Greece: Church fears a debt-burdened 'Dictatorship'
The Greek Orthodox Church in Great Britain has spoken of its concerns for Greece as the country struggles to free itself from a crippling debt crisis. Capital city Athens was rocked by violent protests on Wednesday as Greek riot police took on hundreds of protesters angry over the government’s austerity measures. After power-sharing talks collapsed yesterday, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou announced he would form a new government and seek a parliamentary vote of confidence in a renewed effort to push through the unpopular austerity package. Charis Mettis, spokesman for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain, said he was ‘very worried’ about Greece. ‘It is a very serious situation,’ he told Christian Today. ‘We hope that Greece won’t be landed with a dictatorship. Something similar happened in 1967, when politicians could not agree and the army moved in. We hope that won’t happen this time.’
Pray: for the people of Greece as they face such difficult situations. (Dt.17:8)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/church.fears.dictatorship.in.debtburdened.greece/28160.htm
Greece: Church fears a debt-burdened 'Dictatorship'
The Greek Orthodox Church in Great Britain has spoken of its concerns for Greece as the country struggles to free itself from a crippling debt crisis. Capital city Athens was rocked by violent protests on Wednesday as Greek riot police took on hundreds of protesters angry over the government’s austerity measures. After power-sharing talks collapsed yesterday, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou announced he would form a new government and seek a parliamentary vote of confidence in a renewed effort to push through the unpopular austerity package. Charis Mettis, spokesman for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain, said he was ‘very worried’ about Greece. ‘It is a very serious situation,’ he told Christian Today. ‘We hope that Greece won’t be landed with a dictatorship. Something similar happened in 1967, when politicians could not agree and the army moved in. We hope that won’t happen this time.’
Pray: for the people of Greece as they face such difficult situations. (Dt.17:8)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/church.fears.dictatorship.in.debtburdened.greece/28160.htm
Hungary: Draft religion law constitutes oppression
On 10 June four Christian Democrat members of the Parliament submitted a proposed draft law regarding ‘The Right to Freedom of Conscience and Religion and on the Status of Churches, Religions and Religious Communities’. On 14 June 2011, only four days after the Bill was introduced in Parliament, the Committee on Human Rights, Minority, Civil and Religious Affairs approved the proposed religious legislation and voted to send the draft law to the Parliamentary Assembly for discussion and passage. Passage of this legislation would represent a serious setback for religious freedom in Hungary. The legislation contravenes the standards of OSCE, European Union, Council of Europe, European Court of Human Rights and United Nations because it clearly discriminates against minority religious groups and would create the most oppressive religion law and the most burdensome registration system in the entire region. It is completely inconsistent with fundamental human rights. Pray: that any changes in Hungary’s law would not violate the right to religious freedom. (Ex.22:28) More: http://religionandpolicy.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6921&Itemid=327
Hungary: Draft religion law constitutes oppression
On 10 June four Christian Democrat members of the Parliament submitted a proposed draft law regarding ‘The Right to Freedom of Conscience and Religion and on the Status of Churches, Religions and Religious Communities’. On 14 June 2011, only four days after the Bill was introduced in Parliament, the Committee on Human Rights, Minority, Civil and Religious Affairs approved the proposed religious legislation and voted to send the draft law to the Parliamentary Assembly for discussion and passage. Passage of this legislation would represent a serious setback for religious freedom in Hungary. The legislation contravenes the standards of OSCE, European Union, Council of Europe, European Court of Human Rights and United Nations because it clearly discriminates against minority religious groups and would create the most oppressive religion law and the most burdensome registration system in the entire region. It is completely inconsistent with fundamental human rights. Pray: that any changes in Hungary’s law would not violate the right to religious freedom. (Ex.22:28) More: http://religionandpolicy.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6921&Itemid=327
Welcome to Houses of Prayer
Houses of prayer have been with us for centuries. God has called individuals and groups to offer unceasing prayer and worship, 24/7. However we are in the midst of growth of this particular calling - God through His Holy Spirit is calling more and more houses of prayer to be born and we are attempting to keep pace with Him through documenting this pattern to encourage and support those who are hearing the same call, and to help them connect with each other and people searching for a house of prayer in their region. We welcome information about houses of prayer in any country and any denomination for we are all one in Christ. We pray a blessing on your house of prayer and ask the Father for great power and for His presence to be with you.
