Christians upset over UK's first TV abortion advert
The head of the Christian Legal Centre has condemned the first ever TV advertisement for abortion services. Marie Stopes made TV history when it advertised its abortion services on Channel 4 on Monday. The ad asked ‘Are you late?’ referring to women who may have missed a period. It will run throughout June. It is being broadcast as part of a wider campaign by the registered charity to ‘confront the taboo of abortion.’ The plans have upset pro-life and Christian groups, who are considering legal action to halt the broadcast of the advert. While commercial abortion clinics are prohibited from advertising on TV by the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice, the ban does not cover not-for-profit abortion providers like Marie Stopes.
Pray: for a balanced approach to counselling rather than a direct route to abortion as seems to be promoted in the advert. (Rev.4:11b
More: http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100520/christians-upset-over-uks-first-tv-abortion-ad/index.html
Portuguese bishops: gay 'marriage' law a step backward
Portuguese bishops, joined by the country's Pro-Life Federation, denounced their president's decision to legalize same-sex ‘marriage’ on Monday, calling the move a ‘step backward’ and an attack on the traditional family.’ A bill aimed at legalizing same-sex ‘marriages’ was passed by the Portuguese parliament in February with the support of the left-wing parties, which are in the majority. President Anibal Cavaco Silva had until May 17 to decide whether to sign the bill into law or exercise his veto power. The president, who is a self-identified Catholic, said on Monday that he was putting aside his ‘personal convictions’ and approving the legislation, making Portugal the sixth country in Europe to allow same-sex unions. Pope Benedict XVI recently visited to Portugal, where he stressed the importance of ‘protecting the essential and primary values of life’ which include the ‘indissoluble marriage between a man and a woman.’
Pray: against this trend across Europe and the World to go against God’s marriage principles. (Heb.13:4)
Portuguese bishops: gay 'marriage' law a step backward
Portuguese bishops, joined by the country's Pro-Life Federation, denounced their president's decision to legalize same-sex ‘marriage’ on Monday, calling the move a ‘step backward’ and an attack on the traditional family.’ A bill aimed at legalizing same-sex ‘marriages’ was passed by the Portuguese parliament in February with the support of the left-wing parties, which are in the majority. President Anibal Cavaco Silva had until May 17 to decide whether to sign the bill into law or exercise his veto power. The president, who is a self-identified Catholic, said on Monday that he was putting aside his ‘personal convictions’ and approving the legislation, making Portugal the sixth country in Europe to allow same-sex unions. Pope Benedict XVI recently visited to Portugal, where he stressed the importance of ‘protecting the essential and primary values of life’ which include the ‘indissoluble marriage between a man and a woman.’
Pray: against this trend across Europe and the World to go against God’s marriage principles. (Heb.13:4)
EU parliament backs new rules on organ donations
As MEPs approve plans to help tackle the illegal trafficking of human organs, Miroslav Mikolášik has criticised Europol's "passive approach" to the issue. European parliament deputies voted by 643 votes to 16 in support of the draft directive on quality and safety standards for human organs used for transplants in Strasbourg on Wednesday. The plans aim to reduce waiting times for the 60,000 people in need of a transplant across the EU, introduce common safety standards and combat the commercialisation of organ donation and trafficking. Slovakian EPP deputy Mikolášik, parliament's rapporteur on the directive, told the Parliament Magazine that figures from Europol, the European law enforcement organisation, suggested the problem of organ trafficking does not exist. ‘Everyone knows that this is a massive problem. But Europol does not actively search for cases, they only wait for announcements to be made and this is not good enough.’
Pray: that these new regulations will see a significant reduction in illegal organ trafficking. (Hos.14:9)
EU parliament backs new rules on organ donations
As MEPs approve plans to help tackle the illegal trafficking of human organs, Miroslav Mikolášik has criticised Europol's "passive approach" to the issue. European parliament deputies voted by 643 votes to 16 in support of the draft directive on quality and safety standards for human organs used for transplants in Strasbourg on Wednesday. The plans aim to reduce waiting times for the 60,000 people in need of a transplant across the EU, introduce common safety standards and combat the commercialisation of organ donation and trafficking. Slovakian EPP deputy Mikolášik, parliament's rapporteur on the directive, told the Parliament Magazine that figures from Europol, the European law enforcement organisation, suggested the problem of organ trafficking does not exist. ‘Everyone knows that this is a massive problem. But Europol does not actively search for cases, they only wait for announcements to be made and this is not good enough.’
