Spain: Soaring sales of morning-after pill
Use of the abortifacient morning-after pill in Spain has risen by 83% in 2010, the first full year of over-the-counter availability of the dangerous drug, according to a report by ANSAmed news service. The Spanish Ministry for Health approved the sale of the morning-after pill without a doctor’s prescription, and with no age restriction, in September 2009, citing a need for emergency contraception and to reduce unwanted pregnancies. ‘It is an emergency method of contraception, not to be used except in emergencies,’ said Health Minister Trinidad Jimenez in a press release at the time. ‘We don’t want it to become another means of contraception.’ However, mounting evidence has shown that the drug is both ineffective for its stated purpose of reducing unintended pregnancies, and is being abused the world over as a common method of contraception. A contraception and abortion pushing organization, RH Reality Check, admitted that the morning-after pill, ‘is not as effective in reducing unwanted pregnancy rates as we once hoped.’
Pray: for availability of the morning-after pill to be re-considered in light of these statistics.
Christians are ‘evil’ for backing marriage, says Tesco R&D boss
Christians are ‘evil’ if they resist the redefinition of marriage to allow for same-sex marriage, the Head of Research and Development at Tesco.com has said. The company has already faced criticism for dumping its support for the Cancer Research ‘Race for Life’ and sponsoring London’s gay pride festival. The ‘evil Christians’ comment was made by Nick Lansley, Head of Research and Development for the Tesco website. He wrote: ‘I’m also campaigning against evil Christians (that’s not all Christians, just bad ones) who think that gay people should not lead happy lives and get married to their same-sex partners.’ Director of The Christian Institute, Colin Hart, said: ‘I won’t be shopping at Tesco this Christmas, and I am repeatedly hearing from other Christians who have already come to the same conclusion. ‘Mr Lansley is entitled to his opinions, and Christians are entitled to choose not to shop at Tesco.
Pray: for a more balanced view by Tesco to respect and not alienate the Christian community. (Dt.13:3-4)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/christians-are-evil-for-backing-marriage-says-tesco-rd-boss/
Ethiopia: Police and Muslim students demolish church
More than 500 Muslim students accompanied by Muslim police officials burned down a church in the village of Qoto Baloso. Four days earlier 30 police tried to destroy it but managed only to remove the roof when Christians protested. The court ruled that the church was built without proper authorisation and therefore had to be demolished. The church has stood on the land for over 60 years, and the supreme court of the south nations had previously ruled in favour of the Christians when a Muslim business man claimed ownership of the land. All the government officials in the area are Muslims. Non Muslims there live and worship in fear. The actions of the Muslim police as well as the students show the growing Islamisation of Ethiopia.
Pray: the Ethiopian government will stop violations against the rights of Christian minorities in areas dominated by Muslims. (Lev.19:15)
More: http://www.persecution.org/2011/12/13/ethiopian-police-and-muslim-students-demolish-church-2/
Uzbekistan: Churches banned from evangelism
Authorities warned churches not to allow youngsters and children to attend worship services and not to carry out missionary activities. Deputy Head of Administration met officials of the Catholic, Russian Orthodox, Presbyterian, Seventh-day Adventist and Baptist churches in Angren city telling them, ‘All unregistered religious activity is a criminal offense, in defiance of the international human rights agreements Uzbekistan is a party to.’ He demanded the churches provide him with lists of members (a move resembling the time when Uzbekistan was still part of the Soviet Union). Church leaders refused to give names amid concerns authorities could pressure individuals. These developments came after a Baptist Christian, was fined 80 times the minimum monthly wage when police broke up a meeting of Baptists on holiday together. Also, two schoolgirls stopped attending church after police threatened they ‘will be in police records and thrown out of school’.
Pray: that fanatical religious persecution will not re-emerge in the region. (Ps.37:11)
More: http://www.worthynews.com/11112-uzbekistan-churches-banned-from-evangelism-youth-worship
INSIGHT ARTICLE: Sunni Shiite troublesome relationship
The New York Times reported: The withdrawal of the United States from Iraq leaves Mr. Abu Risha and the militia units he commands, known broadly as the Sunni Awakening, to navigate increasingly troublesome relations with the central Shiite-led government of Iraq. See: http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/category/iraq-war-2003-2011/ The Sunni Awakening, remain outside the new Iraqi police force and army and the ragtag groups of men wearing jeans and carrying rifles at dusty checkpoints throughout western Iraq are a loose end left by the United States. Some Awakening members are former insurgents and members of Saddam Hussein’s Baath Party who fought in a nationalist wing of the Sunni uprising early in the war, a matter of grave concern to the Shiite-dominated government. Without the buffer provided by the Americans relations between the Awakening and the central government, always touchy, are growing increasingly strained, and the government now wants the Awakening to disband by Dec. 31st. For INSIGHTS into Shiite and Sunni relationships across the Middle East click the Info button.
Pray: for a progressive atmosphere of peaceful relationships across various tribal groups in Iraq. (Ps.147:10-11)
Info: http://site.prayer-alert.net/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=355&Itemid=93
Australia: Church leaders speak out for traditional marriage
Twenty of Australia’s senior church and denominational leaders have urged the Government to protect the definition of marriage in Australian law. The Joint Statement on the Significance of Marriage follows: Marriage is the lifelong commitment and faithful union of one man and one woman. As such, marriage is the natural basis of the family because it secures the relationship between biological parents and their children. As Christian leaders representing different denominations or churches, we join together and affirm our shared commitment to promote and protect marriage. We honour the unique love between husbands and wives; the vital place of fathers and mothers in the life of children; and the corresponding ideal for all children to know the love and role modelling of a father and mother. We call on ourGovernment to: protect this definition of marriage in Australian law, and not change the meaning of marriage by adding to it different kinds of relationships.
Praise: God for this stand by the church and that the Government will protect traditional marriage. (Jer.29:6)
More: http://ausprayernet.org.au/newsletter/DisplayNewsletter.php?e_id=00000002315#st2
Australia: Church leaders speak out for traditional marriage
Twenty of Australia’s senior church and denominational leaders have urged the Government to protect the definition of marriage in Australian law. The Joint Statement on the Significance of Marriage follows: Marriage is the lifelong commitment and faithful union of one man and one woman. As such, marriage is the natural basis of the family because it secures the relationship between biological parents and their children. As Christian leaders representing different denominations or churches, we join together and affirm our shared commitment to promote and protect marriage. We honour the unique love between husbands and wives; the vital place of fathers and mothers in the life of children; and the corresponding ideal for all children to know the love and role modelling of a father and mother. We call on ourGovernment to: protect this definition of marriage in Australian law, and not change the meaning of marriage by adding to it different kinds of relationships.
Praise: God for this stand by the church and that the Government will protect traditional marriage. (Jer.29:6)
More: http://ausprayernet.org.au/newsletter/DisplayNewsletter.php?e_id=00000002315#st2
Doctors pray for patients in Western Ukraine
Prayer meetings for doctors and medical staff are taking place in St. Jehoshaphat Church in Lviv, Western Ukraine, reports The Christian Telegraph in reference to The Ukrainian Greek- Catholic Church website and credo-ua.org. Such cooperation of clergy and medics is called to help patients that are in need of healing. The meetings were founded by Father Vladimir Gruz who, while studying in Austria, took a great interest in the idea of one doctor, who started a prayer group with her staff. ’Although medicine in the West has an abundance of resources, doctors understood that they are merely instruments in God’s hands and, without Him, these doctors could not treat patients,’ notes Father Vladimir. He adopted this Western practice for Ukraine in light of the mass violations of patient rights and late medical aid, leading to cases of death and disability in the country.
Praise: God for the prayers of the doctors and that He would heal those who are in need. (Lk.9:2)
More: http://www.christiantelegraph.com/issue13865.html
Doctors pray for patients in Western Ukraine
Prayer meetings for doctors and medical staff are taking place in St. Jehoshaphat Church in Lviv, Western Ukraine, reports The Christian Telegraph in reference to The Ukrainian Greek- Catholic Church website and credo-ua.org. Such cooperation of clergy and medics is called to help patients that are in need of healing. The meetings were founded by Father Vladimir Gruz who, while studying in Austria, took a great interest in the idea of one doctor, who started a prayer group with her staff. ’Although medicine in the West has an abundance of resources, doctors understood that they are merely instruments in God’s hands and, without Him, these doctors could not treat patients,’ notes Father Vladimir. He adopted this Western practice for Ukraine in light of the mass violations of patient rights and late medical aid, leading to cases of death and disability in the country.
Praise: God for the prayers of the doctors and that He would heal those who are in need. (Lk.9:2)
More: http://www.christiantelegraph.com/issue13865.html
Government under fire from former Archbishop of Canterbury
The Government has been heavily criticised by Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, over its decision not to back four British Christians who have taken their cases to the European Court of Human Rights. Lord Carey had appealed to Prime Minister David Cameron, asking him to support the four Christians who were ruled against by British Courts. Among these were Shirley Chaplin and Gary McFarlane, whose cases were handled by the Christian Legal Centre. Two of the four cases relate to the freedom of Christians to wear a cross in the workplace and two concern instances where the freedom of Christians to act in accordance with their conscience has been trumped by homosexual rights. The Government has stood by the British courts and argued that these Christian individuals have not been discriminated against. It further argued that neither the wearing of a cross nor the following of conscience are an integral part of the Christian faith.
Pray: that Lord Carey’s comments will be listened to and lead to a change of heart. (Pr.31:9)