Pray: for an extraordinary growth of prayer warriors for every nation. (Is.56:7)
More: http://www.housesofprayer.net/index.php
Care Not Killing warns of 'copycat suicide'
Care Not Killing, an alliance of over 40 organisations, has today called on the Secretary of State for Health and the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, to carry out an urgent investigation into the way assisted suicide is covered by the BBC and its link to English suicide rates. CNK Campaign Director Dr Peter Saunders, said, 'A programme featuring celebrity author Terry Pratchett was shown on BBC2 on Monday night following a huge amount of advance media publicity. It breaches international guidelines on suicide portrayal and, as such, poses a significant risk to vulnerable people. There is a real risk that copycat suicides will follow the screening. The WHO international guidelines on suicide portrayal refer to over 50 published studies, systematic reviews of which have consistently drawn the same conclusion, that media reporting of suicide can lead to imitative suicidal behaviours’. Pray: that this programme will not lead to an increase in copycat suicides. (Dt.30:19)
Bishop supports Bill to restrict Sharia law
Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali has lent his support to a Bill tabled in the House of Lords this week to scale back the influence of Sharia law. Sharia - or Islamic law - is used in around 85 Sharia councils and Muslim arbitration tribunals across the UK. The Bill, tabled by Baroness Caroline Cox, proposes banning the use of Sharia law where it conflicts with English law in discriminating against women and non-Muslims. It proposes to protect women by stopping discriminatory rulings that are contrary to UK law and ensuring that Sharia law does not appear to have jurisdiction where it does not. The baroness said, ‘Cases of criminal law and family law are matters reserved for our English courts alone'. Expressing his support for the Bill in the House of Lords, Bishop Nazir-Ali said Sharia was inherently unequal. Muslims and non-Muslims are treated unequally. Similarly, men and women are treated unequally.
Pray: for those who debate and rule on this matter so that an equitable solution may be found that affords protection to all. (Dt.8:11)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/bishop.supports.bill.to.restrict.sharia.law/28146.htm
Bishop blames binge-drinking culture for blighting Britain
An Anglican Bishop has hit out at the Government’s failure to tackle alcohol abuse, an issue he describes as ‘one of the major sins of our time’. The Rt Revd Geoff Annas, the Bishop of Stafford, blamed the extension of the licensing laws and called for a ‘seismic shift in attitudes’ towards alcohol, as there has been towards tobacco. He said successive governments had failed to prevent alcohol abuse, ‘a problem that blights our society and colours the view the rest of the world has of our nation’. The Bishop declared that, in hearing countless tragic stories of lives damaged by binge-drinking, it was time for the church and society to speak out. In a letter published in parish magazines across the Diocese of Lichfield, he said: ‘Hospital managers, the police and fire services have all told me in recent months of the way alcohol related issues are soaking up ever decreasing resources.’ Pray: that Government and society will take this matter more seriously and that a solution may be found. (Ro.13:13) More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/bishop-blames-binge-drinking-culture-for-blighting-britain/
Christian sacked after abortion leaflet row
Margaret Forrester discussed the booklet with family planning staff at the health centre where she worked because she felt that the NHS was failing to give patients information about the risks and other options to terminating a pregnancy. But after a six-month disciplinary process, during which Ms Forrester had to fight her own case and became ill, she was found guilty of ‘gross professional misconduct’ and fired. She has spoken out over the ‘scandal’ of the pro-abortion culture in the medical profession and claimed that Christians were ‘an easy target’ for ‘politically correct’ bureaucrats in the NHS. ‘The NHS has a pro-abortion stance which comes from a secular religion. It is a belief system which is aggressively anti-Christian,’ she said. Ms Forrester’s difficulties began on Nov 2 last year, when she had an informal conversation with a colleague in her role as a psychological wellbeing practitioner in Westminster, central London.
Pray: for Margaret and that those in the NHS who have responsibility for advising those seeking an abortion will adopt a more balanced view. (Dt.30:19)
More: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/8569283/Christian-sacked-after-abortion-leaflet-row.html
Christians praying for England's drought-hit farmers
A wet weekend has done little to allay the fears of farmers in drought-stricken parts of England. The Government declared parts of East Anglia and the Midlands to be in a state of drought last Friday after England and Wales experienced their driest spring on record. Graham Thompson, Chair of the East Anglia District of the Methodist Church, said ‘A great many farmers are irrigating their crops and there is great anxiety that there may not be sufficient water for the usual period of irrigation later in the growth cycle,’ He said Methodist ministers in East Anglia were offering their support to the farming community and praying with Christians involved in farming. ‘It would not be quite right to say that we are 'praying for rain' but we are asking God to guide our farmers as they seek to make the best use of the resources they have.’ Pray: for those affected by this drought both in the UK and around the world. (Ps.147:8) More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/christians.praying.for.englands.droughthit.farmers/28150.htm