NI abortion guidelines - legal challenge
Efforts by the British government to bring legal abortion by ‘bureaucratic stealth’ into Northern Ireland will be met with a full legal challenge by the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC). The High Court in Belfast has granted leave to SPUC to launch a challenge after the Department of Health, without explanation, reissued medical practice guidelines that had been rejected by the High Court for violating the province’s abortion laws, reports Hilary White at LifeSiteNews.com (LSN). For three years the guidelines have been the focus of an intense battle in Northern Ireland, where abortion remains a crime, between the pro-life movement and pro-abortion forces in the British government. SPUC’s Liam Gibson told LSN, ‘At present it's difficult to tell whether our case will be overtaken by events, but the department is hell-bent on pushing its abortion guidance forward no matter what happens.’ Pray: that any changes to the abortion guidelines in NI are fully and openly debated to protect the rights of unborn children. (Pr.10:9)
Prisoners convert to Islam
Inmates are converting to Islam in order to gain perks and the protection of powerful Muslim gangs, the Chief Inspector of Prisons warns today. Dame Anne Owers says that some convicted criminals are taking up the religion in jail to receive benefits only available to practising Muslims. The number of Muslim prisoners has risen dramatically since the mid-1990s - from 2,513 in 1994, or 5 per cent of the prison population, to 9,795 in 2008, or 11 per cent. Staff at top-security prisons and youth jails have raised concerns about the intimidation of non-Muslims and possible forced conversions. Dame Anne’s report, Muslim Prisoners’ Experiences, says that, although several high-profile terrorists have been jailed recently, fewer than 1 in 100 Muslim inmates have been convicted of terrorism. She says that prison staff are suspicious about those practising or converting to the faith and warns that treating Muslim inmates as potential or actual extremists risks radicalising. Pray: for a prison system that recognises the offence committed and matches punishment and treatment accordingly. (Ps.106:3)
Schools not teaching core Christian beliefs
Ofsted’s study suggests that teachers in English schools pay more attention to other faiths and that Christian pupils are being sidelined in class. It has found that the quality of RE in secondary schools is worse than it was three years ago when the last analysis of the subject was carried out, with inadequate teaching in nearly a fifth of lessons. Changes to the curriculum in the early years of secondary school, introduced by the Labour government to increase ‘flexibility’, were having a negative impact on RE; in some schools it has been amalgamated with other lessons and had all but disappeared. The report suggests that other religions are treated more seriously in RE classes. In non-faith state schools, Christian assemblies are being dropped in favour of multi-faith worship, despite a legal requirement for Christian collective worship, and children are no longer taught the Lord's Prayer. A recent survey of more than 500 12-year-olds found that only 54% knew that Christians celebrated the Resurrection at Easter. Pray: that those responsible for our education syllabus re-assess RE teaching to support Christianity. (Ac.3:18)
One million 'March for Jesus' in Brazil
An estimated one million Evangelical Christians in Brazil rallied for the 18th annual March for Jesus event in Sao Paulo. The event unites Evangelicals in the world's largest Roman Catholic country. Sao Paulo is one of the world's largest cities with over 10 million residents. In recent decades, Evangelical churches have grown rapidly to become a major influence. The latest figures available show the number of Evangelicals increased from 9 percent to 15 per-cent. Praise: God for this powerful testimony to the people of Brazil. (Ps.147:1) More: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2010/June/one-Million-March-for-Jesus-in-Brazil/
One million 'March for Jesus' in Brazil
An estimated one million Evangelical Christians in Brazil rallied for the 18th annual March for Jesus event in Sao Paulo. The event unites Evangelicals in the world's largest Roman Catholic country. Sao Paulo is one of the world's largest cities with over 10 million residents. In recent decades, Evangelical churches have grown rapidly to become a major influence. The latest figures available show the number of Evangelicals increased from 9 percent to 15 per-cent. Praise: God for this powerful testimony to the people of Brazil. (Ps.147:1) More: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2010/June/one-Million-March-for-Jesus-in-Brazil/
Weapons-4-Bibles scheme rolls out across the capital
