Belgium: Thousands demand politicians form a government
Tens of thousands of Belgians took to the streets on Sunday to shame political leaders who have failed to form a government more than seven months after an election and left the country at the mercy of financial markets. Organisers of the ‘Shame: no government, great country’ protest said up to 50,000 people had joined the march through the capital Brussels. Police put the figure at 34,000. Since the inconclusive June 2010 parliamentary vote, a caretaker administration has run the country while Dutch and French-speaking party leaders have argued over the degree to which powers and tax-raising rights should be transferred to regions of the linguistically divided country. ‘We are here because we want to show the political leaders that things must change. It's the politicians who are trying to split the country'.
Pray: that the government would listen to the people and work through their differences together. (Ep.4:2-4)
Belgium: Thousands demand politicians form a government
Tens of thousands of Belgians took to the streets on Sunday to shame political leaders who have failed to form a government more than seven months after an election and left the country at the mercy of financial markets. Organisers of the ‘Shame: no government, great country’ protest said up to 50,000 people had joined the march through the capital Brussels. Police put the figure at 34,000. Since the inconclusive June 2010 parliamentary vote, a caretaker administration has run the country while Dutch and French-speaking party leaders have argued over the degree to which powers and tax-raising rights should be transferred to regions of the linguistically divided country. ‘We are here because we want to show the political leaders that things must change. It's the politicians who are trying to split the country'.
Pray: that the government would listen to the people and work through their differences together. (Ep.4:2-4)
Homosexual activist targets Christian
On 20 January a Christian counsellor will be summoned before a Professional Conduct Panel for giving therapy to a homosexual man who pretended to be a Christian. Lesley Pilkington, a counsellor with over 20 years of experience, is defending herself against a formal complaint by Patrick Strudwick, a homosexual journalist who secretly recorded two therapy sessions with her. He published an account of the sessions in The Independent and has since received the award of journalist of the year by the homosexual-rights organisation Stonewall. Those offering such counselling have been increasingly targeted by the homosexual lobby, many of whom do not accept that people can change their behaviour. But in 2006, the homosexual rights activist Peter Tatchell wrote in the Guardian: ‘Much as I would love to go along with the fashionable ‘born gay’ consensus (it would be very politically convenient), I can't. The evidence does not support the idea’.
Pray: that the charge will be dismissed on the basis of entrapment and natural justice. (Ac. 24:1)
Divided church is poor witness
In a sermon to mark the start of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity on Tuesday, the Rev Bob Fyffe said the movement for unity had ‘transformed things for the better’. ‘It is this movement that has helped to overcome some deep-rooted enmities that have scared communities, transforming churches to be more open to each other.’ The task before believers, he said, was to be recognised as Christians by how well they had loved others. ‘To be divided as Christians is to offer poor witness to the world,’ he said. The call to Christian unity must be more than a dream. It is the living out of these high ideals that helps others see that faith can be a source of hope. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is held each year by the church worldwide from January 18 to 25. This year’s theme is ‘All things in common’.
Pray: for unity between denominations and that differences can be overcome for the sake of the Gospel. (1Co.1:10)
DIY abortions at home?
Britain’s largest abortion provider is set to go to the High Court in a bid to allow women to abort their pregnancies whilst at home. BPAS, formerly the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, is seeking to change the interpretation of the law so that women in the first nine weeks of their pregnancy can take the second set of drugs necessary to induce an early medical abortion whilst at home, rather than under clinical supervision. The proposal has alarmed critics who believe that this would trivialise the procedure and ignore the dangers. A spokesman for the pro-life charity Life said: ‘Clearly BPAS’ intention is to increase access to abortion yet further, by making it little more than a pill-popping exercise'. Paul Tully, general secretary of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, said: ‘Abortion is an appalling ordeal for women, as well as the killing of an unborn child. BPAS is trivialising abortion and jeopardising women’s welfare.’
