Perry apologizes for having messianic leader represent Jews

Star-Telegram | 07/16/2005 | Perry apologizes for having messianic leader represent Jews: "Perry apologizes for having messianic leader represent Jews

The Associated Press

AUSTIN - Gov. Rick Perry has apologized for inviting a messianic Jewish leader to represent the Jewish faith at a bill signing where the man delivered a prayer in the name of Jesus.

David Stone wore a Jewish prayer shawl when he delivered a benediction at Fort Worth's Calvary Christian Academy where Perry signed a bill that imposes more limits on late-term abortions and requires minor girls to get written parental consent for abortions.

Stone is the leader of Fort Worth's Beth Yeshua congregation, which believes Jesus is the Messiah. Traditional Jews believe that the Messiah has yet to appear and consider Stone's view heretical.

The Beth Yeshua Web site says Stone graduated from a Bible college and was ordained by the Assemblies of God.

Perry spokesman Eric Bearse said the governor's office did not know Stone was a messianic Jew until after the prayer. Bearse said Perry met with members of the Jewish community last month to apologize.

Members of the Anti-Defamation League sent a letter to Perry complaining about Stone's participation and the choice of Calvary Christian Academy as the ceremony's venue.

Linda Burger, executive director of the American Jewish Committee in Houston, said Jewish officials who met with Perry appreciated the apology.

'He said somebody on his staff messed up,' Burger said in Friday's online edition of The Dallas Morning News.

In an e-mail inviting religious groups to participate in the bill signing, Perry's campaign said it wanted to fill the venue with 'pro-family Christian friends.'

About 1,000 people gathered inside the gymnasium for the ceremony, which was rife with religious references. During the program, Perry also signed a resolution to amend the Texas Constitution to ban same-sex marriages."

Ricky Martin Seeks End to Arab Stereotypes (While Destroying Israel)

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) - On his first visit to the Middle East, Ricky Martin declared he will try to change negative perceptions of Arab youth in the West.

"I promise I will become a spokesperson, if you allow me to, a spokesperson on your behalf. I will defend you and try to get rid of any stereotypes," the 33-year-old singer told youngsters from 16 mainly Arab countries at a youth conference on Monday.

The children, ages 14 to 16, expressed concern about being labeled as "terrorists" by the West.

"I have been a victim of stereotypes. I come from Latin America and to some countries, we are considered 'losers,' drug traffickers, and that is not fair because that is generalizing," said Martin, who was born in Puerto Rico.

"Those comments are made out of ignorance and we have to sometimes ignore the ignorant, but we also have to educate the ignorant. You have me here as a friend," he said.

Martin, who is a United Nations Children's Fund goodwill ambassador, said he wanted to get to know the youth and their cultures better.

He said he planned to do a concert tour of the Mideast and North Africa, including Jordan and the Palestinian territories, tentatively scheduled for May 2006.

Martin, whose hits include "She Bangs,""Shake Your Bon-Bon" and "Livin' La Vida Loca," posed for photos with fans, at one point draping over his shoulders a traditional Arab kaffiyeh headscarf with the slogan "Jerusalem Is Ours" written in Arabic on it.

Martin attended the silver jubilee of the Arab Children's Congress set up 25 years ago by Jordan's Queen Nour, King Hussein's widow, to promote creativity, peace, cross-cultural understanding and tolerance. He said he would like to promote a similar youth congress for his native Latin America.

Martin said he would travel later Monday to Thailand where his organization, the Ricky Martin Foundation, had built 225 homes to protect children orphaned by the Dec. 26 tsunami that swept through South Asia.

"I couldn't stay at home with my arms crossed," he said.

Martin said his foundation also is working to combat child pornography and prostitution worldwide.

Pope terror 'snub' angers Israel

Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday deplored attacks in 'countries including Egypt, Turkey, Iraq and Britain'.

Israel said he had failed to mention a 12 July suicide bombing in Netanya that killed five Israelis.

The foreign ministry said it would be interpreted as 'granting legitimacy to... terrorist attacks against Jews'.

'We expected that the new Pope, who on taking office emphasised the importance he places on relations between the Church and the Jewish people, would behave differently,' the ministry said in a statement.

The Vatican embassy declined to comment.

Pope Benedict has accepted an invitation to visit Israel but has yet to comment on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in public since taking office in April. "

Teachings Now Online

At the request of a few people we have finally developed a way to get teaching materials online. You can go to www.Shomreibrit.org/shomreibritaudio.htmto see what is available. In general, you will find an audio file with supporting materials such as PowerPoint presentations and supplemental materials. Additionally, if you are one of those "connected" people with all the latest gadgets, you will find a podcast link with which you can automatically download the audio portions to your computer and/or iPod.

It's going to take us a little while to get everything up there, but there is a good beginning even now.

Hope you all find this a blessing.