TONIGHT ON "NEWSWATCH,"

STEPPING FORWARD IN SYRIA,

WHAT THE UNITED NATIONS SAYS

HAS TO HAPPEN BEFORE THE

COUNTRY CAN ENTER PEACE

TALKS.

Wendy: PLUS, IS HAND

SOAP HEALTHY?

HOW A DECISION FROM THE

F.D.A. COULD CHANGE HOW MANY

PRODUCTS ARE SOLD.

Mark: AND HOW ONE

CHURCH IS WORKING TO BRING

SOME CIVIL DISCUSSION BACK

TO ONE OF THE MOST HEATEDLY

DEBATED TOPICS AROUND.

ALL OF THIS AND MORE TONIGHT

ON "NEWSWATCH."

THIS WEEK ALONE MORE THAN

200 SYRIANS HAVE BEEN KILLED

IN THE COUNTRY'S BLOODY

CIVIL WAR.

GOOD EVENING, I'M MARK

MARTIN.

Wendy: AND I'M WENDY

GRIFFITH.

AMONG THAT 200, 28 CHILDREN

ARE DEAD.

THE HEAD OF THE UNITED

NATIONS SAYS THE SYRIAN

CONFLICT HAS DETERIORATED

BEYOND ALL IMAGINATION.

AND NOW REPORTS ARE

SURFACING THAT al-QAEDA

REBELS THERE ARE USING

CHILDREN TO CARRY OUT THEIR

ATTACKS.

HEATHER CELLS HAS MORE IN

TONIGHT'S TOP STORY.

Reporter: THE MUSIC IS

CHILLING AND SO IS THE

STRATEGY.

THE "WASHINGTON POST"

REPORTS THAT al-QAEDA

REBELS IN SYRIA ARE TRAINING

CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS 10 FOR

MILITARY MISSIONS.

INCLUDING SUICIDE BOMBINGS.

HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS SAY

SECULARIST REBELS AND

MALITIAS ARE USING CHILD

SOLDIERS IN SYRIA.

IT IS ANOTHER REASON WHY THE

UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY IS

DEMANDING A CEASE-FIRE

BEFORE TALKS BEGIN NEXT

MONTH.

WE MUST HAVE A CESSATION

OF HO HOSTILITY BEFORE WE

BEGIN A POLITICAL DIALOGUE

ON SYRIA.

Reporter: BOTH THE U.S.

AND RUSSIA HAVE HELPED

BROKER THE TALKS.

WE ARE COMMITTED TO TRY

TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER A

STRONG REPRESENTATION OF THE

OPPOSITION, TOGETHER WITH

THE ASSAD REGIME

REPRESENTATIVES, AND WITH

MAYBE 30 OR SO OTHER

COUNTRIES.

AND ALL TRY TO WORK IN THE

SAME DIRECTION, WHICH IS TO

GET A POLITICAL SETTLEMENT

OUT OF SYRIA.

Reporter: THE HEAD OF

THE U.N. IS HOPING THAT A

CEASE-FIRE WOULD PAVE THE

WAY FOR A POLITICAL SOLUTION

TO THE TWO AND A HALF-YEAR

CONFLICT, BUT IN RECENT

WEEKS, VIOLENCE HAS SURGED,

AS THE WARING SIDES TRY TO

HOLD ON OR CLAIM NEW

TERRITORY AS A POSSIBLE

NEGOTIATING STRATEGY.

ONE SIGN OF PROGRESS: THE

AUTHORIZATION OF A PLAN TO

DESTROY SYRIA'S CHEMICAL

WEAPONS OF MAS WEAPONS.

THE ORGANIZATION FOR THE

PROHIBITION OF CHEMICAL

WEAPONS APPROVED THE

DETAILS.

IT INCLUDES HELP FROM

DENMARK AND NORWAY, WITH THE

FINAL DESTRUCTION TAKING

PLACE ON A U.S. SHIP.

