Archbishop of Canterbury: ‘Don’t demonise immigrants’
The Archbishop of Canterbury has warned politicians not to demonise immigrants, a day after a Cabinet minister suggested that some parts of the country felt ‘swamped’ by foreign arrivals. Justin Welby said on Monday that he was worried about the language used in the debate. ‘We have 9,000 clergy working and livingin 16,000 parishes, We have better reports from the grassroots than almost anyone. What we are seeing is an upsurge of minor racist, anti-semitic, anti-Islamic, anti-foreigner xenophobia – not major things – just comments being made, things being said which are for the people who grew up in those backgrounds seriously uncomfortable, really quite frightening.'
Children too often treated as 'small adults' by Police
Children and young people have a ‘profound lack of trust’ in the Police, bordering on fear in some cases, a report by MPs and peers has suggested. Children are often treated as ‘small adults’, with their specific needs disregarded, according to the all-party parliamentary group for children. Negative experiences, such as arrest and stop and search procedures, breeds ‘frustration and anger’, it warned. It urged changes to training, custody facilities and safeguarding approaches. Publishing the findings of an 18-month inquiry, the committee said children and young people's first contact with the police was vital in shaping their attitudes towards them. ‘For a significant number of children and young people, this experience is a negative one as a victim or suspected offender,’ the report said.
Cinema pastors to lead prayers after Ragamuffin film
A Christian film distributor wants to recruit more than 100 pastors to hold prayers at multi-screen cinemas in the UK. Kingdom Cinema is run by the Rev George Hargreaves, a former music producer and leader of the Christian Party. He began distributing Christian films last year, with one, God's Not Dead, reaching the top 20 in April. Now he wants pastors to speak and pray after screenings in December of Ragamuffin, a film about a Christian musician. He has negotiated with chains like Cineworld and Odeon for the pastors to address audiences after the movie which tells the story of Rich Mullins, who struggled with addiction and depression. Rev Hargreaves said: ‘It is not bashing people over the head with a Bible or making people embarrassed. It will be a few minutes at the end of the screening just to wrap up the themes and let the audience know more about our faith.’
Halloween is far from harmless
Christian speaker Rev J John questions what Halloween stands for and believes it is getting ‘darker and nastier’ each year. Halloween has become one of the biggest events in the British calendar. There have always been traditions associated with 31 October, but the present extravaganza, with its epidemic of ‘trick-or-treating’, is a recent phenomenon. Financially, Halloween is now, after Christmas and Easter, our third highest grossing celebration. When people talk about what happens on 31 October a little phrase commonly heard is that Halloween is ‘harmless nonsense’. But is it indeed harmless? Is it merely nonsense? It’s time to do some hard thinking. JJohn gives you six reasons why Halloween is not harmless: 1. Halloween celebrates evil. 2: Halloween is unhelpful: 3. Halloween trivialises bad things: 4. Halloween is offensive: 5. Halloween is getting worse: 6. Halloween allows evil a victory.` Click on the ‘More’ link for details.
West Africa: Hope and courage in an Ebola ward
A report of an eye witness: My journey to Kenema Hospital in Sierra Leone started more than a month before I got there. It is a mental journey and a physical one. On the journey to the hospital we saw many children on the streets. School is cancelled, there are no weddings or baptisms. People had stopped gathering because of Ebola. My experience during my stay there revealed that people can survive this disease when presented to us in time and stay hydrated before and during treatment. Then the mortality was under 40%. The most powerful thing I have ever witnessed was hearing young and old singing songs from the recovery ward. We can improve the mortality rate by improving the number of hands helping and by giving patients the best basic supportive care. Now that I'm back, having seen what I have seen, I could never forgive myself if I did not make another trip. Inside a ward is a microcosm of humanity and almost all of it is kindness and selflessness.
South Africa: Oscar trial over – a broader look at media/justice system
Reeva’s death was tragic and sad - yet it should not be isolated from the deaths of other South Africans. 47 South Africans are killed every day and this means that the day that Reeva was killed, 46 others also had their lives taken away from them. The social status of these other South Africans who were also killed on14 February 2013 remains anonymous. Anene Booysen was raped, killed and mutilated on the same day but she was hardly an issue for many people because she was an every-day South African teenager from a poverty-stricken background. The media spotlight on Oscar’s trial is understandable but In God’s eyes Reeva’s death is not more important than Anene Booysen, or the deaths of babies during abortion. Is the media pulling the strings on our hearts?
Iraq: IS uses intelligence to purge opponents
IS runs a powerful intelligence apparatus that has plenty of security experience acquired by intelligence officers from the previous regime. The apparatus is similar to other intelligence agencies around the world, monitoring and identifying opponents then eliminating them to avoid opposition on its territory. The list of people to eliminate includes tribal sheikhs who have government connections, members of the Awakening movement who have fought against jihadist groups in the past, clerics who oppose IS's extremism and anyone suspected of delivering security information to governmental or other cooperating parties. The number of victims is high and punishments are extremely cruel. Activists who criticized IS’s measures were slaughtered in Mosal. Group executions occur. Everyone who opposes IS's religious measures, (eg.imposing the niqab on women) is punished. IS raises its flag on top of the victims’ homes to make examples of them, so that others know that someone has been punished.
South Sudan: Child soldiers still being recruited
Children in the world's youngest country of South Sudan are being forced to fight on both sides of an ongoing civil war. The United Nations estimates that there are 11,000 child soldiers in South Sudan’s rebel and government armies. It is a conflict which has made few headlines, but cost many lives, including those of the youngest and most vulnerable. UNICEF reported 70% of the 11,000 children are serving with rebel groups, including the notorious White Army, known for sending thousands of children into battle. Stephen managed to escape the army and describes being frozen with fear as the rebel fighters took him and more than 100 of his classmates from a schoolroom. They were given no choice. He said that in the army, ‘when we were moving and boys got sick and died they would just be left where they fell.’ They were forced to train and if they didn’t they were beaten heavily.
Canada: Terror attack a ‘wake-up call’
Thousands of Canadians gathered on Tuesday to honour Cpl Nathan Cirillo, the 24-year-old honour guard shot dead during last week's terror attack in Ottawa. The incident followed another terror attack in which an IS-inspired terrorist ran over two soldiers in a parking lot in Quebec, killing one and injuring the other. Now, in an open letter to Canadians, award-winning Muslim journalist Raheel Raza suggests the attacks should serve as a wake-up call to Canada and the West, stating that Canada is under attack and some Muslims have been insisting since 9/11 that Canada is not safe from terrorist attack and it’s just a matter of time. She suggests scrutiny of imams and their sermons', Muslim organizations to declare where their donations are coming from putting a moratorium on immigration from some countries, accountability of Islamic schools syllabus and not giving in to Islamic religious demands. See also
Nigeria: Idolatry in high places
The following is from the 31-day prayer guide for Nigeria. Day 30 tells us of the increased dependence of Nigeria’s politicians and even some ‘church leaders’ on occult powers. The experience of two state governors; Anambra and Ogun states were publicized but many other governors and their cabinet members are involved in taking oaths at shrines to confirm allegiance. This idolatry brings about God’s wrath, (judgment, curses, captivity, and defilement, famine, drought, cloud of darkness, reprobate minds, evil kings and demonic presence in lands). Pray for God to bring repentance for the sin of idolatry and occultist practices by political leaders. Pray and ask God to convict those involved in sinful acts of their wickedness and that they will repent and turn to the true God, (Prov. 28:13, 1 Jn.1:8,9) see: