Even the accusation ...

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that two Christian brothers accused of "blasphemy" against Islam in Pakistan were released from prison on April 16 after police and Christian groups were able to negotiate a settlement with their accusers out of court. However, even the accusation of blasphemy can stigmatize a person in Pakistan for life, and Christian leaders fear that these two Christian men will not be able to continue their work and school due to this incident.

Naveed Aziz, 17, was originally accused of blasphemy on January 27 in Narrowal, Pakistan, by a fellow student who noticed a pamphlet in his bag. The student told an instructor that Naveed was carrying "blasphemous" material, and the teacher proceeded to search Naveed's bag, confiscate the pamphlet, and report him to the principal. A group of angry Muslim students crowded the principal's office, demanding that Naveed be expelled from the school and handed over to police. The principal attempted to calm down the situation, but did agree to expel Naveed from the school.

News of Naveed's pamphlet spread, however, and one week later Muslim students from nearby high schools and colleges conducted a rally against Naveed. Radical Muslim groups persuaded the mob to seize Naveed and his brother, Pastor Shafiq Masih, 35, burn their house and stone them. Police intervened by arresting the two brothers and taking them to prison.

This provides a rare case of Pakistani police defending Christian minorities, as the police did not permit the accusers to file a court case against the two men. Instead, when a Christian legal group came to investigate the situation, they found that police were attempting to allow a local "Peace Committee" to negotiate an out-of-court agreement between the Muslim accusers and the two brothers. As a result of intervention by the Center for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS), a Christian legal group, the two brothers were finally released on April 16 after spending two and a half months in prison.

Jeremy Sewall, ICC's Advocacy Director, said, "While this is an encouraging victory, these two brothers will face intense social pressure from Muslims who see even the accusation of blasphemy as reason enough for execution. Until Pakistan can address this societal pressure, even the best policing in the world will not be able to protect Pakistani Christians."

But, of course, nothing like this could happen in the United States, could it? I mean, where just an accusation is seen as grounds for prejudice and persecution?

Oh, but wait, didn't Judge Mangum order a mental evaluation for Venessa Mills just because she was accused of being "brainwashed?"

Well, good thing this is "just a divorce," huh?

Parental Rights Already Being Lost

Remember how Venessa Mills' case is "only a divorce?"

Supporters of a plan to amend the U.S. Constitution to include parental rights are warning moms and dads across the United States they already are losing their rights to make decisions regarding their children's health, education, welfare, finances, sex education, access to abortion and even leisure time.

"The erosion is upon us," said Michael Farris, founder of the Home School Legal Defense Association, a college and a church and now a dedicated leader in the effort to change the U.S. Constitution through the amendment process to restore and protect parental rights.

Eighty years ago, the amendment website notes, "the Supreme Court declared that 'the child is not the mere creature of the State; those who nurture him and direct his destiny have the right, coupled with the high duty, to recognize and prepare him for additional obligations.'"

However, according to Farris, a survey last year of state and federal appellate court rulings found "the vast majority of the court decisions refused to acknowledge traditional parental rights are fundamental rights." 

Read the full story by Bob Unruh at WorldNetDaily.

Sunday School #5 - In the place of justice ...

Ecclesiastes 3:16 And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment-wickedness was there, in the place of justice-wickedness was there.

See this post ...

More Like Guidelines Than Actual Rules

On Friday, March 6th, 2009, Judge Ned Mangum gave his verbal ruling in open Court on Venessa Mills' case #08CVD17753.

Here's what the Wake County Family Court Rules say should happen next:

According to Rule 18.1, the final order/judgment should be submitted "within 45 days of the date of the completion of the hearing or trial."

The rules also state that, unless otherwise agreed, a draft order is prepared by the "prevailing party." In this case, it was Mr. Mills' attorney who wrote the provisional order. Despite Judge Mangum stating that this wasn't a "win or lose" situation, Mr. Mills clearly "won."

Rule 18.1 goes on to say that whoever is preparing the draft order must submit it to the opposing party for review "no later than fifteen (15) days after a ruling in announced in open court or otherwise communicated to the parties." The opposing side should then have "ten (10) days" from when they receive the proposed order to make a written response with any objections, modifications, or additions.

It is very clear that the draft order should not be submitted to the judge until "after ten (10) days have passed since the delivery to the opposing party." Rule 18.2 specifically states: "No order shall be submitted to the assigned judge before ten (10) days have expired since delivery to the opposing party."

Assuming that these rules are followed and the two sides cannot agree on the wording of the order, Rule 18.4 directs that it should be "submitted to the Court for review." At that point, "the judge, in his/her discretion, may resolve the disputed issues based upon these written submissions" - and also has the option of scheduling a conference to help in the resolution procedure.

Now, here's what actually happened in Venessa Mills' case:

Friday, March 6th: Judge Mangum gave his verbal ruling.

At some point, Judge Mangum communicated to the attorneys that he wanted to sign the final Temporary Order by March 13th - only seven (7) days later. An attorney stated that this was "very unusual" - especially considering the open-ended nature of much of his ruling. No mention was made of the 45 days allowed by Wake County Family Court Rules, Section 18.1 - or that, if the rules of the court were to be followed, the timetable set by Judge Mangum would have been impossible.

Apparently, the "rules" are written for the attorneys, not for the judge - meaning that, conveniently, the judge can do whatever he wants.

Monday, March 9th: Ms. Meyer, attorney for Mr. Mills, sent a proposed order to Venessa Mills' attorney.

According to the Wake County Family Court Rules, Section 18.2, Venessa Mills and her attorney should have had ten (10) days from this date - i.e. until March 19th - to submit a written response.

Wednesday, March 11th: The first press story was printed regarding this case, and the details of Judge Mangum's imprudent remarks about homeschool hit the media and internet.

