Spring 2000

Page B-2

The U.S. Constitution requires a census every ten years to apportion representation in congress by "counting the whole number of persons in each State."

Statistics indicate a declining response to the Census over the past 30 years, according to Mathew Staver of Liberty Counsel in Orlando. In 1970, there was an 85% response, but in 1980, that declined to 75% and in 1990, that declined further to 65%.

Still, bonehead bureaucrats are clueless why people do not trust the government with private information. The Founding Fathers created a government that is based on distrust of the federal abuse of power.

A federal court granted a temporary restraining order in Houston on March 27 against the invasive questions in Census 2000. The court stated that the Census Bureau may not enforce compliance beyond simply responding to the question about how many persons reside in the household.

The Houston citizens feared the threat of criminal prosecution for failure to answer intrusive personal questions.

The Census Bureau has admitted that in 1942 it provided information that helped the U.S. military round up Japanese-Americans during World War II.

Census 2000 promotes racial strife in America. The government continues to divide Americans into racial pigeonholes encouraging an us-against-them mentality. Gone is the notion that we are all Americans united in a melting pot of equal opportunity.

Citizens should complete the race section of the census by filling in "American." The national origin of your ancestors is none of their business! Perhaps on Census 2010 a question will read, "what is your religious background? (in case we want to feed you to the lions)"!

All Bible-believing churches in Jacksonville should take part in Operation Andrew. A Billy Graham Crusade will be held in Jacksonville in the fall giving an opportunity for introducing others to the good news offered by Jesus Christ.

The beauty of Operation Andrew is that it is not some man-made program done by the Crusade. Rather, it is purposeful, personal evangelism which is undertaken by believers from every walk of life at the same time.

Churches should encourage their members to think about their friends and acquaintances. Make a list of those people that you care deeply about, pray regularly for their salvation, plan to invite and transport them to the Crusade, and then help them grow in faith.

Unity is needed among the churches in Jacksonville. Do you believe that God is holy, that man is a sinner, that judgment day will come, and that the good news is that by repentance and faith in Jesus Christ salvation and hope are found? Then you should participate in Operation Andrew.

Man is basically good (Pelagianism). He can choose to do good. He does not need God’s help. This is also called Humanism or Moralism. Pelagius was condemned for heresy in the fifth century.

Man is merely sick (Semi-Pelagianism). He can decide to do good. Then God will help him get better. God acts based upon his foreknowledge of man’s decisions. This is also known as Arminianism.

Man is completely dead (Augustinianism). He can do nothing good. He needs life from God who is absolutely sovereign over men’s lives. God acts based upon his own good pleasure, revealed in part by his Word. This is also called Calvinism.

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:14)

For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. (Psalm 57:10)

For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. (Psalm 103:11)

But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. (John 20:31)