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While most Americans are focusing on who will be the next president of the United States, major issues from same-sex marriage to abortion will also be decided on November 4. Several states have hefty propositions on their ballots that could affect not only the respective states, but the entire nation.

Same-Sex Marriage

On May 15, 2008, the California Supreme Court ruled same-sex marriage constitutional within the state. California voters had defined marriage as between a man and a woman via Prop 22 (by 61 percent) in 2000, but the state supreme court struck down the statute. The court argued that the statute was similar to earlier laws against interracial marriage.

Proposition 8 provides California voters another chance to defend marriage and in a much more concrete way. Prop 8 would amend the state constitution to say "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." The court could therefore not declare laws against same-sex marriage "unconstitutional."

There has been an amazingly intense battle in California over this issue. Supporters and opponents of Prop 8 have raised more than $60 million combined in their battles to win voters’ hearts on the issue of same-sex marriage. Even in California, $60 million is a lot of money. Prop 8's fate is not important to Californians alone, however; the election results will be felt by the entire nation.

Same-sex marriage is also on the ballot in several other states:

Arizona Prop 102: The Marriage Protection Amendment will amend the Arizona State Constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman. The constitutional amendment will protect existing laws against same-sex marriage.

Arkansas: The Unmarried Couple Adoption Ban will make it illegal for non-married cohabitating couples (including those of the same sex) to legally adopt or provide foster care to children.

Florida Prop 2: The Marriage Protection Amendment will amend the state constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman. It requires a 60 percent majority in order to pass.

Abortion

When South Dakota voters decide on Initiated Measure 11 next week, they may not only be amending the state constitution, but could be starting a fight that will lead to the U.S. Supreme Court.

South Dakota is not a big abortion state. With only one abortion clinic (in Sioux Falls) South Dakota already has a comparatively low abortion rate. This state, with some of the most protective laws in the nation (including a 24-hour waiting period), will offer voters a chance to outlaw the practice of using abortion as a means of birth control. The initiative would amend the state constitution to ban abortion except in the cases of rape, incest, or to protect the woman's health. Any doctor who violated the law could be tried as a felon.

A major proponent of the initiative is Dr. Patricia Giebink, an obstetrician-gynecologist who performed abortions in the mid 1990s. In 2006, she worked on the campaign to ban abortion in South Dakota. The 2006 ban, however, did not include the exceptions for rape and incest, and did not pass. Pro-life advocates are hopeful that this time around an abortion ban with exceptions will receive the support of the voters. The law could save hundreds of lives; of the 748 abortions performed in the state in 2006, only 14 were for reasons of rape, incest, or to protect the health or life of the mother.

Abortion is on the ballot in other states as well.

California Proposition 4: The Abortion Waiting Period and Parental Notification Initiative, also known as Sarah's Law, would amend the state constitution to make it illegal for a physician to perform an abortion on a minor until 48 hours after notifying her parent/legal guardian – or in cases of parental abuse, another adult member of the family. Judicial bypass and medical emergency exceptions are offered. The law would also make it illegal to force a minor to get an abortion against her will. Prop 4 is named after Sarah, a 15-year-old girl who died after having a botched abortion.

Colorado: The Colorado Equal Rights Amendment, or CERA, would define a human embryo as a "person" in the state constitution. The approved ballot asks voters if the definition of the term "person" in the constitution should "include any human being from the moment of fertilization." Opponents argue the amendment would outlaw certain types of birth control that prevent implantation after fertilization.

There are other controversial proposals on state ballots as well: Massachusetts might decriminalize marijuana, and the state of Washington might give terminally ill patients (with six or less months to live) the right to lethally inject themselves.

We Americans live in a nation ruled by a Constitution, in states ruled by state constitutions, and not under a dictatorship or monarchy. We the people of the United States are responsible for hiring people to public office, and for the laws we allow them to put on the books. Let’s take our job seriously and walk with prayer and knowledge into the election booth next Tuesday. We want God to bless our nation, but we need to be a nation He can bless.

Heath officials say a potentially deadly form of staph infection, commonly known as MRSA, has become a major epidemic in the United States. As MRSA spreads it is also becoming more drug-resistant. A new study by the Centers for Disease Control found that about 10 percent of common community-acquired MRSA strains are now impervious, not only to penicillin, but also to clindamycin, tetracycline, Bactrim and other antibiotics.

Each year more than 95,000 Americans are infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, resulting in approximately 20,000 deaths. Health experts warn the drug-resistant "superbug" has the potential to kill more Americans than AIDS.

Staph infections, including MRSA, occur most frequently in hospitals and healthcare facilities. However staph infections are becoming more and more common outside of the hospital setting. According to the CDC, "infections with significant antimicrobial-resistant pathogens, the types formerly seen only in hospitals, now have onset in the community - old diseases have learned new tricks."

Communities across the country are reporting an increase in outbreaks of staph infections, particularly among athletes. MRSA bacteria can live on common surfaces such as tables or doorknobs for days or weeks and can be transmitted when someone touches an infected surface. Health officials believe many of the infections are being spread in gyms and locker rooms. An MRSA outbreak that spread among high school athletes last year prompted the closure of dozens of schools for cleaning. Earlier this month two high school football players died from MRSA infections - one from Philadelphia and one from central Florida.

With the advent of antibiotics more than 50 years ago, scientists predicted the end of death and suffering from infectious diseases. During the past 30 years, however, we have witnessed the reemergence and geographical spread of well-known diseases, including tuberculosis, malaria, and cholera, often in more virulent and drug-resistant forms. Infectious diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, and the third leading cause of death in the United States.

