FREEDOM IS A GODLY PRINCIPLE

Iranian courts have handed down a death sentence to an Iranian pastor of a Christian church. Yusef Nadarkhani converted from Islam to Christianity at the age of nineteen. Now in his thirties, Nadarkhani founded a small Evangelical Christian congregation named The Church of Iran, but in October of 2009, he was arrested for heresy.

Both his first trial and his appeal ended in convictions. Nardakhani is now appealing to the nation's Supreme Court. If that appeal also returns a guilty verdict, Nardakhani must renounce his faith or be put to death under Sharia law. His wife is currently out of jail on her own appeal, and Fox news reports that Nadarkhani's defense team, though active muslims, also fear for their own safety and for the safety of their families, simply because they've chosen to represent this Christian man.

Speaker of the House, John Boehner, was the first U.S. official to issue a public outcry regarding this case. Bravo Speaker Boehner. Four hundred years ago similar religious freedom-seekers found themselves worshipping under penalty of imprisonment for daring to question the Church of England. Since the King of England was regarded as both the Britain's political leader and the conduit to heaven, rebellion against the church was also considered treason. Many of these religious rebels left their homeland as banished exiles, arriving in America, a barren land that grew into this great nation on the engines of liberty and free thought.

We still have our own struggles with this issue. Remember John F, Kennedy's need to delineate his faith from his governance? Remember Mitt Romney's statement in 2009 when the former Massachusetts governor felt a need to assure America that if elected president, he would serve "no one religion, no one group, no one cause and no one interest." But he did not backpeddle on his convictions, boldly adding, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and the Savior of mankind . . . My church's beliefs about Christ may not all be the same as those of other faiths. … These are not bases for criticism, but rather a test of our tolerance."

Yes, even we still struggle with religious tolerance at times, but what is happening in Iran is unconscionable. Perhaps the underlying themes of liberty and freedom prevalent throughout Christianity, and woven thoughout God's inspired word in many lands, are what terrify tyrants. Read these passages from the Old and New Testament, and from the Book of Mormon.

Galatians 5:13
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

James 2:12
12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

Galatians 5:1
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

2 Nephi 10:11
11 And this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land, who shall raise up unto the Gentiles.

Alma 46:12
And it came to pass that [Moroni] rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.

Isaiah 61:1
1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

Alma 56:47
47 Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.

Doctrine and Covenants 98:5
5 And that law of the land which is constitutional, supporting that principle of freedom in maintaining rights and privileges, belongs to all mankind, and is justifiable before me.

Alma 61:14-15
14 Therefore, my beloved brother, Moroni, let us resist evil, and whatsoever evil we cannot resist with our words, yea, such as rebellions and dissensions, let us resist them with our swords, that we may retain our freedom, that we may rejoice in the great privilege of our church, and in the cause of our Redeemer and our God . . . according to the Spirit of God, which is also the spirit of freedom which is in them.

"...the Spirit of God, which is also the spirit of freedom which is in each of His children."

May God bless you, Mr. Nadarkhani. We are praying for you.

*******
Laurie LC Lewis's upcoming release is book 5 in her FREE MEN ans DREAMERS series, "In God Is Our Trust."

BOOK NOOK REVIEW

NO ANGEL

by

Therea Sneed

Debuting author, Theresa Sneed, chose an ambitious project for her first novel, a spiritual fantasy titled No Angel, and I’m pleased to report that it delights on many levels.

Sneed’s No Angel opens in a heavenly realm, moves into mortality where good and evil spirits impact humans, and then she thrusts her readers into a frightening underworld where even good spirits can become trapped through error. Each world is filled with complex characters and governed by strict rules—rules Sneed’s main character, a reluctant Guardian Angel named Jonathan Stewart, hasn’t bothered reading.

Jonathan was sorely disappointed by his own mortality and in an effort to make this second earth experience, (required by all post-mortal spirits), quick and painless, Jonathan selects an EMD client, Early Marked for Death, knowing his client will die young, allowing him to complete his assignment early and quickly exit earth once and for all.