MID-2014 IS THE DEADLINE.

HEATHER CELLS, CBN NEWS.

Mark: AUTHOR AND MIDDLE

EAST EXPERT DR. WALID FERRIS

JOINS US WITH MORE.

DOCTOR, DO YOU THINK THAT

THE CIVIL WAR IN SYRIA HAS

OPENED THE DOOR FOR IT TO

BECOME AN ISLAMIC

EXTREMISM?

IT IS BOTH WAYS.

ON THE ONE HAND THAT THE

OBAMA ADMINISTRATION DID NOT

, IN 2011, INTERVENE AND

MAKE SURE THAT HEZBOLLAH AND

IRAN DO NOT INTERVENE IN

SYRIA, AND MAKING SURE THAT

AL-QAEDA WAS NOT A THREAT

IN THE BEGINNING -- SINCE

THIS HAS NOT BE DONE,

JIHADISTS FROM LIBYA AND

INDONESIA AND AROUND THE

WORLD FORMED A LARGE POOL.

THEY WERE PROJECTED TO SEIZE

THE OPPORTUNITY.

IT IS THE ABSENCE OF U.S.

AND WESTERN POLICY THAT

ALLOWS THEM TO NOW TRANSFORM

SYRIA TO PERHAPS AN

AFGHANISTAN-LIKE

BATTLEFIELD.

Mark: THE UNITED

NATIONS IS CALLING FOR A

CEASE-FIRE IN SYRIA.

IS THAT GOING TO HAPPEN?

A CEASE-FIRE IN SYRIA

WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF BOTH

PARTIES WILL BE VERY

DIFFICULT.

THE REGIME WOULD NOT CONSENT

BEFORE THEY CONTROL ALL

CITIES.

AND THE OTHER PROBLEM IS

THAT THE OPPOSITION IS

DIVIDED BETWEEN THE MORE

SECULAR AND MODERATE SYRIA

ARMY AND THE ASCENDING AND

GROWING JIHADISTS WHO ARE

NOT GOING TO BE ACCEPTING

ANY CEASE-FIRE.

THEY MAY EXCEPT A CEASE-FIRE

IN A NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT NOT

ACROSS SYRIA.

DO YOU SEE AN END OF THE

CIVIL WAR IN SYRIA?

IT IS UNFORTUNATE, BUT I

DO NOT SEE AN IMMEDIATE END

TO THE CIVIL WAR IN SYRIA,

AS LONG AS WE DON'T HAVE A

POLICY FOR SYRIA.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE NOT

ENGAGING THE ISLAMIST

FRONT.

WE HAVE ENGAGED THE TWO

WRONG SIDES.

THE REAL GROUP THAT WE NEED

TO ENGAGE ARE FIGHTING

INSIDE SYRIA.

THE MODERATES, THE

CHRISTIANS, JEWS, KURDS, AND

ANYBODY WHO IS WILLING TO DO

PEACE IN SYRIA.

UNFORTUNATELY, THEY HAVE NOT

DONE IT.

Mark: THE HUMANITARIAN

CRISIS IS TREMENDOUS WITH

THIS.

DO YOU THINK THE AVERAGE

PERSON WHO IS GOING TO SEE

THIS INTERVIEW REALIZES THE

MAGNITUDE, WALID?

I HOPE THEY WILL.

WE ARE RECEIVING REPORTS HOW

KIDS, CHILDREN, AND OLDER

PEOPLE ARE DYING IN REFUGEE

CAMPS IN LEBANON AND

GEORGIA, AND TURKEY,

SPECIFICALLY AFTER THE WAVE

OF COLD.

WE REALLY NEED TO DO

SOMETHING FOR THE SYRIAN

REFUGEES.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE

LARGEST GROUP OF REFUGEES

NOW EXISTING IN THE MIDDLE

EAST, AND NOT REALLY

ADMINISTERED TO.

IT IS A TRAGEDY.

DR. WALID FERRIS, THANK

YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND

INSIGHTS, SIR.

