Guides join campaign to end topless pictures in The Sun
Girlguiding UK is backing a campaign to remove pictures of topless women from page 3 of The Sun newspaper. An online poll of more than 2,000 guides aged between 16 and 25 showed 88 per cent believed the editor of The Sun, Dominic Mohan, should end page 3. Girlguiding Advocate!, a group within the movement which is involved with public affairs, emailed Mr Mohan last week. It said of The Sun: ‘Anyone can pick it up and turn to page three and think that it is normal for young women to be treated as objects. We feel that this is just wrong and has to stop.’ Girlguide Katie Wormald, 17, came up with the idea of taking the poll. She said: ‘Children shouldn’t grow up thinking that this is the norm and that it is right.’ She added: ‘Young girls shouldn’t grow up thinking that they will achieve more by being sexually objectified’.
Pray: that this campaign will succeed in removing such pictures.
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/guides-join-campaign-to-end-topless-pictures-in-the-sun/
Nearly 15,000 French mayors will refuse to marry gay couples
A group of at least 14,900 French mayors has said it will not perform ‘gay marriages,’ even if the government moves ahead with plans to legalize the practice, reports Catholic News Agency. The administration of French President Francois Hollande has put forth a measure that would legalize ‘gay marriage,’ allow gay couples to receive medical treatment for artificial procreation and to adopt children. ‘It is foolish to think that the mobilization of the elected mayors would stop if the law is passed,’ said Franck Meyer, spokesman for the association Mayors for Children. ‘As citizens, we elected officials will not give up,’ he emphasized in statements to the media. Meyer, who is mayor of Sotteville-sous-le-Val in northern France, observed that some of the mayors in the group have said they would resign if the law is adopted, while others have said they will refuse to perform marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples.
Pray: for the French mayors as they take a stand against gay marriage. Pray that their decision will bring pressure on the government. (Heb.13:4)
Nearly 15,000 French mayors will refuse to marry gay couples
A group of at least 14,900 French mayors has said it will not perform ‘gay marriages,’ even if the government moves ahead with plans to legalize the practice, reports Catholic News Agency. The administration of French President Francois Hollande has put forth a measure that would legalize ‘gay marriage,’ allow gay couples to receive medical treatment for artificial procreation and to adopt children. ‘It is foolish to think that the mobilization of the elected mayors would stop if the law is passed,’ said Franck Meyer, spokesman for the association Mayors for Children. ‘As citizens, we elected officials will not give up,’ he emphasized in statements to the media. Meyer, who is mayor of Sotteville-sous-le-Val in northern France, observed that some of the mayors in the group have said they would resign if the law is adopted, while others have said they will refuse to perform marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples.
Pray: for the French mayors as they take a stand against gay marriage. Pray that their decision will bring pressure on the government. (Heb.13:4)
Here is some great news from Egypt as reported on www.patheos.com!
"While Egyptian Christians face ongoing strife in their Muslim-majority nation, there are signs of encouragement as leaders of five different Christian groups begin meeting for the first time to forge a way forward together. Evangelical, Anglican, Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Coptic Orthodox leaders met Monday in Cairo for the first gathering of the United Council of Egyptian Churches. Coptic Pope Tawadros II led the group, which was the dream of his predecessor, the late Pope Shenouda III, to promote dialogue and unity."
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/joeljmiller/2013/02/egyptian-christians-seek-unity-amid-ongoing-strife/
I wanted to thank you all on behalf of Chai Ling and All Girls Allowed for your fervent prayers for God to bring an end to the One-Child Policy. He is moving and responding! At first, it may not have seemed so, based on a report that China was clinging to its One-Child Policy. But two cases of darkness were exposed into the light: a brutal forced abortion of a 7-month-old and a suicide case relating to the One-Child Policy.
Ling and I were both asking, “Why, Lord? When are you ending the policy and its forced abortions?” But we have sensed the Lord telling us that this is precisely why he allowed these cases to come to the light, to show that he desires for the One-Child Policy to end quickly, not just gradually over many years or decades. He wants us to pray and ask him to use these two new cases to expose the injustice and shame the Chinese government into ending the policy!
When the forced abortion of Feng Jianmei’s 7-month-old baby broke out into the news last June, the whole world was in uproar. We understood then that this wasn’t because of the graphic image (though that was a big help), but it was because the Lord moved to get the news across the world. There have been many other graphic images in the past, but somehow Feng Jianmei’s case was a perfect storm that the Lord orchestrated. These new cases have the potential to do just the same thing!
So we wanted to thank you for your prayers and to encourage you to continue to persevere in prayer as the Lord of heaven and earth wants to move to rescue millions of children and mothers in China. Let us know how we can serve you and help you as you lead others in prayer for China. Thank you again for everything you have done, and may we continue to see China rise up in prayer and prophecy! All Girls Allowed (http://www.allgirlsallowed.org) was founded by Chai Ling in 2010 with a mission to display the love of Jesus by restoring life, value and dignity to girls and mothers in China and revealing the injustice of the One-Child Policy. “In Jesus’ Name, Simply Love Her.”
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For more information see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-24957303
We continue to remember Kenneth Jun-Ho Bae who is under arrest and sentenced to death in North Korea. Here is a FaceBook page dedicated to him.
www.facebook.com/RememberKenBaePrisonerInNorthKorea?ref=bf
As we think of Ken Bae, we also remember the growing number of Christians in North Korea, many of whom are in prison camps. Estimates vary as to the number of underground believers in North Korea and the number suffering in prison camps. Sources such as Radio Free Asia (http://www.rfa.org/english/), Cornerstone USA (http://cornerstoneusa.org/), and Open Doors (http://www.opendoorsuk.org/) indicate that there may be between 200,000 and 400,000 secret believers with perhaps 20,000 or so meeting together in small groups of 3 to 5 people for regular prayer and worship. There may be some 70,000 Christians suffering in the labor camps with others suffering severe persecution and death outside the camps. An Open Doors spokesman stated that they believe two Christians were executed earlier this year. In spite of the persecution, it does appear that the number of believers in the country is increasing as defectors who came to faith while in China are returning and sharing the Gospel with family, friends, and others. Some North Koreans travel back and forth to China as traders so that they are able to bring in Bibles and other resources to share the Gospel inside. This is a great peril to their lives.
Life for the ordinary North Korean is not easy either especially as controls under Kim Jong Un increase as does inflation while heavier burdens are being imposed on people to celebrate the great accomplishments like the recent rocket launch and nuclear tests about which more and more people express confusion or complaints. All of this increases the level of tension both domestically and internationally. At the same time, the government is giving out so many awards to people for their participation in the tests that being a "Hero of the Republic" is no longer anything special. There are also reports that North Korean generals and other high officers are getting US dollar cash cards every month to be used any way they want.
While all of this is going on, the central government has issued a series of contradictory orders concerning private farm plots that have farmers confused and fearful.
All of this adds up to a lot of things to pray for. Please keep our longsuffering North Korean brothers and sisters in Christ in frequent prayer. Let’s agree that the powers of darkness that are controlling Kim Jong-un and his government be bound and driven to the feet of Jesus so the nation can be set free from both its human and spiritual oppression.
We continue to remember Kenneth Jun-Ho Bae who is under arrest and sentenced to death in North Korea. Here is a FaceBook page dedicated to him.
Www.facebook.com/RememberKenBaePrisonerInNorthKorea?ref=bf
As we think of Ken Bae, we also remember the growing number of Christians in North Korea, many of whom are in prison camps. Estimates vary as to the number of underground believers in North Korea and the number suffering in prison camps. Sources such as Radio Free Asia (http://www.rfa.org/english/), Cornerstone USA (http://cornerstoneusa.org/), and Open Doors (http://www.opendoorsuk.org/) indicate that there may be between 200,000 and 400,000 secret believers with perhaps 20,000 or so meeting together in small groups of 3 to 5 people for regular prayer and worship. There may be some 70,000 Christians suffering in the labor camps with others suffering severe persecution and death outside the camps. An Open Doors spokesman stated that they believe two Christians were executed earlier this year. In spite of the persecution, it does appear that the number of believers in the country is increasing as defectors who came to faith while in China are returning and sharing the Gospel with family, friends, and others. Some North Koreans travel back and forth to China as traders so that they are able to bring in Bibles and other resources to share the Gospel inside. This is a great peril to their lives.
Life for the ordinary North Korean is not easy either especially as controls under Kim Jong Un increase as does inflation while heavier burdens are being imposed on people to celebrate the great accomplishments like the recent rocket launch and nuclear tests about which more and more people express confusion or complaints. All of this increases the level of tension both domestically and internationally. At the same time, the government is giving out so many awards to people for their participation in the tests that being a "Hero of the Republic" is no longer anything special. There are also reports that North Korean generals and other high officers are getting US dollar cash cards every month to be used any way they want.
While all of this is going on, the central government has issued a series of contradictory orders concerning private farm plots that have farmers confused and fearful.
All of this adds up to a lot of things to pray for. Please keep our longsuffering North Korean brothers and sisters in Christ in frequent prayer. Let’s agree that the powers of darkness that are controlling Kim Jong-un and his government be bound and driven to the feet of Jesus so the nation can be set free from both its human and spiritual oppression.
Single Christians experiencing 'anxiety'
Online dating service Christian Connection has spent the last few months surveying thousands of single Christians on their experiences in the church. The decline in younger people attending church means many single Christians are struggling not only to find a life partner, but to figure out their place and worth in largely family-focused churches. Survey respondents reported difficulties in finding other single Christians in their church and turning to online dating as "a last resort". "There's such a pitiful lack of forums for meeting up with other single Christians," said one respondent. Another reported that "married with 2.4 kids" was the norm in their church. Many of the women responding to the survey reported fierce competition to bag the single Christian men in the church. In addition many single Christians feel "socially anxious" because of the pressure to be married. "This creates social anxiety for many single people in the church. 'Will I get married and fit in with the majority or not?'"
Pray: for churches to recognise the issues facing single people in their congregations and to work to support them. (Ps.103:5)
More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/single.christians.experience.anxiety/32169.htm
Police reassure over London Marathon
A senior Metropolitan Police officer has reassured runners and spectators that Sunday's London Marathon will go ahead as planned. Commander Christine Jones said security was being reviewed following two deadly explosions at the Boston Marathon. The public should be ‘reassured’ the police were ‘very, very well-practised’ at managing big events, she added. London Mayor Boris Johnson has also spoken to police about the possibility of extra security on the day. In Boston, at least three people are known to have been killed on Monday and more than 170 injured in blasts close to the marathon's finishing line. Sports Minister Hugh Robertson said he was ‘absolutely confident’ the London Marathon could be kept safe. London had ‘enormous experience’ of delivering major events and the UK had some of the best security professionals in the world, he told the BBC, adding: ‘This is one of those instances where the best way to show solidarity with Boston is to continue.’
Pray: for the safety of this event and any steps to disrupt it will be thwarted.(Ps.5:11b)
It might take new financial crisis to restore morality to City
It could take an up’ to the scale of changes it needs to make, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales warned last Sunday. The Archbishop of Westminster, the Most Rev Vincent Nichols, likened profit-obsessed business chiefs to staff at the scandal-hit Mid Staffordshire hospitals trust who lost sight of basic morality because of an obsession with money. He will told an audience in the City that new regulations would not be enough to bring about real change in the wake of the banking crisis, and could itself become simply a ‘lazy proxy’ for moral values. He said working in the City is a noble vocation, capable of doing real good for society but that the pursuit of short term profit has been allowed to become the sole purpose of business, creating a moral vacuum.
Pray: for the financial sector in the City to develop a greater sense of morality and a clearer purpose to serve society. (Lk.12:15)