From : Dr. Rick Scarborough Reply-To : "Dr. Rick Scarborough" Sent : Sunday, August 6, 2006 10:55 PM Subject : Rick Scarborough Report -- Special Update Dear ***, Rather than our normal report, I want to take time to brief you on our efforts in Missouri. Since our inception as a ministry in 1998, I have never been more convinced that Vision America is fulfilling her purpose as an organization nor have I been more affirmed in my calling as a minister of the Gospel. When we agreed to go to Missouri three months ago, I assumed that we would be replicating past efforts of awakening Pastors to their God called role to be salt and light and to educate and mobilize their people to be the same. But shortly after my initial visit to the state, I discovered that in heartland, USA, the leading edge of the culture war had arrived. In what many consider one of our most conservative states, where numerous religious denominations house their headquarters, proponents of embryonic stem cell research were engaged in a deception that would have made Adolph Hitler proud. As I studied the issue and listened to both sides extol the virtues and dangers of the proposed amendment to the state constitution, I realized that this was a battle we had to engage, and we have. As an organization, we shifted our focus immediately and began focusing on mobilizing Pastors of all denominations to fight a well financed campaign of lies and deceptions. Men of good reputation, for motives that only God can finally judge, have lined up to say that the process known as somatic cell nuclear transfer, or "SCNT," as it is often referred, using eggs from women, is not human cloning, but rather, "therapeutic cloning, and therefore good for mankind and even "pro-life." In fact, in a multimillion dollar advertising campaign, the proponents of the amendment have told the Missouri voters that the amendment will ban human cloning and will provide miracle cures of diseases of all kinds. I have never witnessed a better funded or orchestrated campaign in my life. The Governor of the state, who is a Baptist layman and born again Christian has said publicly that he has prayed about this science and that the amendment should be passed. Retired Senator John Danforth, who is an ordained Episcopalian Minister and who holds a lifelong pro-life voting record, has come out publicly for passage of this amendment, and is telling the people of Missouri that the creation in the petrii dish, which will only be kept for 15 days while the cells are exploited, is not a human being. But the facts shout differently. In 1995 Dr. Shao-Chun Chang and his wife Kim, began visiting the church I pastored in Houston. Dr. Chang and his wife were both pursuing their education at the University of Texas Medical branch in Houston. Upon graduation, six years ago, Dr. and Dr. Chang left Houston and Shao took a research position as a Medical Scientist with Washington University Medical Institute in St. Louis, Missouri. He holds both a Ph.D. and an MD Kim, his wife has sacrificed her career for the privilege of rearing their two children while Shao pursues his work. Less than a month ago Shao and I reconnected. He courageously stepped forward as a research scientist and offered to speak at our rallies on the subject of embryonic stem cell research. He made two presentations to Pastors and to our first rally this past Monday in Jefferson City, and when he finished, no honest thinking person present could deny that what they are proposing to clone is in fact a human being, at the earliest stage of development. In fact, a he closed his remarks, he stated that he and Kim's first child was 4 years of age when the second child arrived. He concluded his presentation by asking; "Do you think that Josh who was four when Grace arrived, was four times more valuable than Grace?" Then he asked a second question; "Was Grace, upon birth, of greater value, than she was at the earliest stage of her development?" When Dr. Alan Keyes stood to speak, the stage was set. The overflow crowd at the Concord Baptist Church in Jefferson City, Missouri, listened in rapt attention, as Dr. Keyes compared what the proponents of this amendment are proposing, to slavery which was finally purged after more than one million men died in battle in America. He reminded the audience that 150 years ago, Dr. Fredrick Douglas, a black American, stood in pulpits across America, arguing that Blacks were fully human and endowed by their Creator with the same rights as all Americans. I preached from Acts 16 about Paul and Silas and their jail house revival in Philippi. I reminded the audience that they were not: 1. Politically driven. 2. Politically correct. 3. Politically dependent. 4. Politically ignorant. Then I called the people to stand up on this issue and be counted. Hundreds of Pastors and people did just that. For a contribution this week, I will send you a DVD of the entire rally. We are now scheduled to hold four more rallies across the state over the next 45 days. We are considering 4 or 5 more rallies if the money can be raised to do so. I believe that like David, we are facing a Goliath. I also believe that like David, we will prevail, because God can still whip a giant. All He needs is us! [W]e have been called for such a time as this. Vision America is partnering with Baptists, Catholics, Assembly of God. Lutherans and others. I have never witnessed so many people of different faiths coming together around our common commitment to the God of life. Please make us a matter of daily prayer, and if you can, please click here and make a generous contribution to help us. In closing, I am attaching an article that appeared in the St. Louis Dispatch Wednesday about our first rally. Click here for the news article God bless you. I remain... Your Servant and Friend, Dr. Rick Scarborough P.S. Please check out our website for this effort: http://www.missouriansfortruth.org/ Did you receive this message forwarded from someone else? You can sign-up to receive similar messages from Vision America. Click Here to Subscribe Vision America P.O. Box 10 Lufkin, TX 75902 mail@visionamerica.us Unsubscribe | Update Profile