What Jonathan failed to learn from that unread handbook is that special conditions surround the exceptional spirits assigned to be EMDs—their goodness makes them prized targets of the dark spirits.

Jonathan’s poor attitude is a disappointment to the more dedicated Guardians, but more importantly, it also places him in the cross-hairs of dark spirits who pose a threat to his successful completion of his mission, and to Faith, the child, he has been sent to guard.

But Jonathan has two allies, a loyal Guardian Angel named Grace, who takes a special interest in him, and Celeste Knight, the premortal spirit of Faith. Their interest in Jonathan is not accidental.

Sneed does a wonderful job of fleshing out heaven and the underworld with rich, vivid description that drives the theme of good versus evil deep into the reader. Still, the book is not dark and eerie. Sneed successfully slingshots between humor and drama during Jonathan’s bumpy, spiritual evolution, providing a change of pace that makes this book suitable for YA as well as adults, while also endearing this disgruntled soul to the reader. Without those humorous passages, No Angel would have been a dark, eerie tale. And though that was not Sneed’s purpose in writing this book, she proves she has the talent to go that direction if she ever chooses.

The explanations of the rules of each world slow the read in places, but they are essential to the ensuing tension, and there is plenty of tension, which intensifies until the conclusion, which leaves the reader unsure about the outcome of many of the characters until the very end.

NO ANGEL is fiction, but its powerful themes of good versus evil, spiritual promptings, choice and accountability, family, friendship, and loyalty, make it a valuable springboard for family discussions on these topics, and therefore makes this book one to be read together as a family, and worth having in a family library.

This is a first-rate read that quickly earned Theresa Sneed a Whitney Award nomination. Sneed is a talented writer who should find No Angel a contender for Whitney’s “Best Novel by a New Author” award. She is already completing a second project, proving that great things are ahead for her, and those who pick up her imaginative, tender books.

NO ANGEL is available LDS bookstores, at Barnes and Nobles, and on Amazon.

LIFT CONFERENCE VIDEO w LIZ EDMUNDS.m4v

Announcing the LIFT Conference for Women on Saturday, Oct. 29th!

This one day conference will feature prominent speakers that will inspire, educate and of course upLIFT. The event will be held in the Orem High School auditorium (175 South 400 East, Orem) and go from 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (with an hour lunch break - lunch will not be provided by event. Doors open for seating at 8:30am).

Topics include improving spouse communication, letting go of anxiety and regret, and having hope when life brings its challenges. Liz Edmunds (star of the popular TV show, The Food Nanny) will be the hostess. Other speakers include Dr. John Lund, Hank Smith, Meg Johnson, Sheldon Martin, Kathy Jenkins, Kim Nelson and a performance by Amy Hansen.

Tickets are: $19.99 (early bird registration) and $29.99 after Oct. 20th or at the door. All participants will receive a tote bag and chocolates with registration. Please bring your printed ticket to the event..Click here to register!

The War of 1812 Tease Press Tour

This looks as if it will be a film worth watching, as PBS separates the history from the myths about the War of 1812. I can appreciate that struggle after threading through the letters and historical accounts while researching Free Men and Dreamers.PBS launches this series in October.

SEPTEMBER BLOG HOP

Thanks Tristi, Pinkston, for organizing this blog hop!

Welcome to the September Blog Hop! Celebrate the beginning of fall with me and my blogger friends by hopping around, visiting our sites, and entering our contests! There are no limits - you can enter the contest on every blog. With over 40 blogs participating, that's over 40 prizes you could win. Just click on the links below to move on to the next blog.

On my blog, you can win a nice prize package:

An autographed copy of any of my books,
(check out my web site at
http://www.laurielclewis.com/
to choose a title),
plus I'll throw in a an extra book from my shelf

of must-read titles--that's 2 books!

To win this prize package you just need to do two things.

1. Become a follower of this blog. If you're already a follower, sign up to "Follow by Email" in the block to the right. And if you've already done that, then sign up in the "Follow me on Twitter" box. Just do one.

