TONIGHT ON "NEWSWATCH"

TWITTER TAKES ON WASHINGTON.

HOW SOCIAL MEDIA IS BEING USED

IN THE FISCAL CLIFF DEBATE.

PLUS HOW PRO-ISRAEL LAWMAKERS

ARE GATHERING TO SUPPORT THE

NATION.

AND HOW HIS FAITH PLAYED INTO

THE WRITINGS OF AUTHOR CHARLES

DICKENS, ALL OF THIS AND MORE

TONIGHT ON "NEWSWATCH."

GOOD EVENING I AM MARK MARTIN.

AND I AM HEATHER SELLS.

THE REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED HOUSE

OF REPRESENTATIVES PUSHED AHEAD

WITH A BIG DESIGNED TO OVERT THE

FISCAL CLIFF MEASURE DUBBED PLAN

B AND EXTENT BUSH ERA TAX CUTS

AND RAISE THOSE ON PEOPLE MAKING

MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS A

YEAR.

HOUSE SPEAKER BOEHNER IS CALLING

ON DEMOCRATS TO STEP UP TO AVOID

MANDATORY TAX HIKES AND SPENDING

CUTS ON JANUARY 1ST.

BOEHNER: THEN THE PRESIDENT

WILL HAVE A DECISION TO MAKE HE

CAN CALL ON SENATE DEMOCRATS TO

PASS THE BILL OR BE RESPONSIBLE

FOR THE LARGEST TAX INCREASE IN

AMERICAN HISTORY.

MR. BOEHNER IS WILLING TO

CONTINUE WORKING WITH THE

PRESIDENT TO FIND A DEFICIT

CUTTING DEAL AND AVOID GOING

OVER THAT CLIFF.

PRESIDENT MEANWHILE IS USING

SOCIAL MEDIA TO GAIN SUPPORT ON

THE ISSUE. THAT'S RIGHT.

HE IS TAKING TO TWITTER TO

ENLIST THE MASSES TO PRESSURE

REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS.

JENNIFER WISHON HAS MORE.

REPORTER: COMMANDER IN CHIEF

ALREADY HOLDS THE MOST POWER

BULLY PULPIT.

HE HAS CREATED TWITTER HASHTAG

MY2K THAT STANDS FOR MY $2,000,

THE AMOUNT THE AVERAGE FAMILY

WILL LOSE IF TAX CUTS EXPIRE.

THE ESTIMATED 2,000 THEY'LL LOSE

IF AMERICA FALLS OFF THE FISCAL

CLIFF.

THE PRESIDENT HAS TAKEN TIME TO

PERSONALLY ANSWER TWEETS.

THERE WE GO, MY TWEET HAS

BEEN POSTED.

THAT IS WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT.

SIGNING OFF IS BO FOR BARACK

OBAMA.

A WOMAN RECEIVED A PERSONAL

TWEET, SHE AND HUSBAND LIVE WITH

HER PARENTS.

INCREASE OF $2,000 FOR HER

AND HER HUSBAND, IN THIS HOUSE

HOLD WOULD MEAN $4,000 LOST.

REPUBLICANS ALSO USING

PRESIDENT'S HOUSE TAG SPEAKER

JOHN BOEHNER SHOWING A LINK TO

POLLING DATA AND CUTTING

GOVERNMENT SPENDING MORE POPULAR

THAN RAISING TAX RATES AND

THREATENING JOBS HE TWEETED.

PETER M. ABRAHAM TWEETS THERE

ARE NOT ENOUGH RICH PEOPLE.

WE NEED MASSIVE ENTITLEMENT

CUTS.

THE GOAL OF MY2K IS TO

COMPROMISE THE DEBATE.

AFTER THE ELECTION, OBAMA FOR

AMERICA SURVEYED AND NEARLY 80%

WANT TO KEEP VOLUNTEERING.

ON MR. OBAMA'S FACEBOOK PAGE, A

PERSONAL QUOTE WHEN THE AMERICAN

PEOPLE SPEAK LOUDLY, LOW AND

BEHOLD, CONGRESS LISTENS.

