The 700 Club: December 10, 2009

The 700 Club Daily Broadcast Thursday, December 10, 2009 PAT ROBERTSON: Welcome to The 700 Club. And it’s frigid, non-global warming weather. Minus 40, I think, in Montana. It’s cold and windy and blustery. We’ll tell you more about it. But I guess that’s par for the course. You were in Wisconsin. TERRY MEEUWSEN: It is. It is. We kind of like this stuff. PAT ROBERTSON: I’m sure. Yes. TERRY MEEUWSEN: At least at this point. Not come February or March. PAT ROBERTSON: Fifteen foot drifts and people—17 deaths. That’s not so funny, though. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Yes, that’s not funny. PAT ROBERTSON: This has been a vicious storm. It goes all the way from the plains to all the way to New England, so it’s been something. Well, there is also some good news from jolly old England. And recently we told you the story of a British couple charged with a hate crime. That crime involved insulting a Muslim guest at their hotel. TERRY MEEUWSEN: The couple was actually afraid they might lose their business. Instead, they’ve won their case. Efrem Graham has the story. UK EFREM GRAHAM: There was relief across the Christian community in the UK this week as hotel owners, Ben and Sharon Vogelenzang, were found not guilty of committing a hate crime. When the Christian couple, who run the Bounty House Hotel in the North West of England, entered into a debate about Islam with a Muslim guest, little did they realize they would be prosecuted for a crime. According to newspaper reports, the debate at the hotel involved discussion of whether Jesus was the Son of God or just a minor prophet of Islam. As Ben and Sharon emerged from Liverpool Magistrates' Court, they were clearly relieved by the outcome. Sharon Vogelenzang: We are elated to be found innocent of any crime. It has been a very difficult nine months, and we're looking forward to rebuilding our business and getting on with our lives. EFREM GRAHAM: However, while they were celebrating victory in the case, they said the case had severely affected their hotel business and their personal lives. Ben Hodge (Sharon’s Brother): It’s been an outrage. It’s been a tremendous shock that something as insignificant as this should go as far as it has gone. EFREM GRAHAM: Earlier in the week, the public outcry was clearly evident across Liverpool when a thousand local Christians turned out for a prayer rally at Bridge Church. Also, during the trial protesters turned out in force outside Liverpool Magistrates' Court. Mike Judge from the Christian Institute, who has been funding the couple's legal defense, says the outcome of this case is a clear victory for freedom of speech. Mike Judge (Christian Institute): Well, this is a wonderful result in the Christian Institutes Legal Defense Fund. It was so important that this case was won. It's important for all free speech and our freedom to share the Gospel with people without having that liberty infringed. EFREM GRAHAM: But Judge says they're likely to see many more cases like this where Christians could face persecution for sharing their faith. Mike Judge: I am fearful that we'll see more cases like this; and it's important with every one of those cases that we're able to defend them and we're able to defend them well. And that's the importance of the Christian Institutes Legal Defense Fund. EFREM GRAHAM: Efrem Graham, CBN News. PAT ROBERTSON: It’s amazing, Terry, that this was a discussion. They have people, and they’re sitting across from one another in a hotel lobby or in a living room. And this guy says, “Jesus is just a minor prophet in Islam.” And they say, “No. No, He’s the Son of God.” And then they say, “But we’re Muslims.” And they say, “Well, Mohammed was a warlord.” True. It’s historical. “And this burqa you’re wearing is a type of bondage.” And on the strength of those statements, what amounts to fact or opinion, they prosecuted them. It wasn’t a civil trial. It was a prosecution by the government that this was a, quote, “hate crime.” They’ve just passed hate crime legislation in Washington. Look out. Boy, if there was ever a time to fight for your freedom, you’d better do it, because we as Americans have always felt we can talk out about anything we want to. We can criticize our government, criticize leaders, criticize somebody else’s beliefs if you want to do it. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Yes. Well, just the fact that this even went to court. It doesn’t bode well for the future, because all you need is a judge that’s got a skewed perspective on things or if there is a jury involved, people who have another perspective on it, to have it go the other way. PAT ROBERTSON: The amazing thing, though, Terry, somebody can attack Christianity, and they do it all the time. They attack Jesus. They use His name as a curse word. It goes on and on. And nothing is done. But you just make one peep about Mohammed or you have a cartoon with him with some rockets coming out of his turban or something, and suddenly they’re killing people all over the world or bringing . . . . TERRY MEEUWSEN: Death threats against people. Yes. It’s crazy. PAT ROBERTSON: . . . . death threats or riots Terrible riots on the strength of that one thing. It’s a bizarre world we live in. But religious freedom is very precious. Don’t give it up. Well, our lovely Wendy Griffith is back with us on the News Desk. Wendy, what have you got? OBAMA PEACE PRIZE WENDY GRIFFITH: Thanks, Pat. Good to be here. President Obama accepted his Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway today, just days after ordering 30,000 more US troops into war in Afghanistan. The prize was heavily criticized when first announced, since Obama had been in office only a few days when he was nominated. But the President says the prize shows people can change history. President Barack Obama: It’s an award that speaks to our highest aspirations, that for all the cruelty and hardship of our world, we are not mere prisoners of fate. Our actions matter and can bend history in the direction of justice. WENDY GRIFFITH: A poll this week shows only 26 percent of Americans believe the President deserves the award. RELIGION SURVEY WENDY GRIFFITH: Well, a new survey shows that Americans are more and more inclined to mix and match religious beliefs. Sixty-five percent of American adults have adopted some elements of Eastern and New Age religions. And among Christians, 29 percent say they have been in touch with the dead, 14 percent consulted psychics, more than 20 percent say they believe in reincarnation, astrology, or spiritual yoga. The poll was conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Albert Mohler tells USA Today that the survey shows rampant confusion about faith and that, quote, “This is a failure of the pulpit as much as of the pew to be clear about what is and is not compatible with Christianity and belief in salvation only through Christ.” Pat, what do you think? PAT ROBERTSON: This is the legacy of multiculturalism. It’s a legacy of political correctness. Christianity believes in something. I, years and years ago, learned how to pilot an airplane. And when I was bringing that airplane down to land, there was about a 50-foot or 100-foot wide strip of land known as the runway. And I need to get in on that, or I would crash the plane. I think it’s time that we recognize that there are certain key factors in the belief we have. And it isn’t just spread out all over the—you just don’t land your plane on top of the hangar. You land it in the runway. And there are clear runways for the beliefs that people have. And what we have now is syncretism. They have heard so much, they get up their religion from pop culture, from the television, from books. And they don’t get it from the Bible. So we owe it to ourselves and our children to learn what the Bible says and to be biblical Christians. Yes? TERRY MEEUWSEN: Indeed. PAT ROBERTSON: Indeed. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Indeed. PAT ROBERTSON: Indeed. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Wendy. SETTLEMENTS WENDY GRIFFITH: And amen to that. Well, Israelis gathered in a massive demonstration Wednesday to protest the recent government freeze on building in Judea and Samaria, also known as the West Bank. Many blamed pressure from the Obama Administration for that freeze. Chris Mitchell has the story from Jerusalem. CHRIS MITCHELL: The freeze on building in Israeli settlements in the biblical heartland of Judea and Samaria, the West Bank, is planned to last 10 months. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says it's intended to coax Palestinians back to the negotiating table, but it has sparked clashes among Israelis instead. Thousands of Israelis from around the country demonstrated in the streets of Jerusalem against the building freeze. Some believe the temporary halt to building is just a prelude to uprooting Jewish communities in the future. They say they won't allow building in Judea and Samaria to be stopped. Sondra Oster Baras (Christian Friends of Israeli Communities): I came here tonight to make a very strong statement. The land is ours. We are not going to be stopped from building in Judea and Samaria. CHRIS MITCHELL: Sondra Oster Baras says she believes that Netanyahu is under intense pressure from Washington. Sondra Oster Baras: I think Bibi is between a rock and a hard place. I think particularly the United States is pressuring him and saying, “Do you want our help with Iran, who is amassing nuclear power right now? Then you're going to have to stop the settlements.” CHRIS MITCHELL: Community leaders say the freeze is hitting them hard. With 37,000 residents, Ma'aleh Adumim is the largest Jewish community in Judea and Samaria. Mayor Benny Kashriel says people in his town are suffering. Benny Kashriel (Mayor Ma’aleh Adumim): There are a lot of people that they already bought the land, and they paid for the builders to build their home. And right now they cannot build, and they lose a lot of money. CHRIS MITCHELL: Less than five miles from Jerusalem, Kashriel says his city would remain in Israeli hands in any final agreement with the Palestinians. He says the government is now trying to prevent people who grew up in the town from living there. At Wednesday's demonstration, Mayor Shaul Goldstein says Israelis chose a rightwing government in democratic elections. Now Netanyahu has to fulfill his pledges. Shaul Goldstein (Mayor Gush Etzion): He has to fulfill the agenda he promised before the elections, and this is enlarging the settlements, enlarging our communities, strengthening them and not freezing them. CHRIS MITCHELL: Goldstein says Netanyahu must stand up to pressure from the US and Europe. Shaul Goldstein: We think Netanyahu should stand still, and on the contrary he has to tell the world Judea and Samaria is ours, belongs to the Jewish people. Jerusalem was never the capital of any other nation but the Jews. CHRIS MITCHELL: Chris Mitchell, CBN News, Jerusalem. WENDY GRIFFITH: Pat, should the US be telling Israel what to do when it comes to building in the West Bank? PAT ROBERTSON: Of course not. Israel is not a province of the United States. It’s not our 51st state, although we give them a great deal of money, and we give them support. But there was a private meeting, non-publicized meeting, with Bibi Netanyahu and the President several weeks ago. We don’t know what was discussed, but you know that Bibi said, “Look, we’ve got this threat from Iran. You’ve got to do something.” And Obama probably said, “Okay, give me something that I can show the Arabs that you mean business about peace.” And so Netanyahu comes back and says, “Okay, there is a freeze on building.” Really, 10 months isn’t all that long. I know it’s a little disconcerting to people who have got land ready to build. But 10 months is not the end of the world, if that’s the way it is. But to kick those people out the way they did from Gaza would be a different matter. But sooner or later, sooner or later, there’s going to be a fight over Jerusalem. Just mark it down, ladies and gentlemen. It’s in the Bible. It’s what’s going to happen. And the nations of the earth are going to come against Israel. And I was with Bibi Netanyahu when he was being pressured by Clinton. It was unbearable what they did to him. They kept him up. He was tired. They kept hammering away at him, “Give up this. Give up that.” And he stood fast. And Lord willing, he’ll stand fast now. Well, Wendy, years ago, I traveled all over Iowa. And let me tell you, it was cold. I was in a place called Spirit Lake, and it was minus 60. So what’s happening in the Midwest right now? WINTER STORM WENDY GRIFFITH: Lord, have mercy. That’s cold. Well, snow and freezing temperatures are creating dangerous travel conditions for Americans across the Midwest and Northeast today. Not sure about minus 60 anywhere, but an early winter storm did drop more than a foot of snow on several states from Iowa to New England. At least 17 deaths, mostly travel accidents, have been blamed on the storm. Man: The roads have been horrible. And every time they clear it off, it gets drifted over again. Man: I really can’t drive anywhere, because I can’t get up the hill, nor can I get down. WENDY GRIFFITH: The storm continues to move east and parts of northern New York are expected to receive three feet of snow by the end of the week. Pat, did you say minus six or minus sixty? PAT ROBERTSON: Sixty. Minus sixty wind chill. The place was called Spirit Lake. It’s in the northern part of Iowa. I was on a bus tour of that beautiful state. And, man, did it get cold. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Yes. Well, the problem is when it gets really, really cold, and then when you have what you saw there, which is really a whiteout. You’re driving, and you can’t even see what’s happening in front of you or what you’re coming up on. Very dangerous. PAT ROBERTSON: Well, I was in Duluth, Minnesota. It was minus 25. There wasn’t any wind chill. That was just the temperature. TERRY MEEUWSEN: And that was July, right? PAT ROBERTSON: Yes, that’s right. Think what it would have been like in November. Oh, boy. Well, Midwesterners, you’re a hardy lot. But our sympathy goes out to those who are suffering. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Yes. It’s a dangerous time of the year for people who have issues with heating or even traffic. PAT ROBERTSON: Well, don’t take chances. And people are out shoveling snow and trying to be heroes, and they wind up with heart attacks. So don’t do that. Just don’t fight the weather. Get indoors. Turn your furnace up or build a fire. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Stay warm. PAT ROBERTSON: And stay warm. Terry. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Well, coming up, when the rich get richer, the poor get poorer, right? GRAPHIC: BIG LIES ABOUT BUSINESS Wrong. Bestselling author Michael Medved debunks this and other lies about American business, when we come back. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SPOT 1: AMMED Nicole Johnson (Miss America 1999): If you have diabetes, you could eat this. But wouldn’t you rather enjoy this? Hi, I’m Nicole Johnson, Miss America 1999. I’ve had diabetes for over 15 years. I got all these yummy recipes in my Better Care cookbooks. And if you have diabetes and have Medicare or qualified insurance, you can get these cookbooks free. Announcer: Call now for not one, not two, but three free cookbooks. To qualify, call 1-800-765-8132. Nicole Johnson: Enjoy mouthwatering recipes like this rich chocolate cake, plus oven fried chicken, nachos and more. You also get this free meal planning guide and this free diabetes magazine. So call now for your free Better Care kit, with three free cookbooks. Announcer: To qualify, call 1-800-765-8132. That’s 1-800-765-8132. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * NEXT DAY PROMO GRAPHIC: BREAKFAST WITH GORDON LEE WEBB: Tomorrow. Chef Gordon on cooking a gourmet meal. GORDON ROBERTSON: When you learn how to do it, it actually gets quite easy. LEE WEBB: His five star soufflé that’s perfect for Christmas morning . . . . TERRY MEEUWSEN: Wow. That is like an explosion of taste. LEE WEBB: . . . . or any holiday. GORDON ROBERTSON: If you want to make a Christian joke, you can say, “He is risen.” TERRY MEEUWSEN: Great Easter dish. * * * GRAPHIC: CHRIS TOMLIN LIVE LEE WEBB: Plus . . . . Chris Tomlin (Singing): “Joy to the world . . . .” LEE WEBB: Chris Tomlin joins us live. Tomorrow on The 700 Club. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * PAT ROBERTSON: Well, some critics argue that the financial crisis of 2008 proves that capitalism is flawed, possibly it’s finished, but others say the best economic system in history. Here is reporter Paul Strand. NEWS FOCUS: MEDVED SETUP PAUL STRAND: With the financial meltdown of 2008 having brought much of the American economy to its knees, it's not surprising many critics of capitalism in Washington and elsewhere immediately blamed the capitalist system. These critics argue that the free market system based on profit is itself corrupt. Many Americans suspect big business is often led by corporate fat cats who only care about lining their own pockets with billions. And they also hold the belief that as the corporate rich get richer, it must logically follow that the poor get poorer. So talk of soaking the rich with sky-high taxes can only improve society and help the poor. There's another theory that sometimes goes along with this, that government can correct the sins of capitalism, because bureaucrats in government are more trustworthy than those who work for profit. So this theory suggests Americans should concentrate their allegiance on government and back the urges of Washington politicians and bureaucrats to micro-manage capitalism and steer it straight. Others, though, like author Michael Medved in his new book The 5 Big Lies About American Business say all those theories are wrong and dangerous, that the more free the free market economy is, the more it will profit the entire country. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * FOCUS GUEST: MICHAEL MEDVED PAT ROBERTSON: Well, Michael Medved, a dear friend, is with us right now. Michael, did you go to school with Bill Clinton? Michael Medved: Yes, I did. PAT ROBERTSON: You did. Are you ashamed of that or proud of it? Michael Medved: Well, I’m amused by it, actually, because I actually knew Hillary well. I was at Yale Law School, as you were, some time ago. But I was at Yale Law School with I’d like to say, Bill, Hillary and I’m more proud to say Justice Clarence Thomas. PAT ROBERTSON: Oh, was he there at the same time? Michael Medved: He was, but he was very quiet. Hillary and Bill were not quiet. PAT ROBERTSON: Yes, well, he’s very quiet now. Well, you’re hardly quiet. This book is shouting, 5 Big Lies About American Business. Start with the current downturn. Does that mean the death of capitalism? Michael Medved: Yes. And, of course, people say that. We have had 10 different major recessions since the end of World War II. And that’s a fact. And we get out of all of them, as long as the government doesn’t make things worse. And we are in real danger of that. But the point here is to have a more long term perspective. And for people of faith, that ought to be easy. Look at it from God’s eyes. And if you look at it from God’s eyes for a moment and you look at what’s happened in the country and in the world, the last 30 years have been extraordinary, unbelievable. When you look at what the market system, the profit motive, has done for literally billions of people in just China and India alone. Two countries, one used to be communist, one used to be socialist, that have tried capitalist ideas that have enriched Americans. And it has moved literally billions of people off poverty into what it resembles, middle class lives. And then, Pat, one of the things that I’m always conscious of, my grandfather came to this country in 1910. He was a barrel maker. He had never gone to school a day in his life. He was poor his whole life. America and American capitalism, the profit motive, has blessed Americans so prodigiously. And if you look at the long term, with all the suffering that people are going through right now, long term we have so many more choices. We have better health. We have more opportunities at college and education than our grandparents could even dream of. Here is a statistic that I found for the book, Pat, that I think is amazing when you think about it. According to the Labor Department, the typical American family spends more money today eating out, having dinners at restaurants or fast food places, than they do on health care. Now, that’s a very, very fortunate country. We’re so blessed to live here under a free market system. PAT ROBERTSON: Well, there is this other myth that says that there is a limited amount of wealth, and if it tilts toward the rich, that means the poor slice gets thinner. What about that one? Michael Medved: Well, that’s directly related to the age old conflict between secular materialists and people of faith who understand that there is a Creator God with infinite creative capacity. When the Bible says we’re created in God’s image, it means that like God Himself, we have the capacity to continue to create infinitely. It’s not a question of simply taking one pie and then how are we going to divide it up? We are constantly trying to bake a bigger pie. First of all, the notion that when the rich get richer the poor get poorer, which is big lie number two in my book, that notion suggests that creating wealth causes poverty, which is ridiculous. Everybody knows that if you live in a town, and there is somebody in the town who has developed a really successful business, it doesn’t hurt you. It helps you. It brings more people, more business activity, and it enriches the whole community. PAT ROBERTSON: I want to ask you about all of them, but our time is running out. But the other one is that government is so much more to be trusted than business. Address that. Michael Medved: Well, of course, anybody who has ever waited in line at the DMV can tell you that your treatment you get there is somewhat worse than at your local Starbucks. The reason for that is at your local Starbucks, they want you to come back. They depend upon the profit motive. The idea of the profit motive is actually a beautiful thing. It leads people, particularly in this Christmas season, to better behavior, because basically you can only make a profit if you are giving other people either a product or a service that they actually choose, they actually want. That actually creates better behavior, not worse behavior. And it’s why businesses that operate for profit are in the end much more reliable than bureaucrats who claim to be serving you and helping you. PAT ROBERTSON: Without question. No word about Adam Smith, he was still there. Michael has written a book, 5 Big Lies About American Business, combating smears against the free market economy. That’s available in bookstores. A dear friend, a wonderful thinker. And, Michael, happy holidays, Merry Christmas. Michael Medved: Thank you. PAT ROBERTSON: Joyous Hanukkah. Whatever you have. Michael Medved: I have a happy Hanukkah, but I’m one Jewish guy who loves the Christmas season, too. Partially, people talk about the commercialization of Christmas. It’s a beautiful thing. We have people right now who are running around, helping the economy at the same time that they’re expressing their honor for a holiday and their love for other people they care about. Nothing wrong with that. PAT ROBERTSON: Amen. Michael Medved, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for being with us. Michael Medved: What a pleasure. Merry Christmas, Pat. PAT ROBERTSON: Thanks. Terry. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Well, up next, he was 21 and she was 15. Woman: I lost my virginity, and then he left. And I thought that we’d had two years of—that he loved me. And then he said, “You should just date other people. You’re too young. See you.” TERRY MEEUWSEN: See how this spurned lover took her revenge. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SPOT 2: SWISS AMERICA “LEFT IN THE COLD” Pat Boone: Pat Boone here for my good friends at Swiss America, the company that has helped Americans to rediscover gold for over 25 years now. You may have noticed gold prices have more than doubled in the last five years, but do you ever wonder why? Economists say the top five reasons are: a falling dollar, which also creates number two, a rising cost of living. Third, increasing demand for gold worldwide. Fourth, political uncertainty. And fifth, new Wall Street gold funds. It all adds up to higher prices ahead. Gold offers safety first and then profit. A wise economist has said a portfolio without gold is like walking around naked in zero degree temperatures. So don’t get caught in the cold without gold. Call Swiss America now for a free educational kit. Ask about tax free gold IRAs. Seize this rare opportunity today. Call now. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TERRY MEEUWSEN: When Faith Harriman fell in love for the first time, she was set for a big fall. Her boyfriend was 21 years old. Faith was 15. FAITH HARRIMAN Faith Harriman: I don’t know how it’s possible, but I missed him my whole life, even though I never really knew him, because he died when I was two. KRISTI WATTS: Faith Harriman was only a toddler when her father died. And soon afterward a family member began abusing her. Faith Harriman: The person would turn into just a fit of rage, really. It was very scary, things like pinches on the arm that would cause little bruises or something, to just having handfuls of hair pulled out or being thrown into corners and being kicked across an entire room almost. KRISTI WATTS: She craved her father’s love, but as she grew older, she simply just wanted a man to love her. She met someone when she was 15. He was 21. They began dating and moved in together. But after that, everything changed. Faith Harriman: I lost my virginity, and then he left. And I thought that we’d had two years of—that he loved me. And then he said, “You should date other people. You’re too young. See you.” KRISTI WATTS: Faith decided that no one would ever hurt her again. Faith Harriman: I broke up with people. I left people. And I realize I did everything I could do, looking back, to not ever have to be left. KRISTI WATTS: But isolating herself didn’t stop Faith’s misery. She found a different way to numb her pain, and it started with alcohol. Faith Harriman: And what turned into have a drink turned into smoking pot, and then that’s kind of a gateway. And I ended up experimenting with drugs and just getting sucked into the wrong crowd. KRISTI WATTS: Faith grew up going to church. She even prayed to become a Christian. Faith Harriman: It just didn’t stick. I would give my life back to God or just thought, “I’m not going to drink anything anymore or anything like that.” And it wouldn’t last very long, because I wasn’t taking myself out of a situation. I felt like I left God. I think I was so disappointed with myself that I thought, of course, He was disappointed with me, that I should have been stronger. KRISTI WATTS: Faith felt like God didn’t accept her, so she started dating someone who did. He was the perfect man or so she thought. Faith Harriman: I kind of ran to him. And he ended up being really physically abusive, verbally abusive, really scaring me. I was in a very fearful relationship, and I put up with stuff and forgave stuff that I never would have. KRISTI WATTS: The two got engaged. Faith knew she shouldn’t stay in the relationship, but she was too much in love to call it quits. Then she discovered she was pregnant. Faith Harriman: I knew that I could make stupid decisions for my life, but for an innocent child, that she deserved the very best of everything that I could do. So I just got on my face and cried out to God just to be there. KRISTI WATTS: She knew she had to leave her fiancé. Faith Harriman: I was crying out, going, “God, I’m going to marry this guy, but if he’s going to ruin my life and this little girl’s life, set us free.” And so He showed me and gave me a clean conscience with leaving. And I took off with nowhere to go, pregnant. KRISTI WATTS: Faith was alone again. But this time she decided to turn to God instead of a man. Faith Harriman: I cried out broken, “If it’s not even too late for my destiny, if I haven’t ruined it, if you haven’t given my assignment to somebody else, then use me.” KRISTI WATTS: Faith says when she prayed that prayer, God changed her life completely. An old friend gave her somewhere to live, and she joined a church. Now instead of looking to men for love, she looks to God. Faith Harriman: The biggest part in the transition of giving my heart to God when I was pregnant was I learned my life in church to give Him your heart, but at that point He showed me that it was okay to give Him my broken heart. KRISTI WATTS: Today, her daughter Elise is three years old. Faith and Elise spend much of their time in Peru, where Faith ministers to abused and forgotten women. Faith Harriman: I thought it was too late, because I’d wasted years. Or I thought it was too early, because I wasn’t old enough or holy enough or a virgin or married. I’m a single mom and a statistic to the world. Everything that you thought you lost or that the enemy stole as a child before you even had a say so, He can give and fulfill all those things. He can reawaken those dreams. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TERRY MINISTERS SALVATION TERRY MEEUWSEN: The Bible says that He can restore the years that the locust has eaten. In other words, it’s never too late. You’ve never gone too far, lost too much, done too much, run too much, failed too much for God’s love to reach you. The Bible says that He stands at the door of your heart and knocks. There’s a picture, isn’t it? The Creator of the universe, but also our Father, one who loves us despite all that we have done, despite all that we are, despite all that’s been done to us. He loves us. He wants to have relationship with us. And this is what it says, that when we open the door, when we say yes to Him, “Yes, God, I want that relationship with you,” that He comes in. He comes in and then everything changes. You heard Faith say that she prayed that prayer once before and it didn’t stick. Sometimes we want God, but we want God and the world, too. We want God and our way, too. We have to come to the end of ourselves. We have to come to the place where we want only what God has to give us, where we lay down and say, “Okay, God, enough of me. I want all of