Pray: that the High Court will recognise the importance of counselling at each stage in the path towards an abortion. (Ps.32:8)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/abortion-provider-wants-to-allow-diy-abortions-at-home/
Judge rules against guest house owners
A judge has sided with a homosexual couple who were refused a double room at a Christian guest house. (see Prayer Alert 02-2011) Owners Peter and Hazelmary Bull implemented a policy of allowing only heterosexual married couples to stay in their double rooms when they opened the guest house, also their family home, in 1986. Their website gives notice of the policy on its booking page. They were sued by civil partners Steven Preddy and Martyn Hall for £5,000 in damages on the grounds that the policy discriminated against them under the Equality Act. Judge Andrew Rutherford ruled that the Bulls’ policy was unlawful and that the Equality Act requires that civil partnerships are treated in the same way as marriage. The Bulls must now pay Preddy and Hall £3,600 in damages. Responding to the ruling, Mrs Bull said: ‘Our double-bed policy was based on our sincere beliefs about marriage, not hostility to anybody’.
Pray: that the Equality Act be amended to distinguish between legal and behavioural rights. (Jas.1:21)
More:http://www.christiantoday.com/article/judge.rules.against.christian.guesthouse.owners.who.refused.civil.partners/27378.htm
Equalities Minister wants sexuality declared
Lib Dem Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone wants teachers, nurses and policemen, among others, to have to disclose their sexuality. She said that all public sector organisations should consider sending ‘diversity monitoring forms’ to staff to prove that they are treating all sections of society fairly. In June 2009, Ms Featherstone said that public sector employees who face a conflict between their job and their conscience should get another career. ‘On the execution of public duty, it is important that we make it clear here and now that carrying out public services cannot be a matter of conscience.’ This could mean that those identified as having a religious background that may hold certain moral views may potentially have restricted access to many public service jobs. Critics have also questioned how intrusive such questioning is.
Pray: that the Government comes to recognise the Big Brother nature of such damaging ideas. (Jas.2:4)
Financial crisis affects MOD
Following the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is about to conclude an extremely challenging further savings exercise in order to correctly balance military forces with the finances available. This will involve some very difficult decisions affecting people’s careers and military capabilities. Key decisions are likely to have to be made on 25 January 2011 and 10 February 2011 by the Defence Board. Those charged with deciding the outcome include senior leaders in defence especially the Chief of the Defence Staff and the Permanent Under Secretary for Defence and Service Chiefs. The Prime Minister, addressing Parliament at the outset of the SDSR stated ‘We are the sixth largest economy in the world. Even after this review we expect to continue with the fourth largest military budget in the world’.
Pray: for wisdom that right decisions are reached for the benefit of the nation and our Service personnel (2Ch.7:14)
More:http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/WhatWeDo/PolicyStrategyandPlanning/SDSR/StrategicDefenceAndSecurity
Christian faces sack for beliefs
David Booker has worked as a hostel support worker for the English Churches Housing Group, recently taken over by the Society of St James, for four years. Allegations against him followed a discussion with colleague Fiona Vardy. The free-flowing conversation lasted 35 minutes and Mr Booker answered his co-worker’s questions while making clear that he had homosexual friends and was not homophobic. ‘I did say that I didn’t agree with same-sex marriages, I didn’t believe pastors or vicars should marry same-sex partners and I didn’t agree with practising homosexuals being a pastor or a vicar.’ A few days later, he was formally suspended. A formal notice told him: ‘On 26 March 09, whilst on shift with Fiona Vardy, you seriously breached ECHG’s Code of Conduct by promoting your religious views which contained discriminatory comments regarding a person’s sexual orientation’. The charity has the Archbishop of Canterbury as a patron.
Pray: for common sense, enabled by the Holy Spirit, to rule for this Christian and others in like situations. (Ac.4:25)
More: http://domain1239156.sites.fasthosts.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1339&Itemid=1
Russia: Asalted Church youth leader in critical condition
Vladislav Korabel, who serves as the regional church youth leader in Russia’s Novgorod Oblast (state), is in the hospital with severe brain injuries following an assault and beating by unknown assailants. Vladislav was on his way to church in the city of Veliky Novgorod when he was brutally attacked. Initially he was treated by a neurosurgeon, then transferred to another unit where he underwent craniofacial surgery on Friday, January 14. Vladislav is the son of Anatoly Korabel, regional pastor for the Novgorod Oblast. According to Pastor Anatoly, the doctors are withholding any comments on prognosis for the time being. The church leadership believes the assault is related to anti-Baptist propaganda broadcasts aired on television, and they sent a letter to the local television station protesting the false reports. Local authorities including the regional ombudsman and governor’s administration have promised to investigate the matter.
Pray: not only for Vladislav’s full recovery, but also for the protection of churches, pastors and church members. (Is.49:7)