THANK YOU.

Wendy: HERE AT HOME,

THE BIPARTISAN BUDGET DEAL

HAS CLEARED A MAJOR HURTLE

IN THE SENATE.

IN A VOTE OF 67-33,

LAWMAKERS DECIDED TO END

DEBATE ON THE MEASURE.

THE KEY PROCEDURAL VOTE

MEANS THE BILL HAS OVERCOME

THE POSSIBILITY OF A

REPUBLICAN FILIBUSTER.

THE SENATE IS EXPECTED TO

VOTE ON WEDNESDAY, AND IT

WILL THEN HEAD TO THE

PRESIDENT'S DESK, TO BE

SIGNED INTO LAW.

Mark: THE U.S. SENATE

HAS CONFIRMED JAY JOHNSON AS

THE NEW HEAD OF THE

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND

SECURITY.

JOHNSON, A FORMER TOP

PENTAGON LAWYER, WAS

PRESIDENT OBAMA'S PICK FOR

THE JOB.

HIS CONFIRMATION COMES AS A

DEFEAT TO A REPUBLICAN

FILIBUSTER.

HE IS THE FOURTH PERSON TO

LEAVE THE DEPARTMENT OF

HOMELAND SECURITY SINCE ITS

INCEPTION AFTER THE 9/11

ATTACKS.

ABOUT 40% OF SENIOR

LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN THE

DEPARTMENT ARE CURRENTLY

VACANT.

JOHNSON SAYS FILLING THOSE

POSTS IS AMONG HIS TOP

PRIORITIES.

Wendy: THE MAN BEHIND

THE NATIONAL SECURITY

AGENCY'S LEAKS IS SEEKING

ASYLUM IN BRAZIL.

IN A LETTER RELEASED TODAY,

EEDWARD SNOWDEN OFFERS TO

HELP BRAZIL INVESTIGATE

N.S.A. SURVEILLANCE ACTIVITY

IN EXCHANGE FOR POLITICAL

ASYLUM.

HIS REQUEST COMES DAYS AFTER

ONE N.S.A. TASKFORCE LEADER

SUGGESTED THE U.S. GRANT

SNOWDEN AMNESTY, A

SUGGESTION THAT THE OBAMA

ADMINISTRATION QUICKLY SHOT

DOWN.

IT HAS BEEN ACCUSED OF

LEAKING CLASSIFIED

INFORMATION.

AND HE FACES FELONY CHARGES

HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.

Wendy: PART OF THAT

CLASSIFIED INFORMATION

INCLUDES THE REVELATION THE

N.S.A. COLLECTS PHONE DATA

ON CALLS HERE IN THE U.S.

THE MOVE A FEDERAL JUDGE

RULED UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

THAT DECISION HAS BEEN PUT

ON HOLD PENDING AN APPEAL

FROM THE GOVERNMENT.

MANY PREDICT THE CASE WILL

ULTIMATELY BE DECIDED BY THE

SUPREME COURT.

Mark: THE FEDERAL

RESERVE TODAY KICKED OFF A

TWO-DAY MEETING DETERMINING

THE FUTURE OF THE CURRENT

ECONOMIC STIMULUS PROGRAM.

FED CHAIRMAN BEN BERNANKE IS

PREPARING TO LEAVE HIS POST

IN THE NEW YEAR, AND MANY

SPECULATE THAT WILL BRING

ABOUT AN END TO THE STIMULUS

MEASURES, AIMED AT KEEPING

INTEREST RATES LOW.

BERNANKE'S EXPECTED

SUCCESSOR, JANET YELLEN,

SAID DURING HER CONFIRMATION

HEARING THAT THE CURRENT

PROGRAM CANNOT CONTINUE

INDEFINITELY, BUT IT WILL

REMAIN UNTIL THE ECONOMY

SHOWS FURTHER IMPROVEMENT.

THE DECISION WILL BE

ANNOUNCED TOMORROW.