Thursday, March 12th: Venessa's attorney let her know that Judge Mangum granted "additional time to respond to the proposed Order of the full ten (10) days." At this point, it was assumed that Venessa had until Monday, March 16th, to respond - which was still only ten days from the date of the verbal ruling, not ten days from when her attorney received the draft order, as Rule 18.2 specifies.

Friday, March 13th: Both parties received an e-mail from Judge Mangum's assistant telling them that "since the proposed draft of the order ... has not been completed within the timeframe that Judge Mangum has asked, he will be drafting this order. If you would like to include anything in the order, please have those to Judge Mangum no later than by noon on Sunday, March 15th."

According to Rule 18.2, the judge should not even have had the order until March 19th, let alone have demanded that responses be submitted to him by noon on a Sunday - which just so happens, of course, to be Venessa Mills' sabbath day of worship.

Once again, the "rules" - which are written by the court - apply to everyone else, but not the judge.

Sunday, March 15th: Ms. Meyer emailed Judge Mangum the proposed order drafted by herself.

Yet Rule 18.2 specifically states: "No order shall be submitted to the assigned judge before ten (10) days have expired since the delivery to the opposing party." The opposing party - Venessa's attorney - only received the proposed order on March 9th, but only six days later the order is sent to Judge Mangum.

However, as the "rules" don't apply if Judge Mangum ignores them or overrides them, it appears that no sanctions can be taken.

Monday, March 16th: Venessa's attorney at the time emailed Judge Mangum requesting an additional ten (10) days so that they could adequately prepare their response.

Tuesday, March 17th: Judge Mangum emailed Venessa's attorney to tell her that he had already "completed the custody order" over the weekend and it would "be filed with the clerk later today."

The final Temporary Order, written and signed by Judge Mangum, is substantially different from his verbal ruling. It contains vast amounts of added material and is significantly more prejudiced against Venessa Mills than even the order drafted by Mr. Mills' attorney.

In my opinion, the facts speak for themselves and Venessa Mills was clearly denied due process - perhaps not by the "legal" definition, but certainly by any standard of morals and justice.

Rule 18.5 of the Wake County Family Court Rules states that "Non-compliance with any section of this Rule shall result in the imposition of sanctions or penalties as deemed appropriate and as allowed by law."

However, it is my understanding that no action can be taken against Judge Mangum or Ms. Meyer for changing the rules in the middle of the game - because the "rules" were never even intended to apply to judges.

It makes a mockery of justice for the Court to establish "rules" that the judge can bypass at will, while threatening sanctions and penalties against anyone else. Again, look at the time-line of events and you can draw your own conclusions about Judge Mangum's motivations. I believe the evidence shows his entire handling of this case has been prejudicial and incomprehensible from the beginning.

Sadly, it cannot even be asked if Judge Mangum is "above the law" in this type of behavior, as the law seems to have nothing to do with the "rules" of the court - unless they are broken by someone other than a judge, of course.

It's time that we stood up and demanded some laws that would actually apply to everyone equally and help to ensure fair treatment in court situations like this. Otherwise, other people will continue to suffer the same experience without recourse or protection.

The consequence of not standing up for justice will be that our Constitution will be more and more treated like "guidelines" rather than actual rules. History teaches us that the erosion of moral justice starts small and hidden but can spread to engulf a whole nation.

The "Real World" of Public School

You've got to hand it to Judge Mangum and Mr. Mills; if they want Venessa Mills' children to be "challenged" in the "real world" and get more "socialization" then what better place to send them than public school?

A father and mother in Washington state are outraged after their 5-year-old son was sent home from school, allegedly forced to carry a package of human feces along with an embarrassing note from his kindergarten teacher.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=95769

After all, these are the kind of "challenges" that kids just don't get in homeschool, the kind of things that really prepare them for the "real world." It's understandable that Mr. Mills is in so much of a rush to get his children enrolled in public school that he completely cut their mother out of the process.

After all, this is only one example of the many "challenges" that lead people like Judge Mangum and Mr. Mills to the conclusion that public school is so much better than homeschool.

Obstructing Justice

Innocence Project client Anthony Wright has been in Pennsylvania prison for nearly 20 years for a murder he says he didn’t commit. DNA testing could prove his innocence or guilt but prosecutors have blocked his efforts to get testing for the last four years.

http://www.innocenceproject.org/docs/IP_online_0409.html#1

The dismissive attitude that some people have shown to Venessa Mills' case, by saying "it's only a divorce," continues to be impugned by situations like this.

Our legal system can apparently allow prosecutors to block a DNA test for four years. A test. Not a pardon, or a parole, or a release. A test that could prove this man's "innocence or guilt."

Do the facts even mean anything to our courts any more?

This kind of ridiculous injustice creates a “tone” within the legal system that allows all manner of other, “minor,” injustices to take place.

One can only wonder if we will ever see some common sense prevailing? When will we see legislative changes to the system so that judges, prosecutors and attorneys actually have to face consequences for such behavior?

Good News ...

... for Judge Mangum and anti-homeschoolers. Venessa Mills' children are going to be "challenged" in the real world sooner than anyone thought.

Due to the year-round track system, the kids will now start public school at Leesville Elementary and Leesville Middle School on July 7th.

The Court order written by Judge Mangum gave this instruction:

"The parties shall cooperate to take all steps to get the children enrolled in these schools and to request that all of the children are on the same track."

Mr. Mills' idea of "cooperation" was to dictate his own artificial deadlines and then accuse Venessa Mills of "stalling" simply because she wanted to consult with her attorney.

Then, with no notice whatseover, he simply went ahead and enrolled the children on his own, and personally selected the track beginning on July 7th, with absolutely no involvement from the children's mother.

Although Mr. Mills claimed the process took nearly a whole week, he did not see fit to even inform Venessa until he had already done everything - submitted all the forms, notarized paperwork, transfer papers, talked to the school, everything.

Of course, this just demonstrates the pattern of behavior that Venessa Mills has had to endure for such a long time, and which Judge Mangum did absolutely nothing to prevent.

But will Mr. Mills face censure for blatantly disobeying the Court order to cooperate with Venessa in enrolling the children? Based on Judge Mangum's record in this case - e.g. minimizing and ignoring Mr. Mills crime of adultery - we won't be holding our breath that Mr. Mills will face any consequences for his actions in this incident either.

So, great news for Judge Mangum. His ruling has allowed Mr. Mills to once again trample all over justice, seize control of the situation and steamroll over Venessa to cut her out from any involvement in enrolling her children in public school, and get away with it.

In only a few short months, Judge Mangum's desire for Venessa Mills' children to have their beliefs "challenged" in public school will be fulfilled. Their "socialization" will begin on July 7th, 2009.

Our countdown has been modified to reflect this development.

As they pat themselves on the back with this "great news," the millstone Jesus spoke of is now even heavier around the necks of Judge Mangum, Mr. Mills and his attorney.

Sunday School #4 - Resting

Micah 7:2-3 The godly have been swept from the land; not one upright man remains. All men lie in wait to shed blood; each hunts his brother with a net. Both hands are skilled in doing evil; the ruler demands gifts, the judge accepts bribes, the powerful dictate what they desire- they all conspire together.

Sunday is always a special day for me. For although it is busy, it is busy in such a restful way. In the midst of all that must be done, there is the emphasis and meditation upon the good God that Christians have the privilege to worship.

This is especially so in while writing this blog and standing up against injustice. People's lives today are filled with laws and legal technicalities, moreso than ever before. But this reminds me of the quiet hope and rest that comes from knowing that, one day, God Himself will sit in judgment over the American legal system and everything else.

I know there are some good lawyers out there, and some good judges too. But as a broad brushstroke, the legal system now reflects this; "All men lie in wait to shed blood; each hunts his brother with a net." Our courts have have become disconnected with justice. They are now a sort of arena for a game or hunt, with the winner being decided not by justice but by which side can most skillfully trap and "kill" their opponent - and judges are not impartial referees but participants in the power struggle with their own targets and traps.

Perhaps some people don't want to admit it, but take a look at the big picture and you'll see that our current judicial system is only a pale, dark shadow of the righteous justice of God. It is a system where:

• many people grow rich and fat at the expense of the weak and helpless.
• bribes, the promise of prestige, windfall financial awards, and the demands of pride are sought at the cost of justice.
• the average person is penalized for deviating from the rules in the slightest manner, but judges increasingly have carte blanche to do whatever they want.
• the law has become a convoluted, gray fog of legal technicalities instead of a lighthouse of justice.
• there are so many rules, regulations, guidelines, and exceptions that not even all the lawyers in the United States can keep track of them all or understand all the implications.
• Venessa Mills is required to meet every shifting deadline imposed by the Court or face the consequences, but her own requests and petitions are left to languish without recourse.
• “the powerful dictate what they desire - they all conspire together.” I'll be writing more on this in the coming weeks.

Many more people have shared their stories on this blog, and in e-mails, and on the internet. Like the photo mosaics that have become so popular, the big picture is made up of many, many smaller pictures. And for each small, dark picture of injustice that is added, the overal picture also becomes darker.

So I am all the more thankful and rest assured that judgment, true judgment, is coming. The picture will be restored to the glorious image of God that it was always intended to be. The darkness will be wiped away, and all those who have not repented and found mercy will be sentenced in truth with the word "guilty."

For some, such a thought will invoke fear and anger. But for all who love God and love justice, it is a joyful hope. For now, He has told us not to judge, because Jesus is indeed coming soon.

Little Things

What we call little things are merely the causes of great things; they are the beginning, the embryo, and it is the point of departure which, generally speaking, decides the whole future of an existence. One single black speck may be the beginning of a gangrene, of a storm, of a revolution.

--Henri Frederic Amiel

Ever seen The Wizard of Oz? “Just click your heels together and say, ‘It is only a divorce case, it is only a divorce case, it is only a divorce case.”

A pastor was beaten and tasered for refusing to allow police to search his vehicle. Where did this incident occur? In North Korea? In China? In Sudan? In the middle east? No. It happened in Arizona, USA.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=95300

The pastor believed he was upholding his constitutional rights, only to find out that, apparently, he didn't have any. The Fourth Amendment just disappeared. Why? Because a dog allegedly indicated that there might be drugs in his car.

No drugs - or anything illegal - were actually found in the pastor's car, but he now has 11 stitches in his head, a night in jail, and an upcoming court hearing.

Common Good, Common Sense

Be sure to check out this website:

http://commongood.org

We know there are some good lawyers out there, but you should also take a look at this book:

The website is here and you can sign up to receive the first chapter for free.

Here's the summary:

Americans are losing the freedom to make sense of daily choices – teachers can’t maintain order in the classroom, managers are trained to avoid candor, schools ban the game of tag, and companies plaster inane warnings on everything: “Remove Baby Before Folding Stroller.”

Philip K. Howard’s urgent and elegant argument is full of examples, often darkly humorous. He describes the historical and cultural forces that led to this mess, and he lays out the basic shift in approach needed to fix it. Today we are flooded with rules and legal threats that prevent us from taking responsibility and using our common sense. We must rebuild boundaries of law that affirmatively protect an open field of freedom. The stories here will ring true to every reader. The analysis is powerful, and the solution unavoidable. What’s at stake, Howard explains in this seminal book, is the vitality of American culture.

"It's only a divorce..."

WorldNetDaily ran a story recently about two students in California who are facing expulsion just because one of them prayed with a sick teacher.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=94397

They are being supported by Pacific Justice Institute. Brad Dacus, who is working on the case, said:

"Since when does praying for a sick teacher to get well – with her consent – earn a suspension? This is not just a constitutional violation; it is a complete lack of common sense. These students were not looking for a fight, but since the school to this day insists that it can expel them if they pray again, we will have to resolve it in federal court."

I couldn't agree more.

It's amazing how the smallest and most innocent of things can be blown up out of all proportion, made to look somehow "evil" by those who are prejudiced, and then used to persecute.

It's amazing how something as simple as praying with a sick teacher can reflect major injustice and "constitutional violation."

But, in Venessa Mills' case, people have found it all too easy to dismiss the issues as "only a divorce." What will it take for organizations and individuals to realize that, not only is that a huge cop-out, but it's just not true?

Texas Governor Encourages Homeschooling

Rick Perry, the Governor of Texas, recently made a speech praising and encouraging homeschooling.

It's a great speech for homeschoolers and I would highly recommend watching it in its entirety. Some of his statements are especially worth highlighting:

For more and more students every day, the best educational option is a classroom in the home.

Every child is entitled to a public education, but public education is not entitled to every child.

Whatever decision is made on the location and style of a child’s education, I believe the responsibility and freedom of that choice resides with a child’s parent.

For those who choose to teach their children at home, I believe government regulation should stop at the front door.

Parental involvement is essential to every child’s success, and it’s hard to imagine a more involved parent than one who makes the sacrifices required to teach their child at home.

It is sad that, even with such obvious support for homeschooling throughout the United States, a judge in North Carolina can rip three children out of homeschool and force them into public school. Despite finding that their mother - Venessa Mills - is a "fit parent," a "good mother," and has done a "good job" in homeschooling them, Judge Ned Mangum decided that the children's beliefs needed to be "challenged" by sending them to public school for better "socialization."

Shamefully, the Governor of North Carolina and the judicial system have done nothing to stop the outrageous prejudice and injustice of Judge Mangum and the massive cover up that followed - despite receiving hundreds of protests from concerned citizens from all over the country.

Texas Governor Rick Perry is also supporting a bill that reaffirms states' rights and "the spirit of the U.S. Constitution and its essential 10th Amendment." Every state needs to clean up its laws to stop the kind of injustices that have been inflicted on Venessa Mills and her children, and on many other people in similar situations who have shared their stories on this blog.

You can still take action to support Venessa Mills' homeschool rights, her Consitutional right to freedom of religion, and her Constitutional right to due process. The law should protect people from harassment, slander, and false accusations - not be complicit in their perpetration.

And you can take action in other ways to demand legislative changes in our laws to prevent the distress and misery so many people are experiencing under unjust judgments and torturous legal procedures.

Judgment > Truth = Injustice

Make the judgment, then make the facts fit the judgment. This is what is now happening to Venessa Mills.

Gossip, slander, hearsay, mental evaluations, and custody evaluations are all being employed to find something, anything, that can be magnified, twisted or used to prove the Court right.

Why else would a judge produce a written Order full of scaremongering and slander that was nowhere to be found in his verbal ruling? Why else would a judge treat a "good mother" of three children as if she were "brainwashed" and then order a 

mental evaluation? Why else would a judge order that three homeschooled children be placed in public school, and then order an evaluation? Why else would a judge order an evalution and then decide what he wants to be evaluated?

In such cases, even what is innocent - like a postcard - is twisted and used to "prove" some kind of wrongdoing. After the judgments are made, everyone strives to prove themselves right in their own selfish interests.

The witch hunts of old used a similar method: the accused was tied hand and foot and thrown into a river. If she floats and survives, then it is proof that she is a witch - to be burned at the stake. If she sinks and drowns, it is proof that she was innocent. Either way, of course, she ends up dead. It's the classic lose/lose scenario. And the biggest loser is the truth.

If there is one thing we can be sure of from here, it is that the truth will be extremely hard to find. Once prejudice and injustice are let loose, it is impossible to completely contain them.

The following clip is from the excellent movie, Judgment at Nurenburg. If you haven't seen it, I would highly recommend you buy it and watch it.

Also, be sure to read this blog post.

Sunday School #3 - Challenging

Judge Mangum demanded that what Venessa Mills taught her children be "challenged" in the real world. Well, he is already getting what he asked for. They haven't even started public school yet, but here's a sample of the kind of challenge they can expect from the "real world." These comments were posted to this blog anonymously within the last few days:

"I can tell you where her parents are. They're on Mr. Mills side, because they know the woman has fallen off the deep end, and you, Robyn, your partly the cause of this whole thing, how do you feel that you have broken up what was a good marriage? If you feel so bad for her, why don't you take her in and take care of her, your the one that caused this whole thing. I can tell you this, there's a one way ticket staight to hell waiting for you."

"Why don't you just shut your mouth!! Haven't you done enough damage to these people, you've ruined their marraige for Gods sake, mind your own business. 20 years from now, you'll be nowhere to be found, but what was once a very happy marriage will have nothing to show for it, but two lonely people and some kids that had there parents taken away from them by you. Like I said, there's a one way ticket to hell waiting for you in the future, and I would be happy to be the one to give it to you and wave by by."

It's not hard to see why whoever wrote this is hiding behind anonymity. But, if you know who sent these messages, then you have a moral duty to let us know. Anyone writing messages like this should immediately step forward and send us their names and contact information. Venessa Mills and her children have a right to be fully aware of who is "supporting" them with such loving accusations and invective. It's only fair that Venessa be allowed to respond appropriately and prepare her children for the increasing turmoil that is to come. 

Judge Mangum has opened the door and declared a free-for-all in "challenging" - or, more accurately, condemning - Venessa Mills' Christian beliefs and her church (and, apparently, anyone associated with her). This is only one small example of what the "real world" has to offer.

And what is it that Judge Mangum felt had to be "challenged?" As this is Sunday, let's take a look at some of the terrifying "religious rhetoric" that Venessa teaches her children from the Bible. Let's take a look at the beliefs that have caused her to be accused of having "fallen off the deep end." Here's just a small sample:

• Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
  
• James 1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds
  
• Colossians 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
  
• 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
  
• Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
  
• Colossians 3:18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
  
• Colossians 3:20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
  
• Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,
  
• 2 Timothy 3:12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
  
• Matthew 5:32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.
  
• Matthew 5:33 Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.'
  
• Matthew 5:37 Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
  
• Matthew 5:41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
  
• Matthew 5:44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
  
• Matthew 6:14-15 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
  
• Ephesians 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
  
• Matthew 10:37-38 Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
  
• Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
  
• John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
  
• John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
  
• Titus 2:5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.
  
• Titus 3:2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.
  
• Hebrews 3:12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.
  
• Ephesians 4:25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
  
• James 4:4 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
  
• James 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
  
• James 2:8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right
  
• James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
  
• James 4:17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
  

Some people would prefer to focus on some of the more offensive Scriptures in an attempt to twist and pervert what Venessa truly believes. But Venessa reads and believes in the whole Bible, and she believes and teaches her children the scriptures above just as strongly as any others. She does not pick and choose. She does not quote scriptures or teachings out of context in a deliberate attempt to mislead and misrepresent Christianity. Those who do such things can claim that the Bible says "there is no God" - and they would be correct. But only those who take the time to look at the bigger picture will discover the truth.

The teaching represented by the Scriptures above is what Judge Mangum thinks needs to be "challenged." Are you a Christian? Do you believe in these verses? Do you teach them to your children? Perhaps Judge Mangum and his fellow judges will soon demand that you be challenged too.

Download this article as a PDF

Religious Freedom

CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR A LARGER VERSION

After hours of time in court, including personal interaction with Venessa Mills, clear and lucid testimony, reasonable and thorough affidavits, and not one fundamentalist rant or quotation from the Bible, Judge Mangum somehow could still not figure out that Venessa was not "brainwashed." 

If Judge Mangum, who is a judge, is not able to work that out, one can only wonder what else he is not able to understand. Perhaps he needs a refresher on our Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion and nowhere mentions anything about inflicting mental evaluations on Christian mothers who are teaching their children from the Bible?

Contrary to what is right in front of him, and all the evidence that led him to confirm that she was a "good mother" and a "fit parent," Judge Mangum ordered that Venessa undergo a mental evaluation because she had merely been accused of being "brainwashed."

Our legal system represents a blatant double-standard when it encourages people to freely share their religious beliefs, and then turns around and "evaluates" them if that belief turns out to be from the Bible.

Dr. Laura Praises Stay-At-Home Moms

The Wall Street Journal recently posted an article about Dr. Laura Schlessinger's new book, In Praise of Stay-at-Home Moms.

Dr. Laura says:

For everything in life, you have to make a priority list. This must be done. If we truly believe in something and cherish it, we find a way to make it happen. Women go from making seven-figure salaries to staying at home, and things just start to be less important. I remember once our house burned down, and another time there was an earthquake in L.A. and I'll tell you, this family [of mine] never had so much fun. My kid was still little so we played "Sorry" and card games and laughed and giggled and told stories -- none of which costs money. Families across the nation are starting to discover that it's the smallest things in life that make you smile. You don't have to work 9 to 7. If your priority is to raise your child, it's not just a matter of making sure they don't get killed or have food to eat. The question is, "Do you want them to learn what's moral and of value from your perspective?"

Read the Wall Street Journal article

Plaintiff Uses "Religious Rhetoric"

Many details of Venessa Mills' case have already been described on this blog. However, one aspect that I have not highlighted so far is Mr. Mills' attorney's "put down" in court that Venessa (the plaintiff) was using "religious rhetoric."

I don't believe that a lawyer can make such a charge in court and still be considered ethical. But, unfortunately, double-talk to personally disparage the opposition is considered a "normal" form of attack in today's legal system.

The ironic thing is that Venessa Mills wasn't the one quoting scripture on the stand. Mr. Mills was the only one to do that - claiming that he wanted his children to be taught to "do to others what you would have them do to you." But while he was rewarded for his adultery by the judge, Venessa Mills suffered blatant prejudice against her religious beliefs in general. 

But while courts give lip service to "freedom of religion," they then engage in persecution and/or mocking if anyone actually exercises this right. Think of the term that was used against Venessa Mills; "religious rhetoric." It is meaningless verbiage, with the only intention of demeaning and ridiculing. It conveys no real point or purpose, and is used to make quoting the Bible or using Christian language appear to be somehow sinister.

This kind of accusation is used by people who either lack toleration for others' beliefs, or who are seeking to marginalize parts of the Bible that they do not understand or don't wish to put into practice themselves. It is used to twist the meaning of a person’s life and beliefs, while exempting the accuser from discussing the Bible or the issue in question. People often mock what they don't understand, and very rarely will anyone take the time to seek the truth.

When "freedom of religion" is acknowledged by the courts, but yet anyone who actually practices this right is immediately labeled "brainwashed" and ordered to get a mental evaluation - it's called hypocrisy. Since when does upholding the constitutional right to freedom of religion allow judges to order mental testing on anyone who doesn't fit into their own personal box of religious views? Since when can a mother's freedom of religion be used against her, and gossip and slander given more weight in a courtroom than evidence and truth?

Judge Mangum's interpretation of the Constitution, and of the term "fact," denies all logic and honest definition of the words.

It is blatant manipulation of the court system to allow such religious persecution and slander to conjure up knee-jerk reactions and condemnation. Any ethical lawyer or judge - or, indeed, anyone with a love for justice or a knowledge of such history as the Salem witch trials or McCarthyism - would be standing up against such behavior, not joining in it.

It is incredible that the courts can allow the accusation of "religious rhetoric" to be used against someone, but then will not allow the presentation of explanatory facts. The courts use the excuse that they cannot make decisions on whose religion is right or wrong - but that is a cop-out in this situation. It is clearly amoral and unjust by any standards to slanderously condemn the religious belief of a person and then muzzle the freedom of speech to defend oneself in court.

Secular psychologists will presume to test someone's mind because they use "religious rhetoric" - but there is no room for serious Bible discussion to prove sanity. I know that sounds like public school, but the schools have learned oppression from the courts.

There is a vast difference between disagreeing with a person's interpretation of the Bible and persecuting them for their beliefs. That difference is called justice.

Let's lay out the scenario this way:

• Attorney asks plaintiff to explain her behavior.
  
• Plaintiff quotes the Bible.
  
• Attorney demands that plaintiff explain in her own words.
  
• Plaintiff maintains that she believes what the Bible says and can only quote the Bible again.
  
• Attorney accuses plaintiff of "religious rhetoric" and of being "brainwashed."
  

Yet, transform the same sequence to a different setting and it becomes even more obviously ridiculous:

• Plaintiff asks attorney to explain her behavior.
  
• Attorney quotes the law.
  
• Plaintiff demands that attorney explain in her own words.
  
• Attorney maintains that she has to follow the law and can only quote the law again.
  
• Plaintiff accuses attorney of "legal rhetoric" and of being "brainwashed."
  

Venessa Mills should never have had this kind of accusation used against her in court, and the courts should never have had the authority to test her for "brainwashing" - which is a ridiculous idea, anyway - simply for practicing her right to freedom of religion by reading and quoting the Bible, praying, and teaching her children solid moral values.

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When The "System" Gets It Wrong

Don't believe that judges can get it wrong? Don't think our legal system needs a serious overhaul?

Please visit this website and consider supporting this project:

INNOCENCE PROJECT

If errors, mistakes, and injustices happen in such cases as these, it would be ridiculous to assume that they don't happen all the more often in "lesser" cases like Venessa Mills'.

However, important or serious a case is perceived to be, injustice is injustice - and it is the duty of every American who believes in the Constitution, and every Christian who believes in the Bible, to stand up against injustice wherever it occurs.

Sunday School #2 - Forfeiture

Forfeiture (for-fi-cher) 2. The loss of a right, privilege, or property because of a crime, breach of obligation, or neglect of duty.

--Black’s Law Dictionary 8th Edition

God is a judge. God is the only judge to fear and the one who, when He sentences, does so for eternity. For those who relish their sin and thus forfeit their souls, it is an eternity of torment in hell.

A lawyer might win every case, a judge may be called "your honor" all the days of his or her life, but when God judges it will be found that many forfeited their souls.

Mark 8:36 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?

Crimes are committed in moments. So too, each person’s life, who they are, will be defined by moments of action or inaction. The legal profession speaks of "counts" - as in "fourteen counts of obstructing justice." But there has to be a first "count" - that moment in time when a person makes a decision to obstruct the law of God. At that moment a crime is committed against justice and against God. At that moment, the twisting of a fact, the raising of an evil suspicion, the ignoring of what is true, the use of man-made legal lingo to gain an advantage or win a court case, can lead to the forfeiture of a person's soul.

In some people, we can see this easily. Some men take this first "count," this first decision, and continue to add so many other "counts" that there souls are seen by all to be black. But with the majority, the consequences to their soul are not seen until years down the road. When the first Jew was persecuted according to the laws of Nazi Germany, who thought that it would lead to gas chambers and mass genocide? But it was that first "count," that first moment, that set Germany on a course to forfeit its soul – and it would grow so dark that a world war had to be fought to end it.

God will come to bring justice upon the earth, and what misery will be theirs who forfeited their souls by doing injustice upon the weak. Criminals who are hunted by the police seek to flee and hide, and many so-called "innocent" people will do the same when God comes to call them to account.

Revelation 6:16-17 They called to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?"

Black’s Law Dictionary defined "forfeiture" as occurring from neglect of duty. There are some who, in the future, may look back on case of Venessa Mills as the defining moment when they forfeited their soul. At the bar of God nothing is hidden and truth is all that matters. God is not swayed by ego, pride or money – He judges justly and has warned us all, that better a millstone were tied around our neck than to cause a "little one" to stumble or suffer.

Such is the Law and Justice of God.

WorldNetDaily: Asylum hearing set for German homeschooling family

Legal Update

Although Judge Mangum has issued a written Temporary Order in Venessa Mills' case, the fight for justice is continuing. We have received several inquiries from people concerned about Venessa's rights and legal representation, and asking about different matters ranging from the homeschool situation to alimony.

We're happy to confirm that Venessa has a great new attorney who is now moving forward to pursue justice on behalf of Venessa and her children.

As this blog highlighted a few days ago, the turmoil created by Judge Mangum's Temporary Orders is far from over. Even after the supposedly "final" Order was issued and signed by the judge, there are still numerous points left open and many loose ends. As a result, Mr. Mills and his attorney are still trying to take advantage of the situation. They are asking for:

• Venessa Mills to be ordered by the Court to pay the monthly mortgage payment of $1,238 using Mr. Mills child support payment of $1,383 - leaving her only $145 per month with which to support her children.
• An "educational evaluation" to be included in the custody evaluation that was ordered by Judge Mangum and assigned - at Mr. Mills' attorney's request - to Dr. Helen Brantley and the Forensic Psychiatry Service at UNC. This is something that was not indicated by the judge in the original order and appears to have the sole intention of undermining the value and legitimacy of homeschool education.
  

The bias and prejudice that has already been revealed in this case is bad enough. Venessa Mills' time and money is being wasted by the continued legal persecution waged against her by Mr. Mills and his attorney. That such behavior has been allowed by Judge Mangum, and is still being allowed by a knee-jerked Temporary Order, is a shameful travesty of justice.

As a result of calling on the Courts for relief from an adulterous husband, Venessa Mills and her children have been subjected to ridicule, stripped of basic rights, left financially helpless, and their stable homeschool environment - in which Judge Mangum admitted the children had "thrived" - has been destroyed.

