Show Notes 12-31-15

Thursday show 12-31-15

History of New Year Day
The earliest recorded festivities in honor of a new year’s arrival date back some 4,000 years to ancient Babylon. For the Babylonians, the first new moon following the vernal equinox—the day in late March with an equal amount of sunlight and darkness—heralded the start of a new year.
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Churches offer refuge for Central Americans facing U.S. deportation
Leaders of the church-based Sanctuary Movement vowed last Friday to offer their places of worship as refuge for immigrants facing deportation under an Obama administration crackdown on Central American families who entered the United States illegally.
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Only 2 States Say Guard Could House Immigrant Children
Only two states say their National Guard operations could provide facilities to house unaccompanied immigrant children following a request for options from the government.
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Mexican marijuana farmers see profits tumble as U.S. loosens laws
"People don't want to abandon their illicit crops, but more and more they are realizing that it is no longer good business," said Juan Guerra, the state's agriculture secretary.
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Pastor takes Christians to task for owning guns
Rob Schenck, a pastor who chairs the Evangelical Church Alliance, sent a strong message about gun control to fellow Christians, telling them in no uncertain terms in a Washington Post opinion piece those who profess a belief in Jesus should not own firearms.
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Ex-Atheist spends Christmas feeding Christian refugees
His mother was once America’s most famous atheist. He grew up a Marxist and an unbeliever, a product of his dysfunctional family. But as an adult, William J. Murray, son of Madalyn Murray O’Hair, found God, and today the former atheist spends his Christmases helping feed Christian refugee children in the Middle East.
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Catholic Bishops chide Congress for not including conscience protection
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is chiding Congress for its failure to include the Abortion Non-Discrimination Act (ANDA) in its $1.1 trillion omnibus funding bill, which was signed by President Obama on December 18.
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Outgoing Philadelphia mayor: Deep poverty holding city back
Mayor Michael Nutter says he believes he is leaving at the top of his game. But even with the notable successes, he said Philadelphia's deep-seated poverty is stopping the city from reaching its potential.
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