WE CAN EXPECT SPECIAL MEDIA TO

PLAY AN INCREASING ROLE AS HE

ROLES OUT THE AGENDA FOR HIS

SECOND TERM.

CBN NEWS, WASHINGTON.

THERE WERE HEARINGS ON THE

SKATING BENGHAZI REPORT, THE

FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE

AGREES THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT

MADE DEADLY MISTAKES.

THEY SAY CONGRESS SHARES THE

BLAME AS WELL FAULTING LAWMAKERS

FOR NOT SUPPLYING ENOUGH MONEY

TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT.

FOUR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS

HAVE STEPPED DOWN IN THE WAKE OF

THE INDEPENDENT PANEL REPORT.

MISTAKES MADE, LIVES LOST AND

LESSONS NEED TO BE LEARNED.

MAJOR FAILURES AT THE STATE

DEPARTMENT AND HIGH LEVELS.

SECRETARY OF STATE HILARY

CLINTON IS EXPECTED TO TESTIFY

BEFORE CONGRESS SOME TIME NEXT

MONTH.

SHE IS ALREADY ADOPTED ALL 29

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE REPORT.

AMERICAN CENTER FOR LAW AND

JUSTICE IS CALLING FOR RELEASE

OF IRANIAN-AMERICAN PASTOR FOR

HIS CHRISTIAN FAITH.

30-YEAR-OLD PASTOR SAEED ABEDINI

UNDERWENT A LIFE CHANGING

VERSION OF ISLAM TO CHRISTIANITY

AT 20 AND PROCLAIMING HIS FAITH

SINCE THAT TIME.

IN 2010 HE WAS GRANTED U.S.

CITIZENSHIP WHEN HE MARRIED HIS

AMERICAN WIFE.

THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT DOESN'T

RECOGNIZE HIS CITIZENSHIP.

HE WRITES THESE WALLS HAVE

CREATED MORE FERVER TO LOVE

OTHERS THROUGH SHARING THE

GOSPEL.

THE WALLS HAVE DEEPENED MY LOVE

FOR MY SAVIOR.

ACLU IS CALLING ON THE UNITED

NATIONS, U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT

AND CONGRESS DEMANDING SAEED

ABEDINI'S RELEASE.

FOR A LINK TO THE PETITION VISIT

CBNNEWS.COM.

CHRIS MITCHELL REPORTS, ONE

GROUP HOPES TO CHANGE BY SHOWING

THE WORLD THE MANY FRIENDS OF

THE JEWISH STATE

REPORTER: RECENTLY

PRO-ISRAEL LAWMAKERS GATHERED IN

JERUSALEM.

THE ISRAEL-ALLIES FOUNDATION AND

CAME TO LEND LEGISLATIVE SUPPORT

FOR ISRAEL.

WE ARE DOING SOMETHING THAT

NOBODY HAS DONE AND FORM A

NETWORK OF MORE THAN 500 MEMBERS

OF PARLIAMENT TO SUPPORT ISRAEL

AND SPEAK WITH ONE VOICE.

FOR US TO PROVIDE THIS GROUP A

MINI-U.N. GROUP IS VITALLY

IMPORTANT FOR ISRAEL'S ABILITY

TO MAKE THE TOUGH DECISIONS.

WHEN YOU SEE PEOPLE IN MANY

COUNTRIES LIKE SOUTH AFRICA AND

LATIN AMERICA, CANADA.

WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER TOWARDS

THE SAME GOAL.

THE STRENGTH THAT IS NECESSARY

IN THESE DIFFICULT TIMES.

KENNETH MASHOE STOPPED

LEGISLATION TO STOP EXPORTS.

OUR FRIENDS CAN DO WHAT THEY

ARE DOING AND WE WILL SHOW THEM

WE WILL NOT HAVE -- FOR AS LONG

AS WE ARE THERE.

I THINK SINCERELY, THERE HAS

NEVER BEEN A MORE CRITICAL TIME

TO STAND WITH ISRAEL THAN NOW.

TRENT LEADS ON THE U.S.

CAUCUS AND ISRAEL SITS ON THE

FRONT LINES OF BATTLE WITH

ISLAM.

