Sabbath Sentinel September–October 2009 Volume 61, No
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
SabbathThe Sentinel September–October 2009 What are her religious rights in public school? BSA — The Bible Sabbath Association Jesus said, “the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath” The Sabbath Sentinel September–October 2009 Volume 61, No. 5 Issue 539 FEATURES The Sabbath Sentinel is published bimonthly by The Bible Sabbath Association, 802 N. W. 21st Ave., Battle Ground, WA 98604. Copyright 4 Last Man Standing © 2009, by The Bible Sabbath Association. Printed in the U.S.A. All by Kenneth Westby rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission is prohibited. Nonprofit bulk rate postage paid at Rapid City, South 6 First Steps to Revitalizing your Marriage Dakota. Editor: Kenneth Ryland, [email protected]. by Pastor David Guerrero Associate Editors: Julia Benson & Shirley Nickels 8 ALL the Commandments BSA’s Board of Directors for 2007-2011: by Greg Sereda President: John Paul Howell, [email protected] Vice President: Marsha Basner 11 I Can, but Will I? Vice President: June Narber by Bryant Buck Treasurer: Bryan Burrell Secretary: Calvin Burrell 12 The Divine Subjectivity Office Manager—Battle Ground, WA, Office: Shirley Nickels by Terril D. Littrell, Ph. D. Directors At Large: Darrell Estep, Calvin Burrell, Bryan Burrell, Rico Cortes, John Guffey, Dusti Howell, Tom Justus, Earl Lewis, Kenneth 16 Is Obedience a Condition of Salvation Ryland by Marvin Moore Subscriptions: Call (888) 687-5191 or write to: The Bible Sabbath Association, 802 N. W. 21st Ave., Battle Ground, WA 98604 or contact 20 Putting Faith in God First, us at the office nearest you (see international addresses below). The Sabbath Sentinel is sent free of charge to all who request it. Your sub- Artur Aleksandrov’s Courageous Story scription is provided by the voluntary contributions of the membership of the The Bible Sabbath Association. Donations are gratefully accepted and are tax deductible in the United DEPARTMENTS States. Those who choose to voluntarily support this international work to promote the Sabbath and proclaim gospel of the kingdom of God are 3 Editorial: “What are a Student’s Religious Rights welcomed as contributors. in Public School?” Annual membership contributions: regular membership $25; Family Membership $30; Life Membership $500. All memberships include an 7 New Every Morning: “Jonathan” annual subscription to The Sabbath Sentinel. Make all checks, drafts and money orders payable to The Bible Sabbath Association. (Visa and 15 “Street Preacher Faces Arrest after MasterCard accepted). Reading Bible in Public” The Bible Sabbath Association is dedicated to promote the seventh day Sabbath. As a nonsectarian association for Sabbath-observing 19 Morning Companion: “Jerusalem and Babylon” Christians, BSA accepts members who acknowledge Jesus Christ (Yahshua the Messiah) as their Savior, believe the Bible to be the Word 22 The Church in the World of the Eternal, and uphold the seventh day Sabbath. BSA takes no official position on other theological issues, and publishes The Sabbath 23 Notices and Advertisements Sentinel as a forum to promote understanding and to share items of interest to Sabbath observing groups and individuals. Opinions expressed in The Sabbath Sentinel are those of the writers Our Cover: “And, ye fathers, … bring them up in the nurture and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Editorial Staff or of and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). The Bible Sabbath Association. (Source: Dreamstime.com) BSA Worldwide Web Site: http://www.biblesabbath.com. Correspondence and manuscript submissions: Address all inquiries to: Kenneth Ryland, c/o The Sabbath Sentinel, 802 N. W. 21st Ave., Battle Ground, WA 98604. Phone: (888) 687-5191, E-mail: [email protected]. International addresses: Australia: Bible Sabbath Associates, Walter & Cindy Steensby, P.O. Box 4305, Hawker ACT 2614, Australia. E-mail: [email protected] Sierra Leone: The Bible Sabbath Association Sierra Leone, 326 Bai Bureh Road, Calabar, Town, P.O.BOX 289, Freetown, Sierra Leone Philippines: Enrique M. Gabuyo, 398 Kinville Subdivision, Calamba Laguna 4027, Philippines, [email protected] Our Mailing Address Nigeria: Bassey Akpan, Nigeria BSA, P. O. Box 1277, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. E-mail: [email protected] Bible Sabbath Association Address Service Requested 802 N.W. 21st Ave. Battle Ground, WA 98604. Ask for a FREE subscription to The Sabbath Sentinel For orders and information, call (888) 687-5191. For all other inquiries, dial (360) 687-1541. E-mail us at [email protected]. Visit our Web site at www.biblesabbath.org. 2!The Sabbath Sentinel!www.biblesabbath.org!September–October 2009 Editorial What Are a Student’s Religious Rights in Public School? Most schools in the U.S. will be starting classes in The purpose of promulgating these presidential August or early September. Every year, however, there guidelines was to end