Wendy: IN HEALTH NEWS,

ANTI-BACTERIAL SOAPS MAY BE

DOING MORE HARM THAN GOOD.

THE FOOD AND DRUG

ADMINISTRATION SAYS THE

SOAPS MAY ACTUALLY BE

DANGEROUS TO YOUR HEALTH.

HEALTH REPORTER LORI JOHNSON

EXPLAINS THE PROBLEM.

Reporter: MILLIONS OF

AMERICANS CHOOSE

ANTI-BACTERIAL SOAPS AND

BODY WASHES THINKING THEY'RE

BETTER THAN ORDINARY SOAP.

BUT THE F.D.A. SHOCKED

CONSUMERS BY ANNOUNCING

THESE PRODUCTS AREN'T BETTER

AT ALL, AND, IN FACT, COULD

BE A LOT WORSE.

SO BAD THAT THEY MAY BE

REMOVED FROM STORE SHELVES.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE HAVE

LOTS OF GOOD BACTERIA IN OUR

BODY, BACTERIA THAT KEEPS US

HEALTHY.

ANTI-BACTERIAL SOAPS CAN

KILL THAT GOOD BACTERIA,

LEADING TO SERIOUS ISSUES,

LIKE ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE,

OR HORMONE PROBLEMS.

THE F.D.A. SAYS RESEARCH

FROM ANIMAL STUDIES

SUGGESTED THAT DAILY

EXPOSURE TO ANTIBACTERIAL

CHEMICALS HAD AN EFFECT ON

ESTROGEN, TESTOSTERONE, AND

THYROID HORMONES.

THERE ARE ABOUT 2,000

ANTIBACTERIAL SOAPS, WASHES,

AND DEODORANTS ON THE

MARKET, AND THEY'RE PRETTY

EASY TO RECOGNIZE.

MOST SAY ANTIBACTERIAL,

ANTIPI ANTIMICROBIAL ON THE

LABEL.

AND THEY'RE REQUIRED TO

DISPLAY A DRUG FACTS LABEL.

LOOK FOR THE ACTIVE

INGREDIENT, TRICLOSAN.

THE COMPANIES THAT MAKE

THESE PRODUCTS, OF COURSE,

THINK THE F.D.A.'S CONCERNS

ARE OVERBLOWN.

THE FACT IS TRICLOSAN IS

SAFE, HAS AN EXTENSIVE TRACK

RECORD.

Reporter: THE F.D.A.

WANTS TO GIVE ANTIBACTERIAL

SOAP COMPANIES A YEAR TO TRY

TO PROVE THEIR PRODUCTS ARE

SAFE AND BETTER THAN REGULAR

SOAP.

AND IF THEY CAN'T, THE

PRODUCTS MUST BE

REFORMULATED, RELABELLED, OR

REMOVED FROM STORE SHELVES

BY 2016.

IN THE MEANTIME, THE F.D.A.

STILL SAYS WASHING YOUR

HANDS IS THE BEST WAY TO

AVOID GETTING SICK.

PREFERABLE WITH GOD

OLD-FASHIONED, REGULAR SOAP

AND WATER.

LORI JOHNSON, CBN NEWS.

Mark: HUNDREDS OF

FIREFIGHTERS ARE BATTLING A

500-ACRE BRUSHFIRE IN

CALIFORNIA.

BIG SUR IS HISTORICALLY ONE

THE WETTEST PLACES IN THE

STATE.

UNLIKE THE REST OF

CALIFORNIA, THE AREA IS

EXPERIENCING THE DRIEST

CALENDAR YEAR ON RECORD.

THE OFF-SEASON FIRE HAS

DESTROYED 15 HOMES SO FAR

AND FORCED THE EVACUATION OF

AT LEAST 100 PEOPLE.

I JUST HAVEN'T ABSORBED

IT ALL YET.