‘Knife bins are making a difference and helping to prevent youth crime,’ said a practising Christian, Michael Smith, at the launch of his new weapons disposal scheme, Word 4 Weapons. Smith was inspired to do something to stem the increasing numbers of stabbings and killings amongst young people across the UK and as a result founded the charitable organisation entitled Word 4 Weapons in 2007. In partnership with The Salvation Army, Ascension Trust, Christian Police Association and churches of varying denominations, Word 4 Weapons ran a pilot project last year placing knife bins in strategic parts of London where people could dispose of their weapons. In exchange they received a trendy bag called ‘All I Need’ which contains a Bible, Cops and Robbers comic, book of help plus much more to help them positively to turn their lives around. They now have 10 knife bins strategically placed across London with a further 10 bins to be in place by the end of this year. Praise: God for the success of this scheme in 2007 and pray that this fresh initiative will be even more successful. (Is.52:7) More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/weaponsforbibles.scheme.rolls.out.across.the.capital/26054.htm
Weapons-4-Bibles scheme rolls out across the capital
‘Knife bins are making a difference and helping to prevent youth crime,’ said a practising Christian, Michael Smith, at the launch of his new weapons disposal scheme, Word 4 Weapons. Smith was inspired to do something to stem the increasing numbers of stabbings and killings amongst young people across the UK and as a result founded the charitable organisation entitled Word 4 Weapons in 2007. In partnership with The Salvation Army, Ascension Trust, Christian Police Association and churches of varying denominations, Word 4 Weapons ran a pilot project last year placing knife bins in strategic parts of London where people could dispose of their weapons. In exchange they received a trendy bag called ‘All I Need’ which contains a Bible, Cops and Robbers comic, book of help plus much more to help them positively to turn their lives around. They now have 10 knife bins strategically placed across London with a further 10 bins to be in place by the end of this year. Praise: God for the success of this scheme in 2007 and pray that this fresh initiative will be even more successful. (Is.52:7) More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/weaponsforbibles.scheme.rolls.out.across.the.capital/26054.htm
India: Hindu Nationalists plan ‘religious cleansing’
Over 100 Hindu extremists gathered to announce their plan to rid Madhya Pradesh of Christians ahead of a 2011 reconversion event ‘to drive away Christian pastors, evangelists and foreign aid workers from the district’. They said a holy Hindu assembly would be staged in February 2011 and they hope for 2 million participants. Previous gatherings prompted Christian beatings, homes and churches destroyed and the desecration of graveyards. The recent gathering of hate speeches and vows to ‘cleanse’ the region of Christians motivated at least one assault on Christians. Extremists repeatedly accuse Christians of forcing Hindus to convert and of paying them to follow Jesus. ‘How much have these Christians paid you?’ new believers are asked. 'We will pay you double for returning to Hinduism.’ Local police refused to provide security for Christians.
Pray: for the physical and spiritual protection of our brothers and sisters in Madhya Pradesh. (Ps. 18:2) More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/india/20289/
Pakistan: Christians ordered to leave village
Abdul Sattar Khan, head of a Muslim village in Punjab Province ordered 250 Christian families to leave their homes after Christian residents objected too strenuously to sexual assaults by Muslims on Christian girls and women. Most of the Christian men work in the fields of Muslim land owners while the Christian women and girls are servants in the Muslim homes. The impoverished Christians live in appalling conditions. Employers use their powerful positions to routinely sexually assault the Christian women and girls. When four Christian men confronted the Muslim men on abuse charges the whole Christian community were told to go. ‘The Muslim villagers gave the expulsion order when girls and women became totally exasperated because they were sexually attacked or forced to commit adultery by Muslims on a daily basis,’ said a Christian political leader. Pray: asking God to remove the unfair oppressive spirit of abuse that the Christians have come under in this part of Pakistan. (Am.9:15) More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/pakistan/21375/
Nigeria: Muslim youths attack churches and house
Nigeria: Muslim youths attack churches and house Another attack against Nigerian Christians north of Joshas has taken place. Two churches and a pastor's home were destroyed. In this most recent event as many as 100 young Muslims came onto church property attacking people and burning down the buildings. This attack mostly went under the radar because no one was killed. Not all violence stems from religious causes. According to ABC News ethnic tensions prevail between the Berom group (deemed mostly Christian) and the largely-Muslim Hausa and Fulani groups. Additional access to oil revenues contributes to political tensions throughout the country. Though all attacks may not stem from religious differences they cause much strife and hurt in victims' lives. Pray: that Christians will continue to respond in a positive spirit of forgiveness and perpetrators of violence will be caught and prosecuted. (Is.59:20-21)