I THINK IT IS ONE OF THE MOST

VITAL SECURITY ISSUES IN THE

WORLD AND AMERICA MUST STAND

WITH ISRAEL.

PEOPLE MORE AND MORE IN THE

CONGRESS ARE UNDERSTANDING THAT

THE PEACE OF THE ENTIRE WORLD IS

LARGELY PREDICATED ON WHAT

HAPPENS TO ISRAEL.

THE ISRAEL-ALLIES CONFERENCE

RELEASED A DECLARATION

SUPPORTING AN UNDIVIDED

JERUSALEM.

STATING THAT IRAN REPRESENTS A

CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER TO THE

STATE OF ISRAEL.

SO FAR 20 PARLIAMENTS MEET

AROUND THE WORLD.

IT IS MERGING APPRECIATION FOR

ISRAEL WITH POLITICAL ACTION.

BY THIS, WE ARE LOCATING

GRASS ROOTS, COMMUNITIES OF

BELIEVES THAT THANKS TO THE

BIBLE CLOSE TO ISRAEL AND WE ARE

GOING TO THE SPIRITUAL LEADERS

AND THE POLITICAL

REPRESENTATIVES.

IT IS JUST THE BEGINNING.

GROWS AND GROWS AND GROWS.

IT IS NOT JUST A POLITICAL

THING.

CHRIS MITCHELL, CBN NEWS,

JERUSALEM.

GUESS WHO IS MISSING FROM

CHRISTMAS IN BETHLEHEM THIS

YEAR?

THAT IS THE NAME OF THIS

CAMPAIGN SEEN IN THIS YOUTUBE

VIDEO.

JESUS IS PRACTICALLY MISSING IN

THE TOWN OF HIS BIRTH.

OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS, I

HAVE BEEN NOTICING LESS AND LESS

OF CHRIST AND MORE AND MORE OF

SANTA AND SNOWMEN IN THE HEART

OF BETHLEHEM.

CHRISTMAS FOR EVERYONE, YES,

EVERYBODY CAN CELEBRATE

CHRISTMAS BUT YOU CAN'T TAKE

JESUS OUT.

CHRISTMAS IS ABOUT JESUS.

THAT IS WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE.

CORY PUT THE CHRISTMAS

MESSAGE IN ENGLISH AND ARABIC IT

SAYS JESUS, BORN TO DIE AND ROSE

AGAIN, INVITE HIM INTO YOUR

HEART SO YOU MIGHT LIVE.

PERSECUTION HAS DRIVEN MANY

CHRISTIANS OUT OF BETHLEHEM

DROPPING FROM 80-10% OF THE

POPULATION.

POPE BENEDICT HAS WRITTEN AN

ARTICLE FOR THE SECULAR

NEWSPAPER.

IN IT THE POPE ADVISES THE WORLD

TO USE THIS SEASON AS A TIME OF

SERIOUS THOUGHT CALLING

CHRISTMAS A TIME OF GREAT JOY

AND DEEPER REFLECTION EVEN

EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE.

THE VATICAN HAS WRITTEN FOR AN

ITALIAN RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS

MAGAZINE AND WEEKLY NEWSPAPER IN

MUNICH.

COMING UP, SOLUTIONS TO

SCHOOL SAFETY, HOW SOME SAY WE

SHOULD PROTECT STUDENTS.

ONE BY ONE, 26 VICTIMS OF

SANDY HOOK SHOOTING VICTIMS ARE

BEING LAID TO REST.

*

A PAINFUL IMAGE MARKS MOST OF

THE FUNERALS, LITTLE COFFINS

MUCH TOO SMALL.

NINE FUNERALS HELD WEDNESDAY.

MORE THAN 100 FIREFIGHTER

HONORED SEVEN-YEAR-OLD DANIEL

BARTON.

AT SIX-YEAR-OLD CAROLINE'S

FUNERAL, THEY WORE PINK.

FIVE MORE FUNERALS TAKING PLACE

TODAY.

WE HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE ON OUR

SITE SO YOU CAN PRAY FOR THE

VICTIMS, YOU CAN FIND IT AT

CBNNEWS.COM.