Diseases thought to be obsolete have once again become a global threat, and in recent years new pathogens have emerged, some of which carry antibiotic-resistant genes or mutations enabling them to move across different species. Click on the links below to learn more about this subject.

Halloween seems like an appropriate time to review what is perhaps one of the strangest events recorded in the scriptures: the account of King Saul's encounter with the Witch of Endor.

The Impending Battle

In his preoccupation with the pursuit of his rival David, King Saul had neglected the growing Philistine threat to Israel. Meanwhile, the Philistines undertook a new strategy and marched into the Jezreel Valley where they could use their chariots to advantage, thus cutting Saul off from the northern tribes. (This same valley is destined to be the site of the future battle of Armageddon.) The Philistines were encamped at Shunem, a city in the Valley of Jezreel situated on the south slope of the Hill of Moreh. The Israelite forces were camped five miles to the south at Mount Gilboa.

When Saul saw the Philistine army he was so afraid that his heart "greatly trembled." He was gripped with fear. Saul inquired of the Lord, but there was no answer. The prophet Samuel was dead. No encouraging word from the Lord would be forthcoming.

Consulting the Witch

With the heavens silent, Saul sought out a medium to enable him to determine the outcome of the battle with the Philistines. God had commanded Saul to rid Israel from those delving in the realm of the occult. However Saul was informed by his servants that at Endor, between Mount Tabor and the Hill of Moreh, there lived a medium who had escaped the purges. The Old Testament law forbade occultic practices of any kind and called for the death penalty on any who would consult mediums. This would be fulfilled literally in the case of Saul himself.

Saul disguised himself and traveled under the cover of darkness to Endor to consult the medium. Assuring her that she would not be punished for practicing her forbidden profession, he requested that she bring up Samuel from the dead. The medium carried out Saul's instructions, but rather than using the tricks of her trade to deceive Saul, she herself was shocked to see an old man appear, whom Saul identified as Samuel!

Alternative Views

Some have suggested that the appearance of Samuel was psychological - in the mind of Saul. However, the woman also saw Samuel, and Saul actually talked with Samuel. Some of the early church fathers held the view that a demon impersonated Samuel and appeared to Saul. But the message in 1 Samuel 28:16-19 would have hardly come from a demon.

Still others have concluded that the medium was a fraud and tricked Saul into thinking that he saw Samuel. Yet the medium was surprised herself by Samuel's appearance and that would not have been the case if it were a contrived trick.

The Rabbinical View

The traditional rabbinical view is that these verses record a genuine appearance of Samuel that God Himself brought about. There are at least five arguments that favor this view:

1) The medium was surprised, indicating that something happened that she was not expecting;
2) Saul identified the figure as Samuel and bowed down in respect for the prophet. It is unlikely that Saul, who knew Samuel so well, would have been easily tricked by an impersonation;
3) The message that Samuel spoke was clearly from God;
4) The Biblical text itself says that the figure was Samuel. It is clear that the intent of the Scripture is for the reader to understand that Samuel actually appeared to Saul.
5) A similar appearance of one returned from the dead occurred at the Transfiguration - when Moses and Elijah appeared and spoke with Jesus.

The Prophet's Counsel

Samuel proceeded to remind Saul that the kingdom had been taken from him because of his disobedience in the Amalekite war, and then predicted Israel's defeat and the deaths of Saul and his sons at the hands of the Philistines. Samuel never really answered Saul's initial question, "What should I do?" There was nothing that could be done. Because of his disobedience, his fate was sealed.

Saul was understandably terrified because of the message of doom that Samuel had communicated to him. Judgment was imminent and certain. All that had been Saul's as king would soon be lost because of his rebellion and contempt for God's will.

The Defeat at Mount Gilboa

The battle was a disaster from the beginning. Saul's army was quickly routed, then slaughtered, including Saul's sons: Jonathan, Abinadab and Melchishua. The king himself was wounded by an arrow. In agony, Saul begged his armor-bearer to thrust him through with a sword but he refused. In desperation, Saul fell on his own sword and ended his life in ignominy.

So great was Israel's defeat that many of the cities in northern Israel were abandoned as their citizens fled to regions safe from the Philistine menace. As a result, the Philistines were able to occupy many Israelite cities. When Saul's body was found by the Philistines, they dishonored it by cutting off the head, stripping off the armor and hanging the naked body on a wall in the open square of Beth-Shean. The armor was put on public display in a temple. The inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead, whom Saul had helped early in his reign, at great risk removed the bodies from the wall of Beth-Shean and gave them a proper burial. A week of fasting as a sign of public mourning for the king was observed.

Saul appeared to be full of promise as a young man, but proved impulsive, prideful, and ended his own life in disgrace. The great failure of Saul as king was his lack of obedience to the will and Word of God.

The Dark Side of Halloween

There is a great deal of controversy about whether or not Christians should celebrate Halloween. On the surface Halloween appears to be a harmless celebration defined by costumes, candy, pumpkins, and other fun family traditions. Those traditions may seem very innocent, but we cannot forget that Halloween has a dark side. Satan is an expert at parading as an "angel of light." If he did not make evil look attractive, people would not be deceived and drawn in by it. Witchcraft is practiced in the real world today and it has been made to look appealing. However, the Bible absolutely condemns witchcraft and sorcery, consulting with "familiar spirits" or attempting to contact the dead. The Bible clearly says:

"There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee (Deuteronomy 18:10-12)."

We have additional information and resources available for those of you who would like to know more about the origins of Halloween and what the Bible has to say about it. Several years ago we sponsored a contest for the best script of Saul and the Witch of Endor, a Biblically based play suitable for high school students or youth groups to use as an alternative to Halloween. Copies of several of the entries are available on our website free of charge. See the list of links below for these and other resources we have available.