Is it the victim of a robbery who should be thrown in jail? Should a patient suffer more at the hands of a doctor than with the disease that he is asking to be cured of? In no other field would such treatment be tolerated.

Thank you to everyone who continues to write with support and helpful advice. Please continue to support Venessa and her children in any way you can, and don't forget to take action on the major issues that this case is bringing to wider attention.

Parental Rights Amendment

Congressman Peter Hoekstra introduced a Parents' Rights Constitutional Amendment which would "protect parents' rights to raise their children from unnecessary government intrustion."

To quote his website:

Parents have the responsibility to care for, love and nurture their children. Parents, and not the government, should determine how their children are raised and how they should be educated.

Download the proposed amendment here.

This is exactly the kind of action that is needed, but it is only the start. Please support these efforts, and all like them, to protect our homeschool rights and parents' rights.

But don't stop there. Venessa Mills and her three children need your support right now. There are many injustices described on this blog - take a stand and take action.

In Whose Best Interest?

It seems Mr. Mills and his attorney, Jaye Meyer, are up to their old tricks again - power plays, wasting money and tormenting Venessa Mills.

In the provisional Temporary Order - the one drafted by Mr. Mills' attorney - one of the requested rulings was that Mr. Mills be allowed to continue paying the mortgage on the family home by using his child support payments. Let's repeat that - using his child support payments.

Judge Mangum did not include this stipulation in his final written Order. However, due to the loopholes in the Temporary Order system and the obvious bias of Judge Mangum overall,  Mr. Mills and his attorney are once again asking that this outrageous demand be added to the Temporary Order.

Is this justice? Are Mr. Mills or Ms. Meyer concerned with the best interest of the children here? Nobody looking at the evidence objectively could believe that.

Mr. Mills wants to use his child support payments to uphold his credit rating, while leaving Venessa Mills with only a few hundred dollars a month. And let's not forget that he makes over $100,000 per year and was only ordered to pay child support of around $1,300 per month. Just take a moment to compare those numbers - and realize that he is asking to pay the mortgage with the same $1,300 of child support.

This is the legal system that we are supposed to be content with? One that allows Mr. Mills to waste thousands of dollars on his attorney, and whatever else he uses his $9,000+ per month salary on, while Venessa is left with the task of continuing to homeschool her children until the end of the school year, feeding and clothing them and providing for their needs while with her, seeing them torn away and put into public school, having her religious beliefs ridiculed and scorned, and somehow mounting an adequate legal defense - all on only a few hundred dollars a month.

All the while, Mr. Mills continues to badger Venessa in any way possible. Now that he has finally moved out of the house, he uses email and approaches her vehicle when she picks up the children for school. And what for? To order her to pay the mortgage.

It doesn't take a mental health evaluation to reveal where Mr. Mills motivations really lie in this case. What is truly horrific is that his attorney and Judge Mangum are aiding and abetting all this.

Well, I have a demand for Mr. Mills' attorney and for Judge Mangum, too. Stop wasting time and money on malicious legal games and make sure Venessa and the children can continue their schooling in peace and have enough food to eat! The kids would love some cheese sticks, and they shouldn’t have to rely on neighbors bringing them soup.

And people have the cold-hearted apathy to say this is "only" a divorce case?

Why is Ms. Meyer allowing herself to be an accomplice to this injustice? If only she, and many other attorneys, would stop to realize that this is not just a case to make money from - it affects the lives of real people and children. There's no way that any attorney or judge can justify leaving a mother $200 a month, while the husband makes (and wastes) thousands, as being in the best interest of the children.

I am personally offended that an attorney who makes an estimated $300 per hour can help an adulterous husband torment an innocent woman and her children, slander Jesus Christ and twist the gospel of love - and at the same time be recognized with awards and plaudits from the legal profession.

Thank you again to those who are supporting and praying for Venessa and her children in the midst of all this, and to everyone who has sent gift cards. Your thoughtfulness and sincerity are greatly appreciated!

Legislative Action

One of the greatest injustices in the recent North Carolina case of Venessa Mills - and in any divorce case - is the abuse of "Temporary Orders."

Currently, "Temporary Orders" are legal black holes that allow judges to do whatever they choose without the light of legislation or common sense to guide them.

I am writing to ask that you introduce immediate legislation to enact the following directions and limitations on Temporary Orders:

• They should preserve the status quo as much as possible, not seek to create a new one.
• They should not impose any significant change on anyone involved, especially children, if it can be reasonably avoided.
• They should have a specific expiration date, to avoid being taken advantage of by legal loopholes and stall tactics.
• If requested, a basic appeal process should be allowed and considered immediately by a different judge.

Please take action now in order to correct the injustices that are being perpetrated under the name of "Temporary Orders" and inflicting turmoil and distress on hundreds, if not thousands, of people.

You can find out more about Venessa Mills' case by visiting www.HSinjustice.com.

Sincerely,

Print this out and mail or fax it to all your State representatives. E-mail a link to this post to everyone you know, whether they home-school or not. This issue is bigger than homeschooling. Don't let one more person suffer because nobody stood up and demanded that the law protect them.

Most people assume that Temporary Orders don't mean much, that they can be easily changed or appealed, or that they somehow expire on their own. Don't you believe it. "Temporary Orders" are not really temporary.

From one attorney's website: "Temporary orders create the status quo and set precedent for future issues." [Emphasis added.]

Judges always look at whatever was agreed or imposed in the Temporary Orders and use that as a basis for the Final Order - in some cases, the Final Order turns out to be almost exactly the same as the Temporary Order.

For this reason, right at the beginning of a divorce, when everyone involved is at their most vulnerable, there is a "feeding frenzy" as the attorneys try to push, pull, block, and dodge to get a favorable Temporary Order. While no doubt there are some attorneys who play fair, too many approach these matters like sport and try every trick in the book to win this important advantage. But this is not a game - this is about real people whose lives and beliefs are at stake.