FIVE STATES WILL CONSIDER LAWS

TO ALLOW TEACHERS AND

ADMINISTRATORS TO CARRY FIREMANS

AT SCHOOL.

CRITICS FEAR GUN CARRYING

TEACHERS COULD DO MORE HARM THAN

GOOD.

IN TINY, WICHITA FALLS,

TEXAS, THEY ALLOW TEACHERS TO

CARRY GUNS IN THE CLASSROOM.

POLICY GOES BACK TO 2007 WHEN

THE SUPERINTENDENT BELIEVED IT

HAS AND WILL PREVENT A SCHOOL

SHOOTING. IF SOMEONE COMES

IN TO HURT MY LITTLE ONES, THEY

ARE KILLED.

I LIKE IT.

IT MAKES ME FEEL SAFER.

SINCE THE SANDY HOOK TRAGEDY,

SOME LAWMAKERS HAVE BEGUN

PUSHING THIS SOLUTION, ARM

TEACHERS AS A FIRST LINE OF

DEFENSE.

THINKING, SUCH A PLAN COULD HAVE

SAVED LIVES IN NEWTOWN.

I WISH TO GOD SHE HAD AN M-4

LOCKED UP IN HER OFFICE.

28 SCHOOLS HAVE ARMED

SECURITY STAFF, 20% OF PRIMARY

SCHOOLS, 54% OF MIDDLE SCHOOLS

AND 68% OF HIGH SCHOOLS.

QUESTION NOW IS, SHOULD TEACHERS

BE ARMED?

AT LEAST ONE COMPANY IS ALREADY

TRAINING THEM.

VIOLENCE NEEDS VIOLENCE TO

SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

WE THINK FIREMANS ARE A GOOD

ALTERNATIVE.

BILL BOND DISAGREES.

PRINCIPAL AT HEATH HIGH SCHOOL

IN PADUCAH, KENTUCKY DURING A

SHOOTING.

MORE GUNS MEAN MORE GUN SHED.

A LOT OF INNOCENT STUDENTS

WOULD BE KILLED.

TEACHERS THEMSELVES ARE

DIVIDED.

MY GUT REACTION WOULD BE NO

WAY.

MORE GUNS, LESS SAFE THE SCHOOL

IS.

GROWING CONCERN ABOUT SCHOOL

SAFETY, ENTREPRENEURS ARE COMING

UP WITH NEW APPROACHES.

THIS BACKPACK HAS A SHEET OF

BULLET RESISTANT BODY ARMOR.

THIS MARINE DAD IS DOING HIS

PART.

HE IS STANDING GUARD PROTECTING

THE CHILDREN AT HIS DAUGHTER'S

SCHOOL.

HEAVY SNOW FALL AND STRONG

WINDS CREATING BLIZZARDS

CONDITIONS FROM KANSAS TO

NEBRASKA.

WIND GUSTS UP TO 60 MILES PER

HOUR.

IN IOWA, RESIDENTS MET WITH A

MIX OF LOUD THUNDER AND SNOW.

SNOW LEFT TRAVELERS STRANDED AND

FLIGHT DELAYS.

ONE CANCELLATION, TWO DELAYS,

MISSED ONE PLANE BY THREE

MINUTES.

WE HAD INTENTIONS ON FLYING

OUT TO MINNEAPOLIS TO MADISON.

WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT WHAT COULD

HAPPEN WITH A OMAHA FLIGHT.

WE FOUND A RENTAL CAR AND TRY TO

MAKE THE DRIVE THROUGH.

FORECASTERS SAY AS MUCH AS A

FOOT OF SNOW COULD FALL IN SOME

AREAS.

UP NEXT, IT IS ONE OF THE

GREATEST CHRISTMAS CLASSICS THE

FAITH BEHIND "A CHRISTMAS

CAROL."

MANY FAMILIES MAKE IT A

TRADITION TO WATCH OR READ

CHARLES DICKENS, "A CHRISTMAS

CAROL" MOST PROBABLY DON'T KNOW

ABOUT THE MAN BEHIND THE STORY.