I WALKED OUT THE DOOR TO GO

TO WHAT I THOUGHT IT WAS A

FIRE SOMEWHERE ELSE, AND

THERE WAS ASHES AND SPARKS

GOING RIGHT BY MY FRONT

DOOR.

Mark: THE CAUSE OF THE

FIRE IS STILL UNDER

INVESTIGATION.

MEANWHILE, THE AMERICA RED

CROSS IS PROVIDING WATER AND

FOOD FOR THOSE IN NEED.

OFFICIALS ARE HOPING TO HAVE

THE FIRE FULLY CONTAINED BY

THE END OF THE WEEK.

Wendy: COMING UP, AS

RESIDENTS CONTINUE TYPHOON

CLEANUP, A LOOK AT HOW CBN

DISASTER RELIEF TEAMS ARE

MINISTERING TO THE FOLKS IN

THE PHILIPPINES.

Wendy: THE U.S. IS

PLEDGING $40 MILLION IN

MILITARY AID TO HELP THE

PHILIPPINES PROTECT ITS

TERRITORIAL WATERS.

SECRETARY OF STATE JOHN

KERRY MADE HIS ANNOUNCEMENT

DURING HIS VISIT TO THE

ASIAN NATION.

THIS COMES AMID RISING

TENSIONS WITH CHINA OVER

TERRITORIES IN THE SOUTH

CHINA SEA.

PART OF THE U.S. AID MONEY

WILL BE USED TO STRENGTHEN

FILIPINO EFFORTS AGAINST

al-QAEDA-LINKED MILITANTS.

KERRY SAYS THE ANNOUNCEMENT

IS PART OF THE OBAMA

ADMINISTRATION'S DECISION TO

REFOCUS ON ASIA.

MEANWHILE, OVER 6,000 PEOPLE

ARE DEAD AFTER THAT MASSIVE

TYPHOON HIT THE PHILIPPINES

LAST MONTH.

NEARLY 1800 PEOPLE ARE STILL

MISSING, MARK.

Mark: 20 TO 30 BODIES

ARE STILL BEING FOUND EVERY

DAY, MAKING IT THE WORST

NATURAL DISASTER ON RECORD

IN THE PHILIPPINES.

Wendy: OUR LUCILLE

TALUSEN HAS BEEN ON THE

GROUND THERE AND HAS BEEN

THERE SINCE THE TRAGEDY

HAPPENS.

SHE BRINGS US THIS LOOK AT

HOW FOLKS ARE RELYING ON GOD

TO BRING THEM THROUGH.

Reporter: SEVERAL WEEKS

AT TYPHOON HAIYAN STRUCK,

VILLAGERS ARE STRUGGLING TO

RECOVER FROM THE LOSS OF

LOVED ONES AND HOMES.

THAT IS MY GRANDDAUGHTER

ALONG THE ROAD.

THE OTHER ONE IS STILL

MISSING.

WE ALSO LOST OUR HOUSE.

Reporter: THIS LADY

PASTOR PRAYED FOR RICO AND

INVITED HIM TO ATTEND

CHURCH.

MANY, LIKE RICO, HAVE TURNED

TO GOD BECAUSE OF THE

TRAGEDY.

BUT EVEN THE MOST FAITHFUL

CHURCH WORKERS HAVE ALSO

EXPERIENCED HARDSHIPS AND

LOSS.

SO THIS IS WHERE PASTOR

DANTE LIVES, AND THIS IS

WHERE HIS THREE CHILDREN

WERE SWEPT AWAY BY THE

SURGING WATERS.

WE WERE HOLDING ON TO THE

BEAM OF OUR CEILING WHEN THE

BIG WAVES COLLAPSED OUR

HOUSE.

AND WE WERE SWALLOWED BY THE

BIG WAVES.

Reporter: ONLY ONE SON

SURVIVED.

WHEN THE WATERS SUBSIDED,

THEY FOUND THE BODIES OF

THEIR SONS, AGED 13 AND 7,

CLUTCHING EACH OTHER.