In Venessa Mills' case, she has been subjected to gossip and slander against her religious beliefs, an adulterous husband refusing to leave the family home, and being forced to use powdered milk to feed her children - all of which the judge was happy to go along with.

At a time when the Court is being asked to step into a difficult situation to create safety and stability, the exact opposite is what happens.

In his "temporary" Order, Judge Ned Mangum decided to:

• Stop three "thriving" children from being home-schooled, and place them in public school.
• Initiate a 50/50 visitation schedule that results in the maximum disruption to the children's lives.
• Place Venessa Mills in a doomed financial situation, due to ridiculously inadequate support from her husband and a crazy custody/schooling schedule that makes it almost impossible for her to get a job.
• Require a mental health evaluation for Venessa Mills, and a custody evaluation for the family, in the very midst of all the upheaval and turmoil he had just created.

Even legal websites dealing with divorce find this kind of ruling to be highly unusual. For example, regarding the evaluations, one divorce guide states that "such an appointment at the temporary order stage is usually considered premature, as is the requirement of a social study..." [Emphasis added.]

Is pulling children out of home-school and enrolling them in public school "temporary?" Is imposing a 50/50 visitation schedule "temporary?" Is deliberately creating long-term financial hardship "temporary?" Perhaps Judge Mangum should have spent a little more time looking at a dictionary instead of trying to find ways to cover up his imprudent remarks about homeschooling.

Some people say that the "system" is working, but the actions of this judge demonstrate the fallacy of that belief. The very definition of "Temporary" Orders is being twisted beyond any resemblance to the truth.

What Judge Mangum was allowed to do in this case is an outrage. But it's not just Venessa Mills and her children who suffer. There are many, many other people who have experienced similar injustice and legal torture due to the abuse of Temporary Orders. One lady who contacted us said that, due to all kinds of legal wrangling, she had to endure "Temporary" Orders for over five years.

The law should not allow this to happen.

Action needs to be taken NOW. Our legislators say they can't intercede in a judicial divorce case. Well, they CAN step up and introduce legislation that will reign in the chaos of "Temporary" Orders and provide basic boundaries of common sense and protection for the basic foundations of justice.

Use the template letter at the top of this post. Use this fax service to send it to all our Senators and Representatives. You can make a difference, and NOW is the time to demand a change.

Another blog recently featured an article that examines this case in depth:

http://dectiri.blogspot.com/2009/03/darwinian-bigotry-in-judicial.html

Here's an example:

The judge has -- unexplainably in justice terms -- sided with this adulterous husband to the extent of actually having made reference in the court proceedings to the idea that he would be looking forward to how public schooling would "challenge" Vanessa's teaching of her rightfully-held and chosen faith in the minds of her children. Unexplainably because – for a judge's professional responsibility, he's supposed to be committed to fairness and impartiality and evidence and to protecting the innocent children in divorce cases, not treating them as rats in a maze. Instead his judicial favoritism pointedly sided with the public school option (cheapest for one party and on that party's demand list)...

Thanks to everyone who is writing about this case and drawing attention to the many injustices - and especially to homeschoolers who are looking past the superficial smokescreens and seeing the real issues and the real need to take action.

One Drop of Injustice: Homeschool Prejudice

A drop of water is only one drop. Easy enough to dismiss as harmless, insignificant. But put enough drops together, one after the other, and they can be devastating. The same is true of injustice.

In his final Temporary Order, Judge Mangum allowed Venessa Mills to continue homeschooling her children until the end of this school year. After that, at the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year, they will start public school.

Of course, in public school, no-one would expect the teacher to come and pick up the kids in the morning.

However, while homeschooling continues, Judge Mangum ordered that Venessa Mills should pick up her children every morning at 8am during their 50/50 week with their father. Common sense would dictate that the father drop off the kids in the morning - just as he would do if they were going to public school. He's probably on his way to work anyway. But there doesn't seem to be much room for common sense in Judge Mangum's courtroom.

Venessa Mills is expected to do all the work of a teacher, maintain an education appropriate to her children (who are above grade-level), be fully prepared for her students in the morning, go through all the tests and evaluations that the Court has ordered and, on top of all that, she has to go pick up her own children at the beginning of each school day.

Like any good homeschool mother, Venessa Mills does, and will do, all this for the sake of her children. But it is very obvious that Judge Mangum, along with Mr. Mills and his attorney, are deliberately making the situation as difficult as possible for her - and lying in wait to blame her for any lack of success.

To add insult to injury, Judge Mangum included a Wednesday night dinner visitation for Mr. Mills while the children are homeschooled - but no equal Wednesday night dinner for Venessa Mills. Why? According to Judge Mangum, it's because she gets "extra" time with her children while homeschooling. So, Mr. Mills does nothing, but gets a nice Wednesday night to hang out with his kids, while Venessa Mills does the job of a full-time teacher and so is denied an equal dinner visitation.

Apparently, Judge Mangum thinks that homeschooling isn't really "work" - it's just an excuse for Venessa Mills to sit around with her children and do (to directly quote Judge Mangum) "neat stuff" together. Apparently, he doesn't think that Venessa Mills deserves an extra Wednesday night dinner to enjoy with her children - until they go to public school. Then, as soon as homeschooling is out of the picture, it suddenly becomes "fair."

Divorce or no divorce, this is a blatant case of a Christian homeschooling mother being directly penalized for staying at home and taking on the work and responsibility of educating her children. It treats homeschooling as a joke, a cover for getting extra time to do "neat stuff," a liability that disqualifies the mother from equal visitation.

Judge Mangum may not be "anti-homeschool" but his ideas of it are obviously from the Dark Ages and the evidence of his prejudice is clear.

Make no mistake, this injustice is one more drop in the steady erosion of homeschool rights. Don't ignore it just because it's "only one drop."