THE WORK OF DICKENS IS STILL

STUDY TODAY INCLUDING HOW HIS

FAITH INSPIRED HIS WRITING.

TODAY?

IT IS CHRISTMAS DAY, OF COURSE.

FROM THE SCREEN TO THE STAGE.

THE TRANSFORMATION OF EBENEZER

SCROOGE FROM MISER TO CHEERFUL

GIVER STRIKES A CORD IN THE

HEARTS OF ADULTS AND CHILDREN.

*

[SINGING]

ALL THESE VERSIONS ARE THE

RESULT OF CHARLES DICKEN'S

CLASSIC NOVEMBER "A CHRISTMAS

CAROL" HE LOVED THE HOLIDAY EVEN

QUOTED AS SAYING I WILL HONOR

CHRISTMAS IN MY HEART AND TRY TO

KEEP IT ALL THE YEAR.

MANKIND WAS MY BUSINESS,

COMMON WELFARE, CHARITY, MERCY,

FORBEARANCE AND BENEVOLENCE WERE

ALL MY BUSINESS.

GARY COLLINS HAS STUDIED

DICKENS EARNING A PHD AT THE

UNIVERSITY OF ST. ANDREWS FOR

HIS WORK ON THE FAITH OF

DICKENS.

THAT IS WHAT IS PREVALENT,

THAT IDEA, THAT REAL

CHRISTIANITY, DICKENS USES THAT

TERM "REAL CHRISTIANITY."

THAT IS BEING LIKE JESUS.

COLLEGE DISCOVERED DICKENS

WAS A CHRISTIAN AND HIS FAITH IN

JESUS CHRIST SURFACES THROUGHOUT

HIS WORKS IN THEMES AND

CHARACTERS.

HE READ A LETTER.

ALL MY STRONGEST ELLE STRAGSS

ARE DERIVED FROM THE FIRST

TESTAMENT.

ALL MY GOOD PEOPLE HUMBLE,

CHARITABLE, FORGIVING, OVER AND

OVER I CLAIM THEM AND EXPRESSED

WORDS AS THE FOUNDER OF OUR

RELIGION.

THE WARNING TO SCROOGE

REFLECTS THE IMPORTANCE OF

IMITATING CHRIST.

TAKING CARE OF HUMANITY,

THINKING ABOUT MY FELLOW MAN,

DOING UNTO OTHERS AS I WOULD

HAVE THEM DO UNTO ME.

FOR DICKENS, THE GOLDEN RULE WAS

CRUCIAL.

THE CHRISTIAN FAITH OF

CHARLES DICKENS IS THIS LITTLE

KNOWN WORK WRITTEN OVER THREE

YEARS FOR HIS CHILDREN TITLED

"LIFE OF OUR LORD."

CRITICS ARE RIGHT.

IT IS NOT A FANTASTIC PIECE OF

LITERATURE.

IT IS -- IT SHINES A BRIGHT

LIGHT ON DICKEN'S FAITH.

HE IS THE SOUL EDITOR.

COLLEGE CALLS A LIFE OF OUR

LORD A GOSPEL HARMONY AND

INTERWEAVES IT INTO A SINGLE

NARRATIVE.

DICKENS SUMMARIZED LIFE OF

CHRIST FOR HIS CHILDREN.

MY DEAR CHILDREN, I AM

ANXIOUS THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

SOMETHING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF

JESUS CHRIST.

EVERYBODY OUGHT TO KNOW ABOUT

HIM. A CHRISTIAN FAMILY AT

THE TIME WOULD HAVE HAD TWO

BOOKS IN THEIR HOME, THE BIBLE

AND A GOSPEL HARMONY.

SPIRITUAL FORMATION OF HIS

CHILDREN IS NOTHING DICKENS

WOULD LEAVE TO SOMEONE ELSE.

THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY

IMPORTANT TOOL IN DICKEN'S

FAMILY FOR RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION

AND CHRISTIAN THINKING.

COLLEGE SAYS VERY FEW PEOPLE

KNOW ABOUT THIS PART OF DICKEN'S

WORK OR HIS CHRISTIAN FAITH.

