Sexualisation of children
Proposed laws against clothing that sexualises children would be impractical, parenting experts have warned the Government. MPs would struggle to draw up rules on the acceptable length of skirts or height of heels that could be worn by young girls, it is claimed. It emerged at the weekend that the Government is to commission a review of inappropriate products and images targeting girls as young as 10. The chief executive of the Mothers’ Union, Reg Bailey, will produce a report on the ways in which children are put under pressure by retailers and advertisers to grow up too fast. This could lead to industry standards being established or individual businesses being prosecuted, while parents could be given new powers to challenge inappropriate adverts or products. Pippa Smith, co-chairman of Safermedia, said: ‘Unfortunately children are quite a high priority on the marketers’ list. I think there’s got to be willpower with the Government’.
Pray: for clarity in formulating standards and laws that will see an end to much of the commercial sexualisation of children. (Jn.17:15)
Poland welcomes first black MP
A Nigerian-born pastor has become the first black member of Poland's lower house of parliament (Sejm) in what is being seen as a large step forward in the nation's race relations, reports Michael Ireland, Chief Correspondent, Assist News Service. According to the website www.newspoland.pl John Godson has held Polish citizenship for ten years. He will take the place of Civic Platform’s Hanna Zdanowska, who resigned from her parliamentary post after winning Sunday’s local government elections in Lodz. Godson was previously serving as a local councillor in Poland’s central city. In an interview with Polish Radio Lodz, Godson declared that he will still remain active in promoting his home city even though he will be spending much of his time in Warsaw on national affairs. Godson is also the president of the African Institute in Poland as well as a pastor of the Church of God in Christ, a Christian Pentecostal church active in Poland.
Pray: that Godson will live up to his name and Jesus will be seen in him in all that he does. (1Cor.2:5)
Poland welcomes first black MP
A Nigerian-born pastor has become the first black member of Poland's lower house of parliament (Sejm) in what is being seen as a large step forward in the nation's race relations, reports Michael Ireland, Chief Correspondent, Assist News Service. According to the website www.newspoland.pl John Godson has held Polish citizenship for ten years. He will take the place of Civic Platform’s Hanna Zdanowska, who resigned from her parliamentary post after winning Sunday’s local government elections in Lodz. Godson was previously serving as a local councillor in Poland’s central city. In an interview with Polish Radio Lodz, Godson declared that he will still remain active in promoting his home city even though he will be spending much of his time in Warsaw on national affairs. Godson is also the president of the African Institute in Poland as well as a pastor of the Church of God in Christ, a Christian Pentecostal church active in Poland.
Pray: that Godson will live up to his name and Jesus will be seen in him in all that he does. (1Cor.2:5)
Belgium: Court allows to sue for ‘wrongful birth’
The Brussels Court of Appeal has ruled that parents may sue physicians who fail to diagnose ‘serious disabilities’ of pre-born children, assuming that had the parents known they would have had the disabled child killed through an abortion, reports LifeSiteNews.com. The September 21st ruling said, ‘certainly, the misdiagnosis did not cause the child’s disability, which existed before the error and which could not be remedied.’ But, the court said, ‘the injury [that] must be compensated is not the disability itself, but the fact of being born with such disabilities.’ The court commented that abortion is in the best interest of the child whose parents would have it killed, noting that since abortion was legalized, ‘the legislature must have intended to help avoid giving birth to children with serious abnormalities, having regard not only to the interests of the mother but also to that of the unborn child itself.’
Pray: that this ruling will be reversed and life would be honoured. (Is.42:5)
Belgium: Court allows to sue for ‘wrongful birth’
The Brussels Court of Appeal has ruled that parents may sue physicians who fail to diagnose ‘serious disabilities’ of pre-born children, assuming that had the parents known they would have had the disabled child killed through an abortion, reports LifeSiteNews.com. The September 21st ruling said, ‘certainly, the misdiagnosis did not cause the child’s disability, which existed before the error and which could not be remedied.’ But, the court said, ‘the injury [that] must be compensated is not the disability itself, but the fact of being born with such disabilities.’ The court commented that abortion is in the best interest of the child whose parents would have it killed, noting that since abortion was legalized, ‘the legislature must have intended to help avoid giving birth to children with serious abnormalities, having regard not only to the interests of the mother but also to that of the unborn child itself.’