Pray: that these new regulations will see a significant reduction in illegal organ trafficking. (Hos.14:9)
Methodists to play a key role at Greenbelt Festival in new partnership
The Methodist Church will play a larger role than ever before at this year’s Greenbelt Festival - Europe’s longest running Christian event celebrating the arts, faith and justice. The Church has sealed a three-year partnership deal with Greenbelt organisers, which will see free tickets made available to Methodist ministers, deacons, preachers and worship leaders who have not attended the festival for the past five years. The free tickets, which must be claimed before 31 July via the Greenbelt office, will be on offer during the first two years of the partnership. Over time, the deal will allow the Methodist Church to have as influential a presence at the festival as the Department of International Development and Christian Aid – Greenbelt’s existing major partners. Gawain Hewitt, Festival Director, said: ‘The Methodist Church and Greenbelt both have a history steeped in a commitment to social justice and community engagement. We also share a commitment to dialogue, trade justice, environmental and development issues and human rights'.
Pray: for the Greenbelt Festival as it reaches out to a wide spectrum of mainly young people. (2Th.2:14)
More: http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.newsDetail&newsid=441
‘Charlie Condom’ promotes condoms to 13-year-olds
A new children’s character, Charlie Condom, has been created by health authorities in Southampton to promote condoms to 13-year-olds. Education leaders have slammed the move and others call it ‘ridiculous’. The character is promoting a scheme, designed to cut the number of teenage pregnancies, which will allow youngsters to collect the contraceptives using a condom credit card from 18 venues in the city. Monsignor Vincent Harvey, leader of the Roman Catholic Church in the city, cautioned: ‘This campaign is sending out the message to 13-year-old children that this is the norm, that it is OK to be sexually active.’ And Ron Clooney, from the teachers union NASUWT, criticised the scheme, saying: ‘This method, where underage impressionable teenagers can get condoms so openly, condones the idea of under-age sex.
Pray: for a more appropriate form of sex education that does not appear to promote under-age sex. (1Jn.3:7)
More: http://www.anglican-mainstream.net/2010/05/18/charlie-condom-promotes-condoms-to-13-year-olds/
Bishop tells church leaders to listen to the Holy Spirit
Listening to the Holy Spirit must be brought back to the heart of church leadership, says the Church of England’s Fresh Expressions leader. Bishop Graham Cray said planting successful churches would come through listening to the Holy Spirit, not ‘cloning’ existing churches. Speaking at the end of last week’s Christian Resources Exhibition, he said that old strategies that had worked 20 or 30 years ago were no longer suitable for mission and church-building in today’s diverse society. Today’s church leaders need to look at their specific local contexts and lead their congregations in prayer to ‘discern corporately’ the best church for their areas, he said. The bishop warned that it was an ‘endemic temptation’ among church leaders to make plans based on previous experience and ask God to bless those plans, rather than ‘shutting up’ and listening to Him in prayer.
Pray: that the Holy Spirit would speak loudly into the minds and hearts of all those who lead. (Ro.15:13)
More:http://www.christiantoday.com/article/bishop.tells.church.leaders.to.listen.to.the.holy.spirit/25902.htm
Secularists say council meeting prayers are ‘illegal’
The National Secular Society has written to Bideford Council to say that its prayers at council meetings are ‘illegal’. It has threatened the council with a judicial review unless it stops the prayers and hopes the action will "set a precedent that will affect the many other councils that have prayers as part of their agenda", the NSS said on its website. The NSS has decided to take action in response to a complaint from local councillor Clive Bone, whose motions to remove prayers from meeting agendas have failed. The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey told the Guardian: ‘The centuries-long tradition of saying of prayers before council meetings is simply an acknowledgment of the important role the Christian faith plays in civic life. The attempt to rule such prayers as discriminatory is an attack on freedom and a cynical manoeuvre to drive public expressions of faith from national as well as local life’. (See also praise item)
Pray: against these attacks upon our Christian roots.(2Ti.4:18)
More:http://www.christiantoday.com/article/secularists.says.council.meeting.prayers.are.illegal/25929.htm
Christian B&B owner faces legal action from same-sex couple
Susanne Wilkinson told the two men that it went against her religious convictions to let them share a double room at the guest house where she lives with her family. She was reported to police but no charges were brought. However, she has now been told that Michael Black and John Morgan plan to sue her for discrimination. A letter before action sent by Liberty’s legal director this week claims: ‘Your unlawful treatment of my clients resulted in considerable embarrassment and humiliation to them both and they seek compensation from you for the injury to their feelings.’ Simon Calvert of the Christian Institute said ‘It does seem extraordinary that Liberty is invoking the power of the state to try to force this couple to act against their conscience in their own home.’ Mrs Wilkinson is likely to invoke the Human Rights Act in her defence, on the grounds that Christians should be allowed to hold the traditional belief that sex outside marriage is wrong.
Pray: for Susanne and others like her who seek to defend their right to follow Biblical teaching. (Ep.3:16)