LITERARY CRITICS DISMISSED IT AS

SUPERFICIAL.

EDUCATORS FOLLOWED SUIT.

COLLEGE FOUND HIMSELF CRITICIZED

WHEN PRESENTING HIS DISROTATIONS

AT ST. ANDREWS F

THIS ICON OF BRITISH

LITERATURE WAS SOME HOW OF

FAITH.

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN THAT

HOSTILITY, PEOPLE LIKE DARKNESS

BETTER THAN LIGHT.

A HANDFUL OF LITERARY

SCHOLARS HAVE DISCUSSED THE

FAITH OF DICKENS, THE GREATEST

WRITER'S IN HISTORY, COLLEGE

SAYS HE BELIEVED GOD WANTED HIM

TO WRITE THIS BOOK "GOD AND

CHARLES DICKENS, RECOVERING THE

CLASSIC VOICE."

ALL OF IT WAS GUIDED BY OUR

LORD.

IT WAS RATHER EASY TO GET A

PUBLISHER.

THAT IS NOT ALWAYS TRUE.

IT IS JUST A GOOD FEELING WHEN

YOU KNOW THE SPIRIT OF GOD IS

INVOLVED AND THIS IS NOT YOUR

PROJECT.

HE DEDICATES THE BOOK TO HIS

GRANDCHILDREN MAY YOU EACH FOUND

JOY AS DID DICKENS IN OUR

SAVIOR.

UP NEXT FROM TEACHING TOOL TO

CHRISTMAS TRADITION, THE HISTORY

BEHIND NATIVITY SCENES.

THE NATIVITY SCENE IS ONE OF

THE ICONIC IMAGES OF CHRISTMAS.

WHEN DID PEOPLE START DECORATING

WITH IMAGES?

WENDY GRIFFITH TALKED TO ONE

EXPERT THAT EXPLAINS THE

BEGINNINGS OF THE TRADITION.

ACE, I JUST LOVE NATIVITY

SCENES, THIS REMINDS ME OF THE

ONE WE HAD IN MY HOUSE GROWING

UP AS A CHILD.

WHEN DID PEOPLE START DISPLAYING

NATIVITY SCENES?

FIRST NATIVITY SCENE IS

BEGINNING WHAT WE LOOK AT TODAY

STARTED BY FRANCES OF CISLY,

EIGHT CENTURIES AGO.

HE INCORPORATED LIVE ACTORS,

PART OF A TWO-HOUR LONG PAGEANT

WHERE HE BROUGHT THE MANGER

SCENE TO LIFE FOR THE FIRST TIME

SO PEOPLE COULD REALLY

UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED ON THAT

FIRST CHRISTMAS NIGHT.

THE NIGHT THAT JESUS WAS

BORN, WE KNOW HE WAS BORN IN A

MANGER, HOW ACCURATE IS A

NATIVITY SCENE LIKE THIS ONE?

WE DON'T KNOW.

THERE HAD TO BE ANIMALS, THE

CITY IS FULL, THEY WERE INSIDE

THE STABLE, NOT ON THE OUTSIDE.

WE KNOW THE SHEPHERDS ARRIVED.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE KNOW IS THE

MAJI, VISITORS FROM THE EAST,

KINGS DIDN'T COME TO THE MANGER.

THEY CAME MANY, MANY, MANY

MONTHS LATER AND VISITED MARY

AND JOSEPH IN THEIR HOME AND

SPENT THE NIGHT WITH THEM.

MOST OF THE NATIVITY SCENES ARE

NOT ACCURATE.

THAT ISN'T AS IMPORTANT AS IT IS

TO REALIZE MORE THAN ANYTHING

ELSE, THESE LITTLE NATIVITY

SCENES PUT THE FOCUS BACK ON THE

REASON FOR THE SEASON.

IT REALLY SHOWS US THAT GOD CAME

TO US AS A COMMON MAN SO WE

COULD ALL RELATE TO HIM.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU,

HEATHER, WHEN I AM LOOKING AT

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS WHEN I SEE A

NATIVITY, OH GOOD.

SO REFRESHING.

DEFINITELY.

"NEWSWATCH."

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