you.” That’s the invitation. That’s the journey. That’s the adventure. And it’s always available. So if you’re listening to Faith’s story today and you’re saying, “Maybe I haven’t gone too far. Maybe there is still hope for me.” That’s why they call Jesus a redeemer, because He redeems us back from our sin. He gives us a fresh start, a new beginning. And you can have that today. You don’t have to clean up or get good enough. You can be a person who is recovering from poor choices of the past. He will take the brokenness that you offer Him and bring to Him and make something beautiful out of it. Beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, a garment of praise for a spirit of heaviness. That’s what the Word says God gives us in return for our brokenness, our emptiness and our pain. You can have that today. Ask Him. Ask Him in. He’s standing at the door of your heart knocking. What are you going to do? Answer the door and say, “God, I have come to the end of myself. I want you.” That’s it. That’s it. Pray with me right now, will you? Let’s pray together to the Creator of the universe, who knows you by name and who loves you with an everlasting love. Pray with me. “God, I want to know your touch in my life like Faith has known your touch. I want to see you in the midst of my circumstances. I’m asking you to forgive my sin. You know everything that I’ve done, all of the garbage, all of the junk, all of the stupid choices, all of the foolishness, all of the deliberate things that I’ve done that have gone against your ways. I am confessing that to you with a heart that is sorry and repentant, and I’m asking you, Jesus, to let the blood that you shed on Calvary wash me and clear my sins away. And I’m asking you also to be the Lord of my life. I want to do the great exchange. I want to give you everything that I am and everything that I have and ask you to redeem me. Take all of that, God, and make something significant out of my life for your sake, for the sake of your Kingdom. And then help me to live for you. I don’t know how to do that, so will you fill me with the power and the presence of your Holy Spirit? Teach me your ways. When I read the Bible, speak to my heart. My ears are listening. I want to know you personally. And I give you all that I have. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.” If you’ve just prayed that prayer, then you’ve begun a great adventure and a journey with God that will go on forever. GRAPHIC: 1-800-759-0700 CBN.COM He’ll never leave you, never forsake you. What do you do now that you’ve invited Him into your heart and begun the relationship? Well, we’ve put together a packet for you called “A New Day,” because this is a new day in your life, and it’s filled with information from the Word of God. GRAPHIC: OUR GIFT TO YOU 1-800-759-0700 CBN.COM It’s also absolutely free, and you can get it by calling that toll free number: 1-800-759-0700. Or you can log on to CBN.com. But call today. Begin to look into more of how God wants to touch your life. Pat. PAT ROBERTSON: Thanks, Terry. While people are calling, we’ve got still ahead the man who has been called a cross between Billy Graham and Martin Luther King, Jr., with salsa on top. GRAPHIC: REVEREND SAMUEL RODRIGUEZ Reverend Samuel Rodriguez joins us, later on today’s 700 Club. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SPOT 3A: BAGGAGE Announcer: Too often, we carry baggage from our past. You know what it’s like. It affects everything and everyone in our lives. It’s always there, weighing us down and keeping us from achieving true happiness. But do you know God never meant for us to be trapped in the past? You can be free of your baggage. Learn how God’s forgiveness leads to changed lives and new beginnings. Call The 700 Club. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SPOT 3B: ALERT USA #2 Dr. Joyce Brothers: Hi, I’m Dr. Joyce Brothers. Those of us who are independent and live alone shouldn’t do so without having emergency protection. And for reliability and peace of mind, I recommend Alert USA. Announcer: With Alert USA, if you ever need assistance, just press your pendant to be connected to an operator who can summon help to your home 24 hours a day. Dr. Joyce Brothers: I’ve been giving advice for many years, and I believe Alert USA provides the best emergency support and value for your dollar. Call now for a free brochure. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * OLLIE NORTH CANCER JOHN JESSUP: Welcome to Washington for this CBN Newsbreak. Fox News Channel commentator Oliver North is battling prostate cancer, and he will temporarily be off air as host of Fox News Channel's War Stories while undergoing treatment. But Politico.com reports North's prognosis is excellent. The combat-decorated Marine is 66 years old. AMERICAN TERRORISTS? JOHN JESSUP: Pakistani authorities have detained five Americans who have been the subject of an FBI search. The five are all from the Washington, DC, area. After they disappeared, the FBI discovered a threatening video made by one of them. US officials are concerned the five had been radicalized by Islamic militants. American intelligence is increasingly worried that al Qaeda and other terrorists are trying to recruit Americans. Well, you can always get the latest from CBN News by going to our web site at CBN.com. Pat and Terry will be back with more of The 700 Club, right after this. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SPOT 4: NEWSMAX: SARAH PALIN Announcer: Sarah Palin has captured our attention and electrified America. Her new book, Going Rogue: An American Life, is a runaway national bestseller. Newsmax.com has an incredible offer for you. Get Sarah Palin’s new book Going Rogue for just 4.97. That’s a savings of 24 dollars off the cover price. Plus, you’ll get four months of award-winning Newsmax magazine absolutely free. Newsmax magazine covers the tough stories the media just won’t report. It has great writers like Bill O’Reilly, Dick Morris, Mike Reagan, Dr. Laura and Ben Stein. Dick Morris calls Newsmax his “favorite magazine . . . . a must read for every American.” Get Sarah Palin’s new book Going Rogue at an incredible price, for just 4.97. Save 24 dollars. Plus, get award-winning Newsmax magazine absolutely free. This is a no risk, no lose offer. But we have a limited number of copies. This offer won’t last long, so you must act today. Call 800-NEWSMAX, 800-NEWSMAX. Call today. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * NEXT DAY PROMO GRAPHIC: BREAKFAST WITH GORDON LEE WEBB: Tomorrow. Chef Gordon on cooking a gourmet meal. GORDON ROBERTSON: When you learn how to do it, it actually gets quite easy. LEE WEBB: His five star soufflé that’s perfect for Christmas morning . . . . TERRY MEEUWSEN: Wow. That is like an explosion of taste. LEE WEBB: . . . . or any holiday. GORDON ROBERTSON: If you want to make a Christian joke, you can say, “He is risen.” TERRY MEEUWSEN: Great Easter dish. * * * GRAPHIC: CHRIS TOMLIN LIVE LEE WEBB: Plus . . . . Chris Tomlin (Singing): “Joy to the world . . . .” LEE WEBB: Chris Tomlin joins us live. Tomorrow on The 700 Club. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * PAT ROBERTSON: Well, the Wall Street Journal has named Samuel Rodriguez one of America’s seven most influential Hispanic leaders. And he’s the only religious leader that made that list. Take a look. SET-UP PIECE ANDREW KNOX: By the middle of this century, the majority of evangelical Christians in the United States will be of Hispanic descent. This trend is what Samuel Rodriguez calls the browning of the evangelical movement. In his latest book, Reverend Rodriguez he’s been described as what happens when you put Billy Graham and Martin Luther King, Jr., in a blender and put salsa on top. He’s president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference and advises President Obama on matters of faith and public policy. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GUEST: REVEREND SAMUEL RODRIGUEZ PAT ROBERTSON: Well, please welcome to The 700 Club Samuel Rodriguez. Hey, God bless you. It’s good to see you. Samuel Rodriguez: Thank you for having me. PAT ROBERTSON: Let me ask you about the name. You go to California, and the people are called Latinos. And you hear someplace it’s Hispanic. What is it? Is it Hispanic? Is it Latino? Or is it either one? Samuel Rodriguez: It’s either one. It’s interchangeable. There’s a little bit of pushback on the term Hispanic, because it’s a designation given by the US federal government. I happen to prefer the term Hispanic, but it’s interchangeable. PAT ROBERTSON: Okay. Well, I understand that the faith of the rapidly growing Hispanic population is just tremendous. And this is going to be the biggest group of evangelical Christians in America. Samuel Rodriguez: By sheer demographics, I am wholeheartedly convinced that we are about to experience if not the greatest revival and renewal in American history via the leadership of the Hispanic faith community, I believe that. Not in some sort of isolationist multicultural politically correct venue, but through a Kingdom culture, commitment to biblical truth, leading a righteousness and justice revolution like we’ve never seen before. PAT ROBERTSON: Well, these folks are standing against multiculturalism. Some of these things that we have been exposed to, political correctness, they’re standing for biblical values. Samuel Rodriguez: It’s a community that still believes certain things that many other Christians no longer believe. We still believe that the Word of God is still the Word of God. And it doesn’t change. We still believe that Jesus saves, that He delivers, that He heals and He’s coming back again. So we’re committed to biblical orthodoxy, to biblical truth. That’s the heart and the passion of the Hispanic American faith community. PAT ROBERTSON: This could be the salvation of America. Samuel Rodriguez: It may very well be at the end of the day. And we have 47 million Hispanic Americans, of which 16 million identify themselves as born again Christians. Then we have Hispanic Catholics, of which at least 50 percent are of the charismatic persuasion. So they have an affinity towards the movement of God’s Holy Spirit. We’re going to see a great move of God through this demographic. PAT ROBERTSON: I love it. There used to be terrible prejudice, persecution against Hispanics, especially in places like Texas. No longer? Samuel Rodriguez: It exists in certain segments of the American nation, primarily via the vehicle of the immigration reform debate. There are those that looked at the Hispanic American community or the Hispanic community overall, particularly Hispanic immigrants, and there was a sense of trepidation of whether or not America is becoming “too Latino.” Well, let me explain what that means, it would become too Latino. In addition to a couple more Taco Bells, it actually means this: these are individuals in a community committed to the values of our founding fathers, committed to a Judeo Christian values system, committed to a Calvinistic work ethic, committed to the family, what we call “la familia.” So in reality, it’s the re-emergence of the Judeo Christian heritage that this nation was founded upon. There is nothing to fear. Rather embrace it, and let’s work together for the cause of Christ and the building of His Kingdom. PAT ROBERTSON: Well, I have just loved the experienced. I’ve worked all over Latin America, and the people are so warm. They love the Lord, and it’s just a delight to be, whether it’s in Columbia or Peru or Bolivia, wherever. It’s a marvelous group of people. Samuel Rodriguez: From Argentina up to Mexico, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Cuba, you see an incredible growth in the body of Christ and the evangelical born again community in these Latino nations. They’re bringing that growth and that commitment and that ethos to America. That’s why I see a community that’s committed to what I call the vertical or the horizontal message of the Christian cross. It’s both Billy Graham and it’s Mother Teresa, and it’s both righteousness, it’s justice, and it’s not either/or, it’s both/and. PAT ROBERTSON: It’s also been said that this community might be a firewall against Islam. Discuss that. Samuel Rodriguez: Without a doubt. We have received invitations to different Muslim nations. Personally, I spoke in Pakistan before 29,000 Pakistanis, of which 16,000 were non-Christian. And to receive that sort of invitation really opened up our eyes. There are some cultural affinities, some threads, some commonalities within our cultural groups that enable us to use those common threads to disseminate the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We’re going to stand as a firewall against the incursion of Islam, moral relativism, spiritual apathy. And I believe that America is not going to convert into a post-Christian Europe because of the Hispanic American influence. I believe we will preserve our Judeo Christian value system. PAT ROBERTSON: There is also a little bit of browning, the skin tone, it’s just a little bit darker than the white Anglo. Samuel Rodriguez: The skin tone may change a bit. The pigmentation may change a bit. Maybe a little bit more salsa music, mariachi music. Hey, absolutely. A couple more tamales and a couple more pounds at the end of the day. But in reality, Pat, it is the preservation of the values of our founding fathers. It is a re-emergence of the core values of our nation, value to God, to faith, to limited government, to the values of the Kingdom of God, of righteousness and justice. I believe that. PAT ROBERTSON: Last question. What about all this debate about immigration? There have been many harsh things said, and how do you come down on that issue? Samuel Rodriguez: Well, we need to stop all illegal immigration, for a number of reasons. One, because we, as a sovereign nation, have the right to protect our borders. The narco traffickers in northern Mexico are destroying the nation of Mexico. And we don’t want that sort of incursion in our state. We’re beginning to see some of that in Arizona and New Mexico today. So we need to stop illegal immigration. The question is, what do we do with 12 million people that are currently here undocumented? Do we deport them? Do we put them on planes, trains and automobiles? Absolutely not. We must reconcile Romans 13, respecting the rule of law, with Leviticus 19, treating the stranger amongst us as one of ourselves. And I believe as Christians we can reconcile that sort of law component with our compassionate Judeo Christian value system and present what I call, or what we are terming now or trying to proceed with, an agenda of just immigration reform that is compassionate, biblical and still committed to the rule of law. PAT ROBERTSON: I’ll say a total amen on this. Well, listen, it’s so good to have you with us. The book that our dear friend has written is called Path of Miracles. And he can tell you about his own miraculous call of God into this ministry and what he’s doing. And we just pray that God will bless you and the Hispanic community. Samuel Rodriguez: Thank you so much. Thank you for having me. PAT ROBERTSON: God bless you. Samuel Rodriguez: You, too. PAT ROBERTSON: It’s true, ladies and gentlemen. Embrace our Hispanic friends. It is going to make a difference in America and wherever they are found, whether it’s California, New Mexico, Texas or whatever. And now, North Carolina and all over the country, folks looking for work. And they’re good people. They’re hardworking people, and we need to bless them. So it’s good to have Samuel Rodriguez, a spirit filled brother, with us. Terry. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Well, still ahead, we’re going to Bring It On. Sherrie says, “One of the women in my office is Jewish. She mentioned celebrating Chanukah. What is that?” TERRY MEEUWSEN: We’ll answer Sherrie’s question and more of your e-mail later on today’s 700 Club. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SPOT 5A: HUMANA Announcer: Over the last several months, we’ve been talking with everyone who has Medicare about the money-saving health plans from Humana. These are all-in-one plans that combine medical and prescription drug coverage, all with an affordable monthly health plan premium that may surprise you. If you have a separate drug plan with original Medicare or with a Medicare supplement, you could be getting more benefits and saving money with Humana’s Medicare health plans. Could Humana be a better value for your health care dollar? Call 1-888-411-8607. Or go online to HumanaFreeBook.com and get this free booklet that will help you decide if our all-in-one plans are right for you. More than one million people have made the call and are enjoying Humana’s all-in-one Medicare plans. The facts you need are in the book, and it’s totally free. Call 1-888-411-8607. Or go to HumanaFreeBook.com. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SPOT 5B: SKIN MEDICA Spokeswoman: Notice anything? No? That’s the idea. I have unwanted facial hair. What, you thought you were alone? That’s because we all try so hard to keep it a secret. But now it’s easy with Vaniqa. It’s not a hair remover. It’s a prescription cream that’s clinically proven to reduce the growth of facial hair in women. Woman: Vaniqa has given me the freedom to be close to people again. Spokeswoman: Vaniqa is gentle. Use it along with your regular skincare routine. It works deep within the follicle, blocking the enzyme essential for hair growth. It’s dermatologist recommended and FDA approved. Woman: I started seeing less facial hair within a month. Woman: I’m so glad I asked my doctor about Vaniqa. Dr. Marla Klein, MD (Board-certified Dermatologist): It’s safe to use and it doesn’t have the potential to scar or damage skin like removal methods do. The most frequent side effects associated with Vaniqa are mild and skin related. Woman: Unwanted facial hair? With Vaniqa, nobody needs to know. Announcer: For more information and a free rebate of up to 60 dollars, call or go online now. Woman: It’s the best decision I ever made. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TERRY MEEUWSEN: Well, the single dad in our next story did the best he could to provide for his three children. But when severe flooding ruined his meager home, he could no longer manage on his own. And he didn’t have to. Just take a look. BRAZIL FLOODS KRISTI WATTS: 2009 has been one of the worst years of flooding the nation of Brazil has ever experienced. And that’s causing a huge problems for Edir. He’s a single dad with three kids, and his makeshift house just can’t keep his family dry. Edir: It floods every time it rains for a few days. KRISTI WATTS: Living conditions are extremely bad. Edir does what he can just to make do. Edir: I cook here on this little stove. I bought a secondhand refrigerator. And my children sleep here. I sleep down here. KRISTI WATTS: Operation Blessing brought in truckloads of food and cleaning supplies for residents cleaning up. Edir got supplies, too, and his children received school supplies. But Operation Blessing also had a huge surprise for them. They built this family a house. It’s two bedrooms with plenty of room for Edir and his children. Now, his family has a reliable home that will keep them dry. And Operation Blessing is helping them furnish it, too. Edir and his children have a new home and a new beginning. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TERRY MEEUWSEN: I like to watch the Home and Garden Channel and I see couple after couple come into places that they’re looking to buy, saying, “Well, I really want stainless steel and granite countertops.” And there is nothing wrong with enjoying the blessings God has given us. GRAPHIC: 1-800-759-0700 CBN.COM But when He gives us an opportunity to speak into such basic need in the lives of others, it needs to be not just our responsibility, but our privilege to do that. These people simply want a dry place to live. They’ve never had the privilege of having beds of their own or some of the things that we so take for granted, even just clean drinking water on a daily basis. And yet we can make an incredible difference. We can enjoy the blessings God has given us, but we can also share them with others. When you join The 700 Club, you’re touching lives and families like this literally all around the world. It’s 65 cents a day, 20 dollars a month to do that. If you’re not a 700 Club member, this is a great day to join. The number is toll free. It’s 1-800-759-0700. You can also join by logging on to CBN.com. And when you do, our way of saying thank you for caring about others is to send you this latest CD. GRAPHIC: YOURS WHEN YOU JOIN 1-800-759-0700 CBN.COM It’s called Right on the Money, excerpts from Pat’s latest book of the same name, and we’ll get this out to you right away. This is Barbara. I want to tell you what she had to say. PAT ROBERTSON: Yes. What does Barbara say? TERRY MEEUWSEN: She lives in Tampa, Florida. She listened to the CD, and she said, “Pat, this CD hits a home run. It’s the most concise, direct explanation of the subject matter I’ve ever heard. You covered each subject with the exact material needed. God bless you.” And, Pat, really and truly in this economic time that we live in, people need to know at least the basics. And you go that and beyond in this. PAT ROBERTSON: “My people perish for lack of knowledge.” If we don’t have knowledge, we will perish. And if we have knowledge, we can profit handsomely. And that’s what I’m hoping for. TERRY MEEUWSEN: So help somebody else, and we’ll send some knowledge your way. Okay. PAT ROBERTSON: Do we have Q and A now, or is that later? TERRY MEEUWSEN: I think we’ve got some . . . . PAT ROBERTSON: Something else. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Something else up. PAT ROBERTSON: All right. Now, we’ve been having Christmas around here. This place looks really beautiful. It’s decorated to the hills. There are no ornaments, lights and tinsel; but the simplicity of a colonial Christmas is stunning. And right now, we’re going to take you back to experience one for yourself. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * WILLIAMSBURG CHRISTMAS DEBBIE WHITE: Christmas celebrations in 18th century America were a lot simpler than the holiday frenzy we often experience today. Jim Bradley (Public Affairs Manager): I think I can sum up 18th century Christmas customs in three words: church, family and, to some extent, some decoration. DEBBIE WHITE: A stroll through the streets of colonial Williamsburg during the holiday season reveals beautiful decorations created from nature. Daniel Young (Resident): Each year at the Grand Illumination, we decorate the homes throughout the historic area. The elements are all pulled from the local area. We have the wisteria vine, fresh apples, oranges. There’s pine cones. We have some cinnamon sticks that are tied in there. We have also decorations along each of the windows. She’s bundled together sticks with some of the plums and fruits. We don’t have any tinsel or any ornaments hanging up, but in many ways, I don’t think that those could even approach what we have here. DEBBIE WHITE: While the German tradition of Christmas trees didn’t become popular until the 19th century, the colonists decorated the interior of homes, shops and public buildings with natural materials that symbolized the life and spirit of the season. Christmas has always been a time when families and friends gather to enjoy each other’s company around a holiday meal. Meals for affluent Williamsburg colonists would include an abundance of standard winter fare, rather than the many foods currently associated with Christmas. Dennis Cotner (Historic Food Ways Specialist): For the average person of the 18th century, even the wealthy person, food is much more expensive per head per person than it is today. Industrialization, the Industrial Revolution, made food cheap in America. A chicken would be roughly about two shilling sixpence or one shilling sixpence per chicken on the average, when a journeyman tradesman might be making 20 shillings a week. So if you figure it up, that’s quite a bit of money for a chicken. DEBBIE WHITE: A Christmas meal often included a variety of entrees: beef, Virginia ham, sweet potato pudding and stuffed cabbage. Dennis Cotner: This time of year, fruits and vegetables are mainly going to be coming from your root cellars. So a person, when they’re looking for, say, pears or apples, they’re bringing them out of root cellar storage in barrels. They’re not going to be the best, so you might convert them into something looking good, like poached pears in red wine. Your pears look all red now. They’ve got a little extra flavor punch. DEBBIE WHITE: Desserts include marmalades, sugared nuts and chocolate, which was not an expensive item in colonial days. There was also a special dessert called Syllabub. Dennis Cotner: Syllabubs are generically a made curds and whey, and a two part dessert mainly. You’ll find in this case cream whipped with sugar, lemon juice, white wine and sherry together until it gets very thick, then it would set and separate over time, so you have a two part piece. You would spoon and eat the top, and then you’d drink the bottom. DEBBIE WHITE: Enjoying a mean together was more common than exchanging gifts. However, it was not unusual for servants to be remembered for their labors and receive an extra reward from their employers at Christmastime. Christmas celebrations at home could be as festive in the 18th century as they are today. But it was also a solemn church day. Man: Christmas Day in the 18th century is not the holiday we think of today, but much rather a very Holy day. People began their Christmas Day in the morning by attending church, and that’s high Anglican Church. DEBBIE WHITE: Church service was a solemn occasion of reverence for God’s gift of a Savior born on Christmas Day. And so from the 18th century to the 21st . . . . Dennis Cotner: Merry Christmas from colonial Williamsburg to you. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * PAT ROBERTSON: Boy, the simplicity. Terry, I think one of the best Christmases I ever had, maybe the best, was in Israel, where we had several, well, we had 300, 200 people. We were on the shepherd’s field on Christmas Eve singing “O, Little Town of Bethlehem.” We were looking down over Bethlehem. There were no trees. There were no decorations. There was none of this phony stuff that goes on. And we didn’t have to worry about presents. We had a baptismal service in the Jordan River on Christmas Day. It was wonderful. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Well, simplicity does allow you to focus on the things that matter. PAT ROBERTSON: Well, we were focusing on Jesus, but we were there in the land of His birth. And we were looking down on Bethlehem. You couldn’t get it any better. And we had candles. And, oh, it was marvelous. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Well, colonial Williamsburg, it’s such a treat to live near there, don’t you think? It’s about 45 minutes from here, and such a source of history of our country, but also, as you say, of a way of life that was very different. PAT ROBERTSON: Well, it was sort of a gift to the Rockefellers to America. And it is beautiful, because they have restored those buildings and the inn and all those wonderful colonial customs. But the decorations and the décor is timeless. So anyhow, two minutes. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Absolutely beautiful. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BRING IT ON PAT ROBERTSON: We’ve got some questions. All right, go for it. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Okay, this is Sherrie, who says, “One of the other women in my office is Jewish. I know she doesn’t celebrate Christmas, but I want to reach out to her as a friend. She mentioned celebrating Chanukah. What is that?” PAT ROBERTSON: Well, Chanukah is one of the minor Jewish festivals. It dealt with the victory of the Maccabees over the Greeks to despoil their temple. And I understand “chanu” means rest and “kah” means 25. And they rested on the 25th day of the month and then went on to Jerusalem. So that’s the celebration. And it’s a nice thing. It’s a beautiful thing. But it isn’t one of the—the Feast of Atonement is much more important to the Jews than Chanukah. But Chanukah is . . . . TERRY MEEUWSEN: They give gifts to each other for certain numbers of days. PAT ROBERTSON: Yes, well, it coincides with Christmas, so it gives our Jewish friends something that they can do, so we can all have a party together. TERRY MEEUWSEN: Parties together are good. Okay, this is Thomas, who says, “Are there various kinds of angels in the Bible? I have heard of cherubim and seraphim, but what do they do?” PAT ROBERTSON: Well, the seraphs were those who burned with their own holiness. They were burning ones, the seraphs. And they’re sort of surrounding the presence of God as part of His glory. The cherubs, on the other hand, were not little, like “he’s a little cherub.” No way. They were the monster angels who covered the holiness of God. And Satan was a cherub. “O, thou anointed cherub that covers.” And in the temple, these cherub, their wings stretched out and formed a throne for God to sit in. It was over top of the Mercy Seat, the Arc of the Covenant. So, anyhow, so much for angels. But we need them and we bless angels and we love to have them visit with us. We leave you with these words from the Psalms, . . . . GRAPHIC: Psalm 9:1 “I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done.” (NLT) . . . . “I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done.” Gordon will be with you tomorrow, Lord willing. See you then. Bye, bye. GRAPHIC: COPYRIGHT 2009 CHRISTIAN BROADCASTING NETWORK * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * END SPOT: HOLIDAY OF HOPE Announcer: It’s Christmastime, the wonderful season when we remember the birth of Jesus Christ. 700 Club partners, this is the perfect time to make your celebration complete, by helping people who are in desperate need. Your donation to CBN’s Holiday of Hope will provide gifts that will help support families all year long. You give food and clothing, sewing machines, and water wells, livestock for milk and cheese, job training and medical supplies, even scholarships and school materials that bring the promise of a better life. Most importantly, you preach the Gospel to people lost in darkness. You can bring glad tidings of great joy this year. Your life changing kindness will be remembered long after the ornaments and decorations are packed away. Give to CBN’s Holiday of Hope. It’s like inviting the world to your Christmas morning.