2. Leave me a comment in the trail and tell me why you'd like to win this prize.

That's it! You are now entered. The contest ends on Saturday night, September 24th, at midnight MST, and the winner will be contacted shortly thereafter. Please either leave your e-mail address in the comment trail or make sure it's visible through your profile so I can contact you to tell you that you're the lucky winner.

Now go visit my other friends ...
September Blog Hop Participants

1. Tristi Pinkston, LDS Author 2. Joyce DiPastena 3. I Am A Reader, Not A Writer 4. Mandi Slack 5. Michael D. Young 6. Six Mixed Reviews 7. Pam Williams 8. Laurie Lewis 9. Kristy Tate 10. Marilyn Yarbrough 11. Stacy Coles 12. Kristie Ballard 13. Lynn Parsons 14. Pushing Past the Pounds 15. Sheila Staley 16. cindy Hogan

17. Jamie Thompson 18. Jaclyn Weist 19. Cathy Witbeck 20. Secret Sisters Mysteries 21. Tamera Westhoff 22. Tina Scott 23. Lynnea Mortensen 24. Danyelle Ferguson aka Queen of the Clan 25. Jeanette A. Fratto 26. Bonnie Harris 27. Melissa Lemon 28. Mary Ann Dennis 29. Stephanie Black 30. Jane Still 31. Janice 32. Laura Bastian

33. Tamara Bordon 34. Betsy Love 35. Maria Hoagland 36. Amber Robertson 37. Debbie Davis 38. 39. Christy Monson 40. Carolyn Frank 41. Rebecca Birkin 42. Melissa Cunningham 43. Emily L. Moir 44. Ronda Hinrichsen 45. Lisa Asanuma 46. Joan Sowards 47. Jordan McCollum 48. Diane Stringam Tolley

Learn more about September Blog Hop here.
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"IN GOD IS OUR TRUST" news!!!

Braden Bell had this to say after previewing, "In God Is Our Trust"--

In the final installment of this epic series, Lewis deftly blends the many strands she began earlier. This final book is a well-executed and engrossing tale. But it is also a powerful meditation on freedom and bondage, and the many ways in which we can lose freedom and become enslaved. Through the eyes of her characters, the reader comes to appreciate the blessings of liberty and more fully grasp the responsibilities that come to those who are free. Elegantly connecting the dots between our three great responsibilities, God, Family, and Country, Lewis leaves the reader with a visceral appreciation of those who have gone on before and a commitment to stand more firmly in the moment that is now ours. A week after staying up all night to finish it, the characters and themes of this masterpiece haunt my mind and heart.

Pinch me!

September has been a busy family month, so thank heavens for pre-scheduled blog posts or I would have had a barren blog. Family time was great, but our last visitor—our oldest grandson—left for home today, and now it’s time to get back to work.

As soon as my editor hands me the cover image for “In God Is Our Trust,” crazy things will begin to happen professionally. This volume takes us full circle to the original intent of the series—to illustrate how the War of 1812, and the events in America, were preparing this nation to become the cradle of the Restoration. The tender Pearson saga continues, carrying our friends through the post-war recovery, and into a new day as American comes into her own, seeing herself not as a young upstart nation, but as a major player on the world stage.

This new sense of political identity is overshadowed by religious division in America. As science and philosophy begin casting greater doubts on miracles, and spiritual manifestations, a young boy from New York State attests to miracles and manifestations not considered since biblical times, and the Constitution’s guarantee of religious freedom and tolerance is put to the test as tensions rise. With carefully conducted research, “In God Is Our Trust” will toss my readers into this very confusing and marvelous period.

We’re going to have ads in most LDS print publications and on LDSradio announcing the release of this fifth and final volume of Free Men and Dreamers. And I’ll be launching a new, improved web site, and fan page on Facebook. We’ll have lots of contests and drawings for some really lovely prizes, so please check back.

Candace Salima has invited me to be a guest on her radio talk show in October as well, and we’re planning signings in Washington, Utah, and Los Angeles. It’s going to be exciting!

Hero performed by Michael Israel in New York