NEWS OF INTEREST

WHILE CONGRESS WAS IN TEMPORARY RECESS, President Clinton appointed a homosexual rights activist, James Hormel, as ambassador to Luxembouro. He is the first openly homosexual U.S. ambassador. The Senate had refused to accept his nomination since Clinton first nominated him in 1997. A provision in the Constitution allows the president to fill vacancies that occur during recesses. XXX (National Liberty Journal, 6/99)

PROTESTANT ROMAN CATHOLIC, AND ORTHODOX LEADERS IN CHILE signed a historic agreement recognizing baptisms performed in one another's churches. Each church will honor all water baptisms performed by the others. The agreement recommends that a common format for baptism be established. The document was created by ten theologians, who worked for two years on the project.XXX(Charlotte Christian News, 6/11/99)

A 15-YEAR-OLD BOY WHO REGULARLY TOOK PART IN YOUTH WITH A MISSION'S KING'S KIDS ACTIVITIES died after being beaten by a Muslim mob that stormed a local church in Indonesia. The teen died after refusing to deny his faith. A volunteer staff member was beheaded in the same incident.XXX(Pulse, 6/18/99)

FROM THE CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: "Mr. Speaker...From 1988 to today there have been thirty-two deployments of our military. In the previous sixty years there were only ten deployments. Put another way, Mr. Speaker, prior to this Administration, the military was deployed an average of once every six years. During the Clinton Administration the military has been deployed an average of four times every year. Furthermore, since 1987, we have depleted our ranks by eight hundred thousand servicemen."XXX (5/20/99--Statement of Representative Helen Chenoweth)

GAMBLING AWAY THE GOLDEN YEARS... More senior citizens now gamble and lose control. The highest increase among gamblers is among the 65 and older. Per the May 24 Christianity Today: "Compulsive gambling causes people who have no past criminal behavior to suddenly write bad checks or steal money from relatives. Out-of-control bettors lose their jobs, gamble away cars and homes, file for bankruptcy, divorce, go to prison, or kill themselves--all because the addiction becomes paramount in their lives." Casinos seduce seniors (arrange low-cost trips and buses) and make it easy and affordable for them to bet. Among 1,100 clients at rescue missions, 18 percent cited gambling as a cause of their homelessness."XXX(Calvary Contender, 6/15/99)