Pray: that this ruling will be reversed and life would be honoured. (Is.42:5)
Traditional Christian Christmas
Local authorities should celebrate Christmas in the traditional Christian way and stop worrying about the PC brigade, said Communities Secretary Eric Pickles. He called for an end to ‘Christianophobia’. Mr Pickles said councils should stop introducing ‘politically correct’ versions of Christmas such as ‘Winterval’, which combines secular and inter-faith religious elements. The Communities Secretary called for councils to take pride in British Christian heritage by celebrating the nativity and all the traditions surrounding it. He said: ‘We should actively celebrate the Christian basis of Christmas, and not allow politically correct Grinches to marginalise Christianity and the birth of Christ. The war on Christmas is over, and the likes of Winterval, Winter Lights and Luminous deserve to be in the dustbin of history’. John Midgely, founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said ‘It is absolutely right in our country that Christmas should be celebrated and it does not cause offence to other religions’.
Pray: for local authorities and councils to have the courage and confidence to celebrate a Christian Christmas. (2Co.3:4)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/celebrate-traditional-christian-christmas-says-govt-minister/
Day of prayer for Ireland
Christians from different churches in Ireland have felt drawn to join together to issue a call for prayer for their nation at this time. Ireland is undergoing a period of economic, political and social upheaval, shaking the very fabric of its society. In the midst of this upheaval Christians are calling for prayer to seek God’s help in a very definite way, and meeting to ask God for His intervention. They have invited churches to plan events and gatherings for prayer. Join with them on Friday the 3rd December 2010, to pray for Ireland. They are asking people to pray individually at home, in groups, at special church services, at work, at school, in colleges, wherever. They suggest that times of prayer can be short or long, using favourite forms of prayer, or at a church service, mass, bible study etc.
Pray: for the Lord to help Ireland in response to their day of prayer. (2Ch.6:19)
More: http://www.irishchristians.ie/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=13:a-day-of-prayer-for-ireland
Christmas and credit
Christians Against Poverty is urging people not to give into the temptation of taking a loan to cover the cost of their Christmas celebrations. The debt counselling charity says it is not out to kill the festive season but that it wants people to have a clear spending strategy to see them safely into the New Year. Chief Executive Matt Barlow believes such a strategy is wise as yet more economic uncertainty looms on the horizon. ‘These are difficult times for a lot of us and the temptation is to say 'at least we’ll have a great Christmas' and use that as an excuse to spend what we haven’t got,’ he said. The charity has released its top ten tips for avoiding festive debt. These include being honest with family members if things are tight, not buying gifts for others out of obligation, and clubbing together with relatives to buy the kids’ presents.
Pray: for Christmas to be a simple, honest celebration of Jesus’ birth rather one of financial excess. (Pr.1:3)
More: http://www.christiantoday.co.uk/article/dont.do.christmas.on.credit.debt.charity.warns/27142.htm
God’s big society
The new Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Rev Stephen Cottrell, has issued an Advent challenge – make a difference with ‘God’s big society’. Bishop Stephen is one of the authors of Church House Publishing’s 2010 Advent book Ready Steady Slow, which includes contributions from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York. Preaching at his installation service the day before Advent Sunday, in Chelmsford Cathedral, Bishop Stephen said: ‘If we live prayerful, faithful lives, if we shine with the light of the risen Christ, then our world will be changed. For God’s big society is made up of a thousand little deeds of sacrifice and kindness.’ The pocket-sized Ready Steady Slow urges readers to take five minutes to change the world by following the daily ‘tread gently’ challenges. Examples include making your own compost, taking a go-slow coffee break, having a paperless party and slowing down on the roads. All the challenges are accompanied by a reflection and prayer.
Pray: for a huge response to this initiative and that it will contribute to a positive change in the world. (Php.4:5)
Climate change failure is moral outrage
Scotland's religious leaders have described the West's failure to help developing nations cope with climate change as a ‘moral outrage’. Senior members of the country's Christian and Islamic communities outlined their position in a letter to Prime Minister David Cameron. They urged the UK government to do all it could to ensure progress was made at the UN climate change conference. The summit is due to open in Cancun, Mexico, on Monday. The letter to Mr Cameron has been signed by the Moderator of the Church of Scotland's General Assembly, John Christie, the head of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, David Chillingworth, and Shaykh Ruzwan, a senior figure in the Islamic community. It adds: ‘It is a moral outrage that as yet developed countries appear unwilling to find the money so urgently needed to deal with this issue.’
Pray: for the Cancun summit and that world leaders will strive to make significant progress. (Job.22:28)