Gaylor said her group cannot consider legal action unless a Hudsonville resident steps forward to file an official complaint.

The original complainant didn’t want to be identified, she said.

FULL STORY

May I point out that it was not the U.S. founders’ intent to have a “godless Constitution.” Their intent was to avoid any opressive religious powers rule the land…something they had seen in Europe. However, they full well understood the importance of a faith in God. What many people misunderstand is that there is a difference between religion and faith. Religion is a man-made system. Faith is about a personal relationship with God as we understand Him.

It’s about freedom of religion, not freedom from religion.

“Do not let any one claim to be a true American if they ever attempt to remove religion from politics.” - George Washington

“We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We’ve staked the future of all our political institutions upon our capacity…to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.” - James Madison

“That I am not a member of any Christian church is true; but I have never denied the truth of the Scriptures; and I have never spoken with intentional disrespect of religion in general, or of any denomination of Christians in particular….I do not think I could myself be brought to support a man for office whom I knew to be an open enemy of, or scoffer at, religion.” - Abraham Lincoln

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The biblical shepherd knew everything about his sheep. He understood what foods were best for them and what would harm them. He knew when they should eat and when they needed their thirst quenched. The shepherd was an expert of the terrain and was aware of the best places for food and water. - Henry Blackaby

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This is the victory that conquers the world — our faith. - I John 5:4

What is unique about the kingdom of God is that you are assured of victory. You have won!

…If you have no faith in the future, then you have no power in the present. If you have no faith in life beyond this life, then your present life is going to be powerless. - Max Lucado

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I had been asked the same question a few times before, but for the first time in my life I answered honestly. “I don’t know,” I said. Then he asked me if I would like to say a prayer with him and I accepted the invitation. - Alexander

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Apparently, First Amendment rights all of a sudden became an issue in Belarus. Must have been The Scrooge Report’s story earlier this week.

This from AP:

MINSK, Belarus — Belarusian authorities released an independent journalist from prison on Friday, his lawyer said, a decision that appeared to be part of the authoritarian president’s efforts to improve ties with the West.

Alexander Sdvizhkov, a former deputy editor of the Zgoda newspaper, had been convicted in January of inciting religious hatred by publishing caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad and been sentenced to three years in prison.

Belarus’ Supreme Court mitigated Sdvizhkov’s sentence Friday, reducing it to three months, which he has already served, said his lawyer, Maya Alexandrova. FULL STORY

The greatest tests come not in great adversities, but in great prosperity. For it is in prosperity that we begin to lose the sensitivity to sin in our lives. Adversity motivates us to righteousness out of a desire to see our adversity changed. - TGIF: Today God Is First

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