WHILE THE BODY OF THEIR

5-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WAS

FOUND THE NEXT DAY

UNDERNEATH A NEIGHBOR'S DOG,

WHO GUARDED HER OVERNIGHT.

WE WILL MISS THEM SO

MUCH.

WE WORKED SO HARD FOR THEIR

FUTURE.

THEY HELPED US IN OUR

FEEDING MINISTRY.

WE FEED THE CHILDREN, BUT

ALL THAT IS GONE.

WE DON'T KNOW WHERE TO

START, BUT WE BELIEVE GOD

WILL NOT FORSAKE US.

HE HAS A PURPOSE WHY WE ARE

STILL ALIVE.

Reporter: DELOR IS ALSO

GRIEVING OVER THE DEATH OF

HER MOTHER AND 13 OTHER

FAMILY MEMBERS.

WE NOTICED A WOUND UNDER HER

FOOT, AND WE TOOK HER AND

HER SURVIVING FAMILY MEMBERS

TO A CBN DISASTER RELIEF

MEDICAL CLINIC.

A DOCTOR EXAMINED AND

CLEANED HER WOUND.

SHE WAS ALSO GIVEN AN

ANTI-TETANUS SHOT, AND

VITAMINS AND MEDICINES FOR

HER FAMILY.

THE FAMILY APPRECIATED TIME

WITH THE CBN COUNSELLOR, WHO

LISTENED TO THEM AND PRAYED

FOR THEIR NEEDS.

WE DID NOT EXPECT THAT

PEOPLE LIKE YOU WOULD COME

TO HELP US.

YOUR SMILES MAKE OUR HEARTS

SMILE AS WELL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR

COMFORTING AND ENCOURAGING

YOU.

THIS IS A VERY DIFFICULT

TIME FOR US.

BUT WE SHALL CLING TO THE

LORD BECAUSE HE ALONE GIVES

US STRENGTH.

AND WE WILL CLING TO HIS

WORD BECAUSE HIS WORD ALONE

WILL SUSTAIN US.

Reporter: LUCILLE

TALUSEN, CBN NEWS, TACLOBAN,

PHILIPPINES.

Mark: FOR MORE ON THE

WORK CBN IS DOING IN THE

PHILIPPINES AND AROUND THE

WORLD, VISIT OUR WEBSITE,

CBNNEWS.COM.

Wendy: UP NEXT, A NEW

TAKE ON DEBATING SAME-SEX

MARRIAGE.

LISTENING TO THE OTHER

SIDE.

WE'LL EXPLAIN WHEN WE COME

BACK.

TACLOBAN LOBE

Mark: THE DEBATE OVER

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IS OFTEN

FRAMED AS A CULTURE WAR, BUT

SOME PEOPLE ARE TRYING A

DIFFERENT APPROACH, THAT IS,

A CIVIL DISCUSSION OF THE

ISSUES.

Wendy: A CHURCH

RECENTLY SPONSORED A

CONVERSATION ON MARRIAGE IN

ST. LOUIS, WHERE BOTH SIDES

LISTENED TO WHAT THE OTHER

HAD TO SAY.

HEATHER CELLS WAS THERE.

Reporter: MOST OF US

ARE ALL TOO FAMILIAR WITH

THE BATTLE OVER MARRIAGE.

GROWN FULL OF ANGRY

ACTIVISTS, SOUND BYTE

SLOGANS, AND SEEMINGLY NO

COMMON GROUND.

THAT'S WHY ONE CHURCH RENTED

A NIGHTCLUB IN DOWNTOWN ST.

LOUIS AND INVITED BOTH SIDES

FOR AN EVENING OF CALM

DISCUSSION OVER THE RED-HOT

TOPIC.

TAKING CENTER STAGE, GAY

PHILOSOPHER JOHN CORVINO,

AND CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER,

MATTHEW ANDERSON.

WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE IN

ST. LOUIS BREAKS NEW GROUND,

IN THAT IT PROVIDES A

DIFFERENT WAY TO TALK ABOUT

ONE OF THE MOST DEVISIVE

ISSUES OF OUR DAY.

THE EVENT IS BILLED NOT AS A

DEBATE, BUT A REASONABLE

CONVERSATION.

SO MUCH OF THE MARRIAGE

DEBATE WE SEE IN PUBLIC ON

STAGE INVOLVES THE ZINGERS,

HOW DO I SLAM THIS GUY AND

GET EVERYBODY TO CHEER AND

YELL AND LAUGH AND CLAP?

AND WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING

DIFFERENT.

Reporter: A NON

DENOMINATIONAL EVANGELICAL

CHURCH, "THE JOURNEY,"

ORGANIZED THE EVENING.

IT DREW A YOUNGER CROWD WITH

A WIDE RANGE OF BELIEFS, BUT

ALL HOPING FOR A DEEP

EXPLORATION OF THE ISSUE.

WE ARE REALLY, HONESTLY,

WONDERING AND WONDERING WHAT

BOTH SIDES HAVE TO SAY.

I'M HAPPY THAT IT IS EVEN

HAPPENING IN GENERAL.

I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD

SUPPORT HOMOSEXUALITY AND

GAY MARRIAGE AND ALL OF

THOSE THINGS.

AND I FIND IT INTERESTING

THAT PEOPLE ARE SO AGAINST

IT, JUST FROM A RELIGIOUS

STANDPOINT.

Reporter: AS THE

EVENING PROGRESSED, IT

BECAME CLEAR THAT CORVINO

AND ANDERSON, WHILE CALMLY

SIPPING TEA, WOULD NOT SHY

AWAY FROM SPEAKING TO THE

HARDEST POINTS, LIKE THIS ON

EQUALITY.

DECEPTIONS LIKE FAIRNESS

AND EQUALITY ARE MASSIVELY

DISPUTED.

I THINK THERE IS JUST A

FUNDAMENTAL DISAGREEMENT

OVER WHAT THE CONDITIONS OF

EQUALITY ARE.

Reporter: AND THE VALUE

OF MARRIAGE FOR GAYS.

RELATIONSHIPS ARE GOOD

FOR PEOPLE.

AND MARRIAGE IS GOOD FOR

RELATIONSHIPS.

MARRIAGE IS A WAY OF

RECOGNIZING PEOPLE AS THE

FAMILY UNIT THEY UNDERSTAND

THEMSELVES TO BE.

Reporter: ALSO

ADDRESSED, HARASSMENT OF

GAYS AND INTOLERANCE FOR

CHRISTIANS.

SO IT MAY BE THE CASE

THAT IN MANY RURAL

COMMUNITIES AND SUBURBAN

COMMUNITIES, L.G. B.D.

PEOPLE EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS.

AND THAT'S UNFORTUNATE.

BUT IF YOU GET INTO AN ELITE

CONTEXT IN THE ACADEMY, IN

HOLLYWOOD, IN NEW YORK AND

SOME OF THESE PLACES, THERE

ARE GENUINE SOCIAL CASTES

THAT PEOPLE WITH

CONSERVATIVE POSITIONS ON

HUMAN SEXUALITY PAY.

Reporter: WHAT SEEMED

TO MAKE THE EVENING WORK,

CORVINO AND ANDERSON'S

WILLINGNESS TO ENGAGE ON ALL

QUESTIONS, WHILE SHOWING

HUMOR ALONG THE WAY.

I'M INTERESTED IN A

CHRISTIANITY THAT THINKS NOT

ONLY ABOUT OUR CURRENT

SITUATION, BUT THAT THINKS

500 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.

AND IF WE --

THAT'S A LOT TO HAVE ON

YOUR MIND.

IT'S A LOT TO HAVE ON

YOUR MIND.

BUT I THINK IT IS ACTUALLY A

RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO, TO

THINK MULTI-GENERATIONALLY

ABOUT THIS.