much of the confusion re- is confusion among Christian parents, school teachers garding religious expression in our nation's public and administrators regarding what kinds of activities schools that had developed over more than thirty and types of religious expression are allowed in public years since the U.S. Supreme Court decision in schools. The U.S. Department of Education has printed 1962 regarding state sponsored school prayer. I guidelines on students’ and teachers’ rights, and they believe that these guidelines have helped school are offered in a pamphlet offered by Gateways to Bet- officials, teachers, students and parents find a new ter Education in conjunction with the Alliance Defense common ground on the important issue of religious Fund. freedom consistent with constitutional require- ments. These guidelines were first laid out formally under the Clinton administration. In setting policy for future Here are some of the things that students and teach- administrations, President Clinton stated, “Nothing in ers can legally do: the First Amendment converts our public schools into 1. Students may pray, read their Bibles or other relig- religion-free zones, or requires all religious expression ious material, and talk about their faith at school. to be left behind at the school house door” (July 12, 1995). President Clinton amplified on his statement in Student prayer and religious discussion : The Estab- 1998 when he declared, “...Schools do more than train lishment Clause of the First Amendment does not children's minds. They also help to nurture their souls prohibit purely private religious speech by students. by reinforcing the values they learn at home and in Students therefore have the same right to engage their communities. I believe that one of the best ways in individual or group prayer and religious discus- we can help out schools to do this is by supporting sion during the school day as they do to engage in students' rights to voluntarily practice their religious other comparable activity. For example, students beliefs, including prayer in schools.... For more than may read their Bibles or other scriptures, say grace 200 years, the First Amendment has protected our re- before meals, and pray before tests to the same ligious freedom and allowed many faiths to flourish in extent they may engage in comparable nondisrup- our homes, in our work place and in our schools. tive activities. Local school authorities possess sub- Clearly understood and sensibly applied, it works” (May stantial discretion to impose rules of order and 30, 1998). other pedagogical restrictions on student activities, but they may not structure or administer such rules Richard Riley, Secretary of Education under President to discriminate against religious activity or speech. Clinton, laid out clear guidelines for the preservation of freedom of religion in education in 1998. These guide- 2. Students may organize prayer groups and relig- lines are based on prior Supreme Court decisions and ious clubs, and announce their meetings. are still in force today. In a speech to educators Secre- Students may also participate in before or after tary Riley stated the following: school events with religious content, such as ‘see Dear American Educator, you at the flag pole’ gatherings, on the same terms as they may participate in other noncurriculum ac- Almost three years ago, President Clinton directed tivities on school premises. School officials may nei- me, as U.S. Secretary of Education, in consultation ther discourage nor encourage participation in such with the Attorney General, to provide every public an event. school district in America with a statement of prin- ciples addressing the extent to which religious ex- A school receiving Federal funds must allow stu- pression and activity are permitted in our public dent groups meeting under the Act to use the schools. In accordance with the President's direc- school media — including the public address sys- tive, I sent every school superintendent in the tem, the school newspaper, and the school bulletin country guidelines on Religious Expression in Public Schools in August of 1995. Continued on Page 14 September–October 2009!www.biblesabbath.org!The Sabbath Sentinel! 3 Last Man Standing By Kenneth Westby Often the outcome of a conflict is decided by the actions of a single individual, an election decided by a single vote, a family saved by the bravery of one, disaster averted by the skill of a single pilot, a nation saved or lost by the decision of one man, or the entire human race saved by the righteousness of but one lone man. In- dividuals matter in the course of human events. Individuals matter with God—you and your actions impact your world and make a difference within God’s plan. For want of a nail the shoe was lost. big changes in the world—in the case of slavery, a long For want of a shoe the horse was lost. overdue righteous and godly change. For want of a horse the rider was lost. People Matter For want of a rider the battle was lost.