Reporter: IN THE END,

NO ONE CONVERTED TO THE

OTHER SIDE, BUT THOSE WE

SPOKE WITH FELT BETTER

INFORMED AND GRATEFUL THAT

NEITHER SIDE TURNED ON THE

OTHER.

I THINK IT IS GOOD THERE

IS A DIALOGUE GOING ON.

IT IS NOT AN US VERSUS

THEM.

IT IS NATURAL TO

DISAGREE, THAT'S JUST HUMAN

NATURE.

BUT TO BE ABLE TO BE

POIGNANT BUT AT THE SAME

TIME NOT OFFENSIVE, AND JUST

OPEN ABOUT THE DIALOGUE, I

THOUGHT WAS AWESOME.

I COME FROM A CHRISTIAN

BACKGROUND, AND SO GETTING

TO HEAR BOTH SIDES, AND

GETTING TO ESPECIALLY HEAR

JOHN, COMING FROM AN EIGHTH

ATHEISTIC VIEW WAS

ENLIGHTENING.

AS THE CHURCH TRIES TO

FIND THE CULTURE THAT

FREQUENTLY DISMISSES

VIEWS -- THE KEY, HE SAYS,

SHOWING BOLDNESS, HUMILITY,

AND LOVE.

IF YOU'RE HEART DOES NOT

BREAK FOR SOMEBODY

STRUGGLING WITH SAME-SEX

ATTRACTION, YOU HAVE NO

BUSINESS TALKING TO THEM OR

EVEN ABOUT THEM.

WE'RE CALLED TO LOVE PEOPLE,

ALL RIGHT?

AND SO IF PEOPLE DON'T SEE

THAT LOVE, HOW ARE THEY NOT

GOING TO TUNE US OUT?

Reporter: IF IT IS UP

TO CORVINO AND ANDERSON,

THEY'LL TAKE THIS SHOW ON

THE ROAD.

A SMALL STEP, PERHAPS, BUT

ONE THAT COULD LEAD THE WAY

FOR ADDRESSING AN ISSUE THAT

AFFECTS US ALL.

REPORTING IN ST. LOUIS,

HEATHER CELLS, CBN NEWS.

Mark: UP NEXT, A SMALL

TOWN IN TEXAS GETS A

SURPRISING VISIT FROM A

SECRET SANTA.

Wendy: AND FINALLY

TONIGHT, THE SEASON OF

GIVING IS IN FULL EFFECT IN

GRAND BERRY, TEXAS.

A PERSON HAS TAKEN THE TIME

TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AT A

LOCAL WAL-MART.

Mark: THE SO-CALLED

ANONYMOUS ANGEL IS HELPING

PARENTS BUY GIFTS.

WE HAVE OUR VERY OWN

MYSTERY IN GRAND BERRY.

Mark: THE SECRET SANTA

PAID OFF MANY CHRISTMAS TOYS

FOR KIDS.

I ASKED IF IT WAS JUST ME

SPICLY, ISPECIFICALLY IF I

KNEW THE SECRET SANTA?

AND THEY SAID NO.

I'M JUST IN OFF O AWE OF

THIS PERSON.

Mark: THE UNANIMOUS

PERSON PAID AT LEAST $2,000

FOR THE TOYS ALONE.

THERE IS NO BETTER TIME FOR

A SECRET SANTA TO HELP THE

FAMILIES IN GRAND BERRY.

BACK IN MAY, A DEADLY

TORNADO TORE THROUGH THE

TOWN.

THE RESIDENTS SAY IT WILL GO

A LONG WAY TO HELP EN THE

REBUILDING PROCESS.

Wendy: I'M IN AWE OF

THAT.

I REALLY AM.

TALK ABOUT AN ACT OF RANDOM

KINDNESS.

AND WHAT A GREAT TIME OF

YEAR.

Mark: THAT'S ALL FOR

THIS EDITION OF

"N